PARSIPPANY — The 2019-2020 school year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Parsippany Hills High School. To commemorate this special occasion, the Parsippany Education Foundation has provided a grant to commission composer Chris Bernotas to write a celebratory piece of music. This composition has been written for the PHHS bands to perform annually at graduation as the recessional music. Students have been involved throughout the composition process. Composer Chris Bernotas will rehearse his music with the bands and explain his musical intentions in the composition. The long-term goal of this commission is to create a work of art that generations of Parsippany Hills High School students and staff will consider their own. The music will always be identified with PHHS and the 50th anniversary. In addition, when the music is published, it will serve as a contribution to the band repertoire. Bands all over the world will be able to perform this composition.
Bands of Par-Troy West will perform on February 19 at Parsippany Hills High School starting at 7:00 p.m.
Here is some background info on the composer:
Composer, conductor, clinician, and educator Chris M. Bernotas brings an energetic and enthusiastic approach to the world of music education. An active composer and arranger of concert band music, Mr. Bernotas is published with Alfred Music Publishing, Daehn Publications, Wingert-Jones Publishing, Northeastern Music Publications, Carl Fischer Music, TRN Music Publishing, and Bandworks Publications. His music has been performed at the Midwest Clinic and has appeared on J.W. Pepper’s Editor’s Choice list and numerous state lists. Mr. Bernotas is co-author of three books in Alfred’s Sound Innovations series, Sound Innovations: Ensemble Development for Young, Intermediate and Advanced Concert Band, along with Peter Boonshaft. He is also co-author of Alfred’s ground-breaking percussion method, Sound Percussion with Dave Black. Mr. Bernotas holds a BM from William Paterson University and an MAT from Marygrove College. In 2019 Mr. Bernotas retired as the Band Director of Mountain Lakes High School after more than 20 years. He currently resides in Rockaway.
