German Article by Joachim Buch

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Storm Music with Great Emotional Content and Feeling

For the composer Stephen Melillo, life is a storm. His collective artistic works are pedagogically oriented and highly creative. To simply call him a composer, or only a composer, does not do justice to his many, varied, and multiple interests. Born in the state of New York, and now living in Virginia, Stephen Melillo is also a teacher and distributor of his own music, never to be called or associated as a publisher. He is a philosopher, historian and much more.

While turning 50 this past December, physically and from his exterior, this exceptional musician reminds one of a highly athletic figure with a great deal of strength. Since the age of 18 he has earned seven black belts in varied Asiatic martial arts. Melillo completed his studies and graduated from Boston and Columbia Universities before leading wind orchestras in various schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

In the beginning of the 1990's, he began writing his own original compositions under the name Stormworks. His music can be purchased directly and he emphasizes that in dealing with Stormworks, individuals are not dealing with a business or a publisher. Melillo states, "I write music and then I see to it that my music is publicly available." As a result, thousands of conductors from around the world have performed his pieces, many of which were previously denied publication by the conglomerates.

Stormworks is a term that speaks volumes to Melillo's music. Through his vitally composed music, musicians can perceive, sense and feel the musical connotations of the Storm. One of the primary thoughts of this composer is that "Life is a storm." Life may be marked by battle, by need, and by injury and suffering, but just like in a Storm as in Life, Light triumphs in the end.

Connected to the Storm theme, and as an outgrowth of the international distribution of Stormworks, StormDirectors have evolved. Melillo explains the distinguishing characteristics of a StormDirector as one who never sees himself as an expert, but an eternal student or learner, and never a master.

In StormQuest, Melillo has composed 15 connecting musical works for young band in the difficulty range of 1.5 to 3. His pedagogical background and equally artistic approach and spirit are found in all of his compositions, whether written for younger bands or in his more difficult works. His most important pedagogical work is found in his Function Chorales, foundations for the betterment of mood and intonation in the wind orchestra. The Function Chorales can be performed with four musicians or with a symphony orchestra in equal size to one performing Gustav Mahler's 8th Symphony.

Whoever hears Melillo's music is also reminded of suspenseful film scores and if someone should ask him what is the first film music that made an impression upon him, Melillo will daringly and freely present the James Bond Theme. In the beginning of the 1990's, as he composed music for Nintendo, he also created Music-to-Picture, works intended for the students at (SUNY) New York University, which then became a curricular component of studies at the State University of New York.

Melillo has composed music for thirteen movies and 28 television productions. He has also written a piece, Erich!, in tribute to and with admiration for Erich Korngold and his film music work of the 1930's.

The connection between natural sciences and music has existed for Melillo since very early in his life. His creation of MIDI-Mast (MIDI – Music – Mathematics – Science), sponsored by the Ford and Carnegie Foundation and the New York Academy of Science, in the early 1980's, led to 275 New York teachers of mathematics and natural sciences working to show that through music there can be an increased and strengthened comprehension of mathematics and natural sciences.

Although Melillo works closely with technology, he is a highly emotional human being, which is evident through his music and in his manner of conducting. His attitude, spirit and emotion quickly connect to both listeners and performers of his music.

John Skelton, the director of the Dallas High School Wind Ensemble remembers the reaction of his student musicians when they first heard David. "On the day after hearing David, they presented me with a check with the words, 'Please buy this piece.'" Melillo's music, in regard to its great depth for wind orchestra, bestows upon ensembles an exceptional communal experience.

Melillo's interests in historic themes led to the creation of an international musical experience through the forgiveness and reconciliation of the former war opponents of the USA and Japan. During World War II, the lacking European participation in the less publicized Death March of Bataan, the suffering of American and Philippine POW's, and the war crimes of the Japanese in the early phase of the Pacific War circa 1942, became the foundation for this musical work. In honor of the 14,000 American participants in the Death March and the less than 200 survivors alive today (according to Stars and Stripes Magazine) Melillo composed a one hour collective work, Kakehashi: That We Might Live.

Melillo recorded Kakehashi: That We Might Live on the Stormworks Chapter 5:8 CD, Writings on the Wall. A 140 piece Japanese Military Band and 2 American Choirs participated in the recording, with additional audio excerpts and period recordings from the 1940's. All of which comprise this musical memorial to the survivors of the Death March of Bataan.

The double CD, Stormworks Chapter 5:8, was released in 2006. It offers everything other than an every day musical experience and is one of the most successful wind orchestra recordings ever made. Chapter 5:8 has four Grammy Award Nominations: (1) Album of the year (2) best traditional world music album (3) best instrumental music composition for the three movement Concerto for Violin and (4) best instrumental arrangement of God Bless America.

In addition to Kakehashi, Melillo composed a large melodrama for actors and wind orchestra called Ahab. Melillo remarks, "The piece must have an expression, a spirit." Musical works without a statement are, for Melillo, mere exercises, and a conductor should absolutely declare them as such.

Translation: Simply put, by Martin Wiblishauser

PAD Bass Quicktime Video

"Hi Dave, The biggest effect on the student's feel for tuning and intonation was due to the involvement of the pad bass. This simply enabled the students to hear overtones when playing perfectly in tune. It made musicians hear through the notes and listen to their functions within a chord, scale, etc. They simply knew what they were supposed to listen to when the conductor was talking about intonation.

This and Steve's teaching on sound (building it up from the bottom to the top, bass to sopranos) was the big achievement in that week. It really changed the way the students were listening and playing. They tried to make music an experience for them as well as for the audience. They tried to play "beautiful" music rather than correct music. They started to express the music rather than playing right notes. And it worked out! What more do you want!?"

I hope this is helpful for you paper. If you want to know more please feel free to contact me. All the best and greetings from Germany.

Martin Wiblishauser