| This work was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Music. This work has been "visually scored" in a process called STORMWORKS™ VisaREEL™, and further develops Music and Picture concepts first developed in LAST WORLD STANDING. (The DVD version of LAST WORLD STANDING is coming soon.) You can now order the DVD, visually-scored version of THAT WE MIGHT LIVE, an historic document rendered by some of the world's finest ensembles, and treated with visuals from the National Archives, Chinese Central Television and various rare sources from around the world. This work demonstrates just what a high school band is capable of in the 3rd Millennium. Whether or not you actually render the work, owning this resource serves as an historic addition to the repertoire of possibility. Order the DVD online under STORMWORKS® VisaREEL™
See
News Articles by © Lisa Ridgely in PDF Michael
Hotltzclaw 22 May 2005 Daily Press Article "How can anyone put to music–make something good–of such deeply suffered events so memorably cruel, so personally humiliating, so heart-breaking to survivors and the families of those sacrificed? “It can’t be done,” repeatedly said author Dorothy Aldrich, survivor Jack Aldrich and others who felt the pathos or personally endured the then-seemingly-unending event. “It’s impossible,” they said, when he told them what he intended to do. And for the first time, that weekend in April 2004, they came, they saw and they learned that Melillo could do and successfully did do the impossible." From the Jan Girand Article, Roswell Daily Record. "Dear Sir: I want to thank you for the most moving experience of my life. I was in the front row directly behind you on Sunday. My husband and I had brought Harold Hise, a Bataan survivor. You were there with the men as you conducted. You were experiencing their pain and you allowed us to experience it also. Harold said several things on the way home. He said, 'We don't have to be ashamed any more because we were forced to surrender.' I think that the forced surrender devastated many of the men. Your music has finally allowed them to put it behind them." Sharron Darby "This was without doubt the most moving musical presentation I have ever listened to. First of all I want to thank you so much for your talent, time, and unlimited energy. I could not believe how much you put into the performance. I was getting tired and I was sitting down. I was in a leather jacket sitting next to Mr. Harold C. Hise, one of the survivors. He and Mr. Aldrich attended the Sunday concert. My wife and I drove him to the concert and on the way home he made several comments. He said, 'I don't know how you can make something so beautiful out of such misery.' Then he said, 'I am so proud of those young people.' You had him come up to the front of the audience and let him speak to the orchestra and chorus. He would have never never done something like that alone. Thank You. Thank You." Terry Darby "We just returned from an incredible weekend in Roswell, New Mexico. Stephen's musical documentary to honor the men of Bataan was unbelievably moving. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. The survivors, as well as the rest of us, were taken back in time on a musical journey to the beginning of World War II ....Pearl Harbor... A call to arms... Bataan... surrender and triumph for freedom! As my mother said, this hour-long tribute 'should be played in every city in America.'"... Ceci Marturano "THAT
WE MIGHT LIVE sounds absolutely amazing. Once again I see your dedication
"Thank you for the fantastic, inspiring piece. I am still excited and thinking about the experiences from last weekend. My favorite part of the day was when Jack Aldrich was explaining that the man on the cover of the score was his best man in his wedding, and that he couldn't be at the premiere because he was having surgery. Jack said, 'I finally have something he doesn't have: memories from today's very special program. I will keep them with me forever.' Amazing." Carey Nadeau from Continental Harmony Also: See Jack's Interview below...
Tom
Blake & Cameron in Action, passing Excalibur! Jack
Aldrich, Spence's new Great Grandfather signs the Score! A
True Hero... The
National Anthem played direct to HEROES... Cameron,
Steve, Tom & John Fuss Dorothy
Aldrich, Author and Gramma Nicky! 4
Generations! Harold
& Jack Aldrich at the podium right before STAR! My
newest and Greatest Gifts... The Insignia of the Regiment. Jack's
Interview with Lisa Ridgely... (His comments are printed below!) Jack
on Film... A
Kiss and a Wish to a New Generation... In
Rehearsal... Yes, I would have failed band conducting! Yeah! God
Bless America... and the man who sang it! The
Voice of America Microphone (Prop) for "In the Stars" A
Piece of the World Trade Center was in THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
Karen
Keating, Director of the Official STORMChorus!
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I even told the composer at the beginning, I didn't think anybody could make music from this subject, I didn't think he could do it, but he has, to his credit, and he's really a talented musician because I have some of his CDs. ... The spirit begins to well up inside, and then you remember, you remember a lot of things come passing by that you'd forgotten, and are very important to me, very important. And watching the conductor and his antics was something else. I sat right behind him and very energetic, and it's amazing how a leap or two can bring out such a sound in music. ... (asked about other Bataan vets) I think there were three others that I can see. One fellow there with a cap on, he's from Carlsbad. Charlie James, and I noticed that he, too, had his handkerchief out, and he was kind of getting into it. ... I watched him to see what effect this was having on him and he was touched and I scooted over to talk to him about it and he was well-pleased. We enjoyed it. Younger people may not remember much of that music, but we did. ... I do know that I got an opportunity to talk with some band members several weeks ago and I was asked some very interesting questions and I find that history has kind of forgotten some of these things and what I thought should be covered in chapters in history books today is probably down to a paragraph, but the entire regiment from the state of New Mexico was caught up in that thing, and as a result, a lot of people know that wouldn't ordinarily know, and their children know. And I base this on the book my wife wrote. It's in its third printing and we hope the fourth printing's (inaudible) because as each generation comes along, grandparents and what not buy books for everybody, so as a result, my wife doesn't turn down any request from a National Guard or National Guard family and we will travel miles just to help someone if they're stuck for a program and they want some information somewhere... It's a brotherhood, you know. We're closer than thieves. I'm closer to people — and everybody feels the same way — we're a great family and closer than our own family, absolutely, without doubt. What is beyond the courage? Freedom. That’s exactly what it is, it's freedom, and it can be looked at in different ways, but to us, it’s freedom: Freedom to come home, freedom to do this, freedom to move about the country, freedom to criticize politicians or whatever, freedom to accept generosity from people like the composer and everyone I've talked to here today. I'm getting hoarse... The atmosphere has changed for us, you know, we came home, we had been surrendered, and it was the largest group of U.S. soldiers in history to be surrendered — now we emphasized we didn't surrender, we were surrendered. For our best interests, I might add. But that was a terrible cross to bear, a terrible cross to bear, and it wasn't 'till years later that we began to open up. People were curious, people didn't know even in their family. These guys didn't talk to their families about this — I didn't talk to mine — but we began to open up a little bit because you're going to (realize) that when you're gone it may mean something to your family. Next thing you know, you've got a speaking engagement somewhere and then you know you're hooked, you're out more than... (thought they had to) defend it and really didn't have to do that, we didn't have to defend what happened because most people understand, and I think we were afraid they wouldn't understand.
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Materials on this Site are © Stephen Melillo IGNA 2nd & 3rd Millennium |
