On a Catalonian Carol

The eighth piece in the concert is entitled On a Catalonian Carol. It is a setting of the traditional Catalan carol El Noi de la Mare (The Child of the Mother), written in 2016 by Randall Standridge (see below) in 2016.

When we first selected this music for our winter concert in 2017, we didn’t know that Catalonia would be in the news so much because of the independence it was seeking from Spain. Tensions have since eased.

Catalonia is a region of Spain located on the northeastern extremity of the Iberian Peninsula. On Oct. 27th of 2017, residents there attempted to declare their independence from Spain, but the national government took measures to contradict the declaration and eventually took control of the region. The capital and largest city is Barcelona, the second-most populated municipality in Spain and the core of the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union.

Speaking of El Noi de la Mare, the first stanza of a common version of the carol translates as follows:

What shall we give to the Mother’s Child?

What shall we give that he will find tasty?

Raisins and figs and nuts and olives,

Raisins and figs and honey and cheese.

Randall Standridge (b.1976) received his Bachelor's of Music Education from Arkansas State University. During this time, he studied composition with Dr. Tom O'Connor, before returning to Arkansas State University to earn his Master's in Music Composition, studying with Dr. Tom O'Connor and Dr. Tim Crist. In 2001, he began his tenure as Director of Bands at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Arkansas. He left this post in 2013 to pursue a career as a full-time composer and marching arts designer.

Mr. Standridge's music is performed internationally. He has had numerous works selected for the J.W. Pepper's editor's choice. His compositions Snake Charmer, Gently Blows the Summer Wind, and Angelic Celebrations have been included in the "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band" series.

He has had numerous works performed at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. The Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble premiered his work Art(isms) at the 2010 CBDNA conference in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and his work Stonewall: 1969 was premiered at the National LGBA conference in 2019. His Symphony no.1: A Ghost Story was premiered in 2023. In addition, Mr. Standridge's “unBroken Project”, a musical initiative about mental health, has received widespread acclaim for its musical content and for providing opportunities to normalize discussions about mental health for music students and audiences.

In addition to his career as a composer, Mr. Standridge is the owner and editor of Randall Standridge Music, LLC and Grand Mesa Marching. He is in demand as an arranger/designer for the marching arts. He lives in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with his husband, Steven, and their very, very spoiled pets.

The music for On a Catalonian Carol was provided for the band by Carol Sauter.