Father and Son Maestros David and Joshua Thye to Make 25th and Third Appearances at Carnegie Hall on May 29

Dr. David R. Thye of Gilbert, Arizona, was not born into a musically-inclined family. But after taking trumpet lessons in the fifth grade, he found his passion. He began his musical journey as a trumpeter and baritone vocalist -- and has never looked back. Today this father of two and grandfather of six, who made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut in 2005, is now the patriarch of a three-generation musical dynasty.

On May 29 at 8 PM, David and his eldest Joshua D. Thye will separately conduct on the Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage as part of MidAmerica Productions' 35th annual concert season.

For Maestro David Thye, Tuesday will mark his 25th conducting performance on the Carnegie Hall main stage while it will be Maestro Joshua Thye's third. Father and son last appeared in the same Carnegie Hall-MidAmerica Productions Playbill in 2008.

"Words cannot express the joy that is mine to share Carnegie Hall's main stage with my fellow conductor, my professional colleague and son," said David Thye. "I'm extremely proud of Josh as a phenomenal musician, conductor, trumpeter and teacher. His love for music, high-level artistry and excellence are enhanced by his character, integrity and love for people. Josh's bands annually win local, state and national competitions. Many of his students have been inspired to become professional musicians themselves. I am in awe of his impact on his students and the community he thrives in."

David Thye will conduct the New England Symphonic Ensemble in selections from Dan Forrest's Jubilate Deo, which brings to life the global aspect of the traditional Psalm 100 text, "O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands," by setting it in seven different languages and drawing from a wide spectrum of musical influences. Jubilate Deo will be sung by Soprano Courtney Johnson and Mezzo-Soprano Sabina Kim along with these participating choruses and their musical directors:

University Chorale-Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD (William Folger, Director)

Central Regional High School Choir, Bayville, NJ (Beth Moore, Director)

Goddard-Eisenhower Choirs, Goddard, KS; Wichita First Presbyterian Church Choir, Wichita, KS (Gretchen Bixler and Steve Bixler, Directors)

Marist College Singers, Poughkeepsie, NY (Sarah Williams, Director)

Under Josh Thye's baton will be the Desert Vista High School Wind Ensemble of Phoenix, Arizona, of which he is an alumnus and also serves as Director of Bands. He'll be joined by Vicente Lopez, who directs the school's Advanced Percussion Ensemble, in conducting the following repertoire:

MICHAEL MARKOWSKI: joyRIDE

ANDREW WORDEN: Bolt (World Premiere)

ALFRED REED: Hounds of Spring

MORTEN LAURIDSEN: Contre Qui, Rose, trans. H. Robert Reynolds

RANDALL STANDRIDGE: Danse Bohemien

HENRY FILLMORE: Rolling Thunder March

"Talent Scouts"

Both David and Josh Thye "tirelessly seek out new literature, new composers and new talented musicians."

Andrew Worden's Bolt, will be making its world premiere debut at Carnegie Hall on May 28. It was commissioned by Desert Vista High School and "dedicated in memory of our friend and faithful Band Dad, Craig Dorste."

Composer/Desert Vista High School Alumnus Andrew Worden wrote this about Bolt in a program note:

If I'm lucky, about two-thirds of the way through a run, I'll get a bolt of energy. Sometimes it's triggered by music, sometimes by pushing through fatigue. I start to run faster. I smile without even trying, and all possibilities feel like opportunities - it's euphoric! Science says this is a mixture of biology and psychology, with endorphins and other hormones coursing through the body. Runners call it "runner's high." Artists call it "flow state." Call it what you will, but the bolt is elusive. It doesn't always come. In fact, many times it won't. But I think that's part of its appeal.

Encouraging Kids to Love Music

Does David -- whose music career has taken him internationally to Florence, Italy, as well as throughout the entire United States as a professor at four different colleges, choir master and festival director -- have any advice for parents who believe they have a musical prodigy on their hands, or simply want to pass along their love of music to their daughters and sons?

"I always told my children to enjoy music - and NOT to make music a profession," said David Thye. "But when they, too, became passionate musicians and wanted to continue, I encouraged them only to continue IF they just had to do it. I wanted them to continue by their own choice, will and desire, not by my own encouragement. Now all of them are engaged in a great love affair with music. "My other son, Jake, is a gifted tenor and former trumpet player who is a project engineer for Boeing. His wife, Hillary, is an outstanding alto who minored in music in college. Josh's wife, Jenni, is a worship leader at her church.

"My wife Cher and I have six grandchildren (ages 2 to 8 years old) who love music, sing, dance and play percussion instruments," continued David Thye. "Our oldest granddaughter enjoys playing Orff instruments. Our second oldest granddaughter was selected as a soloist in her school talent program."

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