YSU musicians get big stage at Super Bowl LIII

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

They say there’s a Youngstown connection just about everywhere, and this year’s Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta is no exception.

More than two dozen alumni, faculty, staff and student musicians from Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music are providing the musical orchestration for the singing of “America the Beautiful” during Super Bowl pregame ceremonies in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday.

“We’re so excited to know that music performed by our students and faculty will be heard by millions across the globe,” said Randall Goldberg, Dana director. “I can’t wait for the game.”

The Dana school was approached about recording the music by Derek Dixie, a Youngstown native and former Dana School of Music student. Dixie, along with co-arranger/orchestrator and pianist Victoria Theodore, are arranging and orchestrating “America the Beautiful” for the pregame ceremonies.

For the orchestration, Dixie hired a small Los Angeles horn and string ensemble and also reached out to Stephen Gage, YSU director of bands, who put together a group of 28 Dana musicians. A full recording session was conducted Jan. 11 in Stambaugh Auditorium.

“The budgets for things like this are not endless,” Dixie said. “Employing 40-plus musicians can get expensive very fast. I didn’t want to cut corners for this arrangement and just use computer programming. It was important to me that it was done right.

“To lessen the financial blow, I pulled in favors from a few LA players that I know, and to get the full orchestration, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to shine light on my hometown and use talent from the university,” Dixie said. “I knew Dr. Gage would get me the people needed.”

Dixie said the recording “is a beautiful, emotionally charged arrangement that I hope my hometown can be proud of.”

Phyllis Paul, dean of the YSU Cliffe College of Creative Arts and Communication, said, “It is truly an honor to have Dana featured in such a prominent way on the world stage. It is yet another example of the international quality of our students, alums and faculty.”