Jeff Schneider taught music at Bexley schools for 28 years before retiring in 2007.

By SARA R. JOHNSON

Backed by a world-renowned composer, young musicians at Bexley City Schools plan to honor a former band director for his 28 years of service.

In 2007, the Bexley Music Parents commissioned a composition in honor of Jeff Schneider, Bexley's former band director for fifth- through 12th-grade band members. He retired in 2007.

Completed a few weeks ago, the piece, Divinum Mysterium, will be performed by Bexley High School's concert band with the Grove City Community Winds at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the high school's Schottenstein Theatre, 326 S. Cassingham Road.

"It's a tribute to Jeff, who is a Bexley resident, who for 28 years taught our band students," said Andy Johnson, Bexley band director. "It's a nice evening out that is going to present a wide range of music at many different ability levels."

The concert is free and open to the public.

The group called on James Swearingen to compose the piece. A Grove City resident, Swearingen is a music professor and the music education department chairman at Capital University. The work will be published internationally but won't be released until later this spring, Johnson said. The high school concert band also will perform Divinum Mysterium for the Ohio Music Education Association at a district contest on March 7 at Thomas Worthington High School.

"It's been quite a long process," Johnson said. "It's very well-written and an emotional piece of music."

To write the piece, Swearingen met with Schneider to get a feel for how he wanted the piece to be written.

Swearingen will direct Community Winds, which is a group of about 60 musicians from throughout Central Ohio during the event.

Both Bexley's seventh- and eighth-grade bands will perform at the event as well. The high school's band also will perform prior to taking the stage with the Grove City Community Winds for the tribute.

A reception will follow the concert, with desserts provided by the Bexley Music Parents.

"It's a reception in honor of Jeff, and it's open to the community and for the alumni to come back and celebrate this occasion with Jeff," Johnson said.