MUSIC EMORY EMORY WIND ENSEMBLE PAUL BHASIN, CONDUCTOR JOHN AMMERMAN, NARRATOR SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019, 8:00 P.M.

Transcription

1 MUSIC EMORY at EMORY WIND ENSEMBLE PAUL BHASIN, CONDUCTOR JOHN AMMERMAN, NARRATOR SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019, 8:00 P.M. EMERSON CONCERT HALL SCHWARTZ CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

2 PROGRAM Three Dance Episodes from On the Town Leonard Bernstein Dance of the Great Lover ( ) Lonely Town (pas de deux) trans. P. Lavender Times Square: 1944 Variations on a Porazzi Theme Alfred Reed ( ) Le Bal de Beatrice d Este Reynaldo Hahn 1. Entree de Ludovic le More ( ) 2. Lesquarcade 3. Romanesque 4. Iberienne 5. Leda et l oiseau 6. Courante 7. Salut Final au Duc de Milan Milonga del Angel Gabe Hart, euphonium Astor Piazzolla ( ) arr. P. Bhasin Lincoln Portrait John Ammerman, narrator Aaron Copland ( ) transcr. W. Beeler 2

3 PROGRAM NOTES Three Dance Episodes from On the Town Like George Gershwin before him, Leonard Bernstein was interested in blending symphonic music with jazz and the Broadway stage, but Bernstein channeled a much broader range of influences: jazz and popular songs are certainly there, but also the clear influence of Aaron Copland. This is particularly true of the music Bernstein wrote for Jerome Robbins s innovative dance sequences much of which was collected into his 1945 orchestral suite Three Dance Episodes from On the Town. In discussing the central role of dancing in the show, Bernstein boasted I believe this is the first Broadway show ever to have as many as seven or eight dance episodes in the space of two acts; and, as a result, the essence of the whole production is contained in these dances. The Dance Episodes are all drawn from Act I of the show. Dance of the Great Lover is a rather frenetic jazzy number originally the song She s a Home Lovin Girl with the sound of a clattering subway train always in background. Bernstein describes the action: Gaby, the romantic sailor in search of the glamorous Miss Turnstiles, falls asleep in the subway and dreams of his prowess in sweeping Miss Turnstiles off her feet. Lonely Town (pas de deux) is much slower, with bluesy solos for the trumpet and solo woodwinds. Here, Gaby watches a scene, both tender and sinister, in which a sensitive high-school girl in Central Park is lured and then cast-off by a worldly sailor. Bernstein describes the third movement, Times Square: 1944, as a more panoramic sequence in which all the sailors in New York congregate in Times Square for their night of fun. There is communal dancing, a scene in a souvenir arcade, and a scene in the Roseland Dance Palace. The music that dominates this episode is the show s irrepressible opening song New York, New York, whether in a big show dance or a sexy saxophone solo. There is a humorous interlude as several sailors small town boys in the big city bargain for souvenirs, and the final sequence of frantic dances. Variations on a Porazzi Theme Michael Allsen The second movement of the Symphony No. 3 is a freely developed variation form based on what is probably the last piece of music that Richard Wagner wrote before his death. Intended as a private, loving tribute to his wife, Cosima, it has come to be called the Porazzi theme, named after the villa in Italy where the Wagner family had been staying for several months. Now believed to have begun during the years while Wagner was composing the opera Tristan und Isolde in exile, it was only completed after his final opera Parsifal. It is also almost certain that this was the music that he was reported to have been playing on the piano the night before he died in February 1883 at the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi in Venice, as Cosima s diary notes, represents his last musical thoughts. Alfred Reed 3

4 Le bal de Beatrice d Este Reynaldo Hahn wrote the ballet Le bal de Beatrice d Este in Music for winds was in vogue in Paris at the time thanks to the success of groups like Paul Taffanel s Société de Musique de Chambre pour Instruments á Vent (Wind Instrument Chamber Music Society) and Georges Barrére s Societé Moderne d Instruments á Vent (Modern Wind Instrument Society), both of which were rediscovering the Harmoniemusik of Mozart and Beethoven while also commissioning new works like Gounod s Petite Symphonie. Hahn may have been inspired by their success he was definitely involved in a concert of the Societé Moderne in That group premiered Le balon March 28, 1905, as part of its 10th anniversary concert. Le bal presents an imagined evening in the court of Beatrice ( ) of the House Este, a treasured princess of the Italian Renaissance. She became the Duchess of Milan in 1491 when she married Ludovico Sforza. Both were known as patrons of the arts and humanities: Leonardo Da Vinci completed his Last Supper under their patronage. They were also known for hosting fine balls. Hahn s composition is in seven movements, scored for two flutes, oboe, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, percussion, two harps, and piano. It opens with the fanfare, Entrée pour Ludovic le More, or Ludovico s entrance music. Three of the inner movements are Renaissance dances (Lesquercade, Romanesque, Courante) interspersed with a portrait of Beatrice s sister Isabella (Iberienne), and a musical impression of a Da Vinci painting (Léda et l Oiseau). The Salut Final au Duc de Milan puts a regal bookend on the piece. Milonga del Angel Andrew Pease For Alberto Rodriguez Muñoz s 1962 stage play Tango del Angel, in which an angel heals the spirits of the residents of a shabby Buenos Aires neighborhood, Astor Piazzolla added two new pieces to an earlier tango that gave the play its name. This music reappeared in at least two different concert forms, but one of the unifying elements is the piece Milonga del Angel. A milonga is a sort of proto-tango, lighter and gentler than the more familiar form. This milonga is openly sentimental and begins with a lounge music feel with strummed bass chords; a simple, keening violin line; and a few tinkles from the piano. The bandoneón creeps in almost unnoticed, but takes control of the piece with a sad, nostalgic melody (at this point, one could easily imagine the piece being played in a jazz club). Just as the treatment of the melody becomes more complex and emotional, a secondary section arrives to allow some air around the music. It initially seems like a transition, but opens into a highly romantic and sensual violin solo. The bandoneón reclaims its place, offering its own variation on this melody, which is actually closely tied to the main theme, and musing on it with the violin and electric bass. A more intense passage leads to the coda, which strips the music down to a series of chords, much as the piece began. James Reel 4

5 Lincoln Portrait Lincoln Portrait is a 13-minute work for speaker and full orchestra, divided roughly into three sections. In the opening, I hoped to suggest something of the mysterious sense of fatality that surrounds Lincoln s personality, and near the end of the first section, something of his gentleness and simplicity of spirit. I was after the most universal aspects of Lincoln s character, not physical resemblance. The challenge was to compose something simple, yet interesting enough to fit Lincoln I kept finding myself back at the C-major triad. The first section opens with a somber sound of violins and violas playing a dotted figure that turns into a melodic phrase by the eighth bar; the second subject is a transformed version of Springfield Mountain. This section ends with a trumpet solo leading without pause into an unexpected allegro for full orchestra. The second section is an attempt to sketch in the background of the colorful times in which Lincoln lived. Sleigh bells suggest a horse and carriage of 19th-century New England, and the lively tune that sounds like a folk song is derived in part from Camptown Races. In the conclusion, my purpose was to draw a simple, but impressive frame around the words of Lincoln himself in my opinion among the best this nation has ever heard to express patriotism and humanity. The quotations from Lincoln s writings and speeches are bound together by narrative passages, simple enough to mirror the dignity of Lincoln s words. For example, That is what he said, that is what Abraham Lincoln said. And, He was born in Kentucky, raised in Indiana, and lived in Illinois. And this is what he said.... The background music in the final section, while thematically related to the orchestral introduction, is far more modest and unobtrusive, so as not to intrude on the narration. But after Lincoln s final... shall not perish from this earth, the orchestra blazes out in triple forté with a strong and positive C-major statement of the first theme. EMORY WIND ENSEMBLE Aaron Copland The Emory Wind Ensemble (EWE) is dedicated to performing wind band and chamber literature of the highest caliber while nurturing individual artistic excellence within an ensemble setting. Concert programming comprises a wide variety of styles, forms, and genres from several centuries of compositional practice, designed to provide a comprehensive exposure to the masterpieces for winds and percussion from the Renaissance period through the modern era. EWE performs two concerts each semester; regularly participates in world premieres of new music; tours the United States and abroad; and is a national leader in the commissioning of new music, including works by Warren Benson, Bruce Broughton, Jennifer Higdon, Libby Larsen, John Mackey, Jonathan Newman, Joseph Schwantner, and many others. EWE s recent collaborations include performances with the Emory University Chorus; the Emory Dance Company; Emory s Mary Emerson Professor of Piano William Ransom; Chris Martin, principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Stuart Stephenson, principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Joe Alessi, principal trombone of 5

6 the New York Philharmonic; Adam Frey, international euphonium solo artist; and Grammy Award winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman; among many others. EWE has performed concert tours of Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lucerne, Graz, Prague, Vienna, and Greece. Additionally, the EWE has performed at the Georgia Music Educators Association State Convention in Savannah, Georgia; the Southern Division College Band Directors National Association Conference (CBDNA); and for various events on the Emory campus, including the inauguration of James Wagner as president of Emory. EWE was recognized in 2017 as a Top 10 program among its peers by CBDNA, and it was featured at the 2017 CBDNA National Conference Small Band Showcase. EWE is recorded on the NAXOS music label. PAUL BHASIN, CONDUCTOR Paul Bhasin serves on the faculty of Emory University as director of wind studies and interim director of orchestral studies. In this capacity, he conducts the Emory University Symphony Orchestra, Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Emory Wind Ensemble, and he teaches conducting. Praised for his crisp, clear conducting and highly expressive interpretations, Bhasin has led a variety of university, youth, and professional ensembles throughout North America and abroad including recent performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and throughout the People s Republic of China. Bhasin s most recent guest engagements include appearances with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (including live radio broadcasts of subscription concerts), American Youth Philharmonic, Williamsburg Symphony, New Jersey Youth Symphony, and at Interlochen Arts Academy. He has also led performances as a guest conductor with members of the Richmond Symphony, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra. He has led honor orchestras and bands, including at the all-state level; served as a guest clinician throughout the United States; and presented at national conferences including the Midwest Orchestra Clinic and the National Music Teachers Association Conference. Bhasin is an accomplished orchestral trumpeter, having performed and recorded with the Virginia Symphony and Opera, Columbus (Ohio) Symphony, New World Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and at the music festivals of Aspen, Tanglewood, and Ravinia. With these institutions, he has performed under the batons of Michael Tilson Thomas, James Conlon, James DePriest, Leonard Slatkin, Andreas Delfs, and Gustav Meier, and he has participated in the conductor training program at Aspen under David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. A committed trumpet teacher, his students have won first prize at major competitions including the National Trumpet Competition. He has been featured as a soloist on National Public Radio, Detroit PBS-TV, the International Computer Music Conference, at the Chautauqua Music Festival, and at the International Dvořák Festival (Prague, Czech Republic). Bhasin has recorded as trumpeter and conductor for both the Centaur and Interscope record labels, 6

7 and his 2015 Centaur Records release features the music of Brian Hulse and is performed by principal soloists from the Richmond and Virginia Symphonies. A forthcoming CD project with Centaur will feature Atlanta Symphony Orchestra principals as concert soloist with Emory student musicians. Bhasin s transcriptions and arrangements are published by Balquhidder Music and have been performed and commissioned in the United States and abroad by the St. Louis Opera Theater, Grand Tetons Festival Orchestra, La Unió Musical l Horta de Sant Marcel lí (Valencia, Spain), and the Washington Symphonic Brass (Washington, D.C.). In 2015, Bhasin composed and conducted the orchestral score to 9:23 Films motion picture, Hogtown (award winner at the Berlin, Los Angeles and Nashville International Black Film Festivals, and Cannes Festival Marché du Film). Michael Phillips of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the film was... scored beautifully by composer Paul Bhasin... better than the entirety of the last few features I ve seen, period. In 2016, reviewer Ben Kenigsberg of the New York Times named the film a Critic s Pick and one of the Top 10 Films of Bhasin s previous appointments include positions at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Triton College, and the College of William and Mary. He received his musical education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan. GABE HART, EUPHONIUM Gabe Hart is a junior Goizueta Scholar from Austin, Texas, majoring in business and music at Emory. He has performed as soloist with the Austin and Jacksonville (Illinois) Symphony Orchestras and won the Gold Medal at the prestigious Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition in As a high school student, Hart held the first chair position in the Texas All-State Band for three consecutive years. Hart is a student of Adam Frey and plans to pursue a career in business consulting. JOHN AMMERMAN, NARRATOR John Ammerman is a professional actor, director, and playwright. He has been a professional performer for more than 40 years, and has performed more than 150 professional roles. His solo career includes five one-man plays written and performed, the most recent being Booth, Brother Booth, which appeared at the Globe Theatre in London, England, and is featured in an anthology of his plays entitled Booth, Brother Booth and Other Plays. His most recent plays produced at Theater Emory include Life Goes On (in the style of a black-and-white silent film), Slapping Bernard (in the style of black-andwhite film noir), and a stage adaptation of Jane Austen s Persuasion, and The 7

8 Tatischeff Cafe. His directing for Theater at Emory has included not only his original works, but also Ah, Wilderness, Oklahoma, You Can t Take It with You, The Red Coat, Enigma Variations, Ajax, Romeo and Juliet, and Sumidagawa. He has extended histories in performance and direction with both the Virginia Shakespeare Festival and the Georgia Shakespeare Festival including roles as Shylock, Macbeth, Hamlet, Richard III, Cyrano de Bergerac, Prospero, Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons, and Salieri in Amadeus; and he is the founder of the Refuge Theatre whose inaugural production of Durrenmatt s Conversation at Night with a Despised Character appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe International Theatre Festival in He s a member of Actors Equity Association and is also a recipient of the Suzi Bass Award in acting for his portrayal of Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons. He has an MFA in performance from the University of Georgia, and a BS in drama education from Central Michigan University. He is a former student of the French mime master, Marcel Marceau, as well as a former artistic director of Theater Emory. 8

9 EMORY WIND ENSEMBLE FLUTE AND PICCOLO Irena Kuan Marietta, GA NBB Evangelia Diplas Chatham, NJ Music/Psychology Claire Mahon Norcross, GA Marketing Claudia Wahoski Fayetteville, GA Music/Biology Olivia Stam Cumberland Foreside, ME Music/Business Katherine Pitts Murfeesboro, TN Anthropology/Music OBOE/ENGLISH HORN Kevin Qui Cranbury, NJ Undecided Jane Farrell Worthington, OH Music/Undecided Helena Haas Friendswood, TX NBB/Music Rachel Jennings Savannah, GA Music/Biology BASSOON/CONTRABASSOON Mehvish Kahn Lakewood, NY International Studies/Economics Allison Rose Marietta, GA Quantatative Sciences/Music Sohil Shah Edison, NJ Music/Political Science Caitlin MacDonald Scotland, UK Women s Gender and Sexuality Studies/Music/English CLARINET Kelsey Newman Martinsville, VA Music/Business Esther Ro Sugar Hill, GA Music/Psychology Nicole Pierce Savannah, GA Biology Lucy MangalapallI Chicago, IL Biology/Sociology Brian Nguyen Moore, OK Music/Art History Joyce Li Cedar Rapids, IA NBB BASS CLARINET Josh Pynn Duluth, GA Music/Economics SAXOPHONE Kiran Sundar Bridgewater, NJ Business/Music Zigeng (Chris) Zhu Beijing, China Applied Mathematics/Computer Science Christopher Liu Staten Island, NY Music/Applied Mathematics Tito Tomei Dacula, GA Environmental Studies/Music Jack Douglas Huntington, NY Political Science Ronan Ramdeholl Lilburn, GA Undecided TRUMPET Jacob Germany Alpharetta, GA Music/Chemistry Tony Kasper Huntington, NY Music/Environmental Studies Andrew Mahoney Atlanta, GA Chemistry, PhD student HORN Qifan Pei Zhejiang, China Music/Biology Samuel Edwards Jupiter, FL Music/Philosophy Jang Soo Lee Bryan, TX Chemistry/Music Owain Thorogood Havertown, PA Business Kristen Gottlieb Gaithersberg, MD Undecided TROMBONE Max Inman Cary, NC Music/Chemistry Graham Cain Maryville, TN Undecided Ethen Feldman Minneapolis, MN Political Science EUPHONIUM Gabe Hart H Austin, TX Music/Business Christopher Labaza Cary, NC Music/Creative Writing 9

10 EMORY WIND ENSEMBLE TUBA Sean Delaney Winchester, MA Music/Business HARP Amanda Melton Kennesaw, GA Music 18C STRING BASS Hannah Perron Princeton, NJ Applied Math and Statistics PERCUSSION Chris Prugh Swarthmore, PA Biology/Film Studies Jason Goodman Granada Hills, CA Music/Political Science K mani Blyden Acworth, GA Chemistry/Music Dana Kahn Evergreen Park, IL Music/Engineering Sciences Zoe Zimmerman Ooltewah, TN Biology Morissa Wisdom Douglasville, GA Political Science/Interdisciplinary Studies Calvin Bruno New Providence, NJ Undecided Teresa Pan Hockessin, DE Biology/Music LIBRARIAN Tito Tomei OPERATIONS Jacob Germany and Josh Pynn NBB: Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Alumni Woodruff / Music Woodruff Scholar H Emory Scholar 10

11 EMORY WIND AND PERCUSSION FACULTY Laura Ardan, clarinet Marc Boehm, trombone Emily Brebach, oboe Jason Eklund, horn Adam Frey, euphonium Anthony Georgeson, bassoon Michael Moore, tuba Ed Nicholson, trombone Gary Paulo, saxophone Scott Pollard, percussion Elisabeth Remy, harp Jessica Sherer, flute Christina Smith, flute Stuart Stephenson, trumpet Amy Trotz, horn H Shelly Unger, bassoon Mark Yancich, percussion James Zellers, flute Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Atlanta Opera Orchestra H Atlanta Ballet Orchestra DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC ADMINISTRATION Kevin Karnes, chair Kristin Wendland, director of undergraduate studies Lynn Bertrand, director of graduate studies Martha Shockey, senior secretary Kathy Summers, academic department administrator Alexandra Shatalova Prior, program coordinator Julia Hudgins, academic services coordinator MUSIC AT EMORY The Department of Music at Emory University provides an exciting and innovative environment for developing knowledge and skills as a performer, composer, and scholar. Led by a faculty of more than 60 nationally and internationally recognized artists and researchers, our undergraduate and graduate students experience a rich diversity of performance and academic opportunities. Undergraduate students in our department earn a BA in music with a specialization in performance, composition, or research, many of whom simultaneously earn a second degree in another department. True to the spirit of Emory, a liberal arts college in the heart of a research university, our faculty and ensembles also welcome the participation of non-major students from across the Emory campus. Become a part of Music at Emory by giving to the Friends of Music. Your gift provides crucial support to all of our activities. To learn more, visit our website at music.emory.edu or call

12 UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS Go to music.emory.edu to view the complete list of upcoming music events. Ticket prices are listed in the following order: Full price/emory student price (unless otherwise noted as the price for all students). For more information contact the Arts at Emory Box Office at , or visit arts.emory.edu. Thursday, March 7, 8:00 p.m., Emory University Symphony Orchestra, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Sunday, March 10, 4:00 p.m.,the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival Concert, ECMSA: Emerson Series, Emory Hillel, free Saturday, March 16, 8:00 p.m., Spirit Songs, Atlanta Master Chorale, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $30/$10 all students Sunday, March 17, 4:00 p.m., Bach Birthday Recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Wednesday, March 20, 8:00 p.m., Elizabeth Fayette, violin, artist affiliate recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Friday, March 22, 8:00 p.m., Eric Owens and Lawrence Brownlee, Candler Concert Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $60/$10 Thursday, March 28, 7:00 p.m., Barenaked Voices, Sixteenth Annual Student A Cappella Celebration, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, all tickets $5 Friday, March 29, noon, Zuill Bailey, cello, ECMSA: Cooke Noontime Series, Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program, Michael C. Carlos Museum, free Saturday, March 30, 8:00 p.m., Zuill Bailey with the Vega String Quartet, ECMSA: Emerson Series, Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Tuesday, April 2, 8:00 p.m., Emory Jazz Combos, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Thursday, April 4, 6:00 p.m., Jazz on the Green, Patterson Green, free Saturday, April 6, 8:00 p.m., Emory University Chorus and Emory Wind Ensemble, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Sunday, April 7, 4:00 p.m., Atlanta s Young Artists, ECMSA: Family Series, Michael C. Carlos Museum, free Sunday, April 7, 7:00 p.m., Emory Collaborative Piano Concert, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free 12

13 Tuesday, April 9, 8:00 p.m., Clarinet Meets Guitar Duo, Jeffrey Brooks, clarinet, artist affiliate recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Friday, April 12, noon, Inna Faliks, piano, ECMSA: Cooke Noontime Series, Michael C. Carlos Museum, free Friday, April 12, 8:00 p.m., Emily Brebach, English horn, artist affiliate recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Sunday, April 14, 4:00 p.m., Songs of the Birds, ECMSA: Emerson Series, Michael C. Carlos Museum, free Sunday, April 14, 7:00 p.m., Emory Chamber Ensembles, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Thursday, April 18, 6:00 p.m., Jazz on the Green, Patterson Green, free Saturday, April 20, 8:00 p.m., The Vega String Quartet, ECMSA: Emerson Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Tuesday, April 23, 8:00 p.m., Emory Big Band, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Friday, April 26, 8:00 p.m., Emory University Symphony Orchestra, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Saturday, April 27, 8:00 p.m., StageWorks 2019, Performing Arts Studio, 1804 N. Decatur Road, free Sunday, April 28, 7:00 p.m., Emory Concert Choir, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Arts at Emory Box Office/Audience Information arts.emory.edu IN CONSIDERATION Please turn off all electronic devices. PHOTOGRAPHS AND RECORDINGS Not permitted without advance permission. COUGH DROPS Available in the lobby. USHERS Members of Music at Emory Volunteers and Alpha Phi Omega, a national service and social fraternity. Call for ushering opportunities. EVENT AND PROGRAM INFORMATION Available online at arts.emory.edu. ACCESSIBILITY The Schwartz Center for Performing Arts is committed to providing performances and facilities accessible to all. Please direct accommodation requests to the Arts at Emory Box Office at , or by at boxoffice@emory.edu. For seating accommodations, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance of the event. COVER PHOTO Trevor Chun Photography. TREE LIGHTS AND EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING LIGHTS Made possible by a generous gift from Donna and Marvin Schwartz. 13