Studio Series. The Composer s Forum. Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 3pm Lagerquist Concert Hall, Mary Baker Russell Music Center

Transcription

1 Studio Series The Composer s Forum Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 3pm Lagerquist Concert Hall, Mary Baker Russell Music Center

2 Pacific Lutheran University School of Arts and Communication / Department of Music present Studio Series The Composer s Forum Gregory Youtz, John Paul, Directors Assisted by Clement Reid Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 3pm Lagerquist Concert Hall, Mary Baker Russell Music Center Welcome to Lagerquist Concert Hall Please disable the audible signal on all watches, pagers and cellular phones for the duration of the concert. Use of cameras, recording equipment and all digital devices is not permitted in the concert hall. PROGRAM Toccata, op. 5 (for piano, four-hands)... Elliott Peterson Lucas Larreau and Elliott Peterson, piano This Toccata, which has no extra-musical program, is an exercise in pianistic figurations and acoustics. While writing it, I wanted to compose something that would work well in Lagerquist Hall; for that reason, this piece has a harmonic foundation of many staccato notes in rapid succession that blend together in the hall to present an artificial aura of being sustained. The melodic fragments also consist of short, dry phrases that, in Lagerquist, sound more sustained than they physically are. Structurally, this piece follows a straightforward A-B-A form; the A section is made up of a single motif that is developed both harmonically and gesturally. The B section was written to sound like an improvisation, with three short motifs that are heard only once each before the material transitions to the final A section, which juxtaposes motivic fragments from both the A and B sections before ending on the same chord that the Toccata begins with. Piano Sonata... Norm Seidel Norm Seidel, piano The harmonic and melodic material in this one movement piano sonata is derived from two different 12-tone rows. The first is mostly stepwise and the second yields three seventh chords, two of which are identical in structure (augmented/major seventh chords) the roots of which lie one tritone apart. The distinctive "atmospheric" sound of these seventh chords is exploited throughout the sonata. In terms of the overall structure of the piece, a general adherence to the traditional sonata form is observed: exposition, development and recapitulation. The influence of the following composers can be heard throughout: Ives (exposition and recap), Bartok and Prokofiev (development).

3 A Little While... Christina Ruth Nelson A little while when I am gone My life will live in music after me, As spun foam lifted and borne on After the wave is lost in the full sea. A while these nights and days will burn In song with the bright frailty of foam, Living in light before they turn Back to the nothingness that is their home. - Poem by Sara Teasdale ( ) Julie Landes, soloist Julie Landes and Sabrina Husseini, 1 st soprano Claire Pahlmeyer, Emily Shane, 2 nd soprano Rachel Bridges, Alexandra Dreher, Alicia Hoag and Rachel Ross, alto Joshua Carlisle, Andrew Riecke, Nick Stevens and Ethan Wiederspan, tenor Brennan Brichoux, Karl Eickhoff, Ethan Moon and Alex Stahl, bass The melody for A Little While was inspired by a conversation with Ēriks Ešenvalds at the U.S. premiere of his Nordic Light Symphony in March I had been thinking back on the conversation and found myself humming a tune, featured as the soprano solo, and sketched out an additional melody. I later came across A Little While by Sara Teasdale ( ) and was amazed to discover that the text fit with the melody I had already written. Throughout this piece, you will hear shifts from minor to major and the use of dissonance to create a sense of uncertainty. These elements resemble the journey from feeling discouraged after losing someone we love to gaining the strength to move on while carrying their memory in our hearts. 8 Hours In... Jeffery Steehler Taylor Rimer, baritone sax This unaccompanied baritone saxophone piece is written in an unconventional time signature that splits the eight-note grouping into 3, 3, and 2. It starts off with a fast section and then has a much slower middle section that keeps the same time signature but is grouped in a way that looks like a common time. I was inspired to write an unconventional time signature by listening to pieces like Take Five and Blue Rondo however this is not nearly the same style. Maze... Anita Zeng Katherine Nakasone, flute I; Kelli Bower-Hobart, flute II This is a short piece for two flutes inspired by Debussy s solo flute piece Syrinx. As the title suggests, this piece describes the dizzy and confused feeling when you re walking in a maze and seeking for the exit. The repeated descending melody can be imagined as every time when you realize that you re going the wrong way and have to go back to the entrance again. In the end, I use ascending melody to represent that you re excited as you get closer and closer to the end and finally get out of the maze. A Happy Story... Tim Loescher I. A Good Day II. Winters End III. A Happy Story Joshua VanCleave, piano The first movement was simply an attempt to write a happy piece in simple character in G major. The second movement showcases the Neapolitan chord in minor and ends upon a crossroads where decisions are to be made. Opening the third movement is a section in E minor and then we are back in G major hearing a theme similar to that of the first movement.

4 Giant Steps ad Parnassum... Joshua VanCleave Tim Loescher, clarinet; Marissa Dallaire, oboe; Daniel Aliment, bass clarinet Giant Steps Ad Parnassum is a playful piece for woodwind trio, mostly in fugue form. The title is a reference to two pieces of which it is comprised. The first, Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum, is a piano piece by Claude Debussy, part of the famous Children s Corner suite the main theme from that piece is used as one of the opening subjects. The other is the jazz tune Giant Steps by John Coltrane, which serves as the overall harmonic and melodic structure. Mutterakkorde... Dalton Rouse Sarah Swift, violin; Torsen Necessary, flute; Alex Justice, horn; Daniel Aliment, bass clarinet; TJ Mallos, bassoon This piece was my first step into the world of serialism. It was composed using Schoenberg s twelve-tone method, and an all-interval row known as the Mutterakkorde (mother chord). The row was first used in 1921 by Fritz Heinrich Klein in his piece Die Maschine. The structure of my music is marked by the opening idea, which is heard three times throughout the piece. The tone row is usually stated in full within one voice, which guides the ear through the construction of the piece. The exceptions to this are moments of mostly homophonic chord movement. The instruments chosen for the piece have distinct timbres from each other, and reflect a desire for structural transparency. The Witch s Brew... Jacob Dominguez-Nelson I. Incantations II. Witch s Dance III. The Cauldron Meagan Gaskill, flute; Kayleigh Peterson, oboe; Lyndi Knox, clarinet; TJ Mallos, bassoon; Courtney Crocker, horn The first movement opens with a melodic line that is transferred from instrument to instrument. As the witch gathers the ingredients, the incantation is put together and the movement slowly dances around G minor. It is not until the second movement that the tonal center is clearly in G minor; it is driven and dance-like. The third movement is the end of the ritual. Many motifs from the first two movements are highlighted bringing the piece to a conclusion. I hope you enjoy the piece. Kiss Me Softly... Caroline Elizabeth Grace Goodwin Dedicated to Justin Dean Doyel Caroline Goodwin, piano Kaitlyn Turner, cello This piece demonstrates music s unique and beautiful ability to capture a fleeting moment in time. While time is so precious, music allows us to savor the brief moments that will quickly morph into the memories that live in our hearts and minds. The verse is the moment, captured by the voice and elongated by piano and cello, allowing the essence of that moment to be experienced for the entirety of the piece. Apprehension... Brett Rodriguez Megan Cummings, bassoon Sophie Robinson, viola Matthew Kusche, marimba This piece is the first in a set of two. The idea behind these pieces is that they could appear in the soundtrack of a video game. Apprehension uses octatonic scales, contrasting phrase lengths and articulations, and a peculiar collection of instruments to create feelings of disorientation and tension.

5 Desert... Brett Rodriguez Meagan Gaskill, flute Storm Tucker, guitar Matthew Kusche, percussion This second piece, as its name suggests, is meant to accompany a desert environment. The sharp contrast between the rhythms and tonal registers of the flute and guitar creates a sense of expansiveness, waiting to be explored. The congas and bongo drums contribute to the theme of adventurousness, reinforcing the concept of exploring the vast unknown. Saltare Con Diablo... Elliott Turner Movement II Sarah Swift, violin; Hannah Gorham, violin; Sophie Robinson, viola; Kaitlynn Turner, cello This piece for string quartet is a continuation of a piece performed two years ago at the composer s forum. It is a waltz in a rondo-esque form, and pivots on two themes: the first ambiguous and moody, switching between minor and major sonorities, and the second much more eerie. Extended tertiary harmonies, i.e. jazzy chords with added 4ths, 9ths, and augmented 11ths, add to the ominous and slightly intense mood of this dance with the devil (the title translated from Latin), as well as the use of harmonics, pizzicatos, and stacked open fifths. Beatitudes...Rachel Ross Text taken from Matthew 5:1-12 Rachel Ross, soprano; Alyssa Lyngaas, alto; Josh Carlisle, tenor; Ryan McNamara, baritone; Dalton Rouse, bass This piece is an exploration of historical choral composition styles in a contemporary tonal palette. The format is ABCA 1, with the opening statement in polyphonic counterpoint with seventh and ninth chords in E-flat major, followed by a modulation to the flat major VII. The second statement is chant-like, following in the historical tradition of homophony for longer passages of text, but utilizing a Vaughan Williams-esque neotonal approach. The final statement begins with a minor polyphonic line depicting the text as the theme is persecution. Consequently the harmonic structure is dark and jagged. The word all is sung by each section individually, then blending together for a combined forte; falsely is a major ascending scale within a minor progression; My account referring to Jesus returns to the original key. The concluding A 1 restates the theme with long, pan-diatonic chords, finally resting into the initial E-flat major triad.

6 Spring Events At Pacific Lutheran University (updated February 10, 2017) ALL MUSIC EVENTS ARE IN MARY BAKER RUSSELL MUSIC CENTER, LAGERQUIST CONCERT HALL AT 8PM UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. FEBRUARY 9 Thursday, 8pm Choral Series: Choir of the West Homecoming Concert 10 Friday, 5:30pm Artist Series: Flute Duo Jennifer Rhyne and Sydney Carlson 11 Saturday, 5:30pm Artist Series: Cameron O Connor, guitar and Erik Steighner, saxophone 24 Friday, 8pm Showcase Concert: Choir of the West, free admission 28 Tuesday, 8pm Regency Concert Series: Camas Wind Quintet 28 Tuesday, 8pm Studio Series: CMENC Non-Concert Concert, free admission MARCH 4 Saturday, 8pm Orchestra/Choral Series: Ešenvalds: Nordic Light Symphony University Symphony Orchestra with Choir of the West and Choral Union North American Premiere, Eastvold Auditorium, Karen Hille Phillips Center. Tickets: $15 General Admission; $10 Senior Citizen and PLU Alumni; $5 PLU Community, Students & 18 and under. 5 Sunday, 3:00pm Richard D. Moe Organ Series: Jonathan Wohlers Tickets: $15 General Admission; $10 Senior Citizen and PLU Alumni; $5 PLU Community, Students & 18 and under. 9 Thursday, 8pm Studio Series: Keyboard Students, free admission 11 Saturday, 8pm Regency Concert Series: Regency Voices 11 Saturday, 1pm Studio Series: Guitar Orchestra and Ensemble, free admission 11 Saturday, 5pm Artist Series: Guitar Faculty Concert 12 Sunday, 3pm Band Series: University Wind Ensemble 14 Tuesday, 8pm Evergreen Experimental Music Ensemble 15 Wednesday, 8pm Jazz Series: University Jazz Ensemble, Eastvold Auditorium, KHP APRIL 5 Wednesday, 8pm Regency Concert Series: Regency Strings 9 Sunday, 3pm Richard D. Moe Organ Series: Curt Sather Tickets: $15 General Admission; $10 Senior Citizen and PLU Alumni; $5 PLU Community, Students & 18 and under 11 Tuesday, 8pm Orchestra Series: University Symphony Orchestra, student showcase concert featuring Sarah Martin, mezzo-soprano; Katherine Nakasone, flute; Torsen Necessary, flute; Elliott Turner, composer and Kammermusikere. 13 Thursday, 8pm Studio Series: Keyboard Students, free admission 18 Tuesday, 8pm Studio Series: French Keyboard Festival, free admission 19 Wednesday, 8pm Jazz Series: University Jazz Ensemble APRIL, Cont. 20 Thursday, 8pm Forestine Wise Monsen Scholarship Recital: Lucas Larreau, student pianist. Donations accepted at the door. 21 Friday, 7:30pm and 22 Saturday, 7:30pm Opera Series: Scenes from Operas Eastvold Auditorium, Karen Hille Phillips Center 22 Saturday, 8pm Bach Rocks: Diana Walker and the Baroque and Blue Trio, free admission 23 Sunday, 3pm Regency Concert Series: Lyric Brass Quintet 25 Tuesday, 8pm Choral Series: University Singers and Men s Chorus, free admission 27 Thursday, 8pm Choral Series: Choir of the West Spring Concert 29 Saturday, 5:30pm Harp Ensemble, free admission MAY 2 Tuesday, 5pm Studio Series: Saxophone & Jazz Combos, free admission Anderson University Center, The Cave 2 Tuesday, 8pm Choral Series: University Chorale Homecoming Concert 4 Thursday, 8pm Studio Series: Piano Ensemble, free admission 5 Friday, 6:30pm Studio Series: PLUtonic/HERmonic, free admission Amphitheater, MBR 6 Saturday, 3pm Studio Series: Sølvvinden Flute Ensemble, free admission 7 Sunday, 3pm Choral Series: Choral Union Tickets: $15 General Admission; $10 Senior Citizen and PLU Alumni; $5 PLU Community, Students & 18 and under. 7 Sunday, 5:30pm Studio Series: Guitar Orchestra and Ensemble, free admission 9 Tuesday, 8pm Orchestra Series: University Symphony Orchestra, Tour Preview 11 Thursday, 8pm Studio Series: Keyboard Students, free admission 12 Friday, 8pm Studio Series: Steel Pan and Percussion Ensemble, free admission 13 Saturday, 3pm Studio Series: Woodwind Students, free admission 13 Saturday, 4:30pm Studio Series: Brass Students, free admission 14 Sunday, 3pm Band Series: University Wind Ensemble, Tour Preview 16 Tuesday, 8pm Studio Series: String Kaleidoscope, free admission 17 Wednesday, 8pm Band Series: University Concert Band, free admission 21 Sunday, 3pm Studio Series: Composer s Forum, free admission 21 Sunday, 5:30pm Studio Series: Songwriter s Workshop, free admission To Order Tickets: On Line: On Campus: PLU Concierge Desk (253/ ) At the Concert: Lobby Desk in Mary Baker Russell Music Center CONCERTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE All ticket sales are final - no refunds MUSIC EVENT TICKET PRICES: $8 GENERAL; $5 SENIOR CITIZENS (55+). MILITARY& PLU ALUMS; FREE TO PLU COMMUNITY, STUDENTS & 18 AND UNDER UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. CONCERTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND SOME CONCERTS MAY BE ADDED AFTER PUBLICATION.