SENIOR P E RCU S S I ON R E C I TA L
Ravyn Stanford Pat Grimm, piano Michael Downing, percussion
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 7:30 p.m. Faye Spanos Concert Hall
21ST PERFORMANCE OF 2021-22 ACADEMIC YEAR
CON CER T P ROG R A M , N OV EM EBER 1 7 , 2 0 2 1 , 7 : 3 0 P M Nocturnal Dance (2005)
Centrifuge (2007)
Jesse Monkman (b. 1975)
David van Gilluwe (b. 1984)
Movement I. Drive Pat Grimm, piano
The Last Dance (2015)
KATO Daiki (b. 1987)
Michael Downing, marimba
Wind (2008)
Lin Chin Cheng (b. 1984)
Ravyn Stanford is a senior Music Education major from the University of the Pacific. From the small town of Winton CA, she began her musical journey at the age of ten as a clarinetist. Over the course of highschool, she dabbled in winter percussion and drumline, and from that grew her love of performance and teaching. At the start of her second year of University, she had switched primary instrument to be a percussionist full time. During her University years, Ravyn had the chance to develop and rediscover herself, her musicianship, and her passion for the art of teaching. With meeting many incredible faculty members and local teachers throughout her life, spirit and excitement bloomed, and the vision of where she fit within education became clear. After 4 lively years of prepping, planning, and playing, Ravyn steps off stage and prepares to guide the younger generation on. After graduation, Ravyn Stanford will be receiving her Single Subject Credential, and will be seeking a General Music and/or Beginning Band and Choir position within California. During her starting years of teaching, Ravyn will begin seeking out higher education, eventually receiving a Masters Degree within the education field. As the years pass by, she hopes to take her teaching experience toward the midwest, and settle down somewhere closer family. Patricia Grimm holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Sacred Music with organ concentration from Duquesne University, a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Kent State University, and a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano from the Hartt School of Music. She also studied piano with Jonathan Feldman at the Juilliard School. As a collaborative pianist, Ms. Grimm has performed at the Edinburgh International Music Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland; the Trinity Wall Street Music Series in New York City; and chamber music concerts at the Musica no Museu Festival of Winds, Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro, and Universidade Federal Do Estado Do Rio De Janeiro – Unirio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She regularly performs throughout the United States as a collaborative pianist and chamber musician. Prior to moving to Sacramento in 2013, she was a freelance collaborative pianist in the New York City metropolitan area and staff accompanist at Central Connecticut State University, in addition to maintaining an active private teaching studio. Ms. Grimm currently serves as organist at Fremont Presbyterian Church in Sacramento. At University of the Pacific, she teaches sight singing, collaborative piano, and serves as a collaborative pianist with students, faculty, and guest artists.
sity of the Pacific.
Michael Downing is section percussionist with the Sacramento Philharmonic and the Stockton Symphony, as well as the founder of Orphic Percussion quartet. The quartet has received international acclaim and is currently in the process of producing their first album. He is also Visiting Lecturer of Percussion at Univer-
An active freelance musician, Michael has performed with virtually every orchestra in Central California as well as the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. Downing has been a soloist with both the Phoenix Symphony and the Stockton Symphony performing Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu. The double percussion concerto written by Avner Dorman was premiered by Downing and fellow percussionist Graham Thompson in 2012. He has also been a soloist with several other orchestras performing the third movement of Eric Ewazen’s Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra, most recently presenting the exciting finale for the prestigious Music al Parcs concert series in Barcelona, Spain. He has been featured as the vibraphone soloist for John Williams’ Escapades with both the Adrian Symphony and Sequoia Symphony. Michael studied primarily with Jim Babor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Dr. Matthew Darling of Fresno State. While preparing for orchestral auditions, Downing has taken lessons with such notable percussionists as Tom Freer, Richard Weiner, Trey Wyatt, Michael Rosen and Rick Kvistad. He holds Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Fresno State University. Michael is a proud artist for Zildjian Cymbals, Freer Percussion, an Education Artist for Marimba One, and part of the Blackswamp Percussion Educator Network.
P ROGR A M N OT E S Nocturnal Dances “One summer night I awoke from a vivid dream and the idea for Nocturnal Dance was born. As with most dreams, the specifics are forgotten but the ideas and feelings were left. It was my challenge to attempt to bring this to life through music in a way that would convey the contrast and ambiguity that comes with such experiences, ergo the musical contrast between sections in this piece. When trying to determine the way I would approach such an experience, two things came to mind. One, impressionism. And two, to forgo approaching the piece from a technical standpoint, but rather to rely heavily on the imagination. To do my subconscious justice, it is my hope that both the performer and listener can experience it this way.” - Jesse Monkman Centrifuge “The first movement is a tension-filled push and pull between the timpani and piano, which builds until the musical devices seem to spin out of control. Extended moments of lyricism and suspense provide contrast from the almost constant rhythmic chaos. Indications of where to play on the timpani head, as well as the use of different mallets help to enhance the contrasting motives in the music” - David van Gilluwe The Last Dance The Last Dance is an exciting work for marimba and multiple percussion that gives both performers the opportunity to shine throughout. Melodies introduced at the start of the piece sneak in as the music progresses, and much as how when time continues on small changes are found in familiar scenarios, the melody makes a full return in a new and fluctuating compound meter. The Last Dance was commissioned by two duo groups in 2015. Wind Dedicated to former teacher of his, Kevin Man, Wind is a beautiful and heavily technical lullaby that utilizes chords and permutations to make the music tug and turn within the air it fills. Using a vast range of the Marimba, the performer will envelope and maneuver in space in new ways to achieve a myriad of colors and timbres. Toward the end of the piece, a music box can be heard, perhaps signifying the end of a journey, recollection of the past, and the breath of a new day.
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UPCOMING CONSERVATORY EVENTS Nov. 19 | 1:00pm Conservatory Concert Hour Recital Hall
Nov. 22 | 7:30pm Pacific Chamber Music Recital Recital Hall
Nov. 21 | 2:00pm Mahler at Pacific Faye Spanos Concert Hall
Nov. 29 | 7:30pm Pacific Chamber Music Recital Recital Hall
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