2/14/2024, Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra

2023 | 2024

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404.727.5050 | schwartz.emory.edu | boxoffice@emory.edu

Audience Information The Schwartz Center welcomes members of Mu Phi Epsilon and a volunteer usher corps of about 40 members each year. Visit schwartz.emory.edu/volunteer or call 404.727.6640 for ushering opportunities.

The Schwartz Center is committed to providing performances and facilities accessible to all. Please direct accommodation requests to the Schwartz Center Box Office at 404.727.5050, or by email at boxoffice@emory.edu.

The Schwartz Center wishes to gratefully acknowledge the generous ongoing support of Donna and Marvin Schwartz.

Cover Design: Lisa Baron | Cover Photo: Mark Teague

MUSIC 2023 | 2024

Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra

Paul Bhasin, conductor Aaron Stampfl, piano

Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 8:00 p.m.

Emerson Concert Hall Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

Program Mimics for Four Piccolos/Flutes

Nicole Chamberlain (b. 1977)

Head Talk for Percussion Ensemble

Mark Ford (b. 1958)

Serenade in E-flat Major for Thirteen Winds, op. 7

Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

George Gershwin (1898–1937) instrumentation by Ferde Grofé

Rhapsody in Blue

Aaron Stampfl, piano

Capriccio italien, op. 45

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)

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Program Notes Mimics for Four Piccolos/Flutes Mimics was commissioned by Paul Bhasin, music director of the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. It is based on the original Mimic for two piccolos that was written for the Wilderness Act Performance Series in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Wilderness Act of 1964. During the residency, the composer spent days exploring the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance’s nature preserves, which included Hampton-Beecher Nature Preserve, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, and Bush Mountain at the Outdoor Activity Center. There are an abundance of birds living in the parks that became the inspiration for this piece. As a flutist and piccoloist, the composer spends quite a bit of time practicing. On nice days she practices with the windows open. It feels as though sometimes the birds respond to her piccolo. The idea blossomed into composing a piece of birds responding to each other’s calls. Mimics uses calls from the Eastern towhee, tufted titmouse, and the brownheaded nuthatch to capture the spirit of native Georgia birds responding to one another. Each musician is placed around the performance space in order to replicate a forest’s canopy.

—Program note by Nicole Chamberlain

Head Talk for Percussion Ensemble Mark Ford’s Head Talk provides the percussion quintet with a dose of sophisticated comic relief. The equipment necessary is somewhat unusual: six pre-tuned heads ranging in size from a 10 to a 22; a used 14 snare head; two bongo heads; one 14 coated head; two Pinstripe heads; and five performer-prepared, papered-heads for the surprise ending (each performer smashing the drumhead over the head of the drummer!). The five performers must have or develop a controlled sense of humor and must theatrically play off each other. The performers sit on the stage in a semicircle, and Head Talk starts with the pretuned heads being twirled on stage. The opening rhythmic motive has a definitive rock-samba groove to it, and each performer ends up imitating the opening motive. The composition lasts about nine minutes.

—Program note by Jim Lambert

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Serenade in E-flat Major for Thirteen Winds, op. 7 (1881) Richard Strauss was still in his teens when he composed this Serenade.

Nevertheless, this charming, accomplished work earned the approval of the influential conductor, Hans von Bülow, director of the superb Meiningen Court Orchestra. Bülow soon became a staunch advocate for the young Strauss, both as composer and conductor.

The Serenade is in a single movement. The oboe leads the introduction of the graceful opening theme. A fanfare by the horns—to which the clarinets, oboes, and flutes offer a playful response—heralds the second theme, featuring the clarinet and horn. The oboe launches the development section that builds in tension, finally resolving to a stately, pianissimo recapitulation of the opening theme, played by the horns and bassoons. The second theme appears in turn, as the Serenade proceeds to a hushed conclusion, showcasing the flute.

Rhapsody in Blue instrumentation by Ferde Grofé (1924) George Gershwin composed Rhapsody in Blue at the request of his friend, bandleader Paul Whiteman. Whiteman planned to stage a concert in New York to demonstrate that American jazz “had come to stay and deserved recognition.” After much persuasion by Whiteman, Gershwin agreed to compose a rhapsody for piano and orchestra he conceived of as “a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America—of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our blues, of our metropolitan madness.”

Gershwin composed the work at a furious pace, completing it in about three weeks.

On February 12, 1924, a capacity audience filled New York’s Aeolian Hall to hear Paul Whiteman’s concert, titled An Experiment in Modern Music. As the concert proceeded, the attention of the audience began to flag. But, as Olin Downes reported for the New York Times: “Then stepped upon the stage, sheepishly, a lank and dark young man—George Gershwin. He was to play the piano part in the first performance of his Rhapsody in Blue for piano and orchestra.”

From the first notes of the audacious clarinet solo, the audience was spellbound. Here was a work that offered a beguiling synthesis of the classical tradition—long believed to be the province of European composers—and America’s own music, jazz. When the majestic final chord sounded, the audience erupted with an ovation described by critics as “tumultuous,” “wild and even frantic.” From that day, Gershwin became recognized not only as an important composer of Broadway and popular melodies, but a force to be reckoned with in classical music. Gershwin’s 6

Rhapsody in Blue remains one of the most beloved and performed concert works by an American composer.

The Rhapsody in Blue opens with the famous clarinet solo that moves from its brazen ascent to the introduction of the first of several themes that appear throughout. The pianist enters, soon embarking on a solo turn. As suggested by the work’s title, the piece is rather free-form, offering diverse and often virtuoso treatments of the thematic material by the soloists and orchestra. Toward the latter part of the Rhapsody, the orchestra introduces a majestic theme, capped by some jazzy commentary from the horns. From there, the Rhapsody in Blue proceeds to a brilliant climax, concluding with a final statement of the opening clarinet theme.

Capriccio italien, op. 45 (1880) In December 1879, Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky traveled to Rome. Tchaikovsky made the journey at the invitation of his brother Modest, with whom he stayed during the winter of 1879–1880. On December 27, he wrote to his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck: “Yesterday I heard a delightful folksong which I shall certainly use.” In the beginning of February, Tchaikovsky was able to report to von Meck: “I have already completed the sketches for an Italian fantasia on folk tunes for which I believe a good future may be predicted. It will be effective, thanks to the delightful tunes which I have succeeded in assembling partly from anthologies, partly through my own ears on the streets.”

Tchaikovsky composed his Capriccio italien in the period of about a week, beginning toward the close of January. He completed the orchestration that May. The work received its premiere in Moscow on December 18, 1880, conducted by Nikolai Rubinstein. The work has remained a concert favorite ever since.

The Capriccio italien opens with an extended slow-tempo introduction.

The opening fanfare is based upon a bugle call that sounded from military barracks located near Tchaikovsky’s Rome hotel. Toward the conclusion of the introduction, this fanfare returns with even greater force. The Capriccio italien features a series of evocatively scored melodies, some of which make telling return appearances during the course of the work.

The Capriccio’s whirlwind concluding section is based upon a popular tarantella titled Cicuzza.

—Program notes by Ken Meltzer, unless otherwise indicated

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Paul Bhasin, conductor Paul Bhasin serves as director of orchestral studies at Emory University where he holds the Donna and Marvin Schwartz Professorship in Music. In this capacity, he conducts the Emory University Symphony Orchestra and the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, oversees music research programs, and teaches conducting.

Praised for his “crisp, clear” conducting and “highly expressive” interpretations, Bhasin’s career began when he won the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition in 1998. Bhasin serves as music director and conductor of both the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Chamber Music Festival and has recently led the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, American Youth Philharmonic, Williamsburg Symphony, performances at Interlochen, the Kennedy Center, and throughout the People’s Republic of China. He has also led performances as a guest conductor with members of the Richmond Symphony, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra, and with honor orchestras and bands (including at the all-state level). He has presented at national conferences including the Midwest Orchestra Clinic and the National Music Teachers Association Conference. As a trumpeter, he 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; and as a soloist on National Public Radio, Detroit PBS-TV, the International Computer Music Conference, and at the International Dvořák Festival (Prague, Czech Republic), and his trumpet students have won first prize at major competitions including the National Trumpet Competition. Bhasin has recorded as trumpeter and conductor for both the Centaur and Interscope record labels. Bhasin’s compositions, transcriptions, and arrangements are published by Carl Fischer Music and have been praised by the New York Times and Chicago Tribune with recent performances by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Opera Theater, and the Grand Tetons Festival Orchestra. He received his musical training from Northwestern University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin.

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Aaron Stampfl, piano Pianist Aaron Stampfl maintains an active solo and chamber concert schedule both nationally and internationally, having appeared at the Chicago Cultural Center, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, and the Metallener Saal at Vienna’s Musikverein. As a chamber artist, he performs regularly in a wide range of ensembles and genres. Stampfl has performed with renowned operatic tenor Lawrence Brownlee and Tony Award–winning soul singer Heather Headley. He frequently collaborates with pianist Elena Cholakova on piano duo repertoire, recently performing in Austria and Bulgaria.

An ardent Lisztian, Stampfl is a lifetime member of the American Liszt Society, performing in the national festival in 2017. Stampfl is also an enthusiast of the Harlem stride pianist James P. Johnson, having presented on his music at the National MTNA Conference in 2022 and the National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy in 2023.

Stampfl currently serves as coordinator of keyboard studies at Colorado Christian University, where he teaches applied lessons, piano class, piano pedagogy, and Music Theory I and II. He formerly taught at DePaul University, Roosevelt University, and Wheaton College in Chicago.

Stampfl completed a doctorate in music at Northwestern University, studying piano with Alan Chow and Sylvia Wang. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Daniel Paul Horn. He studied piano and chamber music with Shigeo Neriki and János Starker at Indiana University, where he received a master’s degree and performance diploma.

Aaron Stampfl is a Yamaha Artist.

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Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra The Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO) program was founded in 2005 at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. As one of the finest precollege programs in the region, EYSO provides comprehensive orchestral performance opportunities while supporting the pedagogy of school directors and private teachers. All students and parents are offered the opportunity for pre-college counseling, assistance with college and scholarship applications, diverse masterclass and seminar offerings, and financial aid advice. Apart from serving as dedicated members of their school orchestra and band programs, EYSO students go on to study a variety of disciplines at the college level, including top conservatories (Curtis, Juilliard, NEC, Colburn) as well as at nationally-ranked liberal arts colleges and universities. EYSO students are also regular participants in the country’s finest summer music festivals, including Interlochen, Tanglewood, NYO & NYO2, Brevard, Eastern, Sewanee, and others. The EYSO students are coached by Emory faculty including members of the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera & Ballet, as well as the Vega Quartet.

Flute and Piccolo (listed alphabetically) Kimberly Bateman (Homeschool) Ashan Galhena (Lambert High School) Eunice Kim (North Gwinnett High School) Chloe Park (Walton High School) Oboe and English Horn (listed alphabetically) Benjamin Lee (Johns Creek High School) Ashley Na (Lambert High School) Alain Shi (Atlanta International School) Clarinet and Bass Clarinet (listed alphabetically) Max Calamia (Walton High School) Jiho Jun (Lambert High School) Alexander Soro (West Forsyth High School) Bassoon and Contrabassoon (listed alphabetically) Lucas Black (Homeschool) Owen Quick (Whitewater High School) Andrew Tang (Cherokee High School) Ethan Thompson (North Forsyth High School) 10

Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Horn (listed alphabetically) Eric Chastain (North Cobb High School) Zhi Xiang Lin (Chattahoochee High School) Irene Tang (Johns Creek High School) Sarah Woodall (Kennesaw Mountain High School) Trumpet (listed alphabetically) Luke Barrett (Dunwoody High School) Henry Kim (Lambert High School) Steven Li (Wheeler High School) Julian Samuels (Grayson High School) Trombone and Bass Trombone (listed alphabetically) William Brown (Walton High School) Audrey Hare (Spalding High School) Gabriel Silva (Buford High School) Tuba Kushal Maganti (Lambert High School) Timpani and Percussion (listed alphabetically) Harrison Buck (Morgan County High School) Isaac Lee (North Gwinnett High School) Jace Park (East Coweta High School) Grayson Pruitt (Kell High School) Dane Warren (Loganville High School) Piano and Celeste Erin Li (Kell High School) Harp Myron Leonard (Charles R Drew Charter School)

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Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Violin (listed alphabetically) Isaac Bryan (Johnson Ferry Christian Academy) Ashley Chang (Duluth High School) Allison Cheng (Brookwood High School) Sam Crespino (Decatur High School) Elena Dagostino (Sequoyah High School) Elizabeth Domashchenko (GSMST) Ethan Fu (Paideia High School) Xiaojun Ge (Northview High School) Mary Gilbert (Pope High School) Seungwoo Han (Lambert High School) Caroline Huang (Chattahoochee High School) Nyneishia Janarthanan (Innovation Academy) Alexis Kim (GSMST) Gabriella Kim (Peachtree Ridge High School) Kevin Kim (North Gwinnett High School) Sophia Knudsen (Chattahoochee High School) Sarah Kwon (Seckinger High School) Abby Lee (Johns Creek High School) Geonhee Lee (Johns Creek High School) Ethan Leong (Dunwoody High School) Tristan Lewis (Collins Hill High School) Carol Li (Chamblee High School) Violet Lorish (Capstone Academy) Rebecca Ma (Alpharetta High School) Ella Grace Malcom (Milton High School) Faith Meshida (Central Gwinnett High School) Ellie Millette (Artios Academies) Mia Motley (Lassiter High School)* David Park (Lambert High School) Didi Stone (Alpharetta High School)** Mei Takuno (Northview High School) Juan Valencia (Duluth High School) Aaron Wang (Alpharetta High School) Jiayu Wang (Northview High School) Olivia Wei (Westminster Schools) Shicheng Wei (South Forsyth High School) 12

Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Violin (continued) Ezekiel Werner (Decatur High School) Anna Yoon (Chattahoochee High School) Jeanne Yoon (North Gwinnett High School) Aniston Zhang (Chattahoochee High School) Steven Zhou (GSMST) Viola (listed alphabetically) Ethan Braswell (Greater Atlanta Christian School) Dani Chun (Mill Creek High School) Aarush Gupta (Alpharetta High School) Victor Huang (Alpharetta High School) Yeoneui Jeong (Johns Creek High School) Anika Kailasam (Decatur High School) Hayoung Kim (McIntosh High School) Jiyu Kim (Peachtree Ridge High School) Joanne Kim (Brookwood High School) Yujin Kim (GSMST) Celina Park (Lanier High School) Arsheya Singh (Johns Creek High School) Peter Son (North Gwinnett High School) Raymond Xue (Johns Creek High School) Olivia Yu (Alpharetta High School) Jordan Zheng (Northview High School)* Cello (listed alphabetically) Kevin Fan (Johns Creek High School) David Fu (Pace Academy) Ethan Goh (Johns Creek High School) Dylan Im (Woodward Academy) Elijah Kim (Johns Creek High School) Joshua Kim (North Gwinnett High School) Theodore Kim (Johns Creek High School) Alex Ko (Lambert High School) Maggie Liu (Westminster Schools) Jiayi Lu (Northview High School) Stephanie Malcolm (Milton High School) 13

Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Cello (continued) Kensington Manross (Paideia School) Joshua Nguyen (Wheeler High School) Will Sizemore (McIntosh High School) Eric Son (North Gwinnett High School) Eric Xu (GSMST)* Bass (listed alphabetically) Yuvin Kang (GSMST)* Alex Na (The Westminster Schools) Connor Oneacre (Milton High School) Vivien Panturu (Mill Creek High School) Hazel Patty (Decatur High School) ** denotes concertmaster | * denotes principal

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 404.727.6280.

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Upcoming Emory Music Concerts Many concerts at Emory are free to attend. Visit music.emory.edu or schwartz.emory.edu to view complete event information. If a ticket is required for attendance, prices are indicated in the listings below in the following order: Full price/Emory student price (unless otherwise noted as the price for all students).

Friday, February 16, 8:00 p.m., National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Candler Concert Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $60/$10, tickets required Wednesday, February 21, 6:30 p.m., and Thursday, February 22, 2:30 p.m., Vocal Master Class, Performing Arts Studio, free Friday, February 23, 8:00 p.m., Emory Wind Ensemble, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Saturday, February 24, 8:00 p.m., Alexandra Shatalova Prior, oboe, Emory Artist Affiliate Recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Sunday, February 25, 4:00 p.m., Atlanta’s Young Artists, ECMSA: Family Series, Carlos Museum, free Tuesday, February 27, 8:00 p.m., The Merian Ensemble, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Friday, March 1, noon, Bertrand Giraud, piano, ECMSA: Cooke Noontime Series, Carlos Museum, free, registration required Thursday, March 7, 8:00 p.m., Emory University Symphony Orchestra featuring Eighth Blackbird, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free, tickets required Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16, 8:00 p.m., Same Light, Different Lanterns, Atlanta Master Chorale, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $38/$10, tickets required Friday, March 22, 8:00 p.m., Turtle Island Quartet: Island Prayers, Candler Concert Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $45/$10, tickets required

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Music at Emory Music at Emory brings together students, faculty, and world-class artists to create an exciting and innovative season of performances, lectures, workshops, and master classes. With more than 150 events each year across multiple Emory venues, audiences experience a wide variety of musical offerings.

We hope you enjoy sampling an assortment of work from our student ensembles, community youth ensembles, artists in residence, professional faculty, up-and-coming prodigies, and virtuosos from around the world.

music.emory.edu