2023 | 2024
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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 Wind Ensemble
Michael Kobito, conductor Friday, February 23, 2024, 8:00 p.m. Emerson Concert Hall Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
Program Kevin Day (b. 1996)
Dancing Fire
Consort for Ten Winds 1. Jeux 2. Aubade 3. Sautereau
Robert Spittal (b. 1963)
Aurora Awakes
John Mackey (b. 1973)
Armenian Dances, Part Two
Alfred Reed (1921–2005)
Program Notes Dancing Fire (2016) When I was writing Dancing Fire, I wanted to write a piece for my high school band program and its directors for the great pieces we played, the fun times we had, and the excitement our bands created at our concerts. The picture I had in my head before I began writing was a group of people surrounding a large bonfire during the night. These people began dancing around the fire, having fun, singing songs, and ultimately, celebrating life. Once I had that picture in my head, along with the constant repeating motif that eventually became the melody for the entire piece, the rest of the work fit together nicely, and in two weeks it was done. The composition brings this mental picture I had to life in a fun and energetic way with dance-like percussion and a constant groove, as well as its contagious melody, a mysterious soprano sax solo, and a climactic ending. 4
This was written in dedication to the Arlington High School Band Program in Arlington, Texas, and to my former band directors, Michael Hejny, Nathan Burum, and Nathan Hervey. —Program note by Kevin Day
Consort for Ten Winds (2005) Each movement of Consort acknowledges “Les Grandes Hautboise,” the court wind band of France’s great “Sun King,” Louis XIV. This court was seen throughout Europe as the most resplendent of its time, and the presence of a court wind band there encouraged other courts in Europe to imitate and establish their own wind bands. This system of patronage continued to develop through the classical era, mostly in Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, resulting in notable wind ensemble pieces by composers such as Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Despite the decline of court music in the early 19th century, 19th- and 20th-century composers, most notably Dvořák, Strauss, and Stravinsky, continued to pay homage to the harmonie tradition. Consort is this composer’s attempt to pay homage to the origins of that tradition. The outer movements Jeux (“Games”) and Sautereau (“French Saltarello”) are whimsical, lively dances which reflect the frivolities and excesses of the court. They also refer to the importance of dance at the French court. The court’s composer, and founder of “Les Grandes Hautboise,” Jean-Baptiste Lully, established France’s first ballet academy during his tenure. The middle movement Aubade (“Morning Song”) is more intimate, lyrical, and influenced by the imitative styles of vocal music of the period. All musical materials in this work are original, and not based on any specific pieces of that period. Rather, this is contemporary music that acknowledges the prevailing influences of music from an earlier time. —Program note by Robert Spittal
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Aurora Awakes (2009) Aurora now had left her saffron bed, And beams of early light the heav’ns o’erspread, When, from a tow’r, the queen, with wakeful eyes, Saw day point upward from the rosy skies. —Virgil, The Aeneid, Book IV, Lines 584–587
Aurora—the Roman goddess of the dawn—is a mythological figure frequently associated with beauty and light. Also known as Eos (her Greek analogue), Aurora would rise each morning and stream across the sky, heralding the coming of her brother Sol, the sun. Though she is herself among the lesser deities of Roman and Greek mythologies, her cultural influence has persevered, most notably in the naming of the vibrant flashes of light that occur in Arctic and Antarctic regions—the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis. John Mackey’s Aurora Awakes is, thus, a piece about the heralding of the coming of light. Built in two substantial sections, the piece moves over the course of 11 minutes from a place of remarkable stillness to an unbridled explosion of energy—from darkness to light, placid grey to startling rainbows of color. The work is almost entirely in the key of E-flat major (a choice made to create a unique effect at the work’s conclusion, as mentioned below), although it journeys through G-flat and F as the work progresses. Despite the harmonic shifts, however, the piece always maintains a—pun intended—bright optimism. Though Mackey is known to use stylistic imitation, it is less common for him to utilize outright quotation. As such, the presence of two moreor-less direct quotations of other musical compositions is particularly noteworthy in Aurora Awakes. The first, which appears at the beginning of the second section, is an ostinato based on the familiar guitar introduction to U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name. Though the strains of The Edge’s guitar have been metamorphosed into the insistent repetitions of keyboard percussion, the aesthetic is similar—a distant proclamation that grows steadily in fervor. The difference between U2’s presentation and Mackey’s, however, is that the guitar riff disappears for the majority of the song, while in Aurora Awakes, the motive persists for nearly the entirety of the remainder of the piece: “When I heard that song on the radio last winter, I thought it was kind of a shame that he only uses that little motive almost as a throwaway bookend. That’s my favorite part of the song, so
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why not try to write an entire piece that uses that little hint of minimalism as its basis?” The other quotation is a sly reference to Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat for Military Band. The brilliant E-flat chord that closes the Chaconne of that work is orchestrated (nearly) identically as the final sonority of Aurora Awakes—producing an unmistakably vibrant timbre that won’t be missed by aficionados of the repertoire. This same effect was, somewhat ironically, suggested by Mackey for the ending of composer Jonathan Newman’s My Hands Are a City. Mackey adds an even brighter element, however, by including instruments not in Holst’s original. “That has always been one of my favorite chords because it’s just so damn bright. In a piece that’s about the awaking of the goddess of dawn, you need a damn bright ending—and there was no topping Holst. Well . . . except to add crotales.” —Program note by Jake Wallace
Armenian Dances, Part Two (1978) In his Armenian Dances, Part Two, Alfred Reed has captured many of the styles, tempos, and subtleties of the Armenian folk songs and dances. Part Two was commissioned after the highly successful premiere of Part One, which was completed in 1977. The two parts comprise a full-length symphony. Reed, acting as arranger and composer, drew his inspirations from the vast collection of Gomidas Vartabed (1869–1935). Gomidas has been credited as the founder of Armenian classical music for his work on preserving and documenting more than 4,000 folk songs. Khoomar is a female Armenian name. This movement is based on a light-hearted song that depicts how two young people meet and marry. The wedding dance conveys the joy and excitement of the occasion. Lorva Horovel is a plowing song from the district of Lori. The multiple themes in this movement are varied in rhythmic and melodic structure. They reflect the physical and spiritual feelings of the farmer as he proceeds with his work. The sheer effort of this undertaking sets a heavy tone to the movement as the brass and percussion make their introductory proclamations. The farmer pleads with his oxen to put themselves into the task. Good progress and bright spirits are represented by a fast dance common to Eastern Armenia. A slow and plaintive song (Giligia) tells of a longing for his country and lost homeland. The mood picks up with a presto dance theme that builds to a dramatic closing. —Program note by William V. Johnson for the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra concert program, April 14, 2007 7
Emory Wind Ensemble The Emory Wind Ensemble (EWE) is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to performing wind literature of the highest caliber while nurturing individual artistic excellence within an ensemble setting. Membership is determined by audition each fall. Concert programming comprises a wide variety of styles, forms, and genres from several centuries of compositional practice, designed to provide comprehensive exposure to the masterpieces for winds and percussion from the Renaissance period through the modern era. A flexible instrumentation is employed with predominantly one player per part, giving students the opportunity to experience true wind ensemble performance practice. The 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, Steven Bryant, Stephen Paulus, Bruce Broughton, Jennifer Higdon, Libby Larsen, John Mackey, David Maslanka, Jonathan Newman, and many others. In 2017, the ensemble was showcased by the College Band Director’s National Association among its peer institutions with a citation for musical excellence at the “Small Band Showcase,” presented at the Association’s National Conference in Kansas City. The 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 New York Philharmonic; Stuart Stephenson, principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Joe Alessi, principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic; Adam Frey, international euphonium solo artist; and Grammy Award–winning solo clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. The EWE has performed concert tours of Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lucerne, Graz, Prague, Vienna, and Greece. Additionally, it has performed at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) State Convention in Savannah, Georgia; at the Southern Division College Band Directors National Association Conference (CBDNA); and for various events on Emory’s campus, including the inauguration of James Wagner as president of Emory University. Most recently, a brass ensemble made up of EWE members performed live during a national broadcast by the National Basketball Association. The EWE is recorded on the NAXOS and Centaur music labels.
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Michael Kobito, conductor
Michael Kobito is a music educator, conductor, and trumpeter from Cartersville, Georgia. He serves as the conductor of the Emory Wind Ensemble and associate conductor of Tara Winds. Prior to his appointment at Emory University, Kobito served as director of bands at Woodland High School in Cartersville. During his tenure as director, the band performed at multiple national events including the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C., the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the Southeastern United States Honor Band Festival, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, University of Georgia’s Janfest Honor Band Festival, and most recently in the 2023 London New Year’s Day Parade. He also taught AP Music Theory, where his students earned a 100 percent pass rate on the AP exam. As a conductor and trumpeter, Kobito is an active musician, performing regularly around metro-Atlanta in Tara Winds and the Georgia Brass Band. As a conductor of Tara Winds, the band was invited to perform in France at the 2023 Festival des Anches d’Azur in La CroixValmer, and has been invited to perform at the 2024 GMEA In-Service Conference. Additionally, with these groups, Kobito has performed at multiple honor invitational events including the Midwest Clinic in Chicago and the North American Brass Band Competition in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has served as a guest conductor for the Georgia Brass Band and has been the clinician for multiple honor bands around Georgia and the United States. He has been the recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence for his work with the Woodland Band and Tara Winds on five occasions. Kobito is a dedicated advocate for education, having served as an ambassador for educators in the state as the 2023 Georgia Teacher of the Year. He is an active keynote speaker, clinician, and panelist on topics around best education practices and pedagogy, teacher recruitment and retention, and the future of education.
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Emory Wind Ensemble Flute/Piccolo
Trumpet
Audrey Chen Ivana Chen Runyu Huang Hannah Huang Julia Nagel Sophia Song Tabitha Watson
Tyler Edwards Satya Thota Austin Watkinson John Zhang
Trombone Timothy Brewer Samit Patel
Oboe
Bass Trombone
Zachary Kant Sophia Kim Ziang Zhang
Ethan Hsuing
Tuba
Clarinet
Michael Amsel Eric Juarez
Minjoo Kim Andrew Mijacika Ian Moon Eli Parrish Joe Van Duyn Charlie Xhang
Euphonium Tyler Edwards Allen Zhang
Percussion and Timpani
Bass Clarinet
Eric Chen Kaylor Garamella James Grant Aidan Neuser Peter Rubin Grace Schlett Emmy Shi Jack Xu Mingyu Zhang Sunny Zheng
Nicole Bring Malachi Woofolk
Bassoon Nicole McGill
French Horn Vipul Bansal Tess Enemark Risden Harmon Julianna Ughrin
Piano Jenny Yan
Saxophone
Harp
Abigail Balson Martin Lin Wenhui Lu Clayton Michaels Rishie Srivastava
Brigid May
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Department of Music Administration Paul Bhasin, Interim Chair Kristin Wendland, Director of Undergraduate Studies Laura Emmery, Director of Undergraduate Research Martha Shockey, Senior Secretary Kathy Summers, Academic Department Administrator Julia Hudgins, Academic Services Program Coordinator Simone McGaw Evans, Program Coordinator
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). 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
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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.
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