Program Notes

Fanfare for an Introvert (2022)

Fanfare for an Introvert explores ethereal and psychedelic textures and harmonies. The piece’s inspiration draws from a piece of AI-generated art.

—Program note by composer

Solo Journey (2023)

This is a piece composed in remembrance of a period of time when the composer had undergone some mental stress. Though the composer went on a real “solo journey” later, the “journey” for this piece means both the one in reality and the one in one’s heart. Along with trying to portray the gorgeous scenery the composer saw during her trip, she also wants to depict the beauty of life experiences, her determination to face the frustration, and the will to keep going forward with a light heart. This piece is inspired by the music of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and Japanese film composer Joe Hisaishi.

—Program note by composer

Gum-Suckers March (1914/1996)

A “gum-sucker” is an Australian nickname for Australians born in Victoria, the home state of the composer. The eucalyptus trees that abound in Victoria are called “gums,” and the young shoots at the bottom of the trunk are called “suckers;” so “gum-sucker” came to mean a young native son of Victoria, just as Ohioans are nicknamed “Buckeyes” (buckeyes are also trees prevalent in Ohio). In the march, Percy Grainger used his own Australian Up-Country Tune melody—written by him to typify Australia—a melody he also employed in his Colonial Song for two voices and orchestra, or military band.

—Program note by composer

Bull’s-Eye (2019)

I’ve always been intrigued by Pablo Picasso’s line drawings, where he captures the energy and personality of a subject—often an animal—with just a line or two. Picasso’s Bull (1945) includes a simple line drawing of a bull in this fashion. However, this drawing is also preceded by a series of 10 lithographs depicting his process of simplification and abstraction. The first lithograph is a fully formed bull that, over its next two iterations, increases in opacity and detail. Then, over the next eight panels, layers are gradually peeled away to reveal just the essence of the bull.

While Bull’s-Eye is not an exact one-to-one depiction of these 11 drawings, the piece follows the same narrative: musical material is presented, made more complex, then distilled. The distillation process in the second half of the piece reveals the way the music preceding it is orchestrated, almost as if you were to mute and unmute certain sections of the ensemble.

—Program note by composer

eos (2008)

One of my favorite parts of my parents’ house in western Georgia is its exposure to the sunrise. Every morning, light slowly appears over the lake behind our house, yielding a progression of vibrant colors and increasing brightness that is difficult to describe. eos was actually named about halfway through my writing of the piece. As I listened to these chords and the subtle harmonic progressions, I associated these aural ideas with the visions in my head of the sunrises at home. In Greek mythology, Eos is the goddess of dawn who rises from her home at the edge of Oceanus to pave the way for her brother Helios, the sun. The piece is not necessarily programmatic, but after listening to what I had put down on paper, I could not help but feel as though the music flowed just as the dawn. eos is dedicated with humble admiration and unending appreciation to Scott A. Stewart, a great mentor, an incredible conductor, my greatest teacher, and a selfless friend. If it were not for him, I would probably still be in business school . . .

—Program note by composer

La Procession du Rocio, op. 9 (1912)

La Procession du Rocio, op. 9, “The Procession of the Dew,” was the work that catapulted Joaquin Turina to success. Its debut performance in Madrid in 1913 was received so well that he decided to return to Spain, where he rose to the top of the Spanish musical world, eventually becoming professor of composition at the Madrid Royal Conservatory.

La Procession is divided into two distinct sections. It opens with a depiction of the celebration honoring the Virgin Maria in Triana (a colorful neighborhood in Seville), which features stylized gypsy dances and a general mood of festivity. This leads, without break, into the procession itself. Here the character of the music changes. As the procession moves slowly through the streets, the sound of bells, the tap of drums, and strains of church music reflect the solemnity of its religious origin. Finally, the music grows to a brilliant climax, including themes derived from the opening fanfare, along with a brief quotation from the Spanish national anthem.

—Program note by Immaculata Symphony