Symphony Orchestra

FrenchConnection

TSCPerformingArtsCenter,Brownsville Monday,November21,2022at7:00pm

UTRGVPerformingArtsComplex,Edinburg Tuesday,November22,2022at7:00pm ReginaldoNascimento,Conductor BrendanKinsella,Piano

PianoConcertofortheLeftHand MauriceRavel

“Thisbookistobeneitheran accusationnoraconfession,andleast ofallanadventure,fordeathisnotan adventuretothosewhostandfaceto facewithit.Itwilltrysimplytotellofa generationofmenwho,eventhough theymayhaveescapeditsshells,were destroyedbythewar.”-ErichMaria Remarque,prefaceto AllQuietonthe WesternFront (1928)

Intheearlytwentiethcentury,piano musicforthelefthandalonewasseen asanoveltyatbestandacheaptrick atworst.Althoughcomposersranging fromCamilleSaint-SaënstoLeopold Godowskymadeworthwhile contributionstothegenre,itwasnever takenseriously,andevenBrahms’ transcriptionofJ.S.Bach’smagisterial Chaconne wasreceivedasasecondratecopyofafargreateroriginal piece.Thus,whenMauriceRavel receivedacommissionfromPaul Wittgenstein(anAustrianpianistwho hadlosthisrightarminWorldWarI)in 1929foraconcertoforthelefthand, herelishedtheopportunitytoproduce aworkthatwouldelevatea“lesser” genreintohighart.Fromapurely technicalstandpoint,itisastonishing thatRavel,whowasnotanadvanced pianist,knewexactlywhathewanted fromWittgenstein’srequestaswellas howtoachieveit.Ultimately,the Piano ConcertofortheLeftHand provedto benotonlyoneofhismost imaginativecompositions,buttruly oneofthegreatestpianoconcertiin theentirerepertoire.Itstunswithits transcendentalvirtuosityand profoundlymovinganti-warsubtext,all toorelevantin2022.

Wittgensteinwasconscriptedintothe Austro-Hungarianmilitaryin1914,and withinayearwasshotintheelbowand underwentanamputationofhisright arm.Unwillingtoabandonhiscareeras

aperformingartist,hecommissioned multipleleadingcomposers(Britten, Prokofiev,Hindemith,Korngold,and manyothers)overthecourseofthe nextseveraldecadesforone-handed concerti.Whilenoneoftheirofferings caughton,Ravel’scontributionfirmly enteredthestandardrepertoire,even despiteitsproblematicpremiere, whereWittgensteindrasticallychanged thescorewithoutRavel’spermission. Severalthemesandideasareatplay throughoutitsone-movement structure.First,astatelyandnoble FrenchOvertureisheardinthe contrabassoon,followedbya descendingbluesscaleinthebrass. Afteramomentoustutticrescendo,the pianoenterswithadramaticcadenza thatshowsofftheentirerangeofthe instrument;theauraleffectisalways thatoftwohandsplaying.Later,a lyricaltheme(innocence,purity,the fragilityoflife)giveswaytoamenacing militarymarch,repletewithblaring fanfaresandthesoundsofafifeand drumcorps.Throughoutthisextended episode,thebluesthemebecomesan anguishedwailasittravelsthrough everysectiontheorchestrawhilethe marchgrowstoamanicintensity,a clearmetaphorforthebrutalityand insanityofthe“wartoendallwars.” Afterafrantic,daringsprintacrossNo Man’sLand,Franceemergesvictorious astheOverturefromtheopening triumphantlyreturns(likeDebussy, Ravelwasastaunchnationalistduring WorldWarIandbrieflyservedasan ambulancedriverontheWestern Front).Asthefogofwarslowlylifts,the lyricalmelodyheardearlierreturnsin thepiano’sfinalcadenza,thistime envelopedinswirlingarpeggios–the soundofsoulsdeparting.Inthefinal pages,themusicswellswith determinationonelasttime,hopingfor abetterworldasferventlyasitmourns thefallen

SymphonyinDminor CésarFranck

BorninBelgium,CésarFranck (1822-1890)spentmostofhislifein FranceafterhisfamilymovedtoParisin 1835.AttheConservatoirehestudied piano,organ,andcomposition.andlater madehislivingasachurchorganist.In 1872hebecameaprofessoroforganat theConservatoire,andhiscompositions becameincreasinglysuccessful,winning variousawards.Hecompletedhisonly symphonyin1888andpremieredayear later.Inthreemovementsratherthan theusualfour,The SymphonyinD Minor hassomepeculiaraspects:the thesecondmovementsubstitutesboth theslowmovementandscherzousually foundinsymphonies.Franckalsoused a“motto”theme,ashortmotiveof threenotesthatismodifiedinvarious waysthroughoutthework,thusmaking itacycliccompositionasittiesallthe movementstogetherwiththesame motif.Anotherelementisthereturning ofthemesfromthefirsttwomovements inthefinale.Intraditionalsymphonies, theslowintroductionofafirst movementisindependentofthe sonata-formfastmovement,buthere Franckintegratesitintotheoverall sonataform.Itisheardthreetimes, twiceatthebeginning(withabrieffast sectioninbetween)thenitcomesback athirdtimeasthebeginningofthe recapitulation,matchingwhat happenedatthestart.Themotto beginsboththeslowintroductionand thefastsection.WhileFranck’s harmoniesarechromaticchordstypical ofthelateRomanticperiod,hiskey choicesarenot.Hetakesthemusic throughsomeunexpectedkeys,for instance,Fminorwhenthelistener expectsDminornearthebeginning, andevenmoresurprisingly,E-flatminor atthestartoftheallegrointhe recapitulation,whichwouldalso

traditionallybeDminor.Themost importantthematicelementsinthefirst movementarethemottofigureanda latermelodythatoscillatesarounda singlepitchsothatitfeelsverystable andisalsosingable.Bothmelodiesare materialforthedevelopmentsection.A newfeatureintherecapitulationsection istheuseofcanon,inwhichsome instrumentscopywhatothershavejust played,likesingingaround.The recapitulationbeginsgrandwiththe mottoincanonbetweenhighandlow brass,andthecodatakesitfurtherwith themottoincanonagain,toendthe movementinDmajor.Theslow movementisnowfamousforitsEnglish hornsolo,althoughatthetimeofthe firstperformancethechoiceofthe instrumentcameundercriticism.In hindsight,itisoneofthesolosthathas giventheinstrumentitsreputationas havingaRomantictonecolor.Somefive yearslaterAntonínDvořákwrotean evenbetterknownEnglishhornsoloin his SymphonyNo.9,whichcemented itsRomanticreputation.InFranck’sslow movementtheEnglishhornplaysa flowingmelodyaccompaniedby pizzicatostringsandharp.Itisheard manytimes,sometimeswitha countermelody,sometimeswithout, withvariedaccompaniments,most oftenverysustainedbutalsoina detachedstyle.Othersignificant melodicinterestcomesfromascale-like motivewithunevenrhythms.Thefinale inDmajorburstsinwithasyncopated catchytuneincellosandbassoons whichincorporatesthemotto.The Englishhornmelodyfromtheslow movementreturnsalongwithmaterial fromthefirstmovement.Eventually,the derivationofthesyncopatedtunefrom theoscillatingmelodyismadeclear, andtheworkendswiththefull orchestraplayingfullforce.

Piano

“Anamazingpianist.” -TheHoustonChronicle

“BrendanKinsellapresentedthe concert‘Lisztomania’onadatethat couldbedaunting,October22nd, 2011,theactually200thbirth anniversaryofFranzLiszt,butyouwill hearthatitdidn’tseemtofazehimat all.Infact,heattackedoneofLiszt’s morefamoustranscriptions[Beethoven’s FifthSymphony,op.67]withthepassion andenergythatLisztrequired.”

-BillBaker,hostofSyracusePublic Radio’s“ConcertHall”.

“PianistBrendanKinselladidagreatjob ofbreathinglifeintoarrangements [Radiohead-O’Rileytranscriptions]that, inlesserhands,mightdeflateeverso slightly.”

-AndrewSigler,NewMusicBox.org

Describedasa“sensitivemusicianwith anearforcolor”bytheCincinnati Enquirer,pianistBrendanKinsella’s recentconcertengagementshavetaken himtoNewYork,Chicago,LosAngeles, SanFrancisco,Houston,NewOrleans,

Holland,Italy,andothercities throughouttheUnitedStates,Europe, andAsia.HeearnedhisBachelor(with honors)andMasterofMusicdegreesat theUniversityofCincinnatiCollegeConservatoryofMusicasapupilof FrankWeinstock(withadditional coachingfromJamesToccoand KennethGriffiths)andin2008received hisDoctorofMusicalArtsdegreefrom theUniversityofMissouri-KansasCityas astudentofRobertWeirich.Inmaster classes,hehasperformedforartists suchasChristopherElton,Susan Graham,MartinKatz,AniKavafian, Anne-AkikoMeyers,FredericRzewski, Andre-MichelSchub,PeterSerkin, DavidShifrin,Midori,andtheTakacs Quartet.Hecompletedhistrainingasa SoloPianoFellowattheMusic AcademyoftheWest,workingunder theguidanceofJeromeLowenthal, ProfessorofPianoattheJuilliard School.In2010,hedebutedasasoloist inCarnegieHall’sWeillRecitalHalland wasafeaturedconcertosoloistatthe prestigiousMidwestClinicinChicago.

Anotedinterpreterofallthings dissonant,Kinsella’srecitalsfeaturing theworksoflivingmastersand emergingvoiceshavegarneredwide acclaim.OfaperformanceofRzewski’s DeProfundisinMontecito,theSanta BarbaraDailySoundremarkedthat “Kinsella’sperformancewastruly astonishing,ashemissednaryabeat nortrippedoveranywords.Thesense ofterror,misery,despair,disdain,and righteousangerwaspalpable,andthe essayisultimatelylifeaffirmingif horrifying…I’mgladtohaveheardit, especiallybysuchapassionateand giftedpianistwhoclearlybelievedinhis mission.”TheKansasCityStardeclared thathisperformancesofGeorge Crumb’schamberrepertoirewere “marvelous…hedisplayedconvincing tonalcolors,impressivetechnique,and incisiverhythms.”Utrecht’sLeBon Journaldescribeda2011solorecitalof Beethoven,Rzewski,Liszt,andPoulenc

ascharacterizedbythe“indestructible forceandoptimismthatAmericanscan radiateproverbially.”In2014,his nationalconcerttourofRzewski’sThe PeopleUnitedWillNeverBeDefeated! wasthesubjectofafull-lengthprofile articleintheHoustonChronicleanda correspondingradiointerviewon HoustonPublicMedia.

AmongKinsella’sexperiencesasa lecturerandvisitingartistatfestivals anduniversitiesincludeengagements attheUniversityofColorado-Boulder CollegeofMusic,theUniversityof WashingtonSchoolofMusic,theTexas A&MContemporaryMusicFestival,the InternationalConferenceonMedieval andRenaissanceThought,Universityof DenverLamontSchoolofMusic,the CalStateFullertonNewMusicFestival, theUniversityofWisconsin-Madison SchoolofMusic,theSUNYFredonia SchoolofMusic,theUniversityofIowa SchoolofMusic,andmanyothers.In the2021-2022season,his groundbreakingresearchonJulius Eastmanwonnationalandinternational acclaimthroughaseriesoflecturerecitalsandperformancesofEastman’s provocativerepertoire.Hisprevious researchincludeslecturesonkeyboard musicoftheItalianRenaissance,recent developmentsinavant-gardeAmerican music,theinfluenceofGreek philosophyonOlivierMessiaen’spiano music,studiesonSovietChamber Musicofthe1960s,andanationwide lecture-recitaltourofJ.S.Bach’s completeWell-TemperedClavier,Book I.AmericanMusicTeacherpublished hisessayonalternativelearning strategiesinits“ThisandThat” ColumnoftheJune/July2017issue.

Adedicatedteacher,Kinsellapresently servesasProfessorofPianoatthe UniversityofTexas-RioGrandeValley, whereheteachesappliedpiano, chambermusic,pianopedagogy,and pianoliteraturetoaninternationalclass ofgiftedyoungmusicians.Membersof hisselectstudioregularlyparticipatein nationalandinternationalsummer

festivals,performinmasterclassesfor distinguishedconcertartists(suchas JeromeLowenthal,DavidKorevaar, KevinKenner,andSeanChen),present theirscholarlyresearchatprofessional conferences,andgainadmittanceto prestigiousMMandDMAprograms nationwide(thePeabodyInstitute,The UniversityofCincinnatiCollegeConservatoryofMusic,theUniversity ofMichigan,TempleUniversity,andthe UniversityofTexas-Austin,tonamea few.AsthefounderoftheSouthTexas CollegiateMTNAChapter,studentsin hispianopedagogysymposiumgained nationalprominenceastherecipients ofthe2022“CollegiateChapterofthe Year”AwardbyMusicTeachers

NationalAssociation,thehighesthonor intheirdiscipline.Beforejoiningthe facultyatUTRGV,hewasasamember ofthepianoareaatMissouriWestern StateUniversityandheldgraduate assistantshipsinpianoand collaborativepianoatCCMand UMKC.

Born1980inCincinnati,Ohio,Kinsella beganplayingthepianoatage11and madehisconcertodebutat15.Alive recordingofhisperformanceof Messiaen’sOiseauxExotiquesatthe MidwestCliniciscommercially availablefromtheMarkRecordslabel, andhisrecordingofNarong Prangcharoen’schambermusicwas releasedonAlbanyrecordsin2012to favorablereviews.Hisrecentand upcomingengagementsinclude performancesofconcertibyRavel, Bach,Beethoven,andGrieg;aseriesof outreachandrecruitmentconcerts throughoutTexaswithhiscollegiate studio;andnationwideperformances ofBach’smonumentalGoldberg Variations.

MaestroReginaldoNascimentoisthe MusicDirectoroftheRibeirãoPreto SymphonyOrchestraandtheRibeirão PretoYouthOrchestrainBrazil.He beganmusicalstudiesattheChristian CongregationinBrazil.Hethenstudied attheFreeUniversityofMusicinSão Paulo.HisteacherswereNadilsonGama, ElinaSurisandClaudioCruz.

Asasoloistandchambermusician,he performedwiththeSãoPauloState YouthOrchestra,theSESCVilaNova ChamberOrchestra,theBarretos MunicipalOrchestra,PradosFestival OrchestraandtheRibeirãoPreto SymphonyOrchestra.Hepresentedsolo recitalsintheUnitedStatesin2015and 2016atTarletonUniversity,Hardin SimmonsUniversity,andLouisiana SouthernUniversity.

Hebeganhistrainingasaconductor withrenownedBrazilianmaestroClaudio Cruz.Heparticipatedinmasterclassesin PolandwithJonathanBrettandin HungarywithIlónaMeskó.Hewonthe secondprizeatthe2ndConducting CompetitioninHungaryin2012.Heis

commanderoftheOrderofMeritCarlos GomesbytheBrazilianAssociationof ArtandCulture.Healsotookofficein theMusicAcademiesofSãoPauloand Brazil.

Hehasservedasassistantconductorat theCamposdoJordãoWinterMusic Festivalin2011andasconductorofthe chamberorchestraoftheFestivalde MúsicadeCuritibain2015and2016.

Hehasalsoservedasguestconductor withtheRadomskaOrkiestraKameralna (Poland),MÁVSymphonyOrchestra (Hungary),MurmanskPhilharmonic Orchestra(Russia),SonomaCounty Philharmonic(USA),LouisianaChamber OrchestraandOrquestraJovemdo EstadodeSãoPaulo.Hewasartistic directorandprincipalconductorofthe ChamberOrchestraoftheCarlosGomes Conservatory,theRibeirãoPretoYouth PhilharmonicOrchestraandthe BeethovenYouthCamerata.Hehas conductednumerousoperasincluding CavalleriaRusticana,L'elisird'amore, OrpheusandEurydice,aswellas contemporaryoperassuchas Chama Sagrada and JudasintheSaturdayof Hallelujah.

HeservedasconductoroftheFestival FiatoaoBrasile,editionsinRibeirão Preto,Brazil,andFaenza,Italyin2017 and2018.HeisDistinguishedCitizenof RibeirãoPreto–atitlegrantedbythe CityCounciloftheCityofRibeirãoPreto.

Mr.NascimentoholdsadegreeinMusic fromtheUniversityofSãoPaulo.

NormanGamboa,MusicDirector

VIOLIN

EldaaHernandez, Concertmaster LuisGonzalez Assistantconcertmaster MariferGuerrero, Principal DanielSantiago, Assistantprincipal HectorColón RubenGarcia,Jr. AngelaGonzalez AlexandraHernandez AstridHerrera AngelaLlanes LeahLoera JuanCarlosMejia RafaelRamirez JesusSaenz RefugioTristan JameelZuniga

VIOLA

GamalielSanchez, Principal DeniseAlanis MelanieCantu KatiaLuna JacobMartinez AntonioMondragon JoseSalinas

CELLO

JudithRecio, Principal SebastianGarcia-Loredo JairoGarza IsaacIslas ClarissaMartinez RobertZuniga

DOUBLEBASS

SofiaLeal, Principal MichaelFarrick AlyssaGonzalez MarisolMejia DavidMolina

FLUTE&PICCOLO LauraBarba1,2 JoshuaPosler StephanieHernandez

OBOE

LorenaCoronado1,2 CarlosCantu* MelanieIbarra

CLARINET

EmilyCastillo FabianGutierrez2 DanielHernandez-Duhon1 HugoLopez

BASSOON

AracelyGarcia ArtGonzalez*1,2 JosephOrendain

HORN

DanielGarza DavidGutierrez1 BryanRodriguez2 RobertoSalas MaximusValdez

TRUMPET

OmarDelAngelAvila BenjaminGonzalez RyanMowers1,2 IsaiahMurillo

TROMBONE

AlejandroSalinas1,2 JhonEscobar AntonioNefiOlivares

TUBA VictorCruz1,2

TIMPANI

RenePeynado2 RebeccaSanchez1

PERCUSSION

OscarLozano PeterNay RenePeynado ReneZamora

HARP

VincentPierce*1,2 ASSISTANT

AlexandroLucero-Quintana ManuelMonge-Mata AndrewStahlman