Evanescent Moments
Viola Senior Recital
Presentedby SydneyCastillo
Program
Sydney Castillo, Viola
Dr. Jeong-Eun Lee, Piano
Five Old French Dances
Arranged for Viola and Piano
I. L’ Agréable
II. La Provençale
IV. La Matelotte
V. Le Basque
Suite for Viola and Orchestra
Group I.
No. 1 Prelude
No. 2 Carol
No. 3 Christmas Dance
Combat Beneath the Waves
Arranged for String Quintet
Marin Marais (1656-1728)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Yu-Peng Chen (b. 1984-) Arranged by Sydney Castillo
Ben Spivey, Violin
Benny Elrod, Violin
Sydney Castillo, Viola
Isaiah Valdez, Cello
Heri Ayma, Bass
Program Notes
Five Old French Dances by Marin Marais
Marin Marais was a French composer who studied and wrote for the viola da gamba. Marais played for the orchestra for the Opéra in Paris, the courts in Paris and Versailles, and eventually became conductor and composed for the Opéra. Marais composed four operas for the Opéra in Paris, and composed many suites for viola da gamba, totaling over 600 works. These five French dances were originally written by Marais for viola da gamba and were later arranged for several different instruments including viola.
Suite for Viola and Orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer. Vaughan Williams played viola throughout his lifetime and was friends with the brilliant virtuoso violist, Lionel Tertis (1876-1975), whom the Suite for Viola and Orchestra was dedicated to. Composed in 1933 and 1934, Tertis premiered the work at the Queen’s Hall in London in November of 1934.
The work is eight movements in total separated into three groups. The first group of the suite evokes images of the Christmas season, with its two appropriately named movements, the Carol and Christmas Dance, but also the pastoral, celebratory Prelude.
Program Notes
Combat Beneath the Waves by Yu-Peng Chen
Yu-Peng Chen is a modern day Chinese composer and music producer, who studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is well known for his work on various TV, Film, and Game Soundtracks, most notably working on the soundtrack for the game, Genshin Impact. His style is often known for its ability to blend traditional instruments of various cultures into Western orchestral settings.
Combat Beneath the Waves is a piece written for Genshin Impact’s soundtrack, on the album, Islands of the Lost and Forgotten. Originally scored for string quintet and voice, Chen makes use of string technique to depict an eerie, grueling battle under the sea. Heavy dissonances and rhythmic patterns drive the piece, while haunting melodies hint at the spirits of those who came before. The uniqueness and musical storytelling of the piece inspired me to transcribe and create this arrangement for this performance.
This final piece is incredibly special to me as it pays homage to why I became so immersed in music and am here today. The immersive storytelling and attention to detail in video game soundtracks invited me to dive deeper into music during a time where I felt unsure about what path I wanted to follow in life. Thus, I found it only fitting that I end my chapter at UTSA with what brought me here.
Special Thanks
My Family
Thank you so much for supporting me unconditionally throughout this journey. Not everyone is as lucky as I am to have parents who are as enthusiastic as you guys when they hear their child wants to go to school for music, and I can’t thank you enough for supporting me through my dream. Although I know y ’all have no clue what I’m saying when I talk about the things I learn, I’m happy to have you all there to listen and support me.
Allyson Dawkins
I don’t think I have enough words to thank you for what you have done for me. You have pushed me beyond what I thought I ever imagined I could do and have made me a much better musician than I ever thought possible. I still have so much to learn, and every day you inspire me to push myself farther as a violist. Thank you for believing in me, pushing me to grow as a musician, and for all the kindness you have grown in our studio.
I will cherish my Ugly Doll forever. :)
Special Thanks
My Professors
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me and for being a reliable resource, now and forever. Everything you all have shared with me has made me a better musician, a better teacher, and most importantly, a better person. My time spent learning from you all at UTSA has been invaluable.
My Friends
Thank you all for giving me a place to belong throughout my time here. Everyday you guys remind me of why music is so powerful, because it brings people together. Thank you all for motivating me to pursue my dreams, supporting me through this journey, and filling my days with laughter (and for letting me steal you to play my arrangements). You are the most amazing, kind, and talented people I have ever met, and I am so grateful to have met you.
