IRVING H. COHEN MEMORIAL AND CONCERTO CONCERT West Chester University Symphony Orchestra Joseph Caminiti, Music Director
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020 MADELEINE WING ADLER THEATRE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 3:00 PM
30th ANNUAL MEMORIAL CONCERT
Irving H. Cohen 1925–1989 Dr. Irving H. Cohen received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from New York University. After many years teaching music in the New York City area, he came to West Chester University in 1969 as professor of music in the Department of Music History and simultaneously taught double bass and tuba students through the Department of Instrumental Music. Dr. Cohen served as both chair and member of many University committees, as well as on the Faculty Senate. He was acting director of the School of Music from 1982 to 1983. He loved West Chester University and did all in his power to enhance and enrich it. In addition, Dr. Cohen was visiting professor of Music at Gratz College in Philadelphia and Vice President of the National Jewish Music Council. He was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Musicological Society, the EthnoMusicological Society, the Association of Jewish Musicians, and the Guild of Temple Organists. He was a recipient of the Legion of Honor Award of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains. He lived an exemplary life of goodness, integrity, concern, and care for others, mingled with intellectual brilliance and scholarly endeavors. In his kind, gentle manner he influenced the lives of many, especially his students of all ages. They reveled in his vast storehouse of knowledge and sterling personal qualities. Many students felt the impact that “Doc” had on their lives and were grateful for his support and wisdom.
PROGRAM
OVERTURE TO NABUCCO (1841) ............................................................................. G. Verdi (1813–1901)
Olivia Choi, graduate conductor
HORN CONCERTO NO. 1, OP. 11, MVT. 1 (1883) ................................................. R. Strauss (1864–1949)
Isaac Duquette, horn
GLORIANA. SECOND LUTE SONG FROM THE EARL OF ESSEX (1952-3)............. B. Britten (1913–1976)
Michael Bilik, tenor
Happy were he could finish forth his fate In some unhaunted desert, where, obscure From all society, from love and hate Of worldly folk, then might he sleep, sleep secure; Then wake again, and give God ever praise. Content with hips and haws and brambleberry; In contemplation spending all his days, And change of holy thoughts to make him merry; Where, when he dies, his tomb might be a bush Where harmless robin dwells with gentle thrush; Happy were he! Happy were he!
ÉLÉGIE (1880) ............................................................................................................ G. Fauré (1845–1924)
Taylor Cope, cello
SUSANNAH. AIN’T IT A PRETTY NIGHT (1955) .............................................. Carlisle Floyd (b. 1926)
Chase Sanders, soprano
Ain't it a pretty night! The sky's so dark and velvet-like And it's all lit up with stars. It's like a great big mirror Reflectin' fireflies over a pond. Look at all them stars, Little Bat. The longer y' look, the more y' see. The sky seems so heavy with stars That it might fall right down out of heaven And cover us all up in one big blanket of velvet All stitched with diamon's. Ain't it a pretty night. Just think, all those stars can all peep down An' see way beyond where we can: They can see way beyond them mountains, To Nashville and Asheville and Knoxville. I wonder what it's like out there, Out there beyond them mountains Where the folks talk nice, an' the folks dress nice Like y'see in the mail order catalogs. I aim to leave this valley someday An' find out for myself: To see all the tall buildin's and all the street lights, An' to be one o'them folks myself. I wonder if I'd get lonesome fer the valley though, Fer the sound of crickets an' the smell of pine straw, Fer soft little rabbits an' bloomin' things An' the mountains turnin' gold in the fall. But I could always come back if I get homesick fer the valley. So I'll leave it someday an' see fer myself. Someday I'll leave an' then I'll come back When I've seen what's beyond them mountains. Ain't it a pretty night. The sky's so heavy with stars tonight That it could fall right down out of heaven An' cover us up, and cover us up In one big blanket of velvet and diamon's.
INTERMISSION
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN G MINOR, OP. 22, MVT. 1 (1868) ................... C. Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Florence Phillips, piano
POÈME FOR FLUTE AND STRING ORCHESTRA (1972) ...................................... Ron Thomas Revised and edited by Van Stiefel and Ron Thomas (2019) (b. 1942)
World Première
CAPRICCIO ESPAGNOL (1887) ............................................................. N. Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908) I. Alborada II. Variazioni III. Alborada [reprise] IV. Scena e canto gitano V. Fandango asturiano
~Special Thanks To~ WCUSO Creative Cabinet Darby MacAdams, Project Manager and Co-Marketer Riley McGowen, Marketer: Web and Facebook Designer/Maintainer Ceara Caisido, Marketer: Video, Photography, Instagram Grace Wible, Concert and Outreach Coordinator Luke Thurston, Concert and Outreach Coordinator Assistant Olivia Choi, Librarian
MUSICIANS VIOLIN I Ben Weaver, Concertmaster
DOUBLE BASS James Devor, Principal
Olivia Choi
Grace Wible
River Cobain Michael
Tim Ragsdale
Brian Robbins
Caleb Sharp
Kristin Erle
Casey Warfield
Abigail Stratton
Amber Kowal Saven Wright
VIOLIN II Freddy Contreras-Romero, Principal
Brian Lynch Sarah Rentz
Sharon Chen, Associate Principal Kyla de Guia Sean Devers
FLUTE Katie Stidham, Principal
Katelyn Norman
Chloe Leed
Susan Altemose
Emma Flinckbaugh, piccolo Christina George (solo flute, Poème)
VIOLA Riley McGowan, Principal Isaac Meyer
OBOE Theoron Hershey, Principal
Robert Cuthill
Hannah Shields (Oboe/English horn)
Pam Jacobson CELLO Ally Paino, Principal
CLARINET Zach Stola, Principal Paige Rehill
Elisa Aquino Gomez Taylor Cope Bonnie Calhoun Ceara Caisido Liam Shaw
BASSOON Meghan Freer, Principal Andrew Gifford
HORN Isaac Duquette, Co-Principal
TIMPANI Cameron Davis, Principal Timpanist
Felicia Quinn, Co-Principal Katie Fox Michael Antonacci
PERCUSSION Luke Thurston, Principal Percussionist
Brittany Saunders
Jon Partridge
TRUMPET Maeve Bartra, Principal
Fred Spaziani
Anton Saliaris Johnny Peacock
Adrianna Korey Nick Neu Charlotte McMillen TROMBONE Stephen Lowrie, Principal Julia Galdi Josh Ladonis, bass trombone TUBA Alex Sandi
HARP Mike Rublesky, Principal Julianna Kocher
GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Isaac Duquette is a senior French Horn Performance and Music Composition Major at West Chester University. Isaac has played with the West Chester University Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra, the latter of which he currently serves as co-principal. Isaac was also a member of the prestigious Philadelphia Youth Orchestra under Maestro Louis Scaglione, and the Philadelphia Young Artist Orchestra under Maestro Rosalind Erwin. He has studied horn with Karen Schubert and Erwin Chandler, and currently studies with Dr. Elizabeth Pfaffle.
Michael Bilik, tenor, is a first year Masters student in Vocal Performance, studying under Dr. Stephen Ng. Michael received his BFA in Voice Performance at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. There, Michael studied with Dr. Oliver Lo. In 2018, Michael was a finalist for the Music Teachers National Association in Orlando, Florida. He has performed internationally as a soloist in summer programs, such as Operafestival di Roma and Orvieto Musica, both taking place in Rome and Orvieto, Italy. His stage credits include: Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia (abridged), Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Michael is the Musician in Residence at Echo Lake Independent Living, where he strives to bring musical entertainment to the residents of the community.
Taylor Cope is finishing his final semester as an undergraduate at West Chester University. As a cellist, he has had the privilege to perform at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has performed with the great musicians David Kim, Mark O’Connor, Zuill Bailey, Ovidiu Marinescu, and the Dalí Quartet. He has studied with David Moulton, Betty Tang, and Ethel Johnson, and currently studies with the renown Romanian cellist, Ovidiu Marinescu. During his free time, Taylor enjoys cooking and spending quality time with his friends and family.
Chase Sanders is in her fourth and final year at West Chester University where she will earn a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Psychology. For the past four years she has studied voice with Dr. Emily Bullock. Most recently, Chase has served as Miss West Chester University 2019 and was seen in the WCU Opera Theatre & Uptown Theatre Alliance’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, where she portrayed the role of Mother. Chase was also the featured soloist in the World Première of By the Rivers of Babylon under the direction of Dr. David DeVenney. Other performances include the role of Brigitta (cover) at the Russian Opera Workshop in Philadelphia, and Mrs. Jenks/Splinters in WCU’s performance of Copland’s, The Tender Land. She is currently active in Concert Choir, A Chorus Line Company, and a Choral Scholar under the direction of Sandor Kadar. Chase has been the recipient of many awards including the Joy Vandever Music Scholarship Award (2019), the winner of the Hilary H Parry Music Competition (2018), the Alta M Ketner Music Scholarship Award (2016), and the Dr. Margaretta Carey Music Scholarship Award (2016). After graduation, Chase plans to earn her Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera Studies.
Florence Phillips is a Graduate student who grew up right here in West Chester. She started taking piano lessons with Main Line teacher Mrs. Julie Blackstone when she was 5 years old, and participated in MTNA festivals, workshops, master classes, and recitals all the way through high school. Florence then attended Bob Jones University in South Carolina, studying with Dr. Susan Kindall, and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Piano Pedagogy. After teaching for several years, she returned to WCU for her Masters in Piano Pedagogy, studying with Dr. Cranmer. Other notable teachers with whom she has studied are Marvin Blickenstaff (Collegeville, PA), Dr. Valletta (WCU), and Dr. Carol Baskins (Greenville, SC). In addition to working on her graduate degree, she works full-time as a music and piano teacher at Valley Forge Baptist Academy in Collegeville, PA, where her 8 year old daughter Kali attends school. She further accompanies her church choir and performs Handel's Messiah every other year.
Introduced to the piano by his father "Buddy" Thomas, Ron Thomas was attracted to the classical music and the jazz he heard growing up. During his High School years, he studied Piano with Marthe MorhangeMotchane, a student of Alfred Cortot. He has a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music and a Master of Arts degree in Composition from Long Island University. Additionally, Ron studied privately with Karlheinz Stockhausen, Stefan Wolpe, and Roland Hanna. He enjoyed the friendship and counsel of John Cage and Herbie Hancock, and has been performing as a jazz musician professionally since 1965. In 1972 Ron recorded “One, Two, Free” with Saxophonist Eric Kloss, and “Pat Martino Live” with Guitarist Pat Martino. His own recorded work can be found on Vectordisc records and Art of Life records. Ron is an effective teacher and is admired widely for his lyrical, well-crafted jazz playing and his impressive catalog of classical works. He has long been associated with West Chester University as a guest jazz artist and an influential lecturer. www.ronthomasmusic.com
To donate to the Irving Cohen Memorial Fund, visit this link: WCUFOUNDATION.ORG/GIVE
Select “Enter a Fund” and type “Irving Cohen Memorial Fund” or Pick up a pledge card in the lobby. Thank you for considering a contribution to this student scholarship to help brighten the future of music-making!
UPCOMING WELLS SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS For full event details visit wcupa.edu/music or call (610) 436-2739 Monday, February 24, 2020, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Henry Grabb, oboe Philips Autograph Library Philips Memorial Building Thursday, February 27, 2020, 8:15 PM Chamber Winds & Concert Band Andrew Yozviak & Adam Gumble, directors Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Saturday, February 29, 2020, 7:30 PM 1st Annual Orchestra Festival Concert Joseph Caminiti, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Sunday, March 1, 2020, 3:00 PM Wind Ensemble & Wind Symphony Andrew Yozviak & M. Gregory Martin, directors Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Monday, March 2, 2020, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Emily Bullock, mezzo-soprano Emily Bullock Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center
*Tickets required for this event.
Events at the Wells School of Music are often supported by individual donors and organizations. Contributions to the Wells School of Music may be made out to: WCU Foundation, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382 Please include “School of Music Deans Fund� in the memo line. For further information, please call (610) 436-2868 or visit wcufoundation.org A majority of performances are available to watch via live stream at Facebook.com/ArtsAtWCUPA and LiveStream.com/wcupa. Mr. Robert Rust, Audio & Visual Technician Steinway & Sons Piano Technical, Tuning and Concert Preparations by Gerald P. Cousins, RPT If you do not intend to save your program, please recycle it in the baskets at the exit doors.
The Wells School of Music | West Chester University of Pennsylvania Dr. Christopher Hanning, Dean