Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble M. Gregory Martin and Andrew Yozviak, conductors Ian McLaughlin, graduate conductor Donovan Donnelly, euphonium Casey Dziuba, Alex DiFabio, Haley Cowan and Christopher Carlson, percussion Sunday, December 9, 2018 Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center 3:00 PM
PROGRAM WCU WIND SYMPHONY M. Gregory Martin, conductor Children’s March, Over the Hills and Far Away ................................... Percy Aldridge Grainger 1882-1961 it is, it is, it is what is… ................................................................................. Christina J. George b. 1996 World Premiere Ian McLaughlin, graduate conductor Harlequin .................................................................................................................. Philip Sparke b. 1951 Donovan Donnelly, euphonium Symphony No. 3 for Band .............................................................................. Vittorio Giannini 1903-1966 I. Allegro energico II. Adagio III. Allegretto IV. Allegro con brio WCU WIND ENSEMBLE Andrew Yozviak, conductor Fanfare Ritmico .................................................................................................. Jennifer Higdon b. 1962 Mothership ................................................................................................................ Mason Bates b. 1977 Speaking Truth to Power: 2018 ........................................................................Adam Silverman b. 1973 Preview Performance Casey Dziuba, Alex DiFabio, Haley Cowan and Christopher Carlson, percussion
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PROGRAM NOTES Children’s March: Over the hills and far away (1918) Children’s March was scored for band by Grainger in 1919 from a piano solo which he composed between 1916 and 1918. The band arrangement was begun in 1918 while the composer was a member of the U.S. Coast Artillery Band and was written to take advantage of that band’s instrumentation. Generally accepted as the first band composition utilizing the piano, the march features the woodwinds – especially the low reeds – during most of its seven-minute duration. From the introduction to the end, the folk-like melodies make it difficult for the listener to realize that the work was original with Grainger. It was first performed by the Goldman Band on June 6, 1919, with the composer conducting and Ralph Leopold at the piano. Like many of Grainger’s works the march demonstrates both the fierceness and the tenderness of the composer’s personality. It was dedicated to “my playmate beyond the hills,” believed to be Karen Holton, a Scandinavian beauty with whom the composer corresponded for eight years but did not marry because of his mother’s jealousy. In 1953, 48 years after they had first met, they saw each other for the last time in Denmark where Grainger had gone for a cancer operation to be performed by Karen’s brother. it is, it is, it is what is…. (2017) the world is a dewdrop, a dewdrop world ... it is, it is, it is what is ... – issa When I was little, I used to lie in bed at night at my grandparents’ lake house in Maine, listening to the eerie echoing cry of the loons as they found their way to one another in the dark. Although I didn’t realize at the time, those loons had a better grip on communication and awareness than most humans do. When we feel lost or overwhelmed, we often don’t ask for help – rather, we let ourselves fumble in the dark, alone, battered by the anxious thoughts echoing around our minds. This piece is about acceptance – letting be what is and whatever becomes. It is a loon call in the night, warped through space but nevertheless heard. If we don’t acknowledge where we are, we will never be found. -
Christina J. George
Harelquin (2006) Harelquin was commissioned by, and is dedicated to, euphonium virtuoso David Childs for a CD recording in 2004. He gave the first live performance at the Gala Concert
following the first All England Masters International Championship on March 29, 2005 accompanied by the BAYV Band, conducted by his father, Robert Childs. The piece takes as its inspiration the happy and sad masks which symbolize the Commedia dell’Arte (which features Harlequin as one of its main characters) and comprises two movements, a slow modal ballad followed by a frenetic faster movement. Symphony No. 3 for Band (1961) Symphony No. 3 follows no program. The first movement, in sonata-allegro form, offers a victorious opening. Its fundamental germinating force is the interval of a fourth, which is hear immediately in the first theme. The second movement takes advantage of the lyric woodwind sound of the band and in ABA form presents a quiet, restful section of great beauty. The third movement, ABAB, is an example of rhythmic playfulness. Here, the kaleidoscopic shifting pulses of 6/7 and ¾ meters rebound over and upon one another in intriguing fashion. The final movement, in sonata-allegro form, is announced by a tremendous woodwind scalar sweep. Its pure energy and excitement gives a thrilling emotional climax to the work. Fanfare Ritmico (1999/2002) Pulitzer-Prize winning composer Jennifer Higdon has distinguished herself as one of the most performed composers of her generation. She has been commissioned by some of the world’s most significant ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and “The President's Own” United States Marine Band. Originally composed for The Women’s Philharmonic as part of The Fanfares Project celebrating the beginning of the new millennium, Higdon herself transcribed Fanfare Ritmico for wind band in 2002. She offers the following about the work: Fanfare Ritmico celebrates the rhythm and speed (tempo) of life. Writing this work on the eve of the move into the new Millennium, I found myself reflecting on how all things have quickened as time has progressed. Our lives now move at speeds much greater than what I believe anyone would have ever imagined in years past. Everyone follows the beat of their own drummer, and those drummers are beating faster and faster on many different levels. As we move along day to day, rhythm plays an integral part of our lives, from the individual heartbeat to the lightning speed of our computers. This fanfare celebrates that rhythmic motion, of man and machine, and the energy which permeates every moment of our being in the new century.” The wind band version of the piece received its premiere on April 21, 2002 by the Illinois Wesleyan Wind Ensemble, Steven W. Eggleston, conducting.
Mothership (2011) This energetic opener imagines the orchestra as a mothership that is ‘docked’ by several visiting soloists, who offer brief but virtuosic riffs on the work’s thematic material over action-packed electro-acoustic orchestral figuration. The piece follows the form of a scherzo with double trio (as found in, for example, the Schumann Symphony No. 2). Symphonic scherzos historically play with dance rhythms in a high-energy and appealing manner, with the ‘trio’ sections temporarily exploring new rhythmic areas. Mothership shares a formal connection with the symphonic scherzo but is brought to life by thrilling sounds of the 21st Century — the rhythms of modern-day techno in place of waltz rhythms, for example. Recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas, Mothership received its world premiere at the Sydney Opera House and the YouTube Symphony on March 20, 2011, and it was viewed by almost two million people live on YouTube. - Mason Bates Speaking Truth to Power: 2018 Adam Silverman’s music for percussion has become standard fare for ensembles and collaborations with large ensembles. His quartets Quick Blood, The Cruel Waters and Spiderweb Lead, the octet Sparklefrog and sextet Naked And On Fire receive regular performances by collegiate and professional percussion groups. His status in the percussion community made Silverman a natural choice for a percussion concerto commission. Adam Silverman has provided the following note: “Speaking Truth To Power: 2018 is designed as a contemporary response to Karel Husa’s Music for Prague, 1968, and was composed for a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Husa’s work. Husa’s landmark composition musically addresses themes of resistance against an invasion of Czechoslovakia which was a Soviet response to the nonviolent movement of “Prague Spring” that had loosened restrictions on the media and civil liberties. This new composition links Prague in 1968 to America in 2018, a place and time when media and civil liberties are again under threat from an administration that is trying to restrict them through discrediting facts, promoting government-serving centralized propaganda, and placing new burdens on the most vulnerable citizens. Speaking Truth To Power: 2018 is a pondering of American nonviolent responses of the past two years — the Travel Ban protest, The Women’s March, and March for Our Lives. In it, four percussion soloists rally the forces of a large ensemble to speak clearly with one voice: WHEN TRUTH PREVAILS LIBERTY WILL BE RESTORED.” Speaking Truth to Power: 2018 was commissioned by the West Chester University Wind Ensemble and a consortium of universities. The piece will be premiered by the West Chester University Wind Ensemble, Andrew Yozviak, conductor, during the 2019 CBDNA National Conference in Tempe, Arizona.
WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY
Flute Wiktoria Godawa Morgan Turner Karina Olivencia Emma Flinchbaugh Amanda Hepner Piccolo Katherine Beasley, piccolo Oboe Christian Spoerl Hannah Shields Elizabeth McAndrew Bassoon Emma Steinauer Andrew Gifford Eb Clarinet Lauren Brasch Clarinet Morgan Kock Paige ReHill Julia Strohl Lauren Platt Caitlin Lennox Tatianna Dragon Jennifer Parziale Alexandra Garibaldi Bass Clarinet Terasa Pierontoni Contrabass Clarinet Katelyn Petrilak
Alto Saxophone Zhi Yong Tan James Weber Devon Rickert Skyler Cole
Euphonium Kyle Jackier Spencer Kendall Alex Sheetz Jackson Goslin
Tenor Saxophone John Simonnet Chris Swantek
Tuba Tom Wehrle Tim Goman Andrew Puleo
Baritone Saxophone John Westenberger Horn Josh Kovich Casey Jennings Hannah Atlas Michael Antonacci Aaron Hungerford Destinee Bebout Trumpet Morganne Piestrak Alyssa Kenny Andrew Walls Zach Walter Don Nguyen Dan Reinbold Matt Baldridge Brendan Hartner Charlotte McMillen Trombone Alex Dwyer Hannah Gregory Stephen Lowrie Christian Ryan Bass Trombone Josh Ladonis
Percussion Richard Barron Josh Burpo Ian McLaughlin Sean Slattery Fred Spaziani Daniel Farnum-Huelster Ruth Clark Brad Stark Double Bass Sal Azzara Piano Aaron Hungerford
WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE
Flute Jessica Lynch Chloe Leed Erica Hinchcliff Julia Carey Piccolo Christina George Oboe Isabelle Bender Theoron Hershey English Horn John DeBiase Bassoon Meghan Freer Alexander Brandreth Eb Clarinet Elizabeth Mahovsky
Clarinet Jack Hontz Zach Stola Tess Pierontoni Eric Liebenthal Maria Seffrin Laura Sachaczenski Bass Clarinet Alexander Siwa Contrabass Clarinet Nadine Silverman Saxophone Andrew Morrison Kendra Woywod Brian Foster Stephen Andrewlavage Horn Evan Bucha Matt Hontz Danielle O’Hare Felicia Quinn Libby Ando
Trumpet Antonino Bennici Nolan Wible David Bonilla-Garcia Josiah Stettler Chloe Francis Lauren Letherland Zach Prowse Morganne Pietstrak Alison Rack Trombone David Lewis Kevin Scheetz Jordan Rowan
Tuba Christopher Liounis Gavyn Frankenfield Percussion Casey Dziuba Christopher Carlson Haley Cowan Alex DiFabio Andrew Gallagher Sean McWilliams Kendrick Bowman Piano/Celeste Anthony Saddic
Bass Trombone Alexander Marshall
Double Bass James Devor
Euphonium Donovan Donnelly William Rachko
Harp Julianna Kocher
UPCOMING WELLS SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS For full event details visit www.wcupa.edu/music or call (610) 436-2739 Sunday, December 9, 2018, 7:00 PM Collegium Musicum Mark Rimple, director Ware Family Recital Hall Swope Music Building SPRING 2019 EVENTS Monday, January 28, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Vincent Craig, piano Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Monday, February 4, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Kimberly Reighley, flute Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Wednesday, February 6, 8:15 PM WSOM Quartet in Residence: Dali Quartet Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Thursday, February 7, 12:00 PM Madeleine Wing Adler Concert Series: Strings Ovidiu Marinescu, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Grand Foyer Performing Arts Center *Tickets required for this event.
Steinway & Sons Piano Technical, Tuning and Concert Preparations by Gerald P. Cousins, RPT 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 Events at the Wells School of Music are often supported by individual sponsors and organizations. Contributions to the Wells School of Music may be made out to: West Chester University Foundation 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382
For further information, please call (610) 436-2868 or contact Dr. Christopher Hanning, Dean. 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