GEORGE FREDERICK Mckay Epoch: an American Dance Symphony University of Kentucky Symphony and Women’S Choir John Nardolillo

559330bk McKay:570034bk Hasse 15/7/08 5:35 PM Page 8 More music by George Frederick McKay available from Naxos AMERICAN CLASSICS GEORGE FREDERICK McKAY Epoch: An American Dance Symphony University of Kentucky Symphony and Women’s Choir John Nardolillo 8.559052 8.559225 C M George Frederick McKay in 1923 Y Photo: McKay Estate K 8.559330 8 559330bk McKay:570034bk Hasse 15/7/08 5:35 PM Page 2 George Frederick McKay (1899–1970) EPOCH: An American Dance Symphony The original staging of George Frederick McKay’s Dance McKay’s Dance Symphony in 1936, Hitler invaded the Symphony Epoch is one of a collegial effort by youthful neutral Rhineland region, spreading fear throughout faculty members and enthusiastic players and dancers Europe. Photo: Tim Collins comprising the performing groups of orchestra, dance and The critical reception for the premiere of Epoch was voice; together with specialists in stage design and costume very favorable and the scenario seemed to be accepted by at the University of Washington, Seattle, in the early years those in attendance as somewhat of a “slice of the times.” of the 1930s. This one-hour work in four distinct The audience was delighted with the Jazz and Blues symphonic movements is a poignant memento from the satirical vignettes in the fourth movement Machine Age Pacific Coast of America, when the nation was gradually Blues, and an encore was demanded for the final dance emerging from the depths of the Great Depression. segment featuring masked and sequined chorus girls. McKay stated in a radio interview near the premiere Quite a bit was written concerning the modern stage of the Dance Symphony that it was written to express the settings and lighting techniques, and McKay’s music was University of Kentucky Women’s Choir scenario conceived by John Ashby Conway, joining with praised by writers from both daily newspapers. The University of Kentucky Women’s Choir is a select ensemble now composed of approximately a hundred of the the spirit of American history as penned by the poets Edgar The Seattle Times, in a contemporary review of the school’s most talented female voices. These singers, ranging from freshmen to graduate students, represent a variety Allan Poe, Sidney Lanier, Walt Whitman and Carl premiere stated: of musical backgrounds and academic disciplines. The choir’s challenging and diverse repertoire spans a repertoire from Sandburg. The four movements of Epoch do not “A prologue dramatization of Edgar Allan Poe, ranging Gregorian chant to four to six part music of the 21st Century. With an emphasis on music by female composers, the correspond to specific works of poetry, but rather move the musically from the softly lyric to the weirdly fantastic, ensemble performs works of many different languages and compositional forms. Despite their rehearsal schedule of audience through an artistic portrayal of the historic with blond LaVona Muszynska dancing the principal two and a half hours per week, the Women’s Choir has achieved several distinguished honors in recent years. This periods inhabited by the poets, capturing their creative role, opened the production. A fantastic pendulum prestigious group of young women has been invited to perform in such places as the ACDA National Convention essence. The production was conducted by McKay, drama rhythm climaxed by the dance of the masked furies, (Carnegie Hall) in 2003, the MENC Southern Division Convention in 2001, the ACDA Southern Division Convention and staging was by Conway, choreography by Mary Aid won the applause of the enthusiastic first-nighters at in 2000, and the Kentucky Music Educators Convention in 1998. Additionally the choir has toured internationally, DeVries, costumes and masks by Doriece Colle. the end of the scene.” … “the real novel thrill of the including performances at Notre Dame in Paris and St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. In 2008 the choir was featured Significantly, McKay carries musical themes from the evening was couched in the final Machine Age Blues at both the ACDA Southern Division and MENC National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. beginning movement to the final, much the same as he episode! Here, as the musical transformation of the does in another of his works from the 1930s; Harbor mechanized theme into blatant jazz swept the dancers Narrative (Naxos 8.559052), in which small vignettes are from shadowy robots to satirically masked burlesque Lori R. Hetzel repeated to link various scenes in music depicting a sea dancing girls. Mr. McKay outdid himself in originality Lori Hetzel is the Associate Director of Choral Activities and professor of Choral Music Education voyage. In Epoch the feeling of impending tragedy in the and sardonic effect.” at the University of Kentucky where she conducts the Women’s Choir and the a cappella group Poe movement is apparent again in the frenzied Jazz Age The many frantic moments portrayed in Epoch seemed “Paws and Listen”. She also teaches graduate and undergraduate secondary methods courses, Sandburg section. to have faded away into the dim past, a lost ballet spinning undergraduate conducting, and supervises student teachers. In conjunction with the undergraduate As the first performance of Epoch approached in the in time, as new wonders, challenges, and characters arose choral methods courses, she has pioneered a unique partnership program with a local high school, spring of 1935, world political and social events seemed on the stage of American experience. Now, in 2007 thanks bringing direct experience to music education students at the University. Her accomplishments to be spiraling toward ever more dreadful outcomes with to John Nardolillo and the University of Kentucky include the award of University of Kentucky “Great Teacher of the Year” in 2000. A native of the rise of tyrannical regimes and the threat of terrible new Symphony Orchestra, listeners can enjoy a journey back Wisconsin, Lori R. Hetzel received her B.A. degree in Music Education, Summa cum laude, from the University of wars and diabolical weapons. Labor strife, extremism, and to capture sounds from a remote part of 20th century Wisconsin – Green Bay. She received her M.M degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, where gangland kidnappings marked the American scene. In the American culture. she studied conducting with Eph Ehly. Her D.M.A. degree is in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University with very week of the second and third performances of Charles K. Smith. An active clinician and guest conductor, she has most recently conducted All-State and Honor choirs in Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, New York, Georgia, Arkansas, Maryland, Ohio, Montana and Wisconsin. 8.559330 2 7 8.559330 559330bk McKay:570034bk Hasse 15/7/08 5:35 PM Page 6 John Nardolillo Synopsis Conductor John Nardolillo has appeared with more than twenty of America’s leading An imaginative and symbolic conception based upon four III. The creatures delight as the earth blossoms, the skies orchestras, including the Seattle Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Detroit of America’s greatest poets: Edgar Allen Poe, Sidney shine, breezes blow and birds fly and sing; all is Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Utah Symphony, the Lanier, Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg, for symphony peaceful and fruitful. Oregon Symphony, and the Fort Worth Symphony. He has also performed extensively orchestra, women’s chorus and dancers. IV. The ceremonial set-dance welcomes the earth’s throughout Europe, and in Asia, making his international conducting début in 1994 at abundantly flowing rivers and streams. Photo: Phyllis Berger the Sully Festival in France. More recently he has conducted at Carnegie Hall, the 1. Symbolic Portrait Edgar Allen Poe V. The rivers run relentlessly through the countryside to Kennedy Center and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. His concerts have been heard This episode serves us as a prologue, with Poe’s life at the vast seas that await them. on National Public Radio and Minnesota Public Radio and have been broadcast on PBS. once foreshadowing and summing up the events that later VI. As the rivers reach the sea, one final meadowlark Nardolillo joined the faculty of the University of Kentucky in 2004, where he serves inspire other poets. The lyric works of Poe are followed call heralds the arrival and all becomes more as Music Director and Conductor of the University of Kentucky Symphony by the struggle of transition into the macabre phase and end tranquil; peace again prevails. Orchestra. John Nardolillo holds a Bachelors degree in violin from the Cleveland in hysteria and madness. VII. The creatures invoke the set-dance again to end the Institute of Music, and Masters degrees in violin and conducting from the Peabody I. Introduction; the poet anticipates his fate. day. Conservatory in Baltimore. II. Lyric scene; a prolonged intimate reverie (with VIII. The earth is called to rest: sleep and agelessness. University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra “Annabel Lee”) is broken as the poet is beckoned to go forward to meet his fate. 3. Westward! Walt Whitman The University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1918, is one of the principal ensembles of the School of III. Fearful farewell; the poet struggles to remain but Whitman, the poet of America’s pioneer expansion, is a Music in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. The orchestra performs cannot resist knowing his fate. lonely figure, a champion of the common man yet never throughout the academic season at the Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington, and plays regularly with the IV. Transition to macabre; the poet finds himself alone, accepted by him as a friend. The earlier part of this episode University of Kentucky Opera Theater at the Lexington Opera House.

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