Ensemble and Faculty Concert:

2010-11-16 -- Symphony Band and Kenneth Tse,

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presentsthe Symphony Band

Richard Mark Heidel, conductor K.enneth Tse, saxophone Marc Decker, guest conductor Curran Prendergast, guest conductor

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November 16, 2010 Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge 7:30 p.m. Program

Overture to "Candide" (1955/1986) (1918-1990) trans. Clare Grundman

"Pie Jesu" (Merciful Jesus) from Requiem (1990) Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) . arr. James Sudduth

Concerto for Saxophone and Wind (1949/1953) Ingolf Dahl I. Recitative (1912-1970) II. Adagio III. Rondo alla Marcia Dr. Kenneth Tse, saxophone

Elegy for a Young American (1964) Ronald Lo Presti (b. 1933) Curran Prendergast, guest conductor

Brief intermission (10 minutes)

Second Suite in F for Military Band, Op 28, No. 2 (1911) I. March (187 4-1934) II. Song Without Words, "I'll love my love" (ed. Colin Matthews) III. Song of the Blacksmith IV Fantasia on the "Dargason"

Marc Decker, guest conductor

Aurora Awakes (2009) John Mackey (b. 1973) Winner, 2009 American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award Winner, 2009 National Band Association William D. Revelli Award

Handel in the Strand (1911 /1962) Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961) arr. Richard Franko Goldman Program Notes

Overture to "Candide" (1955/1986) Leonard Bernstein

Candide was Bernstein's third Broadway musical. Critics failed to acclaim the 1956 debut in Boston, and the ensuing short run on Broadway was a commercial failure. After many changes, a version produced in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1988, reportedly best represented Bernstein's intentions. The popular overture was premiered by the composer and the New York Philharmonic on January 26, 19 5 7. Clare Grundman's 1986 band transcription was approved by Bernstein.

Adapted by Lillian Hellman from Voltaire's satire on blind optimism, the story concerns Candide, a young man whose tutor, Dr. Panglass, · has convinced him that everything is for the best "in the best of all possible worlds." During journeys to Lisbon, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Venice, Candide learns that real life holds µiore crime and suffering than he had been led to believe. Bernstein's m~sic, however, comprises one of the "best of all possible Broadway scores:" (Norman Smith)

Pie Jesu (1990) Gabriel Faure/ Andrew Lloyd Webber

The links that combine the Pie Jesu of Gabriel Faure and Andrew Lloyd Webber are .the instrumental interludes between the original soprano voice solos, each containing the same intervallic relationship. The oboe solos are from the 'Faure, while Webber is heard in trombone and clarinet choirs, and finally tutti. Both melodies are simple statements of the text: "Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest, rest everlasting." Qames Sudduth)

Tonight's program is No. 4485 in a series 2010-2011 The University of Iowa School of Music Concerto for Saxophone and Wind Orchestra (1949 /1953) Ingolf Dahl

Dahl's saxophone concerto was written for Sigurd Rascher in 1949 and revised four years later. It is both a large-scale and an important work, but because of the difficulty of the solo, as well as the accompaniment, has not been performed often. The scoring of the piece is specifically for "wind orchestta," therefore implying a one-on-a-part performance.

The concerto is tonally somewhat traditional, but the treatment of rhythm is not, revealing much inspiration from jazz and the works of 'Stravinsky-with whom Dahl sometimes worked during this period. Dahl proves himself and his style capable of both melancholy and passionate expression in the first two movements, followed by carefree wit (the kind of abandon which Beethoven call "unbuttoned") in the last. Both kinds of writing are well suited to the unique tone of the saxophone. In form, the concerto is unusual, forming a kind of binary unit. The first is made up of the first two movements, both of them slow and connected without a pause; the second is more of a complicated rondo finale. Near the end, in a gesture of deference to classical practice there is a brief saxophone cadenza, leading to a brµIiant prestissimo coda on the rondo theme. (Keith Brion and analysis in dissertation by Paul Martin Cohen)

Elegy for a Young American (1964) Ronald Lo Presti

· Elegy for a Young American was written in 1964 and is dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy. Dissonance plays an important role in the work as it explores the emotions surrounding the assassination of America's 35th President. The piece begins adagio with soft clarinets, gradually building to a forte arrival that gives way to thematic development used to explore the pain from the aftermath of November 22, 1963. The music comes to an arigry climax dissolving into hope and healing as knelling chimes are accompanied by major harmony.

Ronald Lo Presti's landmark work is his most noteworthy contribution to the repertoire. Born in 1933, he was a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, and eventually served on the faculties of Texas Technological University, Indiana State College and finally, Arizona State University. (Curran Prendergast) Second Suite in F for Military Band, Op. 28, No. 2 (1911) Gustav Holst

Gustav Holst (187 4-1934) was an English composer best known for _his composition The Planets. During his early years Holst learned the violin, but showed little interest in pursuing it. Since he was a sickly child he was told to take up the trombone as a cure for his asthma. He eventually majored in composition and trombone performance at the Royal College of Music in London. After graduation, he had a brief career as a trombone performer and somehow found time to write his first compositions. In 1905, he was appointed head of music at St. Paul's Girl's School in Hammersmith, England located outside of London. He would hold this position for the rest of his life. Teaching was important to Holst, especially young and amateur musicians. He held positions in composition at both the Royal College of Music and University College in the early 1920's prior to becoming ill in 1925.

The Second Suite in F, Op. 28 No. 2, was written in 1911 and dedicated to James Causley Windram, Director of the Band of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. It didn't receive its first public performance until June 30, 1922 by the Royal Military School of Music in London. The work is in four movements and is based upon seven folk tunes. Movement I, March, opens with a Morris Dance entitled "Glorishears." The "B section" is based on the tune "Swansea Town" and the Trio is based upon "Claudy Banks." The second movement is lyrical and is a simple setting of the folk tune "I'll Love My Love." The third movement clearly depicts "The Song of the Blacksmith" with a ringing anvil and percussive sounding wind section. The fourth movement was reworked in 1913 and used as the fourth mo.vement of St. Paul's Suite, an orchestral work. It juxtaposes two folk songs - "Dargason" and "Greensleeves." (Marc Dec~er) Aurora Awakes (2009) John Mackey

Aurora - the Roman goddess of the dawn - is a mythological figure frequently associated with beauty and light. Also known as Eos (her Greek analogue), Aurora would rise each morning and stream across the sky, heralding the coming of her brother Sol, the sun. Though she is herself among the lesser deities of Roman and Greek mythologies, her cultural influence has persevered, most notably in the naming of the vibrant flashes of light that occur in Arctic and Antarctic regions - the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis.

John Mackey's Aurora Awakes is, thus, a piece about the heralding of the coming of light. Built in two substantial sections, the piece moves over the course of eleven minutes from a place of remarkable stillness to an unbridled explosion of energy - from darkness to light, placid grey to startling rainbows of color. The work is almost entirely in the key of E-flat major (a choice made to create a unique effect at the work's conclusion, as mentioned below), although it journeys through G-flat and F as the work progresses. Despite the harmonic shifts, however, the piece always maintains a - pun intended - bright optimism. Though Mackey is known to use stylistic imitation, it is less common for him to utilize outright quotation. As such, the presence of two more-or-less direct quotations of other musical compositions is particularly noteworthy in Aurora Awakes. The first, which appears at the beginning of the second section, is an ostinato based on the familiar guitar introduction to U2's ''Where The Streets Have No Name." Though the strains of The Edge's guitar have been metamorphosed into the insistent repetitions of keyboard percussion, the aesthetic is similar - a distant proclamation that grows steadily in fervor. The difference between U2's presentation and Mackey's however, is that the guitar riff disappears for the majority of the song, while in Aurora Awakes, the motive persists for nearly the entirety of the remainder of the piece:

"When I heard that song on the radio last winter, I thought it was kind of a .shame that he only uses that little motive almost as a throwaway bookend. That's my favorite part of the so_ng, so why not try to write an entire piece that uses that little hint of minialism as its basis?" The other quotation is a sly reference to Gustav Holst's First Suite in E-flat for Military Band. The brilliant E-flat chord that closes the Chaconne of that work is orchestrated (nearly) identically as the final sonority of Aurora Awakes - producing an unmistakably vibrant timbre that won't be missed by aficionados of the repertoire. This same effect was, somewhat ironically, suggested by Mackey for the ending of composer Jonathan Newman's lv.fy Hands Are a City. Mackey adds an even brighter element, however, by including instruments not in Holst's original:

"That has always been one of my favorite chords because it's just so damn bright. In a piece that's about the awaking of the goddess of dawn, you need a damn bright ending-- and there was no topping Holst. Well ... except to add crotales." Qake Wallace)

Handel in the Strand (1911/1962) Percy Aldridge Grainger

My title was originally "Clog Dance." But my dear friend William Gair Rathbone (to whom the piece is dedicated) suggested the title Handel in the Strand, because the music seemed to reflect both Handel and English musical comedy (the "strand" - a street in London - is the home of London musical comedy) - as if jovial old Handel were careening down the Strand to the strains of modern English popular music.

Percy Grainger was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1882. In hi~ adolescence he went to Germany with is mother on the proceeds of several recitals in Australia. In Germany he studied with Busoni. In 1901, he went to London, where ·he quickly became a well-known pianist. Grieg chose Grainger to play his piano concerto at the Leeds Festival in 1907. It was through Grieg's love of national music that Grainger became involved in the movement to recover English folk-songs. His arrangements of English, Irish, and Scottish folk-tunes have always been enormously successful. In 1914, Grainger settled in America. His compositions-whether for piano, chorus, orchestra or band - reflect his vitality and whimsy. · (Percy ,Aldridge Grainger/Richard Franko Goldman) Kenneth Tse

Widely recognized as one of the leading classical saxophonists in the world, Kenneth Tse [cheh] began his career as a winner of the New York Artists International Competition, making his Carnegie Hall debut in 1996 and being hailed "a young virtuoso" by the New York Times. Since then he has been a frequent soloist on five continents and has made solo appearances with the Des Moines Symphony, United States Navy Band, Slovenia Army Band, La Arm6nica Band of Bunol, Spain, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Hong Kong Sinfonietta among others, as well as at venues such as World Saxophone Congress and North American Saxophone Alliance conferences. He has also been a guest clinician at prestigious conferences hosted by the California Band Directors' Association, Iowa Bandmasters' Association, and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinics as well as universities worldwide.

Since publishing his first recording with Crystal Records at age 23, Tse has subsequently released ten critically acclaimed solo and chamber music CDs under Crystal Records, RIAX Records, Enharmonic Records and Arizona University Recordings. The Fanfare magazine praised, "Hong Kong­ born Kenneth Tse is of the caliber of instrumentalists whose very sound is captivating." American Record Guide echoed with, "supremely elegant tone ... sheer virtuosity."

As an advocate for new music, Tse has received and premiered scores of music dedicated to him by notable American composers such as David DeBoor Canfield, John Cheetham, Andrea Clearfield, David Froom, Perry Goldstein, Walter Hartley, Barty Cockcroft of Australia and Piet Swerts of Belgium. He has also arranged music for the saxophone (published by Reed Music, Australia), and his articles have been featured in the Saxophone Journal, Saxophone Symposium, Iowa Bandmaster Association Journal and Yamaha Education Series. Tse has also founded the Hong Kong International Saxophone Symposium which connects saxophonists from Asia and Oceania with world-class saxophone performers and teachers in a week-long event.

Tse is currently the associate professor of saxophone at University of Iowa and Vice President of the International Saxophone Committee. More information and media clips are available at W:WW.kenneth-tse.com. Marc Decker

Marc Decker is a second year graduate student majoring in band conducting at The University of Iowa. He currently works with the Hawkeye Marching Band, Iowa Pep Bands, and Concert Bands. Prior to entering graduate school at Iowa, Marc taught in South Haven, MI as director of the high for four years. During that time his bands performed in the MSBOA music festivals receiving the highest division ratings.

Marc is a graduate from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education. He played trumpet in many of the University Bands and sang bass in the Oratorio Society. Marc had the privilege of being drum major of the Marching Illini in 2001 when the band traveled to London, England to perform in Wembley Arena.

Curran Prendergast

Curran Prendergast is a second-year graduate student at The University of Iowa where he is pursuing a Master of Arts in Band Conducting. As a graduate teaching assistant for the University Bands, he is principal conductor of the University Band, and he assists with the Hawkeye Marching Band and Iowa Pep Band. At Iowa, Curran studies conducting with Dr. Richard Mark Heidel and Dr. William L. Jones.

A native of Iowa, Curran received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Central College (IA) where he studied conducting with Dr. Shelley Axelson. Prior to coming to The University of Iowa, Curran taught for seven years in Indiana and Minnesota, where he received top ratings with his ensembles.

He has appeared as a clinician and adjudicator in Iowa, Mis&ouri and Minnesota, and is a member of the National Band Association and Music Educators National Conference. In addition to guest conducting engagements in Indiana and Minnesota, Curran has written marching drill for high school bands and has arranged music for the Hawkeye Marching Band. Personnel

Piccolo Alto Saxophone Percussion 5 Nora Epping *Jose Zayas Christine Augspurger Cody Maranell 1 Adam Balling 6 Scott Jennerjohn 6 1 2 6 *Rolando Hernandez , & s Tenor Saxophone Joseph Panganiban Nora Epping# Michael Van Heel David Solomon 6 Alana Jacobs Justin Ullestad Megan Bailey Baritone Saxophone Dylan Schutte James Skretta Timpani *Oliver Molina Oboe Trwnpet *Elliot Czaplewski *Caitlin Elliott Nathaniel Bean String Bass Hilary Stavros Patricia Silva Geoff Wood Pam Schroeder 4 English Horn Piano Marc Decker Alan Morris Michelle Butler Jessica Palmer Taylor Matuszeski *Rachel Leeper Harp Pamela Weest-Carrasco Lieza Hansen Horn *Dan Spencer Librarian Contra Bassoon 2 3 **Nick Waymire & Lauren DiGiorgio Christine Augspurger Emily Richards Alyssa Carlson Stage Crew Eb Soprano Clarinet Leah DeGrazia Michael Kirk Lisa Moore Adam Schroeder Trombone Clarinet Graduate Assistants *Alex Krawczyk *Marjorie Shearer Carter Biggers Adam Schroeder Lisa Moore · Rick Chapman Eric Jesteadt Sarah Schwols Marc Decker Nick Burnham Lucas Petersen Oliver Molina Liza Nazario Curran Prendergast Catherine Neff Bass Trombone Ellen Black 2 Chris Copeland Scholarship Recipients 1 Meredith Willson Courtney Sorensen Euphonium Scholarship *Karina Ferrera 2 Himie Voxman Scholarship Bass Clarinet Ben Reid · Jeff Bosacki 3 Rose & Angelo Garizo Yuichi Ura Tuba Scholarship 4 *Adam Stevens Margaret Perry Scholarship Ben Anderson s Iowa Center for the Arts * Principal Player Scholarship Kate Wohlman 6 ** Assistant Principal Thomas L. Davis Upcoming Events

December 8 University Band/ Concert Band Curran Prendergast/ Kevin Kastens, conductors Richard Chapman/Marc Decker, guest conductors 7:30 p.m., Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge

February 26 Iowa Honor Band/Symphony Band Richard Mark Heidel, conductor Daniel Moore, percussion guest artist 7:00 p.m., City High_School

March 7 University Band/Concert Band Richard Chapman/Kevin Kastens, conductors Carter Biggers/Curran Prendergast/Marc Decker, guest conductors 7 :30 p.m., Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom

April 26 Symphony Band Richard Mark Heidel, conductor Alan Huckleberry, piano The Beggermen, Irish Folk Band 7:30 p.m., Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom

May 4 University Band/Concert Band Carter Biggers/Kevin Kastens, conductors Richard Chapman/ Curran Prendergast/Marc Decker, guest conductors 7:30 p.m., Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom

May 13 Symphony Band Richard Mark Heidel, conductor Iowa Bandmasters Association Convention, Des Moines, IA

June 12 - July 1 Iowa Summer Music Camps

For Iowa Summer Music Camp details call 319-335-1635 or toll-free in Iowa: 1-800-553- IOWA, ext. 1635, or visit our website: http://www.uiowa.edu/-bands/ISMC/ Iowa Bands

The first band at The University of Iowa was a 13-piece band organized in 1880. Now, more than 500 students, music majors and non-music majors, participate in the Iowa band program.

The Symphony Band is the premiere wind band at the university, and it showcases the talents of 54 of the most talented wind and percussion students at the university. The band enjoys a strong tradition with featured performances at conventions of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, and the American Bandmasters Association. In 2008, the Iowa Symphony Band, under the direction of Myron Welch, performed at historic Carnegie Hall in New York City.

In 2008, Dr. Richard Mark Heidel was named the fifth Director of Bands at The University of Iowa, proudly following in the rich heritage of previous Directors of Bands including Charles Righter (1930-1954), Frederick Ebbs (1954-1967), Frank Piersol (1967-1980), and Myron Welch (1980-2008).

This program is being presented by Marc Decker and Curran Prendergast in partial fullfillment of the requirments for the Master of Musical Arts in band conducting. Mr. Decker and Mr. Prendergast are students of Dr. Mark Heidel.