Juilliard Orchestra Featuring Four World Premieres by Juilliard Composers
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Thursday Evening, February 20, 2020, at 7:30 The Juilliard School presents Juilliard Orchestra Featuring Four World Premieres by Juilliard Composers Jeffrey Milarsky, Conductor Lauren Vandervelden, Violin J.P. REDMOND (b. 1999) fractured orbits (2019) In memoriam Christopher Rouse LAUREN VANDERVELDEN (b. 1999) From Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2017–19) I. Isolation LAUREN VANDERVELDEN, Violin Intermission WILL STACKPOLE (b. 1990) Increment* (2019) HORACIO FERNÁNDEZ VÁZQUEZ (b. 1996) Tumbao (2019) Salsa Bachata Reggaeton Performance time: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, including an intermission *Recipient of the 2020 Arthur Friedman Prize Alice Tully Hall Please make certain that all electronic devices are turned off during the performance. Juilliard Notes from the It was only early last year when I was finally able to complete the first movement. Composers The work begins with an icy cold yet serene fractured orbits melody that is transformed throughout the J.P. REDMOND piece. Since I’ve been widely influenced by fractured orbits was written last summer concertos I have studied, I wanted to allude and fall for the Juilliard Orchestra. The title to important violin concertos of the past. As arises from the concept of examining one’s the melody develops, I incorporate various own thought processes, which for a com- elements from composers ranging from poser can be a helpful form of self-reflection. Berg to Prokofiev. Though the concerto I find that if we are able to make ourselves is influenced by many different styles, it more aware of thought processes, especially evolves into music that is neo-romantic, those used in making music, it allows us to which emerges from music of greater inten- harness the power of intuition more creatively sity. This neo-romanticism is the heart of the and efficiently. While the piece does not piece, and despite the contrast from passag- attempt to depict any particular mental states es of agitated music, is perhaps the most literally, it appeared to me to fit the idea of empowered music in the movement. cycles, or orbits, that return and are con- stantly being fragmented and transformed. Increment This process, which happens nonstop in the WILL STACKPOLE brain, is recreated in the treatment of musi- In today’s world it is an incredibly difficult cal motives and gestures. In terms of form, I task to remain aware of what is still “nor- wanted each of the players to have a soloistic mal.” Seemingly small and incremental part; thus fractured orbits is a sort of concerto changes to our social contract gradually for orchestra. wear away at our perception of societal order. These changes can be so constant While I was working on this piece, my that our capacity for activism or outrage or teacher of two years, Christopher Rouse, even simple attention can be worn away. passed away. His sudden passing impacted If a people cannot remain vigilant against me deeply, and I tried hard to focus on how these steadily encroaching revisions to our thankful and fortunate I was to be touched by way of life, the door is left open for our en- his wonderful humanity and mentorship. Sev- tire social contract to be demolished. eral influences from him and his many listen- ing assignments crept into the piece, which In Increment, I attempted to explore the ex- is dedicated with gratitude to his memory. perience of living through these impercepti- ble changes. A lone trumpet is heard from “Isolation” from Concerto for Violin and the orchestra playing a melody that will be Orchestra heard throughout the piece, perhaps repre- LAUREN VANDERVELDEN senting truth, maybe one’s sense of self, or As a violinist and composer, it has long been perhaps simply the idea that what you ex- my dream to compose and perform my own perience is real. Beneath this music, part violin concerto. I began improvising the open- of the string orchestra plays an ominously ing melody when I was 17. I kept returning to slow-moving progression of harmonies that my ideas but never reached a point of com- exist at the periphery of the orchestra’s low pletion. I wanted the concerto to encapsulate and high registers. This set of instruments a broad range of emotions, so I struggled in remains static until gradual small interrup- realizing the work, discarding myriad drafts. tions to the music are introduced. These Juilliard interruptions, while barely noticeable at this suite with a spicy salsa. This piece re- first, become steadily more brazen. At a volves around a single theme, first played certain point, they take over and become an by the clarinet in honor of the openings of unignorable and terrifying breakdown of the Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Arturo music. All this time, the listener has likely Márquez’s Danzón No. 2. That theme is been so distracted by these interruptions then transformed and recontextualized. that it is difficult to notice the steady trans- Within the movement, you will hear a wide formation of that initial melody into some- range of subgenres of salsa including cha- thing completely different. The original solo cha-chá, Latin jazz, and son cubano. Keep an trumpet returns suddenly, now faint and ear out for those crazy high trumpet notes! distant, reminding us of where this music began and how far the music has strayed. Bachata: To open this movement, I use the classic bolero rhythm to introduce the main Tumbao theme, played by the viola, which then HORACIO FERNÁNDEZ VÁZQUEZ transforms into bachata. Later on, meren- This suite—adapted for full orchestra from gue rhythm is added for flavor. These a chamber ensemble version that pre- styles were chosen in reference to the his- miered at a private Juilliard concert last tory of bachata, which began as a mixture October—is a musical representation of of bolero and merengue. urban dancing in Latin America. The term “tumbao” can refer to the way in which Reggaeton: As of 2020, reggaeton is the the bass is played within Afro-Caribbean single most popular, controversial, and so- genres of music. It can also be understood cially significant Latin music genre in the as a Latin equivalent of the terms “groove” world. This movement explores one of its or “swing.” However, I chose it because more interesting aspects: its musical flex- it is a popular name for Latin nightclubs, ibility. This is accomplished by combining where I learned to dance and first fell in its most representative rhythmic cells with love with Latin music. salsa figurations. To the younger members of the audience: Be sure to look out for Salsa: Since tumbao is strongly associated quotations of popular reggaeton hits. with Cuban music, I have decided to begin Juilliard Meet the Artists Santa Fe Opera since 2005. He has per- formed and recorded with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony and has record- ed extensively for Angel, Bridge, Teldec, Telarc, New World, CRI, MusicMasters, EMI, Koch, and London records. PETER KONERKO Jeffrey Milarsky American conductor Jeffrey Milarsky (B.M. ’88, M.M. ’90, percussion) is music director of Juilliard’s AXIOM ensemble and senior lecturer in music at Columbia University, where he is music director and conduc- tor of the Columbia University Orchestra. J.P. Redmond While studying at Juilliard, he was awarded Composer and pianist J.P. Redmond was the Peter Mennin Prize for outstanding born in California and grew up in Yonkers. leadership and achievement in the arts. In Formerly studying composition at Juilliard recent seasons, he has worked with en- with Christopher Rouse, he now studies sembles including the New York Philhar- with Matthias Pintscher. Redmond’s music monic, San Francisco Symphony, Los An- crosses a wide range of genres and influ- geles Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, ences with the goal to unify musical expres- American Composers Orchestra, MET sions in a compelling statement. He has Chamber Ensemble, Bergen Philharmonic, received a number of honors, including a Da- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, vidson Fellowship, four ASCAP Foundation New World Symphony, and Tanglewood Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, Festival Orchestra. In the U.S. and abroad, and a BMI Student Composer Award, and he has premiered and recorded works by he was a National YoungArts Foundation many groundbreaking contemporary com- Finalist. Summer festivals in which he has posers in Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, Davies participated include Chamber Music North- Symphony Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Walt Dis- west, the National Youth Orchestra of the ney Concert Hall, and Boston’s Symphony USA, Chelsea Music Festival, Boston Uni- Hall, and at IRCAM in Paris, among others. versity Tanglewood Institute, Curtis Institute Milarsky has a long history of premiering, of Music’s Young Artist Summer Program, recording, and performing American com- and NYU/ASCAP Foundation Film Scoring posers and throughout his career has col- Workshop. Recent projects include a cho- laborated with John Adams, Milton Babbitt, ral work for the New York Virtuoso Singers John Cage, Elliott Carter, John Corigliano, and conductor Harold Rosenbaum, an opera George Crumb, Mario Davidovsky, Jacob scene with playwright Matthew Capodicasa Druckman, Michael Gordon, David Lang, for Juilliard’s OperaComp program, a wind Steven Mackey, Christopher Rouse, nonet for Imani Winds and the Kenari Sax- Ralph Shapey, Morton Subotnick, Charles ophone Quartet commissioned by and pre- Wuorinen, and an entire generation of miered at Chamber Music Northwest, and young and developing composers. In 2013 several chamber and solo works for friends he was awarded the Ditson Conductor’s and colleagues. As the 2019 recipient of Award for his commitment to the per- Juilliard’s Gena Raps String Quartet Prize, formance of American music. Milarsky Redmond will be writing a string quartet to has been the principal timpanist for the premiere this spring.