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Saturday Evening, April 9, 2011, at 8:00
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General Director Jonathan Griffith, Co-Founder and Artistic Director
Presents Winds from the South
The Grand Street Community Band (Brooklyn, NY) JEFF W. BALL, Director
DAVID MASLANKA Mother Earth
JOHAN DE MEIJ Symphony No. 1, “The Lord of the Rings” I. Gandalf (The Wizard) IV. Journey in the Dark a. The Mines of Moria b. The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm V. Hobbits
Intermission
Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony (Atlanta, GA) SCOTT A. STEWART, Director
AARON COPLAND An Outdoor Overture JOHN CHEETHAM Concerto Agrariana JAN BERRY BAKER , Alto Saxophone II. Lento pensieroso IV. Vigoroso MICHAEL GANDOLFI Vientos y Tangos HENRY FILLMORE Americans We
Intermission
University of North Florida Wind Symphony (Jacksonville, FL) GORDON R. BROCK, Director
CHARLES IVES Variations on “America” JOHN MACKEY Xerxes (Continued) Please hold your applause until the end of the last movement.
Alice Tully Hall Please make certain your cellular phone, Home of The Chamber Music Society pager, or watch alarm is switched off. of Lincoln Center 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 2
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CLARENCE HINES The Quest BUNKY GREEN, Saxophone
SCOTT M cALLISTER Popcopy I. More Cowbell! II. One Time at Band Camp III. Serenity Now
Please hold your applause until the end of the last movement.
Notes on the Program Mother Earth a personage or an important episode from DAVID MASLANKA the book. Born August 30, 1943, New Bedford, Massachusetts The first movement is a musical portrait of David Maslanka received his B.M. from the the wizard Gandalf, one of the principal Oberlin Conservatory and an M.M. and characters of the trilogy. His wise and noble Ph.D. from Michigan State University. He personality is expressed by a stately motif served over 20 years on the faculty at which is used in a different form in move - Kingsborough Community College of the ments IV and V. The sudden opening of the City University of New York, and has also Allegro vivace is indicative of the unpre - served on the faculty at Sarah Lawrence dictability of the grey wizard, followed by a College and New York University. Dr. wild ride on his beautiful horse Shadowfax. Maslanka has worked solely as a freelance composer since 1990. He attached the fol - The fourth movement describes the labori - lowing as a program note for Mother Earth : ous journey of the Fellowship of the Ring through the dark tunnels of the Mines of Praised be You, my Lord, for our sister, Moria. The slow walking cadenza and the Mother Earth fear are clearly audible in the monotonous Who nourishes us and teaches us, rhythm of the low brass, piano and percus - Bringing forth all kinds of fruits and col - sion. After a wild pursuit by hostile crea - ored flowers and herbs. tures, Gandalf is engaged in battle with a —St. Francis of Assisi horrible monster and plunges into a fath - omless abyss. To the melancholy tones of a Mother Earth was commissioned by and is marcia funèbre, the bewildered compan - dedicated to Brian Silvey and the South ions trudge on. Dearborn High School Band of Aurora, Indiana. The fifth movement expresses the carefree Symphony No. 1, “The Lord of the Rings” and optimistic character of the Hobbits in a JOHAN DE MEIJ happy folk dance; the hymn that follows Born November 23, 1953, Voorburg, Netherlands emanates the determination and noblesse of the hobbit folk. The symphony is con - Symphony No. 1, “The Lord of the Rings” cluded peacefully and resigned, in keeping is based on the trilogy of that name by with the mood of the last chapter, in which J.R.R. Tolkien. The symphony consists of Frodo and Gandalf sail away and disappear five separate movements, each illustrating slowly beyond the horizon. 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 3
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An Outdoor Overture This evening features the second and fourth AARON COPLAND movements. Movement II is a wide-ranged Born November 14, 1900, Brooklyn, New York theme that leads to a 5/8 section, and the Died December 2, 1990, North Tarrytown, New York finale is a sprightly rondo featuring a virtu - osic cadenza and spirited coda . Copland created An Outdoor Overture for “American Music for American Youth,” a Vientos y Tangos campaign to get more new music written MICHAEL GANDOLFI for use in schools. The work was premiered Born July 5, 1956, Melrose, Massachusetts in December 1938, the same year that Copland completed Billy the Kid . The two Vientos y Tangos (Winds and Tangos ) was pieces share distinct similarities, especially commissioned by The Frank L. Battisti 70th in the opening fanfare of the Overture . This Birthday Commission Project. It was Mr. Bat- fanfare, and an extended trumpet solo, are tisti’s specific request that I write a tango contrasted with a march-like theme and a for wind ensemble. In preparation for this lyrical melody for strings, all of which are piece, I devoted several months to the study cleverly woven into the final, joyous conclu - and transcription of tangos from the early sion. Copland’s contemporary, composer style of Juan D’arienzo and the “Tango Nuevo” Elliott Carter, wrote that the work “…con - style of Astor Piazzolla, to the current trend tains some of the finest and most personal of “Disco/Techno Tango,” among others. Afte r music. Its opening is as lofty and beautiful immersing myself in this listening experi - as any passage that has been written by a ence, I simply allowed the most salient fea - contemporary composer.” tures of these various tangos to inform the —Note by Barbara Heninger direction of my work. The dynamic contour and the various instrumental combinations Concerto Agrariana that I employ in the piece are all inspired by JOHN CHEETHAM the traditional sounds of the bandoneon, Born 1939, Taos, New Mexico violin, piano and contrabass.
Concerto Agrariana is the second work by I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. composer John Cheetham written especially Battisti for his inspirational leadership as for saxophonist Kenneth Tse, professor at director of the New England Conservatory the University of Iowa. It pays tribute to the Wind Ensemble for over 30 years. I would rugged determination and inherent resource - also like to thank Dr. Frederick Harris, Jr. for fulness of the pioneers who settled the rural his professionalism, collegiality and adept Midwest during the early 19th century. The work in organizing the commission project. composer has attempted to represent —Note by Michael Gandolfi musically what painters like Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton portrayed visually. Americans We Folk-like melodies and harmonies, often dia - JAMES HENRY FILLMORE JR. tonic or modal, give the piece an “American Born December 3, 1881, Cincinnati, Ohio ruralist” character. This quality is further Died December 7, 1956, Miami, Florida enhanced by punctuated rhythms that are sometimes asymmetric and unpredictable. Fillmore had problems deciding on a title The versatile saxophone with its inherent for this march. His band was giving a series ability to “sing” offers an ideal instrument of concerts at the local zoo, so he would with which to express these ideas. introduce the new work as The Cincinnati —Note by John Cheetham Zoo one day and as Pure Food and Health 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 4
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the next! Finally, realizing that it was prob - Athens to the ground). Xerxes was assas si - ably his finest march, he published it in nated by Artabanus, who in turn was mur - 1929 as Americans We and dedicated it to dered by Xerxes’ son, Artaxerxes I. It was, “all of us.” Vivacious, solid, and appealing, to put it lightly, a violent time. What better this march has the qualities that character - subject matter for a march? Xerxes was ized Fillmore’s long life as an irresistible commissioned by Midlothian High School public performer. in Midlothian, Texas, Larry Doran, director. —Note by John Mackey Variations on “America” CHARLES IVES The Quest Born October 20, 1874, Danbury, Connecticut CLARENCE HINES Died May 19, 1954, New York City Born 1974, Pelham, Georgia
Charles Ives was a great American com - Clarence Hines completed a doctor of poser whose original, universal, and deeply musical arts in jazz studies and contempo - national inspiration changed the direction rary media degree at the Eastman School of American music forever. Ives often Music of the University of Rochester. His incorporated hymn tunes, school songs, music has been commissioned and/or per - patriotic melodies, and elements of rag - formed by The Commission Project, U.S. time into his compositions, all coalesced Army Blues, U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, into a daring and singular musical language. Sarasota Orchestra, and the North Bay Variations on “America” is a satirical, irrev - Symphony Orchestra. Recent premieres erent piece for organ completed in 1891. include performances at the Midwest Later that year, Ives performed the work on Clinic, the International Association for Jazz organ recitals in Danbury and in Brewster, Education Conference, and the International New York. This is the music of a youthful Tuba Conference. Dr. Hines is an assistant Charles E. Ives at his best: rebellious, professor of Jazz Studies at the University unfettered, and willing to apply humor just of North Florida and his music is available for the pure joy of the response. at UNC Jazz Press and eJazzLines. —Note by Gordon R. Brock The Quest is inspired by acclaimed saxo - Xerxes phonist Bunky Green. The initial goal in JOHN MACKEY composing this piece was to capture Born October 1, 1973, New Philadelphia, Ohio Green’s unique style and infuse his melodic and harmonic approach into a work that Xerxes takes its name from Xerxes the would be challenging as well as satisfying Great, the King of Persia from 485 –465 BC. for both Green and the UNF Wind Whereas most marches for concert band Symphony. Throughout the piece, Green are cheerful and in many cases patriotic improvises and converses with members (usually either American or British), I of the ensemble while the members wanted to write a sort of anti-march: an respond with written Bunky-like passages. angry, nasty march, that still follows the Two of Green’s compositions, East & West traditional structure one would expect from and Spacing provided melodic material that a military march. Xerxes, as the music was reworked and developed into a new hopefully suggests, was one of your nas - composition that showcases Green’s affec - tier rulers, even by ancient standards (his tion for Eastern music. claim to “fame” was invading and burning —Note by Clarence Hines 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 5
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Popcopy sections. The second movement, “One Time SCOTT M CALLISTER at Band Camp,” is a catchphrase from the Born 1969, Vero Beach, Florida movie American Pie . This movement por - trays reminiscences of summer love found Popcopy is a work in three movements that is and lost. “Serenity Now” is inspired by an inspired by famous popular culture catchphrases . episode of Seinfeld . Like the episode itself, the music deals with the line between san - The first movement, “More Cowbell!,” is ity and insanity with at least four other story based on a popular Saturday Night Live skit. lines going on at the same time. There are In this movement, four cowbell parts sur - multiple band quotes (shrouded tributes to round the band to emulate the struggle of Holst, Hindemith, and Sousa), aleatoric and balance between the band and the cow - non-metered sections, and a schizophrenic bells, but the cowbells also help keep the form to this final movement. band together during complex rhythmic —Note by Scott McAllister
Meet the Artists Grand Street Community Band music education from the same institution in 2008. Ball became director of bands at The Grand Street Community Band, founded Middle School 142–John Phillip Sousa in fall in February 2008, has two goals: to provide 2004. He currently is director of bands for an outlet for talented musicians and to the Grand Street Campus High Schools in present public performances of concert Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He also serves as band literature, much of it by American com - director of the NYC All-City Marching Band posers. The members come from all profes - and as assistant director for the Intermediate sions and walks of life; some seats are filled School 318–Eugenio Maria De Hostos by alumni of the Grand Street Campus High Marching Band. In February 2008 Ball Schools, from which the band takes its founded the Grand Street Campus Band. name. Along with an emphasis on musician - ship, it takes pride in being a friendly group Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony that encourages community values. GSCB continues to entertain musicians and audi - The Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony was ences, while keeping classical music alive founded in 1988 as the premiere honor wind within the Brooklyn community and beyond. ensemble for high school youth for the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its purpose is to provide a positive musical experience in an artistic environment for advanced instru - mentalists in wind and percussion perfor - mance. The ensemble rehearses and per - forms grade five and six (collegiate and pro - fessional level) original wind band literature Jeff W. Ball composed over a wide span of stylistic com - positional periods. As an ensemble, it is one Jeff W. Ball received his bachelor’s degree of the most visible ambassadors of culture in music education and jazz studies from and youth performance for the city of Ithaca College in 2003 and his master’s in Atlanta and state of Georgia. 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 6
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Scott A. Stewart Gordon R. Brock
Scott Stewart is the director of Wind Gordon R. Brock is chair of the Department Studies at Emory University, where he of Music and director of bands at University joined the faculty in 1999. He is the music of North Florida. He conducts the Wind director and conductor of the Emory Symphony and Faculty Chamber Winds, University Wind Ensemble and the Atlanta performs in the Florida Saxophone Quartet, Youth Wind Symphony, and teaches courses and instructs courses in conducting and in wind band literature and history, conduct - woodwind performance. Dr. Brock’s career ing, and film music. Stewart holds a bache - as a music educator encompasses elemen - lor of music education and doctor of music tary through university levels. Honored by in conducting from the Jacobs School of the Alberta Government for his nationally Music at Indiana University, and a master of recognized ensembles and contributions to music from the Butler School of Music at music education throughout Canada, he the University of Texas at Austin. Stewart is was also included in the fifth edition of an active guest conductor, teacher, clinician, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers . He author, speaker, and saxophonist. has served as a guest conductor and clini - cian throughout the United States, Canada, University of North Florida Japan, and Israel. Wind Symphony
The UNF Wind Symphony is composed of approximately 45 of the most outstanding woodwind, brass, and percussion players at the University of North Florida. Dedicated to promoting and performing the finest in tradi - tional and contemporary wind literature, this Bunky Green ensemble has firmly established a reputa - tion for musical excellence. Performer, educator, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant, Members of the Wind Symphony enjoy Bunky Green has 14 albums released in his opportunities to perform with nationally name on vintage labels such as Chess, renowned guest artists, as well as to pre - Exodus, Cadet, and Vanguard. As an inter - miere new works for winds by leading com - national performer, educator, and lecturer, posers of the day. Most recently, the Wind his European tours have taken him to Symphony performed at the Florida Music Poland, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Germany, Educators Association Conference (2007) Holland, Switzerland, and Africa. Green and Carnegie Hall (2008). received film credit for his background solo 04-09 DCINY:GP 3/30/11 12:06 PM Page 7
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work in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the International is driven by passion, innovative Sun , featuring Danny Glover and Esther Rolle . vision, a total belief in its artists, and unwa - He is past president and permanent chair of vering commitment to bringing forth unfor - the Past Presidents Council of the world's gettable audience experiences. With over largest jazz education organization, the Inter- 25 combined years of experience, DCINY is national Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE). a creative producing entity with unmatched integrity that is a talent incubator, a star- Distinguished Concerts maker, and a presenter of broadly accessi - International New York (DCINY) ble, world-class musical entertainment. For more information about Distinguished Founded by Iris Derke (General Director) and Concerts International in New York and Jonathan Griffith (Artistic Director and upcoming DCINY musical events around the Principal Conductor) Distinguished Concerts world, please visit: www.dciny.org.
Distinguished Concerts International
DCINY Administrative Staff Naghma Husain, Director of Design and Iris Derke, General Director Promotions Jonathan Griffith, Artistic Director Jeffery R. Thyer, Program Development Johanna B. Kodlick, Director of Artistic Operations Coordinator Sara Sarakanti, Director of Promotions and Nicole Cotton, Production Manager Audience Development Andrea Rush, Program Development Danuta Gross, Director of Finance and Lynn Tsai, Executive Assistant Administration
DCINY thanks its kind sponsors and partners in education: VH-1 Save the Music, Education Through Music, High 5, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
For information about performing on DCINY’s series or about purchasing tickets to scheduled concerts, e-mail [email protected] or visit our Web site at www.DCINY.org.
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2011 DCINY Concert and Artist Series Sunday Afternoon, April 10, 2011, at 2:00, Paul Plew, DCINY Debut Conductor Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Featuring Distinguished Concerts Singers The Music of Eric Whitacre and Friends International Eric Whitacre, Composer/Conductor Park Avenue Chamber Symphony PS 22 Chorus of Staten Island David Bernard, Music Director Gregg Breinberg, Director Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 Music for Youth Choruses Greg Gilpin, Composer/Conductor Monday Evening, May 30, 2011, at 7:00, Featuring Distinguished Concert Singers Memorial Day, Alice Tully Hall, International Lincoln Center Life and Remembrance in Honor of Memo - Sunday Afternoon, April 17, 2011, at 2:00, rial Day – The Music of Fauré and Singh Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center Singh: Mass with Orchestra Atlantic Crossing (World Premiere) Birmingham Symphonic Winds, Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director Birmingham, England and Principal Conductor Keith Allen, Director ; Vijay Singh, Composer-in-Residence David Childs, Euphonium ; Fauré: Requiem Simone Rebello, Percussion Paul Neal, DCINY Emerging Conductor Featuring Distinguished Concerts Monday Evening, April 18, 2011, at 7:00, Orchestra International and Distinguished Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Concerts Singers International The Royals Meet the Blues Mozart: Coronation Mass Monday Evening, June 6, 2011, at 8:00, Martin: The Awakening Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Richard W. Weymuth, Guest Conductor The Wisdom of Old Turtle Todd: Mass in Blue Timothy Seelig, Conductor Laureate Elena Sharkova, DCINY Debut Conductor Douglas Wood, Narrator and Author Featuring Distinguished Concerts Joseph Martin: Song of Wisdom from Orchestra International and Distinguished Old Turtle Concerts Singers International Joseph Martin: The Awakening Frisco High School Band, Frisco, TX Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director Gregory Hayes, Director ; and Principal Conductor Nancy B. Davis, Director Dinos Constantinides: Concerto of Psalms for Two Violins and Orchestra Sunday Afternoon, May 29, 2011, at 2:00, Dinos Constantinides, Composer-in-Residence Memorial Day Weekend, Avery Fisher Hall, Featuring Distinguished Concerts Lincoln Center Orchestra International and Distinguished The Spirit of Remembrance Concerts Singers International Hayes: The American Spirit (World Premiere) Mark Hayes, Composer/Conductor See our full concert series at www.DCINY.org. Rutter: Requiem