Master final exam of : Thitipol Piseskul Tobias Borsboom, Piano

Works by: Debussy, Mantovani, Berio, Lago, Lauba and Albright 9th June 2021, 16h00 at Bernard Haitinkzaal Biography

Thitipol Piseskul

Was born in 1997, Bangkok, Thailand. His passion of music started at Music Campus for General Public, College of Music, Mahidol University, under the coaching of Promwut Sudtakoo. At the age of 14, he got admitted in Pre-College program at College of Music, Mahidol University where he studied Classical Saxophone with Prof.Shyen Lee and Wisuwat Pruksavanich.

He had several masterclasses with Jean-Marie Londeix, Dr.Scott Turpen, Dr.Chiu Huan Wu, Masato Kumoi, Kenneth Tse, Kyle Horch, Hans de Jong, Claude Delangle, Jean-Denis Michat, Timothy Mcallister, Lars Mlekusch and Nobuya Sugawa. As an aspiring young saxophonist, in 2014, his quartet “Fire-Yen Saxophone Quartet” was awarded the top prize (2nd prize) and Takatsuki Mayer Award in the Grand Final by 15th Osaka International Music Competition in Section II, Ensemble Category. In 2016, after he moved to the Netherlands, his other quartet “Lagom Saxophone Quartet” was awarded 1st prize by WMC Kerkrade music competition and a year later, was awarded 1st prize by Princess Christina competition (Local). He graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Classical Saxophone Performance) from Conservatorium van Amsterdam in 2019 under the coaching of Prof.Arno Bornkamp and continued his Master’s in “Classical Saxophone Performance” and “Karnatic rhythm in Western music” at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, under the coaching of Prof.Arno Bornkamp and Prof.Rafael Reina Camara.

-1- Biography

Tobias Borsboom is one of the best- known young Dutch pianists, performing extensively both as a soloist and in other capacities. In 2015 he made his debut in all the major concert halls of the Netherlands as a soloist in "Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F" with the Dutch Student Orchestra conducted by Quentin Clare. With violinist Piotr Jasiurkowski he played the Masters on Tour series of The International Holland Music Sessions (2013-2014), and in 2015, after being nominated twice, he won the prestigious Dutch Classical Talent Award for his solo performance as well as the audience award with his duo partner Piotr Jasiurkowski. With pianoduo partner Yukiko Hasegawa he recently got chosen as one of the Shizuoka Masters “Shizuoka no meishutachi” in Japan. In recent years, Tobias Borsboom has been successful at several other competitions. With Piotr Jasiurkowski he won the audience award and the Who's Next Award at the Almere Competition (NL, 2015) and he was awarded first prize at the Grand Dominique (NL, 2012). Additionally, he was a prize winner at the Young Pianist Foundation Piano Competition (3rd prize and prize for best interpretation of a Dutch work, NL, 2010), the Concertgebouw Entree Kamermuziek Concours (NL, 2006) and the Prinses Christina Concours (NL, 2005). In 2013, Tobias Borsboom completed his Master's degree at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam, where he studied with Jan Wijn. He has taken lessons with such renowned pianists as Paolo Giacometti, Maria João Pires, Klaus Hellwig, Jan Boguslaw Strobel, Georg Friedrich Schenck and Geoffrey Douglas Madge.

-2- Programme

Prelude a l'Apres midi d'un faune...... Claude Debussy (Arranger : Gustave Samazeuilh, Transcriber: Arno Bornkamp and Ivo Janssen)

L'incandescence de la Bruine...... Bruno Mantovani

Sequenza VIIb...... (Arranger: Claude Delangle)

—- intermission —-

Consecuencias...... Guillermo Lago i. de la ignorancia ii. del amor iii. de la violencia

Worksong...... Christian Lauba

Sonata...... William Albright i. Two-Part Invention ii. La follia nuova: a lament for George Cacioppo iii. Scherzo "Will o' the wisp" iv. Recitative and Dance

-3- Prelude a l'Apres midi d'un faune, Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

‘Prelude a l'Apres midi d'un faune’ is a symphonic poem for orchestra which was composed by Claude Debussy in 1894. The composition was inspired by the poem L'après-midi d'un faune by Stéphane Mallarmé. It is one of Debussy's most famous works and is considered a turning point in the history of Western art music. Pierre Boulez considered the score to be the beginning of modern music, observing that "the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music.” The music of this prelude is a very free illustration of Mallarmé's beautiful poem. By no means does it claim to be a synthesis of it. Rather there is a succession of scenes through which pass the desires and dreams of the faun in the heat of the afternoon. Then, tired of pursuing the timorous flight of nymphs and naiads, he succumbs to intoxicating sleep, in which he can finally realize his dreams of possession in universal Nature. This arrangement was first made for flute and piano by Gustave Samazeuilh and was transcribed for soprano saxophone and piano by the collaboration of Arno Bornkamp and Ivo Janssen. L'incandescence de la Bruine - Bruno Mantovani (1974-present)

L’Incandescence de la Bruine was composed by Bruno Mantovani in 1997 for French saxophonist Vincent David and his pianist, Dorothée Bocquet. The title translates roughly to “The Glow of the Drizzle.” As you listen, consider how the sound of the music reflects a vision of the world through the rain. The first note is a concert F, and this note is repeated throughout the piece in both the saxophone and piano parts. Sometimes the note is repeated incessantly, like the pounding of the rain. Other times it is obscured by a quarter-tone, much like the rain can blur the vision of the outside world. Throughout the piece, the musical lines of the piano and saxophone weave in and out of each other, often interacting conversationally. The saxophone frequently imitates sounds that are electronic in nature and features many extended techniques for the instrument such as slap tongue, flutter tongue, and growling.

-4- VIIb - Luciano Berio (1925-2003)

Sequenza VII was written in 1969 for an oboist, Heinz Holliger. At that time, Berio tended to reject traditional and like his other , Berio meant for Sequenza VII to be played by a virtuoso who was not only proficient technically but who had a "virtuosity of the intellect" as well. He claimed this intellectual virtuosity by notating measures in seconds instead of bars although there are some sections of the work that use traditional rhythmic notation. Importantly, the piece is built around a drone played on a B natural, which typically comes from an offstage source. In his instructions on the score, Berio writes:

“a B natural must sound throughout the piece. The sound-source should preferably not be visible. This can be an oscillator, a , a pre-taped , or something else. The intensity should be kept to a minimum with quite small variations. The B natural should give the impression of lending a slight resonance to the oboe”

While the drone is sounding, the solo will be the one who narrates the spectral soundscape of this concert pitch by using various forms of advanced and , including using five alternate fingerings for one note in a single measure, , double , trills on multiple notes at a time, , flutter-tonguing, traditional harmonics, and microtonal trills. In 1993, this piece was arranged for solo soprano saxophone which Berio gave its name 'Sequenza VIIb' by Claude Delangle.

-5- Consecuencias - Guillermo Lago (1960-present)

In 2014 Lago was approached by the young Lithuanian saxophonist Rusne Mikiskaite after a concert with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble in the Amsterdam Muziekgebouw aan het IJ where he had been performing his arrangement of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet with his colleagues. She had received an invitation by a Festival in Lithuania for concerts with a string quartet and asked Lago if he had suggestions. He decided on the spot to write a piece for her and promised her so. 'Consecuencias' (consequences) is the result of that promise which he completed in 2015. A three-movement piece; the first movement portraying consequences of ignorance, the second consequences of love which dedicated to his wife, Saskia Törnqvist and the third consequences of violence. The version for alto saxophone and strings is dedicated to both Rusne and Lago's long-time friend Arno Bornkamp which later, he also published the piece with piano reduction.

Worksong - Christian Lauba (1952-present)

“Worksong”(2008), an etude no.15 from Lauba’s big collection for the mastery of side keys and register breaks in which the listener can experience the clever unfolding of an originally simple minor third motive which quoting ‘Work song’. Work song is a piece of music closely connected to a form of work, either sung while conducting a task (usually to coordinate timing). Although that there is not much information about this piece but I strongly believe that it is deeply connected to songs that were developed in the era of slavery, an African- American work song. A common feature of African American songs was the call-and-response format, where a leader would sing a verse or verses and the others would respond with a chorus. This came from African traditions of agricultural work song and found its way into the spirituals that developed once Africans in bondage began to convert to Christianity and to both gospel music and the blues afterward. This format of ‘question and answer’ is repeated through the whole piece combing with the development of the quoted minor third motive.

-6- Sonata - William Albright (1944-1998)

William Hugh Albright was an American composer, organist, and pianist. He received degrees from both the Eastman School of Music and University of Michigan where his principal studies were with composer, Ross Lee Finney. A recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Paris with Oliver Messiaen, Albright was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1970. His compositions often combine complex rhythmic and non-tonal techniques with elements of American popular music. Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1984) begins with a "two-part invention" relying on the rapid exchange and weaving of material between saxophone and piano. Concerning the second movement, Albright writes:

"The piece is dedicated to the memory of the composer George Cacioppo, who died unexpectedly on April B, 1984. Cofounder of the ONCE Group and mentor to three generations of composers, Cacioppo and his music and personality rest at the foundation of my thinking. He would very much appreciate the use of the traditional title La Follia (the madness) in my reincarnation as La follia nuova. Like its Baroque antecedents, the piece is in a chaconne-variation form, though sometimes the sections are curiously jumbled together, or intersect. The fact that the key is F sharp minor may be important, or may not be."

The codetta serves as a private, intimate tribute to Cacioppo. The third movement is a whimsical, yet wild scherzo, which only momentarily rises above the piano dynamic. A lengthy saxophone recitative gives way to the final "Mad Dance", which includes references to many popular American styles and highlights the pure bombastic genius of William Albright.

-7- Special Thanks Thanks to Tobias for sharing the stage with me, it is my pleasure to perform all these wonderful pieces with you. You are not only my accompanist but also my great teacher. Thanks to Jen Hong and Nami-san for being my companion in Berio. (This is supposed to be a secret until I finished playing Berio so please skip reading this if it is not played yet xD) Thanks to Arno and Willem who have been teaching me for six years. We have shared a lot of memory together and I just don’t know how to express my feeling in words. The space on this paper is just too less and even more piles of it would not be enough to write down how grateful I am having you as my teacher. If I could turn back time, I would love to redo all of this moment again. Forever your student, Thitipol Piseskul Thanks to Pierre, Harmen and Ties for being my committees today. Thanks to all friends and colleagues in CvA, especially my beloved CvA-Sax class. You are just like my home to me. Whenever I feel lost, I have you as my spiritual anchor. You are my great inspiration, my friends and also my beloved saxophone family : ) Thanks to Ij saxophone quartet, it was really fun playing with you all in this study year. You remind me of how enjoyable I could be playing with three great musicians and friends. Thanks to Lagom saxophone quartet, it has been long since I last played with you but I cannot deny that you are an important part of my journey. Thanks to all my friends all around this world. Even in this crazy pandemic, all messages from you have refreshed me from all tiredness and depression miraculously. My regards to you all. -8- Thanks to Jeen, my Madam. I know that you are very patient with me in this study year dealing with my research-fever, recital- fever, life-fever, etc. You are always there. You understand, encourage and inspire me to be a better version of myself. Also that I have a beautiful format of this program note, it’s all thanks to you. Thanks to my beloved family in Thailand. I know that I am such a selfish son, choosing this path and left our home to fulfill my own dream in Amsterdam and although I am this bad, you all are still supporting me. Every time I heard your voice on phone, it always reminds me how great my family is and makes me want to be good enough for you. Today I have accomplished a part of my dream and there is nothing I desire than to cherish this special moment with you all. Unfortunately, you cannot be here today but that’s fine. I’m going back to our home soon to show how developed and matured I am now as a son of our family. Thanks to this country, the Netherlands. I have learnt to live my life independently within such a healthy environment. Cycling with all angry bikers, working in Thai restaurant as a part time job, meeting varied people from many countries. All the experiences I have gained here, it makes feel that I am ready to face any obstacles in my life. I will never forget all of this wonderful moment by engraving it on both my heart and my soul.

I will miss you all until we meet again : )

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