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559676 bk Still US_559676 bk Still US 22/09/2011 09:12 Page 5 FIRST VIOLIN VIOLA FLUTE/PICCOLO TRUMPET John Jeter Elizabeth Lyon, Darrel Barnes, Principal Elizabeth Shuhan, Principal Angela Richards, Principal Concertmaster Anitra Fay, Emmaline Smyth Randy Graham AMERICAN CLASSICS John Jeter (“Jetter”) has been the music director and conductor of the Fort Smith Lori Fay, Assistant Principal Julie Konzelman Penny Schimek Associate Concertmaster Jesse Collett Symphony since 1997. He is also the recipient of the 2002 Helen M. Thompson Award Karen Jeter, Kathy Murray OBOE TROMBONE presented by the American Symphony Orchestra League. This award is given to one Associate Concertmaster Sara Morrow Theresa Delaplain, Principal Brian Haapanen, Principal outstanding ‘early career’ music director in the United States every two years. It is one of Carol Harrison, Elizabeth Meisinger Suzanne McGowen Vernon Howard the few awards given to conductors in America. He is the recipient of the Mayor’s Assistant Concertmaster Mary Ann Saylor Bo Newsome Achievement Award for his services to the City of Fort Smith. John Jeter has guest WILLIAM GRANT STILL Er-Gene Kahng, Christy Genn BASS TROMBONE conducted numerous orchestras including the Springfield Symphony, Indianapolis Assistant Concertmaster Curtis Hansen ENGLISH HORN Paul Johnston, Principal Symphony Orchestra, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Densi Rushing Viktoria L. Matheson Suzanne McGowen, North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Gulf Coast Symphony and Arthur Busby Charlotte Scott Principal TUBA Illinois Chamber Symphony among many others. He co-hosts two radio programmes and Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 • Wood Notes Christy Paxton-Tureman Colin Waddell Tommy Hough, Principal is involved in many radio and television projects concerning classical music. He received Mike Burkepile CLARINET his formal education at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music and Butler Marat Gabdullin CELLO Tom Flocks, Principal TIMPANI University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts. Fort Smith Symphony • John Jeter Martin Dalton Stephanie Lemoine, Principal Randy Harper Philip Parker, Principal Photo: Steven Jones Steven Hughes, II Barbara Godette, Angela Carter Carla Geter Assistant Principal PERCUSSION Nan Lu James Robert Bradshaw BASS CLARINET David Ewing, Principal Angelika Pereira William Elliott Kristi Sturgeon, Principal Josh Knight Greta Lane Angelika Machnik-Jones Lee Parham Also available in this series Brady Lanier BASSOON Alejandro Acosta Richard Ramey, Principal CELESTA SECOND VIOLIN James T. Rollins Lia Southern Robert Mueller, Principal Ty Myers, Principal Kevin Johnson BettyAnne Gottlieb, Craig Leffer HORN HARP Assistant Principal Josh Klossner Michael Gilliland, Principal Gaye LeBlanc, Principal Natasha N. Nottoli Jayne Burdick Richard Ruhe Justin Pourtorkan Jason Jupiterwala Jack Jackson II LIBRARIAN Nicole Melki Jill Morgan Jane Waters-Showalter David Ewing Diane Halliburton Martha Cox BASS STAGE MANAGER Melody Garrett Jerry Lane, Principal Becky Yates Alina Debbaut Wayne Warmack Oksana Pavilionis John Schimek Jeanne Kierre Mark Phillips Erica Mueller Cody Sisk Machelle Ward Greg Moore Linda D. Hills John Widder Brandon Patterson Clinton Trench Yuichi Miyazaki 8.559174 8.559603 8.559676 5 6 8.559676 559676 bk Still US_559676 bk Still US 22/09/2011 09:12 Page 2 William Grant Still (1895-1978): Wood Notes • Symphony No. 2 ‘Song of a New Race’ symphonic poem Africa representing their roots, the to an impressive, decisive peroration in g minor. The horn interjects motives of the introduction like an works are recorded and performed, it has naturally led to Symphony No. 3 ‘The Sunday Symphony’ Symphony No. 1 ‘Afro-American’ (life in America to deep, non-aggressive but assertive, relentless drive encouraging congregation. When the introductory a reevaluation and rehabilitation of William Grant Still emancipation) (both works recorded on Naxos throughout this movement (and much of Still’s music) theme returns in full force, it inexorably progresses to and his body of work that bodes well for his greater The life and career of the African-American composer orchestra in the Deep South (1955, New Orleans 8.559174), and the Symphony No. 2 in G Minor ‘Song may perhaps be a musical metaphor of the slow but an affirmative, decisive ending in the minor. appreciation now and in the near future. William Grant Still qualifies as the quintessential Philharmonic); first to have an opera produced by a of a New Race’ (a vision of an integrated society). inexorably steady progress of all Americans (but Leopold Stokowski called William Grant Still “one American “success story.” Often referred to as the major company (1949, Troubled Island, New York City Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra especially African-Americans) toward true racial of our greatest American composers”. As more of Still’s David Ciucevich, Jr. “dean of African-American composers,” Still was born Opera), and first to have an opera broadcast on premiered the Symphony No. 2 on December 10, 1937 freedom and equality. in Woodville, Mississippi on May 11, 1895, to a family television (posthumously in 1981, A Bayou Legend, to rapturous reviews. Contemporary reviewers found it The Symphony No. 3 ‘The Sunday Symphony’ is the of Negro, Indian, Spanish, Irish and Scotch blood. PBS). Still received many honors including the “of absorbing interest, unmistakably racial in thematic only one of the five Still symphonies never performed Still’s father, the town bandmaster, died when William Guggenheim fellowship, honorary doctorates from materials and rhythms, and triumphantly articulate in in his lifetime. It was premiered by Carlton Woods and was three, precipitating a move to Little Rock, Oberlin among others, and the key to his home state in expressions of moods, ranging from the exuberance of the North Arkansas Symphony on February 12, 1984 Arkansas, where Still’s mother was a teacher. There 1975. He died in Los Angeles on December 3, 1978. jazz to brooding wistfulness.” Still’s typically luminous and is dedicated to Still’s fellow composer and friend Still had his first musical experience, studying the Still’s most distinctive works are nationalistic, string writing is, throughout the work, very moving. Christian Dupriez. This symphony was written to violin. At his mother’s urging he began medical studies using African-American forms such as the blues, The first movement begins with an introduction replace the original Symphony No. 3 which was revised but dropped out as music exerted a stronger pull. Music spirituals, and jazz in addition to other ethnic American with chiming celesta over string and wind (including in 1958 as the Symphony No. 5 ‘Western Hemisphere’. study at Oberlin was interrupted by naval service in musics. After an early flirtation with avant-garde cup-muted trumpets) presenting a pentatonic melody The Third Symphony expresses the spiritual “day in Fort Smith Symphony World War I. After the war, Still moved to New York, techniques, Still returned to a neo-romantic idiom with (pastoral in mood) leading to the woodwind introducing the life” of a devout worshipper. Each movement has a Photo: Steven Jones where he worked as an arranger for several popular lyrical melody and traditional harmony. His work the main theme, which grows out of the introduction descriptive title. The first movement, Awakening performers including W.C. Handy (composer of the retains a freshness with immediate appeal. Still, a almost imperceptibly. Throughout the symphony at (Moderately fast), begins with a bold proclamation or immortal St. Louis Blues) and Artie Shaw, whose hit, deeply spiritual man, inscribed each of his works to climactic moments, Still uses the brass to punctuate in call to order in the brass leading to the main body of the Frenesi, he orchestrated. Still gained immeasurable God, “the source of all inspiration.” the “call and response” fashion of the African- movement, in which short motives are actively experience playing the oboe in Broadway pit orchestras The orchestral suite Wood Notes (receiving its American church and the Negro spiritual. The developed throughout the orchestra with percussion while studying composition with the conservative world premiere recording here) was originally cast in movement builds to a proud, determined ending in the punctuation in “call and response” fashion. Especially George Chadwick and the ultra-modernist Edgar five movements but the publisher chose to delete the minor. The second movement’s main theme is colorful woodwind writing enhances and offsets the Varèse. Still arrived in New York at the perfect time, final movement, creating the four-movement version distinctive and memorable as it glides up the G major forceful pentatonic themes. Movement II, Prayer (Very actively participating in the cultural awakening of recorded here. The work takes its inspiration from the scale to the leading tone (F#) with an air of nostalgia. In slow): Like a minister’s “call to prayer”, the English African-Americans in the 1920s known as the “Harlem American Southern poet J. Mitchell Pilcher. The four his orchestration in general, Still prefers to use the horn intones the mournful theme reminiscent of Negro Renaissance”. His attention turned to classical movements are entitled: I. Singing River (Moderately orchestral choirs (strings, woodwinds, brass, “spirituals” as the flute responds. Lowered “blues” composition for good in the late 1920s. A move to Los slow), II.

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