~ PROGRAM ~ Eastman Wind Ensemble Mark Davis Scatterday and Dave Rivello , conductors Lollapalooza (1995) John Adams (b. 1947) trans. James Spinazzola 6’ While the Moon Looks Down (2014) Dave Rivello (b. 1963) 15’ The Eastman Wind Ensemble Dave Rivello , conductor Concerto for Soprano Sax & Wind Ensemble (2007) John Mackey I. Prelude (b.1973) Mark Davis Scatterday and II. Felt 25’ Dave Rivello, conductors III. Metal IV. Wood V. Finale Doug O’Connor, soprano saxophone Doug O’Connor, saxophone ~ INTERMISSION ~ Concerto for Wind Ensemble (1982) Karel Husa (1921-2016) Wednesday, November 1, 2017 23’ Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre 8:00 PM ~ PROGRAM NOTES ~ John Mackey: Concerto for Soprano Sax & Wind Ensemble John Adams: Lollapalooza To me, the saxophone is a kind of hybrid instrument; it’s essentially a brass instrument with a woodwind reed on it. Instead of valves like a brass Lollapalooza was written as a fortieth birthday present for Simon Rattle who instrument has, the sax has keys like a woodwind. (Many sax players even was been a friend and collaborator for many years. The term “lollapalooza” switch effortlessly from sax to a woodwind like a clarinet, and back again in the same concert.) So, I had an instrument made of three materials: felt has an uncertain etymology, and just that vagueness may account for its (the pads of the keys), metal (the body), and wood (the reed). In fact, every popularity as an archetypical American word. It suggests something large, instrument in the band can be placed into one (or more) of those outlandish, oversized, not unduly refi ned. H.L. Mencken suggests it may “categories.” The brass section is made of metal, the harp is made of metal have originally meant a knockout punch in a boxing match. I was attracted and wood, the wind section has keys, and so on. This realization gave me to it because of its internal rhythm: da-da-da-DAAH-da. Hence, in my the central idea for the piece: a multi-movement work with the inner move- piece, the word is spelled out in the trombones and tubas, C-C-C-Eb-C ments called Felt, Metal, and Wood, and with instrumentation chosen to (emphasis on the Eb) as a kind of ideé fi xe. The “lollapalooza” motive is essentially match those materials for each movement. The outer movements only one of a profusion of other motives, all appearing and evolving in a would be scored for the entire ensemble. repetitive chain of events that moves this dancing behemoth along until it ends in a fi nal shout by the horns and trombones and a terminal thwack on The piece starts with “Prelude,” a very brief overture to the concerto, with timpani and bass drum. - John Adams material that foreshadows each of the movements to come. If you hear something you like in the “Prelude,” you’ll probably hear it more developed in the following movements. (Conversely, if you hear absolutely nothing Dave Rivello: While the Moon Looks Down you like in the “Prelude,” you may be in for a long night.) While The Moon Looks Down was commissioned in 2014 by Valparaiso Movement two is “Felt.” This movement is a study of the keys of the University to be premiered as part of their annual week-long summer jazz instrument, so it includes lots of runs (requiring quick fi ngers), lots of pitch festival. It was performed at the festival by the Windiana Concert Band with bending (to show what different pitches the sax can produce with minimal Jeffrey Doebler conducting. Tonight’s performance of this work is the fi rst movement of the fi ngers), and a bit of alternate fi ngering. On the at the Eastman School of Music and will be conducted by the composer. saxophone, the player can play the same pitch by using different The idea behind the commission was to combine genres – to meld jazz and combinations of keys, and each fi ngering combination results in a slightly non-jazz elements into a single-movement work. Part of the unique different color. In this movement, you’ll hear repeated notes that are challenge of this work was writing with the absence of a jazz rhythm accomplished with changing fi ngerings, so the color will shift from note to note, even as the pitch stays the same. The other question – besides “what section and therefore having to create the rhythm section’s normal roles is a sax made of ” – that I wanted to consider when writing the concerto from inside the wind ensemble - mainly in the bass voices and percussion. was, “what does a sax do?” Movement 2, “Felt,” answers that question with, Trumpet and soprano saxophone present the main thematic material and “well, the sax can play some weird sounds.” With that pitch bending and are also both featured in soloistic roles. crazy fi ngering, it’s a peculiar fi ve minutes. Dave Rivello is currently on the faculty at the Eastman School of Music, Movement three, “Metal,” answers that same question with, “the sax can Rochester, NY, in the Jazz and Contemporary Media Department. He is play high and pretty.” This movement, scored primarily for metal heavily involved in the crossing of genres and collaboration with other art percussion and brass, is a calm, lyrical contrast to the weirdness that disciplines. He appeared most recently at the Rochester Fringe Festival, in preceded it. collaboration with a local electronic percussionist, combining electronic elements with his acoustic ensemble. - Dave Rivello It seemed silly to write a sax concerto and not deal with the fact that the sax is often heard simply playing a song in an intimate setting – say, at a jazz club. Movement four, “Wood,” is really just that: a simple song. The scoring here is, as you’d expect, woodwinds (including fl utes, which aren’t technically made of wood anymore), double bass, harp, piano, marimba, and – as in every movement – the sax section. The piece of mine that led to the commission of the sax concerto was a piece called “Redline Tango,” and specifi cally, the soprano sax solo that anchors that work. To acknowledge that, this movement, yes, is a tango. Finally we reach the “Finale.” First, just a little background. My teacher in ~ MEET THE ARTIST ~ college was a composer named John Corigliano. Before I ever studied with him, one of my favorite pieces was his Clarinet Concerto. It’s not just a Doug O’Connor holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance spectacular piece, but it’s easily (to me, at least) one of the greatest wind from the University of Maryland in addition to Master and Doctor of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He recently served as Associate concertos ever written. When I got this commission, Corigliano’s concerto Lecturer of Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire, as cast a pretty intense shadow over me. How could I possibly write a concerto saxophonist with the United States Naval Academy Band, and is currently anywhere near the quality of that work? employed as ceremonial saxophonist with the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in addition to serving as adjunct Assistant Professor of Well, I couldn’t – so I stole his. “Finale” starts with a nearly direct quote of Saxophone at the Eastman School of Music. John Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto. In order to make it as meta as possible, my quote is in fact a quote of a quote. I’m quoting the Corigliano, which Praised for his “seamless technique” and “sumptuous lyricism” (The was, in these 6 bars, quoting a work by 16th century composer Giovanni Philadelphia Inquirer), saxophonist Doug O’Connor has performed across Asia, Gabrieli, “Sonata Pian e Forte.” After my little tribute to my teacher, the Europe, and the U.S., including appearances at the Kennedy Center for the solo part takes off for roughly four minutes of non-stop virtuosity. Here Performing Arts, Merkin Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center my answer to the question “what does a sax do?” was simply, “well, the sax for the Performing Arts. He has appeared at World Saxophone Congress XV in John Mackey Bangkok, where he gave the world-première performance of Christian Lauba’s can play some monster-diffi cult stuff.” - 15th etude, Worksong; in addition, he was recently featured with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra performing the world-première of Baljinder Sekhon’s Karel Husa: Concerto for Wind Ensemble saxophone concerto, The Offering . Also as a soloist, Dr. O’Connor has been featured with the National Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C, Musica Nova, Concerto for Wind Ensemble was commissioned by the Michigan State the Eastman and University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Jazz Ensembles, as well as University Alumni Band and dedicated to the Michigan State University various college percussion ensembles, including as a featured performer at the Bands Director, Stanley De Rusha. The fi rst performance was on December 2014 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference at University of 3, 1982, by the Michigan State University Wind Symphony, guest-conducted Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with their esteemed percussion ensemble. by the composer, in the new Wharton Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University. Dr. O’Connor was the Second Prize winner of the 2nd International Jean-Marie Londeix Saxophone Competition in Bangkok. He has won top prizes in many other solo competitions, including the NASA Classical Solo Competition, the Divided into three movements, the Concerto for Wind Ensemble is meant to MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition, the 2004 National Symphony be a display of virtuoso passages given to solo instruments as well as to the Orchestra Young Soloists Competition, and the Alexandria Symphony groups of the ensemble.