EmErson ConCErt Hall sCHwartz CEntEr for PErforming arts

mus ica t e m o r y u n i v e r s i t y

1617 S

EASO

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american perspectives

Emory wind EnsEmblE paul bhasin, conductor

emily brebach, english horn

michael tiscione, trumpet

sunday, oCtobEr 23, 2016, 4:00 P.m.

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program

Western Fanfare (1997) eric ewazen (b. 1954)

New England Triptych (1956) William schuman i. Be Glad Then, America (1910–1992)ii. When Jesus Weptiii. Chester

Quiet City (1940) aaron copland (1900–1990) trans. d. hunsberger

michael tiscione, trumpet; emily brebach, english horn

Flourishes & Meditations on a Renaissance Theme (2010) michael gandolfi (b. 1956)

Be Thou My Vision (1999) david gillingham (b. 1947)

suite from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) John Williams (b. 1932) trans. p. lavender

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program Notes: americaN perspectives

this afternoon’s emory Wind ensemble (eWe) program features works for winds by prominent american composers. each work on our program represents the composer’s unique perspective on american ideals, geography, or even cinematic storytelling. From the introspective loneliness of aaron copland’s Quiet City to William schuman’s virtuosic syntheses of colonial-era hymns, our program aims to bring you into relationship with the processes and inspirations that guide these composers, as well as the sonic impact that american music provides. today’s guest soloists, michael tiscione and emily brebach (atlanta symphony musicians and current and former emory artist affiliates), perform one of the copland estate’s few sanctioned transcriptions of his works for winds, handled expertly by conductor/arranger donald hunsberger, formerly the conductor of the eastman Wind ensemble. michael gandolfi’s vigorous and probing Flourishes & Meditations put the technical powers of the ensemble to the test, with rhythmic and harmonic gymnastics not often found in works inspired by 17th-century tunes. Finally, we share moments from John Williams’s popular Force Awakens score, showcasing his abilities as a melodist to capture and hold an audience’s attention during a story. above all, the uniquely american medium of the university wind band is a wonderful way to explore the expressive vocabulary of some of america’s finest composers.

—Paul Bhasin, Emory University

Western FanfareWestern Fanfare, a brief, energetic fanfare for brass, was commissioned by the music academy of the West for their 50th anniversary season. versions exist for both brass orchestra and brass quintet. the version heard here today features the eWe percussion section in addition to both the lyrical and technical capabilities of the full brass section. eric ewazen’s music successfully develops rhythm and color in

this instance more than traditional melody, while imbuing the fanfare with a 1950s “old West” cinematic quality.

—note by Paul Bhasin

new england triptychbased on hymn tunes by early american composer William billings (1746–1800), William schuman’s New England Triptych is less a variation on its source material than a colorful impression of billings’s hardy musical spirit. the first of these three orchestral tone poems, Be Glad Then, America, is marked by spirited forward momentum, a brief fugal section, and a concluding reference to the “shout

and rejoice” passage in billings’s original. When Jesus Wept uses its source material as a point of departure for an extended, lyrically sad round with

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embellishments and melodic extensions. Chester is adapted from the hymn used as a marching song by the continental army. an appropriately hymn-like beginning changes into a texture of almost improvisatory running lines that eventually become accompaniment to a return of the march tune in the brass. the effect of the New England Triptych is such that it has become the most popular of schuman’s works and a signature example of the “americana” style that pervaded american music from the 1930s to the 1950s.

—note by the Rovi Staff

Quiet cityearly in his career, aaron copland was so eager to write theatrical music that he composed a score for a nonexistent play: Music for the Theatre, originally called Incidental Music for an Imaginary Play. but during the 1930s, copland became involved in the group theater, a company founded by lee strasberg and harold clurman to present socially relevant drama at popular prices. copland’s studio at

steinway hall was even one of the group’s first meeting places. clurman later recalled that copland’s own efforts to create a distinctly american body of music had inspired the group in the beginning. copland often attended rehearsals, and he became friendly with several of the group’s members including elia Kazan and clifford odets—whose 1937 play, The Golden Boy, was one of the troupe’s biggest hits—and irwin shaw. although irwin shaw is remembered today as the bestselling author of the 1970 novel Rich Man, Poor Man, which became a successful tv miniseries, he began his career working in radio and writing film scripts and plays. in 1939, after the group had successfully staged shaw’s The Gentle People, copland agreed to write incidental music for a production of shaw’s Quiet City later that year. “the script,” copland recalled, “was about a young trumpet player who imagined the night thoughts of many different people in a great city and played trumpet to express his emotions and to arouse the consciences of the other characters and of the audience.” but the story of gabe mellon, who had changed his name in rejection of his Jewish background and became a wealthy businessman, and his struggling brother, trumpet player david mellnikoff, obviously resonated strongly with copland at the time, and he wrote music of unexpected depth and beauty. When the group theater production of Quiet City never made it beyond a couple of tryout performances, copland decided to salvage parts of his score. during the summer of 1940, while he was teaching at the first season of the berkshire music center at tanglewood, he fashioned a short “suite” for trumpet and string orchestra from the incidental music, adding a solo english horn “for contrast and to give the trumpeter breathing spaces.” (copland recycled other music from the complete score for parts of Appalachian Spring.) From the soft, gauzy opening to the haunted, nostalgic trumpet melodies, the piece is a pitch-perfect city scene from the 1930s. copland was amused when reviewers

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noted its affinity to Whitman’s “mystic trumpeter” and ives’s The Unanswered Question, with its yearning trumpet solos. to him, it was simply a portrait of shaw’s restless and troubled trumpet player (copland marks the opening trumpet solo “nervous, mysterious”).

—note by Philip Huscher

Flourishes & meditations on a renaissance theme Flourishes & Meditations on a Renaissance Theme was commissioned by the president’s own united states marine band and is dedicated to them, their director, colonel michael J. colburn, and their assistant director, major Jason K. Fettig. the work is a set of seven variations on an anonymous renaissance melody that is simply titled Spagnoletta. i was motivated to probe this elegant tune

with which i have been acquainted for four decades, with the expectation that it would prompt a wealth of ideas unique to such a longstanding relationship. the beauty and elegance of the original tune resides in its simplicity, so i chose to present it at the outset of the piece in a clear and streamlined orchestration. the first part of Flourishes & Meditations on a Renaissance Theme consists of variations i and ii. each of these variations adheres strictly to the form of Spagnoletta. additionally, variation i has a kinship to cubist painting in which various features of the original are fragmented, framed, and juxtaposed, resulting in a kaleidoscopic amplification of its details. variation ii uses the entire Spagnoletta melody as a cantus firmus while new melodies and lines are sounded over it; an ancient musical technique popular in medieval and renaissance times. the second part is comprised of variations iii, iv, and v. these variations are the most wide-ranging of the set, but always maintain motivic connections to Spagnoletta. variations iii and v are each expressed in aa form, an obvious reference to the formal repetitions of the original. variation iv uses motives of Spagnoletta to form a mobile or layered ostinato, upon which a type of canon known as a “round” is sounded. the melody of this round is built with melodic motives found in Spagnoletta. variations vi and vii form the third and final part of the piece and function similarly to the coda of Spagnoletta, which introduces no new melodic material but utilizes previously heard motives in new permutations that lead to the final cadence. in this spirit, variation vi points in two directions: it forecasts the main texture of variation vii while briefly reflecting upon each variation already heard (in reverse order). variation vii returns to the original Spagnoletta melodies but places them in a new “dream-like” environment featuring a series of pulsating patterns and textures interwoven with strands of each of the original melodies, all of which move the piece to a gentle close.

—note by Michael Gandolfi

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Be thou my visionBe Thou My Vision is heartfelt, expressive, and hopefully inspiring. the hymn tune, Slane, is one of my favorites and inspired me to compose a counter melody, which is likened to an old irish ballad. since Slane is, in fact, an old irish ballad, the two tunes share this unique camaraderie. the work opens with a medieval-like flavor of reverence leading to the first presentation of Slane (Be Thou My Vision) in d

minor stated in chant-like somberness by the euphonium. Following, the newly composed irish ballad is sung by the flute, which leads to a dramatic statement of Be Thou My Vision by the full ensemble in a major. the work is interrupted by a prayerful interlude. Following is the marriage of the two irish tunes in d-flat major that grows to a glorious climax and then subsides. a heavenly benediction closes the work.

—note by David Gillingham

suite from star Wars: the Force awakensWhen the american Film institute released their listing of the top 25 film scores of all time in 2005, it included the titles Out of Africa, Sunset Boulevard, Ben-Hur, Psycho, The Godfather, and Gone with the Wind. John Williams was responsible for three of those 25 selections, and at the very top was his unforgettable score to the original Star Wars movie. Williams signed on in 1977 to score a new “space

Western” written and directed by george lucas. at that time, no one could have predicted the global popularity of this film and its successive chapters, nor could Williams have imagined the impact that his music for the movies would have both in the world of film and well beyond. Williams has scored dozens of themes for the seven films in the series, many of which have achieved world-wide recognition on a scale equal to some of the most popular classical music in history. the latest installment in the series, The Force Awakens, was released in december 2015 and the story takes place some 30 years after the conclusion of The Return of the Jedi. as old and new characters come together in the film, Williams’s score artfully weaves together familiar music from the original films with brand new themes and brilliantly highlights pivotal actions and relationships. the suite contains much new music, including the March of the Resistance, and the main theme of the mysterious new lead character, rey. the closing movement of the suite begins with the music of the Jedi and moves into a final montage of all of the main themes in Williams’s incredible symphonic tapestry.

—note by Col. Jason Fettig

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the emory WiNd eNsemble

the emory Wind ensemble (eWe) is recognized nationally and internationally as an outstanding organization, dedicated to performing wind band and chamber literature of the highest caliber, while nurturing individual artistic excellence within an ensemble setting. membership is determined by audition each fall, with occasional vacancies occuring in the spring semester.

concert programming comprises a wide variety of styles, forms, and genres from several centuries of compositional practice, designed to provide a comprehensive exposure to the masterpieces for winds and percussion from the renaissance period through the modern era.

the eWe performs two concerts each semester, regularly participates in world premieres of new music, tours the united states and abroad, and is a national leader in the commissioning of new music, including works by Warren benson, bruce broughton, Jennifer higdon, libby larsen, John mackey, Jonathan newman, Joseph schwantner, and many others. the eWe’s recent collaborations include performances with the emory university chorus; the emory dance company; emory’s mary emerson professor of piano William ransom; chris martin, principal trumpet of the chicago symphony orchestra; stuart stephenson, principal trumpet of the atlanta symphony orchestra; Joe alessi, principal trombone of the new york philharmonic; adam Frey, international euphonium solo artist; and grammy award–winning solo clarinetist richard stoltzman, among many others.

the eWe has performed concert tours of munich, salzburg, innsbruck, lucerne, graz, prague, vienna, and greece. additionally, the eWe has performed at the georgia music educators association state convention in savannah, georgia; the southern division college band directors national association conference; and for various events on the emory campus, including the inauguration of James Wagner as president of emory university. the eWe is recorded on the naXos music label.

Paul bhasin, conductor paul bhasin joined the faculty of emory as director of wind studies in 2015 where he directs the emory Wind ensemble and teaches conducting. praised for his “crisp, clear” conducting and “highly expressive” interpretations, bhasin has led a variety of university and professional ensembles throughout north america and abroad including 2015 performances at the Kennedy center in Washington, d.c., and throughout the people’s republic of china. ensembles

under his direction have collaborated with soloists from the san Francisco symphony, atlanta symphony, virginia symphony, and the united states marine band. bhasin’s recent guest engagements include appearances with the interlochen arts academy concert band, virginia symphony orchestra brass and percussion, american youth philharmonic, and with the Washington symphonic brass (d.c.). he serves on the artistic staff of the emory youth symphony where

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he works closely with the orchestra’s wind and percussion students. he has served as assistant conductor of the Williamsburg symphony (an orchestra composed of richmond and virginia symphony members) and music director of the Williamsburg youth orchestras. he has presented clinics and research at the midwest band and orchestra clinic (in collaboration with the united states marine band), the college band director’s national association southern division conference, and the music teachers national association conference.

bhasin’s articles have been published in the Instrumentalist and the International Trumpet Guild Journal, and his ensemble arrangements are published by balquhidder music and have been commissioned and performed in the united states and abroad by the united states marine band, st. louis opera theatre, the united states air Force brass in blue, grand tetons Festival orchestra, la unió musical l’horta de sant marcel·lí (valencia, spain), and the Washington symphonic brass (d.c.). in 2015, bhasin composed, conducted, and recorded the score to the 9:23 Films motion picture, Hogtown (berlin and calgary Film Festivals).

as a trumpeter, he has performed with the virginia symphony and opera, columbus symphony, new World symphony, and the civic orchestra of chicago, and at the music festivals of aspen, tanglewood, and ravinia. a committed trumpet teacher, his students have attended prestigious conservatories and music schools and have won first prize at major competitions including the 2014 national trumpet competition. he has performed as a trumpet soloist on national public radio, detroit pbs-tv, and the international computer music conference; at the chautauqua music Festival; and at the international dvořák Festival in prague. bhasin has recorded as trumpeter and conductor for the centaur record label.

bhasin’s previously held positions at the college of William & mary, university of Wisconsin–green bay, and triton college. he received his musical education from the university of Wisconsin–madison (dma, conducting), northwestern university (mm, trumpet), and the university of michigan (bm, trumpet), and he performed as a member of the university of michigan symphony band under h. robert reynolds, and the northwestern university symphonic Wind ensemble under mallory thompson. his primary teachers were scott teeple (conducting), charles geyer (trumpet), and charles daval (trumpet). he is a member of the college band directors national association, georgia music educators association, and the league of american orchestras.

michael tiscione, trumpetmichael tiscione, originally of monroe, new york, joined the trumpet section of the atlanta symphony orchestra during the 2002–2003 season. he left the atlanta symphony orchestra to join the san Francisco symphony as second trumpet for the 2010–2011 season and has since returned to the orchestra, where he is currently acting associate principal trumpet and second trumpet. tiscione has traveled across the united states to perform with many notable ensembles,

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including the chicago symphony orchestra, new york philharmonic, philadelphia orchestra, toronto symphony, utah symphony, indianapolis symphony, and iris chamber orchestra. during the summer months he serves as second trumpet with both the sun valley summer symphony and the bellingham music Festival orchestra. in 2015, tiscione began performing as principal trumpet with Festival mozaic in san luis obispo, california, and in the section at the strings Festival in steamboat springs, colorado. recent solo engagements have included appearances with the united states military academy at West point, the georgia philharmonic, and with the georgia brass band at the 2012 international trumpet guild conference. an avid chamber musician, tiscione has been a member of the atlanta symphony brass Quintet since 2005. he performs and records with the burning river brass, has recently toured china with the chicago symphony brass Quintet, and performs regularly with the atlanta chamber players, as well as at the amelia island chamber music Festival. he is an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw state university following temporary appointments at the university of georgia and georgia state university. tiscione is married to the principal oboe of the atlanta symphony orchestra, elizabeth Koch tiscione. tiscione has degrees from indiana university (bm) and northwestern university (mm). his teachers have included John rommel, charles geyer, barbara butler, and John charles thomas.

Emily brebach, English hornemily brebach joined the atlanta symphony orchestra playing english horn and oboe in fall 2012. brebach, a philadelphia native, has performed with several orchestras throughout the united states, including the boston symphony, houston symphony, Kansas city symphony, the minnesota orchestra, and the sarasota opera. prior to joining the atlanta symphony orchestra, brebach held the position of english horn and oboe with the sarasota

orchestra. brebach is an artist affiliate instructor of oboe at emory university and a faculty member of the atlanta symphony orchestra’s talent development program, and she also maintains an active private studio out of her home. she spends her summers in residence as english horn and oboe as well as artist faculty at the brevard music center in brevard, north carolina. she has also performed at the grand teton music Festival, the des moines metro opera, strings music Festival (steamboat springs, colorado), Festival mozaic (san luis obispo, california), tanglewood music center, and the aspen music Festival. brebach has degrees from oberlin conservatory and rice university’s shepherd school of music, and she has studied with louis rosenblatt, James caldwell, robert atherholt, and robert Walters. she has performed in recitals at merkin hall in new york; reinberger hall in cleveland, ohio; and at the Kennedy center in Washington, d.c., where she represented oberlin conservatory as part of the conservatory project. locally, she performs with the riverside chamber players in roswell, georgia.

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emory WiNd eNsemble

flutE/PiCColoclaire mahon norcross, georgia music/international studiesolivia stam cumberland Foreside, maine musicananya Zacariah houston, texas int’l businessevangelia diplas chatham, new Jersey music/psychology

oboEria brown houston, texas music/biologynick harvey statesboro, georgia music

bassoonhaley matthews Jasper, georgia biology/musicmehvish Kahn lakewood, new york international studies/economicsallison rose marietta, georgia Quantitative sciences/music

ClarinEtrobert dicks lithonia, georgia mathematicssarah tran marietta, georgia undecidedelise Kulers decatur, georgia undecidedtylor lee Johns creek, georgia music/businessKelsey newman martinsville, virginia music/political sciencenicole pierce savannah, georgia biologycarl Xi vancouver, british columbia bba/neurosciencelydia yang cedar rapids, iowa undecideddi luo atlanta, georgia phd candidate, occupational therapy

bass ClarinEtJosh pynn duluth, georgia music/economics

saXoPHonEKiran sundar (alto/soprano) bridgewater, new Jersey business/musicchristopher Zhu beijing, china computer sciencechristopher liu staten island, new york music/applied mathematicsJina Kim yongin-si, south Korea pre-bba

trumPEtclinton mcclendon atlanta, georgia psychologyderrick montgomery atlanta, georgia music Jacob germany alpharetta, georgia music/Film and media studiesKiko tomei atlanta, georgia undecidedWill heck los altos, california english

HornKevin sullivan marietta, georgia biology/musicQifan pei beijing, china undecidedsamuel edwards Jupiter, Florida music/historyowain thorogood havertown, pennsylvania economics/music/mathematics

trombonEparker ellison monroe, georgia music/psychologyanna bing atlanta, georgia lacs/musicgrant singer milton, georgia music/biology

EuPHoniumgabe hart austin, texas music/business

tubasean delaney Winchester, massachusetts music/businesscorey sherman atlanta, georgia music

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emory WiNd eNsemble

KEyboardleo Zhao

PErCussionchris prugh swarthmore, pennsylvania biologyteresa pan hockessin, delaware biology/musicchristina voss marietta, georgia international studies/human healthK’mani blyden acworth, georgia chemistry/music

librarianhaley matthews

oPErationsJosh pynnKiran sundar

Musician names are followed by hometown and major course(s) of study.

Emory wind and Percussion facultylaura ardan, clarinet* marc boehm, tromboneemily brebach, oboe*Kay Fairchild, trumpetadam Frey, euphoniummichael moore, tuba*ed nicholson, trombone†

gary paulo, saxophonescott pollard, percussionJaclyn rainey, horn*elisabeth remy, harp*Jessica sherer, flutechristina smith, flute*stuart stephenson, trumpetamy trotz, horn**shelly unger, bassoonmark yancich, percussion*James Zellers, flute†

*Atlanta Symphony Orchestra **Atlanta Ballet Orchestra †Atlanta Opera Orchestra

department of music administrationdeborah slover, chair Kristin Wendland, director of undergraduate studiesrichard prior, director of performance studieslynn bertrand, director of graduate studiesmartha shockey, senior secretary Kathy summers, academic department administratoraimee mccarron, administrative assistantderrick montgomery, academic services coordinator

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the WiNd eNsemble: a defiNitioN

concert band, wind ensemble, symphonic band, wind symphony, wind orchestra—while all of these terms (and others) refer to a wind band composed of woodwinds, brasses, and percussion, the wind ensemble is in fact a very specific tradition within the larger wind band performance discipline—a tradition maintained by the emory Wind ensemble.

in order to understand what a wind ensemble actually is, one must first imagine richard Wagner’s late-19th-century orchestra: a massive ensemble with large numbers of players in each of the woodwind, brass, and percussion sections. next, imagine removing all string instruments from this orchestra, and adding four saxophones and a euphonium. this new ensemble forms the basic instrumentation of a true wind ensemble.

the instrumentation of a wind ensemble is flexible—it changes depending on the requirements of each composition. some wind ensemble works call for 12 players (the serenades of mozart and dvorák) while others call for as many as 50 players. in the same way that orchestral wind, brass, and percussion players perform “one player to a part,” wind ensemble musicians perform predominantly their own parts (not two, three, or four to a part, as is the case in large symphonic bands). this creates an ensemble of soloists—nimble, powerful, warm—and with a wide range of tone colors.

music at emory

the department of music at emory university provides an exciting and innovative environment for developing knowledge and skills as a performer, composer, and scholar. led by a faculty of more than 60 nationally and internationally recognized artists and researchers, our undergraduate and graduate students experience a rich diversity of performance and academic opportunities. undergraduate students in our department earn a ba in music with a specialization in performance, composition, or research, many of whom simultaneously earn a second degree in another department. true to the spirit of emory, a liberal arts college in the heart of a research university, our faculty and ensembles also welcome the participation of non-major students from across the emory campus.

become a part of music at Emory by giving to the Friends of music. your gift provides crucial support to all of our activities. to learn more, visit our website at music.emory.edu or call 404-727-6280.

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upcomiNg music eveNts

go to music.emory.edu to view the complete list of upcoming music events. For more information contact the arts at emory box office at 404-727-5050, or visit arts.emory.edu.

ticket prices are listed in the following order: Full price/discount category member price/emory student price (unless otherwise noted as the price for all students). visit arts.emory.edu to see if you qualify for a discount.

tuesday, october 25, 8:00 p.m., “the president’s own” united states marine band, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, free, tickets required

Friday, october 28, 8:00 p.m., robert mcduffie, violinist; r.e.m.’s mike mills, composer; Fifth house ensemble; candler concert series, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, $50/$40/$5

sunday, october 30, 7:00 p.m., emory’s annual concerto and aria competition, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, free

saturday, november 5, 8:00 p.m., ransom cd release concert and art exhibition, ecmsa: emerson series, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, free

Friday, november 11, noon, vega string Quartet with christopher rex, cello, ecmsa: cooke noontime series, michael c. carlos museum, free

Friday, november 11, 8:00 p.m., antonio sanchez–birdman live, schwartz Foundation artist in residence, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, $20/$15/$5

sunday, november 13, 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., emory chamber ensembles, schwartz center, emerson concert hall, free

arts at emory box office/audience information404-727-5050 • arts.emory.edu

in ConsidEration please turn off all pagers and phones.

PHotograPHs and rECordings not permitted without advance permission.

CougH droPs in lobby, courtesy of margery and robert mcKay.

usHErs members of music at emory volunteers and alpha phi omega, a national service and social fraternity. call 404-727-6640 for ushering opportunities.

EvEnt and Program information available online at arts.emory.edu.

front CovEr PHoto CrEdit: mark teague

baCK CovEr PHoto CrEdits: Clockwise (from top left): emory university symphony orchestra, Tony Benner; barenaked voices, Emory Photo/Video; emory concert choir: courtesy of Emory Concert Choir; emory Jazz big band, Bill Head.

tHE trEE ligHts in allen plaza were installed by illuminating design, specialists in holiday and outdoor lighting. illuminating-design.com