Friday, April 25, 2014


Composers Centennial Concert Celebrates Century of Creativity

 HSU Music Department celebrates 100 years of the university as crucible of creativity with compositions by HSU faculty, staff and alumni in the Composers Centennial Concert on Friday April 25. 

 The premiere of Reflections In Time combines the words of HSU poets Jim Dodge, Eric Barker, Jorie Grahm and Reg White with the music of HSU composition professor Brian Post. It is performed by soprano Elisabeth Harrington and pianist John Chernoff.

 Daniela Mineva performs another Post piece written specifically for a miniature carillon built by HSU music technicians according to a design by John Cage.

 The Vipisa Trio (Cindy Moyer on violin, John Chernoff on piano and Virginia Ryder on saxophone and clarinet) perform music by HSU staff pianist Chernoff and HSU alumni Halim Beere and Dante De Silva.

 Alumnus Ryan MacEvoy-McCullough contributes a four-channel recorded piece called Crossing. Members of the Humboldt Bay Brass Band perform two pieces by its director and HSU professor Gil Cline, including Three Dot Flourish.

 Music professor Eugene Novotny’s Intentions for Percussion Trio is performed by HSU students Neil Bost, Tyler Burkhart and Hector Diaz. 

 Composers Centennial Concert is performed on Friday April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus. Tickets are $10, $5 seniors and students from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.  Produced by HSU Music department.

Media: Mad River Union, Humboldt State Now

Composers Centennial Concert: Program Notes

The following are notes on some of the selections.

Crossing by Ryan MacEvoy-McCullough
Ryan MacEvoy-McCullough
A 4-channel piece utilizing sounds that are either pre-recorded samples from a piano (playing anything but the keys), a mason jar, a mason jar used on the piano, and a simulated analog synthesizer. All the material has been digitally edited as if I were writing this using tape reels.

Reflections in Time (2013/14) by Brian Post
performed by Elisabeth Harrington (voice) and John Chernoff (piano.)

 1. Trees - Poetry by Eric Barker
 2. Blue Heron - Poetry by Reg White
 3. Revenant – Poetry by Reg White
 4. A Firmer Grasp Of The Obvious - Poetry by Jim Dodge
 5. The Way Things Work - Poetry by Jorie Graham

Composed to commemorate the Humboldt State Centennial. The poems were chosen to reflect elements of Humboldt State University and Humboldt County that were important to many people who have lived here for the last century and will continue to be drawn here in the future.

Caged Bells #2 (2013/14) by J. Brian Post
performed by Daniela Mineva (carillon)
 Written specifically for a miniature carillon designed by John Cage and built by HSU music technicians, this piece is performed with an electronically enhanced recording of chanting Tibetan monks. The recordings represent the pursuit of enlightenment and the carillon represents the achievement of enlightenment.

Piano Rhubarb for violin, alto saxophone and piano by Halim Beere
Mr. Distinguished for violin, alto saxophone, piano and pre-recorded electronics by Dante De Silva
Nocturne by John Chernoff. 

Vipisa Trio
These three pieces will be performed by the Vipisa Trio: Cindy Moyers (violin), Virginia Ryder (saxophone and clarinet) and John Chernoff (piano.)

Halim Beere is an HSU graduate in violin performance and composition.  He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois.
John Chernoff is the staff accompanist at HSU.
Dante De Silva studied composition at HSU for his B.A., UC Santa Cruz for his M.A. and UCLA for his Ph.D. He was the composer-in-residence with the Definiens Project (2005-2007) and the Tonoi Ensemble (2006-2007).

Three Dot Flourish (2002) by Gil Cline
performed by members of the Humboldt Bay Brass Band.
 “Everyone knows the genre “fanfare” so I’ve had some fun devising my own “mini-genre,” the “Flourish.” Whereas a fanfare usually kicks off some event, a flourish has potential not only for that but also for ending some segment, or even as an encore. The short, snappy Three Dot Flourish was written and performed by Brass Consort von Humboldt in 2003 in San Francisco at Grace Cathedral for Herb Caen Days. BCvH specialized in the early brass, including the true natural trumpet of the baroque. We have acquired a set of copies of the 1667 London trumpet by Simon Beale, which we use tonight. Using modern quartal/quintal tones, the music includes a three-dot motif inspired by Caen’s musings in his weekly columns.

 Clok Tok (2007) by Gil Cline
 “Clok Tok” was written for The HSU Commencement Brass Choir, responding to the need for “stretch / filler” while waiting to play the processional Pomp & Circumstance. We accomplish that via improvised, jazz soloing over a straight-beat groove, while using the performance technique, so well-suited to brass, called “bell tones.” The clock reference is partly to passing the time, and also to the talking of the crowd; but mainly to the HSU Quad clock chimes. Everyone on campus knows the hourly clock bell tower theme, that of Big Ben, sounded throughout the day!

INTENTIONS for Percussion Trio (1983/1990) by Eugene Novotney
 Mvt. I. Assumption
 Mvt. II. Proposal
 Mvt. III. Function
Mvt. IV. Design
Performed by Neil Bost, Tyler Burkhart, Hector Diaz.

Composed in 1983 at the University of Illinois while I was a composition student of Ben Johnston, and dedicated to the Percussion Group of Cincinnati. The skills demanded by this composition require the performers to spend many hours expanding their technique on auxiliary percussion instruments that are often considered to be only instruments of coloration. The composition was intended to defy the pre-conceived limits and expose the extended techniques and timbral possibilities of three of my favorite instruments - the triangle, the tambourine, and the piatti.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

   Quintet Tarantino: Ian Taylor, Aaron Laughlin, Thatcher Norton, Alex Espe

Jazz Combos: Traditional and Unusual 

 With instrumental lineups both traditional and unusual, four HSU Jazz Combos perform classic and contemporary tunes plus their own originals on Saturday April 19 at the earlier time of 7 p.m. 

 Quintet Tarantino has a weird name (especially since there are four of them) but a normal combo instrumental array: Aaron Laughlin on guitar, Alex Espy on keyboards, Ian Taylor on bass and and Thatcher Norton on drums. Among their offerings are “Actual Proof” by Herbie Hancock, “Stadium Jazz” by Donny McCaslin and “Space Revealed,” an original tune by Espe. 
Jessica Lurie

But with a unique all-reed instrument lineup, the Meantones do “La Lucce Azura” by Jessica Lurie, “Bugalu Monko” by Enrique Fernandez and Duke Ellington’s classic “Mood Indigo.” The Meantones are Kyle McInnis (alto sax), Abraham Loaiza (alto and tenor saxes), Nick Durant (tenor sax and clarinet) and Lauren Strella (baritone sax.) Kelsey Goldstein is guest vocalist. 

 Five Way Street is Alan Spencer (tenor sax), Josh Foster (trombone), Ryan Woempner (bass) and Kevin Amos (drums.) They play Stevie Wonder’s “Superstititon,” a tune by Alan Spencer and an original by bassist Woempner called “Fire Crayon Drawing.” 
Cab Calloway

 The Jazzmanian Devils play Cab Calloway’s most famous tune, “Minnie the Moocher,” as well as “Mr. PC” by John Coltrane, “Hold On Me” by Esperanza Spalding and “Zoot’s Ms. Manifesto (A Medley.)” The group’s lineup is Jessie Burns on trumpet, Craig Hull on trombone, Colten Sanchez on guitar, Bret Johnson on bass and Forrest Smith on drums. Once again Kelsey Goldstein does guest vocals. 

 HSU Jazz Combos perform Saturday April 19 at 7 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $8/$5, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.  Directed by Dan Aldag, produced by HSU Music Department.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Guitar Ensemble Stringing the Continents Together 

 HSU Guitar Ensemble continues its world music tour with tunes from all seven continents (sort of) in their spring concert on Friday April 18 in Fulkerson Recital Hall.

 “We will perform famous compositions, modern works by living composers, arrangements of folk music, and do a little improvising as well,” said Guitar Ensemble director and HSU Music professor Nicholas Lambson. “Students took the initiative to put together several of the pieces, including arrangements of jazz, blues and metal pieces.” 

 In various combinations, members of the Guitar Ensemble perform two pieces representing North America (a blues and a Broadway tune), three from South America (from Brazil, Peru and Argentina), and five pieces from western and eastern Europe (including dances from Ireland, Spain and Romania.) 

Philip Houghton’s “Lament” represents Australia, while works from Japan and Indonesia illustrate different styles of Asian music. “An African Puzzle” from Dusan Bogdanovic’s World Music Primer represents that continent. As for the seventh... “To Live is to Die” is a tune by Metallica, an American band that played a concert in Antarctica.

 One piece (“Cote Sud” by contemporary French composer Roland Dyens) features eight guitarists. “This is one of the largest groups we have had involved in one piece,” notes Lambson. “Putting it all together with the big group has been challenging but also a lot of fun. This may also be the last concert for this talented group of guitarists, since several will be graduating, and a few of the alumni performing with us may be moving on as well. I think this piece is a great way to culminate their time here as a part of the HSU Guitar Ensemble and studio, and I am really looking forward to sharing the stage with them for that.” 

The Guitar Ensemble includes Kenneth Bozanich, Sandee Castaneda, Alex Diaz, Jason Hall, Nick Hart, Allen Hernandez, Bryant Kellison, Nicholas Lambson, Kris Lang, Alex Lopez, Jake Masterson, Leo Plummer, Justin Santos, Leonardo Simmons, Charlie Sleep, Rory Urquhart and Greg Willis. 

The HSU Guitar Ensemble performs on Friday April 18 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $8/$5, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.  An HSU Music Department production.

Guitar Ensemble: Director's Preview

This year, the HSU Guitar Ensemble has been focusing on world music. The guitar is a main element in so many musical styles and cultures, and we will actually be representing all seven continents in this concert in one way or another (the pieces representing Antarctica were actually written by a famous American band who played a concert there, but it’s as close as we’re going to get!) We will perform famous compositions, modern works by living composers, arrangements of folk music, and do a little improvising as well.

Students took the initiative to put together a few of the pieces on their own, including arrangements of Jazz, Blues, and Metal pieces. The concert will also feature an octet by the contemporary French composer, Roland Dyens, which incorporates a wide range of styles. This is one of the largest groups we have had involved in one piece, and it has been a major undertaking; each player’s part is on the technical and musical level of a big solo piece, and putting it all together with the big group has been challenging but also a lot of fun. This may also be the last concert for this talented group of guitarists since several will be graduating, and a few of the alumni performing with us may be moving on as well. I think this piece is a great way to culminate their time here as a part of the HSU Guitar Ensemble and studio, and I am really looking forward to sharing the stage with them for that.

There are also a few “non-Western” pieces on the program. The piece based on African music was written by an Eastern European composer who is heavily involved with World Music; he is also one of my old guitar teachers from my years at the SF Conservatory of Music. There are two pieces from Asia – one is a fusion of Japanese folk songs and Western compositional practices, and the other imitates Indonesian Gamelan percussion orchestras both in terms of the actual music and by creating a surprisingly similar timbre using prepared guitar techniques.

--Nicholas Lambson

Guitar Ensemble: Program and Notes

[Names of performers are in bold]
NORTH AMERICA 

 My Favorite Things – Rogers and Hammerstein, Arranged by Jason Hall
Jason Hall, Kris Lang, Rory Urquhart, Kenneth Bozanich

 
Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Blues
– Jelly Roll Morton, Arranged by Greg Willis
 Blues Medley – Arranged by Greg Willis
Greg Willis, Leonardo Simmons, Alex Diaz 

SOUTH AMERICA

 Brazil: Agua y Vinho by Egberto Gismonti
 Alex Diaz and Jake Masterson
 Xote – Celso Machado
Greg Willis, Leo Plummer, Bryant Kellison, Leonardo Simmons 

Astor Piazzolla
Argentina Tango Suite – Astor Piazzolla
 Justin Santos and Charlie Sleep 

Peru:  Two Andean Folk Songs, Arranged by Maldonado
 Leo Plummer, Sandee Castaneda, Kenneth Bozanich, Alex Lopez, Nick Hart

WESTERN EUROPE

 Ireland:  Irish Dance – Arranged by Jeremy Sparks
 Kris Lang, Rory Urquhart, Jason Hall, Jake Masterson 

Spain:  Miller’s Dance – Manuel de Falla
 Kris Lang and Jason Hall
Roland Dyens

France:  Cote Sud – Roland Dyens
Nick Lambson, Justin Santos, Jason Hall, Kris Lang, Charlie Sleep, Rory Urquhart, Alex Diaz, Jake Mast 

EASTERN EUROPE

 Russia:  Andante and Allegro – Igor Stravinsky, Arranged by Theodore Norman Greg Willis and Bryant Kellison

Romania: Romanian Dance – Anton Dvorak, Arranged by Jeremy Sparks
 Kris Lang, Justin Santos, Rory Urquhart, Jason Hall

 AUSTRALIA

Lament – Philip Houghton
Jake Masterson and Alex Diaz

ASIA


 Rhapsody Japan – Shingo Fujii
Shingo Fujii
Japan:
 Jason Hall and Kris Lang

Indonesia:  Gongan by Bill Kanengiser
 Charlie Sleep, Justin Santos, Jason Hall and Kris Lang

AFRICA 

World Music Primer:An African Puzzle by Dusan Bogdanovic
  Justin Santos, Kris Lang, Rory Urquhart

ANTARCTICA

 To Live is to Die – Metallica, Arranged by Jake Masterson
 Bryant Kellison, Jake Masterson, Allen Hernandez



Notes

William Kanengiser is an extraordinary guitar soloist, member of the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, pedagogue, and professor at the Thornton School of Music at USC. While he is not known for his compositions, these works are sophisticated, highly effective, and exciting pieces. Gongan utilizes prepared guitar techniques, requiring us to alter the sound of the instrument by placing foreign objects on the strings. We are using screws, bolts, washers, foam, and alligator clips for this one, and the effect is truly amazing! Musically, the pentatonic pitch collection is a clear representation of gamelan, and the rhythmic organization does this as well. Different “instruments” will be playing rhythmic cycles of various lengths, and gongs mark important moments where everything aligns. Kanengiser’s work is extremely unique, and a major contribution to the guitar repertoire.

Dusan Bogdanovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1955. He completed his studies in composition and orchestration at the Geneva Conservatory with Pierre Wissmer and Alberto Ginastera, and in guitar performance with Maria Livia SĂŁo Marcos. Early in his career, he received the only First Prize at the Geneva Competition, and gave a highly acclaimed debut recital in Carnegie Hall in 1977. He has taught at the University of Southern California, San Francisco Conservatory and is currently at the Geneva Conservatory. His performing and recording activities include work with chamber ensembles of diverse stylistic orientations: the De Falla Guitar Trio; a harpsichord and guitar duo with Elaine Comparone; and jazz collaborations with Anthony Cox, Charlie Haden, Milcho Leviev, James Newton, Arto Tuncbayaci, and others.

 Dusan Bogdanovic has recorded nearly 20 albums, and over 70 works have been published. His theoretical work includes polyrhythmic and polymetric studies, as well as a bilingual publication covering three-voice counterpoint and Renaissance improvisation for guitar and Ex Ovo: a guide for perplexed composers and improvisers. He has also collaborated on multi-disciplinary projects involving music, psychology, philosophy and fine arts. World Music Primer clearly displays Bogdanovic’s connection with world music in general. The African Puzzle utilizes three against two cross rhythms, heavy syncopations, and an improvisatory feel, which are all regularly used in that culture. The piece is arranged in small repeated sections which the performers are playing as written all the way through before jumbling the puzzle by improvising which cells they play next.

 Jeremy Sparks was born in London, England. He began his guitar studies under Oswald Rantucci at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Upon receiving his performance degree in 1976 he formed the Buffalo Guitar Quartet. At that time, published music for four guitars was virtually non-existent. To help fill this void, Jeremy Sparks has composed pieces for guitar quartet and has transcribed more than fifty works. He was also mentor to several highly successful guitarists including Jason Vieaux who heads the Cleveland Institute of Music, has toured to world, has recorded multiple albums, and has won extremely competitive competitions including the Guitar Foundation of America Competition. Irish Medley is perhaps his most performed work, which is popular due to the very colorful and effective arrangement. Sparks employs harmonics and percussive effects along with thoughtful placement of voices in terms of range and color; and he does so in service to the music and not for its own sake which makes it all the more effective.

Egberto Amin Gismonti began his formal music studies at the age of six on piano. After studying classical music for 15 years, he went to Paris to study orchestration and analysis with Nadia Boulanger and the composer Jean Barraqué, a disciple of Schoenberg and Webern. After his return to Brazil, Gismonti began to explore other musical genres. He was attracted by Ravel's approach to orchestration and chord voicings, as well as by "choro", a Brazilian instrumental popular music featuring various types of guitars. In order to play this music he learned to play guitar, beginning on the 6-string classical instrument and switching to a ten-stringed guitar in 1973. He spent two years experimenting with different tunings and searching for new sounds. This exploration of timbre is further reflected in his use of kalimbas, Shō, voice, bells, etc.

 By the early '70s, he had laid the groundwork for his current style which incorporated elements drawn from musicians as wide-ranging as Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix. Agua y Vinho translates to “Water and Wine.” It features some very interesting harmonies with an extremely expressive melody, which also ends in an unorthodox whole-tone scale. The arrangement of this work was done for two guitars by Spanish guitar professor, Jesus Saiz-Huedo.

Regarded as the greatest Spanish composer of the twentieth century, Manuel de Falla developed an interest in native Spanish music - in particular Andalusian flamenco - while studying with Felipe Pedrell in Madrid in the late 1890s. From 1907 to 1914 he lived in Paris where he met, and was influenced by, Ravel, Debussy and Dukas. Works such as the ballet El amor brujo and the one-act opera La vida breve are notably nationalistic in character, though a Stravinskian neo-classicism can be heard in works such as the Harpsichord Concerto, composed when he lived in Granada from 1921 to 1939.

Homenaje is his only original guitar work and it is a landmark of 20th century guitar repertoire. However, his works are very frequently performed as arrangements on the guitar. The music is so inspired by the instrument, and by the flamenco tradition, that even his orchestral works suggest strumming, and the voicings of chords are similar to how they would be playing on guitar. In fact, Falla later arranged Homenaje for orchestra and he needed to change very little. The transference or these ballets to the guitar is so easily done, and so convincing, that it is hard to imagine the originals. The Miller’s Dance is from his ballet, The Three Cornered Hat, which features typical Spanish traits such as hemiola, the use of Phrygian and Phrygian Dominant modes, and a heavy emphasis on rhythm. However, Falla blends these traditional traits with contemporary harmonies. The Miller’s Dance is also notable for its clear references to flamenco guitar, and the use of rasgueado strumming techniques.


Melbourne-born composer Phillip Houghton was a relative latecomer to classical music. He spent a year studying painting at Prahran Technical College in 1972, breaking off his fine arts studies to concentrate on music. Houghton studied guitar at the Melba Conservatorium of Music for a year, then privately with noted classical guitarist and teacher Sebastian Jorgenson at the Montsalvat Artists Colony in Eltham, Victoria. Houghton’s compositions reflect the influence of many styles: classical, jazz, rock, ambient and world music, and his work continues to reflect a strong interest in art, mythology and the environment.

Phillip Houghton has written music for both acoustic and electronic media, for theatre, film and dance. He was appointed artist-in-residence at Montsalvat in 1977 and retained that appointment until 1981, the year in which he gave up his career as a guitar recitalist to concentrate on composition. Lament is the second of three pieces for two guitars. Houghton has synesthesia, a condition where sight and sound are intertwined. His scores often have interesting indications, such as including “green” and in this piece, “begin like firmly but gently pushing big doors open, into a world of light.”

Monday, April 07, 2014

  San Francisco Rising Stars at HSU 

 San Francisco’s popular Farallon Quintet showcases the clarinet of rising star Natalie Parker in concert at HSU on Monday April 7. 

 Principal clarinet with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and performer with the San Francisco Symphony, Natalie Parker co-founded the Farallon Quintet in 2012. “Come hear one of the Bay Area's most sought after musicians,” counsels one of the Quintet’s violinists, Matthew Oshida. “ She’s an up-and-coming clarinetist who may not be local to California for much longer.” 

 The other members of the Quintet are Elizabeth Prior (viola), Jonah Kim (cello) and Dan Flanagan (violin.) Appearing at HSU will be guest first violinist Emanuela Nikiforova. 

 The program to be performed at HSU called "The Virtuosic Clarinet" includes works by Mozart and Carl von Weber, plus some lesser known pieces written for this unique combination of instruments: a string quartet plus virtuoso clarinet.

 These include works by 19th century virtuoso clarinetist and composer Heinrich Baermann and 19th century conductor and composer Louis Spohr. Baermann, Spohr and von Weber are all known for their clarinet compositions. 

The Farallon Quintet website contains videos and more information on the ensemble.

 The Farallon Quintet performs a Guest Artists concert on Monday April 7 in the Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets are $10/$5 students and seniors, from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. Produced by HSU Music department.

Farallon Quintet: Biographies

A native of South Carolina, NATALIE PARKER is currently the Principal Clarinet of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. She joined the Ballet Orchestra in January 2012 and received her M.M. degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music the following May. In 2010 she won second prize in the International Clarinet Association’s Young Artist Competition and performed in recital at their annual ClarinetFest. Since arriving in San Francisco, Natalie has played frequently with the San Francisco Symphony as well as with several regional orchestras and enjoys performing chamber music throughout the Bay Area.

 DAN FLANAGAN currently serves as Concertmaster of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, the Modesto Symphony, Lecturer of Violin at U.C. Davis, and Instructor of Violin at U.C. Berkeley. Described as a “stellar musician” (Nevada Reviews), he has been praised for his “exquisite tone” and “forthright brio” (Sacramento Bee). A dedicated orchestral player, he has performed as concertmaster with the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the California Symphony, California Musical Theater, the Festival Opera of Walnut Creek, and Symphony Silicon Valley. Dan has played as soloist and chamber musician with many orchestras and ensembles. Born in New Jersey and trained in New York and Michigan, he holds a B.M. from the Cleveland Institute of Music and M.M. from the University of Oregon, where he was a graduate teaching fellow.

 Violinist and San Jose native MATTHEW OSHIDA has performed with orchestras throughout the country including the San Jose Symphony, Utah Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Sarasota Opera, and Tulsa Symphony, Opera, and Ballet. He has appeared in principal positions with the orchestras in Berkeley, Fremont, Sacramento, San Jose, and Modesto, recorded with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and accompanied such popular artists as Sarah Brightman, Michael Bolton, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller, and Harry Connick, Jr. As a chamber musician, he studied with members of the Cleveland and Juilliard Quartets, performed with members of the Emerson Quartet, and participated in live broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. He received a B.M. from Indiana University and M.M. from SUNY Stony Brook.

 An active Bay Area violist, ELIZABETH PRIOR is Principal Violist with the Santa Rosa Symphony and is a season substitute with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. She is also associate principal with the Marin Symphony and performs regularly with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, the New Century Chamber Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony. A native of South Africa, she was a prizewinner in the International String Competition in Pretoria and gave her debut at Carnegie Hall with the Russian Chamber Orchestra. She tours regularly as a soloist with the Chamber Ensemble of Cologne in France and has done two recent tours with the New Century Chamber Orchestra.

 Cellist JONAH KIM made his solo debut with Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2003. The same year, he also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra in DC where the Washington Post called him simply, “the next Yo-Yo Ma.” He graduated from the prestigious Curtis Institute in the spring of 2006 while only 17 years old, and has soloed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia, Symphony of the Americas, Orquestra SinfĂ´nica Nacional and many others. Mr. Kim’s recitals at venues like the Kimmel Center, Kravis Center, Kennedy Center, the Phillips Collections and the Arsht Center have been streamed live and re-aired on podcasts, radio and TV programs for WETA, WHYY, WITF, MPBN, WXEL, NPR, NBC, CBS and PBS. Currently he is Associate Principal Cello of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, of which he is also the youngest member.

 Educated in Eastern and Western Europe, as well as the United States, Bulgarian violinist EMANUELA NIKIFOROVA has performed professionally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra member since age 13. Emanuela has performed as a soloist at the International Menuhin Music Festival in Gstaad, Switzerland, Festival Lysy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and as a member of the Nikiforova-Pilibossian duo at Sofia and Varna Summer Festivals. She has recorded as a soloist for Bulgarian Radio and TV, as a member of Camerata Bariloche, and as Principal Second Violin of Camerata Lysy for Revista Classica and Claves. Currently, she is a freelance musician in the Bay Area and Artistic Co-director of The Annual May Celebration of Bulgarian Arts & Culture in San Francisco.

Farallon Quintet: The Program

The Virtuosic Clarinet


Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet in Bb Major by Carl Maria von Weber
            I.  Allegro 
            II. Fantasia:  Adagio
III. Menuetto

IV.  Rondo:  Allegro

Intermission
  
Allegro in Bb, KAnh. 91 (516c) (Quintet Fragment) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 

Adagio in Db Major by Heinrich Baermann
      
Fantasy and Variations, Op. 81 by Louis Spohr
   
 Introduction, Theme and Variations Carl Maria von Weber
    


Saturday, April 05, 2014

         Humboldt Bay Brass Band Cornet section.
Legends of Brass with the Humboldt Bay Brass Band 

 With the brass band classic “California Legends” as its centerpiece, the Humboldt Bay Brass Band’s April 5 concert continues its romp through musical history during Humboldt State’s centennial year. 

 This time five separate brass quintets awaken musical nostalgia with radio hits of the 1920s through the 1960s. In addition to familiar tunes from Hoagy Carmichael to Dave Brubeck and the Beatles, there’s a song by Humboldt County composer Joseph Byrd about “Cockeyed Florence,” a town character in Trinidad. 

 Then the full 25-member brass band plus three percussionists perform Brahms’ “Academic Festival Overture,” which he wrote to acknowledge an honorary degree from the University of Breslau. “We like to start with an overture,” HBBB director Gil Cline said. “We very much like that Brahms wrote this music for a University, and that it was first performed in that setting.” 


 The band continues with the Scottish tune “John Peel” (It’s just simply a beautiful song” Cline commented) and the second local work on the program, “Redwood Highway,” written by Professor Frank Flowers and arranged by Cline. “It was an effort deciphering Flower’s handwritten manuscript,” he said. “We have new percussion parts and basslines, and polished counterpoint by internal instruments. But we preserve the beautiful cornet solos in the trio, and the bass solo. The bass and baritone instruments play the melody, a la Johann Sebastian Bach. The final result is a very, very good march.”

 “California Legends” by Bruce Broughton the major work on the program, is conducted by Audrey McCombs, a recent HSU graduate just returned from a year studying in England. “She was able to immerse herself in the highly competitive but also highly social world of UK brass bands,” Cline said. “She performed with a number of top bands in the west of England which during her time won contests.”

According to Broughton’s dedication, this piece was inspired by a literary work published in Spain in 1510. It recounts fictional adventures in the New World that included visiting a “Terrestrial Paradise.”

"Broughton was a highly successful American composer who wrote this for the standard Brass Band found in the UK,” Cline said. “HBBB follows that standard instrumentation, so we can tackle works like this one.” 

 Rounding out a reflective evening is “25 or 6 to 4,” a tune recorded by the legendary 1970s jazz-rock group, Chicago. “I enjoyed arranging it, “Cline admitted. “It reminds me of playing all around Humboldt County in a cover band in the 70s called Open Road. We did lots of hits by Chicago, Tower of Power and Blood, Sweat & Tears.” 

 The Humboldt Bay Brass Band performs on Saturday April 5 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $8/$5, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.  An HSU Music Department production.