Ceremonies and Carols with University Singers & Humboldt Chorale

 HSU University Singers capture the holiday spirit with Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and the Humboldt Chorale sings a liturgical work in their shared concert on Sunday December 15 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall. 

 Besides being appropriate for the holidays, performing the seven movements of Ceremony of Carols has two other occasions. “Britten was born in 1913, the same year that HSU was founded,” director Harley Muilenberg points out. “We perform it to celebrate HSU’s 100 years.” 

 That also means that this is Britten’s centennial, so “choirs all over the world are performing Britten’s choral works,” Muilenberg noted. 

 The University Singers also perform two movements from Randall Thompson’s The Testament of Freedom, which was written for another university-related birthday: Thomas Jefferson’s bicentennial in 1943.

 Thompson was teaching at the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, so the text was taken from Jefferson’s writings. The piece proved so popular that it was transmitted over short wave radio to Allied soldiers in Europe during World War II. It premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1945 on a memorial program for the recently deceased President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

 

Fiona Ryder

The concert also features the Humboldt Chorale, a community choir directed by Carol Ryder. The Chorale performs Magnficat by contemporary composer Imant Raminsh, who was born in Latvia and resides in Canada. This piece won the 1990 Canadian National Choral Award for outstanding choral work.

 The Magnificat or “Song of Mary” is a canticle sung in several Christian church services, related to the Virgin Mary. Various composers have written music to accompany the text, including Monteverdi, Bach and modern composers such as Ralph Vaughn Williams, Arvo Parte as well as Raminsh.

James Gadd

 Soloists for the Humboldt Chorale performance are Fiona Ryder and James Gadd.

 Humboldt State University Singers and Humboldt Chorale perform on Sunday December 15 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. $8/$5 seniors and children. HSU students with ID admitted free. Produced by HSU Music Department.

                          December 2013 University Singers (click photo to enlarge)

 Humboldt Symphony Plays The Nutcracker Suite   

 In its only concert this December, the Humboldt Symphony performs a holiday favorite, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite on Sunday December 15 at 3 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall.

 Leading the program is Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture that conductor Paul Cummings calls “a masterwork—one of the great overtures in the symphonic repertoire. It’s perhaps the hardest piece the Humboldt Symphony has played in the last 5 years or so. But it’s also very rewarding music to play and to hear.” 

 In its fall concert the Humboldt Symphony played four movements of Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances. In this concert, the orchestra plays all seven dances. “What’s interesting about hearing the whole piece is that as these brief movements progress, Bartok gradually adds more wind instruments to what begins as mostly a string orchestra piece,” Cumming said. “This is fun music, lively and usually with quick tempos. They have nothing of the complexity of Bartok’s more famous works.”

 The Symphony also performs a portion of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Building around a Shaker melody called “Simple Gifts,” Copland’s Pulitzer Prize-winning music was originally intended to accompany a ballet by Martha Graham in 1944. It has since become best known in this form, as an orchestral suite. In this version, Humboldt Symphony returns to the original 13 instruments.

 Performing on Appalachian Spring are two HSU Music faculty members: Cindy Moyer plays violin, and Karen Davy plays viola. “We’re excited about doing this piece,” Cummings said. “It’s a great work, very challenging, and even to do just a portion of it is an ambitious undertaking." 

 At first, Tchaikovsky’s music for The Nutcracker ballet was more highly praised than the ballet itself when it premiered in 1892. This 20 minute suite he created for concerts was also a great success. In more recent decades however the ballet has become wildly popular at Christmastime. 

 Now, said Cummings, part of the appeal of the orchestral suite is imagining the images from the well-known ballet. “The magical qualities of toys coming alive after dark—it appeals to the imagination of children and adults.” But the suite itself is also appreciated for its “wonderful orchestration” of this familiar music.

 The Humboldt Symphony performs on Sunday December 15 at 3 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. $8/$5 seniors and children. HSU students with ID admitted free. Conducted by Paul Cummings, produced by the HSU Music Department.

Humboldt Symphony Concert Notes

Notes edited from interviews with conductor Paul Cummings:

Academic Festival Overture by Johannes Brahms

 This is one of the great overtures in the symphonic repertoire—a definite masterwork by one of our greatest German composers of the 19th century.

 Brahms was a recluse if not a hermit, and he eschewed any sort of ceremony. He did not enjoy attention, much less any sort of pomp and circumstance. But when the University of Breslau gave him an honorary doctorate, he very reluctantly accepted it. He wasn’t any sort of orator, so instead of making a speech, he composed a piece for the occasion to express his thanks.

 The title, which Brahms hated, came from his music publisher. The publisher thought it was a catchy title but it also reflected the content, since Brahms quotes a handful of pre-existing tunes that students sang, into the overture, which gave the overture academic and festive qualities. I’ll point out the student tunes before we play the entire piece—we’ll perform extracts for the audience.

 Right after Brahms wrote this piece, he wrote The Tragic Overture. These are the only two full symphonic overtures he wrote in his life. This a great piece of music and quite difficult to play. It’s perhaps the hardest piece the Humboldt Symphony has played in the last 5 years or so. But it’s also very rewarding music to play and to hear.

 Romanian Folk Dances by Bela Bartok 

 Last time we performed four movements of this piece. This time we’re doing all seven. They’re all short—one or two minutes. What’s interesting about hearing the whole piece is that as the movements progress, Bartok gradually adds more wind instruments to what begins as mostly a string orchestra piece. It’s a good opportunity to highlight our more advanced wind players.

 Bartok was a collector and curator of folk music from Eastern Europe. Much of the music he renders in orchestral settings was familiar to him as a child. They’re all dances so it’s fun music, lively and usually with quick tempos. They have nothing of the complexity of Bartok’s more familiar works. These are simple folk tunes he set for small orchestra.

 Appalachian Spring Suite by Aaron Copland 

 Appalachian Spring was a ballet written for Martha Graham. It was originally written for 13 instruments—a chamber orchestra. Later Copland expanded it for full orchestra, and that’s how it is usually done. However, we’re doing portions of the suite for the original 13 instruments. It’s a concert version for 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, bass, flute, clarinet, bassoon and piano.

 Written in 1943 and first performed in 1944, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1945. The action of the ballet involves a pioneer celebration in springtime around a newly-built farmhouse in Pennsylvania in the early part of the 19th century.

 We’re excited about doing this piece—it’s a great work, very challenging, and even to do just a portion of it is an ambitious undertaking. We also feature two faculty players: Cindy Moyer plays violin, and Karen Davy plays viola.

 The Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

 This is the concert version of Tchaikovsky’s music to the well-known ballet. This is a wonderful orchestration that uses instruments such as the celeste, glockenspiel and piccolo to wonderful effect. It’s one of the best examples of program music because almost everyone who hears the piece associates it with images from the ballet—the magical qualities of toys coming alive after dark and taking on a life of their own.

 It appeals to the imagination not only of children who are always stirred by the images of the toys, but also of adults who can picture what’s happening in the ballet as they listen to the music—in the dance of the flowers, for instance.

 I’ve played this piece but this is my first time conducting it, so it’s exciting. The students are familiar with it, so it’s fun to play something you’ve heard your entire life, even if only on the p.a. system in Toys R Us.

Blurring Boundaries with HSU Jazz Orchestra

 HSU Jazz Orchestra blurs musical boundaries from country to Cuban pop, plus big band jazz classics on Saturday December 14 at Fulkerson Recital Hall.

 “I didn’t set out to do this,” said director Dan Aldag, “but I realized that the theme of this concert is ‘Blurring Boundaries.’ We’re playing arrangements of a ‘60s pop tune, a country song from the ‘50s, an obscure funk tune first recorded by James Brown, a Cuban pop song from 1912, an ‘80s French pop song and a couple of Tin Pan Alley standards.”

 Jazz purists also get a taste with classics from the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands, including music meant to be heard by just one person: the Queen of England. A contemporary touch is added with a brand new piece by young jazz composer Omar Thomas.

 The Jazz Orchestra concert features vocals by Jo Kuzelka, and solos by pianist Alex Espe, clarinetist Nick Durant, trombonist Josh Foster and guitarist Kris Lang. Recent HSU grad Dan Fair contributes two arrangements, including a version of “They All Laughed,” a tune the Gershwins wrote for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. 

 The HSU Jazz Orchestra performs on Saturday December 14 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets from HSU Box Office (826-3928) or at the door. $8/$5 seniors & children. HSU students admitted free. Concert produced by HSU Music Department.

Jazz Orchestra Concert Notes

by Jazz Orchestra director Dan Aldag:

I didn't set out to do this, but I realized that the theme of the Jazz Orchestra concert is "Blurring Boundaries." We're playing arrangements of a '60s pop tune, a country song from the '50s, an obscure funk tune first recorded by James Brown, a Cuban pop song from 1912, an '80s French pop song and a couple of Tin Pan Alley standards.

 "Wichita Lineman" was composed by the great pop songwriter Jimmy Webb and made famous by Glen Campbell. The arrangement we're playing was written by John Hollenbeck for his recent album Songs I Like A Lot, and shows the influence of minimalism. Our performance will feature vocals by Jo Kuzelka and the band's guitarist, Kris Lang.

 "I Can't Stop Loving You" was written and recorded by country singer Don Gibson in the late '50s, and then became an even bigger hit for Ray Charles when he recorded it on his album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music in 1962. The version we're playing was arranged by Quincy Jones for the Count Basie album This Time By Basie.

 "The Chicken" was written by Pee Wee Ellis, saxophonist and music director for James Brown in the mid-1960s. It was recorded as an instrumental by Brown's band and released as the B-side of a single. It was rescued from obscurity by the groundbreaking electric bassist Jaco Pastorius. Our version further blurs the boundaries by incorporating Afro-Cuban percussion.

 "La Comparsa" was written by the great Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona when he was only 17. Lecuona is sometimes compared to George Gershwin, because both had success in both pop and classical music and both successfully incorporated elements of their native land's music in their classical compositions. Our arrangement was written by Oded Lev-Ari for clarinetist Anat Cohen's album Noir. We will feature Jo Kuzelka and clarinetist Nick Durant.

 "Le Cimitiere Des Elephants" was a French pop hit in the 1980s. The gypsy jazz guitarist Reinhardt adapted it for that idiom, and his version inspired recent HSU grad Dan Fair to arrange it for the Jazz Orchestra.

 Dan also arranged "They All Laughed", a George and Ira Gershwin tune, for our vocalist Jo Kuzelka.

The other Tin Pan Alley song we're playing is Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's "Polka Dots and Moonbeams". Bill Holman arranged it for trombonist Carl Fontana to play it with the Stan Kenton band. We'll be featuring Josh Foster on it.
 The only "pure" jazz we're playing are classics from the libraries of the two greatest big bands, Duke Ellington's and Count Basie's, and a brand new piece by the young jazz composer Omar Thomas.

 After meeting Queen Elizabeth II during a European tour in the late '50s, Ellington and his partner Billy Strayhorn wrote The Queen's Suite. The Ellington band recorded it, Ellington had a single copy pressed, sent it to the queen, and ordered that it never be released to the public. After Ellington's death, his son Mercer thankfully had it released, because it's fantastic. We're playing the first movement of the suite, "Sunset and the Mockingbird", and will feature pianist Alex Espe and clarinetist Nick Durant.

 Benny Carter was one of the great musicians of the 20th century, excelling as an alto saxophonist, trumpeter and composer and arranger. He wrote several albums for Count Basie, and "The Swizzle" comes from The Legend.

 Omar Thomas is a young Boston-based composer who has just recently released his first album, and we'll play the title track, "I Am."

HSU Large Ensembles in Centennial Concert 

 The first of two concerts celebrating Humboldt State’s centennial presents the large ensembles of the HSU Music Department performing new and historic works on Friday December 13 in the Van Duzer Theatre.

 Ensembles performing include Humboldt Symphony, Symphonic Band, Humboldt Bay Brass Band, Jazz Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, University Singers, Humboldt Chorale and Guitar Ensemble. They celebrate and reference not only HSU’s 100 years, but a century of music performed by HSU ensembles.

 Highlights of the concert include a combined performance of Randall Thompson’s The Testament of Freedom by the Humboldt Symphony, the University Singers and Humboldt Chorale.  The 1943 work incorporates Thomas Jefferson’s words, and became a patriotic favorite during and after World War II. The Symphony will also play excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite.

 The Humboldt Bay Brass plays Centennial Flourish, "Sempre Pro Veritas" (Always for Truth),” a new piece by its director Gilbert Cline, and a work combining two marches from the early 20th century by local musicians Bert Pasco and Frank Flowers.

 The program ends with the HSU Alma Mater, newly arranged by HSU music composition professor Brian Post. It is performed by the Symphonic Band and the two vocal ensembles, and conducted by music professor Kenneth Ayoob, currently Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

 A second Centennial Concert is planned for the spring semester, featuring small ensembles.

 The Centennial Concert featuring HSU large ensembles is performed on Friday December 13 at 8 p.m. in the Van Duzer Theatre at HSU. Tickets from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. $8/$5 seniors and children. HSU students with ID admitted free. Concert is produced by HSU Music Department.

Killer Joe on Green Dolphin Street: AM Jazz Band 

 The AM Jazz Band plays a Miles Davis hit, and tunes by Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley and Freddie Hubbard on Thursday December 12 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall.

 Tickets from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. $8/$5 seniors & children. HSU students with ID admitted free. AM Jazz Band directed by Dan Aldag, concert produced by HSU Music Department.

 Here’s the concert program:

 “Sack Of Woe” by Cannonball Adderley, arranged by Mike Kamuf: hard bop, written for Adderley's quintet.

 “Lester Leaps In” by Lester Young, arranged by Rich Sigler: swing tune written for a small group from Count Basie's band.

 “Tiny Capers” by Clifford Brown, arranged by Carl Strommen: written for the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet.

 “On Green Dolphin Street” by Bronislaw Kaper, arranged by Victor Lopez: theme song from a late '40s film that became a jazz standard after being recorded by Miles Davis.

 “Killer Joe” by Benny Golson, arranged by Lisa DeSpain: written for the Jazztet.

 ”Little Sunflower” by Freddie Hubbard, arranged by Mike Kamuf: a modal tune first recorded on the Hubbard album of the same name.

Madrigal Singers & MRT Give Voice to Winter Holidays

 HSU’s 22-member Madrigal Singers perform their annual winter holiday concert in period costume, with the Mad River Transit jazz singers on Sunday December 8 in Fulkerson Recital Hall.

It’s a North Coast musical tradition to welcome the season with old English madrigals by classic composers like John Dowland and Henry Purcell. The Madrigal Singers also perform Martin Shaw’s “Fanfare For Christmas Day,” Thomas Campion’s “Now Winter Nights Enlarge” and provide instructions on “Which is the Properest Day to Drink,” plus news of the day from the year 1600.

 Mad River Transit takes over for the second half with jazz singing in a variety of tempos, including swing, be-bop and blues. With a rhythm section backing, the 18 singers in various combinations perform songs by composers ranging from Neil Young to Muddy Waters. Staff accompanist John Chernoff doffs his Renaissance robes to play some solo jazz piano.

 Directed by Harley Muilenburg, Madrigal and MRT singers perform on Sunday December 8 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets are $8/$5, free to HSU students with ID from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. Produced by HSU Music Department.

Media: Mad River Union, Humboldt State Now

Madrigal Singers: The Program

The Madrigal Singers will present madrigals, part songs, solos, and duets along with the news of the day, the day being the time of Shakespeare in merry old England. Madrigals by Weelkes, Morley, Vecchi, Campion Lawes, Dowland, Henry Purcell, and Eric Whitacre will be sung, and News of 1600 England will compliment the Madrigal performance.  Directed by Harley Muilenberg.

  Madrigal Singers Fanfare For Christmas Day by Martin Shaw
 In These Delightful Pleasant Groves by  Henry Purcell
 Since Robin Hood by Thomas Weelkes
 Fa Una Canzona Orazio by Vecchi
 Toss the Pot by Thomas Ravenscroft
 Which is the Properest Day to Drink
 Shepherd, Shepherd by Henry Purcell
 Mary Now Winter Nights Enlarge by Thomas Campion
 Beauty and Love by Henry Lawes
 Nymphs and Shepherds by Henry Purcell
 The Peaceful Western Wind by Thomas Campion
 Flow my Tears by John Dowland
The Willow Song- Time of Elisabeth I
Can She Excuse my Wrongs arr. Harley Muilenburg
 A Secret Love or Two by Thomas Campion
 Come Again Sweet Love by John Dowland
Change Then for Lo She Changeth by William Holborne Abbey
What If a Day--Time of Elizabeth
 Florian’s Song by Benjamin Godard
And Would You See my Mistress Face by  Philip Rosseter
 Strike The Viol by Henry Purcell
Me, Me, and None But Me by John Dowland
 If Music Be the Food of Love by Henry Purcell
 Kala Kalla (from 5 Hebrew Songs) by  Eric Whitacre
 Sir Christmas by William Mathias

December 2013 Madrigal Singers (not in order pictured): Ana Ceja,  Erin Corrigan,  Jessica Golden,  Tiffany Casparis,  Robyn Strong,  Erika Luna, Stevy Marquez,   Kristin Mack,  Rosemary Torres,  Abbey Teitelbaum, Elisabeth Gent, Ray Alvarez, Dylan Kinser, John Pettlon, Edrees Nassir,  Kenneth Bridges,     Clint Rebik, Victor Guerrero,  Jeremy Rodda, Kyle McInnis, Christian Rosales, Aubrey Ross. Click photo to enlarge.

Mad River Transit: The Program

MRT’s December concert will feature solo singers and solo piano by our staff accompanist John Chernoff. MRT will feature music of a number of well known vocal jazz arrangers, including Paris Rutherford, Michele Weir and Greg Jasperse. There will be up-tempo jazz, slow tempo jazz, and medium swing jazz for variety of style in the program. Bee bop and Blues will reign.

 MRT’s rhythm section includes: John Chernoff, piano; Ian Taylor, bass and Tyler Burkhart, drums.

 Favorite Things arr. Harley Muilenburg

 After the Goldrush by Neil Young, arr. Elliott Shay

 Anthropology arr. Paris Rutherford

 Boplicity by  Miles Davis, arr. Clinton Day

 New York Voice Dance by  Greg Jasperse

 Muddy Water arr. Michele Weir

 Birdland arr. Paris Rutherford

December 2013 Mad River Transit (not in order pictured): Ana Cruz,   Hannah Fels, Jillian Gibson, Trina Garrett, Jo Kuzelka, Jessie Rawson,  Molly Harvis, Sandy Lindop, Danielle Murray,  Kenneth Bridges,      Dolan Leckliter, Steven Eitzen, Edrees Nassier, Christian Lesko, Christopher Parreira, Maxime Tanti,  Vance Uhphrey, Kobe Thompson.  Directed by Harley Muilenberg. Click photo to enlarge.

Oops! Can’t Miss Percussion & Calypso Band Concert

 HSU Percussion Ensemble presents the North Coast premiere of Oops, the World Percussion Group pounds out exciting rhythms of the Brazilian Samba and the HSU Calypso Band does their Caribbean thing on Saturday December 7 in the Van Duzer Theatre.

Oops, made famous by composer Mike Manieri and his jazz fusion group Step Ahead, features a vibraphone solo by HSU percussionist and graduating senior Nev Mattinson. 

 The Percussion Ensemble also presents a composition by Christopher Rouse based on Haitian ritual rhythms, Mark Ford’s Head Talk and a percussion trio, Intentions, by the group’s director Eugene Novotney.

 Mandeng drumming from West Africa and the World Percussion Group (directed by Howard Kaufman) performing Brazilian samba sounds completes the concert’s first half. 

 Then comes the HSU Calypso Band, now in its 28th year. Among its high energy dance rhythms are two modern classics from Trinidad: Fire Down Below by Len “Bogsie” Sharpe and Pan in A Minor by Lord Kitchener and Jit Samaroo. 

 HSU Percussion Ensemble, World Percussion Group and Calypso Band perform on Saturday December 7 at 8 p.m. in the Van Duzer Theatre on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets: $10 general, $5 seniors and children, $3 HSU students from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.

Media: North Coast Journal, Mad River Union, Humboldt State Now

Notes: Percussion Ensemble & Calypso Band Concert

“Presenting contemporary music for Percussion Ensemble; the folkloric percussion music of the of West Africa; the exciting rhythms of the Brazilian Samba; and the festive steel drum sounds of the Calypso tradition of the Caribbean.”

 The Percussion Ensemble will open the show by presenting a wide variety of contemporary music for percussion, including the Northcoast premier of Oops, made famous by jazz vibraphonist, Mike Manieri, and the seminal jazz-fusion group, Steps Ahead. Oops features an infectious groove and a phenomenal arrangement orchestrated for Marimbas, Vibraphones, Bells, Chimes, Steelpans, Bass, and Drumset, and will feature a vibraphone solo by HSU percussionist and graduating senior, Nev Mattinson.

 Also featured will be Christopher Rouse’s engaging composition, Ogoun Badagris, which is based on Haitian ritual rhythms to the deity, Ogoun. Here’s the composer’s description: “Ogoun Badagris derives its inspiration from Haitian drumming patterns, particularly those of the Juba Dance. Hence, it seemed logical to tie in the work with various aspects of Voodoo ritual. Ogoun Badagris is one of the most terrible and violent of all Voodoo loas (deities) and he can be appeased only by human blood sacrifice. This work may thus be interpreted as a dance of appeasement. The four conga drums often act as the focal point in the work and can be compared with the role of the four most basic drums in the Voodoo religion — the be-be, the seconde, the maman, and the asator. The metal plates and sleighbells are to a certain extent parallels of the Haitian ogan. The work begins with a brief action de grace, a ceremonial call-to-action in which the high priest shakes the giant rattle known as the asson, here replaced by cabasa. Then the principle dance begins, a grouillère: this is a highly erotic and even brutally sexual ceremonial dance which in turn is succeeded by the Danse Vaudou at the point at which demonic possession occurs. The word "reler," which the performers must shriekat the conclusion of the work, is the Voodoo equivalent of the Judaeo-Christian amen.”

 Additional works on the concert include Mark Ford’s, Head Talk, composed for REMO pre-tuned drumheads, and the percussion trio, Intentions, composed by the groups’ director, Eugene Novotney.

The first half of the show will end with a suite of traditional Mandeng Drumming from West Africa, and a special presentation by the HSU World Percussion Group of the the exciting rhythms of the Brazilian Samba, all performed on traditional folkloric instruments.

 The second half of the show will feature the festive dance music of the Humboldt State Calypso Band. It is significant to note that while HSU is celebrating its 100th year anniversary this year, the Calypso Band celebrating its 28th year of existence, all under the direction of its founder, Dr. Eugene Novotney. For over a quarter-century, the Calypso Band has been performing and entertaining local audiences, and has proven to be one of Humboldt County’s favorite musical ensembles.

 The Calypso Band will feature several high-energy dance compositions from the Caribbean in their set, including two modern Panorama classics from the island of Trinidad – Fire Down Below by Len “Bogsie” Sharpe, and Pan in ‘A’ Minor by Lord Kitchener & Jit Samaroo. The Humboldt State Calypso Band prides itself in maintaining an accurate and authentic connection to the roots of the steel band movement and the innovative musicians of Trinidad, the island on which this unique percussion phenomenon was born. The band is dedicated to the performance of traditional and contemporary music from the Caribbean, Africa, Brazil, Cuba and the United States.

Symphonic Band Features Guest Conductor 

 A guest conductor for a wind band masterwork highlights the HSU Symphonic Band concert on Friday December 6 in Fulkerson Recital Hall. 

 The guest conductor is Dr. Brian Cardany from the University of Rhode Island. He will conduct Prelude, Siciliano & Rondo by 20th century British composer Malcolm Arnold, who won an Oscar for his Bridge on the River Kwai soundtrack. 

 “This piece is on many lists of core works for wind band,” Symphonic Band conductor Paul Cummings said. “It’s very melodic and economical, with short movements and no excess. Arnold is known for light, witty writing but this work also has real substance.”

 “We’re very excited to have Dr. Cardany here,” Cummings said. “In addition to conducting this piece, he will also conduct a master class, talk to our music education majors and do a clinic with our Symphonic Band.” Cardany was recently appointed principal conductor of The American Band. Established in New England in 1837, it is one of the oldest continuously active bands in the United States.

 Cummings will conduct the rest of the program, which includes Sanctuary by Frank Ticheli. “He’s one of the most prominent living band composers,” Cummings said. “This is a slow, reflective piece but again, very tuneful. These melodies are presented in very contemporary harmonies.” 

 The Band also plays Vadres, a European march by Norwegian composer Johannes Hanssen, and the third movement of Culloden by Julie Giroux, based on her painstaking research into the oldest British folk songs. Giroux had a career in film, television and popular music (she was the first woman and youngest person ever to win an Emmy for music direction) before turning to symphonic and wind band compositions. “Now her music is played all over the country and the world,” Cummings said. 

 The HSU Symphonic Band performs on Friday Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU. Tickets are $8/$5 seniors and children, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.  Produced by HSU Music Department.

Media: Mad River Union, Tri-City Weekly, Humboldt State Now.

Director's Notes: Symphonic Band concert December 6

from interviews with HSU Symphonic Band director Paul Cummings

Prelude, Siciliano & Rondo by Malcolm Arnold

Dr. Brian Cardany

"Dr. Brian Cardany from the University of Rhode Island is conducting this piece. We’re very excited to have him here. He’s the newly appointed conductor of a group called The American Band, which has a long history of performing great wind band music in New England. He’ll only be here long enough to prepare one piece, but he will also conduct a master class, talk to our music education majors and do a clinic with our Symphonic Band.

 This prelude is a classic in the wind band repertoire—it’s on many lists of pieces that are considered masterworks. It was written in 1979 by Malcolm Arnold, a British composer known for his lighter style. Donald Mitchell in the London Musical Times wrote that “there’s often a tongue-in-cheek quality to his music,” and that it’s impossible to write about it without using adjectives “like vital, breezy, humorous, witty...” I have to say however that this is one of his more serious pieces.

 “Siciliano” in the title refers to a dance form from the Baroque period. This is a slow tempo piece in 6/8 time—that’s one of the characteristics of Siciliano. Like most British music for band, it’s very tuneful. As an orchestrator, Arnold was a great craftsman. He wrote this piece originally for brass band, and John Paynter—long-time band director at Northwestern University—arranged this for wind band.

 Another characteristic of Arnold’s music is that it’s very economical. So these movements are quite short—only two minutes or so each—yet there is real substance there. They’re almost like miniature symphonic works. It’s really nice for both listeners and performers because you never have the feeling that things are just dragging on, or that there is filler, as one might feel about some composers."

 Sanctuary by Frank Ticheli 

Frank Ticheli

"This is a slow, reflective piece that starts with an extremely difficult French horn solo. I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the longer French horn solos at the beginning of any band piece. There are also solos for flute and clarinet later on.

 Ticheli is professor of composition at the University of Southern California, and one of the most prominent living composers for wind band in America. This is a fairly typical example of his writing: there’s a very strong melodic sense with several very tuneful passages, but these melodies are presented in very contemporary harmonies with extended chord structures and quite a bit of dissonance. So this is not simple music harmonically—it’s very challenging for the musicians.

 Ticheli wrote this for conductor H. Robert Reynolds, “as a symbol of our enduring friendship.” It was commissioned by the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association."

 Valdres by Johannes Hanssen 

 Perhaps the most famous Norwegian march. We’re doing European marches this year, and as with all European marches this takes a rather leisurely tempo, and features several trumpet solo passages and some very technically difficult woodwind playing.

 Culloden (third movement) by Julie Giroux 

Julie Giroux (with Emmy)

We’re playing the third of a three-movement work celebrating Scottish folk music and ancient Scottish culture. Julie Giroux is a prominent American composer who gained a lot of acclaim in the area of wind band composition. Her music is played all over the country and the world.

 Julie Giroux did a lot of research before she set pen to paper to write this piece. Her research centered on Scottish and Irish folk music—she really dug through a lot of manuscript sources to uncover some of the early songbooks for British folk music of all kinds. Then she culled from these primary sources just a handful of tunes that she uses in this third movement.

 Much of the piece has a military or warfare context because once you go back hundreds of years, Scotland was basically consumed by military battles—clan disputes over territory and battles with England. So you hear military fanfares, even simulated cannon fire. But interspersed with these calls to battle are some very beautiful lyrical passages, from these folk songs.

 She mentions in the program notes that some of our familiar folk songs have roots in these Scottish song sketches, including “London Bridge” and “Yankee Doodle” and several Stephen Foster tunes, like “Oh! Susannah.”