The Moravian College Wind Ensemble Harmony and Discord Featuring Robert Lawrence, clarinet, Instrumental Concerto Competition Winner 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 27, 2015 Foy Concert Hall, Priscilla Payne Hurd Campus, Moravian College The Divine Comedy ....................................................................................................................................................................... Robert W. Smith (1994-­‐1997) (b. 1958) I. Inferno II. Purgatorio III. Ascension IV. Paradiso (Please hold applause until the end of movement IV.) A Solemn Music .................................................................................................................................................................................. Virgil Thomson (1949) (1896-­‐1989) Movement I from Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-­‐flat major, Op. 74 ................................................................. Carl Maria von Weber (1811) (1786-­‐1826) Arr. T. Conway Brown Robert Lawrence (class of 2016), clarinet Instrumental Concerto Competition Winner INTERMISSION The Chimes of Liberty ................................................................................................................................................... Edwin Franko Goldman (1922) (1878-­‐1956) An American Elegy ................................................................................................................................................................................ Frank Ticheli (2000) (b. 1958) Emblem of Freedom ................................................................................................................................................................................. Karl L. King (1910) (1891-­‐1971) Flags of Freedom ........................................................................................................................................................................... John Philip Sousa (1918) (1854-­‐1932) Song of the Women’s Army Corps (new to the MCWE) ..................................................... Jane Douglass and Camilla Mays Frank (1943) Music courtesy of the United States Army Women’s Museum Please do not use flash photography. BUT, remember to friend the Moravian College Wind Ensemble on Facebook and post your concert pics there! This performance is being live-­‐streamed over the Internet.
PROGRAM NOTES This performance was made possible in part by a gift from Joseph Moyer, Esq., class of 2005. A PDF of this concert program and instructions on accessing live-­‐streaming may be found at: http://home.moravian.edu/public/music/instrumental/windEnsemble/index.htm. For those accessing online resources while at the performance, please silence all playback and electronic devices (the live-­‐stream is delayed approximately 30 seconds). The Divine Comedy – Smith (from the scores) “This is a four-­‐movement symphony for winds and percussion based on the Dante Alighieri literary classic of the same name. The story of Dante’s trilogy is very basic: one day Dante finds himself lost in a dark wood. Virgil, a character based on the revered Roman poet, appears and rescues him. Virgil guides Dante to a contemplation of Hell and Purgatory. Dante, having confessed his faults, and with Beatrice as his guide, is led into Paradise and attains a glimpse of the face of God.” This musical journey follows Dante’s descriptions of the nine circles of Hell, the seven terraces of Purgatorio, the ascension-­‐
transformation for the Sphere of Fire, and the final arrival at the Music of the Spheres. For a personal copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy in English, please visit Project Gutenberg online at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-­‐h/8800-­‐h.htm A Solemn Music – Thomson According to the notes in the score, “this work was commissioned by the League of Composers for the Goldman Band and first performed at the season’s opening concert of this organization on June 17, 1949, in Central Park, New York City, the composer conducting.” The harmonic and melodic figures are based on a twelve-­‐note tone row: C, E-­‐flat, G-­‐flat, E, D, F, A-­‐flat, A, C-­‐sharp, B-­‐flat, and B. One solidifying element of the piece is the slow, continual, repetition of the row in the lower instruments, in a passacaglia-­‐like manner. The years 2014 and 2015 are the 25th anniversary years of Thomson’s death. For more about the life and music of Virgil Thomson, please visit the Virgil Thomson Foundation, established in 1980 at: http://www.virgilthomson.org/index.html Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-­‐flat major, Op. 73 – Weber The early clarinet came into being in the 1600s. By the time of this concerto, the clarinet range had been extended through the implementation of a 12-­‐key system. But at the time, the instrument’s development was far from complete (the “modern” Boehm clarinet method/instrument would finally be developed in 1870). Yet, this early Romantic period concerto provided audiences with an opportunity to hear three-­‐octave leaps and a dramatic dynamic range that was as impressive in 1811, as it is today with the modern clarinet. The Chimes of Liberty – Goldman This piece was written for the Conference on the Limitation of Armament (1921-­‐22). The U.S., Britain, France, Italy, and Japan met “to contribute to the maintenance of the general peace, and to reduce the burdens of competition in armament.” For details of the results of the conference, see http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/pre-­‐war/1922/nav_lim.html Based in New York City, the Goldman Band was formed in 1918 and ceased its yearly performances in 1989. An American Elegy – Ticheli According to Ticheli’s notes, “An American Elegy is, above all, an expression of hope. It was composed in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, and to honor the survivors. It is offered as a tribute to their great strength and courage in the face of a terrible tragedy. I hope the work can also serve as one reminder of how fragile and precious life is and how intimately connected we all are as human beings.” Emblem of Freedom – King The Emblem of Freedom is a fine example of the King compositional style. While march-­‐form is common, King’s Trio sections often – as in this case – contain wonderful low brass/woodwind cascading lines. Both this and the Sousa piece were found in the Wind Ensemble’s early archives with the parts still on their uncut, published sheets. This performance may be the first time this music has been played by the ensemble. Flags of Freedom – Sousa This piece was used to promote the fourth Liberty Bond issued by the Treasury in support of the United States of America’s efforts in World War I. The music includes portions of songs commonly known to the Allied countries of the time (USA, Britain, France, and Italy). If you would like to view a silent film of Sousa, parts of the (very large) band, and Secretary of the Treasury, William Gibbs McAdoo, introducing the bonds, visit http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675034852_William-­‐Gibbs-­‐McAdoo_Fourth-­‐
Liberty-­‐Loan-­‐Drive_John-­‐Philip-­‐Sousa_Admiral-­‐Sims Song of the Women’s Army Corps – Douglass and Frank Special thanks go to Amanda Jean Strickland, Museum Specialist-­‐Archivist, and the United States Army Women’s Museum for providing access to this music. This piece was performed last spring; but now that the Department of Music has new recording equipment, the ensemble re-­‐recorded the piece earlier this week. The audience is invited to sing the music with the band. Please leave your sing-­‐along music at the exits when leaving the hall. ~ ~ ~ ~ PERFORMERS Robert Lawrence, clarinet soloist, is a junior Music Education major at Moravian College. A sixth-­‐generation Lehigh Valley native, Robbie is a 2012 graduate of Freedom High School, where he acted as both president and clarinet section leader of the Patriot Band and Orchestra, in addition to being an active member of the award-­‐winning Theatre Company. Here at Moravian, Robbie is currently affiliated with the Community Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Choir, Woodwind Trio, Clarinet Choir, and Greyhound Marching Band, who held the honor of appearing in the 2014 Columbus Day Parade in New York City. He has studied clarinet with Daniel Alonzo, Dr. Deborah Andrus, and John Schwartz, principal clarinetist of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Robbie is also proud to be a founding father of the Sigma Lambda Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a male fraternity dedicated to the advancement of music in America. Over the years, Robbie has played with a multitude of community and professional bands and ensembles, including the Bethlehem Municipal Band, the American Legion Band, and the Lehigh University Wind Ensemble, as well as the pit orchestra in several summer shows at the Pennsylvania Playhouse. Recently, Robbie was selected as one of three disc jockeys to succeed legendary Lehigh Valley bandleader and Marconi Award winner, Joseph W. “Jolly Joe” Timmer, and hosts his own radio show on Sunny 1100 WGPA (AM) dedicated to playing polkas, waltzes, and obereks. His show can be listened to anywhere in the world and sees an average of 13,000 listeners at any given time. Outside of the musical realm, Robbie is a lector at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Bethlehem, and is an avid collector of vintage electric fans and classic cars. The Wind Ensemble Piccolo Bb bass clarinet French horn Euphonium Crystal Bork John Studds Brian Strohmetz Emily Brands Hannah Smolko Samuel Morneweck Flute/piccolo Bassoon Nicholas Capraro Sarah Ponessa David Yerger Ashley Frick Tuba Isabella Holland Ashley Steinberg Ryan Barwick Rebecca Sheldon Trumpet Krystal Dering Rachel Kozak Eb alto saxophone Rachel Loughry Lowell Perkins Carolyn Cuesta Frederick Barr Frankie Sparacio Gabrielle Marotta Andrew Kanas Andrew Bentzoni Percussion Erin Rodenbough Ian Murphy Patrick Kerssen Alyssa Ascher Nathan Gerheart Benjamin Firling Tyler Bickford Oboe Daniel Kellow Ronald Bogart Nicolle Weaver Jeremy Bolf Trombone Emily Brands Lauren Greene Peter Petrack Miles Levrio Bb soprano saxophone Katherine Schraeder Eb clarinet Bb tenor saxophone Benjamin Wallace Jordan Shack Julia Flynn Adam Pauley Evan Homza Michael Saunders Bb clarinet Devin Diaz Eb bari saxophone Emily Hoke Shane Hansen Robert Lawrence Felicia Johnson Linda Martin The Moravian College Wind Ensemble is open to music majors and majors of all other disciplines, as well as members of the College and greater community. Repertoire selection represents a variety of original compositions and arrangements of wind and percussion literature spanning 300 years of music literature and performance styles. Over the course of four years, members may expect substantial experience with the recognized standards in wind band literature, contemporary band literature, and, often times, esoteric pieces from “left field.” Over the past twenty years, the Wind Ensemble has toured locally, the Caribbean, England and Scotland, and Germany. The Instrumental Concerto Competition for Orchestra and Wind Ensemble was first held in spring of 2007 for performances in 2007-­‐08. The past Wind Ensemble concerto competition winners were Kyle Hummel ‘08, alto saxophone, in 2008; Helen Smith ‘09, clarinet, in 2009; Cynthia Dretel ‘10, marimba, in 2010; Caitlin Worrich ’12, trombone, in 2011; Melissa Zirkel ’13, clarinet, in 2012; Ian Vogler ’13, saxophone, in 2013; and Devin Diaz ’16, clarinet in 2014. This year features two winners. Robert Lawrence ’16, clarinet, will perform the first movement of Carl Maria von Weber’s Concerto for Clarinet No. 2 in E-­‐flat major. Frederick Barr ’16, saxophone, will perform John Williams’ Catch Me If You Can. James E. Barnes is an Associate Professor and Director of Instrumental Music at Moravian College. For nearly fifteen years Barnes was a member of the George Seuffert Band, a Sousa-­‐styled concert band based in Queens, its roots dating back to 1898. For eighteen years Barnes was the cimbalom soloist for major orchestras and chamber ensembles in the eastern United States and Canada. Recordings of his cimbalom performances with orchestras may be found on iTunes. He previously taught at (then) Keene State College (NH), Mercy College/Westchester Conservatory (NY), The New School of Music (Philadelphia), and Temple University. He earned music degrees from (then) SUNY Albany and The Juilliard School and a degree in educational technology from Lehigh University. He additionally studied classical and jazz music at UMASS in Amherst and L’Institute des Hautes Études Musicale (Switzerland). Barnes is the Faculty Advisor for Moravian’s Sigma Lambda Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, the largest and oldest music fraternity in the country. This is his twenty-­‐fifth year at Moravian College. ~ ~ ~ ~ UPCOMING MUSIC @ MORAVIAN The Moravian College Wind Ensemble’s next performance: Featuring Frederick Barr, ‘16, saxophone, John Williams’ “Catch Me If You Can” Friday, April 17, 2014 ~ 7:30 PM Foy Concert Hall ~ Hurd Campus $15 general admission / $10 seniors & students / free with Moravian ID (also available online via live-­‐streaming) ~ ~ ~ ~ Moravian College-­‐Community Orchestra and The Moravian College BIG Band Donald Spieth and Neil Wetzel, directors Sunday, April 19, 2015 ~ 7:00 PM Foy Concert Hall ~ Hurd Campus $15 general admission / $10 seniors & students / free with Moravian ID ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For information & tickets: 610-­‐861-­‐1650 or music@moravian.edu ~ Be sure to visit www.moravian.edu/music for updates on our department concerts. The Department of Music is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Audience members requesting accessibility accommodations should contact an usher. Moravian College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any
type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Department of Music at
music@moravian.edu, or call 610-861-1650 at least one week prior to the event.