APRIL 2, 2015 UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD’S THE HARTT SCHOOL MUSIC • DANCE • THEATRE HARTT ORCHESTRA 2515 ORCHESTRA 2.indd 1 3/26/15 8:59 PM The Hartt School T. Clark Saunders, Acting Dean David Westfall, Director, Instrumental Studies Division Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Claude Debussy (1862–1918) Kalena Bovell, conductor present Hartt Orchestra Siegfried Idyll Richard Wagner (1813–83) Edward Cumming, Music Director and Conductor Kalena Bovell, Assistant Conductor Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–75) I. Moderato II. Allegretto III. Largo IV. Allegro non troppo Thursday, April 2, 2015 2515 ORCHESTRA 2.indd 2-3 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theater 3/26/15 8:59 PM Program Notes by Caty Dalton Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune At the age of 10, Claude Debussy enrolled in the Paris Conservatory, where he was known for sitting down at the piano and creating unique sounds that were in high conflict with the “textbook” examples. Constructing chords and styles that were unlike any before him, Debussy established a sound that set him apart. Like other composers of his time, however, Debussy’s compositions were influenced by poetry. Mallarmè’s poem, “L’après-midi d’un faune,” inspired Claude Debussy’s Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun.” The piece opens with a beautiful melody played by the flute, representing a faun in a dreamlike state. The melody continues throughout the piece as the faun alternates between dream and reality. Debussy’s Faun is a work unlike any other, for the textures within, as well as the structure and harmony are a dream state all of their own. Siegfried Idyll Siegfried Idyll was originally written for Richard Wagner’s wife, Cosima von Bulow, as a birthday present. Intended to be a private piece, the original instrumentation was for 13 solo instruments. The first section of the piece is a love theme. The piece opens quietly, with a delicate melody that grows stronger, representing the evergrowing love Wagner had for his wife. The second section was for Wagner and Cosima’s newborn son, Siegfried. Based off of a famous German lullaby, “Schlaf’, Kindchen, schlafe” (“Sleep, children, sleep”), a beautiful theme launches into a scherzo that represents the happy family Wagner and Cosima had built together. Wagner brings back the love theme from the beginning, but this time at a faster pace. The music eventually returns to the original tempo, ending with the love theme created for his wife. On the day the piece was first performed, Cosima wrote in her diary, “As I awoke, my ear caught a sound, which swelled fuller and fuller; no longer could I imagine myself to be dreaming, music was sounding, and such music! When it died away, Richard came into my room . . . and offered me the score of the symphonic birthday poem.” 2515 ORCHESTRA 2.indd 4-5 Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Opus 47 In January of 1936, an article in the Soviet newspaper, Pravda, expostulated Dimitri Shostakovich’s latest opera, Lady Macbeth of the Mtzensk District. Demanding the opera be taken off the stage, the government forced Shostakovich to compose works for propaganda purposes. In an attempt to restore himself as an artist under the tyranny of Stalin, Shostakovich began work on his 5th Symphony. Even while it was being monitored by the Soviet Union, his music was still able to express his political views to the world with great emotional power. The first movement opens with a grand, martial-like figure that continues quietly as the violins present a second theme. The ominous feel continues as several sections of the orchestra continue to develop both themes. The orchestra keeps building the tension that finally breaks into a boisterous march that fades into a serene ending. In Solomon Volkov’s biography, Shostakovich says the second movement of his symphony depicted the brutality of the regime. The second movement is a great example of Shostakovich’s biting satire. The third movement, Largo, in which the brass are quiet, shows the composer’s amazing ability to write for strings in a manner befitting a chorus. The somber movement gradually moves toward a heart-wrenching climax between the violins and xylophone. Like the first movement, the finale has two main themes, frequently changing mood as the brass leads the orchestra into a slow, inexorable march. Gradually, the orchestra finds its way to a triumphant ending . . . or is it? Biography Kalena Bovell is a graduate of The Hartt School, receiving a Masters of Music in instrumental conducting. She has served as assistant conductor to Carolyn Kuan, music director of the Hartford Symphony and was the assistant conductor to the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra for two seasons. This past summer, Bovell was selected as a participant at the prestigious Conductors Institute of South Carolina, where she worked with Donald Portnoy, Peter Jaffe, and Jorge Mester. She has also participated in two conducting workshops led by Kenneth Kiesler and received a coaching with William Eddins and Michael Morgan. She is currently a Graduate Professional Diploma Candidate in instrumental conducting at Hartt, where she is a student of Edward Cumming. 3/26/15 8:59 PM Orchestra Members Flute Allison Hughes, D* Shannon Vandzura, D, Sh* Alex Burke, D Natalia Kaminska-Palarczyk, W Chace McClunng, Sh Horn Cathryn Cummings, D*, W, Sh Laura Weiss, D, W*, Sh Emily Crompton, Sh* Marina Krol, D, Sh Ben Ramey, D, Sh Piccolo Alex Burke, Sh Trumpet Seth Bailey, Sh* Peter Del Monaco, W, Sh Emily Tourgeman, Sh Oboe Amy Mitchum, D*, Sh* Meg Markwith, D, Sh Ling Chun Yeh, W Trombone Michael Papa, Sh* Carter Jackson, Sh Brian Johnston, Sh English Horn Ling-Chun Yeh, D Tuba Kevin LaRose, Sh Clarinet Diego Vasquez, D*, W Kristen Lauria, W*, Sh Noel Liakos, Sh* Caitlin Yovino, D, Sh Bassoon Mason Adams, D*, Sh Kristen Powell, W, Sh* Kayleigh Bagley, D Contrabassoon Kayleigh Bagley, Sh 2515 ORCHESTRA 2.indd 6-7 Harp Annelise Ellars, D*, Sh Pearl Rourke, D, Sh Timpani Daryl Belcher, Sh Percussion David Counterman, Sh Jean Carlo Urena Gonzales, Sh Michael Jones, Sh Benjamin Scanlan, Sh Violin I Yanyan Zhang concertmaster, D, W, S Luciana Arraes, D, S Sarah Bowen, D, S Sunnaj Britt, D, S Daniel Fecteau, D, W, S Rebecca Fix, D, S Anthony Galea, D, S Jaclyn Nevitt, D, S Kevin Seto, D, W, S Yae Eun Shin, D, W, S Chaeyoung Son, D, W, S Fernanado Vizcayno, D, W, S Salena Walker, D, W, S Violin II Min Jung Noh, principal, D, W, S Cody Bigenho, D, W, S Naoki Katakura, D, W, S Kathryn Pappalardo, D, W, S Edan Sabah, D, W, S Seina Shirakura, D, W, S Jessie Snoke, D, W, S Yania Srirojanun, D, W, S Pheobe Suzuki, D, W, S Shin Pei Gayl Teo, D, W, S Nathaniel Williams, D, S Jacob Wood, D, W, S Viola Eugenio Figueroa principal, D, W, S Clair Babecki, D, S Nicholas Baere, D, W, S Po-Chun Chen, D, S Caty Dalton, D, S Jacob Dziubek, D, S Hector Elias, D, W, S Bonnie Heung, D, W, S Mary McSweeney, D, S Matthew Norman, D, W, S Lauren Perala, D, W, S Catherine Schifferli, D, W, S Kaitlin Springer, D, W, S Violoncello Kayla Herrmann, principal, D, S Sarah Barrett, D, S Xi Chen, D, W, S Tyler Cottrell, D, S Matthew Gabriel, D, W, S Ignacy Grzelazka, D principal W, S Yoo Min Lee, D, S Noah Marconi, D, W, S Matthew Nichols, D, W, S Jinyoung Son, D, S Timothy Sterbenz, D, S Ariel Su, D, W, S Vivian Su, D, S Bass Krista Kopper, principal, D, W, S Thomas Gleason, D, W, S Kevin Huhn, D, W, S Avery Robinson, D, S Lindsay Rosenberg, D, S Zachary Rowden, D, S D = Debussy Sh = Shostakovich W = Wagner * Denotes principal 3/26/15 8:59 PM 2515 ORCHESTRA 2.indd 8 3/26/15 8:59 PM
© Copyright 2024