March 14-16 Oklahoma State University
Evening Concert Series McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Performance Hall
NASA 2024 Evening Concert #1 Soloists with OSU Wind Ensemble
Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Performance Hall
Alpenglow (2021)
Stacy Garrop (b. 1969)
Johnny Salinas, alto saxophone Ryan Robinson, tuba
Swamp Stomp (1999)
Mike Holober (b. 1957)
Damani Phillips, alto saxophone
Double Concerto ”Baroque” (2018)
Carter Pann (b. 1972)
Carolyn Braus, alto saxophone Sara Reese, clarinet
Negative Split (2021)
Roshanne Etezady (b. 1973)
Shawna Pennock, alto saxophone
CARNIVAL
Augusta Read Thomas
concerto for baritone saxophone & wind ensemble (2022)
(b. 1964)
Phil Pierick, baritone saxophone ~ World Premiere ~
Program Notes
Alpenglow (2021) - Stacy Garrop The first time I saw an alpenglow, I had no idea what it was. It was the late 1980s, and I was at music camp at the base of the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. A few of us got up in the middle of the night so we could hike to a vantage point at the foot of Longs Peak, to watch the sun rise without any trees obstructing our view. Even though we had a few more minutes to go before the sun breached the horizon, when I looked up at the face of Longs Peak, it was glowing intensely with a most beautiful peach-pink color. This enchanting vi- sion lasted only about ten minutes, after which the color faded as the sun rose. Throughout the next thirty years, whenever I returned to the Rocky Mountain National Park, I would occasionally catch this pre-dawn light show in all its glory. An alpenglow is an optical phenomenon that is visible on high altitude mountains. It happens twice daily, right before the sun rises and right after it sets. The earth’s atmosphere scatters the sun’s light, allowing particu- lar wavelengths of light through and blanketing the mountains in rich hues of peach, pink, red, and purple. Alpenglow opens with First Light. This movement begins in the pre-dawn hour. The music starts simply and slowly, then grows increasingly animated as the sky lightens and the horizon shimmers with color. The move- ment explodes in a massive flurry of activity when the blazing sun pulls itself across the horizon. In Arc of the Sun, we follow the sun as it energetically leaps and surges upwards in the sky. The music moves steadily upwards as it keeps pace with the sun’s progress, then crests as the sun reaches its zenith. As the sun bends back down towards the earth, the music follows suit, getting lower in range and slower as the sun nears the horizon. In Radiant Glow, the sun slips under the horizon, giving way to a most radiant alpenglow. As the alpenglow fades and twilight envelops the earth, stars shimmer in the night sky. - Program Note by composer Swamp Stomp (1999) - Mike Holober Swamp Stomp is the second movement of my Road Trip for Alto Saxophone and Wind Band. Road Trip was commissioned by The Commission Project and premiered by New York Philharmonic Saxophonist Dave Demsey. As a jazz composer, I often use an element in my music that could be described as “folkish.” The fea- tures of this harmonic language include “majorness,” an abundance of fourths and fifths, and a general feeling that is very un-blues-like in its positive attitude. There is also an “American” quality to this that has been pro- grammed into us, primarily by Aaron Copland. I love it! It gives me chills -- and what better medium to let my sentiments run wild than in that most American ensemble of all, the concert band/wind ensemble? With the saxophone as the solo voice, the setting is perfect for exploring my weakness for this language. Swamp Stomp is in a second line groove and is both a parade bayou style and a crawdad fest. This movement has a section where the entire ensemble must improvise responses to the soloist. - Program Note by composer Double Concerto “Baroque” (2018) - Carter Pann In a musical style strongly influenced by (and occasionally parodying) American popular music, the subti - tle “Baroque” may seem a puzzle at first. It is also the key to Pann’s approach in composing for multiple wind soloists and ensemble. With Bach’s Brandenburgs in the rear-view mirror, Pann has created a glorious hybrid of inspirations with intricate counterpoint, cadenzas, beautiful slow textures, and wild rides, creating a 16-minute, fast-slow-fast concerto grosso. Double Concerto “Baroque” was commissioned by David Stambler for a consortium of 15 Duos and Wind Ensembles around the United States. - Program Note from publisher
Negative Split (2021) - Roshanne Etezady The composer offers the following insight into the inspiration for this new composition:
“Swimming might be the closest to flying a human being can get. There is something about your body displacing water in order to propel through space that makes you feel Godtouched. That makes me understand evolution, that we really must have crawled up from the sea.” — Elizabeth Acevedo, Clap When You Land
In July of 2021, I watched Olympians Katie Ledecky, Emma McKeon, and Tatjana Schoenmaker break world records in swimming. It was remarkable, not only for their incredible feats of athleticism, but also due to the fact that as recently as a century ago, swimming was not considered a suitable activity for women -- it was considered improper at best, and subversive at worst --and yet, today, athletes like these are pushing the bar higher and higher, always striving to exceed their limitations, driven not only by the desire to succeed but also by the sheer joy of moving through space, of propelling themselves through water. I can’t help but draw an analogy between competitive swimmers and music performers, who are also driven by competition as well as by joy, and who also strive to exceed their own limitations. In music, too, women have historically been on the periphery. The title Negative Split refers to the act of swimming the first half of a long-distance race slowly and the second half faster, which also reflects the musical activity of the piece. The soloist opens, alone perhaps, in the mist before an early-morning swim, and then begins deliberately to forge into water, still dark as the sun comes up. Melodic lines introduced in the opening and heard throughout the piece are built around large ascending intervals that reminded me of long arm strokes cutting through water. As the piece progresses, light glints off the water, the pace gets faster, and adrenaline kicks in to propel the soloist to the finish. Negative Split was commis - sioned by the Committee on the Status of Women of the North American Saxophone Alliance in 2021. This committee exists to “promote gender equity in areas related to saxophone, support the professional development of women and gender non-binary members in the North American Saxophone Alliance, and serve as a repos- itory of resources and information about women+ and saxophone.” Though it is common for girls to begin studying the saxophone, they tend to drop out at a higher rate than boys, especially during and shortly after the middle school years. Negative Split is written for a professional-level saxophone soloist to be performed together with a young band. Performances given within the first two years are exclusive to women and gender diverse soloists. The intent is to provide representation in classrooms of young people with the goal of reducing this drop-out rate.
- Program Note compiled by Daniel Johnson Carnival (2022) - Augusta Read Thomas
“Inspired by prose and poem, myth and lore, philosophy and religion, modern dance and jazz improvisation, Thomas’ composition is informed by layers of drawings, charts, and colorful visual artistry.” — R.J. Weick from her Feature Article in Great Lakes By Design Magazine.
In CARNIVAL, Thomas takes her listener and her musicians on a journey. With a compelling organic self-propulsion and vibrant inner life, the music is colorful, clean, witty, and intentional. Thomas played trumpet for 14 years and grew up playing in the Wind Ensemble and band. Thus, she has an affinity for and understand - ing of the instrumentation from the inside out. You can hear that she heard every note and that every dynamic and articulation was sculpted. CARNIVAL shows off different attributes of the instrument and soloist with inventive music that seamlessly embraces lyrical, jazzy, spirited, stately, expressive, and many other qualities. This music is fun to play because it is engaging and brings to life Thomas’ distinctive, personal, clever sonic storytelling. Originally written for bassoon, tonight’s performance is the World Premiere of the Baritone Saxophone version. - Program Note from composer’s website
OSU W ind E nsemble D r . B rad G enevro , C onductor
Horn Katie Brook Grace Fenstad Daniel Fair
Flute Stephanie Cromer Hannah Hartwig * (pic) Lauren Joseph
Allison Ringler * Cameron Taylor * Thomas Wilhelm
Noah Pool * (pic) Isabella Trevino Oboe Katherine Fox Jake Hutchinson * Kayla Miller Bassoon Joey Goller Anthony Coito Bb Clarinet Emily Copeland * Clayton Ford Alberto Gutierrez Caleb Larsen Matigan Marion Abigail Short
Trombone Ethan Do *
Jimmy Dorsaint Antonio Gamez Caleb Gammill David Johnston Bass Trombone Dylan Halliday * Campbell Byrd * Sereen Elkhalid * AJ Genevro * Tuba Rudy Carrasco Ethan Evans Eddie Gonzalez * Percussion Raygan Mida * Cheldon Gatz Caleb Tonini Ademir Hall Corbin Thrush Nick Platon Double Bass Harrison Reynolds Jacob Robinson Christa Naber Euphonium
Caitlyn Thrush Bass Clarinet Carson Reedy Alto Saxophone Austin Pope Daniel Soto * Tenor Saxophone Carson Pitts Baritone Saxophone Blake Kline Trumpet Mark Conners Connor Gilbert Jackson Keeney Omar Martinez-Rosete
* Denotes Sectional Principal The OSU Wind Ensemble members are listed alpha- betically to stress the importance each member has in the ensemble.
Piano Eli Jim
Will Reynolds * Steven Van Heel
NASA 2024 Evening Concert #1 OSU Jazz Orchestra and Special Guests
Friday, March 15, 2024 at 7:30 PM McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Performance Hall
Fear of Roaming
Seamus Blake arr. Tommy Poole
Tommy Poole, saxophone soloist
Transience
Toshiko Akiyoshi Mary Lou Williams
Shafi
Sarah Dunbar, saxophone soloist
Manhattan Grace
Rahsaan Barber arr. Matt Tutor Rahsaan Barber arr. Matt Tutor
Brooklyn En La Casa
Rahsaan Barber, saxophone soloist
Retrospections Honorary Whites
Yu Nishiyama Yu Nishiyama
Adam Hutcheson, saxophone soloist
Cruisin’ For A Bluesin’
Andy Weiner arr. Peter Blair
Tommy Poole, saxophone soloist
OSU J azz O rchestra D r . T ommy P oole , director
Saxophones Tansy Brooks, lead alto Sammy Rodriguez, alto 2 Kyle Fisher, tenor 1 Dominique Frazier, tenor 2 Olivia Tucker, baritone Trumpets Michael Burish, lead Aidan Evano, trumpet 2 Mark Connors, trumpet 3 Jackson Keeney, trumpet 4 Connor Gilbert, trumpet 5
Trombones Ethan Do, lead Dylan Ryan, trombone 2 Tanner Gardner, trombone 3 Christa Naber, bass Rhythm Eric Eppstein, guitar
Isaac Jones, piano Cyrus Rowe, bass
Avery Johnson, bass Cade Crone, drums Nicholas Visbal, drum s
NASA 2024 Evening Concert #3 “Seek and Discover”
Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 7:30 PM McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Performance Hall
Ay, Orgulloso
Traditional Saeta arr. Brian Stark
Alborado de Vigo Will o’ the Wisp
The Pan Piper
Traditional/Manuel de Falla arr. Brian Stark
Illinois Flamenco-Jazz Collective: Brian Stark, Jose Guzman, Andrey Goncolves, & Stephen Bust
{not} letting go (2023)
Aviya Kopelman
I. II.
Idit Shner
Janani (2008, rev. 2009)
Asha Srinivasan
Medusa Saxophone Quartet: Jessica McCready, Brianna Buck, Kendra Wheeler, & Alexis Seah Hannah Creviston, piano
Cloud Cover on Erie (2023)
Jenni Watson
Thompson-Kasler Duo: Bobbi Thompson & Ariel Kasler
Cliffs (1994)
APHEX TWIN (Richard James) arr. Thomas Kurtz
University of Texas Saxophone Ensemble: Stephen Page, director
6.29.21
David Bixler
david bixler trio incognito: David Bixler, Fabio Rojas, & Dan Loomis
Pisachi (2013/2024)
Jarod Tate arr. Jonathan Nichol
h2 Quartet: Geoffrey Deibel, Jeffrey Loeffert, Jonathan Nichol, & Kimberly Loeffert
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