Youngstown State University Percussion Ensemble
Dr. Glenn Schaft - Director
Ed Davis - Assistant
Director
30 March 2011, 8:00 PM
Butler North
Program
Rain Tree (1981) Toru Takemitsu
(1930-1996)
Rain
Tree represents
Takemitsu’s third period of composition, which was marked by less
experimentation, fewer complex rhythmic materials, and a movement towards
tonality. This piece belongs to the Waterscape
series that reference rain or water.
Besides the images portrayed in the music, Takemitsu include indications for dramatic lighting.
Each player has a spotlight, which depict drops of water or rain. During the
final improvised ‘rain drop’ section, however, the lights improvise with the
musicians. The lighting, being so intricately connected to the musical
materials, transcends the role of technical support to a performance of its
own.
Transmigration (2010) Phillip
Richardson (b.1986)
The piece was conceived after reading the following: Schopenhauer believed that art, in particular music, had – has – the
power to cause the will, the irrational, striving will, to somehow turn back
onto and into itself and cease to strive. He considered this a religious
experience, although temporary. Somehow art, somehow music especially, has the power
to transform man from an irrational thing into some rational entity that is not
driven by biological impulses, impulses that cannot by definition ever be
satisfied. – Philip K. Dick “The Transmigration of Timothy Archer”
Scratch for four scrapers or guiros (1998) Eugene
Novotney (b. 1960)
I.
Theme
II.
Cage
III.
Dos-Tres
IV.
Mess(age)
V.
Paganini
Born
October 29, 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Eugene Dominic Novotney received his
Bachelor of Music Degree in Percussion from the Cincinnati Conservatory of
Music and his Master of Music Degree & Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from
the University of Illinois with emphasis in Percussion, Composition, and
Ethnomusicology. He has studied Brazilian percussion at the "Instituto de
Investigacio Musico" in Salvador, Brazil, and Ewe drumming and Dagara
xylophone music at the "Dagara Music Center" in Medie, Ghana, West
Africa. He has also conducted research trips to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, and Accra, Ghana, West Africa, resulting in numerous
transcriptions and analytical studies.
Point Bak (1997) Gerard
Lecointe
Point Bak was composed on request of a French festival dedicated to the
work of Jean Sebastien Bach. Point Bak is
loosely based on themes, tonalities, and formal prelude and fugue practices
from Bach’s “First Book of the Well Tempered Clavier”.
Intermission
New South Africa (1995) Bela
Fleck (b. 1958), arr. E. Davis
Béla Fleck is often considered
the premier banjo player in the world. A New York City native, he picked
up the banjo at age 15 after being awed by the bluegrass music of Flatt &
Scruggs. While still in high school he began experimenting with playing
bebop jazz on his banjo, mentored by fellow banjo renegade Tony Trischka.
In 1980, he released his first solo album, Crossing the Tracks, with
material that ranged from straight ahead bluegrass to Chick Corea’s
“Spain.” In 1982, Fleck joined the progressive bluegrass band New Grass
Revival, making a name for himself on countless solo and ensemble projects ever
since as a virtuoso instrumentalist. In 1989 he formed the genre-busting
Flecktones, with colleagues equally talented and adventurous as himself.
The Missing Piece Miguel Zenón (b. 1976), arr.
D. May
This
is an original composition released on Zenón’s 2008 release "Awake." In
his relatively short career, Miguel has made a dent in the community of jazz,
world, and improvised music. The MacArthur Foundation, who in 2008 selected him
and 25 others to receive The MacArthur Grant, otherwise known as the
"Genius Grant" said this about Miguel's work: This young musician
and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social
tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st
century.”
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Percussion
Orchestra (2000)
Russell Peterson (b. 1969)
I.
II.
III.
Gretta Johnson -
Soloist
Greta Johnson earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music and
Mathematics in 2009 at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she was
the 2009 Concordia Concert Band Concerto Competition Winner. Greta is currently
a student at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio where she is
pursuing a Master’s degree in Saxophone Performance. Her primary instructors
have included Russell Peterson and James Umble.
Russell Peterson is an accomplished classical/jazz
saxophonist, bassoonist and composer who holds degrees from Youngstown State
University (Ohio), Le Conservatoire de Bordeaux (France), and Bowling Green
State University (Ohio), where he studied with Dr. James Umble, Donald Byo,
Jean-Marie Londeix, Dr. Jeffery Lyman and Dr. John Sampen. Winner of numerous
prizes, including the top prize at the International Geneva Saxophone Concours,
(Switzerland), and first place winner of the MTNA National Music Competition,
Mr. Peterson has soloed with orchestras in the United States as well as Europe,
including the Dana Chamber Orchestra, (USA), Concordia Orchestra, (USA),
Bowling Green Philharmonic, (USA), L'Orchestra de la Suisse Romande,
(Switzerland), Collegium Musicum, Basel (Switzerland), The Fargo-Moorhead
Symphony Orchestra, The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra (USA), The Orchestra
Conservatorio Superior De Música (Spain), The Western New York Chamber
Orchestra (USA), and The St. Petersburg Philharmonic, (Russia). Mr. Peterson
has served on the faculty at Youngstown State University (Ohio), The University
of Toledo (Ohio), Minnesota State University Moorhead, The Interlochen Summer
Arts Camp (Michigan), The International Music Camp, and is currently Assistant
Professor of Saxophone, Bassoon, and directs Jazz Ensemble I at Concordia
College in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Personnel:
Keith Born
- Bethel Park, PA
Joshua
Colson - Transfer, PA
Ed Davis -
Poland, OH
Jeff
Farber - Coralville, IA
Evan
Gottschalk - East Palestine, OH
Matthew
Hayes - Coshocton, OH
Dylan
Kollat - North Jackson, OH
Dustin May
- Westerville, OH
Moriah
Placer - Warren, OH
Nick
Sainato, Boardman, OH
Troy
Schaltenbrand - Allison Park, PA
Sarah
Sexton- Belz Mineral Ridge, OH
Robert
Young - Austintown, OH
Eric
Zalenski - Bloomingdale, OH