2011-10-07 Sphinx [recital program]

              Sphinx Virtuosi
featuring:
Catalyst Quartet
Danielle Belen, violin
Paul Laraia, viola
Friday, October 7, 2011
7:30 pm
Aycock Auditorium
Program
Fuga Criolla Juan Bautista Plaza
(1898-1965)
Divertimento for Strings (last movement) Béla Bartók
(1881-1945)
Passacaglia for Violin and Cello Handel/Halvorsen
(1864 -1935)
Danielle Belen and Paul Laraia
String Quartet No. 2 Michael Nyman
I. (b. 1944)
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26 Alberto Ginastera
V. Furioso (1916-1983)
Catalyst Quartet
Intermission
Last Round Osvaldo Golijov
(b. 1960)
Generations Sinfonietta No. 2 Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
III. Alla Burletta (1932-2004)
Ricercare a 6, NWV 1079 Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)
Death and the Maiden (last movement) Franz Schubert
(1797-1828)
arr. Gustav Mahler
Program Notes
Fuga Criolla, Juan Bautista Plaza
Juan Bautista Plaza Alfonso was a classical composer, initially educated as a medical
doctor. He eventually dedicated himself to music fully, and in the 1920’s, earned a
degree in Rome as the composer of sacred music. Upon his return to Venezuela, he
taught music history at the Superior Music School in Caracas. Fuga Criolla is one of
his most important and most known compositions for strings. The work, written in
1931, was originally scored for a string quartet, and later arranged by the composer
himself for string orchestra (the latter version is heard more often today). Plaza
demonstrates his mastery and love of counterpoint, with the fugue itself as a form
echoing a tradition immortalized by Bach. Yet, there are very clear folk overtones,
with Plaza’s reference to Joropo (a national dance form), which adds a great deal of
charisma to this memorable piece. The original title, later changed by the composer,
read “Fugue on Venezuelan Folk Melodies”.
Divertimento for Strings (last mvt), Béla Bartók
A great pianist, Bartok is regarded today as one of Hungary’s most important
composers. Throughout his career, Bartok has studied and incorporated folk
tradition of his native Hungary and neighboring countries into his music. The
Divertimento for Strings is a three-movement work composed in 1939. The work was
commissioned by Paul Sacher, a Swiss conductor, patron, impresario, and the founder
of the Basel Chamber Orchestra. The Finale (third movement), heard today, is a fast,
lively movement rondo form. The movement is fiery in character, with dance-like
elements. It is also less harmonically complex, or dissonant than the previous
movements. The contrast of solo parts and full orchestra creates a dynamic feel to the
movement, which also features a full fugue. One additional feature of note is a
dramatic, declamatory cadenza for violin. The ending resembles his timeless string
quartets: fast passages culminate in a furious, effective ending.
Passacaglia for Violin and Cello, Handel/Halvorsen
Johan Halvorsen was an important figure in Norwegian musical life. A composer,
conductor and violinist, he was educated in Oslo, Stockholm, St. Petersburg and
beyond. Halvorsen was a composer of the Romantic period, nationalist movement.
As a violinist, he performed in the legendary Gewandhaus Orchestra, as well as
serving as concertmaster for Scotland and Aberdeen Orchestras. As conductor, he
directed 30 operas and incidentals music for nearly 30 plays. As a composer he left a
legacy of dozens of orchestral works, volumes of incidental music, and operetta and
significant amount of chamber music, among which, is an arrangement for violin and
viola (also played on cello) of Handel’s Passacaglia. A Passacaglia is a popular
Baroque dance form featuring a series of repetitive figures in a single phrase.
Although the passacaglia is often in triple meter, this one is written in two (and four).
Halvorsen’s arrangement is luscious, virtuosic, dazzling, and rather memorable. It
skillfully features both instruments as solo lines, showcasing the best aspects of each.
A masterful way to immortalize Handel’s beautiful melody!
String Quartet No. 2, I., Michael Nyman
An English minimalist composer, pianist, musicologist and librettist is known for a
variety of music, including his numerous film scores. His has written a number of
operas, including The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, Facing Goya, and others. He
also wrote a number of concertos, and a variety of chamber works, highlighting four
strings quartets. Composed in 1988, this work was commissioned by famed
contemporary dancer, Shobana Jeyasingh, as a solo dance work: Miniatures. It was
first performed by her with the Balanescu Quartet on 15th September 1988 at the
Palace Theatre, London. Nyman writes: “I instantly decided that the string quartet
was the ideal medium: partly because it is quintessentially European to be rooted in
Indian rhythms (it should in no way sound Indian); partly because the different
rhythmic functions ascribed to each of the instruments in the Indian ensemble which
traditionally accompanies Bharata Natyam were most successfully transferred to
stringed instruments…”. The movement performed here carries rhythmic integrity,
which sustains consistent energy, holding the listener captive. In particular, Nyman’s
work resonates well with Catalyst Quartet’ own exploration of the contemporary
aesthetic, which incorporates minimalism, among other schools of thought.
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26, V. Furioso, Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Ginastera is a prominent figure on scene of Latin American composers. Born
in Argentina, he thought of his own music in three different stages, or periods:
"Objective Nationalism" (1934–1948), "Subjective Nationalism" (1948–1958), and "Neo-
Expressionism" (1958–1983). He composer in a classical tradition, but throughout the
periods, he explored a variety of ways in which he incorporated the influences of
traditional Argentine music into his original compositions. One of his most notable
students was Astor Piazzolla, a well-known composer who immortalized the tango in
and beyond the classical tradition. He authored three operas, two ballets, over a
dozen orchestral works, and made a number of great contributions to the chamber
repertoire. String quartet No. 2, opus 26, was commissioned by the Elizabeth Sprague
Coolidge Foundation and premiered by the Juilliard Quartet at the 1958 Inter-
American Music Festival in Washington, D.C. It was written toward he end of his
second period, or stage, where he explored with the twelve-tone system. He
composed this work, mirroring Bartok’s string quartets, in five movements, in “arch
form” (he greatly admired Bartok’s quartets). Uniquely, each movement is assigned
not only a tempo, but also, a mood indication. The final movement, Furioso, is full of
fire, drama and endless energy.
Last Round for Two String Quartets and Doublebass, Osvaldo Golijov
Osvaldo Golijov grew up listening to the music of Astor Piazzolla, which moved him
deeply. As a young person, Golijov studies piano and composition. He has studies in
Israel as well as US, under such greats as George Crumb, Oliver Knussen and Lucas
Foss.
This incredible masterpiece is inspired by the great Astor Piazzolla, as well as the St.
Lawrence String Quartet, a group that is favored by the composer. Tragically,
Piazzolla’s terminal illness was the original event, which precipitated the birth of the
slow movement of the work. With the encouragement from the St. Lawrence Quartet,
Golijov finished the work in 1996, scoring it specifically for its current instrumental
configuration, and preceding the slow movement with a fiery, fast movement.
Following is an excerpt from the liner notes of the magnificent recording by St.
Lawrence Quartet, from Golijov himself:
“The title is borrowed from a short story on boxing by Julio Cortázar; the idea was to
give Piazzolla's spirit an imaginary challenge to fight one more time (he used to get
into fistfights throughout his life). The piece is conceived as an idealized bandoneon.
The first movement represents a violent compression of the instrument and the
second a final, seemingly endless opening sigh (it is actually a fantasy over the refrain
of the song "My Beloved Buenos Aires," composed by the legendary Carlos Gardel in
the 1930s). But Last Round is also a sublimated tango dance. Two quartets confront
each other separated by the focal bass, with violins and violas standing up as in the
traditional tango orchestras…”
Generations Sinfonietta No. 2, III. Alla Burletta, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson shares the following information directly in the score for
this piece:
The inspiration for this composition, though non-programmatic, is somewhat
autobiographical in that it represents my attempts at what were and are my
relationships to members of my family - past and present. While each of the
movements is without a strict “formal” mode, an informal analysis of their structures
is as follows:
I. Misterioso and Allegro (to my daughter) is based on two motifs: the B-A-C-H
idea (in German these letters represent the pitches B-flat, A-natural, C-natural,
and B-natural), and the American folk tune “Mockingbird,” also
known as “Hush Li'l Baby, Don't Say a Word.”
II. Alla sarabande (sarabande, a 17 th and 18 th century dance in slow triple
meter) is dedicated to the matriarchs of my immediate family (of which
there were for me, three), each of whom contributed a unique form of
guidance for life's journey.
III. Alla Burletta (to my grandson). A burletta is an Italian term for a diminutive
burlesca or burlesque-type work - a composition in a playful and jesting
mood. Thematically, this movement is based on the pop tune “Li'l Brown
Jug.”
IV. Allegro vivace. This movement is a loosely constructed third rondo, which
thematically begins with a fughetta (original melody), has a second theme
(African in origin), and a third theme (“Mockingbird” paraphrased). Once
again, the B-A-C-H idea from the first movement is the musical thread that
ties these elements together. This movement is dedicated to the patriarchs of
my family, known and unknown, past, present and future, for generations.
How fortunate for us to have been left with such a descriptive intent behind this
genius’s work! The Sinfonietta is full of substance, contrast, beauty. In the Alla
Burletta movement, listen for humor in the syncopated pizzicatos from each string
section. The work with its clear jazz influences will lift your spirits, and the surprise
ending is sure to leave any listener with a sense of effervescent delight!
Ricercare a 6, BWV 1079, J.S. Bach
This fabulous piece is a key component of the Music Offering collection by Bach, who
was, arguably, the most important Baroque composer in history. When visiting his
son, C.P.E. Bach, at the court of Frederick he II, the elder Bach was presented with a
theme written by the king. As a result, he accepted the challenge to improvise a 3-
voice fugue on the spot. Later, Bach used the theme as the foundation for a grouping
of fugues and canons, which came together on one of the greatest baroque collections
know throughout music history, Musikalisches Opfer (Musical Offering), dedicated to
the king.
Besides the three-part fugue that he improvised on the spot, Bach also created a
version for six voices, dubbing both selections Ricercari. (Ricercare translates from
Italian as “to seek out”). Curiously, he did not specify the exact instrumentation for
the voices. A variety of composers, like Anton Webern, have arranged this incredible
work for different instruments. In 1926, Gustav Lenzewski (1857-1928), arranged
Ricercari a 6 for strings. The theme itself is sonorous, stoic, dramatic, or imposing,
depending upon each voice and their respective entry throughout the work. It is very
chromatic, and the incredible harmonies create an unparalleled effect when all voices
interact with one another, after the initial entry. Despite the general C Minor layout,
he piece ends in a blissful C Major, not uncharacteristic for Bach.
Death and the Maiden, Franz Schubert (arr. Gustav Mahler)
Although he died at a very early age of 31, this Austrian composer of the Romantic
era is admired as one of the leading and most significant composers. He was also
incredibly prolific, having written nine symphonies, operas, solo piano music,
volumes of chamber music, and 600 Lieders (songs). The musical world began to
study and appreciate Schubert’ music much more actively after his death. Composers
like Schumann, Brahms and Mendelssohn helped bring many of his works to light for
the public.
Another important Austrian composer, Gustav Mahler, was known to make
alterations to the scores he would conduct. Upon studying the score of Schubert’s
timeless masterpiece, a string quartet “Death and the Maiden”, Mahler obtained a
score and began to make specific notations on how the quartet could be arranged for
string orchestra. In fact, he left a score, which was a treasure with specific indications,
while not complete arrangement. After the composer’s death, Mahler’s daughter
shared the incomplete arrangement with the Mahler scholars; David Matthews and
Donald Mitchell. The pair then followed Mahler’s notes and instructions, essentially,
finishing the process and creating an actual score. This version of Schubert’s Death
and the Maiden has graced the stages of concert halls worldwide since 1984.
Schubert wrote the quartet in 1826. The title Death and the Maiden is suggestive, as
theme of death is a central one. The text is authored by Matthias Claudius, which tells
an old tale. Death is imposing itself upon a bride, and should the latter not accept,
Death threatens to take her groom away on the day of the wedding. Terrified, the
Maiden begs Death to leave, while Death persists and attempts to comfort the
Maiden. Each movement is powerful, descriptive, telling and unmistakably
memorable. The final Rondo-Finale is a perpetual dance, full of terror, obsessive
rhythm, echoes from the earlier movement, all rushing frantically to a dramatic end.
The Artists
The Sphinx Virtuosi, formerly known as the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, is a
conductorless ensemble of soloists, comprising top alumni of the national Sphinx
Competition for young Black and Latino string players. This unique group earned
rave reviews in December of 2004, during its highly acclaimed debut at Carnegie Hall.
In The New York Times, Allan Kozinn described the performance as “first-rate in
every way” and the ensemble to have “produced a more beautiful, precise and
carefully shaped sound than some fully professional orchestras that come through
Carnegie Hall in the course of the year.”
The ensemble has returned to Carnegie Hall annually since 2006 to present
outstanding programs to sell-out audiences of over 2,800, and earning further praise
from The New York Times for each performance. Sphinx Virtuosi also earned critical
acclaim during its historic inaugural national tour, which included performances at
Krannert Center, Harris Theater, Penn State and several other key venues.
During its second annual tour in 2009, the ensemble was praised by critics for their
“technical prowess,” and for playing with “utmost sensitivity and intelligence to the
musical detail, large and small.” That year, Sphinx Virtuosi performed in 13 venues
across the country, increasing their appearances by more than 50 percent in just one
year.
Inspired by Sphinx’s overarching mission, the Sphinx Virtuosi works to advance
diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through
performances of varied repertoire. They perform masterpieces by Bach, Tchaikovsky,
Vivaldi and Mozart, alongside seldom presented works by composers of color,
including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels and Astor
Piazzolla.
Members of the Sphinx Virtuosi have completed and continue to pursue their studies
at the nation’s top music schools, including Juilliard, Curtis, Eastman, Peabody,
Harvard, and the University of Michigan. Additionally, several members hold
positions in professional orchestras, including the Oregon, Grand Rapids and San
Antonio symphonies. Members of the roster have been named laureates of other
prestigious international competitions, including Queen Elisabeth Competition and
the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition. A number of Sphinx Virtuosi
members have appeared as soloists with major orchestras, including the New York
Philharmonic, Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras, and Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle,
and Pittsburgh Symphonies among others.
Sphinx Virtuosi is looking forward to presenting vibrant programming in venues
across the country during its fourth annual national tour.
The Sphinx Virtuosi, a Sphinx Ensemble, is represented in North America by
California Artists Management, http://www.calartists.com/.
The Catalyst Quartet
Hailed by The New York Times in their Carnegie Hall debut as “invariably energetic
and finely burnished…playing with earthy vigor,” the Catalyst Quartet comprises top
Laureates and alumni of the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Competition for young
Black and Latino string players. The ensemble’s mission is to advance diversity in
classical music and inspire new and young audiences with dynamic performances of
cutting-edge repertoire by a wide range of composers. Founded by the Sphinx
Organization, the Catalyst Quartet combines a serious commitment to diversity and
education with a passion for contemporary music. In the summer of 2011, the Catalyst
Quartet studied with the renowned Juilliard String Quartet.
The quartet has held residencies both domestically and abroad. In addition to serving
as principal faculty at the Sphinx Performance Academy at Oberlin College and
Roosevelt University in Chicago, the quartet has recently held residencies in London
in partnership with In Harmony England and South Africa in partnership with
University of Witwatersrand and University of South Africa (UNISA). The Catalyst
Quartet members are also visiting teaching artists at the Sphinx Preparatory Music
Institute, hosted by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
The Catalyst Quartet has been featured in The Strad and Strings magazines, as well as
on Detroit’s WRCJ, and maintains an active performing schedule. In fall 2011, the
quartet will lead the Sphinx Virtuosi on a national tour, which will include a return to
Carnegie Hall on October 12.
Inspired by music’s ability to transform, the Catalyst Quartet seeks to change the way
that classical music is perceived through diverse programming for a wide range of
audiences.
Catalyst Quartet, a Sphinx Ensemble, is represented in North America by California
Artists Management, http://www.calartists.com/. The Catalyst Quartet proudly
endorses Pirastro strings. www.pirastro.com
Catalyst Quartet Members:
Bryan Hernandez-Luch, violin
Karla Donehew-Perez, violin
Christopher Jenkins, viola
Karlos Rodriguez, cello
Karlos Rodriguez plays on a cello by Gregg T. Alf on generous loan from the maker.
www.alfstudios.com.
Karla Donehew Perez performs on a fine violin by Charles and Samuel Thompson,
London 1774, on generous loan from Patricia Press Nissen in memory of Alvera and
Dudley Warner-Press, and a fine violin bow by Victor Fetique on generous loan,
through the Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation.
Danielle Belen, violin
Winner of the 2008 Sphinx Competition and Naxos recording artist, Danielle Belen
has soloed with symphonies across the U.S. including the Pittsburgh, Atlanta,
Nashville and San Francisco Symphonies, the Boston Pops, and the Florida and
Cleveland Orchestras. Now on faculty at the Colburn School of Music with a growing
violin studio of her own, she works under renowned master teacher Robert Lipsett.
Her special love is teaching young aspiring talent and developing community events
in conjunction with her professional performances. Ms. Belen is the founder and
Artistic Director of Center Stage Strings, a summer camp and performance festival for
gifted young musicians in Three Rivers, California. Ms. Belen plays on a 1709
Allessandro Gagliano violin from the Mandell Collection of Southern California.
Please visit www.BelenViolin.com for more information.
Paul Laraia, viola
Regarded for his extraordinary grasp of phrasing, character, and color, violist Paul
Laraia has performed concerts at Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Concert Hall Frits
Philips, the Strathmore Arts Center, the Max M. Fisher Music Center, the Kimmel
Center’s Verizon Hall, and has been featured multiple times performing on National
Public Radio and Detroit Public Television. Chamber music has always been
extremely close to Paul's heart. He has performed at the Sarasota Music Festival,
National Orchestral Institute, and Yellow Barn Festival, where he collaborated with
acclaimed artists such as Donald Weilerstein, Roger Tapping, Anthony Marwood,
Michael Kannen, Maria Lambros, Natasha Brofsky, and Mark Hill. He will be
recording his debut CD on White Pine label Paul plays on a 17-1/4" viola by Douglas
Cox in the style of Gasparo da Salo, provided by Mr. Cox through the Sphinx
Instrument fund program, www.coxviolins.com
ABOUT SPHINX
The Sphinx Organization is the Detroit-based non-profit arts and youth development
organization dedicated to building diversity in classical music. Founded in 1996,
Sphinx envisions a world in which classical music reflects cultural diversity and plays
a role in the everyday lives of youths. The organization’s mission is:
v To increase the participation of Blacks and Latinos
• in music schools
• as professional musicians
• as classical music audiences
v To administer youth development initiatives in underserved communities
through music education
v To promote the creation, performance, and preservation of works by Black and
Latino composers
The organization’s founding and mission were informed by the life experiences of
Aaron Dworkin, the organization’s founder and president. As a young, Black
violinist, he was acutely aware of the lack of diversity both on stage and in the
audience in concert halls. He founded Sphinx while a graduate student at the
University of Michigan. Today, according to the League of American Orchestras, less
than 5 percent of the musicians in our nation’s professional orchestras are Black or
Latino.
In 1998, the organization hosted the first Sphinx Competition for young Black and
Latino string players. The competition quickly gained the attention of many notable
musicians, including the late Isaac Stern, who attended the 1998 Sphinx Competition
and invited several Sphinx Laureates to his studio for private coachings.
Today, Sphinx programs reach over 85,000 students, as well as live and broadcast
audiences of over two million annually. Since the first Sphinx Competition, the
organization has grown to include five programming areas:
v Artist Development highlights the annual Sphinx Competition for young Black
and Latino string players, a professional development program, and several
scholarship initiatives.
v Sphinx Performance Academy offers intensive summer training to young Black
and Latino musicians who lack access to quality music education. The program
operates at Roosevelt University in Chicago and Oberlin College.
v Sphinx Legacy Project creates, promotes, disseminates, and preserves works by
Black and Latino composers through the Sphinx Commissioning Consortium, the
Sphinx Journeys radio program, the Sphinx Library, and Classical Connections, an
in-school curriculum initiative.
v Sphinx Presents! provides professional performance opportunities for Sphinx
artists in venues nationwide including an annual national concert tour by the
Sphinx Chamber Orchestra and concerts at Carnegie Hall.
v Sphinx Preparatory Music Institute provides Detroit-area youths with yearlong
classes in performance, music theory, ear training, and music history with an
emphasis on Black and Latino composers. Overture Division of Sphinx Prep
offers free violins and lessons to students in underserved communities of Detroit
and Flint.
As the organization has grown, so has its acclaim. Sphinx has been featured in The
New York Times, Newsweek, People magazine, The Detroit Free Press, and on National
Public Radio and NBC’s Today show. In addition, the annual Sphinx Competition is
broadcast by Detroit Public Television, and syndicated to PBS stations nationwide.
Aaron Dworkin’s work as Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization has also
been recognized. He was named Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News in 2003,
one of Detroit’s “40 Under 40” by Crain’s Detroit Business, and was given the Detroit
Symphony’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation honored him with a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. In
2010, he was nominated by President Obama to serve on the National Council on the
Arts.
For more information please visit our website at
www.SphinxMusic.org or call 313.877.9100
Sphinx Virtuosi
Joel Smirnoff, Artistic Advisor
(President of Cleveland Institute of Music, former member of Juilliard Quartet)
Violin I
Bryan Hernandez-Luch, Concertmaster
Maureen Conlon-Gutierrez
Kyle Lombard
Ade Williams
Isabel Escalante
Violin II
Karla Donehew-Perez, Principal
Amyr Joyner
Sheena Gutierrez
Scott Jackson
Viola
Christopher Jenkins, Principal
Paul Laraia III
Kaila Potts-Smith
Jason Amos
Cello
Karlos Rodriguez, Principal
Jared Snyder
Adrienne Taylor
Bass
Eric Thompson, Principal
Jonathan Colbert
The Sphinx Virtuosi would like to thank the
following generous sponsors:
Fiscal Sponsors:
United Arts Council of Greensboro
17 Days Greensboro
In Kind Donations:
DitraCreative.com
Eastern Music Festival
Fast Signs of High Point
Greensboro Symphony Orchestra
The Music Center – City Arts
Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotel
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Financial Sponsors
Allstate – John Davis
American String Teachers Association
The Cemala Foundation
Classical Conversations
Costco
Davis Xposhield, Inc
First Presbyterian Church
Guilford County PTA’s and Orchestra Boosters
Moore Music Company
Mount Zion Baptist Church
Mu Phi Epsilon
Providence Baptist Church
Quaintance-Weaver
Target
Triad Search Marketing
Wells Fargo
Individual Supporters:
Cindy Alspaw
Linda Cykert
Designs by His Hands Hair Salon
Tom Flakoll
Mrs. Nancy Horton
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Koenig
Donald H. Lewis
Peeler Violin Students
Drewry & Marie Penn
Jesse L. Suggs, Jr.
The Media Sponsors via UAC:
Clear Channel
News & Record
Acknowledgments
A special thank you is extended to Marta Richardson, string teacher at Peeler Open
Elementary. Marta Richardson saw that her students had a need and searched for a
way to fill that need. She contacted the Sphinx orchestra and collaborated with area
organizations, area string teachers, UNCG, the United Arts Council and the
community, to bring the orchestra to Greensboro. Because of her efforts over 1,000
students have shared in this experience. We should all look to Marta Richardson as a
role model for selfless service and a commitment to education and the arts. Thank
you, Marta!
I would also like to thank all of the student organizations and individual students
who volunteered their services to make this event possible. These student
organizations include our American String Teachers Association student chapter, the
National Association for Music Education Collegiate, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity.
Sincerely,
Rebecca B. MacLeod
Sphinx Virtuosi Event Host
Assistant Professor of Music Education at UNCG