M R U C O N S E R VAT O RY P R E S E N T S
W YAT T C O N C E R T S E R I E S
ANDRÉS CÁRDENES with george fenwick and the calgary youth orchestra
MUSIC TO YOUR EARS CONCERT SEASON 2016/17 BELLA CONCERT HALL MAY 14, 2017 • 7:30 P.M.
@MRUPERFORMS • #BELLASTYLE #MRUBELLA @MRUCONSERVATORY • #BELLASTYLE #MRUBELLA MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY
Music to our ears Thank you to our partners and sponsors for helping us bring concerts, community and culture to our hometown through the performing arts.
Message from the Conservatory WELCOME TO THE MUSIC TO YOUR EARS concert season at the Bella Concert Hall in the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts! We are so excited to launch our inaugural season featuring seven separate series with over 25 diverse events. As a world-class centre for arts education and training, we are committed to providing education and performance opportunities for our students as well as showcasing exemplary artistic achievement in music and speech arts. From reggae legends and jazz aficionados to eastern classical masters to Canadian astronauts, this year’s line-up quite literally has something for everyone. Mark DeJong Artistic Program Coordinator
MRU CONSERVATORY PRESENTS
AndrĂŠs CĂĄrdenes with the Calgary Youth Orchestra Edmond Agopian, Artistic Director With Special Guests: Mount Royal Kantorei (Artistic Director John Morgan) Spiritus Chamber Choir (Artistic Director Timothy Shantz)
George Fenwick (b. 1964) The Splendid Line Ludwig van Beethoven (1770- 1827) Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61 Allegro ma non troppo Larghetto Rondo: Allegro INTERMISSION Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) Symphony no. 4 in F minor, op. 36 Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima Andantino in modo di canzoni Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Calgary Youth Orchestra Violin I Kiarah Boughen, Concertmaster (first half) Ciara Hager, Concertmaster (second half) Cindy Chen Luke Chiang Solana Frebold Katrina Johnson Chris Kang Kevin Kang Lucy Kim Caitlin Lam Patricia Lee Yan Li Kevin Lin Jenna Liu Melissa MacDonald David Mejia Madeleine Nysetvold Iryna Peleschchyshyn Christopher Poon Angela Ryu Talia Sinclair Edwin Zhang Violin II Chris Fang , Principal Emily Braganza Joel Braganza Catherine Butcher Emma Dunbar Jennifer Jeon Jessica Lee Danielle Lefebvre Hitomi Miyaji Clare Sheedy Kelly Shih Lan Tran May Yu Wendy Zhang Irene Zhao
Viola Megan Mazil, Principal Alexander Beggs Lydia-Jo Butcher Bo Dewsnap Wren Liang Dean O’Brien + Cello Sua Kwoun, Principal Nathan Ang Julia Butcher Matthew Haddad Joan Herget Nicola Johnson Katie Kim Audrey Kyun Daniel Lee Haena Lee Rachel MacDonald Georgia Moneo Esther Pond Bronwyn Tieleman Anthony Vandekerkhove Laura Wakeman Bass Lukas Schmidt , Principal Veronica Beggs Gabriela Laconsay Zeling Li Anya Siddons Flute Tayla Mapatac, Principal Alison Kim Lina Yang Piccolo Lucie Jones +
Calgary Youth Orchestra Oboe Cameron Wong, Principal Benjamin Brown Sebastian Reuten English Horn Sebastian Reuten Clarinet Jamie Ching, Principal Andrea Chan Jennifer Zhu
Trumpet Samantha Dale Jeremy Kinnear, Principal Mark Scholz + Paul Scholz Trombone Peter Wang, Principal Mark Harding + Bass Trombone David Reid +
Bassoon Dominic Esmail, Principal Adriel Chan Jin Cho Colin Porter Katelyn Shewchuk
Tuba Cole Anderson
Horn Boris Bontchev, Principal + Katie Baker + Daryl Caswell + Taylor Krause, Principal Joshua Krushel Douglas Umana +
Percussion John Malahay + Nick Sterner Mickey Yang +
Timpani Nick Sterner Mickey Yang +
+ Denotes guest musician
Andrés Cárdenes Andrés Cárdenes A consummate musician, powerful presence and master programmer, Andrés Cárdenes has established himself as a conductor possessing all the essentials of a modern maestro. His innovative programming and compelling performances have earned him high praise from audiences, critics and colleagues alike. Former Music Director of Strings Festival Orchestra (CO) from 2009-14, the Pittsburgh Festival Orchestra, and former Music Director and Leader of the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra from 1999-2010, Cárdenes has drawn audiences to the concert hall for a vast array of aural experiences. A champion of living composers and the music of our time, Cárdenes’s formula for presenting diverse genres of music has been met with great enthusiasm.
Mr. Cárdenes began formal conducting studies at age 15 with Thor Johnson, former Music Director of Cincinnati Symphony. Entering Indiana University to study with the legendary Josef Gingold, Cárdenes continued his education under the tutelage of Bryan Balkwill, former conductor at Covent Garden. After winning top prizes at numerous international violin competitions, Cárdenes accepted concertmaster positions with the San Diego, Utah and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, remaining in those capacities for 25 years and apprenticing under the great maestros of today. Counted among his mentors are Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Leonard Slatkin, Sir Andrew Davis and David Zinman. In 1999, the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra was created for Andrés Cárdenes to highlight his multiple talents as conductor, violinist, violist and leader. The Chamber Orchestra enjoyed a remarkable eleven seasons, premiering 15 works and presenting dozens of rarely heard pieces by well-known composers. In 2006, the Pittsburgh Symphony signed Mr. Cárdenes to a five-year contract to conduct the orchestra in subscription concerts each year. His programming featured works by Poulenc, Hindemith and Debussy that were either Pittsburgh premieres or had not been performed in over 50 years. Stepping in suddenly for an ailing Robert Spano, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review headlined “Cárdenes conducts with epic mastery”.
In addition to his frequent appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Mr. Cárdenes has conducted orchestras across the globe: Munich Radio Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Colorado Symphony, St. Petersburg (Russia) Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, New West Symphony, Fundacíon Beethoven Philharmonic (Santiago, Chile), OFUNAM Orchestra of Mexico City, Sinfonica de Venezuela, National Repertory Orchestra, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, Cleveland Institute Philharmonic and the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen in Germany. He has collaborated with soloists such as Midori, Sarah Chang, Pinchas Zukerman, Elmar Oliveira, Gary Hoffman, Jon Kimura Parker, Gabriela Montero, Christopher O’Riley, David Deveau, CheeYun, Michelle deYoung and Lars Vogt. Maestro Cárdenes is currently Music Director of Orchestral Studies and Conductor of the Carnegie Mellon University Philharmonic.
george fenwick George Fenwick is a free-lance composer, and manager of MRU’s Calgary Youth Orchestra. A native Calgarian, he studied composition with Allan Bell and Quenten Doolittle, and received his B.Mus from the University of Calgary. He has written works for the concert hall and the stage which have been performed throughout Canada, in France, Germany and the USA, and broadcast on CBC Radio. He has also participated in several multidisciplinary projects. Fenwick is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. He has received commissions from Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, the UCalgary String Quartet, Kensington Sinfonia, Spiritus Chamber Choir, and the Calgary Youth Orchestra. His works have been performed by a variety of performers and ensembles, including Alberta Winds, Canadian Chamber Choir, and Mount Royal University’s Kantorei. He has composed music for a variety of theatrical presentations, with companies including the Old Trout Puppet Workshop and Alberta Theatre Projects. His score for The Old Trout Puppet Workshop’s The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan was nominated for a Betty Mitchell (Calgary) award in 2009, for Outstanding Sound Design or Composition, and an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award (Edmonton) in 2010, for Outstanding Score of a Play or Musical.
edmond agopian A graduate of the Julliard School, Edmond Agopian is a Professor in the School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Calgary, and is the Music Director of Mount Royal University Conservatory’s Calgary Youth Orchestra. He has been the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal, and at the University of Calgary, the J.P.L. Roberts Distinguished Professorship in Fine Arts. His conducting work has included performances with the Shanghai Opera Orchestra, the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Canadian Chamber Orchestra (conductor and concertmaster), and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. As a violin soloist and chamber musician he has been featured on CBC Radio French and English, regional and national programs, Radio Europa, Portuguese National Radio, Taiwan National Radio, and soloist with orchestras including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is the first violinist of the UCalgary String Quartet, the U of C’s string quartet in residence.
the splendid line The Splendid Line was commissioned by the Calgary Youth Orchestra, and was premiered under the direction of Edmond Agopian during the CYO’s 50th Anniversary Gala Concert, in November of 2008. Most of the lyrics for the piece were adapted from passages written by past and present inhabitants of Calgary and the surrounding area. The most significant of these unwitting contributors is Moira O’Neill, aka Agnes Higginson Skrine (1864-1955). Others include Robert Gard, Thomas Mawson, Ernest Smith, and Stephen Schroeder. The composer “massaged” their words to fit the needs of the piece, and contributed connecting phrases.
calgary youth orchestra Calgary Youth Orchestra (CYO) is Mount Royal University Conservatory’s internationally acclaimed ensemble and one of Canada’s leading community youth orchestras, comprised of approximately 65 musicians ages 14 to 24. The CYO provides opportunities for unique musical, educational and cultural experiences for all young musicians in the greater Calgary area. Its members include students from Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary, and junior and senior high schools from Calgary and surrounding area. The CYO is committed to the development of youth and to excellence in musicianship, and promotes musical skill and discipline, personal commitment, teamwork and community service. Professional coaching from some of the best local, national and international clinicians and conductors, and workshops with guest conductors and visiting orchestras are a regular feature of the program. The orchestra performs a series of concerts throughout the year, participates in the annual Alberta Youth Orchestra Symposium in Banff, and tours internationally. The CYO is supported by the Calgary Youth Orchestra Society, a non-profit society incorporated in the Province of Alberta. Musical direction is provided by Mount Royal University Conservatory.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) Symphony no. 4 in F minor, op. 36 Written by Alexa Woloshyn Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) – Symphony No. 4, Op. 36First performance – February 22, 1878 (Moscow)To say that 1877 was a tumultuous year for Tchaikovsky would understate the severity of crises in his personal and professional lives. Mostly notably, he unwisely married a former Moscow Conservatory student Antonina Ivanovna Milyukova only to be separated two months later. This fiasco of a marriage underscored for Tchaikovsky the fate of his own homosexuality; he believed it was the result of Destiny and, therefore, not any amount of will could reject it. He also left the Moscow Conservatory in 1877. Tchaikovsky’s long-distance friendship with wealthy widow Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck was both a personal and financial comfort during these times. She supported him for several years with a substantial monthly stipend and he, in turn, was remarkably open with her about his personal and creative life. Their letter exchanges—their only form of communication—lasted from 18771890. In 1877, Tchaikovsky began composing Symphony No. 4, dedicated to his “best friend,” a reference to von Meck. At her insistence, Tchaikovsky outlined a program for the symphony in which he named the opening fanfare “Fate.” He was resistant to put words to a program, even in a letter, believing rather the program is best communicated directly through the music. He no doubt would disapprove of the ubiquitous discussion of the written program: from the first movement’s “unbroken alternation of harsh reality with the fleeting dreams and visions of happiness”
to the second movement’s weary and melancholy nostalgia; from the third movement’s incoherent images inspired by intoxication to the final movement’s more joyful turn as one may be inspired to forget one’s own sad fate and see the joy of others. The overall structure adheres to the Austro-German symphonic tradition of four movements with a sonata-allegro form in the first movement. However, the influence of the Russian style and the work’s intensely personal nature results in freer details and some expressive kinship to Liszt’s symphonic poem. In the first movement, the opening fanfare “Fate” motive is used structurally to set off the three formal sections, thus minimizing the need for convincing transitions. The main theme is a 9/8 waltz and is treated through repetition and timbral variation rather than through extensive development. The second movement Andantino portrays its melancholy through the oboe, sparsely accompanied by pizzicato strings. A march-like middle section provides contrast before returning to the melancholy theme. The third movement Scherzo is noteworthy for its string pizzicato in almost constant eighth-note motion. The winds and brass provide contrast in the Trio section before a return to only string pizzicato. Tchaikovsky employs the strings, winds,brass, and timpani in the build towards the end of the movement. He reserves the final moments for the strings, with a descending arpeggio divided between them and an octave unison F. The final movement places the Fourth Symphony firmly within the Russian symphonic repertoire through its use of a famous Russian folk song: “In the Field Stood a Birch Tree.” In the song, a crowd of unmarried women gather around a birch tree in the shape of a woman. They gather twigs from the tree to make wedding wreaths. They throw their wreaths into the stream: those whose wreaths float will marry, while those whose wreaths do not float will not marry. The program Tchaikovsky shared with von Meck suggests that the unhappy maidens with sinking wreaths can share in the joy of others. This joy is sonically represented by a redemptive turn from F minor in the first movement to F major in the final movement. The Fourth Symphony was not initially well received, neither in Moscow nor in the United States. His close friend and fellow composer Sergei Taneyev told Tchaikovsky that the work was less impressive overall, with its strengths lying in particular passages. Taneyev believed the first movement, with its length and design, resembled a symphonic poem, and, therefore, the final three movements seemed superfluous. Today, the Fourth Symphony is consistently programmed in symphony orchestras around the world and is recognized as one of Tchaikovsky’s best for its melodic flow, timbral design, and intense expressiveness.
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 61 Written by Claudia Hasan-Nielsen At the time that Ludwig van Beethoven began to compose his first and only complete violin concerto in mid-November of 1806, he was a few weeks short of his 36th birthday, and his familiarity with the instrument was well entrenched. He had studied the violin as a young man in his native Bonn, and had even dedicated this work to his childhood friend, Stephan von Breuning. The work, which now stands as a cornerstone of the violin repertoire, was premiered on December 23, 1806 at the Theatre an der Wien with virtuoso Franz Klement as the soloist and the composer at the podium. Written with great haste, Beethoven only managed to complete the work two days before its scheduled premiere, which left no time for rehearsal with the orchestra and left the soloist sightreading during this first performance. It was reported afterwards, however, in the Allegemeine musikalische Zeitung, “that Klement played with his usual elegance and luster”. The audience were however, not convinced and the work was considered a failure and was for many years neglected. Written in three movements; Allegro ma no troppo, Larghetto and Rondo, with the first movement in sonata form, having the longest exposition of all the major concerti. The timpani played a very interesting role in the opening part of the Allegro, reminiscent of the French School, with a strong aboding war-like entrance, which audiences found quite bizarre. It was not until 1844, long after the composer’s death, that composer Felix Mendelssohn revived the work, and featured it in a performance with 12 year-old Joseph Joachim presented by the Philharmonic Society of London. By that time however, Beethoven had long since reworked the concerto, so what audiences then and today hear is actually significantly different from Beethoven’s original composition.
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Take Your Seat at the Bella Concert Hall Ensure that you always have the best seat in the house. A tax-deductible donation of $1000 is all it takes to place your name on a seat in Calgary's brand new Bella Concert Hall in the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts. With only 300 seats left, now is the time to support your arts community by sponsoring in your name, or the name of a loved one. Each seat sponsorship comes with the gift of a pair of concert tickets to an MRU Conservatory event of your choice at the Bella in 2017. To take your seat, and for more information, contact Heidi Christophel at 403.440.6591.
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