Dr. Brent Levine, Conductor
Program
Illumination (2013) …………………………………………………………… David Maslanka (1943-2017)
Adoration (1951/2022) …………………………………………………………. Florence Price (1888-1953)
Chorale and Shaker Dance (1972) ………………………………………….. John Zdechlik (1937-2020)
Intermission
Halcyon Hearts (2021) ……………………………………………………………… Katahj Copley (b. 1998)
Melodious Thunk (2012) …………………………………………………… David Biedenbender (b. 1984)
The Bells of Sagrada Familia…………………………………………………. Satoshi Yagisawa (b. 1975) An Everlasting Will of Antoni Gaudi (2009)
Thank you for joining us this evening at Northpoint Church for the first performance of the academic semester by the musicians of the California Baptist University Wind Ensemble. On behalf of all of us at the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Performing Arts, welcome!
Tonight’s performance, entitled “Foundations,” is intended as a celebration and reflection of the foundations we build upon with one another – through our friendships, our family, our music making, and our faith.
The concert opens with David Maslanka’s “Ilumination” – a piece that communicates the vibrant energy and creativity of children and perhaps calls to mind the foundation of who we all are that is formed in our youth. Next, we will perform Dr. Cheldon Williams’ beautiful setting of Florence Price’s “Adoration” – a piece that soulfully communicates our spiritual foundations formed through God and faith. Price, the first African American woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra in 1933, was a woman of strong faith. Among her most famous works is “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord,” a piece that was performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 in one of the most important outdoor concerts in the country’s history. The first half of the concert will close with John Zdechlik’s masterwork for wind ensemble, “Chorale and Shaker Dance.” This piece is a foundational work for band that has withstood the test of time and served as a template for band composers since its premiere in 1972.
After a brief intermission, the concert will continue with Katahj Copley’s “Halcyon Hearts” – a piece that celebrates leading with love as a foundation for all things. When we lead with love, the composer states, “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” Next, we will perform David Biedenbender’s “Melodious Thunk.” This work is inspired by the music and aesthetic of famous jazz pianist Thelonius Monk. We as musicians are always inspired by the greats that came before us, and this work honors the timeless contributions of Monk that continue to serve as a foundation for artists across the world.
The concert will conclude with Satoshi Yagisawa’s masterwork for winds, “The Bells of Sagrada Familia: An Everlasting Will of Antoni Gaudi.” This work is inspired by the life of Christ, and how it is reflected in the famous Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona. The structure has been in a state of construction since 1882, and is a reminder that construction is never “finished” for any of us as we live into the call of constantly building on our foundations and improving each and every day.
A special note of gratitude to our dean Dr. Joseph Bolin, our associate deans Dr. David Toledo and Dr. Gene Moon, director of academic operations Courtney Ladd, director of marketing Alex Stephens, and administrative assistant Hannah Boone – all of whom have invested a significant amount of support to our ensemble this semester. In addition, we wish to extend our most sincere thanks to Matthew McConnell, director of strategic events and projects, and Lilliane Vargas, performance and events coordinator. These two work tirelessly to make sure every detail is taken care of at all events across the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Performing Arts. We also extend a warm thank you to Northpoint Church for hosting our concert tonight.
The musicians and I are deeply grateful for your presence this evening and look forward to greeting you in person following the performance.
-Brent Levine, conductor
PROGRAM NOTES
DAVID MASLANKA
Illumination
The composer writes:
“Illumination” -- lighting up, bringing light. I am especially interested in composing music for young people that allows them a vibrant experience of their own creative energy. A powerful experience of this sort stays in the heart and mind as a channel for creative energy, no matter what the life path. Music shared in community brings this vital force to everyone. Illumination is an open and cheerful piece in a quick tempo, with a very direct A-B-A song form.
Illumination: Overture for Band was composed for the Franklin, Massachusetts', public schools. The commission was started by Nicole Wright, a band director in Franklin, when she discovered that my grandnephew was in her band. The piece was initially to have been for her young players, but the idea grew to make it the center of the dedication concert at the opening of Franklin’s new high school building. Rehearsals of Illumination were actually the first musical sounds made in their fine new auditorium.
FLORENCE PRICE
Adoration
A trailblazer, Florence Price is considered the first African American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have her music performed by a major American orchestra when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of her Symphony No. 1 in 1933. Price's catalog of works boasts an impressive array of symphonies, concertos, chamber music, various symphonic works, choral works, piano music, and music for the organ.
Originally conceived as a work for solo organ, Adoration was one of the last works Price composed, but hearkens back to Price’s early work as an organist accompanying silent films. As critic and author Alex Ross writes, despite an impressive output of over 300 works, “[Price] is mentioned more often than she is heard,” a fact which is only now beginning to be remedied.
JOHN ZDECHLIK
Chorale and Shaker Dance
The composer shares:
Chorale and Shaker Dance is made up of two main musical ideas. This first is the simple melody found in the opening Chorale. The second melodic idea is the melody from the well-known Shaker Hymn, “The Gift to Be Simple.” These melodies are used in alteration and combination throughout divided into four broad sections as outlined below:
I. Opening chorale statement, reeds and brass
II. Allegro: Melody I and Melody II in alternation
III. Andante: Middle section of the “Shaker” tune only
IV. Allegro: Reprise of section II and Coda. Melody I and Melody II in alternation and combination.
KATAHJ COPLEY Halcyon Hearts
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres Love never fails.
Halcyon Hearts is an ode to love and how it affects us all. Halcyon denotes a time where a person is ideally happy or at peace, so in short Halcyon Hearts is about the moment of peace when one finds their love or passion.
The piece centers around major 7th and warm colors to represent the warmth that love bring us. The introduction – which is sudden and colorful – symbolizes the feeling of the unexpected journey it takes to find love. Using the colors and natural energy of the ensemble, we create this sound of ambition and passion throughout the work.
This piece was written in dedication to those who love no matter which negativity is in the world; do not allow hate and prejudice to guide the way we live our lives. Always choose love and the halcyon days will come.
-Program note by Ann Wilson/Katahj Copley
DAVID BIEDENBENDER
Melodious Thunk
The composer writes:
I don’t normally like to begin program notes with dictionary definitions - it feels pretty stuffy to me - but it seemed appropriate for this piece, so here goes...
thunk [thuhngk] noun & verb
1. [n.] an abrupt, flat, hollow sound (example: The book landed on the floor with a thunk.);
synonym: thud
2. [v.] to produce an abrupt, flat, hollow sound
3. [v.] colloquial past tense and past participle of think.
Melodious Thunk was inspired by the famous jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. Monk’s wife, Nellie Smith, nicknamed him “Melodious Thunk” because of his clunky, awkward, and brilliant(!) piano playing, and his somewhat scatterbrained and disoriented nature.
I really liked the idea of playing around with Monk’s name, first, because I personally really enjoy goofing around with “spoonerisms” (silly, ridiculous, mix-and-match letter games, which often happen by accident: for example, slip of the tongue becomes tip of the slung), and, second, because this nickname actually provided great musical inspiration. Melodious - well, that’s fairly obvious - and thunk (which is a great onomatopoeia!) became the starting points for the piece. Big, fat thunks are interspersed with pointy, clunky, bluesy blips, which are then transformed into a long, smooth, laid-back melody accompanied by a funky bass line. I haven’t consciously borrowed any specific tunes of licks from Monk, although I do use a small fragment of Dizzy Gillespie’s tune Salt Peanuts, but I hope you’ll hear some similarities between this piece and Monk’s iconic musical style and quirky attitude.
SATOSHI YAGISAWA
The Bells of Sagrada Familia: An Everlasting Will of Antoni Gaudi
The composer shares:
Commissioned by the Horikoshi High School Wind Orchestra, this piece reflects and expresses the famous basilica, La Sagrada Família, as a symbol of Jesus’ life. His birth, devotion, passion, and Glory are the central themes that are to be found in this work, as well, in the history of this famous Roman Catholic Church, which has been under construction in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain since 1882.
The work of master architect Antoni Gaudi also embeds this same passion: in the birth of the building, the enormous hazards of fire and destruction the building has faced, and the ongoing spirit of construction that continues to this day.
Flute
Naomie Wagner
