02.18.24 Christin Cummings, Clarinet

Student Recital Series Sara M. Snell Music Theater

2023 – 2024 Season Sunday, February 18th at 4:20 PM

Christin Cummings, clarinet Kathleen Crecco, piano Hommage à Z. Kodály (1994)

Béla Kovács (1937-2021)

Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2 (1894) Allegro amabile Appassionato, ma non troppo Allegro Andante con moto Our Cats: Crash Rag (2019)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Derrick Lewis Intermission

Sonata for Clarinet, Flute and Piano, Op. 11 (1907) Allegro con spirito Adagio Allegro molto e leggierissimo Rosalind Hoffman, flute

Maurice Emmanuel (1862-1938)

Double Dog Dare (2019)

James Stephenson (b. 1969)

Sonata in Bb Major for Clarinet and Piano (1818) Allegro Face My Fears (2019) from Kingdom Hearts III

Franz Danzi (1763-1826) Utada Hikaru & Skrillex (b. 1983) & (b. 1988) Arranged by AmaLee

Christin Cummings is from the studio of Christine Elizabeth Hoerning.

This program is presented to fulfill the graduate recital requirement for the Master of Music degree in Performance.

Christin Cummings Master of Music Performance Graduate Recital Program Notes Sunday, February 18, 2023 Face My Fears Program Named after the final piece of this 90-minute graduate recital, the Face My Fears Program is made up of seven pieces for clarinet performance that have been analyzed and approached with the theme of facing fears. The contrasted qualities of the present pieces allow for varied performance techniques and interpretations. Despite most of the pieces not referencing fears within their music or their own program notes, those with performance anxiety will know that it is natural to find fears personal to the performer within the performances of their prepared pieces. Within this program, I aim to spot my own anxieties specific to each piece and use the performance of each piece to combat the fears that come up. Although this program has “My” in the title, I want to invite the audience to face their fears too, whether in your personal life or in the concert hall. Feel free to be your most authentic self. I hope you enjoy! :) Hommage à Z. Kodály – Béla Kovács Béla Kovács (1937-2021) was a Hungarian clarinetist, educator, and composer. Born in Tatabánya, Hungary, he started his studies on piano. He then studied clarinet starting in 1949, working with Imre Dobos, an artist of the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest, Hungary.

He continued his studies in Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music between 1951 and 1957 under the instruction of György Balassa. As a clarinetist, he was a soloist in the Hungarian State Opera House Orchestra and the Budapest Philharmonic Society Orchestra, as well as a member of the Hungarian Wind Quintet. Kovács played and encouraged the creation of contemporary clarinet music, eventually becoming a composer. One of his best known works is his Hommage series, a set of concert etudes for clarinet that are written in the style of the composers they are named after and the Hommages are widely studied and performed today.

Hommage à Z. Kodály was written in 1994. It is an unaccompanied clarinet solo piece that is split into a theme and six variations, all paying homage to the various types of sounds and colors Zoltan Kodály created in his compositions. The theme and variation one are both intensely nuanced lyrical phrases mostly made up of step-wise melodies and repeated pitches for emphasis. Variation two is a lively and playful take on the theme with more leaps, articulative expression, and a large pitch range within the phrases. The third variation returns to predominantly stepwise motion and retains a large range of pitches but deviates in its quick tempo, more intense form of oscillation in each phrase and the gradual crescendo/decrescendo throughout the variation. Variation four switches back to liveliness and between staccato octave leaps and smaller interval slurs, with the former typically louder than the latter and the variation going from loud to quiet. Variation five is written as if it were a soft song for the clarinetist and their instrument to sing through, with great variation and nuance in rhythm and featuring a small cadenza. The sixth and final variation, reminiscent of Kodály’s Dances of Galánta, is fast and lively once again with varied rhythms, patterns, and pitches that encapsulate the spirit of the rest of the piece.

Within the Face My Fears program, this piece represents the fear of standing alone in representation of others. People are multifaceted beings, and the flexibility of representation that variations require can seem daunting. That becomes more difficult when approached as a solo endeavor meant to represent the voices of multiple other people. This piece functions as an unaccompanied debut with lots of history behind it and sets up an atmosphere for the performer to step out of their comfort zone immediately.

Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2 – Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Germany and professionally active mostly in Vienna, Austria, Brahms received his first musical training from his father on piano, with additional lessons on violin, and the basics of cello. His parents and early music instructors believed he was capable of great performance prowess and would do better in the performance market, but Brahms preferred to compose. Throughout his life, he composed for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, voice, and chorus, among others. He often premiered his piano works via his own virtuosic abilities. As a well-known composer in his time and even more so beyond, he has been considered both a traditionalist and an innovator, with his music borrowing established classical foundations and romantic motifs. During his life, he worked with other leading performers of his time, such as violinist Joseph Joachim and pianist Clara Schumann.

Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2 was written in 1894 and dedicated to Richard Mühlfeld. The first movement is written in sonata form and utilizes a motif that is boldly expressed using a diverse range of dynamics and colors. The overall tone of the first movement is warm and tender, yet dramatic and longing at the same time. The second movement is written as a ternary scherzo that, at times, feels like an operatic waltz. The middle section of the central movement employs a more somber, singing feeling, until the eventual return and slight alteration to the driving motif and passages from the start of the movement. The third movement is written as a theme and variations with a coda that contains a combination of both previous movements, bringing new ideas into the previously familiar and acting as closure to what came before.

For this program, this piece represents the fear of judgement that follows dynamic expression. Dynamics and expression are pivotal parts of music performance that require a lot of energy and action. When done well, the music can feel more alive and more alluring to listeners.

Despite this, true expression is vulnerability, and when you fear backlash, your sense of safety becomes tied into hiding away. This classic piece begs for the performer to be seen in their entirety, for better or for worse.

Our Cats: Crash Rag – Derrick Lewis Derrick Lewis is an American actor, recording artist, and songwriter. Raised in Newark, New Jersey by parents of the entertainment industry, his interests in acting and music started from his elementary school years through the film “Mommie Dearest” starring Faye Dunaway and his elementary school’s take on the “Snow White” play, in which he played the dwarf “Bashful”. Following that first play, he performed in school plays for the rest of his time in elementary school. At age 9, Lewis started taking drum lessons through his school. From 1991 to 1997, he was a charter member and percussionist of the Spirit of Newark Drum and Bugle Corps, playing the bass drum, tenor drum and snare drum. He returned once in 2000 as a conductor. In 1997, he also joined the Youth Education in the Arts (YEA) Millennium All Star Marching Band.

Shortly after, he performed with the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps in 1998 as a snare drummer and continued performing with them until 2006. He taught percussion programs throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania including his work in Rapidfire Indoor Percussion. He shifted his career to acting in 2010 but added recording artist and songwriter to his resume in 2016 during the release of his debut single “Selfish Pride”, and has continued to act, perform, and compose today.

Our Cats: Crash Rag, which was published in 2019, is a piece dedicated to the composer’s cat, Crash. True to its name, it is written as a rag, functioning as a modified march, and utilizing syncopated rhythms throughout the phrases. The first and last sections feature straight eighths, reminiscent of the classic rags heard in the early 20th century. In contrast, the middle section follows the first section’s rag with swung eighths and flutter-tonguing, referencing the historical evolution of early jazz and swing from ragtime. The final section acts as a recapitulation of the first section, but with alterations to melodic phrases to add some variety and reach a more conclusive end.

As a light-hearted bop before Intermission, this piece represents the fear of becoming a “crazy cat lady” (or person). While some view the term as negative due to its connotations in popular media, taking the term at face value highlights the reality of the situation: Sometimes, cats are better than people, and there’s no shame in enjoying the company of an unhinged, furry friend.

Sonata for Clarinet, Flute and Piano, Op. 11 – Maurice Emmanuel Maurice Emmanuel (1862-1938) was a French composer and musicologist. Born in Barsur-Aube, France and brought up in Dijon, Emmanuel had gotten his first feeling of rhythm from his grandfather’s printing press. After his family moved to Beaune in 1869, he joined the choir at the town cathedral. He was influenced by the brass bands on the streets of Beaune and by the "songs of the grape pickers which imprinted melodies in his memory so different from all the classical music he was taught in the academy of music.” After moving to Paris, he entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1880 and studied under his composition teachers, Léo Delibes and subsequently, Ernest Guiraud. Emmanuel and Claude Debussy knew each other as pupils of the Conservatoire. He earned his doctorate in 1896 for writing a treatise on the music of Ancient Greece and went on to teach and conduct through his academic career. Emmanuel destroyed all works except for 30 pieces composed up to 1938 and died later that year. He was interested in folksong, music from east of Europe, and exotic modes. His most often performed compositions now are his six sonatines for solo piano.

Sonata for Clarinet, Flute and Piano, Op. 11 was written in 1907 and is an unconventional take on a trio for the time it was written. The first movement is a spirited trio sonata, giving each musician moments of solo playing, moments of accompaniment, and moments of blending. It starts with a piano intro, soon followed by the flute, and finally the clarinet. Each phrase plays off another in a different instrument’s part, intertwining the phrases in a way that highlights entrances and deviations. The 4/4 and 3/4 alternations create a slightly disjointed feel but ultimately make for an interesting listen. The second movement is a quiet, adagio song in 9/4, again starting with the piano, then clarinet and flute. In the middle of the movement, the flute and clarinet provide accompaniment for the piano in the form of tremolos and duets of longer note value phrases. Between the quieter dynamics and the juxtaposition between the consonances and dissonances, this movement draws listeners into its sound. The

third and final movement is swift, lively, and light in articulation. It moves in a quick 3/8 and requires the performers to play diverse rhythms, dynamics, and articulations. Thematically, it recapitulates the first movement’s liveliness and thoroughly intertwined phrases with angst, dissonance, and a brief piano interlude reminiscent of the second movement.

An intense return to the program, this piece represents the fear of collaborative accountability. Learning a piece individually can be tough on its own. When combining that with unconventional layering and two other players, the piece can become a lot harder to perform as intended. It tests a performer’s collaboration and integrity as a person and musician. Embracing teamwork for a piece of this caliber requires accountability that can be difficult to acknowledge, but it is necessary for the best performance comfortability for the whole trio team.

Double Dog Dare – James Stephenson James Stephenson (b.1969) is an American composer, conductor, and trumpeter. He became a full-time composer in 2007 and has had a steady stream of commissions and projects.

Since his days in the Naples Philharmonic, he has strived to be a “performer’s composer”, making music that is sensitive to the needs of the performers. Stephenson has been called “The Concerto King” by Chicago Symphony clarinetist John Yeh in reference to Stephenson’s growing symphonic instrument concerto and sonata catalog. He aims to infuse his music with rhythmic momentum and colorful scoring/orchestration as a notable characteristic of this works and as a playful part of his music-creating process. Regarding tradition and novelty, he seeks to capture a blend of both familiarity and new discovery to “lead audiences and performers on a journey of both anticipation and reward.”

Double Dog Dare is an unaccompanied solo clarinet piece written in 2019 for Steve Cohen and commissioned by a consortium of clarinetists. Stephenson’s program notes say this about the piece: “I wanted to write a piece that was both mysterious and technically exciting all at once. A piece that could be interpreted many different ways, so that each individual might bring something new to the experience. The title does not have much to do with the music, other than the idea that the player could/might (dare to) add as much intensity and agitated atmosphere into the work. This should almost be an effort to scare the audience, and keep them on the edge of their seat, in anticipation of whatever might come next.” The large and contrasted range of pitches, articulations, dynamics, and techniques create an assertive yet highly expressive and virtuosic vibe for the piece that allows it to stand against its contemporary competitors in a unique way.

Within this program, this piece represents the fear of taking risks. The player is put into a position that suggests they will face public shame if they avoid taking risks, while also being reminded that taking risks can create impressive results never thought possible. It is a lot of pressure to live up to, and yet the player cannot help but feel inclined to say “bet” and (double dog) dare to take on the challenge.

Sonata in B Flat Major for Clarinet and Piano – Franz Danzi Franz Danzi (1763-1826) was a German cellist, composer, and conductor. He is the son of Italian cellist Innocenz Danzi and the brother of notable singer Franzeska Danzi. Born in Schwetzingen and raised in Mannheim, he studied with his father and Georg Joseph Vogler. As a teenager, he joined Elector Karl Theodor’s superlative orchestra in 1778. He published the first

of his woodwind compositions in 1780, and after a small theater orchestra apprenticeship, rejoined the main court in Munich as principal cellist — taking his father's position — in 1784.

Living through the late Classical and early Romantic periods, he was familiar with the musicians and music that are held in high regard today. He knew Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his youth and revered him, was a contemporary of Ludwig van Beethoven with strong yet mixed feelings about him, and was a mentor to a young Carl Maria von Weber, whose music he respected and promoted. Despite the large range of genres his music covered for the time, Danzi is best known today for his woodwind quintets.

Sonata in B Flat Major for Clarinet and Piano, published in 1818, is based around sonata form both in its first movement and throughout the piece. Within the first movement, the exposition stays in the original key as the clarinet and piano parts dance around or with each other with arpeggios and stepwise melodies. The development repeats the motivic phrases in a contrasted key in minor before recapitulating the exposition material and motifs with more ornamentation and flair.

This sonata represents the fear of returning to tradition after deviation from the norm. It is an example of a formula and musical period that was and still is repetitive, and yet inventive enough within its confines to stand the test of time. Playing the oldest piece on the program between two of the newest ones creates a clear contrast between expectations and reality, and tradition and non-conformity.

Face My Fears – Utada Hikaru and Skrillex Utada Hikaru (b.1983) is a Japanese-American pop singer, song-writer, and producer.

Born in New York City to parents involved in the music industry, she started writing music and lyrics at an early age and often traveled to Tokyo because of her father’s job as a record producer.

Utada released her first English-language debut album, Precious, in 1998, but it failed commercially. A year later, she released her first Japanese-language debut album, First Love, which was an immediate success in Japan and eventually became Japan’s best-selling album of all time. Throughout her career, she continued to release musical successes. In the international music industry, she is best known for her theme-song contributions to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Her first release for the video game series started as a Japanese-language single, Hikari (“Light”). The song was re-recorded into an English language version, Simple and Clean, to promote international releases of the first Kingdom Hearts game. Her single, Passion, was included in the Japanese release of Kingdom Hearts II and was re-recorded as Sanctuary for the international release of the sequel. Her most recent theme song releases for the franchise are Chikai (“Oath” or “Vow”)/Don’t Think Twice for Kingdom Hearts III’s ending and Face My Fears for Kingdom Hearts III’s beginning.

Face My Fears is featured as the main theme song for the video game Kingdom Hearts III, a game (and franchise) that combines Disney and Square Enix properties into one merged, seemingly limitless universe. It is the final game within the Xehanort Saga, and the first true finale the game series has seen so far. The song calls for the characters and the players to fight their way to victory, no matter how many challenges may stand in their way. The song is a collaboration between Utada, producer Skrillex, and R&B songwriter Poo Bear. The piece was written in the same key as Passion/Sanctuary (F# major) to allow Skrillex to make mixing both songs easier for live concerts. The song also utilizes the same chords found in the iconic main

menu theme of the series, Dearly Beloved, adding another significant musical layer to its inclusion in the franchise and as a standalone song.

This final piece represents the fear of facing my fears and facing them anyway. Facing fears can take a lot of courage, hard work, and dedication. In a world full of risks and judgement, it can be difficult to stand up to obstacles and challenges that readily knock you down. Finding a place of familiarity can help with picking yourself back up, but staying in too much familiarity can keep you trapped and eventually leave you with nothing left to lose. Sometimes, leaving your comfort-zone can bring good results, but only if you dare to have faith and take a leap. With my time at Crane coming to a close, it is time to face my fears.