EveningConcertSeries
HelenH.HosmerConcertHall
2023-2024Season
Wednesday,March20,2024 7:30p.m.
TheCraneWindEnsemble
BrianK.Doyle,conductor lessons(not)learned
P ROGRAM
Stride (2023)
WhatisWrittenontheLeaves (2019)
ConsortiumPremiere
KevinDay (b.1996)
DavidBiedenbender Inolongerrecognizemyhands (b.1984) ComingHome(Doxology)
…andthetreesclapforwinter
RussianFuneral (1936)
MusicforPrague1968 (1968)
Intermission
BenjaminBritten (1913-1976)
KarelHusa IntroductionandFanfare (1921-2016)
Aria
Interlude ToccataandChorale
T HE C RANE W IND E NSEMBLE
Formedin1956byWillardMusser,the CraneWindEnsemble comprises58ofthemostoutstandingwindandpercussionmajorsin theCraneSchoolofMusic.TheCWEperformsasafullwindband,andinsmallerchambergroupswithvariedinstrumentation.This groupisdedicatedtotheperformanceofthefinestwindrepertoire,regardlessofperiodordispositionofinstrumentalforces.TheCWE isalsocommittedtoperformingmusicofourtimeandisactiveinworkingwithcomposersinthecommissioningofnewworksto supportthisgoal.
ThelineageofprincipalconductorsoftheCWEincludesWillardI.Musser,HarryI.Phillips,ElliotDelBorgo,AnthonyMaiello, TimothyTopolewski,andBrianK.Doyle.RecentguestartistshaveincludedMalloryThompson(virtual),MichaelHaithcock,H.Robert Reynolds,StacyGarrop,JoeAlessi,JohnWhitwell,andFrankBattisti.
Since2006,theCWEhaspremieredover45newworksforwindband.RecentpremieresincludeworksbyErikaSvanoe,NkeiruOkoye, GregoriaKaridesSuchy,ShuyingLi,JamesLeeIII,StephenBryant,JoelPuckett,KristinKuster,RoshanneEtezady,DavidHeinick, JamesMobberley,ChristopherTheofanidis,GregoryWanamaker,DanaWilson,D.J.Sparr,andAndrePrevin.TheCWEperformsat leastthreeperformanceseachfallandspringandalsotoursregularly.Majoroff-campusperformanceshaveincludedconcertsatthe NYSSMAWinterConference,theNYSBDAWinterSymposium,andattheDivisionConferenceofCBDNAattheCoastGuard Academy(2016)andatTempleUniversity(2020).InNovemberof2014,theCraneWindEnsemblereleasedthecompactdisc, AdirondackSongs
U
PCOMING WIND &PERCUSSION CONCERTSAT CRANE
ConcertBand•Wednesday,10April•7:30p.m.
SymphonicBand•Thursday,11April•7:30p.m.
TheCraneWindEnsemble•Friday,19April•7:30p.m.
JazzBand&JazzEnsemble•Wednesday,24April•7:30p.m.
Allconcertsarestreamedatthefollowinglocation:
https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/crane-school-music/crane-school-music-live-concert
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtuXOQFKehOIrf2LDcTZG4ntttJ0ZnhSJ
Piccolo
MargoNeth
‘26,MusicBusiness,VeronaNY
Flute
JulieWilliams* ‘24,MusicEducation& Performance,LaGrange,NY
SaraMcIntyre* ‘24,MusicEducation, Lockport,NY
ElsieMunsterteiger ‘27,MusicEducation, Bedford,NH
EmmaScionti
‘25,MusicEducation, Ronkonkoma,NY
ReneeRivers ‘26,MusicHistory& Performance, CoeymansHollow,NY
SimoneMcPartling ‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,WestBabylon,NY
Oboe
KaylaOutman* ‘25,MusicEducation, Lagrangeville,NY
AmaraLeitner ‘27,MusicEducationand Performance,Monroe,NY
MarianaMorales ‘27,MusicEducation& Performance,Hicksville,NY
EnglishHorn
AmaraLeitner
Bassoon
JalenJohnson ‘24,MusicEducation, Brooklyn,NY
LiamHill ‘26,MusicEducation, SouthHuntington,NY
ContraBassoon
JordonGyarmathy
‘24,MMEMusicEducation, SaratogaSprings,NY
TheCraneWindEnsemblePersonnel
E-flatClarinet
NicholasDerderian ‘25,Performance, SaratogaSpringsNY
B-flatClarinet
NickAlvarez* ‘24,Performance,Hopewell JunctionNY
BrandonMcLauglin ‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,Cortland,NY
PaigeKrebs
‘26,MusicBusiness,Buffalo,NY
LibbySheldon ‘25,InternationalStudies& Performance,Mexico,NY
EmilyOldfield ‘25,MusicEducation, Rochester,NY
JessicaSchaller
‘26,MusicEducation, Bayport,NY
KatiePullaro ‘26,MusicEducation, RedHook,NY
BassClarinets
AbbyRodriguez
‘24,MusicEducation, SaratogaSprings,NY
JovanyRivers
‘25,MusicEducation, Brooklyn,NY
EvanMintz ‘25,MusicEducation, Commack,NY
AltoSaxophone
NathanielCobb*
‘25,MusicEducation& Performance,Bakersfield,VT
CelesteLaFlamm
‘25,MusicalStudiesin Composition,Mexico,NY
AlexBrown
’27,Performance,Rome,NY
TenorSaxophone
SaraWard
‘27,MusicEducation& Performance,Churchville,NY
BaritoneSaxophone
CarinaPhillips
‘25,MusicEducation, Webster,NY
Trumpet
MollyCollins*
‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,Pittsford,NY
RebeccaWertenberger ‘24,Performance, HotSprings,AR
BrianMcNamara
‘26,MusicEducation, Amsterdam,NY
CaseyAsaro
‘25,Performance&Psychology, CliftonPark,NY
ZoeFragapane
‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,Rome,NY
MichaelDigman
‘24,MusicEducation, EastGreenbush,NY
Horn
MichaelShipps
‘24,Performance,Lakeland,FL
HeatherMurphy
‘24,MusicEducation& Performance,Poughquag,NY
RyanEckl
‘25,MusicEducation& Performance,Buffalo,NY
SophiaRandazzo
‘25,MusicEducation& Performance,WestIslip,NY
NatalieHartmann
‘25,MusicEducation, Farmingville,NY
DarioLongobardi
‘25,MusicBusinessand Performance,KingsPark,NY
Trombone
AndrewGorman*
‘24,MusicEducation,Troy,NY
ElliotBorden
‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,Buffalo,NY
TobeyDwyer
‘27,MusicEducation, RockvilleCentre,NY
BassTrombone
SamirGhalayini
‘25,Performance, Westfield,MA
Euphonium
JenniferCarden* ‘24,Performance,Buffalo,NY
AidenSears
’24,MusicEducation, Poughkeepsie,NY
Tuba
JohnLithco* ‘24,Performance, Poughkeepsie,NY
HenryStringer
‘24,Mathematics& Performance,Fairport,NY
ZachBarstow
‘26,MusicEducationand Performance,CamillusNY
DoubleBass
LoganMonti
’27,MusicEducation, PointLookout,NY‘
Percussion
BaileyYerdon*
‘26,MusicEducation& Performance,Altamont,NY
WyattCalcote
‘27,Performance,LeRoy,NY
KameronBalcom
‘26,MusicEducation, Pulaski,NY
ElisabethSkalski ‘27,MusicEducation, Westtown,NY
HaileyGomez
‘27,MusicEducation, Marcellus,NY
NadavIsak ’27,MusicEducation, Poughkeepsie,NY
Piano
JackJiang
‘25,MusicalStudiesinMusic Theory&Performance, Plainview,NY
Harp
RickyChui
‘25,MusicEducation& Performance,StatenIsland,NY
Librarians
AshleyColucci
KaylaOutman
*SectionPrincipal
P ROGRAM N OTES
CWE•20March2024
S TRIDE
KevinDay
KevinDayisacomposer,conductor,producer,andmulti-instrumentalistcurrentlyservingas assistantprofessorofcompositionatWilfridLaurierUniversityinWaterloo,Ontario,Canada. Day'sfatherwasaprominenthip-hopproducerinthelate1980s,andhismotherwasasoughtaftergospelsinger,singingalongsidethelikesofMelTorméandKirkFranklin.KevinDayplays euphoniumandtuba,andisaself-taughtpianistandcomposer.HereceivedaBachelorofMusic degreeineuphonium/tubaperformancefromTexasChristianUniversity(TCU),studyingunder RichardMurrowfortubaandeuphoniumandDr.NeilAnderson-HimmelspachandandTill MacIvorMeynforcomposition.HeholdsaMasterofMusicinCompositionfromtheUniversity ofGeorgia,studyingwithcomposersPeterVanZandtLaneandEmilyKoh,andconductor CynthiaJohnstonTurner.
WhileatTCU,Mr.Dayplayedinthemarchingband,thetuba/euphoniumensemble,andwasthe principalplayeroneuphoniumandjazzpiano.KevinwasthefirstcomposeratTCUtoreceivea bandcompositionpremieredinconcerthisfreshmanyearbytheTCUSymphonicBand,andthe WindSymphonyhissophomoreyear.Mr.Dayhasalsoreceivedaccoladessuchashis Fireworks fanfarebeingselectedasawinneroftheDallasWindsFanfareContestfor2015-2016.Hewasa finalistfortheASCAPMortonGouldYoungComposerAwardforhiswork StringQuartetNo. 1, andtheNovusNewMusicCallforScoresContestforhisconcertbandpiece, DancingFire, for2016.Mr.Dayhadhisfirstever conferencepremiereof DancingFire bytheWestSalemHighSchoolWindEnsembleunderthedirectionofToddZimbelmanatthe 2016WesternInternationalBandClinicinSeattle,Washington.Hewasalsoselectedasthe3rdPrizewinnerofthe2020NewClassics InternationalYoungComposerContestoftheMoscowConservatory.KevinwasalsooneoftwotubasintheUnitedStatestoplayin the2016DisneylandAll-AmericanCollegeBandforthesummer.
Day,whosemusicoftenintersectsbetweentheworldsofjazz,minimalism,Latinmusic,fusion,andcontemporaryclassicalidioms,has morethan150compositions.AwinneroftheBMIStudentComposerAwardandotherhonors,hisworkshavehadnumerous performancesthroughouttheUnitedStates,Russia,Austria,Australia,Taiwan,SouthAfrica,andJapan.Hehasworkedwithandhas beenmentoredbydistinguishedcomposersGabrielaLenaFrank,FrankTicheli,JohnMackey,WilliamOwens,JulieGiroux,Marcos Balter,AnthonyCheung,MatthewEvanTaylor,andValerieColeman.
CommissionedbytheAmericanBandmastersAssociation, Stride isderivedfromthedefinitionmeaningtowalkinadecisivewayto crossandovercomeobstaclesthatmaycomewithinourpaths. Stride isalsoareferencetothemarchingbandtraditionabdhighlights myexperiencegrowingupasaTexasbandkidmarchingonthefield.Thisisanenergeticworkthatfeaturesbrassanddrumgrooves thatcouldbefeltwithindupleandtriplemeter,whilecontrastingtoabeautifullyricalsectionthatshowcasesthewoodwindsection.
ProgramNotebyKevinDay
W HATIS W RITTENONTHE L EAVES
DavidBiedenbender
Thetitle WhatIsWrittenontheLeaves comesfromapoembymyfriendRobertFanning.Robert’s poemisabeautifulreflectiononlettinggo,and,likemuchofhiswork,seemedtobethewordsI neededtohearatthatparticularmomentinmylife.AsImeditatedonRobert’swords,the metaphoroftreesseemedtometobeanaptwaytodescribetherelationshipstudentshavewith theirteachers:bold,greenbranchesandleavessproutingfromdeeplyrootedtrunksofwisdom andexperience,eventuallynewseedsfallingtoearthandbecomingnewtrees.Thenextgeneration ofmusiciansmaynothavethechancetoexperienceJackWilliamson’sextraordinaryperspicuity onthepodium,buthiswordsandhispassionwillcontinuethroughtheworkofhisstudents,in thesamewayeachautumntheephemeralleavesfallfromtheirbranchesandeventuallybecome thesoilthatnourishesthetreeitself.
Thefirstmovementisentitled“Inolongerrecognizemyhands,”whichisalinefromRobert’s poem.Forme,JohnWilliamson’swindensemblewashome.IhavebeenlisteningtotheCentral MichiganUniversitySymphonicWindEnsemblesincethebeginningofmyformalmusic education.Butyouhavetoleavehomeinordertoknowit.GraduatingfromCentralMichigan UniversityandheadingoutintotheworldwaswhenItrulybegantoappreciateandunderstandthemusicwehadallmadetogether.It isalsowhenIbegantounderstandmyselfandthemusicIeventuallywantedtowrite.Itisastrangebutimportantfeelingtorealizethat youhavechangedbuttoalsorealizethatchangeisanimportantpartoftheprocessoffindingyourself.
Thesecondmovementstemsfromavividdreammyfatherhadandrecountedforme,andthetitle,“ComingHome,”camefroman articlewrittenbycomposerStevenStucky.Steven’swordsspeaktohoweveryone--eventhemostoriginalandinnovativeartists-comefromsomewhere.Itisabeautifulreflectiononhowtofindyourownwaywhileacknowledgingthepeopleandtheplacesfrom whichyoucome,andithasstuckwithmeforalongtime.Inmanyways,thispiece,thismetaphor,isawaytosaythankyoutoallof mymentorsandteachers.
Thelastmovement,“…andthetreesclapforwinter,”wasinspiredbyaconversationIhadwithmyson,Izaak,whenhewasthreeyears old.Forthefirsttime,hehadnoticedtheleaveschangingcolorsandfallingoffthetrees,and,inhisinnocentandsomewhatconcerned voice,heaskedmewhatwashappening.Itoldhimaboutthechangeoftheseasonsandmusteredanexplanationforhowthiscycleis allaverynaturalandimportantpartoflife.Izaakpausedforamomentanddescribedthemovementofthetreesasthe“treesclapping forwinter.”Thisfinalmovementisadance,attimesdarkandearthyandatothertimesecstaticandradiant.Ultimately,itisacelebration ofthepastandthosewhohavesetapathbeforeusaswellasthefutureandthechangethatwillcome.
WhatIsWrittenontheLeaves wascommissionedbyaconsortiumofconductorsandensemblesledbyMatthewWestgateandthe UniversityofMassachusettsatAmherst,DustinBarrandCaliforniaStateUniversity,Fullerton,andJamesBatchellerandCentral MichiganUniversity.ItisdedicatedwithgratitudetoJohnE.Williamson,DirectorofBandsatCentralMichiganUniversityfrom1979 untilhisretirementin2018andinwhosewindensembleIplayedeuphoniumthroughoutmyundergraduatestudies.Mr.Williamson hadaprofoundimpactonmyconceptionofmusic;hebothpushedmyunderstandingofwhatispossibleandhonedmyapproachto nuance,detail,andexpression.
ProgramnotebyDavidBiedenbender
R USSIAN F UNERAL
BenjaminBritten
BenjaminBrittenplayedacentralroleinEngland’s20thclassicalmusicmilieu.Brittenachieved internationalsuccessearlyoninhiscompositional;careerwithworkslikehis Sinfonietta,op. 1 and SimpleSymphony.Athisfirstjob,inJohnGrierson'sGeneralPostOfficeFilmUnit,Britten honedhiscompositionalcraftbywritingevocativefilmscoresunderstrictdeadlines.Itwasatthe GPOFilmUnitwhereBrittenmetthepoetW.H.Auden.AudenincorporatedBrittenintohisclose circleofintellectualartistsandwriters,aneventthathadlasting,personal,politicaland philosophicalimpactonBritten.
ItwasthroughthisgroupthatBrittenmetMontaguSlater,whoeventuallybecamethelibrettist forhissecondopera PeterGrimes (Audenhimselfwasthelibrettistforthefirst-PaulBunyan). Inall,Brittencomposedseventeenstagedworks(opera,operetta,balletandotherentertainments), whicheffectedarevivaloftheBritishoperatradition.
Awareofhissuccesses,BrittenworkedtoestablishhimselfasaleadingBritishcomposerand usedhisnotorietytofurtherhispersonalcauses:maintainingtheviabilityofmusicaldrama,audienceoutreachandperpetuationand musiceducation,literacyandawareness.
EquallyimportanttoBrittenwashisaccessibilityasacomposer.Heeschewedmodernistidealsinfavorofadistinctivetonallanguage thatresonatedinamusicalacceptancebyprofessionalsandamateursalike.Whensurveyinghisworks,oneclearlynotesthatBritten’s considerableopusspansthegamutofcompositionalmediums.
Asnotedinthe NewGroveDictionaryofMusicandMusicians:“aboveall,[Britten]imbuedhisworkswithhisownpersonalconcerns… likehisfiercelyheldpacifistbeliefs,inwaysthatallowedpeopletosensethepassionandconvictionbehindthemevenifunawareof theirfullimplication.
RussianFuneral,Britten’sonlyworkfororchestralbrass,wasconceivedandwritteninaremarkablyshorttime-span.Duringthe afternoonofFebruary24,1936,Brittenshapedthepieceinhishead;hesketcheditbeforedinneronthe27thanddeliveredafullscore tothecopyistsathispublishers,Boosey&Hawkes,beforelunchonMarch2.TheworkreceiveditspremiereonMarch8inaLondon LabourChoralUnionconcertattheWestminsterTheatre.
Inhis1936diary,Brittenrefersto RussianFuneral as“WarandDeath,”atitlethatexpresseshislifelongpacifistleaningsand sympathies,andaswellreferencestheoriginalmaterialsuponwhichRussianFuneralwasdrawn.Thisshort,symphonic,tri-partiteform drawsontwothemesorderedasfollows“Death”-“War”-“Death.”
Brittenderiveshis“Death”theme,abroadfuneralmarchreminiscentofMahler,fromadirgeentitled“YouFellinBattle,”aRussian proletariatsongglorifyingthosewhogavetheirlivesinthefightforthe“life,libertyandhappinessofthepeople.”Thedirgewas performedandsunginfuneralprocessionsofthosewhodiedintheWinterPalacedemonstrationmassacreof1905,andlaterinthe OctoberRevolutionof1917.Brittenorchestratesthefirstpartofthemelodyfortrombone,andthesecondfortrumpets.Thehornsmake aclimacticentrancebeforethepiecemovesontoitsnextsection.
Inthefastersecondtheme,“War,”Brittenborrowsfromthe“KomsomolFleetMarch.”Abuglefanfare-likemotiveisforeshadowedat theendoftheslowfirstsectionandisthenspunoutinseveralseven-beattrumpetphrasesbeforemigratingtothelowbrass.Thelow
brassinturnstatesthemelodyathalfspeedbeforeatransitionensuestoreturnthe“Death”theme.Thepiececoncludeswithfull statementofthedirge,whichbuildsmonumentallytowardsafinaldeclamatoryphrase.
M USICFOR P RAGUE 1968
KarelHusa
KarelHusawasborninPragueAugust7,1921.Althoughhismother,anamateurmusician, fosteredhisappreciationoftheartsasanavocationbyinsistingonviolin,pianoandpainting lessons,theyoungKarelreceivedformalschoolingpreparinghimforacareerincivil engineering.
AsaresultoftheNazioccupationofPraguein1939andthestudentproteststhatsubsequently ensued,theNazisclosedalltechnicalschoolsinCzechoslovakia,includingtheinstituteHusa preparedtoattend.Conservatoriesofartandmusic,however,werenotaffectedbythis closure.Initially,Husaconsideredpursuingart,butfinallysettledonmusicalstudies.Aftera periodofprivatetutelagewithcomposerJaroslav Řidký,HusagainedacceptanceintothePrague Conservatory,studyingcompositionandconductingfrom1941-45.Hisstudentworks,bearing theinfluencesofProkofievandoffellowcountrymenJosefSuk(astudentofAntoninDvořák) andLeošJánaček,receivedconsiderableattentionandpublicpraise.From1945to1947,HusaattendedtheAcademyofMusicalArts inPrague.Inthemidstofhisadvancedstudies,HusareceivedafellowshipthroughtheFrenchgovernmenttostudyinPariswithArthur Honnegger(composition)andJeanFournet(conducting)attheÉcoleNormaldeMusique.
AftergraduationfromtheAcademy,HusareturnedtoParistostudycompositionwithNadiaBoulangerandconductingwithAndre Cluytens.HealsoworkedwithconductorEugeneBigotattheParisConservatory,whereheauditedDariusMilhaud’scomposition seminar.In1948,Husawrotehis FirstStringQuartet,whichwontheLiliBoulangerPrizein1950andsethimontheroadto internationalacclaim.Thatsameyear,CzechoslovakiabecameacommuniststateandproponentsoftheAvantGardewereexiledand theirartbanned.EvenasmusiccriticshailedHusaas“oneofthegreatesthopesforCzechmusic,”thecommunistgovernmentrevoked hispassport,leavinghimanexile.HewouldnotsetfootuponhisnativesoiluntilaftertheendoftheColdWar.
In1954,musicologistDonaldJayGroutinvitedHusatoacceptafacultypostatCornellUniversity.Husaagreed,teachingconducting, compositionandorchestration.HereceivedtenurethreeyearslaterandobtainedhisU.S.citizenshipin1959.Husaremainedamember oftheCornellfacultyuntilhisretirement1992.HusaalsoservedonthefacultyofIthacaCollegefrom1967to1986.Teaching,as opposedtolivingasatravelingconductor,affordedHusamoretimetocompose,leadingtoaperiodofexceptionallyfertile compositionalendeavor.
ForhiscompositionspennedintheUnitedStates,Husareceivedsignificantpraiseincludingthe1969PulitzerPrizeforhis String QuartetNo.3,thefirstLouisSudlerPrizein1983for ConcertoforWindEnsemble andthe1993UniversityofLouisvilleGrawemeyer AwardforMusicCompositionfor ConcertoforVioloncelloandOrchestra.Perhapshisbestknownwork, MusicforPrague1968 has receivedover7000performancessinceitspremiereinWashingtonD.C.attheMusicEducators’NationalConvention. MusicforPrague 1968 wascommissionedbytheIthacaCollegeBandandcomposedduringthesummerandfallof1968forthecapitalcityof Czechoslovakia.
AsthecomposerstatesintheForwardtohiswork:
Threemainideasbindthiscompositiontogether.ThefirstandmostimportantistheoldHussitewassongfromthe 15th century,“YeWarriorsofGodandHisLaw,”asymbolofresistanceandhopeforhundredsofyears,whenever fatelayheavyontheCzechnation.Ithasbeenutilizedbymanycomposers,includingSmetanain MyCountry.The beginningofthissongisannouncedverysoftlyinthefirstmovementbythetimpaniandconcludesinastrongunison (Chorale).Thesongisneverusedinitsentirety.
Thesecondideaisthesoundofbellsthroughout;Prague,namedalsothe“CityofHundredsofTowers,”hasusedits magnificentlysoundingchurchbellsascallsofdistressaswellasofvictory.
Thelastideaisamotifofthreechordsappearingverysoftlyunderthepiccolosoloatthebeginningofthepiece,in flutes,clarinetsandhorns.Later,itreappearsatextremelystrongdynamiclevels,forexample,inthemiddleofthe Aria.
Differenttechniquesofcomposingaswellasorchestratinghavebeenusedin MusicforPrague1968 andsomenew soundsexplored,suchasthepercussionsectioninthe Interlude,theendingofthework,etc.Muchsymbolismalso appears:inadditiontothedistresscallsinthefirstmovement(Fanfares),theunbrokenhopeoftheHussitesong, soundofbells,orthetragedy(Aria),thereisalsoabirdcallatthebeginning(piccolosolo),symboloftheliberty whichthecityofPraguehasseenforonlymomentsduringitsthousandyearsofexistence.
