Student Recital Series 2024 – 2025 Season
Sara M. Snell Music Theater Saturday, March 29th at 3:05 PM
Katie Pullaro, clarinet
Dr. Keilor Kastella, piano
Fantaisie (1900) Augusta Holmès (1847 – 1903)
Solitude (1992) Lauren Bernofsky (b. 1967)
Deux Pièces (1885)
I. Invocation
II. Air Slave
Clémence de Grandval (1828 – 1907)
Waltz, Op. 36, No. 3 (1897) Amy Marcy Beach (1867 – 1944)
Paige Krebs, clarinet
Brandon McLaughlin, clarinet
Katie Pullaro is from the studio of Dr. Julianne Kirk-Doyle.
Augusta Holmès’ Fantaisie is a powerful and operatic composition. This work holds a special place in history as the first piece of female-composed clarinet repertoire to be selected as the solo de concours at the Paris Conservatoire. However, prior to this notoriety, Paris-born Augusta Holmès faced a difficult path on her journey to musical success and recognition. From a young age, she was discouraged from professionally studying piano and was only allowed to take private lessons. As her musicianship developed and she began composing, she published works under the male pseudonym Hermann Zenta, as women were not respectedascomposersin19th centuryEurope.Herimpressivecompositionsearned her greater recognition and challenged the idea that women were only capable of composing short works. Camille Saint-Saëns encapsulates Holmès’ spirit and the female musical experience in this quote: “Like children, women have no idea of obstacles, and their willpower breaks all barriers. Mademoiselle Holmès is a woman, an extremist.”
Lauren Bernofsky was born in Minnesota in 1967, but her work has transcended borders as it has been played across the world. She finds inspiration in the extremes ofevery instrumentandcomposeswithacuriositythatresultsinmusicalinnovation and expression. Her works have been performed in many prestigious venues by some of the most reputable ensembles in the country. Bernofsky’s approach to composition can be summed up by her personal philosophy: “music should be a joy bothtoplayandtohear.”This compositionhighlightsthewarmexpressivequalities of the chalumeau register, developing a reflective mood alongside the tempi, sparse texture, and mixed meter. The title, Solitude, lends to a sense of loneliness, but I interpret it as more of an opportunity for contemplation. I would like to think if the listenerclosestheireyeswhilelisteningtothis piece,theycandriftintoa meditative state.
Deux Pièces (1885)
The first movement of this work, entitled “Invocation,” develops an introspective atmosphere akin to that of Solitude. The dark mood also creates a sense of drama which is further developed in the second movement. “Air Slave,” introduces a playful energy which directly contradicts “Invocation.” This is accompanied by a sweet sense of humor – almost as if to tell a joke. Clémence de Grandval endured similar obstacles to Holmès, also publishing under male pseudonyms. Dabbling in various genres from sacred music to operas, Grandval was a well-rounded composer. She became involved with numerous organizations such as the Société Nationale de Musique, of which she was the most played composer. She was also the first recipient of the Prix Rossini in 1881, a prize which celebrated composers and librettists. Despite the admiration she received for her musicianship in the past, her legacy is rarely remembered today. Her story reminds us why conversations about female composers are vital to preserving music history.
Waltz, Op. 36, No. 3 (1897)
This short trio composition takes the playfulness of “Air Slave” and embeds it into a joyful and charming waltz.Amy Marcy Beach may be a more familiar name, but her story is seldom shared. Native to New England, Beach was a prodigy pianist and singer who began memorizing and composing songs before the age of 5. Her family moved to Boston to provide her with more playing opportunities in 1875, allowing her to perform with the Boston Symphony Orchestra after many solo concerts.Adecade later,she marrieda Harvardlecturerwhoinsistedshehavefewer public performances. With no choice but to use composing as her musical outlet, Beach taught herself how to translate and write music. By the 1890’s, she was the first American female composer to earn recognition for her orchestral works. She continued to gain notoriety in America and Europe and advocated for recognition of female musicians and educators.