Ma Kulm
Casey Kim, Ryan Eads, Hunter Campbell, percussion
Patricia Grimm, piano
Saturday, April 19, 2025
2:30 pm
Faye Spanos Concert Hall
Kím (2001)
Partita No. 2, BVW 1004 (1717–1720)
Áskell Mâsson (b. 1953)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Crystal Silence (1972)
Chick Corea (1941–2012)
Malika Kishino (b. 1971) Monochromer Garten III (2011)
Joseph Schwanter (b. 1943)
Alexis C. Lamb (b. 1993) Matters/Mind (2022)
Casey Kim, Ryan Eads, Hunter Campbell, percussion
Marimba Concerto No. 1 (2019)
Patricia Grimm, piano
Lin Chin Cheng (b. 1984)
This recital is presented as a degree requirement for a Bachelor of Music in music performance.
Matt Kulm is a senior music performance major at University of the Pacific. He has performed with Valley Concert Band, Stockton Civic Theatre, and toured internationally with Delta Winds. He is also a percussion director for Oakland Youth Symphony Orchestra and CMEA Capitol Section. He has studied with Jonathan Latta and Brian Kendrick. After graduation, Kulm will begin a teaching assistantship at the University of Arizona.
PROGRAM NOTES
Program notes by Matt Kulm
Mâsson: Kím
Kím is a piece for solo snare drum by Icelandic composer Áskell Mâsson. Premiered by Gert Mortensen in Fredericia, Denmark in January 2002, Kím continues Másson’s exploration and exploitation of the many different sounds that the snare drum can make. The snare drum can be a melodic instrument just the same as a clarinet, trumpet, or violin, and Másson celebrates its many sonic capabilities in Kím.
“Kím means germ or embryo and the idea is roughly to start on something simple which then gradually grows and takes on a new form, like a plant. The work is a continuation of my exploitation of the possibilities of the snare drum as a solo instrument, using sounds and polyrhythms which I hadn't in the earlier pieces (Prím and Konzerstück). The piece has a metric pattern of 3/8, 7/8 and 11/8 which is repeated 32 times. With the aid of a brush and a practice pad as well as the instrument itself, one of my aims was to establish rhythms in various timbres which would constantly develop new viewpoints by putting these into permutational combinations.”—Áskell Mâsson
Bach: Partita No. 2, BVW 1004
Partita No. 2 is a five-movement piece written by Johann Sebastian Bach sometime between 1717 and 1720. The piece consists of a dance-like Allemande, a bubbly Courante, a somber Sarabande, a lively Gigue, and a fiery Chaconne. Composing over 1,000 works in his life, Bach is a staple of Western Classical music in and out of academia. His profound musicality and genius writing continues to validate his place as one of the greatest composers of all time.
The Allemande from Partita No. 2 explores a wide range of musical motives such as melodic sequencing and the use of secondary dominants. Bach uses this harmonic intellect to seamlessly guide the performer from D minor to A major, creating organic motion and weight in the piece. Allemande is a word for dance in Renaissance German, and this piece’s flowing melody makes for a light and dancing experience.
PROGRAM NOTES
Corea: Crystal Silence
Chick Corea was a pioneering American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, renowned for his versatility and innovation. Over a career spanning six decades, Corea explored a vast range of styles, from bebop and fusion to classical and avant-garde music.
Crystal Silence is a mesmerizing collaboration between vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Chick Corea, first recorded in 1972. The piece blends elements of jazz, classical, and contemporary music. The intimate, almost fragile melody creates a sense of transparency and stillness, evoking imagery of clear, crystalline soundscapes. The slow, contemplative pace and subtle harmonic movements invite the listener into a space of introspection and quiet beauty.
Kinisho: Monochromer Garten III
Malika Kinisho is a contemporary composer and musician known for her innovative approach to sound and music composition. Drawing from a wide array of influences, including minimalism, experimental music, and modern classical traditions, Kinisho creates works that explore texture, silence, and the emotional impact of sound.
Monochromer Garten III is a stunning exploration of texture and color in sound. Drawing inspiration from the concept of a "monochrome garden," Kinisho crafts a sonic landscape where subtle variations in tone and rhythm create a deep, immersive atmosphere. The piece blends modern classical and experimental influences, using rich, minimalist patterns to evoke a sense of stillness and introspection. Each note feels deliberate, painting a delicate yet intricate scene that captures the quiet beauty of nature. Monochromer Garten III offers listeners an intimate journey through sound, where simplicity becomes a profound source of emotional depth. The piece was commissioned by the 3rd Internationale Timpani Concours in Lyon in 2012.
Schwantner: Velocities
Joseph Schwantner is an American composer known for his distinctive voice in contemporary classical music. Born in 1943, Schwantner’s works blend lyrical expression with intricate textures and rhythmic complexity. His compositions often explore themes of nature, color, and the human experience, incorporating elements of minimalism, impressionism, and avant-garde techniques.
Written for marimbist Leigh Howard Stevens, Velocities is characterized by a continuously unfolding texture of rapid gestures within a framework of continually shifting meters. Known as Moto Perpetuo, or constant motion, Velocities is a piece written with no breaks, continuously moving and shaping throughout. The aggressive opening is followed by wave-like ostinati figures presented in seven-eight meter. Continuing with mutated material leading up to an explosive ending, Velocities remains a staple in modern marimba literature.
Lamb: Matters/Mind
Alexis C. Lamb is an American composer and sound artist known for her innovative work in contemporary classical music. Her compositions often merge electronic and acoustic elements, exploring themes of identity, perception, and the intersection of technology and humanity. Lamb's style is characterized by its experimental nature, using unconventional techniques and rich, textured soundscapes.
Matters/Mind by Alexis C. Lamb is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between the physical and mental realms through its instrumentation. Using intricate textures, shifting rhythms, and subtle sonic manipulations, Lamb challenges the listener to consider the material world and the inner workings of the mind as interconnected yet distinct forces. Matters/Mind engages with ideas of perception, cognition, and emotional depth, offering a contemplative journey that encourages introspection and invites new interpretations of sound, space, and self. The piece was premiered by Third Coast Percussion in 2022.
PROGRAM NOTES
Cheng: Marimba Concerto No. 1 “One Love”
A Taiwanese composer and marimba player, Lin Chin Cheng has been widely recognized as an expert composer and percussion virtuoso. The recipient of the European Champion Soloist Award and Culture Outstanding Award in 2007, Lin Chin Cheng has performed at the Universal Marimba Festival and Santa Fe Marimba Festival. He has toured worldwide for concerts with Pekin Symphony Orchestra, Novosibirsk Chamber Orchestra, and many others.
Marimba Concerto No. 1 by Lin Chin Cheng is a vibrant and dynamic work that showcases the marimba's versatility as both a melodic and percussive instrument. The concerto seamlessly blends elements of contemporary classical music with rhythmic intricacies and dramatic contrasts. All three movements of the concerto have a name; One World, One Dream, and One Love. One Love evokes the bursting romanticism of the late 1800s, drawing inspiration from Chopin, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky.
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