program notes and thanks

Slavonic Dance #8 - (1878) Antonin Dvořák used Brahms’s Hungarian Dances as a model for his Slavonic Dances, however while Brahms made use of actual Hungarian folk melodies, Dvořák only used the rhythms of Bohemian and Moravian folk music: the melodies are entirely his own. The piano and orchestrated versions were both immediate successes and quickly established Dvořák’s international reputation. Dance #8 is a “furiant, ” a Bohemian dance that typically contrasts 2/4 with 3/4 meter. It switches constantly between minor and major, and the accents make it difficult to tell what time signature is being used. After a calm middle section, the fast and exciting original tune returns.

The Old Boatman : (1930) is a two-page piano piece Florence Price (1887-1953) composed for the benefit of her developing piano students. It is representative of her signature style, a fusion of her classical training and the elements of African-American spirituals, particularly their rhythm and syncopation. Upon hearing the piece, Dana Paul Perna found it very reminiscent of Edvard Grieg's string works. With that in mind, he proceeded to score The Old Boatman in a literal transcription for string orchestra in 2002. This version was premiered in 2017.

Rhapsody in Blue (1924) Written when he was just 26, George Gershwin's innovative work brought elements of jazz to the symphonic stage. Just five weeks prior to the concert where it premiered, Gershwin had not actually committed to writing a piece, when a report in the New York Tribune stated that George was “at work on a jazz concerto” for the program. Short on time, Gershwin pieced Rhapsody In Blue together as best he could, leaving his own piano part to be improvised during the world premiere. Rhapsody would come to be regarded as one of the most important American musical works of the 20th century. This arrangement uses tunes from the larger work.

Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor (1848) The Merry Wives of Windsor is Otto Nicolai's only opera to be written in German, and dates from the last year of his life. Frist produced at the Berlin Court Opera, Nicolai's delightful work, based on Shakespeare, remains a fairly common part of the repertory, at least in Germanspeaking countries. Its overture is known and loved all over the world. The music of the overture is entirely drawn from the opera, most of it from the magical scene at midnight in Windsor Park, introducing the various characters. The remainder of the overture plays hideand-seek with all of these ideas, capturing the vigor and wit of a delightful comic story.

Innovate: Draft 8 (2021) Harpist and composer Callie Stadem hails from North Dakota , and once herself played harp in youth orchestra. This piece was commissioned in celebration of the 10th season of NVYO. Stadem writes, "In the spirit of the “Innovate” theme, this piece is inspired by my seven-year-old nephew Calvin. Children are incredible innovators, fearlessly and un-self-consciously synthesizing the most disparate thoughts into new inventions. “Innovate – Draft 8” attempts to capture a few vignettes of this child-like innovative spirit. The opening of the piece centers on a theme of ascending fourths, an abstraction of the melody my father used to sing to Calvin when he was a baby. Calvin himself says that this part sounds “royal” and “noble;” it’s meant to invoke some of the grandeur that I so vividly remember as a part of my own imaginary quests as a child.

The opening section fades, replaced by a lighthearted, more chromatic section that depicts Calvin the tinkerer. He spends many hours in the workshop with his father, who is a blacksmith and a true innovator in his field. Here you’ll hear chimes sounding to emulate hammer on metal, and a jumble of motives meant to represent the joys, delights, surprises of experiments successful and unsuccessful, as well as the lulls that occur when things are moving along slowly. "

Stadem is a member of the faculty at Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) as a harp instructor, and teaches harp, composition, and voice privately throughout the Red River Valley. She maintains a busy performance schedule in the tri-state area with regional symphonies, chamber ensembles, and as a solo artist.

Eritaj (2020): Composer Christopher Ducasse, a native of Port-auPrince Haiti, writes, "The title, "Eritaj" is a Haitian Creole title and translates to "Heritage" in English. This composition is based on different Haitian Rhythms such as "Congo Lwés" and "Raboday" . The idea behind that composition is embracing and merging two different genres of music that I grew up with: being a native Haitian and studying classical music. Using the traditional rhythms and style of Haitian music merged with Western classical style of composition, this piece is a representation of what I consider my Heritage in the world in music; the music that I can say I was born with, and the music that I have studied. Haitian Rhythms, mostly passed by oral tradition from mentors to apprentice drummers, use a lot of different sounds on a conga, which are impossible to notate clearly on the one or two staves line system used by classical percussionists. I included a custom notation sheet for the conga parts based on Haitian sound but with classical notation that will help express the sound and soul of the rhythms. " Ducasse was a BLUME HAITI Scholar in the Haitian student exchange program at Lawrence University in 2015, and later completed a Music Education degree at Silver Lake College. He has composed vocal and instrumental pieces; Christopher sings baritone, plays piano and violin, and was the winner of the WCDA Conducting Competition in 2018. Percussion for Eritaj involved generous loans of equipment and moving assistance, as well as several community mentors.

Big thanks also go out to: GF Central HS Music Department • UND percussion studio African Arts Arena • Don Langlie & Popplers Music • Brian Opdahl, piano tuner • Empire Arts Center • Behls Photography • HB Sound & Light • ND Department of Commerce • Neel Family Foundation • Arts Midwest • Myra Foundation • the school & private instructors of these wonderful young people

and the many other supporters, donors, and grantors listed in this program

coaches, video & ZOOM coaches, & mentors this Season Rachel Agan Muniz, * Dr. Simona Barbu, * Andrew Barhite, * Claire Barhite, * Tamara Bertram, Dr. Sonja Bosca-Harasim, Shari Boschee, Leah Brooks, Dr. Lisa Bost-Sandberg, * , Sarah Curtiss, Dr. Yi-Ping Chen-Beyers, Ryan Christianson, Aubrey Connolly, Erin Cummings, * Michael Farrick, Jessica Folson, Gabrielle Halliday, * Dr. Cody Hunter, * Sarah Harlow, Mark Nelson, * Dillon Parker, Dr. Brian Pfeifer, * Rebecca Ryan, * Katie Svendson, * Tyler York* *denotes performing today Thanks to our UND Music Education major volunteer assistants!: Jemel Canapi • Katlynn Ellis* • Zach Fischer • Melissa Leet • Tyler Wolf