Orchestra & Band Concert

2024-25 Season

The University

Concert Band

Kevin Champagne, Conductor

The University

Symphony Orchestra

Sheldon - Triumph of The Argonauts Whitacre - October Champagne - Todo Lo Posible The Charlie Daniels Band The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Christopher David Neubert, Conductor Brahms - Tragic Overture, Op. 81 Chance - Variations on a Korean Folk Song

Sunday, October 20 3 pm Main Theatre Advance Tickets: $9 general public / $5 seniors & UAlbany faculty-staff / $3 students Day of Show Tickets: $14 general public / $10 seniors & UAlbany faculty-staff / $8 students

Info: (518)442-3995 WWW.ALBANY.EDU/PAC

Department of Music and Theatre University at Albany presents:

UAlbany Concert Band

Kevin Champagne, conductor

and

UAlbany Symphony Orchestra

Christopher David Neubert, conductor

Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 3pm

Main Theatre UAlbany Performing Arts Center

Program

UAlbany Concert Band Triumph of the Argonauts……………………….Robert Sheldon October………………………………………………Eric Whitacre Todo Lo Posible.……………………………...Kevin Champagne The Devil Went Down to Georgia………………Charlie Daniels, John Crain, William DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, James Marshall, Arr. Michael Brown INTERMISSION

UAlbany Symphony Orchestra Tragic Overture……………………….Johannes Brahms, Op.81 1880 (1833-1897) Variations on a Korean Folk Song…….…John Barnes Chance 1965 (1932-1972) Program Notes Triumph of The Argonauts – Robert Sheldon The Argonauts were a band of heroes in Greek mythology who accompanied Jason in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. The Argonauts included many heroes of ancient Greece, including Orpheus, Castor & Pollux, and Hercules. This piece was inspired by their heroic journey, as Jason and his crew overcame the numerous challenges presented by the Gods during their quest to capture the Golden Fleece and return home, where Jason would assume his rightful role as king.

October – Eric Whitacre “October is my favorite month. Something about the crisp autumn air and the subtle change in light always make me a little sentimental, and as I started to sketch I felt the same quiet beauty in the writing. The simple pastoral melodies and subsequent harmonies are inspired by the great English Romantics (Vaughn Williams, Elgar) as I felt this style was perfectly suited to capture the soul of the season.” Eric Whitacre Todo Lo Posible – Kevin Champagne This piece was inspired by this band’s slightly-too-many-butalso-quite-good percussion section. I don’t like to see an underutilized percussion section, so I composed a piece where there would be plenty for everyone to do. It is basically a theme and variations, with a completely unrelated light feeling middle section, which begins a percussion only feature. The title refers to “as much as possible”, meaning, “Play a lot of notes and play them loudly!”

The Devil Went Down To Georgia – Charlie Daniels, John Crain, William DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, James Marshall, Arr. Michael Brown This fun toe-tapping piece is based on the 1979 hit by The Charlie Daniels Band. This piece features a narrator, and two soloists: The devil, and his challenger!

Johannes Brahms – Tragic Overture, Op. 81 In the summer of 1880, when Brahms was visiting the fashionable resort of Bad Ischl (known for its medicinal springs and brine baths), he composed two concert overtures. “One weeps, the other laughs,” he commented to his biographer, Max Kalbeck. The laughing piece referred to his rollicking Academic Festival Overture, Opus 80, filled with light-hearted student songs, written to acknowledge his doctoral degree bestowed by the University of Breslau, introduced by soft trombone chords.

The weeping piece was his Tragic Overture, Opus 81, and a heavy counterpoise to the first.

Brahms explained his

motivation saying, “I (simply) could not refuse my melancholy nature the satisfaction of composing an overture for tragedy. ” Though it was not written for any specific tragedy, speculation has suggested Tragic Overture was possibly written in contemplation of a commission to write incidental music for Goethe’s Faust. (This did not materialize.) Another possibility is that the composer had read Nietzsche’s work The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music, published in 1872. This Overture is dramatic commentary on the spirit of tragedy in human life.

Tragic Overture begins with two slashing chords, which preface the solemn main theme, orchestrated within low strings and low winds in D minor. Trombones and tuba build a bridge to a contrasting F major theme, but relief is short. A third main subject stemming earlier sketches is also introduced. Writing in sonata form, the composer moves directly into a convulsive development. Brahms scholar Walter Niemann wrote, “The fleeting touches of thrilling, individual emotion in this overture are not to be found in conflict and storm, but in the crushing loneliness of terrifying and unearthly silences in what have been called ‘dead places.’” Themes surge and spin in a tempest of emotion. A traditional recapitulation, introduced by two fortissimo chords, summarizes the main ideas with certain alterations. Opus 81 premiered on December 20, 1880 in Vienna under the baton of Hans Richter.

Variations on a Korean Folk Song was written for concert band by John Barnes Chance in 1965. As the name implies, Variations consists of a set of variations on the Korean folk song "Arirang", which the composer heard while in South Korea with the U.S. Army in the late 1950s. In 1966 the piece was awarded the American Bandmasters Association's Ostwald Award.

The orchestra transcription is by Robert Longfield 2006.

The theme is based upon a concert A♭ major pentatonic scale.

At the beginning of the composition, the first part of the theme, resembling Arirang, is introduced quietly in the clarinets with the

violas and cellos in the orchestral transcription. Five wonderful variations follow.

The first variation, marked Vivace, turns the theme into a series of rapid sixteenth notes, played by the woodwinds and strings and temple blocks at first and then the entire ensemble. It ends with a set of sixteenth notes played by the entire orchestra in unison.

The second variation, marked Larghetto, is much slower. The second part of the original theme is played in inversion—first by a solo oboe, then by the flutes, violins and horn. The original melody is played by solo trumpet.

The third variation, marked Allegro con brio, is a March in 6/8 time. The trumpets play a series of rapid eighth notes based on both parts of the theme; the woodwinds and strings repeat this, and the march becomes more and more frenzied until it reaches its peak. At this point, the orchestra plays a rapid descending whole tone scale starting in the highest voices and ending in the lowest.

The fourth variation, marked Sostenuto, is much slower and is in 3/2 time with a rhythmic ostinato played by the timpani on a G♭2 using "hard sticks on muted head" to create a hint of ethnic drum sound. The theme is played within the structure of beautiful sonorous chords.

The fifth and final variation, marked Con Islancio ("with impetuousness"), is faster and begins with a long solo in the percussion section. The piccolo, flutes and upper strings join in, playing the second part of the theme, and then the brass enter playing the first part. This section is in 3/4 and is a hemiola; the brass play as if each measure were divided into two beats, while the woodwinds and upper strings play three beats to a measure. The music grows louder and more excited and ends with a final quotation of the sixteenth note melody from the first variation.

Performers

UAlbany Concert Band

Kevin Champagne, Conductor Flute Brianna Boyce Abby Davis Liz McDonald Mudra Patel Amber Ramey Magdalena Ramos Chelsea Roque Garima Yadav Oboe Alex Oates Clarinet Grace Augustern Myles Dansby Jacques, Katelyn Stephanie Oshiotse Saylor Skidds Bass Clarinet Jake Avella Alto Saxophone Edwin Aguilar Brian Feder Ashleigh Koenig Jack Piranio

Tenor Sax James Caruso Xavier Rosario Baritone Saxophone Molly O’Toole Trumpet Cirava Hammond Keziah Job Carly Johnson George McFarland Kal Tellefsen Carlton Truax Daniel Zamroz French Horn Emma Clemments Andrew Meng Trombone Rachel Grudus Rich Massa Andrew Scaptura

Baritone/Euphonium Andrew Brunetti Tsvi Gold Sylvar NazarioGoodwin Catherine Semaska Jay Smith Tuba Spencer Dodge Andre Speller Jordan Teo Percussion Milan Jevremov Lillian Magurno Aeden Perry Ciara Reilly Renee Scott Jonathan Wolter

UAlbany Symphony Orchestra

Christopher David Neubert, Conductor Violins Julianne Kim

Thaddeus Conner Jaime Kendrick

Nicole Maher Logan Stone Amalia Desmarais Annemarie Carroll Allison Ellis Matthew Perez Sarah Cohen

Cellos Alisa Bielert

Concertmaster

Amanda Sue Principal

Hope Savercool Sophia Minuto Madelyn Knopfke Katy Christman Olivia Arsenicos Lin Song Cristina Schiaffo Mia Hung Liz Gingrich Sonia Haider Isabelle Savage Abigail Johnson Sedgeley Duperval Marcella Reiter Melissa Yusaitis Ajani Johnson Anthony Parillo Violas Dara Ribis Principal

Kayla Wardlaw Melissa Rosas Samantha Dalton Catherine Rafferty Sam McElroy Izabella Czajkowski

Principal

Connor Gordon Rachel Morris Dan LaPlante Michael Krachenfels Renee La Londe Claire Choi Abigail Tsuji Seth Chaiken Ryosuke Takahashi Double Basses Erik Laurin Principal

Joey Aragones Connor Hoolan Ayva Dell Chamille Malcolm Piccolo Maria Mucaria Flutes Melynda Matheke Brianna Boyce Isabella Bulnes Oboe Tyler Leicht Ian Cohen Clarinets James Affatigato Emily Lucy

Bassoons Laura Canham-Lunde Jennifer Fullam French Horns Shannon Broda Priscilla Duskin Jonah Hauf Sarah Howard Trumpets Ethan Chen Jack Deutsch Vincent Amodeo Trombones Caleb Clapper Jessica Watson Matthew Scheidt Tuba Jacob Reiter Tympani Jonathan Wolter Yeajee Chon Percussion Yeajee Chon Percussion Korean Folk Song Jonathan Wolter Yeajee Chon Nicole Maher Cristina Schiaffo Dara Ribis Orchestra Librarian and Management Hope Savercool

WELCOME!

Music Program (518) 442-4187 www.albany.edu/musicandtheatre

Performing Arts Center (518) 442-3995 www.albany.edu/pac

Theatre Program (518) 442-4200 www.albany.edu/musicandtheatre

HOUSE POLICIES Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management and its staff. .

The use of photographic or recording devices of any kind during this performance is strictly prohibited. .

There is no food or drink allowed in the theatres, nor is smoking allowed in UAlbany buildings. .

To avoid disrupting the performance, kindly disable any noise making electronic devices you may have with you. .

Please take time to note the location of the fire exits nearest to you. In the event of an emergency, an announcement will be made from the stage. Please proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion.

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The UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s six theatres, three lounges and other spaces are available for rental.

PAC@albany.edu

(518) 442-3995

www.albany.edu/pac