HOSTING THE NATION NEWS 2022-23

Nicholas

Williams conducts the Wind Ensemble February 16, 2023 during the CBDNA National Conference.

The University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music hosted the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference on campus in Athens, Georgia February 15-18, 2023. This bi-annual event brings together band leaders from universities across the United States (and several countries worldwide) for seminars, continuing education opportunities, and to present their bands in concert.

Nicholas Enrico Williams, the new Director of Bands for the Hodgson School of Music, led the UGA Wind Ensemble, along with guest conductors Jaclyn Hartenberger and Shiree X. Williams, in a particularly unique and innovative concert Thursday, February 16 at 8 p.m. as part of this conference, which featured two world premieres.

The first premiere, “Ascendant Cycles” was a three-movement concerto for rapper and wind ensemble. The piece drew from both hip-hop and contemporary classical styles, and the verse/text was an abstract exploration of Athens hip-hop artist Linqua Franqa’s work as an activist. Franqa collaborated with UGA Associate Professor of Composition and Director of the Dancz Center for New Music Peter Van Zandt Lane, to create this work. “As in most concertos it’s also a technical tour de force,” said Lane, “with a lot of virtuosic material for both the vocal soloist as well as the instrumentalists, much of it drawn from the complex lyrical patterns in hip-hop.”

Linqua Franqa makes rap music about collective liberation. Their work has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN Magazine and NPR’s All Things Considered for its synthesis of radical honesty and revolutionary vigor. Their sophomore album, Bellringer, is also their PhD dissertation in Language and Literacy Education from the University of Georgia.

The other world premiere was a piece entitled “Triptych,” created by the world-renowned composer Joseph Turrin, and included Chris Martin, principal trumpet for the New York Philharmonic (NYP), and Joseph Alessi, principal trombone for the NYP. This piece was composed as a memorial to Eric Andrew Rombach-Kendall, University of New Mexico Professor of Music and Director of Bands since 1993 who passed away last year. Rombach-Kendall was also president of CBDNA from 2011-2013. “The impact music teachers can have on students can be life changing,” said Williams, “and we are so moved to be a part of honoring Eric’s extensive legacy.”

UGA conference presenters included Master’s Conducting Associate Anthony Morris and UGA HHSOM alum Emily Eng (DMA ‘22), UGA HHSOM Faculty Peter Van Zandt Lane, Connie Frigo, Jaclyn Hartenberger, and James Weidman gave a panel called “Athens Hip Hop Harmonic: Building a Bridge Between UGA and Local Music.” This panel included local musicians and artists Montu Miller, Celest Divine Ngeve, Mariah Parker, and Ayako Pederson-Takeda.

Story by Shaun Baer