ORTIZBRAHMSZYMAN
UTRGVPerformingArtsComplex,Edinburg Thursday,November20,2025at7:00pm
NormanGamboa,Conductor
RaymonCorrea,GraduateConductor
NicaulisAlliey,Flute
Kauyumari..... ..................... ..............GabrielaOrtiz (1964-)
VariationsonaThemebyHaydn,Op.56........ ...JohannesBrahms (1833-1897)
INTERMISSION
ConciertodeMineríaparaFlautayOrquesta.....SamuelZyman (1956-)
I.Allegroconbrio
II.Larghetto
III.Presto
Forabetterconcertexperience,wekindlyaskyoutoturnoff cellularphones,pagers,andalltypesofnoisemakers.Thankyou!
PROGRAMNOTES
Kauyumari
GabrielaOrtiz
FortheHuicholpeopleofMexico, Kauyumari means"bluedeer,"aspiritual guidethroughapilgrimageintoa hallucinogeniccactuscalledpeyotethat allowsthemtotalkwiththeirancestors. Eachyear,theyembarkonasymbolic journeyto"hunt"thebluedeer,making offeringsingratitudeforpassagetothe invisibleworld,throughwhichtheyalso areabletohealthewoundsofthesoul. Whenaskedtocomposeapiece reflectingonthereturnafterthe pandemic,Iimmediatelythoughtofthe bluedeeranditspowertoenterthe world.IusedaHuicholmelodysungby theDeLaCruzfamily(dedicatedto recordingancestralfolklore)withinthe orchestralcontext,andelaborateda progressivedevelopmentofthemelody anditsaccompanimentinsuchaway thatitwouldsymbolizethebluedeer. Thisinturnwastransformedintoan orchestraltexturewhichgradually evolvesintoacomplexrhythmpattern, tosuchadegreethatthemelodyitself becomesunrecognizable(theimaginary effectofpeyoteandourawarenessofthe invisiblerealm),givingrisetoachoral windsectionoveranincisiverhythmic accompanimentasaformofreassurance thattheworldwillnaturallyfollowits course.Whilecomposingthispiece,I notedonceagainhowmusichasthe powertograntusaccesstothe intangible;healingourwoundsand bindingustowhatcanonlybeexpressed throughsound.Althoughlifeisfilledwith interruptions, Kauyumari isa comprehensionandcelebrationofthe factthateachoftheseriftsisalsoanew beginning.
-GabrielaOrtiz
VariationsonaThemebyHaydn,Op.56 JohannesBrahms
Goodthingsoftencomeinmodest packages,andthisworkiscertainlyan exampleofthatrule.Wehaveoften observedthatBrahmswasthemajor successortothelegacyofBeethoven,in acenturyfilledwithmusicalprogressives whomovedinotherdirections.The darlingsofthattime,andinmany regards,oftodayaswell,werethose,like WagnerandLiszt,whooptedforhyperexpressivemeansthatexplorednew forms,andwhichrelaxedtheconventions oftheclassicstyle.Brahmswasthe championofthosewhoeschewedextramusicalassociations(storiesandideas) andpersistedincomposingmusicthat referredtonothingbutitself.Heresisted morethananyonetheblandishmentsof Wagnerandcompany.Thissetof variationsfororchestrawaswrittenin 1873andisaneloquenttestimonytothe composer’sgrowingmasteryofthe techniqueofvariation.Thevariationsare baseduponasimplelittlethemethatat thetimeofBrahms’composition,was thoughttobebyJosephHaydn(wenow knowthattheattributionisincorrect).But thenameliveson,inanycase.Brahms’ variationsarenotthecommonkindthat takesamemorablemelodyandsimply embellishesitwithgrowinganimation andfigurationasonefollowsalongwith theskeletonofthemelody.Rather,those ofBrahms’“Haydn”variationsarewhat areknownas“character”variations.They abstractsomesmallaspect,oftenwithout aclearconnectioninthelistener’smind, andcreateaseriesofmeditationsand rhapsodicdevelopmentsinwhichthe melodyisnotoftenpalpable. Thetheme itself,howeversimple,isinterestinginthat itiscomprisedoftwofive-measure phrases,morecommonlyonewillfindfourmeasurephrases. Theextrabarcan easily
beheardasthethirdmeasureineachof thetwomainphrases.Followingthe statementofthethemeareeight variationsandanextendedfinale. Hearingaconnectionbetweena variationandtheoriginalthemecanbe difficult,butacloselistentothesecond variationwillrevealhowBrahmshas constructedanentiresectionoutofjust thefirstthreenotesofthetheme.Other variationsensueaccordingly.Particularly ingratiatingistheseventhvariation, whereaconnectionwiththestyleof Brahms’shortworksforpianocanbe drawn,especiallytheballadesand intermezzos.Heoftencomposedworks firstfortwopianosbeforeorchestrating them,andifyoulistentothatversionof thiswork,theputativeconnectioniseasy tohear.Thefinaleisatourdeforceof Brahms’masteryofthehigher techniquesoftraditionalcomposition.J. S.Bach,himself,wouldhavebeenproud ofBrahms’infusionintothissectionall mannerofcontrapuntaldevices.It’sa veritabletextbookofcounterpoint: canons,doublecounterpoint,andmore. Buttheimportantpointisthattheydon’t havetobeunderstood,orevenheard clearly,tosensetheprofound,but universalappealofoneofBrahms’ greatestachievements.Anditalltakes placewithouttheslightestneedfora story.Thisismusicspunfrommusic, alone.
-WilliamE.Runyan
ConciertodeMineríaparaFlauta SamuelZyman
SamuelZyman,adistinguishedProfessor ofmusictheoryattheJuilliardSchoolin NewYork,iscelebratedasoneofthe leadingMexicancomposersonthe internationalscenetoday.Hisstyleis characterizedbyintenseandvigorous rhythmicenergy,expressivelyricism,and thefrequentuseofjazz-likeimitative counterpoint.Inhismusicallanguageitis possibletooftenfindelementsofhis MexicanandhisJewishheritage.The ConcertoNo.2“Minería”forFluteand Orchestra isafestiveandsometimes ferocious(butneverwithoutelegance), Neo-Romanticcompositionthat showcasesthetechnicalandexpressive abilitiesofthesoloistwhileexpandingon theinstrument’sownverycapabilities.It ispermeatedwithMexicanfolkelements, rhythmicexuberance,andarobust orchestration.Thesubtitle,“Minería,” honorstheOrquestaSinfónicade Minería,oneofthemostrecognized orchestrasinLatinAmerica.Thepiece waswrittenin2008forrenowned MexicanflutistMarisaCanalesin commemorationoftheorchestra’s30th anniversary.Despiteitsmodernstyle,the concertoneverabandonsitsmelodic lines,especiallyinthesecondmovement whichdisplaysadistinctSpanish influence.
-NormanGamboa
Venezuelan-bornflutistNicaulisAlliey hasappearedasasoloist,chamber musician,andfluteteacherinFrance, Venezuela,theUnitedStates,andthe Caribbeanarea.FirstPrizeUnanimousof theVilledeParis,FirstPrizeattheLatin AmericanFluteCompetition,Nicaulis Allieydevelopsherartisticworkasa chamberandsoloperformer.Nicaulis hasbeenfeaturedasasoloistwithmost majororchestrasinVenezuelaand orchestrasintheUS.Co-principalflute withtheValleySymphonyOrchestra.
Nicaulishasbeenamemberofthe OrchestreInternationaldeParis,Orquesta SinfónicadeLara,OrquestaSinfónicade Maracaibo,andtheLincolnSymphony Orchestra.
Abookonflutesonoritypublishedbythe UniversidaddelZulia(2014),two recordingswithLaCuadraVenezolana, andnumerouscollaborationswith renownedclassicalandpopularartists (concerts,productionsandrecordings), endorseNicaulisAllieyasaversatileand sought-aftermusician.
CurrentlyservingasAssistantProfessorof FluteattheUniversityofTexasRio GrandeValley(UTRGV),Nicaulishasalso servedasFluteInstructoratNorthPark University(Chicago),FluteProfessorand FounderDirectoroftheMusicSchoolat UniversidaddelZulia,FluteProfessorat UniversidaddeLosAndes,Flute Instructorwith“ElSISTEMA”(Venezuela), andnumerousuniversitiesandfestivalsin Latin-AmericaandtheUS—suchasthe FestivaldeFlautasdeLosAndes,Festival deMusicadeMedellin,NewEngland MusicCamp,andEncuentro LatinoamericanodeFlauta.
NicaulisisflutistandfounderDirectorof theMusicoftheAmericasProject,and holdsaDMAfromUNL,MM.from SorbonneUniversity(France),Études SupérieuresinFluteunderrenowned FrenchflutistRaymondGuiot(France), andadegreeofProfesorEjecutante (Venezuela).Sheisanartistwith PolyphonyArtistManagementandpart oftheArtisticRosterofCayambisMusic Press.
Dr.NORMANGAMBOA Conductor
NormanGamboaisMusicDirectorofthe SonomaCountyPhilharmonicin CaliforniaandtheBrownsvilleChamber OrchestrainTexas.HeisalsoDirectorof OrchestralActivitiesatTheUniversityof TexasRioGrandeValley,conductorofthe RioGrandeValleyBalletOrchestraand founderoftheRioGrandeYouth Symphony.Oneofthemostactive CentralAmericanconductors,his engagementsincludetheKansasCity Philharmonia,BemidjiSymphony,Topeka Symphony,IdahoStateCivicSymphony, WinchesterOrchestra,BayAreaRainbow Symphony,NewtonSymphony,San FranciscoCivicSymphony,andSalina Symphonyamongothers.Worldwide engagementsincluderenowned orchestrassuchastheZápadočesky Symfonicky (CzechRepublic),Orchestra FilarmoniciideStatPloieşti(Romania), OrquestaFilarmónicadeMedellín (Colombia),OrquestraSinfônicade RibeirãoPretoandOrquestraSinfônica EstadodeSãoPaulo(Brazil),Orquesta SinfónicaJuvenilMunicipalde Guatemala,OrquestaSinfónicadel EstadoMéridaandOrquestaSinfónica deLosLlanos(Venezuela),Orquesta SinfónicadeCuenca(Ecuador), CamerataBach(Nicaragua),aswellas theNationalSymphonyOrchestrasof
PuertoRico,CostaRica,Panama, Guatemala,NicaraguaandHonduras. Normanhaslednumerousjointventures withBalletMidwest,RioGrandeValley Ballet,AuroraDanceArts,NationalBallet ofNicaragua,SantaRosaDanceTheater, FiestaColoradoDanceCompany, EdinburgDanceTheatre,andKim RobardsDanceCompany,includingfully choreographedproductionsofRavel's Mamèrel'Oye, TheNutcracker,Fiesta Mexicana, PeterandtheWolf,The CarnivaloftheAnimals, and Cinderella, aswellasseveraloperaswiththeTopeka OperaSociety,UTRGVOpera,and OperaonTapColorado.Festival appearancesincludePilsen2015,FOSJA CasalsFestival,CentralAmericanFestival ofChamberMusic,Medellín InternationalMusicFestival,VillarricaArts Festival,CostaRicaInternationalFestival ofArts,BlueLakeFineArtsCamp, BregenzerFestspiele,LasVegasMusic Festival,OSESPOrchestraConductors Competition,theNewYorkBrass ConferenceandReginaMusic Conference.HeconductedtheYouth SymphonyOrchestraofEurope,aproject thatgathereddistinguishedmusic studentsfromconservatoriesallover Europe.Previously,heservedasMusic DirectorofthePowderRiverSymphony inWyoming,DirectorofOrchestral StudiesatWashburnUniversityinKansas, AssistantConductoroftheTopeka SymphonyOrchestra,Associate ConductoroftheLasVegasMusic Festival,AssistantConductorofthe WacoSymphonyOrchestraandMusic DirectoroftheWacoSymphonyYouth OrchestrainTexas.Winnerofthe2025 VytautasMarijosiusMemorialAwardin OrchestralProgrammingforhisworkwith theUTRGVSymphonyOrchestra, Gamboahasservedasconductorand clinicianwithhonorstudentorchestras throughouttheMidwestandwestern UnitedStatesaswellasabroad,heholds orchestralconductingdegreesfromthe UniversityofNevadaLasVegasand LouisianaStateUniversity.
SymphonyOrchestra
NormanGamboa,Conductor
VIOLIN
AngelaLlanes, Concertmaster
AndrewTrevino, Assistantconcertmaster
LeahLoera, Principal
DominiqueAleman, Assistantprincipal
CristianContreras
VicenteCamacho
XimenaGarcia-Alanis
JeremiahGaytan
JazminGutierrez
AlvaroMartinez
XavierMunguia
RafaelRamirez
BellaReynoso
ValeriaRuiz
IsaacVargas
GenesisVazquez-Miranda
VIOLA
JacobMartinez, Principal
CytlalyCoronado, Assistantprincipal
MaxDavila
AmairaniDelAngel
KatiaLuna
HarleyMassey
MiaMora
AlessandraSalazar
CELLO
SebastianGarcia, Principal
JairoGarza, Assistantprincipal
JamesCarpenter
ClarissaMartinez
EmmaValladares
MarcoVazquez
DOUBLEBASS
VianethBernardo-Pinon, Principal
MarisolMejia, Assistantprincipal
ZacharyLara
MaximilianoLopez
FLUTE
Carlos Hernandez2
YarisellRodriguez1,3
JordanRuiz
PICCOLO
Carlos Hernandez1
OBOE
IsaacContreras1
LorenaCoronado3
VanessaMartinez2
ENGLISHHORN
LorenaCoronado1
CLARINET
DanielHernandez2
KarlSchmidt
DiogoPerales1,3
BASSCLARINET
KarlSchmidt1
BASSOON
AracelyGarcia3
AlexHernandez1,2
HORN
AlonzoCavazos2
BrittanyCruz1,3
SamuelGarcia
DanielGarza
VictorMartinez
TRUMPET
FabiolaAhuja2
AlejandroEscamilla
ChristianRamirez3
DanielVela1
HARP
JosephPadrón1
TIMPANI
OscarMendez1
AdamReyna2,3
PERCUSSION
MarcoGuerra
OscarMendez
MichelleMolina
RenePeynado AdamReyna
EricSalazar
ASSISTANTCONDUCTOR
RaymonCorrea
1 PrincipalinOrtiz
2 PrincipalinBrahms
3 PrincipalinZyman