Symphony Orchestra

GustavHolst ThePlanets

UTRGVSYMPHONYORCHESTRA

FourthProgram~2023 • 2024ConcertSeason

GustavHolst

RomaISDPerformingArtsCenter,Roma Thursday,April25,2024at7:00pm

UTRGVPerformingArtsComplex,Edinburg Monday,April29,2024at7:00pm

NormanGamboa,Conductor MezraqRamli,Englishhorn* AlexanderSanso,Trumpet*

RomanceforSymphonyOrchestra (premiere).... ..FabianGutierrez (b.2001)

QuietCity*..................................AaronCopland (1900-1990)

INTERMISSION

ThePlanetsSuite,Op.32......................GustavHolst (1874-1934)

Mars,theBringerofWar

Venus,theBringerofPeace

Mercury,theWingedMessenger

Jupiter,theBringerofJollity

Saturn,theBringerofOldAge

Uranus,theMagician

Neptune,theMystic

*April29performanceonly

Forabetterconcertexperience,wekindlyaskyoutoturnoff cellularphones,pagers,andalltypesofnoisemakers.Thankyou!

2-UTRGVSymphonyOrchestra2023-2024ConcertSeason

RomaHighSchool SymphonyStrings

FranciscoHernandez,Director

PROGRAM

Thursday,April25,2024at7:00p.m. RomaISDPerformingArtsCenter

TheDanceofIscariot...............................KirtMosier (b.1962)

OrionandtheScorpion..... . ........... ....SoonHeeNewbold (b.1974)

ROMAHIGHSCHOOLSYMPHONYSTRINGS

VIOLINI

ArantzaCab, Concertmaster

LeoCanales

FernandaGarcia

JohannaGarcia

DanielaLongoria

RyanVazquez-Kanhere

VIOLINII

BrizeidaRamos

JaquelineSaenz

EimySanchez

AmericaJimenez

VictorGuerra

AlayneeGarcia

VIOLA

XimenaMoctezuma

BrendanMayne

CalistaMoreno

DavidSalazarContreras

NoraMartinez

CELLO EmmaEscobar

NancyRamirez

BarbaraGutierrez

AlejandroVazquez

ReneHernandez

DOUBLEBASS

SebastianSoto

JulianElizondo

PROGRAMNOTES

RomanceforSymphonyOrchestra

FabianGutierrez

The RomanceforSymphonyOrchestra isthecomposer’sodetoloveitself. Romanticlove,platoniclove,familiar love,agapelove,aloveofnatureand theworld,andsoonandsoforth. BeingbornonValentine’sday,Fabian couldn'thelpbutfeelhewasmeantto writesomethinglikethisatsomepoint inhislife.Accordingtohim,“Ialways thoughtthecompositionwouldbe meticulouslyplannedfromearlyon, butinsteaditcametomeasasudden sparkofinspirationthemorningofmy birthdayofthisyear.Likethehopeless romanticthatIam,Iletmyheart dictateallmydecisionsthroughoutthe developmentofthispiece,withallits lyricismandfluidtempi.IamwholeheartedlygratefultoDr.Norman GamboaandtheUTRGVSymphony Orchestra,andIcannotthinkofa betterdirectorandensembleto premieremy RomanceforSymphony Orchestra.”

~FabianGutierrez

QuietCity

AaronCopland

American“quintessentialcomposer,” AaronCoplandestablishedwhatmany callthe“AmericanSound”inartmusic. UponhisreturnfromEurope,Copland wentthroughaperiodof experimentation,oftendissonant,andfar fromthepopulartunefulnessthatlater madehimthedarlingofmainstream America.Duringthedepression,he turnedtoasimpler,moreaccessible style,rootedinthepopulismofthetime. Itisherewhenmanyofhismost celebratedcompositionssuchas AppalachianSpring,Rodeo,Fanfarefor theCommonMan,and BillytheKid

emerged.Later,afterthewar,he returnedtotheaustere,moreadvanced musicalstyleofhisearlierworks. Quiet City exemplifiesCopland’senormously popularcompositionsfromthosetimes. Writtenfortrumpet,Englishhorn,and strings,itowesitsorigintoanincidental musicCoplandhadpreviouslydonefora playofthesamenamein1939,for trumpet,saxophone,clarinetandpiano. Thesuccessofhismusicledhimto reworkthematerialintoapiecefor orchestra.Finishedin1940and premieredayearlater,theentiremood oftheworkstemsfromtheeponymous playbyIrwinShaw,whichisbuiltaround theevocationoftheinfinitudeof personalandprivatethoughtsbythe manyindividualsofametropolis. Coplandwasaskedtoprovidemusic “evocativeofthenostalgiaandinner distressofasocietyprofoundlyawareof itsowninsecurity.”Intheoriginal incidentalmusic,asolotrumpetisthe maincharacter’svoicewhohad abandonedhisfaithandhadgivenup artisticaspirationsforthelifeofmaterial success.But,hewasremindedofhis sacrificebythe“hauntingsoundofhis brother’strumpetplaying.”TheEnglish hornalsoplaysanequalroleastheother character,andtheinteractionsbetween theirrespectivepointsofviewcarrythe drama.Themusicisfilledofsparse harmoniesthatcontrastwiththick, chordalcrunches;itpossessesa marveloustonalambiguitythatavoids banal,superficialconclusionsto ambiguousperspectives.Inseven sections,thetwomoreactive,digressive interioronesarebookended bythe thoughtful,butenigmatic,openingones. Andattheend,noanswersarethere.All inall,it’samarvelousminiature masterpiecethatpacksmoremusicand stimulating,existentialquestionsthanis largelythenorm.

ThePlanetsSuite,Op.32

GustavHolst

GustavHolstisoneofEngland’smost reveredcomposers,creatorofmusical worksingreatvariety:choralmusic, songs,bandmusic,orchestralworks, ballet,andmore.Hismusicalscope wasremarkablydiverse,andhis compositionsarefrequentlyperformed andappreciatedinGreatBritainand beyond.Hispopularitybears comparisonwithhisfellowcomposer, RalphVaughanWilliams,andhis reputationrestslargelyuponhistwo immortalworksforband, Suites1and 2forMilitaryBand,twopillarsofthe standardbandrepertoire.Inthe orchestralarena,audienceslargely knowHolstthroughhismostpopular work, ThePlanetsSuite.Holstreceived amusicaleducationearly,playingthe violinandpiano,latertakingupthe trombone.Heworkedforawhileas villageorganistandchoirmasterbefore attendingtheRoyalCollegeofMusic, eventuallyfocusedonthetrombone andearnedamodestlivingearlyonas memberofvariousorchestras.Hesoon gavethatlifeupandspenttherestof hislifeteachingmusic.Holst’s associationwithastrologybegan duringatriptoSpainin1912,whena friendofhisinspiredtheinterest;he maintainedaninterestinthesubject— readingfortunesalongtheway—for therestofhislife.Itisthatinterestin astrology—notastronomy—thatis centraltohisPlanetsSuite.Holst begantheworkin1913and completeditin1917.Thefirst performancewasgivenprivatelyayear later,andwordofmouthraisedpublic expectationsforthefirstpublic performancein1920.Originally entitledSevenPiecesforLarge Orchestra,thesuitesuggeststomany hisfamiliaritywithSchoenberg’ssimilar useofthephrase.Otherssee inspirationderivedfromMussorgsky’s PicturesatanExhibition orElgar’s EnigmaVariations.Largeorchestras werealltherageinthelateRomantic era,withtheorchestrasofRichard Strauss,GustavMahler,andIgor Stravinsky,amongothers,asmodels

andThePlanetsisnoexception.In additiontotheusualfullorchestra, Holst’sscorecallsforwoodwindsin foursincludingaltoflute,twopiccolos, andbassoboe.Thebrasssection featuressixhorns,fourtrumpets,and, inadditiontothestandardbasstuba, aneuphonium.There’sevenanorgan andacelesta,andforthefinal movement,awordlesswomen’schorus (substitutedintonight’sperformance withanelectronickeyboard).Theorder andnumberofthesevenmovements hasgeneratedmuchdiscussionwith regardtotheactualplanetsandtheir numberandposition.It’sallreally irrelevant,forHolst’sworkhastodo withtheastrologicalsigns—ofwhich thereareseven—andnotwithhowwe definewhatplanetsare,ortheir respectivepositionswithrelationtothe sun,evenwhatconditionsmayormay notbeonthem.BeginningwithMars, derivedfromtheastrological succession,Holstassignsthetime signatureof5/4timeforthisominous evocationofwar,beginningwitha hypnoticrhythm,repeatedoverand over,aschordsconstantlygrowand threaten,untiltheyarepractically howling.Followingarepeatofthe rhythminthestrings,theeuphoniumis featuredalongthetrumpetsinpunchy fanfares.ThisistheoriginalDarth VaderandtheDeathStarmusic!The dreary,desolatelandscapeof destructioninwarisadmirably depictedinableak,slowermiddle sectionbeforearepeatoftheopening hammeringmaterial.Thegripping evocationofwarendswithdramatic, blunthammerstrokes,separatedby pausesthatleavesnodoubtofthe utterdestructionandobliterationof war.Venus,BringerofPeace,answersa callfromthesolohorn,andweare usheredintoatranquilworldaptly evocativeoftheRomangoddessof loveandbeauty,astrologically associatedwithharmonyandbalance. Agentlesuccessionofwoodwind passagesandlushstringsonorities, enhancedbyexoticcelestialsounds createamarvelousrespitefromMars. Holst’sfamiliarityandobviousrespect forthemusicofDebussyseemsclear, 5-UTRGVSymphonyOrchestra2023-2024ConcertSeason

hereinthisfloatingserenity.Mercury zipsbynext,inaquicksilvermovement befittingthewingedmessengerofthe gods.Inastrology,Mercuryalsoisthe symbolofrationalityandmentality. Cascadesofscalesandtwittering rhythmscarrythoughtalonglike lightening.Anotherquickmovement follows,thistimeatributetoJupiter, the“bringerofjollity.”Jupiterwas consideredtherulerofthegods,and theplanet,Jupiter,rulerofalltheother planets.Merrymakingandgambling playapartinhispersonality,aswell, andthelatteraspectcomesintoplayin thejauntyopeningtunes,onezippy andsyncopated,andtheotherarather thumpingwaltz.Butinthemiddle,we aretreatedtoanobleandexalting tunedefinitelyfitforakingofsome sort.It’sagloriousmelodythatcameto beadaptedlaterbyHolstasachurch hymn,tothetext,“IVowtoMy Country.”Theraffishtunesreturn,and themovementends.Saturn,the “BringerofOldAge”isusheredslowly inbytwocold,coldstaticwoodwind chords,endlesslyrepeated.Aftersome ominousstringcomments,thebrass introduceastatelyprocession.In astrologySaturnisthefounderof socialorderandcivilizations,charged withduty,responsibility,anddiscipline. Thebrasscarrythisdutyheavilyasthey movetoaclimax,graduallysubsiding intoadissolutionbornebythestrings andoscillatingwoodwindsthatfloats timelesslyandwithoutemotionintoan apparentinfinity.Fourimposingnotes slowlyandloudlyannouncedbythe brassarethemotifof“Uranusthe Magician.”Theyreturnthroughoutthe movementinaremarkablevarietyof shapes.But,themovementproperisa

stomping,trampingmarchdedicated totheguardianofgeniusand discovery,andassociatedwithsudden andunexpectedchanges.Thebassoon triosetsusoffonalittlerollicking affair—interruptedfromtimetotime bythosefouridentifyingnotes.The orchestrabuildsthemarchalmostout ofcontrol,onlytosubside.Thefournotemottoisheardagaininsoft, pizzicatonotesintheharp.The bassoonsmakeahalf-heartedattempt toresumethemarch,butfail.The brassloudlyplaythemottoagain,and finallyharpandstringsendthis enigmaticpaeantotheclever “Magician.”Theremarkablefactofthe lastmovement,“NeptunetheMystic” issimplythatitwascomposedalmost onehundredyearsago.Init,Holst dispenseswithsomanyoftherational andorganizingprinciplesofmusicand wonderfullycreatesanatmosphereof notonlythemystic,butalsoofthe traditionalcharacteristicsassociated withtheplanetNeptune:illusion, confusion,anddeception.Meter,chord “progressions,”melodies,form, shape—allplayminimaltonon-existent roles,hereattheend.Rather,the composerusesexoticsuccessionsof harmoniesandfragmentsofnontraditionalscalestocreatethefloating soundthatenvelopsus.Imaginative orchestrationtrulycreates“space music”longbeforetheadventofthe clichéswithwhichweareallfamiliar.As theorchestragraduallyfadesinto nothingness,onlyanetherealwordless humisleft,graduallyvanishingfrom ourhearing.

~William.E.Runyan

Dr.MEZRAQRAMLI

Dr.MezraqRamliproudlyservesas AssistantProfessorofDoubleReeds andAuralSkillsattheUniversityof TexasRioGrandeValleywherehe specializesinoboeandbassoon.He alsoteacheschambermusic,sightsinging,andeartraining.Priorto relocatingtotheValley,heservedon thefacultiesofNorthwesternMichigan College,SaginawValleyState UniversityandLubbockChristian University.Healsotaughtdoublereeds intheMichiganpublicschoolsystems ofTraverseCity,Northport,Leland,and ElkRapids.

Dr.Ramlimaintainsanactiveand diversecareerasachamberand orchestralmusician,recitalist,andarts administrator.HeperformsasPrincipal OboewiththeSouthAsianSymphony OrchestrainIndia,ValleySymphony Orchestra,SecondOboewiththe ClassicalMusicFestivalinEisenstadt, Austria,aswellasSecondOboeand EnglishhornwiththeBaroqueon BeaverMusicFestivalinMichigan.He hasalsoperformedwiththeGrand RapidsSymphonyOrchestra,Traverse SymphonyOrchestra,GreatLakes ChamberOrchestra,Lubbock SymphonyOrchestra,Middletown SymphonyOrchestra,andHolland SymphonyOrchestra.Dr.Ramlihas concertizednumeroustimes throughoutSouthandSoutheastAsia, Japan,theNetherlands,Germany, Finland,aswellasintheUnitedStates.

Dr.Ramliearnedhisdegreesfrom TexasTechUniversity(DMA),Miami University(MM)andGrandValleyState University(BM)wherehestudiedoboe withAmyAnderson,AndreaRidilla, andDr.MarlenVavriková,respectively.

Dr.RamliisproudtobeanF.Lorée–ParisPerformingArtist.

Dr.ALEXANDERSANSO Trumpet

Dr.AlexanderSansoservesasLecturer IofTrumpetattheUniversityofTexas RioGrandeValley.Hepreviouslyhelda positionatBowlingGreenState UniversityasAdjunctInstructorof Trumpet,apositionhehasheldFallof 2021throughSpringof2023.Anative ofMonroe,NY,Hereceivedhis BachelorofMusicdegreefromthe StateUniversityofNewYork,College atPotsdam’sCraneSchoolofMusic wherehedoublemajoredinmusic educationandperformance,alongwith minoringinjazzstudies.After attendingPotsdam,Alexander receivedhisMasterofMusicdegreein trumpetperformancefromBowling

GreenStateUniversityandhis doctoratefromTheOhioState University.Alexanderhashadthe pleasureofstudyingwithDr.James Madeja(CraneSchoolofMusic), CharlesSaenz(BowlingGreenState University),TimothyLeasure(TheOhio StateUniversity),ByronStripling(The OhioStateUniversity),andDr.John CharlesThomas(AssistantPrincipal trumpet,HartfordSymphony).Sanso hasperformedwiththeValley SymphonyOrchestra(Texas),Lima (Ohio),Columbus(Ohio),Westerville (Ohio),Worthington(Ohio),andAdrian (Michigan)symphonyorchestras.He hasservedasthirdtrumpetwiththe WestervilleSymphonyOrchestraand secondtrumpetWorthingtonChamber Orchestra,andcanbeheardonthe BowlingGreenStateUniversityWind Symphony’s2018albumasasection andprincipalplayer.Sansohasalso performedwiththeTowerBrass Quintet,aToledobasedgroup,with otherfacultymembersfromBowling GreenStateUniversity,aswellasthe UtopiaBrassQuintetbasedin Columbus,Ohio.Sansoalsohasa developingsolocareer,performing solorecitalprogramsatbothBowling GreenStateUniversityandOhio University(2023),UniversityofTexas RioGrandeValley(2024),andthe 2023-2024NationalAssociationfor CollegiateWindsandPercussion Instructors(NACWPI).

Dr.NORMANGAMBOA Conductor

NormanGamboaistheDirectorof OrchestralActivitiesatTheUniversityof TexasRioGrandeValleyandconductor oftheRioGrandeYouthSymphony Orchestra,HeisalsoMusicDirectorof theSonomaCountyPhilharmonicin California.Oneofthemostprominent CentralAmericanconductors,he maintainsanactiveschedulethat includesappearancesinMissouri, Kansas,Minnesota,Nebraska,Idaho, Texas,California,Wyoming,and Colorado.Worldwideengagements includehighlyacclaimedconcertswith renownedorchestrasinEcuador,Czech Republic,Romania,Colombia,Brazil, Guatemala,Venezuela,CostaRica, Panama,Guatemala,Nicaraguaand Honduras.Normanhaslednumerous

jointventuressuchaschoreographed productionsofRavel's Mamèrel'Oye withBalletMidwest, TheNutcracker Ballet withAuroraDanceArts,Rio GrandeValleyBallet,andSantaRosa DanceTheater, FiestaMexicana with FiestaColoradoDanceCompany, Peter andtheWolf withEdinburgDance Theatreandnumerousoperaswiththe TopekaOperaSocietyandOperaonTap Colorado.Festivalappearancesinclude Plzeň2015,FOSJA-CasalsFestival, CentralAmericanFestivalofChamber Music,InternationalMusicFestivalof Medellín,VillarricaArtsFestival,Costa RicaInternationalFestivalofArts,Blue LakeFineArtsCamp,Bregenzer Festspiele,LasVegasMusicFestival, OSESPOrchestraConductors Competition,theNewYorkBrass ConferenceandReginaMusic Conference.HealsoledtheYouth SymphonyOrchestraofEurope,a projectthatgatheredsomeofthemost distinguishedstudentsfrommusic conservatoriesalloverEurope.

Previously,heservedasMusicDirectorof thePowderRiverSymphonyOrchestrain WyomingandtheAuroraSymphony OrchestrainColorado,Directorof OrchestralStudiesatWashburn UniversityinKansas,CoverConductorof theTopekaSymphonyOrchestra, AssociateConductoroftheLasVegas MusicFestival,AssistantConductorof theWacoSymphonyOrchestraand MusicDirectoroftheWacoSymphony YouthOrchestrainTexas.Gamboahas servedasconductorandclinicianwith honorstudentorchestrasthroughoutthe MidwestandwesternUnitedStatesas wellasabroad,heholdsorchestral conductingdegreesfromtheUniversity ofNevadaLasVegasandLouisianaState University.BornandraisedinCostaRica, hecurrentlyresidesinMcAllen,Texas.

SymphonyOrchestra

VIOLIN

AngelaLlanes, Concertmaster LeahLoera, Assistantconcertmaster

CristianContreras, Principal FaithNava, Assistantprincipal VicenteCamacho

IsabelEstrada#

LilyGuerra

AstridHerrera RafaelRamirez*

JoelSanchez

DanielSantiago

VIOLA

JoséSalinas, Principal

MelanieCantu

KatiaLuna

JacobMartinez

CytlalyCoronado

HarleyMassey

CELLO

SebastianGarcia, Principal JaydaGarcia

JairoGarza

ClarissaMartinez

JudithRecio

MarcoVazquez

DOUBLEBASS

MaximilianoLopez, Principal

VianethBernardo-Pinon

MarisolMejia

FLUTE&PICCOLO

LauraBarba

Carlos Hernandez

CadenKarr1

RamiroRaya3

OBOE

LorenaCoronado1,3

YingChingJeter*, bassoboe JohnMedina*

ENGLISHHORN

CarlosCantu*3

CLARINET

JoelCardenas

KarolinaLeal1

AlejandroMoreno3

BASSCLARINET

DiogoPerales3

BASSOON

NormaBarrientos#

AracelyGarcia1,3

ArtGonzalez*

CONTRABASSOON

AshleyPerez3

HORN

BrittanyCruz1

SamuelGarcia

DanielGarza

DavidGutierrez3

JuanRomero

RobertoSalas

TRUMPET

VictorFortuna3

JacobMorales

IsaiahMurillo

DanielVela1

TROMBONE

LuisViveros1,3

AlejandroSalinas

BASSTROMBONE

AlexandroSoliz3

EUPHONIUM

AlejandroGarza3

TUBA

VictorCruz3

TIMPANI

CalebMartinez

OscarMendez1

JoseSalinas3

PERCUSSION

PaulGutierrez

CalebMartinez

SlatonMeador

OscarMendez

JoseSalinas

NoemiSosa

KEYBOARD

AndreGarcia

SvenJeppesen

AnnaTrevino

HARP

MichelleAbbott*

ASSISTANTCONDUCTOR

RaymonCorrea

1 PrincipalinGutierrez

3 PrincipalinHolst

#STCstudent

*Guestmusician