The UTSA Jazz Ensemble dedicates their concert to Morgan King
WAR TUBA RECITAL
Dr. Steve Parker awarded for art exhibition.
HOMECOMING
The Spirit of San Antonio welcomes the Alumni Band.
LITTLE KIDS ROCK
Dr. Si Millican receives Modern Band Fellowship award.
Shelby Gorden - Editor/Graphic Designer
Cindy Solis - UTSA Events Manager
Ivan Cordova
Brandon Fletcher
Tristan Kunz
Gayla Middleton
Franky Mullen
Natalie Piazzi
Abby Rast
Rolando Ramon
Thomas Redmond
Cheyanne Rhodes
Dito Sáenz
Karla Zuniga
Welcome to CADENZA
SHOWCASING UTSA MUSIC
Dear UTSA Music Family,
FRIENDS –
We are in full swing for the Fall 2018 season! September included several wonderful concerts already, oncampus and across San Antonio One of the month’s highlights was Prof Kasandra Keeling’s solo appearance with the UTSA Orchestra, which was preceded by a very engaging pre-concert lecture from Prof Jennifer Beavers The UTSA Jazz Ensemble presented its first performance in the Jazz’s Alive Festival in Travis Park, and that festival also featured an unusual partnership between the UTSA departments of Music and Art & Art History and Alamo Music We received an upright piano donated by Alamo Music, which was then transformed by faculty and students in Art & Art History to feature a wonderful painting of jazz pianist Art Tatum This piano was displayed in Travis Park, available for the community to play, during the festival Keep an eye out for that piano – it will make an appearance again on campus soon!
In addition to the wonderful performances that have taken place already, we have much to anticipate and celebrate this fall. Prof. Si Millican received a Modern Band Higher Education Fellowship from the nonprofit organization Little Kids Rock. As a result, our department will receive instruments and equipment, teaching resources, and training opportunities for UTSA students to teach elementary through high-school students to perform, improvise, and compose in popular music styles. This is a wonderful outreach addition to our department, which already has a thriving String Project, part of the National String Project Consortium, and impacts well over 100 students at both the 1604 and downtown UTSA campuses.
You will learn more about the accomplishments of our students and faculty in the stories and announcements throughout this issue, and we hope to see you at many of the upcoming events featured in these pages But we are also hoping in future issues to feature stories about our alumni We would like to invite all alumni to let us know your news and professional accomplishments, so that we can celebrate your achievements! Please let us know what you are doing, and come back to campus to visit Our current students would love the opportunity to get to know you!
Go ‘Runners!
Tracy Cowden
Roland K Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music and Chair
A Memorial Fit for King
Jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane once said, “When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups...I want to speak to their souls.”
As a musician, Coltrane reached many by speaking the language of music. As a legend, he influenced and changed the lives of those he touched.
So, too for another jazz saxophonist whose career within the UTSA Music Department can only be described as “legendary”-- professor Morgan King. King, who retired at the end of the 2018 spring semester, passed away unexpectedly and only a few short weeks following the end of his 26 yearlong teaching career. Lamentably, he was not afforded the time to enjoy personal pastimes and the freedom retirement allows.
Cindy Solis with Tristan Kunz and Cheyanne Rhodes
Since 1992, when King was brought in to direct the UTSA Jazz Ensemble, many music students were fortunate to learn during his term as leader. Among those students was trumpeter, Adrian Ruiz. Ruiz, who went on to graduate from UTSA and earn his doctorate, remembers King as his mentor and as a colleague and fellow performer whose down to earth personality and mild tempered demeanor were in contrast with his keen passion for jazz and his adventurous spirit as a motorcyclist and recreational helicopter pilot.
Dr. Adrian Ruiz is currently the UTSA Jazz Ensemble director and has been tasked with organizing a memorial concert for his one-time teacher and departed friend. Ruiz’ connection to King makes him all the more dedicated to creating a memorial that embodies, as he stated, “who he was as a person and [who he was] in the jazz realm.”
To pay homage, Ruiz is reviving a set list from a previously recorded promotional cassette tape recorded by the Ensemble under the direction of King. The set includes pieces King hand-selected to show the talent and potential of the young jazz group.
One of the more personal selections that Ruiz will not be able to include is a composition by King entitled, “Lil Bit,” an eponymous jazz piece about a pet cat of which King was particularly fond. Despite attempts at locating the sheet music, the tune will not be a part of the special concert. Regrettably, to those who knew King as an ailurophile (cat lover) this will be missed, but arguably not a reason to be disappointed. Ruiz is confident the concert will be a fitting tribute to our own jazz legend, who is “very sorely missed on behalf of the faculty and student body,” shared Ruiz. “Rest assured, I will do what I can to make sure his legacy is carried on.”
The UTSA Jazz Ensemble will perform the King Memorial Concert on Thursday, October 11 at 7:30pm in the UTSA Recital Hall. It is free and open to the public.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
GUEST PIANIST, TALI MORGULIS
O C T O B E R 4 T H , 7 : 3 0 P M
U T S A R E C I T A L H A L L
UTS A Wind Ensemble
Urban/Nocturne
October 18th, 7:30pm UTSA Recital Hall
Dr. John Zarco, Conductor
Works by: Mackey, Scriabin, McAllister, & Rorem
UTSA Marching Band
On October 13th, UTSA holds its 8th annual Homecoming football game. After a week of school events and Homecoming festivities, Roadrunners of all ages gather at the Alamodome to support their alma mater. SOSA, The Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band, plays an important role in contributing to the annual theme of “tradition, spirit, and pride.” Aside from halftime, SOSA is there to hype up pre-game tailgaters in the parking lots, welcome the “Bad Birds from Babcock” in a procession known as “Teamwalk," and kick off the evening with a pre-game show to get the fans excited and ready for their team to take the field.
One of the things that makes Homecoming special is the SOSA Alumni Band. Former band members are invited back to reminisce on the good times and participate in the current ensemble. “We’re really trying to welcome back all the alumni and show them how everything has changed and grown!” Band Director Ron Ellis said.
2017 SOSA Drum Majors with alumni Drum Majors from past seasons
Some of those that return were band members long before SOSA existed eight years ago, with graduates from as early as the 70’s. Last year’s Alumni Band even had a couple of multigenerational families represented. High school band director, Jose Rodriguez got to experience gameday on the field with his son, Joe Rodriguez, and had the honor of conducting the national anthem (pictured left center).
“Having my dad on the field with me was such a surreal experience. I felt the past and present connecting.” Joe reflected.
Following a short rehearsal in the morning, alumni practice and march the pre-game and halftime shows in front of thousands of UTSA fans as they demonstrate on the field what the community and spirit of Homecoming is about.
This year’s halftime show features Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” which sets the stage for the highly anticipating crowning of the new Mr. and Ms. UTSA. Don’t miss out as the Roadrunners take on LA Tech on October 13th at the Alamodome!
The UTSA Department of Music Presents
FACULTY CHAMBER CONCERT
10.23.18 | 7:30pm
UTSA Recital Hall AND FACULTY
FEATURING WORKS BY: Freund, Koshinski, Poulenc & D'Angelo
MEMBERS:
Tracy Cowden, Christine Debus, Patty Fagan-Miller, Johnny Peña, Stephanie Westney, Jennifer Berg, Sara Stolt, and Sherry Rubins
The UTSA Department of Music presents
Music Around the World
Men’s Glee Club & Women’s Choir
October 25th, 7:30pm
UTSA Recital Hall
Featuring works by: Grases, Greig, Hogan, Orban, Muhn, Lauridsen, Wilberg, Schütz, and Mendelssohn
UTSA Concert Choir
REVELATION TO REVOLUTION
REVELATION TO REVOLUTION
10.19 | 7pm
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church
1602 Thousand Oaks
10.21 | 3pm
UTSA Recital Hall
Program to include pieces by: Billings, Hatfield, Parker, Borwick, Mendelssohn, Mechem, Walker, Schönberg, Verdi, Balsamo, Caldwell & Ivory, Lennon & McCartney, and a premiere by Prosser
One summer when listening to the late Johnny Cash’s song, “The Man Comes Around,” which references the biblical Book of Revelation several times, Dr. Gary Mabry had two words circling his mind: “revelation, revolution." As these words began to intertwine in his head, he soon realized that when some truths are revealed, people have a tendency to react and even start revolutions
"REVELATION TO REVOLUTION"
ter recognizing this sociocultural henomenon, he spent time putting gether a concert program to remember his program not only surveys a broad usical spectrum, but also curates pisodes of human history that demonstrate is notion. “Revelations to Revolutions” overs such major historical events as the ncient prophecy of Jesus Christ, the merican Revolution, the Civil War, the ppression of the Hebrews by the OttomanHungarian Empire, protests of the Vietnam War, and even the apocalypse imagined. Dr. Mabry emphasized, "I hope my students will let the message sink in. People can witness wrong-doings, indecent acts, or oppression, but it is up to each individual to use their voice to change the world for the better."
The concert features compositions by Felix Mendelssohn, Giuseppe Verdi, LennonMcCartney, William Billings, and many more. There will be two performances of this program: Friday, October 19, at the St. Mark’s Evangelist Catholic Church at 7pm and Sunday, October 21, at the UTSA Recital Hall at 3pm. Come on out for a show that might open your eyes and inspire you to act!
Si Millican, Professor of Music in the UTSA Department of Music, has been named a recipient of the Modern Band Higher Education Fellowship by the nonprofit organization Little Kids Rock.
As a part of this fellowship, Dr. Millican traveled to Florida International University where he received training in the nonprofit’s Modern Band Programs. With a faculty member serving as a fellow in the program, UTSA will receive instruments including guitars, drums sets, keyboards, and vocal microphones and amplifiers for students to use in the music teacher education program. UTSA students will also receive teaching plans, resources, and additional training from the Little Kids Rock teaching faculty.
Modern Band teaches elementary through high-school students to perform, improvise,
and compose using popular music instruments and featuring musical styles like rock, pop, hip-hop, and country. Modern Band instruments include the tools of popular musicians including guitars, keyboards, drums, vocals, and electronics. The Modern Band Fellowship was created to expand high-quality teacher education for future music educators in colleges and universities.
Dr. Si Millican
Education
Other universities in the fellowship include the University of Houston, Brigham Young University, University of Massachusetts, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne, Kent State, University of Kentucky, Syracuse, Truman State, UT-Rio Grande Valley, Ithaca College, Berklee College of Music, and the University of Northern Colorado.
Little Kids Rock is a 503(c)(3) nonprofit that supports underserved elementary and secondary school music programs across the United States. Its honorary board of directors includes notable musicians such as Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Ziggy Marley, and Slash from Guns N’ Roses.
Senior music education students (from left) Sean McCurtain, Jesse Sanchez, and Michael Ybarra play a cover of Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” during their music education class using new instruments donated by the Little Kids Rock foundation.
Music
students (from left) Alexia Beasley, Erica Garcia, Alyssa Farias, Ashley Gorden, and Josua Balli participate in a Modern Band workshop hosted by Little Kids Rock on the UTSA campus last April.
by Rolando Ramon, Karla Zuniga
On October 28th, the UTSA Orchestra conducted by Dr. Eugene Dowdy will be performing an introspective selection of repertoire for the 2nd concert of their 2018-2019 season The fine works selected for the performance not only showcase the impressive skill and talents of the orchestra, but also serve as a continuation of their seasonal theme: “Border-Frontera” . The word "border" is used to describe a boundary that separates a single entity from all else, “a line in the sand, " said Dr. Dowdy. The Spanish word "frontera" translates to "border, " as well as "frontier" , the latter of which Dr. Dowdy alluded to "the Wild West...some new land, uncharted territory, new possibilities... " The connection and meaning between these two words is exactly what Dr. Dowdy is exploring with his selection of works.
Dmitri Shostakovich composed his Symphony No. 1 in F. Minor during 1924-1925, as a graduation piece from the Petrograd Conservatory. The work explores many radical ideas with an incredible depth, drawing from a variety of influences that ranged from Igor Stravinsky to the silent pictures he viewed at the cinema. In a way, the piece follows the orchestra’s theme because it was written during a transitional phase where Shostakovich was getting ready to truly begin his career and explore musical territory off the traditionalist map of his conservatory, effectively pushing his borders into a new frontier.
The orchestra’s rendition of Alexander Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto in A-Flat Major will feature Dr Joseph Cooper on solo trumpet The composer’s most well-known piece is a virtuosic display of trumpet and orchestral performance, showcasing high flying melodies influenced by traditional Russian and Armenian folk music. Interestingly enough, the background of Arutiunian’s home country, Armenia, carries a long history of shifts in power and border changes. However, as Dr. Dowdy pointed out, “the people [remained] the same….but the borders changed. "
Dr Cooper is an accomplished musician with credentials from several highly regarded institutions including The University of Texas at Austin, Indiana University, and Rice University In addition to teaching, he has also collaborated and performed with many large scale ensembles and renowned artists
To Dr. Cooper, the trumpet concerto is a tale of a hero who must prevail through many trials, including his own self-doubt. In his own words, the hero is "a dauntless character who is hiding inner timidity, as many of us do when we perform, " suggesting that though the work is a nostalgic narrative of a champion from children's stories, the real-life heroes are ultimately the musicians who find it within themselves to persevere and deliver an emotional and introspective performance of such a demanding piece
Nor Height, Nor Doubt was composed by our very own Dr. Ethan Wickman. The title alludes to the verse found in Romans 8:39 "neither height nor depth, nor anything else.....separate us from the love of God... " Dr. Wickman wrote this piece at the end of the 2000's, a decade that was full of violence and uncertainty that divided humanity and created great animosity between nations and races With this background and the general meaning of the original Bible verse, Dr. Wickman aimed to convey the message that "there is a sense of humanity that we can find to unite all of us....regardless of the horror we've [experienced]." His piece is a message of hope that amidst all the chaos, mankind will find a way to come together as one people on one Earth, regardless of race, gender, sexuality or beliefs. This fits along the lines of "Border-Frontera" by facilitating the message that no border we create can keep us separate from our humanity.
As evidenced by the prestige repertoire, "BorderFrontera" is not just about pushing borders into the new frontier. It is also about the orchestra members challenging themselves with such advanced music and exceeding their perceived limitations. Ultimately, the growth of orchestra musicians is what Dr, Dowdy aims to accomplish with his grand selection of works.
UTSA
Flute Ensemble
And a premiere by student composer, Dominic Valadez Dr. Rita Linard, Director
October 30th, 7:30pm
Recital Hall
With guest conductor, C.J. Arguello
Eerie Endings:
A Spirited Recital
Cindy Solis with Abby Rast & Gayla Middleton
All Hallows' Eve is a celebration of the spiritual, the sacred, the supernatural. It is the first day of a three day period dedicated to honoring the dead and remembering saints and martyrs. Customary celebrations include wearing costumes, giving out treats to dissuade would-be tricksters and delighting in spooky stories or movies. This year, the Music Department offers another kind of celebration in the form of music.
Dr. Susan Olson, a mezzo soprano vocalist and instructor will present “Eerie Endings,” a collection of music in character with the season. Accompanied on piano by Cheryl Ceylon Lindquist, Olson will be performing David Conte’s "American Death Ballads", “Baba’s Aria,” from Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium and The Winchester Widow by Bruce Trinkley. When asked to explain the creative process behind choosing these songs, Olson said, “The thought of doing a Halloween themed recital occurred to me a couple of years ago. I like to perform new compositions.” Notably, all but the Menotti piece were written between 2006 and 2015 and have been rarely performed because they are so recent. “When I found a new set of songs about people’s demise I thought about pairing that with another set that had similar subject matter This was the birth of what would eventually be called ‘Eerie Endings’.”
Olson, who is in her tenth year as a UTSA music faculty member, has previously performed elsewhere as Baba (Madame Flora) in The Medium. In the opera, Baba holds fake séances
in her home and is the medium by which the grieving and desperate speak to their dearly departed. Her aria, “Afraid, am I afraid?” because it is from an opera, is part song, part theatrics. Olson will be evoking the character of Baba as she sings Menotti’s words; she will become the wailing, drunken sham spiritualist Does she strive to perform the piece as she did more than 10 years ago?
“Every time I sing the pieces there are different aspects that strike me. The wonderful part about music is that it changes with you It will probably be different if I sing it again in 10 years because of the experiences I have been through.” she stated. Like Halloween, which is filled with taunts and surprises, Olson promises an unexpected treat in the second half of her recital Through it all, she wants to share an experience with those in attendance, “My ultimate goal any time I perform is to help the audience members to feel—love, hate, anger, nostalgia, fear, happiness, hope, etc. Whatever the emotion, to have people come on a journey with you and feel as though they were able to participate, even while sitting in an audience “
The recital is free and open to the public It begins at 7:30pm in the Recital Hall located inside the Arts Building.
OCTOBER
RECITALS
09 ALYSSA FARIAS
Saxophone student , Alyssa Farias performs on saxophone accompanied on piano by Christine Debus Free and open to the public
5 : 00PM - UTSA Recital Hall
15 SARAH KEENUM
Trumpet student , Sarah Keenum performs a solo 30 minute recital accompanied on piano by Christine Debus Free and open to the public
5 : 00PM - UTSA Recital Hall
18 MARITZA OLIVARES
Maritza Olivares performs a 30 minute solo horn recital accompanied on piano by Christine Debus Free and open to the public
5 : 00PM - UTSA Recital Hall
23 STEPHEN CASTOR
Student Stephen Castor performs a solo bassoon recital accompanied on piano by Dr Mark Alexander Free and open to the public
5 : 00PM - UTSA Recital Hall
Parking for all UTSA Department of Music student recitals is on an individual pay basis in the nearby Ximenes Avenue Garage .
Click on the icon to find XAG ( Ximenes Avenue Garage ) off of UTSA Blvd and Ximenes Avenue .
Current construction to the south of the Arts Building has made a pedestrian detour necessary . Please click on the icon for a time lapsed video with walking and wheelchair routes from XAG .
HAPPY OCTOBER
ROADRUNNERS
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