The University of Texas at San Antonio
The College of Liberal and Fine Arts
School of Music Presents 7:30 PM
UTSA Recital Hall
LivingThroughMusic
GabrielCampa,Saxophone
Dr.KumikoShimizu,Piano
ConcertoforAltoSaxophoneinE-flat,Op.109
AlexanderGlazunov
SonataforOboeandPianoinDMajor,Op.166
CamilleSaint-Saëns
I-Andantino arr.JeffreyE.Vickers
III-MoltoAllegro
VicariouslyThroughYou
AmericanQuartet
Intermission
EphraimChampion
AntonínDvořák
I-Allegromanontroppo arr.FrederickL.Hemke
SopranoSaxophone-GabrielCampa
AltoSaxophone-BriannaCastilla TenorSaxophone-QuinnTidwell BariSaxophone-NicholasZars
FuzzyBirdSonata TakashiYoshimatsu
I-RunBird
II-SingBird
III-FlyBird
ProgramNotes
ConcertoforAltoSaxophoneinE-flat,1934
AlexanderGlazunov'sConcertoforAltoSaxophonewasoriginallywrittenforstringorchestra. Whilethesaxophonewasstillanew,unchartedinstrument,hewasthrilledbythesaxophoneand itsuniquetimbreandcolor.TheRussianRomanticismStylecanbeheardinthelyrical, expressivemelodieswithrichandpassionateharmonies.ItisalmostcertainthatAlexander Glazunovwasneverabletohearhisworkperformedpublicly,asitwasonlyrehearsedwithhim duringhislifetimeandpublishedin1936byAlphonseLeduc.
SonataforOboeandPianoinDMajor,1921
Atage86,CamilleSaint-Saënssetachallengeforhimselftocomposeaseriesofworksforwind instrumentsthathefeltwereneglectedinsolorepertoire.Hecreatedhisfirstthreesonatasfor oboe,clarinet,andbassoon.Theoboesonataislight-hearted,offeringtheperformer opportunitiesforlyricalexpressionbalancedwithtechnicalchallenges.Thesonataisheavily influencedbyFrenchRomanticism,withbasicstructuralelementsfromtheclassicalera.Camille Saint-SaënspassedawayinDecember1921,onlyamonthafterhepublishedthethreesonatas.
VicariouslyThroughYou,2025
EphraimChampion,anaward-winningChicago-basedcomposer,hasbeenlaudedas“strongly individual,compelling,anddistinctive”(ChicagoClassicalReview).VicariouslyThroughYou wasreleasedasapartofthe Project Encore, Vol. 2 albumcommissionedbyclassicalsaxophonist TimothyMcAllister
“It'sthecruelrealityoflifethatsomepeoplehavetheirdreamsstrippedfromthemthroughno truefaultoftheirown.Theyhavenochoicebuttolivevicariouslythroughothers:It'stheathlete withatornACL,themusicianwithfocaldystonia,theparentwhodidn'thavethesame opportunityastheirchildren.Andnow,theyliveindirectlythroughothers,apartofthemforever missing. Idon'tmeanforthistotakeadarkturn,asonecanfindpeaceinvicariousliving.The solaceitprovidescanbeasbeautifulasthejourneytothedreamitself.Thispieceisareflection ofallthesethoughts.It'semotional,cathartic,introspective.It'sdedicatedtothedreamers,the doers,andthosewhoneverhadthechoice.”
“Ihaveasincereadmirationforpeoplewhoaregoodatwhattheydo.Often,Ithinkaboutwhat it'dbeliketobe"intheirshoes:"Whatdoesitfeelliketoachievemastery?Toliveoutone's dream?Toreachandimpactothersonalargescale?Assomeonewhoisworkingdailytomaster myowncraft,thesekindsofquestionsintrigueme,andI'mcontinuallyinspiredbythosewho've stirredsuchquestionswithin.Funnyenough,I'msureextraordinarypeoplethinklittleaboutthe
impactoftheirartistrybecausethey'retoobusydoing…Iinviteyoutoimmerseyourselfinthis musicaljourney,andIhopeitresonateswithyouasmuchasitdidwithmeduringitscreation.”
AmericanQuartet,1893
AntonínDvořáktookapositionattheNationalConservatoryofMusicinNewYorkafterleaving histeachingjobatthePragueConservatory.HearrivedinNewYorkinJuneof1893withhis wife,sixchildren,andamaidwhoservedashisinterpreterandguideduringhisstayinAmerica. BeinginAmerica,hefeltthatAmericafueledhiscreativefires,andheabsorbednewmusical ideaswhiletraveling.OnasummertriptotheBohemiancolonyofSpillville,Iowa,hewrote AmericanQuartetorStringQuartetNo.12inF,Op.96andevensomeofhis“NewWorld” Symphony.“IknowthatIwouldneverhavewrittenmynewsymphony,ortheStringQuartetin Fmajor,orthequintethereinSpillville,ifIhadneverseenAmerica!”Beingsurroundedby nature,themusicrepresentsthehappy,restfulmomentsandthebeautifulcountrysidethathe walkedeverydayduringhisstaythere.TheAmericanquartetisablendofhisCzechheritage andAmericaninfluences.
FuzzyBirdSonata,1991
TakashiYoshimatsu,borninTokyo,wasaself-taughtcomposerinspiredasachildbylistening toEuropeanclassicalcomposers.Yoshimatsuisdescribedasananti-atonalcomposerwhose worksblendelementsofjazz,neo-romanticism,rock,andtraditionalJapanesequalitiesinhis music.Hefeltthatbirdsarethegreatestmelodymakersandalivingrepresentationofmusic.He describedthesaxophoneassimilartoabat,bird-like,andamammal;thesaxophoneisnotonly onecategory,saxophoneorjazz.TheFuzzyBirdSonataispartofYoshimatsu’s“BirdCycle”of compositions.Thesonataisadventurouswithmanycontrastingcharacteristics.“RunBird”hasa morejazz-likefeelandistechnicallycomplex,featuringconstanttimechangesandintricate passagesinthealtissimoregister,aswellasotherelementsthatmakeitenjoyabletothelistener. “SingBird”isaslow,lyricalsong-likemovement.Thismovementhaselementsoftraditional JapanesefolksongfromYoshimatsu’slife.Thepianoactsasacanvasforthesaxophoneto createon.Themovementallowstheplayertoimprovisewithchangesintime,pitches,color,and more.Thefinalmovement,“FlyBird,”isthefreestmovementofthepiece.Itusessimilarideas fromtheothermovements,creatingadrivingforcethatleadstotheclimaxofthepiece,an improvisedcadenzawheretheperformerselectsmaterialthatexists,extensionsofthematerial, andextendedtechniquetoimitateabird-likesound.
TomyFamily,
SpecialThanks
Fromthebottomofmyheart,Iwanttothankyouforalltheloveandsupportyouhave givenme,notonlyinmymusicaljourney,butasIhaveprogressedinlife.Allthesacrificesyou havemadeformetogettothispointareimmenseandcannotbeoverstated.Youhaveall supportedmeemotionally,physically,andspiritually.Withoutmyfamily,Iwouldnotbethe personIamtoday.Youhavetaughtmethevalueofhardworkandperseverance.“Hardwork paysoff,and100to0,wenevergiveup.”
TomyFriends,
TheoneswithwhomIhavethepleasureofgettingtowork,bond,struggle,andlaugh. ThankyouformakingmefeelwelcomedandlovedeverywhereIgo.Yourwarmsmilesand laughshavealwayssoothedmysoulandmademefeelabletobeme.Thankyouforputtingup withmyshenanigans.EverytimeIsay/dosomethingdumb(whichisfrequent),everytimeI needhelpandguidance,youhavealwaysbeenthereforme.TheexperiencesIhavehadthe pleasureofbeingapartofaresomethingIdonottakeforgrantedandcherish.Fromthebottom ofmyheart,Iwanttothankyouforbeingapartofmyjourney,andIlookforwardtomaking morememoriesintheyearstocome.
TomyPanel,
Eachoneofyouinspiringprofessorshasmadesomesortofimpactonmylife.Whether I’maskingaquestion,answeringaquestionincorrectly,orseekingguidance,youhavebeen nothingbutsupportiveandconstructive.Iamsoluckytogettoworkwithyou,fantasticand knowledgeablemusicians,andIcan’twaittocontinuetoworkwithyouallinthefuture!
Toallwhohaveattended,
Thankyousomuchforbeingapartoftoday'smusicaljourney!IamsoblessedthatIcan sharemytalentsandmusic-makingwithyouall.Yourenergy,attention,andpresenceinspireme toperformmybest,andIhopethatitbroughtyouasmuchjoyasitbroughtmeinpreparingit.