Benjamin Verdery guitar
faculty artist series February 11, 2015 • Morse Recital Hall
Robert Blocker, Dean
Faculty Artist Series
Benjamin Verdery · guitar Wednesday, February 11, 2015 • 7:30 pm • Morse Recital Hall
Christopher Theofanidis b. 1967
January Echo Arranged for Benjamin Verdery
Ezra Laderman b. 1924
On Vineyard Sound Written for Benjamin Verdery I. With rhythmic drive and propulsion II. Andantino III. Brusque, strident IV. With rhythmic drive and propulsion — Coda
Benjamin Verdery b. 1955
En Ti Los Ríos Cantan (In You the Rivers Sing) for classical guitar and the voice of Pablo Neruda Yale premiere Words in the order they are heard, and translation: Cantan Ah tu voz misteriosa Crepuscolo cayendo en tus ojos, muñeca En ti los ríos cantan
Sing Ah your mysterious voice Twilight falling in your eyes, toy doll In you the rivers sing
As a courtesy to the performers and audience, please silence all electronic devices. Please do not leave the hall during selections. Photography or recording of any kind is prohibited.
Aaron Jay Kernis b. 1960
Lullaby (1987; arr. 2014) World premiere of this arrangement for flute and guitar Arranged for Rie Schmidt and Benjamin Verdery Rie Schmidt, flute intermission
Hannah Lash b. 1981
For Ben for electric guitar World premiere • Written for Benjamin Verdery I. Movement Number One II. Play These Notes III. This Dances, Slowly
Jack Vees b. 1955
National Anthem for electric guitar and fixed media written for Benjamin Verdery in 2010
Martin Bresnick b. 1946
Joaquin is Dreaming (Joaquin Soñando) Written for Benjamin Verdery in 2008 I. Joaquin Imagines a Part of His History Joaquin Imaginarse una Parte de su Historia II. Joaquin Foresees a Future Joaquin Preve un Futuro III. Joaquin is Sleeping, Joaquin is Dreaming Joaquin Durmiente, Joaquin Soñando
Benjamin Verdery uses D’Addario strings. He plays a guitar built by Garrett Lee and a baritone classical guitar built by Otto Vowinkel. Follow Ben on Facebook, Twitter @benverdery, Instagram Websites: www.gamisimonds.com | www.benjaminverdery.com
Artist Profile
Benjamin Verdery · guitar Artistic director of 92nd Street Y’s Art of the Guitar series since 2006, Benjamin Verdery is hailed for his innovative and eclectic musical career. Since 1980 he has performed worldwide in theaters and at festivals, including Theatre Carré in Amsterdan, the International Guitar Festival at Havana, Wigmore Hall in London, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Metropolitan Opera in New York. His tours regularly take him throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. He has recorded and performed with such diverse artists as Andy Summers, Frederic Hand, William Coulter, Leo Kottke, Anthony Newman, Jessye Norman, Paco Peña, Hermann Prey and John Williams. Ben Verdery has released more than fifteen albums, the most recent being Happy Here, with William Coulter; and Branches, featuring works of Bach, Strauss, Jimi Hendrix, and Mozart along with the traditional “Amazing Grace,” both for Mushkatweek. His CD Start Now, also for Mushkatweek, won the 2005 Classical Recording Foundation Award. Other recordings of note include Some Towns & Cities and his collaborations with John Williams (John Williams Plays Vivaldi) and Andy Summers (First you Build A Cloud). Many of the leading composers of our time have created music for Ben, including Ezra Laderman, Christopher Theofanidis, Hannah Lash, Bryce Dessner, David Leisner, Martin Bresnick, John Anthony Lennon, Anthony Newman, Roberto Sierra, Van Stiefel, and Jack Vees. Of particular note was the commission by the Yale University Music Library of a work by Ingram Marshall for classical and electric guitars. Ben Verdery and Andy Summers premiered the work, Dark Florescence, at Carnegie Hall with the American Composers Orchestra. Last December, the two guitarists appeared at the annual Amsterdam Electric Guitar Heaven. Benjamin Verdery is also a prolific published composer in his own right, with many of his compositions having been performed, recorded, and published over the years.
Artist Profile
In 2012, he was commissioned to compose two works: Penzacola Belongs To All, commissioned by the Pensacola Guitar Orchestra in celebration of their 30th Anniversary (premiered in Pensacola October 2012) and Stand in Your Own Light for guitar and koto, commissioned by the Kyo-Shin-An Arts with funding from the New York State Council for the Arts (premiered in New York City November 2012). In 2010, the Assad Duo premiered Ben’s work What He Said. Commissioned by the 92nd St Y, the work is dedicated to the late luthier Thomas Humphrey. Other recent works have included Now and Ever (for David Russell, Telarc), Peace, Love and Guitars (for John Williams and John Etheridge, SONY Classical), Capitola (John Williams, SONY Classical) and Give (for eight guitars). This last was composed specifically for Thomas Offermann and the guitar ensemble of the Hochschule for Music and Theatre (Rostock, Germany) and dedicated to the memory of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy. Ben’s Scenes from Ellis Island, for guitar orchestra, has been extensively broadcast and performed at festivals and universities in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Europe, and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet included it on their CD Air and Ground (Sony Classical). Doberman-Yppan (Canada) is currently publishing Verdery’s solo and duo works for guitar, and Workshop Arts (distributed by Alfred Music) has published the solo pieces from Some Towns & Cities as well as instructional books and videos. Many other compositions are available on his website. In addition to his performances, tours and recording, since 1985, Benjamin Verdery has been chair of the guitar department at the Yale School of Music and artistic director of the biannual Yale Guitar Extravaganza. He was appointed an honorary board member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2007. Each summer Ben holds his Annual International Master Class on the Island of Maui (Hawaii). » benjaminverdery.com
Artist Profile
Rie Schmidt · flute Rie Schmidt is a graduate of SUNY Purchase. In 1983, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as a winner of the Artists International Competition. Ms. Schmidt is a member of the Westchester Philharmonic and the American Symphony and has performed with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, and many Broadway shows. She was featured flutist and dancer in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass that was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Schmidt and her husband, guitarist Benjamin Verdery, concertize as a duo throughout the U.S. and Europe, and have recorded two CDs of music for flute and guitar: Reverie (Sony) and Enchanted Dawn (CRI). She is a founding member of Flute Force, a flute quartet, which has four CDs: Flute Force (CRI), Pastorale (VAI), Eyewitness (innova), and Silver Halo. She teaches at the Suzuki Music School in Westport, CT, the Bloomingdale School of Music, the Allen-Stevenson School, and the 92 nd Street Y in New York City. Her publications include Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé (McGinnis and Marx) arranged for flute quintet, and Barber’s Adagio arranged for flute quartet (Schirmer Music). Ms. Schmidt was the president of the New York Flute Club from 1995 to 1998.
Upcoming Events
The Marriage of Figaro
Aulos Ensemble
february 13, 14, 15 Shubert Theater | Fri & Sat, 8 pm | Sun, 2 pm Yale Opera Where servants become masters, and love conquers all. Ted Huffman directs this new production of Mozart’s timeless comedy Dominique Trottein conducts Tickets $19–$50 • Students $13 Available at the Shubert Theater box office 203 562-5666 or www.shubert.com
february 22 15 Hillhouse Ave. | Sunday | 3 pm Collection of Musical Instruments Gold and Glitter: Music from Venice and Versailles Tickets $25 • Seniors $20 • Students $10
Ettore Causa, viola Boris Berman, piano february 16 Morse Recital Hall | Monday | 7:30 pm Faculty Artist Series Music by Beethoven and Brahms Free Admission
Danish String Quartet february 17 Morse Recital Hall | Tuesday | 7:30 pm Oneppo Chamber Music Series Haydn: String Quartet in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5; Thomas Adès: Arcadiana; Schubert: Quartet No. 15 in G major, D. 887 Tickets start at $26 • Students $13
Czech Chamber Music february 22 Morse Recital Hall | Sunday | 4 pm Faculty Artist Series Kyung Yu, violin; Ole Akahoshi, cello; Wei-Yi Yang, piano. Music by Dvořák, Janácek, Smetana, and Suk Free Admission
Vista: Music and Commentary march 2 Morse Recital Hall | Monday | 7:30 pm YSM Student Ensembles Outstanding chamber ensembles share a personal take on the music they perform Wendy Sharp, director Free Admission
Concert Programs & Box Office: Krista Johnson, Donna Yoo Communications: Dana Astmann, Monica Ong Reed, Austin Kase Operations: Tara Deming, Chris Melillo Piano Curators: Brian Daley, William Harold Recording Studio: Eugene Kimball connect with us:
facebook.com/yalemusic
P.O. Box 208246, New Haven, CT · 203 432-4158
@yalemusic on Twitter
music.yale.edu
If you do not intend to save your program, please recycle it in the baskets at the exit doors.
Robert Blocker, Dean