Interlochen, Michigan
206th Program of the 54th Year
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INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY BAND
Matthew Schlomer, conductor
with the
INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY ORCHESTRA
Ara Sarkissian, conductor
Thursday, March 10, 2016
7:30pm, Corson Auditorium
PROGRAM
“When We Were Children”
INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY ORCHESTRA
So Far So Good .................................................................................................... Nico Muhly
(b. 1981)
INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY BAND
Serenade for Wind Instruments, Op. 44 ......................................................... Antonín Dvořák
II. Menuetto: Tempo di minuetto; Trio: Presto
(1841-1904)
IV. Finale: Allegro molto
A Childhood Hymn ......................................................................................... David Holsinger
(b. 1945)
Children's March: “Over the hills and far away” .......................... Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
arr. R. Mark Rogers
Hold this Boy and Listen ....................................................................................... Carter Pann
(b. 1972)
The Frozen Cathedral ...................................................................................... John Mackey
(b. 1973)
Proceeds from this concert will benefit the
ANNETTE BASLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
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PROGRAM NOTES
“Childhood”
Regina Brett once wrote, “Your children get only one childhood.” There is something
sacred about our childhood--so many memories that shape and motivate us. It is often a
time and place we strive to recreate. Tonight’s concert is dedicated to the promise our
children hold for our future while also honoring the memory of a child taken too early. All
profits are donated to the Basler Scholarship program which commemorates the Basler
family’s tragic loss of their daughter.
It is a common hope that every life begins with a love song, so we begin with a very
romantic work by Antonín Dvorák. He wrote Serenade at the height of the Romantic era, in
1878. Dvorák wrote impulsively and quickly; the first movement was finished in only one
day and the entire work in only 14 days. Dvorak premiered the work himself with the
orchestra of the Czech Interim Theatre in Prague. The work is flirtatious yet fiery, and one
can easily imagine a scenario of romance unfolding.
A looming memory of childhood for many is the dawn of fear. For many this includes a fear
of the dark. A shadow under our bed, or perhaps in the closet, can transform either into
dens of mysterious evil in the imagination of a toddler. Synonymous with these memories
are often memories of being soothed with a lullaby. Holsinger’s A Childhood Hymn is
based on a common Christian hymn, itself based on a poem originally found in a novel by
Anna Bartlett Warner where it is used to soothe a dying child. The tune was added in 1862
by William Batchelder Bradbury who also included text to create a chorus. The unique
presentation of Holsinger’s arrangement is intended to transport the audience back to a
moment of comfort in the darkness.
Percy Grainger composed Children’s March: “Over the hills and far away” for his
“playmate beyond the hills.” It is believed he was referring to Karen Holton. She was a
beautiful Scandinavian girl with whom the composer corresponded after moving to America
but did not marry because of his mother's jealousy. In the work Grainger oddly begins with
the melody in the lower register and in an entirely unchildlike character. In Grainger’s
typical fashion, he uses common melodic material presented in stunning variety to tell a
tale of changing situation and emotion. The piece seems to begin from the perspective of
an older man. This perspective seems to gradually become younger and hearken back to a
more youthful presentation and then tell a tale of youth, life (ferocious horns and gun
shots), war, marriage (including the sound of wedding bells), and a child of his own. In the
end the melody returns to its older perspective and continues aging until he forgets the
tune and the piece concludes in fragments.
Anyone who has held a small baby has wondered, what are they possibly thinking about?
Carter Pann’s Hold this Boy and Listen is perhaps a musical description of just those
moments. The piece uses simple and uneventful melodies that avoid becoming a
conscious thought such as an adult might have. Instead, Pann calls on the ensemble to
create stunningly unique changes in tone color and dynamic that are organized to create
something similar to a song form. The work is written for his third nephew, David Paulus,
Jr.
The Frozen Cathedral is dedicated to “J.P.,” the son of John Locke, Director of Bands at
the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, who passed away immaturely. J. P. had a
fascination with Alaska and the scenery of the Denali National Park. Mackey writes about
the piece:
“How does one write a concert closer, making it joyous and exciting and
celebratory, while also acknowledging, at least to myself, that this piece is
rooted in unimaginable loss: The death of a child?
The other challenge was connecting the piece to Alaska--a place I’d never
seen in person. I kept thinking about it in literal terms, and I just wasn’t getting
anywhere. My wife, who titles all of my pieces, said I should focus on what it is
that draws people to these places. People go to the mountains--these
monumental, remote, ethereal and awesome parts of the world--as a kind of
pilgrimage. It’s a search for the sublime, for transcendence. A great mountain
is like a church. “Call it The Frozen Cathedral,’ she said.
Clearly, I married up.”
~Program notes by Matthew Schlomer
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MATTHEW SCHLOMER is the conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy Band, teaches
conducting and classical saxophone at the Academy, and serves on the faculty at
Interlochen Arts Camp. Previous positions have been at the University of WisconsinMadison, Luther College, Edgewood College, Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School, and
Sheboygan High School. He studied wind conducting with Scott Teeple and Allan
McMurray, saxophone with Jean-Marie Londeix and Tom Myer, and dance with Kate Corby
and Mary Brennan. He holds a doctoral degree in Instrumental Conducting with a minor
concentration in Dance from the University of Wisconsin, a bachelor degree in Music
Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a gold medal in saxophone from
Bordeaux Regional Conservatory in France. While at UW- Madison he twice received the
Richard Church Memorial Conducting Award. Dr. Schlomer is an avid collaborator, creating
events with artists in music, film, dance, creative writing, theater, and the culinary arts. He
is resident conductor of the experimental percussion group Clocks in Motion and the
Traverse City Dance Project. He serves internationally as a conductor, clinician and
innovator in music education.
ARA SARKISSIAN is the conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, and is
instructor of violin for Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp. He began studying the violin at
the age of four and continues to enjoy performing and teaching both domestically and
abroad. As a performer of contemporary music, he has collaborated with esteemed
composers including Pierre Boulez, Peter Eötvös, Helmut Lachenmann, Wolfgang Rihm,
Steve Reich, Frederic Rzewski, and George Benjamin. A highlight of his career was
performing George Benjamin’s Palimpsests I and II under the direction of Pierre Boulez at
the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland. An avid music educator, Mr. Sarkissian has taught
private lessons and coached numerous young chamber ensembles across the country. His
principal teachers were Marylou Speaker Churchill and James Oliver Buswell IV. Other
important mentors include Mary LaMonaca, Paul Biss, Carol Ou, Paul Katz, Roger
Tapping, Phil Setzer, and Soovin Kim. Mr. Sarkissian earned Bachelor and Master of Music
degrees in Violin Performance from New England Conservatory of Music.
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Upcoming Highlights of the 2015-16 Interlochen Performing Arts Series
COMPOSERS IN CONTEXT FESTIVAL CONCERTS
Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra ~ Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. in Corson Auditorium
Explore works by contemporary American composers with the Interlochen Academy
Orchestra under the direction of Ara Sarkissian. The Academy's third annual Composers in
Context Festival will delve into works by Jennifer Higdon and Nico Muhly among others. It
will be an evening not to be missed! Higdon's Machine and Muhly's So Far So Good are
two established works in the contemporary music canon. Interlochen is honored to be
representing their work this evening, as well as part of the New York Philharmonic's
Biennial this coming June.
Interlochen Arts Academy Band ~ Saturday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. in Corson Auditorium
Explore the work of contemporary composers Jennifer Higdon and Nico Muhly as the
Interlochen Arts Academy Band performs select works including Higdon’s Fanfare Ritmico
and Muhly’s work for percussion, Ta and Clap. Higdon and Muhly are two established
American voices in contemporary music today. Part of Interlochen Arts Academy’s third
annual Composers in Context Festival, this evening delves into their works, as well as
pieces by composers that influenced their compositional style. The Interlochen Arts
Academy Band, under the direction of Matthew Schlomer, will perform these works along
Schoenberg’s Theme and Variations, Brahms’ Blessed Are They, and Crumb’s Ancient
Voice of Children. Join us for this evening of unforgettable music.
Interlochen Arts Academy Choir ~ Friday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. in Corson Auditorium
Explore the work of contemporary American composer Nico Muhly with the Interlochen Arts
Academy Choir as part of our third annual Composers in Context Festival. Join us as the
Interlochen Arts Academy Choir, under the direction of John Bragle, presents a night of
original works by Muhly and select pieces from other contemporary American composers.
Pieces by Muhly will include Like as the Hart, Set Me as a Seal, Let All the World in Every
Corner, and A New Song.
For information and tickets, visit tickets.interlochen.org
INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY BAND
Katie Stainkamp, manager
FLUTE
Eliza Fisher, Ohio
Gwendolyn Harris, Vt.
Madeline Merwin, Mich.
Jiwoo Julie Park,
South Korea
Nicolas Quero, Ill.
Zoe Stier, Mich.
SAXOPHONE
Caleb Allen, W.Va.
Caitlin Aylmer, Mich.
Donovan Elliott, N.C.
Jade Parker, Mich.
Rebecca Williams, N.C.
TUBA
Conor Dailey, Mich.
Oriana Fife, Idaho
Stefan Hopman, Fla.
HaoNan Alan Liao, China
TRUMPET
Kelvin Baker, Mich.
OBOE
Brandon Bellile, Iowa
Ha Young Cho, South Korea Miguel Angel Cubero Navarro,
Benjamin Cormier, Nev.
Costa Rica
Ying Jiang, China
Max Friedman, Tenn.
Kailey Norton, Fla.
Gregory Gotham, Texas
David Norville, Fla.
James Reynolds Martin, Ky.
Heidee Reynolds, Mich.
Jamie O'Brien, Pa.
Victor Romulo Garcia, Mexico Declan Scott, Canada
Angela Scates, Mich.
Margaret Williams, N.C.
HORN
AllenJade Carter, Texas
CLARINET
J. Edwin Leech, Pa.
Reagan Casteel, Tenn.
Natalie Myers, Mich.
Zachary Cherry, Mich.
Elisabeth Pesavento, Wash.
Nicole Martin, Maine
Catherine Ruiz, Texas
Andrew Mazanko,
Kylie Twadell, Ill.
Russian Federation
Steven Weiner, Ind.
Jue Mei, China
Nina Renella, Fla.
TROMBONE
Mason Sangster, Ark.
Paul Boutet, Alaska
Ian Schultz, Va.
Cole Foster, Wis.
Gerardo Tirado Polo,
Christopher Hall, Va.
Venezuela
Jeremiah Rodgers, Md.
Zhu, Shihao, Calif.
EUPHONIUM
BASSOON
Logan Boyle, Alaska
Khalil Gray, S.C.
Cole Foster, Wis.
Hannah Howell, Mich.
Henry Johnson, Wash.
Harrison Short, Neb.
CELLO
Miquel Fuentes, Mich.
DOUBLE BASS
Wenqing Camilla Fu, China
HARP
Juanito Riveros, Texas
Naomi Sutherland, Wis.
Felicity White, Ga.
PIANO
Zoey Zou, Calif.
Xiaoping Wang, Ill.
PERCUSSION
Emmaline Adams, Ky.
Euijin Jung, South Korea
Adriano Macciocchi, Calif.
Kyle Martin, Conn.
Daniel McGee, Pa.
Miyu Morita, Japan
Miles Rosengard, N.J.
Margot Takeda, Calif.
Mitchell Vogel, Fla.
Tina Wiltsie (staff)
Sections are listed in alphabetical order
INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY ORCHESTRA
J Berry, manager
VIOLIN I
Emera Gurath, S.D.
Nathaniel Heyder, D.C.
Colli Chan, Canada
Kailee McGillis, Ill.
Sarah Hoffman, Md.
Jillian Johnson, Nev.
Pia Bucci, Mass.
Joshua Lee, Canada
Abigail Skerik, Mich.
Tanner Manley, Mich.
Tobin Castellano, Wash.
Mengxiao Hong, China
Yishan Ma, Netherlands
VIOLIN II
Monserrat Siles Umana,
Costa Rica
Miyu Kubo, Pa.
Deurim Jung, Mich.
Laura Carther, Iowa
Joseph Gray, Mich.
Carson Bohner, Tenn.
Huiyang Xie, China
Natalya Harp, Ill.
Karo Arutyunyan, Turkmenistan
Christopher Polhamus, N.M.
Alyssa Chetrick, Va.
Justin Okumura, Hawaii
Jaffrey Hedegaard, Minn.
VIOLA
Joseph Skerik, Mich.
Claire Satchwell, Calif.
Anna Mach, Va.
William Satterfield, Texas
Jerome McCoy, Md.
Momo Suzuki, N.J.
Isaiah Morris-Polk, Ohio
Essien Duke, N.Y.
VIOLA cont.
Santiago Mendez Vigata Romero,
Mexico
Benjamin Barron, Va.
Gabriella Trulli, Fla.
Andre Harper-Rosenberg, Fla.
CELLO
Kyle Stachnik, Mich.
Tianlu Jerry Xu, China
Joshua McClendon, Mich.
Abigail Monroe, N.M.
Emma Goulet, Ill.
Miquel Fuentes, Mich.
Sydney Maeker, Texas
Daniela Gonzales, Peru
Andrew Blomquist Shinn, N.J.
Philippa Pietzcker, Germany
Tu Gu, China
Yirui Deng, China
DOUBLE BASS
Ryan Avila, Mich.
Hsuan-Yu Sunny Lin, Taiwan
Wenqing Camilla Fu, China
Matthew Scott, Md.
Lawrence Hutfles, Mich.
FLUTE
Mei Stone, Texas (piccolo)
Taiga Ultan, N.Y. (piccolo)
CLARINET
Justin Best, Fla. (bass)
Seung Min Sara Han,
South Korea
BASSOON
Jensen Bocco, Fla. (contra)
Corbin Krebs, Nev.
Masaki Takeuchi, Texas
TRUMPET
Sean Alexander, Calif.
Shane Obrien, Calif.
Abigail Rowland, Hong Kong
HORN
AllenJade Carter, Texas
Kiri Maza, Md.
Elisabeth Pesavento, Wash.
Steven Weiner, Ind.
TROMBONE
Jackson Bert, Mo.
Marco Gomez Keeshen, Fla.
Sophia Volpe, Ohio
HARP
Margaret Foster, Mich.
Edward Manuel, Mich.
PIANO
Quinton Nennig, Wis.
OBOE
Daniel Gurevich, Calif.
PERCUSSION
Ryoei Leo Kawai, Japan
Adriano Macciocchi, Calif.
M. Isaac Ripple, Pa. (English horn) Daniel McGee, Pa.
Mitchell Vogel, Fla.
Sections are listed
alphabetically except strings
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In consideration of the performing artists and other patrons, the use of flash photography is not permitted.
Federal copyright and licensing rules prohibit the use of video cameras and other recording equipment.
In order to provide a safe and healthy school, Interlochen maintains a smoke-free and alcohol-free campus.
Michigan law prohibits any weapons, including concealed weapons, on Interlochen property
because we are an educational campus. Thank you for your cooperation.
www.interlochen.org