PROGRAM
Nolan Hildebrand: Open Graphic Score #3
An electronic noise interpretation of my piece Open Graphic Score #3
Stephen Morris: Re-absorption
Piano: Yu-Pin Lai
Re-Absorption is a musical expression of material reality, or the material world being absorbed into the spiritual realms. Many religious myths and theology proclaim that only chaos existed before the universe was created. Re-Absorption is a piece of music that expresses this creation being absorbed back into the chaos that came before. This absorption is expressed through violent cascading notes with the reverberation and decay of its resonance taking priority, gloomy folk influenced melodies intermingling with clusters, and the eventual fading of time and pitch itself. The work is dedicated to my friend Jorge Oscar Gonzalez.
Seán Parker: 3 Sketches of Grief for Solo Clarinet
Bb Clarinet & A: Gavin Warren
There was roughly a year between the writing of each movement of this piece. The first is a sketch of longing, of joyful memories distorted by grief. The second is of an anger born out of powerlessness, as all-consuming as fire. The third is of reverence, which must give way to joy’s return.
The composer would like to thank Gavin Warren and Christos Hatzis; these pieces could not have been written without their collaboration and guidance.
Emma Clark: I den’ ide, i nich ide
Soprano: Brooke Zarubin
Piano: Yu-Pin Lai
I den’ ide, i nich ide is a setting of the iconic poem of the same name by Romantic Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861). The structure and tonality of the piece reflects the dichotomous nature of the text, contrasting major and minor tonalities and exploring distant key relations. The B section of the piece is a vocalise, inspired by Rachmaninov’s Vocalise (14 Romances, op. 34), with a melody alluding to the Ukrainian folk tune Chom Ty Ne Priyshov (translating to “Why Didn’t You Come?”). The folk melody appears throughout the work as a motif connected to the final two lines of the poetry, a haunting and simple question that can be read as addressed to either a loved one or a higher power. The style of the piece is informed by the harmonic language and sweeping lines of the songs of Mykola Lysenko.
Benjamin Gabby: Crepuscule
Mezzo-Soprano: Maria Milenic
Piano: Benjamin Gabbay
“Crepuscule,” a fanciful word for “twilight,” seems an apt name for this text by E. E. Cummings, which strikes me as a vivid description of the state between sleeping and waking—when the tangible and the intangible intermingle, and dreams, with all their abstractions, terrors, and ecstasies, bleed into our physical world. In setting Cummings’ text, I sought to create a musical depiction of that state. Originally written for mezzo and chamber ensemble (flute, clarinet, piano, violin, and cello), this reduction for mezzo and piano explores a gamut of sounds and colours that paint the journey from the conscious to the subconscious and back again.
“I WILL wade out/ till my thighs are steeped in burning flowers
I will take the sun in my mouth/ and leap into the ripe air/ Alive
with closed eyes/ to dash against darkness
in the sleeping curves of my body/ Shall enter fingers of smooth mastery
with chasteness of sea-girls/ Will I complete the mystery of my flesh
I will rise/ After a thousand years
Lipping/ flowers
And set my teeth in the silver of the moon”
Homa Samiei: Fate
Cello: Sohrab Malekzadeh
Fate is inspired by one of the poems by Ahmad Shamloo, a contemporary Iranian poet.
Fate is about our destiny and predestination. Seems sometimes we need to accept bitterness, difficulties, and unpleasantness that is happening to us during our journey. Sometimes, we need to be content with our dissatisfaction; we should say” Yes” to our disfavor. Life is full of ups and downs, spring and winter, and it may not be as fair as we wish it to be, but it is still like a flowing river, sometimes raging and sometimes calm.
INTERMISSION
Yu-Pin Lai: The Moon In The Puddle
Flute/Alto flute: Melody Li
Viola: Marija
Cello: Chloe Liang
The Moon In The Puddle is a contemplating expression in a self-reflecting process inspired by seeing the moon’s reflection in the puddle. The music emphasizes tranquillity and the contemplating mood throughout the piece, creating a space-shifting between reality and illusion. On a silent and clear night, the feeling of loneliness becomes distinct and intimate, which leads to the beginning monologue played by the alto flute. In the musical aspect, the piece highlights the melodic relationships between the three instruments. The pizzicato in the strings mimics the sound of the imaginary moon falling into the puddle, and the tremolo effect provides a spacious sonority. In the end, the shocking diminished chord brings the listener back to reality.
Umberto Quattrociocchi: Expanse
Tuba: Umberto Quattrociocchi
Expanse is a work by Umberto Quattrociocchi that explores the unique sounds of the low tuba. In two contrasting characters, this piece demonstrates capabilities of both a broad scope of sound and the deceptive agility of the instrument: Meandering, menacing, mysterious or mellifluous lines in juxtaposition with a dense dance form a conversation that the tuba holds with itself. Alongside use of the extreme low register, multiphonics, and body percussion, melodic and rhythmic elements ofExpanseshowcase a holistic musical experience in a statement of the contrabass tuba’s ability in a solo setting.
Salome Zhang: A dinner
Piano: Hon Yu (Richard) Wong
Flute: Lucy Zuo
There is no right or wrong in the world. It is simply politics in which the mass is manipulated by the authority. There is no democracy, no communism, simply human avarice. We are purely a dinner on the authority’s dinner party.
Ian Chan: Reunion
Piano: Phoebe Lin
Clarinet: Gavin Warren
Reunion is a song of celebration dedicated to everyone who successfully overcomes political/geographic barriers to reunite with their loved ones – family members, friends, romantic partners, teachers, students, colleagues and more – as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic began its decline. Recently having the opportunity to meet my father whom I had not seen for years due to the pandemic situation until he successfully managed to travel from Hong Kong to Toronto, I learned to treasure and enjoy the moments with the great people and things in life that I should not take for granted, and I hope the others can do the same too.
Ethan Larose: Piano Quartet
Piano: Richard Cao
Violin: Vincent Poon
Viola: Thijs Vorstman
Cello: Eliza Wei
“Thank you for being here to listen to my piece. I wrote this theme in my first year, and upon rediscovering it, I decided it would be great as its own piece. Occasionally I like to explore prettiness in my works, and this is one of those works. I am proud to be working with the marvelous musicians you see on stage, so I hope you enjoy”.