.Bay
Youth Orchestras of Virginia present
The November 1997 Bay Youth Concert
Tuesday, November 18, 7:30 pmVirginia Beach Pavilion Theater
Admission $3.50
Music written by
EASTERN COMPOSERS
for WESTERN ORCHESTRAS
Music written by
WESTERN COMPOSERS
for EASTERN ORCHESTRAS
The Bay Youth Concert Orchestra
Jorge Aguirre and Duane DeVoe, Conductors
The Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra
Gregory Lynn Barnes, Music Director
Guest Soloists
Wang Guowei, erhu (two-string bowed instruent)
Gao Hong, pipa (four-string plucked instrument)
Robert Ian Winstin, piano (two-hundred-thirty string hammered instrument)
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Program
Alexandre Luigini: Ballet Egyptien
Melancholia & The Fisherman's Night Song
Chen Yi: Ge Xu (Antiphony)
Zhou Long: Peking Drum
Robert Ian Winstin: Piano Concerto No. 2
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True stories of the Composers and Soloists with Bay Youth Orchestras:
At 7:30 pm in the Pavilion Theater on November 18, three soloists will
join
the Bay Youth Concert and Symphony Orchestras in performances by American
and
Chinese composers and performers.
A mysterious phone call, a piano concerto, and a surprise soloist; the
unlikely story about the first American composer to be commissioned
to write
for a modern Chinese Symphony Orchestra. Geneisis of the Second Piano
Concerto in the Robert Ian Winstin's own words:
"It's funny how things come to be.
In the mid to late 1980's, I made a recording called "Magical Realism"
which
featured my 2nd Symphony. The recording did fairly well, and received
some
nice attention both here and abroad.
Imagine my surprise when, a few years later I received a call from a
Chinese
official who asked if I would accept a commission for a piano &
orchestra
work for the Shanghai Symphony. I, of course, was flattered and honored,
but
I had some doubts as to the authenticity of the caller. After all,
I thought,
an official in Beijing wouldn't be able to just call up an American
composer
and offer him a job, would he?
Apparently he could, would and did.
So, I began work on the "Piano Concerto #2". At first I thought that
I
would incorporate Chinese themes into the work - after all, this was
for a
Chinese audience. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized
that I wanted to make this an "American" work, almost a statement as
to the
validity and quality of American modern classical music.
I sent off the "Piano Concerto #2" to the Ministry of Culture in Beijing
in
the beginning of 1994. Well, I thought as I waved goodbye to my package
at
the post office, I'm sure that they'll find a good pianist to perform
you in
China. I had finished the piece and set to work on other commissions,
albeit
none from as exotic a place as China!
Needless to say I was shocked when the plane tickets arrived a few months
later. Round trip first class - no less, Chicago-New York, New York-Tokyo,
Tokyo-Shanghai. No letter or communication as to what, where &
why I was
travelling to China. I felt like a character from a spy novel. (It
would
read, I imagined; 'The mysterious appearance of the plane tickets surprised
the young composer as he checked the envelope for invisible secret
writing,
just as they had taught him at Headquarters.')
Of course the mystery was solved a few days later when the 'official'
letter
from China arrived asking me to come to China to be the "Guest of Honor"
at
the premiere of the work in Shanghai. (So, now the novel would read;
'The
mysterious appearance of the plane tickets surprised the young composer
as he
checked the envelope for the needed stamps he would add to his paltry
foreign
stamp collection.') Hardly the stuff of espionage thrillers!
So, with the help of some very persuasive and dilligent managers and
agents,
I cleared my schedule and headed off to what I knew was going to be
a
fascinating trip. And, boy was I right!
After about a full 24 hours in the air I was finally met, at the airport
in
Shanghai, by my mystery caller from the previous year. I was wisked
away to
a dinner banquet and a short tour of the city. I was feeling well fed
and
quite satisfied when my new friend informed me that he would send a
car for
me in the morning to take me to the orchestra rehearsal. I nodded my
head a
bit absently.
"Certainly," I said. "I'll be ready in the lobby."
As promised, I was ready in the lobby at the appointed hour and comfortably
wisked away to the hall where the Shanghai Symphony, one of the premiere
orchestras in the world, was rehearsing. My anticipation built as my
new
found friend informed me that the conductor would be the great Chen
Xieyang,
one of the great conductors of the East.
I arrived at the hall as the orchestra was tuning. (The sound of an
orchestra getting ready has always thrilled me.) I was introduced to
Maestro
Xieyang amid the tumult and din of the tuning. It was hard to make
out the
interpreter's words, so to be polite I smiled a lot and asked the interpreter
to tell the Maestro that I was, indeed, honored that they were to be
playing
my music and that I was honored to meet such a distinguished conductor.
I thought to ask about the soloist, but the Maestro quickly took to
the
podium and I beat a hasty retreat to a seat in the hall. Ah, I thought
as I
looked at the empty piano bench, they are going to rehearse the orchestral
portions first. Good choice, I thought, nodding approvingly.
As Chen Xieyang raised his baton in preparation, glancing at the winds
who
begin the piece, I felt that wonderful moment of fear and expectation
I
always feel when I am about to hear a work of mine for the first time.
Maestro Xieyang, baton raised, glanced at the winds, at the percussion,
then
... at the piano. And he lowered his baton as he glanced around, confused,
finally spotting me in an audience seat.
Gesturing towards the piano he seemed to be telling me something ...
about
the piano, no, I thought as his gestures became more animated, he seems
to be
telling me to... Oh good God! He's telling me that I'm the soloist!
I felt exactly like you do when you have that dream about taking a test,
usually the night before an exam, and the only thing you can seem to
remember
is your name. Actually I felt worse. I tried to explain all this to
my
guide, but there seemed to be no other way than to actually play the
thing!
Now most of you don't realize this, but, when a composer writes something,
they WRITE it, they don't necessarily play it to perfection. It just
so
happens that I am a concert pianist, but I was not prepared to play
my own
piece. (I had WRITTEN it, not learned to PLAY it!)
So, I sat at the piano, dreading the day I was born, and proceeded to
butcher my own work. Although gracious, I'm sure the conductor and
orchestra
were thinking they had made a terrible mistake bringing me here ...
I knew I
was thinking it!
Well, as things usually do, they worked out for the best. I had a few
days
to practice, which I did, and it left me in better shape to play the
work.
The concerts went well; they even sent me to Beijing to play it with
the
Beijing Orchestra, and I left China full of admiration for their artistic
ability and kindness - certainly their patience!
Since then I have been privileged to perform my "Piano Concerto #2"
many,
many times in the United States, Canada, Europe and again in Asia.
It is
always a treat for me to play this piece and I can always, in a moment
of
Deja-Vu, see and feel the hall in Shanghai where I first played it."
Robert Ian Winstin was born in Chicago, in 1959. The award-winning
composer-conductor-pianist Winstin began his piano studies at the age
of
five. By six he was improvising his way through the pieces in his piano
lessons, instead of playing them 'straight' from the score. He completed
his
first 'serious' compositions by the age of eight.
Winstin went on to mentor under Lukas Foss, and was a score assistant
to the
late Leonard Bernstein. He is one of the leading composers of his
generation, winning numerous prizes and honors, including the 'Barrettson
Prize in American Music' for his "Piano Concerto #1", the 'Concours
Cavaete
Prim Palm D'or for his opera "Dedo", and several ASCAP Awards.
Winstin is a very active concert performer, both at the podium and at
the
piano. He has recorded numerous works, and his music is featured on
many
compact discs on the Centurion, CMP, Avante & E.R.M. labels. He
has five
symphonies to his credit, along with two piano concerti, a violin concerto
(for Itzhak Perlman), a 'cello concerto, four operas, an oratorio,
numerous
orchestral works, and over 200 solo, chamber and vocal compositions.
Chinese Composers in New York City; the Cultural Revolution
Composer Chen Yi is a native of Guangzhou. At 3, she studied the violin
and
piano, but soon the cultural revolution of the 60's required her to
practice
on the sly with the violin muted. She took her instrument along when
forced
into labor in the countryside for two years. Dr. Chen looks back on
the
experience with at least one positive result: She had gained wider
knowledge
of the people and the traditional music of her motherland. At 17 she
was
allowed to return home, and soon was able to take the position as
concertmaster and composer with the Beijing Opera Troupe and also to
begin
research into Chinese tradional music.
When the school system was restored in 1977, Chen enrolled in the Central
Conservatory, studying violin, composition and traditional music. In
1983 she
composed the first Chinese viola concerto and went on to be the first
woman
in China to receive the degree of Master of Arts in composition. In
1986 the
Chinese Musicians' Association, Radio Beijing and the Central Philharmonic
Orchestra jointly sponsored an entire program devoted to Chen's music.
Chen Yi came to the United States for further study and received the
Doctor
of Musical Arts, with distinction, from Columbia University. A term
as
composer in residence with the Women's Philharmonic in San Francisco
produced
several compositions, including Ge Xu (Antiphony) which the Bay Youth
Symphony will perform. JoAnn Falletta directed the premiere performance
and
recording.
In her compositions, Chen Yi distills the essential character and spirit
from traditional Chinese music, and develops musical materials abstractly
in
accordance with new concepts. Ge Xu thoughtfully combines the Western
orchestral idiom with traditional Eastern pentatonic tonalities.
The Cultural Revolution also halted Zhou Long's education. Born into
an
artistic faminly in Beijing in 1953, Zhou studied piano at an early
age. He
was unable to escape the fate of most of his generation in China and
was sent
to a state farm in a remote area. However, the wild natural scenery,
including roaring winds and fierce land fires, made a profound impression
on
him, and music helped him survive this difficult life.
Zhou perservered and was able to enroll in the Central Conservatory
in
Beijing in 1977. After graduation he was appointed composer-in-residence
with
the Broadcasting Symphony of China. He came to the United States in
1985,
also to Columbia University, where his Doctorate was awarded in 1993.
Dr. Zhou's music draws heavily on traditional Chinese methods he learned
while in rural China and later at the Conservatory. Folk-like melodies
are
combined with his modernist, experimental compositional techniques
and
sounds, as the composer put it, "to preserve the idiomatic nuances
of
traditional Chinese music while experimenting with instrumentation,
performance techniques, rhythm and sonority." This serves as an excellent
description of Peking Drum for solo Pipa and Orchestra, to be performed
by
Gao Hong and the Bay Youth Symphony at this concert.
Gao Hong and traditional music after the Cultural Revolution.
Gao Hong left her family and home in Luoyang, Henan Province, at the
age of
12. She had been chosen as the pipa performer for the Song and Dance
Troupe
in the Hebei province city. She went on to study at the Hebei Provincial
School of the Arts and graduate with honors and was named pipa instructor
in
1985. The next year she entered the Central Conservatory in Beijing,
studying
with the great pipa master Lin Shicheng, master of the Pudong style.
Again
she graduated with honors, and was also awarded the International Art
Cup in
Beijing in 1990.
Gao Hong now lives in Minneapolis. Here are samples views of her artistry:
Lin Shicheng, pipa master: "She can perfectly express the beauty of
music"
The Scranton Times: "Gao Hong Debuts, Thrills Audience" Guitarist
Magazine: "truly a joy and a wonder....a very special performer...
Mistress of the Pipa" Zhao Feng, President, Central Conservatory, Beijing:
"she possesses deep performing skills and particularly strong sensitivity...
among the top artists of traditional musical performance in the young
generation."
Music of the Erhu
Soloist: Wang Guowei
Melancholia Composer: Liu Tianhua
Orchestration: Gong Guotai
Liu Tianhua was the first Chinese composer to write music for solo
erhu. This 1918 composition was his first for the instrument. Its mood
is thoughtful and introverted, reflecting the composer's personal conflicts
of idealism and reality.
The Fisherman's Night Song Traditional
Orchestration: Chen Kejian
This work is adapted from a traditional tune for the zheng (21-string
zither). The gentle and graceful melody evokes a lyrical setting, depicting
a peaceful twilight as fishermen return from the sea.
Wang Guowei joined the Shanghai Traditional Orchestra in 1978 as erhu soloist and later as concertmaster. A graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory in 1987, he has received many awards at national competitions of traditional music. Wang Guowei has toured Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Belgium, Canada, U.S., and Australia. He has lived in the U.S. since 1996 and is Artistic Director and erhu soloist with Music From China. He gave the first erhu recital of its kind in New York City in 1996 at Washington Square Church.
As a composer, Wang Guowei debut his solo for erhu, 'Sheng,' at NYC's Merkin Concert Hall and collaborated with Australian composer Ros Bandt in a work entitled 'From Huangpu to the Yarra and Back' for Chinese and Western instruments. Wang Guowei has performed with the New Music Consort, Bay Youth Concert Orchestra, and Four Nations Ensemble, and will appear with Camerata at the Peabody Conservatory and the Norfolk Chamber Consort in the 1997-98 season.
About the Erhu
The many varieties of spiked fiddles in China are collectively called huqin. They became popular throughout China during the Yuan dynasty (15th century). The erhu, a 2-string fiddle of medium to high register, is the most commonly used in folk ensembles. A long, straight stem is attached to a resonator covered with a snakeskin soundboard. The instrument is held in an upright position on the lap. As the horsehair bow passes between the strings, the fingers press inward or outward to make the instrument sound. The absence of a fingerboard allows the performance of a variety of vibratos and slides important to articulation in Chinese music.
For most of its history the erhu was used as an accompanying instrument
in song and folk music. It was not until the early twentieth century that
it was elevated to a solo instrument. A large repertoire and sophisticated
performance techniques gradually developed. This effort was begun by Liu
Tianhua who institutionalized its study and brought it into the concert
hall. The itinerant musician Hua Yanjun also popularized erhu music with
his solo pieces which show the striking colors and stylistic features of
southern Chinese music.
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Robert Ian Winstin
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Chicago, in 1959, award winning composer-conductor & pianist
Robert Ian Winstin began his musical studies at the piano, at the age
of
five. By the age of six he was improvising his way through the pieces
in his
piano lessons, instead of playing them 'straight' from the score. He
completed his
first 'serious' compositions by the age of eight.
Robert Ian Winstin mentored under Lukas Foss, and was a score assistant to the late Leonard Bernstein. He is now recognized as one of the leading composers of his generation, and has been awarded numerous prizes and honors for his works, including a 'Joseph Jefferson Wing Award' for his score to "Oedipus Requiem", the 'Barrettson Prize in American Music' for his "Piano Concerto #1", the 'Concours Cavaete Prim Palm D'or for his opera "Dedo", and several ASCAP Awards.
Robert Ian Winstin is a very active concert performer, both at the podium and at the piano, and he is renown for his performances of the music of the 20th Century. He has recorded numerous works, and his music is featured on many compact discs on the Centurion, CMP, Avante & E.R.M. labels. His "Scherzo Burlesque", as recorded by the BBC Symphony under the baton of Lukas Foss, was a #1 chart topper in Europe and his "Piano Concerto #2" reached the #3 position on the AML International Radio Charts.
Robert Ian Winstin has written five Symphonies, two piano concerti, a violin concerto (for Itzhak Perlman), a 'cello concerto, four operas, an oratorio, numerous orchestral works, and over 200 solo, chamber and vocal compositions.
Upcoming projects will include the world-premiere & recording of his song cycle for soprano, clarinet and orchestra "When the Music's Over", the recording of his 'Cello Concerto & "Symphony #5" (Robert recently conducted the premiere of his "Symphony #5" in Chicago), and the release of two CD's of his music; "Orchestral Collection" (featuring his 'Cello Concerto, "Four Portraits for Vocal Soloists & Orchestra", "Symphony #5" & his very popular "Scherzo Burlesque") and "Simple Songs" which feature a selection of Robert's solo piano music.
Robert Ian Winstin is currently the Composer-in-Residence for the Classical Symphony Orchestra, the Music Director & Principal Conductor of the Minnesota Composer's Orchestra, Music Director & Principal Conductor of the Derriere Guard Festival Orchestra and Executive Director of the Foundation for New Music.
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Future Events
February 18, 1998 Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Side-By-Side Concert, The Virginia Symphony and the Bay Youth Symphony
Orchestras
February 24, 1998 Pavilion Theater, Virginia Beach
Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra
April 7, 1998 Chesapeake Convention Center, Chesapeake, Virginia
Concert in the Round, Bay Youth Concert Orchestra and Bay Youth
Symphony Orchestra
May 5, 1998 Harrison Opera House, Norfolk, Virginia
Bay Youth Strings, Bay Youth Concert Orchestra and Bay Youth Symphony
Orchestra
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