The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra

Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

2011-05-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is the final piece on the May 22 program. Lee Cullum will narrate the work.

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Benjamin Britten
Born November 22, 1913 in Lowestoft, England
Died December 4, 1976 in Aldeburgh, England
Benjamin Britten, a prolific British composer, conductor, and pianist, began his musical career at an early age. At only fourteen, he composed his Quatre Chansons françaises for soprano and orchestra, garnering him much acclaim. Britten’s potential for musical brilliance was later recognized as he eventually came to compose one of the most beloved works in all of symphonic literature, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
Britten was a gifted adolescent who enjoyed exploring the many facets of classical music. He eventually enrolled in the Royal College of Music where he received superb training and also developed into a first-rate pianist. His disappointment with the traditional methods of instruction, however, caused him to leave without completing his musical education. Britten decided to depart from England as a conscientious objector to the political turmoil resulting from World War II. After traveling between the United States and England for several years, he ultimately decided to return in order to focus on his music. Britten’s efforts finally came to fruition with the composition of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945. This work became a landmark in the history of English opera, propelling him to the forefront of British composers during his time.
In the same year as the premiere of Peter Grimes, the British Ministry of Education asked Britten to compose a piece that was to be featured in a film entitled Instruments of the Orchestra, designed to educate students about instruments that are common to a modern symphony orchestra. It was to feature a narration written by Eric Crozier, a British theatrical director and Opera librettist who later co-founded the Aldeburgh Festival with him. Britten had always wanted to extend his passion for music with young people. Consequently, he viewed this offer as an opportunity. He began to compose the piece during the following year, basing it on Rondeau from Henry Purcell’s 1965 tragedy Abdelazer, or The Moor’s Revenge. This is the reason that The Young Person’s Guide is often referred to by its alternate title, Variations and a Fugue on a Theme of Henry Purcell. The alternate title is used when no narration is included, since the score functions as an independent musical composition.
The Young Person’s Guide opens boldly with full orchestra playing the original Purcell theme. Britten provides each full section of the orchestra with an individual variation, followed by shorter variations for each specific instrument. He then reunites the fragmented orchestra, concluding with a grand and triumphant finale.
Benjamin Britten believed that music was the key to understanding and communication, an embodiment of the entire spectrum of human emotion. The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra exemplifies Britten’s appreciation and love for every instrument in the orchestra. Perhaps the greatest virtue of the piece is that it provides younger audiences with an understanding of how symphonic music comes together. This, however, does not detract from the value it brings to older audiences as well. The Young Person’s Guide is an enduring musical work that has been enjoyed by all. Tonight’s performance features a new narration written by Dr. Laurie Shulman.
Britten scored The Young Person’s Guide for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B flat and A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, Tuba, percussion (timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, triangle, snare drum, wood block, xylophone, castanets, tam-tam and whip), harp and strings.
-Saad Daniari, viola

An American in Paris - Gershwin

2011-05-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of three pieces that will be performed on the May 22 GDYO Season Finale concert.
An American in Paris
George Gershwin
Born on September 26, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York
Died on July 11, 1937 in Hollywood, California

In 1951, one film stole the show with 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Musical Score, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The film was An American in Paris, a groundbreaking MGM musical film inspired by the orchestral composition of the same name written by George Gershwin more than two decades earlier. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, and Oscar Levant, and scored entirely with Gershwin’s music, the film followed an American World War II veteran-turned-expatriate and his friend, a struggling concert pianist, around the streets of Paris as they embarked on various escapades and became entangled in different love triangles. The movie’s success echoed that of Gershwin’s original composition, which the composer had written in 1928: the piece quickly became a favorite in the classical repertoire. Today, as a classical trademark for Gershwin, An American in Paris comes second in popularity only to Rhapsody in Blue.
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, An American in Paris is based on the sights, sounds, and moods of the French capital, which Gershwin had visited in early 1928. Deems Taylor, the 1920s composer and critic, stated Gershwin’s intention in his program notes for the premiere of the piece:
You are to imagine an American visiting Paris, swinging down the Champs-Elysées on a mild sunny morning in May or June. …Our American’s ears being open as well as his eyes, he notes with pleasure the sounds of the city. French taxicabs seem to amuse him particularly.
Gershwin was so amused by those “French taxicabs” that he brought back Parisian taxi horns for the December 13, 1928 premiere, which was played in Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Walter Damrosch. Gershwin had already enjoyed considerable success as a celebrated Broadway songwriter and composer of many hit Broadway shows. His concert works Rhapsody in Blue and his Piano Concerto in F had enhanced his reputation. An American in Paris was groundbreaking in that it combined jazz—the use of saxophone and unconventional instruments like the taxi horns to evoke the feeling of the bustling La Ville-Lumiére (“The City of Light”)—and “serious music”—those unconventional elements embedded into a traditional symphony orchestra—into one symphonic piece.
Reviews were mixed. While many critics acclaimed Gershwin for bringing the vitality and dynamism of jazz onto the serious classical-music stage, others were not so thrilled with the composer’s avant-garde style. Regardless, An American in Paris proved a great success with the public and helped cement Gershwin’s position as one of the greatest composers of the day. Tonight, the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra will take you on an animated jaunt through the streets of the French Capital. As Taylor noted, “It will be great to get home; but meanwhile, this is Paris!”

Instrumentation: An American in Paris is scored for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets in B flat, bass clarinet in B flat, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in B flat, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, triangle, wood block, cymbals, low and high tom-toms, xylophone, glockenspiel, celesta, 4 taxi horns, alto saxophone and soprano saxophone/alto saxophone, tenor saxophone/alto saxophone, baritone saxophone/alto saxophone, and strings.
Vivian Ludford, Cello

Beethoven violin concerto in D

2011-05-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

This piece will be played on the GDYO Season Finale on May 22, 2011 at the Meyerson Symphony Center. This program note is written by Brendan Kim, who is in the first violin section of the GDYO.

Violin Concerto and Orchestra in D major Opus 61
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born December 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany
Died March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria

Ludwig van Beethoven is justly heralded as perhaps the greatest composer of all time. His immensely acclaimed concerto for violin serves as a paradigm of his musical genius, and many violinists consider the concerto as the grandfather of all pieces composed for the violin. This immense 44-minute work features pastoral elegance, dignified drama, and a symphonic part that sets itself apart from the solo accompaniment with its own heroic themes.
The Heroic Period
Beethoven’s works are generally divided into three periods of composition. This Violin Concerto dates from his second period, widely referred to as his “heroic” period. Violence and war in Europe during this time deeply influenced Beethoven’s music. Specifically, the Napoleonic Wars caused a traumatic episode in his life. Because of the deafening blasts that ensued as Napoleon was bombing Vienna, Beethoven’s home since the early 1790s, he was overwrought with the fear of hearing loss, forcing him to stay at the basement of his brother’s home with pillows covering his ears. These emotional experiences of intensity and absolute fear helped characterize this period as one boasting gripping drama, noble melodies, and musical heroism that produced unparalleled music at the time: notably the “Eroica” Symphony, the Egmont Overture, and the Fifth Piano Concerto.
The heroic period also yielded a more sensitive, halcyon side of Beethoven, referred to by many as his “pastoral” side. This style of Beethoven’s expressed his desire for peace amongst the ravages of war-torn Europe and may also have been his musical response to violence. These works have calm melodies and themes that pay tribute to the beauties of unadulterated nature. Examples of such works include the “Pastoral” Symphony, the Fourth Piano Concerto, and, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Beethoven completed the concerto in only five weeks in 1806, a very short amount of time for the completion of a full concerto. He was commissioned by Franz Clement to compose the work for an annual benefit concert for charity. Clement, one of Europe’s most talented violinists at the time, also premiered the work as the violin soloist in December 23, 1806 under the baton of Beethoven himself. It wasn’t until after Beethoven’s death, however, when the celebrated violinist Joseph Joachim performed the concerto with Felix Mendelssohn conducting in 1844, that the work gained recognition. Joachim, then only twelve years old, kept the concerto firmly in his repertoire and immortalized it as the iconic masterwork it remains to this day.
About the Concerto
What comes to mind with this concerto is the figure of Beethoven as a master storyteller, revealing every detail, every emotion of his story with patience, dignity, and respect, and with a touching intimacy that reaches out to the hearts of the audience. Maria Schleuning, the violin soloist for the concerto, provides personal insight to the work, describing it as “a masterpiece that requires intense concentration and study,” which although “demanding both musically and technically,” is “fulfilling, pure, and soaring.” She has studied it while in London under Yfrah Neaman, who was very knowledgeable with the work. There, Ms. Schleuning developed her basics and style for it and, while studying with other musicians, formed new ideas regarding its interpretations. Ms. Schleuning adds, “this concerto is at the top of my list of favorite works, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to play it with the GDYO.”
The first movement of the Beethoven concerto is marked Allegro ma non troppo, which indicates a moderately fast tempo. The opening of the work starts with five lone beats from the timpani, low and resonant, which mark the beginning of the orchestral tutti that follows. The tutti, which is a term denoting that the entire orchestra plays, is repeated in different keys throughout the movement. This work possesses an interesting pattern that shifts from a series of dramatic orchestral parts to the more peaceful melodies of the solo violin, which elegantly embellish the orchestral parts and present diverse shades to the melodies. These transitions from heroic to calm, orchestra to solo violin, bring refreshing perspectives to the work. There are several different cadenzas written for this movement, but Ms. Schleuning has chosen to play the cadenza written by Fritz Kreisler, which is the most famous cadenza because of its structural beauty.
The second movement is a serene movement that continues the pastoral quality with beautiful melodies, tranquil themes, and soft dynamics. The movement starts very softly with muted strings playing shades of sound, setting the tone for the solo violin that eventually enters with a bright solo line. The pure lyricism continues throughout the movement as the winds and strings play the melody while the solo violin elaborates it. Towards the finish of the movement, the orchestra plays a striking passage that breaks the stillness the solo violin had maintained; the soloist comes in on a trill, dramatically ending the movement with bold notes on the G-string.
The second movement elides into the third movement, meaning that there is no pause between the two movements; the solo violin bursts in with a jolly, robust melody in 6/8 time. This movement brings life and gaiety to the concerto, as if the soloist is humoring us with a jovial anecdote, and the orchestra delightfully joins in on it from time to time. The movement also boasts an energetic cadenza towards the end of the movement, again written by Fritz Kreisler, upon the preference of Ms. Schleuning, which features an exciting sequence of chords. Finally, after all of the manifold emotions portrayed throughout the monumental concerto, the solo violin builds to the ending with anticipation and gracefully concludes the concerto.
Beethoven’s violin concerto is a true treasure to the violin literature that comes to mind a gem in all of its multifaceted and flawless beauty. With all of the melodies, instruments, and harmonies in perfect equilibrium, the music is truly sublime in every sense. Instrumentation for the concerto includes flute, oboe, clarinet in A, bassoon, horns in D, trombone in D, Timpani in D-A, solo violin, violin, viola, cello, and bass.
Brendan Kim, First Violin

Composer Bradley Kerr Green talks about his work Departures

2011-04-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

The GDYO Wind Symphony will perform this piece on the May 1 concert at SMU Caruth Auditorium at 2:30 pm.

Departures –
Explaining This Symphonic Poem For Wind Ensemble
By Bradley Kerr Green

http://bradkerrgreen.com/

Departures for Winds and Percussion is a symphonic poem – a piece of music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another non-musical source is illustrated or evoked. For me, poetry is a very efficient art form. As the reader uncovers the layers, a single word can bring to life a multitude of images and emotions. Departures is a “rite of passage” piece – a musical allegory of leaving the nest (the world that has been created for you) to start your own life (the world as you make it).

The piece consists of five sections – mirroring the stanzas below.

My Home, The Nest –
The Best Of All Possible Worlds**
Contemplative And Introspective –
I Perch.

Above Me, A Bird In Flight
Effortless And Free –
Singing Like Whales Cry

Engulfed In Fear
Brutish And Paralyzing –
I Rise.

Now, On The Dawn Of My Great Departure
I Take Flight –
Crying Like Whales Sing

And With Free Will –
I Reflect.

With poetry, reading is believing. If one believes that everything written and implied was done so on purpose, then the reader becomes engaged in finding little clues to big meanings. This is why I appreciate poetry – it’s efficient and without boundaries. To give an example:

My Home, The Nest –
The Best Of All Possible Worlds**
Contemplative And Introspective –
I Perch.

The first layer of details: The bird-like scenario of the nest being the home and the act of perching. Of all the places to be, it is the best. “The Best Of All Possible Worlds” is italicized. “Nest” and “Best” rhyme. It’s in first person/bird. That person/bird is engaged in deep thinking and soul searching.

Now investigate a little further. Take a look at the second line. **German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz coined the phrase, “The best of all possible worlds.” It summarizes the idea that of all the possible worlds God could have made, this one is the best. Thus, even as glorious and good as it is, our world is predetermined – no free will. Voltaire – a French philosopher during the Age of Enlightenment – wrote a novella satirizing Leibniz and his “best of all possible worlds” philosophy; the novella is entitled Candide.

This is important because “The Nest” is a symbol of our pre-determined lives – the lives we were born into – where our choices have been made for us. Just as Leibniz thought the world was predetermined by his almighty maker, so is the world you were born into by your maker – “The Best Of All Possible Worlds.” This is what the protagonist of the poem is being “Contemplative And Introspective” about as it perches – the time of it’s “Great Departure” (which is also italicized) draws near.

In order to truly convince the reader of this purposeful detail, I orchestrated the beginning of Departures to sound similar to Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide – a musical quote to reference a written philosophy. Celebratory in sound, the introduction fades away to reveal the true feelings of the protagonist of the poem. The written poem and composed music are now merged in meaning – the symphonic poem. The rest I leave to the reader/listener to see and to hear.

Mahler 6: Through A Musician's Ears and Eyes

2011-03-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Mahler 6: Through A Musician's Ears and Eyes
By Ellen Ritscher Sackett
This is a Jaap van Zweden week at the Dallas Symphony, and the orchestra has been in heavy-duty rehearsal mode, preparing Mahler’s Sixth Symphony since Monday afternoon. The piece is of epic proportions, 71 minutes in four movements. It is the one-and-only piece on this week’s program. The first of three concerts is tonight.

I am the second harpist. I’m what’s called an “extra” – not a contract player who is on salary, but a freelancer who is hired to play with the symphony as needed. I’ve been playing harp with the orchestra since 1988. My name has never been on the program, but when you look up at the harps from the audience, I’m the one sitting on the outside.

There are quite a few extras for this Mahler Symphony. While it’s visually impressive from the audience’s perspective, it’s pretty crowded from ours. Imagine well over 100 people sitting side by side for several hours a day, six days a week. We try to be considerate of each other. No heavy perfumes, hairsprays or colognes. No garlic at lunch. A pack of gum or breath mints handy.

The primary order of business for the musicians just before our first rehearsal is to jockey for space. We each need just enough to do our jobs well. String players, for example, have to have room to move their bows, and obviously, the larger instruments, like the harp and percussion, take up a fair amount of space. Once we’ve staked out our territory, then the next order of business is to make sure we each have an unobstructed view of the conductor.

Rehearsals always start on time. I have to be there plenty early to tune my harp. The other musicians also roll in ahead of time to warm up and practice the tricky spots. We have to be prepared because once Jaap takes the podium, our attention is on him and his every demand.

And demanding he is. If I had one and only one word to describe a rehearsal with Jaap, it would be “intense.” He immediately gets down to business, and every eyeball is focused upon him for the duration. Jaap’s goal is to push us into achieving his musical goals, beyond our comfort zones at times while stretching our technical abilities to the max.

We are, after all, the conductor’s instrument. The conductor is boss, and it’s our job to follow his instructions. We do our best to serve him and his intentions. This is true for all orchestras, not just the DSO. It helps when the orchestra respects its conductor, and certainly the DSO thinks highly of Maestro van Zweden.

As the second harpist, I don’t play as much as, say, the violinists who are busy almost all of the time, but that doesn’t mean I can relax. In between my “licks” I have many empty measures to count. I keep a watchful eye for changes in tempo. Sometimes the maestro conducts in two; sometimes, he switches to four, and sometimes there are meter changes.

Since there are a lot of stops and starts in a rehearsal, I listen to the conductor’s comments, even if it’s directed to the violas or the flutes or the French horns. That way, I can anticipate where he will begin next. He doesn’t give us a lot of extra time to find that next starting spot. Sure enough, the other day I leaned over to say something to my colleague, and that slight distraction caused us both to miss an entrance. My bad.

We got the glare. That’s the maestro’s very effective way of letting us know that HE knew we’d dropped the ball. The longer his stare, the worse the sin. Avoiding the glare is a high priority. Jaap doesn’t have to yell or jump up and down on the podium to get his point across.

Most of the time, however, Jaap is very polite. He shakes his head and says, “This isn’t working,” or “I’m sorry to have to tell you. You are rushing. Just a bit.”
“Do it this way,” he says. “It’s so very important.” And my favorite: “That was close to pretty good.” He explains what he wants through a combination of words and by singing how he wants the music to sound. Then he asks, “Can we do it once more?”

We do it once more. At least. He has us repeat the section until we get it right, however long that takes. He talks a lot about the dynamics – the louds and softs and everything in between. He fixes intonation. He works on articulation. He listens carefully and doesn’t miss a thing. Every correction is made with the music’s intent in mind. The orchestra rarely rides the wave of emotion for long before Jaap interrupts us to make a correction. That’s what rehearsing is all about. Making good music is all in the details.

By the time we get to the performance, the finer points will have all been addressed. It’ll be time to play. When the Maestro gives the downbeat tonight, we’ll be ready.

In addition to playing the harp, Ellen Ritscher Sackett is a features writer at the Denton Record-Chronicle. She can be contacted at ellen.sackett@gmail.com.

An interview with GDYO percussion - why you should audition

2011-03-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Calling all percussionists!
It is once again time for auditions at GDYO. And we are in need of percussionists! 14 spots will need to be filled for the 2011-2012 season and if you are going to be a high school senior or younger and play percussion – than you need to audition.
We recently interviewed three current members who are percussionists. Here is what they had to say about performing with GDYO:

Austin Allen – Senior – Member of GDYO for the past five seasons
“GDYO is a high quality orchestra which many of us do not get to experience in our schools. It is an orchestra that is constantly pushing its limits and Mr. G always tries to find a piece that is both challenging and enjoyable for the percussion. We have awesome instruments we get to play. I auditioned because I want to be an orchestral percussionist. I realized this in 7th grade which is the year I auditioned and entered into the Philharmonic. At the time, it was a great inspiration because the other percussionists were all in high school so i guess I looked up to them a little.”
“Its great experience and I am really glad I got to do it for as long as i did. I really got to experience a wide selection of rep before even entering college. If you are truly serious about this, then it’s a good way to make connections cause there are a few other musicians as well that you will meet later on down the road.”

Adam Holmes – Junior – Member of the GDYO for one season
“ I like being in GDYO because it gives me a year-round opportunity to play with a full orchestra. In school, full orchestra is only done towards the end of the school year, while the rest of the year is only marching band and wind symphony. People who play in any of GDYO's ensembles are there because they want to be, not because they need to get credits. It's relieving being able to play with people who are musicians for the sake of making music.”

“At GDYO, Percussionists get to have sectionals with extremely respected professors and performers, such as Mr. Doug Howard from the Dallas Symphony. Oh, and we get to leave early/come late every now and then, which comes in handy whenever the schoolwork piles up. One of my private teachers first informed me about the GDYO at the beginning of my sophomore year, so it was too late to audition. I kept it in mind, and grew to love orchestral music more and more throughout that year, leading to my decision that I wanted to play in an orchestra as much as possible. Not to mention it's brilliant to have on a college resume.”

“I'm always excited to go to rehearsal, and playing at the Meyerson makes every second of rehearsal worth the time. I've become acquainted with people who have a scary amount of potential. Austin getting accepted into NEC, Brett being the first chair trombonist in the state (I don't think that was the first time), Cesar trying for the Columbia-Juilliard and NEC-Harvard exchanges, and the cellist, Amy Chayo developing a treatment for cancer at the age of 16. I feel confident that GDYO will let me look at somebody's name on the front page or on TV and say ‘Hey, we were in orchestra together!’”

Andrew Morreira – Senior – has been a member of GDYO for two seasons
“I like working with percussionists from other schools, and the level of musicians in the Wind Symphony. Playing with the Dallas Wind symphony was great and learning from the different directors is a good opportunity. Having a solo on the gembe was cool. I wanted to experience the music environment outside of high school, which is pretty intense. I am able to play timpani, mallets and snare in GDYO; at the school I go to we usually have to play the same instrument.”

Program notes - Dvorak "From the New World"

2011-03-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

This work will be performed on the March 6 GDYO concert "Young Virtuoso" at the Meyerson Symphony Center

Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
Antonín Dvořák
Born on September 8th, 1841 in Nelahozeves, Bohemia
Died on May 1st, 1904 in Prague

One of Dvořák’s most beloved works, the “New World” Symphony captures the essence of the composer’s travels to America. He set sail for America on September 10th, 1892, with his wife and two children, Antonín and Otilie, leaving the remaining four children behind with their grandmother. Dvořák had been invited by Jeanette Thurber, the President of New York’s National Conservatory, to write a choral work for the ‘Fourth Centennial Celebration of the discovery of America by Columbus.’ Dvořák wrote his cantata, Te Deum, for this occasion. On October 9th of that same year, the New York Czech Circle held a banquet in the composer’s honor. A concert of Dvořák’s music took place on October 21st featuring the new Te Deum. The following month, he conducted his Requiem in Boston. All of these events preceded the “New World” Symphony.
Dvořák composed the symphony between December 1892 and May 1893. He added the famous subtitle, ‘From the New World,’ just before he sent the score to the conductor, Anton Seidl. The composer used the words ‘Impressions and Greetings from the New World’ to explain the subtitle. The premiere took place at Carnegie Hall on December 16th, 1893, with the composer in attendance. Within a year, additional performances took place in Boston, Brooklyn, London, and Czechoslovakia.
Dvořák’s exposure to America left a stamp on his works that can be heard, especially in this symphony, in his melodic lines and themes, although his rhythms remained Czech. The piece contains allusions to famous American tunes woven throughout, including ‘Three Blind Mice,’ ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,’ and ‘The Little Alabama Coon,’ as well as hints of ‘Yankee Doodle.’ Even more influential is the character of the African-American spirituals and Native American tunes throughout his work. The composer wrote:
It is this spirit which I have tried to reproduce in my new symphony. I have not actually used any of the melodies. I have simply written original themes embodying the peculiarities of the Indian music, and using these themes as subjects, have developed them with all the resources of modern rhythms, harmony, counterpoint and orchestral color.
In order to become more familiar with the spirituals, Dvořák invited Harry T. Burleigh, an African-American student at Mrs. Thurber’s National Conservatory in New York, to sing to him. The famous English horn solo in the second movement (familiar as “Going Home”) is heavily influenced by the spirituals. Dvořák was originally going to give that melody to the flutes or clarinets, but felt that the English horn shared the greatest resemblance to Burleigh’s voice.
The cello section begins the first movement with a solemn melody. An adventurous theme then takes over and recurs throughout the rest of the movement. This could represent Dvořák’s departure from his home land and the start of his travels in the New World.
The celebrated second movement opens with sonorous chords played by the French horns, leading up to the poignant English horn solo. The middle section of the piece contains a meandering melody that continues into a lighter, more playful tune. As the movement comes to a close, a string quartet plays the “Going Home” theme, creating an intimate atmosphere. Dvořák was homesick while in America and the second movement truly exemplifies his nostalgia.
Dvořák’s third movement, the scherzo, is a prime example of his use of Czech rhythms. The opening starts abruptly with percussion playing a strong role. The movement then transitions into the middle trio section. Dvořák then returns to the urgent and chaotic theme that was played in the beginning of the movement. A brusque ending creates a dramatic effect to a frantic movement.
Intensity opens the fourth movement as the strings play in unison, leading up to the trumpet’s grand entrance as they play a majestic and victorious melody. The following theme is adventurous and triumphant. Echoes of previous themes can be heard throughout the movement, along with suggestions of well-known American tunes. This movement ends Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony leaving the audience with an invigorating experience and a love for music. His masterpiece remains close to the hearts of people everywhere.
Dvořák scored the symphony for 2 flutes, one doubling piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, and strings.
Marlea Simpson (viola)

Weber Clarinet Concerto Program Notes

2011-03-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Program note written by Andrew Lee who will be featured on the March 6 concert performing the concerto.

Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra No. 1 in F minor. Op. 73; Mvt. I
Carl Maria von Weber
Born 18 November 1786 in Eutin, Germany
Died in 5 June 1826 in London, England
Throughout history, many composers have written pieces for specific players whose music making amazed and inspired them. As a result, we have wonderful music. Carl Maria von Weber as an excellent example of this practice. In addition, he has written what is considered today as fundamental clarinet repertoire.
Weber is famous for his chamber music pieces which were composed to accommodate several kinds of ensembles: Clarinet Quintet Op. 34, Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano op. 63, and the Piano Quartet op. 18. However, Weber has a larger reputation as a prominent opera composer. Some of his more famous works include Der Freischütz, Oberon, and Euryanthe. Less well known, but just as important to clarinettists, were his contributions to clarinet literature (being of comparable importance to Mozart and Brahms). Weber dedicated his Clarinet Concertino for Orchestra Op. 26 and both his Clarinet Concertos for his respected peer and clarinetist, Heinrich Baermann.
Weber first met Baermann in 1811 in Darmstadt. At the time, Baermann was a renowned clarinetist who had acquired fame after touring throughout Europe, including performances at England, France, Italy, and Russia. In Baermann's playing, Weber found a mixture of the French vivacity and German fullness with darker tone. Baermann's personal charisma, as well as his mature virtuosity on the clarinet, led to a close friendship between the men. For an upcoming concert in Munich, patronized by the Royal Minister Maximilian Josef von Montgelasm, at Baermann's request, Weber composed the Concertino in E-flat Op. 26. The concert sold out the entire hall , and was a big success with the audience. The Concertino in E-flat initiated a trio of solo pieces for clarinet and orchestra.
Weber composed the piece on this evening's program after the development of the ten-key clarinet, which allowed for more flexibility and smoothness of playing. He composed his two solo pieces with a Classical format, but incorporated a hint of Romantic drama. Weber's fine balance between the dramatic high points and subtle, technical passages makes his concerto an excellent example of his dual-musical personality. His reputation for the use of earlier Romantic style sets him apart from his more Classical contemporaries, and for this reason, Weber can be seen as a transitional composer who undergoes a change in style over the course of his lifetime.
Weber wrote the first movement of the concerto, including the entire orchestral part, in one day. Because he often wrote pieces rapidly and furiously, sometimes they lacked complexity and places where the soloist could truly exhibit technical skills or emotion. Carl Baermann, Heinrich Baermann's son and successor to the position of principal clarinettist at the Munich Orchestra, felt that the first movement of the concerto needed something more exciting to move from a playful, nimble section to the solemn, grave one. To accommodate this problem, Carl inserted a cadenza, or brilliant flourish for the soloist. The cadenza represents the younger Baermann's musical ideas. His incorporation of the candenza reflects the mixture of various influences in this concerto.
Instrumentation:two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, solo clarinet, and strings.

Andrew Lee, clarinet

Old American Songs program notes

2011-02-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

Program notes for the upcoming March 6 performance at the Meyerson. These note are written by Jonathan Gentry, oboe.

Old American Songs
Aaron Copland
Born November 14th, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York
Died December 2nd, 1990 in Tarrytown, New York

Aaron Copland is a favorite among 20th century American composers. His best known works include the ballets Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, and Rodeo, and his Fanfare for the Common Man. Copland’s pieces often contain melodies of a simple, charming nature that characterizes the American style of composition in the mid-twentieth century. His style represents the core of American values, and could be described as celebratory of America’s past, present, and future.

Copland celebrates America’s diversity through his two sets of Old American Songs, and goes where few composers ventured before by tapping into the American heartland. By the time Copland wrote Old American Songs, he had already achieved great fame as a composer. He originally wrote them in 1950 and 1952 for voice and piano, and then arranged them for baritone and orchestra. Peter Pears (tenor) and Benjamin Britten (piano) played the premiere performance of Old American Songs on June 17th, 1950 at the Aldeburgh Festival in Suffolk, United Kingdom. The first set of Old American Songs was very well received after it was premiered, and was soon performed by many famous tenors and baritones of the time. It was so greatly enjoyed by audiences and performers all around that Copland decided to write another set in 1952. Tonight, the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas will be singing the baritone solo in unison.

Copland arranged these 10 songs, drawing from completely different sources. In the first set of Old American Songs, “The Boatman’s Dance” is a minstrel show tune written by Daniel Decatur Emmett. The orchestral accompaniment -- particularly the violins -- mimics a minstrel banjo. “The Dodger” is a satirical political song from the 1884 presidential election, in which Grover Cleveland won over James G. Blaine. “Long Time Ago” is a sentimental ballad and an anonymous blackface tune. George Pope adapted the lyrics in 1837 and Charles Edward Horn set the words to music. “Simple Gifts” is the Shaker melody that Copland also used in his best-known ballet, Appalachian Spring. He arranged the Old American Songs version of the tune in a style closer to the original from the ballet. This enchantingly beautiful song has a straightforward melodic line that is passed from chorus to woodwinds and is accompanied by simple, hymn-like harmonies. The last song of the first set, “I Bought Me a Cat”, is a playful children’s nonsense song, and requires the singers to venture outside traditional vowels. Both the chorus and orchestra imitate the sounds of barnyard animals, resembling the well-known children’s song, “Old MacDonald”.
The second set of Old American Songs, like the first set, came from completely diverse sources. “Little Horses”, a children’s lullaby originating in the South, is based on a version of Lomax’s Folk Song U.S.A. “Zion’s Walls” is a revivalist song which Copland later used in his opera, The Tender Land, with lyrics credited to John G. McCurry. “The Golden Willow Tree” is a version of the familiar Anglo-American ballad called “The Golden Vanity” which Copland first heard on a recording for banjo and voice. “At the River” is a tender and beautiful 1865 hymn tune written by Reverend Robert Lowry. “Ching-a-Ring Chaw” is a minstrel song from the Harris Collection at Brown University. It finishes the Old American Songs with a catchy melody that repeats in an optimistic, jig-like fashion.
Copland’s Old American Songs is scored for two flutes (second doubling piccolo), oboe, two clarinets, bassoon, two horns, trumpet, trombone, harp, and strings.
Written by Jonathan Gentry, oboe

The Chairman Dances, program notes

2011-02-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

The GDYO presents "Young Virtuoso" on March 6 at the Meyerson Symphony Center. One of the works performed will be the Chairman Dances by John Adams. Below is the program note written by Brendan Kim in the first violin section.

The Chairman Dances (Foxtrot for Orchestra)
John Adams
Born February 15, 1947 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Currently residing in California

Of the many art forms that have formed over history, opera remains a timeless display of international culture, as well as a flexible vessel for musical expression. As part of his first opera, Nixon in China (1987), John Adams graced the culture of American classical music with his enduring foxtrot, The Chairman Dances. One of Nixon in China’s most frequently performed excerpts, The Chairman Dances catapulted Adams’s career and placed him on the map as one of America’s most prominent modernist composers. Interestingly, this twelve-minute foxtrot was premiered one year before the opera. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Lukas Foss, first performed The Chairman Dances on January 31, 1986.
Early inspiration
As a child, Adams was influenced greatly by orchestras that visited his town in New Hampshire. He marveled intensely at the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Robert Shaw Chorale, and any other music group that performed near him. Through this early exposure to music, Adams was deeply inspired. Now, as a famous composer, Adams reflects that “orchestra players probably groaned at the thought of playing at Concord, New Hampshire, but who would have known that in the audience was a ten year old boy ready to have a life-changing experience?” Adams holds this notion dear to him whenever he conducts his works in front of audiences. His concerts are therefore personal and sentimental to his own early inspiration.
Education and Rock’n’Roll
Adams attended Harvard University, where he became exposed to the new wave of rock’n’roll. At Harvard, Adams became a Beatles fan and branched out to jazz, particularly enjoying the tunes of Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. Coming of age during the Golden Age of Rock, Adams immersed himself in the new bands of the 1960s; however, he still kept the works of Beethoven and Sibelius close to him, developing his distinctive minimalist fusion style that has become such an American staple today.
About the piece
The Chairman Dances is a foxtrot for orchestra - a musical composition cast in the form of a swift ballroom dance in 4/4 time. Here, Adams’s modernist style rears its head - the foxtrot was originally danced to ragtime music and later to rock and roll works. Even today, big bands perform lively music to accompany this dance. Adams certainly kept these roots in mind with this piece.
Nixon in China dramatized President Richard Nixon’s February 1972 trip to Beijing, China. Each of the opera’s three acts represents one day of the visit. Act III takes place in the Great Hall of the People, in which a lavish banquet is held. During this banquet, however, interesting events take place. A woman known as The White-Boned Demon crashes the party and starts adorning the hall with paper lanterns. She then changes costumes and dons a cheongsam, a skin-tight traditional Chinese dress for women, and motions for the orchestra in the Hall to start playing a foxtrot as she extemporaneously dances to its rhythm. Inspired by the White-Boned Demon, Chairman Mao quickly joins her in the revel and dances, hence the name The Chairman Dances. The tune and rhythm of the minimalist foxtrot clearly portrays the youthful gaiety and optimism the couple merrily displays. Instrumentation for this piece comprises 2 flutes, 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bass clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 B♭ trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, crotales, sandpaper blocks, high and medium wood blocks, crash cymbal, high-hat, suspended cymbal, suspended sizzle cymbal, claves, bell tree, triangle, tambourine, castanets, snare drum, pedal bass drum, timpani, piano, harp, and strings.
Brendan Kim, Violin I

Interview with Andrew Lee, winner of 2011 GDYO concerto competition

2011-02-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

This is an interview with Andrew Lee, winner of the 2011 GDYO concerto competition. Andrew will be performing with the GDYO on March 6 at the Meyerson. For more information on the concert go to www.gdyo.org

How long have you played clarinet? I have played for exactly 5 years now (as of March 6, 2011)

How long have you been in GDYO? This year would be my fourth year in the program and second in the GDYO.

What other instruments do you play? I used to play some piano.

What is your favorite piece? I don't really have a favorite piece, but I'd have to say that Festive Overture would be one of the top ones.

What made you pick the Weber to play for the concerto competition? I felt like the Weber Concerto let me show both the dramatic and subtle capabilities of the clarinet, with dynamics ranging from the softest fading sections to climax points. Plus, I thought that the recurring melody sounded great.

Can you tell me anything interesting about your school? Jasper High School. Well, I guess there's nothing really too abnormal about it. Different people with different goals, so basically it's just a diverse center of learning.

Can you tell me anything interesting about your band? My band has had some of the more “legendary” players from the PISD area. For instance, Derek Hawkes went through Jasper, James Kendricks, Andres Olivero, etc. Also, one of our band directors composes our marching show each year, Mr. David Herring (A.K.A “The Famous Composer”)

What is like to study with your current clarinet teacher? I feel relaxed and active when I take lessons from Mr. Yi. His attitude about teaching always seems to be positive and overall, its enjoyable and enriching.

Do you have a favorite composer? Not any in particular. I think I just like any great work of music :)

What would you like to do for a profession? Do you plan to pursue a career in music? This question comes up from my friends as well. To be honest, I think it's too early for me to say, but as of now, I'm thinking either minoring in music or possibly double majoring with an undecided other profession.

Anyone you wish to thank? Yes. My father and mother for supporting me with a very nice instrument. I feel very grateful for the opportunity of playing on such a wonderful horn as well as my parents' support and encouragement when I have to compete. Also, thank you Mr. Yi for also being supportive as well as nice, understanding, and eager to help me improve. Thank you to Mrs. Iwasaki for being such a wonderful accompanist this year, and making playing with piano such an easier job. And finally, thank you to the GDYO itself for letting me have such an opportunity to be able to play in the Meyerson as a soloist as well as promoting the concert with tickets for my friends. This will be an unforgettable experience for me.

Do you have any funny Mr. G stories? Unfortunately, because I sit so far back, I can rarely ever hear his stories, but whenever he has one of those “Mr. G moments”, it always adds on to the experience of being in the GDYO.

What is your favorite thing about being in GDYO? My favorite thing(s) about GDYO would have to be the chance to play virtuoso pieces as well as pieces from different eras and composers. To be able to perform new music with a group as mature in music playing as the GDYO is quite a great opportunity. Also, I get to see some of my friends who go to other schools.

Can you tell me what it's like to win the GDYO concerto competition? Are you excited to be performing in the Meyerson as a soloist? I feel very lucky and honored to win the GDYO Competition. I have the mixed feelings including obvious joy, but a bit of surprise because the finalists this year all sounded amazing. As for the performance, I am very excited, but at the same time, very nervous. However, the experience would be more valuable than a perfect performance, so either way I'm looking forward to this.

Playing in a Section

2011-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

Playing in a Section
By David Lesser, principal horn Dallas Wind Symphony

A key element to being a good musician is knowing how to play in a section. This article will focus on a horn section but is applicable to non-hornists as well.

Section playing skills are often lacking in the young musician. In my experience as a professional horn player and teacher, these skills are generally not taught in high school and only to a minimal degree in college. The vast majority of players hone these skills through experience and “on-the-job” training. I do believe, however, that it is not only possible but imperative that this topic be addressed with young players. Below you will find some insights I have acquired over the years.

Playing principal horn is very different than playing in the section. (“in the section” refers to any non-principal position.) As a principal player, you ARE the leader of the section. In the professional world, this includes not only artistic leadership but some managerial responsibilities as well (i.e. rostering, approving time off requests for section members, constructing audition lists, etc). As an artistic leader, you are responsible for musical leadership that entail: Exaggerating the dynamics so as to inspire your section to do the same, captivating everyone around you with exquisitely played solos, and most importantly, providing an atmosphere of confidence and calm-assertive leadership. Many players find principal horn to be the most stressful horn position but also the most gratifying. This is a very exposed job often open to harsh criticism either by oneself or by the conductor. Some conductors who expect perfection 100% of the time can have a significant ill affect on a principal player’s mental state, often undermining one’s confidence. If you are playing principal horn, it is important to always believe in yourself and to have a healthy amount of narcissism necessary to get you through the job.

As a second horn player, you are the “chameleon” of the section. This is not a fitting role for a player with even the slightest ego. A second hornist’s number one job is to complement the principal player. How do you do this? The answer is twofold: matching articulation, pitch, dynamics, and tone quality are a few concrete ways to be a good second horn player. The less tangible part of this answer is that a talented second horn player has a sort of E.S.P. for the principal player. This second player can predict what the principal player is going to do dynamically, rhythmically, articulation-wise, musically, etc. This comes with years of experience and dedication to the job. A good principal/second horn duo is analogous to that of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship in which both parties benefit from each other.

Second hornists need to have 100% command of the entire register of the horn. While it is more common for a second horn part to be a “low horn part” (by that I mean either low or mid range) it is not uncommon to be confronted by works that encompass the entire range of the horn. Mahler and R. Strauss immediately come to mind as composers whose second horn parts cover three or more octaves. Additionally, second horn players are often the workhorses of the section. They usually play the most pieces per concert season so it is imperative they play efficiently and smartly so as to avoid injury.

Colloquially speaking, a third horn player needs to have a bit of an ego and an affinity for being in the “hot seat” but not to the same degree as the principal player. Third horn parts are typically high horn parts, often doubling the principal player on melodic phrases. These parts are the second most soloistic (next to principal horn). In fact, composers such as Brahms, Berlioz, Saint-Saens, and Dvorak, tend to write more conspicuously for third horn than for principal horn. Third hornists need to have an impeccable high register and be able to match the principal horn even in the extreme high register. In an orchestra or band where this is no associate principal player, the third horn will often be next in line to cover principal horn when the principal player is absent.

Finally we make our way down to the end of the section. In a nutshell, the job of the fourth horn is to serve as the bass voice of the section. In divisi section playing, fourth horns often play the root of the chord. Therefore, they must have exceptional intonation. Playing the root pitch in tune and in tone allows the second, third, and principal players to play their pitches with correct just intonation. Furthermore, fourth players must have a broad dynamic range in the extreme low register. They need to be able to play with the same bravura as a bass trombone in its meat-and-potatoes register and with the finesse and sophistication of a woodwind player in the mid/upper register (see Beethoven Symphony No. 9, 3rd mvmt, 4th horn).

Like second horn players, fourth hornists need to have full command of the horn’s range. Although it is slightly less often that a fourth player’s part extends into the extreme high register, composers such as Mahler, R. Strauss, and John Williams (to name just few) write for soaring horn lines in which all four horns play in unison.

Playing in a section and doing it well can be a very rewarding experience, both musically and interpersonally. If we learn to play with intuitive passion and reverence for our respective roles, we will be noticed; not just for our playing abilities but for the soul we breathe into the music and into our section.

Speech by Karl Paulnack of Boston Conservatory

2010-12-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Speech by Karl Paulnack of Boston Conservatory

One of my parents’ deepest fears, I suspect, is that society would not properly value me as a musician, that I wouldn’t be appreciated. I had very good grades in high school, I was good in science and math, and they imagined that as a doctor or a research chemist or an engineer, I might be more appreciated than I would be as a musician. I still remember my mother’s remark when I announced my decision to apply to music school—she said, “you’re WASTING your SAT scores.” On some level, I think, my parents were not sure themselves what the value of music was, what its purpose was. And they LOVED music, they listened to classical music all the time. They just weren’t really clear about its function. So let me talk about that a little bit, because we live in a society that puts music in the “arts and entertainment” section of the newspaper, and serious music, the kind your kids are about to engage in, has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with entertainment, in fact it’s the opposite of entertainment. Let me talk a little bit about music, and how it works.

The first people to understand how music really works were the ancient Greeks. And this is going to fascinate you; the Greeks said that music and astronomy were two sides of the same coin. Astronomy was seen as the study of relationships between observable, permanent, external objects, and music was seen as the study of relationships between invisible, internal, hidden objects. Music has a way of finding the big, invisible moving pieces inside our hearts and souls and helping us figure out the position of things inside us. Let me give you some examples of how this works.

One of the most profound musical compositions of all time is the Quartet for the End of Time written by French composer Olivier Messiaen in 1940. Messiaen was 31 years old when France entered the war against Nazi Germany. He was captured by the Germans in June of 1940, sent across Germany in a cattle car and imprisoned in a concentration camp.

He was fortunate to find a sympathetic prison guard who gave him paper and a place to compose. There were three other musicians in the camp, a cellist, a violinist, and a clarinetist, and Messiaen wrote his quartet with these specific players in mind. It was performed in January 1941 for four thousand prisoners and guards in the prison camp. Today it is one of the most famous masterworks in the repertoire.

Given what we have since learned about life in the concentration camps, why would anyone in his right mind waste time and energy writing or playing music? There was barely enough energy on a good day to find food and water, to avoid a beating, to stay warm, to escape torture—why would anyone bother with music? And yet—from the camps, we have poetry, we have music, we have visual art; it wasn’t just this one fanatic Messiaen; many, many people created art. Why? Well, in a place where people are only focused on survival, on the bare necessities, the obvious conclusion is that art must be, somehow, essential for life. The camps were without money, without hope, without commerce, without recreation, without basic respect, but they were not without art. Art is part of survival; art is part of the human spirit, an unquenchable expression of who we are. Art is one of the ways in which we say, “I am alive, and my life has meaning.”

On September 12, 2001 I was a resident of Manhattan. That morning I reached a new understanding of my art and its relationship to the world. I sat down at the piano that morning at 10 AM to practice as was my daily routine; I did it by force of habit, without thinking about it. I lifted the cover on the keyboard, and opened my music, and put my hands on the keys and took my hands off the keys. And I sat there and thought, does this even matter? Isn’t this completely irrelevant? Playing the piano right now, given what happened in this city yesterday, seems silly, absurd, irreverent, pointless. Why am I here? What place has a musician in this moment in time? Who needs a piano player right now? I was completely lost.

And then I, along with the rest of New York, went through the journey of getting through that week. I did not play the piano that day, and in fact I contemplated briefly whether I would ever want to play the piano again. And then I observed how we got through the day. At least in my neighborhood, we didn’t shoot hoops or play Scrabble. We didn’t play cards to pass the time, we didn’t watch TV, we didn’t shop, we most certainly did not go to the mall. The first organized activity that I saw in New York, that same day, was singing. People sang. People sang around fire houses, people sang “We Shall Overcome”. Lots of people sang America the Beautiful. The first organized public event that I remember was the Brahms Requiem, later that week, at Lincoln Center, with the New York Philharmonic. The first organized public expression of grief, our first communal response to that historic event, was a concert. That was the beginning of a sense that life might go on. The US Military secured the airspace, but recovery was led by the arts, and by music in particular, that very night.

From these two experiences, I have come to understand that music is not part of “arts and entertainment” as the newspaper section would have us believe. It’s not a luxury, a lavish thing that we fund from leftovers of our budgets, not a plaything or an amusement or a pass time. Music is a basic need of human survival. Music is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, one of the ways in which we express feelings when we have no words, a way for us to understand things with our hearts when we can’t with our minds.

Some of you may know Samuel Barber’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful piece Adagio for Strings. If you don’t know it by that name, then some of you may know it as the background music which accompanied the Oliver Stone movie Platoon, a film about the Vietnam War. If you know that piece of music either way, you know it has the ability to crack your heart open like a walnut; it can make you cry over sadness you didn’t know you had. Music can slip beneath our conscious reality to get at what’s really going on inside us the way a good therapist does.

I bet that you have never been to a wedding where there was absolutely no music. There might have been only a little music, there might have been some really bad music, but I bet you there was some music. And something very predictable happens at weddings—people get all pent up with all kinds of emotions, and then there’s some musical moment where the action of the wedding stops and someone sings or plays the flute or something. And even if the music is lame, even if the quality isn’t good, predictably 30 or 40 percent of the people who are going to cry at a wedding cry a couple of moments after the music starts. Why? The Greeks. Music allows us to move around those big invisible pieces of ourselves and rearrange our insides so that we can express what we feel even when we can’t talk about it. Can you imagine watching Indiana Jones or Superman or Star Wars with the dialogue but no music? What is it about the music swelling up at just the right moment in ET so that all the softies in the audience start crying at exactly the same moment? I guarantee you if you showed the movie with the music stripped out, it wouldn’t happen that way. The Greeks: Music is the understanding of the relationship bet ween invisible internal objects.

I’ll give you one more example, the story of the most important concert of my life. I must tell you I have played a little less than a thousand concerts in my life so far. I have played in places that I thought were important. I like playing in Carnegie Hall; I enjoyed playing in Paris; it made me very happy to please the critics in St. Petersburg. I have played for people I thought were important; music critics of major newspapers, foreign heads of state. The most important concert of my entire life took place in a nursing home in Fargo, ND, about 4 years ago.

I was playing with a very dear friend of mine who is a violinist. We began, as we often do, with Aaron Copland’s Sonata, which was written during Worl d War II and dedicated to a young friend of Copland’s, a young pilot who was shot down during the war. Now we often talk to our audiences about the pieces we are going to play rather than providing them with written program notes. But in this case, because we began the concert with this piece, we decided to talk about the piece later in the program and to just come out and play the music without explanation.

Midway through the piece, an elderly man seated in a wheelchair near the front of the concert hall began to weep. This man, whom I later met, was clearly a soldier—even in his 70’s, it was clear from his buzz-cut hair, square jaw and general demeanor that he had spent a good deal of his life in the military. I thought it a little bit odd that someone would be moved to tears by that particular movement of that particular piece, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard crying in a concert and we went on with the concert and finished the piece.

When we came out to play the next piece on the program, we decided to talk about both the first and second pieces, and we described the circumstances in which the Copland was written and mentioned its dedication to a downed pilot. The man in t he front of the audience became so disturbed that he had to leave the auditorium. I honestly figured that we would not see him again, but he did come backstage afterwards, tears and all, to explain himself.
What he told us was this: “During World War II, I was a pilot, and I was in an aerial combat situation where one of my team’s planes was hit. I watched my friend bail out, and watched his parachute open, but the Japanese planes which had engaged us returned and machine gunned across the parachute chords so as to separate the parachute from the pilot, and I watched my friend drop away into the ocean, realizing that he was lost. I have not thought about this for many years, but during that first piece of music you played, this memory returned to me so vividly that it was as though I was reliving it. I didn’t understand why this was happening, why now, but then when you came out to explain that this piece of music was written to commemorate a lost pilot, it was a little more than I could handle. How does the music do that? How did it find those feelings and those memories in me?”
Remember the Greeks: music is the study of invisible relationships between internal objects. This concert in Fargo was the most important work I have ever done. For me to play for this old soldier and help him connect, somehow, with Aaron Copland, and to connect their memories of their lost friends, to help him remember and mourn his friend, this is my work. This is why music matters.

What follows is part of the talk I will give to this year’s freshman class when I welcome them a few days from now. The responsibility I will charge your sons and daughters with is this:

“If we were a medical school, and you were here as a med student practicing appendectomies, you’d take your work very seriously because you would imagine that some night at two AM someone is going to waltz into your emergency room and you’re going to have to save their life. Well, my friends, someday at 8 PM someone is going to walk into your concert hall and bring you a mind that is confused, a heart that is overwhelmed, a soul that is weary. Whether they go out whole again will depend partly on how well you do your craft.

You’re not here to become an entertainer, and you don’t have to sell yourself. The truth is you don’t have anything to sell; being a musician isn’t about dispensing a product, like selling used Chevys. I’m not an entertainer; I’m a lot closer to a paramedic, a firefighter, a rescue worker. You’re here to become a sort of therapist for the human soul, a spiritual version of a chiropractor, physical therapist, someone who works with our insides to see if they get things to line up, to see if we can come into harmony with ourselves and be healthy and happy and well.

Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, I expect you not only to master music; I expect you to save the planet. If there is a future wave of wellness on this planet, of harmony, of peace, of an end to war, of mutual understanding, of equality, of fairness, I don’t expect it will come from a government, a military force or a corporation. I no longer even expect it to come from the religions of the world, which together seem to have brought us as much war as they have peace. If there is a future of peace for humankind, if there is to be an understanding of how these invisible, internal things should fit together, I expect it will come from the artists, because that’s what we do. As in the concentration camp and the evening of 9/11, the artists are the ones who might be able to help us with our internal, invisible lives.

2010-12-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

The performance includes L'Aresienne by Bizet, Sheep May Safely Graze, Hill-side Carol by Alan Bullard, Carol of the Bells, Music from Home Alone and the Polar Express, Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams, Tchaikovsky's Scherzo for Symphony No. 1, a Sing-Along and much more!

The annual "Holiday Magic" concert brings together 220 youth on the stage of the Meyerson. A fun performance that is sure to thrill all ages.

Behind the scenes at GDYO concerts

2010-11-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

Behind the scenes at the GDYO concerts

For most of you who attend performances by GDYO ensembles, you only see what is happening on the stage. The musicians performing. For those who get to be backstage you see the movement and hear the sounds of a venue in motion.

It’s actually all very simple what happens backstage. But it takes a well-choreographed plan to put everything in place before musicians take the stage.

It starts at the office, at a desk with a computer and a phone. The mundane task of contacting, updating, filling out and planning doesn’t take much movement at all. Except for fingers and a few head nods.

Not very exciting. But on the day of the concert, it becomes a dramatic dance.

For the operations and stage crew things start when the truck arrives and we load the percussion equipment. It’s not a hard task, but there is lots of lifting and pushing and pulling. Once loaded the truck heads to the venue with staff in tow.

The unloading dock at the Meyerson is a pretty standard loading dock, built mostly for large semis and not small rental trucks. The smell is the worst part. Because next to the loading truck is the dumpster for the food service. It’s never sweet and usually quite foul. But it does help in making things move faster.

After unloading the truck, all equipment gets put on a large elevator. This is a favorite. When the elevator goes up or down it looks as if the building is moving and the elevator is standing still. It grinds to a halt and the massive door open in to a small room. Two very large doors (big enough for a car to fit through) open into the backstage of the Meyerson.

And now begins the run and chase. Time is of the essence and there is usually very little of it. The crew and members of the percussion unload the elevator and get it to the stage. But while this is all going on another thing is happening, the stage is being set with chairs and stands.

And this is the hardest of all the tasks. For the Meyerson has risers and what creates a great view for you the audience becomes a pain of bruises and nicks as chairs and stands are lifted up and around and through. A 100-piece orchestra usually takes a good 10 minutes to set up. That is record breaking and believe it or not it’s been done in less time than that.

And while all this is going on, musicians begin to arrive and warm-up in the backstage area.

Once the stage is set a bellow calls out “On stage” and the mass of instrumentalists make their way. A bottleneck always happens at the three entrances as many stop to stare out into the empty hall or cannot find the chair they need.

Once all are settled and everyone has what they need, the rehearsal begins.

The stage crew takes a short break to discuss the concert and tactics as to what needs to be moved when. Always within earshot of the rehearsal as a conductor can yell at any minute for the need of something.

And then the rehearsal ends and the musicians return to the backstage.

The crew double checks the set up and then at the exact moment calls for all to be on stage. And so the concert begins….

But there is so much more that happens – the little bits of conversation before the conductor enters, the jokes, the laughter, the looking at the audience. There is camaraderie among thieves and the stage crew members have a moment where they are part of the show and share their own little secret. They know what is happening before, they know when there is a mistake, and they know when something goes really well. They see the nervousness of the musicians, the high energy of the conductor and all the while are having fun. Telling stories, jokes and much more.

They breathe and rest during pieces and then are on again at the end of a piece.

And when it is all over and everyone is heading to the lobby or to their cars. The stage crew stays behind and helps put away the stands and chairs. They (along with the percussionists) load everything back into the elevator and onto the truck. Doing again what they started. Sending the percussionists home, the crew heads back to the Sammons and again unloads. Many of you are already at home, reliving the moments you heard and saw. The operations and stage crew have barely left the building.

We start and we end. Our final note is the locking of the door.

Tonya Assid, Operations Manager

Philharmonic concert review by Laurie Orloff

2010-11-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

I attended the GDYO concert on Sunday, November 7, 2010 at the Morton H. Myerson Symphony Center. Performing were GDYO's Flute Choir, Philharmonic and Wind Symphony. I wanted to write a little about the Philharmonic. Under the baton of James Frank, they performed Overture to Nabucco, by Giuseppe Verdi, Mock Morris, by George Percy Grainger, the first movement of Camille Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in A minor with soloist Eugene Kim and the finale of Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D Major.

The concert was so amazing. This group sounded like a professional orchestra, hands down. I closed my eyes many times during it so that I could imagine I wasn't watching children, but long time seasoned professional symphony musicians. I did open my eyes quite often though because seeing that these pieces were played by students, made my heart sing.

The attention to detail, the concentration and the musicianship displayed by these students was remarkable to say the least. Unfortunately, I meant to write about each piece and mention certain details, but I left my pad of paper and pen in the car, so I resigned myself (I use that term very loosely) to just listening and enjoying.

Eugene Kim played the Saint-Saens so beautifully and with such precision and much attention to detail and phrasing. He has a beautiful musical career ahead of him. The orchestra accompanied him very carefully. One could see the eyes of the orchestra members glued on Mr. Frank for direction and accurateness in following the soloist.

Nabucco and Mock Morris were done beautifully as well. The finale of the Sibelius was outstanding and was my favorite. I have played this piece before and it took me back to when that I did it. It was so wonderful just floating with the lush, rich melodies and not having to worry about producing the music, myself. I don't even think the performance I did of it with the Yale Symphony sounded this good. There is so much to be said about young performers who have the leadership that they do discovering their abilities in the mix of dozens of other musicians with the same goals in mind.

If you haven't heard any of the GDYO groups yet, please make it a point to go to the concerts. There is so much to appreciate on so many levels. You can't help but leave the hall feeling on top of the world and optimistic about the future of music and about life in general headed by these students who have yet to be viable adults making this world what it is yet to become.

Laurie Orloff,
Symphony Violist, Private viola and violin teacher
Author of: How to Handle Your Cranky and Stressed Out Parents: A Teen Survival Guide

2010-10-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

The GDYO opened the 2010-2011 Season on October 24th. The performance at the Meyerson is a unique treat for these young musicians. For many it was their first time on this stage. And they loved it.
These concerts take work and effort from all involved. Each musician must prepare their part. The conductor studies his scores and works the rehearsals. The staff must prepare the logistics including schedules, tickets, music and much more. Parents must support their children by driving them to rehearsals, double checking schedules and giving whatever their child needs to help make this happen for them.

All this starts eight weeks before we step foot in the Meyerson. And every minute of it is worth it. Because getting to hear these musicians on this stage and seeing their faces is what it truly is about.

Sometimes we get wrapped up in all the things that must be done to make it happen. We forget what we are doing this for. Then everybody sits down on that stage and plays the first note and then we remember.

The GDYO did a fantastic job on Sunday night. They had a tough program put before them. They did well with the challenge. Another great concert to another great season.

La Valse program notes

2010-10-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

The final piece on the October 24th concert will be La Valse by Ravel. This is the program note written by Saad Daniari, violist in the GDYO.

La Valse

Maurice Ravel

Born March 7, 1875 in Ciboure, France

Died December 28, 1937 in Paris, France

La Valse, one of Maurice Ravel’s most intricate and elaborate compositions, is a musical work whose interpretation has undergone endless discussion. As early as 1906, Ravel had aspired to create a piece of music in order to celebrate the waltz. He planned to title this piece Wien (Vienna) and molded it as a tribute to a prominent Viennese composer. In one of his letters, Ravel said:

It’s not subtle what I’m undertaking at present: a grand waltz, a kind of homage to the memory of the great Strauss, not Richard, the other one, Johann. You know of my profound empathy with these admirable rhythms, and that I rate the joie de vivre expressed by the dance more deeply than Franckist Puritanism.

A precursor to the eventual work was Valses nobles et sentimentales, which utilized many of the motifs and musical ornamentations heard in La Valse. Ravel began to combine elements of both Valses nobles as well as sketches of Wien in order to produce a symphonic work that, to his dismay, would baffle and perplex a majority of the musical community. It would be titled La Valse: a French perspective of the Viennese waltz.

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Ravel’s work is that it exists in several versions. The piece originated as a piano solo; however, it was arranged for two pianos and a symphony orchestra as well. The symphonic version was developed under commission by Sergei Diaghilev, an influential patron of the arts. When Ravel presented the piece to Diaghilev, the Russian impresario was taken aback by the immense creative liberties that Ravel had incorporated into his score. In response to hearing the composition, he said “…this is not a ballet; this is a portrait of a ballet, a painting of a ballet.” Ravel was deeply offended by Diaghilev’s criticism of La Valse and refused to work with him in any future endeavors. The altercation that occurred regarding the work ultimately marked the end of their friendship. While Ravel secured an orchestral performance of his piece in 1920, it didn’t premier as a ballet for another nine years.

Laced with atmospheric details and ethereal undertones, Ravel’s continually debated composition can best be described as un poème chorégraphique (a choreographic poem) – an orchestral work designed for a ballet, yet also standing as a self-sufficient piece of music, as it offers many of the artistic characteristics evident in a tone poem. La Valse opens with a nearly silent mist of sound generated through the rumbling of the double basses, eventually joined by the cellos and the harps. In a very gradual progression, various instruments enter, culminating into the eruption of a waltz melody. As the piece continues, it evolves into a more macabre dance. The division of each string section into three separate parts truly exemplifies the intricacy of the work.

In his analysis of La Valse, the composer George Benjamin stated:

Whether or not it was intended as a metaphor for the predicament of European civilization in the aftermath of the Great War, its one-movement design plots the birth, decay and destruction of a musical genre: the waltz.

La Valse is one of the most challenging pieces of music ever composed for a symphony orchestra. Maurice Ravel combined cultural influences from France and Vienna in order to create an extraordinary and unconventional composition. For any orchestra, to perform the work is an extremely virtuosic feat.

Ravel scored La Valse for three flutes and piccolo, three oboes and english horn, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, snare drum, castanets, tam-tam, antique cymbals, celesta, two harps, and strings.

-Saad Daniari, viola

Schubert Unfinished program notes

2010-10-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

The third piece performed on the October 24th concert is Schubert's Unfinished Symphony. This is the program note written by Robert Gonzalez, violinist in the GDYO.

Symphony No. 8 in B minor (“Unfinished”) October - November 1822

Franz Peter Schubert

Born, January 31, 1797 Vienna – November 19, 1828.

Franz Schubert is one of the most brilliant composers of the early romantic era. His contributions include many compositions of chamber music. The most widely known include The Trout Quintet and Death of a Maiden. Schubert wrote many songs and elevated the genre from folk tradition to an accepted classic form. In all, he wrote nine symphonies. But of all his musical accomplishments, Schubert remains first and foremost a great symphonic composer. He wrote nine symphonies total. Ironically, his best known and perhaps most beloved is his Eighth Symphony, the symphony which “Mr. Schubert never finished.”

As a child, Schubert played in his family quartet. All his family members played string instruments, but Schubert first learned the piano. Young Franz was later introduced to the violin by his father Franz Theodor who was a school master and also enjoyed playing the cello. After several years of study, Schubert showed great musical talent but was still pressured to be a school teacher like his father. In 1808 Schubert won first place in an open competition as a choirboy, and his talent was recognized by Anton Salieri, famous composer of the time and court composer to the emperor. Eventually, Schubert’s parents relented and allowed him to seriously study music.

In 1810 Schubert began to work on his earliest songs and essays in cantata form. He began writing his first symphony in 1811 at the age of fourteen. This work in D major was finished by 1813. Over the next twelve years, Schubert wrote nine symphonies, which many times were compared to those of Haydn and Mozart. It was not until his Eighth Symphony that Schubert began distinguishing his own unique style of symphonic composition. He incorporated key complexities and unforgettable melodies, but his Eighth Symphony remained unfinished. No one knows exactly why he left it incomplete, but it still stands as one of the most beloved symphonies of all time. Schubert wrote the Eighth Symphony in a period of great artistic struggle. His operas were very poorly received by the public. These were years when he wrote a much higher percentage of unfinished works than at any other time in his career. He finished the first two movements of the Eighth and almost completed a sketch for a third movement, a Scherzo. He actually orchestrated the first nine measures of the third, and then set the work aside.

One theory explaining why the eighth symphony was left unfinished is that Schubert recognized many similarities between his score and Beethoven’s 2^nd Symphony. He feared he would be accused of plagiarism. Another is that he simply felt he could not create subsequent movements that were as good as the first two. Still, other people feel he may have had so many ideas in his head that he put it aside in favor of exploring other ideas.

At that time Schubert’s fame did not come from his instrumental work but rather from his lieder or art song. Considered one of western music’s greatest composers of song, Schubert took lieder to a deeper level than any composer before him. Most of his melodies are memorable and many unforgettable. Schubert’s richness in keys is another unique quality in his work. His Lieder are bolder than his early instrumental work. He took liberties in key changes with songs that he never did in his instrumental work. It was not until the Eighth Symphony that his monothematic structures come to full maturity in orchestral work.

A year after abandoning the Eighth, Schubert gave the manuscript to his longtime friend Josef Huttenbrenner, who did nothing with the work for three decades except create a piano duet arrangement out of portions of it. In 1865, long after Schubert’s death, the “Unfinished Symphony” premiered in Vienna.

Conducted by Johann Herbeck, the first performance of the Eighth Symphony showed how different and unique this work was as compared to Schubert’s earlier symphonies. The first movement begins with a very low and somber theme from the double basses and cellos, followed by a whispering accompaniment played by the violins. Then, the clarinet and oboe take over and play the melody in unison creating a unique sound that had never been written before. The second theme begins with cellos playing a charming melody, possibly the symphony’s most familiar theme, which then gets passed onto the violins. The piece suddenly goes to a dark place as soon as the violin melody is completed. The mood shifts rapidly and often from extreme bliss to darkness and back again. The hectic and nervous changes perhaps reflect the mental state of the composer during the difficult period when he conceived this work.

As compared to the abruptly changing first movement, the second provides a momentary break starting with the violins playing an enchanting melody. The primary theme is reintroduced with little variation. A shocking flute and oboe duet first draws us in with its beauty only to betray us with chaos. It invites us and then abandons us. Had Schubert finished this work, perhaps the teasing aspects of the second movement would have been resolved in the fully developed third and fourth movements. But even without a satisfying musical conclusion to this symphony, we remain enchanted with its singular melodic focus that keeps our full attention from beginning to end. In fact, that attention takes us into the parking lot and stays with us on our ride home from the concert hall. Though Schubert left us wanting more from this masterwork, what more can we want than the melody that Mr. Schubert DID finish.

The Symphony No. 8 in B minor is written for strings, flute, oboe, bassoon, cornet, trumpet, trombones and timpani.

- Robert Gonzalez, violin

Suite from Hary Janos

2010-10-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Another piece performed on the upcoming October 24th performance is Suite from Hary Janos. This is the program note written by Austin Allen, percussionist in the GDYO.

Suite from Háry János

Zoltán Kodály

Born December 16, 1882 in Kecskemét, Hungary

Died March 6, 1967 in Budapest, Hungary

Zoltán Kodály, one of Hungary’s most esteemed composers and educators, studied viola, violin, cello, and piano as a young child. He was in both the Nagyszombat choir and orchestra and, at the age of 15, entered the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest. Graduating with a teaching diploma in 1905, he began a lifelong project of collecting, categorizing, and analyzing Hungarian folk tunes. Today, Kodály is recognized as one of the first people to delve into the field of ethnomusicology. In 1907, now 23, Kodály, along with his friend and colleague Béla Bartók, was appointed professor at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest.

Kodály composed Psalmus Hungaricus, an oratorio written in celebration of the unification of the cities of Buda and Pest after World War I. This composition marked an enormous breakthrough for Kodály in terms of international recognition. His growing reputation was solidified with the composition of his opera Háry János only a few years later.

In addition to his awe-inspiring compositions, Kodály is equally known for his work in music education. This field is where his love for folk songs was very useful, for Kodály believed that folk songs were more accessible to young people than most forms of music. Upon retirement, Kodály began to travel the world, conducting many of his own works. He never ceased loving music and received many awards throughout his life for both his inspirational compositions and his efforts in the field of music education.

Kodály's opera Háry János was first performed on October 16, 1926 in Budapest. It is a comedic Hungarian folk opera based on the comic epic The Veteran by Janos Garay.

In the Opera’s preface, Kodály explained:

Háry is a peasant, a veteran soldier, who day after day sits in the tavern, spinning yarns about his heroic exploits and being a real peasant, the stories produced by his fantastic imagination are an inextricable mixture of realism and naïveté, of comic humour and pathos… .That his stories are not true is irrelevant, for they are the fruit of a lively imagination, seeking to create, for himself and for others, a beautiful dream world.

From this four act opera, Kodály extracted the orchestral highlights of the Háry János Suite. Although the premiere date for the suite is usually cited as December 1927 in New York City, the first actual performance of the Suite took place in Barcelona a few months earlier. This was suppressed primarily, because of the inadequacy of the Spanish performance. The suite consists of six parts. Movements 1, 3 and 5 are largely atmospheric, while Nos. 2, 4 and 6 are based mainly on scenes from the opera.

Prelude: the Fairy Tale Begins

The suite starts with an orchestral imitation of a sneeze. This comes from the old Hungarian belief that a story told after a sneeze is always true. Following the sneeze, the basses and celli emit slow, almost somber tones, finally emerging into a sad melodic theme. This movement provides almost a dreamlike setting for the following movements.

Viennese Musical Clock

The Viennese Musical Clock begins with Háry János at the Austrian Emperor’s court, where he hears the clocks strike at midday. Snare drum and chimes start this movement in imitation of the Emperor’s clock. A light, chipper, yet almost regal melody follows, that, much like the first movement, meanders throughout the orchestra. Needless to say, plenty of percussion is used in this movement!

Song

Song starts with a solo viola, joined presently by the cimbalom. [See sidebar] The music has a light and airy feel and much of the music from this movement is supplied primarily from the Hungarian folk song “This Side the Tisza, Beyond the Danube.”

The Battle and Defeat of Napoleon

The Battle and Defeat of Napoleon is both humorous and satirical. It is a parody on France’s national anthem, La Marseillaise, an example of the European march, and tells the story of how Háry János singlehandedly defeats Napoleon and his men. Brass is extremely prevalent in this movement so be sure to listen for the fanfares as well as the glissandi written for both trombone and tuba.

Intermezzo

Intermezzo is a Verbunkos, an 18th-century Hungarian military recruiting dance. The movement’s primary theme is from a piano method written by Istvan Gati in 1802. The cimbalom adds to and complements this movement creating a folksy and atmospheric aura.

Entrance of the Emperor and His Court

Entrance of the Emperor and His Court depicts the Imperial court as seen through the eyes of a peasant. Starting off the movement, the woodwinds mimic the high-pitched banter of the courtiers. Kodaly implements the entire orchestra at once in this movement creating a contrast to the minimal instrumentation commonly heard in the previous movements and we will once again hear the Marseillaise parody from the fourth movement.

The Háry János Suite is scored for 3 flutes (each doubling on piccolo), 2 clarinets (one doubling on alto saxophone), 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 cornets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, Timpani, a large complement of percussion, cimbalom, and strings.

-Austin Allen, percussion

Cimbalom

The cimbalom, (sim-buh-luh m) is a stringed instrument similar to the hammer dulcimer. The instrument has a trapezoidal body with four legs and 125 strings, with 3 to 5 strings per note. The instrument is struck with two small spoon-shaped wooden hammers. These hammers are generally wrapped in either soft or hard leather.

Although the use of the cimbalom dates back to the 16th century in Hungary, the modern cimbalom was invented in 1870 by Jozsef Schunda. Many instruments of a more portable nature can be found throughout history in Romania, Greece, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. These instruments were carried around and played primarily by wandering Gypsies although, in 1890, the instrument was proclaimed the national instrument of Hungary. The instrument appears in Franz Liszt's Ungarischer Stummarsch, Stravinsky's Le Renard, and Ragtime, and the piece you will be hearing performed tonight by Zoltán Kodály, the Suite from Háry János

-Austin Allen, percussion

Overture to La Forza del Destino

2010-10-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra will present it's Season Opener on October 24th. One of the pieces performed will be Giuseppe Verdi's La Forza del Destino. This is the program note written by Adam Holmes, percussionist in the GDYO.

Overture to La Forza del Destino

Giuseppe Verdi

Born October 9, 1813 in Roncole, Italy

Died January 27, 1901 in Milan

After having already established himself as a renowned composer and writing his twenty-third opera, Un ballo in maschera (finished in early 1858), Verdi informed friends that he had ceased to be a composer. It would prove to be his longest compositional hiatus to date, lasting over two years; however, Verdi soon had a creative breakthrough. In 1860, he was offered a commission from the Imperial Theatre at St. Petersburg. The following year, Verdi wrote an opera based on the Spanish romantic melodrama Don Alvaro, o La Fuerza del sino.

The opera La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny) first premiered in 1862 opening with a short prelude, lasting approximately three minutes. After only moderate success, he decided to revise the prelude into a longer eight minute overture in 1869, which is the version that the GDYO performs this evening

The piece opens with a solemn three-note unison from the brass and low woodwinds. This is often called the “fate motif,” which foreshadows the tragic events to take place in the opera. A driving string theme quickly follows the fate motif, which is shortly joined by the winds and timpani. It later leads into a more lyrical melody taken from a prayer that is sung in the second act of the opera. Finally concluding with a powerful melody from the winds, La Forza del Destino’s overture sets the mood for one of Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpieces.

Scored for Flute, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 French Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Timpani, Percussion, Harp, and Strings

Adam Holmes, Percussion

2010-10-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

Written by Mitta Angell

violist/pianist Dallas Symphony Orchestra

I consider myself to be extremely lucky to be making my living doing what I love the most - playing in a symphony orchestra. Not only do I get to play the fabulous orchestral literature as a violist, I also am able to play the extensive piano literature because I am also a pianist.

My parents were musicians so I really had no choice but to study with the goal of becoming a professional musician. As a child I would rather have been riding my horse, but at least I was sensible enough to know that I wouldn't be able to make a living riding my horse so I practiced the violin and piano. After graduating from college with a double major in violin and piano I switched to the viola and joined the Dallas Symphony in 1965.

Because being a musician is such a demanding and specialized job, I don't recommend that my students pursue a musical career unless they are passionate about it and cannot imagine themselves doing anything else. If you decide that music is the career for you, whether it be performing or teaching or both, be prepared for a great deal of criticism from your teachers and whomever you audition for. Because playing your instrument is such a personal expression it's very difficult not to take these criticisms personally. Rather than personal criticisms your teachers are trying to make you a better player. Even the criticism you may receive from an audition helps you grow as a musician and delve even more deeply into preparation and listening to yourself. The irony of the learning process is that your teacher will tear you up one side and down the other, then when you go out on the stage will tell you to play with confidence and "have fun".

If you chose to become a musician I wish you the best of luck and hope that you love your job as much as I do.

2010-09-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Written by Erin Hannigan, principal oboist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

"If there is anything else in your life other than music that you enjoy, that is what you should pursue as a career."

Imagine my surprise when my high school oboe teacher (then Principal Oboist of the Baltimore Symphony) said that to me when I told him my plans to pursue music as a career. How could he say that? I had been Principal oboe of my youth orchestra for years, I had been making All-State since the ninth grade, I was a real hotshot in my high school, and knew that I wanted to play the oboe as a career since I was 12...surely he didn't mean to say such a thing to ME, right? While it hurt to hear those words at that time of my life, years later I realized the depth of his statement (and I also realized the gift that it really was). As time went on, I saw that he had issued a challenge; an inspiration. I sent him a letter thanking him for caring enough about me to prepare me for the road ahead with his honesty.

Music is a wonderful yet incredibly difficult pursuit. A few facts: thousands of young, highly talented, orchestrally trained musicians graduate from top music schools every single year. There are only, as a generous estimate, 10 orchestral positions open for any given instrument across the country every year. College teaching positions are also at a premium, as the number of musicians holding doctorate degrees are at an all-time high. In the recent economic downturn, orchestras of all "calibers" are struggling to keep unavoidable deficits to a minimum.

Therefore, my questions to those of you wishing to pursue a career in music, (and a rewording of the statement my teacher made to me many years ago): do you love music enough to weather the storms ahead? Will the love of it continue to pull you back to the practice room if you (like many) have multiple unsuccessful auditions? Will you work tirelessly on your art until you reach your goals?

If a career in music is truly in your heart and soul, go after those dreams with all the strength that you possess. Where you go to college, who you study with, and even your degree of natural talent are all secondary to the level of hard work and commitment you maintain. Having a degree from the most elite college/conservatory in the world does not guarantee a successful career in music. This is your dream...you are the driver, and everything else is simply a navigational tool. There is nothing owed to you in this business.

I love what I do as Principal Oboe of the Dallas Symphony and Adjunct Professor at Southern Methodist University. If I had it to do over again, I would make the exact same choices. The road has not been easy, but I was prepared through those words of my teacher for it to be tough. With those seemingly discouraging words, he lit a fire within me that refused take "no" for an answer. I sincerely hope to do the same for any students I come in contact with. I am thankful every single day of my life for this opportunity to have a career doing what I love. A career in music is a gift not to be taken for granted, and perhaps the fact that it is hard-won makes it even sweeter.

2010-09-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

From Laurie Orloff, GDYO parent
In the last blog I wrote, I totally omitted thanking one other great resource that has contributed to the success of the GDYO and that is the orchestra directors at the schools where students in the GDYO come from. North Texas has some of the finest public and private school orchestral programs in the nation. I am fortunate to be a teacher in some of these systems. The directors are of the highest professional level and are also very nurturing and caring. It takes a tremendous amount of love, patience and expertise to prepare students in school orchestras to become future musicians.

Becoming a musician depends upon the dedication of teachers and parents and the schools that the children attend. I was very fortunate to grow up in Munster, Indiana, where at the time, the string and music theory programs were very strong and well supported by the school boards and administrations. I had many adults take great care to make sure that I had all the instruction, equipment and opportunities I needed.

Being a musician is one of the greatest gifts that a human being could have in his/her lifetime. I am always telling my students, and my own children who are musicians, that no matter what level they take their music to, that their lives will be so enriched and more fulfilling in many ways than if they hadn't stumbled into music to begin with.

Personally speaking, as a professional musician and teacher, my life is fulfilling beyond measure. The chance to sit in the middle of an orchestra, making harmony with dozens of other people there for the same reason fills the soul with sounds and vibrations that can heal many aspects of the challenging lives we all face. Cares and worries about day-to-day living desist when you are in the middle of a beautiful arrangement of sound in camaraderie with others who have their daily challenges to go through. Equally with teaching, when I am responsible for a child at a given point every week, it makes my heart sing to see smiles, hear a little laughter and then hear the passion that they have when they are working on the music. Performing and teaching bring so much joy in life!

I believe that as human beings, we come into this world with joy, a desire to learn and emulate those who are in our world and as time passes, a desire to make the world a better place. We should always take opportunities to share and inspire others into choosing lives that are as rich and fulfilling as ours. I would doubt that there is even one professional musician who hasn't worked with at least one child in developing his/her musical talent. Most often, we bring into the lessons we teach the knowledge and modus operandi that was used to train us. As teachers, we need to constantly assess the methods we are using and the non musical connection we are making to ensure that our students can use what we are teaching and to feel good about themselves as we are teaching so they can absorb all the wisdom and instruction we have to offer. Children whose teachers infuse the lessons with this kind of love and compassion become not only good musicians, but go on to spreading the joy of making music to those with whom they have contact. And the cycle continues.

Laurie Orloff , Author of How to Handle Your Cranky and Stressed Out Parents: A Teen Survival Guide is a professional symphony violist and string teacher in Plano, Dallas and at Greenhill School.

2010-09-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, I am Laurie Orloff, a Philharmonic mother and musician, and I can honestly say that I am so grateful to be part of the GDYO family. Sunday, as I walked in towards the end of the Philharmonic's first rehearsal of the season, I heard a very fortissimo passage in Sibelius' 2nd symphony being conducted by James Frank. Tears began welling up in my eyes. My fourteen year old was playing something I didn't play until I was twice his age, and the music was so beautiful and well done, even for sight reading. All those children in the Philharmonic have something special- more than just a left-brain ability to manifest written music into music that is heard. One could tell from the depth and scope of what was actually heard, that each and every child had a very mature understanding of and raw talent for playing music.

In hearing such talent, one can tell so much about an organization. It is evident that Greater Dallas is home to amazing private teachers who are very skilled performers as well as highly skilled motivators of children. Equally, it is obvious that there is an immense amount of dedication on the parents' part to cultivate and nurture a love for music in their children.

Dallas is very lucky as well to have the GDYO family. It truly is a family. When you combine the artistic abilities and supportive guidance of the conductors and coaches and the dedication of the students and parents with the obvious love and nurturing of the very professional staff, I can't think of a family in this broad sense that is more functional, loving and successful in the entire area.

Please take time to come and hear the concerts and to congratulate and appreciate all for their amazing efforts. This organization is going to be one of the biggest highlights in the annals of the history of Greater Dallas.

Laurie Orloff , Author of How to Handle Your Cranky and Stressed Out Parents: A Teen Survival Guide is a professional symphony violist and string teacher in Plano, Dallas and Greenhill School.

2010-08-09T12:49:00.001-07:00

The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra is beginning its 39^th Season in August. In thirty-nine years the organization has seen quite a bit of change. In 1972 GDYO was a single orchestra. There was no Wind Symphony, YPO or Flute Choir. The orchestra was maybe 35 students. Now, there are seven ensembles and 425 students.

None of our current students were born. How different is the world?

In 1971 and 1972 the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl. In 2011 the Cowboys will host the Super Bowl in the new stadium in Arlington, TX.

In the early 70’s representatives of 23 western oil companies began negotiations with OPEC to stabilize oil prices. The USS Manatee (AO-58) spilled 1,000 gallons of fuel oil on President Nixon's Western White House beach in San Clemente, California. Today we are watching as BP tries to clean up a mess on the Gulf Coast and oil prices move up and down.

In 1971 Apollo 13 lifts off on it’s third succesful mission. In 1972 President Richard Nixon orders the development of the a Space Shuttle program. Since that time NASA has launched hundreds of space missions but currently struggles with keeping the general public in awe.

Americans were still fighting the Vietnam war. Today our soldiers fight in Afghanstan.

U.S. airlines begin mandatory inspection of passengers and baggage, only a small step as to what it would become today.

In 1971 the South Tower of the World Trade Center is topped out at 1,362 feet, making it the second tallest building in the world. Today it longer exists.

Atari kicked off the first generation of video games with the release of their seminal arcade version of Pong, the first game to achieve commercial success. Today eight out ten homes own an Xbox or Wii.

In 1971 and 1972 UNIX Programmer's Manual is published, Intel releases the world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004 and Ray Tomlinson sends the first ARPAnet e-mail between host computers. Today we can’t imagine life without our computers, Facebook, iphones and texting.

It is fascinating to look at the past. It shows us how far we have come. But many things have not changed. There are still wars, conflicts, art and amazing music.

The GDYO is a part of the past, the present, and the future. It is a part of time. And all of these students who pass through our doors will also be a part of it. This new season will be fresh and fun, just as each season before it has been. A new set of music, faces and talent.

In less than a month the 39^th season begins. We look forward to what this year will bring not only at GDYO but also to the world. We look forward to hearing and seeing how these students learn and grow.