As the 2021-22 academic year races toward the finish line, there are still ! For starters, don鈥檛 miss the final two Chamber Music Showcase performances and on 鈥攊n person or online鈥攆eaturing student groups from every department, and including new group arrangements and diverse repertoire.
Says Chamber Music Coordinator Meta Weiss, 鈥淲ith their faculty coaches, students in the college鈥檚 Chamber Music Program have been rehearsing, studying and crafting their interpretations of varied chamber music works all semester, and they鈥檙e excited to present them in our showcase concerts.鈥�
She adds, 鈥淎udiences will hear wind quartets, wind quintets, piano trios, piano quintets, string quartets, string quintets, saxophone quartets, brass quintets and various single-instrument brass ensembles鈥攊ncluding a trombone quartet, horn quartet and tuba/euphonium quartet.
鈥淭his semester, we also have a harp duo, and several wind duos and trios. It鈥檚 an exciting lineup of chamber groups playing repertoire that鈥檚 just as varied as the groups themselves!鈥�
Every semester of chamber music is different because both the groups and the repertoire they are studying change. As Weiss explains, 鈥淓ach performance features groups from every department, but the formation of the groups and personnel are always new 鈥� and there鈥檚 an almost unending wealth of chamber music repertoire.鈥�
or stream the performance online!
As the 2021-22 academic year races toward the finish line, there are still many terrific performances to enjoy! Don鈥檛 miss the final two Chamber Music Showcase performances featuring student groups from every department 鈥� and including new group arrangements and diverse repertoire.At the College of Music, we know that music鈥攁s an integral part of our daily lives鈥攂inds people together and creates space for artistic exploration.
In that spirit, on Oct. 19 features Professor of Horn Michael Thornton and Professor of Piano David Korevaar鈥攁longside graduate students and members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO)鈥� in an evening of music for winds, including celebrated BIPOC composer George Walker's "Wind Set."
鈥淚 try to use Faculty Tuesdays as a platform to bring in colleagues from different parts of my research and work, and to enhance our students' professional development," says Thornton, who holds concurrent appointments as principal horn of LACO and the 欧美口爆视频 Symphony. "In the past, I've performed with members from the 欧美口爆视频 Symphony and friends from various music festivals. For this show, I'm excited to collaborate with College of Music faculty, the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Graduate Wind Quintet and LACO colleagues.
鈥淔or the Graduate Wind Quintet, this is a really good challenge in preparing repertoire in a timeline that's normal for professional musicians, while making meaningful connections with big names in TV and film industries. I'm also excited about diversifying the program with a composer who has meaningful connections to 欧美口爆视频 Boulder."
Indeed, the late George Walker was a visiting professor here in the 1960s; in 1996, Walker became the first African American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize for "Lilacs," a work for voice and orchestra.
In addition to "Wind Set," next Tuesday's program presents the college's Graduate Wind Quintet in Mozart's Serenade in C Minor, K. 388, as well as pianist Korevaar in Beethoven's Quintet for Piano and Winds.
鈥淏eethoven in this piece is jumping off from a model established by Mozart, who first wrote a piece for this combination of instruments," explains Korevaar, who鈥攁s an active soloist, chamber musician and collaborator鈥攊s thrilled to be playing in-person performances again. "Beethoven, of course, handles it differently. Young Beethoven was interested in his own virtuoso pianism and maybe didn't share the spotlight as well with the other players, compared to Mozart.
鈥淭hat said, there's wonderful wind writing that reflects this late-18th-century moment when orchestra wind sections were coming into their own.鈥�
Concludes Korevaar, "Beethoven has the exquisite ability to write music that's meant for five great soloists to play in collaboration, where everybody has a critical role. It鈥檚 an extremely well-written and fun piece to play, full of infectious humor. And I'm really looking forward to working with Mike and his colleagues, whom I haven鈥檛 worked with before."
On Oct. 19, horn and piano faculty will collaborate with the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Graduate Wind Quintet and members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in a Faculty Tuesdays program for winds, including George Walker's "Wind Set."Viola performance graduate Lauren Spaulding (MM 鈥�14) this month joined the acclaimed and diverse , Doctoral Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland.
Spaulding, originally from Texas, was first introduced to the quartet when members of the ensemble started following her on Instagram 鈥� which soon led to her audition.
鈥淚 started this ridiculous blog and called it my absurd practice blog,鈥� says Spaulding, who started music late in life after exploring careers in neuroscience and dental health. 鈥淚t helped me combat insecurities and confront feelings we have as musicians that we aren鈥檛 good enough. It gave me the freedom to be real.
鈥淭he thing that inspires me most is expressing my feelings and experiences without using words.鈥�
Often exploring the works of diverse composers and non-Western influences, the Thalea String Quartet鈥攆rom the Greek name Thaleia (鈥渢o flourish, to blossom鈥�)鈥攊s committed to shaping and contributing to the future of the string quartet repertoire. Specifically, the ensemble has premiered dozens of new works and collaborated on new commissions with such composers as Anthony Green, Paola Prestini, Tanner Porter and Akshaya Avril Tucker. Quartet members intentionally incorporate into their work awareness of the Black experience in classical music, 鈥渃oming out鈥� in classical music, mental health, learning disabilities and non-violent communication. They鈥檙e also known to collaborate and perform alongside poets, writers and other artists.
This perspective on the Thalea String Quartet鈥攕hared by violinist David Harrington of the veteran Kronos Quartet鈥攕ums up the foursome鈥檚 broad appeal: 鈥淛ust when I thought our society was falling apart, along came the Thalea Quartet鈥檚 vivid, expansive performances! Their beautifully textured sound is enveloped by thrilling individual brilliance and highlighted by a rare, magnetic quartet sense emanating from every note they play. Hearing the Thalea Quartet makes me feel very happy and gives me hope for the future. They are great ambassadors for music.鈥�
Beyond her exciting new gig as a member of the Thalea String Quartet, Spaulding鈥攚ho鈥檚 also a member of Meredith Monk鈥檚 contemporary performance ensemble, co-founder of the , a regular with the 欧美口爆视频 Symphony, principal violist and festival artist with the 欧美口爆视频 MahlerFest and an award-winning studio recording artist鈥攅nergetically advocates for composers of all genders, identities, ethnicities and backgrounds.
Among her efforts, she works with the Boston-based initiative where musicians donate their time and help raise money to address food insecurity.
Viola Performance graduate Lauren Spaulding (MM 鈥�14) this month joined the acclaimed and diverse Thalea String Quartet, Doctoral Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland.