Guest Artist Recital: J2Duo

Program

Sonata in One Movement by Kevin Day
Song of Survival by Susan Mutter
I. Meyer
II. Diagnosis – Prayer
III. Surgery
IV. Thiotepa
V. Coming Home!
Ariaria by Jiyoun Chung
I. 창(Chang)
Celestial Serenade by Jiyoun Chung
Sonata by Reena Esmail
I. Rumbling
II. Mysterious
III. Acerbic

Program Notes

A refreshing renaissance is now taking place within the brass community, and the composers represented on this program are among those whose works are quickly becoming established within the standard repertoire.

Recipient of the MacDowell Fellowship for Composition, Kevin Day takes inspiration from a broad range of sources including Romanticism, late 20th Century Music, jazz fusion and gospel. His work explores the complex interplay of rhythm, texture and melody.

What happens when a 4-year-old gets Cancer? We discover real superheroes wear hospital gowns, not capes! Meyer Mixdorf was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2020. Song of Survival was written to reflect some of what he and his family went through in his fight to survive. – Susan Mutter

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, blatant displays of racism surged as anti-Asian
violence devastated the lives and communities of millions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 창 (Chang), draws inspiration from the expressive techniques used by Korean traditional singers in 판소리 (Pansori, a form of musical monodrama), a particularly powerful portrayal of grief. – Jiyoun Chung

In a departure from my normal compositional approach, the harmonies in Serenade are primarily based on triads. Traditionally, the trombone is known for its loud and triumphant brass qualities, often described as “masculine” or “manly.” However, it’s incredibly sweet, warm and delicate tone is often overlooked. Here, I aim to highlight the lyrical and tender qualities of the trombone. – Jiyoun Chung

I wrote this sonata at the beginning of 2022, as we began to find our way back to one another in-person, after years of separation and isolation during the pandemic. In this time of reconnection, there was so much to catch up on, so much to say — and yet I was struck by how much I suddenly felt I couldn’t say. Either I no longer had the right words, or perhaps I realized the pandemic had changed my relationships to the point where we no longer had that collective vision and understanding of the world, that shared context and vocabulary. Much of the musical material in this piece comes directly from Hindustani classical music. The middle section of movement 1 is a chorale in Raag Megh. The melodic material in movement 2 alternates between Raag Chandrakauns and Raag Jog. Movement 3 is entirely in Raag Puriya Dhanashree. – Reena Esmail

Free Admission

This event is free and open to the public.

Parking

Parking is available in the McKinley Parking Garage (entrance on Ashland Avenue) located immediately south of Sursa Hall. Metered parking is available on the first floor of the garage until 7 p.m. at which time parking is free.