bringing back the excitement of classical music

“AWAKENING”

San Diego’s new chamber music organization, Art of Élan, is pioneering unique events and bringing back the excitement of classical music. Led by musicians Kate Hatmaker and Demarre McGill, Art of Élan is breaking down the barriers that surround classical music through its innovative, one-hour programming. The 2008-2009 season, entitled “A New World,” is the result of a unique collaboration with the San Diego Museum of Art, consisting of four, colorful concerts that are inspired by North American artwork. Each program offers a distinctive look at classical music, as it exists today in the “New World,” and promises to provide an engaging experience for the listener. By drawing inspiration from the word élan, which represents momentum, vigor and spirit, and providing an opportunity to connect directly with concert-goers, Art of Élan hopes to engage and energize audiences in new ways.

Thank you for being a part of the Art of Élan experience!

“AWAKENING”

Tuesday, September 30th 2008, 7pmHibben Gallery, San Diego Museum of Art

Concert Duo, 1st movement Edgar MeyerKate Hatmaker, violin

Jeremy Kurtz, double bass

Blackberry Mull Mark O’ConnorKate Hatmaker, violin

Travis Maril, violaJeremy Kurtz, double bass

As It Fell Upon A Day Aaron CoplandElyse Nakajima, soprano

Demarre McGill, fluteSheryl Renk, clarinet

At Dusk Arthur Foote

Demarre McGill, fluteMargo Tatgenhorst Drakos, cello

Julie Ann Smith, harp

String Quartet No. 2 (Shadow Dances) Richard DanielpourI. Stomping GroundII. The Little DictatorIII. My Father’s SongIV. The Trickster

Pei-Chun Tsai, violinJessica Guideri, violin

Travis Maril, violaMargo Tatgenhorst Drakos, cello

We would like to express our gratitude to the Museum of Art for collaborating with us on “A New World” series. Thank you, as well, to the anonymous friends of Art of Élan who graciously underwrote the concert. Additional thanks go to Pat and Jack Thomas, Ted and Joyce Strauss, and to Gordon J. Brodfuehrer, for their generosity and support of our mission. And finally, we would like to thank our graphic designer, Ben Leggatt, for his wonderfully creative and colorful work.

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“AWAKENING”

We were not only intrigued by the motion that the sculpture ‘Awakening’ clearly depicts, but also by the title. Our goal is to gradually “awaken” your ears through a one-hour musical journey, beginning with America’s folksy, bluegrass roots, followed by the classical interpretations of Aaron Copland, the romantic melodies of New Englander Arthur Foote, and finally arriving at the more current voice of Richard Danielpour. In the same way a gifted sculptor can instill breath and beauty in the most inanimate object, it is amazing to witness two, three or four musicians bringing to life notes on a sheet of paper.

20th century United States Marble Sculpture • Gutzon Borglum (Bear Lake, Idaho,

March 25, 1867 - March 6, 1941, Chicago, Illinois) • “Awakening” • 1911 • Marble •

1925:2 • Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Archer M. Huntington

COMPOSITIONS

“ Concert Duo” for Violin and Double Bass, 1st Movement by Edgar Meyer

Considered one of the most accomplished artists of all time, Edgar Meyer has already seen a successful career as a classical bassist, bluegrass bassist, composer, collaborator (with such musicians as Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Béla Fleck and fiddler Mark O’Connor) and professor at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his three Grammy awards, he is also the recipient of the 2002 MacArthur “Genius” Grant, and it is no wonder, for he has opened up a whole new genre of music, somewhat classical, somewhat folksy, but mostly improvisational and fresh. This “Concert Duo” for Violin and Double Bass was written for the famous violinist (and good friend of Meyer) Joshua Bell, who premiered the piece in New York with Meyer back in 1999. The first movement being performed tonight takes the listener on a journey, through the sounds of two widely different instruments, and incorporates a variety of compositional styles. At times frenzied, haunting and even nostalgic, this movement is certainly a testament to Meyer’s creative genius.

“ Blackberry Mull” for Violin, Viola and Cello (performed tonight on Double Bass) by Mark O’Connor

Based on an old Appalachian fiddle tune called “Blackberry Blossom,” which was discovered by O’Connor during one of the many jam sessions that occur at his Tennessee Fiddle Camp, the “Blackberry Mull,” has quite a long history, even though its current form only came into existence in 2003. According to O’Connor, the original tune was played for him by a fiddler at the camp, who learned it from an old 1930’s recording. However, a trip to the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, inspired O’Connor to expand the tune, incorporating many of his own musical ideas into the piece, until it became what it is today. O’Connor describes the piece the best, explaining “The word mull can also mean mixing a variety of ingredients together. This piece is an example of how I sometimes perceive fiddle music to be! A mixture of musical ingredients to document one’s travels.”

“ As It Fell Upon A Day,” for Flute, Clarinet and Soprano by Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is perhaps the most famous American composer of the 20th century. Helping to create a distinctly American style of composition, Copland’s music achieved a balance between “modern” music and American folk styles. Like all the “greats” of the early 20th century, Copland went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger, and as the result of one of her assignments, “As It Fell Upon A Day” came into being in 1923. Apparently the initial assignment had been to compose a short piece for flute and clarinet, but Copland decided to add voice to the mix, borrowing a poem from Richard Barnfield (1574-1627), entitled “The Nightingale.” The poem starts off pleasantly, but soon reveals the pain of the nightingale, and of the poet as well. Premiered in Paris in 1924, the piece received very positive reviews, no doubt encouraging the young Copland, who had written only five pieces before this one.

“ At Dusk” for Flute, Harp and Cello by Arthur Foote

American composer Arthur Foote (1853-1937) is sadly one of the most overlooked composers of the 19th/20th century. In comparison to composers like Aaron Copland, some might characterize his music as

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being highly “Romantic” and “European” in style, as Foote’s works are often lyrical and expressive, with a clear and formal structure. But the majority of his compositions, which are chamber music works, seem to have a timeless, yet nostalgic quality. This is certainly evident in this evening’s piece, “At Dusk,” whose opening melody transports the listener to another time and place, where a dream-like middle section distracts just long enough for the original melody to sound like an old friend, upon its return at the end of the piece.

“ String Quartet No. 2 (Shadow Dances)” by Richard Danielpour

Grammy award-winning composer Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) is one of the most sought-after American composers today. Despite having a distinctly “American” voice, his works are highly romantic in style, being both emotional and rhythmically vibrant. Danielpour has commented that “music [must] have an immediate visceral impact and elicit a visceral response.” This “visceral” element in his writing has led him to great success, and has attracted a wide variety of artistic collaborators, from Yo-Yo Ma to Nobel Laureate author Toni Morrison, with whom he wrote an opera. His second string quartet is characteristic of this type of “raw, emotional” writing, as “each movement is an evocation of hidden, recessive, or ‘shadow’ aspects…of personality” (Danielpour). He describes this piece as being “one work with four faces.” The first movement, which is reminiscent of Stravinsky at times, is “a return to the child within,” whereas the second movement addresses “the controller in us, the one who would rule…partly in an effort to hide the true pain and vulnerability within.” The third movement, “My Father’s Song,” is autobiographical, as it is inspired by memories of his father’s funeral, as well as the “shadowed” relationship humans have with death. The finale, called “The Trickster,” refers back to the earlier movements, both in musical and emotional content, and reminds the listener that ultimately “life cannot be controlled.” *Program notes by Kate Hatmaker

As It Fell Upon A DayWords from Richard Barnfield’s “The Nightingale”

Ah.

As it fell upon a day,

In the merry month of May,

Sitting in a pleasant shade,

Which a grove of myrtles made

Beasts did leap and birds did sing

Trees did grow and plants did spring

Ev’rything did banish moan

Save the nightingale alone

She poor bird as all forlorn

Lean’d her breast up till a thorn

And there sung the doleful’st ditty

That to hear it was great pity

Fie

Now would she cry

Tereu, Tereu, by and by

That to hear her so complain

Scarce I could from tears refrain

For her griefs so lively shown

Made me think upon mine own

Ah! thought I thou mournst in vain

None takes pity on thy pain

Senseless trees they cannot hear thee

Ruthless bears they will not cheer thee

King Pandion he is dead

All thy friends are lapp’d in lead

All thy fellow birds do sing

Careless of thy sorrowing

Even so poor bird like thee

None alive will pity me

Ah.

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MUSICIANS

Margo Tatgenhorst Drakos

Margo Tatgenhorst Drakos is Chief Operating Officer of InstantEncore.com, a digital media and social networking community for live classical music based in San Diego. Margo was the cellist of the American String Quartet for four seasons, touring throughout the US, Europe and Asia. Ms. Drakos has served as principal cellist of San Diego, Seattle, and Oregon Symphonies and Associate Principal of Pittsburgh Symphony. Margo has served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Aspen Music Festival and Eastern Music Festival. Margo has toured with “Musicians from Marlboro”, premiered David Ludwig’s Cello Concerto with Jaime Laredo conducting and recorded for Arabesque Records. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she also holds a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. Her publications appear in the Cornell Law Journal and the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Jessica Guideri

Jessica Guideri spent the past two years as the Associate Principal Second Violin in the Phoenix Symphony. In January of 2008 she was offered a position in the Seattle Symphony, but opted to join the Pacific Symphony as the Associate Principal Second Violin. Jessica made her Carnegie Hall solo debut with the New York Youth Symphony, and has performed as soloist throughout the country. As the first violinist of the Fry Street Quartet, Jessica toured nationally and internationally, and was a prizewinner at the Banff International Quartet Competition. Jessica performed as concertmaster for orchestras such as the Phoenix Symphony and the Juilliard Orchestra, and spends her summers on the faculty of the Eastern Music Festival as Associate Concertmaster, under the baton of Gerard Schwarz. Jessica received Bachelor and Master degrees in violin performance from the Juilliard School, where her teachers included Dorothy Delay, Masao Kawasaki, and Joel Smirnoff.

Kate Hatmaker

Kate Hatmaker is currently a violinist with the San Diego Symphony, in addition to being the co-founder and Artistic Director of Art of Élan. Ms. Hatmaker has played with a wide variety of American orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the Pittsburgh “Live Chamber Orchestra,” which she helped promote

in an effort to draw younger audiences to classical music. In addition to teaching in the San Diego area, Ms. Hatmaker is a frequent chamber music recitalist and has been a featured soloist with the San Diego Symphony and the Breckenridge Music Festival orchestras. She completed her Master of Music at Carnegie Mellon University, in the studio of Andres Cardenes, and her undergraduate training at both the University of Iowa and the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with high honors and degrees in both Political Science and French.

Jeremy Kurtz

San Diego Symphony principal bassist Jeremy Kurtz has a diverse musical background that includes solo, chamber and orchestral performance. He is the winner of numerous competitions, including the 1997 International Society of Bassists solo competition, and was the only bassist to be featured in Strad Magazine’s January 2000 “New Century, New Talent” issue. His recital experience is extensive, including solo appearances in Houston, Memphis, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and Toronto. He performed Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Harbison’s bass concerto with the San Diego Symphony in March 2007, and has also appeared as soloist with New Jersey’s Riverside Symphonia and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. His new CD, “Sonatas and Meditations,” will be released on October 15.

Travis Maril

With performances hailed as both “vivacious” and “highly polished and finely tuned,” violist Travis Maril is quickly gaining nationwide recognition as a chamber musician. With the Hyperion String Quartet he won a top prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, had performances broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today and collaborated with chamber music luminaries including the Miró String Quartet and members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Additional chamber music collaborators have included pianists Melvin Chen and Gustavo Romero, violinists Tai Murray and Timothy Fain and principal players of the Cincinnati and San Diego Symphonies. Mr. Maril plays frequently with the San Diego Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, and is currently on faculty at San Diego State University. Mr. Maril earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of Southern California, where he was a Trustee Scholar and selected as an Outstanding Graduate, and his masters degree from Rice University.

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Demarre McGill

Winner of a 2003 Avery Fisher Career Grant, flutist Demarre McGill has performed concerti with the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and Harrisburg Symphony. Currently principal flutist of the San Diego Symphony, Mr. McGill has held the same position with The Florida Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. Mr. McGill received his Bachelors Degree in Flute Performance from The Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Julius Baker and Jeffrey Khaner. He continued his studies with Mr. Baker at the Juilliard School, where he received a Masters of Music degree.

Elyse Nakajima

Elyse Nakajima recently relocated to the West Coast from New York City, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Linguistics from Stanford University. She has been a young artist with the Martina Arroyo Foundation and Intermezzo Opera, and has also participated in the Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium, Oberlin in Italy, Songfest, and Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute. Roles performed include Marie in La Fille du Regiment with Northwest Opera in Schools, Etc., Feu/Princesse/Rossignol in L’enfant et les sortileges at Intermezzo Opera, Romilda in Serse and Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito with New York Opera Studio, and Pamina in Die Zauberflote and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at Stanford University. She is currently a member of the San Diego Opera Ensemble.

Sheryl Renk

Sheryl Renk is the Principal Clarinetist of the San Diego Symphony. She has held the position of Principal Clarinetist with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and has been an acting member of the San Francisco Symphony. Ms. Renk has performed at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Mainly Mozart Festival and La Jolla Music Society SummerFest. She studied at San Francisco State University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Julie Ann Smith

Julie Ann Smith is currently Principal Harpist of the San Diego Symphony and has held similar positions with numerous other orchestras, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the New World Symphony. A founding member of the San Diego-based Myriad

Trio, she regularly appears as a chamber musician and soloist in a variety of concert series across the country. She has served on faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and supplements her performance schedule with both masterclasses and private teaching. She has released her first album, “The Rhapsodic Harp,” which is available from her website, “http://www.harpjas.com/”www.harpjas.com. Attending the Cleveland Institute of Music, she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in harp performance where she studied with Yolanda Kondonassis. Ms. Smith is a native of Hastings, Nebraska.

Pei-Chun Tsai

A native of Tainan, Taiwan, Pei-Chun Tsai completed both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at The Juilliard School under violinist Joseph Fuchs, and made her solo debut at the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in 1997. Her other important teachers include Earl Carlyss, Daniel Phillips, Harvey Shapiro, and Sally Thomas. First Prize winner in the 1990 and 1992 Taiwan National Violin Competition and three time First Prize winner of the Tainan Violin Competition, Pei-Chun has performed as soloist and chamber musician at Lincoln Center in New York city and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. She has participated in the Alfred, Encore, Yellow Barn, and Taos music festivals in the United States and in Amsterdam at the Holland Music Session. Currently a doctoral candidate in Violin Performance at the City University of New York, Pei-Chun lives and works in California as a member of the San Diego Symphony.

UPCOMING EVENT

Tuesday, November 25TH at 7PM

The season continues with a concert inspired by the painting “Late Afternoon, Giverny” by Guy Orlando Rose. Come enjoy a variety of “Impressionist” works from British, French and American composers, and be a part of the San Diego premiere of “Arcadiana,” the imaginative string quartet written by young British composer Thomas Adès.

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3730 First Avenue #1 • San Diego, California 92103P: 619.692.2081 • www.ArtofElan.org

THANK YOU

If you enjoyed this concert tonight, please join our family of supporters. Contributions of any kind are much appreciated, as even $25 can help us continue to provide exciting concerts. We believe that with our energy, innovative programming ideas, and genuine desire to share classical music with a wider audience, we can change the cultural climate of San Diego. We don’t need a million dollars to do it, but we do need your help and support. Please visit our website to learn more about how to “get involved,” and we hope to see you at a future concert!

Art of Élan is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and, as such, all contributions are fully tax-deductible. Tax ID: 20-8136710

élan: momentum, surge, burst (of ) vigor, spirit