Program:
General Howard’s March Thomas by Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa
Tiara from Fairytale Adventures for String Quartet by SL Stahl
In B-flat (* world premiere performance) by Andersen Viana
Kwazekwamnandi buy Yonela Mnana, arranged by Rylan Gleave
in waves by Rylan Gleave
Wi li jou by Julio Lubin
Consolation of Persephone (* world premiere performance) with choreography by Connor Cornelius, dancers Ladonna Freidheim and Hana Angelina Freidheim Javed, Composer: Karen Brown
March Timpani Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa
Jennifer Leckie and Caroline Jesalva, violins; Hanna Pederson, viola; Tom Clowes, cello
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Program notes:
General Howard’s March Thomas by Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa
Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins was a blind, autistic composer born enslaved in the US. Shortly after his birth, he was nearly killed by the slave master because of his disability, but his mother successfully pleaded for him to be spared.
“Blind Tom” became an incredibly talented pianist and was immensely skilled at using the piano to create sounds that mimicked the sounds he heard in the world, like rain. The more he performed, the more his reputation grew across the country. His concerts were so popular, the slave masters who enslaved him made nearly a million dollars – the equivalent of many millions of dollars today. However, even after he was emancipated, despite continuing to perform and tour, “Blind Tom” never received any of the large profits from his performances.
Tiara from Fairytale Adventures for String Quartet by SL Stahl
SL Stahl writes, “A crown is a symbol of power, but a tiara, in contrast, combines that power with elegance and intricacy. Think court intrigue and masked balls, or even, as one music teacher friend of mine pointed out, pirate ships. (Maybe somebody stole the tiara?) Sometimes this one reminds me of an angry princess, although there are moments in the middle where she is definitely being consoled.”
In B-flat (* world premiere performance) by Andersen Viana
Andersen Viana’s “In B-flat” is from a series of 12 similar pieces – one written for each note in the Western musical scale. Andersen leaves musical decisions up to each performer, creating elements of randomness and chance within a structure he created. So, no two performances will ever be the same.
Andersen says, “Hello people. My name is Andersen Viana and I am composer from Brazil. In 1998, I had a car accident that almost destroyed my right hand. I used to be a flutist and viola player and keyboard player also, professionally. I used to be able to play these instruments. After this accident, I am dedicated only to composition and also teaching some subjects in music. Since 1978, I have written 422 works by chamber, symphony, choir, ensembles, and this is what I do now. I would like to thank very much Crossing Borders Music for their help.”
Kwazekwamnandi buy Yonela Mnana, arranged by Rylan Gleave
Yonela Mnana is a jazz scholar, a recording singer, and jazz pianist who also teaches and composes. The diversity that underlies his musicianship has been inherent throughout his life. He was born in the southeastern Cape part of Transkei and schooled in the northernmost parts of the Limpopo province. He attended the Siloe Boarding School for the Blind and later received multiple degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand. He received a scholarship from Arts Research Africa for doctoral research into South African solo jazz piano, and many other awards. Yonela also plays jazz clubs in the South African jazz circuit, and mentors South African youth in music.
Yonela says, “Hello everybody. My name is Yonela Mnana. I’ve very happy today to have my composition played here by this great quartet. The title of the song is “Kwazekwamnandi.” It’s a song I wrote while working with the choir in the township Katlehong, which is in the eastern part of Johannesburg, where I live. I believe that this music is actually a depiction of the amazing spirit of South Africans, and the resilience that they have in spite of the atrocities that are visited upon them, and all the other Black Africans throughout the diaspora. This song also showcases the spirit of ubuntu that has been spoken of by some of our statesmen such as Nelson Mandela and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I’m happy to have the opportunity to try my hand in composition, in spite of, of course, most of the obvious challenges in terms of where I am from and the kind of conditions that I’m in. It is extremely, extremely challenging to compose given the availability of accessible devices in this country. For that reason, I’m quite thankful for the Crossing Borders with Music organization, and very thankful also to the arranger Rylan Gleave. I’d like also to convey my thanks to Tom Clowes whose liasoning really really has been quite amazing. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy this music as much as I do, and I am looking forward also to learning of more opportunities and bigger and better possibilities. Really take your time and sit back and enjoy this music.”
in waves by Rylan Gleave
“in waves” is inspired by “St Kilda: an Atlantic Journey,” which is an oil painting triptych by Kirstie Cohen shown on the front of printed programs depicting the Scottish cliffs of St Kilda. In the beautifully intense painting depicting natural beauty, thick dark blue and green oil paints dabbed in a violent texture create the waters; matching dark blues and greens with a gentler texture create thick cloud cover with some areas of sun-lit luminosity; and matching, even darker blues and greens create a towering, severe cliff face.
Beag Horn wrote the following poem about the painting, which helped inspire the music:
“A cleft
sea stack
stands bold
in the simmering steel-grey sea. Lines of white foam
lash themselves
to its base
in waves
reaching to scale the rock. From its shaft
billow plumes of salt spray
like the spewing of ash from Katla. The sky hangs
thick with a palette
of grey mists
and white flecks whip as if
confetti in a storm:
birds?
sea-foam?
feathers?
or just gashes rent
in a seething canvas board?”
Wi li jou by Julio Lubin
Julio says, “Hello. How are you? I am Julio Lubin. I’m presenting to you the composition that is “Wi li jou” – “Yes It’s Day” – a little story about this composition and what inspired me in this piece. Long ago, when I was a child, my little brother and I, Belony, would often go to the countryside to spend several days of vacation time with our grandparents. But, every day at 4am, we’d hear a peasant farmer calling out to another, “Colleague, it’s daytime; you have to get up. And, take your makout” – which is a type of sack – ”and take your pikwa” – which is a tool for plowing. And that’s what served as my inspiration. This was the introduction: “Associate, it’s daytime; you have to get up. Associate, it’s daytime; you have to get up. Take your makout. Take your pikwa. Associate, yes, it’s daytime. Working the earth: it’s the richness of the peasant.” It’s this which inspired me, this melody, for the whole piece.
I want to take this moment to say “thank you” for this concert. I have to also say “thank you” to the Crossing Borders Music team. It’s a pleasure that you are playing my piece. And a big thank you also to you, to those with whom I share my music. And thank you to all who contributed to make this program possible.”
Consolation of Persephone (* world premiere performance) with choreography by Connor Cornelius, dancers Ladonna Freidheim and Hana Angelina Freidheim Javed, Composer: Karen Brow
“Consolation of Persephone” is a world premiere performance; Karen Brown will give remarks about the piece before the performance.
March Timpani Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa