Rationale:

When tasked with programing a 1-hour concert, the first thing that came to my mind was

that I wanted female composers to be represented. This ended up leading to a program made up

entirely of female composers. I decided to showcase this marginalized group through my concert

program because I feel that women in music are underappreciated. It is often thought that there

are not many female composers because we do not hear about many of them and most of them

do not have their music played often. In researching female composers for this program I

realized that there are far more women working in the field of composition than I ever imagined,

we simply don’t know about them. I was able to find long lists of women with wind band

compositions yet when I began this project, the only one I could think of was Julie Giroux. I

decided on the literature for this program because I thought that it was an accurate representation

of some known female composers as well as some that have not received the recognition that I

believe they deserve. My hope is that by exposing more people to their music they will not only

become more appreciated, but hopefully are also able to inspire young women to pursue the field

of composition.

Program Notes:

Spring Festival by Chen Yi

Chen Yi is an accomplished composer from Guangzhou, China. She began her musical

career by learning piano and violin as a young girl in China. During the time of the Cultural

Revolution in China, she had to hide her practicing because Western music had been banned.

When these restrictions were no longer in place, she was able to pursue a degree in composition.

She moved to New York City after having received her Master of Arts Degree from the Central

Conservatory of Music in Beijing and earned her DMA at Columbia University. Spring Festival
was premiered in the year 2000 in Kansas City, Missouri. It was commissioned by the American

Composers Forum. The piece was written in commemoration of the most important celebration

of the year in Chinese culture, the New Year. The composer was inspired by a Chinese folk song

entitled Lion Playing Ball, from which she drew much of the melodic content that is used in

Spring Festival. She also chose to combine mathematics with music by implementing the idea of

the Golden Ratio in her piece. The Golden Ratio is approximately 1.6 and in music, the Golden

Section, is usually found slightly after the middle of the piece. It is said that this ratio is the most

perfectly pleasing ratio to the eyes and ears. Chen Yi decides to implement this concept in her

piece by not only composing her piece to have the most climactic moment be during the Golden

Section, but also uses the Golden Ratio to create two more Golden Sections within the larger

Golden Section. These are marked by the clarinet and trumpet melodies after the percussive

introduction to the piece. The use of this ratio truly helps to depict the excitement of the Chinese

New Year.

Pease, Andy. "Spring Festival by Chen Yi." Wind Band Literature. January 05, 2018. Accessed

April 11, 2018. http://windliterature.org/2018/01/05/spring-festival-by-chen-yi/.

Stehle, Roy. "Music Program Notes for Band and Wind Ensemble Music." C - FSW Program

Notes - Index by Composer. Accessed April 11, 2018.

http://fswinds.org/pgm_note/notes_c.html#Chen.

Dream Machine by Katherine Bergman

Katherine Bergman is an American composer and saxophonist. She earned her Master’s

degree in composition from the University of Northern Iowa School of Music and her
Bachelore’s degree in music from Gustavus Adolphus College. She has received commissions

from many ensembles throughout the United States and has had her works performed at a

multitude of conferences and symposiums. Dream Machine was commissioned by the Gustavus

Wind Orchestra in order to recognize Dr. James Patrick Miller, as he had just been appointed as

the new conductor of the ensemble. The idea for the piece came from two sources of inspiration.

The first is the actual idea that the brain is able to create such vivid imagery through dreams. The

other is a visual art piece by Brian Gysin which is entitled “Dreamachine.” This is said to be the

first art object intended to be looked at with the eyes closed. It is a stroboscope which affects the

brain’s alpha wave activity through lights. The dream machine in the case of this piece can be

either of these inspirations, the actual music, or anything else that may come to mind when

listening to it. The piece begins with a feeling of mystery and ambiguity, creating a dream-like

environment. As more melodies add in, the piece builds in intensity, just as the plot line of a

dream might. The piece has a strong ending, as if resolving the mystery of the dream.

"Bio." Katherine Bergman, Composer. Accessed April 11, 2018.

https://www.katherinebergman.net/bio.html.

"Dream Machine." Katherine Bergman, Composer. Accessed April 11, 2018.

https://www.katherinebergman.net/dream-machine.html.

Dos Danzas for Concert Band by Andrea Reinkemeyer

Andrea Reinkemeyer is an American composer who has written works performed

nationally and internationally. She is also the Assistant Professor of Music Composition and

Theory at Linfield College. Reinkemeyer holds degrees in music composition from the
University of Michigan and the University of Oregon. She has also worked as a lecturer and

adjunct professor at various other schools. Dos Danzas for Concert Band was premiered in 2010

by the Texas Tech University Concert Band. The piece was commissioned by the group and their

conductor, Miller Asbill. There are two movements in the piece, Tangential Tango and Gallo

Fino. The first movement is, as the title implies, a tango which has soaring melodic lines. It uses

two keys at the same time that somehow oppose yet also attract each other simultaneously. The

second movement is titled Gallo Fino, which literally means “fine rooster.” The phrase is also

commonly used to describe an arrogant man. The movement works to combine the two meanings

by creating the imagery of a rooster strutting through the streets, ready to amaze. Reinkemeyer

uses rhythmic variations and time signatures to convey this image.

About. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from http://andreareinkemeyer.com/bio1.html

Dos Danzas for Concert Band. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from

http://andreareinkemeyer.com/notes-dos_danzas.html

Tableaux de Provence by Paule Maurice, arr. Brian Sparks

Paule Maurice was a French composer who lived and worked in Paris throughout her

lifetime. She won several composition awards for harmony, fugue, and overall composition. Not

only did she compose but she also worked as a teaching assistant and eventually became the

professor of sight reading and harmonic analysis at l’Ecole Normale de Musique. Many of her

students went on to become professors themselves and some even won the Prix de Rome, a

prestigious composition award. Tableaux de Provence was written between 1948 and 1955. It is

the most famous of her compositions and was written as a dedication to the famous French
saxophonist, Marcel Mule. The piece was written in five movements, Farandoulo di Chatouno,

Cansoun per ma mio, La Boumiano, Dis Alyscamps l’amo souspire, and Lou cabridan. Each

movement depicts a different image of the city of Provence. The work was originally written for

alto saxophone and orchestra and was premiered by saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix and the

Orchestre Symphonique Brestois. Another popular arrangement is for alto saxophone and piano.

This version for alto saxophone and wind band was arranged by Brian Sparks and has been

performed by the West Point Army Band.

Paule Maurice. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from http://www.paulemaurice.com/id5.html

Albanian Dance by Shelley Hanson

Shelley Hanson is an American composer who was born in 1951. Her works have been

performed both nationally and internationally. Not only is she an accomplished composer, but

she is also a conductor, record producer, and clarinet player. She plays in the musical group,

Zlezmer and All The Jazz, and has composed pieces for the group in collaboration with other

ensembles as well. Albanian Dance was inspired by a popular Albanian song called Shota which

used traditional Eastern European instrumentation. This included brass instruments, clarinets,

and saxophones. The instrumentation for Albanian Dance is that of a Western concert band but it

still recreates the same effects that the original Shota instrumentation produced. This piece was

written to evoke emotions that would be found in a lively village dance. Rhythmic patterns and

passages found in traditional folk music are used to create this mood.
Program Notes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from

https://music.ku.edu/sites/music.ku.edu/files/docs/ProgramNotes/2016-2017/USBS

Feb20 Program Notes.pdf

Overture from Dancer in the Dark by Bjork

Bjork is an Icelandic artist known primarily for her work as a singer-songwriter. She sang

for and founded the Sugarcubes and had a solo career as a singer and actress as well. Through

her work with the Sugarcubes, she began to gain fans throughout the United Kingdom and the

United States. In 2000, she stared in and scored the film Dancer in the Dark. The film is about a

Czech immigrant who comes to the United States and works to save money for her son to have a

medical procedure that will prevent him from going blind. This happens while she herself is

going blind yet she continues to do all she can to protect her son and raise the money needed for

his surgery. She also has a deep love for musicals and often daydreams about them throughout

the film. Overture from Dancer in the Dark was composed by Bjork for this film. It is a

hauntingly beautiful piece that depicts the emotions felt throughout the film. Slow, soaring

melodies are used to create a sense of stillness yet also seem to push the music along. The piece

was orchestrated for brass and timpani for use in the film but has since been adapted for a full

wind band.

Björk. (2014, April 02). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from

https://www.biography.com/people/björk-9542528

Pease, A. (2017, September 27). Overture from Dancer in the Dark by Björk Guðmundsdóttir,

arr. Vince Mendoza. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from

 http://windliterature.org/2011/08/24/overture-from-dancer-in-the-dark-by-bjork-

gudmundsdottir-arr-vince-mendoza/

The Speed of Heat by Julie Giroux

Julie Giroux is an American composer from Fairhaven, Massachusetts. She began her

musical career with learning piano starting at age 3 and began composing by the age of 8. Giroux

is well known for her compositional contributions to movie scores, television, and video game

credits. The Speed of Heat was commissioned by the United States Air Force Academy Band and

was premiered by the group in the fall of 2010. The piece was written to portray an F-22 Raptor

fighter pilot and the adventures they encounter. The music is broken up into several sections

which are inspired by slang terms used by fighter pilots. The opening of the piece is meant to

depict the actual F-22 Raptor and then continues on to show various other elements that fighter

pilots experience. These sections are described on Giroux’s website as being:

“"Fangs Out" (measure 39) When a pilot is hot for a dogfight.

"Lets Dance" (measure 52) Targets sighted and in active pursuit.

"Padlocked" (measure 115) To have a Bogey firmly in your sights &

"Beaded Up"- Worried or Excited.

"Heater Shpanked" (measure 148) Heater is a heat seeking missile.

Sphanked is soundly getting defeated in a dogfight & Flashbacks is the musical description of a
pilot seeing his life flash in front of him in slow motion.

"NFOD" & "Punch Out" (measure 168) No Fear Of Death and Eject.

Back in a "Zoombag" (measure 211) After a near death experience, the pilot gets back into his
"flight suit."

"The Speed of Heat" (measure 229) Lets just see how fast we can go.

Breaking the Sound Barrier (measure 294) in this section the brass represent the sound barrier
and the woodwinds depict the raptor.

"GAP" (measure 305 to end) Gauges all pinged (at max.)”

The piece uses rhythmic passages, varied instrumentation, and beautiful melodic lines to create

these different ideas. The ideas began relatively calmly and build in intensity as the music

progresses. The piece truly takes the listener on the journey of a fighter pilot.

Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from

http://juliegiroux.www2.50megs.com/about_me.html

Giroux, J. (n.d.). The Speed of Heat. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from

http://juliegiroux.www2.50megs.com/speedofheat.html

Physical Approach:

Spring Festival by Chen Yi:

This piece prominently features the percussion in the beginning of the piece as well as

throughout. Because of this, I would make sure to work with the percussion section alone before

rehearing the piece with the full group. This would ensure that we have a strong basis for rhythm

and tempo before attempting to put it together as a full ensemble. There are also many moments

in the piece where only some sections of the band are playing and then trade off with other

sections. I would work on the transitions between these sections of music to make them flow into

each other rather than feeling like separate sections. There are few sections of the piece where

the full band is playing so it will be important to work on the differences in balance and blend

between when only smaller segments of the band are playing and when the entire group is

playing.

Dream Machine by Katherine Bergman:

 This piece has very intimate, quiet moments, as well as very loud and intense moments. I

would pay a lot of attention to the dynamic contrast and work with the group to make their

dynamic range larger and more noticeable. The entire piece almost feels like one large build and

crescendo so making sure the group is not reaching a peak too early will help to avoid a feeling

of plateauing. This will be difficult because it is a longer piece but is something the group can

work together to accomplish. There are also some difficult rhythms that occur in the piece,

specifically in the second half. These will have to be worked out to make sure the group is

playing them in the same style and in time together. Many of these rhythms are repeated for a

significant amount of time so it can be easy to get lost in them. Staying in time and making sure

the players know where in the music we are at all times will be paramount to the success of the

group.

Dos Danzas for Concert Band by Andrea Reinkemeyer:

The first movement of the piece includes a lot of dynamic swelling. This is something the

group will have to focus on exaggerating in order to create the musical effect intended. There are

also a lot of trills and staggered entrances over a constant tango rhythm going on in the

background. It will be important that all of the players are familiar with the tango rhythm in

order to know where they are in the piece so that they enter at the appropriate times. I would

have all players learn the tango rhythm, even if it is not actually in their part so that they could

all become more familiar with it. The second movement is written in 8/8 but is felt in 3+3+2,

rather than the traditional 2+2+2+2. I would work with students to understand this feel well so

that they have a better understanding of which beats to emphasize more throughout the piece.
Tableaux de Provence by Paule Maurice, arr. Brian Sparks:

For this piece, I will be bringing in a guest saxophonist from the local music school. I

will be rehearsing the group without the saxophonist for most of the time during which we are

preparing for the concert. This will help them to become comfortable with their parts before

adding in a soloist who they must support. I will make sure that we are constantly listening to

recordings of the piece, however, so the group becomes familiar with how their parts work with

the soloist. I will rehearse the group by making sure I am constantly doing different things with

tempos and rubato in order to prepare them to become very attentive and flexible. When playing

with the soloist, they will have to play close attention and adjust as needed to their tempo and

and stylistic choices they make. By simulating this throughout our rehearsals, it will be less of a

shock when combining with the soloist.

Albanian Dance by Shelley Hanson

There is a central rhythm that drives this piece. It is a three note idea played with a long-

short-short style. I would make sure that the band is very comfortable with this rhythm because it

repeats throughout the entire song in various sections. It is important that the band is able to play

this rhythm and stay together while repeating it. There is a lot of call and response that goes on in

this piece as well so I would work to make sure that this feels smooth when transitioning

between the different sections playing. There are also several ornamentations added to the

melody that make it very interesting and give it the Eastern European character. I would begin

rehearsing by playing the melodies without these ornamentations, however, to make sure the

group is playing correct notes with rhythmic accuracy. I would slowly add in the ornamentations

to give added effect to the piece.

Overture from Dancer in the Dark by Bjork

This piece is very slow and many sections have rests for a significant portion of the

music. This means it can be very easy for people to get bored while rehearsing the piece. In order

to combat this, I will transpose the main melody line for all players so that we can all learn how

to play it and phrase it correctly together. This will keep players with less exciting parts engaged

throughout the rehearsal. Obviously, we will eventually have to transition to the actual written

parts in the piece to work on balance but I think that when initially learning the piece, having

everyone learn the melody together would be beneficial. Phrasing is extremely important in this

piece and would be one of our main focuses. We would also work a lot on creating a full tone

while playing very softly. The accompanying parts have to play very quietly for much of this

piece but I would not want their tone to suffer because of this.

The Speed of Heat by Julie Giroux

The piece begins with just percussion and slowly layers the other sections in. The concept

of layering and making sure all of the parts are able to be heard would be one we would have to

work on. This would include working on concepts like balance, understanding when other parts

come in, and staying rhythmically together. In the more intense sections of the piece there are

difficult runs played by several instruments. I would work through these sections slowly at first

and then gradually build up the speed. There are also some parts of the piece where there are

soloists or smaller chamber groups of musicians playing rather than the full group. I would make

sure that we are able to transition in and out of these sections without feeling choppy.