Slee
Sinfonietta Concert
Tuesday,
October 25
7:30pm |
Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall
Slee Sinfonietta's second concert of the semester will be presented this week, conducted by Maestro
Julien Leroy and will feature prominent violinist, Alexandra
Greffin-Klein. The program will
feature four innovative, modern works that encompass a wide array of styles and
composer nationalities.
The concert
will begin with British composer, Jonathan Harvey’s Scena (1992) written
for violin soloist and chamber
ensemble of nine instruments. Scena
invokes an almost operatic scene, wherein the violinist is a soprano diva
who guides the audience through five linked tableaux. The scenes are labeled as Lament, Mystical Event, Romantic
Event, Dream, and Metamorphosis.
Just as the scene titles suggest, Scena has a definite evolution
over the course of the piece; beginning with much agitation and then ending in
stillness and peace. Alexandra
Greffin-Klein will feature as the violin soloist.
AAA (1996) by French composer Philippe Leroux comes second on our
program. Leroux has been
established as an inventive contemporary composer who produces works that are
complex, expressive, and have been influenced by mystical inspirations; his
works have interests of microtonality and an almost theatrical poetic
dimension. He has also been greatly
influenced by the musical phrasing
styles of François Bayle and György Ligeti. It is a piece scored for flute, clarinet, violin, alto,
cello, piano and percussion.
Presented
as the third selection of the evening is the beautifully atonal, Lumen
(1975), by Italian composer, Franco Donatoni. The piece is scored for six instruments in groups of two:
viola and cello (who play the rhythmic elements in the piece), celesta and
vibraphone (a harmonic role), with sweeping arpeggios and some colorful chords
against the strings’ rhythms, and a piccolo and bass clarinet, who play
sweeping song against the background of the ensemble.
Slee
Sinfonietta will close the program with Requiescat (2010) by University
at Buffalo’s own distinguished American composer, Dr. David Felder. Requiescat is for bass flute,
contrabass clarinet, percussion, piano/celeste, two violins, viola,
violoncello, bass, eight channels of electronics, and the prominent role of
guitar; a truly standout work. As
stated on the composer’s own faculty site, “Harmonic series and held altissimo
notes ring out from various parts of the ensemble, juxtaposed against delicate
guitar arpeggiations and beautifully complex coruscating harmonies from other
corners. Felder uses register and
space wisely, keeping the orchestra out of the guitar’s way while still giving
them a great deal of interesting music to play.” Requiescat is filled with suspense and dramatic
tension, not a piece to be missed.
Tickets are
$15 for the general public and $10 for all seniors, UB Faculty/Staff/Alumni,
and non-UB students. All UB students with a valid ID are admitted free of
charge.
Tickets may
be purchased in person at UB's Center for the Arts box office, Monday-Friday
between 10am-6pm, online at www.tickets.com (service charges apply), or one
hour before concert time in the box office adjacent to the concert hall.