Slee Sinfonietta Concert

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.