Boston Conservatory Brass Ensemble, led by Larry Isaacson, presents a concert featuring Sachse’s Concertino in E-flat, performed by trumpet soloist CJ Waldrop, and a world premiere by Katahj Copley, with additional music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, J.S. Bach, Richard Strauss, Alfred Reed, and others.
Program InformationRepertoire
KATAHJ COPLEY: Fanfare for OyaSAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (arr. DECKER): Danse Nègre from African Suite, op. 35J. S. BACH (arr. CUMMINGS): “Sheep May Safely Graze”ERNST SACHSE: Concertino in E-flatCJ Waldrop, trumpetRICHARD STRAUSS: Fanfare (Stadt Wein)ALFRED REED: Symphony for Brass and PercussionI. Maestoso – Allegro ma non TroppoII. LargoIII. Con MotoIV. AllegroCHRIS HAZELL: “Another Cat: Kraken” Program Notes
KATAHJ COPLEY: Fanfare for OyaGeorgia native Katahj Copley (he/him/his) premiered his first work, Spectra, in 2017 and hasn’t stopped composing since. His compositions have been performed and commissioned by universities, organizations, and professional ensembles, including the Cavaliers Brass, California Band Director Association, Admiral Launch Duo, and “The President’s Own” Marine Band. Fanfare for Oya is a co-commision with the Chromatic Brass Collective.—Program note by Katahj CopleySAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (arr. DECKER): Danse Nègre from African Suite, op. 35Born of an African father, Coleridge-Taylor was an early 20th-century English composer, conductor, and influential advocate for Black composers. This brilliant brass choir arrangement captures the excitement of the composer’s orchestral showpiece Danse Nègre from his African Suite. Published in 1898, African Suite is a series of short movements inspired by the writings of African American poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar.—Program note by Charles Decker Music PressJ. S. BACH (arr. CUMMINGS): “Sheep May Safely Graze”Originally written as an aria for soprano, the familiar tune known as “Sheep May Safely Graze” by Johann Sebastian Bach first appeared as part of a secular cantata, Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd (What comforts me is only the spirited hunt). This was written in Leipzig for the 31st birthday celebration of Herzog Christian. Nowadays, the organ arrangement is most popular, often played at weddings.—Program note by LA PhilharmonicERNST SACHSE: Concertino in E-flatUnfortunately, not much is known about the early brass composer Ernst Sachse. He lived in the first half of the 19th century and was a professional trumpeter in Germany. The Concertino in E-flat is a single movement originally written for E-flat trumpet and military band. Even though it is written in a single movement form, the piece can be broken down into two sections: an opening allegretto and a polacca. —Program note by Joe FantozziRICHARD STRAUSS: Fanfare (Stadt Wien)The German composer Richard Strauss is perhaps best known for his operas, including Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier. Other well-known works include the symphonic poems Don Juan, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Tod und Verklärung, and Don Quixote. The fanfare on today’s program was written for the opening ceremony of Music Week in Vienna on September 14, 1924, almost exactly 100 years ago today.ALFRED REED: Symphony for Brass and PercussionOriginally completed in the summer of 1952, this piece premiered in December of that year at the College Band Directors National Association convention in Chicago. It is dedicated to Donald I. Moore, the then-director of the Oberlin Symphonic Band. In this revised edition, the instrumentation has been increased by two cornets and a second tuba, representing the composer’s experience with performances of the work over many years, under different circumstances.—Program note by Alfred Reed, 1968 (ed. Maria D’Ambrosio)CHRIS HAZELL: “Another Cat: Kraken”Chris Hazell’s “Another Cat: Kraken” comes from The Cat Suite, which has been recorded by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Hazell gives the following description: “The Cat Suite is loosely based on the cats (all former strays) who share my house. Kraken, the only female, rules the roost, though only half the size of the others.” About the Artists
Larry Isaacson, conductor, joined the Conservatory in 1985. He currently conducts our dance productions and Brass Ensemble, teaches in the brass and conducting departments, and also teaches private trombone lessons. He is a regular guest conductor at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado and was founder and music director of Symphony Nova (2008–2018). Learn more about Isaacson. Ensemble
TRUMPETCharlotte Berube-Gray, BM '26Emily Dillon, BM '27Freddie Poor, BM '27Cal Richards, BM '25Jackson Stahlman, BM '28CJ Waldrop, MM '25FRENCH HORNYi-Hwa Chen, MM '25Anne Howarth^ Drew Lingenfelter, BM '28Cameron McCarty, BM '25Connor Strauss, BM '25Ricardo Verde, BM '26Zachery Watson, BM '27TROMBONECollin Hawkinson, BM '27Kevin Smith, MM '26Brooke Thomson, BM '26Angus Tsui, BM '27BASS TROMBONECollin Good, BM '27Christian Haymon, BM '28Cole MacEwen, BM '28Zayden Morgan, BM '28Ben Pilon, MM '26EUPHONIUMCollin Hawkinson, BM '27Angus Tsui, BM '27TUBAClayton Frank, BM '27Lowrider James, BM '27Tyler Shepherd, BM '27PERCUSSIONLogan Bass, BM '28Lily Cooper, BM '28Jialu Du, BM '26Penghe Liu, BM '28Jack Tarpley, BM '28Amy Weyland, BM '28^BCB Faculty
Concert Services Staff
Senior Manager of Concert Services – Luis Herrera
Coordinator, Concert Services – Matthew CareyConcert Production Manager – Kendall FloydPerformance Technology Technicians – Sara Pagiaro, Goran Daskalov
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