Music For All Terps: Ignis Woodwind Quintet Pop-Up Concert
Music For All Terps: Ignis Woodwind Quintet Pop-Up Concert
Program:
Valerie Coleman: Umoja
Amy Beach: Pastorale
Valerie Coleman: Afro-Cuban Concerto Mvt. 1
Program Notes:
This pop-up concert puts a spotlight on two very prominent women composers—Valerie Coleman and Amy Beach.
Coleman is the founder, creator and former flutist of the world-renowned Imani Winds chamber ensemble. Umoja for woodwind quintet is arguably her most well-known work, as it is a short and bouncy piece that is bound to put a smile on anyone’s face. In Swahili, “umoja” means “unity” and is the first day of celebration in Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday. The French horn is particularly highlighted in this piece as it has the main recurring solo melody line while the other instruments decorate and color the atmosphere around it. Overall, the piece is very rhythmically driven and is meant to evoke feelings of joy and celebration.
In contrast to Coleman’s two lively works, Beach’s Pastorale allows listeners to sit back and be transported to a calm pasture where the grass is green and the sun is shining amidst a clear, blue sky. Beach was a largely self-taught musician, having initially studied piano performance before moving on to composition as her works gained more attention. She is known for being a pioneer in the composition field for proving that women could be successful and make a career for themselves with their own skills and talents. The serenity felt in Pastorale is found in many of her works, as she loved nature and often composed around forests and parks.
Similar to Umoja, the first movement of Coleman’s Afro-Cuban Concerto is also full of exciting Afro-Cuban rhythms that drive the music forward. The brief opening is quite grandiose and spiritual, inviting the audience to take in the grandeur of the moment before the French horn and bassoon introduce the fast section of the piece with two dance-like rhythms. The piece jets off at this point in bustling layers as each instrument contributes to the texture with its own soundscape and differing rhythm.
Bio:
Ignis is the newest Graduate Fellowship Woodwind Quintet of the University of Maryland School of Music. Its members are dedicated to creating electrifying performances to amplify the voices of underrepresented composers in the western music world. Through collaborative efforts in community engagement and outreach, recording, premiering new works and utilizing modern technology in tandem with traditional performance principles, Ignis aims to push the boundaries of chamber music beyond the standard classical canon. Its members consist of Danielle Kim, flute, Nathaniel Wolff, oboe, Christian Whitacre, bassoon, Zachary Miller, horn, and Kyle Glasgow, clarinet. They hold degrees from top universities and conservatories in America including the University of Maryland, University of Michigan, New England Conservatory and Shenandoah Conservatory. Ignis’s members are devoted to bringing the highest standards of musical excellence to the DC metropolitan area and beyond.
About NextNOW Fest 2021:
This Music For All Terps Pop-Up Concert is part of NextNOW Fest 2021—a key initiative of the University of Maryland's new Arts for All initiative.
