Recital

3.7.26: Tuba & Euphonium Day

University of Central Florida

Stuff by James Grant

“Stuff” is the first of four recital pieces commissioned by and dedicated to 78 adventure-seeking tubists representing 30 states and three countries, who fearlessly joined the 2001 Solstice/Equinox Commissioning Consortium. As each solstice and equinox approached during the year 2001, a new piece was sent out to the participants. All four pieces (Stuff, High Autumn, Just a Thought and Endorphins) now exist in multiple versions for orchestral and band instruments and are programmed frequently at conferences and on student and faculty recitals throughout the year.

Themes on Dante's Inferno for Tuba by Ben Chrisman

1. "I found myself within a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost."

2. "So here the folk must dance their roundelay."

3. "From there we came outside and saw the stars."

4. "Abandon all hope ye who enter here.”

Themes on Dante’s Inferno for Tuba was composed by Ben Chrisman, from Muscatine, Iowa, now working in Los Angeles with some of the biggest names in the business. He has a gift for creating soundscapes that draw you into another time and place. Themes on Dante's Inferno was premiered by Taylor Hicks in 2015 at University of Northern Iowa. The work is in four movements, each is based on a different quote from The Inferno.

Nanon by Joanna Ross Hersey 

With Dr. Benjamin Vasko

Nanon, for euphonium and tuba duo with optional electronic track, was commissioned by Gail Robertson and Stacy Baker, and premiered in Memphis, Tennessee at the International Tuba Euphonium Association South Central Regional Conference in March 2024. The musical score is presented in graphic format, as a map of the city of Paris in the late eighteenth century, beautifully designed and drawn by Qiudi Zhang. The performance involves the players making choices between elements of melodic material placed within the map.

In 1755, a young woman sailed to Paris from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, to be reunited with her son Joseph, who had been sent there to school. She was Nanon, and she was enslaved. Her courage to leave home, and seek something new, inspired this work. Nanon lived the rest of her life in the bustling, artistic center of Paris, and raised her son, who showed unusual musical talent from a young age. She cared for and supported him, as he was educated at the finest academies in the city. Joseph grew up to become one of the most popular performers in France, known across Europe, for his work as a violinist, conductor, and composer of hundreds of works. Nanon’s bravery, and her willingness to work and move in a world with unending restrictions, is the story behind the scenes. Today we revere Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) as a central figure in the Classical musical scene, but we do not know enough about the woman who made that possible. Nanon passed away in 1795, less than four years before her son’s own death. This work encourages us to pause and acknowledge the life of Nanon, and honor her love, care, and spirit.

The players can traverse the city in any manner, and choose the musical elements found at each place along their journey through the community. From the market at Les Halles, where we might find Nanon doing her morning shopping, to the sounds of Joseph in concert at the Hôtel de Soubise, or the Palais-Royale. Each musician performs at their own pace, choosing where to travel next, and how to arrange the melodies they find on the map. The river Seine flows serenely through the center, it’s melody calm and soothing. Both Nanon and Joseph would have often crossed the Seine as they went about their days, feeling the calm steady foundation of Notre Dance Cathedral alongside the river. Their apartment at 49 rue Saint André des Arts serves as home base, though Joseph lived for a time at the Hôtel de Montesson, where he likely met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, eleven years his junior. The landmark Musée de Louvre, a royal palace with extensive art collections, which opened to the public in 1791, and the adjacent Jardin des Tuileries, were common concert locations.

The performance is designed to transport the performers, as well as the audience, to another time, and allow us to envision other lives and experiences. Through this honoring, the story of Nanon and Joseph allows us to broaden our understanding of the history of music, as well as our shared responsibility to showcase the stories of all.

Heavy Metal Concerto by Evan Zegiel 

    2. The Story of More

    1. Fire in the Sky

An innovative fusion of classical concerto and heavy metal, Heavy Metal Concerto captures the spirit of our times. The first movement, 'Fire in the Sky,' combines blistering guitar riffs and thunderous tuba solos, paying homage to John Williams. 'The Story of More,' the second movement, delves into the perils of human overconsumption, with brooding guitar riffs reminiscent of Tool. 'Sentient Dissolution,' the final movement, blends groove-metal and metalcore influences, culminating in a fading conclusion, symbolizing humanity's uncertain future. This powerful concerto sheds light on climate change and inspires tuba players to push boundaries.