BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//College of Visual and Performing Arts - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:College of Visual and Performing Arts
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://vpa.uncg.edu
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for College of Visual and Performing Arts
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T190000
DTSTAMP:20260406T150925
CREATED:20260127T164654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T163454Z
UID:10003672-1770744600-1770750000@vpa.uncg.edu
SUMMARY:Michael Ippolito: The Seeds
DESCRIPTION:withProf. Lindsay Kesselman\, sopranoDr. Scott Rawls\, violaDr. Annie Jeng\, pianoMichael Ippolito\, composer \n\n\n\nProgram\n\n\n\nMICHAEL IPPOLITO with texts by Ceily ParksThe Seeds (2025) \n\n\n\nThis commission was made possible by funding from the Dean’s Research Initiative Fund. \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Composer\n\n\n\n\nPraised by the New York Times for his “polished orchestration” that “glitters\, from big-shoulders brass to eerily floating strings\,” Michael Ippolito’s music has been performed by leading musicians in venues around the world. Drawing on a rich musical background of classical and folk music\, and inspired by visual art\, literature\, and other art forms\, Ippolito has forged a distinctive musical voice in a body of work spanning orchestral\, chamber\, and vocal music.    \n\n\n\nHis orchestral music has been conducted by Edo de Waart\, Marin Alsop\, and Michael Francis in performances by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra\, San Diego Symphony Orchestra\, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra\, and the Florida Orchestra. His chamber music has been performed by the Miro Quartet\, Attacca Quartet\, and Altius Quartet. He has received commissions from Carnegie Hall and Chamber Music America.   \n\n\n\nIppolito is currently Professor of Composition at Texas State University. He studied with John Corigliano at The Juilliard School and with Joel Hoffman and Michael Fiday at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.   \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Artists\n\n\n\n\nRecent and upcoming highlights include performances of Darkening\, then Brightening by Christopher Cerrone across the country\, premieres of wind transcriptions of Caroline Shaw’s Is a Rose and Maria Schneider’s Winter Morning Walks\, The Treachery of Sounds by Steven Bryant with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble\, Energy in All Directions by Kenneth Frazelle with Sandbox Percussion at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center\, the role of Anna in Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins with the Charlotte Symphony\, a leading role in Louis Andriessen’s opera Theatre of the World with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Dutch National Opera and an international tour of Einstein on the Beach with the Philip Glass Ensemble (2012-2015).  \n\n\n\nKesselman is Assistant Professor of Voice and Choral Music at UNC Greensboro and co-directs the Heretic’s Guide to Musicianship with Kevin Noe. More info can be found at: www.lindsaykesselman.com   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nViolist Scott Rawls has appeared as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States\, Canada\, Mexico\, Japan\, and Europe.  Recent chamber music endeavors include performances with Anthony McGill\, Branford Marsalis\, Sergey Antonov\, Michelle Cann and the Reynolda Quartet.  With the Nikkanen/Rawls/Bailey string trio\, he has played tours in Alaska\, Washington\, Arizona and Texas.  His solo and chamber music recordings can be heard on the Centaur\, CRI\, Nonesuch\, Capstone\, and Philips labels.    \n\n\n\nA strong proponent of new music\, Rawls has premiered dozens of new works by prominent  \n\n\n\ncomposers.  Most notable\, he has toured extensively as a member of Steve Reich and Musicians.  As the violist in this ensemble\, he performed the numerous premieres of Daniel Variations\, The Cave and Three Tales by Steve Reich and Beryl Korot\, videographer. And under the auspices of presenting organizations such as the Wiener Festwochen\, Festival d’Automne a Paris\, Holland Festival\, Berlin Festival\, Spoleto Festival USA and the Lincoln Center Festival\, he has performed in major music centers around the world including London\, Vienna\, Rome\, Milan\, Tokyo\, Prague\, Amsterdam\, Brussels\, Los Angeles\, Chicago and New York.     \n\n\n\nUnder the baton of maestro Christopher Dragon\, he plays principal viola in the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.  During the summer season\, Rawls plays principal in the festival orchestra at Brevard Music Center where he also coordinates the viola program.  He was also appointed principal viola of the Palm Beach Opera orchestra\, David Stern artistic director.   \n\n\n\n Dr. Rawls currently serves as Marion Stedman Covington Distinguished Professor of Viola and Chamber Music and String Area Chair at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He holds a BM degree from Indiana University and a MM and DMA from State University of New York at Stony Brook. His major mentors include Abraham Skernick\, Georges Janzer\, John Graham and Julius Levine.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHailed for her “brilliant pianism” (Gramophone) and “acrobatic” performances (Take Effect)\, Taiwanese-American pianist Annie Jeng has performed widely as a solo and chamber musician in Europe\, Asia\, and the United States. Annie has commissioned and premiered dozens of new solo and chamber works\, and is the pianist of contemporary chamber ensemble\, Khemia Ensemble (khemiaensemble.com). The ensemble recently released their sophomore album\, “Intersections\,” with Parma Recordings. She is the Founder of A Seat at the Piano (ASAP) (aseatatthepiano.com)\, a non-profit that is dedicated to the promotion of inclusion in the performance and study of solo piano repertoire\, and recipient of the 2023 MTNA Frances Clark Award for Keyboard Pedagogy. Annie is the co-creator of the Frances Clark Center online course “Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers” and the writer for the column\, “Teaching Tomorrow Today” published in American Music Teachers journal. This summer\, she is on faculty at Nief-Norf Summer Music Festival\, as well as Mosaic Music Festival\, a new festival that she co-founded located in Pesaro\, Italy that empowers emerging pianists to deepen their musical excellence through wellness\, piano pedagogy\, and lifelong musicianship. Annie has presented at Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) conferences at collegiate\, state\, and national levels\, The National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP)\, and College Music Society (CMS) conferences. She served as the President of Greensboro Music Teachers Association (GMTA) from 2022-2025 and now serves on the board for the North Carolina Music Teachers Association (NCMTA). Annie received her DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Michigan\, where she also received her MM. She earned her BM in Piano Performance with a minor in Public Health from New York University. She is currently Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. (www.anniejeng.com)   \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Details\n\n\n\n\nDownload Program\n\n\n\n\n\nParking\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe importance of philanthropy has never been greater. Please consider a gift to the School of Music to support our mission and ensure the future of music at UNCG. \n\n\n\n\nJoin Our Email List\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nflute\, music\, student recital\, studio recital\n\n\nInstagram\n\nFacebook\n\nX\n\nYouTube
URL:https://vpa.uncg.edu/single-event/the-seeds-by-michael-ippolito-world-premiere/
LOCATION:Organ Hall\, 100 McIver St\, Greensboro\, 27412\, United States
CATEGORIES:College of Visual and Performing Arts,School of Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vpa.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ippolito-michael-feature.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T210000
DTSTAMP:20260406T150925
CREATED:20260215T145808Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T035319Z
UID:10003732-1771529400-1771534800@vpa.uncg.edu
SUMMARY:Stone's Throw Quartet
DESCRIPTION:https://youtube.com/live/wS69gfAWwlo\n\n\n\n\nDan Hartung\, percussionMK Phillips\, percussionLouis Raymond-Kolker\, percussionAlex Richard\, percussion \n\n\n\nwithCarey Harwood\, guitarAjai Shaw\, itótele \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Artists\nDan Hartung is the Assistant Professor of Music\, Percussion Coordinator\, and Assistant Director of Bands at Elon University. He was recently the Percussion Director of the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts and is also the founder and artistic director of the Austin Percussion Collective (APC).  \n\n\n\nDan has a longstanding commitment to commissioning new music. He has commissioned over 20 new works by prominent composers including Ian Whillock\, Darian Thomas\, Sophie Mathieu\, Ivan Trevino\, and Louis Raymond-Kolker. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician with APC\, Density512\, Flat Water Trio\, and LNK Percussion Collective. He has also served as principal percussionist for The Orchestra San Antonio\, Opera San Antonio\, Ballet San Antonio\, and the Classical Music Institute Orchestra for the Andrea Bocelli World Tour.  \n\n\n\nSince 2014\, Dan has been an active marching percussion educator working with some of the foremost high school and collegiate programs across the country. In 2017\, he marched snare drum with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and has taught such schools as James Bowie High School\, Vista Ridge High School\, Gretna High School\, Michigan State University\, the University of Texas at Austin\, and many more.  \n\n\n\nDan is passionate about studying Afro-Diasporic percussion. He has studied Afro-Cuban percussion genres in Havana and Matanzas\, Cuba with renowned musicians Octavio Rodríguez Rivera\, Miguel Bernal\, Michel Aldalma\, Miguelito León\, and members of the Latin Grammy Award winning Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Additionally\, he has performed with the Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba group Tambores del Pueblo\, the Austin West African Drum and Dance Company\, and he participates in Afro-Venezuelan Tambor celebrations with San Juan USA in New York\, NY and Miami\, FL. \n\n\n\nDan has earned degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (D.M.A.)\, Michigan State University (M.M.) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (B.M.E.). He has been fortunate to study with some of the foremost collegiate educators including Dave Hall\, Gwen Dease\, Jon Weber\, Kevin “Bujo” Jones\, Ivan Trevino\, Richard Huntley\, and Tom Burritt. Dan is an endorsing education artist for Vic Firth sticks and mallets and Zildjian cymbals and a member of the Black Swamp Percussion Educator Network. \n\n\n\nMK Phillips is a dynamic North Carolina-based percussionist and educator\, currently serving as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Percussion at Wake Forest University\, Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Winston-Salem State University\, and Lecturer of Percussion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). An active performer and clinician\, MK has appeared as a guest artist\, adjudicator\, and clinician at universities\, high schools\, and conferences nationwide. They have also performed extensively at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). \n\n\n\nMK earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro\, where they were recently recognized with the 2024–2025 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. They hold a Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music\, as well as dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  \n\n\n\nAn advocate for new music\, MK has recently commissioned and/or premiered works by composers including Annika Socolofsky\, Nick Werth\, Russell Wharton\, Von Hansen\, Ivan Trevino\, Michael Burritt\, Robert Honstein\, Katherine Bodor\, Rob Rankin\, and Isaac Pyatt. As a chamber musician\, they have performed at Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with InBloom Percussion (2019)\, the Indiana University Percussion Ensemble (2018)\, the PAS All-Star Ensemble (2015)\, and the UNCG Percussion Ensemble (2015).  \n\n\n\nAs an orchestral musician\, MK has also performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra\, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra\, Western Piedmont Symphony\, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra\, Piedmont Wind Symphony\, North Carolina Brass Band\, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra\, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra\, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra\, Davidson SCORE\, Piedmont Opera\, and the Greensboro Opera.  \n\n\n\nMcKayla Phillips proudly endorses Black Swamp Percussion\, Vic Firth\, Balter Mallets\, and Zildjian.  \n\n\n\nLouis Raymond-Kolker is a composer and percussionist from Austin\, Texas. He is a member of Inside Out Steelband\, Larkspur Percussion Duo\, and the Austin Percussion Collective. He teaches percussion\, composition\, and music theory at High Point University. \n\n\n\nLouis actively works to facilitate the creation and performance of new music\, and foster connections between composers\, performers\, and audiences. His compositions blend a sense of sentimentality\, vivid imagery\, and treating silly things seriously (and vice versa). As a performer\, Louis specializes on steelpan\, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago\, and regularly premieres new works for instruments in the steelpan family. \n\n\n\nLouis is a member of the Dream Educators Collective and the Black Swamp Percussion Educator Network. His compositions are published through C. Alan Publications\, Boxfish Music Publishing\, and his website\, louisraymondkolker.com. \n\n\n\nAlex Richard is a percussion teacher and freelance artist based in Winston-Salem\, NC. She currently serves as a Percussion Instructor for the Elon Marching Band\, and serves as an Adjunct Instructor teaching drumset\, American music history\, and musical communication at High Point University. Alex has a vested interest in new and popular music\, and how those intersect to inform contemporary performance. As an advocate for new music\, Alex regularly commissions and joins consortium efforts for new and exciting percussion works. In the Fall of 2025\, she performed Thierry De Mey’s Silence Must Be! as a part of the PASIC New Music Focus Day\, and in Fall of 2024\, she performed alongside several PAS North Carolina members\, presenting accessible modern percussion ensemble works at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Conference.  \n\n\n\nAlex received her M.M. in Percussion Performance from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln\, studying with Dr. Dave Hall\, and her B.M. in Music Education from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville\, studying with Dr. Andrew Bliss and Keith Brown. She currently serves as the Secretary for the North Carolina Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society\, and spends her free time baking and hanging out with her small gray cat\, Bubbles. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Details\n\n\n\n\nDownload Program\n\n\n\n\n\nParking\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe importance of philanthropy has never been greater. Please consider a gift to the School of Music to support our mission and ensure the future of music at UNCG. \n\n\n\n\nJoin Our Email List\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nflute\, music\, student recital\, studio recital\n\n\nInstagram\n\nFacebook\n\nX\n\nYouTube
URL:https://vpa.uncg.edu/single-event/stones-throw-quartet/
LOCATION:Tew Recital Hall\, 100 McIver St\, Greensboro\, 27412\, United States
CATEGORIES:College of Visual and Performing Arts,School of Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vpa.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/guest-artist-recital-feature.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T170000
DTSTAMP:20260406T150925
CREATED:20251202T205835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T170320Z
UID:10003606-1771774200-1771779600@vpa.uncg.edu
SUMMARY:Michaela Kelly\, soprano
DESCRIPTION:https://youtube.com/live/1XvyOXeJuEA\n\n\n\n\nSoprano\, researcher\, and teacher Michaela Kelly is currently Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Previously\, Kelly taught as lecturer at Scripps College and Chapman University in Southern California. Kelly was a recipient of the 2024 Emerging Leader Award from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and recently served as Vice President of Programs for NATS-Los Angeles.   \n\n\n\nHer article “The Composition of a Voice Lesson: How a Motor Learning Classification Framework Affects Teacher Effectiveness” was published in the May/June 2025 edition of the Journal of Singing. She will present her research in the fall of 2025 at the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA) Conference hosted in Mexico City. Kelly was a presenter at the Cal-Western NATS Conference and poster presenter at the NATS National Conference where she shared her paper\, “What Is in a Voice Lesson Anyway?” which analyzes the contents of a voice lesson through the lens of motor learning.    \n\n\n\nA flexible and dynamic performer\, Kelly has most recently sung with the Los Angeles Opera Chorus and Los Angeles Master Chorale. She is an avid recitalist and passionate about Art Song. She was a recipient of the inaugural American Art Song Prize at SongFest where she performed a recital curated and coached by Libby Larsen\, John Musto\, and Martha Guth. She has performed as a recitalist at Toronto Summer Music Festival\, the Classical Music Institute\, Source Song Festival\, and has appeared as a soloist with the Claremont Concert Orchestra\, Thornton Wind Ensemble\, I Cantori di Carmel\, New England Conservatory Opera\, and NEC Choirs and Orchestra.   \n\n\n\nDr. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro\, a Master of Music (MM) in Vocal Pedagogy from the New England Conservatory\, and a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Vocal Performance from the University of Southern California.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Details\n\n\n\n\nDownload Program\n\n\n\n\n\nParking\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe importance of philanthropy has never been greater. Please consider a gift to the School of Music to support our mission and ensure the future of music at UNCG. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nflute\, music\, student recital\, studio recital\n\n\nInstagram\n\nFacebook\n\nX\n\nYouTube
URL:https://vpa.uncg.edu/single-event/michaela-kelly-soprano/
LOCATION:Tew Recital Hall\, 100 McIver St\, Greensboro\, 27412\, United States
CATEGORIES:College of Visual and Performing Arts,School of Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vpa.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/michaela-kelly-feature.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260227T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260227T210000
DTSTAMP:20260406T150925
CREATED:20250529T182308Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260221T200944Z
UID:10003286-1772220600-1772226000@vpa.uncg.edu
SUMMARY:Wind Ensemble
DESCRIPTION:https://youtube.com/live/KhTlxcXD6PE\n\n\n\n\n\nRobert Young\n\n\n\nJohn R. Locke\n\n\n\nSarah McKoin\n\n\n\nWilliam L. Lake\, Jr.\n\n\n\n\nCarolina Band Festival and Conductors Conference\n\n\n\nJonathan Caldwell\, conductorRobert Young\, saxophoneJohn R. Locke\, guest conductorSarah McKoin\, guest conductorWilliam L. Lake\, Jr.\, guest conductor \n\n\n\nProgram\n\n\n\nJOHN PHILIP SOUSASesquicentennial Exposition March (1926) \n\n\n\nCAROLYN BREMEREarly Light (1999) \n\n\n\nINGOLF DAHLConcerto for Saxophone and Wind Orchestra (1949/1953) \n\n\n\n   Recitative    Adagio   Rondo alla Marcia: Allegro brioso \n\n\n\nMORTON GOULDYankee Doodle (1945) \n\n\n\nLEONARD BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1960)transcribed by Paul Lavender \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Program\nSesquicentennial Exposition March \n\n\n\nJohn Philip Sousa (1854–1932)\, America’s most celebrated band composer of his era\, is widely known as the “March King.” Through his military band marches\, he helped define the sound and identity of American band music at the turn of the twentieth century. \n\n\n\nBorn in Washington\, DC\, to a trombonist in the US Marine Band\, Sousa was immersed in music from childhood. He trained as a violinist\, studied composition\, and at thirteen enlisted in the Marine Corps as an apprentice musician. After years as a theater conductor and performer\, he returned in 1880 to lead the US Marine Band\, a post he held until 1892. He then formed the Sousa Band\, which toured internationally for nearly four decades\, presenting more than 15\,000 concerts. \n\n\n\nSousa composed 136 marches\, along with operettas\, dances\, and songs\, admired for their energy\, craftsmanship\, and expressive range. His most famous work\, The Stars and Stripes Forever\, later designated the national march of the United States\, was the final piece he conducted before his death in 1932. \n\n\n\nCommissioned in honor of the 150th anniversary of American independence\, Sesquicentennial Exposition March was designated the official march of the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial Exposition. Dedicated to Philadelphia mayor W. Freeland Kendrick\, the march received its premiere on the opening concert of the Sousa Band’s thirty-fourth annual tour in Hershey\, Pennsylvania\, on July 4\, 1926\, alongside premieres of Pride of the Wolverines and The Gridiron Club. The work captures the spirit of the struggle for American independence: its opening strain evokes the fiery resolve of revolutionary-era debate\, with woodwinds and brass set in opposition to suggest conflicting viewpoints throughout\, before converging in a unified\, triumphant conclusion. \n\n\n\nEarly Light\n\n\n\nCarolyn Bremer forged a path as a composer after extensive training as a double bass player. She studied at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester\, New York\, the California Institute of Arts in Santa Clarita\, and the University of California\, Santa Barbara\, and later in her career served as associate director of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University\, Long Beach. She composed Early Light for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic\, which premiered the work in 1995. Its musical material is derived primarily from “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In this bright and uplifting piece\, Bremer—a passionate baseball fan since childhood—frames her excitement at hearing the national anthem before ball games. The percussive slapheard near the end echoes the crack of the bat on a long home run. \n\n\n\nConcerto for Saxophone and Wind Orchestra\n\n\n\nIngolf Dahl conceived of his Concerto for Saxophone and Wind Orchestra in 1948 after receiving a letter from saxophone virtuoso Sigurd Rascher expressing interest in a large-scale work for saxophone.  Rascher proposed the idea that the accompaniment should be scored so it could be performed with either band or orchestra\, but Dahl quickly abandoned the idea of the orchestra\, scoring it solely for band. Excited by the challenge of writing a new work for band\, Dahl remarked\, “Somebody has to write the big pieces\, the symphonic works\, if the medium is to be elevated.” The concerto\, initially titled Fantasy\, was conceived as a one-movement piece in three sections: recitative\, arioso\, and allegro. Later\, Dahl transformed the work into a multi-movement piece.  \n\n\n\nConcerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra was finished and premiered in May of 1949 by Rascher and the University of Illinois Concert Band. Dahl soon realized that Rascher was the only saxophonist in the world able to play the concerto due to its utilization of the very high “altissimo” register. This led to the concerto’s first revision in 1953\, in which the third movement was substantially rewritten to give the soloist an alternative to the altissimo passages. A third revision was made in 1959\, which included the removal of several sections\, shortening the piece to about three quarters of its original length. As for the differences between the original and published versions\, saxophone historian Paul Cohen writes: “When listening to the revised version of the concerto in comparison to the original\, it is clear that Dahl was operating from a different compositional perspective.” This evening\, we will perform the 1959 version.  \n\n\n\nHenry Cowell told Dahl that his concerto was “one of the most important and well-written band pieces he had ever seen.” One of Dahl’s closest contemporaries\, Igor Stravinsky\, was so moved by the piece that it brought him to tears. Within a decade of Dahl’s completion\, the Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra was performed by an extensive list of collegiate and professional ensembles\, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra remains one of Dahl’s most frequently performed works.  \n\n\n\nYankee Doodle\n\n\n\nIn 1945\, the final year of World War II\, Morton Gould created a joyful setting of a tune that can be traced back to the very founding of our country and beyond\, the iconic “Yankee Doodle.” Although there is incontrovertible evidence that the tune was in use at the time of the Revolution\, its origins remain shrouded in mystery. Countries including England\, France\, Holland\, and the United States have laid claim to it\, and a definitive answer as to the source of the melody itself may never be known. The lyrics\, however\, can be traced back to the French and Indian War (1754–63). Although the British were fighting alongside colonial soldiers in this conflict\, they had nothing but contempt for the unprofessional appearance and undisciplined bearing of their American cousins. Dr. Richard Schuckburgh\, a British Army surgeon assigned to duty with the colonials in Albany\, New York\, found their shabby appearance so amusing that he penned the lyrics most associated with the melody today. Although his words were designed to insult the Yankees (“Doodle” is a Low German word meaning “fool”)\, by the time of the Revolutionary War Americans had come to embrace the song as their own. According to Moore’s Encyclopedia of Music\, “When the battle of Concord and Lexington began the war\, the English\, when advancing in triumph\, played along the road “God Save the King\,” but\, on their disastrous retreat\, the Americans struck up “Yankee Doodle.” \n\n\n\nSymphonic Dances from West Side Story\n\n\n\nA child of the Jazz Age\, Leonard Bernstein grafted George Gershwin’s Russian immigrant roots onto Cole Porter’s Ivy League education (Harvard\, for Bernstein). His protean career developed very quickly: his famous debut conducting the New York Philharmonic on short notice in a nationally broadcast concert in November 1943 was followed the next year by the premieres of his First Symphony (“Jeremiah”) with the Pittsburgh Symphony; his ballet Fancy Free\, choreographed by Jerome Robbins\, at the Metropolitan Opera; and his Broadway musical On the Town. \n\n\n\nIn 1955-57\, Bernstein wrote the musical West Side Story\, the work that would ensure his fame as a composer. Then—after a New York run of almost two years (772 performances) and a national tour—in the opening weeks of 1960\, Bernstein revisited his score for West Side Story and extracted nine sections to assemble into the Symphonic Dances. They premiered at a “Valentine for Leonard Bernstein” gala concert by the New York Philharmonic (a fundraiser for the orchestra’s pension fund) under Lukas Foss’ direction\, on February 13\, 1961. \n\n\n\nThe stylistic diversity within the Symphonic Dances is partially created by the juxtaposition of classical techniques (fugue\, etc.) with dance rhythms and jazz syncopations. However\, the essence of the entire score is that most prominent opening melodic figure of “Maria” (C-F sharp-G)\, with its characteristic tritone interval. The suite ends\, like the musical itself\, on edge\, with an evocative chord containing the same interval. \n\n\n\nThe crucial role of dance in West Side Story added to the challenge of adapting the music for the concert platform. The orchestrations call for vibrant instrumental combinations and a huge percussion section (not to mention the vocal talents of the orchestra members!) to enhance the kinetic quality of the rhythms. More deeply\, they tilt the narrative weight from a love story to gang conflict. We hear first the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks\, then the utopian opposite; their juxtaposition creates a dramatic tension that shapes the entire work. The printed score includes the following descriptions: \n\n\n\nPrologue (Allegro moderato)—The growing rivalry between two teenage street gangs\, the Jets and Sharks. \n\n\n\n“Somewhere” (Adagio)—In a visionary dance sequence\, the two gangs are united in friendship. \n\n\n\nScherzo (Vivace e leggiero)—In the same dream\, they break through the city walls and suddenly find themselves in a world of space\, air\, and sun. \n\n\n\nMambo (Meno presto)—Reality again; competitive dance between the gangs. \n\n\n\nCha-cha (Andantino con grazia)—The star-crossed lovers [Tony and Maria] see each other for the first time and dance together. \n\n\n\nMeeting Scene (Meno mosso)—Music accompanies their first spoken words. \n\n\n\nCool Fugue (Allegretto)—An elaborate dance sequence in which the Jets practice controlling their hostility. \n\n\n\nRumble (Molto allegro)—Climactic gang battle during which the two gang leaders are killed. \n\n\n\nFinale (Adagio)—Love music developing into a procession\, which recalls\, in tragic reality\, the vision of “Somewhere.” \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Soloist\nRobert Young\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFueled by a deep desire to create an enthusiasm surrounding the classical saxophone\, Robert Young connects with audiences with his musicianship\, virtuosity\, and authenticity. Praised for his “effortless expression and facile technique” (The Saxophonist Magazine)\, Robert maintains an active career as a soloist\, chamber musician\, and educator. His artistry has afforded him opportunities to appear with ensembles and musicians from across the globe including the PRISM Quartet\, The Crossing\, Chris Potter\, Ravi Coltrane\, Uri Caine\, Charlotte Symphony\, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings\, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra.  \n\n\n\nAs a chamber musician\, Robert collaborated with The Crossing and performed alongside the PRISM Quartet on the GRAMMY Award-winning album Gavin Bryars: The Fifth Century (available on ECM Recordings). The New York Times praised the collective performance on this album as “superb”and “eloquent.” Young has appeared with the PRISM Quartet on numerous concerts including residencies at the Curtis Institute\, Shepherd School of Music (Rice University)\, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He can be heard on several albums with this notable ensemble including The Curtis Project\, Heritage/Evolution\, Volume 2\, and The Book of Days.  \n\n\n\nAppearing with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra as soloist in the 2023-24 season\, he was hailed as “uncommonly expressive…and technically prodigious” (San Francisco Classical Voice) for his performance of Guillaume Connesson’s acrobatic concerto\, A Kind of Trane. He has also been a soloist with the United States Navy Band\, performing Quicksilver by Chicago-based composer Stacy Garrop\, and has been featured as a soloist with the Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra\, Piedmont Wind Symphony\, UNCSA Symphony\, and Zagreb Soloists (Croatia). \n\n\n\nRobert holds a teaching position at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as Assistant Professor of Saxophone. Young’s students have received honors at several local\, regional and national competitions and have been featured at several clinics and conferences throughout the country. He previously has served on the faculties of the UNC School of the Arts\, The Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam\, and Wichita State University. Young is often invited to give guest lectures and classes throughout the country. In Fall 2022\, Robert was invited as be a guest teacher for the renowned University of Michigan saxophone studio as a sabbatical replacement for the award-winning saxophonist Timothy McAllister. \n\n\n\nRobert earned his Doctor of Musical Arts (2011) and Master of Music (2008) degrees in saxophone performance from the University of Michigan where he studied with Professor Donald Sinta. At the University of Michigan\, he studied jazz saxophone with Dr. Andrew Bishop and was a recipient of the Lawrence Teal Fellowship. Young received a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina (2006) in saxophone performance where he studied with Dr. Clifford Leaman.  \n\n\n\nAs a Conn-Selmer Artist\, Robert Young plays exclusively on Selmer saxophones. He also serves as a D’Addario artist/clinician and endorses Key Leaves products. \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Wind Ensemble\n\n\n\n\nThe UNCG Wind Ensemble is the premier wind band of the UNCG School of Music\, uniting fifty outstanding musicians from across the United States and around the world. Its members—ranging from first‑year undergraduates to master’s and doctoral students in performance and music education—are selected through a highly competitive audition process. Ensemble musicians regularly earn top solo and chamber awards\, competitive scholarships and fellowships\, and professional positions in orchestras\, military bands\, teaching\, and arts leadership. Current students represent seventeen states\, Slovenia\, and Hong Kong. \n\n\n\nFor decades\, the ensemble has built a distinguished record of artistic excellence\, with acclaimed performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts\, Lincoln Center\, and leading venues throughout the eastern United States. Its catalog of more than twenty commercial recordings has received national recognition and helped position UNCG as a leader in wind band performance\, commissioning\, and recording. \n\n\n\nThe Wind Ensemble has been featured at major national and regional conferences of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA)\, National Band Association (NBA)\, American Bandmasters Association (ABA)\, and Music Educators National Conference (MENC). The ensemble has also collaborated with prominent composers and performers\, including Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Karel Husa and other influential figures in the field. \n\n\n\nRecent highlights include performances at the Music Center at Strathmore; a joint concert with the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”; a twelve‑day international tour through the Czech Republic\, Austria\, and Italy\, culminating in a featured performance at Prague’s renowned Dvořák Hall; and a tour of the Southern United States that concluded with an appearance at the national conference of the College Band Directors National Association. \n\n\n\n\nUNCG Bands\nThe UNCG Bands are devoted to the performance\, study\, and advancement of wind band music at the highest artistic level. Recognized as one of the nation’s premier collegiate band programs\, the UNCG Bands maintain an active and distinguished record of excellence through performances\, recordings\, tours\, and appearances at major conventions. \n\n\n\nThrough exemplary organization\, training\, and presentation\, the UNCG Bands offer exceptional musical experiences for our members and share outstanding performances throughout the year. Together\, we enrich the cultural life\, spirit\, and character of UNCG. \n\n\n\nThe UNCG Bands also proudly support music education across North Carolina and throughout the region by providing leadership\, mentorship\, and sponsorship to secondary school band programs and other musical organizations. \n\n\n\n\nUNCG Bands\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Details\n\n\n\n\nDownload Program\n\n\n\n\n\nParking\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe importance of philanthropy has never been greater. Please consider a gift to the School of Music to support our mission and ensure the future of music at UNCG. \n\n\n\n\nJoin Our Mailing List\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nflute\, music\, student recital\, studio recital\n\n\nInstagram\n\nFacebook\n\nX\n\nYouTube
URL:https://vpa.uncg.edu/single-event/wind-ensemble-14/
LOCATION:UNCG Auditorium\, 408 Tate Street\, Greensboro\, NC\, 27412\, United States
CATEGORIES:College of Visual and Performing Arts,School of Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vpa.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/robert-young-feature.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR