Wind Music Through the Ages: A Summary of Dissertation Recitals

Abstract

Three dissertation recitals were performed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts (Music: Conducting) at the University of Michigan. The music chosen spanned a wide range of styles and time periods, from the Renaissance to present day. Each of the three recitals were thematically motivated; the first recital as “Something Borrowed,” the second recital as “An Evolution of the Harmonie Ensemble,” and the third recital as “Soliloquy.”

The first recital, “Something Borrowed,” was a collection of performances with the University of Michigan Symphony Band, Symphony Band Chamber Winds, and Concert Band, and took place during the 2019-2020 academic year. Works for this recital, which each borrowed elements of another genre, culture, or art form comprised of the following: Kleines Konzert by Carl Off, Little Symphony for Winds by Franz Schubert arranged by Verne Reynolds, Orient et Occident by Saint-Saëns, Children’s March by Percy Grainger, and Peruvian Fanfare no. 1 by Antonio Gervasoni. The second recital, “An Evolution of the Harmonie Ensemble,” was a compilation of performances presented with the University of Michigan Symphony Band and Concert Band Chamber Winds throughout the Fall 2020 term. Works for this recital, which demonstrated the development of Harmoniemusik over a span of 140 years, consisted of the following: Harmonie in Bb, op. 78 by Franz Krommer, Octet, op. 216 by Carl Reinecke, Capriol Suite by Peter Warlock, and L’Heure du Berger by Jean Françaix.

The final recital, “Soliloquy,” took place as an ad hoc performance in Hankinson Rehearsal Hall on Saturday, February 27, 2021. The recital, comprised of the following: Fratres by Arvo Pärt, Octanphonie by Eugène Bozza, Concertare V by Verne Reynolds, and Sacred Women by Jeff Scott, featured soloists engaged in eloquent cadenzas providing deeper meaning to each work.