New Music Festival - Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

More documents

Recommendations

Info

NMF ESSAY – DR. BIRNA BJARNADÓTTIR Icelandic Culture The poet Matthías Jochumsson’s (1835–1920) vision of Iceland and its thousand year history was that of eternity’s flower, watered by a shivering tear. The poet’s idea could be considered a contradiction to the country’s geographical realities; Iceland, placed on the edge of Europe, a volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean, this “grave of fire” where the “wastelands of earth appear” – to quote Hannes Pétursson (1931), another major poet of Icelandic literature. How to reconcile this fragile flower and its shivering tear with an unforgiving nature teetering on a spectacular, oceanic edge? It is the task of a vibrant cultural heritage to explore and perceive even the greatest paradoxes. In this case, one that crosses centuries, oceans and continents. For those interested in the origins of Icelandic culture, medieval Iceland becomes an unavoidable destination. In fact, it was Europe’s smallest and most isolated nation that – in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries – pursued and preserved the cultural heritage of Scandinavia at large. The results can be measured in the most significant sources available on Norse mythology – namely, the two Eddas – along with several other important texts, including The First Grammatical Treatise, The Book of Settlements, and the equally fantastic Grágás, a source on medieval law. The sagas of kings, saints, and bishops – which constitute no small collection in themselves – have not failed to impress. The same holds true of the so called contemporary sagas, these 16 OVERTURE I January – February 2012 reality–bites of Iceland’s thirteenth century epic power struggle. On top of all of this, a group of anonymous writers reinforced this already solid foundation in committing to vellum Europe’s first novels, the Sagas of Icelanders. Widely considered a unique literary genre within the context of world literature, the fictional sagas tell of the lives of the settlers and their descendants during the Age of Settlement (ca. 870–930) straight into the rise and fall of The Icelandic Commonwealth (ca. 930–1262). But how did it happen that the smallest and most isolated nation in Europe became the storehouse and creative centre of Northern culture? Snorri Sturluson (1149–1241), the politician, lawspeaker, mythographer, historian and poet, may, in part, be held responsible. Considered one of the most important interpreters of medieval European culture and society, his Edda is a brimming source on the art of poetry that had been dying out in the newly Christianized Europe. Simultaneously, when approaching the Norse Olympus, Snorri’s Edda provides us with an earthbound sense of a mythic direction. His key source, the poem Völuspá (The Seeresse’s Prophecy), is the most sacred text originating from Northern paganism. Preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript, (also known as the Poetic Edda), the poem reveals – with its shattering description of the beginning and the end of the world – the enigmatic remains of a pre–Christian worldview. By the sheer force of a mythic legacy, a certain cultural passage into the world had been created. In turn, the bridge leading from the unforgiving and spectacular edge of Europe can be perceived as it crosses centuries, oceans and continents. This is not intended to suggest that the story of the Icelandic cultural heritage is a story of an unbroken victory march. Iceland’s golden age – the medieval miracle – came to an end, only to be replaced by various episodes of both natural and manmade disasters. It was thus only recently that eternity’s flower was watered by a shivering tear. No wonder, then, that the subject of Icelandic language, literature and culture is taught in over one hundred universities world wide. Of all the programs and centres of study and research, however, there is only one Department of Icelandic Language and Literature that exists outside of Iceland. Thanks to a group of Icelandic nineteenth century immigrants and their descendants, this department is fostered here, in this city, by the University of Manitoba. Embraced by the continuous support of the Icelandic community across North America, the old country’s equally generous mindset, and the profound cultural contribution of members of the Icelandic community on both sides of the water, the department’s task is to pursue and promote in North America a certain cultural passage in the world. Thanks to the 2012 Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival, people will now be able to hear the sound of this passage. Dr. Birna Bjarnadóttir, Chair and Acting Head Department of Icelandic Studies University of Manitoba
CONCERT THREE Monday, January 30 I 7:30 pm Doors open at 6:30 pm Centennial Concert Hall SHAUNA ROLSTON: CITY SUITES (WORLD PREMIERE) Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Shauna Rolston, cello 3 Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor 1 WSO Clearwater String Quartet 4 Richard Lee, conductor 2 PROGRAM Emergence (North American premiere) 2 Daníel Bjarnason (IS) I. Silence II. Black Breathing III. Interlude IV. Emergence City Suites: Concerto for Cello and 1 3 Vincent Ho (CAN) Orchestra (World premiere)* I. Dusk II. Overdrive III. Nighthawks IV. New Dawn - INTERMISSION - Tender is the Night (World premiere)** 2 Jesse Plessis (CAN) Pursuit: Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra 1 4 Alexina Louie (CAN) I. Intro II. Still III. Rush In celebration of our Festival’s Icelandic theme, we are proud to present a new work by one of Iceland’s fastest rising stars – Daníel Bjarnason. Hear the North American premiere of his orchestral work Emergence, a piece hailed for its exquisite colours and emotional profundity. Returning to our Festival as our distinguished guest artist is Canada’s superstar cellist Shauna Rolston as she presents the world premiere of Vincent Ho’s cello concerto, City Suites, written especially for her and her carbon-fiber cello. This year’s Canadian Music Centre’s Emerging Composer Prize-winning work receives its premiere performance tonight with Tender is the night, composed by Brandon University student Jesse Plessis. Concluding the program is Alexina Louie’s thrilling concerto for string quartet, Pursuit, performed by our very own WSO Clearwater String Quartet. *Commissioned by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Winnipeg Arts Council **Winner of the Canadian Music Centre’s 2012 Emerging Composer Prize To see extra musicians, please refer to page 39 Music from tonight's concert will air on CBC Radio 2's "The Signal" and Concerts on Demand, online. Festival Sponsor: Broadcast Partner: January – February 2012 I OVERTURE 17
Page 1: WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA January
Page 4 and 5: GOVERNMENT GREETINGS Minister of Ca
Page 6 and 7: WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GREETIN
Page 8 and 9: CONDUCTORS & COMPOSERS Alexander Mi
Page 10 and 11: PRE-CONCERT EVENTS & PERFORMANCES A
Page 12 and 13: POST-CONCERT EVENTS & PERFORMANCES
Page 14 and 15: NMF ESSAY - SIGFRÍDUR BJÖRNSDÓTT
Page 17: CONCERT TWO Sunday, January 29 I 7:
Page 21 and 22: CONCERT FOUR Tuesday, January 31 I
Page 23 and 24: CONCERT FIVE Wednesday, February 1
Page 25 and 26: CONCERT SIX Thursday, February 2 I
Page 27 and 28: CONCERT SEVEN Friday, February 3 I
Page 29 and 30: Elation Pauls Instrument: Violin Jo
Page 31 and 32: PERFORMER/ARTIST BIOS Jurriaan Andr
Page 33 and 34: PERFORMER/ARTIST BIOS Gudbergur Ber
Page 35 and 36: PERFORMER/ARTIST BIOS troupe has be
Page 37 and 38: PERFORMER/ARTIST BIOS Michael Matth
Page 39 and 40: PERFORMER/ARTIST BIOS 1982. Her stu
Page 41 and 42: 1948-51 Hon. Mr. Justice J. T. Beau

New Music Festival - Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?