Verdi and Dvořák
Daniel Meyer conductor
Mary Elizabeth Bowden trumpet
Verdi Ballet Music from Macbeth
Debussy Three Transcriptions for Trumpet and Orchestra
Vivian Fung Trumpet Concerto (world-premiere)
Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Opera composers who wanted their works performed in nineteenth century Paris were often required to include a break in the action so that the house ballet dancers could make an appearance. Rather than consider this a necessary intrusion, Verdi capitalized on this opportunity to create music of great depth and drama in this ballet music from his opera Macbeth. Set in the witches’ cave in Act Three, Verdi’s music bubbles with the intensity of a hot cauldron.
We then introduce trumpet virtuoso Mary Elizabeth Bowden, playing music of French composer Claude Debussy. Bowden will bring some of the composer’s most famous piano works to life in colorful transcriptions for solo trumpet and orchestra, and then she will perform a brand new concerto for trumpet and orchestra by Canadian composer Vivian Fung, receiving its world premiere in this concert.
The concert concludes with the rich, dance-filled Eighth Symphony by Czech composer Antonin Dvořák. A work imbued with Bohemian culture and spirit, Dvořák’s Eighth is a symphony of incredible invention and beautifully-drawn melodies.
Vivian Fung, composer
JUNO Award-winning composer Vivian Fung has a unique talent for combining idiosyncratic textures and styles into large-scale works, reflecting her multicultural background. NPR calls her “one of today’s most eclectic composers.” This is supported by many of her latest works, including Humanoid for solo cello and prerecorded electronics; Clarinet Quintet: Frenetic Memories, a reflection on her travels to visit minority groups in China’s Yunnan province; Earworms, commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, which musically depicts our diverted attention spans and multi-tasking lives; and The Ice Is Talking for solo percussion and electronics,commissioned by the Banff Centre,using three ice blocks to illustrate the beauty and fragility of our environment.
Mary Elizabeth Bowden, trumpet
Classical Trumpeter and Gold Medal Global Music Award Winner Mary Elizabeth Bowden has been described by Gramophone Magazine as “brilliant” and “radiant in new repertoire for trumpet.” Bowden, a Yamaha Performing Artist, is highly regarded for her artistry and virtuosity as a soloist, and has been praised for the clarity, purity and power of her sound. Bowden released both her second solo album, Rêverie (with the Kassia Ensemble), and her debut album, Radiance (featuring new American works), on Summit Records. She has been featured on MPR’s “New Classical Tracks” with Julie Amacher, which is being aired on NPR stations across the United States.
Sponsors
Judy Emling
Robin Scheppner
