Award-winner musician, Jinhee Han, started composing in her late teens. Han’s promising musical gift earned her full-time scholarships for both her bachelor and masters degrees and graduated with Cum Laude, at HanYang University in Seoul, Korea. After, She earned Professional Study Diploma in Music Composition with Robert Cuckson as a scholarship recipient from The New School, Mannes College, May. 2015.
Throughout her career, Han has had several original concert works premiere including orchestra pieces in her hometown of Seoul, Korea, Israel, Ukraine, London, Canada, Texas, Connecticut, Los Angeles, New Jersey and New York.
Recently, Han’s works selected for several festivals and workshop such as Music festivals such as SCNMF, Vox Faminae 3rd Edition, Musica per Archi, Women Composers Festival of Hartford, and Groundswell. In her most recent notable project, Yaygara for trumpet solo has been published for new music by women composers on CD by trumpeter, Kate Amrine. She serves as Founder/Director for AWCANYC(awcanyc.com), where she collaborates with a variety of talented musicians.
Jinhee Han
Composers
presented in association with
Asian Women Composers Association (AWCANYC)
featuring the
Cobalt Quartet
Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Featuring compositions for saxophone quartet inspired Mother Nature.
336 West 37 Street
New York City
$10 cash at door
Compositions (in program order):
Solstice Sunrise at Stonehenge
Ann Warren
The Solstice Sunrise at Stonehenge happens this year at 4:43 am on June 21, 2018 BST.
Hear ye, hear ye, now is the time of the rose, blossom and thorn, fragrance and blood.
On this longest day, the light triumphs and yet begins the decline into the dark.
Laugh not so lightly, King, for not lightly are these words spoken.
And in these stones layeth a mystery…
Atmosphere
Dafina Zeqiri Nushi
The composition Atmosphere for two vocalize saxophones is a description of the
spiritual atmospheres that surround us. Such a spirit is realized by using different
techniques like singing and playing at the same time. Also tried to visualize the former periods, as renaissance and baroque in modern aspect, with a combination of modes
and techniques, like glissando with air sound, air tone, playing with air sound, blowing
with key slaps, growling, irregular way vibrato, key percussion and so on.
Bagatelles
David Loeb
Bagatelles, as the title implies, is a succession of relatively short movements which
have sharp contrasts both within and between them. "Caprices" might have been a
more apt title, but that seemed out of place for a chamber work. It was originally
written at the request of Allen Won who has performed it with several ensembles.
Weak Flesh
Alexander Chadwell
Weak Flesh derives its title from Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter
not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
As a Jew (and not very religious one at that), or what some call a “cultural” Jew
because of my proclivity for lox and schmear on an everything bagel but poor
attendance at synagogue, I did not encounter this while reading the Bible.
Of course, this phrase was not wholly foreign to me. I’d been warned fro
religious figures and stories/literature that derive from Judeo-Christian religions
that I have weak flesh and thus, a proclivity for more than just lox and schmear.
I was reminded of this axiom recently while listening to “Default” by Thom Yorke’s supergroup, Atoms for Peace. He sings, “I've gotta stop; the will is strong but the flesh
is weak. I guess that's it, I've made my bed and I lie in it.” And so I dwelled on that
and started thinking about how weak my flesh is; it goes beyond just my lack of
willpower for bagels and sexual temptation.
This piece is an exploration of those thoughts and feelings.
Nightdance
David Loeb
Yomai (Nightdance) is a one-movement solo work for tenor rather than alto saxophone.
This choice arose from the desire to compose a piece which would have challenges of color and control rather than technical virtuosity. This is characteristic of most music written for Japanese wind instruments, so a Japanese title seemed more appropriate than a Western title.
Insula Dulcamara
Jinhee Han
Insula Dulcamara for saxophone quartet is based on B-chromatic scale is
used as prime form of 12 tone Matrix with an alternative Rondo form, A-B-A-C-A’-D-A”-E-A”’
Common ‘A’ is consisted of three chords from F mixolydian scale as a reconciliatory.
The piece speaks a message, finding a hope in hopeless,
which is found on the last artwork by Paul Klee.
Intermission
Hypervigilance'
Amy Brandon
Hypervigilance (n.): the perpetual scanning of one's environment.
This piece is a reflection on the passive surveillance state, created by the Internet of
Things, where innocuous objects gather and transmit data about their use.
Snippets of the saxophone sound is picked up by the computer's microphone,
cascades through over 100 channels and filters, unfolding and altering as it
travels through time, mimicking the transmission of data.
Saxophone Quartet No. 1
Anthony Izzo
Saxophone Quartet No. 1 begins with a slow introduction where the main theme
is introduced. The following fast section is very rhythmic and driving and the solos
from each of the saxophones is a variation on the opening theme.
There are only 4 harmonies used in the entire piece:
open 4ths, Minor-major seventh chords, Major, Minor chords and
augmented major seventh chords.
Cells
Jake Elkin
Cells is a short minimalist work based on short motives which act both
independently and as part of a larger “organism” in the quartet.
Gezichten Vanaf Nieuw Amsterdam
David Loeb
Gezichten vanaf Nieuw Amsterdam (Views from New Amsterdam) seemed like a perfect title for a piece written by a New York composer for a Dutch ensemble, especially for a group whose members had all visited New York at one time or another. This piece also has strong contrasts, but places a greater emphasis on counterpoint than the "Bagatelles".
Raymond Kelly - Soprano Sax
Anthony Izzo - Alto Sax
Ryan Mantell - Tenor Sax
Josh Lang - Baritone Sax
Artist Bios
Take a look at a really interesting group of artists!
AWCANYC is a composers' cooperative founded by Jin Hee Han.
Composers represent diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
It thrives through the active participation of its members working
on individual projects to empower composers to create change
in their communities through music, allowing them to share their stories.
AWCANYC
LIFE THROUGH MUSIC
Ryan Mantell is a New Jersey based saxophonist and teacher. He has taught instrumental music in New Jersey at all levels K-12, and maintains a private studio of saxophone students as well. He is an active performer in New Jersey and New York, playing saxophone regularly for the Ridgewood Concert Band and the Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra. Ryan is the founder and director of the North Jersey Youth Saxophone Ensemble, an initiative to bring a unique chamber music experience to high school age saxophone students in Northern New Jersey. Ryan received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree with Performance Honors from Syracuse University, and is presently pursuing a Master’s degree in saxophone performance at Rutgers University.
Saxophonist Raymond Kelly, originally from the northeast, is a current Doctor in Musical Arts candidate at Rutgers University. He holds a Master’s in Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s in Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory, all in saxophone performance. He is currently studying with saxophonist Paul Cohen and has studied with Timothy Ruedeman, James Umble, and Gary Bartz. The past year he won the Rutgers’ 2016 Graduate Concerto Competition and performed Ballade for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra by Frank Martin with the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra. He has performed throughout the United States and abroad with ensembles such as the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, The Metro Symphony Orchestra, Locrian Chamber Players, and the New Hudson Saxophone Quartet. He can be heard on the album The Gift of Life by composer and French horn player of the Imani Winds, Jeff Scott. In addition to being an avid performer, Raymond is a busy educator, serving faculty at Long Island University and the Mason Gross Extension Division as well as his own expanding private studio.
Ryan Mantell
Raymond Kelly
In 1999, I founded Concrete Timbre as a studio performance group to create and record new music compositions, soundscapes, sound installations, and several theatrical sound designs. In 2005 we moved out of the studio and have since produced contemporary music in theatrical settings as well as theater performances that feature live music and sound including: 4 Wars, Folie Pure, Coq tôt, Satie's Birthday Party, Un Lieu de Vie, Anna Strong's Laundry, Age of Pain(e), Voices of justice and consangunity..., Dziewczyna, A/K/A Benjamin (Franklin's Women) and several salon series. Each of these interdisciplinary productions featured the talents of more than 20 artists.
As a composer and sound designer, my compositions have been performed at many (many!) innovative performance spaces in New York, Paris, Baltimore, Buffalo, California, and Florida. I’ve been lucky to work with some really inspiring interdisciplinary artists with a flair for the contemporary (!)
So for now, I try to keep the music great, the story interesting, the visuals stimulating, and the movement fresh - and of course, then wind them into a spectacular melange. Merde!
For more information, visit www.AnnWarren.net.
Ann Warren
Josh Lang
Josh is a saxophonist who lives in Brooklyn. He studied under Dr. Jonathan Bergeron at Northern Arizona University and has performed across the country and in Germany and Poland. He's played in various ensembles with the students of Dr. Paul Cohen since moving to New York, and those initial collaborations have transformed into several regular appointments including the Cobalt Quartet. Outside of those ensembles, he occasionally records new works with composers from the Manhattan School of Music and New York University.
Josh has also done quite of bit of engraving and arranging. Some notable highlights would include his editions of Zdeněk Lukáš' works for saxophone quartet and his editorial work on a 15-song children's musical, The Grouch and the Love Bug, for which he did more than just arrange and engrave: he also harmonized, orchestrated, and produced backing tracks.
Anthony Izzo received his masters in classical saxophone performance at the Aaron Copland School of Music. He has given world premieres of works by notable composers such as Leo Kraft, Saman Samadi and John Szto. He has performed all over the NYC area and in many venues in Long Island. In addition to performing, Anthony has written many solo and small ensemble works. He has written concert music, animation music and video game music. At ACSM, he was the president of the Composers Workshop, a notable group of student composers that hire professional ensembles and soloists to perform their music. Anthony studied saxophone with Dr. Paul Cohen and composition with Mikael Karlsson and John Wykoff. He is currently an elementary school music teacher in Corona, Queens and teaches grades Pre-K - 2.
Anthony Izzo
David Loeb studied with Peter Pindar Stearns at Mannes and has taught at Mannes since 1964. He also studied traditional Japanese music with Shinichi Yuize. Many of his compositions include Japanese instruments or influences from them. Many of his compositions have been recorded for the VMM and Centaur labels. In addition to composing and teaching he also performs on transverse Japanese flutes, and is an active scholar, with publications in books and major journals
David Loeb
Alexander J. Chadwell is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-born and raised, New York City-based composer of post-genre music. Exposed to a vast array musical styles from a young age, his music is incapable of being categorized into traditional genre boundaries. He often works at the intersection of technology and acoustic instruments.
A firm believer in the power and joy of music, Chadwell is an active teaching artist in New York City schools. He's worked with organizations such as Brooklyn Arts Council, St. Nicks Alliance and the New York Philharmonic's Composer's Bridge program.
Chadwell attended West Chester University and Mannes School of Music, The New School. He has studied with (in no particular order) Mark Rimple, Van Stiefel, Robert Cuckson, and Huang Ruo and taken additional lessons with Missy Mazzoli, David T. Little, and Kaija Saariaho.
He is a member of ASCAP.
Alexander J. Chadwell
Amy Brandon
Holding degrees in jazz guitar performance and composition, Amy is currently completing an interdisciplinary PhD in music cognition at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She has performed internationally (Canada, USA, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, UK) and at numerous experimental music festivals. In addition to performing and academic work, she has written contemporary choral, chamber, orchestral and acousmatic work premiered internationally including National Sawdust (NYC), Chorus Festival (London, UK), Normandy Castle (France) and the MISE-EN Festival. In 2017 she received the Roberta Stephen Composition Award from the Association of Canadian Women Composers.
Website: amybrandon.ca
Anthony Izzo received his masters in classical saxophone performance at the Aaron Copland School of Music. He has given world premieres of works by notable composers such as Leo Kraft, Saman Samadi and John Szto. He has performed all over the NYC area and in many venues in Long Island. In addition to performing, Anthony has written many solo and small ensemble works. He has written concert music, animation music and video game music. At ACSM, he was the president of the Composers Workshop, a notable group of student composers that hire professional ensembles and soloists to perform their music. Anthony studied saxophone with Dr. Paul Cohen and composition with Mikael Karlsson and John Wykoff. He is currently an elementary school music teacher in Corona, Queens and teaches grades Pre-K - 2.
Anthony Izzo
Jacob Elkin is a trombonist, composer and arranger based in Brooklyn, New York. His electronic music has been featured in the Lüneburg New Electronic Music Festival '15-'16 and FIGMENT NYC ’17. In September his atmospheric work Dreamscape was broadcast on The Cutty Strange radio segment on WGXC. Recent performances of his work also include Kyiv Contemporary Music Days Electroacoustic Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine and SHE LIVES Chamber Composition Workshop in Budapest, Hungary. As a freelance trombonist, Mr. Elkin is an advocate for new music in both chamber and solo settings. In 2017, he performed microtonal and electronic works for the New York Composers Circle concert and outreach program as well as Make Music New York. He also participated as soloist in the Tennessee Tech Electrobrass Music Festival performing Josh Oxford’s A Small Donation for trombone and looping pedal. Mr. Elkin has premiered works with Mimesis Ensemble, Mise-en Scene, David Taylor and the New York Trombone Consort and many others.
Jacob Elkin
Dafina Zeqiri Nushi studied with professors Mendi Mengjiqi, Jana Andreevska, Gheorghi Arnaoudov. Laureate of these prizes of Festival of New Albanian Music (2002/03/05), the Third Prize in 4th Pre-Art Composers Competition 2008 in Switzerland, the First Prize “Theodore Front Prize” 2009 in U.S.A, the Second Prize “Chopin Kosovo” Composers Competition 2012, the First Prizes in Composers Competition for Chamber Music 2011, for Symphonic Music 2013, for Solistic-Instrumental Music 2014, for Solo Music 2015, for Concert 2016 organized from Ministry of Culture Of Kosovo, “Composer's Voice concert” organized from Vox Novus-New York, finalist in International Women Composers. Competition 2013, organized by Women Composers Festival of Hartford, Connecticut, part of “blurred edges” Festival für Aktuelle Musik Hamburg, Gaudeamus Music Week, Festival Vox Feminae-Israel. Her works were performed in UK, New York, Germany, Israel, Austria, France, Mexico, Denmark, Turkey, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo.
You can check her music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frp2JXlIiqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVNFFp_8BRQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot3DEES5ink&list=PLBCB87F3528736D8E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94toWsYFT9c&list=PLBCB87F3528736D8E&index=7
Dafina Zeqiri Nushi
