THE IMANI WINDS—New Mexico Debut — Friday, February 23, 2007

Santa Fe New Music proudly presented the ground-breaking wind quintet, the Imani Winds, in their New Mexico debut. The program includes a work composed for Imani by jazz legend Wayne Shorter, as well as recent works by young post-classical composers Kenji Bunch and Narong Prangscharoen. These will be juxtaposed by the Woodwind Quintet of American master Elliot Carter, who is still actively composing at the age of 99 years young. Demonstrating their breadth and their African and Latin roots, Imani will also perform works by Astor Piazzolla and Justinian Tamesuza.

In the words of SFNM’s Artistic Director John Kennedy , “We are thrilled to bring this virtuosic ensemble to Santa Fe. What Kronos did for the string quartet, Imani is doing for the wind quintet. Their repertoire blends jazz, world fusion, African, and contemporary classical, in the wonderful statement that there is a wide world of great music. This is a quintessential post-classical ensemble that electrifies audiences.”

Program Notes:

Elliot Carter, Born December 11th, 1908 in New York, NY— Woodwind Quintet

Elliot Carter’s Woodwind Quintet was written in 1948. Carter came late to composition, even though one of his early mentors was Charles Ives, as Mr. Ives sold insurance to Carter’s parents. After studying English and math at Harvard, Carter would eventually journey to Paris to study with the compositional pedagogue juggernaut that was Nadia Boulanger. The Quintet is in fact dedicated to Mademoiselle Boulanger.

Upon his return to the States, Carter would begin to compose works such as the Quintet, combining elements of his “neo-classical style” with a more populist America voice. Indeed, the Woodwind Quintet plays like a study in the field with its challenging harmonies, cohesive rhythmic patterns and a quick dabble in the then new formulating world of jazz. It is in two movements and the first explores the way the five instruments can sonorously stroll along coming to a relatively robust peak, just to end with the clarinet drifting off in its chalumeau range. The second, on the other had, allows the players to tackle intricately woven rhythms that culminate in a Charleston-like frenzy. Although only 8 minutes in length the wind quintet as a genre is very fortunate to have this gem prominently placed in the standard repertoire.

Kenji Bunch Born 1973 in Portland, OR— Shout Chorus (notes by Kenji Bunch)

“Living composers are not monsters. What we get in the theater, museums and books is new. Why should it be the opposite in music? —Conductor Christoph Eschenbach

The composer notes: Shout Chorus is a study in the juxtaposition of, and eventual convergence of disparate elements. Unlike a string quartet or brass quintet, the instruments of a woodwind quintet are famously contrasting, and an attempt to blend them can seem a daunting, frustrating task to a composer. Ater much struggle, I realized that the beauty of the ensemble was exactly in its refulsat to blend into a homogenous sound. A shout chorus in big band jazz is a climactic unison passage with usually highly complex syncopated rhythms. In this work, the instruments stubbornly stick to their tonalities and rhythms, setting up polytonal and polyrhythmic textures for the entire piece until the celebratory unison statement at the end.

Narong Prangcharoen (b. 1973)—Shadow (notes by the composer)  
Shadow was composed by using fragments of Thai folk songs, that I have heard before and developed into my own compositions. All of the pentatonic motives could be transposed into several keys without consideration of the phrase. Each line consists of a tuneful Thai thematic material and also a fairy-like consonance, but when all the lines combine together, like a shadow of each other, it creates a dissonance of bitonality.
 
The form of the piece is inspired by the movie, “Hilary and Jackie”, a story of the great cellist, Jacqueline du Pre. The movie shows the different perspectives of the two sisters, who have a vision of the same event. Even though Shadow uses all the same material, different characters are still created in the music. The first part, with its lyrical quality, starts with the flute solo, which represents the perspective of Hilary and the second part, which has an aggressive rhythmic idea, starts with a horn solo, representing the perspective of Jackie.
 
Shadow represents the changes in my compositional ideas and technique. I would rather say, “Even though I don’t really have a Thai music background in myself, it is always in my shadow.”

Astor Piazzolla Born March 11, 1921 in Par del Plata, Argentina—Died July 4, 1992 in Buenos Aires, Argentina— Escualo Arr. Jeff Scott (notes by Jeff Scott)
Astor Piazzolla’s Escualo (Shark) was originally recorded in 1979 in Buenos Aires. This was the first record of the reconstituted quintet that would be basis for most of Piazzolla’s work during the 80’s; Bandoneon, Violin, Guitar, Piano and Bass. The compositions in that recording were all related to shark fishing, Piazzolla’s favorite pastime while vacationing in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Here it gets its first treatment as a woodwind quintet.

Wayne Shorter Born August 25, 1933, Newark, NJ—Terra Incognita (notes by Wayne Shorter)

Terra Incognita is a musical dialogue on the nature of the unknown and the unexpected. It seems as if every aspect of living has been subject to, “not knowing” where life takes us or, what it will bring. The courage needed to live with dignity in a world beset with the unimaginable, is the catalyst to the creation of this work. In the face of an unpredictable future, the story of the “human condition” promises to transcend even the unknown.

Justinian Tamasuza Born 1951 in Kibisi, Uganda—Abaafa Luli (notes by Justinian Tamasuza)

Justinian Tamusuza studied music at Queens University in Belfast, Ireland and was a Fulbright scholar at the School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. is in the Luganda language and means “They Who Died Then”, and is a tribute to the twenty-two 19th century Ugandan Christian converts who were slaughtered when they refused to renounce their faith. The piece is minimalist in nature, although not in the sense of the Minimalist movement in music, but rather in the sense of a drum circle’s repetitious rhythms.

About Imani Winds
The five accomplished musicians of Imani Winds joined forces in 1997 to expand the boundaries of the traditional wind quintet and explore the links between European, African and American music traditions. The name Imani, “faith” in Swahili, embodies this mission. In their time together, this young ensemble of African/Latin American heritage has already established a distinct presence in the classical music world for their dynamic playing, innovative programming and inspirational outreach programs, which they have brought to many communities throughout the country.

Highlights of the 2005-2006 season include extensive touring and residency throughout the United States, with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and in Vancouver, Canada. Imani Winds continues to collaborate with extraordinary artists such as vocalist Rene Marie and composer Paquito D’Rivera in the new Josephine Baker Project and in Kites Over Havanna, an original 2005 commission, respectively. The multi-media Josephine Baker A Life of Le Jazz Hot is slated to premiere in Pittsburgh in April 2006, followed by engagements in St. Louis and Puerto Rico. The group also anticipates a second CD release on Koch International Classics this year.

Imani Winds saw significant national exposure in previous seasons, with appearances on MPR’s Saint Paul Sunday and NPR’s Performance Today, a successful recital in New York’s Alice Tully Hall with Paquito D’Rivera, their Canadian debut in Ottawa, and participation in Chamber Music Society Two, a professional residency program of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The ensemble was also invited to the Virginia Arts Festival, where their residency week of performances and demonstrations in 2004 was so popular that they were immediately invited to return in 2005. Their residency and touring has taken them to nearly 20 states.

Imani Winds recently won the CMA/ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming, as well as the CMA/WQXR Award for its CD “Umoja.” Also, Imani Winds was chosen to participate in the 2003 Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Young Performers Career Advancement Seminar and was showcased at the Weill Concert Hall as a part of the conference.


At the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, Imani Winds was selected as first-ever Educational Residency Ensemble, in recognition of their significant educational mission, tremendous musical abilities and innovative programming. This creative group offers a wide array of residency programs for various settings, age groups and community outreach projects. Residencies often explore the culture and heritage of the African Diaspora, and introduce Western classical traditions to diverse classrooms. Additionally, the repertoire offered by Imani Winds highlights its members’ commitment to a multiplicity of music. Featuring numerous works by African, Latin and American composers, the ensemble often adds percussion and folk influences to the traditional wind quintet textures, taking its audience on a captivating journey through divergent ethnic and musical identities.


Imani Winds’ performance highlights include their New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall as winners of the Artists International Annual Prize, concerts at the Kennedy Center, Chicago Symphony Musicians Residency Program, Ravinia Festival, Princeton University, Columbia University, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts, Chautauqua Institution, St. Louis Premiere Performances, Savannah on Stage International Music Festival, Chamber Music America’s Rural Residency Program and the Fischoff Chamber Music Association. Also, the ensemble has toured internationally with eminent saxophonist Steve Coleman and can be heard on his recording The Ascension to Light.
Imani Winds’ debut recording, entitled “Umoja”, features original works by Imani flutist, Valerie Coleman. Their major label debut, “the Classical Underground” on Koch Entertainment, was released in January 2005.