What is Transient Glory?
Transient Glory® was created in 2001 by Francisco J. Núñez and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™ to spotlight the children’s chorus as an instrument capable of making music of the highest quality. Now, a decade later with more than 60 YPC premieres of music commissioned from many of the most visionary composers of our time, including Pulitzer Prize, Oscar, and MacArthur “genius” grant recipients, YPC’s Transient Glory is playing a huge role in the ever-evolving fabric of music in the 21st century.
Physical Involvement throughout Symposium
The majority of the Symposium will occur at the newly developed DiMenna Center for Classical Music (part of the Baryshnikov Arts Center), with masterclasses and concerts at the trendy Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village, Kaufman Hall of the 92nd Street Y and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. Participants will conduct, read new music, stand in as a rehearsal choir, be involved in discussions, attend rehearsals with YPC, interact with composers and Symposium Faculty, share with each other, and explore all aspects of new music written for young voices.
Concert Program
Thursday, February 16, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street
Young People’s Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director/Founder
John Schaefer, Host
Dominick DiOrio, Conducting Fellow
Rebecca Lord, Conducting Fellow
Stephanie Mowery, Conducting Fellow
JACK Quartet
Jon Holden, Piano
Dov Scheindlin, Viola
Joshua Roman, Cello
Chris Thompson, Percussion
Thursday, February 16 Program
Michael Gordon Potassium (chamber work)
Michael Gordon Exalted (Transient Glory commission)
Michael Gordon Cinnamon (World Premiere commission)
Derek Bermel Soul Garden (chamber work)
Derek Bermel A Child’s War (Transient Glory commission)
Derek Bermel YPChant (World Premiere commission)
Paquito D’Rivera Invitation to the Danzón (chamber work)
Paquito D’Rivera Tembandumba (Transient Glory commission)
Paquito D’Rivera Un Minuto (World Premiere commission)
Tickets: $20
Call 212-505-FISH
www.lepoissonrouge.com
Friday, February 17, 2012, 8 p.m.
Kaufmann Concert Hall, 92nd Street Y (at Lexington Avenue)
Young People’s Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez , Artistic Director/Founder
John Schaefer, Host
Ana Alvarez, Conducting Fellow
Karen Cooksey, Conducting Fellow
Tian Hui Ng, Conducting Fellow
JACK Quartet
Courtney Budd, Soprano
Jon Holden, Piano
Jacqueline Kerrod, Harp
Chris Thompson, Percussion
Friday, February 17 Program
Joan Tower Incandescent (chamber work)
Joan Tower Can I (Transient Glory commission)
Joan Tower Descent (World Premiere commission)
Bright Sheng String Quartet No. 5 “The Miraculous” (chamber work)
Bright Sheng The Boatmen’s Song (Transient Glory commission)
Bright Sheng Thirty-Mile Village (World Premiere commission)
David Del Tredici String Quartet No. 1 “Innocence” (chamber work)
David Del Tredici Four Heartfelt Anthems (Transient Glory commission)
David Del Tredici Credo Fugue (World Premiere commission)
Tickets: $20
Call 212-415-5500
www.92y.org
Saturday, February 18, 8 p.m.
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue)
Young People’s Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez , Artistic Director
John Schaefer, Host
Ana Alvarez, Conducting Fellow
Karen Cooksey, Conducting Fellow
Jennah Delp, Conducting Fellow
Dominick DiOrio, Conducting Fellow
Rebecca Lord, Conducting Fellow
Stephanie Mowery, Conductor
Tian Hui Ng, Conducting Fellow
Troy David Robertson, Conducting Fellow
JACK Quartet
Courtney Budd, Soprano
Jon Holden, Piano
Jacqueline Kerrod, Harp
Chris Thompson, Percussion
Saturday, February 18, Program
Joan Tower Can I (Transient Glory commission)
Michael Gordon Exalted (Transient Glory commission)
John Corigliano Snapshot: circa 1909/ String Quartet No. 1, “Scherzo” (Chamber works)
John Corigliano One Sweet Morning (Transient Glory commission)
John Corigliano Upon Julia’s Clothes (World Premiere commission)
David Del Tredici Movements from Four Heartfelt Anthems (Transient Glory commission)
Derek Bermel A Child’s War (Transient Glory commission)
Douglas J. Cuomo A Far Playground (chamber work)
Douglas J. Cuomo Fortune (Transient Glory commission)
Douglas J. Cuomo How to Survive in the Woods (World Premiere commission)
Bright Sheng The Boatmen’s Song (Transient Glory commission)
Paquito D’Rivera Tembandumba (Transient Glory commission)
Tickets $20
Call 212-247-7800
www.carnegiehall.org
The Transient Glory® Symposium will be highlighted by three evening concerts, each containing several mini-concerts spotlighting a diverse look at the music of all Transient Glory® Symposium composers, including a Transient Glory® choral work previously commissioned by 2011 MacArthur Fellow and YPC Artistic Director/Founder, Francisco J. Núñez, a related chamber work, and the world-premiere performance of one- to two-minute choral works. All eight of these world premiere compositions are underwritten by Classical Movements.
World Premiere Compositions
All World Premieres Are Generously Underwritten By Classical Movements
Derek Bermal - YPChant
"I wrote YPChant as a tribute to the Young People's Chorus and their fearless leader Francisco J. Nuñez. It's designed to be performed at Carnegie Hall and Le Poisson Rouge, but also on long bus rides to gigs."
John Corigliano - Upon Julia’s Clothes (2011)
"This 17th century jewel by Robert Herrick seems me to be a love poem, both to a beautiful woman, and to the glittering clothes she wears."
Douglas J. Cuomo – How to Survive in the Woods (2011)
“For Benjamin and Eli - the text is my own, a paraphrase on advice on how to survive if you're lost in the woods.”
David Del Tredici - Credo Fugue (2011)
“Credo Fugue for a cappella chorus is based on a poem by the 17th century metaphysical poet, Robert Herrick. The piece’s energetic and fervent expression is but a reflection of Herrick’s own religious enthusiasm. The music’s restless, shifting chromaticism will, I suspect, be a challenge to any vocal group – save perhaps Francisco Nunez and his virtuoso singers!”
Paquito D’Rivera – Un Minuto
"When the organizers of the Transient Glory Symposium asked me to write a one minute long piece for the wonderful Young People’s Chorus of New York, I thought they were pulling my leg. But then I remembered Chopin’s famous One Minute Waltz (that very few players finish on time), called my poet friend Alexis Romay for some help with the lyrics, and got down to work.
First thing I did was to set a page with 30 bars and the metronome mark of 120 quarter notes a minute on it. Then I accommodated a simple rhythmic melody to the Spanish and English words I’d written already with the ones Alexis sent me; and so starting with the phrase- Un minuto, tengo solo un minuto para cantar esta canción- All I’ve got is a minute to sing this song- I little by little built a bilingual, sort of humoristic song that lasted exactly that. Just a minute!"
Michael Gordon – Cinnamon
"In Cinnamon the sound travels spatially through the choir while the piano is spinning out the tread of the melody. I was delighted to collaborate with Francisco Nunez on this piece."
Bright Sheng – Thirty-Mile Village - 三十里鋪
“In 2003, I wrote Boatmen’s Song, a work for two-part chorus and harp for the Young People’s Chorus of New York. It has been my intention to write a few more of these short chorus works based on Chinese folk songs. So I was happy to oblige to Francisco’s recent request as the second installment. “Like Boatmen’s Song, Thirty-Mile Village is also from northern Shaanxi Province which is known for its beautiful and soaring folk melodies.”
Joan Tower – Descent (2011)
"My one minute choral work is titled Descent. This is probably one of the simplest and fastest pieces I ever wrote. It consists of a series of slow descending chords that flow in a steady rhythm downward. The five vowels are used to differentiate the phrases."