Salem Sees World Premiere of Woodwind Trio
SALEM, Mass., Nov. 16, 2016–Salem State music faculty member Amy McGlothlin and guest artists Eileen Yarrison and Bill Kirkley wowed a university when they premiered a cycle of five pieces for woodwinds titled, “Japanese Mythology Cycle for Woodwind Trio,” by composer Brandon Nelson last week.
Nelson, whose association with Salem State University (SSU) began on Twitter, is an American composer who has always been interested in mythology with a special attraction to Japan and its rich culture, according to an SSU calendar report.
This particular woodwind composition was an opportunity for Nelson to find “fertile creative ground,” and, “immense myself in these [Japanese mythological] cultural offerings,” the report noted.
Yarrison, who performed the cycle on different flutes and piccolos, recalled the first time she and the composer were in touch.
“Our association with Brandon started with Twitter when he tweeted asking for people to commission him and his work,” she said. “After he commissioned a piece for the New England Flute Orchestra, which I am a member of, we [the music faculty at SSU] kept asking for a little bit more [music]. So this is the little bit more, and we’re very excited to premiere it for you.”
The five-piece woodwind cycle is based on characters and stories from Japanese mythology. The first piece, Izanagi and Izanami, is a duet for flute and Bb clarinet that depicts the god and goddess (Izanagi and Izanami) who played a key role in the peopling of Japan. Through the mythological tale of Izanagi and Izanami the cycle of life and death begins for the people of Japan. The music is in two parts, conveying the frustration and conflict of the god and goddess before transitioning to a peaceful, bittersweet ending.
The cycle continues with three pieces based musically and thematically on Japanese gods and goddesses: Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun and universe, Fujin, god of the wind, Rajin god of thunder, and Benzaiten, goddess of everything that flows. Each piece varies in melody, mood, boldness, and countless other musical elements, each one connecting within the progression of the five-piece cycle.
The final piece, Night Parade of 100 Demons” is a trio for flute, alto sax, and bass clarinet, and is the culmination of the cycle. It depicts a nightly procession of yokai roots in ancient folklore. Yokai are a class of supernatural monsters, spirits and demons. The music and instrumentalists emote the frightening and mysterious nature of the parade, crescendoing to a grand finale of sound and expression.
Kirkley and Yarrison were joined by Amy McGlothlin, the applied saxophone instructor at Salem State University and Gordon College. The recital hall in the SSU Central Campus, with resonating acoustics and clear lighting, provided the perfect setting for a woodwind concert. The composer was unfortunately not present for the concert, but viewed the premiere live over Skype.
After the performance, Katie Sylvester, a sophomore music major at SSU, stated that she enjoyed the performance.
“I liked the first and last movements of the cycle. You could really picture the different gods and goddesses with the notes the instruments played,” said Sylvester, a voice major at SSU who hadn’t heard of Nelson. She added that she liked his use of the different instruments in the composition.
Richard Moore, a freshman music major at SSU studying percussion, had heard about the concert on campus within the music department.
“I thought the concert was interesting and sounded very ‘new-age’,[music],” said Moore.
When asked what could be done to promote future cultural and arts events, like the world premiere of the “Japanese Mythology Cycle for Woodwind Trio,” Moore stated that the campus could advertise the concerts more with fliers and online.
“They have these [concerts] at least twice a month,” said Moore.
Anyone interested in future SSU arts events, usually free for students with an ID, should monitor www.salemstate.edu/arts.
