New Works for Soprano Saxophone and Marimba
Amy Mikalauskas and Corey Robinson / classical, contemporary
“Sennight Sonata” and “Atmospheric Escape” by Corey Robinson for Amy Mikalauskas are an opportunity to hear the surprising, innovative and not well-known association of saxophone and marimba.
Biography
Amy Mikalauskas and Corey Robinson both graduated from Slippery Rock University (PA) with Bachelor degrees in Music Education. Amy is pursuing two master’s degrees at Illinois State University in Saxophone Performance and Conducting. She has received many awards and scholarships and is active as a performer, educator, and conductor. She has studied with Paul Nolen, Jason Kush, and Otis Murphy. Corey Robinson received his Master of Music from Indiana University and is currently pursuing his DMA in the percussion department at the University of North Texas. Corey has studied performance and composition with David Glover, Kevin Bobo, John Tafoya, Mark Ford, and Christopher Deane. He is an active composer and his most recent work is to be premiered at a NASA region conference in January.
More informations
Sennight is an archaic word for seven days and nights. The number 7 plays an integral role in the structure of the work. The most structural goal point of the work is the arrival on B-natural, seven half steps above E. Seven is also realized as meter, the number of notes in a motive, and the combination of harmonic and melodic 3rds and 4ths. Nigh is defined as “nearly” or “almost.” The use of brackets combines these definitions to create a title that represents a piece that is nearly a sonata and emphasizes the number seven.
The work is traditional in form while maintaining a post-modern approach to tonality. Key areas are set and expounded upon while traditional major-minor triad relationships are avoided. The tritone replaces the dominant as a goal point in each section of the work. The opening theme of the sonata is in the key area of E while the second theme ventures into the area of B-flat. The key area of the development wanders up from E to F-sharp to A and eventually becomes fixed on B-flat. This B-flat ultimately requires a re-start to finally contain enough energy to rise up to B-natural. The B-natural marks the goal of the opening E and the end of the development of the traditional sonata form.
The recapitulation is reversed to proved the harmonic foundation for a descending line from B through A and F-sharp, finally arriving on E, essentially reversing all of the progress that the piece has made so far. The piece concludes with a bout of density confirming of the original key area of E.
Programming
09/07/2015 17:00 - 17:30
Cité de la musique et de la danse - Salle 21
Musicians / speakers
- Mikalauskas Amy / Soprano Saxophone (United States)
- Robinson Corey / Marimba (United States)
Program
- Sen[nigh]t Sonata (Corey Robinson)
- Atmospheric Escape (Corey Robinson)