ELISE HALL JUBILÉE
(Short Blended Mobility)
INTRODUCTION
2024 marks the centenary of the death of Elisabeth Boyer Coolidge-Hall, Elise Hall, a Bostonian but born in France woman of the American High Society straddling the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Elise, married with a prestigious surgeon, suffered a lung disease, and, from then, she dedicated her life to music and to promote the saxophone, her instrument. President of the Boston Orchestral Club, musically directed by the French oboist George Longy, in the absence of a repertoire for her instrument, she commissioned, paid, and in many cases, premiered, 24 orchestral or chamber works in which the saxophone is, for the first time, the protagonist.
Thanks to her connections with France, many of that pieces were commisioned to important composers such as D'Indy, Schmitt, Caplet, the saxophonist François Combelle, Longy himself or Claude Debussy, adding among these composers up to 3 Rome Prizes. As fashion marked at that time, many of these pieces presented a tendency towards exoticism, with Oriental, Arabic or Spanish themes, in which the saxophone can offer its lyric character, and with names such as Divertimento Espagnol, Legende, Fantasie Arabique or, in the case of Debussy, Rhapsodie Mauresque, the first really significant work in the instrument's repertoire, and which would define many of the characteristics in the composition for the saxophone for future composers.
In a time that, even in the always advanced France, the role of women was mainly due to the domestic sphere, Hall faced the difficulty of being a woman, an American, an amateur performer and of playing an instrument that at that time was relegated to the military or circus fields. Even so, she was the first person to play a saxophone as a soloist with an orchestra in the world, a fact that took place in Paris in 1904 and that would be decisive for the development of the instrument, but which came to pass thanks to Hall's contacts and money.
Promoted by the French saxophonist Nicolas Prost, different projects around the world are coming up to highlight the figure and legacy of Hall, adding a necessary gender perspective to the historical evolution of the instrument. From the CSMVigo Saxophone Studio, we want to join the Jubilee by proposing a series of activities which, besides, require an exchange with students and Professors from other High Education Centers from different countries, supported by Blend Short-Term Mobility Erasmus programs.
OBJECTIVES
• Pay tribute to one of the pioneers of the saxophone on the centenary of her passing
• Put into value the repertoire commisioned by Elise Hall
• Share the academic knowledge generated in the CSMVigo saxophone Studio around the repertoire promoted by Elise Hall, with a critical lecture of the Legende by Fl. Schmitt and with the revision of the Legende by André Caplet.
• Bring a gender perspective to the development of the saxophone
• Promote a cross-cutting event, encouraging cooperation among different departments of various international schools.
METHODS AND ACTIVITIES
As a continuation of the work made two years ago thanks to Andreas van Zoelen and Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg around Adolphe Sax and the repertoire from the XIX Century, we propose a project that will have two steps: a series of virtual meetings for the planning, including two online lectures, and five days of live activities in Vigo that would include Lectures, Lecture-recitals, Masterclasses, Exhibitions, Rehearsals and Performances around Elise Hall, her repertoire, the repertoire by women composers of her time, women composers for saxophone, and the women in the saxophone.
• Outcomes:
- Students will have the experience of listening, practicing and playing original repertoire from the Impresionism Era
- Students will have insight in performing last 19th century-first 20th saxophone repertoire.
- Students will have insight in the broader, late 19th century-first 20th cultural context
- Students will provide a gender perspective of the evolution of the saxophone.
- Students will have insight new repertoire for saxophone by women composers of the era
- Students will broaden their international network with peers in the European Professional Music Context
ONLINE COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
Dates: 11/8 & 11/22, 2024
Meet and greet: community building and networking in an international framework:
• Introduction of the project: online and live parts explanation
• Introduction lecture: Who was Elise Hall and the cultural context in the 19th century by JMD*[1].
• Second lecture: Elise Hall Latests commissions. A View at Florent Schmitt Legende by Antonio Fernández.
PRESENCE ACTIVITIES DESCRIPTION
Dates: December 2024, from 9th to13th.
• Lectures:
- Recital-Lecture: André Caplet´s Legende. A new chamber version for the saxophone and piano. Pablo Rodríguez
- Lecture: Saxophone and illness, Ties Mellema
- Lecture: Selmer Historical saxophones, Manuel Fernández
- Virtual Round Table: Perspectives of women saxophonists at 21 Century, Erszébet Seleljo and others.
- Lecture: Elise Hall by Kurt Bertels
• Open Masterclasses by CSMVigo Teachers: Rafa Yebra: Contemporary women composers / Antonio Fernández: Historical Informed Repertoire by women composers
• 3 to 5 Open Masterclasses by guess teachers
• Rehearsals with Ad-Hoc Ensembles…
• Chamber music recitals: Music commisioned by Elise Hall, Music around this repertoire, music by women composers, women chamber music groups,…
• Big Ensembles Concert with Hall´s repertoire or female composers…(Debussy Rhapsody, Decruck´s Sonata,…)
• Sax-Inflexion Ensemble: four world premier pieces for Saxophone Ensemble by women composers.
• Exhibition: Around Elise Hall
• Brands Exhibition and presentations
NUMBER OF CREDITS TO BE AWARED
3 ECTS credits
STAFF
Organization Board: Rafael Yebra & Antonio Fernández. Aula de Saxofón del CSMVigo.
Coordinated: José Luis Fernández, CSMVigo Erasmus Office
Pianists: Pablo Rodríguez, CSMVigo
Production Staff: CSMVigo Master Students
GUEST ERASMUS TEACHERS INVOLVED
• Dr. Edward Goodman, University of Arizona at Tucson, USA
• Prof. Ties Mellema Fontys Conservatorium Saxophone Studio, Tilburg. Netherlands
• Prof. Virgo Veldi. Eesti Muusikaja Teatriakademia Saxophone Studio, Tallin. Estonia
• Manuel Padula. Conservatorio Umberto Giordano di Rodi Garganico, Italy
• Prof. Danilo Russo, Conservatorio Nino Rota di Monopoli, Italy
• Prof. Alessandro Malagnino, Conservatorio Nino Rota di Monopoli, Italy
• Prof. Dario Balzan, Conservatorio P.L. Palestrina, Cagliari, Italy
LECTURE-RECITAL, RECITALS& CONCERTS SCHEDULE and PROGRAMS
12/09/2024. About Legends.
Auditorio Martín Codax, CSMVigo
16:30h. Lecture-Recital.
Two Elise Hall Pieces new versions for saxophone and piano by Pablo Rodríguez
• Legende (1903), André CAPLET
• Concertstuck (1910), Jean HURÉ
Antonio Fernández (saxophone) & Pablo Rodríguez (piano) _____________________________________________________________
12/10/2024 19:00h. Contemporary Women Composers.
Auditorio Martín Codax, CSMVigo
Women Composers Solo pieces & Ensemble Creations
• Soliloquy on the wings (2024), Kay HE. Edward Goodman
• Color de Invierno (2019), Alicia DÍAZ DE LA FUENTE. Rafael Yebra
SaxInflexion Ensemble. Four world premieres ̈
• Itsaslabar (2024), for 12 saxes. Beatriz ARIZMENDI, 1961
• Three Summer Pieces (2024), for sax quartet. Nuria SÁNCHEZ, 2001
• Yua (2024), for sax quintet. Gloria RODRÍGUEZ, 1972
• Entre Luces y Sombras, for 12 saxes. Laura DE LAS HERAS, 1998
̈ Pieces commissioned by SaxInflexion Ensemble for the event
________________________________________________________________________
12/11/2024 19:00h Around Elise Hall ́s Repertory.
Auditorio Martín Codax, CSMVigo
Pieces for saxophone & piano or small ensemble*.
• Prelude a la pre-midi d ́une faune, (1894) Claude DEBUSSY
Alessandro Malagnino & Pablo Rodríguez
• Legende (1919), Florent SCHMITT.
Ties Mellema & Pablo Rodríguez
• Two pieces, (1925), Germaine TAILLEFERRE
• La Rue Chagrin
• Berceuse
Edward Goodman & Pablo Rodríguez
• Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899), Maurice RAVEL
Virgo Veldi & Pablo Rodríguez
• Le Tombeau de Couperin -selection-(1919), Maurice RAVEL*. Mar Bel (fl), Antonio Fernández (sx) & Pablo Rodríguez (pia)
____________________________________________________________
12/12/2024 19:00h Chamber Music & Saxiana Repertoire.
Event´s Alumni. Auditorio Martín Codax, CSMVigo
• Premier Quatuor op. 10 (1893), Claude DEBUSSY.
• I mov.VigoSaxophoneStudioQuartet (1)
• Quatuor pour saxophones op. 102 (1948), Florent SCHMITT.
• I mov.
VigoSaxophoneStudioQuartet (2)
• Trio pour Hautbois, Basson et piano op. 43 (1926), Fr. POULENC.
• II mov.
Fontys Student+Vigo pianist (Iria Garrido, Juan Vélez, Carmen Bargiela)
• Trasparenze, (2024), Eleonora ALTEA *
Conservatorio PLPalestrina (Cagliari) Saxophone Quartet
• Plum (2024), Emma JONQUET^.
Elise Hall all Female Saxophone Consort.
Conducted by Prof. Dario Balzan
• We thank you, Elise Hall (2024), Katia BEAUJAIS^. Elise Hall all Female Saxophone Consort.
Conducted by Prof. Dario Balzan
*WorldPremiere, commisioned by Cagliari Conservatory.
^ Pieces commissioned by Nicolas Prost- Saxiana.
________________________________________________________
12/13/2024 19:00h ELISE HALL JUBILEE
Auditorio Martín Codax, CSMVigo
Guest Soloist+ AdHoc Ensembles. Elise Hall´s Big Ensemble
Solo pieces conducted by Dr. Javier Viceiro
EH Big Ensemble conducted by Prof. Dario Balzan
• Rhapsodie pour orchestra et saxophone (1905), Claude DEBUSSY/Ballon
Soloist Dr. Edward Goodman
Debussy Ensemble
Conducted Dr. Javier Viceiro
• Choral Variée, (1903) Vincent D ́INDY/Mambretti*
Soloist Prof. Manuel Padula
D´Indy Ensemble
Conducted Dr. Javier Viceiro
• Impresions d ́Automne, (1903) André CAPLET/Russo*
Soloist Prof. Danilo Russo
Caplet Ensemble
Conducted Dr. Javier Viceiro
• Sonata en Ut#, (1943) Fernande DECRUCK/Bois*
Soloist Prof. Alessandro Malagnino
Decruck´s Ensemble
Conducted Dr. Javier Viceiro
• L ́Arlesienne, Suite n1 (1872), George BIZET/Londeix.
ELISE HALL ́S BIG ENSEMBLE
Prof. Dario Balzan, Conductor
* World Premiere arrangement for Elise Hall 100 Jubilee commisioned by the teachers involved.
TEACHERS BIOS
TIES MELLEMA (Fontys Conservatorium, Tilburg)
“I don’t do styles; I play music. Not classical, not jazz, not pop, but any music that speaks to me and is a true expression of something. I am particularly curious about the music that lies between the styles.” Although Ties Mellema is undisputedly a virtuoso on the saxophone, he sees himself first and foremost as a musician. His craft is expressed in his continuous exploration of the outer limits of music.
From classical and minimal to improv, funk and jazz – Mellema has inhabited the space between the established styles and disciplines for over 20 years.
Taking on and then overcoming challenges and telling a story are always at the heart of his work. Whether it’s the false-polyphonic cello suites by Johann Sebastian Bach on baritone saxophone, the monomaniac Gradus by Philip Glass or the extreme free jazz by his hero John Coltrane: Ties always goes in search of the boundaries of disciplines and the possibilities on his instrument. He continuously challenges himself to retell the music’s story. He lets his instrument speak – as opposed to sing, as is normally the case.
His multi-facetted style of working has brought Ties worldwide recognition and collaborations with, to name but a few, Gustavo Dudamel, Concertgebouw Tracks, MTV, Tania Kross, the Four Baritones, Hans Dulfer and Rembrandt Frerichs. Together with director Jos van Kan, composer Ian Wilson and stage designer Michiel Voet Ties made The End of Desire: a personal and abstract music theatre performance in which he incorporated his injury—an accident that almost meant the end of his career as a musician.
In 2015 Ties fell seriously ill for a number of years and besides playing the saxophone he began composing with electronics. After 20 years of playing in the Amstel Quartet, which he co-founded, Ties decided it was time to follow his own path. He claims that since then, he has been making more intense and specifically more intuitive music. You can hear that in his concerts and his own compositions, mostly with his new group PEAX with percussionist and drummer Barry Jurjus. On stage Ties tells a compelling story that draws in the listener and takes him along on an auditory journey.
Ties has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Netherlands Music Prize. Various albums featuring Ties, both as solo artist and ensemble player, were released by Amstel Records and PEAX Records.
Ties Mellema has an Eppelsheim bass saxophone on loan from the collection of The Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation and plays Légère reeds.
DANILO RUSSO (Conservatorio Nino Rora di Monopoli)
Danilo began his music studies when he was only 5 years old, and then graduated with distinction at the renowned Conservatoire of St. Peter in Naples, having studied with Prof. Francesco Salime.Danilo has achieved a number of awards both as a solo player and as part of chamber music groups. He has joined the Accademia Nazionale of Santa Cecilia in Rome, contributing to various recordings and TV performances, playing with internationally-recognized conductors and solo players, such as S. Bollani, W. Marshall, Y. Temirkanov, and E. Morricone. Danilo is also playing with the Teatro Cilea Orchestra in Reggio Calabria, La Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti in Naples, the Foundation Teatro Petruzzelli Orchestra in Bari and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Calabria.As part of the Saxophone Ensemble “F.Salime”, he took part in the World Saxophone Congress in Valencia (Spain), Montreal (Canada), and St. Andrews (Scotland).In the area of music teaching and education, he has published both original studies and adaptations with various publishers, such as Volontè & Co., Eufonia, Musik Fabrik, Music Publishing.
Danilo is professor of saxophone at the “N. Rota” Conservatoire of Monopoli. Danilo is also part of the artist of Vandoren, JLV and H. Selmer Paris.
ALESSANDRO MALAGNINO (Conservatorio Nino Rora di Monopoli)
Alessandro Malagnino was born on May 31, 1998 in Casarano, Italy.
He first studied at the “Tito Schipa” Conservatory, where he obtained the master’s degree in Saxophone with the mention “110/110 con lode e menzione d’onore”, also thanks to the precious advice of Mr. Juan Jimenez Alba who marked him deeply during a year at the Manuel Castillo Conservatory in Seville.
He decided to perfect his skills in France at the Regional Conservatory of Versailles with Mr. Vincent David and his assistant Mr. Nicolas Arsenijevic and then at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris in the class of Mr. Claude Delangle where he obtained the Prize for the 2nd Higher Cycle with the mention “Very good unanimously with the congratulations of the jury” and subsequently obtainedthe 3rd higher cycle whit the “Ensemble Next”.
Alessandro is a laureate of several international competitions such as in the prestigious International Competition “Adolphe Sax di Dinant” where he obtained second prize, Andorra Sax Fest Competition, the Adolphe Sax Competition of Hay-Les-Roses, the 3rd International Saxophone Competition Exigentia, the “Marco Fiorindo” competition, the “FRANCE MUSIC COMPETITION 3rd edition” competition and others.
Alessandro plays in concert as a soloist, and with other chamber music formations such as the Ensemble Next du 3e cycle at the CNSMDP. He has collaborated with various orchestras such as the Jonico salentina wind orchestra, the Orchestre National D’île-de-France, the ICO “Tito Schipa” orchestra from Lecce.
He teaches at the Monopoli Music Conservatory ʺNino Rotaʺ and he is also invited to give masterclasses as many teachers in Italy and abroad as at the XXVII International Saxophone Stage in Fermo, at the Conservatoire de musique Pietro Mascagni de Livorno, Harceg Novi in Montenegro, the Amici della Musica Academy of Acri, Masterclass Exigentia and others.
MANUEL PADULA (Conservatorio Umberto Giordano, Rodi Garganico)
Born in 1993, Raffaele Manuel Padula graduated in saxophone in 2012 at the “Umberto Giordano” Conservatoire of Music in Rodi Garganico, Foggia, where he studied with Maestro Gabriele Buschi. In 2014, at the same Conservatoire of music, he obtained a Master’s degree with honours in Saxophone. Later, in 2017, he graduated with honours in Chamber Music (Master’s degree) at the “Giovan Battista Martini” Conservatoire of Music in Bologna where he studied with Maestro Guido Felizzi. In the last 2020, he completed his studies with Maestro Hans de Jong at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp (Belgium) where he obtained a Master in Arts and Music cum laude.Throughout his academic studies, he brilliantly attended many masterclasses conducted by musicians such as Mario Marzi, Hans de Jong, Angel Soria Diaz, Marco Gerboni, Francesco Santucci, Bill Smith, Jérôme Laran, Arno Bornkamp, Paweł Gusnar,Federico Mondelci. He also took private lessons by Marco Gerboni and Massimo Mazzoni.Manuel Padula also achieved many national and international prizes, for instance in 2015 he won the first prize at the “Concorso Internazionale Garganum” playing an interesting composition by Maestro Daniele Faziani. In the following 2017 and 2018 he obtained the first prize at the “Concorso Alberghini” both in chamber music – with the pianist Andrea D’Alonzo – and soloist wind instrument. After winning an audition, in 2016 dicember 17th, he played as soloist at the Comunale Theatre of Bologna with the orchestra conducted by Maestro Alberto Caprioli.Manuel Padula regularly works as saxophonist with the Comunale Theatre of Bologna and The Philarmonic Orchestra of Bologna in different productions such as West Side Story in 2018 (conducted by Maestro Timothy Brock) and with the Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor Maestro Kristjan Jarvi) with Stefano Bollani as solist in 2019 (…). In 2023 Manuel Padula performed with the Teatro Comunale Orchestra for a very important symphonic production directed by the world-renowned director Daniel Oren.Manuel Padula plays in duo with different pianists as Andrea D’Alonzo and Luca Cocomazzi in majour theatres throughout Italy and Europe. He worked with severals orchestras being Orchestra Aquilana, Wind Orchestra of Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, Symfonie Orkest of Antwerp. In 2019 he set up the European Panlink Saxophone Quartet which plays several concerts in Italy and Europe.In 2021 he published his first album “Hasta que la musica se pare” as a tribute to Astor Piazzolla, in duo with the pianist Francesco Monaco. At a later time, he published another album “In Time” in duo with the pianist Stefano Bezziccheri.In 2022 he published two important recording projects with the Accademia 2008 publishing house.The wind quartet has recorded a disc dedicated to the Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla on the title “Un año después” , subsequently, he recorded as a soloist with the wind orchestra of Umbria “Orchestra Fiati della Valnerina”.Manuel Padula is a Buffet Crampon Artist.
DARIO BALZAN (Conservatorio Pier Luigi da Palestrina, Cagliari)
After completing his musical studies in the city of Bologna, he embarked on an intense concert career – in quartet and duo – and in promoting saxophone literature.
He has performed under the direction of renowned conductors, including G. Pretre, L. Berio, E. Inbal, D. Kitaenko, D. Oren, Y. Sado, V. Gergiev, Y. Ahronovich, G. Albrecht, J. Kovatchev, H. Soudant, and R.F. de Burgos, collaborating with numerous orchestras – the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, the Teatro Regio Orchestra in Turin, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Teatro Verdi Orchestra in Trieste, and the Teatro Lirico Orchestra in Cagliari.
In contemporary music, he collaborates with the Salzburg Ensemble "El Cimarron" and, over the years, has worked on premieres with notable composers such as S. Sciarrino, G. Bonato, A. Cera, and many others.
He holds the saxophone chair at the "G.P. da Palestrina" Conservatory in Cagliari. In addition to his work as a teacher and musician, he is involved in artistic consulting and programming for various festivals and events.
He lives and works between Veneto, Sardinia (Italy) and Carinthia (Austria), where he regularly holds advanced courses and masterclasses.
VIRGO VELDI (Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre)
The incredible charm and masterful playing of saxophonist Virgo Veldi makes him one of Estonia’s most well known and sought after artists. He obtained his BA and MA degree cum laude from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and complemented his studies at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. As a young musician he won many of the main prizes at Estonia’s most important competitions.Virgo is an active freelance artist playing numerous chamber music concerts and recital seach year as well as solo performances with orchestras in Estonia and abroad, in collaboration with such renowned conductors as Risto Joost, Lauri Sirp, Mikk Murdvee, Olari Elts, Vello Pähn, Jüri Alperten and Nikolai Alexeev. Virgo Veldi has worked as a saxophone teacher at the Georg Ots Tallinn Music School and theSibelius High School in Helsinki. Since 2001 hehas taught at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, from 2012 as Associate Professor, having given numerous master classes in different countries in Europe. From 1999 to 2004 he was a member and artistic director of the saxophone quartet SaxEst. Recent seasons have taken him on tour in Estonia,Italy, the UK and Sweden with the renowned Swedish based international string orchestra Camerata Nordica, playing a new commission by Daniela Terranova and a piece Prayer written for him by the Estonian composer Galina Grigorjeva.
Dr. EDWARD GOODMAN
Edward Goodman has been described as “extraordinary...musical, expressive” (Larry Rachleff), distinguished by “the soul and passion he pours into the horn that draws the listener in close” (Dave Koz). Goodman has received awards of regional and national acclaim, including first prize of the North American Saxophone Alliance Solo Competition, and winner of Michigan State University’s and University of Michigan’s concerto competitions. His debut album, Liminal, has been considered “diabolically brilliant” (Fanfare Magazine), and whose interpretations are “to become standard” (The Saxophonist). Goodman co-founded the internationally recognized saxophone sextet, The Moanin' Frogs, winners of the 2018 M-Prize Chamber Competition, and has performed in notable chamber ensembles such as PRISM and theDonald Sinta Quartet. He regularly performs in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and has performed in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, and New World Symphony. Goodman is the Associate Professor of Saxophone at The University of Arizona School of Music, and endorses Conn-Selmer, D’Addario Woodwinds, and Key Leaves products.
[1] * Pending confirmation
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