Primavera

Festival of Contemporary Arts and Digital Media

April 20–24, 2009, UCSB

In the Spirit of Henry B.

April 22 — Redolent of Seasons and of Hours

Three pieces marked to time periods anchor this festival program by ECM, directed by Jeremy Haladyna. There will be two octets: James MacMillan’s playful Three Dawn Rituals and Henry Brant’s richly somber A Requiem in Summer. On the virtuosic side, Thea Musgrave’s flute and voice duo Primavera ties directly to the season and our festival’s name. Calisa Hildebrand and Annie Thompson interpret. Isang Yun’s Quartett for flute, strings and piano explodes like a blossoming landscape, while visiting composer Pietro Dossena’s Eglantina breathes the traces of a fictional perfume. And, prepare for two fiery flute excursions: visiting CCS faculty composer Linda Holland’s Flute-’n-Boots played by Jill Felber, coupled with a Villa-Lobos classic — The Jet Whistle, with Beverly Brossmann, flute and Kate Mendenhall, cello.

The University of California–Santa Barbara’s Ensemble for Contemporary Music, directed by Dr. Jeremy Haladyna, is the resident contemporary music ensemble for the UCSB Department of Music. Its members include outstanding student and faculty performers. Formed in 1992, it has performed to high acclaim both on campus and in the Santa Barbara community.

“The ECM is the place to go for new music.” — Santa Barbara Independent

“When it comes to the sparse portions of contemporary music available in Santa Barbara, eager ears tend to lean toward UCSB, where its Ensemble for Contemporary Music presents several academic concerts each year.” — Santa Barbara News Press

“The Ensemble for Contemporary Music continues to play an important role in the musical life of Santa Barbara.” — Santa Barbara Independent

“This important event (New Music Festival) has quietly worked wonders over the past several years. Among the composers brought to town for past festivals are Milton Babbitt, Mel Powell, Lou Harrison, and Henry Brant.” — Los Angeles Times

Jeremy Haladyna, Director

Jeremy Haladyna holds prizes and academic qualifications from three countries. He is a diplòmè of the history-rich Schola Cantorum on Paris’ Left Bank. He also holds the Master’s degree with Distinction from the University of Surrey (U.K.). He has taught undergraduate composition at UCSB since 1991 and was awarded the Ph.D. in composition in 1993. In addition to his responsibilities with ECM, he teaches orchestration and is on the faculty of the College of Creative Studies, UCSB. As pianist, composer, conductor and organist, he has long been committed to the espousal of new music. Prizes from the Friends of Lili Boulanger and Britain’s MCPS Ltd. bear witness to his creativity, and his own music has recently been heard at St. John’s Smith Square, London; South Bank Centre, London; St. Paul’s Cathedral, London; BMIC, London; and the National Museum of Art, Mexico City. His On The Mat of The Jaquar Priest, written for Jill Felber, appears on Neuma records.