GT Orchestra Performing at the Ferst Center

Georgia Tech School of Music Presents:
Exploration

Georgia Tech School of Music Presents:
Exploration

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021
7:30pm
Ferst Center for the Arts

 

Chaowen Ting, Conductor of the Georgia Tech Concert Orchestra
 

The Georgia Tech Concert Orchestra presents the Georgia premiere of “Archipelago”, a piece by American composer Alex Shapiro. This is followed by a performance of Beethoven’s second symphony, a work which possesses a sense of vitality and cheerfulness that belies the composer’s tormented feelings over the loss of his hearing.

Program

Georgia Tech Concert Orchestra

Archipelago (2009)

[Georgia Premiere]

Alex Shapiro
(b. 1962)

Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 (1806)

      I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio

      II. Larghetto

      III. Scherzo: Allegro

      IV. Allegro molto

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770 - 1827)

 

Program Notes - Archipelago

I live in a beautiful archipelago in which each island has a distinct character. Some are similar to each other, and others cause me to wonder what the geo-and meteorological forces could have been to make them so contrasting. This piece is not dissimilar, as it wends its way through a series of cohesive but varied segments, each subject to the forces of my own emotional geology.

Similarly, a musical ensemble is its own archipelago: wonderfully contrasting individuals who, when experienced together, form a compelling, unified group. As with navigating the channels and straits between isles, or those of one's psyche, ARCHIPELAGO offers a journey, and every listener will experience the landscape differently.

Headshot of Alex Shapiro

Composer Bio - Alex Shapiro

Alex Shapiro (b. New York City, 1962) composes acoustic and electroacoustic solo, chamber, choral, and symphonic pieces known for their lyricism and drama. Published by Activist Music, her works are heard daily in concerts and broadcasts across the U.S. and internationally, and they can be found on over thirty commercially released recordings from around the world.

Ms. Shapiro advocates for fellow creators through many published writings, webinars, and a wide scope of volunteer leadership. She is the Symphonic & Concert writer member on the Board of Directors of ASCAP, and she also serves on the boards of the ASCAP Foundation, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories marine research center.

Educated at The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music as a student of Ursula Mamlok and John Corigliano, Alex moved from Manhattan to Los Angeles in 1983, and in 2007 relocated to Washington State's remote San Juan Island, where she composes in a home perched on the water's edge, surrounded by wildlife. An award-winning nature photographer, Alex's images and music can be experienced on her website, www.alexshapiro.org.

Georgia Tech Concert Orchestra Members

Violin I

Noriyuki Shinagawa, Concertmaster Biomedical Engineering, 4th year
Andrew An, Assistant Concertmaster Mechanical Engineering, 3rd year
Dalton Yu Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 3rd year
Jasmine Hsu Industrial Design, 1st year
Heesuk Son Music Technology, 3rd year
Sohum Gala Computer Science, 3rd year
Lawrence Ro Electrical Engineering, 1st year
Felice Xie Industrial Systems Engineering, 3rd year

Violin II

Arvind Ramaswami, Principal Computer Science, 1st year masters
Melanie Su Biomedical Engineering, 3rd year
Vikram Chodapaneedi Aerospace Engineering, 2nd year
Avery Taylor Computer Science, 2nd year
Jack Turbush Aerospace Engineering, 1st year
Colin Cassell Computer Science, 3rd year

Viola

Andrew Chow, Principal Biomedical Engineering, 3rd year
Amanda Bock Public Policy, 2nd year
Hridee Haq Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, 4th year
Juliette Morrell Business Administration
Ivy Xue Neuroscience, 2nd year

Cello

Tyler Bierfreund, Principal Electrical Engineering/Physics, 3rd year
Youngho Yoo Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization, 5th year PhD
Dawei Liu Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 1st year
Evan Zhou Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 1st year

Bass

Ethan Feng, Principal Computer Science, 2nd year

Flute

Christine Lee International Affairs, 1st year
Michelle Pi Biology, 1st year

Oboe

Nicholas Lowe Environmental Engineering, 1st year
Anthony Otlowski Aerospace Engineering, 1st year

Clarinet

Nidhi Desai Atmospheric Science, 1st year PhD
Patrick Phelan Chemistry, 3rd year

Bassoon

Derek Rizzi Civil Engineering, 4th year
Lixin Zheng Mathematics, 2nd year

Horn

Matthew Reingold Materials Science and Engineering, 3rd year
Kate Blake Electrical Engineering, 3rd year

Trumpet

Qufei (Fiona) Hou Music Technology, 1st year
Xiao Lin Electrical Engineering, 1st year

Percussion

Taylor Chevalier Mechanical Engineering, 5th year
Alex Evitt Aerospace Engineering, 1st year

 

Upcoming Concerts

All School of Music concerts are free and open to the public!

November 18th, 2021
Georgia Tech Jazz Ensembles Performing

GT Jazz Ensembles

with Special Guest, Melvin Jones

November 20th, 2021
Prosthetic Hand Playing Piano

Pitch-A-Piece

Student-Led Chamber Choir Concert

November 29, 2021
Prosthetic Hand Playing the Piano

GT Glee Club Fall Concert

Georgia Tech Glee Club sings entirely original arrangements of unaccompanied music

Georgia Tech School of Music

Through interdisciplinary degree programs, outstanding performance ensembles, and innovative research endeavors, the Georgia Tech School of Music cultivates a rich legacy of musical traditions and develops cutting-edge technologies to help define music's future. The School serves students in bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs in music technology and offers innovative performance opportunities, courses, and cultural and artistic experiences for students throughout the Institute.