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UC Davis Symphony Orchestra Presents: “Pastoral Moods”
March 5, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Varies
Pandemic Pieces by Joseph Peterson
Evoking a multitude of feelings brought on by the Covid pandemic, UC Davis graduate student composer Joseph Peterson—winner of the 2022 UCDSO Composition Award—names the three “Pandemic” pieces: (1) Scrolling; (2) Hope in these uncertain times; (3) and We are the flood. As a whole, the work captures feelings we have each had during these pandemic years: anxiousness, calm, and mourning. Feelings which have, at times, clashed with one another. And yet, the pieces end with a final hopeful glimmer.
Violinist Rachel Lee Priday as Kuyén
Miguel Farías’s Kuyén was written for violinist Rachel Lee Priday and conductor Christian Baldini. The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra commissioned the piece with funds from Ibermúsicas. In this violin concerto, the violin soloist represents Kuyén, who creates bright resonances against the orchestra, which represents the Earth. The connections between the two entities sometimes present in harsh and rustic sounds, exploring the roots of humanity. Kuyén comes from the Mapudungun word küyen of the Mapuche people, who are indigenous peoples from portions of Chile and Argentina. Kuyén is a personification of the moon in their culture—the feminine of creation. Antu, the sun, and the most powerful pillán (deity) chose Kuyén as his wife. This evoked the envy of the rest of the Wangulens (female stars) and ended with a revolt. Antu punished the rebels and the Wangulens lost their luster. After that, the brightest light of the night was Kuyén.
Nature and Antonín Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony
As the title of the program suggests, a little bit of nature is present in every program piece. In particular, Antonín Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony brims with natural imagery: the songs of calm rolling hills, complete with solo flute lines that echo across orchestral landscapes. Should any audience member become lost in the bucolic and waltz-like nature of the first three movements, a dramatic trumpet call will awake them in the final movement, which gives way to a rousing finale evocative of Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances.
