May 14th, 2010 Concert

DSC_2955 - Version 2, originally uploaded by bendersaxophone.

Three chamber ensembles, including the flute-guitar duo of Lisa Nichols and Wenjun Qi, will be performing with the SSO on Friday.

Pictures at an Exhibition May 14, 2010

NEWS RELEASE


Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra performs Pictures at an Exhibition

(Ashland, Ore.) –Ashland locals and internationally renowned Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Rhett Bender, performs the famous Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky on Friday, May 14th at 8:00 PM at the SOU Music Recital Hall. Audience members are invited to a cake reception following the concert.

Mussorgsky wrote Pictures at an Exhibition after the sudden death of his friend, artist Viktor Hartmann. The music depicts an imaginary tour of Hartmann’s art. Originally it was a showpiece for piano but it was made famous by its many orchestrations. Most notably are the orchestral arrangement by Ravel and the progressive rock version by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. William Schmidt’s version for saxophone is perfectly suited to the musicians of the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra. Also featured on the concert is chamber music from the New People’s Quartet and the SOU Woodwind Trio.

The Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra (SSO) is comprised of students, both music majors and non-music majors, and faculty, staff and administrators from Southern Oregon University. Under the direction of Rhett Bender, Professor of Music at SOU, the SSO arranges, composes and commissions music of all styles and musical periods. Featuring the rare sopranino and bass saxophones, its performances showcase styles from classical music, opera highlights, American big band hits, world music, and original pieces written for the SSO. In October 2007, the SSO traveled to China where they performed to mobs of admiring music fans. As the guests of Mercury Saxophones, the SSO performed at the China Music Trade Show in Shanghai and at the northern seaside resort city of Yantai. The SSO have performed live on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Greenshow and KTVL Channel 10 Morning News. They were recently honored by being selected for a performance at the XVth World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand.

Tickets for this performance are only $5 for general admission and free for students. Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance. For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Department website at www.sou.edu/music.

-SOU-

Running Tune Robert Baksa (b.1938)

Lullaby

March

Badinage Paul Koepke (1918-2000)

SOU Woodwind Trio

Kaleigh Hull, flute

Malin Judah, oboe

Connie Gardner, clarinet

Misterioso and Final from Quatour de Saxophones Ida Gotkovksy (b.1933)

New People’s Quartet

Holly Kruggel, soprano

Tang Di, alto

Jamie Krull, tenor

Rhett Bender, baritone

INTERMISSION

Pictures at an Exhibition Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)

Promenade arranged by William Schmidt

1. The Gnome

Promenade

2. The Old Castle

Promenade

3. Tulleries

4. Bydlo

Promenade

5. Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

6. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle

Promenade

7. The Market Place at Limoges

8. Catacombs

Lingua Mortua

9. The Hut of Baba Yaba

10. The Great Gate of Kiev

Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra

Tang Di, soprano

Jamie Krull, alto

Holly Kruggel, alto

David Whipp, alto

Kirsten Campbell, tenor

Andrew Krug, tenor

Connie Gardner, tenor

Steve Davidson, baritone

Kylee Rohrbacker, baritone

Tovi Olivolo, bass

Rhett Bender, artistic director

Remembering Dr. Kenneth M. Fischer

On Wednesday, December 9th, 2010 my friend, mentor and colleague Dr. Kenneth Fischer died after a brief illness. He was a frequent teacher at the Siskiyou Saxophone Workshop and guest of Southern Oregon University. Dr. Fischer was only 58 years old.

Twenty years ago this December I met Dr. Fischer. I met him and Dr. Rousseau in the Yamaha area at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 1989. My friend was meeting Dr. Rousseau for a lesson and it was an unexpected surprise to also meet Dr. Fischer. He had recently been featured in the Saxophone Journal. It was an interview by a former student, Tom Smialek, about Fischer's career and teaching. I was so motivated by his teaching philosophy that it prompted my to write a letter to the editor that was published in the following issue. I was surprised that when I met Dr. Fischer at Midwest he recognized my name from the letter. I introduced myself and he said, "You are the one that wrote that kind letter." That was the beginning of my 20 year mentorship.

While I finished my undergraduate degree at Iowa State University over the next three years, we kept in touch. This was before email was ubiquitous so we'd write or call each other a few times a year and I'd usually see him at Midwest each December. My mother remembers talking to Dr. Fischer one summer as he was checking to see if I'd made a decision on graduate school. She reminded me of what a gentleman he was and seemed just as interested in talking to her as he was to me. Eventually in the fall of 1992 I decided to study with Dr. Fischer at UGA.

Dr. Fischer's birthday is one day after mine. As I write this note I am the exact same age, 41, he was when I started studying with him. After four years of studying with Dr. Fischer in Athens from 1992 to 1996 I moved to Oregon to begin my career as a Professor of Music. In spite of living on the other side of the country I was able to see Dr. Fischer frequently. Five times he traveled to Southern Oregon University, where I teach, to perform and give master classes. Four of those trips were for the Siskiyou Saxophone Workshop. Every other year I would see Dr. Fischer at a NASA conference or World Saxophone Congress. I looked forward to seeing him in March 2010. We had many collaborations yet to explore.

I deeply miss my mentor and my colleague. Rhett Bender

Percussion Ensemble December 1st

Percussion1, originally uploaded by andrewjkrug.

SSO Red

sax6, originally uploaded by ddunleavy.

Photos by Dennis Dunnleavy