Matt Hayes - Senior Recital
This Senior Recital is presented in partial fulfillment of a B.M. in Music Education
“The idea for Asventuras emerged four years ago during the preparation for a concert in which I was supposed to play a rudimental snare drum piece. While practicing this piece I noticed that many different colors and sounds that the snare drum is capable of producing were lacking in the composition. This made me start to experiment on the instrument and I ended up composing the part that became the middle part of Asventuras, played with brush and felt stick. Over the years I thought of a rhythmical frame for the piece. The result was a structure of three parts, which finally became the three columns of the piece with the basic rhythmical structure 3-1-4-1.
From the day I composed the first note, the name Asventuras was on my mind. Since the time I spent experimenting on all kinds of sounds and effects on the snare drum was adventurous, the connection with the word ‘adventure’ must have had an influence on the name of my piece.” ~Notes by Alexej Gerassimez
The piece is divided into two sections; the slow introduction is played with very soft mallets, and the allegro grows increasingly strong, to depict the Greek myth of the resurrection of the Sphinx. The piece was written for the 1997 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest, in which it won First Prize. ~Notes by Leander Kaiser
The word sphinx comes from the Greek Σφίγξ, apparently from the verb σφίγγω (sphíngō), meaning "to squeeze," or "to tighten up.” In Greek mythology, a sphinx is represented as a creature with the head of a woman, the body of a lioness, the wings of an eagle, and a serpent-headed tail. A sphinx is said to have guarded the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes, where she asked all passersby the most famous riddle in history: "Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?" She strangled and devoured anyone unable to answer. Oedipus solved the riddle by answering: Man—who crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then walks with a cane in old age.
Movement I
Ed Davis, Dustin May ~ Percussion
“…a perfection of wildness in an archaic ritual cult. The opening [movement] requires a bass drum (lying flat) played with timbale sticks by all three players. In addition… a pair of bongos and Chinese gongs are used by each player. The claim for playing on the same instrument makes in the music interesting effects of strict unison performed parts which are “abrupt” by the contrasting sounds of other participating instruments. Not to count the brilliant view-effect for the audience in the public performing.
The music here expresses the principle: ‘three bodies – one soul.’ The large number of different rhythmic patterns mostly played in unison, but also split between the players in a ‘trialogue,’ exactly show the mentioned principle. Possibility of improvisation… makes the piece more interesting and, at the same time, opens the way for the free streaming of the drum-energy, without any obligation to the ‘written text.’” ~Notes by Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic
I. Soaring on the Wings of an Eagle
II. Elegy for Those Never Again to Be
III. Slithering Serpentine Counterpoint
IV. Slow Dance of the Last Living Dinosaur
V. Riding on the Fast Hooves of the Gazelle
Rachel Minto ~ Flute and Alto Flute
All the movements carry titles derived from the animal kingdom and were inspired by my brother (a noted herpetologist at Central Michigan University) who has had a lifelong love of creatures of all sizes and shapes.
Soaring on the Wings of an Eagle reflects the swift and graceful flight of this large and elegant bird with sweeping lyrical lines in the flute and the marimba. Elegy for Those Never Again to Be is in reference to animals that are now extinct, but also is very much inspired by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Slithering Serpentine Counterpointis a sort of “tongue-in-cheek” tribute to my herpetologist brother, which depicts the lightning-quick slinking of snakes through the grass with continuous counterpoint between the flute and marimba. Slow Dance of the Last Living Dinosaur is the quintessential movement of the work, being inspired by my brother’s groundbreaking research of the Tuatara lizard in New Zealand. This lizard is, in fact, the last living dinosaur and its mating dance is described by the German term, “Stoltzer gang,” meaning “proud walk.” Riding on the Fast Hooves of the Gazelle is suggestive of the speed and grace of the African gazelle depicted by some pretty fancy footwork by both flute and marimba. ~Notes by David R. Gillingham
Featuring:
Dylan Kollat, Eric Zalenski ~ Congas
Moriah Placer ~ Claves
Megan Seivert ~ Cascara/Low tom
Keith Born ~ Chekeré
This arrangement is based on the traditional Afro-Cuban folkloric dance called Guaguanco (pronounced wah-wahn-ko). Rumba Guaguancó is danced by couples and is characterized by its extremely risqué sensual content. Sometimes its movements are compared to those of a rooster courting a hen, as the man relentlessly pursues the woman, strutting around with his chest poked out as if he were puffing out feathers. The woman pretends she is disinterested at first, but is eventually attracted to the man and permits him to get close. In essence, he attempts to consummate the courtship by thrusting his hand, foot, or pelvis towards the woman in the gesture known as vacunao. The woman attempts to resist the vacunao by covering her pelvic area while maintaining the rhythm and flow of the dance. If he succeeds without being blocked, he is the better dancer. If she succeeds in eluding him, she is the better dancer!
Matt Hayes is a senior music education major at Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music. Matt grew up in Coshocton, Ohio and graduated from River View High School in 2001 where participated in the marching, symphonic, jazz, and pep bands, Caribbean Percussion Ensemble, the “Certified Gold” Chorale, and both on stage and in the pit orchestra for the school musicals. He studied percussion with Jay Fant, participated in the OMEA Solo and Ensemble competition, and was a member of the All-Ohio Youth Choir, for which he has served as staff percussionist since 2002.
In the fall of 2001, Matt began pursuing a music education degree at Capital University where he participated in various wind, percussion, and vocal ensembles while studying under Bob Breithaupt. In 2004, Matt left Capital and began teaching percussion back at River View, where he was hired as the director of percussion and directed marching, concert and indoor percussion rehearsals, directed, composed, and arranged for the Caribbean Ensemble, assisted with the Jazz and Pep bands, and taught private lessons. In 2006 Matt was a member of Matrix Indoor Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Rob Ferguson.
In 2008, Matt began his studies at YSU under Dr. Glenn Schaft. This semester he is studying with Dr. Elizabeth DeLamater and is currently a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Percussion Ensemble, and the Youngstown Percussion Collective (YPC), a group for whom he is vice president. He has also performed with the YSU Concert Band, the Marching Pride, the Jazz Ensemble 2, and the Horace Silver Combo. In 2010, he was accepted into the national academic honors society Phi Kappa Phi, and in 2011, the Golden Key International Honour Society.
Matt would like to dedicate this performance to his parents, Ed and Kim, and to his brother Colin. He would also like to thank all the family, friends, and professors who have supported him through the years.