NOVA Chamber Music Series

Episode 23 - April 25, 2022Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of Migration, NOVA's May 1 concertMusic discussed includes:Viktor Kosenko: Three Pieces, op. 9Arlene Sierra: Butterflies Remember a MountainKareem Roustom: TesseraeAntonín Dvořák: String Quintet, op. 97Songs of Migration will be presented on May 1, 2022 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Copyright © 2022 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Episode 21 - March 7, 2022Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of the Americas, NOVA's April 10 concertMusic discussed includes:Gabriela Lena Frank: Four Folk SongsCharles Ives: Selected SongsAnthony R. Green: The Gettysburg AddressJessie Montgomery: Loisaida, My LoveClarice Assad: Canções da America (Songs of America)Songs of the Americas will be presented on April 10, 2022 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Copyright © 2022 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Episode 21 - March 13, 2022Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of Play, NOVA's March 13 concertMusic discussed includes:Sergei Prokofiev: QuintetStephanie Boyd: Pearl (world premiere)Luke Dahn: Counterplay (world premiere)Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Quintet, op. 10Songs of Play will be presented on March 13, 2022 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Copyright © 2022 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Episode 20 - January 10, 2022Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of Perseverance, NOVA's January 16 concertMusic discussed includes:Gideon Klein: String TrioWang Lu: Rates of ExtinctionClara Schumann: Piano Trio in G minor, op. 17Songs of Perseverance will be presented on January 16, 2022 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Copyright © 2022 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Episode 19 - November 8, 2021Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of Life, NOVA's November 14 concertMusic discussed includes:Heitor Villa-Lobos: Assobio a Játo (Jet Whistle)Gabriela Lena Frank: Milagros (Miracles)Devin Maxwell: Git Along Little DogiesNeil Thornock: BlurAlfred Schnittke: SerenadeMaurice Ravel: Introduction and AllegroSongs of Life will be presented on November 14, 2021 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Jeff Counts discusses the music performed on Songs of Gratitude, the first concert in NOVA's 2021/22 Season.Music discussed includes:Ludwig van Beethoven: Heiliger Dankgesang (Holy Song of Thanksgiving), op. 132Brittany J. Green: ...to experience lifeClarice Assad: MetamorfoseJohannes Brahms: String Sextet No. 2 in G major, op. 36Songs of Gratitude will be presented on October 10, 2021 at 3pm in Salt Lake City's Libby Gardner Concert Hall. For more information, visit https://www.novaslc.org.Jeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

The music of Nikolai Medtner is often forgotten in the shadow of his colleague and friend, Sergei Rachmaninoff. Pianist Cahill Smith joins us to talk about his love for the music of this early 20th-century composer.You can hear Cahill Smith and other NOVA artists on our next concert, available beginning Friday, May 21, at https://www.novaslc.org/concerts/2021/5/21/spring21concert3.Anne Francis Bayless | hostCahill Smith | pianistproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

This concert is also available in a video version at https://youtu.be/BHby05dKf9kJeff Counts hosts a full-length concert of music by your favorite NOVA musicians. Jason Hardink and Caitlyn Valovick Moore perform works by three great American composers. Then six violists and cellists each take on a movement of Bach’s famous Third Suite for Solo Cello.CONCERT PROGRAMWelcome and Okpebholo Introduction (00:16)Jeff Counts | hostSHAWN OKPEBHOLO: ψαλμοὶ καὶ ὕμνοι καὶ ᾠδαὶ πνευματικαί (psalmoi kai ymnoi kai odai pnevmatikai / psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs)I. Ede Ede (Nigeria): an ostinato (01:00)II. Bringing in the Sheaves (USA): a variation (05:35)III. Jisasi Fukemino (Papua New Guinea): an impromptu (12:54)Jason Hardink | pianoLoggins-Hull and Hailstork Introduction (19:11)ALLISON LOGGINS-HULL: Homeland (19:50)ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK: Flute Set (25:13)I. Moderato con animaII. VivoIII. Lento e teneramenteIV. AllegrettoCaitlyn Valovick Moore | fluteBach Introduction (30:17)JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Suite No. 3 in C Major for Solo Cello, BWV 1009I. Prelude - Matt Johnson | cello (31:01)II. Allemande - Bradley Ottesen | viola (34:31)III. Courante - Pegsoon Whang | cello (37:57)IV. Sarabande - Julie Edwards | viola (40:21)V. Bourrée I / II - Anne Lee | cello (44:10)VI. Gigue - Whittney Thomas | viola (48:21)recorded by Michael Palmer and Wesley Morrison at Utah State University’s Caine Wanlass Performance Hall in Logan, Utahrecording mastered by Michael Carnesproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)NOVA Chamber Music Series would like to thank the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University for their generosity in providing recording facilities and staff on the Logan campus.Transcript available at https://www.novaslc.org/novapodcast/novapodcast014Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

When Jason Hardink discovered Shawn Okpebholo’s music on Facebook, he knew he had to perform something by this incredible composer. But as he began learning ψαλμοὶ καὶ ὕμνοι καὶ ᾠδαὶ πνευματικαί (psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs), he struggled with questions about whether it was appropriate for him, as a white pianist, to be performing a piece rooted deeply in the musical and religious traditions of Nigeria, African American culture, and Papua New Guinea.Jeff Counts speaks with Jason about the ongoing challenge of facing the responsibility performers have to examine their own repertoire choices and present works from diverse voices.This episode is also available in a video version at https://youtu.be/X0FScqdCYBA.Jason mentions the following pieces and performances in this conversation:“O Freedom” (arr. Okpebholo)Wayne Arthur Paul, baritone | Javier Arrebola, pianohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7zGZTeXikkTwo Black ChurchesWill Liverman, baritone | Paul Sanchez, pianohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHehlg94NQcJeff Counts | hostJason Hardink | pianistrecording mastered by Michael Carnesproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Transcript available at https://www.novaslc.org/novapodcast/novapodcast013Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Enjoy a full-length concert of chamber music performances by NOVA musicians. This concert features an early work by Iannis Xenakis, three works by living American composers, and one of Beethoven’s final piano sonatas. Jeff Counts is your host.This concert is also available in a video version at https://youtu.be/JFMwqUivgq4CONCERT PROGRAMWelcome and Xenakis Introduction (00:16)Jeff Counts | hostIANNIS XENAKIS: Διπλή Ζυγία (Dhipli zyia: Double Symmetry) (01:04)Claude Halter | violinAnne Lee | celloPuts Introduction (05:16)KEVIN PUTS: Arches (05:46)Madeline Adkins | violinTower and Brouwer Introduction (18:14)JOAN TOWER: Wings (18:50)MARGARET BROUWER: No Rotary Phone (29:26)Erin Svoboda | clarinetBeethoven Introduction (34:03)LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata in E Major, op. 109I. Vivace ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo (34:33)II. Prestissimo (39:22)III. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo (42:10)Frank Weinstock | pianohosted by Jeff Countsrecorded by Michael Palmer and Wesley Morrison at Utah State University’s Caine Wanlass Performance Hall in Logan, Utahrecording mastered by Michael Carnesproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)NOVA Chamber Music Series would like to thank the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University for their generosity in providing recording facilities and staff on the Logan campus.Transcript available at https://www.novaslc.org/novapodcast/novapodcast012Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

This week on The NOVA Podcast, Jeff Counts catches up with legendary composer Joan Tower to discuss her love for chamber music, her approach to mentoring young composers, and what new pieces she has in store.Joan Tower’s Wings will be performed by clarinetist Erin Svoboda on our next virtual concert, available for free beginning Friday, March 26. You can experience this and other concerts from NOVA Chamber Music series at https://www.novaslc.org.Joan Tower | guestJeff Counts | hostproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Ed Bland’s music defies classification. His early music training was as a jazz saxophonist in his native Chicago, but he found the predictability of jazz rhythms to be too limiting for the kind of music he wanted to create, as he later explained:“My world changed when I heard a recording of Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring.’ Not only was the music alive, it swung!… I felt that if I could uncover the secret of why Stravinsky’s music swung, and combine that knowledge with what I knew about swinging from my jazz background, I might be on a fruitful mission.”This mission led him to draw on all the musical experiences he encountered in life. He eventually dubbed the unique blend of styles “urban classical funk.”Bland’s work has been sampled by Beyoncé (“Creole”) and featured in movies (“A Soldier’s Tale”) and video games (“Test Drive Unlimited”). His groundbreaking documentary film, “The Cry of Jazz”, is included in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry as “a historic and fascinating film that comments on racism and the appropriation of jazz by those who fail to understand its artistic and cultural origins.”Learn more about Ed Bland at https://www.edblandmusic.com/Ed Bland: For BassoonLori Wike | bassoonhosted by Jeff Countsrecording mastered by Michael Carnesproduced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Copyright © 2021 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Jason Hardink just sent us a surprise—a full solo recital!—and asked if we’d share it with NOVA’s fans. Who can turn down an offer like that?A video version of this episode is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrsMs5ei6W8.Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata is one of the most monumental works in the piano repertoire. The work’s nickname came from its title page, which indicated that it was written for the more modern “hammer keyboard” piano, rather than the harpsichord or other contemporary instruments. The “Hammerklavier” certainly makes full use of the piano’s dynamic range and expressive power.Brittany Green is a composer from North Carolina whose works often explore the relationship between sound, movement, and text. “Portraits” is a suite of character sketches based on poems by Bessie Irene. These movements “depict people we all know,” says the composer, ranging from “Le garçon qui passe”, who is “trying to hold onto something that cannot last” to “La fille dans les nuages”, a woman facing “the complexity of struggling between who you are and who the world thinks you should be.”You can hear more music by Brittany Green at https://www.brittanyjgreen.com.Brittany Green: PortraitsI. La femme complexe (Complicated Woman, based on “I am You”) (01:25)II. Le garçon qui passe (Boy Passing By, based on “Fleeting”) (05:52)III. La mère dans le marché (Mother in the Market, based on “Mother in City Market”) (06:37)IV. L’homme durci (Hardened Man, based on “Confinement”) (10:00)V. La fille dans les nuages (Girl in the Clouds, based on “Beyond the Clouds”) (12:24)Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major “Hammerklavier”, op. 106I. Allegro (15:49)II. Scherzo (26:38)III. Adagio sostenuto (29:25)IV. Introduction & Fugue (46:31)Jason Hardink | pianorecorded December 10 and 14, 2020, Caine Wanlass Performance Hall, Utah State University, Logan, Utahrecorded by Michael Palmer and Wesley Morrisonrecording mastered by Michael Carneshosted and produced by Chris Myers (https://www.argylearts.com)Copyright © 2020 NOVA Chamber Music Series. All rights reserved.

Beethoven’s Drei Equale were composed in honor of All Souls’ Day, but they would find their real place in history after the composer’s death, when they were performed at his funeral and the dedication of his tombstone.Ludwig van Beethoven: Drei EqualeI. Andante (begins at 01:19)II. Poco adagio (begins at 03:27)III. Poco sostenuto (begins at 05:08)Sam Eliot, Will Kimball, Mark Davidson, Graeme Mutchler | trombonesrecorded January 20, 2019, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Salt Lake City, Utahrecording remastered by Michael Carneshosted and produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

Alone in a foreign land and grieving the loss of his mother, the 22-year-old Mozart put pen to paper and produced some of the most poignant music he would ever create.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304 I. Allegro (begins at 02:16)II. Tempo di Menuetto (begins at 08:54)Madeline Adkins | violinAndrew Staupe | pianorecorded October 14, 2018, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Salt Lake City, Utahrecording remastered by Michael Carneshosted and produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

We speak with two artists who are using their work to explore humanity's interaction with the environment. Composer Gabriela Lena Frank and playwright Chantal Bilodeau discuss how the arts bring discussions of climate change and sustainability center stage.Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcastView Rising Tide for free at novaslc.org/crossroadsHosts:Rebecca McFaul, Fry Street Quartet violinistDr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Guests:Gabriela Lena Frank, composer (glfcam.com)Chantal Bilodeau, playwright (thearcticcycle.org)produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

Photographer Garth Lenz and systems scientist Dr. Elizabeth Sawin help us take the details of the past four episodes, process them together, and see the big picture—both through Lenz's aerial photography and Sawin's "multisolving" approach to systemic change.Learn more about "Rising Tide" and stream the movie at www.novaslc.org/crossroads.Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcastLearn more about Climate Interactive at climateinteractive.org, and Dr. Sawin’s TED Talk at youtube.com/watch?v=prF8trTallQView Garth Lenz’s photographer at garthlenz.com. His TED Talk on the tar sands can be viewed at ted.com/talks/garth_lenz_the_true_cost_of_oilHosts:Anne Francis Bayless, Fry Street Quartet cellistDr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Guests:Dr. Elizabeth Sawin, Systems Scientist and Co-Founder/Co-Director of Climate Interactive (Twitter @bethsawin)Garth Lenz, Photojournalist and Fine Art Photographer (Instagram @Garth.Lenz)produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcast

We’ve talked about water. We’ve talked about life. Now it’s time to talk about dinner. The menu includes agro-ecology and sustainable food, prepared by farmer Chris Smaje.Learn more about Rising Tide and stream the movie at novaslc.org/crossroads.Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcastHosts:Rebecca McFaul, Fry Street Quartet violinist (Twitter @RebeccaMcFaul)Dr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Guest:Chris Smaje, farmer and social scientist (Twitter @CSMaje)produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

Ecologist John Shivik has spent his life studying predator-prey relationships. He and visual artist Rebecca Allan bond over their mutual love of gardening (and discuss how her art for “Rising Tide” explores humanity’s place in the intricate web of life on our planet).Learn more about “Rising Tide” and stream the movie at novaslc.org/crossroadsTranscript available at novaslc.org/podcastHosts:Bradley Ottesen, Fry Street Quartet violistDr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Guests:Rebecca Allan, visual artist (rebeccaallan.com)John Shivik, author and applied ecologistproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

Robert Waters and Dr. Rob Davies discuss the creation of "H2O", the second movement in Laura Kaminsky's string quartet “Rising Tide”, which is featured in the new film from The Crossroads Project. They are joined by the composer and Dr. Ben Abbott, Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Biology at BYU.Learn more about “Rising Tide” and stream the movie at novaslc.org/crossroads.Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcastHosts:Robert Waters, Fry Street Quartet violinistDr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Guests:Laura Kaminsky, composer (laurakaminsky.com)Dr. Ben Abbott, BYU Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Biology (Twitter @thermokarst)produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

On October 25, NOVA Chamber Music Series presented the world premiere of “Rising Tide”, a new film from The Crossroads Project. After the screening, some of the film's creators joined host Jeff Counts to discuss how their personal encounters with climate change and sustainability led to the birth of this project.Learn more about “Rising Tide” and stream the movie at novaslc.org/crossroads.Transcript available at novaslc.org/podcastHost:Jeff CountsGuests:Dr. Rob Davies, Utah State University Dept of Physics (Twitter @robsMast)Robert Waters, Fry Street Quartet violinistRebecca McFaul, Fry Street Quartet violinistBradley Ottesen, Fry Street Quartet violistAnne Francis Bayless, Fry Street Quartet cellistproduced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)