Adams, JohnChina Gatesb. 1947

Described by Adams himself as a “perfect palindrome,” China Gates uses the idea of musical modes as “gates.” As the piece progresses, it passes through gates, changing modes. Each resonant bass note signifies the beginning of a new mode.

It was written during a big rainstorm.

w. 1977

Beethoven, Ludwig v.b. 1770, d. 1872 Piano Sonata No. 23

w. 1804 ~ 1806

Known colloquially as the Appassionata, No. 23, Op. 57 is considered one of the great three piano sonatas of Beethoven’s compositional middle period. It is aptly described as such, for in1803 Beethoven was slowly coming to grips with his deteriorating hearing, which arguably manifests itself in Appassionata.

I. Allegro AssaiWritten in sonata-allegro form, the first movement is characterized by near-schizophrenic changes in tone and color and an intensity brought on by unrelenting repetition of notes. In this movement, Beethoven’s experimentation with range and texture can be heard in the great contrast between the high and the low motifs separated by silence. Beethoven’s choice of key also indicates his explorative nature as F was the lowest available note on the piano in his time.

II. Andante con motoA theme and variations that can aptly be described by its beauty in its simplistic harmonic structure and embellishment made more beautiful in contrast with the first movement.

III. Allegro ma non troppoBegins immediately, segueing from the second movement by a deceptive cadence on a soft and then sudden fully diminished 7th chord. The final movement is perpetually moving, climaxing at the faster coda, closing the sonata on an extended cadence that moves through nearly all of the piano’s range.

Chopin, FrédéricPolonaise in Ab Majorb. 1810, d. 1849

w. 1842

Although it is named Polonaise in Ab Major, this short piece by Chopin is not a typical polonaise. The overall arch of the piece is in a ternary (A-B-A’) form with a short introduction. Section A begins with a grand theme that only grows more grand through the section. Section B contrasts Section A with a distinct march-like character. The bass steps as an ostinato that continues until Section B reaches the more lyrical half. Section B closes out with frequent modulations and moves back into Section A before closing with a magnificent coda.

String Quartet No. I : O D DI. 7

Many people, even musicians, rarely encounter odd meters. Mostly because they feel odd (pardon the pun) to our Western sensibilities, which prefer duple and triple meters. This movement uses the number 7 in hopes to create a different sort of dance. It begins with a truncated tango, something familiar that has been altered. By the end of the movement, it is intended that 7 no longer feels unusual but begins to seem natural.

II. 55 is everywhere. We have 5 fingers on each hand, 5 fingers on each foot. There are 5 protrusions from the human torso. Our basic numeric system is [(2)5] base. 5 is natural to us, perhaps evolutionarily because of our penta-digit extremities. 5 makes this movement. Everything is based on 5, fifths, 3+2, adding 5, and multiplying 5. High five.

III. 3Schenker was weird.

Piano Trio No. I in A Major

P A L E

I. Movement IThis melody got stuck in my head. So I wrote it on music paper. Then this happened.Maybe now its stuck in yours.

Carl Sagan (1934-1996), a great American astrophysicist made statement that the Golden Record on the Voyager I spacecraft is not intended to actually fall into extraterrestrial hands, “but [rather that] the launching of this ‘bottle’ into the cosmic ‘ocean’ says something very hopeful about life on this planet.”

However, before it even left our solar system, Carl Sagan suggested to the engineers of Voyager I to take one picture of our little tiny planet before it lost complete sight of Earth. As it past Saturn, Voyager I was turned around, and in conjunction with a wondrous accident of physics, took a picture of our tiny, pale, blue planet, suspended in a beam of sunlight reflecting off of Voyager.

This piece attempts to capture the essence of that photograph: that even though our planet is so small and apparently insignificant, it still contains so many wondrous things. That in this vast nothingness, we give our own inherently meaningless lives purpose and meaning through art, literature, theatre, music, history, science, our experiences with each other, and not least of all, love.

Speech By Carl Sagan

Pale Blue DotCarl Sagan

consider again, that pale blue dotthat’s here, that’s home, that’s us

on it, everyone you loveeveryone you known

everyone you’ve ever heard ofthe aggregate of all our joys and all our sufferings

a thousand religions, ideologies, economies, throughout all of historyevery hunter, every forager, every hero, and cowardevery creator, every destroyer, every couple in love

every mother, every father, every hopeful childevery inventor, explorer, teacher of morals

every corrupt politician, supremest of leaders, every super star, every sinner

every human being that has ever lived on a mote of dust

suspended in sunlightreminding us to loveto love one another

and love the only home we’ve knownThe Pale Blue Dot

Simon Sun is a Senior at the College of William & Mary. After four grueling but wonderful years, he will graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience and Music. (Yes, the College makes you choose either a BS or a BA even if you’ve technically done both. Logical? Not really). He has been playing piano for almost 17 years. In high school he studied with Juliana Kuo and at William & Mary with Christine Niehaus. In 2003, he was a finalist in the Young Artists International Piano Competition. In the Summer of 2006, he attended the Virginia Governor’s School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Last Spring, he was the winner of the William & Mary Concerto Competition and was recently invited to perform for the Williamsburg Music Club. In 2010, Simon began studying composition and now is currently being mentored by Sophia Serghi. He has recently written numerous pieces, including a string quartet, a piano trio, a symphonic poem, a piano sonata, various popular arrangements, and separate pieces for a chamber choir, a chamber sextet and a chamber octet.

On campus, Simon has accompanied vocalists in lessons with the William & Mary vocal faculty, played in Opera Workshop, accompanied in the Dance and Theatre Departments, and taught piano in the Williamsburg community. He is also actively involved with the Delta Tau Chapter of Delta Omicron, a music honors coed fraternity, the William & Mary Choir, the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company, and the William & Mary Schola Cantorum.

After graduation, Simon plans to take a desperately needed year off. Afterward, he hopes to attend graduate school for neuroscience. If everything is still going according to plan, after receiving a doctorate Simon hopes to teach science, wherever needed.

Patrick Costanzo is a sophomore majoring in history and religions studies. He was born and raised in Charlottesville, VA. !He is currently a history major/religious studies minor here at the College. !He has played violin since the 5th grade and is currently the concertmaster of the William and Mary Symphony Orchestra. !He also enjoys old time and bluegrass music, and plays the mandolin in the Appalachian Music ensemble as well as other smaller student instrumental groups.!

Emily Cunningham is a senior music and psychology double major. She has played violin in the William and Mary Symphony Orchestra and Gallery Players. She is also a member of the Early Music Ensemble, in which she plays treble viol and baroque violin.!

Matthew Gattuso is a senior music major focusing on composition here at the college.! As a pianist and violist, he is involved in a number of musical ensembles/events in the music department, and he hopes to pursue graduate school in composition after taking a year off.! Other interests include cars, animals, and the outdoors.!

John Anderson is a freshman at William & Mary from Midlothian, Virginia. As a hopeful math/music double major, John plays in several groups around the college- the Gallery Players and the W&M Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which he serves as Principal Cellist. He studies privately with Neal Cary both at W&M and back home in Midlothian. In high school, he performed in various All-Regional, All-State, and Youth Orchestra Groups.!

The William & Mary Schola Cantorum is an entirely student-directed chamber choir directed by Matthew Reese ’13 dedicated to renaissance and twentieth century composition. Modeled on the university chapel choirs of Oxford and Cambridge, the Schola sings from a broad and varied repertoire of sacred and secular music. Now in it’s second season, the Schola is enjoying an increasing concert schedule, performing with the William & Mary Early Music Ensemble and through Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg.

A Special Thanks: I would like to thank my wonderful parents, Paul and Louisa, for all of their love and support and my brother Ronald for being a brother in all aspects. I would also like to thank Christine Niehaus, Sophia Serghi, Dr. Armstrong, Dr. Bartlett, Greg Bowers, Ryan Fletcher, Thomas Payne, and all of the William & Mary Music faculty and staff. You have provided a beautiful environment for learning, exploring, appreciating, and making music. To all of my wonderful friends: Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for making music with me. Thank you for working with me. Thank you for dealing with me. Thank you for humoring me. Thank you for being a beautiful group of friends. I hope you know what I mean when I say I love you. Also, only the greats play frisbee, everything is definitely weird, and everything is definitely S C I E N C E.

This recital is conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Music