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IHS 31 Athens

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IHS Celebration '99 Athens, Georgia

Current Athens weather

Mon, May 17

After two days of driving I finally arrive on the grounds of the University of Georgia. I find my way to the Performing Arts buildings but I am uncertain which one is the Music building. Not being in any particular hurry as I am 5 hours early, I make my way to the Visitors' Center.

I renew acquaintances with several people I met last year in Banff including Jack Blackerby from TN and George Napuda and his wife from NJ. We all wait until 4:00 when registration finally begins.

I meet up with Carlberg Jones and we check in to our dormatory. We return to the Music building to await the arrival of the rest of the "Rat Pack" from last year. We are joined by fellow list member Donna Riley, and Bruce Kelley is the first rat to arrive. We decide to head downtown to forage for our supper since none of us has signed up for the meal plan (if indeed available) for the first evening.

Shortly after we return, Leigh Alexander arrives with new rats Karl Kemm and John Baumgart. As we are helping Leigh into her room we discover our last rat, Catherine Roche-Wallace is right next door. Hugs all around.

Tues, May 18

Things officially get under way today. It is a short ten minute walk to the dining hall for breakfast. I am joined by Bruce for our first event, a lecture on natural horns given by R.J. Kelley. After that I check out the exhibits. Not everyone is here yet but it looks like most of the familiar crowd will eventually be around in one way or another.

I pass on the 10:30 recital of twentieth century works for horn though Bruce is very interested.

There is limited parking available near the dining hall so I drive back to the dorm and walk to lunch. A couple of us go to the afternoon reading session at 2:30. We decide to cut it short to hear the Broadway horns at 4:00.

The Broadway Horns: Freelancing in New York
Fanfarefrom Sunday in the Park with George
NocturneStewart Schuele
Ghost Ridersarr. Stewart Schuele
Ballade, Op.73Bernhard Krol
Broadway Medleyarr. Stewart Schuele

The evening recital features Andrei Gloukhov and Jennifer Montone. This is also an opportunity for the hosts to officially welcome all the participants.

Roman Carnival Berlioz arr. B. Robinson Hans Pizka
Johnny Pherigo
Paul Meng
Jean Martin
Randy Gardner
Froydis Ree Wekre
Nancy Cochran Block
Virginia Thompson
Welcoming RemarksDr. Jean Martin, Dr. Richard Graham
SonataBeethovenMr. Gloukhov
LégendeRobert PlanelMs. Montone
Parable, Op.120PersichettiMs. Montone
AndanteR. StraussMr. Gloukhov
ElegiePoulencMs. Montone
ElegyRachmaninoffMr. Gloukhov
Sonata No.2CherubiniMs. Montone

After the concert we investigate the Athens Brew Pub. We have to find out where it is so we can attend Jeff Snedeker's appearance tomorrow night.

Wed, May 19

Once again I walk to breakfast and find some friendly though bleary faces to sit with. While others opt for Hans Pizka's lecture, I choose to leisurely browse through the exhibits.

10:30 Recital in Ramsey Hall. Celebrate the Winners

Concerto in D, K.412W.A.MozartJohn Pherigo
JapanBuyanovskyFroydis Ree Wekre
FantasyArnoldFroydis Ree Wekre
En ForétBozzaJulien Meriglier
Swamp MusicLedgerJean Martin
Hawkins Winners

The entire crew goes out to support the USL Horn Quartet in the Ecology Garden with our bagged lunches.

Ifor James has been unable to attend the conference so Frank Lloyd will carry most of the 2:30 recital. He is an awesome player with great facility and a beautiful sound. He also has a wit like Michael Pallin. (Maybe it's the accent) While trying to fill the extra time, he dashes off stage and returns with what turns out to be a telescoping carbon-fibre alphorn!

The price puts it in the same league as a Schmit but the waiting list appears to be shorter.

Featured Artist recital: Frank Lloyd
Horn BluffAlan CivilUGA Horn Choir
ConcertoJ.J. QuantzMr. Lloyd
Three MiniaturesAnthony PlogMr. Lloyd
Duo for Horn and PianoJiri DvoracekMr. Lloyd

None of the rats wants to spend the extra $12 to attend the Atlanta Symphony rehearsal so we have our own reading session in the basement after supper. I was able to complete several arrangements just in time for the conference. One of the favourites appears to be 5x7, a medley of Take 5 and Unsquare Dance. Others include Anitra's Dance, Whiter Shade of Pale, Jamaican Rumba and a bossa nova medley a friend of mine wrote for my brass quintet that I adapted for five horns. We join the regularly scheduled reading session shortly afterward.

Later at the Brew Pub, I'm able to make a reasonable bootleg recording of Jeff Snedeker playing jazz favourites. (I got his okay first.)

Thurs, May 20

Walk to breakfast, walk back to dorm, drive to music building, find recital hall.

The morning recital is given by Young-Yul Kim and Alejandro Nuñez. One thing that stands out about this concert is the performance of the Villanelle by Alejandro Nuñez on natural and valved horn. Though one section is marked "sans ventiles", I think Dukas meant for it to be played on the same horn without using the valves. The use of a hand horn is interesting.

10:30 Recital: Young-Yul Kim and Alejandro Nuñez

FanfareWintereggNMSU Horn Choir
Prelude, Theme and Variations in FRossiniMr. Nuñez
Fantasy for HornArnoldMr. Nuñez
CornucopiaDunhillMr. Kim
VillanelleDukasMr. Nuñez
Adagio and AllegroSchumannMr. Nuñez
Trio in Bb for Horn, Clarinet and PianoReineckeMr. Kim

The lunchtime "Chat 'n' Chew" is called Frankly Frank (Lloyd), moderated by John Wates.

The afternoon concert features the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra horns.

Casbah of TetouanKerry Turner
3 Dance QuestionsMatthew McConnell
Brass Kickin'Jame Oliverio
Fantasy for Horn QuintetRonald LoPresti
Selections from MikrokosmosBela Bartok
Cinq Miniatures, Op.64Jan Koestier
Bird of the Forest, Op.21Franz Doppler
Rhythm MethodLee Johnson

Somehow with getting my horn and trying to find the orchestra room, I just barely make it to the rehearsal in time for my horn choir with Randall Faust. Catherine is already seated next to an empty chair in the first row. I go up to her and ask her to move up but she is reluctant so I sit in the first chair. Not only am I sitting in the first chair first, I am sitting to the left of my former future boss. No pressure.

After horn choir we have time to clean up and change for cocktails before the banquet downtown. Leigh, John B, Bruce, Catherine and her boys and I occupy a table together after visiting the buffet.

The All College All Star Horn Ensemble performs for our dining pleasure. They play the first movement of Eric Ewazen's Grand Canyon Octet. Then for an encore, they play the other two movements. (inside joke)

It's open mic at the Athens Brew Pub tonight. Some good, some not so good, but the more we drink the better they sound.

Fri, May 21

Lecture: Exploring music for two horns.

Morning Recital: Bruce Andrus / Susan Welty

CallsVerne ReynoldsMs. Welty, Mr. Andrus
The Framing of this CircleCharles KnoxMr. Andrus, Dr. Lewis,
Ms. Wiedman Yancich
En ForétEugene BozzaMs. Welty, Dr. Lewis
Aubade for Horn and StringsHumphrey SearleMr. Andrus, Dr. Lewis
Trio, Op.11Werner WehrliMs. Welty, Dr. Lewis,
Ms. Weidman Yancich
Fanfare, Aria and EchoDaniel PinkhamMr. Andrus, Ms. Welty,
Mr. Yancich

We have our second rehearsal with the horn choir. It seems the rest of the Canadian contingent is sitting in the back of the first section. At the end of the rehearsal, Dr. Faust asks each of us to introduce ourselves to the group. When that is done, he recalls reading my Canadian folk medley late one evening in Banff last year and asks if ice worms really do exist.

Recital: Kristin Thelander, Jamie Sommerville

Karl, John B and Leigh leave for the Atlanta airport. John is heading for Europe and Leigh is attending her daughter's graduation from college in Massachusetts.

I decide that neither "Chat 'n' Chew" session applies to me today since I'm too old for a career in the military (besides, I've already served in Canada) and I've already been recruited by a university.

First rehearsal of the natural horn choir. The problem with arriving late again is having to fill in the holes. I wind up playing horn just to the right of Dr. John Q. Ericson, an authority on natural horn.

Recital, NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HORN SECTION. WOW!!!! This is the one we've all been waiting for. At the end of a very exciting and demanding concert, four horns led by Phil Myers played the Schumann Konzertstück. A well-deserved standing ovation follows.

An incredible stroke of irony, all five horns return to the stage with their piano accompanist to perform Take Five by Dave Brubek as an encore. We just read my arrangement of this piece last night! Totally weird, totally cool!

Sat, May 22

Lecture: Use of Crooks with John Q. Ericson. This explains the modified valve horn he has been using in the natural horn choir. (He promised not to use the valves)

Master Class Phil Myers.

Jeff Snedeker hams it up during his performance in the afternoon concert. There is also a nice performance of Strauss' Alphorn by Jia Hui with soprano Fang-tao Jiang in a stunning hoop skirt.

The Charleston Conical Brass are cut from the long programme.

Prelude, Theme and Variations in EG. RossiniJeffrey Snedeker
Concerto in DLeopold MozartJeffrey Snedeker
Introduction, Theme and VariationFranz StraussJia Hui
ConcertinoLars-Erik LarssonRidhard Deane
AlphornRichard StraussJia Hui, Fang-tao Jiang
The DistanceXiao-Gang YeJia Hui

General meeting There is a presentation on the IHS 2000 in Beijing, China. It is also announced that IHS 2001 will be hosted by Johnny Pherigo at Western Michigan University. IHS 2002 will take place in Finland.

Rehearsal, Natural Horn choir.

The Horn choir rehearses on stage and we do just a run-through to save lip. Before everyone arrives, I play the opening phrase of the Kozertstück just for fun which catches a few ears.

The concert goes off without any surprises. The professor is conspicuous by his absence.

Karl, Catherine and I spend the first part of the concert backstage so we can make our entrance with the natural horn choir and return later with the other horn choir. Everyone does a fine job.

Cantos VII
Three Songs, Op.141
Cantos V
Felix Mendelssohn
Robert Schumann
Franz Schubert
Michael Hatfield
Fanfare de ChasseG. RossiniNatural Horn Choir
Richard Seraphinoff
Cantos XIFranz Joseph HaydnHigh School Hornfest Ens.
Peter Kurau
Selections from Vaclac ForsterGeyer Choir
Paul Mansur
Der Wegweiser
Romanza for Horn Quartet
Franz Schubert
Randall Faust
Randall Faust
Andante and AllegroLowell ShawFroydis Ree Wekre
WagnerianaWagner, arr. PizkaWilliam Capps
Prelude and Fugue in a
O Rest in the Lord, from Elijah
Achieved is the Glorious Work
J.S.Bach
Felix Mendelssohn
Franz Joseph Haydn
ACASHE
Clarendon Van Norman

Karl has to leave before the end of the concert to fetch Leigh from the airport in Atlanta.

The rest of us head for the Brew Pub to hear Tom Varner.

Sun, May 23

I join the USL Horn Quartet at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. I experience being preached to by a Southern minister.

All the vendors and exhibits packed up yesterday so there is little else to do besides packing and checking out of the dorm. Karl has returned with Leigh and we all mill about trying not to think about parting company. Eventually, everyone is packed, except for Bruce who is staying another day (maybe) and we head for the Grand Finale Concert.

The concert begins with the UGA Horn Choir backing up Frank Lloyd in "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" followed by a Gallay quartet for natural horns which results in a bit more hamming. A world premier quartet follows with more hamming.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba  Handel Frank Lloyd
UGA Horn Ensemble
Grand Quartet: Allegro con brio e risoluto
Finale: Vivace
J.F.GallayRichard Seraphinoff
John Pherigo
Jeffrey Snedeker
Kristen Thelander
Divertimento - Allegro
- Moderato
- Allegretto
Frank StewartAdrei Gloukhov
Joy Hodges
Peter Kurau
Virginia Thompson
Cornucopia - Invention
- Aria
- Waltz of the Venus Flytraps
Roger VogelRichard Deane
Andrei Gloukhov
Jia Hui
Bruce Kenney
Tall TalesJoshua RosenblumAlejandro Nuñez
Allen Spanjer
Richard Deane
Tom Witte
Alligator AlleyMark SchultzBrice Andrus
Susan Welty
Cary Lewis
Georgia On My MindCarmichael, arr. Nestico Featured Artists
and Hosts

After the concert, I say good-bye to as many people as are left. Bruce decides to spend the night in Atlanta and save the drive through morning rush-hour. I prepare for another two days of driving home.

Photographs from "Celebration 99" courtesy of Bruce Kelley
faust.jpg (71667 bytes) Randall Faust discusses Canadian ice worms with John Kowalchuk while Catherine Roche-Wallace looks on, incredulous.
novalves.jpg (86898 bytes) Richard Seraphinoff conducting half of the natural horn choir in Fanfare de Chasse by G. Rossini.
ratpack.jpg (132088 bytes) The Rat Pack prior to the Grand Finale concert (left to right): Bruce Kelley, Leigh Alexander, Karl Kemm, Catherine Roche-Wallace and John Kowalchuk. John Baumgart had left earlier in the week. Froydis Ree Wekre is in the background discussing alphorns!
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