RSSComposer Hagen embodies the art of music
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Daron Hagen
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"Every single time I've heard one of my pieces rehearsed or performed I've learned something new, something that has served not only to develop my skills as a composer and orchestrator but deepened my compassion for and understanding of the culture of the orchestra as an institution and community."
-- Daron Hagen on his blog
It wasn't until Thursday night, perhaps even up until this morning, when the precise program for Saturday's Yakima Symphony Orchestra concert -- the first of its 2008-09 season -- was decided.
Saturday's concert at the Capitol Theatre will premiere two short works by young composers participating in a workshop led by composer Daron Hagen.
Which two pieces by which two composers, however, wasn't determined until each were played, and recorded, during a special rehearsal Thursday. Afterward, the orchestra members selected the piece they wanted to play at the season opener -- and the audience selected the other.
"Oh, it's what a young composer dreams of," the 46-year-old Hagen said earlier this week from his home base in New York; he arrived in town Thursday. "Yakima should be incredibly psyched about this. They don't even do this at (the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts)."
"I can't stress enough how extraordinary this is," beamed Hagen, an incredibly engaging, funny and easygoing man who takes the art of music extremely seriously.
Throughout the 1980s, Hagen established his career, and reputation, with performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York Philharmonic, among many others, and earned numerous prestigious awards. The Madison (Wis.) Opera premiered his first major opera, "Shining Brow," in 1992.
Yakima symphony music director Brooke Creswell calls Hagen a 21st century romantic composer, and, quite simply, "the real McCoy when it comes to contemporary American composers."
States Wikipedia: "Hagen's music is essentially tonal, though serial, pitch class, and octatonic procedures are customarily utilized for psychologically and emotionally fraught passages."
"That sounds smart, go with that," joked Hagen, before getting serious. "Listen, I just write music."
Music, he added, that must be worthy of the musicians playing it and the audience paying to hear it.
And this weekend, Yakima will play host to two Hagen debuts.
Saturday's YSO concert is the professional orchestral premiere of Hagen's "Triple Concerto: Orpheus and Eurydice," a piece originally commissioned by several youth orchestras -- not that Hagen made any compromises when composing the piece, and he's been impressed by the youth orchestras who've played it.
But Saturday, for the first time, professional musicians will perform the four-movement concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra. The featured guest on the piece is the Seattle-based Finisterra Piano Trio, who have spent the past couple of years as The Seasons' artists-in-residence.
Known for a personable stage style, Finisterra is made up of cellist Kevin Krentz, pianist Tanya Stambuk and violinist Kwan Bin Park, although for this weekend, Park will be replaced by Timothy Garland.
Creswell describes "Orpheus and Eurydice" as "really like an opera without voices."
"The music is quite personal, sometimes angry but much of the time very beautiful. Sometimes cinematic," said Creswell.
Also on the bill for Saturday's concert is Felix Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream: Overture, Opus 21"; and Maurice Ravel's "Boléro."
Then on Sunday, Hagen and Finisterra move over to The Seasons for the world premiere of Hagen's one-act chamber opera "Cradle Song." The performance also features tenor Robert Frankenberry and soprano Gilda Lyons, Hagen's wife.
If the name of the opera is any clue, Lyons and Hagen are new parents.
"He's a complete heart-breaker," Hagen said about their 7-month-old son, Atticus.
The opera is about a man and a wife who are both composers, and after a night out, they are trying to put their son to bed.
"It's a little slice of life," said Hagen, who is currently fine-tuning "Amelia," a mainstage opera for the Seattle Opera that will debut in 2010.
While Saturday's performance marks the opening of the YSO's season, it's also presented as part of The Seasons' Fall Side-By-Side Music Festival, as is Sunday's opera.
The festival opens tonight at The Seasons with a red carpet gala, wine tasting and a jazz concert by the Eric Alexander Quartet. Performances continue daily through Oct. 18 and feature some of the top names in jazz and, of course, classical music.
Hagen was a part of last year's festival when Finisterra premiered his "Piano Trio No. 4: Angel Band," a piece commissioned by members of the Strosahl family (the folks responsible for The Seasons).
That began a conversation, and a relationship, between all involved that has continued. For Hagen, Yakima is just one more place where, as he puts it, "dreaming goes on."
"I'll go anywhere the dream is happening," he said.
IF YOU GO: SEASONS MUSIC FESTIVAL
WHAT: The Seasons Fall Side-By-Side Music Festival.
WHERE: The Seasons, 101 N. Naches Ave., unless otherwise noted.
HOW MUCH: A festival pass costs $75. Passes and individual tickets are available through the Seasons box office, 453-1888, or online at www.seasonsmusicfestival.com (except for the Capitol Theatre performance).
ON THE BILL:
* 6:30 tonight -- Opening ceremonies, red carpet gala, wine tasting.
* 7:30 tonight -- Eric Alexander Quartet. $20.
* 7:30 p.m. Saturday -- Yakima Symphony Orchestra with The Finisterra Piano Trio, at the Capitol Theatre.
* 4 p.m. Sunday -- World premiere of Daron Hagen's one-act chamber opera "Cradle Song." Featuring the Finisterra Piano Trio, soprano Gilda Lyons and tenor Robert Frankenberry. $15.
* 7 p.m. Monday -- Bill Mays Trio. $10. (Doors open at 6 p.m. with cake and champagne to celebrate The Seasons' third birthday.)
* 7 p.m. Tuesday -- The Inventions Trio. $15.
* 7 p.m. Wednesday -- Ernestine Anderson. $20.
* 7 p.m. Thursday -- Jovino Santos Neto. $15. (Pre-concert talk begins at 6 p.m. Included with admission.)
* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 -- Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band. $20.
* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 -- Tierney Sutton Band. $20.
CRITIC'S EAR: To read veteran music writer Doug Ramsey's preview of the festival, visit www.yakimaherald.com/page/onmagazine.
IF YOU GO: THE SYMPHONY
WHO: The Yakima Symphony Orchestra featuring the Finisterra Piano Trio.
WHAT: The professional orchestral premiere of Daron Hagen's "Triple Concerto: Orpheus and Eurydice"; the premiere of two short works by young composers; Felix Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream: Overture, Opus 21"; and Maurice Ravel's "Boléro."
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St.
HOW MUCH: For seat availability and ticket prices, call the Capitol box office at 853-2787, or TicketsWest at 800-325-7328.
STUDENT RUSH: An hour before curtain, anyone with a student ID can purchase a ticket for $10.
GET BEHIND THE BATON: There will be a public rehearsal from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Capitol. Admission to the rehearsal is a nonperishable food donation for the Northwest Harvest food bank and/or a monetary donation to the symphony.
Also, a pre-concert talk about the evening's musical selections begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Capitol's Robertson Room.
CONCERT-CASTS: Pre-concert interviews plus stories behind the scores, composers and soloists are available via podcasts on the YSO Web site, www.yakimasymphony.org.
PRELUDE: The YSO's newsletter, Prelude, is available to download from its Web site. The online version includes program notes and other information not published in the print version.
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