Fortas: Sphinx Oct. 19, 2024 Digital Program

Sphinx Virtuosi

Multiple artists posing with their string instruments in front of show posters. — Photo by Brian Hatton.

Terrace Theater

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Program

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Sphinx Virtuosi
Josh Jones, percussion

Scott Joplin
(arr. Jannina Norpoth)
(1868-1917): Overture from Treemonisha †

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
(1875-1912)

Selections from Four Novelletten, Op. 52

I. Allegro Moderato
III. Valse, Andante con Moto

Derrick Skye
(b. 1982): American Mirror, Part One**

: Intermission

Curtis Stewart
(b. 1986): Drill for Prepared Drumset and Strings*

Juantio Becenti
(b. 1983): Hané (Story)**

Teresa Carreño
(1853-1917)

Serenade for Strings

Finale, Tempo di Marcia

Levi Taylor
(b. 1980): Daydreaming (A Fantasy on Scott Joplin)*‡

* - Commissioned by The Sphinx Organization
** - Arranged for Sphinx Virtuosi by the composer
† - From Treemonisha: A Musical Reimagining commissioned by Volcano Theatre Libretto Leah-Simone Bowen, Cheryl A. Davis; Co-arranger/orchestrators Jessie Montgomery & Jannina Norpoth. String orchestra version commissioned by The Sphinx Organization for Sphinx Virtuosi
‡ - Daydreaming (A Fantasy on Scott Joplin) was commissioned with a gift from the Keith and Renata Ward Emerging Composer Fund.

This performance is presented in collaboration with the Coalition of African Americans in the Performing Arts.

Patrons are requested to silence cell phones and other electronic devices during performances.

The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in this venue.
Program order and artists are subject to change.

Washington Performing Arts Sponsors

This engagement of Sphinx Virtuosi is made possible in part by Jenny Bilfield and Joel Phillip Friedman and through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Washington Performing Arts’s classical music performances this season are made possible in part through the generous support of Betsy and Robert Feinberg and the Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Special thanks to the following lead supporters of Washington Performing Arts’s mission-driven work: Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars, Incorporated; D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities; the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

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All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

Artists

Sphinx Virtuosi

October 2024 Roster

VIOLIN 1
Alex Gonzalez (Concertmaster)
Clayton Penrose-Whitmore
Patricia Quintero Garcia
Annelle K. Gregory

VIOLIN 2
Meredith Riley (Principal)
Maïthéna Girault
Rainel Joubert
Caitlin Edwards

VIOLA
Celia Hatton (Principal)
Robert Alvarado Switala
Kayla Cabrera
Harper Randolph

CELLO
Eri Snowden-Rodriguez (Principal)
Quenton Blache
Lindsey Sharpe
Diana Flores

BASS
Jonathan Colbert (Principal)
Christopher Johnson

PERCUSSION
Josh Jones

TOUR MANAGERS
Ally Price
Aaron Vaughn

Program Notes

American Form/s

American Form/s is a musical tapestry depicting the many sounds of American classical music. Vibrant, varied, storied, and new, the self-conducted string orchestra Sphinx Virtuosi takes audiences on a journey through classically-framed infusions of soul, bluegrass, jazz, blues, and elements of rag. Works range from reimaginings of Joplin's joyous landscapes to the complex rhythms of Curtis Stewart, and brilliant influences of immigrant composers like Teresa Carreño. Experience the intricate harmonies and world influences of Derrick Skye's writing, as well as modern interpretations of soul-stirring spirituals and more in this program carefully and collaboratively curated to celebrate the richness of the American musical landscape.

Scott Joplin (arr. Jannina Norpoth): Overture from Treemonisha

Notes by Jannina Norpoth

In 1911, Scott Joplin used his life savings to register a copy of his beloved opera Treemonisha with the Library of Congress. Ahead of its time, the work combined classical form and operatic vocal stylings with the genre he is notably famous for, ragtime. Despite several revivals many decades after his death and a 1976 Pulitzer Prize, Joplin never saw the work published or performed during his lifetime.

The Overture performed by Sphinx Virtuosi is an excerpt from a contemporary re-imagining commissioned by Toronto-based experimental theater company Volcano. This newly realized adaptation brought together an international creative team of black women in homage to the opera’s namesake and protagonist Treemonisha—a young black woman who leads her community through conflict and turmoil.

Volcano’s version features an updated libretto and storyline from acclaimed playwright and broadcaster Leah-Simone Bowen along with Emmy^®–nominated co-librettist Cheryl A. Davis. Co-arranger/orchestrators are Grammy^®–winning composer Jessie Montgomery, and two-time Grammy^® nominee Jannina Norpoth.

The Overture depicts a plantation near Texarkana, Arkansas, in the year 1864. A young, enslaved woman named Priscilla flees with her newborn baby. Desperate and pursued by her enslavers, she knocks on the doors of nearby houses for help to no avail. She places the baby inside a hollow tree, hiding a small bag of luck within the child's clothing. Moments later, Priscilla is shot and killed. The infant is found and adopted by Monisha and Ned who name her Treemonisha and raise her as their own. The overture concludes with the entrance of adult Treemonisha, twenty years later on her wedding day, sitting peacefully reading beneath the very tree her mother left her under with hopes for her survival.

Volcano’s Treemonisha received its debut in 2023 at the Luminato Festival in Toronto. The work premiered to critical acclaim, and was subsequently named one of the year’s best performances by the New York Times. It received six nominations at the Canadian Dora Awards—one in every eligible category. The full opera receives its American debut this coming May 2025 at Harris Theater in Chicago (with a few Sphinx Alumni in the ensemble!)

**Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Selections from Four Novelletten, Op. 52 (Mvt 1 and Mvt III)**

Notes by Afa S. Dworkin

Dive into the rich, melodic world of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with selections from his Four Novelletten, Op. 52. These charming movements for strings are a testament to his talent for eloquently blending lush harmonies well-suited for the string medium.

Coleridge-Taylor crafted this piece with a deep understanding of the instrument, allowing the solo violin to shine in moments of virtuosic brilliance while seamlessly weaving in the full ensemble to create a powerful, unified sound. The Novelletten were dedicated to Ethel Barns, an English pianist, composer, and violinist who brought Coleridge-Taylor’s works to life.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a trailblazer in more ways than one. Born to a white English mother and a Sierra Leonean father, he grew up in his grandfather’s household under the care of his single mother. His exceptional musical talent was evident from a young age, leading to a scholarship at the Royal Conservatory. It was here that he began to explore his heritage and the broader concept of Pan-Africanism, which inspired him to delve into the history of Africans in America—a passion that notably influenced his writing.

In addition to his composing, Coleridge-Taylor led the London Handel Society in the early 1900s and taught composition at both the Guildhall School of Music and Trinity College of Music. Though his life was tragically cut short at just 37, his remarkable contributions to the classical music world continue to resonate, inspiring new generations and ensuring his legacy endures.

Prepare to be captivated by the timeless beauty and emotional depth of Coleridge-Taylor's Four Novelletten, where every note tells a story, and every movement evokes introspection.

**Derrick Skye: American Mirror, Part One**

Notes by Derrick Skye

American Mirror reflects on the coming together of cultures in our society, which consists of many generations and descendants of refugees, immigrants, and enslaved people, and how intercultural collaborations are essential to the well-being of American society.

**Curtis Stewart: Drill for Prepared Drumset and Strings**

Notes by Curtis Stewart

The roar of burnt tire.

The heat—much better than stale apartment air.

We sit pointedly in new outside dining, waiting for the next bang, the next explosion, the squads.

Pop Smoke revelation. Inwood. Washington heights. Memories drilled into personality.

Wait.

During the pandemic, the phenomenon of outside dining swept New York. Being outside was much respite from being stuck in our crowded Inwood apartment. We would sit on Broadway, and let the chaos of the outside world soothe our restless souls, including the muscular roars of passing motorcycles and the wide cadence of “Drill music” up and down Broadway. I associate this music with outside, with release, despite its intricate, violent, and chaotic outer layer.

This work for prepared drumset and strings is my “summer music,” my “hunter’s call,” my “field recording.”

What happens when we bring that outside music, inside - into our concert halls and onto our stages. When the outside becomes the inside, how will it ring in our walls?

**Juantio Becenti: Hané (Story) for String Quartet**

Notes by Juantio Becenti

“It’s really strange. I just had that desire, almost since I can remember,” Juantio Becenti recalled in an interview for the Navajo Times. Of Diné (Navajo) descent, Becenti grew up in Aneth, Utah, near the Four Corners, Navajo Nation. As a child, he would stay late at school to practice on the piano and took lessons from a teacher who traveled to give him instruction. Driven to absorb all he could, he would order CDs and scores for study, eventually moving toward composing around age 12. By age 15, Becenti received his first commission from the Moab Music Festival. Since then, he has been commissioned by artists Dawn Avery (North American Indian Cello Project), Raven Chacon (Native American Composers Apprenticeship Program), Michael Barrett (New York Festival of Song), amongst others, and had his works performed by the St. Petersburg String Quartet, Chatter, and the Claremont Trio at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

**Teresa Carreño: Serenade for Strings (Finale, Tempo di Marcia)**

Notes by Bill Neri

Teresa Carreño, born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1853, was a prodigy nurtured in a deeply musical family. Her father, Manuel Antonio Carreño, was not only a politician but also a musician, and her mother, Clorinda García de Sena y Toro, came from a lineage of musicians, setting the stage for Carreño’s development. Her father served in various governmental roles in Caracas, where an unstable political climate ultimately led the family to flee to the United States in 1862. At just nine years old, Carreño performed for President Abraham Lincoln at the White House. Over her illustrious career, she performed with prestigious ensembles, including the Berlin Philharmonic, and composed over 80 works, significantly contributing to the musical landscape alongside contemporaries like Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann.

Composed in 1895 while residing in the idyllic Austrian village of Pertisau, Carreño’s Serenade for Strings reflects her deep emotional expression and compositional skill. The fourth movement, a vibrant and joyful march, transports listeners to the lush, mountainous landscapes of the Tyrol region. The movement’s rhythmic vigor and bright melodies evoke the spirit of a festive procession, perhaps symbolizing a connection between the vibrant life of her Venezuelan homeland and the serene Austrian setting. Despite its brilliance, this work remains underrepresented in the canon, and Carreño’s contributions as a composer deserve much greater recognition.

Levi Taylor: Daydreaming (A Fantasy on Scott Joplin)

Notes by Levi Taylor

For Daydreaming (A Fantasy On Scott Joplin), I had the wonderful task to put to music my adoration and curiosities of Joplin and his music, while still maintaining freedom of expression and exploration on my own sonic musings. This is where the piece derives its title, as I enjoyed ruminating on Joplin and then letting my imagination soar from the inspiration.

Right away the listener will notice a few nods towards Joplin’s music: The opening brings us in with a glimpse of The Entertainer followed by light rhythmic movements inspired by Joplin’s fun and syncopated rhythms. Included are also a few “odd” notes here and there, along with energetic countermelodies that aim to bring the listener closer to Joplin’s style.

From there the piece begins to unfold more into my own personal musings on how Joplin’s music inspires me, while occasionally dipping back to remind the listener where the inspiration comes from. Different sections evoke different general feelings around Joplin’s music. One moment the piece will reflect on the exquisite and playful sound of some of Joplin’s music, while in the next it will explore some of the more intimate and robust qualities I’ve enjoyed especially in pieces such as his opera, Treemonisha. Throughout all of the various moments of "daydreaming" in this piece, there remained one consistent ambition: To embody the bold, ambitious, and authentic expression that I find in all of Joplin’s music.

Staff

Fortas Chamber Music Concerts Staff

Senior Director, Jazz and Special Concerts Programming

Kevin Struthers
Senior Manager, Chamber and Classical New Music Programming

Trent Perrin
Assistant Manager, Programming

Kate Blauvelt
Coordinator, Programming

Amelia Cameron

Kennedy Center Executive Leadership

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsDeborah F. Rutter

Vice President, Public RelationsEileen Andrews

Chief Information Officer Ralph Bellandi

Senior Vice President, MarketingKimberly J. Cooper

Executive Director, National Symphony OrchestraJean Davidson

Senior Vice President, Artistic PlanningMonica Holt

Chief Financial OfficerStacey Johnson

Vice President, EducationJordan LaSalle

Vice President, Government Relations and ProtocolLaurie McKay

Senior Vice President, DevelopmentLeslie Miller

General Director, Washington National OperaTimothy O’Leary

Vice President, FacilitiesMatt Floca

Chief Human Resources OfficerFrederick Owusu

Executive Vice President & General CounselAsh Zachariah

Staff for the Terrace Theater

Theater Manager Xiomara Mercado*

Head Usher Randy Howes

Production Manager Rich Ching

Master Technicians Dustin Dunsmore and Susan Kelleher

Box Office Treasurer Ron Payne

Washington Performing Arts Staff

Executive

Jenny Bilfield, President & CEO

Douglas H. Wheeler, President Emeritus

Audrey Witmore, Executive Assistant

Advancement

Meiyu Tsung, Director of Advancement

Sara Trautman-Yeğenoğlu, Assistant Director of Advancement Resources

Rachel Luehrs, Manager of Individual Giving

Sarah Frances Williams, Manager of Special Events

Natalie Groom, Manager of Advancement Operations & Analytics

Scott Hounsou, Advancement Assistant

Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media

Lauren Beyea, Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media

Scott Thureen, Creative Media & Analytics Manager

Cassandra Gibson, Marketing and Communications Manager

Tina David, Digital Content Manager

Amanda Sweet, Bucklesweet, Press & Media Relations

Daniele Oliveira, Graphic Designer

Patron Services

Chad Dexter Kinsman, Patron Services Manager

Mbissane Diagne, Patron Services Associate

Arts Education & Partnerships

Amber Pannocchia, Director of Arts Education & Partnerships

Kristen Harts, Arts Education Programs Manager

Penelope Musto, Education Partnerships Manager

Gospel Music Programs

David Powell, Director of Gospel Music Programs

Kathy Brewington, Senior Manager of Choir Operations

Tevin Price, Recruitment & Production Coordinator for Gospel Music Programs

Finance & Administration

Paul Leider, Chief Financial Officer

Bridgette Cooper, Assistant Director of HR & Operations

Programming & Production

Samantha Pollack, Director of Programming

Anna Rudnitsky, Programming Operations Manager

Special Productions & Initiatives

Eric E. Richardson, Supervising Producer

DeAnter Haggerty-Willis, Manager of Mars Arts D.C.

Resident Artists

Michele Fowlin, Artistic Director, Children of the Gospel Choir

Theodore Thorpe III, Artistic Director, Men & Women of the Gospel Choir

Anthony “Tony” Walker, Music Director, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs

Karon Johnson, Choreographer, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs

Stanley J. Thurston, Artistic Director Emeritus, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs

Washington Performing Arts Board of Directors
https://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/our-people/#board

Washington Performing Arts Junior Board
https://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/our-people/#jb

Washington Performing Arts Women's Committee
https://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/our-people/#wc

*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

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The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

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The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E., AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.