Time： Apr 29, 2014, 7:30pm

　　Venue：Shanghai Centre Theater

Program

Bamboula,　         Louis Gottschalk，      Solo piano

Louis Gottschalk, from New Orleans, wrote　this piece in 1842 at the age of 17.   The melody is African in origin, the rhythms African, and the harmonies European.  In 1840, New Orleans was home to African, Spanish, South American, Cuban, and European culture, including the music and visual arts.  Gottschalks mother was Haitian, his father British, and as an American composer,  he borrowed from numerous international traditions.

Bethena,　              Scott Joplin，      Solo Piano

Scott Joplin, an African American composer, wrote in the style of German marches and waltzes, but with African rhythms.  He was active from 1890 to 1910 and is considered a major influence on modern American popular and jazz music.

Loveless Love,　      Duke Ellington　　　　jazz band                  

Take the A Train,　   Duke Ellington　　　  jazz band

Duke Ellington was born in Washington, but made his career in New York City as pianist, composer, and bandleader.  His jazz orchestra was active for 50 years from 1924 to his death in 1974.  He is considered as the most important jazz composer in American music history.

Suite Shanghai Suite

This collection of pieces includes pieces familiar Chinese melodies and new compositions by composer Burnett Thompson.  For Mr. Thompson, Shanghai is a complex city, including the fascinating  period known now as the Shanghai Jazz Age.

Hypocritical　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    piano/vocal              
Shanghai Blues　　　　　　　　　　　　　      jazz band              
In that far far away land　　　　　　　　  　Band/vocal       
A pair fly together　　　　　　　　　　　   piano/vocal          
Awakening　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　       jazz band

Groovin‘ Hi, Dizzy Gillespie　　　　　       jazz band             
 
Dizzy Gillespie was part of the post-World War II bebop era.  This was an especially creative period in jazz history, including high energy rhythms and complex melody, coupled with extravagant improvisation.
   
Shakespeare 　　　         Sonnet 154　　　　erhu/vocal               
    
The music for this sonnet is composed by Burnett Thompson in Chinese traditional style, both in terms of the erhu and the melody. Shakespeare’s works have great meaning in any language, and his plays and sonnets have been translated into other languages since the 16th century.

Sad Song　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　      erhu/piano                 
This beautiful melody was written by Liu Tianhua, the great composer and promoter of Chinese music.   It is a virtuoso piece, and challenges the erhu player to perform with great feeling and Expression.
 
Race　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　      Erhu/piano             
This new arrangement by Meng Xiao Xu and Burnett Thompson will give a new perspective on an old masterpiece.

Forever Lovers　　　　　　　　　　　    　vocal/piano           
A beautiful piece in Beijing Opera style with Han Dynasty text.

Rhapsody in Blue，  George Gershwin   　　 solo piano                  
One of the great masterworks of American music, this 1924 composition includes Cuban rhythms, French harmonies, in addition to jazz harmonies and rhythms to represent much of American music in the 1920’s.

Take 5,                  Dave Brubeck　　　　 jazz band           
     
In 1959, the first “Hit” jazz piece, an unusual format of 5 beats and a complex melody that caught the American public’s attention.

Spain,       　   Chick Corea/Rodrigo,　 jazz band/erhu      
This gypsy or Flamenco melody has been used by many composers in classical, jazz, and popular  music.  In this arrangement for erhu and jazz quartet, the intense Latin rhythms provide a backdrop for a beautiful melody.