Guest Composer: Steve Wiest
Denver Brass will be performing two new pieces by Grammy nominated composer & trombonist, Steve Wiest, this February 16, 2020 at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts!
DENVER BRASS & ALL THAT JAZZ
FEBRUARY 16 2:00PM
Newman Center for the Performing Arts
“Steve Wiest is a pioneer. He is fearless. He is a visionary who dares to throw convention to the wind. His music screaming from the very depths of his being, with no rules! This body of work does not seek approval by would-be critics. It emanates, unfettered and joyously, from Steve’s heart and soul. Oh, and he has that sly grin”
Steve Wiest is a multiple Grammy-nominated trombonist, composer, author, and cartoonist. The former soloist and writer for Maynard Ferguson, Steve went on to perform on the road with Doc Severinsen and the Old Tonight Show Orchestra as well as many other artists. Steve has numerous recordings out as a leader, the most recent of which is the debut album from the critically-acclaimed all-star horn band Vinyl Hampdin. Along with being the trombonist with the group, Wiest has composed and arranged all eleven tracks for their new recording titled “RED.” Joining Steve in Vinyl Hampdin is an all-star assemblage of Grammy and Juno winners: Lisa Dodd, Frank David Greene, Ray Herrmann, Sly5thAve, Stockton Helbing, Ryan Davidson, Eric Gunnison, Art Bouton, and Gerald Stockton.
In the world of jazz education, Steve was formerly the Director of the One O’Clock Lab Band at The University of North Texas and is now Co-Chair of Jazz Studies at The University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music where he teaches arranging, composition, jazz trombone and directs the award-winning Lamont Jazz Orchestra. In high demand as a clinician, composer and conductor, Wiest has directed many all-state ensembles and appeared as a guest artist and clinician all over the world.
Steve Wiest is a clinician for Edwards Instruments and plays the custom “Excalibur” version of the T302 and the Griego-Steve Wiest Mouthpiece (gold plated) exclusively.
To learn more about Steve, please visit his website at steve-wiest.com
PROGRAM NOTES
NEW SEASONS (Premiered at our 2020 November concert, Baroque Inventions)
I was given the delightful task of writing a new piece of music for Denver Brass that was informed by the Baroque era while making use of modern harmonies and composition techniques. In considering the era in question, the great Antonio Vivaldi came to mind along with his famous composition, The Four Seasons. Therefore, I decided to write four short movements informed by Vivaldi in a programmatic manner; Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. However, I created the music using harmonies more associated with Stravinsky, Copland and the modern jazz tradition. The result is fairly cinematic in nature and represents my programmatic take on “New Seasons.”
LEAF PEEPING (Autumn) While the act of seeking out and enjoying deciduous fall colors is called “leaf peeping” throughout the U.S., I first heard the term here in the front range area, and mostly associated with the wonderful gold aspen foliage. As the breeze catches the leaves of these beautiful trees, the aspens seem to be trembling. Therefore, the driving eighth notes and solo piccolo trumpet in this movement are the quivering golden leaves that we all love to peep at every year.
THE ASPEN FIREPLACE (Winter) Anyone who knows me knows how much I love cold weather and everything about winter. One of my favorite times in the low temperature months is sitting in front of a roaring fireplace. In this movement, I imagine that we are in Aspen on a seriously frigid and wintry night gazing into the light of the burning logs and feeling quite cozy. There are two main themes at play here: the flugelhorns represent the flames as they dance across the logs, while the horns and low brass theme reflects the hypnotic effect that the murmuring coals have on anyone who stares at them long enough.
THE EARTH WAKES UP (Spring) This movement is all about the beginning of spring where everything begins growing again. Considering how ancient and primal the joy of springtime is, I was reminded of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” Theme number one in this movement takes that famous poly-chordal palette, gives the tuba the solo moment, and lets the rest of the ensemble dance the primordial dance of rebirth. The low brass and horns state a slower majestic theme that represents the mountains and plains returning to full bloom, only to be joined by trumpets in straight mutes playing the part of birds and bees flitting around the flowers. We end with the nod to Stravinsky once again as the riot of returning animals, flowers, birds and insects all dance at once.
A HIKE TO THE LAKE (Summer) In the final movement we are presented with the answer to why a majority of Coloradans are in good shape: hiking! The canon theme in the intro represents the mountain, then combining the mountain theme with slowly ascending harmonies in the low brass that represent climbing said awesome geological wonder. As it is now full summer, the journey is arduous, but the numinous nature of our surroundings inspires us to keep going, ever upwards and onwards. At last, when the antiphonal choir, timpani and cymbals join in, we have reached the highest point and have discovered a spectacular glacial lake. A major sensual delight and indicative of the wonders to be found in Colorado.
GEORGE’S DILEMMA (Premiere performance at Denver Brass & All That Jazz)
I was born February 22, which was our first President’s, George Washington’s, birthday. Growing up and especially in elementary school, the fact that I was born on this auspicious day was quite a point of pride and very exciting for me! My mother would make vanilla snowy-looking cupcakes with icing in the shape of an axe and a cherry on top to celebrate the famous “I cannot tell a lie” legend. I would bring these delightful treats to school where my classmates would cheer as if I MYSELF was our country’s first Executive. But alas, in a bold stroke of pure capitalistic selfishness, the birthdays for George and his historic protégé, Abe, were combined into a money-making “President’s Day” holiday, for which I’ve never forgiven the powers-that-be. Therefore, this piece channels said lifelong angst into the venerable blues format, with the tuba soloist representing my personal pain. I have titled it: “George’s Dilemma”
Remember the TRUTH about February 22nd!
DENVER BRASS & ALL THAT JAZZ
FEBRUARY 16 2:00PM
Newman Center for the Performing Arts