Williams Center for the Arts
Lafayette College
8:00 pm
Program
Justin Kogasaka ’22
Lost Shadows for String Quartet
I. Mysterious and hazy
II. Light and buoyant
III. Heavy
4@10 Quartet
Anna Zittle, violin
Beth Anne Castellano, violin
Justin Kogasaka, viola
Kieran Ameres, cello
Notes
Originally a single movement piece for two violins and viola, Lost Shadows was conceived of as absolute music or a compositional etude. In a time where I was trying to find my compositional voice, I was also planning the rest of my undergraduate studies to balance the workload of a dual degree. Then the pandemic hit and prevented the performance of the string trio version. The existing music retroactively reshaped itself into a programmatic piece documenting my mental condition through the end of the spring semester of 2020. Another movement churned itself out in the 2020-21 academic year and by the end of the 2021 fall semester, all three movements had been written. The three movements evoke contrasting moods but are united by my experience of coping with mental strain through the composition period. I am excited to have 4@10 premiere Lost Shadows as three of its members would have performed the string trio version had the pandemic not happened.
Brian Payne ’23
An Eternal Cycle (2022) for fixed media playback
Notes
An Eternal Cycle was originally composed for piano in March 2022. It was later reworked for synthesizers in April 2022.
This piece uses interlocking rhythmic figures, repetitions, and ostinatos to give the effect of going through a cycle of life as it builds in complexity. It focuses on the cycles of life growing more chaotic and difficult to manage while also cycling into the joys and beauty of life and how we grow and change within them.
Zach Freiheiter ’23
Iridescent Fantasy (2021)
for Trumpet and Double Bass
Zach Freiheiter, trumpet
Quintin Sefton, bass
Notes
Iridescent Fantasy was a composition written in the fall of 2021. The piece is inspired by the harmonic motion and sound world of the great Japanese composer Yasunori Mitsuda. This piece uses vibrant harmony to create a colorful landscape.
–pause–
Anna Zittle ’22
Missed
A Chamber Opera in One Act
Music by Anna Zittle
Libretto by Anna Zittle and Laura Bedser
Theatrical Consultant: Eleanor Williams
Directed by Anna Zittle
Sarah Candido: Gwyn
Meredith Forman: Lana
Christopher Taverner: Arthur
Corey Beck, conductor
Samantha Semsel, flute
Emily Rice, clarinet
Avery Besch, bassoon
Beth Anne Castellano, violin
Lily Halverson, violin
Rebecca Fodale, violin
Olivia Hofmann, violin
Justin Kogasaka, viola
Shreya Suresh, viola
Kieran Ameres, cello
Christian Troemel, double bass
Ryan Wedeking, piano
Elizabeth Batchelar, percussion
Synopsis
Missed tells the story of Gwyn and Lana, two childhood friends who grew apart after high school but are reunited at the rehearsal dinner for Gwyn and her fiance Arthur’s wedding. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Gwyn steps outside for a moment alone. However, rather than finding some solitude, she comes across Lana. The two strike up a conversation, and are reminded of all the memories, and unspoken truths, that still hang between them.
Notes
If you would’ve told me eight months ago that I was going to compose and direct an original one act chamber opera, I simply would not have believed you. However, after spending the past two semesters researching, experimenting, and writing Missed, I can look back and say that this process has been well worth the endless hours and sleepless nights.
Before I began composing, I spent time diving into material and media that inspired me, notably Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (particularly “If I Loved You”), and a few Wagnerian operas. I realized very quickly that I wanted to tell a love story that illuminated the “What If’s” of life. Early last fall, Laura Bedser, Eleanor Williams, and I met to develop a story and libretto that would bring these ideas to life. We decided to use the Guinevere/Lancelot/Arthur love triste from Arthurian legend as loose inspiration, though we shifted the tale into a modern setting. I also knew I wanted to write for two women, so Lancelot became Lana. With the brainstorming out of the way, Laura wrote the libretto, and I set her wonderfully poetic words to music.
The opera begins with an Aaron Copland “Quiet City”-esque introduction, followed by a semi-duet, two arias, and another duet, each interspersed by recit and/or dialogue. A vital part of my compositional process was deciding exactly which lines needed to be spoken versus sung. To facilitate these decisions, I chose to use recit and arias to denote heightened states of reality and/or fantasy. Notably, only Gwyn and Lana sing throughout the piece; Arthur’s lines are spoken, and when he is present in a scene, no one else sings either. He grounds the two women in reality, and reminds the characters, and the audience, of the stakes at hand.
I am absolutely thrilled to share this labor of love with an audience, and extend my deepest gratitude to all involved in this process. More specifically, I would like to thank my music thesis advisor Dr. Kirk O’Riordan, my wonderful cast and pit orchestra, my conductor and dear friend Corey Beck, and all the Williams Center faculty and staff. Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and expertise with me, and for supporting me endlessly over the past four years; I would not be the woman I am today without your guidance and kindness.
Faculty Thoughts
Tonight’s program features the work of four student composers who work in radically different styles, techniques, and aesthetic approaches. You will hear pieces influenced by composers such as Anton Webern, Terry Riley, Aaron Copland, and Miles Davis. You will hear music composed with a very strict attention to pitch selection and motivic development, and music that relies heavily on improvisation. You will hear music that exploits electronic resources, and music that draws from its composer’s love of theater and lush orchestration.
While there is much stylistic diversity on this program, the most important aspect of these composers–the one that unites them on this program more strongly than any other–is that none of them came to Lafayette with the idea of becoming a composer. This was a passion they discovered in the course of studying music here. I’d also argue that each of these students was naturally gifted with a great deal of intellectual curiosity, a strong work ethic, and a profound innate creative imagination. They have always had the tools, and when presented with the opportunity to explore composing, they all embraced it. I daresay it has become an indispensable part of their lives now.
These students have all taken three (or more) courses in music theory and aural skills. In addition, they have taken both composition courses offered at Lafayette and individual applied instruction. Two of them have completed Honors Thesis work (you will hear Anna’s Thesis this evening, and you can hear Justin’s on May 8). In short, they have done the necessary work to acquire the skills and experience required by projects of this complexity and sophistication.
Tonight’s program is a testament to the vital importance of small, selective, intensive courses. It takes a long time to develop tools that can be used to build something the imagination can create, and it takes individual attention to teach a student how to use those tools. The projects on tonight’s program would not have been possible without these kinds of classes.
Biographies
Justin Kogasaka
Born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii, Justin Kogasaka is senior at Lafayette College studying Electrical and Computer Engineering and Music. He picked up the viola in 2012 performing in orchestra, string quartet, and pit orchestra during his high school career, and in 2020, he began his studies in percussion and composition. Justin continues to play viola with 4@10 and Chamber Orchestra, plays a variety of percussion instruments with Percussion Ensemble and Concert Band, and has written pieces for all of these ensembles. After graduation, he will be returning to Hawaii to work as a consulting engineer, but he hopes to eventually pursue graduate-level studies in composition and in power systems engineering.
Justin’s Thesis, Stolen Time for String Orchestra, will be premiered by the Lafayette College Chamber Orchestra (Lewis Baratz, conductor) on Sunday, May 8, 2022.
Brian Payne
Brian Payne is a pianist and composer from Sugarloaf, PA. They are currently a junior Mathematics and Music double major. They are currently a member of Percussion Ensemble. They look forward to working on a composition thesis and playing in various ensembles.
Zach Freiheiter
Zach Freiheiter is a junior from Randolph, New Jersey majoring in music at Lafayette college. He started playing trumpet in 2010, he has since played in many concert bands, jazz ensembles, and even started his own jazz group “LAN Party”. He started composing in 2020 after taking an introduction to composition class with Professor O’Riordan and has been studying jazz arrangement and composition with Charlie Rosen since August 2020.
Anna Zittle
A senior from Phoenix, MD, Anna Zittle (she/her, violin) is pursuing a Dual Degree in Math (B.S., Statistics Concentration) and Music (B.A.). Alongside performing with 4@10, she is a member of Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Concert Band, as well as the music director for the Marquis Players. She is also an active composer, and has written a micro-opera for her Music Honors Thesis, which will be premiered at the Lafayette College Contemporary Music Ensemble concert on April 29th at 8pm. Post-graduation, Anna will be serving as a Fulbright Scholar English Teaching Assistant in the Czech Republic, before pursuing a PhD at Virginia Commonwealth University in Systems Modeling and Analysis. Anna is a co-recipient of the Department of Music’s John Raymond Award.
4@10 Quartet
4@10 is a String Quartet comprised of musicians from Chamber Orchestra with an interest in exploring string quartet repertoire. The group’s name was born out of their rehearsal time: since the ensemble is student run, the rehearsals fall when the four students have common free time, i.e. 10pm on Wednesday nights after Orchestra rehearsal. 4@10’s repertoire spans late romantic to contemporary music, include Dvořák’s “American” String Quartet, Gershwin’s “Lullaby,” and new works by Justin Kogasaka (violist) and Dr. Kirk O’Riordan. They are thrilled to be performing Dr. O’Riordan’s work on this program, and are looking forward to their future appearances at the LCCME Concert on April 29th at 8pm, the Student Honors Recital on May 6th at 8pm, and their own lunchtime performance on May 7th at 12pm.
Kieran Ameres (they/them, cello) is a freshman from Quogue, NY, majoring in Electrical/Computer Engineering and minoring in Music. They have played in the New York All-State Orchestra and are currently a member of the Lafayette Chamber Orchestra. They look forward to continuing their studies at Lafayette, studying abroad, and playing in future concerts.
Beth Anne Castellano is a violinist from Egg Harbor Township, NJ. She is currently a senior at Lafayette and will graduate with a B.S. in Mathematics and minor in Music. She is also involved in the Creative and Performing Arts (CaPA) Scholars program, Chamber Orchestra, and the Pit Orchestras for both the Marquis Players and Missed: A Micro-Opera. Post-graduation, she will be pursuing a PhD in mathematics.
Born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii, Justin Kogasaka is senior at Lafayette College studying Electrical and Computer Engineering and Music. He picked up the viola in 2012 performing in orchestra, string quartet, and pit orchestra during his high school career, and in 2020, he began his studies in percussion and composition. Justin continues to play viola with 4@10 and Chamber Orchestra, plays a variety of percussion instruments with Percussion Ensemble and Concert Band, and has written pieces for all of these ensembles. After graduation, he will be returning to Hawaii to work as a consulting engineer, but he hopes to eventually pursue graduate-level studies in composition and in power systems engineering.
A senior from Phoenix, MD, Anna Zittle (she/her, violin) is pursuing a Dual Degree in Math (B.S., Statistics Concentration) and Music (B.A.). Alongside performing with 4@10, she is a member of Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Concert Band, as well as the music director for the Marquis Players. She is also an active composer, and has written a micro-opera for her Music Honors Thesis, which will be premiered at the Lafayette College Contemporary Music Ensemble concert on April 29th at 8pm. Post-graduation, Anna will be serving as a Fulbright Scholar English Teaching Assistant in the Czech Republic, before pursuing a PhD at Virginia Commonwealth University in Systems Modeling and Analysis.
Sarah Candido
Sarah Candido (Gwen) is a senior English Literature and music double major. She was awarded the Gilbert Prize for excellence in English in 2021 and 2022, and the John D. Raymond award for outstanding musicianship in 2022. She sings in the Lafayette Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Marquis Consort. Sarah last performed virtually in the zoom production of Much Ado About Nothing in Fall 2020. She would like to thank Anna, Corey, and the rest of the ensemble for Missed for putting on an amazing performance.
Meredith Forman
Meredith Forman (Lana) is a sophomore studying Psychology and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies from Radnor, Pennsylvania. She has been studying vocal performance for over 11 years and has been in over 15 musical theatre productions. On campus, she is the Music Director of Soulfege A Capella and is involved in Ultimate Frisbee, Arts Society, Marquis Players, Pottery Club, Hillel, and HerCampus. She wants to thank Anna for this amazing opportunity, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Christopher Taverner
Chris Taverner (he/him, Arthur) is a Freshman Civil Engineering major. With Lafayette College Theater, Chris performed in Shakespeare’s R&J and in the Ten Minute Play Festival. He is also in the Pit Orchestra for Legally Blonde, the Pep Band, Concert Band, Chorus, Chorduroys, and CaPA Scholars program. Right here in Easton, Chris previously performed in The Addams Family and The Pajama Game.
Corey Beck
Corey Beck is a Senior Math and Physics Dual Degree at Lafayette College. Deeply involved in music on campus, Corey is the Assistant Conductor for Concert Band, Conductor for Pep Band, and Ensemble Assistant for Percussion Ensemble. Corey takes lessons with Dr. Kirk O’Riordan in conducting and Dr. Larry Stockton in percussion. With Dr. Stockton, Corey has also done study and research into non-Western music, particularly Japanese drumming traditions. Elsewhere on campus Corey is an executive board member of Alternative School Break, and is involved with Math Club, Women+ In Physics, and Physics Club. Corey is a co-recipient of the Department of Music’s John Raymond Award.
Laura Bedser
Laura Bedser (Librettist) is a junior English and Religious Studies double major at Lafayette. She is Vice President of the Arts Society, a Writing Associate, a writer and editor for Lafayette’s chapter of Her Campus, a member of the Marquis Literary Magazine Club, and an all-around advocate for creative writing on campus. Laura was thrilled to join “Missed” as the librettist, and while currently studying abroad in London, she is excited for the show to debut on the Williams Center stage with an audience full of family and friends.
Eleanor Williams
Eleanor Williams (Theatrical Consultant) is a senior Mechanical Engineering and Theater Dual Degree from Southern California. She has been extensively involved in the Theater Department as a Theater and Engineering Fellow, scene shop assistant, and performer. She is a member of Marquis Players, Arts Society, the wellness community, and serves as co-PR chair for Alpha Psi Omega Theater Honors Society. She has recently scenic designed Shakespeare’s R&J and Legally Blonde.
Composition at Lafayette
Students who wish to study composition at Lafayette typically begin their work with the Music Theory sequence of courses, often culminating with MUS 324: 20th Century Harmonic Practice. At some point in that sequence a student will take MUS 249: Introduction to Composition, and its sequel, MUS MUS 325, Composition Seminar. Courses in Orchestration, electronic music, and other relevant topics are available, and students may also take private lessons.
Composition students often pursue capstone or Thesis work. Below is a list of students who have completed these kinds of projects:
Justin Kogasaka ’22: Stolen Time for Chamber Orchestra
Anna Zittle ’22: Missed: A Chamber Opera in One Act
Eric Gourdon ’20: Leaving Port on a Shimmering Sea for Chamber Orchestra
Ashley Kushner ’19: Would I Have Broke the Happy Dream for Wind Ensemble
Marcus Salvadore ’19: Thoughts for Marimba and Live Electronics
Johnny Gossick ’18: Lecture/Demonstration in Live Coding
Sam Friedman ’11: Adagio Anteros for Chamber Orchestra
(Honors Thesis)
Opportunities for hearing performances of their works is critical for composers. In addition to public performances given by Music Department ensembles such as The Lafayette College Concert Band, Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Contemporary Music Ensemble (which has performed over 30 student works), student composers have participated in reading sessions with HUB New Music and SO Percussion and in master classes with visiting composers Augusta Read Thomas, Michael Torke, Gregory Wannamaker, Anthony Lanman, Stephanie Ann Boyd, and Andrea Clearfield.