TONE POEMS IV: CHILDREN OF LIGHT, A TUBA SONATE Not many Jazz musicians go to the Ivy League… Not many Ivy 'Leaguers' go into the field of Jazz Music Performance after studying Classical music all their lives. Not many Tuba players play Jazz at all. Not many professional Tuba players are featured Jazz soloists at the A list level, either… "Most Tubas are left in the Mezzanine section or in the background for the other instruments at the “Big Game”. Way up there while the real game is on the field or court. Or, maybe just put in the game near the coat racks or in the back closet, fighting with the other unused hat racks. Usually, dented and one valve is missing, and filled with old sneakers, soda cans and bottles, orange peels, and sweat shirts from days gone by" ***Tone Poem IV: Children of Light, a Tuba Sonate is dedicated to the late Clarinetist, Keith Wilson and Trombonist, John Swallow, for during my time at Yale, they both taught me the disciplined art of classical music through rare training and understanding that can never be compared. Keith, as my counselor, and John as my master class and ensemble instructor! Tuba Sonate is a "snapshot" in time, some 27 years ago. This "Life" recording at the Yale University School Of Music has mistakes that come from the performance, with risks built in, that particular day. It is 'ok' to critique these mistakes, as they come from looking forward and taking risks necessary to do something new and different. The unknown can be exciting as many of these were new compositions to the Tuba repertoire! “We cannot establish laws which govern the way a creative mind works. Each individual has to develop his own procedure” Paul Hindemith (1895 –1963) Paul Hindemith is one of the most important representatives of twentieth-century music. He made his breakthrough in 1921. Over night, he moved to the forefront of the musical avant-garde in Germany and at the same time established his reputation as an internationally renowned violist and master composition teacher at Yale School of Music. Dr. David A. Uber (1921-2007) is a prominent American composer whose works for brass, woodwind and percussion are played extensively throughout the world. As a performing artist, Dr. Uber was principal trombonist with the New York City Ballet Orchestra at Lincoln Center, the New York City Opera Orchestra and the NBC Symphony Orchestra. For many years he was solo trombonist with the NBC Television Opera, the Columbia Recording Symphony, the New York Brass Quintet and the Contemporary Brass Quintet. His artistry may be heard on countless recordings under such eminent conductors as Igor Stravinsky, Leopold Stokowski, Sir Thomas Beecham, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Morton Gould, Arthur Fiedler, Fritz Reiner, and Bruno Walter. Born in Princeton, Illinois, he graduated from Carthage College and receiving a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Dr. Uber served four years in the United States Navy Band and then continued his studies at Columbia University where he obtained his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education degrees. Dr. Uber was professor of music at the College of New Jersey (formerly known as Trenton State College) for thirty-three years.... [ My teacher and good friend, he taught me so much and cared so deeply. He is the reason I went to Yale!] Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist of the Baroque period. He established German styles through his skill in counterpoint,harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France in the Baroque Classical Style. Joseph Jean-Baptiste Laurent Arban (1825 – 1889) was a cornetist, conductor, composer, teacher and the first famed virtuoso of the valved cornet. He was influenced by Niccolò Paganini's virtuosic technique on the violin and successfully proved that the cornet was a true solo instrument by developing virtuoso technique on the instrument. Born in Lyon, France, he studied trumpet with Francois Dauverné at the Paris Conservatoire from 1841 to 1845. Tone Poems IV: ‘Tuba Sonate’ 1) Sonata in G minor for Flute and Clavier, BWV 1020 Johann Sebastian Bach Transcribed by Antonio Underwood Allegro/Adagio/Allegro Dr. Sara Laimon, Piano I must mention Dr. Sara Laimon, my best friend at Yale... she has gone on to become an Internationally known Recording Artist,Ambassador, and Associate Dean and Associate Professor at McGill University in Montreal... Sara is founding member and co-artistic director of the acclaimed New York based group Sequitur, former pianist for Ensemble Contemporain de Montreal, and has been guest artist with numerous other ensembles and festivals. I am so proud of her and thankful she is on this recording... 2) Sonate for Tuba and Piano-1955 Paul Hindemith Allegro Pesante/Allegro Assai/Moderato Commodo Mr. Robert Rocco, Piano Mr. Rocco served as accompanist and vocal coach for nine years at Carnegie Mellon and Chatham College in Pittsburgh. At the North Carolina School of the Arts he appears in instrumental and vocal performances with both faculty and students. He has been featured on WQED-FM radio broadcasts with the Pittsburgh-based ensemble Dear Friends as well as with the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh. As a choral accompanist he toured with the Robert Page Singers in St. Petersburg (Russia) and Helsinki, Finland. He served as guest artist at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria and is well-known to audiences in Normandy and Provence (France), where he has given numerous solo and chamber music recitals. 3) Fantaisie and Variations on “The Carnival of Venice”-1864 Jean-Baptiste Arban Transcribed by Antonio Underwood 4) Caricatura for Solo Tuba with Brass Choir-1970 Dr. David Uber YALE BRASS CHOIR (1987)--- I would like to thank Andre for leading the 'troops' over the top! These wonderful instrumentalist deserve so much credit for taking the time, with such busy schedules, to rehearse and perform this for me... They are what makes the field of music so special and memorable!!! Thanks!!!! Mr. Smith enjoys an active career as guest conductor. During the 2013-14 season, he returns to the Bamberg Symphony to record works by Gershwin, Ravel and Roy Harris for Bayerischer Rundfunk. He makes his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony, and in recent seasons has conducted the Detroit Symphony and Oregon Symphony. Mr. Smith has appeared with most of the major American orchestras including Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Andre Raphael Smith, Conductor George Steward, trumpet Melissa Dayton, horn Jeffrey Higgins, trumpet Kyle Robin, trombone Jason Rubinstein, trumpet Tracy Booth, trombone David Travers-Smith, trumpet Mark Daniels, trombone Cris Piccioni, horn David Levy, trombone Courtney Rodriguez, tuba 5) Summer Nocturne David A. Uber Dr. Sara Laimon, piano 6) How Deep Is The Ocean, How High Is The Sky? (1932) Irving Berlin 7) A Walk in the Sky (1994) A. Underwood 8) Rarely (2004) A. Underwood * Thanks to The Fred Plaut Recording Studio(Recording), Yale University School of Music New Haven, CT * John Davis @ Precision AudioSonics ( Audio transfer from reel) Hollywood, CA * Jason Abell @ NBC Universal (Mastering) Studio City, CA * A Walk in the Sky & Rarely recorded and mixed by Tone East Music, LLC Brecksville, Ohio With respect and love for the arts.... Tone