Oceana
Sunday, April 21, 2024
4:00 PM—The Lensic
From $25
In Celebration of Earth Day, Oceana presents Native American composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Chokfi’ (Rabbit)—Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion, Handel’s Water Music, Wagner’s Forest Murmurs, and Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, introducing cellist Gabriel Martins, 2020 Sphinx Competition First Prize winner. Rounding out the program is Stella Sung’s Oceana featuring compelling multimedia visuals by filmmaker Annie Crawley.
“I am a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and I am a professional classical composer. I am dedicated to the development of American Indian classical composition and all of my works reflect North American Indian history, culture and ethos.” I am honored and privileged that The Santa Fe Symphony chose to champion my music during the pandemic and I look forward to many years more of continued collaboration. In my work, Chokfi’: Sarcasm for Strings and Percussion, the orchestra expresses the energetic and diabolical nature of our Chickasaw trickster, the rabbit.
The opening of the work is a combination of unpredictable and alternating time signatures, paired with a modernized version of a Muskogee hymn, sung to me by my good friend, Curtis Scott. Enjoy! Yakkookay! —Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate
The Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra
Guillermo Figueroa, Music Director
Gabriel Martins, Cello
PROGRAM
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major
Hornpipe
JEROD IMPICHCHAACHAAHA’ TATE
Chokfi’ (Rabbit)—Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion
PYTOR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Variations on a Rococo Theme
Gabriel Martins, Cello
RICHARD WAGNER
Siegfried, WWV 86c: Forest Murmurs (Waldweben) arr. Zumpe
STELLA SUNG
Oceana
“flawlessly played…a deeply moving experience”
—The Strad Magazine
Lauded for his “rich, warm” and “mesmerizing” sound, Gabriel Martins carries a concerto repertoire spanning every major work. In recital, his performances of the Bach Cello Suites have garnered particular recognition. Martins’ playing has been broadcast on NPR, WQXR, KUSC, WFMT, and more. His festival appearances include Aspen, Bard, Brevard, Chamberfest Cleveland, Four Seasons, La Jolla, Mainly Mozart, Ravinia, and Yellow Barn. His debut album “Bach I” was released in 2023.
Tickets start as low as $25. Contact The Symphony Box Office today at 505.983.1414. Half-priced tickets for children 6 to 14 years of age can also be purchased by phone. Join us for a FREE 30-minute preview talk about the performance presented from The Lensic stage by Maestro Guillermo Figueroa at 3:00 PM.
Annie Crawley, aka Ocean Annie, is an underwater photographer, filmmaker, keynote speaker, and author. She created her YouTube channel to change the way we view the ocean while also inspiring us to rethink our relationship with water. As an underwater explorer, she found her home when she learned to dive. “I want people to have a conversation about the ocean every day. Without a healthy ocean, we are not healthy.” —Annie Crawley
Guillermo Figueroa, Music Director
One of the most versatile and respected musical artists of his generation—renowned as conductor, violinist, violist, and concertmaster—Guillermo Figueroa is the Principal Conductor of The Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus. He also serves as the Music Director of the Music in the Mountains Festival in Colorado, Music Director of the Lynn Philharmonia in Florida, and is the founder of the highly acclaimed Figueroa Music and Arts Project in Albuquerque. Additionally, he was the Music Director of both the New Mexico Symphony and the Puerto Rico Symphony. With the Puerto Rico orchestra, he performed to critical acclaim at Carnegie Hall in 2003, the Kennedy Center in 2004, and Spain in 2005.
Gabriel Martins, Cello
Cellist Gabriel Martins (b. 1998) has established himself as one of the world’s most compelling young musicians. His artistry has already been recognized through an extensive list of accolades including the Concert Artists Guild/Young Classical Artists Trust Grand Prize, the Sphinx Competition Gold Medal, the David Popper International Cello Competition Gold Medal, the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians Silver Medal, the Schadt String Competition Gold Medal, the Orford Music Award, and the Prague Spring Czech Music Fund Prize. These successes have led to a number of high-profile debuts including Carnegie, Merkin, and many more.