Wednesday, February 25, 2025
7:00 PM
Dr. Tamara Dworetz, conductor
Evan Eldridge & Garrett Clay, graduate assistant conductors
Masquerade Suite
Aram Khachaturian | 1903-1978
Evan Eldridge, graduate conductor
I. Waltz
II. Galop
Suite from Masquerade contains a selection of three movements collected from the incidental music that Khachaturian composed for the play Masquerade, written in 1835 by Russian writer Lermontov. Masquerade is set in 1830s aristocratic Russia and follows the life of the rebellious and strong-willed Arbenin. The play is often compared thematically to Shakespeare’s Othello. The music that Khachaturian composed for this play uses his characteristic combination of Armenian and Western music styles to create an energetic and exotic suite.
- Program Note from U.S. Marine Band concert program, 20 July 2016
The All-Seeing Sky
Samuel Psathas | B. 1966
Austin Mellen, marimba & Blaze Benavides, vibraphone Tamara Dworetz, conductor
III. The All-Seeing Sky
The Double Percussion Concerto, titled The All-Seeing Sky, was written for and dedicated to percussionists Fabian Ziegler and Luca Staffelbach. The concerto was commissioned by Orchestra Wellington and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in New Zealand, as well as the City Light Symphony Orchestra in Lucerne, Switzerland. In contrast to the grandiose fireworks-driven percussion concertos of recent times, I intentionally scored this work for a Mozart-sized orchestra, emphasizing a more intimate approach. The solo parts are limited to the marimba (soloist 1) and vibraphone (soloist 2). Consisting of three movements, the concerto takes inspiration from various interconnected concepts. The phrase "The All-Seeing Sky" alludes to both the pervasive surveillance of the modern era and the notion of God as an omnipresent entity documented throughout history. The first two movements draw inspiration from Gustave Doré's captivating illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy. "The Portals of Dis" evokes the inner realization of being ferried across the river Styx, arriving at the gates of Dis with a grand fanfare. The musical language of this movement carries echoes of antiquity, particularly ancient Greece. Having traversed the levels of hell, as depicted in Dante's Inferno, the travelers find the hidden road leading back to "The Upper World," symbolizing our bright and familiar reality. However, the unsettled ending of this movement suggests that our present world bears a resemblance to the imagined hell. The role of the two soloists in the concerto is fluid and versatile. They alternate between virtuosic unison passages and treating their instruments as a unified "meta-instrument." They act as driving forces at times, equal partners with the orchestra at others, and even assume a background role of accompanying the orchestra, providing a warm and loving minimalist underpinning in the final moments of the second movement.
Cello Concerto, Op.85
Edward Elgar | 1857-1934
Rae Baker, cello
I. Adagio-Moderato
The premiere of Elgar’s Cello Concerto was one of the most infamous fiascos in London’s musical history. The concert was under the direction of Albert Coates, who was conducting the rest of the program. Coates, a man of considerable ego, used almost the entire three-hour rehearsal slot to work on his own selections, leaving the composer a paltry twenty minutes to run through his brand-new, deeply complex concerto. Elgar, furious and humiliated, did his best, but the under-rehearsed orchestra struggled. The critic Ernest Newman memorably wrote that the ensemble "made a public exhibition of its miserable self. " The performance was a failure, and the work, born of such private grief, was met with public indifference. This catastrophic beginning seemed to seal the concerto's fate as a minor work by a composer whose time had passed. It would take nearly half a century for the world to realize that this quiet, sorrowful piece was not a failure, but a masterpiece of profound and lasting power.
Symphony No.9, Op. 95
Antonín Dvorák | 1841-1904
Garrett Clay, graduate conductor
This symphony, Dvořák’s most popular in an international context, was written during the first year of the composer’s tenure in the United States. An ideal set of circumstances had presented themselves by this stage in his career: strong impressions of his new environment, financial independence, a sense of his role as an “ambassador” of Czech music, and his ambitions to ensure that he would not fall short of expectations. All this found Dvořák at the height of his creative energy and contributed to the genesis of a work of exceptional quality. The symphony was to prove the composer’s theory of the possibility of using characteristic elements of African American and Native American music as the foundation for an American national school of composition which, in fact, did not exist during Dvořák’s time in the United States. The symphony is a product of professional mastery. The unity of form and content is flawless, and the four-movement framework is constructed with unerring architectural proficiency. The exceptional and compelling nature of the work lies in its remarkable lyricism and concise thematic treatment, striking rhythms, purity of expression, elemental temperament and the equilibrium of all these qualities together. A characteristic feature of the composition is the frequent reminiscence of themes from previous movements at crucial points in each subsequent movement, a principle which gives the symphony its homogeneous expression. Dvořák had used this approach many times in the past, but never with such consistency and deliberation.
Austin Mellen
Austin Mellen is a percussion performer and educator based in the Metro Atlanta area. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music from Middle Tennessee State University and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Music at Georgia State University. As a performer, Austin possesses a diverse range of professional experience in both classical and contemporary percussion, encompassing works from the symphonic repertoire to musical theater and various Latin American genres. As an educator, Austin has collaborated with students of all ages, having served as a judge, clinician, private lesson instructor, and front ensemble technician. He has been a finalist in the Tom Naylor Memorial Solo Artist Competition and is a multi-time winner of the collegiate division Keyboard Solo Competition at the Tennessee Day of Percussion.
Blaze Benavides
Blaze Benavides is a Percussionist and Audio Technician from the small coastal bend town of Alice, Texas. He received a B.M. in Performance and Music Industry at James Madison University. Blaze is now a Graduate Assistant for Georgia State University in Atlanta, pursuing an M.M. in Orchestral Instrumental Performance. He has had the privilege to study under Marlon Foster, Aaron Trumbore, Casey Cangelosi, Dr. Stuart Gerber, and Dr. Kellen King. With 10 years of experience as both a student and a professional, he has established a foothold in various facets of the music industry, including performing, recording/mixing audio, and video editing. Blaze’s performance career has taken him from Texas, through Atlanta, to the East Coast. Notably, he represented the James Madison Brass Band and Percussion Ensemble in Huntsville, Alabama, winning the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Championship. As of recent, he pursues freelance work as Blaze Percussion and Sound, having performed in the greater Atlanta area with the Georgia Philharmonic, GYSO, Bent Frequency, Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective, Atlanta Music Project, and GSU-affiliated ensembles.
Rae Baker
Rae Baker is a seasoned cellist with over a decade of musical mastery. Born in a family where music is not just a tradition but a way of life. Rae’s journey has explored diverse genres while seamlessly blending in classical-trained elegance. As a soloist, she paints evocative melodies that captivate audiences, combining technical precision with an emotional resonance that leaves an indelible mark. Rae holds a Bachelor of Music degree, a testament to her dedication to the craft. Under the guidance of Professor Wendy Warner, her mentor and muse, Rae’s journey unfolded into a symphony of technical prowess and emotive depth. She has also performed in masterclasses and/or studied with Daniel Laufer, Astrid Schween, Charae Kruger, and Alexandria Rice. Rae's bow has graced some of the most prestigious stages, from the iconic Carnegie Hall to the resounding Atlanta Symphony Hall, the intimate acoustics of Spivey Hall, and the modern brilliance of Rivercenter Legacy Hall. Whether commanding the stage as a soloist or contributing to orchestral landscapes, Rae's performances leave an indelible mark. As a true collaborator, she has lent her talents to various bands and artists, effortlessly transitioning from classical repertoires to the rhythmic landscapes of contemporary music. Her cello becomes a versatile voice, enriching every ensemble with a unique blend of tradition and innovation. Step into the studio, and you'll find Rae Baker as an alchemist of sound.
Conductors
Dr. tamara Dworetz
American conductor Tamara Dworetz is guided by her belief in the power of classical music to inspire, spread joy and enrich the human experience. Her 2025–26 season includes debut appearances with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and the Wintergreen Music Festival. She is currently in her third season as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Georgia Philharmonic. Dworetz has appeared on the podium with leading orchestras across the United States and abroad, including the Cincinnati Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Boston Pops, Sarasota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony, Amarillo Symphony, Paris Mozart Orchestra, Dallas Opera Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra and Mankato Symphony. She recently conducted her first fully staged opera, Bizet’s Carmen. She has also served as assistant or cover conductor with major international ensembles, collaborating with conductors such as Klaus Mäkelä, François-Xavier Roth, Bramwell Tovey, Nathalie Stutzmann, Johnathon Heyward and Marta Gardolińska. Her honors include Second Prize in the Boston Pops Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition and the prestigious Bruno Walter Conducting Fellowship at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, awarded by Cristian Măcelaru. Tamara is featured in the Netflix documentary Maestra, directed by Maggie Contreras and produced by David Letterman. The film follows five conductors participating in the 2022 La Maestra Conducting Competition and Academy for Women Conductors in Paris. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and has been highlighted by major national media outlets. During the competition, Tamara was the only U.S.-born conductor and advanced to the semifinal round. A devoted educator, Tamara began her musical journey in Atlanta’s public school system and remains deeply committed to enriching musical opportunities for K–12 and pre-professional musicians. She serves as Associate Conductor of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestras, NYO-USA and NYO2, and has toured South America assisting Marin Alsop and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. At Georgia State University, she is Director of Orchestral Studies and the Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor in Instrumental Music, where she leads a graduate conducting studio and mentors the next generation of conductors. Her guest residencies have included the University of Texas Butler School of Music, Boston University School of Music, SUNY Fredonia and the Longy Conservatory Orchestra at Bard College. She has conducted All-State orchestras across the country and collaborated with numerous youth and community ensembles. Tamara lives in Chamblee, Georgia with her husband Stephen, their daughter and their pup.
Garrett Clay
GRADUATE ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Garrett Adam Clay is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting. From 2022 to 2024, Garrett was the orchestra and chorus director at Peachtree Middle School in DeKalb County, Georgia. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University in 2022. While at KSU, Garrett enjoyed performing as a cellist in the KSU Symphony as well as the Cooke Scholarship String Quartet. In 2020, he was awarded first prize in the university’s Symposium of Student Scholars, for which he conducted research on Shostakovich’s string quartets. Garrett is currently an active section player of the Georgia Philharmonic, which he joined in 2021, as well as a freelance cellist in the metro-Atlanta area.