Image: Life of William Blake (1880), volume 1, Linnell frontispiece.png | public domain
As part of its 55 Year Anniversary year, the Santa Barbara Music Club presents a program of classical music for woodwinds and voice by twentieth-century composers on Saturday, April 5, at 3:00 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 4575 Auhay Dr., Santa Barbara, performed by the Santa Barbara Chamber Players Woodwind Quintet as well as a trio comprised of Jane Hahn, soprano and flute, Nancy Mathison, clarinet and Erin Bonski, piano. Admission is free and concert notes are available at www.SBMusicClub.org.
The program opens with Three Songs of Innocence (based on poems by William Blake: “Piping down the valleys wild,” “The shepherd” and “The echoing green”) by Arnold Cooke, followed by Tres Canciones Mexicanas, (Por ti, Inspiración, and Sueño en el Puerto) for soprano, clarinet, and piano by Antonio Salazar, and Kristen’s Song, for flute, clarinet, and piano, by Ron Nelson. It continues with suites for woodwind quintet, La cheminée du roi René by Darius Milhaud and Cumberland Suite by Eric Ewazen.
Program Details
(1929-2023)
(b. 1954)
- I. Allemande
- II. Courante
- III. Sarabande
- IV. Gigue
Carol Houchens, flute
Mariah Johnston, oboe
Nancy Mathison, clarinet
Simon Knight, bassoon
Johann Trujillo, horn
Notes on the Program
Three Songs of Innocence by Arnold Cooke (b. 1957), written for soprano, clarinet and piano, paint lovely pastoral scenes. In “Piping Down the Valleys Wild,” a piper sees a child riding on a cloud. The child asks him to play the song again, then sing the songs and finally tells the piper to write his music in a book so that all may enjoy it. In “The Shepherd,” the shepherd follows his sheep and sings praises all day long. He listens to the tender calling between the lambs and the ewes and is always watchful as they rest contently. In “The Echoing Green,” the sun rises, the birds sing and merry bells ring. Young people play their games on the “echoing green.” The older folks sit watching and laugh as they recall doing the same when they were young. Finally, the tired little children climb into their mothers’ laps, while the sun goes down and the sporting ends.
Tres Canciones Mexicanas by Antonio Salazar (1928-2000) These three songs (sung in Spanish) for soprano, clarinet and piano, express love and longing. “Por ti” is a love song that expresses the devotion of the lover and praises the beauty of the beloved. “Inspiración” praises the beloved for his words and tells him that he brings life to her dreams. In “Sueño en el Puerto,” the singer speaks of her love fantasy at night in the harbor, bemoaning the coming dawn that brings an end to her dream.
Darius Milhaud’s La cheminée du roi René, Op. 205, is a seven-movement suite for wind quintet, composed in 1939 as an adaptation of music from his score for the film Cavalcade d’amour. Set in the fifteenth-century court of King René I in Aix-en-Provence, Milhaud’s birthplace, the work reflects his fascination with the king’s courtly life and the region’s history. The title, referencing a Provençal proverb, evokes the image of King René enjoying walks in the winter sun, symbolizing the warmth and leisurely elegance of the era. Though inspired by the medieval period, the piece bears Milhaud’s signature style, characterized by polytonality and rhythmic vitality. It was first performed in 1941 at Mills College in California.
Eric Ewazen’s Cumberland Suite for woodwind quintet, composed for the Cumberland Quintet and recorded on the Albany label, is a delightful fusion of Baroque-inspired dance forms and Ewazen’s modern compositional voice. The suite consists of four movements, each capturing the rhythmic elegance and stylistic charm of Baroque music, while incorporating Ewazen’s characteristic use of rich harmonies, intricate counterpoint, and vibrant textures. With its lively and expressive interplay among the woodwind instruments, Cumberland Suite both evokes the spirit of historical dance music and showcases Ewazen’s unique ability to blend traditional forms with contemporary flair. The work’s engaging melodies and energetic rhythms make it a standout piece in the woodwind quintet repertoire.
The Performers
Jane Hahn, singer and flutist, grew up in Santa Barbara, and has studied and performed as a singer and a flutist her whole life. Her modest singing career includes several comprimario roles with Opera Santa Barbara, and she has been the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Santa Maria. Jane has directed the women’s vocal ensemble, LUX, as well as choirs at St. Michaels and Trinity Episcopal churches. Jane studied flute at the college level at UCSB, and continues to practice and perform as a freelance musician today, lately branching out into the Jazz genre. Jane is a retired Software Engineer and Project Manager. She and her husband are very proud of their two married sons and their precious grand-daughter. Her hobbies include yoga, pottery, and house-building with her husband.
Nancy Mathison grew up in Southern California and is a member of the New West Symphony, Santa Barbara Chamber Players, Santa Maria Philharmonic, Symphony of the Vines, and the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale Orchestra. She has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Barbara Symphony, Orchestra Novo, and the San Luis Obispo Symphony. She has also had the privilege of performing with Leonard Bernstein, the Houston Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Rudolf Nureyev Ballet, Andrea Bocelli, the Temptations, was a member of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, and played principal clarinet and reeds with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera for its 20-year tenure. Nancy attended the Music Academy of the West and received her degrees in clarinet performance from the University of Southern California (bachelor’s) and UCSB (master’s). She studied with Gary Foster, James Kanter, and Mitchell Lurie.
Erin Bonski, pianist, began her musical journey in Pennsylvania, where she studied with Dr. Tim Shafer at Penn State University while in high school, and became the youngest participant in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. Erin went on to earn her B.M. and M.M. degrees from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and pursued doctoral studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A versatile artist, Erin has served as Staff Continuo player at the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute, collaborative pianist at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and as Chorusmaster and Repetiteur for Toledo Opera. Since moving to Santa Barbara, she has collaborated regularly with local arts organizations, including the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, and Ensemble Theatre Company, and has performed internationally, including appearances with the Grammy-winning ensemble Forever Tango. Her academic career includes positions at Santa Barbara City College, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Westmont College and Bowling Green State University, where she has taught piano pedagogy, opera coaching, and piano literature.
Carol Houchens, flutist, graduated with a BA in music from the University of California at Riverside. She continued her music studies at the University of Southern California, where she earned an MM degree in flute performance. For many years, Carol taught flute in the Music Department at UC Riverside, while playing in Riverside Symphony and San Bernardino Symphony. Carol moved back to the central coast to work at UC Santa Barbara, eventually retiring as the Director of Academic Administration. Presently, Carol serves as Principal Flute with the Santa Maria Philharmonic. In addition, she participates in various capacities with most other local orchestras, including the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, San Luis Obispo Symphony, SLO Opera, SLO Master Chorale, Lompoc Pops, and Symphony of the Vines.
Mariah Johnston is an oboist and English horn player originally from Minnesota. She studied music at St. Olaf College, and since then has had the privilege of performing with various community groups in Minnesota, Washington D.C., Colorado, and Los Angeles. While her professional career has centered around international development and public health, Mariah has always prioritized her passion for music. She recently moved to Santa Barbara and is thrilled to become a part of its vibrant music community!
Simon Knight, bassoonist, holds an MBA from Warwick Business School (UK) and is an IT Executive. He studied bassoon under Kerry Camden, Professor of Bassoon at the Royal College of Music, and played with the Dartington College of Music orchestra and International Summer School. He is principal bassoon with the Santa Barbara Chamber Players and City College Symphony and plays with various local chamber music groups. He is a founder and treasurer of the Santa Barbara Chamber Players and Vice President of the Chamber Music Society of Santa Barbara. As well as classical music, Simon plays Uilleann pipes, and on saxophone, was a member of jazz fusion ensembles and the Dartington Big Band under the direction of experimental composer James Fulkerson.
Johann Trujillo is a French horn player based in Santa Barbara, performing regularly with local ensembles such as the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, the Santa Barbara City College Symphony and Concert Band, the Ojai Pops Orchestra, and the Bottom-Line Brass. He is also a co-founder of the Los Padres Sound, a horn quartet that performs throughout the region from Goleta to Ojai. Johann studied horn at UC Davis while pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, balancing his love for music with his professional career.
