Program

Silenced (2025) | Joey Miller  

Joey Miller, cello

Paranormal Obsession (2025) | Samuel Scheele  

Will Edwards, soprano saxophone

A Chess Piece (2025) | Dominic Gomez  

Garrett Evans, saxophone
Sam Valancy, saxophone

The Velveteen Artist (2024-25) | Meredith Gulla  

Isabella Olzak, mezzo-soprano
Abigail Petersen, piano
Jackson Cook, cello

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam | Benjamin Tittl  

TTBB Chorus:
Nate Black
Noah Beasley
Andy Norbuta
Corban Hutchins
Andrew Vo
Jake Graffiti
Aaron Roos
Evan Felske
Tommy Williamson
Apollo Bernath
Sean Barry
Matthew Steele
Galen Coffman
Sam Scheele
Zac Flasch

Songs of Hades (2024) | Henry Hartley

Carolyn Anderson, soprano
Haley Harrison, bass clarinet
Dominic Gomez, cello
Elijah Stewart, electric guitar

To Be What Once Was (I. What Was, II. What Is) (2025) | Bradlee Keaffaber

Jacob Loitz, saxophone

Wall Jumpers (2025) | Silas Nietz  

Kathryn Swanson, oboe
Cruz Stock, bassoon
Ricky Jurski, B flat clarinet
Kiersten Swihart, flute
Bird Birmingham, horn

A Schmuck With A Loop Pedal (2024) | Silas Haplea  

 Vocalist and live electronics

Program Notes

Silenced | Joey Miller
Incorporating lights and projection, Silenced is a theatrical monodrama for solo cello. While drawing primarily from current events, the piece explores voices of aggression that have existed throughout history and will continue to persist. It explores the concept of complacence and the danger that this can cause to many minority communities, as these voices of aggression seek to silence and erase them completely. The audience is encouraged to participate as able when prompted. Flashing lights are used throughout the piece.

Paranormal Obsession | Samuel Scheele
Paranormal Obsession is a journey into the unknown-an exploration of the idea that sometimes the past isn't so far behind us after all. This piece combines the soulful sound of the soprano saxophone with old 1920s recordings, creating a kind of "spirit box" through which the past reaches out to us.

A Chess Piece | Dominic Gomez
A Chess Piece is an aleatoric work for any two microtonal instruments written by Dominic Gomez in March of 2025. It was inspired by a video comparing the history of chess notation and music notation, which revealed their similar developments. This led the composer to explore how chess notation might function as music notation. Each chess move dictates what the instrumentalists play, with rhythmic motifs tied to each chess piece and each square assigned specific pitches. The result is a unique, participatory experience for performers and audience alike. This work is dedicated to the composer's father and grandfather, who taught him chess and instilled in him a love for the game.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam | Benjamin Tittl
"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" is the motto of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, an order of Catholic priests founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534. In my years as a student at St. John's Jesuit High School, I was exposed to a new way of thinking about spirituality. Jesuit philosophy perfectly encapsulates the Catholic faith's balance between thoughtful meditation and abounding good works. Ignatian spirituality provides a beautiful structure by which one's prayer and reflection can manifest themselves outwardly in care for one's neighbor. As Ignatius intended, the Jesuit order strives to practice faith for nothing but the "greater glory of God". As such, all selfishness and pride is absent from Ignatian prayer, as all is fully focused on love of neighbor and love of God. As you listen to the piece, I encourage you to use it as an opportunity for quiet reflection on the words of St. Ignatius. "Ad majorem Dei gloriam": "For the greater glory of God."

Songs of Hades | Henry Hartley
The songs in this collection are each inspired by a character from Greek mythology or drama that is tied deeply to the concept of the Greek afterlife, known as the underworld, or Hades. Each song is told from the perspective of the character that inspired it and expresses a vivid variety of emotion. My hope for this piece is to express the idea of the underworld through these characters' first-person perspectives, giving my personal sense of scale and dimension to the concept of Hades in its many facets. Excerpts from the poems by Addy Bartley included in the score: "young bride of death... you would not sit and wait... hades awaits, your dowry in tow... just come home. O' ferryman, won't you carry me 'cross?... your money is still no good around here."

To Be What Once Was | Bradlee Keaffaber
To Be What Once Was explores the idea of reminiscing on the past, wishing for what was to become more like what is. The first movement focuses on reflecting on one's childhood. Memories stronger than others and moments segmented as life moves on. The second movement brings about realization on what life is and the chaotic, busy nature that comes along with it.

Wall Jumpers | Silas Nietz
Wall Jumpers tells an adventurous tale of the chase of a few proficient escape artists. This piece finds them fleeing through a variety of different environments providing their own trials; different yet interconnected. Whether these escapees are a red plumber and his friends or a few overgrown reptiles with a particular set of skills is up to you, but time will tell if they get away...

A Schmuck With A Loop Pedal | Silas Haplea
This is a piece where nothing can possibly go wrong.

Thanks for attending this performance. If you have enjoyed your experience, please consider donating to the College of Musical Arts in support of our students and programming. Donate online at bgsu.edu/givecma, or call Karmen Concannon at 419-372-2424.

To our guests with disabilities, please indicate if you need special services, assistance or appropriate modifications to fully participate in our events by contacting Accessibility Services, access@bgsu.edu, 419-372-8495. Please notify us prior to the event.

Audience members are reminded to silence alarm watches, pagers and cellular phones before the performance. As a matter of courtesy and copyright law, no recording or unauthorized photographing is allowed. BGSU is a nonsmoking campus.