Season 33 begins with Rhythm!
Pam Hahn, Chuck Stewart
Our Interim Music Director for the 2025-2026 season, Chuck Stewart, has put together an interesting, varied list of repertoire for the five Classics concerts. The first concert, on September 7, 2025, contains three distinctly different compositions by very different composers, that all use rhythm as a main feature in their works. I asked Chuck to elaborate.
Q: The first concert this season is titled "Three Centuries of Rhythm" and your program includes works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The three composers couldn't be more different in nationality, influence and style. How does rhythm bring them together?
A: Stravinsky is known for his use of complex rhythms, and the Firebird is no exception! When looking for works to pair with Stravinsky, Beethoven is a potentially unexpected choice. If you think of Beethoven’s Symphonies, however, they are all primarily driven by a strong sense of rhythm. Certainly we can think of some great melodies, such as the “Ode to Joy” in the Ninth, but if you think of Beethoven’s Fifth, for instance, the entire first movement is developed on the famous four note motive, which is all about rhythm. Beethoven’s Eighth has some wonderful melodic moments, but it is driven by an underlying sense of rhythm. Jessie Montgomery has been composing for the past two decades, and I’ve enjoyed getting to learn more about her works. When I first heard Starburst, it instantly reminded me of parts of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, so when programming this concert, I knew that her work would pair perfectly with the Stravinsky and Beethoven.
Q: Which work on this program is your favorite, and why?
A: Choosing a favorite work on a program for a conductor is like choosing a favorite child as parent. It can't be done! However, I’m excited about each for different reasons. I’m so excited to introduce many of our Chandler audience members to the excitement that is Jessie Montgomery. As for the Beethoven and Stravinsky, I have somewhat of a sentimental connection to each of these. I first conducted the Beethoven on my Graduate Conducting Recital many years ago. I fell in love with it then, and am so excited to revisit it with this special group of musicians. The Stravinsky is actually one of the first classical music pieces I learned about on an in depth level. I was introduced to it my freshman year of high school. I fell in love with it and it was the first orchestral score I ever bought. I have since performed it as a hornist several times, and I’m excited to conduct it!
Q: If you could join one of these composers for a beer, which one would it be, and what would you want to ask them?
A: Oooo! Good question. I would LOVE to have a beer with Jessie Montgomery, and since she’s still alive, maybe I will someday! Of the other two, I think I would choose Stravinsky. There are many reasons why, but one main one was his close work with the conductor Pierre Monteux. Monteux conducted the premier of Stravinsky’s Petrushka and the famous, raucous premier of The Rite of Spring. I trained at the Pierre Monteux School in Maine for two summers. This school teaches conducting based on the principles and techniques Pierre Monteux taught when he found the school in 1943. It would be wonderful to spend time with Stravinsky to hear him share his expertise on composition and orchestration, but also to hear any stories he had from working with Pierre Monteux.