September 17, 2006, 2:30 p.m.

• Program Guide (pdf)

MacMILLAN : National Anthem

SCHUBERT: Military Marche, op. 51, no. 1

MOZART: Sonata in D Major, K. 448

MOZART: Magic Flute Overture (Busoni arrangement)

RACHMANINOFF: Russian Rhapsody

ASCH: Jubilation

PROGRAM NOTES

Duncan MacMillan (b. 1956) is a composer and pianist lately on faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. His National Anthem is a rousing arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) joins Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven as one of the great masters of the "Viennese School" of Classical composers, and also ranks among the great "Romantic" composers. Schubert's lyric gifts remain unsurpased, but he had a sense of humor, too, as evidenced in this festive Military March No. 1.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was known primarily as a piano virtuoso during his lifetime, but soon became recognized as one of the greatest composers of all time. The contagious good humor of his Sonata in D major made it a perfect match for the hijinks of the Sean Connery movie, The Great Train Robbery. Italian piano virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) is highly respected for his concert transcriptions of works by other composers, including the overture to The Magic Flute, Mozart's fanciful Singspiel which Busoni felt exemplified the ideal opera.

Although Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) is all but forgotten today, during his lifetime his skill in writing for the piano was considered second only to Chopin's. The exotic and sensuous Five Spanish Dances helped secure his fame among his contemporaries. Originally for one piano, 4 hands, this 2-piano version was prepared by Bernhard Wolff.

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was a Russian composer and conductor, and one of the greatest pianists of all time. In his Russian Rhapsody (op. posth.), written when he was an 18 year old conservatory student, Rachmaninoff presents variations on a Russian folk song that a classmate foolishly challenged could never be used to create an extended composition.

Anna Asch is a composer and pianist who has been active in the Wisconsin Music teachers Association, and her compositions have been favorites at music conventions and student contests. Her effervescent Jubilation for two pianos may also be performed by piano with orchestra.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Sandra Stewart received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina, and holds degrees from Norfolk State University and Indiana University. She is on the music faculty of the University of North Florida and is founder of the North Florida Piano Camp. A Nationally Certified Teacher in Piano by the Music Teachers National Association, she is also a participating member of College Music Society, American Association of University Women, and the American College of Musicians. Dr. Stewart has taught at Jacksonville University and was Chair of the vocal department of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. She was a recipient of the Florida First Lady's Art Scholar award in 2000, and was a nominee for the 2004 FSMTA Excellence in Teaching award. Her biography appears in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the 21st Century, and Who's Who in American Women.

Vera Watson has been Chair of the Piano Department at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts since 1999. She received her Bachelor's degree and Master of Music with honors from the Russian Academy in Moscow, toured Russia as a recitalist, taught piano and conducting as a graduate assistant, and has published several works on science. Ms. Watson has served as the scholarship chairperson of the Jacksonville Music Teachers Association, as assistant to the president of the Jacksonville District of Federated Music Clubs of America, and has been an adjudicator for various piano competitions. During summer months she teaches at the North Florida Piano Camp held at UNF, and, as a member of the American Guild of Organists, serves as guest conductor at Palms Presbyterian Church. She has National Certification in Piano from the Music Teachers National Association, and is included in Who's Who in American Women and Who's Who in American Teachers.