Senior Recital
Program
Do Not Be Afraid, Abraham (World Premiere)
Recollection
But Fire Came Down From Heaven
Fantasia for Flute: Sobbing
Nocturne for Euphonium and Piano (World Premiere)
Prelude to a Woe (World Premiere)
Son Rise
This May, I will complete my Bachelor of Music in Composition degree. One of my degree requirements is to present a senior recital which contains pieces I have written throughout my undergrad. Therefore, it is my pleasure to present to you my senior recital. Read below to learn about the different pieces on my recital.
Date: May 3
Location: Stratton Hall (Bob Jones University)
Time: 3pm
Reception (light refreshments) to follow
Do Not Be Afraid, Abraham
Do Not Be Afraid, Abraham is a piece for Tenor and Piano Quintet. This piece outlines God’s promises to Abraham regarding his descendants, who will be as numerous as the stars. The listener is thrown into a vortex of sound as the music rapidly changes keys. The piece’s rhythmic drive, beautiful sonorities, and sometimes intense dissonances reflect the wonderful joy of God’s promises to Abraham, but also the severity of the trials his descendants will endure.
Michael Adams
Tenor
Micah Hyink
Violin
Eric Probus
Violin
Ben Hyink
Cello
Alexa Winnberg
Viola
Abigail Blake
Piano
Recollection
Recollection is a short piece for string quartet. It is not programmatically inspired; however, the emotions of the piece cause me to have a reflective mood, and thus I have given it its title. This piece takes a slow-fast-slow form, with the slow sections taking on a sober, melancholic mood and the fast section taking on a gleeful and laid-back mood. The piece combines quintal, quartal, and triadic harmony to create a beautiful soundscape.
Micah Hyink
Violin
Eric Probus
Violin
Ben Hyink
Cello
Alexa Winnberg
Viola
But Fire Came Down From Heaven. . .
But Fire Came Down From Heaven is originally inspired by the beams of light that can sometimes be seen coming out of clouds, known to many as “god rays.” I wanted to write a piece that reflected the mighty power of God, but also reflected on the coming judgment on those who are evil and the coming eternity of those who belong to God. The opening movement represents my impression of the god rays, mainly with the use of quintal fanfares. The second movement represents a clash between God and evil, containing rapid key changes and time changes. The third movement, although beginning somberly, recalls the first movement and ends in triumph.
Nicholas Evener
Horn
Andrew Loller
Trombone
Zachary Weiss
Trumpet
Natalie Thorson
Trumpet
Nathan Townsend
Tuba
Fantasia for Flute: Sobbing
Inspiration for this piece originally came from the Biblical story of Jephthah and his daughter, from which I took the emotions of an intense sorrow, but also a sorrow that was grounded in some sort of evil. Eventually, the piece took on a new meaning: to be a depiction of the ultimate sorrow, that is, eternal separation from God. Those who are separated from him will certainly weep, but they will never repent. This piece takes on an initially reflective mood but gets more and more turbulent as it progresses. Eventually, it builds up into great defiance and anger, and the solo flute reaches its climax as it lets out an earsplitting “scream-like” high note, as if someone has reached the height of their wailing.
Blair Carrier
Flute
Nocturne for Euphonium and Piano
This piece, taking the form of a long sonata-allegro, is polystylistic in nature, combining multiple sonorities, including octatonic harmony and scales, post-tonal triadic harmony, quintal harmony, whole tone scales, free atonality, and functional harmony. The two main themes of the sonata form are widely different in character, the first harshly dissonant and bearing an angsty and angry character, the second beautiful in sound and a mix of peaceful and melancholic in character.
Jonathan Redlinger
Euphonium
Abigail Blake
Piano
Prelude to a Woe
Although not programmatically inspired, this piece has been entitled "Prelude to a Woe" to draw attention to its mysterious, brooding, frightful, cacophonous, and even weary character. Inspired by the work of Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, Dimitri Shostakovich, Joseph Schwantner, and John Corigliano, this piece combines color, rhythmic complexity, and intense layering with a roaring drive and passionate expression. The piece, driven forward by an ever-persistent ostinato, grows from small motivic seeds an entire ecosystem of musical thought. From these seeds come recurring brass fanfares that grow ever stronger, as if warning of some coming judgment.
Jonathan Redlinger
Conductor
Flute - Blair Carrier
Oboe - Ashley Klaire Darst
Clarinet 1 - Tim Lauriault
Clarinet 2 - Brooke Carrier
Alto Saxophone - Noah Orr
Tenor Saxophone - Alex Wright
Baritone Saxophone - Isaac Waggonner
Bassoon - Elise Taylor
Trumpet 1 - Natalie Thorson
Trumpet 2 - Zachary Weiss
Horn 1 - Nicholas Evener
Horn 2 - Ian Hamrick
Trombone - Andrew Loller
Bass Trombone - Daniel Elston
Euphonium - Daniel Leedy
Tuba - Nathan Townsend
Percussion 1 - William Blount
Percussion 2 - Josie Santopietro
Percussion 3 - Grant Camfield
Piano - Ling Zhou
Son Rise
This Soprano Art Song, inspired by the works of Joseph Schwantner, weaves together colorful harmonies and gripping lyrics. The title, Son Rise, is a play on words; the lyrics comprise a comparison and contrast between a physical sunrise and the “Son Rise,” the raising of the Son of God from the dead. While the beauty and wonder of both events is contemplated, there is also a reflection upon man’s wickedness in worshipping the physical sun instead of the Son of God, who is the creator of all that is seen. The music combines quintal, quartal, and triadic harmonies and results in a beautiful canvas of musical sonorities that drive home the message of the text.
Julia Probus
Soprano
Abigail Blake
Piano
Soloists
Michael Adams is an award-winning Italian American tenor studying at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC under Dr. Megan Stapleton. Notable performances as the tenor soloist include the Greenville premiere of Heather Sorensen's "Requiem," understudy to Broadway Actor Tony Mowatt in "Beauty & the Beast: The Broadway Musical," "O Holy Night" with the BJU Symphonic Wind Band, and Handel's "Messiah" with the BJU Symphony Orchestra.
In his 2023-24 season, Michael Adams won first place in multiple competitions, including the Annual Voice Contest at BJU, Classical NATS state and regional categories, and advanced to the finals in the NATS National Student Auditions. He recently won first place in the 2024 SCNATS Musical Theater Competition and is a current finalist in the 2024 BJU Concerto/Aria Competition. He has also performed in a masterclass with opera coach Dr. Daniel Overly and has been privileged to workshop with such notable figures as GRAMMY Award-winning Maestro Richard Kauffman on multiple occasions, and tenor Joshua Wheeker. His most recent accomplishment is the role of Rolf Gruber in "The Sound of Music" this past March.
Michael is proud of his Italian heritage and its rich history of classical singing. Growing up, he would listen to Maestro Pavarotti with his Nonna Lucci, and he was always fascinated by the tremendous sounds that the singer could make. He is also a multi-passionate who enjoys fashion, health and fitness, family gatherings, and making his own content to inspire others on social media.
Blair Carrier is a senior flute performance major and honors student at Bob Jones University and is a member of the University Symphonic Wind Band and Symphony Orchestra. In July of 2023, Blair traveled with the Bob Jones University Symphony Orchestra to Italy on a study abroad concert tour as invited guests of the Cremona International Summer Music Festival. Performances in Rome, Florence, Venice, and Cremona provided incredible artistic ensemble experience.
In 2022, Blair won the BJU Annual Music Contest - Woodwind Division as a freshman performing Taktakishvili’s Sonata for Flute & Piano in C Major. She also won the 2022 BJU Concerto Aria Competition - Woodwind Division and was a featured soloist with the BJU Symphony Orchestra in January 2023 performing Charles T. Griffes Poem for Flute & Piano.
Blair was a member of the Greenville County Youth Orchestras (GCYO) from 2015 – 2021, first in the Philharmonic, and then in the Young Artist Orchestra where she was the principal flutist for 3 years. She was the Concerto Soloist for the 2019 GCYO Side-By-Side Concert at the Peace Center, performing Cécile Chaminade’s Concertino, Op. 107 alongside members of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Blair achieved All-State Band Honors from the South Carolina Band Directors Association for six consecutive years.
In 2019, Blair won the South Carolina Music Teachers Association (SCMTA) Senior Woodwind Competition and the South Carolina Flute Society Senior Artist State Competition. She was also the winner of the inaugural Future Stars Concerto Scholarship Competition of the Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2019, earning a cash prize and a solo engagement with the orchestra.
Additional summer music experiences include participating in MasterWorks Music Festival in 2022 and Rivertree Singers Festival Orchestra in 2022 and 2024. In June 2024, Blair played flute, alto flute, and tin whistle for Rivertree Singers in the southeastern premiere of Dan Forrest’s Creation.
Blair is an accomplished photographer and has a growing photography studio concentrating on wedding and portrait photography. She is a photography minor at BJU. Blair is grateful to serve in church music ministry with her family.
Jonathan Redlinger is a euphoniumist and music educator residing in Taylors, SC. Passionate for the concert band, Jonathan has participated in school and college bands since 5th grade, and he has done so with great joy and enthusiasm. Throughout his time in grade school, he was frequently selected to play in region bands, and during his time in college he has twice performed with the South Carolina Intercollegiate Band.
Jonathan Redlinger is currently finishing his undergraduate degree in music education at Bob Jones University, where he has studied euphonium with Dr. Paul Overly. He is the Principle Euphonium player of the Bob Jones University Symphonic Wind Band, and he has also been a finalist in several BJU music competitions. He is the current president of BJU’s National Association for Music Educators chapter, and he is currently in the process of completing his student teaching.
In addition to playing euphonium, Jonathan is also capable of playing several other brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments, and besides playing in the BJU Symphonic Wind Band, he also enjoys playing in the BJU Symphony Orchestra, Tuba and Euphonium Choir, and Percussion Ensemble.
Julia Probus is a mezzo-soprano from Kansas City, Missouri. Music was a constant in her home growing up, and she began her musical journey on a styrofoam violin when she was 4. By the time she was 5 she had moved on to a real violin, and a few years later she began taking lessons on the piano. However, it wasn’t until high school, when she had her first voice lesson, that Julia found her true musical passion. Those lessons helped her cultivate a love for singing, and after graduating high school she chose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music at Bob Jones University, where she is currently a sophomore. After finishing her degree, she hopes to open a private vocal studio. Her favorite activity is spending time with family and friends and making music with them.
Abigail Blake is an Australian pianist currently studying Music Education at Bob Jones University, where she studies piano with Dr. Deanna Moore.
Abigail is a passionate collaborative pianist, and she has enjoyed being involved in much chamber music throughout her undergrad. She has had the opportunity to perform several pieces for piano quartet and quintet, including Schumann’s Piano Quartet in Eb Major and Piano Quintet in Eb Major and Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G Major. In addition, Abigail frequently accompanies other students in their performances, and also plays as a section violinist in the Bob Jones University Symphony Orchestra.
Abigail will soon be giving her junior piano recital where she will perform several collaborative works, including Apres Un Reve by Gabriel Fauré, Movements 2 and 3 from Scaramouche by Darius Milhaud, and Piano Quintet in Eb Major by Robert Schumann.