New Stories – duo (alto saxophone & piano)

Website(s) : http://joelulloff.com

Biography

A recipient of the Concert Artist Guild and Pro Musicis Soloist Awards, and the Michigan State University Distinguished Faculty Award, Yamaha Performing Artist Joseph Lulloff is in demand as a soloist and clinician worldwide. Currently Distinguished Professor of Saxophone at Michigan State University, Lulloff has been featured as guest soloist with the Cleveland, Minnesota and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras, amongst others and has worked as principle saxophonist in the St. Louis, Cleveland and Chicago Symphony Orchestras. Equally at home in classical and jazz, Lulloff performs with the Capitol and J4 Saxophone Quartets and teaches at the Brevard Music Summer Institute. He has recorded on Albany, Arabesque, AUR, Blue Griffin, Channel Classics, RCA, and White Pine. www.joelulloff.com

More information

Saxophonist Joseph Lulloff and Pianist Yu-Lien The will present the European Premiere of “New Stories” composed by Canadian Composer Dorothy Chang in 2013 for Joseph Lulloff with the support of the Fromm Foundation.

Dorothy Chang writes, “New Stories is a reflection on the various musical influences and experiences I’ve had as a second generation Chinese American who has lived in both North America and Asia. Chinese folk songs, 80’s pop ballads and marching band music are equally a part of my musical identity, as is the influence of composers ranging from Bach, Brahms and Stravinsky to more recent contemporary composers. The four movements that comprise New Stories are personal musical narratives that result when these diverse elements are embraced and woven together in various ways.

The first movement, “Floating Worlds”, begins with two primary musical elements: a very quiet and sustained note in the saxophone and a chain of piano chords moving slowly beneath. The chords are tonally ambiguous and only loosely connected, as if floating independently in a hazy harmonic world. From this opening, the harmonies thicken and gradually become more grounded as the saxophone spins out long, lyrical lines.
The second movement, “A Tall Tale Told”, begins with a simple melody that has a dance-like, scherzo quality. As the movement progresses the melody is repeated, embellished and distorted, eventually building to a peak of unexpected intensity.

The title of the third movement “Reflection”, is a play on two meanings of the word: selfreflection, in that the movement is very still, intimate and contemplative, and reflection
as an image or representation, in this case that of traditional Chinese music. The borrowed elements, however, are merely blurred and indistinct shadows of ‘genuine’ Chinese music, being filtered through layers of cultural distance and other influences.

The closing movement, “Folksong” is fast and energetic, bringing together elements from a wide variety of music that have helped to shape and define my own musical voice.”
D.C.

Pianist YU-LIEN THE has performed throughout Europe, Southeast-Asia and the US, including appearances as a soloist with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the Kammerorchester Hannover and the Baroque Orchestra L’Arco. A prizewinner of the 12th International Piano Competition Viotti-Valsesia (Italy) and recipient of a scholarship from the Deutsche Musikwettbewerb, she was admitted to the National Concert Podium for Young Artists (Germany) in 1998. Ms. The’s collaborative activities include performances at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival in 2008 with Lori Sims as well as with the new music ensemble “Opus21” at Carnegie Hall. She served on the faculties at Western Michigan University and Valparaiso University.