Jenni Brandon’s Stardust for solo E flat clarinet performed by Joanna McCoskey Wiltshire, on January 13, 2022, 5:30PM – 7:30PM, at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, (UNC) College of Visual and Performing Arts, Tew Recital Hall, 100 McIver St, Greensboro, NC 27412, telephone 336-334-5789, fax 336-334-5497, email uncgarts@uncg.edu. This performance is her DMA recital.
Joanna McCoskey Wiltshire is a clarinetist, teacher and conductor based in Winston-Salem, NC. She is a DMA candidate at UNC Greensboro studying clarinet performance. She currently works as a clarinet instructor at the UNCSA Community Music School in Winston-Salem, Upbeat Music Company in Lewisville and maintains an active private studio.
In 2020, Joanna completed a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clarinet Performance from UNC Greensboro studying with Dr. Andy Hudson and Dr. Anthony Taylor. Joanna received M.M. degrees in Clarinet and Wind Conducting Performance in 2018 from the University of Delaware (UD) where she studied with Dr. Christopher Nichols, Dr. Lauren Reynolds, Dr. Chad Nicholson, and Dr. Michael Knight. She also received her B.M. in Music Education from UD in 2014
In addition to her work as a clarinet instructor, Joanna is also an active performer in the Piedmont Triad. She has played with Piedmont Wind Symphony as a section clarinetist, the Salem Band as a section first clarinetist and Eb clarinetist, and Salem Saxophone Quartet as a tenor saxophonist. Her other work includes serving as the conductor of the New Horizons Bands of Winston-Salem and Greensboro (https://gatecityhorizonsband.org).
program
Ritual (1989) Katherine Hoover (1937-2018)
Suite No. 3 (1687) Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (1665-1729)
Prèlude arr. Zachary Good
Duft (2011) Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952)
Blütenstaub
Blühend
Flüchtig
intermission
Sonata in E-flat Major, op. 167 (1921) Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Allegretto
Allegro animato
Lento
Molto Allegro
Stardust (2015) Jenni Brandon (b. 1977)
A Love of My Own
Into the Blue Sky
A Paper Moon
A Stardust Melody
It Goes Without Saying (2005) Nico Muhly (b. 1981)
Stardust for solo E-flat Clarinet, commissioned by clarinetist Elizabeth Crawford in 2014, explores the lyrical and jazzy abilities of this instrument, turning to popular songs of the 20’s and 30’s as inspiration. Jenni grew up playing and singing much of this repertoire at the piano, learning a lot about writing melody from this incredible era of songwriting. Each movement of this work plays with these popular themes, sometimes using an interval, a few notes, or a line from within the work as inspiration, allowing the E-Flat clarinet to shine by playing with range, color, and extended techniques. I also liked the idea of linking pieces together that spoke of stars and the moon – a popular theme of this era!
It was an honor to write this piece for Elizabeth Crawford. She premiered the work during the Clarimania Festival in Wrocław, Poland in April 2015.
Stardust for solo E flat clarinet is available on Jenni’s website at Stardust – solo E-flat clarinet sheet music (jennibrandon.com)