ABOUT THE ARTIST Abby Jennings, Music Education, Trombone Abby Jennings is a senior music education major on trombone at West Chester University. Abby’s passion for music started at a young age with singing and dancing. She started on the double bass when she was eight years old. In fourth grade, she started the trombone and fell in love with the instrument. Through elementary, middle, and high school, Abby participated in all the music ensembles at her school and participated in various festivals. During her time in the Wells School of Music studying under Dr. Cherry, she has been involved in many ensembles including Mastersingers, Recital Choir, Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band, Wind Symphony, Trombone Ensemble, and Basketball Band. At WCU, Abby has been involved in the National Association for Music Education, a sister of Sigma Alpha Iota, a women’s music fraternity, West Chester Children’s Chorus/Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus member and intern, Music Service Learning intern, and a Tot Rock teacher. After graduation from WCU, she plans to teach elementary general music and chorus, private lessons, and hopefully continue to perform. Abby would like to thank all her music teachers and mentors for their support throughout the years.
PROGRAM NOTES Cello Sonata No. I, in B-flat Major, Op. 14, RV 47, Antonio Vivaldi (1740) This piece is a collection of four movements, I and IV will be played in this program. The Cello Sonata No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 14, RV 47 was composed by Antonio Vivaldi in the 1700s. It was published in Paris in 1740, along with five other cello sonatas. Cello Sonata No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 14, RV 47 is a chamber music work for cello and continuo, a bass line played by a stringed instrument or piano. It is one of six cello sonatas published in 1740, which were all late works by Vivaldi. Vivaldi was an 18th century Italian composer who was known for synthesizing sacred and secular genres in his music.
Sonata (Vox Gabrieli), Stjepan Šulek (1973) This sonata for trombone and piano was written by Stjepan Šulek in 1973. Stjepan Šulek was a Croatian composer, conductor, and music educator. He composed over 150 works. His compositions include symphonies, concertos, chamber music, choral works, and operas. Today he is considered an important figure in Croatian music, especially in terms of post-Romantic composition. In this Sonata, Vox Gabrieli, Vox Gabrieli means, "voice of Gabriel" which refers to the angel Gabriel. This piece is dramatic with technical passages and beautiful, expressive lyrical melodies.
The Flocks Shall Leave The Mountains, George Frideric Handel (1718) The piece was written for an opera called Acis and Galatea. In the piece, Acis and Galatea promise loyalty to each other and then they sing this as a duet, but then turns into a trio with Polyphemus. Polyphemus murders Acis, and the rest of the piece is about Galatea mourning the loss of Acis. George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was a German-born Baroque composer who became a British citizen. He spent most of his life in London, where he had most of his success. He has composed pieces using different genres, but he is most famous for his oratorios, operas, and concertos.