26th Annual Student Research Conference
The Clarinet Concerto by Costa Rican Composer Benjamin Gutierrez
Luis A. Viquez♦
Dr. Jesse D. Krebs, Faculty Mentor
Benjamn Gutierrez is one of the most renowned composers from Latin America. From 1958 to 1960 he studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston and during this period, wrote his Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, the first solo work for clarinet and orchestra by a Costa Rican composer. Although the piece was premiered by the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra in New York and had few performances in Costa Rica, it has largely been forgotten and today remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to cover the circumstances of the writing of the concerto and form an analysis based on an interview with the composer, which occurred on August 10th, 2012. The influence of Neo-Romantic opera melodies and textures, the twelve-tone lyricism of Alban Berg's music and the use of motives taken from Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins BWV 1043 will be discussed in order to determine how the composer developed his style. A slide-show of photos will be displayed and the presenter will perform excerpts from the concerto on his clarinet.
Keywords: Clarinet, Music Costa Rica, Music Latin America, Clarinet Concerto, Composition
Topic(s):Music
Art
Art
Presentation Type: Performance Art
Session: 1-5
Location: OPPH
Time: 10:30