music.usc.edu

Senior Composition Recital

Tristan Xavier Köster Composer

November 15, 2014 4:00-5:15 PM University of Southern California Alfred Newman Recital Hall This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of a Bachelor Degree in Music Composition.

PROGRAM

Tristan Xavier Köster 1993-

Sich Überflüssig vorzukommen for solo violoncello:

Jonathan Dormand

Tristan Xavier Köster

Die Badende For mixed chamber ensemble:

Peter Martin Jr. (alto sax.), Vincent Camigula (bass cl.), Liza Wallace (harp), Mina Hong (vln.), Deanna Lynn (vla.), Annie Jacobs-Perkins (vc.), Ryan Tani (conductor)

Tristan Xavier Köster

When all is ruin once again. For solo piano:

Brendan White

Tristan Xavier Köster

Five (short) Narratives for Guitar Duo i. Distant Bells ii. wer andern eine grube gräbt fällt selbst hinein iii. Vale, not veil. iv. Terpsichorean v. Clashing perspective

L.A. Duo: Brian Fasola and Donovan Butez

Tristan Xavier Köster

Pentimenti: Nervous Transparency For mixed chamber ensemble

Ashley Marion Harris (fl.), Elena Sloman (ob.), Cory Dunee (t. sax). Jonathan Wisner (perc.), Hung-Tao Lin (pno), Ryan Tani (conductor)

PROGRAM NOTES sich überflüssig vorzukommen (2014)- solo cello 9:00 minutes

sich überflüssig vorzukommen is an aggressive piece for solo violoncello that confronts the feeling of emotional superfluity in the company of others.

This piece is intended as the climax of a nonexistent gesamtwerk. Beginning with an energy borderlining absurdity, it is as if the musician is

thrown into an unknown environment, unprepared and furious.

“überflüssig” was originally conceptualized as a fanfare for solo violoncello while evoking the fierce energy of a large orchestra with heavy

brass. The entirety of this majestic instrument is harnessed, drawing out its orchestral command. The aesthetic of this piece combines the virtuosic

glory of a cadenza and the unbridled brutality of the Nordic-metal band Meshuggah.

Die Badende (2014)- mixed ensemble 8:15 minutes

When contemplating Kirchner’s “Badende Moritzburg”, I see an oasis of peace, a source of respite from the world’s self-destruction. Conceived at

the brink of the near apocalyptic First World War, this painting shows Kirchner’s efforts to encapsulate the feeling of serenity he and his peers

found in nature.

The compositional process for my piece was highly intertwined with my continuing exploration of Kirchner’s painting. “Die Badende” is not merely a musical iteration of Kirchner’s work, but rather my own interaction with

the emotions therein. The individuals in the painting live peacefully with one another, having shed not only their clothes but also the values of the

bourgeoisie. They live in humanity’s eternal sanctuary: nature. As the painting itself captures a single moment, so too does this piece; as a

musical still life, the harmonic and rhythmic palettes of the piece are constrained to convey a serene absence of motion.

Commissioned by Mark Dutcher and David Ross

When all is ruin once again. (2013/14)-solo piano 14:00 minutes

I, the poet William Yeats,

With old mill boards and sea-green slates,

And smithy work from the Gort forge,

Restored this tower for my wife George.

And may these characters remain

When all is ruin once again.

-William Yeats

Every time I encounter this poem, forever inscribed on Thoor Ballylee,

the deteriorating vacation home of William Yeats, my entire being is moved by the constancy of change. The progression of life is a cycle of

creation and ruin: growth is naturally accompanied by the demolition of the past. And yet, a memory remains.

This piece has been conceived and torn down countless times. With every

attempt I have made to channel this feeling, I have unknowingly created it. The memory of the remnants of these efforts linger. Inspired loosely by

sonata form, this piece is organized in musical reminiscences: the initial theme falls to ruin and is rebuilt again and again, each time as a new

iteration of that eternal inscription. Five Short Narratives for Guitar duet (2012/13): 13:00 minutes

Five Short Narratives for Guitar Duo is a collection of different perspectives on an omnipresent musical theme. Each individual section makes an

effort to paint a picture of an inexplicit occurrence. In Distant Bells, for example, I feel a serene scene in which many far off bells echo and

interact with one another growing into a single unit. Eventually they form a cacophonous but homogenous racket. The titles are merely guidelines. There are many possible narratives and pictures that can be felt. To me,

music is one of the most personal art forms and I hope that each individual listener can find his or her own self in my music.

Commissioned by Iren and Sofia of leChic GuitarDuet

Pentimenti: Nervous Transparency (2013)- mixed ensemble 8:15 minutes

After attempting – and ultimately failing – to compose two pieces simultaneously, Pentimenti: Nervous Transparency was born. With few weeks left in which to work, I was stuck and burdened by the two unfinished pieces and their ominous deadlines. Overwhelmed, I brought up this problem with Stephen Hartke, my professor at the time, and he noted the similarity and dialogue between the two pieces: The soundscapes of each one would balance out the other.

The term “Pentimento” refers to the traces of a previous work on a canvas emerging under the ultimate painting. When looking carefully at a work of art, there is a fantastic phenomenon in which the ghost of an unfinished work surfaces, showing that the artist changed his or her path during the process of artistic creation. The very idea that the layers of an artists’ indecision could be visually represented became the inspirational basis of my piece.

Commissioned by the SOUNDscape performance exchange

For Sevan (11)-solo cello 6:00 minutes

After studying cello with Sevan Pogosyan, my teacher of more than 11 years, I felt the need to thank him for everything he had done for me as my mentor. With only one more “recital” for me to play, he was diagnosed with cancer. I don’t know that I will ever have someone like him again. For Sevan is homage to my teacher and a depiction of the myth of Sisyphus, which correlated so much with his life as an immigrant Russian musician during the Cold War. That is another story in itself. This piece is my “thank you” to him.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Tristan Xavier Köster, Composer

Tristan Xavier Köster (b. 1993) is a German-American composer of contemporary classical music currently living in Los Angeles, California. Working with ensembles and musicians in predominantly acoustic settings, Tristan is inspired by the abstract emotive capabilities of music and its ability to incorporate itself into the listeners’

memory. Tristan hopes that each listener uses his or her own life experiences and perspectives to create an independent understanding of his work. Composing with a strong affinity towards the fleeting gesture, Tristan aims at providing the listener with sense of foundation in an artistic realm permeated in relative ambiguity. Tristan’s compositions have been performed and featured at festivals, art symposiums and recitals across the United States and Europe receiving recognition and awards including a finalist designation in both the 62nd Annual BMI Student Composer awards and the 2014 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. In 2013 his composition “Pentimenti: Nervous Transparency” was performed at the Soundscape composition exchange in Maccagno, Italy where he collaborated with saxophonist Tim Reudeman and contributed alongside composers Dan Visconti, Brian Hulse, Marcela Pavia and other international composition fellows. In April 2014, Tristan’s piece “die Badende” was commissioned by Los Angeles artist Mark Dutcher as a musical contribution to a multidisciplinary event of art, poetry, and music inspired by E.L. Kirchner’s “Bathers at Moritzburg.” Currently pursuing his undergraduate degree at the USC Thornton School of Music with the blessing of receiving the Dean’s Music Scholarship Fund, Tristan is mentored by the composer Frank Ticheli. Throughout his time at Thornton he has also studied composition with Stephen Hartke and Donald Crockett, and theory/counterpoint with Eric Guinivan, Morten Lauridsen, Frederick Lesemann, and his first teacher A.J. McCaffree.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  

Katie Lynn O’Reilly: I don’t know where to begin- there are so many things that I could thank you for. You’ve helped me throughout every step of the artistic process. Without your love and support, I doubt I would have been able to compose the pieces that I’m sharing with everybody today. Patricia and Axel Köster: For as long as I can remember, you both taught and encouraged me to become as genuine of an artist as possible. You’ve given up so much for me to be where I am, especially today. Thank you for always being there for me, no matter how close the deadline is. Dylan Köster: Thanks for routinely booting me out of my classical “bubble.” As you know, I need constant reminders that other music (Flying Lotus, Bad Brains, Meshuggah etc) still exists. Frank Ticheli: Thank you for creating a comfortable and challenging atmosphere for me to compose in. I only fully realized what I wanted to express and create after becoming your student. I look forward to our last semester together. Sevan Pogosyan: I wish you could be here at this recital. You’re the first teacher who fully believed in my abilities as a musician. Wherever you are, I hope that you can hear my compositions. I aspire to continue your legacy. AJ McCaffrey: Outside of my family, you were the first person to truly introduce composition to me. (Hmmm… should I be thanking you for that?) I would not have made it through Thornton without your wisdom and care. Brendan White, Jonathan Dormand, L.A. Duo, and Ryan Tani: All of you put so much on your plate when agreeing to perform at my recital. I cannot express how thankful I am for your commitment and patience. Your radical and impassioned interpretations will be something that will always push me to achieve more through my music.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  

Peter, Vinnie, Liza, Mina, Deanna, Annie, Ashley, Elena, Cory, Jon, and Hung-Tao: I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to rehearse and perform with you all. You guys have made prepping for my recital a joy-filled process. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of musicians to collaborate with. I hope all of the junk food was enough! (your guys’ combined skill is worth so much more than the empty calories I provided…) Rory, Daniel S, Daniel L, Clare, Hannah, Daniel A, Austin, Patrick, John, and Saad: I couldn’t have found a better group of friends here than you guys. I have learned so much from all of you. It can’t just be a coincidence that we all got accepted and took so many classes together. Although most of us still have a semester together, I’m already missing you fellas. Here is a one last thank you to all my mentors: Stephen Hartke, Donald Crockett, Veronika Krausas, Greg Wishon, Sandy Erickson, Pat Dietz, Peter Park, Martine Tabilio, Morten Lauridsen, the Haslops, Eric Guinivan, Sarah Gibson, Jeff Parola and David Werfelman.