Saturday, January 30, 2010

Jean Montès Conducts Illinois Honors Orchestra in Ludovic Lamothe's 'Danse Capoise' Today



[TOP: Prof. Jean Montès, Loyola University, New Orleans; BOTTOM: Fleurs d`Haiti, 10 Selections de Piano par Ludovic Lamothe Compositeur; Disques Victor]

The Haitian composer Julio Racine has explained to us that Dr. Jean Montès is responsible for more performances of his compositions, and his arrangements of Haitian folk music, than anyone else. We had known of Dr. Montès previously, but our interviews with Julio Racine have deepened our understanding of his influential role in Music Education. Julio has also stressed the importance of the work done in Haiti by John Jost, Professor of Music at Bradley University. Prof. Jost has orchestrated “Danse Capoise,” which Ludovic Lamothe composed for piano.

Voxitatis Blog
Honor concert preview: looking at Haiti with majesty, joy, and love
By Paul Katula · January 29, 2010
“PEORIA (Jan. 29, 2010) — The levels of excitement and anticipation are high here at the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Conference.” “Our coverage is centered here. Among the works to be performed by the All-State Honors Orchestra at a 3 p.m. concert Saturday is the Danse Capoise by Ludovic Lamothe, orchestrated by John Jost. One of Haiti’s greatest composers, a student at the Paris Conservatory and the Institution de Saint Louis Gonzague in Port-au-Prince, Lamothe composed only for the piano. In this transcription of one of his works, the stroking of each note will have a unique effect for each person in the audience.

When the pianist-composer returned from Paris to his homeland in 1911, he supported himself mostly by giving piano lessons and Sunday afternoon recitals in the homes of middle- and upper-class Haitians. These performances earned him the nickname 'The Black Chopin,' since his recitals often included works of the 19th-century piano master. Honors orchestra conductor, Jean Montès, has significant ties to Haiti as well, having spent his summers as assistant director at the Holy Trinity Music Camp there.

The piano music of the Haitian masters takes listeners on a journey—a journey purely of the soul—to discover just a few of the country’s hidden treasures: the sounds of the wind, the trees, the ocean. The glimpse Montès will bring us is brief, indeed, but our nature pauses to listen and take in these rarest of jewels. The soul can do wonders in just a few moments. For this brief moment, then, we close our eyes and let the music evoke a vision of Haiti as it was for Lamothe: majestic, joyful, and full of love. [Ludovic Lamothe is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

http://www.jeanmontes.com/biography.html
An accomplished conductor, educator, clinician, lecturer, and performer, Dr. Jean Montès is passionate about challenging and stimulating audiences and musicians alike. He is the Director of Orchestral Studies and Coordinator of Strings at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana where he conducts orchestral ensembles and teaches conducting and string pedagogy courses for music education majors. In addition to his responsibilities at Loyola University, Montès is the Artistic Director of The Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras (GNOYO) where he conducts the Symphony Orchestra which he lead in their Carnegie Hall debut.”

http://slane.bradley.edu/music/faculty/john-jost
“John Jost, Professor of Music, has been Director of Choral Activities at Bradley since 1989. He also serves as director of the Ecole Sainte Trinité summer music program for Haitian youth in Léogâne, Haiti.”






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