Timothy W. Holley: “Gary's piece is indeed a 'fingerbuster'!! I'd welcome a look at Tanya's edited score...”

[Symphonic Brotherhood; Albany Troy 104 (1993)]

On. Oct. 13 AfriClassical posted: “Gary P. Nash: 'Blues Impromptu' is on 'Music from Mount San Angelo' by Tanya Anisimova, cello.”

Dr. Gary Powell Nash has posted a comment on the blog:

“I saw where my composition Blues Impromptu for Solo Cello has been referenced before on AfriClassical.com. It's last live public performance was in 2008 at the Society of Music Theory conference in Nashville, TN, Philip Ewell, cello for a presentation on Fisk Univ. Composers. Matt Haimovitz also performed it in 2004 during a tour which included performances in Nashville, TN and Jackson, MS.”

Timothy W. Holley commented by email:

“Thanks Bill...Gary's piece is indeed a 'fingerbuster'!! I'd welcome a look at Tanya's edited score to see how certain passages were fingered and bowed.

TWH”

Mike Wright addressed a comment to Timothy W. Holley by email:

“Tim, Thanks for your note. I have known Gary for some time and have huge respect for his compositions. His ‘Blues Impromptu’ is in my view very special and I have been hoping for a long time that a another recording will be made. I also am convinced that his big command of orchestration as displayed in such compositions as ‘In Memorium Sojourner Truth’ (1992) is truly in the top league. Hear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJKPT8f3UlY but I also hope that one day, there will be a better interpretation of this work by an orchestra that understands the music better than on this ‘pathfinder’ recording.

“I was extremely glad that Bill Zick circulated your activities as it gave me a chance to ‘air’ my opinion on Gary Nash’s music via his work for ‘cello. I truly hope that one day, a composer of the stature of Gary Nash (who clearly displays real insight into writing music for ‘cello) will find a means to write a major work for the instrument with full orchestra.

Kind regards

Mike”

Cellist Dr. Timothy Holley in 'An Evening of Diamonds II', Feb. 9, 7:30 PM, Belhaven University

[Dr. Timothy W. Holley]

Dr. Timothy W. Holley is a cellist who is Assistant Professor of Music and Director, University Honors Program, at North Carolina Central University. We last wrote about him on the occasion of his Faculty Lecture-Recital, “The Influence of the Negro Spiritual on the Cello Music of African-American Composers,” presented on Oct. 11, 2009. He sends us this information about an event on Feb. 9, 2010:

“Please share this item with the AfriClassical community....
As part of Belhaven University’s Preston Chamber Music Series, the Belhaven Music Department presents 'An Evening of Diamonds II' on February 9th at 7:30 pm. Visiting cellist Dr. Tim Holley presents a recital blending contemporary and traditional works with spirituals and sacred music. The program also features 'A Darkened Glass' for solo cello, composed by Belhaven professor Dr. Andrew Sauerwein. Thank you. Tim

Timothy W. Holley: 'The Influence of the Negro Spiritual on the Cello Music of African-American Composers' Oct. 11, 4 PM

(Dr. Timothy W. Holley)

Dr. Timothy W. Holley sends us this information on his Faculty Lecture-Recital in response to our request. He says “Please add it to the blogsite. I've visited the site a few times and am amazed to read of the folks out there around the world keeping this tradition alive and well. Thanks very much for your interest and support.”

NCCU.edu
NCCU Centennial Lecture-Recital
Published: Thursday, October 08, 2009
The North Carolina Central University Department of Music presents Dr. Timothy Holley, violoncello, in a faculty lecture-recital titled:
The Influence of the Negro Spiritual on the Cello Music of African-American Composers.
The event is a part of the 2009-2010 Centennial Concert series and will be held Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 4 p.m., in the Recital Hall of the Edwards Music Building. The recital is free and open to the general public. Ed Paolantonio, piano; Maureen Kelly, flute; Grover Wilson, piano; Candace Bailey, piano; Lenora Helm, soprano, and special guest William Trice, tenor, will accompany Holley.

Sunday’s lecture-recital is the second of a series performed in honor of African-American composers. Holley hopes the presentation will shed light on how the Negro spiritual relates to historic music idioms. “There are many well-meaning misperceptions about the Negro spiritual. I wish to educate and possibly dispel some of these misperceptions while celebrating this musical tradition in a program of cello music,” he said. “This recital will continue the tradition of musical excellence that is here now and has preceded me, and further contribute to the centennial celebration of this University.”

Holley’s recent musical recordings include Songs of America (2008), by Oral Moses (bass-baritone and professor of voice at Kennesaw State University), a North Carolina Symphony Orchestra recording—American Spectrum (2009), and a recording of Variations à due by Hale Smith with saxophonist Ira Wiggins, director of NCCU’s Jazz Studies program. Holley also presented the world premiere of Spirit Songs by T.J. Anderson of Chapel Hill, N.C., commissioned by the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.

Holley, a native of Detroit, Mich., has been teaching at NCCU for 13 years. He serves as assistant professor of music and director of the University Honors Program.