Sister Cities' International Annual Conference 2010 Concert

JULY 31, 2010

---

Albuquerque's treasured 1927 landmark, the KiMo Theatre, was the venue for a concert imbued with the region's folk heritage and imagery for the Sister Cities' International 2010 Conference on Saturday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. The University of New Mexico (UNM) Robb Musical Trust presented a Concert of Music by John Donald Robb and Composers that he influenced: Michael Mauldin and James Galloway.

• Piano soloist at the concert was Tatiana Vetrinskaya, who became enamored with Robb's music while living in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (one of Albuquerque's Sister Cities), moved to New Mexico and received a second Master's Degree at UNM, directs the New Mexico School of Music and is considered the most authoritative performer of Robb's piano compositions. Tatiana will perform Robb's Three Impressions, Opus 15: "Night, Afternoon, and Morning"; "Carnival" from Sonatina, Three Incidents from Liliom, Opus 22; and two Turkmenistan Folk Songs: Ballade and Sounds of Dutar by Nuriy Hkalmamedov;
• UNM Music Faculty Bass-baritone Bradley Ellingboe, accompanied by James Bratcher, sang The Trial of Sangre de Cristos Escathe de Calderon, a Northern New Mexico legend with original music by Robb, and El Muchacho Alegre and Mambru from Robb's Folk Opera Little Jo, which was based on folk songs collected by Robb which provide the musical heart of the opera about the life of a young boy living in a remote Hispanic village in northern New Mexico;
• Robb compositions were also represented by his String Quartet No. 2, a virtuoso work in the tradition of early Milhaud and Stravinsky performed by Kathie Jarrett, violin; Nicolle Maniaci, violin; Cherokee, Randolph, viola; and Lisa Collins, cello;
• Five Songs, chosen from folk songs collected by Dean Robb by published and performed composer, James Galloway (1938-2003), a former student of the Dean, were performed by Bratcher and Mezzo Soprano, Lina Ramos; and
• Albuquerque composer Michael Mauldin's Canyon Light: Four Scenes for Woodwind Quintet: "Morning Prayers, River Music, Shimmering Heat, and Sunset" were performed by musicians, Jesse Tatum, flute; Elaine Heltman, oboe; Lori Lovato, clarinet; Leslie N. Shultis, bassoon; and Scott Lipton, horn.
• Photographs of the Southwest were projected during the concert courtesy of Mike Butterfield who grew up in Albuquerque. Mike's photos have been widely published both regionally and nationally in calendars, magazines and books. As an award-winning photographer, he has had shows in San Francisco, Oakland and Modesto, California; Denver, Colorado; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Albuquerque and Madrid, New Mexico.