Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 – III. Courante
The Courante from Bach’s beloved G major Suite dances with vitality and poise. True to its name—derived from the French for “running”—this movement brims with motion, flowing in graceful, continuous phrases that test both agility and lyricism. Beneath its lightness lies the expressive clarity and balance that define Bach’s writing for solo cello: every note, a step in a larger conversation between motion and stillness.

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932–2004)
Lamentations: Black/Folk Song Suite for Solo Cello – III. Calvary Ostinato
Perkinson’s Lamentations bridges the sacred, the ancestral, and the modern. In Calvary Ostinato, the composer draws inspiration from African American spirituals and the ritual intensity of repeated rhythm. The movement’s driving pulse and incantatory gestures evoke both endurance and devotion—its title referencing the hymn “Calvary,” a meditation on suffering and transcendence. The cello becomes a preacher’s voice: raw, insistent, and unrelenting in its faith.

Lamentations: Black/Folk Song Suite for Solo Cello – IV. Perpetual Motion
The closing movement bursts forward in a whirlwind of rhythmic energy. Here, Perkinson fuses Baroque motor rhythms with the syncopated vitality of Black musical idioms—jazz, gospel, and dance. The result is electrifying: a perpetual motion machine where tradition propels innovation, and the cello seems to race toward freedom itself.

Nathalie Joachim (b. 1983)
Dwam Mwen Yo (They Are My People)
In Dwam Mwen Yo, Haitian-American composer Nathalie Joachim pays tribute to her matrilineal heritage and the women who shaped her world. The piece, infused with the rhythms and language of Haitian folk traditions, weaves together cello and voice in an atmosphere of intimacy and reverence. “They are my people,” Joachim has said of her inspiration—an embrace of ancestry, identity, and the enduring bond of community through sound.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 – IV. Sarabande
This Sarabande reveals Bach at his most introspective. Unlike the flowing courantes or bounding gigues, the dance unfolds in slow, measured grace. Each phrase seems suspended in time, resonating with quiet depth and harmonic richness. Stripped of ornament, the music speaks directly—an intimate meditation on resonance, space, and the cello’s human voice.

Tania León (b. 1943)
Four Pieces for Solo Cello – II. Lento doloroso, sempre cantabile
A coalescence of song and sorrow, Lento doloroso unfolds as a poignant soliloquy. León’s Cuban heritage subtly colors the movement’s expressive phrasing and rhythmic flexibility, yet its voice is universal—lamenting, yearning, always singing. The instruction sempre cantabile (“always singing”) captures León’s belief in melody as a vessel of emotion and memory.

Four Pieces for Solo Cello – III. Montuno
The title Montuno—a term from Cuban dance and jazz traditions—signals rhythmic vitality and improvisational flair. Syncopated patterns, percussive bowing, and bursts of fiery motion animate the movement, transforming the cello into a rhythm section, a percussion instrument, and a dancer all at once. León’s voice shines through: exuberant, rooted, and unmistakably alive.

Brian Raphael Nabors (b. 1991)
…and Beyond
Nabors’ …and Beyond is a forward-looking meditation on possibility. Expansive and cinematic in scope, the piece pushes the cello to explore contrasting worlds—melodic warmth, restless energy, and moments of cosmic stillness. Drawing from classical craft and contemporary rhythm, Nabors builds a soundscape that invites listeners on a journey past boundaries—toward transformation and hope.

Sophia Bass (b. 2001)
Piece for Solo Cello
In Piece for Solo Cello, emerging composer Sophia Bass explores the instrument’s expressive extremes—from whispered harmonics to full-throated resonance. The work unfolds as a dialogue between vulnerability and strength, rooted in an instinctive lyricism that feels both personal and timeless. Bass’s voice is one of curiosity and emotional clarity, offering a fresh contribution to the cello’s evolving solo tradition.

COMPOSER

Alma Scott

Robin E. Suydam & Paul Corkery

CONDUCTOR

Stephan DeMicco & Jeanne M. Fox

Nancy & Craig Guiffre

Magyar Bank

Todd A. Shamy & Joey K. Grinkley

VIRTUOSO

Benjamin & Christine Bucca

Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri & Jacobs LLC

Eileen Harkins

Wendy Wiebalk, Esq. & Steve Cahn, Esq.

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

Bob & Geri Bolanowski

Elizabeth & Louis Garlatti

Lisa &  Rick Martin

A special thank you to the State Theatre Staff and contributors for their dedication and commitment to making this event a success, and also to the volunteers who helped.

Edison High School Orchestra

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Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com