Advertisement
His study of music brought him to it, and now, Winona audiences will hear “the feeling of longing” through the sounds of a local university band. Bernstein and the Saint Mary’s University Concert Band will premiere “Ashkenazi Fathers” on Saturday as part of its Family Weekend celebration, which includes the inauguration of the university’s new president, Brother William Mann.
 |
Marc Bernstein, a composer from Denmark, rehearses with Saint Mary’s University students on Monday at SMU as they prepare for the debut of his piece, "Ashkenazi Fathers." (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
Bernstein wrote the piece at the Academy of Music in Esbjerg, Denmark, inspired by his family’s Ukrainian-Jewish heritage. It was commissioned by SMU through the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation Commissioning Project, which supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at SMU.
Bernstein’s grandfather fled with his family to Brooklyn from the Ukraine because of persecution by Russian Cossacks against the Ashkenazi, an ethnic group of Jews originally from Germany and Eastern Europe.
His grandfather told stories of their flight and played records of music from back home. Bernstein, a jazz saxophonist, didn’t understand the influence of his Jewish grandfather until he moved to Europe and studied the music he had heard as a child.
“It hit me, all these memories of my grandfather,” he said. “This music has been living in me.”
Bernstein is giving individual lessons to musicians at SMU this week, working through the piece with the ensemble. The musicians said it was important to have Bernstein here — he also came this spring when the piece was partially written — teaching and playing the piece with them so they could understand its emotion.
“This is the first time that I’ve (played) commissioned a piece,” piccolo player Kate Dullard said. “It was great to be involved with that, especially one that revolves around Jewish tradition or Jewish culture.”
Writing the piece for a Catholic university made it more special, Bernstein said, because it lets him share his rediscovered heritage with an unfamiliar audience. The ensemble — which includes the SMU jazz band —will play music that features Bernstein chanting in Hebrew, folk dancing by band members and elements of Jewish folk music, classical and jazz.
The composition was tailored to the ensemble, said Janet Heukeshoven, an SMU professor of music who will conduct the performance. That element makes for a more inspired band, she said.
“It really gives the students ownership,” she said.
If you go
The premier of “Ashkenazi Fathers” by the SMU Concert band is at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Page Theatre. Bernstein will hold a “Composer’s Conversation” before the concert, starting at 1:30 p.m. Tickets to the event are available through the Performance Center box office, and can be ordered by calling (507) 457-1715 or online at www.pagetheatre.org.
Nolan Rosenkrans may be reached at (507) 453-3519 or at nolan.rosenkrans@lee.net.
