Sundays with the St. Lawrence
Stanford Cello Choir
Christopher Costanza, Director
PROGRAM
Cello Quartet Op. 1, When the Night (2018)
Paul Wiancko (b. 1983)
"Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen über dir" from Elijah (1846)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Le Sacre du Printemps (1913) for Cello Octet
(transcribed by Yuriy Leonovich)
Part I: L’Adoration de la Terre
Part II: Le Sacrifice
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Sean Tan, conductor
-Intermission-
Sarabande from Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012 (c.1720)
(arr. Paul Wiancko)
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Por Una Cabeza (1935)
(arr. James Barralet)
Carlos Gardel (1890-1935)
Valse pour huit (2024)
Maya Benyas (Stanford class of 2025)
Hymnus for 12 Cellos, Op. 57 (c. 1920)
Julius Klengel (1859-1933)
About the Ensemble
The Stanford Cello Choir formed in 2022 to explore the rich sonorities of works for multiple cellos. The group, founded and directed by Stanford Artist-in-Residence Christopher Costanza, explores repertoire spanning centuries, performing a wide range of works composed specifically for cello ensemble as well as creative arrangements of well-known pieces. The Cello Choir’s personnel include current and past Stanford students who all share in a single goal: participating in an inspiring ensemble highlighting the vast range of colors the cello has to offer. Going forward, the group aims to expand cello ensemble repertoire through commissions and new arrangements, with performances on and off campus. For more information, please message Christopher Costanza through his website, costanzacello.com.
About the Director
For nearly four decades, cellist Christopher Costanza has enjoyed a varied and exciting career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. A winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and a recipient of a prestigious Solo Recitalists Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mr. Costanza has performed to wide critical acclaim throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Europe. “Mr. Costanza demonstrated an unaffected, graceful approach to phrasing, a rugged, fearless technique, and, when necessary, and energetic headlong approach,” proclaimed the New York Times. And, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, praise for a recent performance of Bach’s Unaccompanied Suites: “Costanza revealed himself to be a thoughtful interpreter as well as a technician of no small skill. Tempos were brisk but never rushed, and dynamics were carefully measured. In the Courante, Costanza demonstrated a nice continuity of bowing, while the Sarabande became in his hands an introspective but eloquent song. He used the lightest of touches in the subsequent Minuets and brought an infectious rhythmic impulse to the concluding Gigue.”
Mr. Costanza, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, actively toured as the cellist of the St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ) from 2003-2023. His current musical activities include solo performances and varied chamber music collaborations, including cycles of the complete Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, at Stanford University, and other locations; the complete Britten Cello Suites presented as a cycle; a collaboration with the Stanford Chamber Chorale on tour in Hawaii; solo and chamber music performances at multiple California Bay Area venues; and a concerto tour of France with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Mr. Costanza enjoys giving pre-concert lectures, presenting informal concert/lectures, and writing about music.
Mr. Costanza is a full-time Artist in Residence at Stanford University, where he teaches cello and chamber music, serves as the Associate Director of Music for the Stanford Medical Humanities and Arts program, and performs concerts and gives lectures across campus. His recordings are readily available on Apple Music and Spotify, including several with the SLSQ. Mr. Costanza’s recording of the Six Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach can be streamed on his website, costanzacello.com.
In addition to his varied musical interests, Mr. Costanza is an avid runner and hiker. A train enthusiast, he enjoys riding and exploring passenger railways while on tour. At home in California, he is passionate about cooking, creating dishes that take advantage of the abundance of organic local produce.
Personnel
Melanie Ambler
Maya Raquel Benyas
Andrew Chen
Eujeong Choi
Christopher Costanza
Zach Hessler
Joseph Ho
Cooper Kaligis
Daniel Kuelbs
Paul Lee
Daniel Ma
Jennifer Mori
Anna Rodden
Abigail Rogers
Richard Wang
Justin Wu
Jackie Yang
(with special thanks to guest Sean Tan, conductor)