World premiere work at UCLA snags 2018 Global Music Awards Gold Medal
===========================================================
In a groundbreaking fusion of jazz and classical music, the world premiere of Earl Louis Stewart's "Homage to Swing (Identity 158)" Symphony took centre stage at the UCLA Schoenberg Hall on February 5, 2017. The symphony was the final work on the inter-departmental orchestra concert program, Swinging to a World of Strings, produced by Professor Cheryl L. Keyes.
Stewart, an American jazz guitarist and educator, has made a name for himself in the music industry, but this symphony, with its unique blend of jazz and classical symphonic design, is not as widely known. The four-movement symphony represents the merging of swing with traditional symphonic structure, demonstrating the effectiveness of jazz written in European formative paradigms.
Movement I of "Homage to Swing" features a traditional swing theme written in sonata allegro design, contrasted with a lively, rhythmic secondary theme. Movement II is a multi-cultural fugue that traverses many styles while maintaining the same beat. It features a non-syncopated exposition, bossa nova, ragtime, swing, salsa, African ngoma, and a final swing. Movement III is a jazz waltz, written in sonata allegro design, with both themes (quasi bebop and waltz) featured throughout the movement. Movement IV features jazz written in a sonata rondo design, with a lengthy jazz fugue functioning as a development.
The symphony's world premiere was conducted by Professor Neal Stulberg and showcased the talent of UCLA students, who formed a 50-plus-piece orchestra. The concert aimed to celebrate culture and commemorate musical bards who have left an indelible impression on global music. Guest performers, including Suzanna Guzman, Niccolo Seligmann, and Andrew Connell, also graced the event.
In 2018, Stewart won a Global Music Awards Gold Medal in the Counterpoint Classical/Jazz category for his composition, "Homage to Swing (Identity 158)". Despite limited publicly available information about this composition, its symphonic structure, or its thematic focus on jazz's evolution merged with classical symphony, further research in academic music journals, composer biographies, or recordings might provide more precise insights into this symphony’s compositional approach and historical significance.
For those interested, the entire concert, including the world premiere of "Homage to Swing (Identity 158)", can be watched, and the symphony can be found at the marker 1:34:30. The program note for "Homage to Swing" states that it is an essay in contemplative jazz, demonstrating the effectiveness of jazz written in traditional European formative paradigms.
The symphony "Homage to Swing (Identity 158)" showcases entertainment in the form of a fusion between jazz and classical music. The concert, featuring this symphony, aimed to celebrate culture and highlight the merging of jazz and symphonic structure, offering an intriguing exploration of music.
