Meet Class Notes Artist: Excelsior! Trio

Nothing hooks an audience full of children like being scared by a saxophone two minutes into a program. Let me explain. Excelsior! Trio's program started conventionally enough with pianist Jay Hershberger and flutist Debora Harris playing in the "stage area", when suddenly out of the middle of the audience popped saxophonist Russell Peterson, whaling the loudest, highest, note you could possibly imagine coming out of that instrument, startling the students around him (and some teachers!) into shrieks and screams.

Plenty more blaring saxophone, though no more startling surprises, was in store for the children. There was also plenty of laughter and enthusiasm from both the Trio and their audience. Perhaps in part due to their unique instrumentation, Harris, Hershberger and Peterson have excellent chemistry as an ensemble; they are incredibly talented at their instruments and at interacting with young students. It's obvious from the start that they are great friends and have a lot of fun playing together. In fact, they admitted that some of their favorite concerts are those that they play at schools because they can get up close and personal with the children, hopefully inspiring them to become musicians themselves.

Because the combination of flute, saxophone and piano is a rather unusual instrument grouping, there isn't a lot of repertoire out there composed specifically for this ensemble. Luckily, Peterson is also a composer, so he has been writing music for the group. They first discovered how much they enjoyed collaborating back in 2009; all three musicians are on the music faculty at Concordia College-Moorhead, and after performing a piece together that Peterson had composed at a recital, they decided to form Excelsior! Since then they have performed all over the United States, and even internationally in Italy and Scotland. Their repertoire is far more varied than just Peterson's compositions, featuring also his arrangements of classical composers like Debussy (audio link at the right) to jazz standards like Chick Corea's Spain to the Suite Hellénique of Greek folk music featuring the 7/8 rhythm of the Kalamantian7ós dance (Opa!). Peterson himself draws compositional inspiration from a variety of areas. The Trio No.1 (in the audio player) is based on Armenian folk music not a type of music with which most people here would probably be familiar. The Trio No. 2 (audio link to the right) was written specifically with each trio member's particular musical personalities in mind. It's one big show-off of a piece with lots of fast notes for Harris, big loud chords for Hershberger (though unfortunately this isn't as effective with the Clavinovas that most schools provide as it would be by a concert grand piano), and of course really, really high notes for Peterson.

As if this wasn't engaging enough, the Trio even performed a piece that Peterson had commissioned from a young student of his. Karl Swenson an 11-year-old from North Dakota initially focused his studies on saxophone, but then became a composition student as well. He made his major compositional debut with a piece for the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony (of which all of Excelsior! are members) and subsequently was asked to write Concerto #4 for Flute, Saxophone and Piano for Excelsior!. Hearing music composed by someone their age was undoubtedly at least impressive, if not inspirational to the children in the audience.

The trio is truly up for any kind of music. One child asked if they ever played "We Will Rock You" by Queen and Hershberger and Peterson immediately broke into an impromptu rendition, getting the entire audience to do the iconic stomping/clapping rhythm.

"Why did you want to become musicians?" was one of the student queries during question time towards the end of the performance. Every member of the Trio knew they wanted to become musicians at a very young age. "Music chose me," said Harris succinctly, whilst Hershberger was inspired as kindergartner attending his first orchestra concert with his dad. "There was no question for me while growing up," said Peterson, adding that he "just needed to figure out how to get paid to play music." The program concluded with some solid life advice for the children: find something that you love to do and are really passionate about, whether it be music or sports or sock puppets, and figure out how to make a living out of it. You have a greater chance at a fulfilling life if your work is something that you love.

Audio

• Russell Peterson: Trio No. 1 for Flute, Alto Saxophone and Piano — II. Andante

1. Claude Debussy arr. Sharon Davis: Épigraphes Antiques — I. Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d'été "Antique Epigraphs — I. To invoke Pan, god of the summer wind

1. Russell Peterson: Trio No. 2 for Flute, Alto Saxophone and Piano — III. Allegro con brio

Schools

• Roosevelt Elementary — Detroit Lakes, Minn.

1. Rossman Elementary — Detroit Lakes, Minn.

1. Lincoln Elementary — Alexandria, Minn.

1. Woodland Elementary — Alexandria, Minn.

1. Voyageur Elementary — Alexandria, Minn.

1. Garfield Elementary — Garfield, Minn.

1. Miltona Elementary — Miltona, Minn.

1. Carlos Elementary — Carlos, Minn.

1. Lake Park-Audubon — Lake Park, Minn.

1. Ulen-Hitterdal Elementary — Ulen, Minn.

1. Breckenridge Elementary — Breckenridge, Minn.

About the Classical MPR Class Notes Artists program

Now in its sixth year, the Class Notes Artists program at Classical MPR brings performers to elementary schools throughout the state of Minnesota to give educational concerts. Each performance includes a presentation about the Artists' respective instruments, as well as the style, technique, history, and traditions related to the music that they perform.

The Artists are selected for the quality of their musicianship, and for their interest in promoting music education. Over the next few months, the following Artists will collectively travel to 60 schools in four different geographical hubs.

• Belladonna Baroque Quartet — Twin Cities

1. Excelsior! Trio — Northwestern Minnesota

1. L'unica Trio — Saint Cloud area

1. Lyz Jaakola — Twin Cities

1. Mill City String Quartet — Southwestern Minnesota

1. The Mirandola Ensemble — Twin Cities

1. Minnesota Percussion Trio — Twin Cities

1. Summit Hill Brass Quintet — Twin Cities

These performances are supported by Minnesota music education standards-based curriculum designed by Classical MPR's Curriculum Specialist. These lessons and activities are given to music teachers in advance of each Artist's visit, and are to be used as learning materials for before and/or after each performance.

Students at participating schools will also receive an MPR-produced compilation CD featuring the year's Artists, allowing students to experience a wide range of different musical styles and ensembles. The 2014-15 album, Bach, Birds, and Blues, is also available to stream online.

Classical MPR's goal for the Class Notes Artist program is to create authentic and transformative experiences for young pupils that will inspire their creative pursuits, and be a meaningful addition to what they are already learning from their music teachers.

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