Horowitz Center Playbills and Programs
Patagonia Winds: Earth, Wind, & Fire
Sunday, October 19, 2025
4 p.m.
Smith Theatre
FEATURING
Patagonia Winds
Melissa Lindon, flute
Stephanie Ying, oboe
Emily Robinson, clarinet
Jay Chadwick, horn
Chris McFarlane, bassoon
PROGRAM
| Ritual Fire Dance (1915) | Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) |
| Dumbarton Oaks (2019) | Alyssa Morris (b. 1984) |
| How to Fly (2025) World Premiere |
Jasmine Arielle Barnes (b. 1991) |
Intermission
| Canyon Light: Four Scenes for Woodwind Quintet (1989) | Michael Mauldin (b. 1947) |
| I. Morning Prayers | |
| II. River Music | |
| III. Shimmering Heat | |
| IV. Sunset | |
| Red Clay and Mississippi Delta (2009) | Valerie Coleman (b. 1970) |
Please join us for a Meet the Artists Reception following the concert.
ARTIST BIOS
Celebrated for their “breathtaking precision” and “lovely long lines” (Composer Catherine McMichael) and "offering a sound both timeless and vital," (Jeff Scott, Composer, French Hornist and Educator), Patagonia Winds has captivated audiences across D.C., Maryland and Virginia since 2010. The quintet specializes in thoughtful, high-quality programming that celebrates living, local and historically underrepresented composers. With engaging commentary and educational outreach, Patagonia Winds brings depth, warmth and inclusivity to every performance.
Featured on the Maryland State Arts Council Presenting and Touring Roster, Patagonia Winds has performed at venues such as the Strathmore Mansion, Lyceum, Hillwood Museum, Fairfax Old Town Hall, and the Horowitz Center at Howard Community College. Concert series appearances include Musical Arts International, Takoma Park Arts series, Chalice Concert Series, Concerts at Good Shepherd, Listen Local, Buckingham’s Choice, WMPA Summer Chamber Series, Takoma Porch Festival, and Baltimore Composers Forum, as well as recitals at the National Flute Association Convention in Washington, D.C. and Mid-Atlantic Flute Conventions.
As part of its commitment to promoting chamber music by contemporary composers, Patagonia Winds has commissioned three works: How to Fly (2025) by Jasmine Arielle Barnes, A Walk Through the Garden (2021) by Andrew John Kosinski, and Three Nature Walks (2015) by Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda. Recordings include Menuets and More, and Garth Baxter’s A Jagged Path and A Parting Glass on Ask of Me What the Birds Sang (Navona).
Flutist and Patagonia Winds founder Melissa Lindon freelances and teaches in the Washington D.C. area. She is principal flutist with the Avanti Orchestra of the Friday Morning Music Club, and has performed with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Inscape Chamber Orchestra, Manassas Ballet Theatre Orchestra, and Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. A passionate educator, Melissa serves on the flute faculties of Washington Adventist University, Northwestern VPA High School, and Howard Community College and the Music Institute at HCC. She co-directs “Flute-a-rama” flute camp in Takoma Park, Maryland, where she maintains an active private studio. Also a certified yoga teacher, she enjoys leading “Yoga for Musicians” workshops at colleges, conventions and music camps. Her principal teachers include Marianne Gedigian, Doriot Anthony Dwyer, Jean Larson, Emily Skala, and her mother Marlee Lindon. A.C., Southern Methodist University; MMus and BMus (honors), Boston University.
Stephanie Ying is an oboist and educator in the Baltimore area. She has had the pleasure of performing with orchestras such as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and the Fargo Moorhead Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared with concert bands including the United States Air Force Band and the United States Naval Academy Band. As a soloist she has been seen with the Concordia College Orchestra and the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra along with numerous solo recitals. Her passion for chamber music has led her to oboe positions in Patagonia Winds, the Sunderman Wind Quintet, and the National Chamber Winds. In 2024 Stephanie joined the faculty at Gettysburg College as their Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oboe. An active educator in the area, Stephanie maintains a private oboe studio out of her home in Catonsville, MD. Primary teachers include Richard Killmer, Stephanie Carlson, Jennifer Peterson and Tonya Mertz. BMus, Concordia College; MMus, Eastman School of Music.
A dynamic concert artist and educator in the D.C. area, Dr. Emily Robinson, clarinet, maintains an active performance schedule, appearing with National Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera On The James, and Avanti Orchestra. As a former member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, she performed extensively across the D.C. area and the United States in such prestigious venues as The White House, The Kennedy Center, Wolftrap, and Strathmore Music Center. She is also a co-founder of Balance Campaign, a D.C. based contemporary music ensemble. She is currently on teaching faculty in Bethesda, MD at Holton-Arms Academy, the International School of Music, and is a co-founder and faculty member at Woodwinds. Emily studied under Paul Cigan, Burt Hara, John Bruce Yeh, Eli Eban, and Julie DeRoche while completing her studies. BMus, DePaul University; MMus, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; DMA, University of Maryland – College Park.
For over twenty-five years, Jay Chadwick has combined a passion for playing the horn with a full-time legal career. Jay studied the horn at the College of William and Mary with David Wick of the Virginia Symphony. Jay maintains an active orchestral performance schedule in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., having performed for years with the McLean Orchestra and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. He currently serves as the principal horn in the Avanti Orchestra and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. Jay loves exploring the horn’s role in chamber music, including brass quintets, woodwind quintets, and string ensembles. As a founding member of the Patagonia Winds, Jay has helped commission multiple original works for woodwind quintet. In between rehearsals and gigs, Jay can be found practicing commercial law in Northern Virginia and checking out used horns on eBay.
Bassoonist Chris McFarlane is an active performer in the Washington DC area, appearing with groups such as the National Symphony, the Washington Bach Consort, the Chesapeake Orchestra, and the Alexandria Symphony. He can also be heard on recordings by the Bach Sinfonia, the Smithsonian Chamber Players and the National Cathedral Choir, and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. Mr. McFarlane served as a bassoonist with “The President's Own” United States Marine Band in Washington DC for 30 years, including 14 years as Principal Bassoon. He studied with Timothy McGovern of the University of Illinois, William Ludwig of LSU, Bernard Garfield of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Sidney Rosenberg of IU. BMus, Indiana University in Bloomington; MMus, Louisiana State University.
PROGRAM NOTES
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) – Ritual Fire Dance (1915)
Manuel de Falla’s most successful ballet, El amor brujo (The Bewitched Love), tells the story of a gypsy woman who is haunted by the jealous ghost of her first husband. In the most famous part, the “Ritual Fire Dance,” her frenzied dance lures the ghost of her dead lover to be exorcised in flames. Due to its popularity, the composer arranged and rearranged his music for concert performances by orchestras and smaller ensembles as well as a suite for solo piano.
Alyssa Morris (b.1984) – Dumbarton Oaks (2019)
Commissioned by the United States Air Force Woodwind Quintet
The work is meant to emulate the healing peace of a walk through the famous Washington D.C. park.
Dumbarton Oaks is a public park located in Washington D.C. The lush 27-acre gardens are part of the historic Georgetown District. The following program notes are adapted from a statement given by Kaitlin Taylor, oboist in the U.S. Air Force Band:
There is a healing peace and serenity that can be found in a place like Dumbarton Oaks. Nestled within the nation’s bustling capital, one can walk just a few blocks to the park and experience a complete transformation from concrete, noise, and traffic to green, wildlife, and calm.
The quintet begins with a quiet, reflective “soul motive,” a single person’s voice crying out for peace in the chaos of life. The person is quickly hurled to reality as sounds of the city grow louder and louder: repeated car horns, whizzing traffic, relentless movement, and even a quotation of the Washington Post march. As the person makes their way through the city and approaches Dumbarton Oaks Park, the “soul motive” can be heard again. As the person enters the park, native birds can be heard, along with the quiet movement of the water. Gradually, as the person begins exploring the park, the hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth” is quoted. The following are the words of the hymn:
For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise
For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise
Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917)
Music: Conrad Kocher (1786-1872)
As the person is about to exit the park, the “soul motive” can be heard once more. As they exit the park, the bustle of the city returns again, but this time, it is infused with the sounds of the “soul motive.” The person is renewed, having found themselves once again while visiting the beautiful Dumbarton Oaks Park.
Jasmine Arielle Barnes (b. 1991) – How to Fly (2025)
Commissioned by Patagonia Winds
Jasmine Arielle Barnes stands at the forefront of contemporary music as an Emmy Award- winning composer and celebrated vocalist whose influence resonates across the globe. Renowned for her extraordinary skill in vocal composition, Barnes navigates a rich tapestry of genres, formats, and instrumentations, creating a unique and compelling musical presence.
Barnes’ recent projects showcase her creative synergy with acclaimed Poet Laureate and activist Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton. Highlights include the highly anticipated world premiere of She Who Dared at Chicago Opera Theater, as well as the world premieres of On My Mind at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Revise? with Apollo Chamber Players. Last season, Barnes’ Kinsfolknem, a concerto for wind quartet, had its debut at Carnegie Hall before touring select renowned symphonies across the nation. Additionally, she will unveil a highly anticipated choral and orchestral composition set to Langston Hughes' texts, commissioned by the Seattle Choral Company.
The composer writes:
How to Fly is a piece that explores the process of starting something. I likened this to the process of learning an art form and compared it to a bird learning to fly. The process of starting a discipline begins with a thought, and it grows to courage, and then failure, or at least what it feels like to fail. The real perseverance lies in building that courage again after a failed attempt. How to Fly is a musical story of how to persevere.
Michael Mauldin – Canyon Light: Four Scenes for Woodwind Quintet (1989)
Commissioned by the New Mexico Woodwind Quintet
This piece was inspired by a river-rafting trip I took with my sons, Kendall and Kevin, at Moab, Utah. My sons must have thought their father insane for taking them there in August. But the cooling white-water, the colors of the canyons and child’s play on sandy beaches made it a treasured experience for us all. “Morning Prayers” recalls “making peace” with the cathedral-like canyon before riding the Colorado River. “River Music” is full of white-water thrills, as well as quiet moments when the river is deep and slow, while we float beside the raft. “Shimmering Heat” recalls the surreal light effects of rising heat. In “Sunset” there is a sense of urgency to take in as much of the beauty of the rich light on the landscape before night falls. The energy we get from that beauty is real. Not just a fleeting mood, it sustains mind, body and spirit. – Michael Mauldin
Valerie Coleman (b. 1970) – Red Clay and Mississippi Delta (2009)
Red Clay is short work that combines the traditional idea of musical scherzo with living in the South. It references the background of my mother’s side of the family that hails from the Mississippi delta region. From the juke joints and casino boats that line the Mississippi river, to the skin tone of kinfolk in the area: a dark skin that looks like it came directly from the red clay. The solo lines are instilled with personality, meant to capture the listener’s attention as they wail with “bluesy” riffs that are accompanied (‘comped’) by the rest of the ensemble. The result is a virtuosic chamber work that merges classical technique and orchestration with the blues dialect and charm of the south. – Valerie Coleman
HCC CONCERT SERIES
Hsien-Ann Meng, Director, HCC Concert Series
Bill Gillett, Chair, Performing Arts
HOROWITZ CENTER STAFF
Janelle Broderick - Director
Jessica Chaney - Content Coordinator
A Lorraine Robinson - Production Manager
John Elder - Technical Director
Darius McKeiver - Business Associate
Linwood Milan – Technical Coordinator
Eric Moore - Production Electrician
Mark Smedley - Associate Technical Director
Julie Via - Audience Services Manager
Bill Watson – Gallery Manager and Curator
SPECIAL THANKS
This performance is made possible through generous support from the Galbraith-Winer Family Trust Fund and the Maryland State Arts Council.
