Performed by Katrina Stroud, Violin Anishka Vogl, Violin James Cunningham IV, Viola Brelan Jenkins, Cello

Introspection is now available through Murphy Music Press: https://murphymusicpress.com/products/q-186 Program Note: Introspection is the observation of someone’s mental or emotional process. The first movement, Showtime, reflects on a bold individual whose confidence and swagger shines through them; the second movement, Dreamer, focuses on the fantasizer who takes pride in their imagination and artistry. Finally, Mad Man depicts a man who is unstable and has abrupt moments of instability but also sometimes dreams. Meredith Conklin, soprano sax Jack Hughes, alto sax Kevin Leysath II, tenor sax Adam Ball, bari sax

Want the Score and parts? Email me: kleysathiimusic@gmail.com Nazareth College Wind Symphony Kevin Leysath II, conductor March 24, 2023 Intro 0:00 Yasuke 1:25 Yasuke was the first samurai of African descent. He served under Oda Nobunaga, one of the most important feudal lords in Japanese history who was a unifier of the country. This piece of music represents his journey from what we now call Mozambique to his setting in Japan, where he conducted his life as a samurai. You will hear the mournful atmosphere of the Mozambique national anthem in the beginning to signify him being taken from to his homeland and then a moment of uncertainty as to what lies next for him farther east. The grand introductory section, featuring rhythmic patterns in the ensemble accompanied by dense percussion, cross-pollinates the polyrhythmic tendencies of African musical cultures and the pentatonic modality of music in Asia. The music goes on to highlight moments, such as the awe that came over the community as they saw Yasuke walk through the town with his black skin (which they had never seen before) and great height. The next section highlights the soignée appearance of him in his kimono, leading to a heroic section of great unity while musical themes stay constant, even as textures change around them. The rich harmony throughout the piece conveys the beauty of Yasuke and the nobility of his life as a samurai.

From Senior Composition Recital April 2023 Music By Kevin Leysath II Performers: Sophia Soler, voice Aaron Soltis, piano Video and Audio Editing and Film Rendering: - Paul H. Gaston

Happy Black Music Month and 10th day of the Black Composer Miniature Challenge Online Festival! Check out the 10th virtual world premiere of the BCMC 4.0 #BCMC Today's miniature ‘The African Kimono’ for Tenor Saxophone is written by composer Kevin Leysath II and performed by Seychelle Dunn-Corbin, saxophonist and dancer & choreographer Jenny Oliver. Video by Dave Jamrog. Let us - and Kevin! - know what you think in the comments, and purchase the score at www.castleskins.org/black-composer-miniature-challenge . . . . #saxophone #chambermusic #sax #winds #solo #duet #virtualpremiere #worldpremiere #blackcomposer #blackartistry #onlinemusicfestival #dance #dancer #coos #blackexcellence #blackcomposer #callforscores #callforcomposers #africandiaspora #boston #igersboston #bcmc #june #blackmusicmonth #saxophone #newmusic #composers #coos #onlinefestival

Performed at Meredith Conklin's Senior Saxophone Recital Performed by Meredith Conklin, alto saxophone Jack Hughes, tenor saxophone Carter Gagnon, flugelhorn Justin Moraza, flugelhorn Rowan Morgan, piano Jaxen LaPiene, bass guitar Stephen Skvarek, drums

From Senior Composition Recital April 2023 Music By Kevin Leysath II Performers: Jonathon Sengupta, voice Aaron Soltis, piano Video and Audio Editing and Film Rendering: - Paul H. Gaston

From Senior Composition Recital April 2023 Music By Kevin Leysath II Performers: Lexis Ferree, violin I Michael Coles, violin I Danielle Caringi, violin II Joshua Cotto, violin II Kristin Berry, viola Lexi Jenkins, viola Min Gonzalez, cello Meghan Lambert, cello Kevin Leysath II, conductor Video and Audio Editing and Film Rendering: Paul H. Gaston

From Senior Composition Recital April 2023 Music By Kevin Leysath II Performers: Collin Pickett, voice Rowan Morgan, Piano Video and Audio Editing and Film Rendering: - Paul H. Gaston

Music By Kevin Leysath II Performed by the Bernadotte Quartet: Mimi Fan, violin Kayla Yagi-Bacon, violin Wesley O’Brien, viola Daniel Stein, cello

From Senior Composition Recital April 2023 Music By Kevin Leysath II Performers: Min Gonzalez, cello Anna Ahlquist, piano Video and Audio Editing and Film Rendering: - Paul H. Gaston Program note: This piece is a tribute to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an English composer and conductor of African descent. He was famously known for The Song of Hiawatha, a trilogy of cantatas and Deep River, where he took a negro spiritual and turned it into a piano piece later to arrange it also for cello and piano. The title African Mahler is what people would call Coleridge-Taylor, (referring to the famous composer Gustav Mahler) because of his elite success in the early 1900s. Being that Deep River is my most favorite piece of music of all time, I took it upon myself to write a piece for Coleridge-Taylor. You will hear in the beginning, the arpeggiated chords from the piano to emulate the beginning of Deep river. When the cello comes in it have a melody that is as singable as the negro spiritual melody in Deep River. This piece, African Mahler is meant to not only honor Samuel Coleridge-Taylor but to also put his name out there again because his music deserves to be played more throughout the world.

Arrangement for Orchestra by Kevin Leysath II