Appalachian Spring
The Ned
September 7, 2024, 7 PM
An Appalachian adventure with selections from Darius Milhaud and Samuel Barber, alongside a premiere performance of “Northern Lights,” inspired by the spring 2024 display of the aurora borealis and written by regional composer, Dawson Hull. Topping off the evening will be the delightful full stage performance of Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” by special guest Ballet Arts, Inc.
Appalachian Spring Program
Northern Lights, Dawson Hull (8 min.)
World Premiere
Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24, Barber (16 min.)
Soprano, Emily Black
Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit, Milhaud (19 min.)
Intermission
Appalachian Spring, Copland (28 min.)
Ballet Arts, Inc. of Jackson
Meet the Composer
Dawson Hull
Dawson Hull is a pianist, composer, and conductor in the Memphis, TN area. As the Pastor of Instrumental Worship Arts at Germantown Baptist Church, he leads the Conservatory of Music, orchestra, jazz band, and student choir, and is the founder of the Masterpiece Concert Series in Germantown, TN, which provides free classical concerts to the community.
Dawson frequently performs solo and chamber recitals in Memphis, and he and his wife (Taneea Hull, clarinet) enjoy performing together as a duo for churches, recitals, events, and masterclasses throughout the country. In 2022, Dawson and Taneea released their first album together entitled “REFLECTIONS”. The album features Dawson’s original arrangements of hymns for clarinet and piano, written in a classical style. Dawson was also recently invited to premiere some of his compositions at the International Clarinet Association 2019 ClarinetFest, and as part of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra’s 2020 Chamber series.
As a pianist, Dawson has appeared as soloist with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Delta Symphony Orchestra, The Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Samford University Orchestra, Southeastern Chamber Orchestra, the Omulgee Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, and the University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Dawson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano from the University of Memphis, a Master’s Degree in Piano from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano and Theory/Composition from Samford University in Birmingham, AL. His piano teachers include Alice Adams Jackson, Betty Sue Shepherd, Thomas Hecht, Marian Hahn, Eric Zuber, and Cathal Breslin. He studied composition under Ronald Boud, James Jensen, and Bob Burroughs.
Dawson and Taneea (principal clarinet for The Jackson Symphony and soloist for "Northern Lights") have three children, and they love to make music together as a family.
