Thank you speech to Elisions Concert - Hans Grim
Channel: Hans Grim
Date: 2012-04-08

This is the thank you speech from my concert in March of 2012.

Elision /ɪˈlɪʒən/ - when the last note of one phrase serves as the first note of the next phrase.

Typically the musical term 'elision', as applied to music,  refers to a single chord serving as the end of one phrase and the beginning of another, but the idea of something being both the end of one thing and the beginning of another provides the inspiration for this concert.  

Just as this concert represents the end of my undergraduate career, it also serves as the first step towards being accepted into graduate school.  In this way I view the concert as an 'elision' of sorts.  The opening arrangement of Blackbird ends on a minor chord which serves as the opening chord of the next piece, Water Night.  This is a further extension of the term elision. 
 
In the pairing of Zueignung and Love to Me, the final vocal note of D serves as a common tone between the key of D and Bb in the second selection.  Almost every performer pictured on the cover of this program represents both an end and a beginning of chapters of my life.  In that way, they are all human elisions in the score that is my life.  As such, they have born witness to what was my past and they are ushering in the future.
Please enjoy this concert of 'elisions'. 

Hans Grim is a music director and pianist in the Fort Worth area finishing his Bachelor of Arts degree at Texas Wesleyan University this spring.  He is the 2011 first place winner of the  ΣAI American Music Scholarship competition as a vocalist.  He has provided music direction for theatres including Casa Mañana, Texas Christian University, WaterTower, Theatre Arlington, the University of North Texas and the Granbury Opera House.  He also produced five musicals for Aledo Musicals and was the originating music director for the national tour of the 3 Redneck Tenors.  As a keyboardist he played for the national tour of Mamma Mia as well as appearing with the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Irving Symphony Orchestra and the University of North Texas Chamber Orchestra.  He has also been featured as a member of the Music Man quartet at Bass Hall with Casa Mañana and in Addison with WaterTower Theatre.

This concert serves as the final concert celebrating a truly epic undergraduate program that began in the Fall of 1994.  During that time, Hans has studied music at the University of Texas, San Antonio College, Texas Wesleyan, the University of Texas at Arlington, Weatherford College, and the University of North Texas and most recently has returned to Texas Wesleyan.  He taught for three years as a Fine Arts Faculty member at the All Saints' Episcopal School and plans to rejoin the teaching profession upon graduation.

On Sunday mornings he can be found playing piano for the Ridglea United Methodist Church and Sunday afternoons you might find him lounging at home with his beautiful wife, Mary, and three children, Max, Rose and Madeleine.

More information about Hans is available at www.HansGrim.com