LAGUNA CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES SPONSORED BYJan 19, 2019 · The Imperial March JOHN WILLIAMS From The Empire Strikes Back (b. 1932) The Planets, Op. 32 GUSTAV HOLST (1874-1934) I. Mars,

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LAGUNA CHAMBER MUSIC SERIESSPONSORED BY

SAM AND LYNDIE ERSAN

LALAL GUNANAN CHAMAMA BER MUSIC SERIESSPONSORERER D BY

WILLIAMS: THE IMPERIALMARCH, FROM THE EMPIRESTRIKES BACK

The popular and well-known musicalwork, "The Imperial March," also knownas Darth Vader's theme, was composed by John Williams in April 1980 for the Star Wars film, The Empire StrikesBack. The march has a distinct military quality that portrays the evil presence and confidence of Darth Vader that builds with intensity throughout the piece, suggesting the heavy hand of theEmpire bearing down and threatening the Rebels and all of us. Listen for themelody with loud and powerful sounds of the brass instruments, particularly trumpets and trombones, with the marchaccompaniment played by the strings, timpani, and snare drum.

Williams shows his masterful artistry as a composer in combining the musical elements of rhythm, orchestration, harmony, with his emphasis on dissonantsounds in the melody to convey the darkcharacter, Darth Vader. He found inspiration in Gustav Holst's The Planets,and the influence is unmistakable in thefirst movement of "Mars," the Bringer ofWar.

Raise your lightsabers! May the force bewith us!

—Nancy Warzer BradyAlthough rare, all dates, times, artists, programs and prices are subject to change.Photographing or recording this performance without permission is prohibited.

Kindly disable pagers, cellular phones and other audible devices.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2019, 2PMSegerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

FEATURING

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’SORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY

MICHAEL CHRIST POWERS, GUEST CONDUCTOR

BACKHAUSDANCEAND

KEITH BERGER AS PROFESSOR PLANETHEAD

The Imperial March JOHN WILLIAMSFrom The Empire Strikes Back (b. 1932)

The Planets, Op. 32 GUSTAV HOLST(1874-1934)

I. Mars, the Bringer of War II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

SPONSORED BY THE Marjorie and Roger Davisson Fund

for Youth Music Education

SPONSORERER D BY

SAM AND LYNYNY DIE ERSAN

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symphony orchestra, he added many unusualinstruments, writing for an ideal orchestrarather than for the one he thought he mighthave. The Planets calls for an orchestra of four flutes, two piccolos, bass flute in G, three oboes, English horn, three clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, contrabassoon, sixhorns, four trumpets, three trombones, tenortuba, bass tuba, two harps, celeste, organ, sixtimpani, a massive percussion battery (triangle,side drum, tambourine, cymbals, bass drum,gong, bells, glockenspiel and xylophone) plus the usual strings. And then, much to the composer’s pleasure and surprise, BalfourGardiner, a wealthy patron of the arts, learned of this score and arranged a private run-through with a professional orchestra. OnSeptember 29, 1918, Holst heard this musiccome to life for the first time.

Mars, the Bringer of War An insistent 5/4meter, tapped out by the wood of the bows,opens Mars and continues throughout, eitherclicking lightly in the background or hammering full-blast into the listener’s consciousness. Trumpet calls announce thearrival of the god of war, and his violence saturates this entire movement, rising to themassive chords that bring the movement to itsgrinding close. Many early listeners believed thatthis movement depicted World War I, butHolst noted that he began Mars during the earlysummer of 1914 and had it complete before theguns began to sound that August.

Venus, the Bringer of Peace–pure, cool and precise–brings complete contrast, a draught of clear water after the fire and smoke of the opening movement; silvery violin solos contribute to this movement’s mood of calm.

Mercury, the Winged Messenger ThoughMercury is placed third in the suite, it was thelast movement to be composed and is–musically–the most complex. Mercury is a

HOLST: THE PLANETS, OP. 32

A mystic, visionary, and socialist, GustavHolst was also fascinated by astrology, andthat passion helped shape The Planets. Holstcomposed this seven-movement suite for largeorchestra during the years 1914-16, when hewas teaching at St. Paul’s Girls School inHammersmith, a borough of London. Thename The Planets can be misleading, andHolst’s intentions in this work need to be understood carefully. Each movement has thename of one of the seven known (at the time)other planets: Holst eliminated Earth, andPluto was not discovered until 1930, twelveyears after the first performance (though itsrecent downgrade in status makes Holst’s original vision correct). It is important to note,however, that Holst was not interested indepicting the planets themselves. Listenersshould not expect an aural depiction of thefrosty, windswept deserts of Mars or of the sun-baked surface of Mercury. This isemphatically not a Grand Canyon Suite or La mer of outer space. Instead, Holst wasinterested in the names of the planets and the associations that went with them. Butrather than being drawn to the mythologicalmeanings of those names, Holst turned totheir astrological associations. Only in certaincases do the mythological and astrologicalmeanings agree (Mars and Mercury), and insome other cases they differ sharply. Jupiter,for example, was the king of the Roman gods,but he becomes for Holst simply “The Bringerof Jollity;” Neptune, the Roman god of the sea,becomes “The Mystic.” The physical planetsthemselves supply only the loosest sort of unityto this massive work; Holst’s daughter Imogennoted that once her father began to compose awork, “he let the music have its way with him.”

When he began composing The Planets, Holstwas convinced that he would never be able toarrange a performance, so rather than feelingconstrained by the limits of a normal


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scherzo, and its complexities arise from the factthat Holst mixes meters and tonalities daringly.In this movement, for example, the first and second violin sections play in different keys.While complex, the movement is also a lot offun, with its portrait of the messenger whirlingand swirling on his rapid way.

Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity Though his subject is nominally the king of the gods, Holstis a good deal more earthbound in his intentions here, describing his Jupiter as “one ofthose jolly fat people who enjoy life.” The movement is in rondo form, and right at the center comes a stately melody that has become a virtual symbol of English pomp and ceremony. (Holst later used this tune to set thetext “I Vow to Thee, My Country.”) A charming story: at the first run-through of ThePlanets, the cleaning women in the hall were sostruck by this theme that they set aside theirmops and buckets and began to dance.

–Program notes by Eric Bromberger

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’S ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY

The Philharmonic Society’s Orange CountyYouth Symphony (OCYS), now in its 49thseason, is the official youth orchestra of OrangeCounty, CA. Founded and based at ChapmanUniversity since 1970, the diverse OCYS rosterrepresents student musicians from 46 schoolsand universities from San Clemente toFullerton and more. The OCYS community of young musicians and their families is particularly committed to advancing and sharing the intercultural love of orchestralmusic, serving as music ambassadors to eachother and to our local schools, districts, andcities. As an integral part of the PhilharmonicSociety of Orange County, the area’s premierclassical presenter of touring orchestras and

soloists, OCYS enjoys access to PhilharmonicSociety artists and performances each season.OCYS musicians and parents gained ticketaccess to hear the Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, LA Phil, MariinskyOrchestra, Royal Philharmonic, and BostonPops, among many others. These concertopportunities, supplemented by select educational opportunities with the very bestU.S. and international musicians, sets the Orange County Youth Symphony on anincredible trajectory for its 50th anniversaryseason in 2019-20.

Deemed “the real thing” by The Los AngelesTimes, OCYS is the winner of the 2012 American Prize in OrchestralPerformance-Youth Orchestra Division. Forten seasons, Music Director and conductorDaniel Alfred Wachs has energetically led OCYS through many prestigious performances, conferences, and competitions,including United States and West Coast premieres and commissions. In the summer of2013, OCYS toured the United Kingdom andattended the famed Proms concerts as guests ofthe Royal Philharmonic Society. A review oftheir concert at Bristol Cathedral stated that “The young players gave an excellent performance and earned the tremendous ovation they received...charismatic directorDaniel Alfred Wachs was excellent throughout.”

Representing Orange County’s best youngadult musicians, OCYS performances havebeen lauded by both critics and audiencesthroughout the United States, Austria, China,Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Spain,Switzerland, the United Kingdom, among oth-ers. In May 2014, OCYS was presented by thePhilharmonic Society of Orange County to asold-out Renée and Henry Segerstrom ConcertHall in a performance that includedBeethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the WestCoast premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s


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MICHAEL CHRIST POWERSGUEST CONDUCTOR

A native Californian,Michael Christ Powersis an ambassador and advocate for music and its transformativeand uplifting power in the lives of all people. Asa professional musician, talented educator and inspiringconductor he has

dedicated his career to connecting to students,musicians and community audiences throughthe medium of music. For Michael, Los Angelesproves itself to be a catalyst and center for art inall its forms, and continues to be a daily inspira-tion for his work and life as an Angeleno.

Michael has been an ambassador and advocateof music in his community through his outreach collaborations with the USCThornton School of Music, The JuilliardSchool MAP Orchestra, Crossroads School ofthe Arts, Harmony Project, Los Angeles CityCollege, Pasadena City College, AmericanYouth Symphony, Colburn School, YMFDebut Orchestra and others.

Michael has led concerts in three continentswith ensembles including the BrooklynPhilharmonic, , Manhattan Virtuosi ChamberOrchestra, Bergen Philharmonic, South ShorePhilharmonic, North Shore Symphony, LongIsland Youth Orchestra, Manhattan School ofMusic Chamber Sinfonia, YMF DebutOrchestra, USC Concert Orchestra and manyothers. He is in demand as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, private teacher and lecturer.

Outside of the realm of conducting and teaching, Michael enjoys running on the roads

“Frieze.” This concert was selected by bothThe Orange County Register and The LosAngeles Times as top picks during the 2013-14season and was later broadcasted on PBSSoCal. The Orange County Register exclaimed: “Wachs guided the ensemble with energy, precision, and a welcome sense of clarity andpoise. The performance wasn’t just good bystandards for younger performers, but forcefuland exuberant by any standard: genuinelyinspiring, technically proficient, structurallysound. The combined choruses were a powerhouse.”

OCYS additionally serves to support and supplement music programs across the county.Presented in longtime partnership with thePhilharmonic Society of Orange County, theannual Concerts for Fifth Graders series hasimpacted hundreds of thousands of studentssince the 1980s.

OCYS recently began inviting select highschool programs to jointly perform in its season finale concert, doubling the size of eachensemble and providing new platforms foraccess and inspiration to all students. In 2017,the Beckman O. High School string ensemblejoined OCYS onstage at the new MuscoCenter for the Arts. In May 2018, string players from Tesoro High School combinedwith OCYS for Shostakovich’s 11thSymphony.

The mission of the Orange County YouthSymphony is to provide pre-professional training to Orange County’s most talentedyoung musicians through varied performanceopportunities, and by establishing an environment that develops creative ability, self-expression and the desire for perfection.

PhilharmonicSociety.org/OCYS


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and trails of Griffith Park and to occasionallyfrustrate himself with a round of golf.Together with his wife, opera singer KatherineGiaquinto Powers, he also explores the manyand fascinating neighborhoods of Los Angelesand their excellent restaurants, museums, culture and architecture.

www.mcpowers.com

BACKHAUSDANCE

B a c k h a u s d a n c e ,formed in 2003 by Jennifer Backhaus,is known for its lush movement vocabulary and ensem-ble aesthetic. Thecompany recentlycompleted a milestone15th anniversary season that included

its first European tour and an engagement atNew York’s internationally renowned JoyceTheater.

Featuring deeply human and emotional creations that are infused with a sense ofhumor and theatricality, Backhausdance is therecipient of 10 Lester Horton Awards fromDance Resource Center of Los Angeles for achievements in choreography, design and performance, helping propel them to the forefront of Southern California contemporary dance. Grounded in an eclecticand dynamic vocabulary with a wonderfulsense of fluidity and strength, the company’srepertory includes powerful, athletic dances;emotionally charged dramatic pieces; andwhimsical, humorous glimpses at the humanexperience. Backhausdance also offers concertpieces with a focus on younger audiences that incorporates a master class workshopcomponent.

Orange County’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company has performedextensively nationwide as well as internationallyin venues such as Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Italy;Teatr Collegium Nobilium in Warsaw,Poland; Schimmel Center at Pace University,New York; Vernon & District PerformingArts Centre, British Columbia; PinedalePerforming Arts Center, Wyoming; and JoyceSoHo, New York. Locally, the company hasenjoyed annual invitations to Irvine BarclayTheatre's dance@theBarclay series; been presented by the Carpenter Performing ArtsCenter, and appeared on the Studio Series at South Coast Repertory, Fall for Dance atSegerstrom Center for the Arts, Laguna DanceFestival, Celebrate Dance at the Alex Theatre,and the Los Angeles Arts Holiday Celebrationat the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. As artist-in-residence, Backhausdance has worked with Brigham Young University, ChapmanUniversity, Moorpark College, and Santa AnaCollege, and as guest artist for the CaliforniaDance Educators Association.

As a member of the Arts Teach artist rosterand part of the Segerstrom Center for the ArtsEducation and Community Programs,Backhausdance serves thousands of public andprivate school children throughout Orange andSan Bernardino Counties each year. The company is also partners with McCallumTheatre Education to advance the belief that all human beings are inherently creative. Sinceits launch in 1997, the program has served more than 620,000 students, educators and community members with performancesand arts education experiences.

A life-changing experience for pre-professionaland professional dancers, the company hosts an annual Summer Intensive at ChapmanUniversity. Backhausdance is dedicated to making this powerful program accessible to thedance community and provides scholarships fornearly half of the more than 170 participants.


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U.S., including Oberlin College, CornellUniversity, Segerstrom Center for the Arts,The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, DisneyAnimation Studios and also various culturalinstitutions in Europe and Asia. Over theyears, Keith and Sharon have developed their own method of teaching theatre to children based on a concept they call Story Mime Theatre.

For their excellence as professional artists inthe schools, Keith and Sharon were honoredto receive the prestigious PASA award, presented by the County of Los Angeles,California Arts Council, and the CaliforniaDepartment of Education.

KEITH BERGERPROFESSOR PLANETHEAD

Keith Berger, mimeartist, actor, and educator, studied mimewith Paul Curtis of the American MimeTheatre, and otherrenown mime artistsincluding ClaudeKipnis and RichmondShepard. He also pursued theater and

mime at the American Academy of DramaticArts in NYC. His influences range from theclassical French Pantomime of Barrault andMarceau to the forcefully dynamic AmericanMime Theatre style.

Keith was among the very first performers totake his act on to the streets of New York Cityreceiving the Joseph Papp award for “MostOutstanding Street Performer.” Since then he has toured his one-man show throughoutthe United States and Europe. Among theseconcerts are featured performances at LincolnCenter, The Kennedy Center, The PalmBeach Arts Festival and a Royal CommandPerformance for Princess Grace of Monaco.Some of his T.V. and film credits include Red Skelton’s “Funny Faces,” “CrossoverDreams,” “Angel Heart,” “The Suicide Club”and a starring role on CBS’ “Space Rangers.”Off-Broadway, Keith wrote and starred in“Broken Toys.” Keith and his wife, SharonDiskin, formed The Chameleons MimeTheatre in 1990, and since then have performed for more than 1 million childrenand adults all over the world.

A gifted teacher as well as performer, Bergerhas taught workshops and master classes inphysical theater and mime throughout the


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ocYs R

osTeRVIOLIN I

Julia WangConcertmaster

Rangana BartlettKathryn HeinemeierSantiago Hernandez

RodriguezKaitlyn IriantoLinden JaoCurtis LiuAlice ParkAustin RobertsonAnsh VashisthRay WangJustin WangDillon Yu

VIOLIN IIChloe Nelson

PrincipalBeatrice Merilles

Associate Principal Lianne ChaEva ChenShayne CorritoriSarah HoldingJeff KhangDaryuish KhashayarKaylee MaengAaron TomTim WangGregory WesleyJoyce Yoo

VIOLAJonathan Ho

PrincipalChris Lee

Associate PrincipalShruthi AiyarDavid KimSophia LeeNirmay NanjappaJonathan SpeiserJason StangeJenna Takamoto

CELLOEric Park

PrincipalKatelyn Chu

Associate PrincipalEthan ChoHannah DoesVanesa FarooqCampbell GardinerEvan HeidebrinkDanica KwanRobert NiIsabella RossiElliot Wong

BASSSteven Bodenhoefer

Co-principalKatie Liu

Co-principalKavishka BartlettNathan Eskridge

FLUTEKairey Wang

PrincipalJolie FitchGabriel CanonizadoJulia Hui

OBOEKennedy Leehealey

PrincipalKara YiSara PettyMelissa McElroy

English Horn

CLARINETDaniel Park

PrincipalCole BacaniLara InomotoAndrew Nguyen

Bass Clarinet

BASSOONDavis Lerner

PrincipalJulianne FungHenry MockJeffrey Wasik

Contrabassoon

HORNAllison DeMeulle

PrincipalShenelle AlvarezCorinne SmithDan LozadaAndrew FungKaiden Waterman

TRUMPETYaseen El-Magharbel

PrincipalKayla AmeliTyler RavelliNatalia Zamora

TROMBONERami El-Ghossaini

PrincipalLeo SuiJeremy Mojado

Bass Trombone

EUPHONIUM Brandon Chun

TUBAMichael Salgado

TIMPANIJared Davenport

PERCUSSIONWilliam ChinnDanielle CulhaneJohan Juju Landaverde

CELESTAAlex Nelson

HARPToubby Chau Peter Speziale

Daniel Alfred Wachs, Music Director & ConductorJohn Koshak, Music Director Emeritus

Michael Christ Powers, Principal Guest Conductor Elena Schwarz, Visiting Guest Conductor

Dan

Mic

2018-19 SEASON


Documents

LAGUNA CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES SPONSORED BYJan 19, 2019 · The Imperial March JOHN WILLIAMS From The Empire Strikes Back (b. 1932) The Planets, Op. 32 GUSTAV HOLST (1874-1934) I. Mars,