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west michigan symphonyconcert magazine75th Anniversary Editionseptember 2014 / June 2015scott speck / music director

75th Anniversary Season SponsorsNichols -and- Hines Corp.

Congratulations West MI Symphony on your 75th Season!

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MUSIC DIRECTOR

Scott Speck

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Carla Hill President/CEO

Rhonda Bogner, CPA Director of Finance

Natalie Carmolli Director of Marketing and Sales

David Dressel Stage Manager

Cath Dubault Event Sales Manager

Amanda Dykhouse Orchestra Librarian

Perry Newson Director of Operations/Guest Artists

Keely Payne Art Director/Marketing Coordinator

Gabe Slimko VP of Operations/Orchestra Personnel Manager

Rita Smith Patron Services Manager/Tickets

Emma Torresen Finance Manager

Karen Vander Zanden Director of Education and Outreach

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY CHILDREN'S CHOIR

Beth Slimko Music Director/Conductor

Karen Vander Zanden Choir Manager

WEST MICHIGAN YOUTH SYMPHONY

Annette Henry Debut Strings Conductor

Gabe Slimko WMYS Operations Manager

The West Michigan Symphony is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides programs and services without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or disability. Programs are funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

TICKET OFFICE // 231.726.3231 x223360 W. Western Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49440Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 5:30 pmFriday (week of concert) 10 am – 5 pm Online at westmichigansymphony.org

FIND US ONLINEWebsite: westmichigansymphony.orgFacebook: facebook.com/wmsymphonyFacebook: facebook.com/AtTheBlockTwitter: twitter.com/westmisymphony

West Michigan Symphony360 W. Western Avenue, Suite 200, Muskegon, MI 49440p: 231.726.3231e: [email protected]

THEATER RULES/ETIQUETTE:: Latecomers will be seated by the ushers at a suitable pause in the program.

:: Cameras and recording equipment are strictly prohibited.

:: No food or drink allowed in the hall during the performance.

:: Wireless headsets are available in the lobby for hearing- impaired patrons.

:: Quiet, please! We respectfully request that all signal watches, cell phones, paging devices and such be turned off before entering the hall. Patrons wearing hearing aids should be aware that such devices are sensitive to pitch and may transmit a shrill tone. The wearer often is not conscious of this and nearby patrons may wish to alert them discreetly if this happens. We appreciate your cooperation in helping to make our concerts as enjoyable as possible for everyone.

Thank you to tonight’s ushers—volunteers courtesy of Friends of the Frauenthal.

PROGRAM NOTESAll program notes by: Joseph & Elizabeth Kahnwww.wordprosmusic.com

3 Message from the Music Director 5 About Scott Speck 6 Board of Directors 7 Orchestra Personnel 8 About the Orchestra 10 Welcome to The Block 11 75th Anniversary Kick-off 12 Substance and Light – 75 years of the West Michigan Symphony 14 75th Anniversary Art Commission 16 Contributors 21 Education Programs 22 P.1 / Hollywood on the Lakeshore 24 M.1 / Carmina Burana: Sacred and Profane 30 P.2 / Christmas Magic 34 M.2 / Words and Music 38 M.3 / Beethoven and Blue Jeans 44 P.3 / The Hit Men 46 M.4 / Following the Nordic Sun 52 M.5 / The Planets 56 Advertisers

What's Inside

All sales are final. Dates, artists and programs are subject to change.Symphony concert tickets are also available at startickets.com, 800-585-3737

2 :: West Michigan Symphony Concert Program

Fridays // Frauenthal Theater // Downtown Muskegon

HOLLYWOOD ON THE LAKESHORE || Join us on the red carpet for the opening night of the West Michigan Symphony’s 75th Anniversary season. This star-studded evening of music is a symphonic celebration of cinema: Spider-Man, Inception, James Bond, Star Wars, E.T. and the great classic Gone With the Wind.

7:30 pm September 26, 2014

CARMINA BURANA: SACRED AND PROFANE|| Wagner Tannhäuser Overture|| Orff Carmina Burana Martha Guth soprano Christopher Pfund tenor Hugh Russell baritone Muskegon Chamber Choir David Wikman, director Grand Rapids Chamber Choir, Mark Webb, director Holland Chorale, Meredith Bowen, director WMS Children’s Choir, Beth Slimko, director

7:30 pm November 21, 2014

CHRISTMAS MAGIC|| Clyde Mitchell guest conductor|| Monique Creber vocalist|| Michael Creber pianist/musical director|| Norse Singers and WMS Children’s Choir Beth Slimko, director

7:30 pm December 12, 2014

WORDS AND MUSIC|| Tchaikovsky Themes and Variations from Mozartiana|| Paulus Voices from the Gallery Carla Hill narrator|| Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major Vincent Karamanov bassoon|| Haydn Symphony no.104 in D major

7:30 pm February 6, 2015

BEETHOVEN AND BLUE JEANS|| Beethoven Prometheus Overture|| Shostakovich Cello Concerto no.1 Nicolas Altstaedt cello|| Beethoven Symphony no.4, op. 60 in B-flat major

7:30 pm March 13, 2015

THE HIT MEN|| The Hit Men featuring former stars of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons|| Former members of mega-hit acts including Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Tommy James and The Shondells, The Critters, Jim Croce, and Carly Simon will perform a night of rockin’ classic hits!

7:30 pm April 17, 2015

FOLLOWING THE NORDIC SUN|| Nielsen Helios Overture, op.17 Conducted by Andrew Koehler || Sibelius Symphony no.5, op. 82 in E-flat major|| Grieg Piano Concerto, op. 16 in A minor Charlie Albright piano

7:30 pm May 15, 2015

THE PLANETS|| Gomes Overture to Il Guarany|| Adams The Chairman Dances|| Holst The Planets Women’s Chorus of the Muskegon Chamber Choir

7:30 pm June 5, 2015

2014-2015 Masterworks and Pops Concerts

For tickets and more information: westmichigansymphony.org || 231.726.3231 x 223 || 360 W. Western Ave., 1st Floor, Muskegon, MIFind us on Facebook at: facebook.com/wmsymphony*Student tickets not available online

75th Anniversary Edition//September 2014 – June 2015 :: 3

DEAR FRIENDS,On Tuesday, November 28, 1939, a gallon of gas cost ten cents, Gone With the Wind ruled the box office—and a new orchestra was born. Crowds converged on Muskegon High School to experience a live performance of an overture by Wagner, an early symphony by Haydn, some songs by Romberg, and a rarely-heard overture of Carlos Gomes. A community of musicians from Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland and beyond formed the newly-minted West Shore Symphony Orchestra. It feels like only yesterday, but 75 years have passed since that first concert. Thanks to the support and vision of a music-loving community, our orchestra has evolved and grown into the beauty you see and hear before you tonight. Our venue has changed, and new generations of musicians have graced our stage, but today's West Michigan Symphony is the proud descendant of that first Tuesday night in 1939. And so, as we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we are punctuating our season with pieces of music from our premiere. This season opens with Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture, one of the highlights of that concert. We perform a Haydn symphony in February. And our season finale begins with the overture to Il Guarany by Carlos Gomes—referred to (mistakenly) in the publicity from 1939 as "eerie music from the Amazon river valley." (Well, it is Brazilian, but it's anything but eerie!) Amongst these highlights, we perform Orff's Carmina Burana, Holst's The Planets, an overture and symphony of Beethoven, a piano concerto by Grieg, a cello concerto by Shostakovich, and music of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Grieg, Paulus, John Adams, and John Williams. It would have been unheard of to play this kind of repertoire at our first concert—and not just because some of it didn't exist yet! As you enjoy our performances this season, we hope you will reflect on our proud history, and on all the music we've brought to life in three-quarters of a century. I assure you that all of us on the concert stage are thinking and feeling the same thing. We are grateful to the community that has fostered our growth and allowed us to thrive for the past 75 years. This orchestra that we love belongs to the generations—and it belongs to you. Enjoy the concert!

Scott SpeckMusic Director

A Message from Scott

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and have garnered enthusiastic endorsements from major American orchestras. They have been translated into twenty languages and are available around the world. His third book in the series, Ballet for Dummies, was released in September 2003.

Scott Speck has been a regular commentator on National Public Radio, the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Voice of Russia, broadcast throughout the world. His writing has been featured in numerous magazines and journals.

Born in Boston, Scott Speck graduated summa cum laude from Yale University. There he founded and directed the Berkeley Chamber Orchestra, which continues to perform to this day. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Berlin, where he founded Concerto Grosso Berlin, an orchestra dedicated to the performances of Baroque and Classical music in a historically informed style. He received his Master’s Degree with highest honors from the University of Southern California, served as a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen School of Music, and studied at the Tanglewood Music Center. He is fluent in English, German and French, has a diploma in Italian, speaks Spanish and has a reading knowledge of Russian. ••

Scott Speck is a great communicator of classical music. He exudes his passion for music in every gesture and every word.

—David Styers, American Symphony Orchestra League

Scott Speck has inspired international acclaim as a conductor of passion, intelligence and winning personality. He is now in his twelfth year as Music Director of the West Michigan Symphony and is also the Music Director of the Mobile Symphony and Principal Conductor for the Joffrey Ballet. He was recently named Artistic Director of the Chicago Philharmonic Society; and he was invited to the White House as Music Director of the Washington Ballet.

In recent seasons Scott Speck has conducted at London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, Washington’s Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, and the Los Angeles Music Center. He has led numerous performances with the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Houston, Chicago (Sinfonietta), Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing, Vancouver, Romania, Slovakia, Buffalo, Columbus (OH), Honolulu, Louisville, New Orleans, Oregon, Rochester, Florida and Virginia, among many others.

Previously he held positions as Conductor of the San Francisco Ballet (1998 to 2002); Music Advisor and Conductor of the Honolulu Symphony; and Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Opera. During a recent tour of Asia he was named Principal Guest Conductor of the China Film Philharmonic in Beijing.

In addition, Scott Speck is the co-author of two of the world’s best-selling books on classical music for a popular audience, Classical Music for Dummies and Opera for Dummies. These books have received stellar reviews in both the national and international press

Photo by JD Hage, Green Frog Photo

Scott Speck, Music Director


The Board of Directors of the West Michigan Symphony is an active and involved group that takes its fiduciary and oversight responsibilities very seriously. The Board is made up of business and community leaders and volunteers from throughout the communities served by the WMS. Board members actively participate in committees that are involved in all aspects of the organization.

Susan Bissell Chair

David E. Waterstradt Secretary

David F. Gerdes Treasurer

Peter Brown

Jan L. Deur

Tom Godfrey

Kimberly L. Hammond

Ken Hoopes

Paul R. Jackson

Michael Olthoff

Steve Westphal

WELCOME FRIENDS,In 1939, a newly organized symphony orchestra performed their first classical concert in the cities of Muskegon and Grand Haven. Under the direction of Mr. Palmer Quackenbush, fifty local volunteer musicians put forth an effort that proved to be enduring. Fast forward to today and music lovers from all over west Michigan come to the Frauenthal to be swept away

by the West Michigan Symphony whose performance level has been cultivated to awe-inspiring heights under the artistic leadership of Music Director, Scott Speck. The past seventy-five years would not have been possible if it were not for the support of you; our concert goers, sponsors and donors. Thank you for your continued support. Over the past seventy-five years, you and those before you have demonstrated a firm commitment to the WMS as well as a passion for the best in classical and pops music.

It is truly a pleasure to join with all of you this concert season to celebrate West Michigan Symphony’s 75th year. Scott Speck has prepared a series of concerts that promise to dazzle in every manner befitting our own WMS Diamond Anniversary, so sit back and savor the evening.

Sincerely, Susan BissellBoard Chair

SYMPHONY OR THE BLOCK TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:

West Michigan Symphony Ticket Office360 W. Western Avenue, 1st Floor

Muskegon, MI 49440p:231.726.3231f:231.457.4033

westmichigansymphony.org

WMS Ticket Office HoursMonday-Thursday 10 am – 5:30 pm

Friday (week of concert) 10 am – 5 pm

A special thank you to The Hearthstone Bistro for being our season-long ticket sponsor.

Symphony concert tickets are also available atstartickets.com or 800-585-3737 (fees applied) or

Frauenthal Box Office.

2014/2015 Board of Directors

A Letter from the Board Chair

Frauenthal Theater Seating Chart

CENTERLEFT

SOUNDBOOTH

RIGHT

CENTER

Wheelchair accessible seating and/or special seating needs,please call West Michigan Symphony Ticket O�ce

MAIN FLOOR

STAGE

1 14 1

1414 1411

14 1

1

14114 1

LOWER BALCONY

UPPER BALCONY

LEFT RIGHT

CENTERLEFT RIGHT

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3 TIER 4

1C

F

AA

DD

C

F

A

F

AA

DD

A

F

G

M

S

G

M

S

CENTERLEFT RIGHT


FIRST VIOLIN Jennifer Walvoord concertmasterGene Hahn assc. concertmasterJacie Robinson asst. concertmasterAdam Liebert asst. principalJenna AndersonOleg BezuglovJennifer KotchenrutherJoo Yun PreeceOxana SourineCarla Joy StrandI-Hsuan TsaiDelia Turner

SECOND VIOLIN Amanda Dykhouse principalMark Portolese assc. principalVitezslav CernochFrancine HarrisSarah HedlundKaren-Jane HenryBritta Bujak PortengaCarol Wildgen Tatiana Zueva

VIOLA Leanne King MacDonald principalMikhail Bugaev assc. principalAaron Tubergen asst. principalCsaba ErdelyiEvgeny GorobstovAntoine HackneyRobert HasspacherSara Rogers

CELLO Alicia Gregorian Sawyers principalIgor Cetkovic assc. principalLee CopenhaverTina HorriganChi-Hui KaoCalin Muresan

BASS Michael Crawford principalMark Buchner assc. prinicpalRobert JohnsonJonathan ReedDennis Bergevin

FLUTE Jill Marie Brown principalLeslie Deppe piccoloJodi Dyer

OBOE Gabriel Renteria principalOpen Position 2nd oboePhil Popham English horn

CLARINET Jonathan Holden principalStephanie HovnanianLisa Raschiatore bass clarinet

BASSOONVincent Karamanov principalOpen Position 2nd bassoon

HORN Paul Clifton interim principalGreg Bassett Leah BrockmanLisa Honeycutt assc. principal

TRUMPET Pamela Smitter principalBill BaxtresserKevin Vos

TROMBONE Edward Hickman principal Joe RadtkeScott Grupke interim bass trombone

TUBA Clinton McCanless principal

TIMPANI Elliot Beck principal

PERCUSSION Matthew Beck principalGary DonaldEric Jones

HARP Sylvia Norris principal

PIANO/CELESTE Kelly Karamanov principal

Kimberly L. Hammond

Ken Hoopes

Paul R. Jackson

Michael Olthoff

Steve Westphal

2014/2015 West Michigan Symphony Personnel

Sept. 23: Sylvia Norris – Harpist

Oct. 28: Richard Stoelzel Brass Ensemble

Nov. 25: The Hildegard Singers – Medieval Christmas Music

Dec. 9: Caron Farmer – Christmas at the Organ

Dec. 14: Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys – Festival of Lessons and Carols

Feb. 24: Reeths-Puffer Madrigal Singers

Mar. 24: Pablo Mahave-Veglia – Cello with Piano Accompaniment

Apr. 28: The Austin-Helle-Richter Trio – Violin, French Horn and Piano

May 26: Clifford Music Group – Jazz

Jun. 9: Ruth and Max Bloomquist – Folk and Bluegrass

FEEDING THE SOUL OF THE CITY 2014 – 2015 SEASON1006 Third Street, Muskegon, MI 49440 :: For more information contact St. Paul’s Episcopal Church :: 231.722.2112 :: stpaulsmuskegon.org/fsoc


EVERY ORCHESTRA TELLS ITS OWN STORYThe West Michigan Symphony (WMS) is a widely recognized professional orchestra and proud to be a leader in West Michigan’s cultural community for the past 75 years.

Mr. A. M. Courtright, a Muskegon Heights teacher, and Mr. Palmer Quackenbush are credited with early pioneering efforts to provide Muskegon with a symphony orchestra. In November 1939 a musical group of 50 members presented its first concert with Mr. Quackenbush conducting and Mr. Courtright assisting. The group incorporated the following year and elected its first board of directors.

Performances were initially held in area schools and later moved to the historic Frauenthal Theater. Conductors have included Tauno Hannikainen, Hugo Kolberg, Wayne Dunlap, Lyman Starr, John Wheeler, Philip Greenberg, Murray Gross, and current Music Director Scott Speck. Today WMS is comprised of professional musicians of the highest caliber playing extremely challenging repertoire and presenting some of the world’s most talented guest artists. WMS performs eight subscription concerts (five classical and three pops) per season.

Built in 1929, the 1724 seat Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts underwent a $7.5 million renovation that restored it to its original Spanish Renaissance splendor while also creating a spacious modern lobby linking it with the adjacent 180 seat Beardsley Theatre. The Frauenthal Theater is praised by artists and audiences alike for its extraordinary beauty, excellent acoustics and broad sight lines. With the prime location of its performance hall in the Frauenthal at the intersection of downtown Muskegon’s Western Avenue and Third Street, WMS is proud to be a key player in this period of Renaissance that will bring a renewed vitality and life to the center of the city.

May 15, 2013, WMS moved its offices into new headquarters on the second floor of the Russell Block Building at 360 W. Western Avenue, ushering in a new era of music making. The Block, an 1800 square-feet space adjacent to the offices, is an intimate concert and education space and a rental facility for weddings and special events. With flexible seating for up to 150, it features a lounge and dressing room area, small balcony, windows facing Muskegon Lake, and an outdoor deck made of recycled materials with green spaces. The Block allows WMS to increase its presence in downtown Muskegon by expanding its ticket operations on the first floor and presenting 15 concerts @The Block, welcoming artists in genres from classical, to cabaret, to alternative.

OUR MUSICIANSAt the heart of the Symphony are our musicians and for the majority of them, music is their livelihood. When they aren’t practicing, rehearsing or performing a classical or pops concert with WMS, many of them are practicing, rehearsing and performing with orchestras throughout West Michigan and beyond,

April 16 – 17, 2010: “Water Music: Experience the Lake Effect”The West Michigan Symphony at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in Muskegon, MI

Music Director Scott Speck

Photo by Andrew Le Images

About the West Michigan Symphony


including those in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Midland, Battle Creek, Holland and Traverse City. With advanced degrees in performance and a commitment to symphonic music, you will find many of our musicians on the music faculties of major Michigan universities, teaching privately, giving recitals, and playing with fellow musicians in small ensembles.

OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMSArts education creates a vibrant community and is a key ingredient for development of life skills. WMS is committed to offering a wide array of education programs for school children, as well as a variety of activities and concert presentations for children and their families.

WMS is participating in its 12th year presenting the Link Up program in collaboration with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. Link Up pairs orchestras across the country with schools in their local communities inviting them to learn about orchestral repertoire through a yearlong, hands-on music curriculum. Each year, students explore a core musical concept such as melodic motifs in The Orchestra Moves. Using materials provided free to the schools, teachers guide students in exploring music through a composer’s lens, participating in active music making in the classroom.

The program culminates with live performances in the Frauenthal Theater on April 15, 2015. At these performances, over 4,000 students from 54 elementary schools in West Michigan are split into groups and participate in 3 back-to-back performances, singing and playing the recorder along with the Symphony in hour-long concerts. These performances provide them with an opportunity to apply the musical concepts they have studied.

Debut Strings introduces beginning and intermediate students to large ensemble performance through challenging and diverse repertoire. Students in Debut Strings have at least one year of playing experience and strong note reading skills. Debut Strings rehearses once a week throughout the fall and spring and performs two concerts annually at The Block.

Providing a hands-on experience creating sounds on musical instruments, the Instrument Petting Zoo

is offered regionally at elementary schools, community events and as an occasional pre-concert activity for youth and families attending a WMS concert.

The West Michigan Children’s Choir (WMSCC) is an audition-only choir for children ages 8-11, under the direction of Music Director Beth Slimko. Rehearsing weekly at The Block, WMSCC emphasizes the development of musical skills and understanding. The WMSCC cultivates and encourages student achievement through quality music education and the pursuit of artistic excellence in choral music. WMSCC also provides unique choral performance opportunities for children, this year being especially noteworthy as they will have the opportunity to sing in the WMS masterworks concert Carmina Burana and the holiday pops concert Christmas Magic.

Created by WMS, Click Clack Moosic is based on books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. Children and their families attend a musical storytelling event where they meet WMS musicians and learn new music skills through fun and interactive skits. In these performances, children listen to a narration of one of the Click Clack Moo series of books while Symphony musicians perform music composed specifically for the Click Clack stories. Families are invited to attend performances of this program at The Block and experience how music can tell a great story. ••

2014 Link Up program at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts

Instrument Petting Zoo at The Block, 2014


A simple, accessible, inspirational space where honest music can happen—not to you, but with you. A place where music pushes the boundaries of tradition and expectation and encourages investigation. Concerts at The Block will include an intriguing, cross-pollinated mix of music that can be intimate or explosive, but always entertaining. From a cocktail influenced “Happy Hour” to a “Diva Mix Cabaret.” From a fusion of jazz improvisation and Pink Floyd to superstar cello and piano performances

The Block is located on the second floor of 360 W. Western Avenue in an 1800 square foot space with flexible seating on two levels for up to 150 audience members.

Welcome to The Block

360 W. Western Ave, 2nd FloorFor tickets and info for upcoming concerts:westmichigansymphony.orgfacebook.com/AtTheBlock231.726.3231


75th Anniversary Kick-off

Diamonds are Forever

Yuri. Piano. Potatoes.

May 16–17, 2014 // Frauenthal TheaterScott Speck, conductorYuri Rozum, piano

Tchaikovsky Hamlet OvertureRachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniRachmaninoff Piano Concerto no.2

Concert Sponsor: Hines Corp.Guest Artist Sponsor: Friends of Yuri

May 18, 2014 // 4 pm // The BlockSolo piano performance by Yuri Rozum

Bari Johnson Chuck JohnsonPeter TurnerWarner Norcross & Judd, LLP

May 10, 2014 // Muskegon Country ClubPiano Performance: Yuri Rozum

The West Michigan Symphony’s 75th Anniversary Celebration began with a week-long visit from Russian pianist, Yuri Rozum.

The Block

The BlockThe Block

Russian Rhapsody

Russian Rhapsody

Diamonds Are Forever




Many musicians from the Grand Rapids area were recruited for the four concerts scheduled for 1945-46. The Board voiced the goal of seeking a “higher class orchestra,” even if that meant “importing” musicians.

WMS is deeply appreciative to Wallace K. Ewing, Ph.D., who has painstakingly compiled the 75-year history of the West Michigan Symphony.

The text and photos featured on these pages are selections from that history titled Substance and Light – 75 Years of the West Michigan Symphony, which will be available for purchase in the holiday season.

Jean Manning, violinist, joined the Orchestra in 1961 and soon was named Concertmaster. Later, Manning would develop a string program for children as part of the WSSO’s offerings. In 1965 she and John Wheeler, Conductor, were named the most influential people in music in the Muskegon area.

Jean Manning. Photo provided by Hackley Public Library.

Jean Manning

SUBSTANCELIGHT

Excerpts from the forthcoming West Michigan Symphony history book by Wallace K. Ewing, Ph.D.

YEARS OF THEWEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

and

Palmer Quackenbush and the West Shore Symphony Orchestra, March 1946.


The Michigan Theater was built by Paul Schlossman in 1930 at the southeast corner of Third Street and Western Avenue in downtown Muskegon. The ornate Spanish Renaissance style edifice was close to the wrecking ball when a Muskegon industrialist, A. Harold Frauenthal, came to the rescue. The WSSO was the first organization to commit itself to the theater as its only venue [Chronicle, February 13, 1977], and it began using the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, as it is officially known, in 1981.

At the mid-century point, Palmer Quackenbush relinquished the baton after 11 seasons. His replacement was Tauno Hannikainen the first of eight to follow the founder of the WSSO over the next 65 years.

Will Gay Bottje played flute during the 1942-43 season. Years later this West Michigan resident was commissioned to compose a symphony in honor of the WSSO’s 50th anniversary in 1989. Titled Sounds from the West Shore, his work in 2000 was recorded on a compact disk with the same title.

The Michigan Movie Theater

Photo provided by Hackley Public Library.

Palmer Quackenbush. Photo provided by Hackley Public Library.

William Gay Bottje. Photo provided by Hackley Public Library.


Sheryl BudnikNight Music – Scars of the Sea (2) 2013

Oil on canvas

“Tempestuous waters—a passionate expression of the human spirit. The term ‘Lumen Naturae—the Light Within the Darkness

of Nature’ refers to the Middle Age idea (Paracelsus c.1493–1541) that knowledge springs from the Light of Nature. When we look carefully at the land or sea, we come to the heart of who we are

and connect with the earth. I want my paintings to have first a memory of ocean, water, air or land—then connect us with the

spirit, and leave us an awareness that we are all Nature.”

Katherine BourdonSynesthesia: Urban Jazz, 2014Acrylic on canvas

“Synesthesia is a joining of the senses in which sound may be seen with colors, or taste felt as shapes. Synesthesia: Urban Jazz is a combination of my love of music and the visual arts with color, form and the inspiration of jazz music and urban sounds intertwined into a single experience.“

Commissioned artists not shown: Adam Dahlstrom, Sheila Grant, Timothy Norris, Amy Wilkinson, Jon Workman

In cooperation with the Muskegon Museum of Art

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS

Twelve pieces by 11 local artists were commissioned by the West Michigan Symphony for their offices, performance and outdoor space @The Block. The artwork has been underwritten by Dr. Fred and Deb Brown to celebrate 75 years of music with West Michigan Symphony. These are six of those pieces. The artwork will be permanently installed in the offices at 360 W. Western Ave,

2nd floor in early November 2014. We invite you to come and view the artwork.


Michelle NewmanMusic Saved Our Lives, 2014Mixed Media on 3 panel boxes

“My triptych entitled Music Saved Our Lives stems from my profound appreciation for music. Using pages from West Michigan Symphony program books, I created a mixed media triptych using bold colors and a dynamic, rhythmic motion. I am never without music while working in my studio as well; it is my respite and happy, healing place.”

Richard BrinnSliced Dills, 2012Oil on canvas

“Sliced Dills is a painting from a series I did over a few years of various jars of fruit and vegetables. As with the oversized portraits I've painted over the years, I like the idea of changing the normal scale of something, forcing the viewer to see the person's face, or an object, more seriously than we normally do, however at the same time being aware that it is just oil paint on a surface.”

Lee BrownSalute, 2014

Steel, powder coating, limestone

“The forms in this sculpture are further exploration of waves and cellular structure arranged with bold optimism.

Comparison can be drawn to the structure and basic physics of sound. Wave, value, composition, color, and texture are descriptive of both visual and aural works.”

Salute is sponsored by Leah Brockman & Joshua Gerlick in celebration of a lifetime full of love and music.

Christy De Hoog JohnsonPetit Fours on Orange, 2014Mixed media on wood panel

“Petits Fours on Orange is a painting from a series of works inspired by candies, chocolates and little French confectionaries known as petits fours. As the painting takes shape, scale shifts and becomes ambiguous. Realistic depiction has given way to the essence of an object—its shape and color.”


DONORS

Golden Baton: $10,000 & upIn memory of Mrs. Elizabeth BusardPat & Julie Donahue+Larry & Lari Hines+Charles Johnson II+Mike & Kay Olthoff

Virtuoso Circle: $8,000-$9,999David Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes+

Concertmaster Circle: $4,000-$7,999Jan & Christine Deur* Douglas & Janet Hoch+Bari Johnson+Peter M. Turner+

Orchestra Circle: $1,500-$3,999Roger A. & Marilyn V. Andersen+Jon & Jane BlythDr. Harold E. BowmanSherry & Pete Brown+Curtis ChambersWilliam & Mary Lou EykeMartha GiacobassiCarla Hill+Kenneth & Maria Hoopes+Paul & Karen Jackson+Robert & Wendy KersmanGary Neal & Chris McGuigan+Richard & Nancy Morgenstern+Barbara J. MurphyJoanna & Fred NorrisJohn Saling matched by EmersonJack & Becky Slimko

Michael & Corina SoimarScott SpeckAlan & Annoesjka SteinmanKen & Teresa Stevens+Robert & Ruth StoppertThomas & Elizabeth Tuttle+Norna VerplankL.J. Verplank

Benefactor: $700-$1,499AnonymousAnonymousDr. Robert & Cindy Ackerman+Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund*William & Susan BissellGordon & Mary BuitendorpDr. Mark & Kristina ClarkMichael Cerminaro, DDS & Connie Verhagen, DDSJulia Norris FugateDr. Tom & Heidi HillPat Hunt+David JespersenTom & Diane JonesAmy KlopTom & Jennifer Ladd+ matched in part by Baird Foundation, Inc.Franklin & Gina ListerCathy & Bruce MartinJohn & Linda McKendryDouglas & Patricia McKibbenRyan & Melissa MyersLuAnn PattonGabe & Beth Slimko+Mort & Gayle Speck in honor of the WMS staff & Board of Directors

Leon & Dzintra Stille+Nancy Summers-Meeusen+John & Peggy WhitlockKenneth & Marguerite Winter

Patron: $400-$699Charles & Gloria AlstromHerb & Anne BevelhymerFrederick & Deborah BrownMaureen CampbellDr. Paul & Nancy ChristieMichael R. Cramer & Courtney L. Albers matched by GE Foundation Matching GiftsDr. Donald & Nancy CrandallDr. & Mrs. David DeitrickJoel & Linda EngelEugene & Karen FethkeFisher Family FundCarol FolkertRobert & Clara HarrellBill HendrickJohn L. & Linda P. Hilt Advised Fund*Barbara & Hugh HornsteinWarren E. HutchinsLinda Jabas matched by Thrivent Financial for LutheransRuth & Bob KeessenJustin & Kathleen KleavelandKent & Charlotte KriveLeonel L. & Mary Loder Fund*Charles MatthewsMark & Bonnie MeengsHester P. NewtonDr. & Mrs. Richard W. PetersDonna Little & Faye RedmondGrace Romzick

Contributors listed here made gifts from September 1, 2013, through August 31, 2014. We have given careful attention to ensure a complete and accurate list. If your name has been misspelled or omitted, please accept our apologies and inform us of the error by calling 231.726.3231 x223.

Sustaining Fund The generosity of numerous individuals, corporations and foundations of the Sustaining Fund has been instrumental in advancing the artistry and musical excellence of the West Michigan Symphony. We extend our deepest appreciation to you for helping to make the West Michigan Symphony a cultural touchstone in our community.

West Michigan Symphony could not exist without financial help from our corporate sponsors. The beautiful music you will hear throughout the season is made possible in part by generous donations from our season sponsors, Hines Corp. and Nichols.

Contributors


Dr. Patricia Roy & Paul RoyHelen & Jay SmithDr. F. Remington & Ginny SpragueJane & Tim StoepkerSusan & Stephen StruckDavid & Linda TaylorGary & Vicki VerplankDan & Nancy WellerJolee WennerstenPaul & Sherry Wilson

Sponsor: $200-$399Chris AdamsRonald & Nancy AndersonMary Anne (Andy) Askam Family Fund*Douglas BardGeorge Barnes+David & Barbara BloomfieldMary & Bob BoyerGreg & Marion BradburySandy BrownArdythe BulthouseDonald & Jocelyn BussiesJoyce CarpenterRudy & Pat ChmelarRuth ClarkLee & Darlene ColletJane Connell & Steven RosenJohn CookMary & Gust DanigelisJanet B. DayPaula DeGregorio & Frank GalanteTerry & Sandi DeGrootHon. & Mrs. Graydon DimkoffBruce & Esther DrukkerJerry EngleFran F. FisherTom & Janet FortenbacherFred & Char Franczek Fund*Ron FritzMichael & Bonnie GluhanichDonald & Betty GoodmanMarjorie GorajecMarjorie K. HarrisonDr. & Mrs. James HegedusWilliam & Nancy HohmeyerWilda JamesErick & Holly JohnsonPat & Tom JohnsonDr. Mort & Maxine KantorPaul & Barbara KiddJoan LederHoward & Carole Meade Fund*Carol Fletcher MeekhofJim & Shirley MeeksGreg & Rhonda MyersEd & Ginevra NaillKathy NeffFred & Linda NiclesGay C. Petersen

Roy & Britta Bujak PortengaDavid & Georganna RiceSarah Ruddy & Michael Miller+Michael & Debby SchubertSue SchuitemanJay & Joanne SikkengaRita SmithPam St. AmourRobert Slager & Hazel WhittakerDarlene & Anbritt StengeleGeorge & Dottie StrabelDr. & Mrs. John L.TevebaughCarol Parker ThompsonJohn & Judy Tierney+Tim & Pat TromblyTom & Liz TrzaskaVirginia Gay Van VleckJudy WilcoxMr. & Mrs. Russell WinsemiusJessica Wolin & Frank CrownoverJane WrightMorris & Marjorie YountsRobert & Joanne Zayko

Sustaining Member: $75-$199AnonymousLen & Wanda AndersonBruce & Paula BakerLuanne & Bill BaldridgeBeth & Ed BaldwinDale & Pauline BarkerSandy & Allen BeckOrel A. BorgesonRandy & Cheri BornsJack & Marilyn BrownMr. & Mrs. Ron BrownLinnea BrugmanMarie BustinNatalie & Joe CarmolliSusan & Jon ChesneyBob & Charlotte ChessmanMike CiulisClock Funeral Home of White Lake, Inc.Julie & Ron CornetetRuss & Sandra CrossBill & Carol CrossDavid & Marie CulverEd DeJong & Diane VanWesepBeverly DeMarrAgnes DerksDortha Manning DeWit in memory of Clarke ManningLila DeYoung Norma DeYoungDennis & Barbara DryerDoris DuceyAmanda & Gregory DykhouseRobert & Jackie EngelHarold & Mary EnglundJean Enright

Tim & Anne EricksonRobert & Ann ErlerJane & Wallace K. EwingA.J. Flogge Fund* Dale & Bridget FoxJames & Susan GeislerGladys GivanMary Anne GormanDr. Josephine H. GrieveBill & Marge GustafsonRev. Gerald & Susan HagansJeff & Gail HallHelga E. HammGary & Anita HasperJudith HaynerCarolyn & Paul HecklePatricia HeslingJohn & Terry HoekstraConnie HolleyBruce & Donna HoodDoug & Judy HostetlerMicaela S. IovineDon & Penny JohnsonRobert JohnstonEdward & Mary KaminskiDavid & Loretta KasprzykJack & Joanne KelleyKevin & Bonnie KelloggRobert & Norann KellyRandy & Debra KnappLouise H. KrillPhyllis LaurinLinda LiddleGene & Laura LoganMary LombardKathy MaffetSandy MajeskiMarlene MarcinkowskiCindy MazurekMary & Dennis McCrumb in memory of Joan TellmanShirley McIntireGarry & Julie Mc KeenDavid & Carol McLeodPaul & Winnie McNergneyNorris & Jean MeadRuth MehallAlice MichaudPatrick & Sheila MillerJudith MintyRobert & Susan MixerPhyllis MonteCarol MorellRichard & Doris MorganMartha MuirBarbara MullallyDavid R. NancarrowMatt & Laurel NeaseKathryn L. NeumannBarbara Novak

September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014


Ronald & Bonnie NyenhuisThomas Pascoe & Jean SteinJean Scales PatakyPeter & Carol PayneDale & Jane Ann PetersonDavid & Beth PickardIrene PiersonLynn & Nancy PontzRussell & Margaret PriceSusan RehrerGary & Pennie RobertsonMerry RosenbergGwynne & Steve SchoffPaul & Nancy SeitesJocelyn ShawGlenn SheathelmHarrison & Charlynne SikkengaLinda SladeDar SmithHayden SmithJoan Hilles SmithVivian SordenDon & Lisa SpeziaDavid & Kathryn SpitlerBill Papo & Julie StewartClifford & Lucia StorrRobert & Wanda SuitsHoward & Marilyn SwansonBetty A. SweetJames & MaryAnn ThelenPeter & Judy TheuneDick & Shirley TindallTosa FamilyRichard & Marge TourreRoger & Rebecca TuukBarbara UsmialDr. Paul VossJim & Cindy VresicsJohn & Judith WaandersMichael & Patricia WadeJohn & Kathryn WalsonDavid E. WaterstradtSue WierengoMarilyn L. WikmanBrewster & Mary Ellen WillcoxJoe & Cindy Wolff George & Doris WordenJohn & Carol WorkmanMary & Robert WygantLouise Yonkers

Concert Sponsors 2013-14 SeasonRobert & Cathleen Dubault and David Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-GerdesHarbor Steel, Inc.Hines CorporationmLive Media Group/Muskegon ChronicleNichols

Guest Artist Sponsors 2013-14 SeasonFriends of Yuri Roger & Marilyn Andersen Bruce & Paula Baker Bill & Susan Bissell Jon & Jane Blyth Hal Bowman Peter & Sherry Brown Jan & Chris Deur Bill & Mary Lou Eyke David Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes Larry & Lari Hines Marty & Dottie Johnson Robert & Wendy Kersman Scott & Donna Lachniet Marc & Ruth Leestma Dick & Nancy Morgenstern Mike & Kay Olthoff Denis & Barbara Potuznik Robert & Julie Stuberg Mary Towner Peter Turner & Jean Enright Judy WilcoxHowmet Community Fund*Meijer Inc.Smith Haughey Rice & RoeggeWarner Norcross & Judd LLPWMS Past Presidents Club Marcia D'Oyly Valerie Eggert Ronald Gossett David Hogan Holly Hughes Pat Hunt Paul Jackson Tom Johnson Wendy Kersman Jo Ann Landman Clara Lang Deb Newson Fred Norris Mike & Kay Olthoff Sylvia Precious Chip Sawyer

Ann Tabor Peter M. Turner Rebecca Veltman John Whitlock Jane WrightBlue Lake Public Radio - Media Sponsor

Business Partners Program

$1,500Shoreline Insurance AgencySONUS Hearing Care Professionals

$1000Comprehensive Ear & Hearing

$500Annis Water Resources InstituteCentury Club Shops on Western & Port City ConstructionJackie Engel, Waddell & ReedFarmers Insurance – D. McEwen AgencyH & S CompaniesMcCroskey LawMuskegon Awning & FabricationMuskegon Community CollegeParmenter O'TooleTridonn Construction CompanyWitt Buick

Corporate, Art Council & Foundation Donors

$25,000-$49,999Community Foundation for Muskegon County

$15,000-$24,999Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs

$7,500-$14,999Meijer, Inc.

$5,000-$7,499JSJ Foundation

$1,000-$4,999American Grease StickHuntington National BankNewkirk ElectricRaymond James

Contributors

+Denotes Olthoff Challenge Match – Donations paid during 9/1/13 - 8/31/14*Denotes a fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County**Denotes a fund of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation


Up to $999CWC Textron, Inc.Lakeshore Professional Eye CareShoreline Inn/Parkland PropertiesSun Chemical

Matching CompaniesBaird Foundation, Inc.Emerson Charitable TrustGE Foundation Matching GiftsGerber FoundationCharles Stewart Mott FoundationThrivent Financial for Lutherans

Endowment FundThank you to the following individuals who made gifts to our endowment fund. Gifts to the fund, managed by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, can be made by gifts of cash, securities or property, will or trust, or a gift of life insurance.

Dr. & Mrs. John CressHester P. NewtonGeorge & Doris Worden

West Michigan SymphonyEducation Programs

YOUTH SYMPHONY/DEBUT STRINGS

$1,000 and upBillie Klont Greinke Memorial Fund*

$200-$299Carla Hill

$100-$199Alpha Delta KappaMary CronenwettDaniel & Melissa Meyers FamilyBarbara J. MurphyJennie Naffie & Richard OmanChip & Sue Sawyer

LINK UP SPONSORS

$10,000 and upNational Endowment for the Arts

$5,000-$9,999DTE Energy Foundation FundAlyce R. Erickson Foundation**

J. Christopher & Mary EykeFremont Area Community FoundationJohnson Controls FoundationMary Ann Sherwood Fund**Women's Division Chamber of Commerce

$1,000-$4,999Comerica BankHines CorporationDaniel & Sheryl KuznarMeijer, Inc.NicholsMike & Kay OlthoffMary PayneSamuel L. Westerman Foundation

Up to $999Jane Connell & Steven RosenBill & Carol CrossPaula DeGregorio & Frank GalanteDr. & Mrs. David DeitrickMarti DriscollDoris DuceyRobert & Jackie EngelJean EnrightAlexandria FricanoJulia Norris FugateMartha GiacobassiKeith & Ann GorterCarla HillMary Kay HoganMary Anne & Thom HornikMary Ann HoweRobert & Wendy KersmanRandy & Debra KnappClara LangOlga MacDowellDavid & Julia MarckiniCathy & Bruce MartinCharles MatthewsCindy MazurekPaul & Winnie McNergneyBarbara J. MurphyKathy NeffRonald & Bonnie NyenhuisGarry & Charlotte OlsonSteve & Kathy OngertThomas Pascoe & Jean SteinDale & Jane Ann PetersonJim & Debbie PotterPratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Bruce & Shirley PrivackyRotary Club of Grand HavenChip & Sue SawyerSusan & Stephen StruckRichard & Marge TourreTom & Liz TrzaskaPeter M. Turner

PLAN YOUR

LEGACYWITH YOUR

WILL OR TRUST

You have worked hard to accumulate assets throughout your life, but without a valid will or trust at your death, those assets will be distributed

according to state law.

Wouldn’t you rather determine that yourself? Including a bequest in your will or trust to a

charitable organization such as the West

Michigan Symphony may be the best way to make a meaningful

gift in the future.

For more information on the ways to make a charitable bequest in your will or trust, simply call Carla Hill,

President/CEO, at 231.928.5731 or

visit with your estate planning attorney today.



Roger & Rebecca TuukMichael & Patricia WadeJohn & Peggy Whitlock matched by Gerber FoundationMarilyn L. WikmanJudy WilcoxKenneth & Marguerite WinterJane WrightRobert & Joanne Zayko

CHILDREN'S CHOIR

$5,000 and upFifth Third Bank

Up to $999AnonymousMona Shores Band Parents Association

CLICK CLACK MOOSIC

$1,000 and upRaymond C. & Evelyn P. Alstrom Memorial Fund*Anonymous Herman Miller Cares

$500-$999Cropp Co-Op/Organic Valley Great LakesDavid Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes

$100-$199Susan Abbey-LudwigBill & Susan BissellAllan & Anne Dake P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter BT

Up to $99Mary Bytwerk Lowell & Nel Dana Pat & Julie Donahue Sandra Green Robert & Louise Jewell Robert & Wendy Kersman Louise H. Krill Jean & Fred Livingston Roger & Jane Missimer Mike & Kay Olthoff Sally Tardani Judy Wilcox

The Block

CAPITAL CAMPAIGNIncludes donations for the outdoor deck

$10,000 and up DTE Energy FoundationThe Loutit FoundationMike & Kay Olthoff

$5,000-$9,999 Jan & Christine DeurDavid Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-GerdesLarry & Lari HinesRobert & Wendy KersmanDaniel & Sheryl KuznarJudy Wilcox

$1,000-$4,999Robert & Cathleen DubaultJosh Gerlick & Leah BrockmanHuntington National BankPaul & Karen JacksonJohn & Linda McKendryMichigan Council for the Arts and Cultural AffairsGarry & Charlotte Olson

Up to $999Don & Kathy DahlstromCarolyn & Paul HeckleCarla HillPerry & Deb NewsonJocelyn ShawHelen & Jay SmithRita SmithScott SpeckAlan & Annoesjka SteinmanSusan & Stephen StruckEmma TorresenTom & Liz TrzaskaDavid & Karen VanderZandenDavid E. Waterstradt 75th Anniversary Art UnderwriterFrederick & Deborah Brown

CONCERT UNDERWRITERSEagle Alloy, Inc.Grand Valley State UniversityRobert & Wendy KersmanLake Michigan Credit UnionMercy Health PartnersNicholsShape CorporationSmith Haughey Rice & Roegge

Contributors

Annette Henrymusic director

3 pm @The Block

Sun., Nov. 16, 2014

DEBUTSTRINGS

Sun., Mar. 22, 2015


+Denotes Olthoff Challenge Match – Donations paid during 9/1/13 - 8/31/14*Denotes a fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County**Denotes a fund of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation


For more information or to support these programs contact Karen Vander Zanden, Director of Education at 231.928.5738

Education Programs

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR WMSCC is an audition-only choir for kids’ ages 7-11, under the direction of Music Director Beth Slimko. Rehearsing weekly at The Block, WMSCC is a music performance and education program for youth that emphasizes the development of musical skills and understanding. This year’s 39-member choir will perform at two Symphony concerts in 2014 and a stand-alone concert in the spring.

LINK UPSince 2004 the West Michigan Symphony has partnered with area elementary schools to introduce kids to music via the Carnegie Hall Link Up recorder program. Students learn to read music, play the recorder and meet WMS professional

musicians. In the spring students play their recorders in a live performance at the Frauenthal Theater with WMS musicians. To date, over 33,600 students from over 50 elementary schools in five West Michigan counties have participated. Local foundations, corporations, and individuals generously support Link Up to keep it free to students and schools.

Developed by WMS as a companion to Link Up, the Music Mentor Program provides students with classroom visits from a professional WMS musician. This year eight music mentors will work with students in the Link Up program, encouraging them to continue to practice and appreciate the music and the repertoire they are learning.

DEBUT STRINGS Debut Strings introduces beginning and intermediate students to large ensemble performance through challenging and diverse repertoire. Students in Debut Strings have at least one year of playing experience and strong note reading skills. Debut Strings rehearses once a week throughout the fall and spring and performs two concerts annually at The Block in downtown Muskegon.

CLICK CLACK MOOSIC Created by WMS, this program is based on the books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. Children attend a musical storytelling event where they meet WMS musicians and learn new music skills through fun and interactive skits. In this series of three Saturday morning performances, children listen to a narration of one of the Click Clack Moo series of books while West Michigan Symphony musicians perform music composed specifically for the Click Clack stories.

INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO The WMS Instrument Petting Zoo is a hands-on musical instrument education experience. Instruments from each of the four families (strings, woodwind, brass and percussion) are introduced, and children are able to handle and play them during this 45-minute program. This hands-on program is an exciting way to show children they have the potential to play an instrument well before middle school band programs begin.

2014 Link Up program at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts

Click Clack Moosic at The Block, February 2014WMS Children's Concert at The Block, Fall 2013

Debut Strings Spring 2013 concert at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts


September 26, 2014 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductor

Hollywood on the Lakeshore

Concert Sponsor:

Howmet

Community

Fund

at the Community

Foundation for

Muskegon County

Star Wars Suite for Orchestra John WilliamsMain ThemeImperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)

The Lord of the Rings: Howard ShoreThe Fellowship of the Ring Arr. John Whitney

Batman Theme (1989) Danny Elfman

Music from Spiderman Danny Elfman Arr. John Wasson

Tara: A Short Tone Poem for Orchestra Max Steinerfrom Gone With the Wind Arr. Frank Campbell-Watson

INTERMISSION

Theme from Mission Impossible Lalo Schifrin Arr. Calvin Custer

James Bond Medley Monty Norman, Bill Conti Arr. Victor Lopez

Inception Suite Hans Zimmer Arr. Erich Hoffmann

“Main Title” from Back to the Future Alan Silvestri Arr. Erich Hoffman

"Let It Go" from Frozen Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez Arr. Aaron Shim

“Adventures on Earth” from John WilliamsE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

P.1

west michigan symphony-75th ANNIVERSARY-

SPONSORED BY NICHOLS -AND- HINES CORP.


Charlie Albright : Piano

Pianist Charlie Albright recently won the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and received his Artist Diploma (A.D.) from the Juilliard School of Music. He performs Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the WMS on May 15 and on May 16 this young piano sensation will perform a solo concert @The Block.

Sat, May 16 : 7:30 pm

Chamber Music Ensemble

The Gregorian Family is getting together for an evening of chamber music @The Block. WMS principal cellist Alicia Gregorian Sawyers is joined by two violinists—brother Ara Gregorian and sister Ani Gregorian Resnick—plus WMS principal pianist Kelly Karamanov.

Sat, June 6 : 7:30 pm

Leanne King Macdonald Viola and Piano + Electronics

WMS principal violist, Leanne King McDonald, and New York based pianist, Shiau-uen Ding, collaborate on a performance of viola and piano + electronics. Composers featured include Kaija Saaraho, Stephen Taylor, and Michael Ippolito.

Sat, Oct 4 : 7:30 pm

STRINGS.ELECTRONICS.

SOUP.

Ion Trio : Piano, Violin and Cello

A Russian inspired piano trio program with WMS associate principal cellist Igor Cerkovic, WMS violinist Oleg Bezuglov and pianist Natalia Beuglova performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 and the Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67.

Sat, Feb 7 : 7:30 pmRUSSIAN.

COMPOSERS.PICKLES.

Borghi & TeagerContemporary Duo

Borghi & Teager (Matt Borghi, guitars/computer/effects and Michael Teager, saxophones/flute) are a recording and live performance duo inspired by jazz improvisation and ambient spacemusic... Coltrane and Brian Eno... classical jazz and Pink Floyd. Hear their recordings on Hearts of Space, Echoes, and Star’s End.

Sat, Feb 21 : 7:30 pm

SOUNDSCAPE.IMPROVISED.

CHILI.

Christopher Pfund : Tenor

American tenor Christopher Pfund is well known for his oratorio work and is a passionate performer of contemporary music. After his irreverent portrayal of the roasting swan in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the WMS on Friday, Nov 21, he brings songs cycles of Faure and Schumann to The Block on Nov 22. Joined by pianist Kelly Karamanov.

Sat, Nov 22 : 7:30 pm

PFUND.FAURE.

FONDUE.

Neil Jacobs : 12 String Guitar

Neil Jacobs, 12-string guitarist, returns to The Block and continues the musical journey inspired from his world travels and improbable life experiences. He shares amazing stories and performs breathtaking compositions that push the limits of this traditional folk instrument with Gypsy, Celtic, Balkan and Classical influences.

Sat, Apr 18 : 7:30 pm

GUITARS.STORIES.SLIDERS.

GREGORIANS.STRINGS.

PIZZAS.

Marcy RichardsonCabaret Diva Mix

We’re bringing her back! Soprano Marcy Richardson is a true stage animal with a passion for Baroque, sophisticated musical theater, and contemporary music. Her Cabaret show last year was a highlight of our first season @The Block. Her Diva Mix program is sure to take us all by surprise! Pianist Kelly Karamanov also returns.

Sat, Mar 28 : 7:30 pm

MARCY.DIVA.

BACON.

CHARLIE.PIANO.

BAGELS.

Helix CollectiveContemporary New Music

Helix Collective returns to The Block with “Happy Hour” the ultimate Cocktail Party! Cocktail inspired stories from Hollywood screenwriters include Guy Busik, Brian Knappmiller, James Vanderbilt, and Matt Popham. Original music by Phil Popham, WMS principal English horn and Los Angeles based musician/composer.

Sat, Oct 18 : 7:30 pm

HAPPY HOUR.COCKTAILS.

NUTS.

Goran Ivanovic Trio : Jazz Mix

Chicago based jazz guitarist Goran Ivanovic is a native of Croatia and embraces his traditional Balkan folk music with an amalgamation of flamenco, Balkan, classical, blues and jazz. His trio (guitar, bass and drums) performs a fusion of foreign folk musics with the improvisational esthetics of American jazz.

Sat, Nov 1 : 7:30 pm

GUITAR.TRIO.

SAUSAGE.

Monique and Michael CreberCabaret Christmas

Vocalist Monique Creber and pianist Michael Creber bring Christmas Magic to the West Michigan Symphony’s concert on Friday, Dec 12 in the Frauenthal. The next evening they wrap up our musical holiday celebration with an intimate two-person cabaret show @The Block.

Sat, Dec 13 : 7:30 pm

CREBER.CHRISTMAS.CRUMBLES.

Nicolas Altstaedt : Cello

Cellist Nicholas Altstaedt is one of the most celebrated artists of the younger generation and one of the most creative and independent of musicians. Hear him first with West Michigan Symphony on March 13 and then in a powerful and passionate solo cello performance @The Block on March 14.

Sat, Mar 14 : 7:30 pm

CELLO.VIRTUOSIC.

MAC ‘N CHEESE.

EDGES. IN TENSION. AT THE BLOCK.360 W. Western Ave, 2nd FloorFor tickets and infowestmichigansymphony.orgfacebook.com/AtTheBlock231.726.3231


RICHARD WAGNER (1813-1883)Overture to Tannhäuser

By the early 1840s, with the success of the early and more conventional Rienzi and The Flying Dutchman, Richard Wagner had become a force in German music. His next—and more doctrinaire—opera, Tannhäuser, is based on medieval legends about an actual Minnesinger, or poet-musician—an Aryan Orpheus who died c. 1265. The opera premiered in Dresden in 1845 and quickly became enormously popular throughout Germany. Its protagonist, who has been living it up for a year with Venus and wins a contest with a song extolling profane love. Condemned to clean up his act before he can claim the hand of his pure betrothed, Elisabeth, Tannhäuser makes a pilgrimage to Rome where the pope refuses to grant him absolution. He returns to Germany carrying his withered staff, symbol of his continued state of sin, in time to witness Elisabeth’s funeral. He collapses and dies in remorse as his staff blooms, symbolizing his redemption through love. In 1859 Tannhäuser became the first Wagner opera to be performed in America.

In 1861 Wagner had planned a production for the Opéra in Paris but refused to add the “obligatory” ballet in the second act. The production was a failure, disrupted by catcalls from the Jockey Club, an elite horse-breeding society who established a convention at the Opéra of never including a ballet in first acts so that members could arrive fashionably late. It didn’t return to the Paris stage for another 34 years. Nevertheless, Wagner incorporated the Paris revisions—although without a ballet—into what is now the standard version.

The Overture adheres to a formula, adopted particularly in Germany, of "previewing" the story through principal themes of the upcoming drama. It begins with the famous Pilgrim’s chorus, passing to the swirling music of the hedonistic pleasures of Venusberg, Tannhäuser’s prize-winning song to Venus, his expulsion from Wartburg Castle and his return, once again to the music of the Pilgrim’s chorus.

Wagner himself viewed his opera as representing the battle between profane and sacred love and the Overture emphasizes this dichotomy rather than introducing themes associated with the characters. There's nothing, for example of poor Elisabeth—although Wagner includes a sensuous clarinet riff for Venus herself. The composer's complex system of Leitmotifs, utilized to its limits in The Ring of the Nibelungen, was several years in the future.

Children's Choir Sponsor:

presidentsWMS Past

Program Notes

Christopher Pfund will be performing a solo concert @ The Block

Saturday, November 22, 7:30 pm

For tickets or info:westmichigansymphony.org

facebook.com/AtTheBlock231.726.3231

November 21, 2014 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorMartha Guth, sopranoChristopher Pfund, tenorHugh Russell, baritoneMuskegon Chamber Choir, David Wikman, directorGrand Rapids Chamber Choir, Mark Webb, directorHolland Chorale, Meredith Bowen, directorWMS Children’s Choir, Beth Slimko, director

Carmina Burana:Sacred and Profane

Richard Wagner Overture to Tannhäuser, WWV 70 INTERMISSION

Carl Orff Carmina Burana (Songs of Buren) Martha Guth, soprano Fortuna imperatrix mundi Christopher Pfund, tenor (Fortune, Empress of the World)Hugh Russell, baritone I. Primo vere (In Springtime); Uf dem Muskegon Chamber Choir anger (On the Green)Grand Rapids Chamber Choir II. In taberna (In the Tavern)Holland Chorale III. Cour d’amours (The Court of Love); WMS Children’s Choir Blanziflor et Helena (Blanziflor and Helena); Fortuna imperatrix mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)

Concert Sponsor:

M.1

Media Sponsor:




CARL ORFF(1895-1982)Carmina BuranaScenic Cantata

“My collected works begin with the Carmina Burana,” declared Carl Orff after the successful premiere in 1937 in Frankfurt, where it was staged with elaborate costumes and scenery. A late bloomer, Orff dismissed most of his earlier compositions, including three adaptations of stage works by one of the “inventors” of opera, Claudio Monteverdi, as derivative and withdrew many of them. Carmina Burana also turned out to be his most well received by far. While he subsequently composed over a dozen other stage works in a similar musical style, none achieved the popularity of his “Opus One.”

Perhaps it is the physical exuberance and freshness, coupled with a passionate and sometimes racy text—a full translation in programs and record liner notes used to be expurgated—and an easily accessible musical language that made Carmina Burana one of the most popular twentieth-century stage productions. Like Richard Strauss, Orff aimed in this and in his later stage works at a Gesamtkunstwerk (a concept originally used by Richard Wagner as the foundation of his operas), an artistic synthesis in which text, music, scenery and movement are unified and completely coordinated.

Carmina Burana is the title given in 1847 to an edited collection of mostly secular songs (“carmina”) from an early thirteenth-century manuscript discovered in 1803 in

a Benedictine abbey in Benediktbeuern, a village in Bavaria (hence the Latinized form of the name, “burana”). The manuscript contains about 250 medieval poems and songs, including works in Latin, Middle High German and French, the bulk of which do not appear in any other manuscript. They were assigned to categories: clerical poems, love songs, drinking and gaming songs, and two religious dramas. The collection is clearly a songbook, since many of the pieces included musical notation, but in a style of over a century earlier that did not indicate either exact pitches or rhythms. The actual melodies had to be reconstructed from other later manuscripts.

Although the Benediktbeuern Manuscript contains no exact notation, Orff was certainly acquainted with the theories of reconstructing medieval secular song, which he often incorporated into his own settings. Since early medieval musical manuscripts contain no specific instrumental accompaniment or harmony, Orff's settings have little or no harmonic development, relying instead on terse melodic motives and rhythms derived from the meter of the poems themselves. All of the poetry is strophic, and Orff creates stunning instrumental interludes and accompaniments whose variety and vivid tone color break the monotony of the simple melodies.

Orff employs a large orchestra to give him a wide palette of timbre and tone color, but he only occasionally uses the entire orchestra at one time, and then for dramatic effect. Although Carmina Burana is often performed

in concert, numerous choreographers have tried their hand at staging it for chorus and dancers as the composer had intended. The focus on rhythm makes all of the choral numbers quite danceable, and even the solo arias are easily adaptable to dance.

The selection of poems serves as a symbolic statement on man’s subjugation to Fortune. Carmina Burana opens and closes with a choral ode “O, Fortuna,” a paean to Fortune, Empress of the World, “changeable as the moon.” Within this frame are three large sections, taken from various parts of the original manuscript.

Part 1, "In Springtime" begins with an a cappella chorus intoning a welcome to spring. "Veris leta facies," (Spring’s bright face) with oriental-sounding interludes, the modern instruments imitating gongs and bells. The baritone solo maintains the atmosphere. In the poem welcoming spring, "Ecce gratum" (Behold spring), two spring dances frame two poems, "Floret silva nobilis" (The noble forest blooms), first in Latin, then translated into German, accompanied by drums and tambourines. In "Chramer gip die warve mir" (Hawker, give me some rouge) the women sing the verses, accompanied by a humming refrain for the men and women.

"In the Tavern" conjures the masculine world of the medieval tavern, containing perhaps the most distinctive songs in the collection: the lament of the roasting swan, "Olim lacus colueram" (Once I lived in the lakes)—the only song in the piece

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Soprano Martha Guth brings consummate musicianship, interpretive intelligence and a distinctive tonal palette to a wide range of musical styles and periods. A persuasive actress, she just enjoyed a big success as Frau Fluth in the Boston Midsummer Opera production of Nicolai’s rarely-staged The Merry Wives of Windsor. Past operatic forays include Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Countess) and Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) at Opera Lyra Ottawa; the same composer’s Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) and Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Konstanze) in Göggingen, Germany; the title role of Händel’s Alcina in Lucca, Italy; Lauretta in Bizet’s Dr. Miracle and Norina in Don Pasquale with the Santa Fe Opera (the latter on tour as a past apprentice of the company), and Alyce in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied at New York’s Chelsea Opera.

A much-sought-after concert soloist, her engagements include Beethoven’s Missa solemnis with Helmuth Rilling and the Bachakademie Stuttgart, the Brahms Requiem with John Nelson in Grand Rapids, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with the New Mexico Symphony, Händel’s Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony, Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate with the Hamilton Philharmonic, Berlioz’ Les nuits d’été with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Mozart Arias with Germany’s Bad Reichenhaller Philharmonie, and Strauss and Mozart selections with the Toronto Symphony. She has also been guest soloist with Seiji Ozawa and Robert Spano at Tanglewood, as well as with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Calgary Philharmonic. Other works in her active repertoire include Orff’s Carmina Burana (Florida Orchestra,

Mobile and Lima Symphonies), Mahler’s Second, Fourth and Eighth Symphonies, and the Bach Passions, B Minor Mass and Cantatas. Recent and upcoming performances include Britten's Sea Symphony (Durham, NC), Messiahs in Grand Rapids, MI, Providence and Lexington, KY, Mahler #2 with the Evansville Philharmonic, two recitals with pianist Graham Johnson (Leeds, U.K.), and an all-Britten recital with Malcolm Martineau in New York City, where she also curates the Casement Fund Song Series.

A model collaborator, Ms. Guth has earned special distinction for her passionate devotion to recital and chamber repertoire, earning First Prize at the 2007 Wigmore Hall International Song Competition in London. She has been welcomed at Wigmore Hall with pianist Graham Johnson, New York’s Liederkranz Foundation with Dalton Baldwin, and MusicFest Vancouver with Erika Switzer. In addition, she and Ms. Switzer co-host an online magazine Sparks and Wiry Cries (sparksandwirycries.com) featuring live and recorded performances and discussions with singers, pianists and composers.

Martha Guth was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. She holds an undergraduate degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, a Master’s from the Cincinnati College/Conservatory of Music, and a post-graduate degree from the Hochschule für Musik in Augsburg/Nürnberg where she studied with Edith Wiens.

marthaguth.com ••

that departs from the diatonic intervals of medieval music; and the song of the drunken abbot of Cockaigne (a medieval utopia), whose satirical rant parodies monastic chant. The section ends with a rousing ode to dissipation and debauchery.

In Part 3, the raucous bar-room ambience shifts to the delicate—but not too refined—world of courtly love, as the women and soprano soloist admit that a girl without a man lacks all delight. The baritone returns, now in the guise of a troubadour, the verses of his song, "Dies, nox et omnia" (Day, night and ever) yearning for his absent lover. Part 3 concludes with a choral dance, "Tempus est iocundum," (The time to celebrate) debating the relative merits of chastity and promiscuity. Entering with a more than two-octave leap to a pianissimo high C on the word "Dulcissime" the solo soprano succumbs to her lover.

In the addendum to Part 3, "Blanziflor et Helena," a hymn to the beauty of Helen and Venus, Orff employs in the full chorus and orchestra, and finally bringing the wheel of Fortune around full circle with the reprise of "O Fortuna." ••

AUDIO WEB NOTESFor a deeper understanding of the music you heard or will be hearing, visit westmichigansymphony.org and go to the masterworks program of your choice. There you’ll find an expanded version of the printed notes including musical examples you can hear by clicking on the icon. There are also brief clickable definitions of musical terms as they appear in the text.

Program notes by: Joseph & Elizabeth Kahn

Program Notes Martha Guth


American tenor Christopher Pfund has performed to critical acclaim with countless major orchestras and oratorio festivals throughout North America including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Dallas Symphony

Orchestra, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, New York Oratorio Society and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. International engagements have included performances in the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. Critics have praised his “rounded vocal beauty” and The New York Times called his voice an “attractive tenor [that] helps define a sympathetic character.”

Universally recognized for his irreverent portrayals of the roasting swan in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Pfund has made the role a pillar of his career with over 150 performances on three continents. His wide repertoire includes not only the standard Baroque masterpieces such as Bach’s Mass in B minor and Handel’s Messiah but also much of the 20th century canon of concert repertoire including Britten’s War Requiem and the Klaus-Narr from Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder.

While best known for his oratorio work with orchestra, Pfund has also enjoyed success on the opera stage, including performances with Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, Florentine Opera,

and Santa Fe Opera to name a few. An impassioned performer of contemporary music, Pfund has regularly collaborated with composers and artists in cutting-edge New York venues including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Theater for the New City and The Performing Garage. A consummate recitalist, Pfund regularly presents performances of the song cycles of Schubert, Schumann, Britten and Brahms as well as other celebrated composers of the classical song literature.

Recordings include the title role in Britten’s Albert Herring on the Vox label, Distant Playing Fields: Vocal Music of Amy Beach and William Mayer on Newport Classics, and Carmina Burana with Fabio Mechetti and the Jacksonville Symphony. Mr. Pfund holds degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, the Manhattan School of Music and was a 20th Century Song Recitalist at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada. Awards include the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation.

christopherpfund.com ••

Canadian baritone Hugh Russell continues to receive high praise for his charisma, dramatic energy and vocal beauty. He is widely acclaimed for his performances in the operas of Mozart and Rossini, and is regularly invited to perform with symphony orchestras throughout North America. At the center of his orchestral repertoire is Orff’s popular Carmina Burana, which Mr. Russell has performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Vancouver Symphony , among others. The New Orleans Times-Picayune said, “Baritone Hugh Russell also grasped the theatrical nature of Orff’s work, nearly stealing the show with a voice that ranged from organ-deep rumbles to flute-like falsetto – and an acting style that drew roars of laughter as he captured the bullishness of an intoxicated medieval abbot.”

Mr. Russell begins the current season in performances of Carmina Burana with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He will reprise this work with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra later this season. Mr. Russell will also be heard as Taddeo in L’italiana in Algeri in his debut with the Calgary Opera. In the 2012-2013 season, Mr. Russell made his debut with the Danish Radio Symphony in performances of Carmina Burana with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and for his debut with the Naples Philharmonic. Additional performances included Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and his return to Opera Theatre of St. Louis as General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance. ••

Christopher Pfund

Hugh Russell


David Wikman is a product of the Muskegon Schools and community. He graduated Muskegon High School, holds his undergraduate degree from Hope College, and his Master’s degree from Western Michigan University. He began his teaching career in the Reeths-Puffer School System where he founded the Madrigal Singers. He finished his teaching in the Muskegon

Public Schools. He founded the Muskegon Chamber Choir and has been its only conductor for fifty years. He is an adjudicator for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association and a member of the American Choral Directors Association. His conducting teachers include Herbert Butler, Kenneth Schermerhorn, and Robert Shaw.

The Muskegon Chamber Choir was founded as a sixteen voice ensemble to audition for a part in a summer music festival. After the audition, the choir ceased operation. The festival never materialized, but a number of the singers convinced the conductor, David Wikman, that they had created something too important to let go, summer festival or not. This year marks the choir’s fiftieth season. Its membership has expanded from the original sixteen to accommodate larger choral and choral/orchestral works. It is the primary affiliate chorus of the West Michigan Symphony. In 1988, it was honored to be invited to Carnegie Hall for a performance under the baton of the young American conductor, Michael Morgan. Its annual Wreath of Carols is a staple for concert-goers in the Lakeshore area. ••

Dr. Mark Webb is beginning his sixth year as the Director of the Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids. Mark received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education and Choral Conducting from the University of Michigan, and his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University. Dr. Webb retired from public school teaching in 2009, after serving for thirty-three years as a secondary vocal music teacher—teaching in the Kentwood and East Grand Rapids Public School Districts. His past positions include Choral/Opera Coordinator and Director of the International Choral Ensemble at Blue

Lake Fine Arts Camp, Visiting Professor of Music at Albion College, and President of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association—receiving the honor of Teacher of the Year from that organization in 2003. Mark is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor of Music at Aquinas College, and is also the director of the Chancel Choir at Mayflower Congregational Church. He has been a guest clinician for school and church choirs throughout Michigan. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters —Natalie (married to Mickey Bullock) and Ashley; and two grandchildren—Jeremiah and Hanna Bullock.

Grand Rapids Chamber Choir2014 begins the 34th year for the Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids. The choir has a rich history of concert-giving, touring and compact disc releases. They have performed in many of the churches in Grand Rapids and Western Michigan, with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra and have toured in St. Petersburg, Russia, Eisenstaedt Austria, Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. The choir has also sung with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City and in Grand Rapids. In addition, the choir has raised social awareness by coordinating with the Holland Youth Advisory Panel, Alzheimer’s Association of West Michigan, Heartside Ministries, Degage, Senior Neighbors, Children’s Assessment Center, Silent Observer and the Butterworth Foundation. The choir has also collaborated with other Michigan arts organizations such as the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company, and several area church and school choirs. ••

Muskegon Chamber Choir, David Wikman, director

Grand Rapids Chamber Choir, Mark Webb, director


Meredith Bowen"In her third season with the Holland Chorale, conductor, teacher, and singer Meredith Bowen has led a wide variety of singers and students in Michigan since 2000. She has collaborated with multiple ensembles and organizations to create innovative programming. Bowen is an active guest clinician and conductor and enjoys working with a diverse population of singers.

Currently pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University, Bowen was recently selected as one of three conducting fellows from a national competition by Chorus America and is in contention for the 2014 choral conducting award from The American Prize.

In addition to directing the Holland Chorale, Bowen is the Artistic Director of Sistrum,

Lansing Women’s Chorus and is an adjunct faculty member at Lansing Community College. She holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University and an M.M. in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University. She studied conducting with David DeVenney, David Rayl, Jonathan Reed, Sandra Snow, Doreen Rao."

Holland ChoraleNow in its 55th anniversary year, the Holland Chorale enriches the communities of West Michigan with outstanding concerts of fine choral music. Drawing singers from Holland, Zeeland, Hamilton, South Haven, Hudsonville, Jenison Grandville, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven we build community through shared experience and mutual love of music.

hollandchorale.org ••

Beth Slimko holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with dual concentrations in vocal and instrumental pedagogy from Butler University, which included an intense study at the Zoltan Kodaly Pedagogical Institute in Hungary. She also holds a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Grand Valley State University. Other training includes experience with esteemed vocal music arranger Henry Leck and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, The Richards Institutes program “Education through Music, and the Kindermusik Organization."

Mrs. Slimko is currently the director of the North Muskegon Public School choir program and is a vocal music specialist for elementary music. Under her direction the choir program has grown from one choir with six female members in 2004 to four choirs and more than 220 dedicated members. She is also an accomplished oboist, pianist, and vocalist, and maintains a full private lesson studio. She resides in North Muskegon, MI with her husband and two sons.

West Michigan Symphony Children's ChoirThe West Michigan Symphony Children’s Choir is a high-quality choral group for children ages 8 – 11. The Children’s Choir performs the many orchestral works that include children’s voices and offers choral training and experience to school children throughout the Lakeshore communities. The WMS Children’s Choir presents opportunities to perform at the West Michigan Symphony concerts in November and December, 2014, as well as perform an independent concert at The Block.

Members are selected through an audition process held each spring and fall. Rehearsals and performances take place at The Block. ••

Holland Chorale, Meredith Bowen, director

WMS Children's Choir, Beth Slimko, director


American/Canadian conductor Clyde Mitchell is Conductor and Music Director of Lions Gate Sinfonia and the new Lions Gate Youth Orchestra in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Clyde studied piano, organ, and French Horn before deciding to pursue a career in music. Music Performance degrees from Louisiana State University (B. Mus.) and Cal. State U-Northridge (Master of Arts in Music) led to a performing career in Bogotá, Colombia, Tucson, Arizona, and Montreal, Quebec. In Montreal, he was Associate Principal Horn in the prestigious Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, and was Professor of Horn and Chamber Music Studies and Conductor of the Brass Choir at McGill University.

Following his orchestral playing career, Clyde turned to conducting studies at CSU-Long Beach (Master of Music) and USC (Artist Diploma.) These degrees, and his experience as an orchestral performer, led to Conductor and Music Director positions in Canada and the US, including Resident and Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony. Clyde has won several important conducting awards and competitions, including Canada’s Heinz Unger Award as “Canada’s Most Promising Conductor” and the U.S. National Conductor’s Award with the National Repertory Orchestra.

Clyde Mitchell is an outspoken advocate for music education, and regularly conducts and holds workshops for Honour Bands and Orchestras across North America. A fun additional career sees Clyde as a guest speaker and host for classical music radio and television shows.

Clyde lives in Los Angeles, where his wife, Sarah Jackson, plays Solo Piccolo with the world-famous Los Angeles Philharmonic. Sarah and Clyde love their two cats, and enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures, languages, food, and wine. ••

Monique is a versatile and engaging performer who possesses a rich alto singing voice that the Vancouver Province news described as “eerily similar to that of the late, great Karen Carpenter” and author Spider Robinson described as “honey and warm butterscotch poured over the tip of an iceberg on a starry summer night.” She maintains a busy career as a vocalist, actor, voiceover artist, musical director, producer, writer, arranger, teacher, consultant and artist manager. Her voice can be heard on TV series (e.g. My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic, Martha Speaks, George of the Jungle and The Collector), jingles, commercials, audiobooks and on many albums including A Creber Christmas and her own original CD, All

Clyde Mitchell

Monique and Michael Creber

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Children's Choir Sponsor:

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Monique and Michael Creber will be performing a concert @ The BlockSaturday, December 13, 7:30 pm



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Guest Artist Sponsor:

December 12, 2014 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Clyde Mitchell, conductorMonique Creber, vocalistMichael Creber, pianist/musical directorNorth Muskegon High School Norse Singers, Beth Slimko, directorWMS Children's Choir, Beth Slimko, director

Christmas Magic



CONCERT SELECTIONS MAY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AND MORE!

Christmas FestivalAngels We Have Heard on HighJoy to the WorldJoyful, JoyfulDo You Want to Build a Snowman?Christmas Memories MedleyHave Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasCarol of the BellsHanukkah SuiteHome for the HolidaysLet It SnowJingle BellsRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerSilent NightSleigh RideThe Christmas SongWinter WonderlandSilver Bells


For You. Performance highlights include appearing as a featured vocalist with Lions Gate Sinfonia, on numerous TV & radio shows, as an anthem singer at NHL games, at live performances with Canadian luminaries (e.g. The Nylons, Michael Burgess and the Rankin Family Sisters) and at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Monique has also been active in the Vancouver theatre scene as a musical director for productions such as The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Joseph, Hairspray, FAME and Grease, and as an actor (e.g. “Marmee” in Little Women, “Ebenezer’s Mother” in A Christmas Carol and “Mrs. Greer” in Annie). As an educator, Monique has owned her own large music school, trained teachers from all over the world, taught vocal, piano and musical theatre programs at private schools, and currently teaches at her home studio in addition to coaching actors and singers for on-camera and voiceover roles.

Michael is a Grammy-nominated and Juno Award-winning artist who was dubbed “a cross between Floyd Cramer and Thelonius Monk” by one LA reviewer. As one of the West Coast’s most sought-after musicians, Michael pursues a wide-ranging career as a pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer, embracing many genres of music including jazz, Latin, R&B, rock, pop, musical theatre, country, folk and classical. He has recorded and toured internationally with k.d. lang (including performances on Saturday Night Live, the Grammy Awards, Arsenio Hall, Vicki

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Norse Singers is a non-auditioned choir composed of 9th-12th grade students at North Muskegon High School. The choir consistently receives Superior and Excellent ratings in performance and sight-reading at Michigan State Vocal Music Association festivals. This is their second appearance with the West Michigan Symphony at the Frauenthal. They have also performed at such venues as Disney World, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lumberjack Hockey games,

and many local and regional events. North Muskegon Choirs pride themselves not just on high artistic performance, but the ideal of being an organization that promotes exceptional standards of citizenship and community. ••

For Mrs. Slimko's bio and information on the WMS Children's Choir, please see page 29.

The Norse Singers and WMS Children's ChoirBeth Slimko, director

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Gabereau, Super Dave, The Smothers Brothers, Austin City Limits and six appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson), the Irish Rovers (including 36 television specials) and world-renowned family entertainer Raffi (including performances on Broadway and at President Clinton’s first inauguration); he also co-produced and co-wrote Raffi's 1994 CD Bananaphone. Other luminaries Michael has worked with include Martin Short, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, Regis Philbin The Rankin Sisters, Shirley Bassey, Powder Blues, John Sebastian, Roger Miller, Charlotte Diamond, Charo, Jim Byrnes, Dee Daniels, Valdy, Lee Aaron and David Foster. As a film and TV composer, Michael’s projects include Very Bad Men, Vanity Insanity, True Pulp Murder and Adventures in Parenting. Michael is also a popular pianist and musical director in Vancouver with a wide variety of gigs such as featured performances with the Vancouver International Jazz

Festival, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the City Soul Gospel Choir, musical theatre productions, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Lions Gate Sinfonia (under the direction of Maestro Clyde Mitchell) and a recent episode of the TV show Bates Motel. Michael has three albums of original music: two solo piano collections, Brand New Smile and Dancers of the Spheres, and a CD by the Michael Creber Trio entitled Smooth Sailing.

For the past few years, Monique and Michael have also enjoyed touring and performing with their 15 year old daughter, Michelle— supporting and managing her burgeoning international career as a singer and actress.

crebermusic.com ••

Monique and Michael Creber


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PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY(1840-1893)Suite no.4 in G major, Op. 61 "Mozartiana"Fourth Movement: Theme and Variations

In the summer of 1887, during a pleasant stay in the Caucasus, Tchaikovsky sat down to compose a tribute to Mozart, his favorite composer. He made a symphonic transcription of four Mozart pieces, with only minor changes in their melodic lines. As the composer described his work, they are “antique art in modern shape.”

The first and second movements are based on a minuet and gigue from Mozart’s keyboard dances. The third is based on a vocal work, Ave verum corpus, K. 618 for voices, strings and organ—although Tchaikovsky worked from Franz Liszt’s piano transcription. The fourth movement, by far the longest, is a showpiece for solo strings and woodwind players. This theme and variations is a transcription of Mozart’s Ten Variations, K. 455, on a theme from Christoph Willibald von Gluck’s comic opera The Pilgrims of Mecca.

Although many musical tributes to past composers attempt to “update” the style of the period in which they lived, Tchaikovsky’s approach is more eclectic. By retaining Mozart’s original variations in the fourth movement, the rich orchestration becomes the focus of the movement. Each variation features a different combination of instruments, and solos abound, especially one for the violin that lasts as long as some concerto movements.

STEPHEN PAULUS AND JOAN VAIL THORNE(b. 1949)Voices from the Gallery

Have you ever felt that a painting “speaks” to you? Well, if not, now’s your chance to hear from six of Western art’s well known masterpieces. The narrator takes on each image from the point of view of its subjects, either in self-contemplation of the finished product, or as a stream-of-consciousness monologue as they sit for the portrait.

It should be pointed out that Voices from the Gallery is quite a different animal from Pictures at an Exhibition. While Musorgsky painted the images in music from the viewer’s vantage, Stephen Paulus and Joan Vail Thorne convey what the subject might have been thinking—or “saying” to the viewer.

Always witty—although not always funny—the subjects reveal through their comments what the artists may have wished to project—or not. Paulus coordinates each narrative vignette with appropriately atmospheric music, permitting the audience to “see with the ear’s eye.”

Program Notes

February 6, 2015 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorVincent Karamanov, WMS principal bassoonCarla Hill, narrator

Words and Music

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Suite no. 4, Op. 61, “Mozartiana” 4. Theme and Variations

Stephen Paulus Voices from the GalleryCarla Hill, narrator The Winged Victory of Samothrace – Greek Sculpture c. 190 B.C. American Gothic – Grant Wood 1930 The Garden of Earthly Delights – Hieronymus Bosch c. 1500 She-Goat – Pablo Picasso 1950 Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci 1503 Dance at Bougival – August Renoire 1883

INTERMISSION

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra, Vincent Karamanov, bassoon K. 191, in B-flat major I. Allegro II. Andante ma adagio III. Rondo: Tempo di menuetto

Franz Joseph Haydn Symphony no. 104 in D major, “London” I. Adagio – Allegro II. Andante III. Menuet: Allegro IV. Spiritoso

M.2




A prolific composer of over 350 works, Stephen Paulus is fluent in all musical media, including orchestra, opera, chorus, chamber ensemble, solo voice, concert band, piano and organ. He has composed ten operas, his best known, The Postman Always Rings Twice, based on James Cain’s thriller.

Born in Summit, New Jersey, he has lived most of his life in Minnesota. He co-founded the American Composers Forum in 1973 and continues to work on behalf of his colleagues as the Symphony and Concert representative on the ASCAP Board of Directors. His music has been commissioned, recorded and performed by a wide range of orchestras and music organizations. He has served as composer-in-residence for the Minnesota Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony.

Joan Vail Thorne is a playwright, director, filmmaker and teacher. Among her stage plays are High Cockalorum, Immodest Acts and The Exact Center of the Universe. She wrote and directed the films, Last Rites and Secrets.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART(1756-1791)Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, k. 191

In the eighteenth century, the bassoon graduated from its role as part of the basso continuo accompaniment in trio sonatas and concertos for other wind instruments to a featured soloist. Georg Philip Telemann, J.S. Bach and his sons used it prominently in their music, but it was Antonio Vivaldi, whose 39 bassoon concertos thrust the instrument into the limelight. The baroque bassoon had a narrower bore and fewer keys than its modern

descendent, and its tone was described paradoxically as “delicate, melancholy or religious,” and as “comic or humorous.”

The 18-year-old Mozart composed his only authenticated Bassoon Concerto in June 1774 for an unknown Salzburg virtuoso and not, as was once thought, for the amateur bassoonist Baron Thaddäus von Dürnitz. The work is cast in the graceful but emotionally detached galant style, popular in mid-century. It emphasizes the instrument’s upper and middle register, usually avoiding the lower register with its grotesque connotations and wobbly pitch.

This Concerto is emblematic of the work of the young Mozart, on the one hand confident of the compositional techniques of his period, but still lacking his own individual voice. It reflects the young composer’s superior understanding of the instrument’s full technical potential. The Bassoon Concerto is an excellent model of double exposition sonata form used for the standard classical concerto. It has no surprises in form or harmony and, if anything, catered to the obviously talented anonymous soloist in its rapid staccato passages in the first movement, the lyricism of the Andante second movement, as well as in the two extended cadenzas in movements 1 and 2.

Mozart composed the Bassoon Concerto during his first year as “composer-in-residence” in his native Salzburg where he was receiving a small annual salary as court musician. The previous year he had returned from a three-year tour of Italy, where he performed, composed and soaked up the

conventions of the Italian opera seria. He spent the next seven and half years in Salzburg, squirming under the rigid strictures of his boss, Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo, from whom he finally escaped to Vienna.

Mozart’s biographer, Maynard Solomon, however, points out that the Salzburgers felt considerable pride in their native son, providing him with opportunities to perform, private commissions and over two years’ worth of leave time to make his reputation and fortune throughout Europe. But as Mozart found his mature voice, the Salzburg years became a period in which he increasingly perceived his abilities as being stifled by the conservative atmosphere, as he churned out church music for the archbishop, divertimenti for the court and chamber pieces—including three quartets for his hated flute—for private commissions.

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN(1732-1809)Symphony no.104 in D Major, London

The long life of Franz Joseph Haydn spanned one of the great upheavals in the economics of the musical profession. It marked the demise of the aristocratic “ownership” of music and musicians and the rise of the middle class as patron, supporter and chief consumer of the arts. No one bridged this transition better than Haydn, who went from being the darling of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy to that of London's merchants without offending either.

In 1791, Haydn made the first of two extended trips to London at the invitation of the


impresario Johann Peter Salomon, actually considering settling there for good. He composed numerous works for performance in Salomon’s concerts, primarily his last twelve symphonies (known today as the “London: or “Salomon” symphonies). These concerts—like most performances of the time—went on for hours and were a mixed bag, including vocal, chamber and orchestral pieces. For the decade of the 1790s, their major drawing power lay in Haydn’s music.

Haydn was not only a hit with London’s middle class but also with royalty and the high nobility. Although they seem to have been a bit late in getting around to inviting the composer for a formal presentation before their majesties King George III and Queen Charlotte, he so captivated Their Majesties that they had him back for return performances and conversation throughout the month of February of 1794. The Queen actually attempted to lure Haydn to take

up permanent residence in London, but he declined on the grounds of loyalty to his patrons, the Esterházy family.

It is sometimes difficult from the vantage point of the twenty-first century to realize how innovative a composer Haydn was. While retaining the harmonic palette of high classicism, he added new ideas, on both a large and small scale, to make his works always sound fresh and exciting to his audiences.

The Symphony no.104 was Haydn’s last. It was probably premiered in London in May 1795 at an all-Haydn concert, the proceeds of which, in the English tradition of such “benefit” performances, went to the composer. Haydn himself remarked on the concert’s huge success, both artistically and financially.

Symphony no.104 is notable for its persistently lively character. The somber introduction belies the overall mood of the piece, but

then, Haydn was ever a proponent of the unexpected touch. Noteworthy also is the irregular phrasing and sudden pauses in the minuet which, in addition to its boisterous character, distances it, more than usual for Haydn, from its courtly dance origins. As if to emphasize the symphony’s “grass roots,” Haydn accompanies the main theme of the final movement with a drone, imitating the rural bagpipes of Croatian shepherds. ••



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Carla Hill is President/CEO of West Michigan Symphony and this 75th Anniversary Season marks the beginning of her 10th year with WMS. She has previously collaborated with Scott Speck and the Symphony as narrator for Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite, Bizet’s Carmen Suite, and Clement Moore’s The Night Before Christmas.

It was Carla’s love of the arts as a stage actor that eventually led to her career in arts and nonprofit administration. Carla has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, including Development Director for Recreation Unlimited Foundation (Ohio), an organization serving youth and adults with physical and developmental disabilities. She also served as Marketing and Public Relations Director for two symphony orchestras: The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (OH) and The Omaha Symphony Orchestra (NE).

Other experience in the arts includes the Omaha Playhouse, one of the largest community theatres in the nation, where she served not only as a staff member but as an actor. She also served as a board member for the Contemporary American Theatre Company in Columbus and the play reading committee for the

Muskegon Civic Theater. In January 2009 she returned to the stage as Nat in the Muskegon Civic Theater’s production of The Rabbit Hole and in 2011 participated as a star in the Women’s Division Chamber of Commerce of Muskegon’s fundraising event “Dancing with the Local Stars.”

Using her extensive professional experience as on-camera and voice talent for radio and television, Carla also co-hosts a monthly radio program called Lakeshore Arts and Entertainment on The WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin.

Carla has served on the review panel for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs in evaluating program and operational support grant requests from performing arts organizations in Michigan. Carla was selected as an Agent of Change by the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce in 2009 and is a graduate of Leadership West Michigan’s Class of 2010.

In 2013 Carla was elected to serve as President of the Board of Directors of Downtown Muskegon NOW, a nonprofit organization that focuses on economic development in downtown Muskegon.

A native of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Carla moved to West Michigan in September 2005 and now resides in Muskegon. She has a married son and three grandsons living in Bozeman, Montana and a married son and grandson living in Mandeville, Louisiana. ••

Vincent Karamanov is currently Principal Bassoon with the West Michigan Symphony and 3rd Bassoon/Contrabassoon with the Grand Rapids Symphony. He has also performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under maestro Edo de Waart, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. He studied under Professor Michael Kroth at Michigan State University where he earned his Master of Music degree in bassoon performance. Previously, he studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Ball State University. His teachers have included John Clouser of the Cleveland Orchestra, Dr. Keith Sweger, and Kenneth Pasmanick of the National Symphony Orchestra (retired). In the summer of 2011, he was a guest faculty artist at the Ball State Summer Bassoon Camp. Currently, he is the Bassoon Instructor at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Vincent lives in the Westside neighborhood of Grand Rapids with his wife, Kelly. He also enjoys micro-brews and collecting LP records. ••

Vincent Karamanov

Carla Hill


LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN(1770-1827)Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus

In 1800 Beethoven was still considered an outsider in Vienna, trying to establish his reputation at court. The ballet The Creatures of Prometheus was his first important commission for the Viennese Court Theater. It was premiered in March of 1801 and achieved a moderate success, receiving 20 performances in its first season, 13 in the second and none thereafter.

The Prometheus myth is among the most central to Ancient Greek religion. Prometheus stole fire from the gods for the eternal benefit and promotion of humankind, the so-called “creatures” in the title. He subsequently went on to trick Zeus into accepting sacrifices of the inedible parts of animals, leaving the rest for human consumption. As punishment, Zeus had him chained to a desolate rock where by day a raptor devoured his liver, which regenerated at night. The ballet, on the other hand, portrays a man and woman receiving artistic and technological gifts from various gods whom Prometheus introduces them to—presumably before Zeus finds out. No hint of the raptor.

The complete ballet consisted of an introduction and 16 numbers, but the Overture quickly acquired an independent life, appearing in print in 1804. It is the only part of the ballet generally performed today, although complete recordings do exist. Choreographed performances are also extremely rare. The Overture is rooted in the eighteenth-century tradition—a slow introduction plus an Allegro—with little relevance to the ballet as a whole.

One of the stunning aspects of the Overture, however, is its opening, whose four emphatic chords leave listeners in doubt about the key of the piece. When Beethoven tried the same trick in the First Symphony, his audience was scandalized. They soon got used, and celebrated the composer’s innovations. Unfortunately, the rigid conventions of Viennese theater did not agree.

DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH(1906-1975)Cello Concerto no.1 in E-flat major, Op. 107

If ever we needed evidence that art and politics can make for a lethal mix, the life of Dmitri Shostakovich provides it. A son of the Russian Revolution, he started off as a true believer. But in his early twenties he got caught up in the Stalinist nightmare, apparently surviving the purges only because Stalin liked his “politically correct” music for propaganda films.

In January 1936 an article appeared in Pravda severely criticizing Shostakovich’s highly successful new opera, Lady Macbeth of the Mtzensk District. Immediately, upon the order

Program Notes

Nicolas Altstaedt will be performing a cello concert @ The Block.

Saturday, March 14 7:30 pm



March 13, 2015 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorNicolas Altstaedt, cello

Beethoven and Blue Jeans

Ludwig van Beethoven Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus Dmitri Shostakovich Concerto no. 1 for Cello and Orchestra, Nicolas Altstaedt, cello op. 107, in E-flat major I. Allegretto II. Moderato III. Cadenza IV. Allegro con moto

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Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony no. 4, 0p. 60, in B-flat major I. Adagio – Allegro vivace II. Adagio III. Allegro vivace IV. Allegro ma non troppo

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of the government, the opera was withdrawn from the stage and performances of all of the composer’s music banned. For the first of many times Shostakovich was cast into Soviet limbo, his music unperformed, his livelihood taken and his very life in jeopardy. In later years he recalled that he was so certain of being arrested that he used to sleep with his suitcase packed near the front door so that if the secret police were to pick him up, they would not disturb the rest of the family.

World War II brought a breather and an upsurge of patriotism, with the horrors of the '30s temporarily forgotten. But in 1948 came a resurgence of purges, suppression and disappearances, orchestrated by the cultural commissar Andrey Zhdanov, whose decrees permitted only cheerful, uplifting and folksy art. With Stalin’s death in 1953, however, things began to look up; and later in the decade, when Khrushchev’s de-Stalinization program was underway, Shostakovich felt freer to express himself without fear of retribution. Throughout this political roller coaster, he maintained his artistic integrity by continuing to compose “for the drawer.”

Few musicians in the last century inspired more composers to write for them than did cellist and conductor Mstislav “Slava” Rostropovich. A long-time friend of Shostakovich, with whom he frequently performed around the Soviet Union, Rostropovich had long hoped that the composer would write a cello concerto for him. He recalled that when he raised the question of a commission with Shostakovich’s wife, she answered “Slava, if you want Dmitri to write something for you, the only recipe I can give you is this—never ask him or talk to him about it.” True to form, in 1959, the composer surprised his friend with the Cello Concerto in E-flat.

Although the times may have been calmer, the Concerto opens with a grim four-note theme on the cello that dominates the movement and recurs throughout the work. Not only is there the inherent musical tension in the chromatic theme but also in the cello part, which begins in the low register, gradually ratchets higher and higher, transforming the theme into a shriek. The second theme offers less contrast than one might expect in a sonata form, but at least it attenuates the anger; the composer, however, couldn’t resist appending his grim motto.

The lyrical second movement opens with a plaintive theme based on a Jewish folksong. It is one of Shostakovich’s most romantic movements and leads into a huge written-out cadenza that the composer notated as a separate movement. In it, the grim four-note motive from the opening movement reappears, and the tempo slowly increases until the cadenza transitions into the Allegro finale.

It is characteristic of many of the finales of Shostakovich’s symphonies and concertos to have a playful and often satiric bite. Stalin may have been dead and even discredited, but Shostakovich could not let him off that easily. Hidden in the last movement is a parody of one of the dictator’s favorite sentimental ditties, Suliko, the same one the composer parodied in the satirical cantata Rayok (The Peep

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Show), lampooning Zhdanov’s and his followers’ decrees. The cantata, probably composed in stages between 1947 and 1967, remained hidden “in the drawer” until after the composer’s death. Shostakovich also brings back and prominently features the four-note motto, concluding with a reprise of the opening of the Concerto. If there is any personal or political significance or symbolism associated with it, none has been determined with any certainty.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN(1770-1827)Symphony no.4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

The year 1806 was extremely productive for Beethoven. Early that year the composer worked on revising his opera Fidelio, which had failed miserably the year before. He also embarked on an astonishing number of masterpieces: the three Razumovsky String Quartets, the Appassionata Sonata, the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, the Violin Concerto and the Fourth Piano Concerto.

Beethoven had started first on the stormy Fifth Symphony, sketches for which survive from as early as 1804, but put it aside to work on the Fourth, which he finished in early 1807. While the two symphonies are vastly different in mood, one of the interesting connections between them is the descending interlocking thirds that open both works, part of a tense and somber slow introduction in the Fourth, that morphs into a nervous percussiveness in the famous opening of the Fifth. The Fourth Symphony was premiered in March at a private all-Beethoven concert that also included the premieres of the Fourth Piano Concerto and the Coriolan Overture, netting the ever money-conscious composer a tidy sum.

While the Symphony’s structure is classical, looking back to Haydn, the music is unmistakably Beethoven. The extremely slow introduction of 38 measures baffled his contemporaries: “Every quarter of an hour we hear three or four notes. It is exciting!” quipped composer and conductor Carl Maria von Weber. The contrasting Allegro is one of Beethoven’s most buoyant movements, the music cascading like a rushing waterfall. There is a tremendous buildup of

tension before the return to the original theme, starting pianissimo and gradually rises to a double forte, a passage that amazed even such later musical iconoclasts as Hector Berlioz.

The symphony’s exuberance is sustained throughout, the only contrast being the second movement. This Adagio, featuring timpani and clarinets, begins with an elegant cantabile theme set to an accompaniment of a quiet dotted rhythm in the strings, but the sudden outburst of hammered cadence conjures echoes of Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony. The timpani, now carrying the little rhythmic motive, subside into the background but the little motive persists like an underlying heartbeat, the unifying force behind an outpouring of new melodies.

The Scherzo retains the idea of contrasting dynamics by setting the upper winds and violins against the full orchestra and timpani. In a mildly unusual move for the time, Beethoven repeats the Trio, a lilting oboe solo. He finishes up with an abbreviated extra repeat of the Scherzo.

The Finale is unusual in that it is a classic sonata form – but on speed. Like the Adagio, there is a constant rhythmic pulse in the background. In actuality, the entire Symphony abounds in exclamation points, created in many cases by Beethoven’s extensive use of the timpani to contrast with quiet or legato passages. There's even a surprise in the coda. With Beethoven, as with his mentor, Haydn, one should always expect the unexpected. ••



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Born in 1982 into a family of German and French descent, Nicolas Altstaedt was one of Boris Pergamenschikow's last students in Berlin, where he has continued his studies with Eberhard Feltz.

He has won a number of prizes and awards, such as the 2004 Landgrave of Hesse Prize of the Kronberg Academy, first prize at the 2005 German Music Competition, the 2005 International Domnick Cello Competition, Stuttgart, and the 2006 Adam International Cello Competition, New Zealand, the 2010 Kulturstiftung Dortmund prize and the Credit Suisse Young Artist Award 2010.[1] He is a BBC New Generation Artist 2010-2012, a member of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, and he received a Borletti Buitoni Fellowship in 2009.

Nicolas Altstaedt has been suggested by Gidon Kremer to become his successor as the new artistic director of the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival from 2012.

Highlights of past and upcoming seasons are concerts with the Tonhalle Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, Camerata Bern, Kremerata Baltica, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestras Berlin, Stuttgart and Helsinki, the Melbourne- and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, Bamberger Symphoniker, the Munich, Zurich and Stuttgart chamber orchestras and the Haydn Philharmonie Austria/Hungary. He performs under the baton of David Zinman, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neeme Järvi, Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Andrew Davis, Mario Venzago, Andrej Boreyko, Adam Fischer, Dennis Russell Davies and Alexander Shelley.

He feels a deep commitment to contemporary music and performs with the composers Thomas Ades, Jörg Widmann, Matthias Pintscher, Fazil Say, Sofia Gubaidulina and Moritz Eggert. He has performed the Double concerto by György Kurtág at the composers' 85th birthday concert 2011 in Budapest, played the Swiss premiere of G.F. Haas Cello concerto and will play Wolfgang Rihm's Cello Concerto "Versuchung" for the composers' 60th birthday this year. Commissions by Fazil Say, Thomas Larcher and Raphael Merlin had been premiered 2012 in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam amongst others.

He appears in concert around the globe with such artists as Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Janine Jansen, Daniel Hope, Leif Ove Andsnes, the Sasha Waltz dance company and is a regular guest at festivals such as Jerusalem, Kaposvar, Salzburg Summer and Salzburg Mozart Festival. His regular chamber music partners are Vilde Frang, Alexander Lonquich, Barnabás Kelemen, Pekka Kuusisto, Antoine Tamestit, Jonathan Cohen and the Quatuor Ébène.

Altstaedt has recorded several CDs for the Genuin, Naxos, Claves, Orfeo and ECM labels, performing music by Schumann, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, and a recital of French music by Pierne, d'Indy and Boulanger.

nicolasaltstaedt.com ••

Nicolas Altstaedt



Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro. They may not be household names but back in the 70’s, you bought all of their records. You heard them on the radio. Saw them on TV. Went to their concerts.

So who are they? They’re the former stars of the hit-making factory known as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. These guys toured the world with Frankie. Recorded numerous hit albums with him. And sang the lead vocals on songs like “Oh What a Night” – the biggest Seasons hit of all time. When they met in 1973, they were two boys from New Jersey barely out of their teens, and the Four Seasons hadn’t had a charted hit record in years. Along with Valli and songwriter/producer Bob Gaudio, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro successfully transitioned the group’s sound from ‘60s doo-wop to ‘70s pop with mega-hit songs like “Who Loves You” and “Oh What a Night”.

Spurred by the runaway success of “Jersey Boys”, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on the Four Seasons’ career, these former Seasons, who are now in their late 50s and early 60s, decided to re-unite—along with an A-list group of musicians who wrote, recorded and performed with Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Jim Croce, Chicago, Luther Vandross, The Ramones, Carole King, and other mega-star acts of the era—and give touring one more shot.

Their show is an amazing look back through rock and roll history, including fascinating back stories of what it was like being on the road and in the recording studios with Frankie, Tommy, Carly, Cat, Jim and Elton. And, of course, there are all those amazing hits… with The Hit Men performing great songs from the Four Seasons songbook (from “Rag Doll”, “Dawn”, and “Walk Like a Man”, to “Can’t Take My Eyes Of You”, “Marianne” and “Sherry”), plus other mega hits that members of The Hit Men helped make famous back in the day such as Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train”, Jim Croce’s “Leroy Brown”, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” and Tommy James’ “Mony Mony”.

Says music director and former Four Seasons member Lee Shapiro, “This show is a chance for everyone to relive the glory days of rock and roll with a great group of guys who actually lived and breathed the experience. You’ll walk out of the theatre exhilarated, excited and wanting more. We guarantee it.”

LEE SHAPIROA music producer, arranger, and musician who has been involved in the New York music scene for over three decades. After Frankie Valli’s road manager saw him perform at a club in New Jersey, Lee became one of Frankie Valli’s celebrated Four Seasons as both an arranger and on keys. He toured the world with the band, performing classic hits and acting as the musical director and arranger on others including “Oh, What A Night” and “Who Loves You.” These experiences gave Lee the vehicle to meet and collaborate with a wide variety of stars including co-producing the score to “Copacabana the Musical” with Barry Manilow, and

You loved Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Tommy James and the Shondells. Carly Simon. Cat Stevens. Elton John. Jim Croce. Come see The Hit Men, an amazing look back through rock and roll history featuring former members of these mega-star acts performing your favorite songs—from “Oh What a Night” to “Mony Mony”. You'll know every word in every song—a night of mega-hits by the artists you heard on the original records, listened to on the radio, watched on TV and saw in concert. The Hit Men will regale you with great stories about what it was like on the road and in recording sessions with Frankie, Tommy, Carly, Cat, Jim and Elton. Relive the glory days of rock and roll with The Hit Men. You'll leave the theatre saying "Oh, What a Night!"

Bios

April 17, 2015 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorThe Hit Men, featuring former stars of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

The Hit Men

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CONCERT SELECTIONS MAY INCLUDE SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

Who Loves YouMy Eyes Adored YouCan't Take My Eyes Off of YouGreaseC'mon MarianneCrocodile RockBeggin'Silence is GoldenDec '63 – Oh What a NightBig Girls Don't CryRag DollMony, MonyBad, Bad Leroy BrownHanky PankyPeace TrainYou're So VainYou Belong to MeYounger Girl

The Hit Men appear by arrangement with Sciolino Artist Management in association with BiCoastal Productions.



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collaborating with true music icons such as Bob Gaudio, Charlie Calello, Jimmy and Jerry Vivino, Paul Schaffer, and Will Lee. After retiring from The Four Seasons, Lee went on to form Lee Shapiro Music, a creative company providing music for advertising and the media. The multi-talented Lee, who is the inventor of Rock N Roll Elmo for Fisher Price, has also had his inventions sold on QVC.

GERRY POLCI He began his professional career at the age of 14, playing drums and singing at private parties and nightclubs throughout the Tri-State area. After studying as the protégé of renowned drummer and technician Joe Morello, Gerry became one of Frankie Valli’s celebrated Four Seasons in 1973. His recordings with the group became worldwide hits, most notably “Who Loves You,” “Silver Star,” and “Oh, What A Night,” on which he sang lead. As one of The Four Seasons, Gerry also recorded music with various artists in New York and Los Angeles for television shows and commercials, and worked as the musical director on a series of Barry Manilow television specials. In 1990, Gerry retired from The Four Seasons and returned to New Jersey, where he completed his Music Education degree at Montclair State University. Upon graduation, he was offered a music teaching position in New Providence, NJ and has taught there since 1995.

JIMMY RYAN He began his career in the 60s as lead guitarist, vocalist and one of the songwriters for The Critters. The band went on to become a national phenomenon with three top hits including “Don’t Let The Rain Fall Down on Me” which Jimmy wrote. After The Critters dissolved, Jimmy continued his career in the 70s as the lead guitarist, backup vocalist, arranger and occasional co-writer with Carly Simon. He has also recorded albums with many other artists, most notably Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Elton John and Kiki Dee, receiving Gold and Platinum Records in the process. Currently Jimmy composes music for film and TV, to date he has scored 38 films, two award-winning documentaries for NBC, music for the 1998 Winter Olympics and the Theme for the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney. He has written music for almost every major TV network as well as music for hundreds of commercials through

his two music production companies, first Ripchord Music and now Rampage Music New York. Currently Jimmy’s music can be heard on all of CNBC’s financial shows and as the jingle for Modell’s Sporting Goods, “Gotta Go To Mo’s” which has been running for twenty years.

LARRY GATES He has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business. As a composer and lyricist, he has co-written songs with multi-Grammy award winner Desmond Child, Tony and Emmy award winner Larry Hochman, Izzy James, and Platinum Record and Grammy award winner Daniel Freiberg. At The Hit Factory, NYC, Larry worked with artists like Janis Ian and Rick Derringer, and also recorded and mixed tracks for a number of great artists and producers while at Bobby Columby’s Camp Columby Studio. Larry has also done significant work as a studio vocalist and has been heard on local and national commercials including Nestles, Kodak, Min-wax, and Hasbro, in addition to producing and playing on the well-known Toys”R”Us theme song. He is currently working on a vocal album of his own alongside his duties in The Hit Men that will include original songs as well as covers of favorite classics. Long-time friend, former The Four Seasons member, and Hit Men band-mate Lee Shapiro is co-producing.

RUSS VELAZQUEZAn NYC Award winning and Emmy nominated singer, composer, arranger, and producer, is the latest addition to The Hit Men. He is a highly sought-after studio musician who has performed on thousands of studio sessions covering an extraordinary range of genres and styles. Russ has worked with many diverse artists and groups including Sting, Carol King, the Ramones, LL Cool J, Luther Vandross, Korn, and Paula Abdul. He is a four-time Emmy nominated composer and arranger for his work on the children’s television show Sesame Street, and had a #1 Record on the children’s charts and Radio Disney for his song “2BA Master”, the Pokemon CD title song. Additionally Russ has composed, arranged, produced and performed several popular TV themes and shows.

thehitmensite.com ••


CARL NIELSEN(1865-1931)Helios Overture, Op. 17

The most important Danish composer of the post-Romantic period, Carl Nielsen, influenced the course of Scandinavian music early in the last century. He was a versatile composer, composing in nearly all genres but is best known outside Denmark for his symphonies and concertos. In Denmark, his choral works and simple songs are also extremely popular.

Nielsen came from a poor family in a proud but poor country trying to recover from the debacle of its war against Prussia in 1864. His father was a house painter and amateur musician. While Nielsen expressed love for music during his childhood, he never amounted to much as a performer, playing signal horn and trombone in an amateur band until he was 14, at which point he took up the violin. He received his first professional instruction only at the age of 19 when he entered the Copenhagen Conservatory, an education that landed him the undistinguished job as a second violinist with the orchestra of the Royal Theatre. He remained in this position until 1914 while continually developing his skills as a composer. Already In the 1890s, his early compositions started to draw attention.

Nielsen’s limited education, however, only spurred him on to learn everything he could about European culture, philosophy, aesthetics and psychology. This informal but intense study was a lifelong pursuit that resulted in a broad humanistic approach to life, which is reflected in his works. Although he was virtually unknown elsewhere in Europe, he gradually achieved recognition in his native Denmark as a composer, teacher, conductor and essayist. In 1901 he was granted a modest annual governmental stipend.

Nielsen’s early works, including the first three symphonies, were strongly influenced by Brahms and Dvorák. But his comfortable Weltanschauung (world view) was shattered by the outbreak of World War I and the ensuing slaughter. It changed his musical language radically, rendering it more austere and somber. Probably his most frequently performed works today are the Aladdin Suite and the Maskarade Overture.

In 1903 Nielsen and his wife, a successful sculptor, went on a journey to Greece. On a cruise through the Aegean Islands he was awed by the stunning spectacle of the rising and setting sun, which became the inspiration for the evocative tone painting of the Helios Overture. He wrote over the score: “Stillness and darkness – the sun rises with a joyous song of praise – traces its golden way – then sinks silently back into the sea.”

Program Notes

Charlie Albright will be performing a piano concert @ The Block.

Saturday, May 16 7:30 pm



May 15, 2015 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorAndrew Koehler, guest conductorCharlie Albright, piano

Following the Nordic Sun

Carl Nielsen Helios Overture, op. 17 Andrew Koehler, guest conductor

Jean Sibelius Symphony no. 5, op. 82, in E-flat major I. Tempo molto moderato – Allegro moderato – Presto II. Andante mosso: quasi allegretto III. Allegro molto – Misterioso

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Edvard Grieg Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Charlie Albright, piano op. 16, in A minor I. Allegro molto moderato II. Adagio III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato

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In keeping with the image of the sun’s journey from dawn to dusk, the Overture is constructed as a grand arch. From the opening bars with their undulating strings, the theme develops to a serene climax with trumpet fanfares before subsiding into the early calm as darkness returns.

JEAN SIBELIUS(1865-1957)Symphony no.5 in E-flat major, Op. 82

When Sweden relinquished Finland to the Russian Empire in 1809, it became an autonomous duchy with significant control over its own affairs. Beginning in 1870, however, the Tsar gradually whittled away at the Finns’ privileges and autonomy. While Swedish had continued to be the language of the educated and of the middle class, Russian repression aroused strong nationalist feelings and initiated a revival of the Finnish language. Jean Sibelius was born into this nationalistic environment and in 1876 enrolled in the first grammar school to teach in Finnish.

Sibelius was by no means a child prodigy. He began playing piano at nine, starting to compose at age 10. After abandoning the piano, he took up the violin at 14 with the ambition of becoming a concert violinist. For the rest of his life he regretted not following this dream.

His first success as a composer came in 1892 with Kullervo, Op.7, a nationalistic symphonic poem/cantata that premiered to great acclaim but was never again performed in Sibelius’s lifetime for lack of sufficient forces. For the next six years he composed numerous nationalistic pageants, symphonic poems and vocal works, mostly based on the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. In 1897, in order to enable him to compose undisturbed, the Finnish government gave him a pension for life. For 29 years he composed the symphonies and other orchestral works that made him world-famous. But in 1926, at the age of 61, he essentially quit composing, for reasons he never disclosed, remaining silent until his death 31 years later.

All his life Sibelius suffered from bouts of alcoholism. Early on, the condition caused a tremor in his right hand that prevented him from fulfilling his primary ambition of becoming a concert violinist. At numerous times in his life he went on the wagon, only to backslide repeatedly. It was during one of his dry periods late in 1914 that he started composing his Symphony no. 5, premiering it in 1915 in celebration of his 50th birthday. The version generally performed today, however, is the product of four additional years of revisions.

The Symphony is strongly influenced by the sounds of the forests and lakes surrounding his home in Ainola, north of Helsinki. An early inspiration for the finale came on April 21, 1915, when Sibelius saw 16 swans in flight over his house: “One of my greatest experiences! Lord God, that beauty!…their call the same woodwind type as that of cranes, but without tremolo. The swan call is closer to the trumpet, although there is something of a sarrusophone sound. A low refrain

reminiscent of a small child crying. Nature mysticism and life's Angst! The Fifth Symphony's finale-theme: Legato in the trumpets!”

The final version of the Symphony presents a musical puzzle: Is it in three movements or four? The first movement is in two sections, each of which presents the same thematic material, but in two entirely different moods. The first section opens with a brooding fanfare introduced by the horns and taken up by the woodwinds that makes up the bulk of the thematic material for this melancholy, sometimes even threatening, part. The second section, marked Allegro moderato, transforms the same material into a whirling triple meter in a more optimistic mood.

The second movement, Andante mosso, quasi allegretto is a set of freely structured variations on a short thirteen-note motive, although without the formal repeat structure of the classic variation form.

A hushed chromatic whirring theme in the strings introduces the Finale. The movement shares this excited motive, often in counterpoint, with a somber chordal phrase in the horns that recurs throughout as an ostinato – perhaps a memory of the sound of the flying swans.

EDVARD GRIEG(1843-1907)Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

The most successful and best known of nineteenth-century Scandinavian composers, Edvard Grieg, was one of the great exponents of Romantic nationalism. He saw it as his role in life to bring Scandinavian musical and literary culture to the attention of the rest of Europe. As composer, pianist and conductor he became a sought-after fixture in Europe’s music centers. His wife Nina was an accomplished singer, and the two traveled extensively together, popularizing his songs and piano works. In the process, he also helped introduce to the rest of Europe the writings of Scandinavian poets and dramatists, particularly Henrik Ibsen, for whose play Peer Gynt he composed incidental music.

Composed in 1868 and revised extensively five times, the last revision coming shortly before the composer's death, the Concerto was modeled after the Piano Concerto of Robert Schumann, with considerable Lisztian influence. Franz Liszt was Grieg’s idol, and he consulted with the older composer on phrasing and piano technique, particularly in the large cadenza. While the Concerto's themes are not ethnic Norwegian—it was written before Grieg became interested in Norway’s folk music—it still has a "Northern" mood and does incorporate Norwegian dance rhythms. Initially, the Concerto was not well received; its apparent introverted style was foreign to a public used to the fire and bravura of concerti à la Liszt. Ironically, it was the enthusiastic endorsement by Liszt himself that turned the tide and converted both audiences and pianists to the work. Later in his life—his hero worship notwithstanding—Grieg


had second thoughts about some of Liszt’s suggestions, and in the last revised version removed some of the latter’s more bombastic additions. This final version is the one commonly heard today.

Emulating his models, Grieg opens the Concerto with a strong piano declamation, spanning almost the entire range of the keyboard and followed by a wave of arpeggios before the first theme appears in the orchestra. Only then is the theme taken up by the piano and elaborated. The cellos introduce a lyrical second theme although in the earlier versions Grieg had scored it for the trumpets (probably on Liszt’s advice). The written-out cadenza is expansive and, of course, technically challenging. The second movement Adagio is a tender song-like theme on muted strings. When the piano finally enters, it gently embellishes the theme.

It is in the last movement that Grieg’s folk impulses break out in a Norwegian dance, the halling. But a gentle middle section introduced by the flute with string accompaniment serves as a contrast to the ebullient dance. After a brief cadenza, the soloist launches into a coda recasting the dance theme into the rapid triple time of the popular Norwegian springdans. The Concerto ends with the gentle flute theme now thundered out by orchestra and soloist. ••



As Conducting Associate and Cover Conductor to the Music Director, Mr. Koehler has worked behind the scenes at the West Michigan Symphony for many years, conducting the first rehearsal for several programs. This is his second appearance onstage with the West Michigan Symphony. Andrew Koehler is currently the music director of the Kalamazoo Philharmonia, which he leads as part of his position as an associate professor of music at Kalamazoo College. He holds a concurrent post as music director of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra.

He is active as a guest conductor at home and throughout the world. In recent seasons, he has appeared with the Kalamazoo Bach Festival Orchestra; the Lyatoshynsky Chamber Orchestra in Kyiv, Ukraine; the Ruse Philharmonic in Bulgaria; the St. Cloud Symphony

Program Notes

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in Minnesota; the Festival South Chamber Orchestra in Mississippi; the American Opera Group Orchestra in Chicago; and the Penderecki Center in Poland.

In 2013 Koehler was one of 40 conductors invited to Katowice, Poland to participate in the 9th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Conductor’s Competition where he won First Distinction and the Youth Jury Prize.

Born in Philadelphia to Ukrainian parents, Andrew began his musical studies on the violin at the age of five. He is a graduate of Yale College, where he completed a B.A. in Music and German Studies (graduating with honors and distinction in both majors). He holds a certificate in conducting from the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, where he studied for two years as a Fulbright scholar, as well as a Masters degree from Northwestern University. His principal teachers have been Victor Yampolsky and Leopold Hager; he has additionally worked with David Zinman, Jorma Panula, Neeme Järvi, and Mariss Jansons, among others. ••

Charlie Albright

Hailed as "among the most gifted musicians of his generation" by the Washington Post, pianist Charlie Albright has been praised for his "jaw-dropping technique and virtuosity meshed with a distinctive musicality" by The New York Times. Recipient of the prestigious 2014 Avery Fisher Career Grant, 2010 Gilmore Young Artist Award, winner in the 2009 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, and recipient of the 2013 Arthur W. Foote Award, his 2013-2014 season included 77 concerts nationwide. He appear as soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in six-week and four-week Midwest Concert Tours, in a recital debut at the Vancouver Recital Society, and in recitals in Boston, where he completed his three-recital series of all-Schubert repertoire at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Mr. Albright has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart, the Seattle Symphony under Gerard Schwarz, the Phoenix Symphony, the Lansing Symphony, the Fort Smith Symphony, the Hilton Head Symphony, the Great Falls Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony, where he was re-engaged for their Summer and the Symphony concerts. He has also performed recitals at the Morgan Library & Museum, the Buffalo

Chamber Music Society, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Gilmore Rising Stars Series and the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, and at the Harvard Musical Society. In 2015, he will tour as soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Keith Lockhart.

Albright has collaborated five times with revered cellist Yo-Yo Ma: at a 10-year anniversary remembrance of 9/11 performing Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time; at a Harvard University ceremony at which Senator Ted Kennedy received an honorary degree; in an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,


Charlie Albrighthonoring Nobel Laureate, Toni Morrison; at the Aspen Institute's "Citizen Artistry" conference at the Danny Kaye Playhouse in New York; and with the Silk Road Project.

Mr. Albright was the youngest artist-in-residence on Performance Today during the 2011-2012 season, which included a week of performances and interviews. His debut CD "Vivace" was released by CAPC Music in February 2011, featuring works by Haydn, Menotti, Schumann-Liszt, Janácek, Chopin and Albright himself.

Winner of the 2011 Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts from Harvard University, Mr. Albright was also named Artist in Residence for Harvard University's Leverett House, a position once filled by another Harvard-educated musician, cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Charlie Albright's numerous awards include First Prize in both Solo and Ensemble categories at the 2006 New York National Piano Competition; First Prize and all other awards offered at the 2006 Eastman International Piano Competition; Third Prize at the 2007 Hilton Head International Piano Competition; Semi-Finalist Award and Best Performance of a Work by Liszt in Stage I at the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition; and the Vendome Virtuoso Prize and the Elizabeth Leonskaya Special

Award at the 2009 Vendome Prize Piano Competition. Mr. Albright was selected by pianist Marc-André Hamelin to receive the German 2014 Ruhr Klavier Festival Young Artist Scholarship Award, including a debut concert in the 2014 Ruhr Festival.

Born in Centralia, Washington, Mr. Albright began piano lessons at the age of three. He has studied with Nancy Adsit and has participated in master classes with Richard Goode, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Abbey Simon. Mr. Albright earned an Associate of Science degree at Centralia College while he was still in high school, and was the first classical pianist accepted to the Harvard College/New England Conservatory Joint program, completing his Bachelor's degree as a Pre-Med and Economics major at Harvard in 2011 and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at the New England Conservatory in 2012 with Wha-Kyung Byun. He graduated with the prestigious Artist Diploma (A.D.) from The Juilliard School, working with Yoheved Kaplinsky. Mr. Albright is a Steinway Artist and is represented by Bill Capone of the Arts Management Group.

charliealbright.com ••


Opportunity knocks. Research, internships, study abroad, and service learning are built into nearly all of Grand Valley’s 200+ areas of study. These, along with our liberal education foundation that fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding, prepare you well to answer the call of a rewarding career and life.

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June 5, 2015 || Friday || 7:30 pm

Scott Speck, conductorWomen's Chorus of the Muskegon Chamber Choir, David Wikman, director

The Planets

Antônio Carlos Gomes Overture to Il Guarany

John Adams The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra

INTERMISSION

Gustav Holst The PlanetsWomen’s Chorus of the 1. Mars, the Bringer of WarMuskegon Chamber Choir 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace 3. Mercury, the Winged Messenger 4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity 5. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age 6. Uranus, the Magician 7. Neptune, the Mystic

M.5ANTÔNIO CARLOS GOMES(1836-1896)Overture to Il Guarany

The only Brazilian opera composer of the nineteenth century to have his works successfully performed abroad, Antônio Carlos Gomes was already well known in his native country when he traveled to Italy to study in Milan. There he wrote his opera Il Guarany, which was premiered at La Scala in 1870, drawing high praise from Giuseppe Verdi and librettist and composer Arrigo Boito.

The opera, based on a popular novel by José Martiniano de Alencar, is the Brazilian version on the popular theme of the Noble Savage. Taking place in 1560 in Rio de Janeiro, the complicated plot touches on the Portuguese mine owner Don Antonio’s exploitation of indigenous resources (in this case, silver). Like so many late-nineteenth-century operas Il Guarany contains a cross-cultural love story between Cecilia, Don Antonio’s daughter, and Pery, the chieftain of the Indian tribe of the Guaraní, who are captured by the cannibalistic Aimoré tribe but are rescued at the last moment. Alencar’s novel is ethnically evenhanded, including both good and bad Europeans and Indians.

The music of the overture clearly reflects Gomes’ studies in Italy and the strong influence of Verdi. Unfortunately, it does not attempt any musical exoticism that would give a sense of what people were singing or dancing to in Brazil at the time. It conforms to the typical Italian opera overture of the period with a slow, dramatic introduction, slow, aria-like middle section followed by a violent battle scene.

JOHN ADAMS(b. 1947)The Chairman Dances "Foxtrot for Orchestra"

John Adams is generally associated with minimalism, a style of composition pioneered by Terry Riley, Phillip Glass and Steve Reich in which short musical motives are repeated, although undergoing gradual transformations in melody, harmony or rhythm one note at a time. While repetition in the works of Riley, Glass and Reich can seem interminable, Adams adds more drama and musical direction, as well as a more accessible tonal and melodic language to his scores.

Born in Worcester, MA, Adams studied at Harvard University before settling in California. From 1979 to 1985, during his tenure as composer-in-residence with the San Francisco Symphony, , he established a fine reputation in the musical establishment with such works as Harmonium, settings of three poems by Emily Dickenson.

In 1987, Adams’s collaboration with stage director Peter Sellars catapulted him into international fame with the Grammy-winning opera Nixon in China, based on Richard Nixon’s breakthrough trip

Program Notes




in 1972. In 1991, Adams composed The Death of Klinghoffer, also based on an historical event, the terrorist murder of a passenger aboard a cruise ship. Not only did both works become the most performed contemporary operas in recent history, but they were also televised by PBS. Klinghoffer was filmed in 2003 on location in the Mediterranean aboard a cruise liner, the most authentic venue for the presentation of opera on film. In September of 2003 Adams succeeded Pierre Boulez as Composer in Residence at Carnegie Hall.

The Chairman Dances, composed in 1985, had been intended for Nixon in China but was dropped in the final version. According to Adams, it began as a foxtrot for Chairman Mao and his bride, Chiang Ch’ing (Jiang Qing), former movie star, firebrand, revolutionary, executioner, and architect of China’s calamitous Cultural Revolution.

Adams composed The Chairman Dances according to the following scenario: It is set in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People where Nixon is hosting a huge banquet for his Chinese counterpart:

“Chiang Ch’ing, a.k.a. Madame Mao, has gatecrashed the Presidential Banquet. She is first seen standing where she is most in the way of the waiters. After a few minutes, she brings out a box of paper lanterns and hangs them around the hall, then strips down to a cheongsam, skin-tight from neck to ankle and slit up to the hip. She signals the orchestra to play and begins dancing by herself. Mao is becoming excited. He steps down from his portrait on the wall and they begin."

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

Composer, educator and conductor Gustav Holst is known outside his native England essentially as a one-work composer. The Planets, composed between 1914 and 1916, gained him international fame, but he detested its popularity. As if to validate the composer’s feelings, snippets of its opulent music with its broad orchestral palette have also been favorite fodder for television commercials.

Holst came from a musical family and was taught the piano by his father. He was a precocious, but not a particularly healthy, child who started composing while in grammar school. As a teenager he developed neuritis in his right arm, forcing him to give up the piano, but he picked up the trombone as a cure for his asthma. At the Royal College of Music, which he entered in 1893, he continued with the trombone in addition to composition, and from 1897 to 1903 performed as a freelance trombonist, mostly with opera companies. The experience inspired him to write numerous works for brass band, including two Suites for Military Band and Hammersmith, the latter written for the BBC Military Band.

Holst was influenced by mysticism and developed his own individual blend of Indian music and English folksong. His early works were inspired by the Vedas, Sanskrit holy verses that he modified and adapted for his own compositions. In 1908 he wrote a chamber opera, Savitri, based on a story from the great Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.

A quiet, introverted person, for most of his life Holst devoted his musical efforts to teaching. From 1905 until his death he taught music at St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, where many of his compositions were written for the school’s orchestra and chorus. In 1906, on his doctor’s advice, he went on vacation to Algeria and bicycled in the desert. The experience was the inspiration for the orchestral work Beni Mora. When it was first performed in England, one critic complained, "We do not ask for Biskra dancing girls in Langham Place." Composer Ralph Vaughan Williams once noted that had the piece been premiered in Paris instead of England, it would have made Holst a household name some ten years earlier than his success with The Planets. In 1932 Holst was visiting lecturer in composition at Harvard; among his students was composer Elliott Carter.

The inspiration for The Planets was not astronomy, but astrology and alchemy, to which Holst was introduced in 1913, when he began studying the writing of the aptly named astrologer, Alan Leo. He attempted to depict in music the traditional astrological “personalities” and influences on the human body of the seven planets (Pluto was not discovered until 1930 and has now been demoted anyway.) His musical language was strongly influenced by the new developments in music at the time, especially by Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky and Edward Elgar.

Holst arranged the seven movements according to musical, not astronomical, criteria. Thus their arrangement does not correspond to their orbital distance from the sun:

1. “Mars, The Bringer of War:” This martial movement with its brutally percussive ostinato rhythm was indeed prescient, written a few months before the outbreak of World War I. According to Holst’s directions, it is to be played slightly faster than a regular march, to give it a mechanized and inhuman character.

2. “Venus, The Bringer of Peace.” This astrological portrait is typical of the andante movement in a four-movement symphony.

3. “Mercury, The Winged Messenger.” A scherzo with a perpetual motion rhythm and sparkling orchestration conforms to the popular image of Mercury in the F.T.D. Florist logo.


4. “Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity.” With its broad British folk-like melodies, this movement is strongly influenced by the music of Elgar. It bears, however, little relationship to the Greco-Roman king of the gods.

5. “Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age:” Holst considered the serene and subtle orchestration as the best of the movements.

6. “Uranus, The Magician.” This movement appears to owe its ostinato rhythm the march of the brooms in Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but there is a question whether Holst was familiar with Dukas’ tone poem. 7. “Neptune, The Mystic:” In this movement, Holst added wordless female voices, recalling Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe and Debussy’s "Sirènes” from Nocturnes. ••



Program Notes

THEATER ETIQUETTEQ: Is there a correct way to enter a partly occupied row of seats in a theater?

A. Scoot sideways with you knees slightly bent and your buttocks facing the person seated. In the event a theater patron refuses to stand or twist to the side to let you pass, try grinding your heel into the toe of the person seated.

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PORT CITY GROUP

Just a little tip from your friends at Port City Group.

Join us for three interactive concerts based on the books by Doreen Cronin. Original music is performed by WMS

musicians and a story teller takes you on a musical adventure. Along the way, you’ll meet the farm animals and learn about the musical concepts of dynamics, tempo and pitch in a way

that engages and entertains children and adults alike.

Musical Animals. Story Books. Moo Milk and Quackers.

A musical event for families produced by the West Michigan Symphony @ The Block

Tickets are available as a series or may be purchased individually for each story time event.

TICKETSADULTS: Single: $10 Series: $26

CHILDREN: (13 and under): Single: $5 Series: $11CHILDREN: (2 and under): Free

Seating is limited to 150, so call ahead and get your tickets! 231-726-3231 ext. 223

THE BLOCK2ND FLOOR, 360 W WESTERN AVE, MUSKEGON, MI 49440

Click Clack Moosic – What are DynamicsSeptember 27, 2014 :: 10:30 am

Giggle Giggle Quackle – What is TempoOctober 18, 2014 :: 10:30 am

Dooby Dooby Moosic – What is PitchNovember 15, 2014 :: 10:30 am

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