NOTESQuarter

Newsletter of the INterschool orchestras of New York • sprINg 2013

Symphonic Band Tours WashingtonThe Symphonic Band went on tour to Washington, D.C. over President’s Weekend, resuming ISO’s policy to take its top groups on tours to other cities. The heart of the tour was the Saturday afternoon spent in sectional rehearsals led by members of The United States Air Force Band at their superb facility at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. After the sectionals, Major Scott Guidry, director of operations for the band and one of its conductors, rehearsed them in Whitacre’s

Lux Aurumque. Band members enjoyed a New Orleans jazz concert at George Mason University Saturday night. Sunday started out with a tour of the Kennedy Center and sightseeing on the National Mall. Our students got to see democracy in action, when they encountered a demonstration near the Washington Monument. After a quick lunch, it was off to the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, a few blocks from the Capitol, for a concert. The Symphonic Band has never sounded better! Technical Sergeant Joseph M. Bello of the Air Force Band soloed on euphonium in “Nessun Dorma,” the famous tenor solo from Puccini’s Turandot, and conducted Incantation and Dance with great spirit. Major Guidry graciously conducted the Whitacre work in the concert. Paul Corn from Susan Wagner High School led the band in Markowski’s Elixir, and founder and conductor Brian Worsdale brought the band to new heights of excellence in many other works. A bowling party Sunday night and a visit on Monday to the National

Air and Space Museum rounded out the weekend. Many thanks to head chaperone Andrea Lynaugh, her right hand chaperone Margaret Rucci, and all the other chaperones: Edward Friedman, Sharon Kraus, Lyalya Logush, Diane and James McDonald, and Joseph Valentin. Most especially, thanks are due to Technical Sergeant Bello and Major Guidry for making the work with The U.S. Air Force Band members possible. And finally thanks to all of ISO’s supporters, who made it possible for ISO to subsidize 70% of the trips’ cost.nINSIDE

• Record Enrollment and Finan-cial Aid Level

• Gala Celebration Supports Student Participation

• Concerto Competition Winners featured in May at Symphony Space

• In Grateful Recognition

2 ISO Quarter Notes • Spring 2013

Record Enrollment and Financial Aid Level329 student musicians now perform with ISO’s ensembles! This is a record number in our 41-year history. The most growth has been in the entry-level orches-tras. In fact, there are so many students in these four groups that they can no longer fit together on the stage at Symphony Space. Instead, Queens East and Trinity Florentine Orchestras performed together and Turtle Bay and Morningside Orches-

tras paired up for the May performances. Not surprisingly, the amount of financial aid awarded also reached a record high: $108,000 in financial aid plus $87,000 in free tuition for Sym-phony students. ISO remains dedicated to making it possible for all children to play in an ISO ensemble, regardless of their families’ financial resources.n

Gala Celebration Supports Student ParticipationMore than $100,000 was brought in through donations and the silent auction at this year’s Gala Celebra-tion. ISO parents, Board of Directors, and other supporters made this happen when they gathered at Chelsea Piers on April 15. Proceeds from the event help make it possible for every child to have the ISO experience. Board member Viola Kanevsky chaired the event and helped make it fun as well as profitable. The evening had many highlights, among them ISO Education Award winner Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, speaking about how important his partici-pation in the Chicago Youth Orchestra

was to his development as a musician and as a human being. Similarly, ISO Distinguished Alumnus Award winner James Gaffigan, Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, spoke about how influential his ISO experience had been in his growth as a musician.

The entertainment was first class: Artistic Director Jeffrey Grogan led the ISO Symphony in accompanying the excellent young ballroom dancers from Dancing Classrooms and in rousing selections from Capriccio Espangol and American Salute. As a special treat for the orchestra and the guests, Maestro Gaf-figan took over the podium to lead them in the last two movements from Capriccio Espangol. The French Woods Jazz Ensemble directed by Paul Corn provided music for general dancing to close out the evening. Many thanks are due to everyone who worked so hard to make this evening a success.n

We would like to wish our heartfelt congratulations to the winners and participants in the 2013 ISO Concerto Competition on February 4th! The competition was a fantastic display of the depth of talent within our program. The winners of the competition are Amory Benjamin, cellist in the ISO Symphony, and Francis Fedora, cellist in the Concert Orchestra. Amory W. Benjamin began studying the cello with Yari Bond at the age of five as a student at the Special Music School, and he is currently a member of the Brooklyn Youth Music Project and the ISO Symphony. Amory is 15 years old and attends Bard High School Early College in Manhattan. Francis Fedora is 12 years old and attends sixth grade at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. He has played cello for six years and cur-rently studies with Evelyn Farny. Last summer, he attended Greenwood Music Camp and recently performed with the 9/11 Concert for Remembrance Orchestra and the Croton Chorale, where he is the youngest member of the orchestra. These two talented cellists performed solos with their respective orchestras on the concerts at Symphony Space in May.n

ISO Symphony Concerto Winners1st Place - Amory Benjamin, cello2nd Place - Claudius Agrippa, violinHonorable Mention - Jonah Murphy, flute, and Amanda Ryan, clarinet

Concerto Orchestra Concerto Winners1st Place - Francis Fedora, cello2nd Place - Caoimhe Boyle, viola

Concerto Competition Winners featured in May at Symphony Space

Amory Benjamin Francis Fedora

Photo: Adam Hume

James Gaffigan Anthony McGill Photo: Franca Pedrazzetti Photo: Katie Smith

3www.isorch.org

This list includes gifts made between May 1, 2012 and May 10, 2013. If we have accidentally omitted your name, please contact us so we can make a correction. The InterSchool Orchestras of New York’s programs are made possible in part with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and many generous foundations and individuals.

MAESTRO - $10,000 and aboveAchelis and Bodman FoundationsThe Dreitzer FoundationThe Heckscher Foundation for

Children New York City Dept. of Cultural AffairsAlfred and Jane Ross Foundation

CONCERTMASTER - $5,000 - $9,99942nd Street Development Corporation Irene BareauThe Bay and Paul Foundations, Inc.Etty and Jacob BoussoEdith C. Blum Foundation, Inc.Viola Kanevsky and Douglas DingerThe New-Land Foundation Inc.New York Electrical Power Services LLCMrs. Peter NicholasSperry, Mitchell & Company, Inc.Kara Unterberg

BENEFACTOR - $3,000- $4,999Elaine and Edward AltmanExploring the Arts, Inc.Becky and David GochmanBrenda and Christoph KuehneParish of Trinity ChurchSulabha and Nirav PatelPECO FoundationRita Rack and Jean-Christophe AgnewElaine Sisman and Martin FridsonBarbara and Billy T. Tracy, Jr.Youth Foundation, Inc.

PATRON - $1,000 - $2,999Betsy AldermanStacy and Paul AllenValerie and Allan BrownLori Cohen and Christopher RothkoD’Addario FoundationTamara and Jerome DowneyEuromoney Trading LimitedAudrey and Andrew FeinerMrs. Michel FribourgCarmel and Brett FromsonBarbara GoodGreen-Wood Historic Fund Dr. and Mrs. Anthony GriecoAlys Kremer Grossman and Arthur

GrossmanSoon & Chung HanTulita HumeJ&AR FoundationMr. and Mrs. Peter Jakes

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.Katten Muchin Rosenman FoundationMr. and Mrs. Stuart KovenskyDianne LaBasse and Alan SegetNancy LeeLoan Syndications and Trading

Association, Inc.Simone Vinocour McKeever and Kevin

McKeeverCynthia and Simon MencherJ. Craig OxmanFabienne Peyrat and Farboud TavangarPaula and Michael RantzJanet C. RossJacqui Rubin and Matthew HealeyRita F. SalzmanPhilip and Lynn Straus FoundationTurnaround Management AssociationJames WongZegar Family Foundation

SPONSOR - $500 - $999 Vanessa and Uri BenhamronCarol and Richard BinkowskiDeborah Brown and Eric PloumisAnne P. CabotMr. and Mrs. Benjamin CardozoGwendolyn Conners and Mark ZadroznyLenore DavisDaniel DeSienaColette DouglasMr. and Mrs. Marc FoxPerry & Donna Golkin Family FoundationLorraine GraceHSBC Philanthropic ProgramsTracy and Steve LandauerNancy Lau and Kenneth ChinMaggie Levine and Bruce UpbinAnthony McGillBoaz MoragMargaret Nelson and Willard S. MooreMr. and Mrs. Bruce L. PaisnerJonathan and Madelaine PielRobin and Fred SeibertPatricia Bakwin SelchEleanor SheldonPriscilla & Matthew SnyderEdith and James B. SwireWaddy ThompsonFrank C. WilkinsonMidge Woolsey and Jerry StoltDeborah Yeoh and Kenneth Wang

FRIEND - $300 - $499Grace Chang Bae and Andrew BaeLeonora Bloom

Seunghee and Youngik ChoiCharles Cosler Theatre Design Inc.Julia and Shelley HartmanGita and Hardeep JoharMr. and Mrs. Stephen KippurDr. and Mrs. Robert PalmerEleanor Jackson PielAnnabelle F. PragerShauna Quill and Mark Maupin Valerie and Walter SimsonJoan WarburgHenrietta and David WhitcombVanessa and John C. WilcoxOak Joo and Chee Yap

CONTRIBUTOR - Up to $299Dr. Lynn M. AckermanRuth and Yves AdesAIG Matching Grants Program Charles J. Alexander, Jr.Ruth S. AltmanMargot AstrachanJudith BachleitnerSonia and John BattenBCLLP FoundationSylvia BelskyJoanne Bernstein-Cohen and David

CohenSusan S. BingerAllison BlinkenYolanda BorrasDavid BoussoJoseph BoussoNeal BrilliantDeborah Buck and Anthony MazzocchiAlice BurkinshawMary and Bradford BurnhamCathy and David CarlsonOctavio and Dianna ChoiSandra and Alan CohenLynette ConnellyColleen Conway and David CarrBarbara CrabtreeMargo CrabtreeThomas CrawfordJoan K. DavidsonVirginia DimseyTheresa and Jerry DolakHelen and Peter DuboisHazel DukeDonald ElliottConnie and Michael ErlangerLisa and Frank EspositoBeth Fisher and Harvey HimelCeleste FordJennifer W. Fowler

Genevieve FraimanPamela C. FrascaJames GaffiganSusan GellertEva GerardGiuseppe GerbinoMariko & Kurt GharbiHarrison GiovannelliRoni and Ken GoldbergKenneth GoldmanPaula N. GoodmanHayley GorenbergAndrew GrantMargaret P. GregoryFelicia Grumet and Mitchell

Levine Pamela and Theodore Neil

Harrington Mr. and Mrs. Gurnee F. HartMrs. William HillyerMrs. Fletcher HodgesJane HollanderChristine Ausnit HoodDavid D. HumeJeannie and Robert HwangIBM International FoundationFrederick Jacobi, Jr.Penelope Johnston-FooteErica and Bill KeirsteadBeatrice A. Klier Charles KlihrSandra Klihr-Beall and John BeallRoberta Koenigsberg and Joseph

GiovannelliCheryl Kohn and Harry GelbJudith Kostman and Charles SternbergSharon Kraus and Brian MurphyBetsy Krebs and Sheldon Stein Nina La BrunaKim and Brian LandzbergSusan LardnerJulia R. LeeDegna Levister and Steven BenjaminThe Mortimer Levitt FoundationMarion and Gerald LevyEllin LiebmannClara and Bevis LongstrethRobert A. LowLeah MaddrieJill Fine MainelliSusan R. Malloy Peter and Gail MarcusJenny MasurHenriette MontgomeryRichard E. MooneyDan and Maria Moore

Carmel Murphy and Emmanuel BoyleMr. & Mrs. Paul NarayananCoco and Richard NeelMary Ellis NeviusThe Maury Newburger FoundationMary Ann Nichols-Kallus and Juda Kallus Sidney and Avodah OffitConstance OldMargaret and Jeremiah OrdwayEstelle ParsonsRosa and Alberto PerezMr. and Mrs. Stowe C. PhelpsGreg PiersonSusan and Robert PostJonathan PragerDon PreateBrooke Kamin Rapaport and Richard

RapaportRegina RheinsteinNancy RhodesJoanne Robinson and Adam PomerantzAviva Rohde and Brian HigginsMr. and Mrs. Charles Rubens, II Elizabeth RuffinoRosalie and Jesus SanchezMr. and Mrs. Geminiano SanzHeather Sasaki-Parker and Thomas ParkerLinda and Donald SchapiroMary C. SchlosserMargaret SchofieldKaren and Duane SchremppKathleen & Stephan SciortinoSusan SeigleElizabeth and David ShermanMei Shibata and Jun ShimadaMr. and Mrs. David SicherFred SieselFrank SteindlerJames SteinerMeg StillmanAdrian and Daniel SummaAnna and Robert TaggartEthel and Sheldon Tashman Cornelia and Erik ThomsenDeborah Van Buren and David GourevitchMr. and Mrs. Jeffrey VenhoRegina A. WeichertJames L. WeinbergMr. and Mrs. Ira WenderSusan and Jeff WinnYukiko and Daisuke YanaseRachel and Israel ZizovLloyd Zuckerberg and Charlotte TriefusKate Zuckerman and Simon Lipskar

In Grateful RecognitionISO gratefully recognizes all those whose support makes its programs possible, including parents who support ISO through tuition payments and especially those listed below who have made gifts to insure that the ISO experience is avail-able to every young musician.

ISO Board of DirectorsAnnabelle F. Prager, FounderBarbara B. Tracy, PresidentJane Ross, Executive Vice PresidentCarmel Fromson, Vice PresidentCynthia Mencher, TreasurerJacob Bousso, SecretaryBetsy AldermanEdward I. AltmanDavid BernardEtty BoussoAllan A. BrownTheresa DolakMartin S. FridsonEva GerardMaria Herrera-ChomnalezViola KanevskyPearl LauBeatrice MitchellGretchen NicholasJ. Craig OxmanWilliam Pinzler, Esq.Adrian RossAlfred RossRita F. SalzmanRonald SchaeferSally Smith

Advisory CouncilDavid BernardJoanne Bernstein-CohenDeborah BuckChristopher ColettiThomas CrawfordMatt DineTim FainJames GaffiganStefán Ragnar HöskuldssonLowell LiebermannLydia KontosLee KoonceAnthony MazzocchiAnthony McGillCraig MummMary Ann MummTito MuñozBärli NugentMark O’ConnorJulie RulyakMidge Woolsey

ISO Staff Waddy Thompson, Executive DirectorJeffrey Grogan, Artistic DirectorGary Tigner, Program DirectorCarlie Kilgore, Development & Program AssociateRobert Randazzo, Orchestra Administrator

Jonathan Strasser, Music Director Emeritus

Design & Layout by Concepcion Design Studio

Photo credits:Amory Benjamin photo – Adam HumeFrancis Fedora photo – Dave WeilandWashington DC/Air Force photos - Senior Airman Bahja Joi Jones

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