2024-25 Concert Season Magazine

BOZEMAN SYMPHONY

Music that moves us . . . 2024-25 CONCERT SEASON

Since its establishment in 1964, Old Main Gallery has been a fixture to Historic Downtown Bozeman, Montana.

Through evocative and engaging exhibitions, workshops & lectures, the gallery’s goal is to provide Gallatin Valley and beyond with a holistic understanding of and appreciation for contemporary locally based fine art.

IRONS RED STAR

JACKSON JOHNS

Huynh Bozeman Symphony

BOZEMAN SYMPHONY 2024-25 Season

ABOUT THE SYMPHONY

Leadership Message

Mission and Successes

History of the Bozeman Symphony

Board, Ambassadors, and Staff

Maestro’s Message

Music Director Norman Huynh

Orchestra Map

Orchestra Roster

Orchestra Musician Spotlight: Madeleine Folkerts .

Interim Symphonic Choir Director Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini

Symphonic Choir Roster

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Symphonic Choir Musician Spotlight: Ellen Stephenson 26

VENUES

Willson Auditorium, Holy Rosary Catholic Church, & Hope Lutheran Church Seat Maps

FEATURE ARTICLES

Makeever Family .

Community Partnerships

PERFORMANCES

Enhance Your Experience

Classical Series: Classical Concert Series Timeline .

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KISHI BASHI AND THE BOZEMAN SYMPHONY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2025 - 2:30 PM Kishi Bashi Feature

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025 – 10:30 AM & 1 PM

BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO WITH CARRIE KRAUSE

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 – 2:30 PM

THE STONES SANG: CELEBRATING THE LAND

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 - 2:30 PM

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Percussionist Dana Dominguez Feature

A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: VERDI, SIMON, IVES

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025 – 2:30 PM

SEASON FINALE: PABLO RETURNS AND COPLAND’S THIRD SYMPHONY

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025 – 2:30 PM

OPENING WEEKEND: RACHMANINOFF’S THIRD PIANO CONCERTO

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 – 2:30 PM

THE RHYTHMS OF BEETHOVEN, ROSSINI, AND AKIHO

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2024 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2024 – 2:30 PM Andy Akiho Feature

MOZART’S REQUIEM .

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024 - 7:30 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 - 2:00 PM Bozeman Symphonic Choir Series Series Description

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2024 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024 - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2024 - 2:30 PM

Paige Rasmussen Feature

KORNGOLD’S VIOLIN CONCERTO

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2025 - 2:30 PM

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SUPPORTERS

2023-24 Individual Sponsors, Donors, Foundations

2024-25 Individual Sponsors, Donors, Foundations to date

Hannah Giese

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Maren Marchesini, Choir & Elizabeth Schmidt, Horn

Nathan Hallauer, Viola

Dear Friends and Supporters:

With great excitement and anticipation, we are thrilled to welcome you to the Bozeman Symphony’s 57th season. As we embark on another year of extraordinary music and unforgettable performances, we are filled with gratitude for the unwavering support and enthusiasm from all of you, our valued community.

Led by the talented Maestro Norman Huynh, our exceptional musicians are prepared to deliver performances that will move, uplift, and captivate you. In response to the growing demand for more music, we have expanded our Classical Concert series to seven concert weekends, including a special performance by Bozeman favorite Pablo Sáinz-Villegas to conclude our season.

Our “Bozeman Symphony Presents” concerts will feature local singer-songwriter Paige Rasmussen at our Holiday Spectacular and a unique presentation on Valentine’s weekend with the gifted songwriter and former Bozeman resident Kishi Bashi, joining us as our Artist-in-Residence. We look forward to creating memorable experiences with him during his time here.

We are also excited to announce our expanded Symphonic Choir concerts, including a special performance of the Mozart Requiem at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in November, as well as a choir presentation in April curated by our Interim Choir Director Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini at Hope Lutheran Church. Throughout the season, we will continue to host special events and community engagement programs across Southwestern Montana, aimed at making the magic of music more accessible to all. From offering educational initiatives to presenting free public performances, we remain committed to enriching lives through the power of music.

None of our successes or our growth would be possible without the generous support of our donors, sponsors, and patrons. Your contributions enable us to continue bringing world-class music to Bozeman and nurturing the next generation of musicians and music lovers. Thank you for believing in our mission and for being an integral part of our symphony family.

Here’s to a season of inspiration, joy, and extraordinary music that moves us towards new horizons!

Jacob Blaser Executive Director

Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Choir

Ben Phinney Board Chair

Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Choir

Strategic Growth Plan

Music that Us…

The Bozeman Symphony is growing! Embarking on a dynamic five-year vision, we are dedicated to elevating our thriving community and fully embracing our mission to engage, unite, and uplift the human experience in Montana through music and the arts.

Celebrating four years of record-breaking success, the Bozeman Symphony is thrilled to announce the extension of Maestro Norman Huynh’s tenure as Music Director through the 2028-29 season! Maestro Huynh’s devoted leadership ensures our sustained musical excellence and acts as a catalyst for the expansion of our repertoire, introducing exciting and varied musical programming.

Throughout the coming seasons, we aspire to augment the transformative power of music by expanding our classical concerts and popular programming, investing in our musicians and staff, and broadening our impact through innovative engagements beyond the concert hall.

The Bozeman Symphony remains committed to nurturing artistic excellence, cultivating a passion for music in the next generation, and igniting the collective spirit of our community to cultivate a distinctive Montana sound through the enduring power of music.

YEAR 1: Music that Us… to New Musical Horizons

In the inaugural year of our progressive journey, we pledge the following significant advancements:

C ONC E RT EX PAN S IO N

Responding to the growing demand from our avid classical audience, we will introduce a new seventh classical concert to our season, enhancing the depth of our musical offerings. We will also revitalize and expand choir performances with the orchestra.

C OMM U NI T Y IM PAC T

The Bozeman Symphony is committed to enriching the lives of community residents. We plan to more than education and community engagement s in area libraries, schools, and healthcare facilities. Additionally, we will support local music educators, mentoring music classes and instilling a deeper understanding and engagement with music among the younger generation.

C OLL A BOR AT IO N ON A F U TURE H OM E

The Bozeman Symphony faces an exciting and unprecedented challenge: our audience has outgrown our current home Actively exploring partnerships with other regional arts organizations, we are working towards the realization of a new community performing arts center--a shared space where creativity can flourish.

Norman Huynh

YEARS 2–5: Music that Us… to Shape the Montana Sound

Building upon our Year One initiatives, we aspire to extend our impact through a series of strategic goals while honoring the history of our region and welcoming present and future generations.

EX PAND SU M MER PRESE N C E

Increasing our ongoing commitment to uplifting the community, we will expand our concerts into the summer season, introducing a broader range of repertoire and diverse programming for rich and varied musical experiences. Additionally, we will extend our voice and outreach across the state, broadening our reach and sharing our musical talents with new audiences.

SU P P OR TI NG MUSICI A N S

As part of our dedication to supporting our talented musicians, we will recognize their invaluable contributions by increasing their pay, which is currently among the lowest in the country. Expanding musicians’ professional development funds and establishing salaried positions for a concertmaster and core orchestra musicians will elevate the caliber and artistic cohesion of our ensemble.

UP L I F T M ON TA N A

To broaden our impact and extend our reach, we will build upon the success of existing education and community engagement programs by actively developing innovative programs for all ages across the region. Nurturing the creativity of young minds, we will provide additional access to music and establish a young composers’ workshop to foster the next generation of musical talent and creativity.

IN V E S T I N O P ER ATION A L E XC E LL EN C E

Allocating resources to strengthen our concert production, marketing, and development teams will enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, ensuring a seamless professional, innovative experience for both musicians and audiences.

Move With Us

Join us on this exhilarating journey as we shape the Montana Sound and help it reach new heights. Together, we can leave an indelible mark on the vibrant spirit of Bozeman and Montana.

Explore/discover opportunities to support Symphony and be a vital force in propelling our vision forward. Visit today and join us in shaping a future where the power of music unites us all.

Together, we will forge a future where the Montana Sound echoes far and wide, across the land.

Bozeman Symphony

402 East Main Street, Suite 202 Bozeman, MT 59715

Mark your calendars for the 50th anniversary of our Creative Arts Complex: October 3 – 5, 2024!

This fall we are excited to celebrate our long legacy of supporting studio-based learning, critical study, and public art through our Schools of Art, Architecture, Film & Photography, Music, and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Everyone can engage with the arts. Join us as we Dream Out Loud!

Fans of the Bozeman Symphony will want to join us for a concert on October 3rd with Montana’s own award-winning composers and musicians, Dr. Eric Funk and Dr. Philip Aaberg . The concert is a fundrasier for student scholarships in the MSU School of Music.

–Use this QR code to find our calendar of upcoming events and purchase tickets for the concert.

Above: Dr. Eric Funk Below: Dr. Philip Aaberg

Design by Carson Cutler, BFA ‘26

HISTORY OF THE BOZEMAN SYMPHONY

This season, the Bozeman Symphony proudly celebrates its 57th year of delivering extraordinary live music to the Gallatin Valley and beyond.

Founded in 1968, the Bozeman Symphony Society emerged from the earlier Montana State University Symphony Orchestra, establishing itself as a collaborative community orchestra for the people of the Gallatin Valley. An integral part of the valley, the Bozeman community has grown and changed, and so has the Bozeman Symphony. Today, the Symphony enjoys a strong partnership with the School of Music at MSU, with both institutions sharing resources to foster musical growth and development.

The Symphony’s inaugural season, which featured four concerts, was met with enthusiastic success, drawing a total audience of 2,500 people. Since its inception, the Bozeman Symphony Society has been guided by an elected board of directors. This board oversees the music director and executive director, sets policies, and seeks financial support to present live symphonic music throughout the region. The founding board members recognized the potential of the Symphony, highlighting the talent of the passionate musicians and staff within the organization.

In a noteworthy moment during the Symphony’s third season, Mayor Don Langohr, Jr., declared “Symphony Week,” praising the organization for its role in enriching the cultural life of the Bozeman area.

As we celebrate the Symphony’s impact over the years, we reflect on a legacy marked by musical excellence and community involvement. The Bozeman Symphony Orchestra continues to play a vital role in enhancing the cultural landscape of our region, inspiring future generations, and highlighting the profound influence of music in our lives.

Bozeman Symphony on the stage of The Ellen Theatre, early 1970s. Image from Collection 2379, Bozeman Symphony records, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections, Montana State University Library

MILESTONES:

1968: The Bozeman Symphony was founded. Creech Reynolds was the founding music director of the Symphony and Lowell Hickman led the Symphonic Choir.

1968: The first concert was on November 24, 1968, at The Ellen Theatre, with special guest, Jan Peerce, a Tenor soloist. The Ellen Theatre would continue to be the performance home of the Symphony until 1984.

1982: Creech Reynolds, Karl Overby, Lowell Hickman, and Alan Leech rotated the role of Music Director.

1983: Karl Overby, Lowell Hickman, and Alan Leech rotated the role of Music Director.

1984: Willson Auditorium became the official performance hall.

1985: Lowell Hickman was named Music Director.

1986: Bill Rost was named Music Director.

1990: Elizabeth Sellers was named conductor. She was the first nonMontana State University faculty member to direct the Symphony and the first female symphony director in Montana.

1992: The Far Afield program was established, taking Bozeman Symphony chamber ensembles to rural communities, and presenting free performances.

1993: The first Fourth Grade Concert was presented, filling the Willson Auditorium with 800 students representing 13 schools from Bozeman, Livingston, Gardiner, and Mammoth Hot Springs to see and hear live symphonic music.

1994: Matthew Savery was named Music Director.

1998: The New York Times identifies the Symphony and culture in Bozeman. Marco Ferro was named Symphonic Choir Director.

2002: For the first time, the season was sold-out so second performances were added to each concert weekend. The Family Dress Rehearsal Pass and Rush tickets were introduced.

2008: Russell Milburn and Gary Hammond both led the Symphonic Choir.

2011: Jon Harney was named Symphonic Choir Director.

2019: The Symphony launched a search for a new Music Director. Candidates were Stefan Sanders, Andrew Crust, Norman Huynh, Wesley Schulz, and Thomas Heuser, and they rotated through the season.

2020: Norman Huynh was named the new Music Director. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular orchestra season was canceled. New programming was adapted during this time and included livestreamed concerts with strings and soloists; “Ranch Around” concerts in outdoor venues; and the “Current Commotion” series to feature new music.

2022: For the first time, a third performance was added to a concert series. Ryan Tani was named Symphonic Choir Director.

2023: A fourth performance was added to a concert series for the first time. Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini, the second woman to hold an artistic leadership role with the Symphony, became the Interim Symphonic Choir Director.

2024: Expanded education and community engagement programs were launched, including Symphony Storytime in partnership with the Bozeman Public Library, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and Human Resources Development Council Head Start. Maestro Huynh signed a contract to conduct the Symphony for another five years. The Symphony’s first fiveyear strategic growth plan was announced.

In 1972, with Symphony Society Board of Directors President Col. Lavern Hutchins and Society Corresponding Secretary Barbara Ruth Agocs, MSU art major Jim Doyle displays a symbol he designed for the Bozeman Symphony Society.

BOARD AND STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

Ben Phinney Chair

Executive & Personal Coach 2019-22; 2022-25

Tamara Havenhill-Jacobs Vice-Chair Chief Information Officer 2021-24; 2024-27

Kenneth May Vice-Chair

Corporate Executive (Ret.) 2021-24; 2024-27

Tom Bray Secretary Journalist, (Ret.) 2021-24; 2024-27

Liz Richards

Treasurer Asset Manager 2023-26

Directors

Paul Bertelli Architect 2024-27

Gary Kachadurian Real Estate Advisor 2021-24; 2024-27

Gary Kunis

Former Chief Science Officer 2022-25

Dr. Ilse-Mari Lee

Dean & Professor of Music (Ret.) 2023-26

Skye Raiser

Environmental Consultant & Photographer 2022-25

Dr. Charles Rinker

Surgeon (Ret.) 2019-22; 2022-23; 2023-26

Robert Ritchie

Insurance Industry CEO 2021-24; 2024-27

Michael Schmidt Financial Advisor 2023-26

Ex officio Members

Jill McJunkin

Software Engineer

Orchestra Representative

Rick Ojala

Commercial Real Estate

Choir Representative

AMBASSADORS

Officers

Kippy Sands, Chair

Stephen Schachman, Chair

Skye Raiser, Board

Members

Sharon & Michael Beehler

Robyn & Orville Erlenbush

Donald B. Gimbel

Carol G. & Sal Lalani

Ileana Indreland & Mike Delaney

David Perlin

Ritva Porter

David Sands

Laura & Cliff Schutter

Dennis Wentz, M.D. & Anne Colston

Wentz, M.D.

Renée & Stuart Westlake

ADMINISTRATION

Jacob Blaser

Executive Director

Norman Huynh

Music Director

Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini

Interim Symphonic Choir Director

Eliese Besemer

Patron Services Manager

Cherí Ladd LeCain

Development Associate

Dr. Matthew Makeever

Concert Manager/Librarian

Megan McFadden

Box Office Manager

Amelia Murnane

Front of House Manager

Peggy Stebbins

Marketing and Communications Manager

Cierra Wallace

Education and Community Engagement Coordinator

Amy Wright

Orchestra Personnel Manager

MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTORS

Design

Jason Johnson

Alexa Wildung

Brook Froelich

Prime, Incorporated

Photography

Jimmy Michaels

Last Best Films

Program Notes

Elizabeth Schwartz Editor/Writer

Mary Howard, CRPC® Portfolio Manager First Vice President Financial Advisor 2200 West Main Street | Bozeman, MT 59718 406-522-2046 • mary.e.howard@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/mary.e.howard MT Insurance Lic.#3000567640 NMLS #1842860

MAESTRO’S MESSAGE

Welcome friends, subscribers, and new patrons to our 2024-25 season! Our theme is Music that Moves Us, showcasing extraordinary programming, renowned guest artists, and beloved symphonic masterpieces.

As I begin my fifth year as Music Director, I’m thrilled to extend my commitment for another five years, taking us through the 2028-29 season. Bozeman’s arts and culture scene and the BSO’s unfolding potential continue to be a deep inspiration for me and my family. The next five years hold great promise, especially with our strategic growth plan that will allow us to explore new artistic horizons, increase wages for our musicians, deepen our impact in the community, and dream about building a new concert hall for this community and our beloved musicians.

I feel privileged to lead this organization alongside a dedicated Board of Directors and a remarkable administrative team. As we embark on this season, I look forward to creating unforgettable musical experiences with you. All of us at the Bozeman Symphony and Symphonic Choir deeply enjoy what we do and hope our passion resonates with you at each performance.

Norman Huynh Music Director

MUSIC DIRECTOR Norman Huynh

American conductor Norman Huynh has attracted significant acclaim not just for his natural musicality and technical command, but for his dynamic presence, creative programming, and highly soughtafter abilities to connect with new audiences.

Having served as the Music Director of the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra for the past four years, Norman has now committed to extending his tenure through the 2028-29 season. Since arriving in Bozeman in 2020, the organization has celebrated record success, growing from 881 to more than 1,300 subscribers in just two seasons, with over 200 percent growth in ticket revenue, and numerous sold-out shows. In 2021, the Symphony expanded its performance season with a sixth classical concert and now a seventh in 2024. During his tenure, Norman has welcomed a wide and diverse range of special guests and created artistic partnerships with several local artists and arts

organizations, establishing himself as an invaluable collaborative partner in Bozeman.

Recognized for his dynamic and authoritative conducting style and enthusiastic advocacy for the arts, Norman has been instrumental in redefining the Bozeman Symphony’s artistic direction. His innovative programming reflects the diverse community it serves and his unique ability to connect audiences has significantly enriched their classical music listening experience.

Norman’s influence extends beyond Bozeman. With a distinguished career as a guest conductor, his past and future guest appearances include his sold-out subscription debut with the New York Philharmonic, as well as appearances with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Britt Music & Arts Festival.

With an expansive repertoire that spans from the Baroque to the 21st century, Norman shows great prowess as an insightful collaborative musician. He has conducted concerts featuring renowned, multi-award-winning stars throughout the world of classical music, as well as artists from the genres of R&B, hip-hop, and pop. These include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Augustin Hadelich; bassist Edgar Meyer; guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas; composers Kevin Puts, Andy Akiho, and Phillip Glass; singer/songwriters Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight; rappers, musicians, and actors Leslie Odom Jr., Wyclef Jean, and Nas; indie and folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov; and pop groups such as Pink Martini and Boyz II Men. In addition, Norman has received considerable acclaim for his work conducting orchestral performances of live film soundtracks, ranging from An American in Paris to Harry Potter films.

A proud first-generation AsianAmerican, Norman’s passion for engaging new audiences reflects his entry point to classical music as a 12-year-old “band geek” trombonist in Alabama. The euphonium player turned maestro continues to find passion in exploring new ways to create similar opportunities for others. In 2015, Norman and the Portland Symphony Orchestra earned the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award, awarded “in recognition of innovative approaches to music education.”

Norman previously served as the Associate Conductor of the Oregon Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra. He was a featured conductor in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview alongside the Louisiana Philharmonic. He was also selected for private mentorship by the late maestro Kurt Masur as a prestigious Felix MendelssohnBartholdy Scholarship recipient.

Norman resides in Bozeman with his wife, Catherine Young, and son, Romeo. He enjoys stargazing, board games, and riding his motorcycle.

ORCHESTRA MAP

STRINGS

PERCUSSION

BRASS

WOODWINDS

BOZEMAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN

Carrie Krause, Concertmaster

Lina Saleh, Principal 2nd

Claudia Albrecht

Noah Certalic

Sarah Church

Richard Ferguson

Cherí Ladd LeCain*

Chelsea Lind

Megan McFadden

Jill McJunkin

Jihye Sung

Amy Wright*

VIOLA

Anna Jesaitis, Principal

Jodi Allison-Bunnell

Nathan Hallauer

Ashleigh Snider

CELLO

Chandra Lind, Principal

Cayley Hunt

Charlie Martin

Bärbel Pafford

Julia Slovarp*

Lisa Woidtke

BASS

April Cooper

Tristyn Fleming

Max Johnson

Cortney Peres

W. Scott Stebbins

Samantha Vetter

HARP

Angela Espinosa, Principal FLUTE

Sierra Schmeltzer, Co-principal

Emily Claman, Co-principal

Sue Makeever

OBOE

Sandy Stimson, Principal

Justine Grasl

ENGLISH HORN

Mateo Mendez

CLARINET

Wendy Bickford, Principal

Gregory Young

BASSOON

Nicholas Ober, Principal

Sam Macken

HORN

Madeleine Folkerts, Principal

Elizabeth Schmidt, Associate Principal

Michael Sgrecci

TRUMPET

Sarah Stoneback, Principal

Daniel Wood

Jerry Makeever

TROMBONE

Jeannie Little, Principal

Michael Dolin, Associate Principal

BASS TROMBONE

Lisa Stoneham

TUBA

Donald Kronenberger, Principal TIMPANI

Jeffrey H. Vick, Principal

PERCUSSION

Mark Brown

Kristofer Olsen

Stephen Versaevel

KEYBOARD

Laurel Yost, Principal

*On Leave

MUSIC FOR EVERY MONTANA COMMUNITY!

World Class Chamber Ensembles Education Outreach for Children and Adults

2024-2025 SEASON FEATURES:

Aizuri Quartet, Dover Quartet, Westerlies, Elena Urioste & Tom Poster, Angella Ahn & William Hagen with Albert Cano Smit

MONTANA CHAMBER MUSIC

Season Subscriptions and Individual Tickets Available at www.montanachambermusic.org

Michael Beehler, Bass I, & Sasha

Hallie Echols, Soprano I

Sandy Stimson, Oboe

Orchestra Musician Spotlight: Madeleine Folkerts

Distinguished Principal Horn with a Passion for Music and Adventure

Known for her outstanding technique and captivating tone, Principal Horn Madeleine Folkerts has dazzled Bozeman Symphony audiences with her playing.

Madeleine enjoys being a part of the Bozeman Symphony’s vibrant horn and brass sections and relishes the opportunity to perform dynamic repertoire with them in front of Bozeman audiences. “I love the collaborative spirit with the symphony,” Madeleine shared. “Everyone is dedicated, and we have ample opportunities to showcase our talents.” She commends the symphony’s conductor, Norman Huynh, for his innovative ideas, effective leadership, and ability to elevate the orchestra with each rehearsal.

Looking forward to the upcoming season, Madeline is excited to perform Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, a piece that kicks off with a resounding horn call.

Madeleine’s musical journey began at just three years old when she embarked on piano lessons that continued through high school. Her interest in music led her to take up the trumpet in fifth grade, but it wasn’t until she heard the enchanting soundtrack of Hedwig’s Theme while engrossed in Harry Potter that she discovered her true passion for the horn. “I was captivated by it and knew instantly that the horn was the instrument for me,” she recalled. The turning point came during her 11th-grade performance of Brahms Symphony No. 1, solidifying her decision to dedicate her life to horn playing.

Originally from western Washington, Madeleine was a member of the Tacoma Youth Symphony during her high school years. She was featured as a concerto soloist with the St. Olaf Orchestra twice during her senior year. Later, she expanded her horizons as part of the prestigious National

Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado, in both 2017 and 2023.

At St. Olaf College, Madeleine excelled and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in music performance and psychology and neuroscience. Under the mentorship of Minnesota Orchestra Associate Principal Horn Herb Winslow, she refined her skills while participating in various musical ensembles, including the band, orchestra, and wind quartet. Despite being on the brink of enrolling in graduate school seven years ago, Madeleine instead moved to Montana after winning the audition to perform with the Great Falls Symphony and Chinook Winds Quartet. After seven seasons in Great Falls, Madeleine is moving to Missoula to pursue new opportunities.

Fueled by her passion for music, Madeleine immersed herself in a plethora of activities from teaching private horn and piano lessons to coaching a brass quartet and accompanying students in solo and ensemble. Embracing her love for teaching, she now imparts her wealth of expertise as a horn instructor at the University of Montana, nurturing the next generation of musicians. Additionally, she has plans to establish a teaching studio in Missoula.

When not captivating audiences with her horn playing, Madeleine finds solace and excitement in nature. Whether seeking the adrenaline rush of playing hockey, the peaceful solitude of mountain biking, or the breathtaking views of rock climbing, skiing, backpacking, and hiking, she thrives in the great outdoors. Her faithful and spirited companion, Beasley, a 65-pound hound, has been by her side since April 2020, adding an extra layer of joy to her adventures. Madeleine carries a red plastic horn in her bag during her excursions and weaves music into her adventures whenever possible by drawing it out and creating a symphony of harmonious melodies inspired by nature.

Interim Symphonic Choir Director Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini

Maren Haynes Marchesini, a prominent choral conductor with a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology, brings her passion for artistry and interdisciplinary collaboration to the Bozeman Symphonic Choir as interim choir director in the 2023-25 seasons.

With over a decade of experience leading various musical ensembles and choirs, Maren’s musical expertise and dedication to excellence are evident in her directorships of the Carroll College Choirs, Lady Choir Treble Choir, Ironhorse Youth Choir and Camerata Orchestra, and various church music ensembles.

Maren earned her doctorate at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she studied with esteemed musicians from around the world, and her B.A. in Cello Performance from Whitworth University in Spokane. While at UW, she received recognition for her scholarly work, earning a nomination for the Graduate School Distinguished Dissertation Award for her outstanding doctoral thesis.

Maren maintains an active scholarly presence, publishing and presenting globally on music, community, ritual, and identity. She has also shared her musical talents as a music faculty member at various institutions, including Montana State University and Carroll College.

In addition to her roles in academia and conducting, Maren is actively involved in supporting young artists through her work on the Board of the Kaj Seifert Foundation for Aspiring Young Artists. She also finds time to pursue her musical interests, playing cello with the acoustic folk duo Hemispheres and singing with the Roots in the Sky Chamber Choir.

As a Bozeman native, Maren has deep roots in the community and serves as the Director of Music and Worship at Hope Lutheran Church. Alongside her husband, Michael, and sons Asa and Kaj, she is grateful to call the Gallatin Valley home.

LA BRASSERIE

BOZEMAN SYMPHONIC CHOIR

Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini, Conductor

SOPRANO I

Beth Campbell

Amy Carlson

Katie Catlett

Melanie Cutietta

Hallie Echols

Katrina Fabricius

Kate Gardner

Maria Griffing

Beth Hilles

Hailey Holmquist

Melody Jackson

Nicole Jordan

Katlin Marsh

Michelle Maurer

Carole McClean

Julie Nygren

Sandy Osborne

Tamilla Simpson

Abigail Tidlow-Tranel

SOPRANO II

Shayna Armer

Sharon Beehler

Lila Cebulla

Valerie Cox

Deborah Haynes

Hannah McMaster

Rose Philips

Marsha Ross

Mary Ruebush

Gayatri Sabne

Deborah Schuerr

Hadley Stonecipher

Sara Williams

Grace Zabrocki

Suzy VanderVos *

ALTO I

Jolene Balyeat

Ann Brucks

Connie Campbell-Pearson

McKayla Carlson

Becky Catlett

Vicki DeBoer

Diane Dwyer

Ashley George

Nadine Grayl

Kate Groundwater

Heidi Hester

Katherine Hezel

Melody Jackson

Kayte Kaminski

Kelly Kjorlien

Alyce Larsson

Nancy Ojala

Kippy Sands

Ellen Stephenson

Jackie Thomas

Liz Vonderhaar

ALTO II

Samantha Baker

Janice Benham

Laura Bennett

Eliese Besemer

Mona Jackson

Michelina Kazeminejad

Christa Merzdorf

Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter *

Elly Schwarzkopf

Rebecca Stanton

Carolyn “Rusty” Swingle

Melinda Yager

TENOR I

Jeff Abelin *

Webster Crist

Reggie Mead

Ben Nelson

Jake Reisig

John W. Sheppard

Matthew S. Sonnichsen

Carlton Williams

TENOR II

Jason Bowker

Justin Horak

Corey Johnson

Peter Nalen

Brian Smithers

Rick Thornton

BASS I

Michael Beehler

Riley Evans

Mitchell Larsson

Jeff Marker

Marcus Pearson

Thomas Pezzarossi

James A. Pritchard

Chip Ritter *

Quinn Sigler

Michael Thomson

Adam Williams

Jason Yager

BASS II

Blaze Balyeat

Jake Balyeat

Richard Bennett

Tim Doerges

Charles Franklin

Rick Ojala

Jack Oosterhuis

Jesse Sheppard

Brian Viall

Richard Wilbur

REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST

Judith Diana

*Section Leader

Hallie Echols, Soprano I

Choir Musician Spotlight: Ellen Stephenson

Harmonizing Passion: A Melodic Journey through One Long Song with Many Verses

Ellen Stephenson embodies a true passion for music that has enriched her life and the lives of others around her. For close to four decades, she has been an integral part of the Bozeman Symphonic Choir, where her euphonic alto/mezzo voice has blended seamlessly with the voices of her fellow musicians to create beautiful harmony.

Ellen is among 100 volunteer choir members who rehearse weekly from September through June. The group of men, women, old, and young bring song vividly to life at concerts throughout the year.

Ellen’s musical journey is a testament to the enduring power of music to unite, uplift, and transform lives, one note at a time.

Originally from North Carolina, Ellen’s love for singing has remained constant. Her talent was recognized early on, and though still in high school, a professor of music invited her to sing with the college’s

symphonic choir and eventually pursue a degree in church music and music education with a vocal emphasis. With a desire to explore the West, after college graduation, Ellen found herself in Yellowstone National Park, where she worked in several roles with the concessionaire and Park Service. During those nearly 10 years working in the park, she was also a musician in the dining room and taught K-12 music in the local school.

Ellen’s dedication to singing led her on a path of teaching and inspiring others through the power of music. As a private music instructor in piano, voice, and introduction to guitar, she imparts her knowledge and love for music to students of all ages, encouraging them to strive for excellence.

“I enjoy teaching and realize how much I influence students’ lives,” the educator explained referring to how she remembers the enthusiasm of Symphonic Choir Director Maren Marchesini and several Bozeman

Symphony Orchestra musicians who sang as elementary students in her children’s choir in Bozeman. “Giving the gift of music is incredibly rewarding,” said a wistful Ellen. “I love learning about my students and like to hear how they are doing in school and life when I see them at lessons.”

Following an audition in 1986, the Bozeman Symphonic Choir’s conductor asked Ellen to be the soloist for Duruflé’s Requiem, performing the Pie Jesu as a mezzosoprano, and her commitment to the choir since then has been unwavering. From serving as the Alto Section Leader in the 1990s and performing in the symphonic choir’s major works throughout the years, Ellen has played a vital role in bringing the choir’s music to life. Her dedication to the choir is evident in her enthusiasm for rehearsals and performances, where she finds camaraderie and joy as voices of friends, new and seasoned, blend to create beautiful symphonic choral music.

Ellen’s love for the arts goes beyond singing. She has also volunteered as an usher for the symphony for many years and enjoys ushering at The Ellen Theatre where she occasionally graces the stage in theatrical productions.

Around town, Ellen bikes and walks with her trusty rescue Lab Sully by her side. She advocates walking and biking everywhere because of environmental concerns, saving gas money, increasing exercise, meeting new friends, and noticing new things around Bozeman. Most of all, she delights in greeting current and former students as she walks the trails and streets. “My former students change with age, growing taller, but their eyes and voice let me know they are an old friend and student.” These former students also know Ellen by her voice, which is still thick with a Southern accent.

As Ellen looks toward the future, her goal is clear—to continue sharing the gift of music with others for many more years. She does not think of retirement, and just like her college voice teacher, Ellen hopes to teach private music lessons for as long as possible. Her passion for music is a symphony of love, dedication, and inspiration that resonates with all who have the privilege of knowing her.

WILLSON AUDITORIUM SEAT MAP

404 WEST MAIN STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59715

WS: Wheelchair Space

WC: Wheelchair Companion

220 WEST MAIN STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59715

WS: Wheelchair Space

HOPE LUTHERAN SEAT MAP

2152 GRAF STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59718

HOPE LUTHERAN SEAT MAP

2152 GRAF STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59718

HOPE LUTHERAN SEAT MAP

2152 GRAF STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59718

WS: Wheelchair Space

MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES

November 8-10, 2024 THE

Astor Piazzolla's sultry tango opera, presented in collaboration with Raison D'être Dance Project.

January 30-February 2 & February 6-9, 2025 THE

Stephen Sondheim's razor- sharp Tony-award winning thriller.

May 8-11, 2024 THE ELLEN THEATRE

A fairy-tale opera filled with magic, mystery, and the timeless struggle between good and evil.

Featured Musicians: THE MAKEEVER HOUSE OF MUSIC

The Makeever family is a true testament to the unifying power of music. For generations, music has served as the beating heart of this remarkably talented family. Jerry and Sue along with their accomplished children, Matthew and Megan, have enriched the Bozeman community with their musical fervor for decades.

With a collective experience of 106 years performing in the Bozeman Symphony, the Makeevers weave their talents into a seamless blend of melodies. Jerry played principal trumpet for 45 years, now playing 3rd, and Sue, who has been with the Symphony for 35 years, recently ended an 18-year tenure as principal flute and will be playing 2nd flute. Matthew, like his father and grandfather, brings alive the brassy resonance of the trumpet, while Megan, inspired by her mother’s artistry, graces audiences with the melodious tones of her flute.

Step inside the Makeevers’ home, and you will find a symphony in motion—a quartet of musicians listening to recordings as they prepare for Symphony performances. Amid this melodic chaos, the family fine-tunes their craft together, striving for perfect intonation, rhythm, and musical expression.

With the home stereo constantly blaring great music such as Mahler’s 2nd Symphony and Saint-Saën’s Organ Symphony, the children were immersed in music from the time they were born and were often swung to its rhythm and spirit. Whether gathered around the screen watching the Boston Pops under John Williams’ baton or grooving to the tunes of Yellowstone by Mannheim Steamroller, music has woven a tapestry of memories for the Makeevers.

Under the tutelage of their musically skilled parents, Matthew and Megan blossomed into exceptional musicians through determined practice and unwavering dedication. Matthew is also a conductor and Megan sings, plays piano and guitar, and teaches private lessons.

Join us on their musical journey as we delve into the flourishing talents of each musician.

Jerry

After half a century of performing with the Bozeman Symphony, Jerry continues to find immense joy in playing symphonic music alongside the Symphony’s other talented musicians. He intends to continue performing with the Symphony for as long as he is able.

Growing up with a father who was a world-class high school band director and trumpeter, Jerry was surrounded by music from a young age and was inspired to become a musician at just four years old. Listening to recordings of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony, trumpeter Rafael Mendez, and SaintSaën’s Carnival piqued his passion for music. He performed in several high school ensembles and went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Illinois. After relocating to Montana, he taught music at Montana State University for over three decades, served as principal trumpet in the Billings Symphony, and performed solos and other pieces with the Helena and Butte symphonies, Montana Brass Quintet, Opera Montana, Montana Ballet, and at several music festivals.

Jerry is deeply inspired by his family members’ commitment to daily practice, tireless work, brilliance, and creativity. He believes that listening and internalizing the sound of the music is crucial to effective practice, and says after the family listens together, each dedicates time to perfecting the style, phrasing, tempo, and intonation that must be brought to rehearsals. “Surrounded by family who are so

accomplished and dedicated to quality truly inspires me,” Jerry proudly said. “After all, I’ve got to keep up with them.”

When he’s not making music, Jerry enjoys walking and playing with their three dogs, repairing things, working on cars, and cheering on the New York Yankees.

Sue

Sue’s musical journey began in the fifth grade, sparked by a poignant moment at a symphony concert that inspired her to play the flute. Growing up in a household filled with music, thanks to her pianist mother, Sue’s passion for the flute only grew stronger with time.

Her dedication to mastering the flute led her to study performance and music education at the University of Illinois and later pursue a Master of Music degree at Northwestern University. Sue’s expertise led her to teach at North Texas State and Montana State University, while she also maintained a vibrant private flute studio. For 22 years, Sue graced the stage as the principal flutist for the Billings Symphony. She also left a lasting impact through her performances with Opera Montana, Montana Ballet, and at various church services alongside her family.

Despite stepping down from her Bozeman Symphony principal position after 18 years, Sue remains committed to sharing her musical talent and will continue to perform at concerts. The Bozeman Symphony celebrated Sue’s dedication to the organization at the final concert of the 2023-24 season and surprised her with the opportunity to perform under Matthew as conductor. The highlight of her career has been sharing the stage with her family, which continues to bring her immense joy.

“I love playing with the wonderful woodwind section,” Sue reflected. “It is such a treat to be in the middle of the orchestra, between the brass and strings . . . it is magical!”

Beyond her musical endeavors, Sue delights in taking her two Shelties and Westie on hikes and to dog parks. She also savors the simple pleasures of reading, catching up with friends over coffee, and eagerly anticipates future travel opportunities.

Matthew

Gifted with a natural talent for music, Matthew began honing his skills at the early age of two. Fascinated by the world of music, he can still vividly recall early home videos of himself conducting, as well as eagerly experimenting with various instruments in his household. His musical journey truly began when he received a cornet in his toy box and his father began giving him lessons, igniting a lifelong passion for music.

Throughout his high school years, Matthew immersed himself in music by joining the Symphony, a journey that continued into the 2012-13 season. Driven by his dedication and love for music, Matthew returned to the Symphony in 2023 as Concert Manager and Librarian, a role that prompted feelings of nostalgia for the Symphony.

“The Symphony has always felt like home,” said Matthew. “Many of the people who still play in the orchestra are people I have grown up with and feel like I have known my whole life.”

Matthew earned a Bachelor of Music Education at Montana State University, a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting and Trumpet Performance at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestra Conducting at the University of Utah. His experience as principal trumpet in multiple symphonies and his conducting roles with various orchestras solidify his deep commitment to music. Reflecting on his journey, Matthew is grateful for the early moments that paved the way for his success.

When he’s not performing or practicing, Matthew and his wife, Ashley, who is a vocalist, love to travel and explore unfamiliar places. He cherishes moments with their two beloved cats, Smeagol and Goose, indulges in the occasional craft beer, and finds solace in nature through activities like jogging, walking, hiking, and immersing himself in the serene beauty of rivers and lakes.

Megan

A self-proclaimed musical nomad, Megan began performing with the Bozeman Symphony in 2012. Despite pursuing higher education elsewhere, Megan stayed connected to her roots by playing with the orchestra whenever she found herself back in Bozeman.

“I really enjoy playing for my hometown and community members who are near and dear to my heart,” Megan expressed.

Megan’s passion for music traces back to her earliest memories. Growing up in a musical household, she was captivated by melodies from an early age and began piano lessons when she was five. Reflecting on her childhood, Megan fondly remembers her parents’ penchant for music, with special songs marking everyday moments and home videos capturing the joy of music shared with her brother.

When she was nine, Megan asked her mother if she could try her flute, which began her love for the instrument, eventually leading her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music and flute performance at St. Olaf College and a Master of Music in Flute Performance at the University of Montana. Alongside her impressive musical accomplishments, Megan is also recognized as an award-winning singer-songwriter with three original albums and is an integral part of various musical ensembles in Bozeman.

Utilizing her talents as an instructor, Megan teaches piano and flute students, while also directing the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Choir in Bozeman. When she’s not immersed in the world of music, Megan finds happiness in creative pursuits, such as crafting dog sweaters, reviving old furniture, and indulging in the art of making hot chocolate bombs. Her love for nature shines through her zeal for hiking, bird watching, and spending time outdoors with her loyal companions, Nugget and Buddy, who hold a special place in her heart

All in the Family

As the Makeevers eagerly await the upcoming Symphony season, their excitement is palpable. From Jerry and Sue looking forward to the Copland, and Sue being particularly excited to revisit the Bartók, Matthew looking forward to the season finale, and Megan’s inspiration from Kishi Bashi, each will bring their talent to the stage. Together the Makeevers are dedicated to uplifting audiences with their exceptional skills and unwavering dedication to the art form they hold dear.

Feature Article:

INNOVATIVE

MUSIC PROGRAMS

ENRICH THE COMMUNITY

Over the 2023-24 season, the Bozeman Symphony saw impressive growth in its education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 9,320 people at 47 free concerts and events. This significant increase, up from 3,168 people served the previous season, is attributed to new projects, the efforts of Maestro Norman Huynh, now in his fifth season with the Symphony, and Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Cierra Wallace, who started her position in 2023.

Huynh has been a driving force behind the Symphony’s efforts to bring music to the community, believing that access to live, high-quality music should not be limited. With Huynh and Wallace working in tandem, the Symphony has forged valuable partnerships to expand its reach and provide innovative programming to residents in the greater Yellowstone region.

One of the standout programs introduced last season is Symphony Storytime, where live music accompaniment is provided to a story read by a special guest. This inaugural program attracted a diverse audience of youngsters and caregivers to 15 engagements, including six bilingual experiences, featuring a variety of orchestral instruments to promote a

love of music, literacy, and discovery. Partnerships with the Bozeman Public Library, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP), and the Human Resource Development Council (HDRC) have been crucial to the program’s success.

The Bozeman Public Library provides space for the event and staff coordinate activities tied to the books presented for the youngsters.

“The Bozeman Public Library connects people with stories, art, science, and information to help better understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us,” said Youth Services Department Head Ellie Newell. “We are grateful to partner with the Bozeman Symphony for the Symphony Storytime series, introducing young children and their grown-ups to musicians in our community. There is a magical feeling in the air as over a hundred people pack into the library community room, delighted as the sounds of a cello or oboe or drum mingle with the words of a story.”

At many Storytimes, an MSIP actor serves as the special reader. “The mutual desire to engage our communities with the magic of live performance provides the foundation for wonderful collaborations,” said MSIP Director of Community Access

and Engagement Hannah Jacobsma. “MSIP is thrilled to be a part of Symphony Storytime. It is beautiful to see the time and thought the Symphony puts into pairing a story with a particular instrument and then allowing one of our actors to join in the storytelling through spoken word and expression. To see the level of enthusiasm amongst young audiences when multiple art forms are joined together is truly moving.”

Storytime also brings joy and curiosity to Head Start children in Bozeman and Belgrade preschool classrooms through a partnership with HDRC. “The Symphony’s presentations did a wonderful job of integrating literature and music which created engaging, age-appropriate experiences for

our children and also included a bilingual Storytime,” said HDRC Early Childhood Director Sandy Stavig. “The musicians and storytellers actively involved the children by encouraging them to participate in the storytelling, ask questions, and express themselves through movement. For many of our students, this was their first exposure to reed instruments, and we know that integrating music into Early Childhood classrooms fosters creativity and supports the emotional development of young children. We were grateful for this partnership with the Bozeman Symphony that brought meaningful opportunities to our children and classrooms in a variety of ways, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration in the upcoming year.”

Collaborations with Bozeman Health, Befrienders, and Random Acts of Silliness further showcase the Symphony’s dedication to engaging with the community through music. In addition to Storytime, the Symphony offers an array of other projects, including a Community Concert that is enjoyed free annually by over 2,000 attendees; Access Concerts,

on the Willson Auditorium for the Symphony’s long-standing annual free fourth-grade concert. Students experience a symphony performance (a first for many!) and learn about the different instruments that make up an orchestra. New initiatives in the 202324 season included KinderKonzerts, a school-based program to introduce students in grades K-3 to symphonic music, and Masterclasses at area schools and for university students and lifelong learners at Montana State University.

The Bozeman Symphony is committed to engaging, uniting, and uplifting the human experience in our community. As part of our strategic growth initiatives, we plan to do more than 65 music education and community engagement events in libraries, schools, and healthcare facilities in the 2024-25 season. Additionally, we pledge robust support for our local music educators and students, nurturing an enduring love for music.

As all these programs are offered free, support from individuals, foundations, and corporations is

Symphony’s community engagement efforts. Those interested in becoming involved or sponsoring a program are encouraged to contact Wallace for more information on how to support the Symphony’s vision for music to play an integral part in the daily fabric of life for the people of Montana. Reach out to her at cierra@bozemansymphony.org or 406-585-9774 to learn more about how you can make a difference.

thousand fourth grade students from around the Gallatin Valley converge

See us at our temporary location at 19th and Main in Bozeman

ENHANCE YOUR CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Prepare for unforgettable concerts filled with captivating performances throughout the season. Follow these tips to make the most of your concert experience.

Pre-Concert Talk

Join Conductor Norman Huynh and guest artists for an insightful pre-concert talk about what to listen for, historical settings, and important events one hour before each Classical Series concert, setting the stage for an immersive musical journey. The pre-concert talk will not be offered before our Bozeman Symphony Presents and Symphonic Choir Performances.

Showtime

Sit back and enjoy concerts ranging from 1 to 1 ½ hours, with a brief 20-minute intermission for relaxation and refreshment. Arrive early as doors open 30-45 minutes before the concert begins.

Venues

Experience the magic of music at the Willson Auditorium for our Classical Series and Bozeman Symphony Presents Series concerts. The fall Symphonic Choir performance takes place at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, while the spring choir concert is at Hope Lutheran Church. Find venue maps on page 30 for easy navigation.

Parking

Navigate convenient street parking near the Willson Auditorium. Parking lots are available on the west side and southeast corner of the building for those with accessibility issues. Be aware of potential traffic congestion because of nearby construction projects. Holy Rosary Catholic Church offers an accessible parking lot on Babcock Street, and street parking surrounds the area. Hope Lutheran Church boasts a spacious parking lot for easy access.

Ticket Information

Present your printed or electronic ticket to an usher at the concert hall door for seamless entry. For tickets being held for you at the door, will-call tables are located on the left side of the Willson Auditorium’s Main Street entrance lobby and in the church entrances.

Concessions

Bottled water and snacks are available for purchase before the concert and during intermission at the Willson Auditorium’s concession stand located in the main lobby.

Updates

Stay informed! Check your e-mail or bozemansymphony.org during concert weeks for pertinent updates. If you’re not receiving communications from the Bozeman Symphony, contact us at info@bozemansymphony.org to be added to our mailing list for the latest news and announcements.

PERFORMANCES

Classical Series

In response to our growing audience, our expanded seven-concert Classical Series brings stories of music to life, straight from the heart and soul of our accomplished orchestra and choir. Maestro Norman Huynh shaped our new season to include blockbuster works from some of the greatest composers of all time— Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Copland. With acclaimed guest artists from throughout the world, expect nothing short of transformative experiences with these masterpieces. Norman is excited to highlight a United States composer at each concert together with composers from around the world. Move with us on an exhilarating musical journey around the globe!

2024-25 Classical Concert Series Timeline

Explore a detailed timeline showcasing the compositions of each musical piece. Utilize this resource to immerse yourself in the evolution of orchestral music throughout history.

Classical Concert 1

Classical Concert 2

Classical Concert 3

1811-12

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

1806

Classical Concert 4

Ludwig van Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

1813

Gioachino Rossini The Barber of Seville overture

1894 -95

Richard Strauss

Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28

1888

Augusta Holmès La Nuit et l’Amour (Night and Love)

1909

Sergi Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto

Classical Concert 5

Classical Concert 6

Classical Concert 7

1833

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”

1874, orch. 1922

Modest Mussorgsky/arr. Maurice Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition

1895-96

Giuseppe Verdi Te Deum

1897-1902

Charles Ives Symphony No. 2

Rachmaninoff No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

1986

John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine

2024

Andy Akiho Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

1943

Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

1945

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

1946

George Walker Lyric for Strings

1944-1946

Aaron Copland Symphony No. 3

1997

Kevin Puts Marimba Concerto

2020

Nina Shekhar Lumina

2022

Carlos Simon Four Black American Dances

1954

Joaquín Rodrigo Fantasia para un Gentilhombre

TIPS FOR A GREAT CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Attire

Patrons are welcome to attend concerts wearing clothing in which they are comfortable, from casual outfits to suits and gowns.

Entering/Exiting the Concert Hall

If you arrive late or leave during the performance, wait until you hear speaking or applause before you enter the hall. Do not leave or enter the concert hall in the middle of the performance. Just wait for the piece to end to sneak out a side door unless you are experiencing an emergency.

Seats

An usher will be happy to help you find your seat. Once seated, please refrain from shifting to a new seat: another patron has likely purchased the empty seat and he or she may be arriving late.

Refrain from Talking

Please respect the performers and your fellow audience members by not whispering or speaking until intermission or until the concert is over.

Silence and Put Away Cell Phone

Please do not answer calls, text, Facebook, tweet, or otherwise engage in activities on your phone during the performance. The light is distracting and shows little respect to performers and patrons.

Listen

There is no right way to listen, just be moved by the music. It may affect your emotions, your thoughts, your spirit, your body—any part of you. Listen for loudness and softness, changes and transformations, different speeds, instrument sounds, melodies, rhythms, patterns, moods and feelings, memories that get triggered, and visual images that come to mind. A wonderful and mysterious thing about live concerts is that everybody comes to be affected together.

Watch

A concert is for the ears, but there is plenty for the eyes. Watch the players and feel their energy and intensity; what they do to make their instruments sound in different ways. Watch as the music moves between players and the way the conductor gives control to the musicians.

Photo and Video Policy

You are welcome to take a photo either before the concert begins or after it ends. Please do not take photos during a performance. The light disturbs the musicians and patrons around you. For legal reasons, no video of live performances is allowed.

Applause

When the conductor puts his hands down to his sides, the piece is over, and you may give the performers a round of applause. Wait until the cue has been given to show appreciation for the piece.

Don’t feel that you need to be uptight through the concert or hold your breath. Just follow these simple steps to help provide an enjoyable concert experience for everyone.

• Mobile phones, oxygen tanks, and hearing aid battery alarms. Please confirm they are in silent mode.

• Talking and whispering

• Unwrapping anything

• Coughing (If you have a cough, bring cough drops and unwrap them beforehand)

• Squeaking a chair

• Opening a handbag

• Jingling coins

that Get in the Way

• Texting or taking photos

• Fidgeting

• Adjusting clothing (if you must, do so with as little commotion as possible)

• Shifting to new seats during concert

• Eating (not allowed in the concert hall)

• Walking around

WHAT TO EXPECT AT A CLASSICAL CONCERT

Here is an idea of what to expect at a classical music concert.

Following announcements by the concert manager, the performance begins.

The leader of the violin section, the concertmaster, comes onstage and takes a bow as the audience claps. The concertmaster turns to the orchestra, the principal oboe gives a tuning note, and the musicians tune their instruments. The audience should stay quiet during tuning so the musicians can hear.

Next, the conductor comes onstage. As the audience applauds, the orchestra may stand up to share in the applause. The conductor shakes hands with the concertmaster and the musicians sit back down. The conductor then turns away from the audience and towards the orchestra to begin the music. He or she directs the music with gestures and a baton, and the audience won’t see his or her face again until the first piece is over.

The music may start and stop a few times within one piece of music, and the musicians may pause between big sections to refocus their energy or tune their instruments before playing the next part. The audience should remain quiet during these transitions.

When the whole piece is over, the conductor puts his hands down to his sides and you may give the performers a round of applause. Wait until the cue has been given to show appreciation for the piece. Then the conductor leaves the stage. If the applause continues, he or she will return to the stage and may ask the orchestra or individual musicians to stand and share the applause. Then the conductor will exit again, but he or she will return for more bows if the audience is insistent in its applause. After all this, the conductor finally leaves the stage, while the orchestra gets ready for the next piece. Sometimes equipment is rearranged, or players must be added or subtracted. When everybody is ready, the conductor comes onstage again to lead the next piece. If there is a featured soloist, he or she will walk onstage with the conductor, who stays a bit more in the background, allowing the soloist to be the focus of the audience’s attention.

At the very end of the concert, the audience may show their appreciation with applause, a standing ovation, or by shouting “Bravo!”

Richard Wilbur, Bass II

Classical Series 1 Opening Weekend: Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Vijay Venkatesh, Piano

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

I. Allegro ma non tanto

II. Intermezzo: Adagio

III. Finale: Alla breve

INTERMISSION

Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Strauss Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

David & Kippy Sands, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Adams: The Chairman Dances; Chamber Symphony

Strauss: Don Juan; Also Sprach Zarathustra; Don Quixote

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Piano Concerto No. 3: 1st movement: solo piano music fully integrated with the orchestra vs episodes where the soloist is the main focus; 2nd mvt: lyrical, impassioned piano; 3rd mvt: Fiery virtuosity and a triumphant bravura conclusion.

Short Ride in a Fast Machine: Propulsive repeated rhythms and phrases with unexpected syncopations; woodblock pulse; a growing sense of movement, speed, and excitement; wide range of orchestral timbres (colors).

Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks: Till’s theme, an impish French horn solo, which recurs several times; listen also for a clear narrative arc as the orchestra tells of Till’s adventures.

Vijay Venkatesh, Piano

Hailed by the Herald-Tribune for his “dazzling pianism verging on the impossible, effortless technical command and authority with a sense of poetry and refinement that belies his years,” Indian American pianist Vijay Venkatesh has been recognized on three continents as a pianist with profound musicianship, sparkling pianism, and an innate sense of partnership.

Venkatesh has rapidly established a major international reputation as a top prizewinner in the San Jose, Seattle, Zimmerli, World Piano, and Waring International Piano Competitions. He was also named a Davidson Fellow Laureate at the Library of Congress, USC Thornton’s Discovery Scholar, Grand Prize Winner of the Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Awards, and featured on Performance Today® with host Fred Child, “What Makes It Great?” with host Robert Kapilow and NPR’s “From the Top.” He also

earned the prestigious AmronSutherland Grant for Pianists from the Colburn School.

An immersive and versatile soloist, Venkatesh has performed extensively in North America and Europe as a soloist with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, Sarasota, Pasadena, Cincinnati, Columbus, Bangor, and Vienna to name a few. He has collaborated with preeminent conductors such as James Conlon, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Jeffrey Kahane, Ludovic Morlot, Roger Kalia, Eckart Preu, Lucas Richman, Michael Repper, and more. Venkatesh appeared in recent seasons at Segerstrom Concert Hall with the Colburn Orchestra, Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess series, Grand Piano Series in Naples, and at the Aspen, Brevard, Banff, Music in the Mountains, Newport, Redlands Bowl, Sarasota, and Vienna Music Festivals. As the recipient of the inaugural Parnassus Society Prize, he performed in recital at the Soka Performing Arts Center.

An active chamber musician, Venkatesh has appeared 12 times on Le Salon de Musiques and tours as the Vieness Piano Duo with his wife and pianist, Eva Schaumkell.

Originally from California, Venkatesh holds degrees from the Colburn School, USC Thornton, and IU Jacobs Schools of Music. There he studied with Fabio Bidini, Norman Krieger, Jeffrey Kahane, André Watts, Sarkis Baltaian, Menahem Pressler, and Murray Perahia.

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

Composer: born April 1, 1873, Semyonovo, Starorusky District, Russia; died March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills, CA

Work composed: 1908-09. Dedicated to pianist Josef Hofmann.

World premiere: November 28, 1909, with Rachmaninoff at the piano, under the direction of Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony.

Instrumentation: solo piano, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, and strings.

Estimated duration: 44 minutes

Sergei Rachmaninoff began working on the Third Piano Concerto in the summer of 1908 at his family’s estate at Oneg, and rushed to complete it in time for his first tour of North America, in the fall of 1909. On the voyage to the United States, Rachmaninoff had no access to a piano, so he took along a cardboard keyboard to practice and memorize the demanding solo part.

After the premiere, and a second performance in New York led by Gustav Mahler, Rachmaninoff arrived in Boston. He made such a magnificent impression that he was asked to assume the post of Music

Director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, an offer he declined. Despite his success, Rachmaninoff heartily disliked the United States. In a letter to his cousin, Rachmaninoff wrote, “In this accursed country you’re surrounded by nothing but Americans and their ‘business,’ ‘business’ they are forever doing, clutching you from all sides and driving you on. Everyone is nice and kind to me, but I am horribly bored by the whole thing, and I feel that my character has been quite ruined here.” Lonely and homesick, Rachmaninoff returned to Russia in February 1910.

The extraordinary virtuosic and musical demands of the Third Concerto make it one of the most challenging works in the repertoire. The soloist plays almost constantly throughout, and must combine earpopping virtuosity with a chamber musician’s collaborative ability to listen and blend into the orchestra.

When Rachmaninoff discussed the thematic origins of the Third Concerto, he denied any specific influences. “It is borrowed neither from folk song forms nor from church services. It simply ‘wrote itself,’” he stated about the primary melody, in which the pianist enters, subdued, underneath the orchestra. “If I had any plan in composing this theme, I was thinking only of sound. I wanted to ‘sing’ the melody on the piano, as a singer would sing it – and to find a suitable orchestral accompaniment, or rather one that would not muffle this singing.” Rachmaninoff sincerely believed the theme was his creation, but every composer’s music derives from a collection of influences assimilated, often unconsciously, over a lifetime. Regarding the melody in question, scholars have found strikingly similar music in monastic chants from the Russian Orthodox liturgy which Rachmaninoff heard regularly as a child.

The Intermezzo and Finale are played without pause, an abrupt transition from the reflective melancholy of the second movement to the ferocious virtuosity of the Finale.

John Adams

Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Composer: born February 15, 1947, Worcester, MA

Work composed: 1985; composed for the Pittsburgh Symphony to perform at the inaugural concert of the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts.

World premiere: Michael Tilson Thomas led the Pittsburgh Symphony on June 13, 1986, at Great Woods, in Mansfield, MA.

Instrumentation: 2 flutes (both doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 4 clarinets, 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, woodblock, triangle, xylophone, crotales, glockenspiel, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, snare drum, pedal bass drum, large tam-tam, tambourine, 2 synthesizers (optional), and strings.

Estimated duration: 4 minutes

“The image that I had while composing this piece was a ride that I once took in a sports car,” John Adams said in an interview. “A relative of mine had bought a Ferrari, and he asked me late one night to take a ride in it and we went out onto the highway … it was an absolutely terrifying experience to be in a car driven by somebody who wasn’t really a skilled driver.” Later,

looking back on that wild ride, Adams recalled, “I had not yet recovered … and it was somewhat still on my brain when I began to think about what kind of fanfare I would write [for the Pittsburgh Orchestra]. Short Ride is somewhat an evocation of that … which was both thrilling and also a kind of white-knuckle anxious experience.

“The piece starts with the rhythmic knocking of the woodblock, which creates a rhythmic gauntlet through which the orchestra has to pass,” Adams continued. “We hear typical fanfare figures in the brass but in a rat-a-tat staccato form … part of the fun of Short Ride is making these large instruments – tuba, double basses, contrabassoon, the entire brass section – move. They have to boogie through this very resolute and inflexible pulse set up by the woodblock.” Adams acknowledged Short Ride is a challenge for any orchestra; it’s “very difficult to play but quite a bit of fun.” Idiosyncratic tempo markings like the opening “delirando” (deliriously) indicate Adams’ concept of a headlong go-forbroke race to the finish.

Richard Strauss

Till Eulenspiegels Merry Pranks, Op. 28

Composer: born June 11, 1864, Munich; died September 8, 1949, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Work composed: Strauss initially conceived Till Eulenspiegel as an opera, but eventually recast his musical ideas into a symphonic tone poem. He finished it on May 6, 1895.

World premiere: Franz Wüllner conducted the premiere on November 5, 1895, in Cologne.

Instrumentation: piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, ratchet, snare drum, triangle, and strings.

Estimated duration: 16 minutes

In his tone poems Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration, Richard Strauss cemented his reputation as an innovator. Yet artistic pioneers often pay a price for their forwardlooking vision. So it was with Strauss: conservative critics and audiences’ traditional notions of music clashed with his modern ideas. In Strauss’ efforts to justify himself in the eyes of his detractors, the composer saw the character of Till Eulenspiegel – a prankster who cheerfully thumbs his nose at all conventions – as his own alter ego.

The fictional character Till Eulenspiegel first appeared in a collection of humorous stories published in Germany in 1511. The tales describe Till’s escapades, as he hoodwinks various authority figures. As a result of his constant pranks, Till is always one step ahead of the law, until he is finally caught and executed for blasphemy. The name Eulenspiegel (pronounced OY-len-shpee-gle) literally means “owl’s mirror,” and refers to an old German proverb: “One sees one’s own faults no more clearly than an owl sees its own ugliness in a looking glass.” Both sly and clueless, Till is oblivious to his own failings, even as he simultaneously embodies humanity’s shortcomings.

Conductor Franz Wüllner, who led the premiere, asked Strauss to explain the underlying story. Strauss initially refused, saying, “I really cannot provide a program for Eulenspiegel Any words into which I might put the thoughts that the several incidents suggested to me would hardly suffice; they might even offend. Let me leave it, therefore, to my listeners to

crack the hard nut the Rogue has offered them. By way of helping them to a better understanding, it seems enough to point out the two Eulenspiegel motifs, which, in the most diverse disguises, moods, and situations, pervade the whole up to the catastrophe when, after being condemned to death, Till is strung up on the gibbet. For the rest, let them guess.”

Strauss eventually wrote a detailed outline of the music in a friend’s copy of the score; his comments begin with “Once upon a time there was a knavish fool …” over a graceful introductory melody for strings; Till’s signature tune for solo horn follows. Strauss goes on to detail Till’s adventures: he rides horseback through the marketplace, creating pandemonium, and escapes into a mouse-hole. Till then disguises himself as a priest, “oozing unction and morality,” and later flirts with a village maiden who rejects him. Stung, Till “vows revenge on the whole human race” (horns bleating angrily). He then encounters some Philistines, who expound on various deep theories (bassoons and bass clarinet). Till confounds them with

his own ridiculous theories and hurries away, mocking them with a whistled tune. This faux sermonizing (derisive statements from the orchestra, punctuated by Till’s theme), leads to Till’s trial. The snare drum represents the inescapable force of law, which finds Till guilty. Despite his conviction, Till continues to scorn the proceedings until the noose chokes off his last breath (a shrill, derisive exclamation by solo clarinet). The music concludes with the return of the “once upon a time” theme. All is as it was – or is it? Till’s irrepressible spirit transcends death and remains alive and at large to this day.

© Elizabeth Schwartz

PERFORMANCES

Classical Series 2 The Rhythms of Beethoven, Rossini, and Akiho

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2024 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2024 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Jeffrey Zeigler, Cello

Rossini The Barber of Seville Overture

Akiho Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

INTERMISSION

Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace

II. Allegretto

III. Presto – Assai meno presto

IV. Allegro con brio

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Jodar Family Foundation, Concertmaster’s Circle

Prof. Rob Maher & Ms. Lynn Peterson-Maher, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Rossini: Overture to William Tell; Overture to L’italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers)

Akiho: Seven Pillars, Beneath Lighted Coffers

Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral;” Symphony No. 5

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Overture to The Barber of Seville: Abrupt shifts of moods and dynamics (how loud and soft the music is). Fans of Bugs Bunny will recognize this music from the classic 1950 cartoon, “Rabbit of Seville.”

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra: Listen for long horizontal expressive phrases in the cello, and subtle shifts in rhythmic patterns.

Symphony No. 7: Listen to the ways Beethoven develops the second movement’s repeated rhythmic motif: (DAH-da-da-DAH-DAH).

Jeffrey Zeigler, Cello

Jeffrey Zeigler is one of the most innovative and versatile cellists of our time. Following his eight-year tenure as the cellist of the internationally renowned Kronos Quartet, his work continues to push boundaries with a wide array of solo and collaborative projects.

His premier of Andy Akiho’s Cello Concerto in 2024 is one of his upcoming highlights. He is also featured in a new opera, The Old Man and the Sea, directed by Karmina Silec, with music by his wife, conductor Paola Prestini, and libretto by Royce Vavrek.

Strings Magazine says Zeigler is “widely known for pushing boundaries and breaking conventions.” The New York Times has described Zeigler as “fiery,” and a player who performs “with unforced simplicity and beauty of tone.”

Zeigler’s most recent solo album, Houses of Zodiac, is his first full collaboration with his wife. It is a multimedia experience that combines spoken word, movement, music, and imagery into a unified exploration of love, loss, trauma, and healing. Strings Magazine has described the album as “one of the greatest and most

ambitious solo cello albums of all time.”

An Assistant Professor of Chamber Music and Innovation at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Zeigler is a member of the Board of Directors of Chamber Music America and CelloBello and is on the Honorary Committee of the Sphinx Organization.

Following his tenure with Kronos, his multifaceted career has led to collaborations with a wide array of artists and innovators such as Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Hauschka, Vijay Iyer, Robin Coste Lewis, YoYo Ma, Julie Mehretu, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Carl Hancock Rux, Foday Musa Suso, and Tanya Tagaq. He has also performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony, the Royal Danish Radio Symphony, the New Century Chamber Orchestra, and the Ulster Orchestra under the batons of Peter Oundjian, JoAnn Falletta, Dennis Russell Davies, and Dmitry Sitkovetsky.

He has released 40 solo and chamber music recordings for Nonesuch Records, Deutsche Grammophon, Cantalope, Smithsonian Folkways, and National Sawdust Tracks. He has appeared with Norah Jones on her album Not Too Late on Blue Note Records. Zeigler can be heard on the film soundtrack for Paolo Sorrention’s Academy Award willing film, La Grande Bellezza, as well as Clint Mansell’s Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack to the Darren Aronofsky film, The Fountain. Zeigler can also be seen making an onscreen cameo in Season 4 of Amazon Prime’s Golden Globe Award-winning series Mozart in the Jungle

Acclaimed for his independent streak, Zeigler has commissioned dozens

of works and is admired as a potent collaborator and unique improviser. He is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, the Polar Music Prize, the President’s Merit Award from the National Academy of Recorded Arts (Grammy’s), the Chamber Music America National Service Award, and The Asia Society’s Cultural Achievement Award.

Alongside Prestini, Zeigler is the Co-Artistic Director of VisionIntoArt, a non-profit new music and interdisciplinary arts production company based in New York. He is the Director of the National Sawdust Ensemble of National Sawdust, an artist-led, multidisciplinary new music venue in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he sits on the Advisory Board.

Zeigler plays on a cello by Samuel Zygmuntowicz on loan from the Five Partners Foundation.

Overture to Il Barbiere di Siviglia

(The Barber of Seville)

Composer: Born February 29, 1792, Pesaro, Italy; died November 13, 1868, Passy, France

Work composed: This overture was originally written for Rossini’s 1813 opera Aureliano in Palmira; Rossini repurposed it as the overture to The Barber of Seville at that opera’s premiere on February 20, 1816, at the Teatro Argento in Rome.

World premiere: The Barber of Seville premiered on February 20, 1816, at the Teatro Argento in Rome.

Gioachino Rossini

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, timpani, cymbals, bass drum and strings.

Estimated duration: 8 minutes

Gioachino Rossini composed more than 40 operas during his lifetime; today he is best known for just one. The timeless comedy of The Barber of Seville, based on a play by the French writer Beaumarchais, overcame its disastrous premiere to become Rossini’s most popular opera, both during the composer’s lifetime and in the years since his death. Many concertgoers will also recognize Rossini’s overture from the classic Bugs Bunny cartoon, Rabbit of Seville

In Rossini’s time, opera overtures bore little musical relationship to the operas themselves. The overture served as a musical signal for the audience that the evening’s entertainment was about to begin; its musical content might suggest some of the emotional range of the opera, but did not include any actual themes. Rossini, like Mozart before

Featured Composer

him, usually left the overture until last. In the case of The Barber of Seville, Rossini ran out of time before the opera’s scheduled premiere, so he borrowed an overture from his opera seria, Aureliano in Palmira, which had premiered two years earlier. In 1815, a year before the premiere of The Barber of Seville, Rossini recycled it for the first time as the overture to his historical opera Elisabetta, regina d’Inghilterra (Elizabeth, Queen of England).

Andy Akiho

Concerto

for Cello and Orchestra

Composer: born February 7, 1979, Columbia, SC.

Work composed: 2024. Written for cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and cocommissioned by the Bozeman Symphony.

World premiere: Alasdair Neale led the Sun Valley Festival Chamber Orchestra with cellist Jeffrey Zeigler on August 2, 2024, at the Sun Valley Pavilion in Sun Valley, ID.

Instrumentation: solo cello, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, timpani, keyboard, harp, and strings.

Estimated duration: 21 minutes

Reviewers often use the word “eclectic” to describe composer Andy Akiho’s music, and for good reason. A Bozeman Symphony audience favorite, Akiho’s music embodies the diverse sound world of his percussion experiences: high school marching bands; elite-level drum

Breaking Boundaries: Exploring the Innovative Works of Composer Andy Akiho

Renowned composer and virtuoso percussionist Andy Akiho is making waves in the classical music world with his innovative and boundary-breaking works. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and a five-time GRAMMY nominee, Akiho is known for his intricate and unexpected compositions that challenge traditional notions of classical music.

Described as “an increasingly in-demand composer” by the New York Times, Akiho’s bold and theatrical works have earned him international acclaim. He is the only composer nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition category for three consecutive years –2022, 2023, and 2024.

Akiho’s latest work, a concerto for cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, is premiering at five locations, including the Bozeman Symphony, Sun Valley Music Festival, Oregon Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. Other recent accomplishments include premieres with the Omaha Symphony and Imani Winds, as well as a sold-out run of Seven Pillars at Théâtre du Châtelet.

The composer’s other recent engagements include commissioned premieres by the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony, Oregon Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Music@ Menlo, LA Dance Project, and The Industry. His recordings No One To Know One, The War Below, Seven Pillars, Oculus, and Sculptures feature brilliantly crafted compositions inspired by the steel pan.

Having received numerous awards and fellowships, including the Rome Prize, American Academy of Arts and Letters, Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize, Harvard University Fromm Commission, Barlow Endowment, New Music USA, and Chamber Music America, Akiho’s compositions have been featured by organizations such as Bang on a Can, the American Composers Forum, The Intimacy of Creativity in Hong Kong, and the Heidelberg Festival.

Akiho’s unique approach to composition stems from his background as a steel pan player and his unconventional path

to becoming a composer. Drawing inspiration from his social interactions and collaborations playing steel pan by ear in Trinidad and New York City, Akiho infuses his music with a deeply personal and physical connection.

Originally from South Carolina, the artist became interested in becoming a percussionist when his older sister introduced him to a drum set at age 9. Akiho, who is of Japanese heritage, began writing music at age 28. He holds degrees from the University of South Carolina, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Yale School of Music. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in composition at Princeton University while splitting his time between Portland, Oregon, where he serves as the symphony’s composer-in-residence, and New York City.

With a reputation for pushing the boundaries of classical music and creating captivating works that captivate audiences worldwide, Akiho is a composer to watch in the contemporary music scene.

corps; West African marimba music; Trinidadian steel pan music; and the contemporary classical music scene in New York City.

For the past 15 years, Akiho has focused on exploring timbre (instrumental colors); timbres are a logical compositional entry point for a percussionist. In this concerto, written for Akiho’s friend and colleague, cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, Akiho is setting off into what for him is uncharted territory: long, expressive legato phrases that are hallmarks of the cello’s standard repertoire. “Jeff comes out of a much more typical classical music education than I do,” Akiho explains. (Zeigler earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and continued his studies at Indiana University under the legendary cellist Janos Starker. From 2005-13, Zeigler was the cellist for the worldrenowned Kronos Quartet.) “Jeff’s expressive way with lyrical lines has a soaring, sometimes even haunting quality. That’s a challenge for me, a composer who is more articulate with timbres. I definitely want to challenge Jeff, while focusing on his strengths, and I definitely want to challenge myself while still maintaining my [musical] identity vocabulary, even as I’m stretching that vocabulary beyond my usual percussion comfort zone. That’s probably the most difficult thing.”

The concerto, untitled as of this writing, has multiple movements, and this being an Akiho work, is grounded in rhythmic concepts. “One of my professors at the Manhattan School of Music used the expression ‘off by one’ to describe music from the standard repertoire that would establish a musical idea – [for example, the dada-da-DUH rhythm Beethoven used throughout his Fifth Symphony] and then tweak the rhythm slightly so that it is still recognizable but altered. It didn’t follow the rules exactly,” Akiho continues. “Something would be ‘off by one.’ I’m interpreting ‘off by one’ literally, shifting patterns by one or two or multiple beats. Hearing this is like viewing a Calder mobile; you’re seeing [hearing] the same thing from different perspectives.”

Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

Composer: born December 16, 1770, Bonn; died March 26, 1827, Vienna.

Work composed: begun in the fall of 1811; completed in April 1812.

World premiere: Beethoven conducted the premiere on December 8, 1813, at the University of Vienna, in a benefit concert for Bavarian soldiers injured in the Napoleonic wars.

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings.

Estimated duration: 36 minutes

Ludwig van Beethoven’s hearing had been diminishing since the early 1800s; by the winter of 1813, when he conducted the Seventh Symphony’s premiere, he was all but completely deaf. To compensate, Beethoven adopted an idiosyncratic conducting style, described by his colleague Louis Spohr: “Whenever a sforzando occurred, he tore his arms, previously crossed upon his breast, asunder with great vehemence. At piano[s] he crouched down lower and lower according to the degree of softness he desired. If a crescendo then entered he gradually rose again, and at the entrance to the forte he jumped into the air. Sometimes, too, he unconsciously shouted to strengthen the forte … It was evident that the poor deaf master was no longer able to hear the pianos in his music … ”

Beethoven’s deafness apparently had no effect on audiences or critics, who received the Seventh Symphony with great enthusiasm. At its premiere, one newspaper reported, the “applause rose to the point of ecstasy.” Writing about a subsequent performance, a Leipzig critic noted, “the new symphony (A major) was received with so much applause, again. The reception was as animated as at the first time.”

The 64-measure introduction to the Seventh Symphony was the longest ever written for a symphony at that time. The Poco sostenuto’s carefully constructed foundation of anticipatory energy leads gently into the joyful Vivace, which builds into an ebullient shout.

Audiences at the premiere responded so fervently to the Allegretto that it had to be repeated, and it has enjoyed a fame separate from the Seventh Symphony ever since. As a sure-fire means of stirring audiences, 19th century conductors would often insert the Allegretto into less popular Beethoven symphonies during concerts. The Allegretto has also been featured prominently in film scores, including The King’s Speech (2010); Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995); and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).

In 1848, Richard Wagner wrote that Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony was “the apotheosis of the dance; it is dance in her highest aspect, as it were the loftiest deed of bodily motion incorporated in an ideal mold of tone.” The whirling energy of the closing Allegro con brio, for example, suggests a ballet dancer performing a series of dazzling fouettes, whipping one leg around and around with seemingly effortless skill. Critics and scholars have likened this movement to a Bacchic revel, and Beethoven himself wrote, “Music is the wine which inspires us to new generative processes, and I am the Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine to make mankind spiritually drunken … ”

© Elizabeth Schwartz

Bozeman Symphonic Choir Series 1 Mozart’s Requiem

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024 - 7:30 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 - 2:00 PM

Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Janai Brugger, Soprano

Siena Licht Miller, Mezzo-Soprano

Brian Skoog, Tenor

Sidney Outlaw, Baritone

Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Mozart

Requiem in D minor, K. 626

I. Introitus

a. Requiem aeternam

II. Kyrie

III. Sequentia

a. Dies irae

b. Tuba mirum

c. Rex tremendae

d. Recordare

e. Confutatis

f. Lacrymosa

IV. Offertorium

a. Domine Jesu

b. Hostias

V. Sanctus

VI. Benedictus

VII. Agnus Dei

VIII. Communio

a. Lux aeterna

b. Cum sanctis tuis

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Michael & Sharon Beehler, Presenter’s Circle

Bozeman Symphonic Choir Series

Choral repertoire from all eras is brought to life by our talented 90-member choir in the Bozeman Symphonic Choir Series. Under the baton of Maestro Norman Huynh and Interim Symphonic Choir Director Maren Haynes Marchesini, the choir captivates audiences with its impeccable performances, appealing to even the most discerning music lovers. This season’s two powerful programs feature a rich array of timeless and diverse music that will move you emotionally and spiritually.

Janai Brugger, Soprano

Janai Brugger returns to Bozeman where she sang Poulenc’s Gloria in the 2022-23 season. A 2012 winner of Operalia and of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, U.S.-American operatic soprano Brugger’s recent season engagements include her Houston Grand Opera debut of the highly successful inaugural role of Mary Jane Bower in Jake Heggie’s world premier Intelligence, winning accolades from audiences and critics alike. Last summer, she appeared in the title role of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, followed by her performances as Pamina in The Magic Flute at the Ravinia Festival, a role she also sang at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London, and at the Metropolitan Opera of New York.

Brugger sang the role of Glauce in Cherubini’s Medea at the Metropolitan Opera to open Season 2023-24, Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at Los Angeles Opera, and Liu in Puccini’s Turandot at Opera Colorado. Her recent concert engagements include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and with Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Festival under the baton

of Marin Alsop, Poulenc’s Gloria with Orchestre Metropolitain under the baton of its Music Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and Mahler’s Second Symphony with Detroit Symphony Orchestra, with Jader Bignamini conducting.

Future appearances include concert engagements with Colorado Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and with Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra; her debut at Canadian Opera Company as Glauce in a revival of the Met’s Medea and at Glyndebourne Festival as Michaela in Bizet’s Carmen, and her return to the Metropolitan Opera as Pip the Cabin Boy in Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Jodi Allison-Bunnell, Viola

Siena Licht Miller, Mezzo-Soprano

U.S.-American mezzo-soprano Siena Licht Miller is rapidly establishing a name for herself in opera, concert, and recital. In the 2023-24 season, she returned to the Ensemble at Opernhaus Zürich where she was seen in La Rondine (Suzy), Barkouf (Périzade), L’italiana in Algeri (Zulma), Das Rheingold (Floßhilde), Die Walküre (Roßweiße), and Götterdämmerung (Floßhilde). On the concert stage, she debuted with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in selections from Hänsel und Gretel conducted by Sir Andrew Davis and returned to Grant Park Music Festival for Mahler’s Symphony No. 8.

Career highlights include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia) with Opera Philadelphia, the title role in Dido and Aeneas and Trouble in Tahiti (Dinah) at Curtis Opera Theatre, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the Oregon Symphony, Beethoven Missa Solemnis with Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, a recital with the Carnegie Hall Citywide Concert Series. Additional accolades include being named a 2019 Gerda Lissner Grant Awardee. Miller made her professional debut during the 2017-2018 season in Die Zauberflöte (Zweite Dame) with Opera Philadelphia and spent the summer of 2018 as a member of The Santa Fe Opera’s prestigious Apprentice Program, covering in Doctor Atomic (Kitty Oppenheimer) and Madame Butterfly (Suzuki).

Siena sang the title role in L’enfant et les sortilèges with the Aspen Music Festival, and appeared with Curtis Opera Theatre in The Rape of Lucretia (Title Role), Doctor Atomic (Kitty Oppenheimer), and The Medium (Baba).

Miller is an alumna of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music. Training programs include the Gerdine Young Artist Program at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Chautauqua Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival.

A champion of living composers, Skoog was the tenor soloist for the world premiere of Margaret Brouwer’s environmental oratorio Voice of the Lake. His performance of “The Lake” was included on a 2022 album of Brouwer’s compositions on the Naxos label.

Brian Skoog, Tenor Sidney Outlaw, Baritone

U.S.-American tenor Brian Skoog is known for his “rich and strong” voice (San Diego Story) and “spellbinding tenor” (Take Effect). He recently made his role debut as Tempo in Handel’s Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno with Opera Neo in San Diego, California. Skoog also recently appeared as Mozart in RimskyKorsakov’s Mozart and Salieri with The Cleveland Opera and Jake in Matthew Aucoin’s Second Nature with Opera Fayetteville. Recent seasons include operatic roles with Central City Opera, The Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Opera Theater, Dayton Opera, Druid City Opera, Nashville Opera, Opera Fayetteville, Opera Neo, Pensacola Opera, Toledo Opera, and Utah Festival Opera.

Skoog is an active performer of oratorio and concert repertoire across the United States. In recent seasons, he has appeared as a repeat soloist with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra performing Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem as well as the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Messiah and music by Bach and Beethoven. Skoog has recently sung performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Greenville Symphony), Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings (Heights Chamber Orchestra), Joseph Haydn’s Theresienmesse (West Shore Chorale), Michael Haydn’s Requiem (Western Reserve Chorale), and Mozart’s Requiem (Akron University, Toledo Symphony).

Lauded by The New York Times as a “terrific singer” with a “deep, rich timbre” and the San Francisco Chronicle as an “opera powerhouse” with a “weighty and forthright” sound, Sidney Outlaw returns to Bozeman after performing as a soloist in the 2021-22 season in Scheherazade, by Rimsky-Korsakov. He was the Grand Prize winner of the Concurso Internacional de Canto Montserrat Caballe in 2010 and continues to delight audiences in the U.S. and abroad with his rich and versatile baritone and engaging stage presence.

A graduate of the Merola Opera Program and the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, this rising baritone from Brevard, North Carolina, recently added a GRAMMY nomination to his list of accomplishments for the Naxos Records recording of Darius Milhaud’s 1922 opera trilogy, L’Orestie d’Eschyle in which he sang the role of Apollo. Outlaw has been a featured recitalist with Warren Jones at Carnegie Hall and performed Elijah with the New York Choral Society. He traveled to Guinea as an Arts Envoy with the U.S. State Department, where he performed a program of American music in honor of Black History Month and in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King.

A sought-after concert singer and recitalist, Outlaw’s appearances

include debuts of renowned works at major concert halls. He won 2nd Prize in the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation’s International Competition, 2nd Prize in the 2011 Gerda Lissner Foundation Awards, was a national semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a semi-finalist in the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition, finalist in both Concours International Musical de Montreal and George London Foundation, and won the grand prize in the Florida Grand Opera/YPO Vocal Competition. He holds a bachelor’s in music performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Vocal Performance from The Julliard School.

Wolfgang Amadeus

Mozart

Requiem in D minor, K. 626

Composer: Born December 16, 1770, Bonn; died March 26, 1827, Vienna.

Work composed: 1791. Mozart died before finishing the Requiem; one of his students, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, completed the Requiem using Mozart’s notes and sketches.

World premiere: The first complete performance of Süssmayr’s version was performed on January 2, 1793, in the Jahn-Saal in Vienna.

Instrumentation: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists, SATB chorus, 2 bassoons, 2 basset horns (or clarinets), 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, organ, and strings.

Estimated duration: 50 minutes

The mysterious circumstances surrounding Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem have lent the work an enduring aura of romance and intrigue. In 1984, the Academy Awardwinning film Amadeus presented the Requiem’s creation as a dramatic – albeit fictional – collaboration between the dying Mozart and his rival Antonio Salieri. The true story of the Requiem is no less compelling, but ultimately it is the music itself that endures. The dramatic power of Mozart’s final composition highlights the austere, redemptive language of the Catholic requiem mass.

In the summer of 1791, Count Franz Walsegg von Stuppach sent a messenger to Mozart with an anonymous commission for a requiem to honor Walsegg’s late wife. Walsegg, an amateur musician, had a habit of commissioning works from well-known composers and passing them off as his own; hence his desire for anonymity. Mozart, whose financial situation was always precarious, accepted the commission and completed several sketches before putting the Requiem aside to finish the operas The Magic Flute and La clemenza di Tito. By October 1791, in failing health, Mozart returned to the Requiem; he completed the Introit, Kyrie, most of the Sequence, and the Offertory before his death on December 5. Mozart’s widow Constanze, facing a mountain of debt, asked one of Mozart’s students, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, to complete the remaining sections. Süssmayr agreed, using unfinished sketches and possibly ideas discussed with Mozart prior to the composer’s death to compose the Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei sections. In the Communio, Süssmayr repeats music Mozart previously used in the Introit and Kyrie.

Mozart’s meticulous attention to the meaning of the Requiem’s texts pervades the music. The chorus’ heartfelt pleading in the opening lines, “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine” (Grant them eternal rest, O God), are set in a dark minor key. The next sentence promises eternity: “Et lux perpetua luceat eis” (and may perpetual light shine upon them), as the music transitions to a major key. The strong Kyrie (Lord, have mercy/ Christ, have mercy) emerges as a somber fugue. In choosing to write a

Baroque fugue, Mozart pays homage to a composer he greatly admired, Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Sequence begins with the Dies irae (Day of Wrath), whose fiery, agitated setting and orchestral accompaniment bring the fury of the text frighteningly alive. In the Tuba mirum, the bass soloist and solo trombone proclaim the Day of Judgment. The chorus begs for salvation in the powerful Rex tremendae, followed by the more intimate pleading of the Recordare; here, each of the soloists makes a personal petition to God. A thundering Confutatis follows, juxtaposing images of the damned consigned to the flames of hell with that of a supplicant kneeling in prayer. In the Lacrymosa, the chorus gives voice to grief and weeping, while the sighing violin appoggiaturas echo the text’s laments. The chorus ends its plea for mercy in the Offertory with a reminder, in fugal form, of God’s promise to Abraham.

The Sanctus opens joyfully: both chorus and orchestra sing God’s praises accompanied by shining exclamations from the brasses and a fugue on the words “Hosanna in the highest.” The aria-like melody of the soloists’ Benedictus conveys the blessedness of those “who come in the name of the Lord;” a recurrence of the fugue from the Sanctus follows. With the Agnus Dei, the chorus and orchestra return to the dark shifting mood of the opening movement; this culminates in the Communio, which uses the music of the opening Requiem aeternam and concludes with the same fugue used in the Kyrie, this time setting the words “cum sanctis tuis in aeternam” (with Thy saints forever).

© Elizabeth Schwartz

Cheri Ladd LeCain, Violin

PERFORMANCES

Bozeman Symphony Presents Series 1 Holiday Spectacular

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2024 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024 - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2024 - 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Paige Rasmussen, Vocals

O’Loughlin

Marks/arr. Hayman

Christmas Canticles

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Tchaikovsky Selections from The Nutcracker Suite arr. Ellington/Strayhorn; Overture orch. Tyzik

Peanut Brittle Brigade (March)

Traditional Chanukah Suite arr. Tyzik

Traditional O Come, O Come, Emmanuel arr. Parker Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Lowry & Greene

Mary Did You Know arr. Fleischer

Paige Rasmussen

Silvestri/arr. Brubaker The Polar Express Suite INTERMISSION

Traditional 12 Days of Christmas arr. Rutter Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Silver

Twelve Days After Christmas arr. Pippin Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Leontovych & Wilhousky Carol of the Bells arr. Krogstad

Paige Rasmussen Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Traditional Joy to the World

arr. Broadbent

Anderson

arr. Krogstad

Paige Rasmussen, vocals Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Sleigh Ride

Paige Rasmussen

Traditional Christmas Carol Sing-a-Long arr. Finnegan

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Paul & Jillian Bertelli, Presenter’s Circle

Mike & Cyndi Huempfner – Five Points Foundation, Presenter’s Circle

Carol G. & Sal Lalani, Presenter’s Circle

Sheehy Family Foundation - Denise & Richard, Presenter’s Circle

Zsa-Zsa’s, Presenter’s Circle

Holiday Spectacular Featured Artist

Meet Paige Rasmussen: Montana’s Musical Powerhouse Making Waves in the Industry

Paige Rasmussen is no stranger to the stage. At just 17 years old, she sang as a member of the rhythm and blues band Bluejack at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and went on to share stages with country stars and legends like John Hiatt, Willie Nelson, The Doobie Brothers, Lyle Lovett, Pat Benatar, Kenny Loggins, Brandi Carlile, and Mike McCready, among others.

The powerhouse lead singer of the popular funk, soul, and rock-fusion group, Paige and the People’s Band, Paige was born and raised in Bozeman. Her unique vocal style has been described as a blend of Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen, which remains one of her favorite compliments.

Drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical genres and artists, including classically trained Sara Brightman, Jazz’s Billie Holiday, Rock Americana’s Susan Tedeschki, and Country’s Bonnie Raitt and Dolly Parton, Paige’s love for music knows no bounds.

Encouraged by her mother, a longtime KGLT deejay, and inspired by her father’s band rehearsals, Paige knew early on that performing was her calling. Since childhood, she seized every opportunity to perform, from local theatre productions to touring with Bluejack at just 15 years old.

Broadening her musical style, she developed a love for Hip Hop and cowrote a collaborative record in San Franciso called Songbird Sing, which was played throughout the United States and Europe. With a fervent desire to pursue more theatre experience, Paige landed a role in Las Vegas singing and dancing in an eclectic show.

Bozeman Symphony Presents Series

Experience the Bozeman Symphony Presents Series, where the orchestra and symphonic choir often come together to offer unforgettable musical experiences. With diverse programs, including a variety of popular musical genres alongside classical favorites, our Bozeman Symphony Presents Series offers something for everyone to enjoy. This season’s two concerts feature local favorites Paige Rasmussen and Kishi Bashi, and promise to be full of joy, fun, and vibrant energy.

Because she also wanted to explore film production, she worked on the film Pure Country 2 with George Strait. Paige has several film credits to her name and has been recognized with a Telly Award and an Emmy nomination for her pursuits. She continues to work in film and considers it an important part of her background.

Back in Montana, she leads Paige and the People’s Band, voted Bozeman’s Best Rock Band. The band plays at numerous area concerts and fundraisers and was featured on the PBS Emmy award-winning series 11th and Grant with Eric Funk. She has also sung the national anthem at MSU sporting events.

Balancing her role as lead singer and band manager, Paige also runs two successful businesses: PR Productions, a film, music, and event production company, and PR Supply, a hydroponic growing supplies distribution company.

The acclaimed musician, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, composer, and writer continues to have a deep love for music, for what it represents, and what it will do. Paige is truly a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

PERFORMANCES

Classical Series 3 Korngold’s Violin Concerto

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Will Hagen, Violin

Holmès La Nuit et l’Amour (Night and Love)

Korngold Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

I. Moderato nobile

II. Romance

III. Allegro assai vivace

INTERMISSION

Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

I. Introduzione. Andante non troppo – Allegro vivace II. Presentando le coppie. Allegro scherzando III. Elegia. Andante non troppo IV. Intermezzo interrotto. Allegretto V. Finale. Presto

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Ambassador Max Baucus & Ms. Melodee Hanes, Presenter’s Circle

Dennis Wentz, M.D., & Anne Colston Wentz, M.D., Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Holmès: Ouverture pour une Comedie (Overture to a Comedy); Irlande (Ireland)

Korngold: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra; film scores for Captain Blood, Anthony Adverse, and The Sea Hawk

Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3; the last movement of the Concerto for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

La Nuit et l’Amour: Soaring melodies, lush orchestration, thick textures, epic scope.

Violin Concerto: If you think this sounds like a 1930s film score, that’s because it does. Excerpts from several films, including Korngold’s Oscarwinning score for The Adventures of Robin Hood, make an appearance in this swashbuckling virtuoso showcase.

Concerto for Orchestra: Each family of instruments is featured in a solo or sectional capacity in this multimovement work. Listen for moments when the spotlight focuses, in turn, on woodwinds, brasses, percussion, and strings

Will Hagen, Violinist

Will Hagen returns to Bozeman after performing the Saint-Georges Violin Concerto in A in the 202021 season. The riveting violinist has appeared as a soloist with many of the world’s great orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, San Francisco Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, and many more.

He has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Highlights of this past season include a return to the Detroit Symphony and a tour of the Netherlands with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.

As soloist, Hagen has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Detroit Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony (HR Sinfonieorchester), San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, and many others around the globe.

As recitalist and chamber musician, Hagen has performed at venues such

as Wigmore Hall and the Louvre, and collaborated with artists such as Steven Isserlis, Gidon Kremer, Edgar Meyer, and Tabea Zimmerman, among others. He maintains an active schedule on both sides of the Atlantic, making frequent trips to Europe and cities around the United States to play a wide range of repertoire.

A seasoned international performer, Hagen has been hailed as a “brilliant virtuoso . . . a standout” (The Dallas Morning News) whose playing is “. . . captivating, floating delicately above the orchestra” (Chicago Classical Review). He was the thirdprize winner of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Brussels, one of the highest-ranking Americans ever in the prestigious competition.

In 2020, Hagen released his debut album, Danse Russe, with his good friend and frequent collaborator, pianist Albert Cano Smit. The album is available on all streaming platforms.

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Hagen began playing the violin at the age of four, studying the Suzuki method with Natalie Reed and then Deborah Moench. He debuted with the Utah Symphony at age nine. Hagen then studied with Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho at the Juilliard School, Christian Tetzlaff at the Kronberg Academy, and was a longtime student of Robert Lipsett, studying with him for 11 years both at the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts and at the Colburn Conservatory of Music.

Hagen performs on the 1732 “Arkwright Lady Rebecca Sylvan”

Antonio Stradivari, and on a violin bow by Francois Xavier Tourte, both on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation.

Augusta Holmès

“La Nuit et l’Amour” (Night and Love) from Ludus pro Patria (Patriotic Games)

Composer: born December 16, 1847, Paris; died January 28, 1903, Paris

Work composed: 1887-88

World premiere: Jules Augustin Garcin conducted the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire on March 4, 1888, in Paris.

Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, four horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, harp, and strings

Estimated duration: 6 minutes

A French composer born to Irish parents living in Paris, Augusta Holmès (she added an accent to the “e” in her surname when she became a French citizen in 1871, changing the pronunciation to “Hol-MEZ”) enjoyed great renown during her lifetime, and – uncommon for a 19th century female composer – generally positive reception of her work by her French male colleagues, including Camille Saint-Saëns and Holmès’ composition teacher César Franck. The high point in Holmès’ career came when she was chosen over her male colleagues to write a celebratory work to mark the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille for the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.

Mme. Holmès (she never married,

although she had a 20-year relationship and five children with poet Catulle Mendès) lived life on her own terms, beginning with her unwavering determination to be a composer at a time when women were not allowed to study composition at the Paris Conservatoire. In many respects, Holmès managed her career as did the male artists of her time. Holmès “manufactured” or at least did not deny rumors about her life and her own origins, which amplified her reputation as an authentic 19thcentury Romantic. (One popular story suggested Holmès may have been illegitimate, and that her biological father was actually a renowned French poet, Alfred de Vigny.) Holmès’ physical beauty also added to her allure. Saint-Saëns, who proposed marriage several times, was quoted as claiming, “We all were all of us in love with her;” painters and poets were inspired by her, including Stéphane Mallarmé and the visual artist Georges Clairin, who declared Holmès was “not so much a woman as a goddess.”

Holmès Ludus pro Patria, the work from which “La Nuit et l’Amour” is excerpted, is a symphonic ode featuring a large orchestra, full chorus, and a speaker declaiming Holmès own text. The work was inspired by an eponymous painting by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, which according to a description by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York where it hangs, shows young athletes training with pikes (piques in French), the traditional weapon of the Picardy region and reputedly the origin of the province’s name. This work is a replica, reduced in size, of the central panel of a mural that Puvis completed in 1882 and installed in the Musée de Picardie in Amiens. The exhibition and sale of such ‘reductions’ helped publicize the artist’s monumental decorative commissions and boost his income. Although not often performed today, Holmès’ Ludus pro Patria’s premiere was such a resounding success that a second performance was demanded the following week.

Musically, Holmès’ orchestral writing resembles that of Wagner and Liszt, two composers whose work she admired. She wields the orchestra’s timbres with deft precision, using them to convey both emotion and plot. In her manuscript notes for “La Nuit et L’Amour,” Holmès included

her own verses: “Love! Divine word! Creator of worlds!/Love! Inspiration of fruitful ecstasy!/Love! Conqueror of Conquerors!”

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

Composer: born May 29, 1897, Vienna; died November 29, 1957, Hollywood, CA

Work composed: 1937-1945. Commissioned by violinist Bronisław Huberman. Dedicated to Gustav Mahler’s widow, Alma Mahler-Werfel.

World premiere: February 15, 1947. Vladimir Golschmann led the St. Louis Symphony with Jascha Heifetz as soloist.

Instrumentation: solo violin, 2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, celesta, harp, and strings.

Estimated duration: 24 minutes

Erich Korngold was a man out of time. Had he been born a century earlier, his romantic sensibilities would have aligned perfectly with the musical and artistic aesthetics of the 19th century. Instead, Korngold grew up in the tumult of the early 20th century, when his tonal, lyrical style had been eclipsed by the horrors of WWI and the stark modernist trends

promulgated by fellow Viennese composers Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern.

Korngold’s prodigious compositional talent emerged early. At age ten, he performed his cantata Gold for Gustav Mahler, whereupon the older composer called him “a genius.” When Korngold was 13, just after his bar mitzvah, the Austrian Imperial Ballet staged his pantomime The Snowman In his teens, Korngold received commissions from the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; pianist Artur Schnabel performed Korngold’s Op. 2 Piano Sonata on tour, and Korngold also began writing operas, completing two full-scale works by age eighteen. At 23, Korngold’s opera Die tote Stadt (The Dead City) brought him international renown; it was performed in 83 different opera houses.

By the 1920s, the music of Korngold’s contemporaries reflected the chaotic aftermath of WWI. It bristled with dissonance, unexpected rhythms, and often little that resembled a recognizable melody. Korngold’s music reflected an earlier, bygone era, and his unabashed Romanticism was dismissed as hopelessly out of date. Fortunately for Korngold, around this time a new forum for composition emerged: film scores. In 1934, director Max Reinhardt invited Korngold to write a score for his film of A Midsummer Night’s Dream Korngold subsequently moved to Hollywood, where he spent the next dozen years composing scores for 18 films, including his Oscar-winning music for Anthony Adverse (1936), and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Claude Rains.

While many composers and critics regarded film music as less significant than works written for the concert hall, Korngold did not. “I have never drawn a distinction between music for films and for operas or concerts,” he stated, and his violin concerto bears this out. The concerto is a compilation of themes from several Korngold scores, including Another Dawn (1937), Juárez (1939), Anthony Adverse, and The Prince and the Pauper (1937). Korngold’s Violin Concerto has been a favorite of both violinists and audiences everywhere since its premiere, although the New York Sun famously dismissed it as “more corn than gold.”

It was a running joke in the Korngold family that every time their family friend Bronisław Huberman saw Korngold, the Polish violinist would demand, “Erich! Where’s my concerto?” At dinner one evening in Korngold’s house in Los Angeles, Korngold responded to Huberman’s mock-serious question by going to his piano and playing the theme from Another Dawn. Huberman exclaimed, “That’s it! That will be my concerto. Promise me you’ll write it.” Korngold complied, but it was Jascha Heifetz, another child prodigy, who gave the first performance. In the program notes for the premiere, Korngold wrote, “In spite of its demand for virtuosity in the finale, the work with its many melodic and lyric episodes was contemplated rather for a Caruso of the violin than for a Paganini. It is needless to say how delighted I am to have my concerto performed by Caruso and Paganini in one person: Jascha Heifetz.”

Composer: born March 25, 1881, Nagyszentmiklós, Hungary (now Sînnicolau Mare, Romania); died September 26, 1945, New York City

Work composed: Summer 1943, revised 1945

World premiere: Serge Koussevitzsky led the Boston Symphony Orchestra on December 1, 1944, at Symphony Hall in Boston.

Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (one doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (one doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (one doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum without snare, triangle, tamtam, two harps, and strings.

Estimated duration: 35 minutes

Béla Bartók’s last five years were dominated by political upheaval, financial difficulty, and illness. Bartók’s mother died in December 1939; ten months later Bartók and his wife fled Nazi-occupied Hungary. Grief-stricken over his mother’s death and overwhelmed by the many obstacles confronting a newly arrived immigrant, Bartók fell into a deep depression. Financial hardship caused by lack of interest in and performances of Bartók’s works added further to his despondency. The ultimate blow came in 1942, when Bartók was diagnosed with leukemia. In a letter to his publisher, Bartók wrote, “Artistic creative work generally is the result of outflow of strength, highspiritedness, joy of life, etc.—All these conditions are sadly missing with me at present. Maybe it is a breakdown. Until 60 I could marvellously bear all annoyances and mishaps. But lately, I often wondered how long I will be able to endure all those sad experiences continually exposed to. May be [sic] I reached the limit.”

In the early summer of 1943, conductor Serge Koussevitzky came to visit Bartók in the hospital and offered the composer $1,000 to write an orchestral work for the Koussevitzky Foundation. Bartók agreed, used the money to pay for his medical treatment, and began composing what would become the Concerto for Orchestra in mid-August. In his letters, Bartók noted a parallel between his improving health and his productivity; he completed the Concerto in just seven weeks.

Music reviews noted the general absence of folk influence and the lack of harsh dissonances typical of Bartók’s earlier works. The critic for the Boston Globe wrote, “The

style is fairly light, the dissonance is expressive rather than idiomatic, and the five movements are, on the whole, engagingly emotional.” However, many musicians felt Bartók had irretrievably compromised his artistic aesthetic by writing a more “accessible” work clearly tailored for a U.S. American audience. Bartók, however, made his position clear: “In order to express our ideas and sentiments through music it is necessary to forsake all that weighs down its flight and to make use of all the means within our reach.”

The Concerto for Orchestra is Bartók’s most performed and most popular composition. The orchestra itself takes on the role of soloist, as each family of instruments takes its turn in the limelight. Bartók described the emotional mood of the movements as a progression: the somber, inescapable theme of the first movement, the joking second, the death lament of the third and the sarcastic, biting wit of the fourth all culminate in a life-affirming finale. The cyclical nature of the music is also commonly interpreted as Bartók’s response to his battle with leukemia. He died in the autumn of 1945, ten months after the Concerto’s premiere.

© Elizabeth Schwartz

Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

PERFORMANCES

Bozeman Symphony Presents Series 2 Kishi Bashi and the Bozeman Symphony

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2025 - 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Kishi Bashi, Vocals, Violin

PROGRAM TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM STAGE

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Presents Series Featured Artist

Kish Bashi’s Stunning Artistry Takes Center Stage at Bozeman Symphony Presents Series

Internationally celebrated singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter

Kishi Bashi returns to Bozeman for a two-week residency as the Bozeman Symphony’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence. The virtuoso violinist and artistactivist is also set to captivate Bozeman audiences with another stellar performance at a Bozeman Symphony Presents Series concert.

His highly anticipated performance will showcase Kishi Bashi’s exceptional talents as a violinist, composer, and vocalist, accompanied by the orchestra in a harmonious fusion of Japanese and U.S.-American influences. Known for his innovative approach to music, Kishi Bashi expertly weaves together a tapestry of sounds using not just the violin but also instruments like guitar and keyboard, along with vocal looping technology and even beatboxing.

Born Kaoru Ishibashi in Seattle and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, to parents who were professors at Old Dominion University, Kishi Bashi’s musical journey began at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he honed his skills in film scoring and violin. Since then, he has risen to prominence in the music scene, collaborating with diverse artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and the indie rock band of Montreal.

Based in Athens, Georgia, Kishi Bashi was also the singer and a founding member of the electronic rock group Jupiter One. His music has been featured in various commercial campaigns, including Microsoft, Smart cars, and a Sony tablet, further solidifying his impact on the contemporary musical landscape.

Revered by audiences and critics alike, Kishi Bashi’s work has earned him accolades such as NPR’s “Best New Artist of the Year” in 2012 for his debut album, 151A. Subsequent releases like Lighght and Sonderlust have showcased his growth as an artist, delving into more personal and experimental territories with each album.

After Sonderlust, Kishi Bashi traveled frequently to Montana and Wyoming to work on a song film about Japanese internment during WWII. His fourth album, Omoiyari, is a studio album written during those six years of travel, research, and filming for the movie Omoiyari: A Song Film. The film was screened in Bozeman and at several film festivals in the fall of 2023, and is now available to stream on Paramount Plus.

The latest full-length from Kishi Bashi, Kantos is a work of exquisite duality: a party album about the possible end of humanity as we know it, at turns deeply unsettling and sublimely joyful. In a sonic departure from the symphonic folk of his critically lauded 2019 LP Omoiyari, his fifth studio album encompasses everything from Brazilian jazz and ’70s funk to orchestral rock and city pop (a Japanese genre that peaked in the mid-’80s). Informed by an equally kaleidoscopic mix of inspirations—the cult-classic sci-fi novel series Hyperion Cantos, the writings of 18th-century enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, a revelatory trip to ancient ruins on the island of Crete—Kantos ultimately serves as an unbridled exaltation of the human spirit and all its wild complexities.

Like the words that inspire him, ichi-go ichi-e - each moment is unique—Kishi Bashi’s multilayered violin-techno-pop music is truly one of a kind.

Family Concert

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025 – 10:30 AM & 1 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Kishi Bashi, Vocals, Violin

PROGRAM TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM STAGE

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

PHOTO BY JASON SAVAGE

PERFORMANCES

Classical Series 4 Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Carrie Krause

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Carrie Krause, Violin

Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

I. Allegro ma non troppo

II. Larghetto

III. Rondo. Allegro

INTERMISSION

Walker Lyric for Strings

Mendelssohn

Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”

I. Allegro vivace

II. Andante con moto

III. Con moto moderato

IV. Presto and Finale: Saltarello

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

ERA Landmark-Robyn Erlenbush, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Beethoven: Romanzas in F and G for Violin and Orchestra; Symphony No. 7 in A major; “Archduke” Trio, Op. 97

Walker: Address for Orchestra; Icarus in Orbit; “Lilacs”

Mendelssohn: Overture and Incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Violin Concerto: The Larghetto’s hushed intimacy, as the soloist plays in the highest part of the violin’s range; the exuberant off-beat rocking melody of the closing Rondo.

Lyric for Strings: Melodies weave in and out of the overall musical tapestry, moving slowly though shifting moods that evoke loss, nostalgia, memories of past loved ones, and the quiet comfort such memories can bring to the bereaved.

Symphony No. 4: “Italian”: A sun-drenched musical travelog of Mendelssohn’s extended visit to Italy. The outer movements capture the warm weather and sunny temperament of the country and its people.

Carrie Krause, Violin

Bozeman’s own Carrie Krause, whose playing has been described by the Seattle Post Intelligencer as “elegant” and “sparkling,” serves as concertmaster of the Bozeman Symphony and is artistic director of Baroque Music Montana, which has appeared and recorded at Tippet Rise Arts Center. The group features acclaimed artists from across the nation and the globe and presents over 50 performances a year across the region.

Krause has performed with the Fairbanks Symphony, Casper Symphony, String Orchestra of the Rockies, Battle Creek Symphony, and the Bozeman and Billings symphonies as a soloist. She has appeared as guest concertmaster of Bravo Big Sky, Helena, and Billings symphonies, as guest artistic director of String Orchestra of the Rockies, and with the Montana Chamber Music Society and Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs. Krause has been featured four times in the Grammy Award-winning television

series, 11th and Grant. She founded and directs the Second String Orchestra for amateur players and the Bozeman Chamber Ensembles for youth. She maintains a studio of 30 private students, including award winners at the Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras, Music Teachers National Association, and American String Teachers Association competitions.

As a baroque violinist, Krause performs with ensembles across the country and on numerous international series. While serving as concertmaster of New Trinity Baroque in Atlanta, she received this Atlanta Journal-Constitution review: “Krause turns her playing into something resembling a dance... a tone that balanced sweetness with character.” She has also performed as concertmaster of Musikanten Montana, as guest concertmaster of Pacific Baroque in Vancouver and the San Francisco Bach Choir, as associate concertmaster of Apollo’s Fire in Cleveland, and as principal with the Oregon Bach Festival and Spire in Kansas City. She has also appeared with Chatham Baroque, New York State Baroque, Portland Baroque, Passamezzo Moderno, Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Clarion, The American Classical Orchestra, and Concert Royale in New York. Festival engagements include the Leipzig Bach Festival, Salish Sea Early Music Festival, and Montana Baroque Festival as soloist, the Belgrade Early Music Festival in Serbia and Sastamalla Gregoriana in Finland as concertmaster, and the Utrecht Early Music Festival, Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie in Nante,

France, the BBC Proms in London, and most recently the Carmel Bach Festival. Krause has worked under such conductors as Jordi Savall, Ton Koopman, Richard Egarr, Nic McGegan, and Musaaki Suzuki.

Krause earned degrees from Carnegie Mellon under Andres Cardenes, the Cleveland Institute of Music in violin performance and Suzuki Pedagogy, and The Julliard School in Historical Performance. In the fall of 2022, she was on sabbatical in Europe studying concertmaster solos and 17th-century music. She performs with a 1972 Kinberg violin from Chicago and a fine Louis Gillet bow.

An avid adventurer, Krause placed first in her age group in the Springfield Missouri Marathon, and third overall female in the Old Gabe 50K and 30K trail race. She occasionally loves to Nordic ski even more than practicing the violin.

Ludwig van Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

Composer: born December 16, 1770, Bonn; died March 26, 1827, Vienna.

Work composed: 1806. Commissioned by and dedicated to Franz Clement, music director and concertmaster of the Theatre an der Wien.

World premiere: Clement performed the solo at the premiere, which Beethoven conducted at the Theater an der Wien on December 23, 1806.

Instrumentation: solo violin, flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings.

Estimated duration: 42 minutes

Ludwig van Beethoven’s only violin concerto shattered conventional notions of what a Romantic solo concerto could or should be. Instead of using the concerto as a vehicle to show off the soloist’s technique, Beethoven placed the music front and center, while also giving the soloist plenty of opportunities to display musical skill.

21-year-old Franz Clement, music director and concertmaster of the Theater an der Wien, commissioned the Violin Concerto in 1806. After the premiere, Clement suggested revisions to the solo part, which Beethoven incorporated into his revised score.

Even masterworks can be diminished by a mediocre performance. According to published accounts, Beethoven finished the concerto just two days before the premiere, which meant Clement had to sight-read the opening performance. Although it was beautiful, and staggeringly difficult, the lack of adequate rehearsal, among other factors, left the Violin Concerto with a bad reputation, which took 30 years to dissipate. 38 years after its premiere, 12-year-old violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim presented the concerto at his debut with the London Philharmonic in 1844. Joachim pored over the score, memorized the entire piece, and composed his own cadenzas in preparation. The hard work paid off; one reviewer noted, “[Joachim] is perhaps the finest violin player, not only of his age, but of his siècle [century]. He performed Beethoven’s solitary concerto, which we have heard all the great performers of the last twenty years attempt, and invariably fail in … its performance was an eloquent vindication of the master-spirit who imagined it.”

Unlike Beethoven’s concertos for piano, which feature thick, dense chords and difficult scalar passages, the violin solo is graceful and lyrical.

This warm expressiveness matched Clement’s style of playing, which Beethoven said exemplified “an extremely delightful tenderness and purity.”

The concerto begins unconventionally, with five repeating notes in the timpani. This simple knocking is repeated, like a gentle but persistent heartbeat, throughout the movement, and becomes a recurring motif. In another distinctive break from tradition, the soloist does not enter for a full three minutes, and then begins a cappella (unaccompanied), before reiterating the first theme in a high register.

The Larghetto’s main melody is stately, intimate, and tranquil, and becomes an orchestral backdrop over which the solo violin traces graceful arabesques in ethereally high registers. The soloist takes center stage in this movement, playing extended cadenzas and other passages with minimal accompaniment.

The final Rondo-Allegro flows seamlessly from the Larghetto; the soloist launches immediately into a rocking melody that suggests a boat bobbing at anchor. Typical rondo format features a primary theme (A), which is interspersed with contrasting sections (B, C, D, etc.) Each of these contrasting sections departs from the (A) theme, sometimes in mood, sometimes by shifting from major to minor, or by changing keys entirely.

George Walker Lyric for Strings

Composer: born June 27, 1922, Washington, D.C.; died August 23, 2018, Montclair, NJ.

Work composed: 1946. Dedicated “to my grandmother.”

World premiere: 1946. Seymour Lipkin led a student orchestra from the Curtis Institute of Music in a radio concert.

Estimated duration: 6 minutes

George Theophilus Walker pursued three successful careers in performance, composition, and teaching. After graduating from Oberlin Conservatory, Walker attended the Curtis Institute, becoming the first Black student to earn an Artist’s Diploma in piano and composition. At Curtis, Walker studied piano with Rudolf Serkin and composition with Gian Carlo Menotti. Walker continued his education at the Eastman School of Music, where he earned a D.M.A. in composition, the first Black person to do so. In the 1950s, Walker traveled to Paris to study composition with Nadia Boulanger.

Walker’s life list of accomplishments includes many more “firsts:” he was the first Black instrumentalist to play a recital in New York’s Town Hall; the first Black soloist to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy, and the first Black instrumentalist to obtain major concert management, with National Concert Artists. In 1996, Walker became the first Black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra, a setting of Walt Whitman’s poem, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d.” In 2000, Walker was elected to the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, the first living composer so honored.

Like Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Walker’s Lyric for Strings, initially titled Lament for Strings, began as a movement for string quartet. Walker wrote his String Quartet No. 1 in 1946 as a graduate student at the Curtis Institute. He dedicated the Lament to his grandmother, who had died the previous year. The quartet premiered on a live radio performance of Curtis’ student orchestra in 1946, and the following year received its concert premiere at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Walker gave the second movement a new title, Lyric for Strings. As a standalone piece, it quickly became one of the most regularly programmed works by a living composer. Melodies interweave among the instruments, and the pensive atmosphere captures both the composer’s anguish at the passing of his beloved grandmother, as well as the joy her memory evokes. The romantic melodies and lush harmonic underpinnings create an expressive but never mawkish atmosphere of love and loss.

Felix Mendelssohn

Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, “Italian”

Composer: born February 3, 1809, Hamburg; died November 4, 1847, Leipzig.

Work composed: 1833, rev. 1834.

World premiere: Mendelssohn led the Philharmonic Society in London on May 13, 1833.

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings.

Estimated duration: 27 minutes

In 1830-31, Felix Mendelssohn traveled in Italy, spending most of his time in Rome. While there, Mendelssohn wrote several of his best-known works, including the “Italian” Symphony. Although widely considered the finest of Mendelssohn’s symphonies, the “Italian” failed to please its creator. Even after its auspicious premiere, which Mendelssohn conducted to great acclaim in London, the 24-yearold composer was dissatisfied. Ignaz Moscheles, a close friend

of Mendelssohn’s, who attended the premiere, noted in his diary, “Mendelssohn was the outstanding success of the concert; he conducted his magnificent A major Symphony and received rapturous applause.” Nonetheless, soon after the premiere, Mendelssohn began making revisions. He continued tinkering with Op. 90 until his death, and observed that the symphony caused him “some of the bitterest moments I have ever endured.” In the end, Mendelssohn’s dissatisfaction with the Italian Symphony led to his refusal to conduct it again, or permit it to be published during his lifetime.

Mendelssohn’s abiding unhappiness over Op. 90 is puzzling; both Moscheles and Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny, a gifted composer herself, praised its form, artful melodies, and overall grace. Unconvinced, Mendelssohn continued revising it, and left a detailed outline of changes he wanted to make to the first three movements. Four years after Mendelssohn’s death, the “Italian” Symphony was published, albeit without Mendelssohn’s revisions. Since then, audiences have embraced the work, and it is among Mendelssohn’s most popular and most frequently programmed symphonies.

When recalling his trip to Italy, Mendelssohn said, “The whole country had such a festive air that I felt as if I were a young prince making his entry.” The Allegro vivace reflects the relaxed confidence of a young man on the brink of new adventures, as well as the warmth of the Italian sun, the deep blueness of the sky, and the sunny temperament of the Italian people. The mood of the Andante con moto is more introspective; the melody, in a minor key, is supported by pizzicato strings, which provide a walking bass line suggestive of footsteps. Mendelssohn observed a number of Church rituals during his stay in Rome, and this processional quality suggests the solemn rites of a religious ceremony. With the Con moto moderato, Mendelssohn returns to the warmth of the first movement, taming its exuberance into a graceful minuet, accompanied by a trio of winds and brasses. Mendelssohn titled the final movement a saltarello, after an energetic Italian dance. The rapid-fire theme skips nimbly and without pause through the orchestra, first in the winds, then the strings and brasses. The perpetual-motion

quality of this music suggests another Italian dance, the tarantella, named for the mistaken belief that immediate exertion would save the victim of a tarantula’s bite from its deadly poison. © Elizabeth Schwartz

Bozeman Symphonic Choir Series 2

The Stones Sang: Celebrating the Land

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025 - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 - 2:30 PM

Hope Lutheran Church

Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini, Conductor

Bryan Schaeffer, Visual Artist

Palestrina

Dies Sanctificatus

Wyers The Waking

Balfour & Campbell Ambe

Gimon Fire

INTERMISSION

Gjello Sunrise Mass

The Spheres

Sunrise

The City

Identity & The Ground

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Bryan Schaeffer, Visual Artist

Born in Bozeman, Bryan Schaeffer creates visual art, illustrated books, and animations on themes of Montana landscapes. He was always curious about what may be lurking around the next switchback, mountain pass, or pitch. He owns the creative studio SINTR, and lives with his wife, three daughters, and an eager-to-adventure Goldendoodle. In his spare time, he enjoys recreating on Montana’s public lands, including training with the Bridger Ski Foundation and volunteering as a National Interscholastic Cycling Association mountain bike coach. When he’s not outside, you can find him writing, illustrating, and animating his book series The Last Best Trails

Ola Gjeilo

Sunrise Symphonic Mass for Choir and Orchestra

Composer: born May 5, 1978, Skui, Bærum, Norway.

Work composed: Commissioned in 2007 by the Majorstua and Nova chamber choirs.

World premiere: Tore Erik Mohn conducted the first performance on November 2, 2008, in Oslo

Instrumentation: SATB chorus and string orchestra

Estimated duration: 32 minutes

Norwegian-born composer/pianist Ola Gjeilo is based in the United States; he is best known for his choral works. Gjeilo grew up in an eclectic sound world, and draws inspiration from symphonic film scores, jazz, and the visual works of glass artist Dale Chihuly and architect Frank Gehry.

For composers, the Latin Mass can serve more than one purpose: it can be an expression of faith as a sacred work, and, because its structure and trajectory are familiar to many, a mass can also function as a ready-made template to express non-religious— albeit spiritual—ideas. In his Sunrise Symphonic Mass, Gjeilo expands on the Mass to encompass his portrayal of the elements reflected in each movement’s subtitle. He writes, “The reason I used English titles for each movement in this setting of the Latin Mass has to do with the initial idea behind Sunrise Mass. I wanted the musical journey of the work to evolve from transparent and spacey

to something earthy and warm; from nebulous and pristine, through more emotional landscapes, to ultimately solid groundedness—as a metaphor for human development from child to adult, or as a spiritual journey…”

Composer/conductor/professor Kira Zeeman Rugen provides in-depth program notes for Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass:

“While Gjeilo set the meaning of the Latin text respectfully, and observes the traditions that masses are expected to exhibit, his overall vision for the piece lies within the titles of the work, only loosely related to the Latin. In so doing, he reveals a structure outside of the text, a metaphysical journey from the heavens to earth …” Rugen also observes the visual nature of Gjeilo’s music, a manifestation of his affinity for film and TV scores.

The Kyrie, which Gjeilo titles “The Spheres,” evokes an atmosphere that, in his words, “floats in space, in deep silence, between stars and planets.”

Gjeilo’s Gloria (“Sunrise”) is his musical representation of an actual sunrise, which begins slowly and quietly, then transitions to an up-tempo outpouring of joy as the sun rises above the horizon.

Credo (The City) is the longest and most complex movement, and Gjeilo pays careful attention to nuances. This text, he declares, “is the most powerful and assured text in the Mass; ‘I believe’ is a strong statement.’” It begins with a pulsing string accompaniment that evokes the urban energy of a large city: traffic, crowded sidewalks, each person intent on their own pursuits. The tenors and basses begin alone, and are later joined by the sopranos and altos. Midway through The City, Gjeilo returns to the static stillness of The Spheres, which unifies the whole Mass. The City is also the dramatic high point of the Mass, and Gjeilo emphasizes this musically as he launches without pause into the combined final two movements, Sanctus (Identity) and Pleni sunt coeli/ Agnus Dei (The Ground).

Identity returns to the musical material of The Spheres, with the addition of a solo violin. Gjeilo characterizes the violin as “the individual and the emergence of a conscious ‘self.’” As with any identity, different emotional states materialize: confidence, turmoil,

The Valley of the Flowers by Bryan Schaeffer

the violin as “the individual and the emergence of a conscious ‘self.’” As with any identity, different emotional states materialize: confidence, turmoil, certainty, insecurity. Identity slides seamlessly into The Ground. Rugen writes, “After all the tension and dark crevices the music has visited … The Ground is a place of absolute peace, tranquility, and relief. It is also the point at which one feels that one has arrived and is finally ‘grounded.’ No longer is the music floating in the spheres, rising with the sun, bustling in the city, or discovering the self. The music depicts being at one with humanity and the Earth; herein lies a sense of awareness of everything grounded and real.”

Katerina Gimon

“Fire” from Elements

Composer: born February 1993, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

Work composed: 2013; rev. 2016.

World premiere: Lee Willingham led the Laurier Singers at the First United Church in Waterloo, Ontario, in March 2014.

Instrumentation: SATB divisi (with optional percussion)

Estimated duration: 2 minutes

Katerina Gimon is an award-winning Canadian composer whose uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has gained her a reputation as a distinctive voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. In her music, Gimon draws influence from a myriad of places – the Ukrainian folk music of her heritage, indie rock, and from her

roots as a songwriter. Gimon’s music is performed widely across Canada, the USA, and internationally.

“Elements is a set of choral works that abstractly depict the four classical elements and explores the wide range of capabilities of the human voice —from overtone singing, to vocal percussion, to colorful vocal timbres,” writes Gimon. “Elements features no ‘text’ (at least not in the traditional sense), rather a series of syllables generated through improvisation meant to evoke the sound and energy of each element.”

“‘Fire’ is a fun, lively, and energetic work incorporating vocal percussion, body percussion, nasal singing, calls, nonsense syllables, as well as optional percussion.”

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Dies sanctificatus

Composer: born c.1525, Palestrina, near Rome; died February 2, 1594, Rome.

Work composed: first published in 1564.

Instrumentation: SATB a capella choir.

Estimated duration: 3 minutes

Choral singers have a particular fondness for the music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The works of this Italian late-Renaissance master fit the voice like a bespoke suit of clothes. Palestrina served as a chorister for many years in the Diocese of Rome, and thus had a performer’s understanding of

the human voice. His music seems designed not only to elevate the sacred texts he set, but also the unique qualities of the voices that proclaim them.

The words of Dies sanctificatus come from Psalm 117:24, which Palestrina selected for his scared motet composed to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. The text calls on all nations to gather and worship the Lord, for “today a great light descends upon the earth.” Palestrina evokes the joy with soaring lines and gossamer counterpoint, which he also contrasts with moments when all voices proclaim the same words at the same time (homophony).

Andrew Balfour Ambe

Composer: born 1967, Fisher River Cree Nation.

Work composed: 2017, for the University of Manitoba Concert Choir and its director, Catherine Robbins.

Instrumentation: SATB a capella chorus.

Estimated duration: 2.5 minutes

Ambe, ambe Anishinaabeg biindigeg Anishinaabeg Mino-bimaadiziwin omaa Ambe

(Come in two-legged beings! Come in all people. The way of a good life is here. Come in!)

Over the past 15 years, Andrew Balfour, a Winnipeg-based composer of Cree ancestry, has created a body of work that combines European classical traditions with Indigenous

Photo by: Brian Lee Topp

music. In addition to his growing list of choral and instrumental works, Balfour is a music educator and cultural outreach worker focusing on low-income and marginalized populations, particularly on northern reserves and in inner-city Winnipeg schools, through his work on behalf of the National Arts Centre.

Ambe (Come In!), Balfour’s first published composition, is based on an original song in Ojibway that was gifted to him and the University of Manitoba Concert Choir by traditional drummer and singer Cory Campbell. “‘Mino-bimaadiziwinis’ (the way of a good life) is an Ojibway philosophy as explained by the traditional teachings of the Anishinaabe,” Balfour writes. Ambe is an original work inspired by Campbell’s song; Balfour’s melodies and harmonies blend in with the steady drumbeat of Campbell’s original. This pulsing rhythm evokes the heartbeat of Mother Earth, while the lyrical soprano melody that emerges from the rhythmic texture conveys the powerful totem of the eagle, which represents the teaching of love, wisdom, and strength.

Giselle Wyers

The

Waking

Composer: born 1969.

Work composed: commissioned by the University of Washington Chamber Singers in June 2009.

World premiere: undocumented

Instrumentation: SATB with piano.

Estimated duration: 3 minutes

Conductor/composer/educator Giselle Wyers balances several careers. She heads the choral program at the University of Washington, where she also teaches choral conducting and music education courses and leads the award-winning University Chorale. Wyers is an in-demand guest conductor and lecturer throughout the United States and Europe. As a composer, Wyers focuses on choral music; her catalogue contains a number of pieces for different choral configurations.

One of Wyers’ most-performed works, The Waking, takes its text

from the eponymous 1948 poem by Theodore Roethke. Wyers’ setting of Roethke’s paean to nature reflects the poet’s deliberate use of simple, straightforward language. Wyers contrasts that simplicity with sophisticated, opulent harmonies that lend depth and significance to what seems, upon first hearing, to be merely an account of an everyday stroll through an open field. Wyers’ music, like Roethke’s words, compels our attention to specifics: a flower here, a trilling bird’s song there, a grove of apple trees, and the sighing of the river.

© Elizabeth Schwartz

Elizabeth Schmidt, French Horn

Photo by: Danielle Barnum Photography

Classical Series 5 Pictures at an Exhibition

SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Dana Dominguez, Marimba

Shekhar

Lumina

Puts Marimba Concerto

I. “…terrific sun on the brink”

II. “…into the quick of losses”

III. “…logarithms, exponents, the damnedest of metaphors”

INTERMISSION

Mussorgsky

Pictures at an Exhibition

arr. Ravel Promenade

I. Gnomus Promenade

II. The Old Castle Promenade

III. Tuileries

IV. Bydlo Promenade

V. Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells

VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle

VII. Limoges

VIII. Catacombs

Cum mortuis in lingua mortua

IX. The Hut on Fowl’s Legs

X. The Great Gate of Kiev

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Lynn & Chip Rinehart, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Shekhar: Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner; Glitter Monster

Puts: The City; Oboe Concerto No. 2 “Moonlight”

Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain; Boris Godunov

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Lumina: Listen for the contrast between what Shekhar calls “sonic clouds,” – dense clusters of tones – and single notes (a triangle or a bowed vibraphone) that emerge sharp and clear from the overall soundscape.

Marimba Concerto: Hear the way the solo marimba part emerges from and complements the orchestra. Listen for places where the music could double as a film score. Hear how the rhythm of the last movement propels the music and the energy forward.

Pictures at an Exhibition: Focus on the careful attention to details of timbre (listen for the saxophone’s featured solo, a rare addition to an orchestra in 1922). Notice how each musical portrayal of Victor Hartmann’s visual works comes to life.

Dana Dominguez

Percussionist Extraordinaire

Bids Farewell

Dana Dominguez, the accomplished Principal Percussionist of the Bozeman Symphony, will bid farewell at Pictures at an Exhibition, her final concert performance with the symphony, showcasing her talent and dedication to music. From playing an array of percussion instruments to fostering a sense of unity within the percussion section, Dana’s impact on the symphony will be truly missed.

The percussionist has moved to the nation’s capital to be a member of the United States Navy Band’s premiere Concert and Ceremonial Band and perform at official military and government functions, including ceremonies at the White House, the Pentagon, and Arlington National Cemetery. She also plans to teach percussion there.

In her final concert with the Symphony, Dana will take center stage with a solo marimba performance of

Grammy-Award-winning composer Kevin Puts’ Marimba Concerto. Her artistry and technique will shine as she comes front and center for this last feature performance, making this concert a fitting farewell to her time with the orchestra.

Navigating a wide range of instruments, including timpani, snare drums, cymbals, and mallet percussion, Dana won an audition for the Bozeman Symphony’s Principal Percussionist in September 2020. Since then, she has dazzled Symphony audiences with her exceptional talent and musicality. Known for her skillful execution of the most challenging percussion parts, she consistently delivered truly remarkable performances, making quite an impression on both musicians and patrons.

The mallet specialist’s dedication to her craft and absolute professionalism have been of the highest order throughout her tenure with the orchestra. Her genuine and kindhearted nature has fostered camaraderie among her fellow musicians, creating a supportive and collaborative environment.

Dana’s passion for music stems from her upbringing in a musical family, where both parents were band directors. Born and raised in San Antonio, she earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance at the University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master of Music in performance from Rice University in Houston.

Her journey as a percussionist has taken her to prestigious music

programs and festivals, allowing her to hone her skills and expand her musical horizons. With a diverse range of performance experiences across various symphony orchestras and other performance opportunities, Dana’s artistry and versatility as a percussionist have been widely recognized.

Off stage, Dana enjoys engaging in physical activities such as running marathons and hiking, as well as pursuing creative hobbies such as crocheting. She also loves to play with her kitten, Smokey.

Dana enjoys both the orchestra’s members and the audience. “Both are so loving and welcoming, and both groups create this warm sense of home,” Dana reminisced. She looks forward to performing the concerto, which she says will be “a perfect final goodbye to a great organization.”

As Dana embarks on a new chapter, we bid her a heartfelt goodbye. Her talent, spirit, and energy will remain with those fortunate enough to have experienced her remarkable performances.

Composer: born 1995, Detroit, MI

Work composed: 2019-20. Written for the USC Thornton Symphony.

World premiere: Donald Crockett led the USC Thornton Symphony on February 28, 2020, at the Bovard Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA.

Nina Shekhar Lumina

Photo by: Shervin Lainez

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, bass drum, marimba, metal plate, suspended cymbal, triangle, bowed vibraphone, piano, harp, and strings.

Estimated duration: 11 minutes

Nina Shekhar is a composer and multimedia artist who explores the intersection of identity, vulnerability, love, and laughter to create bold and intensely personal works. Described as “tart and compelling” (New York Times), “vivid” (Washington Post) and an “orchestral supernova” (LA Times), Nina Shekhar’s music has been commissioned and performed by leading orchestras including the LA Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Nashville Symphony, among others.

In addition to writing music, Shekhar is a versatile performing artist as a flutist, pianist, and saxophonist. She is currently a member of the composition faculty at Mannes School of Music at The New School and serves as Composer-in-Residence of The Crossing and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 2023-2024 Sound Investment Composer. Shekhar is also a faculty mentor for Luna Composition Lab, and co-founded Brightwork newmusic’s Project Beacon initiative.

“Lumina explores the spectrum of light and dark and the murkiness in between,” writes Shekhar. “Using swift contrasts between bright, sharp timbres and cloudy textures and dense harmonies, the piece captures sudden bursts of radiance amongst the eeriness of shadows.” In a 2022 video clip, Shekhar adds, “I create sonic clouds that use dense harmonies and microtones, which are alternate tunings in which several instruments play different inflections of the same note, and this creates the shadow-like blur effect. I contrast these sonic shadows by using brighter timbres that pop out, like harmonics and sharp attacks that represent the light … Silence is actually important to this piece. As an Indian American, I was really inspired by Hindustani classical music, which

often involves a soloist who leads a group through improvisation, and the other musicians really need to listen to each other and follow each other. They need to breathe together and hear together in order to speak together.”

Kevin Puts Marimba Concerto

Composer: born January 3, 1972, St. Louis, MO

Work composed: 1997. Commissioned by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Kobe Ensemble of Japan.

World premiere: Kate Tamarkin led the Vermont Symphony Orchestra with soloist Makoto Nakura in October 1997.

Instrumentation: solo marimba, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, trumpet, xylophone, and strings.

Estimated duration: 21 minutes

Winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for his debut opera Silent Night, Kevin Puts has been hailed as one of the most important composers of his generation. Critically acclaimed for a richly colored, harmonic, and freshly melodic musical voice that has also been described as “emotional, compelling, and relevant,” his works, which include operas, symphonies, and concertos, have been commissioned, performed, and recorded by leading orchestras, ensembles, and soloists throughout the world. Recent projects include a

February 2022 world premiere of the concert version of Puts’ opera The Hours, based on the book and film of the same name, featuring sopranos Renée Fleming and Kelli O’Hara, and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.

Puts writes, “Marimba Concerto reflects my love of Mozart’s piano concertos, works with instrumentation similar to that of this concerto, i.e. a keyboard instrument with chamber orchestra. I decided to write a piece which is lyrical throughout and to feature the marimba in both melodic and ornamental roles. The influence of Mozart lies mainly in the relationship between the soloist and orchestra, one of near equality in which the marimba continually interacts with the instruments of the orchestra.

“The work is comprised of three movements—fast, slow, fast—like a Mozart concerto, and each movement bears a subtitle taken from the poetry of my aunt, Fleda Brown. They are: I. “... terrific sun on the brink” (Flowing); II. “... into the quick of losses” (Broad and Deliberate); and III. “... logarithms, exponents, the damnedest of metaphors” (Presto non troppo). The overriding message is one of optimism and exuberance.”

Modest Mussorgsky orch. Ravel

Pictures at an Exhibition

Composer: born March 21, 1839, Karevo, Pskov district; died March 28, 1881, St. Petersburg

Work composed: June 2 – June 22, 1874. Maurice Ravel orchestrated it in the summer of 1922.

World premiere: Serge Koussevitzky led the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the first performance of Ravel’s version on October 22, 1922, in Paris.

Instrumentation: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, alto saxophone, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, side drum, bass drum, rattle, cymbals, tamtam, whip, triangle, xylophone, glockenspiel, bells, celesta, two harps, and strings.

Estimated duration: 33 minutes

Modest Mussorgsky’s most popular composition owes its reputation to its orchestrator, Maurice Ravel. Before Ravel arranged this obscure piano suite for orchestra in 1922, it was virtually unknown.

Pictures at an Exhibition is Mussorgsky’s musical portrayal of a memorial exhibit of artwork by Victor Hartmann, an artist, designer, architect, and close friend. In the spring of 1874, Russian critic Vladimir Stasov organized an exhibition of Hartmann’s work in St. Petersburg, which Mussorgsky attended. By June 22, Mussorgsky transformed ten of Hartmann’s works into music as a further tribute to his friend. Mussorgsky also inserted his own presence into Pictures through the music of the Promenade, which recurs periodically throughout.

The Promenade’s irregular rhythm captures Mussorgsky, a man of considerable size, ambling through the exhibit, sometimes pausing before a particular picture that caught his interest. It leads directly to the first picture, Gnomus (Gnome), Hartmann’s design for a nutcracker. Unlike the princely Nutcracker of Tchaikovsky, however, Hartmann’s nutcracker is a macabre, wizened creature. The return of the Promenade, in shortened form, brings us to Il vecchio castello Old Castle), which Stasov says depicts a troubadour singing and strumming a guitar in front of a medieval castle. Ravel’s mournful saxophone sounds the troubadour’s song. The Promenade returns with the majestic brasses and winds of the opening,

but stops abruptly in front of the next picture, Tuileries (Dispute d’enfants après jeux) (Tuileries-Dispute between children at play). Here in the famous Tuileries Gardens in Paris, children attended by nannies sing out the universal childhood taunt, “Nyahnyah.”

Bydlo (Cattle) portrays plodding oxen drawing a heavy cart. A brief Promenade leads us to the oddly named Balet nevylupivshikhsya ptentsov (Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks). Hartmann’s costume designs for a ballet called Trilby inspired this whimsical music, in which child dancers wear egg costumes with their legs sticking out. In “Samuel” Goldenberg und “Schmuÿle,” Mussorgsky combined two of Hartmann’s pictures of Jews in the Sandomierz ghetto of Poland. Samuel Goldenberg is a rich, self-important man (represented by measured phrases of the strings), while Schmuÿle, (characterized by insistent bleatings of a muted trumpet) is

Schmuÿle), and the movement has been generally viewed as an antiSemitic trope. In Limoges le marchè (La grande nouvelle) (The Market: The Big News), market-women share the latest gossip. Abruptly we are plunged into the Catacombae (Sepulcrum romanum) (Catacombs: Roman sepulcher). This watercolor shows Hartmann and several others inspecting the Parisian catacombs by lantern light, which illuminates a cage full of skulls. Mussorgsky wrote of this piece, “The creative genius of Hartmann leads me to the skulls and invokes them; the skulls begin to glow.” Con mortuis in lingua morta (With the Dead in a Dead Language) follows, a mournful, eerie reworking of the Promenade. The ominous music of The Hut on Fowls’ Legs depicts the witch Baba Yaga of Russian folklore, whose house stood on chicken’s feet. In the final movement, Ravel and Mussorgsky capture the grandeur of The Great Gate of Kiev, Hartmann’s design for the reconstruction of the ancient stone gates of Kiev. Although

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has been enriching rural and underserved communities in Montana and beyond for 52 years with free, live theatre and, through educational outreach, visits 110 schools each fall and spring with day-long enrichment programs

Classical Series 6 A Spiritual Awakening: Verdi, Simon, Ives

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor Bozeman Symphonic Choir

Simon Four Black American Dances

I. Ring Shout

II. Waltz

III. Tap

IV. Holy Dance

Verdi Te Deum INTERMISSION

Ives Symphony No. 2

I. Andante moderato

II. Allegro

III. Andante cantabile

IV. Lento maestoso

V. Allegro molto vivace

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Ben & Barbara Phinney, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Simon: Fate Now Conquers; Amen!; Breathe

Verdi: Requiem; Stabat Mater and Ave Maria from Quatro pezzi sacri (Four Sacred Pieces)

Ives: Symphony No. 3, “The Camp Meeting;” Three Places in New England

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Four Black American Dances: Listen for the distinct character of each dance; three (Ring Shout, Holy Dance, and Tap!) feature strong percussive and rhythmic patterns and embody life-affirming energy. The Waltz blends the formal structure of a European dance with blues-inflected bent-note melodies and jazz harmonies.

Te Deum: Verdi’s innate feel for drama, alternating quiet a cappella passages with powerful declamations for choir and orchestra.

Symphony No. 2: How many quotations of other music do you hear? Ives references hymns, popular 19th century tunes by Stephen Foster (listen for “Camptown Races” in the last movement), and fragments of ragtime and brass band music throughout all four movements of his second symphony.

Carlos Simon

Four Black American Dances

Composer: born April 13, 1986, Washington, DC.

Work composed: 2022. Commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Andris Nelsons.

World premiere: Andris Nelsons led the Boston Symphony Orchestra on February 9, 2023, at Symphony Hall in Boston, MA.

Instrumentation: Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, hand claps, large wood stick on a wooden floorboard, marimba, shaker, 2 snare drums, splash cymbal, suspended cymbal, tambourine, tam-tam, tom-toms, triangle, tubular bells, vibraphone, 2 whips, wood blocks, xylophone, harp, and strings.

Estimated duration: 14 minutes

A native of Atlanta, GA, Carlos Simon’s music ranges from concert works for large and small ensembles to film scores with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-romanticism. Simon is currently the Composer-in-Residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and writes frequently for the National Symphony and Washington National Opera. In 2023, Simon was nominated for a Grammy award for his album Requiem for the Enslaved.

I. Ring Shout

“Dance has always been a part of any culture,” Simon writes. “Particularly in Black American communities, dance is and has been the fabric of social gatherings.” There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands of dances created over the span of American history that have originated from the social climate of American slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow. This piece is an orchestral study of the music that is associated with the Ring Shout, the Waltz, Tap Dance, and the Holy Dance. All of these dances are but a mere representation of the wide range of cultural and social differences within Black American communities.

“A ring shout is an ecstatic, transcendent religious ritual, first practiced by enslaved Africans in the West Indies and the United States, in which worshipers move in a circle while shuffling and stomping their feet and clapping their hands. To evoke the celebratory nature of this dance, I have asked the percussionist to use a large stick on a wooden floorboard paired with fast moving passages in the strings and woodwinds.

II. Waltz

“Cotillion balls existed for ‘upper-class’ families, as they allowed aristocratic families to vie for better marriage prospects for their daughters. However, cotillion balls were segregated and expensive, and did not include Black Americans. Debutante balls finally appeared in Black social circles during the 1930s, in large part due to the efforts of Black sororities, fraternities, and growing number of affluent Black Americans. The waltz was the dance of choice in these environments.

III. Tap!

“Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. For this movement, I have emulated the sound of the tap with the side rim of the snare drum in the percussion section. The strings play in very short, disconnected passages alongside the brass, drawing on jazz harmonies.

IV. Holy Dance

“Protestant Christian denominations, such as The Church of God in Christ (C.O.G.I.C.), Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Apostolic, and Holiness Church, among many others, are known for their exuberant outward expressions of worship. The worship services in these churches will often have joyous dancing, spontaneous shouting, and soulful singing … [and] is a vital vehicle in fostering a genuine spiritual experience for the congregation. This movement calls on [that] vibrant, celebratory character that still exists in many churches today. I have composed music that mimics the sound of a congregation ‘speaking in tongues’ (murmuring in an unknown spiritual language) by asking the orchestra to play in a semi-improvised manner. Often referred to as a ‘praise break,’ the music propels forward continuously with the trombone section at the helm. The section moves to a climatic ending with the plagal ‘Amen’ cadence.”

Giuseppe Verdi Te Deum

Composer: born October 9 or 10, 1813, in Roncole, near Busseto, Italy; died January 27, 1901, Milan.

Work composed: 1895-96.

World premiere: Paul Taffanel conducted the orchestra and chorus of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire on April 7-8, 1898, at the Paris Opera.

Instrumentation: 2 SATB choruses, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 4 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 4 trombones, timpani, bass drum, and strings.

Estimated duration: 12 minutes

In the last years of his life, Giuseppe Verdi turned his attention to church music. The Te Deum is one of four sacred works he wrote between 1886 and 1896; in 1898 all four were issued under the name Cuatro Pezzi Sacri (Four Sacred Pieces); although published together, Verdi did not intend them to be performed as a group.

Of the four, Verdi was most attached to the Te Deum, and requested that he be buried with the score. Verdi described the music in a letter to Giovanni Tebaldini, director of music in Padua: “It is usually sung during grand, solemn and noisy ceremonies for a victory or a coronation etc. ... Humanity believes in the Judex Venturus, invokes Him in the Salvum fac and ends with a prayer, ‘Dignare Domine die isto,’ which is moving, melancholy and sad even to the point of terror.”

Verdi used his innate feel for drama to craft the setting of this laudatory hymn, and blended 19th century grand operatic style with elements from Italian sacred Renaissance music, such as a double chorus. Verdi also featured different combinations of voices— men alone, women alone, unison vs. harmony, and a single soprano voice, representing humanity, proclaiming “in te speravi” (in You do I put my trust) —to reflect the changing meaning and emotional mood expressed in the words. When Verdi employed Gregorian chant, as he did at the beginning and periodically throughout the Te Deum, the unison vocal line is intoned by the men, while the full orchestra and choruses are reserved for the most dramatic utterances, such as the first exclamation, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth/Heaven and Earth are full of Thy majesty.” The text praises God the Father, Christ the Son, the Apostles, the Prophets, and the martyrs, and ends with the plea, “O Lord, have mercy on us … Oh Lord, in Thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.”

Charles Ives

Symphony No. 2

Composer: born October 20, 1874, Danbury, CT; died May 19, 1954, New York City

Work composed: 1897-1902; rev. 1907-09.

World premiere: Leonard Bernstein led the New York Philharmonic on February 22, 1951, at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, snare drum, and strings.

Estimated duration: 40 minutes

In the mid-1940s, Aaron Copland wrote, “It will be a long time before we take the full measure of Charles Ives.” Copland’s assessment of Ives was prescient. More than 70 years after his death, Ives’ music continues to challenge and astonish.

Symphony No. 2 is an early work, begun just after Ives graduated from Yale. It reflects a young man’s mastery of compositional tools, particularly counterpoint, and the creation, development, and creative treatment of contrasting themes. For listeners more familiar with Ives’ later music, the typical late 19th-century sound of Ives’ second symphony may come as a surprise. It abounds with singable melodies—in fact, Ives incorporates fragments of several tunes familiar to the audiences of his time in each movement—and, especially in the first movement, reflects the conscientiousness of a young composer adhering to the music lessons he absorbed at Yale.

The first movement begins with a sober theme in the cellos, which Ives dutifully develops and expands in the manner of a typical first movement symphony of, for example, Antonín Dvořák. About six minutes into the first movement, Ives makes a sharp detour and begins “borrowing” bits of pre-existing melodies: popular tunes of the day, church hymns, and brass band music. This borrowing soon became one of the most recognizable signatures of Ives’ music, as the composer sought to celebrate American musical vernacular within an artistic tradition that evolved in Europe. In this movement, Ives paraphrases fragments from “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean;” a fiddle tune, “Pig Town Fling,” the hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves,” and a popular song by 19th-century American composer Stephen Foster, “Massa’s in de Cold Ground.” Foster’s melodies appear in all four movements of Symphony No. 2; the finale features bits and pieces of “Camptown Races.”

A note here about Ives’ use of Foster’s music. Many of Foster’s most famous songs—some still familiar today— are considered offensive today for their depictions of Black people as racial stereotypes, including the use of “dialect” speech. Contemporary listeners may view the use of these songs as evidence of racism on Ives’ part, but that was not Ives’ intention. In Ives’ time, Foster’s songs, such as “I Dream of Jeannie,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” and “Oh Susanna” were popular tunes of the day, and Ives used them as such. They were not considered deliberately racist by most White people, and Ives knew audiences would immediately recognize them. By “borrowing” Foster’s songs and other identifiably U.S.-American melodies, Ives was, in a way, agreeing with Dvořák’s opinion that “the real foundation of any serious and original school of composition [in the United States]” must be founded on a U.S.-American vernacular language.

Dvořák praised Black and Native American music in particular, declaring, “These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of The United States and your composers must turn to them. All of the great musicians have borrowed from the songs of the common people.” Ives expanded on Dvořák’s conception of a U.S.-American vernacular musical tradition with his addition of hymns, popular ditties, and other familiar tunes. Beginning with Symphony No. 2, Ives honored the United States and its multitudinous, richly varied soundscape by using uniquely U.S.American vernacular sources as fundamental components of his own work.

As the symphony progresses, more borrowed fragments emerge, both U.S.-American and recognizable quotes from European masters Brahms, Beethoven, and Wagner. By the closing Allegro molto vivace, Ives is in full celebratory mode. We hear the Reveille; “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,” “Camptown Races;” a reprise of “Bringing in the Sheaves,” and “Turkey in the Straw.” But Ives has a final surprise in store: the last chord is a blatty mess of brassy discord, a musical rendering of an inkblot. Is this Ives thumbing his nose at tradition, or at us? Or merely a humorous ending? You decide.

Te Deum

Early Christian Hymn of praise. Traditionally ascribed to Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, contemporary scholars disagree and some assign it to Nicetas, bishop of Remesiana (4th-5th century).

The hymn is also sometimes styled “Hymnus Ambrosianus”, the “Ambrosian Hymn”; and in the Roman Breviary it is still entitled, at the end of Matins for Sunday, “Hymnus SS. Ambrosii et Augustini”.

The Roman Breviary direct the recitation of the Te Deum at the end of Matins and for special occasions such as the canonization of a saint, the election of a pope, the publication of a treaty of peace, a royal coronation, etc.

Latin text

Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur.

Te aeternum patrem, omnis terra veneratur.

Tibi omnes Angeli: tibi caeli et universae potestates.

Tibi cherubim et seraphim, incessabili voce proclamant:

"Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae."

Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus, Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.

Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia: Patrem immensae maiestatis; Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium; Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.

Tu rex gloriae, Christe:

Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius. Tu, ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum. Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.

Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.

Iudex crederis esse venturus.

Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.

Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.

Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

Per singulos dies benedicimus te: et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.

Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.

Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos: quemadmodum speravimus in te. In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.

English translation

We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee: the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubim and Seraphim: continually do cry,

Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty: of thy glory.

The glorious company of the Apostles: praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the Prophets: praise thee.

The noble army of Martyrs: praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world: doth acknowledge thee;

The Father: of an infinite Majesty; Thine honourable, true: and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter.

Thou art the King of Glory: O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son: of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man: thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:

thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come: to be our Judge.

We therefore pray thee, help thy servants: whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with thy Saints: in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people: and bless thine heritage.

Govern them: and lift them up for ever. Day by day: we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name: ever world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord: to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trust is in thee.

O Lord, in thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.

Classical Series 7 Season Finale: Pablo Returns and Copland’s Third Symphony

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025 – 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025 – 2:30 PM

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Guitar

Rodrigo Fantasía para un gentilhombre

I. Villano y ricercar

II. Españoleta y fanfarria de la caballería de Nápoles

III. Danza de las hachas

IV. Canario

INTERMISSION

Copland Symphony No. 3

I. Molto moderato – with simple expression

II. Allegro molto

III. Andantino quasi allegretto

IV. Molto deliberato

Sponsors:

Cal & Tricia DeSouza, Conductor’s Circle

Donald B. Gimbel, Conductor’s Circle

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong, Conductor’s Circle

Ritva Porter & Stephen Schachman, Concertmaster’s Circle

Skye Raiser & David Perlin, Concertmaster’s Circle

Mary & Ken May, Presenter’s Circle

Other pieces to check out by these composers:

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Concierto Andaluz

Copland: Suite from Appalachian Spring; Lincoln Portrait

PROGRAM NOTES

What to Listen For:

Fantasía: Refined balanced phrases suitable for dancing; Baroque or “old-style” quality rather than something written in 1954. Much guitar virtuosity.

Symphony No. 3: Grand expansive style. First movement is abstract (no specific story or narrative); each movement builds to the closing section, which is based on Copland’s iconic Fanfare for the Common Man.

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Guitar

World-renowned guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas is making a muchanticipated return to Bozeman to share his unbridled passion for his homeland.

Sáinz-Villegas has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor of Andrés Segovia and a worldwide ambassador of Spanish culture. Since his debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at Lincoln Center, he has played in more than 40 countries and been invited to play with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philharmonic of Israel, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Orchestra of Spain, making him a benchmark for the symphonic guitar.

Plácido Domingo has described him as “the master of the guitar” and with him he has had the privilege of recording his new duo album, as well as participating in the tribute held in his honor at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid to an audience of over 85,000 and in a concert on a floating stage on the Amazon River, televised for millions of people in the world.

His “… virtuosic playing characterized by irresistible exuberance” (The New York Times) make him one of the most acclaimed soloists by prestigious directors, orchestras, and festivals.

Highlights of his international tours with orchestras include Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the National Orchestra of Spain, and the New Zealand Symphony. Last season, SáinzVillegas made his debut at Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival to an audience of 11,000 people and at Praça do Comercio in Lisbon with the Gulbenkian Orchestra.

The guitarist has already appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie in Berlin, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the National Arts Center in Beijing. The success of his performances translates into repeated invitations from directors such as Miguel HarthBedoya, Carlos Kalmar, Juanjo Mena, and Alondra de la Parra. A habitual performer in concerts of institutional and business representation, he has had the privilege of playing before members of the Spanish Royal Family and other heads of state and international leaders.

Sáinz-Villegas has recorded the three concertos for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo, including the popular Concierto de Aranjuez, with the National Orchestra of Spain under the baton of Juanjo Mena. He has also recorded the album Americano, a journey through the musical affluence of the American continents, for the record label Harmonia Mundi.

A tireless promoter of the development of the repertoire for Spanish classical guitar, Sáinz-Villegas has made numerous world premieres

among which, “Rounds,” the first composition for guitar by fivetime Academy Award-winner John Williams, as well as for the composers Tomás Marco, David del Puerto and Sergio Assad.

Sáinz-Villegas has accomplished an impressive collection of over 30 international awards including Andrés Segovia, Francisco Tárrega, Christopher Parkening, “Galardón a las Artes Riojana” and the “Ojo Crítico” Award from Radio Nacional de España. He is a member of the Performing Arts Academy of Spain.

In 2006, Sáinz-Villegas, an artist socially committed to the current world, founded the philanthropic project “The legacy of music without borders,” the mission of which is to bring music to people to humanize their environment and promote understanding between different cultures. Thanks to this project he has shared his music with more than 32,000 children and youth in Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Sáinz-Villegas was born in La Rioja in Northern Spain and has lived in New York City since 2001.

Joaquín Rodrigo Fantasía para un gentilhombre (Fantasy for a gentleman)

Composer: born November 22, 1901, Sagunto, Spain; died July 6, 1999, Madrid.

Work composed: 1954, commissioned by and dedicated to guitarist Andrés Segovia. The “gentilhombre” of the title refers both to Gaspar Sanz, a 17th century Spanish composer and guitar virtuoso, upon whose music much of the Fantasía is based, and to Segovia himself.

World premiere: Segovia performed the solo part in the premiere, with Enrique Jordá leading the San Francisco Symphony, on March 5, 1958.

Instrumentation: solo guitar, 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo), oboe, bassoon, trumpet, and strings.

Estimated duration: 21 minutes

Joaquín Rodrigo’s greatest contribution to music is the body of work he wrote extending and popularizing the repertoire of the classical guitar. Considered one of Spain’s foremost 20th century composers, Rodrigo wrote a number of works for guitar, most notably his famous Concierto de Aranjuez, although, interestingly, Rodrigo did not play guitar himself (he was a pianist). Rodrigo’s guitar music reflects the rich legacy of Spanish musical history, particularly the stylized dance forms of Baroque music.

In 1954, Spanish guitar virtuoso Andrés Segovia commissioned a new work from Rodrigo, and for inspiration, Rodrigo drew from the work of another Spanish guitar virtuoso, the 17th century guitarist, teacher and composer Gaspar Sanz.

Sanz’s most famous work is his 1697 three-volume treatise Instrucción de Música sobre la Guitarra Española (Musical instruction for the Spanish Guitar), a cornerstone of guitar pedagogy, which includes 90 compositions. When Rodrigo began composing the Fantasía para un gentilhombre (paying tribute to both Sanz and Segovia with the title), he borrowed several themes from Sanz’ short guitar pieces, sometimes

completing melodies Sanz had left unfinished. Rodrigo said his intention with his orchestration was to create a sound in the “manner of strong spices that were so popular in the victuals of the period.”

The four movements of the Fantasía begin with the Villano y Ricercare, which features the villano, a popular 17th-century dance. Its light-hearted character, embodied by solo flute, suggests the warmth of a sunlit Spanish sky. This is paired with the stately grace of the ricercare, an incomplete fragment by Sanz that Rodrigo finished by weaving orchestra and soloist in gentle counterpoint.

Españoleta y Fanfare de la Caballería de Nápoles combines the haunting, exquisite melody of the españoleta with a robust fanfare for the Neapolitan cavalry (Naples was ruled by Spain in Sanz’s time). The fanfare features a string technique known as col legno, in which the players bounce their strings with the wood of their bows, simulating the beat of horses’ hooves.

The vigorous Danza de las Hachas (hatchet dance) is customarily performed with flaming torches. Soloist and orchestra alternate leading and accompanying the dance.

In the concluding movement, Rodrigo features the canario, a lighthearted dance from the Canary Islands. This gently lilting melody, in 6/8 time, provides the backdrop for an increasingly intense competition between soloist and orchestra, in which both trade (steal?) phrases with (from?) the other, in the manner of Dueling Banjos. The solo flute concludes with a lip-popping cadenza.

Aaron Copland Symphony No. 3

Composer: born November 14, 1900, Brooklyn, NY; died December 2, 1990, North Tarrytown, NY.

Work composed: 1944-46. Copland’s Third Symphony was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation and Copland dedicated it “to the memory of my good friend, Natalie Koussevitzky.”

World premiere: Serge Koussevitzky led the Boston Symphony Orchestra on October 18, 1946.

Instrumentation: piccolo, 3 flutes (one doubling 2nd piccolo), 3 oboes (one doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, anvil, bass drum, chimes, claves, cymbals, glockenspiel, ratchet, slapstick, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, tenor drum, triangle, wood block, xylophone, celeste, piano, 2 harps, and strings.

Estimated duration: 38 minutes

In 1922, Nadia Boulanger, who taught composition to many of the 20th century’s greatest composers, introduced conductor Serge Koussevitzky to one of her young U.S. American students. From that moment, Koussevitzky and Aaron Copland forged a reciprocal collaboration that lasted until Koussevitzky’s death, in 1951. Koussevitzky championed Copland’s music and taught him the nuances

of conducting; in turn, Copland encouraged Koussevitzky to focus on U.S. American composers, particularly at the Berkshire Music Center (now the Tanglewood Music center), which Koussevitzky established in 1940 in Lenox, MA.

In 1944, Copland received his last commission from Koussevitzky’s Foundation; this evolved into his most substantial orchestral work, the Third Symphony. Copland explained, “I knew exactly the kind of music he [Koussevitzky] enjoyed conducting and the sentiments he brought to it, and I knew the sound of his orchestra, so I had every reason to do my darndest to write a symphony in the grand manner.”

In his autobiography, Copland wrote, “If I forced myself, I could invent an ideological basis for the Third Symphony. But if I did, I’d be bluffing —or at any rate, adding something ex post facto, something that might or might not be true but that played no role at the moment of creation.” Nonetheless, one cannot help hearing Copland’s Third Symphony as the expression of a country emerging victorious from a devastating war. Copland acknowledged as much, noting that the Third Symphony “intended to reflect the euphoric spirit of the country at the time.”

Copland described the Molto moderato as “open and expansive.” Of particular note is the second theme, a singing melody for violas and oboes, which sounds like an inspirational moment from a film score.

The Andantino quasi allegretto contains the most abstract and introspective music in the symphony. High strings wander through an empty landscape, like soldiers stumbling over a field after a bloody battle. A solo flute intones a melody that binds the rest of the movement together with, as Copland explains, “quiet singing nostalgia, then faster and heavier—almost dance-like; then more childlike and naïve, and finally more vigorous and forthright.” As the third movement’s various themes weave and coalesce, sounding much like sections of Copland’s ballet music, they produce a half-conscious sense of déjà vu—have we heard this before? Not quite, but almost, and as the third movement dissolves without pause into the final movement, we hear the woodwinds repeating a theme present in all three of the preceding sections.

Now the theme shifts, the last jigsaw puzzle piece locks into place, and the Fanfare for the Common Man emerges.

Although the Fanfare is instantly recognizable today, at the time Copland was writing the Third Symphony it was little known. In 1942, Eugene Goossens, music director of the Cincinnati Symphony, commissioned Copland and eighteen other composers to write short, patriotic fanfares for the orchestra to premiere during their 1942-43 season. Copland explained his choice of title: “It was the common man, after all, who was doing all the dirty work in the war and the army. He deserved a fanfare.”

Copland wanted a heroic finale to represent the Allied victory in WWII, and the Fanfare epitomized it. The flutes and clarinets introduce the basic theme, before the brasses and percussion burst forth with the version most familiar to audiences.

Reviews were enthusiastic, ranging from Koussevitzky’s categorical statement that it was the finest American symphony ever written to Leonard Bernstein’s declaration, “The Symphony has become an American monument, like the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial.”

© Elizabeth Schwartz

Sam Macken, Bassoon

Thank You to our 2023-24 Season Sponsors and Donors

2023-24 Season Supporters

The Bozeman Symphony expresses sincere gratitude to those whose contributions helped make the 2023-24 concert season an astounding success.

ENCORE SOCIETY

Conductor’s Circle - $50,000+

Cal & Tricia DeSouza

The Ruth & Vernon Taylor Foundation

Concertmaster’s Circle - $25,000+

Donald B. Gimbel

Audrey Jean “Jeannie” Haight*

Jodar Family Foundation

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong

Ritva Porter & Stephen Schachman

Robert & Donna Ritchie

Presenter’s Circle $10,000+

Anonymous (2)

Tim & Mary Barnard

Ambassador Max Baucus & Ms. Melodee

Hanes

Michael & Sharon Beehler

Beim Foundation, in fond memory of Penny Arnold*

Paul & Jillian Bertelli

Bozeman Health

Diane L. Brawner

Tom & Dale Bray

Gianforte Family Foundation

Mike & Cyndi Huempfner, Five Points Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Kachadurian

Prof. Rob Maher & Mrs. Lynn PetersonMaher

Mary & Ken May

Ben & Barbara Phinney

Skye Raiser & David Perlin

Lynn & Chip Rinehart

Rick Sanders & Janice Hand

David & Kippy Sands

Lee & Diane Selby

Sheehy Family Foundation - Denise & Richard

Arne & Steffi Siegel Endowment of Montana Community Foundation

Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation

Impact Circle $5,000+

Anonymous

Joanne Berghold

Diana Blank

Donald & Beverly Clark

Douglas H. Dybvig

Sharon Eversman

Gilhousen Family Foundation

Montana Cultural Trust

Moonlight Community Foundation

Don & Marilyn Murdock

Kathleen Heitz Myers & George Myers

Reed Family Foundation

Dr. Charles & Mrs. Kathy Rinker

Daniel & Rachel Ruggles

Sidney E. Frank Foundation

Spanish Peaks Community Foundation

Larry Springer

Karin Utzinger & Family

Renée & Stuart Westlake

Wolfe Family Charitable Fund

Richard Wolff & Janel Cariño

Giving Circle - $2,500+

Bill & Katie Anderson

Anonymous (2)

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Clyde Aspevig & Carol Guzman

Richard & Carol Belgrad, in honor of

Chandra Lind, Principal Cello

Harper Bohr, Jr.

Ron & Judy Clark

James Clubb

Bruce & Christie Copeland

Brenda & Swep Davis

Suzanne Day & Jim Penhale

Catherine & Richard Dowdell

Donald & Signe Farris

Norman & Susie Fleet

Lucian Hand & Jurgita Meiliute

Tamara Havenhill-Jacobs & Chris Jacobs

Yves & Sheila Idzerda

Buck & Hilda Klein

Carol G. & Sal Lalani

Michael & Gini Logan

Michael Mahler, in loving memory of Ellie Mahler

Marcia McCrum

Heidi McLoughlin & David Genter

Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras

Montana Community Foundation

Yung Moon

Valerie Oppenhimer & Michael Hickey

Margaret Orem

John L. & Gail Paul

Margaret Perryman

Mark & Marjorie Ready

Elizabeth & David Richards

Laura Roda

Lori & Mark Rosolowsky

Crystal & Chris Sacca

John Sacklin & Mary Hektner

Michael & Marianne Schmidt

Cliff & Laura Schutter

Erna Smeets & Bill Simkins

Rep. Rabbi Ed Stafman & Beth Lee

Sara Jayne Steen

Ric Tieman & Susan Gibb

Jim & Diana Wagner

Dennis K. Wentz, MD & Anne Colston

Wentz, MD

John & Ann White

Sara & Adam Williams

William A. & Patricia J. Wilson

2023-24 Season Donors

$1,000-$2,499

Anonymous (2)

Page Armstrong

Douglas C. & Jeanie Badenoch

Jeffrey Barish & Elaine Best

Woody Burt

Chevron

Catherine Cole

Evelyn Cranston

William C. Dabney III & Mary Kent Dabney

Kenneth & Mary Danhof

Suzanne Day & Jim Penhale

Dovana Foundation

JT Elliott

Geraldine C. & Emory M. Ford Foundation

Virginia Ferré

Marco & Julie Ferro

Emily Gadd, in memory of Anne S. Barnaby

Carl W. Gardiner

Jerome & Barbara Glickman

Scott & Jill Hills

John & Donna Hunt

Nina Jaeger

David & Fraulein Jaffe Charitable Fund

Alan & Jean Kahn Endowment Fund of Montana Community Foundation

Donald J. Kauffman

Kozubal Family

Ilse-Mari Lee

Jane Leopold

William Luehrs

Kathleen Malone

Mike & Andrea Manship

Barbara Pastine

Donna & Michael Patrick

Timothy & Leora Paulick

Trish & Tim Preheim

Leo Proxell

Mark & Amy Ranalli

Robert & Sally Sands

Nancy Smrcka & Jim Kramer

Judith Springborn

Raymond & Michele Stinnett

Tom Stonecipher

William & Donna Stratton

Dave & Carolyn L. Swingle

Bea Taylor

Judy Tsiang

Julie Videon

E. Wayne Vinje

David & Debbie Wieggel

Melody & Richard Zajdel

$500-$999

Battelle Memorial Institute

Tippy & Michael Brickman

David Bybee, M.D. & Polly A. Coombs, M.D.

Barbara Costigan

Joshua & Sally Dickinson

Pat & Diane Dwyer

Steven & Carolyn Eagle

Todd & Arlene Eliason

Grace France

Patrick Hemingway

Roxanne & Ritt Hoblitt

Al & Ellen Jesaitis

Beth Kaeding, in honor of the Cello

section

Brian Keefe

David King & Daralee Schroeder

Julie Kunen

Loran Johnson

Mike & Rhoda McCormick

Mike & Marsha Montgomery

Donna Murphrey

Keith & Markie Nathan

Next Frontier Capital

Rick & Nancy Ojala

Patricia C. Purvis

Thomas & Sheri Riggs

Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter & Chip Ritter

Sandra Roe

Jessie Rolfson

Michael Ryan

Victoria Ryan & Paul Martin

Maia Sallouti

Craig Souser

Texas Instruments Foundation

Elsa Williams

Ralph & Gloria Zimmer

$250-$499

Anonymous

Craig Allen

Tony & Martha Biel

Jennifer & Christopher Boyer

La Brasserie / Blend

Christine & Steven Bredberg

Alan & Mary Brutger

Michael Burgard, AlphaGraphics

Jim Chandler

Frances Crowley

Marty Daiello

Betsy Day

Jack & Karen Day

Charley Franklin, SMA Architecture

Jim Fullan

Brian & Marianne Gilman

Mary Gail & Michael Hannon

Nancy Hatfield & Kirk Michels

Jennifer Heiss

Jane & John Hodges

John Huleatt

Joyce Kamp

Matt & Hope Kapsner

Elizabeth Kelly

Jack & Tawnie Lehman

Jeannie Little & Eliese Besemer, in memory of Raymond & Anneliese S. Besemer

Joanne Manthe

Susan C. McCune & Ronald McAdams

Cory & Ronda Pickard, in memory of Penny Arnold

Marilyn & Dennis Raffensperger

Dr. & Mrs. James S. Robertson

Mike & Lynnelle Stoner

Kristin Taylor

Lisa Trankley

Dan & Beverly Triemstra

Allene “Lee” Wagner

Donna West

Ralph Williams, in memory of Kris Williams

Judy Worley

Victoria York

Richard & Janet Young

Steve & Mary Lourdes Young

$100-$249

Ivan & Judy Albrecht

C.A. Albro

Anonymous

Anonymous, in memory of Darlene

Ellingson

Anonymous, in memory of JoAnn Russell

Frank Anderson

Zana Anderson

Alysia Andrikopoulos

Susan Backer

Anne Banks

Lisa Barrett

Anthony & Melissa Barton

Sherry Sims Beach

Bob & Jan Beekman

Ray Bell

Lori & Kevin Billings

Michael Boyer

Roger & Noreen A. Breeding

David Bybee, MD & Polly A Coombs, MD, in honor of Dr. Gregory Young

Karla & F. Douglas Carr

Rodger Clingman

Mark Cole

Dawn Collins

Stanley Cook

Bobby Crowe

Robert Cutietta

David Dickensheets

Jonathan Distad

Sharon Ditterline

Joanne Dornan

David & Judy Douglas

Lynne Elder

Carol Elliott

Emerson Electric

Mary Fellenz

Dick & Rita Fish

Helen Flath

Jim & Bunny Gaffney

Shirley A. Gerhardt

Bill & Kathy Gillin

John & Mary Griffith

Connie & Chris Hahn

Kenneth Hapner

Alison Harmon

Bob & Jane Hawks

Kathryn & John Heminway

Wayne O. & Marilyn R. Hill

Kathleen Hoffman

Jessica Hoge

Anna Holstrom

Katherine Hubbard

Mary Hubbard

Bethany Jaeger

Doris Janes

Fern Jarmulnek

Elizabeth Jones

Stacy Jovick

Katrina Kern

Sylvie Kern

Marilyn & Richard Klein

Kay & Marvin Lansverk

Jeremy Lennox

Mary Leonardi

Nancy MacPherson

Amy McNamara

Jennie Montana

Kathleen & Robert Morrison

Holly Mayfield Mullaney, in memory of JoAnn Russell

Michelle Neelley

Danielle Nicholas

Gerald Nielsen

Ron & Kathy Odom

Shirley Olinger

Norm Page

Franki Parson

Patricia Pezzarossi

Elise Phares, in memory of Deborah Goltz

June Phillips

Linda Pierce

Charles & Maureen Poremba

Amy Pratt

Joyce Putnam

Anne Marie & Jeff Reider

Leslie Reardon & Christopher Crowder

Peg Rifleman

Robert Roush

Rita Ryan

Thomas Ryan

Warren & Pat Scarrah, in memory of

JoAnn Russell

Ann Schrader

Deborah Schuerr

Theresa Schuster

Emily Sieger

Douglas Sievers

Vanessa Skelton

Kirsten Smith

Marjorie Smith

Tom & Donna Smith

Mickey & Carol Smotherman

David & Patti Steinmuller

Terry Stetzner

Holly & Scott Stratford

Joel Stuber

Elisabeth Swanson

Grace Taylor, in memory of Darleen

Ellingson

Leslie Taylor, in memory of Sue Center

Carol Jo Thompson

Timothy Toohey

James Van Lopik

Judy Vann

Donna K. Wallace

E. Gail Weingart

Janalynn Wong

Jeffrey Yates

Caroline Zimmerman

IN-KIND

Tom & Dale Bray

The Cooke Co.

Element

Tamara Havenhill-Jacobs

I-Ho’s Korean Grill

Cheri Ladd LeCain

Ken & Mary May

Barbara & Ben Phinney

Skye Raiser

Elizabeth & David Richards

David & Kippy Sands

Michael Schmidt

Selbys

Vanessa Skelton

Sara Jayne Steen

Sunshine Cleaning

Jeffrey H. Vick

West Creek Ranch-AMB West

*Legacy Gift

Note: This list reflects gifts intended for the 2023-24 season. Listing for the current 2024-25 season reflects only the early gifts and pledges made by June 30, 2024, and intended for the 2024-25 season. A complete list of 2024-25 season donors will be published in the 2025-26 Season Magazine. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. If your name has been inadvertently omitted or incorrectly listed, please accept our apologies and contact the Bozeman Symphony office at 406-585-9774 or write to info@bozemansymphony.org to notify us. Thank you for your generosity.

Corporate Impact Circle

$5,000+

$2,500+

$1,000+

*Legacy gift

2024-25 Season

Supporters

We proudly recognize the following individuals who have already graciously contributed to the 2024-25 concert season and/or made multi-year pledges.*

ENCORE SOCIETY

Beethoven Circle - $100,000+

M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Conductor’s Circle - $50,000+

Cal & Tricia DeSouza

Donald B. Gimbel

Gary Kunis & Connie Wong

The Ruth & Vernon Taylor Foundation

Concertmaster’s Circle - $25,000+

Jodar Family Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Kachadurian

Ritva Porter & Stephen Schachman

Skye Raiser & David Perlin

Robert & Donna Ritchie

Presenter’s Circle $10,000+

Anonymous (2)

Tim & Mary Barnard

Ambassador Max Baucus & Ms. Melodee

Hanes

Michael & Sharon Beehler

Joanne Berghold

Paul & Jillian Bertelli

Diane L. Brawner

Tom & Dale Bray

Donald & Beverly Clark

Ron & Judy Clark

Mike & Cyndi Huempfner, Five Points Foundation

Carol G. & Sal Lalani

Prof. Rob Maher & Mrs. Lynn PetersonMaher

Mary & Ken May

Kathleen Heitz Myers & George Myers

Margaret Perryman

Ben & Barbara Phinney

Lynn & Chip Rinehart

Crystal & Chris Sacca

Rick Sanders & Janice Hand

David & Kippy Sands

Lee & Diane Selby

Sheehy Family Foundation - Denise & Richard

Stephanie & Trent Smith

Dennis K. Wentz, MD & Anne Colston Wentz, MD

Impact Circle $5,000+

Doug & Jeanie Badenoch

Richard & Carol Belgrad

Sharon Eversman

Michael & Gini Logan

Montana Cultural Trust

Reed Family Foundation

Elizabeth & David Richards

Dr. Charles & Mrs. Kathy Rinker

Cliff & Laura Schutter

Sidney E. Frank Foundation

Renée & Stuart Westlake

Wolfe Family Charitable Fund

Richard Wolff & Janel Cariño

Giving Circle - $2,500+

Ann Chase

Anonymous (2)

Bruce & Christie Copeland

Catherine & Richard Dowdell

Douglas H. Dybvig

Monica Guenther & Terry Anderson

Buck & Hilda Klein

Michael Mahler, in loving memory of Ellie

Mahler

Marcia McCrum

Heidi McLoughlin & David Genter

Don & Marilyn Murdock

Valerie Oppenhimer & Michael Hickey

John L. & Gail Paul

Carin Phillips

Lori & Mark Rosolowsky

John Sacklin & Mary Hektner

Michael & Marianne Schmidt

Erna Smeets & Bill Simkins

Larry Springer

Sara Jayne Steen

Bea Taylor

Ric Tieman & Susan Gibb

Karin Utzinger & Family

William A. & Patricia J. Wilson

2024-25 Season Donors

$1,000-$2,499

Diane Beeman

Tippy & Michael Brickman

Kenneth & Mary Danhof

Virginia Ferré

Marco & Julie Ferro

Stephen Guggenheim & Amanda Cater

John & Donna Hunt

Tamara Havenhill-Jacobs & Chris Jacobs

Kozubal Family

Dr. Larry & Mrs. Gail Larson

Peter Rieke & Sally Maison

Leo Proxell

Raymond & Michele Stinnett

$500-$999

Alysia Andrikopoulos

Jack & Karen Day

Beth Kaeding, in honor of the Cello Section

Matt & Hope Kapsner

Grace France

Brian & Marianne Gilman

Al & Ellen Jesaitis

Mike & Andrea Manship

Dennis & Marilyn Raffensperger

Robert & Donna Thompson

Richard & Janet Young

David & Debbie Wieggel

$250-$499

Tony & Martha Biel

Kathryn Carlson

Catherine Corbett, in memory of Mary Ann

Nielsen

Jane & John Hodges

John & Joyce Kamp

Richard & Marilyn Klein

Jessie Rolfson

Ralph Williams, in memory of Kris Williams

$100-$249

Lisa Barrett

Roger & Noreen Breeding

Helena Crawford

Bill & Kathy Gillin

Wayne O. & Marilyn R. Hill

Kathleen Hoffman

Charlotte Knighton, in memory of Mary

Ann Nielsen

Nancy MacPherson

Kathleen & Robert Morrison

*Note: This is a preliminary list of donors for the 2024-25 season—those who donated or pledged before the magazine publication deadline of June 30, 2024. A complete list of 2024-25 season donors will be published in the 2025-26 Season Magazine. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. If your name has been inadvertently omitted or incorrectly listed, please accept our apologies and contact the Bozeman Symphony office at 406-585-9774 or write to info@bozemansymphony.org to notify us. Thank you for your generosity.

Kristofer Olsen, Percussion

$10,000+

$5,000+

$1,000+

WAYS TO GIVE

Move Forward with Us

We invite you to move forward with us as we embark on our ambitious fiveyear strategic growth plan that builds on the Bozeman Symphony’s 56-year foundation. Our generous donors account for the majority of our funding, and your ongoing support is vital in helping us advance our mission and ensuring that the Symphony can support its musicians, invest in operational excellence, add concerts, and expand our reach and impact in the community. This incredible support is essential in helping us preserve the legacy of the music we perform while exploring new musical horizons together.

There are many ways to support the Symphony! Here are a few of the ways you can make a meaningful impact:

Single or Recurring Gift:

Make a one-time donation or monthly pledge to help sustain and grow the Symphony’s presence.

Multi-Year Pledge:

Commit to supporting the Bozeman Symphony over the next five years to provide essential stability and help us carry out our strategic growth plan.

Encore Society:

Make an extraordinary commitment to the Symphony by joining the Encore Society with a donation of at least $2,500 per season. Enjoy the hospitality lounge during concerts, special events, and recognition.

Concert or Program Sponsorship:

Associate your name with specific concerts, community programs, or educational initiatives to show your dedication to the arts.

Corporate Sponsorship:

Work with us to select a sponsorship that aligns with your business mission and supports the Symphony’s goal of engaging and uniting the community through music.

Leave a Legacy:

Include the Symphony in your estate plans to ensure a legacy of cultural vibrancy in Bozeman.

Non-Cash Donation:

Offer in-kind contributions in the form of goods, expertise, and services from your business.

Employer Match:

Utilize your company’s matching gift program to maximize your donation’s impact.

Foundation Support:

Foundations are vital in helping us invest in the future and reach our goals of engaging new audiences and pursuing artistic innovation.

Volunteer:

Get involved and support the Symphony through a variety of volunteer opportunities.

Questions?

For more information and to donate, visit www. bozemansymphony.org/giving or contact our Development Associate Cheri LeCain at cheri@bozemansymphony.org.

Your support is crucial in ensuring the Symphony’s continued success in enriching the lives of our community for generations to come. Thank you for supporting the Bozeman Symphony!

Bozeman Symphony Society is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Tax ID# 81-6019534

Chandra Lind, Cayley Hunt, Charlie Martin, Lisa Woidtke, Bärbel Pafford, Cello

Volunteer Spotlight:

Hannah Giese: The Musical Volunteer Making a Difference

Hannah Giese, who recently graduated from Belgrade High School, has been a dedicated volunteer for each of the Bozeman Symphony’s concerts for the past three years. Her passion for music and desire to give back to the community has led her to become an important part of the Symphony’s concerts as she aspires to become a performing member.

You can find Hannah at the auditorium entrance serving as an usher and greeting guests, at the concession counter, assisting in the coordination of the Encore Society Lounge, hanging concert posters, or pitching in wherever needed. Her dedication shines through as she spends an average of eight hours volunteering for each concert series, totaling over 100 hours throughout the season.

“Hannah is truly a gem within our organization,” said Front of House Manager Amelia Murnane. “She is always willing to help wherever she is needed, and her reliability and flexibility make her a star volunteer. I am always so thrilled when I see that Hannah has signed up to volunteer because I know that the task or volunteer position will be in excellent hands.”

Hannah’s involvement with the Symphony dates back to her childhood, as her family regularly attended concerts. With a family immersed in music, including parents who participated in high school bands and sisters involved in college ensembles, her connection to music runs deep.

Inspired by her early experiences at Symphony concerts, Hannah decided to volunteer to gain insight into what happens behind the scenes and enjoy the concerts. Her favorite part of volunteering is interacting with patrons and staff, sharing musical experiences, and listening to incredible music, a reward in itself for her hard work.

As a talented musician who plays the piano, French horn, saxophone, and trumpet, Hannah was a member of her high school’s wind symphony, jazz and marching bands, and the Bozeman Municipal Band during the summer. She takes horn lessons from Bozeman Symphony Associate Principal Horn Dr. Elizabeth Schmidt, who is a professor at MSU, every two weeks and continues to take weekly piano lessons, something she started as a youngster.

Hannah’s love for music extends beyond playing instruments—she also enjoys learning music theory. Her piano teacher has been a considerable influence, shaping her perspective on music and inspiring her to pursue a career in music technology.

Hannah recently began studies toward a music degree at Montana State University, where she earned a scholarship. With plans to play the mellophone in the university’s marching band and participate in various ensembles, she is set to embark on a new chapter in her musical journey. Inspired by Music Director Norman Huynh, she hopes to explore conducting in the future, driven by his passion for music. In her free time, she enjoys trail running and photography.

Despite her busy schedule, Hannah remains committed to volunteering for the Symphony, citing the rewarding experiences it provides. She stands out as a devoted volunteer making a difference through her passion for music and service.

Without the dedication and hard work of our exceptional volunteers, the Bozeman Symphony would not be able to deliver the outstanding performances and events that define our organization. From assisting at concerts and special events to providing crucial office support, our volunteers play a vital role in various aspects of our operations. In appreciation of their contributions, volunteers are granted the opportunity to enjoy Symphony concerts at no cost.

We are always seeking individuals who share our passion for music and the arts to join us in fulfilling our mission of enriching the cultural landscape of Montana. Whether you are interested in volunteering at events or opening your home to host a visiting musician, your support is invaluable to us.

Want to join us in creating unforgettable musical experiences for our community?

Please contact our Front of House Manager Amelia Murnane at 406-585-9774 or visit www. bozemansymphony.org/ volunteer

VOLUNTEERS

The Bozeman Symphony sincerely thanks the following volunteers for their support throughout the season.

Elaine Alston

Susan Anderegg

Suzanne Becker

Loretta Bendz

Kellie Bernardez

Glenn Blasius

Irina Bloch

Richard Blum

Roger Breeding

Evelyn Buckingham

Tina Buckingham

Connie Cade

Mariana Carrera

Sara Christensen

Simon Cranston

Woody Cranston

Kyrie Dawson

Joy Dowell

Ruth Eddy

Sarah Eder

Ann Ellsworth

Pat Fowlie

Mary Ellen Freeman

Ajax Ganje

Blythe Ganje

Sylvia Garrett

Jane Gentholts

Hannah Giese

Kayla Gnerer

Ava Graham

Anastasia Grayl

Josephine Grayl

Nadine Grayl

Mary Jo Gregory

Sophia Hahner

Gloria Hardin

Macayla Harmon

Amanda Harms

Sarah Herron

Caroline Higa

Arleen “Tiny” Hutchinson

Margie Kankrlik

Michelina Kazeminejad

Joseph Keel

Temia Keel

Emily Kimmel

Judy Kmon

Annika Lawrence

Martin Lawrence

Verena Lawrence

Daniel LeCain

Phyllis Lewis

Susan MacCall

LaVerne “Mac” MacDonald

Ann Maroney

Knox Martin

Paul Martin

Steve Marty

Kathryn McCloney

Sarah Mendonça

Christa Merzdorf Lawrence

Laila Moeller

Robin Morris

Sally Moyce

Christine Nilsson

Patrick O’Neil

Mary Orr

Kelly Palmer

Neil Poulsen

Pam Poulsen

Aleksi Rapkin

McKenzie Richards

Jeremy Rizer

Jamie Robinson

Jonathan Rudd

Chad Rugroden

Vicki Ryan

Elaine Samuelson

KJ Schwartz

Tricia Seifert

Marjorie Seymour

Gonnie Siebel

Avia Simmons

Teri Sinopoli

Nate Smith

Brian Smithers

Durward Sobek

Sarah Sobek

Ellen Stephenson

Demetri Stoumbos

Carolyn “Rusty” Swingle

Claudia Tedesco

Judy Tucker

Donna K Wallace

Carol Weaver

BB Webb

Allison Wharton

Sarah Widger

Sharon Williams

Suzanne Winchester

Danielle Wojtak

Isabelle Wong

If you would like to become a volunteer, please visit www.bozemansymphony.org/ volunteer or call Front of House

Manager Amelia Murnane at 406-585-9774.

MUSICIAN HOSTS

The Bozeman Symphony thanks every host family and individual who welcomed musicians into their homes last season.

Steve, Jodi & Cedar Allison-Bunnell

Carol Anway

Sandy Bellingham

Ray & Kay Campeau

Monica Guenther & Terry Anderson

Elliot Harrison

Connie Hahn

Dave Kendall & Sherry Hipp

Carrie Krause

Chandra Lind

Jake MacDuff

Megan & JJ McFadden

Danielle Nicholas

Christine McVey

Heidi Mcloughlin

Ben & Barbara Phinney

Karol & John Pollock

Aleksi Rapkin & Keven Barre

Jorie & Mark Ready

David & Kippy Sands

Elizabeth Schmidt

Sarah & Durward Sobek

Claudia Tedesco

Kathy & Lawrence VanDyke

Amy & Tyler Wright

Have a spare bedroom? Volunteer to host a visiting musician!

Lodging hosts provide a “home away from home” experience to visiting musicians during rehearsal and concert weekends. The experience often leads to long-term friendships between musicians and hosts. You can host a musician for as many or as few concerts as is convenient.

Hosting a musician fills your home with music and contributes to Bozeman Symphony Orchestra by lowering lodging expenses and making musicians happy!

If you would like to host, please visit www.bozemansymphony.org/ volunteer for more information or to apply.