2015
2016
S E A S O N OCTOBER 3, 2015
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TABLE OF CONTENTS
BSO STAFF AND BOARD ......................................................... 3 BSO NEXT .............................................................................. 4 BSO DINE .............................................................................. 5 LETTER FROM STILIAN KIROV ................................................... 6 LETTER FROM BRYAN BURROW ............................................. 7 BSO MUSICIANS ..................................................................... 9 CONCERT SPONSORS/PARTNERS IN MUSIC EDUCATION...... 11 TONIGHT'S PROGRAM ......................................................... 12 BSO SUPPORTERS ............................................................ 14-15 ABOUT SEAN CHEN ............................................................ 16 PROGRAM NOTES ............................................................... 17 ABOUT STILIAN KIROV ......................................................... 20
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BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CONTACT THE BSO
1328 34th Street, Ste. A • Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: 661-323-7928 Email: info@BSOnow.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ira Cohen, Chairman Chris Hamilton, Esq., Vice Chairman Patrick Paggi, Treasurer Ken Beurmann, Secretary
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Stilian Kirov, Music Director M. Bryan Burrow, President & CEO
Kari Heilman, Business Operations Manager Mary Moore, Orchestra Operations Manager Ineke de Lange, Executive Assistant/Sales Nicole Barnett, Executive Assistant Jackie Lucas, Communications Coordinator Darlan Moore, Stage Guard
Jerome Kleinsasser, Ph.D., Advisor Julia Haney, Advisor Bradford Anderson, M.D. Holly Arnold W. Michael Chertok Wayne Deats Nicole Giumarra Eleanor Heiskell Nile Kinney, Esq.
Jim Mueller, Recording Engineer
ORCHESTRA OFFICERS Elaine LeCain, President Mike Raney, Vice President
Joe MacIlvaine, Ph.D. Matthew Malerich, M.D. Steve Sanders Dee Slade
Paulette Shires, Orchestra Representative Elvira Arambula, Secretary
Hon. Jon Stuebbe, Advisor
Cynthia Smizer Rick Stevens Jay Tamsi Ed Taylor Neil Walker Kai Wong, M.D.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS C. Lee Clark James Collier Don Lindsay Milt Younger, Esq.
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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E
xposing students to live music expands their horizons and helps develop an appreciation for all performing arts. The BSO Next program gives generous individuals and local businesses an opportunity to purchase season tickets for distribution to local school districts and other community groups. Research proves that arts education provides unique academic and social benefits and helps prepare students for success in school, work, and life. For more information about the BSO Next Program or to become a sponsor contact the BSO office at 661-323-7928.
BSO Next Sponsors Pelletier Foundation
North Bakersfield Toyota
David Rhea
Fritch Family Foundation
Peggy Darling
Ridgely & Sylvia Dorsey
California Resources Corporation Christopher & Cynthia Smizer
David Urner
Tel-Tec Securities
Claire Frisch
Twilla Klassen
PLCS Plus International, Inc.
Dignity Health
Ron & Kimberly Nickell
Marjorie Nixon
Jon & Kala Stuebbe
James & Gloria Wattenbarger
Don C. & Diane S. Lake Family
James & Thelma Royer-Cartwright
Ray & Joan Dezember
John & Diane White
Virginia Heil Crawford
Ron Nickell
UBS Financial Services, Inc. Ira & Carole Cohen Jason & Patsy Cohen
Bill Wright Toyota
Michael Klassen
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BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GREAT FOOD & GREAT MUSIC. THE PERFECT COUNTERPOINT.
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra is pleased to continue our successful “BSO Dine” program for its second season.
Participating Restaurants: Belvedere Room at the Padre Hotel Café Med Restaurant CraSh Lounge KRUSH BAR RESTAURANT La Costa Mariscos Mama Tosca’s Ristorante Italiano Mexicali Restaurant (Downtown) Muertos Kitchen and Lounge Valentien Restaurant & Wine Bar The Nines Restaurant Petroleum Club of Bakersfield (Members Only) Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill
Nothing complements an evening of exceptional music like an exceptional meal. Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra has partnered with top local restaurants to offer concertgoers an opportunity to combine their musical experience with a gourmet dining experience.
GET 15% OFF YOUR MEAL! When you present your concert tickets at one of these fine restaurants on the date of the performance.
DEAR FRIENDS, It is a true privilege to welcome you to the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra’s (BSO) 2015-2016 Season and to embrace the experience of great music full of excitement and inspiration. During this first season as Music Director of the BSO, I feel blessed with the opportunity to make music with our outstanding orchestra and for us to begin a new era in the orchestra’s history. As always, the BSO continues to present many of the golden musical gems of symphonic literature. We also would like to search for brilliant new works and explore collaborations and fusions of different types of art. A very important part of our mission is to open the concert hall to everyone, creating new and exciting projects that will transform the BSO into a cultural hub of our city. We will be launching a new concert series called "Informal", in which we will explore musical avenues in a casual environment. These late night concerts will take place in settings where you can have a glass of wine, sit down or walk around and listen to music that is really new and unique. The BSO also opens a new chapter for its educational programs with special guest artists like Magic Circle Mime Company. As a musician, I strongly believe that Young People’s Concerts are indispensable for every community. Our goal is to create programs that are informative and enjoyable for our younger audience members. We look forward to having you join us for the 2015-2016 Season which features favorite works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Ives and Barber as well as remarkable soloists such as Sean Chen, Boris Allakhverdyan, Simone Porter, and more. Sincerely yours,
Stilian Kirov Music Director
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BRYAN BURROW President and CEO of the Bakersfield Symphony
Welcome to the opening concert of BSO's 2015-2016 season. We are delighted to have our new Music Director, Stilian Kirov, join the BSO family to continue this musical journey now in its 84th season. Adding to this special night is virtuoso Sean Chen, winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Crystal Award. You will be entranced with how this music will speak to the soul and transcend a local experience for the evening. To make this evening possible, the BSO relies on the generous support of our community. Tonight we recognize Claire Frisch (in memory of Harold Frisch) and Margaret Urner for sponsoring this concert as well as Diane S. and Don C. Lake Family for supporting the season subscription series. There are many ways to partner with the BSO, from a small monthly donation to providing a legacy gift to the BSO Endowment Foundation to help sustain the BSO for generations to come. Your support helps us achieve our mission to perform great concerts and provide music education to the students of Kern County. Visit our website at BSOnow.org for more details. We have many new programs this year as well as the continuation of recently added programs. Here are some season highlights which are further discussed in this program and/or on our website: • BSO Next – Over 550 Kern County students attend our concerts thanks to generous sponsors. • BSO Dine – Patrons receive a 15% discount at participating restaurants on the night of our subscription concerts. • New Concerts – Seven new concerts including three in surrounding cities. • Kids Discover Music – Musicians visit classrooms to share music and stories. • Young People’s Concerts – We host over 12,000 students each year to inspire children while meeting Common Core standards. Stay connected with the latest BSO information through BSOnow.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blast emails, and e-newsletters. If we do not have your email address, be sure to stop by our information table or submit it directly on our website. Thank you for coming tonight!
M. Bryan Burrow
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BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS
VIOLIN 1
CLARINET
Donna Fraser-Asst. Concertmaster
Marc Tipton
Lee Smith
BASSOON
Julia L. Haney-Concertmaster
Elizabeth Kinney Tim Swanson Jeff Fritz Josh Estrada Sharon Cooper Debbie Ellis Chris Reutinger Lisa Grzanka Ruldolfina Sjostrand
VIOLIN 2
Amy McGuire-Principal Deborah Perkins Elvira Arambula Marci Maynard Elaine LeCain Andrea von Schriltz Nicole Barnett Jason Gomez Liz Watts Kay Sanderson
Mary Moore-Principal
CELLO
Paul Young-Principal Alex Wilson Anna McCoy Caroline Coward Pam DeAlmeida Erin Esses David Mason
Melissa Frey-Principal Steve Thiroux
HORN
Mike Raney-Principal Steve O'Connor
TRUMPET
Mike Raney, Principal
Natosha Ramirez
Steve O’Connor
BASS
TROMBONE
Barry Newton-Principal Pete Scaffidi-Co-Principal John Hester Igor Stebaev Whitney Herbst
Jay Jerrett-Principal Marisa Aoki Norm Campbell
TIMPANI
Ernie Cervantes-Principall
ORGAN Liz Cervantes
VIOLA
Paulette Shires-Principal Stan Holcombe Alex Navarro Helen Crosby Laura Jesson Sandra Caudel Allyson Bates Robin Ross
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CONCERT SPONSORS SEASON CONCERT SPONSOR: Don C. and Diane S. Lake Family
CONCERT SPONSORS: California State University Bakersfield Barber Acura
PARTNERS IN MUSIC EDUCATION: Aera Energy LLC
Bakersfield Symphony Endowment Foundation Barber Acura Bright House Networks Chevron City of Bakersfield County of Kern Kern County Superintendent of Schools KMAP, INC. Wonderful Orchards, Inc. Pelletier Foundation PG&E Target W.A. Thompson Wells Fargo WZI, Inc.
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BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Stilian Kirov, Music Director
Saturday, October 3, 2015 – 7:30pm – Rabobank Theater
PASSIONATE BEGINNINGS 6:30pm Pre-Concert Lecture
MIKHAIL GLINKA (1804 – 1857)
Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943)
Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30, D minor I. Allegro ma non tanto II. Intermezzo: Adagio III. Finale: Alla breve Soloist: Sean Chen, piano
– INTERMISSION – JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833– 1897)
Symphony No. 2, Op. 73, D Major I. Allegro non troppo II. Adagio non troppo III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) IV. Allegro con spirito
Mr. Chen appears by arrangement with the Cliburn. 12
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GENEROUS SUPPORTERS OF THE SYMPHONY We gratefully acknowledge the following individuals, businesses and foundations for their generous support. This listing includes contributions received before September 8, 2015. S T R A D I VA R I U S C I R C L E ( $ 2 5 , 0 0 0 + )
County of Kern City of Bakersfield Don C. and Diane S. Lake Family KMAP, Inc. Pelletier Foundation MAESTRO’S CIRCLE ($10,000 +)
Aera Energy LLC Barber Acura Chevron Claire Frisch Esther Gamez Joe and Suzan MacIlvaine William May The Urner Family Dave Urner Margaret Urner W.A. Thompson, Inc. Wonderful Orchards, LLC ENCORE CIRCLE ($5,000 +)
Ray and Joan Dezember Marjorie Nixon UBS Financial Services Ira and Carole Cohen Jason and Patsy Cohen Wells Fargo Bank WZI, Inc. Mary Jane Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Milton Younger CONCERTMASTER ($2,500 +)
David and Ardath Albizo California Resources Corp. Bill Wright Toyota/North Bakersfield Toyota Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation Eleanor Heiskell Peggy Darling Virginia Heil Crawford
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C O N C E R T M A S T E R ( $ 2 , 5 0 0 + ) C O N T.
Twilla Klassen Klein DeNatale Goldner Jerome Kleinsasser and Jeanne Harrie PLCs Plus International, Inc. Diane Sandidge Christopher and Cynthia Smizer Hon. and Mrs. Jon Stuebbe Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc. Robert & Patty Young VIRTUOSO ($1,000 +)
Anonymous Donors Bradford Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Barmann, Sr. Lois Chaney W. Michael and Dona Chertok Peggy Darling Dr. Doug Davis Wayne and Lynn Deats Dignity Health Roger and Nancy Hess Gregory and Katherine Honegger Jim Burke Ford Lincoln Jaguar Barbara Johnson Nile and Liz Kinney Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kirschenman Irma Laughlin-Kolstad Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Larwood Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Malerich Dr. and Mrs. Mark Miller Girish Patel Valerie Pfeiffer PG&E George and Charlotte Pinheiro Melissa Reish James and Thelma Royer-Cartwright Leonard Sanoian Mr. and Mrs. John Stovall Hon. Robert Tafoya & Sandra Serrano Bill and Sharon Thomas John and Diane White Alex Wilson Dr. and Mrs. Kai Wong
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GENEROUS SUPPORTERS OF THE SYMPHONY (CONT.) QUINTET ($500 +)
FRIENDS OF THE SYMPHONY ($100 +)
Beverly Banks Jeanne Burdick Katina Chan David Cothrun Elizabeth Downie James Duncan Dr. and Mrs. Ronald Eaves Stan and Virginia Eschner John Friauf Robert Gaban Ben Goossen
Doreen Abrams Ken and Gianna Beurmann Dr. and Mrs. Gerhard Schmidt James Weddle HARMONIC ($250 +)
Elizabeth Ferrier Michael Klassen Ron and Nancy Marvin Margaret Southwick David Rhea
Msgr. Craig Harrison Robert Himes Steven Jacobs Velma Kagler James Love Mary Moore Kay Pitts Gail Schulz Ehla Jo Triplett Bill and Judie Watkins Philip Zander
MEMORIALS & HONORARIUMS
Memorials and honorariums are gifts given to honor family and friends in a lasting and meaningful way.
In memory of Esther Gamez
In honor of Ginny Kirschenmann
Peggy Darling
Peggy Darling
In memory of Gordon Johnson
In-Kind
Barbara Johnson
In memory of Colonel Wesley Moore Mary Moore
In memory of Richard Southwick Margaret Southwick
American General Media Brown Armstrong CPA’s eMedia Marketing Solutions Garden District Flowers KMAP, Inc. Mike Willis Design
In memory of Mark Van Voorhis Jeanne Burdick Marilyn Fowler Mr. and Mrs. Robert Himes Leslie Jamar Billie Jo Medders Verna Miller
Eloise Prichard Gerhard Schmidt Margaret Self Stacy Wingate Charles and Marjorie Ruhl
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SEAN CHEN
Crystal Award Winner, Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Hailed as a charismatic rising star with “an exceptional ability to connect with an audience combined with an easy virtuosity” (Huffington Post), 26-year-old American pianist Sean Chen won third prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and was also awarded the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship of the American Pianists Association in 2013. Since then, he has continued to earn accolades for “alluring, colorfully shaded renditions” (New York Times), and was recently named a 2015 fellow by the prestigious Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund for the Performing Arts. In the coming season, Mr. Chen will make return appearances with the San Diego Symphony, Carmel Symphony, Sante Fe Symphony, and Sunriver Festival Orchestras, as well as perform with the National Symphony of the Dominican Republic, and the North Carolina, Hudson Valley, Pasadena, Bakersfield, Knoxville, Fairfax, and San Angelo Symphony Orchestras. He will be traveling across the United States for solo and chamber recitals, including concerts in Chicago, Denver, Louisville, and Los Angeles. Lauded for his natural charisma and approachable personality, Mr. Chen is particularly in demand for residencies that combine performances with master classes, school concerts, and artist conversations. Mr. Chen earned his Bachelor and Master of Music from Juilliard, meanwhile garnering several awards, most notably the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. He received his Artist Diploma in 2014 at the Yale School of Music as a George W. Miles Fellow. His teachers include Hung-Kuan Chen, Tema Blackstone, Edward Francis, Jerome Lowenthal, and Matti Raekallio. His recent CD releases include La Valse, a solo recording on the Steinway label, hailed for “penetrating artistic intellect” (Audiophile Audition); a live recording from the Cliburn Competition released by harmonia mundi, praised for “ravishing tone and cogently contoured lines” (Gramophone); and an album of Michael Williams' solo piano works on the Parma label.
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BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Stilian Kirov, Music Director 84th SEASON
PASSIONATE BEGINNINGS Saturday, October 3, 2015 – 7:30pm – Rabobank Theater PROGRAM NOTES
Mikhail Glinka
is considered one of the founding fathers of Russian classical music. His first major piece was the opera, A Life for Tsar, which was warmly greeted by audiences. While performing his first very successful work, Glinka was advised to seek inspiration for his next piece in the poem Ruslan and Lyudmila - a work by one of the greatest Russian poets, Alexander Pushkin. Glinka was already an admirer of Pushkin’s work and particularly loved this poem. Initially, it was planned that Pushkin would be the one to write the libretto, however the poet was unfortunately killed in a duel. This led to the necessity of finding another writer to complete the work. However, Glinka was not completely satisfied with any of the other writers and so in the end, the work was completed with the help of many poets including Valerian Shirkov, N. A. Markevich, and Nestor Kukolnik. The opera tells the story of Lyudmila, who is abducted by the evil sorcerer Chernomor. Ruslan and two of the other princess’ suitors try to save her in this fairy tale full of magical creatures, spells, enchanted gardens, witches, hermits and so forth, very much resembling the Tales from the Arabian Nights, At the end Ruslan is able to free Lyudmila and wins her heart. Today, the best-known music from the opera is its brilliant overture, which is very down to earth, full of Russian folk motifs and songs. As he was completing the opera, Glinka attended a friend’s wedding and states later, "I was up in the balcony, and the clattering of knives, forks and plates made such an impression on me that I had the idea to imitate them in the prelude to Ruslan. I later did so, with fair success." The overture contains two main themes, the first one has a driving rhythm and excitement and the second is based on traditional, more reminiscent melodies. Although the opera was not successful in the beginning, it was later recognized as a significant work. A credit to the opera’s later success goes to Mily Balakirev, who performed it with uncut staging in Prague in 1867.
Sergei Rachmaninoff is now considered one of the most distinguished Russian romantic composers. However,
during his lifetime he was severely criticized in Russia by music critics and his fellow composers. The Third Piano Concerto was born after a very difficult personal time for Rachmaninoff. The premier of his First Symphony was catastrophic and at that time he asked himself whether or not he should ever compose again. Two years later and after spending a considerable amount of time working with a psychiatrist, Rachmaninoff began to compose again. His Second Symphony and especially the Second Piano Concerto were a huge success and the Third Concerto was created in 1909. Rachmaninoff wrote this piece for his tour in the United States which premiered successfully, although critics were concerned of its length and technical complexity. Over the years, the Third Concerto has become part of the golden pages of his repertoire and is well known for its technical challenges but also for the beauty of its melodies, structure, brilliant harmonies and orchestration.
Johannes Brahms took twenty-one years to complete his First Symphony and composed his second one during a
summer holiday. The Second Symphony was completed in the beautiful town of Portschach. After finishing the score, Brahms sent it to his friend Theodore Billroth, an amateur musician who, after playing the music for the first time wrote back and said, “It is all rippling streams, blue sky, sunshine, and cool green shadows. How beautiful it must be at Portschach.” Brahms clearly had the ability to paint images of nature through his music. The Second Symphony was often referred to as “Pastoral” which was a clear reference to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. This is not surprising since Brahms was a true admirer of Beethoven’s symphonic achievements. The premiere of the Second Symphony was in Vienna in 1877 conducted by Hans Richter and was an absolute triumph. The audience requested that the third movement be repeated and the whole work was met with a warmer welcome than the First Symphony. The Second Symphony begins with a piece that reminds the listener of the rising sun and the start of a beautiful day. Throughout the entire work Brahms is brilliantly able to convey different mood atmospheres. The third movement is full of charm and grace – a true serenade of complexity that touches everyone’s hearts. The final movement of the piece is full of energy, radiance and excitement. The real recognition for Brahms came when the Symphony was his first piece to win the approval of Hamburg audiences. This was of major importance for the composer since Hamburg was his native city.
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A N E W S E AS O N… … A N E W FAC E .
A
fter a two -year search and out of one hundred and sixty applications, Stilian Kirov has been appointed M u s i c D i r e c t o r o f t h e B a k e r s fi e l d S y m p h o n y. A p r i z e w i n n e r a t t h e
prestigious 2015 Malko Competition, and “It is a t ru e p ri vi le ge to welcome yo u to th e Bakers fie l d Sy m p h o ny’ s 2015 - 20 1 6 S e a so n a nd
recently completing a highly successful tenure as Associate Conductor of the Seattle S y m p h o n y, M r. K i r o v b e c o m e s t h e y o u n g e s t M u s i c D i r e c t o r i n t h e B a k e r s fi e l d S y m p h o n y O r c h e s t r a ’s 8 3 - y e a r h i s t o r y.
to embra ce th e
Stilian Kirov’s numerous awards and prizes
experience o f gre a t
S y m p h o n y ’s S o u n d t r a c k P r o j e c t , t h e O r c h e s t r a
mus ic fu l l o f e x ci te m e nt and ins p i ra t i o n.”
i n c l u d e a n E m m y Aw a r d f o r t h e M e m p h i s P r e f e r e n c e Aw a r d , a n d T h i r d P r i z e a t t h e 2 0 1 0 Mitropoulos Conducting Competition, as w e l l a s Ju i l l i a r d ’s B r u n o Wa l t e r M e m o r i a l S c h o l a r s h i p a n d t h e C h a r l e s S c h i ff C o n d u c t i n g Aw a r d f o r o u t s t a n d i n g a c h i e v e m e n t . M r. K i r o v i s a g r a d u a t e o f T h e Ju i l l i a r d S c h o o l i n Ne w Yo r k , a n d t h e E c o l e No r m a l e d e Mu s i q u e
-- STI L IAN KIROV,
i n Pa r i s .
Music D ire cto r
Please join us in welcoming M r. K i r o v t o t h e B a k e r s fi e l d S y m p h o n y Orchestra for a new season of exciting musical experiences.
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SUPPORT THE BSO Help the Symphony’s mission of performing great concerts and providing music education in Kern County through donations, program/event sponsorships and the BSO Endowment Foundation.
Visit BSOnow.org or call 661-323-7928 for more information.