BPO 2022-2023 Season: Program Book 8

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

The orchestra’s recent Florida Tour once again had extended family and friends in the Sunshine State singing our praises. Violinist Sandy Cameron joined JoAnn and the BPO for what has become a favorite tradition to say thank you to former Buffalonians and Western New Yorkers for their continued support from afar. Now we turn our attention to an April filled with magic, maestros, movies, ‘mania,’ and dance moves.

John Morris Russell has programmed a dance party that crosses cultures and continents in DancetheNightAway with the help of community dance ensembles, bringing a diverse display of ethnic traditions to Kleinhans’ stage and your BPO. Third time’s the charm for Mozart’s rescheduled (and again rescheduled) semi-staged production of TheMagicFlutein partnership with the Hillman Opera Program at SUNY Fredonia, an excellent operatic training ground right here in Western New York.

Beatlemania rocks the BPO for a ‘Revolution’ of never-before-seen video and animation in a multimedia presentation accompanied by a rock band with updated arrangements of iconic Fab Four hits. In demand conductor Anthony Parnther is the man behind blockbuster themes conducting recording sessions of scores for Hollywood films, streaming services, television, and video games. Chances are you’ll recognize one of your favorites. (Think The Mandalorian, King Richard, E.T., and more…)

We are excited to have the 2019 Sphinx Competition winner, cellist Sterling Elliott, join the BPO in an intriguing program under the baton of former BPO Music Director, Maximiano Valdés. The BPO is proud to support the Sphinx Organization, which is dedicated to the development of extraordinary young Black and Latinx classical musicians. And BPO Kids welcomes another Maestro to the house with the entertaining musical narration of Maestro Mouse and his musical friends in the multimedia show authored by Dan Brown: WildSymphony

Last but not least, Naxos has released our two latest CDs – Elfman & Hailstork and Scriabin – to critical acclaim, adding to the 50-plus albums our illustrious music director has introduced during her tenure. Recordings are available at bpo.org/recordings, as well as on streaming platforms, so you can always access the BPO when you’re on the go and not miss a note!

Sincerely,

John R. Yurtchuk Chair, Board of Trustees Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc.

BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF JANUARY 1,

2023

OFFICERS

John R. Yurtchuk, Chair

Scott Stenclik, Vice Chair — Chair-Elect

Peter Eliopoulos, Secretary

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Cindy Abbott Letro

Douglas Bean

Jonathan Borden †

Anne Conable

Stephen B. Edge, MD*

JoAnn Falletta*

Daniel Hart*

Jim Hettich

Mark Hodges †

William Keefer

Ronald Luczak

Alex Montante

Allan C. Ripley*

Casimiro D. Rodriguez, Sr.

Rev. Melody I. Rutherford

Diana Sachs †

Robin G. Schulze, Ph.D

Joseph Sedita

Sonny Sonnenstein

Karen Sperrazza

Christine Standish

David Stark

Angelo Fatta, Chair Emeritus

LIFE MEMBERS

Anthony Cassetta

Randall Odza

Edwin Polokoff

BUFFALO

Rev. Jonathan Staples

Stephen T. Swift

Henry Ward †

John Zak*

JOANN FALLETTA MUSIC DIRECTOR

Multiple Grammy Award-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta serves as Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Music Director Laureate of the Virginia Symphony, Principal Guest Conductor of the Brevard Music Center, and Artistic Adviser of the Hawaii Symphony. Recently named as one of the 50 great conductors of all time by Gramophone Magazine and among the top 10 conductors today by David Hurwitz of ClassicsToday.com, she is hailed for her work as a conductor, recording artist, audience builder, and champion of American composers.

As Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta became the first woman to lead a major American ensemble and has been credited with bringing the Philharmonic to an unprecedented level of national and international prominence. The Buffalo Philharmonic has become one of the leading recording orchestras for Naxos, with two Grammy Award-winning recordings.

In Summer 2022, Falletta made her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at the Tanglewood Music Festival. International highlights for 2022-23 include concerts in Spain, Sweden, Germany, and Croatia. Her recent and upcoming North American guest conducting includes the National Symphony, and the orchestras of Baltimore, Detroit, Nashville, Indianapolis, Houston, Toronto, and Milwaukee. Internationally, she has conducted many of the most prominent orchestras in Europe, Asia, and South America. In the past year, she has led the National Symphony in two PBS televised specials for New Year’s Eve and the 50th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center.

*ex-officio † musician representatives

John N. Walsh III

Robert G. Weber

PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John J. Zak, Chair

Holly Hejmowski, Treasurer

Alexs Spellman, Secretary

Karen Arrison

Michael Munschauer

John Yurtchuk

With a discography of over 120 titles, JoAnn is a leading recording artist for Naxos. She has won two individual Grammy Awards, including the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance as Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic in the world premiere Naxos recording, Richard Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua, and the 2019 Grammy Award as Conductor of the London Symphony for Spiritualistby Kenneth Fuchs. Her Naxos recording of John Corigliano’s Mr.TambourineMan:Seven PoemsofBobDylan with the BPO received two Grammys in 2008 and her 2020 Naxos recording with the BPO of orchestral music of Florent Schmitt received the prestigious Diapason d’Or Award. Falletta is a member of the esteemed American Academy of Arts and Sciences, has served by Presidential appointment as a Member of the National Council on the Arts during the Bush and Obama administrations, and is the recipient of many of the most prestigious conducting awards. She has introduced over 500 works by American composers, including well over 150 world premieres. ASCAP has honored her as “a leading force for music of our time.” In 2019, JoAnn was named Performance Today’s first Classical Woman of The Year.

After earning her bachelor’s degree at Mannes, Falletta received master’s and doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School.

For more information, visit www.joannfalletta.com.

JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR

A master of American musical style, John Morris Russell has devoted himself to redefining the American orchestral experience. He is in his seventh season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Russell made his debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in the fall of 2014, and later that season was named the third conductor to hold the position following in the footsteps of Doc Severinsen and Marvin Hamlisch. Mr. Russell’s concerts at the BPO reflect the diversity of American musical styles: from Classics to Jazz, Hollywood to Broadway, Country&Western to Rhythm&Blues. This season, Mr. Russell conducts Doo Wop, Broadway, and Holiday concerts.

Maestro Russell is also Conductor of the renowned Cincinnati Pops, one of the world’s most iconic and beloved pops orchestras. In his eleventh season, Mr. Russell leads sold-out performances at Cincinnati Music Hall, the Taft Theater, and Riverbend Music Center; additionally, he conducts the orchestra in concerts throughout the Greater Cincinnati region as well as domestic and international tours. Creator of the orchestra’s Classical Roots series, he also conducts the Pops family concert series and the annual USO Tribute Cincinnati Gala. The Cincinnati Pops recorded legacy continues under Mr. Russell’s leadership. He led the Cincinnati Pops on their first-ever Florida tour, and in 2017 he led the orchestra’s sixth tour to Asia including performances in Shanghai and Taipei.

For the last ten seasons, Mr. Russell has served as Music Director of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina, and conductor of the prestigious Hilton Head International Piano Competition. Under his leadership, the HHSO has enjoyed unprecedented artistic growth. Mr. Russell leads the orchestra in masterwork subscription concerts annually.

Between 2001-2012 Maestro Russell served as Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, where he fostered a decade of unprecedented artistic growth. He led the WSO in seventeen national broadcasts on CBC Radio 2, and the orchestra’s first nationally televised production for the CBC series Opening Night, which received the orchestra’s first Gemini Award Nomination. Maestro Russell was named Conductor Laureate of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in 2012.

As a guest conductor, John Morris Russell has worked with many of North America’s most distinguished ensembles. He has served as Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony, Associate Conductor of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, Director of the Orchestral Program at Vanderbilt University, and Music Director with the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He received a Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Williams College in Massachusetts. He has also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, and the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors in Hancock, Maine.

FERNANDA LASTRA CONDUCTOR DIVERSITY FELLOW

Fernanda Lastra was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina. She is a passionate and creative conductor with an energetic personality which characterizes her artistic and leadership style.

In 2021, Fernanda was selected as a conducting fellow for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music led by Mtro. Cristian Măcelaru. In 2019, she was a finalist for the Assistant Conductor position at the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, and in 2018 Fernanda was awarded First Prize for the conducting competition held by the Opera de Bauge, France.

Fernanda Lastra’s interests encompass a vast repertoire including symphonic, contemporary and opera works. She has served as assistant conductor in public opera performances, most recently the University of Iowa's 2019 production of Little Women by Mark Adamo.

Fernanda participated in masterclasses with esteemed maestri such as: Larry Rachleff, Marin Alsop, Donald Schleicher, Markand Thakar, Elizabeth Askren, Jac van Steen, Carlo Montanaro, Konstantinos Diminakis, Daizuke Soga, Luis Gorelik, Abel Rocha, Osvaldo Ferreira and Ariel Alonso.

Fernanda Lastra is a passionate advocate for Latin American composers, especially those from Argentina. In June 2020, she created Compositores.AR, a cycle of interviews with Argentinian composers in collaboration with the magazine MúsicaClasicaBA in Buenos Aires.

As a conductor-educator Fernanda served as principal conductor for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra during 2016-2017, as professor of orchestral activities at El Sistema, Argentina, from 2008-2012 and as music faculty of La Plata University from 2005 to 2016. For four years Fernanda served as musical and artistic director of an instrumental training ensemble she founded in Argentina in 2013. Through this project she fostered community appreciation for classical music, with a broad repertoire and active participation in city festivals and cultural events.

Fernanda Lastra currently serves as Director of Orchestras at Augustana Collegein Rock Island, Illinois, where she leads the symphony and chamber orchestras. She also serves as Assistant Conductor for the University of Iowa symphony orchestra.

Fernanda earned two bachelor's degrees from La Plata University in orchestral and choral conducting, and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from Penn State University. She is trained in piano and viola. Fernanda is currently completing doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at The University of Iowa under the mentorship of Dr. William LaRue Jones, Prof. David Becker and Dr. Mélisse Brunet.

HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

As Buffalo’s cultural ambassador, the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director JoAnn Falletta presents more than 120 Classics, Pops, Rock, Family and Youth concerts each year.

After the rise and fall of several forerunners, the BPO was founded in 1935, performing most often at the Elmwood Music Hall, which was located at Elmwood Ave. and Virginia St., and demolished in 1938 as its permanent home, Kleinhans Music Hall, was constructed. During the Great Depression, the orchestra was initially supported by funds from the Works Progress Administration and the Emergency Relief Bureau. Over the decades, the orchestra has matured in stature under outstanding conductors including William Steinberg, Josef Krips, Lukas Foss, Michael Tilson Thomas, Maximiano Valdes, Semyon Bychkov and Julius Rudel. The orchestra has welcomed many distinguished guest performers, such as Isaac Stern, Aaron Copland, Van Cliburn, Igor Stravinsky, Renée Fleming and Yo-Yo Ma. During the tenure of JoAnn Falletta, who has served as music director since 1998, the BPO has rekindled its history of radio broadcasts and recordings, including the release of 53 new CDs.

The BPO’s Naxos recording of composer John Corigliano’s “Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan,” won two Grammys. Our recordings are heard on classical radio worldwide.

HISTORY OF KLEINHANS MUSIC HALL

Since 1940, the orchestra’s home has been Kleinhans Music Hall, which enjoys an international reputation as one of the finest concert halls in the world due to its superb acoustics.

Kleinhans Music Hall was built thanks to the generosity and vision of Edward and Mary Seaton Kleinhans and the stewardship of their charitable dreams by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and the support of the federal government. The Community Foundation was bequeathed the estates of Mr. and Mrs. Kleinhans, who made their fortune from the clothing store that bore their name, and who died within three months of each other in 1934. The Public Works Administration, an agency of the New Deal, provided crucial funding that made it possible to complete the hall.

The Kleinhans, who were music lovers, specified their money was to be used “to erect a suitable music hall…for the use, enjoyment and benefit of the people of the City of Buffalo.”

The BPO performed at Kleinhans Music Hall’s official opening on Oct. 12, 1940, under the baton of Franco Autori.

Kleinhans Music Hall was designed by the Finnish father-and-son team of Eliel and Eero Saarinen, along with architects F.J. and W.A. Kidd. Kleinhans is known for its combination of graceful structural beauty and extraordinary acoustics. Eliel Saarinen’s aim was to create “an architectural atmosphere…so as to tune the performers and the public alike into a proper mood of performance and receptiveness, respectively.” In 1989, the hall was designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation of significance a site or structure can receive.

Kleinhans is owned by the City of Buffalo but operated by a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Its Board of Directors is Jeremy Oczek, chair; Karen Arrison, vice chair; Stephanie Simeon, secretary and treasurer; Cindy Abbott Letro; Peter Eliopoulos; Tania Werbizky; and city officials including Byron Brown, Mayor of the City of Buffalo, and David Rivera, Niagara District Council member.

JOANN FALLETTA, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Angelo and Carol Fatta Endowed Chair

JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL, PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR

FERNANDA LASTRA, CONDUCTOR DIVERSITY FELLOW

FIRST VIOLIN

Nikki Chooi concertmaster

Amy Glidden assoc. concertmaster

LouisP.CiminelliFamily Foundation Endowed Chair

Ansgarius Aylward asst. concertmaster

Xiaofan Liu 2nd asst. concertmaster**

Douglas Cone

Deborah Greitzer

Diana Sachs

Alan Ross

Andrea Blanchard-Cone

Loren Silvertrust

Hee Sagong

SECOND VIOLIN

Antoine Lefebvre principal

Jacqueline Galluzzo assoc. principal

Richard Kay

Robert Prokes

Frances Morgante

Shieh-Jian Tsai

Iain Crampton**

Cindy Lin**

Nadejda Nigrin**

Mari Jones**

Jonathan Hwang**

VIOLA

Caroline Gilbert principal

Anna Shemetyeva assoc. principal

Matthew Phillips

Kate Holzemer

Natalie Piskorsky

Janz Castelo

Joshua Lohner

CELLO

Roman Mekinulov principal

Jane D. Baird Endowed Chair

Feng Hew assoc. principal

Nancy Anderson

Robert Hausmann 2

David Schmude

Amelie Fradette

Philo Lee

BASS

Daniel Pendley principal

Garman Family Foundation Endowed Chair

Brett Shurtliffe assoc. principal

Michael Nigrin

Edmond Gnekow

Jonathan Borden

Nicholas Jones

Gary Matz

FLUTE

Christine Bailey Davis principal

Linda Greene

Natalie Debikey Scanio

PICCOLO

Natalie Debikey Scanio

OBOE

Henry Ward principal

Joshua Lauretig

Anna Mattix

ENGLISH HORN

Anna Mattix

CLARINET

William Amsel principal

Patti DiLutis

Salvatore Andolina

E-FLAT CLARINET

Patti DiLutis

BASS CLARINET AND SAXOPHONE

Salvatore Andolina

BASSOON

Glenn Einschlag principal

Doron Laznow

CONTRABASSOON (vacant)

FRENCH HORN

Jacek Muzyk principal

Kay Koessler Endowed Chair

Daniel Kerdelewicz assoc. principal

Sheryl Hadeka (L)

Joseph Alberico*

Jay Matthews

Daniel Sweeley

TRUMPET

Alex Jokipii principal

Geoffrey Hardcastle

Philip Christner

TROMBONE

Jonathan Lombardo1 principal

Timothy Smith

BASS TROMBONE

Filipe Pereira

TUBA

Seth Rawleigh principal

TIMPANI

Matthew Bassett principal

Dinesh Joseph assistant principal

PERCUSSION

Mark Hodges principal

Dinesh Joseph

HARP

Madeline Olson principal

MUSIC LIBRARY

Travis Hendra principal librarian

Erin Vander Wyst assistant librarian

STAGE MANAGERS

Charles Gill

Interim Master property person IATSE Local 10

1 Chair dedicated to the memory of Scott Parkinson

2 Chair dedicated to the memory of Maer Bunis

* One Year Appointment

** Temporary Appointment

(L) Leave of Absence

MEET OUR MUSIC LIBRARIANS!

TRAVIS HENDRA, PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN

A WNY native, Travis Hendra has been a librarian with the BPO since 2010. Initially Assistant Librarian, he was named Principal Librarian during the 202122 season. As Principal, Travis oversees all aspects of music preparation for the BPO. Previously, Travis worked in the libraries of the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee and Boston Symphonies, and Boston Pops, and was a Library Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and New World Symphony. An active member of MOLA: An Association of Music Performance Librarians, Travis serves on the publisher committee. An accomplished tubist, Travis holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He completed additional graduate studies in tuba at the University of Kansas. Travis is thrilled to be a musician in his hometown orchestra! He resides in Hamburg with his wife and two young children. In his spare time, Travis and his family love hiking, camping, and exploring the natural wonders of our region.

Notes from Travis

Favorite composers: Too many to list! I admire composers with extensive output, like Haydn, Bach, R. Strauss, Prokofiev, Shostakovich – it takes a lot to come up with new ideas and compositions. And somehow, I think we still underrate Mozart!

Favorite part of being a music librarian: Daily interactions with my playing colleagues. It’s my job as a librarian to help them perform at their best, and I know the work we do in the library can affect how they perform and how the audience experiences the music.

Message to BPO audiences: Live orchestral music is a very special and unique thing. You can't really experience it anywhere but a concert hall. We are all so thankful for your support!

ERIN VANDER WYST, ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN

Erin Vander Wyst, Assistant Librarian, received her D.M.A. in clarinet performance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she studied with Dr. Marina Sturm. Originally from Appleton, Wisconsin, Erin received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clarinet performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee under the tutelage of Todd Levy. Prior to joining the BPO in 2022, Erin held librarian positions with the NY Youth and New Jersey Symphonies, Las Vegas Philharmonic, and Nevada Ballet. Erin has performed with the BPO, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Opera Las Vegas, and Nevada Ballet, among others. Erin’s international performances and presentations include the Doctors in Performance Conference (Dublin, 2016), the College Music Society’s International Conference (Sydney, 2017), and ClarinetFest, the conference of the International Clarinet Association (Belgium, 2018). Erin serves as Lecturer of Clarinet at Buffalo State University. Her primary research interest is clarinet music of Finnish composers – especially Kimmo Hakola. Erin enjoys volunteering as a dog walker at the SPCA, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, and rooting for her hometown team: the Green Bay Packers!

Notes from Erin

Favorite composers: Kimmo Hakola, Richard Strauss, Jean Sibelius, and Kalevi Aho.

Favorite part of being a music librarian: Conquering special large-scale projects, like preparing the musicians’ parts based on a choreographer's CD. It's so rewarding when you get to the first rehearsal and all of your hard work works!

Message to BPO audiences: I am so happy to be here in Buffalo! Thank you so much for the warm welcome during my first season here!

Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 7:30 PM

BPO Pops Series

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

John Morris Russell, conductor

BIZET

AKPABOT FOSTER / arr. Tim Berens

LEHÁR

Danse Bohème from Carmen Suite No. 2

Nigerian Dance No. 1

African American Cultural Center

African Dance & Drum Performance Company

Foster'sFolly

Harris-Grieco Academy of Irish Dance

Gold and Silver Waltz

Fred Astaire Dance Studio

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV

Dance of the Tumblers from The Snow Maiden James (T.E.I.N.) Levy Jr.

arr. Rebecca Pellett

SimpleGifts:ACelticDance

Harris-Grieco Academy of Irish Dance

SAINT-SAËNS

OFFENBACH / arr. Dorati

Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah

La Vie Parisienne Overture

Darlene Ceglia’s Dance Project

Patrons are asked to turn off all electronic devices. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited.

JOHNSON / arr. Rob Mounsey

GARDEL / arr. John Williams

HAYMAN

The Charleston

Darlene Ceglia’s Dance Project

Tango (PorUnaCabeza)

Fred Astaire Dance Studio

PopsHoedown

Darlene Ceglia’s Dance Project

AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM PERFORMANCE COMPANY

Youssou Lo, Artistic Director

HARRIS-GRIECO ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE

GLIÈRE BRAHMS / orch. Schmeling BORODIN LECUONA / arr. Gould

Russian Sailor's Dance from TheRedPoppy

INTERMISSION

Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor

Brynn Berry, Clara Blind, Adelaide Cammarata, Teagan Costello, Carly Koneski, Mary Maxwell, Juliette Morgan, Lorelei Morgan, Sophia Morin

FRED ASTAIRE DANCE STUDIO

Olena Dyban (Tango), Andrii Moroz (Waltz), Serge Nelyubov (Waltz&Tango), Yanina Nelyubova (Waltz), Liliia Panasiuk (Waltz&Tango)

Polovtsian Dances from PrinceIgor

Mackenzie Cavinee

La Comparsa from Danzas Afro-Cubanas Suite

Juliana Cousins

Fráylin Olivares

DARLENE CEGLIA'S DANCE PROJECT

Julia Murphy, featured dancer; Emily Yanik, soloist

Breanna Bixby, Alex Buchholtz, Nora Buchholtz, Shannon Cutler, Lidia Foglia, Mikayla Gallivan, Alyssa Gothgen, Kaleigh Januchowski, Sydney MacClellan, Sullivan Maher, Ella Marciano, Ava Philippone, Madeline Rice, Sienna Schmidt, Edith Trapp, Cora Walker, Sofia Wittenbrink

Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 7:30 PM

Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 2:30 PM

Classics Series

MAX VALDÉS CONDUCTS

Maximiano Valdés, conductor Sterling Elliott, cello

ANGÉLICA NEGRÓN

SAINT-SAËNS

Meheperdido

Concerto No. 1 in A minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33 Sterling Elliott, cello

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Max Valdés makes a very welcome return to Kleinhans with a multifaceted and fascinating program. The Maestro – a champion of new music – brings a piece by Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón to open the program, and closes with one of his most beloved works, Bruckner Symphony No. 6. An extraordinary young cellist (whom I met in Virginia as a child) will dazzle you in Saint-Saëns' beloved first cello concerto. Welcome to Max, to Sterling, and to Angélica!

PROGRAM NOTES

Angélica Negrón (Puerto-Rican; b.1981)

Meheperdido

Composed 2015; Duration: 6 minutes

Last BPO performance: January 12-13, 2018 (Roman Mekinulov, cello; JoAnn Falletta, conductor)

BRUCKNER / ed. Nowak

INTERMISSION

Symphony No. 6 in A major

I. Majestoso

II. Adagio: Sehr feierlich

III. Scherzo: Ruhig bewegt (etwas gemessen) – Trio

IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

First performance of this work by the BPO. Puerto Rican-born multi-instrumentalist, educator, and composer Angélica Negrón creates dreamy, colorful scores, often incorporating accordions, toys, and electronics, or imitating their sounds. Her commissioners are a who’s-who of contemporary music ensembles, and her Caribbean influences appear in her music, and notably in her electronic indie band, Balún.

Commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra, Me he perdido (I’ve gotten lost) brings Negrón’s ambient pop to an orchestral setting, exploring acoustic sounds with the aid of a mechanical percussion ensemble. Colorful fragments cascade and collide in her atmospheric work.

Camille Saint-Saëns (French; 1835-1921)

Concerto No. 1 in A minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33

Camille Saint-Saëns’ early career as a Parisian organist led him to prominence as a keyboard instructor and composer. As an organist, he was a meticulously studious theorist with improvisational chops, keenly informed of historical musical literature while staying curiously abreast of contemporary trends. Although he was highly regarded, by the 1870s he had yet to compose the works for which he would be best known.

His career was briefly interrupted during the Franco-Prussian War that lasted from 1870-71, during which he served in the National Guard, later fleeing to London. Upon his return, he became Vice President of the Société nationale de musique, a newly formed organization that embraced patriotism in music and fought the disproportional representation of Germanic music in French concert halls. He was now poised to compose his most famous works, including operas, tone poems, and in 1872, a concerto for the famous cellist, Auguste Tolbecque.

After Saturday’s concert, join members of the orchestra on the lower level for Musician’s Nightcap, hosted by BPO double bassist Jonathan Borden.

Patrons are asked to turn off all electronic devices. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited.

Composed 1872; Duration: 19 minutes

First BPO performance: March 19 & 21, 1972 (Christine Walevska, cello; Melvin Strauss, conductor)

Although the cello concerto is composed in three distinct sections, Saint-Saëns broke convention by combining them into one continuous movement, aligning with

his interest in Liszt-inspired tone poems. A startling orchestral chord is immediately followed by a dizzying entrance by the soloist. In a few short phrases, the full range of the instrument is on display with both dexterity and lyricism. The animated motif unites the opening section of the work as the cellist performs virtuosic phrases. A quietly songful section breaks the movement’s intensity, and returns for a peaceful transition to the central Allegretto.

A simple minuet is performed by muted strings, and the soloist joins with long singing lines. In contrast, the dance becomes more expressive, leading to a buzzing cadenza. The original minuet returns with the cello floating above the quaint rhythms. The final movement is again linked by the lone soloist, who is now in the regal low register.

The influence of tone poems on SaintSaëns reveals itself in the finale, which relies on the recycling of earlier themes. The work’s opening theme returns, but the music is now deadly serious with another reused theme. The expressive music evolves into an intense demonstration of technique, with scalar passages, arpeggios, spitfire double stop figures, and harmonics that stretch the instrument’s range. In his first cello concerto, Saint-Saëns broke ground as a composer while exploring the instrument’s possibilities, ranking it atop the great Romantic-era cello concertos.

Anton Bruckner (Austrian; 1824-1896)

Symphony No. 6 in A major

I. Majestoso

II. Adagio: Sehr feierlich

III. Scherzo: Ruhig bewegt (etwas gemessen) — Trio

IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

Composed 1879; Duration: 54 minutes

First performance of this work by the BPO. Bruckner’s reputation as a progressive symphonic heavyweight stands in stark contrast to his common portraiture as a humble, provincial man with a fervent adherence to Catholicism. Many anecdotes describe a man out of place in urban environments with the musical elite, but his commitment to the study and teaching of music theory, his career as an organist, and his reverence for the music of Beethoven and Wagner led him and his symphonies to Europe’s concert halls.

He was a relative latecomer to composition, beginning this leg of his career at 37, and completing his first symphony two years later. His symphonies are praised for their novel and consistent form, expanding on Beethoven’s late contributions and incorporating a Wagnerian and organist-informed sense of scope and orchestration to create a wholly unique voice. Neither conservative nor radical, his experience and outlook generated what would become a celebrated catalog of late-Romantic Germanic symphonies. He often stepped outside of the symphony, composing a large volume of choral works, but in total, his nine symphonies were variously performed and received in his lifetime. He would be decorated late in life, and his reputation would grow in the twentieth century; but by the time he composed his sixth symphony, only three had been performed, with the Third having a disastrous premiere.

Bruckner composed faster than his works were premiered. Although a personal artistic breakthrough, his third symphony was premiered late in 1877, four years after its composition, with the composer nervously leading the orchestra in place of the deceased conductor in front of a hostile Viennese audience. Despite this disaster, he soon began composing his sixth

symphony, which was the third installment of his “major tetralogy”— four symphonies composed in major keys, breaking from his typical minor-keyed works. The work was only partially premiered in his life, with the Vienna Philharmonic performing the middle two movements in 1883, and was predictably panned. Gustav Mahler, an unfailing supporter of Bruckner’s, led a full premiere of the work in 1899.

Bruckner’s conventional “Maestoso” opening movement is replaced by “Majestoso,” but the movement’s majestic feel and major key are temperamental instead of sunny. A skittish rhythm in the violins incessantly undergirds melodic fragments that coalesce with an abrupt brass announcement. The melodies that come wander tonally and rhythmically, shrouding the movement in unsettled mystery. In the movement’s development, all the motifs are combined and manipulated, leading to an exhaustive climax that marks a return to opening material in the recapitulation. The music descends to a peaceful coda that masterfully rotates through every key center, before finally finding the majestic A major.

The second movement is again in sonata form, a structure usually reserved for the opening movement, and never otherwise used by Bruckner for his Adagio. The tempo marking, “very solemnly,” matches the mournful temperament of the opening melody with billowing emotion. By

contrast, a second melody has the quiet intimacy of a love song. The emotional scope of the movement is expanded to include a third theme: a grim, cautiouslymoving funeral march. The motion flows in the brief development section that returns to a restatement of the three themes. A conclusive coda incorporates chromatic wandering over a characteristic F pedal in the basses, winding its way to a peacefully resolved F major.

The Scherzo is in a hefty A minor and abounds with rhythmic motifs that move to a pleasant C major. This dichotomy persists, creating unpredictably shifting moods and tonal centers. The trio is slow in tempo, and features hunting horns, establishing a bucolic folksiness. A return to the opening material is bold and triumphant.

The finale is a battle to the end to achieve A major. An ambling melody is propelled by softly plucked strings, but brassy interjections lead to grand pronouncements. Bruckner builds his melodies with unstable tonal materials, causing the harmonic ground to shift constantly, using these materials to explore a variety of textures and moods in his finale. Again, the coda traverses a number of tonal centers, waiting until the final moments to arrive at the victorious A major conclusion he was searching for through the span of his symphony.

Chaz Stuart, 2023

MAXIMIANO VALDÉS, GUEST CONDUCTOR

Chilean conductor Maximiano Valdés made his American symphonic debut with the BPO in October 1987 and was immediately re-invited for the following season. After a successful return to the orchestra in 1989, he was appointed as Music Director. His tenure with the BPO ran through the 1997-98 season and was marked by the BPO’s continued excellence in both the standard and 20th-century repertoire, with many of the world’s leading soloists.

In February 2008, Valdés was named Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Puerto Rico Symphony in San Juan. He recently ended a 16-year tenure as Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias in Spain and is now the orchestra’s Conductor Laureate. At the Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile, Valdés had served as Chief Conductor of both the orchestra and opera, and returns annually for both symphonic and opera performances while also serving as the current Music Director of the Chilean Youth Orchestra. In March 2010, Mr. Valdés also accepted the position of Artistic Director of the famed Festival Casals in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In North America, Valdés has guest conducted many of the leading orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the St. Louis, National, Montreal, Baltimore, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, and New World Symphonies, and the Calgary Philharmonic. Summer festival appearances have included engagements at the Caramoor, Interlochen, Grand Teton, Music Academy of the West, and Grant Park Festivals. Recent and upcoming engagements include guest conducting the Indianapolis, Vancouver, Colorado, Phoenix, San Diego, Alabama and Toledo Symphonies; the Louisiana Philharmonic; the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa; and the Eastern Music and Chautauqua Festivals.

Equally active as an international guest conductor, he has led countless orchestras across Europe and South America. In October 2011, Mr. Valdés led the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias in a concert for the Pope at the Vatican, and was one of the first international conductors to conduct the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Cuba in Havana in January 2016.

Maestro Valdés was appointed the Distinguished Professor of Musicology at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan at the start of the 2021-22 season and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree. In August 2022 he took the Puerto Rico Symphony to Chicago for a historic performance in Orchestra Hall, where the orchestra presented a program of works by composers associated with Puerto Rico, sponsored by the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture.

An experienced opera conductor who has led productions in many of Europe's leading opera houses, Mr. Valdés made his successful opera debut conducting La Traviata at the Nice Opera. Since then he has conducted productions in Paris, Lausanne, Rome, Berlin, London, Barcelona, Oslo, Copenhagen, Bonn, Asturias and Santiago, Chile. Mr. Valdés made his American operatic debut with the Seattle Opera conducting Cosi fan tutte. Recent and upcoming opera appearances include several productions in Oviedo (Spain), San Juan, Santiago, and Madrid.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Maximiano Valdés began his studies in piano and violin at the Conservatory of Music in Santiago and continued at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where he took courses in composition and conducting. Completing his diploma in piano, he elected to concentrate on conducting and enrolled in the classes of Franco Ferrara in Bologna, Siena and Venice, and Sergiu Celibidache in Stuttgart and Paris. In 1976 Mr. Valdés was engaged as Assistant Conductor at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice and the following year was a Conducting Fellow at Tanglewood, where he worked with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. He won First Prize at the Nicolai Malko Competition in Copenhagen, First Prize at the Vittorio Gui Competition in Florence, and Second Prize at the Rupert Foundation Conducting Competition in London.

Maximiano Valdés has recorded with London’s Royal Philharmonic, the Monte Carlo and Nice Philharmonics, and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, and had an exclusive agreement with Naxos Records to record works by Latin American and Spanish composers with his orchestra in Asturias. His most recent recording is a CD of works by Roberto Sierra with the Puerto Rico Symphony, also for Naxos.

STERLING ELLIOTT, CELLO

Acclaimed for his stellar stage presence and joyous musicianship, cellist Sterling Elliott is a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and the winner of the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. Already in his young career, he has appeared with such major orchestras as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony, with noted conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Thomas Wilkins, Jeffrey Kahane, Bramwell Tovey, Mei-Ann Chen and others. This summer he made his Aspen Festival debut, performing the Brahms Double Concerto with Gil Shaham, and he made his German debut in Munich in May 2022, performing chamber music with Daniel Hope.

Sterling’s 2022-2023 season includes debuts with the Colorado Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, and Ft. Worth Symphony, among others. He will appear in recital under the auspices of the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, Shriver Hall in Baltimore, the Tippet Rise Festival, and Capitol Region Classical in Albany, NY. In October he participated in the Caramoor Music Festival’s prestigious Evnin Rising Stars series, a weeklong program of coaching and chamber music culminating in a performance in Katonah, NY.

Sterling Elliott is currently a Kovner Fellow at the Juilliard School where he is pursuing his Master of Music degree studying with Joel Krosnick and Clara Kim. He completed his undergraduate degree in cello performance at Juilliard in May 2021. He currently performs on a 1741 Gennaro Gagliano cello on loan through the Robert F. Smith Fine String Patron Program, in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.

Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 7:30 PM Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 2:30 PM

Classics Series MOZART’S MAGIC FLUTE

JoAnn Falletta, conductor

Hillman Opera Program at SUNY Fredonia School of Music

Paul Mockovak, Stage Director

Adam Luebke, Chorusmaster

Pamina: Mary Hangley*

Tamino: John Tiranno*

Papageno: Michael Hawk*

QueenoftheNight: Lucia (Helgren) Flowers*

Sarastro: James Harrington***

Monostatos: Jordan Pitts*

First Lady: Margaret Eighmey*

Second Lady: Stephanie Foley Davis*

Third Lady: Amanda Bottoms*

Papagena: Katherine Joslyn*

First Spirit: Abigail Brudz**

Second Spirit: Alexandra Bastian**

Third Spirit: Erin Colaluca**

Priest: Brandon Mecklenburg*

Armored Men: Robert Kleinertz*

Brandon Mecklenburg*

Henchmen: Ben Deschner**

Daniel Novak**

Patrick Connolly**

Lighting Design, Stage Manager,

Producer: Wayne Murphy, Jr.*

Costume Design: Sandra Vest

Heather Thompson

Properties Design: John Bielenberg

Wardrobe Head: Laurel Walford

Rehearsal Pianist: Eunjoo Jeon*

Support for this performance is provided by the Oliver G. & Sarah Sloan Bauman Fund for the Arts at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Costumes and Properties for this production are courtesy of Tri-Cities Opera, Inc. Learn about this program from the conductor and guest artist at Musically Speaking, one hour prior to the start of Saturday’s and Sunday's concerts.

Patrons are asked to turn off all electronic devices. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited.

TheMagicFlute Overture

Act I

Introduction: "O help me!" [Tamino, Three Ladies]

Aria: "Oh, catching birds, that is my trade" [Papageno]

Aria: "Oh vision of enchanting grace!" [Tamino]

Recit. and Aria: “Oh, have no fear, my noble youth!" [Queen of the Night]

Quintet: "Him! Him Him!"

[Three Ladies, Tamino, Papageno]

Trio: "My little dove, you're mine again!"

[Pamina, Monostatos, Papageno]

Duet: "The man who feels love's sweet emotion"

[Pamina, Papageno]

Finale: "Thus far we've led you toward your goal"

[Pamina, Three Spirits, Tamino, Monistatos, Sarastro, Priest, Papageno, Chorus]

INTERMISSION

Act II

March of the Priests

Aria con Coro: "O Isis and Osiris" [Sarastro, Chorus]

Quintet: "Why? Why? Why have you sought this dreadful place?" [Three Ladies, Tamino, Papageno]

Aria: "All men know that love's a fever” [Monostatos]

Aria: "You will avenge me, daughter!” [Queen of the Night]

Aria: "Within our holy temple, revenge” [Sarastro]

Trio: "Now for the second time we meet you" [Three Spirits]

Aria: "Ah, I feel my life is over” [Pamina]

Chorus: "O Isis and Osiris" [Priests]

Trio: "And shall we never meet again?" [Pamina, Tamino, Sarastro]

Aria: "O maiden come to join me" [Papageno]

Finale: "Bright dawn is heralding the morning" [Queen of the Night, Pamina, Papagena, Three Spirits, Three Ladies, Tamino, Monostatos, Sarastro, Papageno, Chorus]

MOZART / English Translation by Andrew Porter

*Fredonia School of Music alum

**Current Fredonia School of Music student ***FredoniaSchoolofMusicVoiceFacultymember

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A weekend filled with magic! The Buffalo Philharmonic presents one of the most beloved operas ever written: Mozart's TheMagicFlute. A beautiful fairy tale of the triumph of goodness and love, Mozart's incomparable music tells a story that will enchant young and old alike. We are so pleased that this project, created with Julie Newell, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Voice and Music Performance at SUNY Fredonia, was able to be rescheduled for this season. The BPO is honored to partner with the School of Music’s Hillman Opera Program and a fabulous cast of artists, for this rare chance to hear opera on the stage of Kleinhans in Mozart's luminous masterpiece.

PROGRAM NOTES

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austrian; 1756-1791)

TheMagicFlute, K. 620 (1791)

First BPO performance: March 5, 1946 (Overture only; William Steinberg, conductor)

Last BPO performance: February 4-5, 2011 (Overture only; Andrew Constantine, conductor)

Mozart’s adult career was largely based in Vienna, where from 1781 he was starting a family and earning revenues from piano concerto composition and performance. The middle of the decade saw a decline in returns from his keyboard work, which led to a historically important shift toward opera, and until the end of his short life, he would make some of the most important contributions to the genre: Le Nozze di Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), and Così fan tutte (1790) to name a few.

His final opera came in 1791, the two-act Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), composed in the popular Singspiel format, a music-drama utilizing spoken dialogue. The work came about through collaboration with Mozart’s close friend and fellow composer Emanuel Schikaneder, who was responsible for creating the opera’s libretto. The prolific Schikaneder not only ran his own opera troupe, but also

built the Theater auf der Wieden where his company was in residence. This venue hosted the opera’s premiere in September of 1791, with the librettist playing the role of Papageno.

Mozart and Schikaneder were also linked by their mutual interest in Enlightenmentera Freemasonry. Mozart’s involvement began when he joined a Viennese lodge in 1784, and while membership had caused issues for Catholics, Mozart appeared unburdened by this, perhaps more interested in Enlightenment principles as well as growing his professional circle. Their interest in Masonic tradition may be most apparent in The Magic Flute. Our hero Tamino must choose between dark and light, and undergoes initiation trials to prove his commitment to the ideals of virtue and brotherhood in order to rescue his love.

The handsome prince Tamino, lost in a mysterious land, is chased by a serpent. After fainting, three of the Queen of the Night’s ladies kill the serpent, but upon his awakening, the birdcatcher Papageno arrives (in the form of a bird) to take credit. When the ladies return, they show a picture of the Queen’s daughter (Pamina) to Tamino, and falling in love with her, he is commanded by the Queen to rescue her from the reviled Sarastro. The odd couple are sent on their way with the

protection of three spirits, a magic flute for Tamino, and silver bells for Papageno.

Pamino tries to break free from Sarastro’s temple, but Monostatos' henchmen chain her. Papageno frightens Monostatos away, and informs Pamina that Tamino is coming to her aid. Tamino is occupied at the temple, where he learns that the Queen is evil, not Sarastro, who enters to scold Monostatos and promises Pamina’s eventual freedom. However, for the two lovers to be united, Tamino must undergo trials to prove his worth. Sarastro’s priests explain that the initiation rites Tamino would undergo instill godlike virtue and justice.

Act II opens with a council of priests who initiate Tamino’s trials, the first of which required silence in the presence of women so as to not be tricked by their wiles. Although the clumsy Papageno cannot contain his words, Tamino reminds him of their directive and the women disappear.

As Pamina sleeps, the lust-driven Monostatos tries to kiss her, but hides upon the arrival of the Queen of the Night, who stakes her claim on the temple. Learning that Tamino is being initiated into her enemy’s circle, she gives Pamina a dagger and instructs her to kill Sarastro or be disowned. After the Queen’s departure, Monostatos attempts to blackmail Pamina, but is cast aside when Sarastro enters. Pamino begs him to forgive the Queen, but Sarastro soothes her with a promise of kindness.

Tamino’s ordeal continues with an order to remain quiet and refrain from eating. Of course, Papageno is convinced by an old lady to drink a glass of water. Pamina arrives but is crushed by Tamino’s silence, not knowing of his vows.

Papageno gives up on his interest in the trials and hopes to take a wife instead. He

declares his love for the old lady as she morphs into a beautiful young Papagena, but the priests declare him unworthy and recall her.

A bereft Pamina is informed of Tamino’s love as he enters his final trial: overcoming the fear of death. The two lovers unite for the final test, as they move unharmed in the chambers of fire and water, with the protection of the music of Tamino’s magic flute.

The despairing Papageno contemplates suicide, but spirits remind him of his magic bells. Once rung, Papagena is returned to him, and the two enjoy an avian duet. Our protagonists are united with Tamino, who after succeeding the trials, joins the brotherhood. Sarastro banishes the Queen into eternal night, and a new era of the sun’s triumph, wisdom, and brotherhood is celebrated.

The opera’s connections to Freemasonry and its rites have been the topic of discussion for scholars, many of whom assert that the Queen of the Night may represent the Roman Catholic Church or some other common enemy of the Masons, and that Tamino is a developing protagonist who experiences ritualistic transformation. Like much great art, TheMagicFlute was created in a specific political climate by engaged members of society. However, whatever remnants of history remain may cause either deeper understanding or distraction. What we are left with is a magical work whose imaginative fantasy was portrayed in musical brilliance as one of the final works of Mozart, that has remained a beloved mystery for centuries.

Chaz Stuart, 2023

SUNY FREDONIA HILLMAN OPERA PROGRAM

The Hillman Opera has been produced annually at SUNY Fredonia for over 60 years. Beginning in 1957, the opera program is the namesake of Jessie Hillman, one of the formative professors of the Fredonia School of Music, beginning her tenure in the late 19th century.

In its early years, the Hillman Opera served as a marquis event to draw attention to the building of a scholarship endowment for music students. In these earliest productions, community members and students combined forces to build sets and sew costumes in support of the training of young singers and orchestral students by professors.

The annual Hillman Opera, while continuing to draw attention to the scholarship campaign of the Hillman Memorial Music Association, has expanded into a core element of the Voice Area and Orchestra curricula, as well as providing unique, professional-level opportunities for students in the Department of Theatre and Dance in scenic, lighting, costume, makeup, and sound design. The Hillman Opera has served as the training ground for generations of developing operatic artists who have gone on to significant national and international careers in the field of opera as well as developing educators who share their experience in, and love for, opera with students of all ages. The Hillman Memorial Music Association promotes community appreciation of music through not only the annual opera, but also through recitals, concerts, and masterclasses presented by guest artists and clinicians.

The SUNY Fredonia School of Music and the Hillman Memorial Music Association are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro JoAnn Falletta in the special presentation of Mozart’s treasured masterpiece, TheMagicFlute

ADAM LUEBKE, CHORUSMASTER

Adam Luebke is Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and Assistant Professor of Voice and Conducting at SUNY Fredonia. He is the winner of the 2020 GRAMMY® for Best Choral Performance and critics have described his choruses as “splendid” (Gramophone), “excellent” (Musical America), and “articulate, unified and vividly expressive” (Chautauqua Daily). He has appeared at Lincoln Center, the Chautauqua Institution, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in 2023 he will make his Carnegie Hall and European debuts. He has worked with JoAnn Falletta, Richard Danielpour, Chen Yi, Hila Plitmann, Angela Brown, and Liz Calloway. Luebke received his musical training at the American Boychoir School, St. Olaf College, Westminster Choir College, and Florida State University.

ALEXANDRA BASTIAN (SecondSpirit)

Alexandra Bastian is a Music Education major at SUNY Fredonia. She has performed as Adina in L’elisir d’amore and Deb in OrdinaryDays

AMANDA BOTTOMS (ThirdLady)

Mezzo-soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms’ season includes performances with the Chautauqua Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera Philadelphia, The Industry LA, the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and Richard Danielpour's song cycle, The Unhealed Wound, alongside Eric Owens. Bottoms is an alumna of the Cafritz YAP (WNO), Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School (MM, Kovner Fellow), and SUNY Fredonia (BM).

ABIGAIL BRUDZ (First Spirit)

Abigail Brudz originally hails from Lancaster, NY. She is a Music Education major with a concentration in voice at SUNY Fredonia, where she studies under Professor Sarah Luebke.

ERIN COLALUCA (ThirdSpirit)

PAUL MOCKOVAK, STAGE DIRECTOR

Paul Mockovak (Director/Choreographer, Professor of Theatre & Dance) has a diverse background in theatre, musical theatre, opera, concert dance, and music that serves him well as a stage director, choreographer, and educator. He has director/choreographer credits ranging from musicals to Shakespeare, from summer-stock to offBroadway. He has performed with the Greater Miami Opera, directed and performed for the Gold Coast Opera, served as the movement instructor for the apprentices at the Santa Fe Opera, and enjoyed residencies at the Jakarta International School and the Vienna Ballet Konservatorium. He has appeared in Shakespeare on the Lake’s TwelfthNight(Malvolio), Romeo&Juliet(Lord Capulet), TheTempest (Prospero), The Taming of the Shrew (Petruchio), and with Neglia Ballet’s The Nutcracker (Grandpa, Drosselmeyer), Romeo&Juliet (Lord Capulet), and Giselle (The Duke). He is proud to be a SUNY Fredonia faculty member.

Erin Colaluca (they/he) is excited to be in their first opera! They are currently a third year student at SUNY Fredonia and study Vocal Performance. They would like to extend their gratitude to their lesson teacher James Harrington and to Julie Newell for the amazing opportunity.

PATRICK CONNOLLY (Henchman)

Patrick Connolly is a senior Voice Performance Major at SUNY Fredonia, where he studies with Dr. Kimberly Upcraft. His recent projects include the role of John in Fredonia’s fall production of Lee Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke

STEPHANIE FOLEY DAVIS (SecondLady)

Stephanie Foley Davis has appeared in leading roles throughout the US with companies such as the Arizona Opera, Nashville Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Roanoke, Vero Beach Opera, Nightingale Opera Theatre, Orlando Philharmonic, and almost every professional opera company in North Carolina, including Opera Carolina, Piedmont Opera, the North Carolina Opera, and the Greensboro Opera.

BEN DESCHNER (Henchman)

Ben Deschner is a Junior Vocal Performance Major at SUNY Fredonia studying with Dr. Robert Strauss. He has performed with the Hillman Opera in their production of Summer and Smoke as Archie Kramer.

MARGARET EIGHMEY (FirstLady)

Margaret Eighmey graduated with a BM in Voice Performance from SUNY Fredonia and an MM in Opera Theater Performance from the University of South Carolina. Previous credits include Cunegonde (Candide), Sandrina (Lafintagiardiniera), Mary Warren (The Crucible), Gianetta (The Gondoliers), Valentina (LatertheSameEvening), and Dot (SundayintheParkwithGeorge).

LUCIA (HELGREN) FLOWERS (QueenoftheNight)

Lucia Flowers is a central NY native and proud graduate of the University of Michigan and SUNY Fredonia. She just closed the Detroit Opera premier of Ainadamar by Golijov, as the soloist. She will be performing the title role in Detroit Opera’s touring production of LittleRedRidingHood

MARY HANGLEY (Pamina)

Mary Evelyn Hangley is a graduate of San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Adler Fellowship, where she covered numerous leading roles and made her debut with three hours’ notice. She has also been featured at Minnesota Opera, Opera San Jose, the Glimmerglass Festival, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Sacramento Philharmonic.

JAMES HARRINGTON (Sarastro)

James Harrington made his Santa Fe Opera debut as Billy Jackrabbit in La fanciulla del West and Diener 4 in Capriccio in 2017, and has appeared as a principal artist with the Portland Opera, Nashville Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Opera Idaho, Pacific Northwest Opera, and Opera in the Heights, among others.

MICHAEL HAWK (Papageno)

Michael J. Hawk is a recent graduate of the LA Opera's Young Artist Program, where he had the opportunity to perform iconic young baritone roles like Schaunard, Der Sprecher, Ophémon L'Amant Anonyme, the bass soloist in the St. Matthew Passion, as well as originating roles as Pontius Pilate in Carla Lucero's LastresmujeresdeJerusalén and the title role in Henry Mollicone's Moses. Michael has sung roles alongside such celebrated singers as Susan Graham, Quinn Kelsey, Bryn Terfel, Angela Meade, Erin Morley, and many more. This past summer, he traveled to Aspen to sing the roles of Ford in Verdi's Falstaff and the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni. The summer before, he sang Demetrius in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, under the baton of Maestro Harry Bicket at the Santa Fe Opera.

EUNJOO JEON (Rehearsal Pianist)

Eunjoo Jeon is among the most desired pianists in WNY. Jeon works full-time as a freelance pianist for the SUNY Fredonia vocal and instrumental studios, and has acted as a vocal coach and pianist for productions involving the college’s Hillman Opera and musical theatre productions. Locally, she has performed with the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, and the WNY Chamber Orchestra. She is also a returning faculty member at the Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park, Colorado. Jeon received her BM in Piano Performance from Korean Christian University (Seoul) and her MM in Collaborative Piano from SUNY Fredonia.

KATHERINE JOSLYN (Papagena)

Soprano Katherine Culver Joslyn is completing her master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music. She is so excited to be making her professional operatic debut as Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra this season. Katherine is a graduate of the SUNY Fredonia School of Music, where she was the winner of the 2019 Concerto Competition. While at Fredonia, she sang with the Hillman Opera Company performing roles that include: Carolina in Cimarosa’s IlMatrimonioSegreto, La Fée in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and Despina in Così fan tutte. Katherine is also devoted to contemporary American repertoire and had the opportunity to participate in

masterclasses with Jake Heggie as well as Grammy Award-winning soprano Hila Plitmann. Katherine was most recently seen performing with the Society of New Music premiering a piece by Persis Parshall Vehar. Katherine has had the pleasure of singing with the WNY Chamber Orchestra and was a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus for one season. She is currently teaching private voice and piano lessons at the Music Academy of WNY.

ROBERT KLEINERTZ (Armored Man)

Robert Kleinertz is a tenor from the Hudson Valley. He studied at SUNY Fredonia and is now pursuing graduate school.

BRANDON MECKLENBURG (Priest,ArmoredMan)

Brandon Mecklenburg, a Buffalo opera singer and voice teacher, is excited to return to the stage with the Buffalo Philharmonic. He is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia with a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance. In his opera studies he has portrayed numerous roles, including Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni with the Hillman Opera, Marcello in La bohème with the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, and William Dale in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night with Buffalo Opera Unlimited, as well as Dashwood in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Figaro in LenozzediFigaro, Don Alfonso from Cosìfan tutte, and Papageno from TheMagicFlute all with the Western NY Chamber Orchestra.

WAYNE MURPHY, JR. (LightingDesigner,StageManager,Producer)

Wayne Murphy, Jr. is currently a Lighting Tech for Advanced Production Group, as well as a freelance designer. He was previously the Lighting Designer for The Impresario with Syracuse Opera Company.

DANIEL NOVAK (Henchman)

Daniel Novak is a Music Education and Vocal Performance double major in his junior year at SUNY Fredonia, where he studies with Professor Lynne McMurtry.

JORDAN PITTS (Monostatos)

Tenor Jordan Weatherston Pitts made his principal artist debut to critical acclaim as the queen Renata in Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s world premiere of Stonewall with New York City Opera, and continues an active performance schedule of Romantic and lyric repertoire. His most recent roles include Der Scheider in Korngold's Die Kathrin with the Chicago Opera Theatre, Roméo in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette with the Hawaii Opera Theatre, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Achille in La Belle Hélène, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Alfredo in La Traviata, Younger Thompson in Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, MacDuff in Verdi's Macbeth, and Cavaradossi in Tosca. Jordan was both a Studio Artist with Opera Saratoga’s Young Artist Program as well as an Orvis Studio Young Artist with the Hawaii Opera Theatre.

JOHN TIRANNO (Tamino)

Tenor John Tiranno has been called “ardent and mellifluous” by the New York Times Upcoming and past performances include Handel’s Messiah (Santa Fe Symphony), Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), Berlioz's Requiem (La Jolla Symphony), Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (Oratorio Society of New York), and Saint-Saëns' Requiem (Festival Internazionale di Musica e Arte Sacra).

LAUREL WALFORD (WardrobeHead)

Laurel Walford is the former Costume Shop Supervisor at SUNY Fredonia’s Department of Theatre & Dance, and is honored and delighted to once again be working with very talented Fredonia students and alumni!

SUB SCRIBE

Friday, April 28, 2023 at 7:30 PM

BPO Rock Presented by REVOLUTION: THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES

Bradley Thachuk, conductor

Jeff Tyzik, arranger

Paul Loren, vocals

Colin Smith, vocals

Rick Brantley, vocals

Act I

Gnik Nus

Because Get Back

Ticket To Ride

Drive My Car

Yesterday

Penny Lane

If I Needed Someone

Lady Madonna Blackbird

In My Life

Paperback Writer

Eleanor Rigby

Hello, Goodbye

Here Comes The Sun

Hey Jude

INTERMISSION

Oscar Albis Rodriguez, guitar

Brian Killeen, electric bass

Spencer Cohen, drums

Luke McGinnis, keyboard

Act II

Tomorrow Never Knows

The Fool On The Hill

Got To Get You Into My Life

Maxwell's Silver Hammer

With A Little Help From My Friends

Come Together

Something

She's Leaving Home

I Am The Walrus

Let It Be

Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End

Twist And Shout

BRADLEY THACHUK, CONDUCTOR

Bradley Thachuk is the Music Director of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in Canada, in his 12th season as their artistic leader and conductor. He is also the conductor for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s BPO Rock series, conductor and arranger for Steve Hackett’s “Genesis Revisited” project, and a lecturer in Orchestral Literature at the world-renowned Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

A versatile and diverse musician, Mr. Thachuk has established himself globally as one of the handful of conductors who moves easily between the classical and rock worlds, and is a highly sought-after symphonic arranger. He is quite uniquely positioned in this capacity and has worked with artists in many genres. His work on Steve Hackett’s worldwide Blu-Ray/DVD/ CD release, “Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live at Royal Festival Hall,” and appearances in Europe with this project have been met with critical acclaim. Recent and upcoming projects include Blue Rodeo, Styx, Dave Mason of Fleetwood Mac and Traffic, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Bahamas, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars franchise, Tony-Award winning Heather Headley, Sarah Slean, Chantal Kreviazuk, The Beach Boys, and Air Supply.

A native of Toronto, Canada, Mr. Thachuk started his music studies in classical guitar at the age of 5, and established a performing career by the age of 9. He eventually began studies of the French horn and piano before entering the University of Toronto to pursue his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance as a guitarist. Following graduation, he began the Special Program for Conductors at the University of Toronto. Following studies at the Janacek Academy in Brno, Czech Republic, he pursued his Master’s and Doctorate degrees at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and completed his studies with NHK Symphony Orchestra (Japan), Orchestre de Paris (France), and Tonhalle Orchestra (Switzerland) Music Director Paavo Järvi.

PAUL LOREN, VOCALS

Leading a new generation of soulful crooners, Paul Loren is a singer, songwriter, producer and consummate entertainer. A native New Yorker, Paul was raised on the rich legacy of soul, classic pop, and the Great American Songbook, and in those musical idioms he feels most at home. Taking elements from early R&B, Jazz, and Brill Building pop, he crafts his music with an ear towards timelessness.

Paul completed his first headline tour in 2019, also having performed in the past as a support artist for The Temptations, Brendan James, American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks, and David Bromberg. Paul was selected by Jennifer Lopez to perform at her birthday gala in Las Vegas, and shared the stage with Paul Shaffer, Queen Latifah, and Christie Brinkley at Target’s launch event for New York Fashion Week. Paul has appeared on The Tonight Show and NBC’s Mysteries of Laura, and performed at the legendary STAX Museum in Memphis, where he recorded in the world-renowned Sun Studio.

His debut single, “All By Myself,” was supported by many radio stations, and his next single, “I Know A Place,” received rave reviews and 200K views in its first week. All proceeds from Paul’s 2020 single, “We’ll Be Together Again,” have been sent to a COVID-19 relief charity.

COLIN SMITH, VOCALS

With a career spanning over 20 years, Irish-born Colin Smith has led a musical life as varied as it is impressive. While signed on RCA Records, Smith and his former band, MrNorth, toured extensively with the likes of The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow and Journey, among many others. As a solo artist, songs from Smith’s two records have been licensed to movies and TV. He has collaborated live with Alicia Keys and has performed multiple times on Saturday Night Live as the featured vocal talent. Most recently, Smith has been seen touring with Christina Aguilera, duetting with her on the Grammy Award-winning “Say Something” to audiences across the globe, as well as performing background vocals for her concerts. Colin splits his time between NYC and LA.

RICK BRANTLEY, VOCALS

Hailing from Macon, Georgia and raised in the deep Southern roots of Blues, classic Rock ‘n Roll, and the hymns of his father’s Southern Baptist church, Rick Brantley naturally gravitated toward a life making music. Brantley moved to Nashville, where he established himself as one of the most in-demand young writers on Music Row, with cuts ranging from Meat Loaf to David Nail. An artist and dynamic performer as well as a songwriter, Brantley secured a well-earned reputation as a consummate “road dog”, touring virtually nonstop all over the world for much of his 20s and into his 30s, opening for everyone from John Hiatt to Kiefer Sutherland to Zac Brown and Brandy Clark, as well as headlining his own shows from Ontario to Hamburg and back. Now some fifteen years into his career, Brantley has added to his portfolio, producing acclaimed records with artists like Rob Baird and Justin Halpin, directing music videos, and writing a novel.

OSCAR ALBIS RODRIGUEZ, GUITAR

Oscar Albis Rodriguez is a producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He grew up in Rhode Island, graduated with a jazz guitar degree from NYU, and made Brooklyn his home base in 2000. Since then he’s played every DIY venue and basement in North America with his punk/hardcore bands De La Hoya and Nakatomi Plaza, freelanced with innumerable NYC singer/songwriters and bands, performed in Broadway musicals (most notably Hedwig & The Angry Inch), and toured the world with the Grammy Award-winning duo, A Great Big World.

Rodriguez started producing and engineering at Russell Street Recording in 2013, and soon after began collaborating with Zach Jones. Since then, the two have played in each other’s bands (Albis and Zach Jones & The Tricky Bits), and co-produced records for artists such as Jenny Owen Youngs, Elizabeth Wyld, Hannah Winkler, Talay, Jesse Dylan & The Scaredy Cats, and A Great Big World. Rodriguez’s individual production credits include Jukebox The Ghost, Jon The Guilt, and Rikki Will. He has also written and produced hundreds of songs for the YouTube Audio Library, the Facebook Sound Collection, Marmoset Music, Premium Beat, and is a co-founder of the music and media collective, Track Tribe.

BRIAN KILLEEN, ELECTRIC BASS

Brian Killeen is a NYC bassist that has enjoyed performing with many inspiring artists. Some of his favorite musical experiences include sharing stages with Chuck Loeb, Jarle Bernhoft, Liz Longley, A Great Big World, and Joe Sumner, as well as various theatrical productions both off and on Broadway. He is thrilled to be a part of Revolution: The Music of The Beatles.

SPENCER COHEN, DRUMS

Percussionist Spencer Cohen is a lover of life, music, family, friends, coffee, and his amazing wife, Shelly. Spencer is privileged to have been a part of the Broadway production of Tootsie the Musical, The Team’s Mission Drift production at the National Theater London, Miss You Like Hell at the Public Theater, and The World to Come Musical. He can be heard on over fifteen film scores, including Blissby Wills Bates. He is the co-composer for an upcoming Dungeons and Dragons live-streaming show. Spencer received his music education at NYU and serves as a Teaching Artist for the St. Luke’s School. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

LUKE MCGINNIS, KEYBOARD

Luke McGinnis is a music director, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist from Atlanta, GA. After studying choral conducting at Berklee College of Music, Luke co-created “Apartment Sessions” – a New York-based collective that records original symphonic arrangements in a Brooklyn apartment with a rotating ensemble, viewable on YouTube and featuring artists Gabriel Kahane, Kishi Bashi, Linqua Franqa, and many more. Luke is grateful for the opportunity to play with an orchestra again, and is thrilled to be joining on keys for Revolution: The Music of The Beatles!

Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 7:30 PM

BPO Pops Series

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!

Anthony Parnther, conductor

Sirgourney Cook, soprano

arr. John Williams

HERRMANN / ed. Christopher Husted

BARRY

PINAR TOPRAK

MORRICONE / arr. Mancini

DAVID SHIRE

HERRMANN

Hooray for Hollywood

Overture from NorthbyNorthwest

Main Title from Out of Africa

Suite from TheLostCity

The Mission / Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission

Finale & End Credits from Return to Oz

Salammbo's Aria from Citizen Kane Sirgourney Cook, soprano

LUDWIG GÖRANSSON / arr. Nicholas Hersh

Main Theme from The Mandalorian INTERMISSION

JOHN POWELL

KRIS BOWERS

HERRMANN

BRADLEY / reconstructed by Michael Berry

JOHN WILLIAMS

Suite from The Call of the Wild Suite from KingRichard Scene D'amour from Vertigo

TomandJerryatMGM

Adventures on Earth from E.T. (TheExtra-Terrestrial)

ANTHONY PARNTHER, GUEST CONDUCTOR

American conductor Anthony Parnther is the Music Director and Conductor of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and the Southeast Symphony & Chorus in Los Angeles.

Recent guest conducting engagements include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, Jacaranda, Music at the Edge, the Hear Now Music Festival, Mann Center Festival Orchestra, Pittsburgh Microtonal Festival, Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, Brightwork NewMusic, and the World Opera Forum in Madrid, Spain.

Over the next season, Anthony will premiere Kris Bower’s Concerto for Horn with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Tamar-kali Brown’s oratorio, “We Hold These Truths,” with the Los Angeles Opera, work alongside composer Anthony Davis on his Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Central Park Five with the Long Beach Opera, and premiere a new work for narrator and orchestra by Jon Batiste with the Gateways Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

Anthony has led the Hollywood Studio Symphony in recording sessions for many international feature film and television projects including StarWars:TheMandalorian, Tenet, StarWars:Book of Boba Fett, Little, American Dad, The Hunt, Fargo, TheWayBack, TheNightOf, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Encanto, and IceAge:AdventuresofBuckWild. His live orchestral concert appearances for e-sports titan League of Legends in Barcelona, Beijing, Seoul, and Los Angeles are among the most widely viewed symphonic concerts in the world, with live audiences of 50,000-75,000 spectators and a viewership that outpaces the World Series with approximately 100 million live streaming each LeagueofLegends Finals Opening Ceremony concert.

Anthony has restored and performed orchestral works by Florence Price, Zenobia Powell Perry, Margaret Bonds, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. He has premiered and recorded works by Anthony Davis, George Walker, Errollyn Wallen, John Wineglass, Gary Powell Nash, Marian Harrison, Renee Baker, James Wilson, Phillip Herbert, Daniel Kidane, Chanda Dancy, and James Newton. In 2015, Anthony was profiled by Los Angeles' KCET/TV as a "Local Hero" for his extensive community outreach and advocacy for the performance of works by Black, Latino, and women artists.

Anthony studied music performance at Northwestern University and continued his musical studies at Yale University, where he studied orchestral conducting with Lawrence Leighton Smith and Otto Werner Mueller. He resides in Los Angeles.

SIRGOURNEY COOK, SOPRANO

Opera singer and educator Sirgourney Cook earned a bachelor’s degree in music with a minor in philosophy from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and a master’s in opera performance at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in 2016. Her music and arts teaching career spans over 10 years throughout Chicago, Buffalo, and Boston private and public schools. Sirgourney has performed with the BPO, the Goodman Theatre of Chicago, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and more, and has soloed under the baton of Duke Ellington’s protégé, Randall Keith Horton. Sirgourney toured internationally as the soprano background vocalist for Jennifer Hudson for over three years. Passionate about the transformative power of music and arts education and accessibility, Sirgourney continues to perform, teach, and work closely with the nonprofit sector around the U.S.

Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 2:30 PM

BPO Kids Series

DAN BROWN: WILD SYMPHONY

COPLAND

DAN BROWN / arr. Karl Blench

Hoe-Down from Rodeo

WildSymphony

1. Maestro Mouse

2. Woodbird Welcome

3. Bouncing Kangaroo

4. Clumsy Kittens

5. The Ray

6. Happy Hippo

7. Frogs in a Bog

8. Anxious Ostrich

9. The Armadillo Shell

10. Dancing Bear

11. Impatient Ponies

12. Wondrous Whale

13. Cheetah Chase

14. Eager Elephant

15. Rat Attack

16. Busy Beetles

17. Spiders on a Web

18. Brilliant Bat

19. Swan in the Mist

20. Cricket Lullaby

21. Maestro Mouse Reprise

Patrons are asked to turn off all electronic devices. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited.

ABOUT WILD SYMPHONY

Dan Brown — the man behind the #1 best-selling publishing phenomenon The Da Vinci Code — is known for exciting twists, turns, and surprises. His newest surprise, WildSymphony, unveils the novelist as a lifelong musician and composer who was inspired at a young age by Peter and the Wolf, The Carnival of the Animals, and TheYoungPerson’sGuidetotheOrchestra

Featuring nearly two dozen musical portraits drawn from the animal kingdom, Wild Symphony springs to life on stage as an instant children’s classic. From the joyous rhythms of “Bouncing Kangaroo” to the mysterious melodies of “Wondrous Whale” to the hair-raising harmonies of “Brilliant Bat,” this is a very wild symphony indeed.

WildSymphony is accompanied by a vibrantly illustrated New York Times bestselling children’s book of the same title, which has been translated in more than 20 countries worldwide.

Fernanda Lastra, conductor Brandon Williamson, narrator

BRANDON WILLIAMSON, NARRATOR

Brandon Williamson was born and raised in Buffalo. A proud SUNY Fredonia graduate, Brandon has made it his life goal to reach out to students in inner city neighborhoods similar to the one he grew up in, painting a path for them to follow to their future. In this process, Brandon spent time as a high school teacher before creating the Pure Ink Poetry Slam. As the only monthly running poetry slam in Buffalo, the Pure Ink Poetry Slam caters to the community of poets in the area, as well as authors, musicians, dancers, and comedians. Brandon works hard to build a community of art that everyone can be a part of. He has facilitated writing and performance workshops for organizations like Planned Parenthood, Teen Reality Theatre, Buffalo Public Schools, Summer School of the Arts, University at Buffalo, Buffalo State University and more. He has performed, competed, and won poetry slams and been featured throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ontario, Michigan, California, and most recently Berlin and other parts of Europe.

SPONSOR A MUSICIAN

Nikki Chooi, concertmaster

Sponsored by Clement and Karen Arrison

Ansgarius Aylward, assistant concertmaster

Sponsored Anonymously

Douglas Cone, first violin

Sponsored by Bradford Lewis

Alan Ross, first violin

Sponsored by Anthony J.* and Carmela M. Colucci

Loren Silvertrust, first violin

Sponsored by Mrs. George F. Phillips, Jr.

Andrea Blanchard-Cone, first violin

Sponsored by Drs. Clement and Margot Ip

Diana Sachs, first violin

Sponsored by Dr. Richard Saab & Maureen Wilson Saab

Antoine Lefebvre, principal second violin

Sponsored by Ronald Frank* and Anne Schneider

Jacqueline Galluzzo, associate principal second violin

Sponsored by Sandra and Dennis McCarthy

Xiaofan Liu, 2nd assistant concertmaster

Sponsored by Michael D'Ambrosio

Robert Prokes, second violin

Sponsored by Ansie Baird

Caroline Gilbert, principal viola

Sponsored by Bruce and Gail Johnstone

Anna Shemetyeva, associate principal viola

Sponsored by Christine Standish & Chris Wilk

Natalie Piskorsky, viola

Sponsored by Dr. Patricia and Burt* Notarius

Matthew Phillips, viola

Sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. George G. Herbert

Kate Holzemer, viola

Sponsored by Ms. Cindy Abbott

Letro and Mr. Francis M. Letro

Janz Castelo, viola

Sponsored by Anthony J. and Barbara Cassetta

Feng Hew, associate principal cello

Sponsored by Kenneth Schmieder, in loving memory of Nancy L. Julian

Nancy Anderson, cello

Sponsored by Stephen Still and Terrie Tucker

Robert Hausmann, cello

Sponsored by Sally and Donald Dussing

David Schmude, cello

Sponsored by Jim and Michal Wadsworth

Amelie Fradette, cello

Sponsored by Ms. Cindy Abbott Letro and Mr. Francis M. Letro

Brett Shurtliffe, associate principal bass

Sponsored by Mr. Bruce C. Baird and Mrs. Susan O’Connor-Baird

Jonathan Borden, bass

Sponsored by Edward N. Giannino, Jr.

Christine Bailey Davis, flute

Sponsored by Sue Fay and Carl

Henry Ward, principal oboe

Sponsored by Bob and Judy Wetter

Joshua Lauretig, oboe

Sponsored by Sonny & Diane Sonnenstein

Anna Mattix, oboe/English horn

Sponsored by Bonnie and Nick Hopkins

William Amsel, principal clarinet

Sponsored by Dr. Gilbert Schulenberg

Patti DiLutis, clarinet

Sponsored by Dennis P. Quinn

Salvatore Andolina, clarinet/saxophone

Sponsored by Jennifer Dowdell, in memory of Charles and Nancy Dowdell

Glenn Einschlag, principal bassoon

Sponsored by Barbara B. Bunker

Daniel Kerdelewicz, associate principal, French horn

Sponsored by Gretchen Wylegala and Stephen McCabe

Jay Matthews, French horn

Sponsored by Philip H. Hubbell, in loving memory of Jayne T. Hubbell

Sheryl Hadeka, French horn

Sponsored by Linda Johnson & Sanford Eisen

Alex Jokipii, principal trumpet

Sponsored by Jennifer Dowdell, in memory of Charles and Nancy Dowdell

Philip Christner, trumpet

Sponsored by Frank and Wilma Cipolla

Jonathan Lombardo, principal trombone

Sponsored by Nicole and Stephen Swift

Timothy Smith, trombone

Sponsored by Arthur W. and Elaine I. Cryer

Filipe Pereira, bass trombone

Sponsored by Constance A. Greco

Matthew Bassett, principal timpani

Sponsored by Bonnie and Nick Hopkins

Mark Hodges, principal percussion

Sponsored by Vanda and Paul Albera

Dinesh Joseph, percussion

Sponsored by Lynne Marie Finn, on behalf of Broadleaf Results

Madeline Olson, principal harp

Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Curtis F. Holmes

* deceased

ANNUAL FUND

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra gratefully acknowledges contributions received from the following individuals and foundations who gave $500 and above through February 19, 2023. While the thousands upon thousands of donors whose gifts ranged from $1 to $499 are too numerous to list here, we gratefully acknowledge those additional individuals, groups, companies and foundations who give to us so generously.

MILLONZI SOCIETY

$150,000+

The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation

Carol & Angelo Fatta

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

John & Carolyn Yurtchuk

$50,000-$149,999

Anonymous

Mr. Brent Baird

Brian and Barbara Baird

Mark Chason & Mariana Botero Chason

The Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation

Cullen Foundation

Carlos and Elizabeth Heath Foundation

Wilfred and Joan Larson Fund

Mulroy Family Foundation

Christine Standish & Chris Wilk

Stephen Still & Terrie Tucker

$25,000-$49,999

Clement & Karen Arrison

Mr. Bruce C. Baird & Mrs. Susan O’Connor-Baird

Mr. Charles Balbach

Bob* and Doris Drago

Mr. Philip H. Hubbell

The Montgomery Family Foundation

The Walter Schmid Family Foundation Charitable Trust

Roy and Ruth Seibel Family Foundation

Steve and Nicole Swift

Mr. Gerald K. Thomas

Maestro’s Circle

$10,000-$24,999

Anonymous (3)

Cindy Abbott Letro and Francis Letro

Vanda & Paul Albera

Sue Fay Allen & Carl Klingenschmitt

The Baird Foundation

Oliver G. & Sarah Sloan Bauman Fund for the Arts

The Better Buffalo Fund at the CFGB

Gary & Willow Brost

Anthony & Barbara Cassetta

Frank and Wilma Cipolla

Arthur W. & Elaine I. Cryer

Ms. JoAnn Falletta & Mr. Robert

Alemany

Robert J. & Martha B. Fierle Foundation

Judith Fisher

Patricia & William Frederick

George and Bodil Gellman

Mr. and Mrs. George G. Herbert

Hooper Legacy Foundation

Bonnie & Nick Hopkins

Clement and Margot Ip

Bruce and Gail Johnstone

Roberta & Michael Joseph

Mrs. Ellen T. Koessler

Bradford Lewis

Donald MacDavid Charitable Trust

Mr.* and Mrs. Reginald B. Newman II

The Vincent and Harriet Palisano Foundation

Mr.* and Mrs. George F. Phillips, Jr.

Gilbert Schulenberg

Robin Schulze and Adam Rome

Joseph & Carole Sedita

Lowell and Ellen Shaw

Sonny & Diane Sonnenstein

David M. Stark & Cynthia Baird Stark

Scott R. and Rachel C. Stenclik

Gary and Katharina Szakmary

Jack Walsh, in memory of Connie Walsh

Bob & Judy Wetter

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at CFGB

Concertmaster’s Circle

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous (2)

Ansie Baird

James and Linda Beardi

James M. Beardsley & Ellen M. Gibson

Dr. Barbara Bunker

Mr. Joseph F. Casey

Conable Family Foundation

Sally and Don Dussing

Stephen Edge and Cynthia Swain

Peter & Maria Eliopoulos

Lynne Marie Finn

Edward N. Giannino Jr.

E. Joseph and Lynne Giroux

Sarah Goodyear

Ms. Constance A. Greco

Barbara & Daniel Hart

Philip & Marion Henderson

John J. and Maureen O. Hurley

Robert and Hana Jacobi

Linda Johnson & Sanford Eisen

Edwin M. Johnston, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs.* Philip Kadet – The Linton Foundation

Michael & Marilee Keller

Paul Lazarus

Warren P. Lippa & David Zawistowski

Mr. Ron Luczak and Mr. Michael Boland

Charles & Judith Manzella

Stephen McCabe and Gretchen

Wylegala

E. Dennis and Sandra McCarthy

Mr. and Mrs. James D. Newman

Patricia Drown Notarius

Marie and Jay Novello

Douglas & Laurette* Oak

Michelle & Gerald Parrish

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Polokoff

Patricia Prentice & James Grunebaum

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Priselac, Jr.

Mr. Dennis P. Quinn

David & Joan Rogers

Dr. Richard J. Saab & Maureen Wilson

Saab

Ronald Frank* & Anne Schneider

Simple Gifts Fund

Monica and Stephen Spaulding

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Sperrazza

The Honorable Erin Peradotto Terhaar and Mr. George Terhaar

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Thompson

Tyberg Musical Legacy Fund at FJP

Lorinda McAndrew Voelkle Foundation

Robert and Nancy Warner Memorial Fund at the FJP

Mrs. Martha Welte

Bud and Sandy Whistler

Dr. Elisabeth Zausmer and Dr. Angel A. Gutierrez

Encore Circle

$2,500-$4,999

Anonymous (2)

Dr. and Mrs. Fred and Bonnie Albrecht

Douglas Bean and Elisa Kreiner

To learn more about the Sponsor a Musician program, please contact Jacqueline Chagnon at (716) 242-7829 or jchagnon@bpo.org.

Michael D’Ambrosio

Wendy Diina

Ann N. Bonte

Joanne Castellani & Michael Andriaccio

Mr. Joseph A. Shifflett

Dr. Peter Siedlecki & Ms.

Lynnette Mende

John G. Sisson

Lynne G. Smith

Melissa & Kurt Spaeth

Mr. John Spears

Lynn & JoAnn Spees

Jean & Russ Speidel

Ruth and Ted Steegmann

Mr. Edwin F. Stohrer, Jr.

Alma Owen Strachan

Joan R. Strachan

Mr. William & Ms. Kathaginia

Sullivan

Marilyn & Irving Sultz

Mr. Ronald G. and Mrs.

Margaret N. Talboys

Dr. Thomas B. & Barbara Tomasi

TRIBUTE REGISTRY

Dr. Garin Tomaszewski

Ms. Sylvia Tourbaf

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur V. Traver, Jr.

Sheila Trossman

Chris and Kathy Tzetzo

Charitable Fund

Susan & Ron Uba

Dr.* and Mrs. Rocco C. Venuto

Ms. Suzanne J. Voltz

Mr. William Vosteen

Mr. Rudolph Vrbsky

Karen Wehn

Ms. Marlene A. Werner

Dr. Ann K. Wittkowski & Katherine Powell

The Yadzinski Family

* deceased

You can celebrate a significant occasion, remember a loved one, or recognize someone special with an honor or memorial gift to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. These gifts were received between January 18, 2023 and February 19, 2023.

In Honor of

Jonathan Borden

Edward N. Giannino Jr.

In Memory of

Frank and Melanie Chamberlain & Edwin and Marilou Munschauer

Michael and Lorrie Munschauer

Maksym Sugorovskiy

Daniel J. Cantor

John Carbonara

Karen Carbonara

JoAnn Falletta

Cynthia Zane & Stephen Mazurek*

John & Mary Dicky

Mr. John M. Dicky

Norman and Marianne Goldstein

Marc Goldstein

Dale Henline

Ms. Marilyn B. Henline

William and Sally Kellman

Ann and Richard Kellman

Robert Hausmann

Mr. Dennis Knipfing and Mrs. Laura Asher-Knipfing

Keith Klotzbach

Daniel Hart

Stanley A. “Jack Welles” Kosmoski, Jr.

Daniel Hart

Marilyn W. Melithoniotes

John Melithoniotes

Gregory Nazarian

Hon. Moses Howden

April N.M. Baskin, Chair

John Bargnesi

John J. Gilmour

Christopher D. Greene

Howard J. Johnson, Jr.

Michael H. Kooshoian

Christina Selph

Mr. and Mrs. Boris W. Kuvshinoff II

James Malczewski

Timothy Meyers

John J. MIlls

Martin Trossman

Sheila Trossman

Mary Ann Ziolkowski & Christine Fitzner

Mr. Robert Ziolkowski

Frank J. Todaro

Jeanne M. Vinal

The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature

PLANNED GIVING

Musical Heritage Society We are pleased to list the current members herein because they have realized the importance of “the gift that keeps giving.” Each of these individuals or couples have made provisions for a contribution to the BPO in their estate plans and while there are many different methods, the most common is by adding the BPO as a beneficiary in one’s will.

Anonymous (4)

Elizabeth & John Angelbeck

Rita Argen Auerbach

Charles Balbach

Jennifer Barbee

Douglas Bean & Elisa Kreiner

Donald M. Behr & Samuel E. Lolinger*

David Bender

Mrs. Peter W. Bridgford

James A. Brophy, in memory of Mutsuo Tomita

Anthony J. Cassetta

The Joanne Castellani and Michael Andriaccio Charitable Trust

Barbara Castiglia

Gerard and Rachel Catalano

Cheryl I. Christie

Victoria A. Christopher

In honor of JoAnn Falletta and Donald McCrorey

Dr. Sebastian* and Mrs. Marilyn Ciancio

Louis & Ann Louise Ciminelli

Ms. Elizabeth G. Clark

Mrs. George Cohn

Anne Conable

Ellen Todd Cooper

Rev. Raymond G. Corbin

Marilyn R. Cornelius

Dr. Sharon F. Cramer and Mr. Leslie R. Morris*

in honor of the BPO Viola Section

Sandra B. Cumming

Beverly Davies

Mrs. Roberta Dayer

Tim DiCarlo

Mr.* and Mrs. Anthony N. Diina

Ellen & Victor* Doyno

Sarah & Donald Dussing

Angelo & Carol Fatta

Judith & John* Fisher

Marjorie* and William Gardner

Edward N. Giannino, Jr.

Mr. George Eagan Ginther

Ms. Constance A. Greco

Susan J. Grelick

BPO ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Administration

Daniel Hart President & Executive Director

Diana Martinusek

Executive Assistant

Finance

Kevin James

Vice President, Finance & Administration

Nicole M. Bodemer

Director of Finance

Sales and Patron Services

Adam Cady

Director of Patron Services

Laura Papit

Peter Hall & M.E. O'Leary

Mr. & Mrs. George G. Herbert

Monte & Cheryl* Hoffman

Philip H. Hubbell

in memory of Jayne T. Hubbell

John J. and Maureen O. Hurley

Martha & Tom Hyde

Paul A. Imbert

Robert and Hana Jacobi

Bruce and Gail Johnstone

Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth R. Kahn

Nathan Kahn

in honor of JoAnn Falletta, Dan Hart, and the BPO Musicians

Theresa Kazmierczak

Kathleen Keenan-Takagi

Dwight E. King & Leslie Duggleby

The Herbert & Ella Knight

Family Charitable Fund

Rosalind and Michael Kochmanski

Dr. Merrily Kuhn and Mr. James Kulwicki

Ruth F. Lansing

Steve & Sandy Levinthal

Bradford Lewis, PhD

Gerald & Barbara Lipa

Francie D. & Joel N. Lippman

Sandra and Dennis McCarthy

Michael and Lorrie Munschauer

Donna & Leo Nalbach

Rev. Russell A. Newbert

Drs. Howard & Karen Noonan

Robert & Marion North Fund

Mr.* and Mrs. George F. Phillips, Jr.

Edwin Polokoff

Susan Potter

Dr. Penelope Prentice

Dennis Quinn

Virginia Ann Quinn

John and Susan Rowles

Paul and Gerda Sanio

Kenneth Schmieder,

In memory of Nancy L. Julian

Gilbert Schulenberg

Betty J. Schultz

Catherine F. Schweitzer

Joseph and Carole Sedita

Roger & Joan Simon

Mr. Robert B. Skerker

Dennis M. Smolarek

Monica and Steve Spaulding

David D. Stout & Janet E. Popp Stout

Sue W. Strauss

Nancy B. Thomas

Mrs. Lilia Tomchinsky

Therese M. Vita

Jim and Michal Wadsworth, as trustees of the Mulroy, Heath and Colby Foundations

Ms. Deborah L. Williams

Wayne* & Janet Wisbaum

Development

Jennifer Barbee

Associate Executive Director & VicePresident,Development

Mindy Takacs

Associate Director of Development

Eli Campbell

AnnualFund&GrantsManager

Jacqueline Chagnon

DonorRelationsManager

Taylor Heaphy

DevelopmentandDatabase Administrator

Jacqueline Henry

Finance/AccountsPayable

Associate

Cassandra Haffner

Payroll&HR/Benefits

Administrator

Marilyn Miller

Finance Assistant

Marketing

Travis Estes

VicePresident,Marketing& Communications

AndréeRenée Simpson

AssistantManagerofPatron Services

Patron Services Representatives

Anne Boucher

Bethany Erhardt

Karen Kohlhagen

Amy Sturmer

Conn Sullivan

Kleinhans Music

Hall Staff

Brian Seibel

*deceased

Carson Mannino

SpecialEventsandProject Coordinator

Jordan Walker DevelopmentAssistant

Luke Borkowski

KleinhansCapitalCampaign Coordinator

Education and Community Engagement

Robin Parkinson, Vice President, Education & Community Engagement

Rachael Pudlewski

EducationManager

MarketingManager

Kelcie Hanaka

DigitalMarketingManager

Cary Michael Trout

DesignServices&Branding Manager

Simone Viola

Marketing&Communications Assistant

Operations

Jonathan Parrish

Vice President, Artistic &OrchestraOperations

Connor Schloop

DirectorofOrchestraOperations

Corinna Scozzaro

AudienceServicesManager

Ally Jindra

Operations&PersonnelAssistant

PROGRAM BOOK PRODUCED BY

To ensure your wishes are carried on for the BPO for generations to come, you may call Jacqueline Chagnon (716) 242-7829 for more information.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra endorses the LEAVE A LEGACY® WESTERN NEW YORK program, an initiative of the WNY Planned Giving Consortium and a public awareness campaign of the National Committee on Planned Giving.

PRESIDENT & CEO Sharon Levite

PUBLISHER/CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Barbara E. Macks

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sabrina Kahwaty

MANAGING EDITOR Donna Hoke

VP/ADMINISTRATIVE & FINANCE Michele Ferguson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jean-Pierre Thimot

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Joshua Flanigan | Kim Miers | Nicholas Vitello

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Rachel Kaznica Taramarie Mitravich buffalospree.com 716-972-2250

Event Manager

Reneé Radzavich

BuildingServicesManager

Michael Cassidy

ChiefEngineer

Dennis Nawojski

Concessions Manager

Lucas Parks

Parking&Set-UpSupervisor

www.park-creek.com

PATRON INFORMATION

WHAT TO KNOW AT THE BPO

• Kleinhans Music Hall will open 90 minutes before a concert’s scheduled start, or earlier depending on pre-concert activities.

• Special assistance in the areas of parking, seating, and hearing will be accommodated to the best of our ability. Please contact the Box Office ahead of your visit.

-Options are available for patrons using mobility aids or requesting a wheelchair accessible location and accompanying companion seating.

-Hearing Assistance Devices are available at the coat check.

-Please note: there is no elevator to the balcony level.

• It is strictly forbidden to record, photograph, or film during a performance in the Main Auditorium. Photography is permitted in the hall before and after concerts.

• Late arrivals will be seated at the first suitable break or at intermission. Late seating may not be in the purchased section.

• Security staff is available at all times, and an EMT is on site for all concerts and performances. Please notify an usher or staff member if there is a medical or security need.

• Kleinhans Music Hall maintains a smoke-free environment.

• All programs and artists are subject to change without notice.

• Sorry, no refunds or exchanges on single ticket purchases.

Shuttle Service and BPO Preferred Restaurants

BPO Parking at Kleinhans $8 evening and Sunday performances; $5 Coffee concerts.

FREE Park and Ride Shuttle (SELECT Saturdays)

Shuttle service begins at 6pm and ends 30 minutes after the conclusion of the concert.

• D’Youville College Lot D, 430 West Avenue between Connecticut & Porter Ave, 14213 (SELECT Saturday performances only)

• BPO Clement House Lot, 786 Delaware Avenue corner of Summer Street, 14209 (SELECT Saturday performances only)

Shuttle service is only available for SELECT dates. Please join our email club at bpo.org or call the Box Office for updated information.

SALVATORE’S SYMPHONY SHUTTLE Saturday Nights $15 per person, leaving promptly at 6:30pm from the rear of the lot near the water tower, 6461 Transit Rd. and Genesee St. in Depew. Call the reservation hotline at (716) 885-5000 and select “shuttle” option to reserve your place, or reserve online at bpo.org

MARCATO by Oliver’s at Kleinhans Music Hall

A new concept for fine dining on Kleinhans Lower Level. For more information or to make reservations, call (716) 877-9662.

SALVATORE’S ITALIAN GARDENS

6461 Transit Rd. and Genesee St. in Depew. Call (716) 683-7990 for dinner reservations. Dinner and shuttle sold separately.