CSO Bruch Violin Concerto - program 02-24-23

DIGITAL PROGRAM BOOK

February 24 & 25 Knight Theater

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu violin

Mei-Ann Chen conductor

FRANCK SYMPHONY in D minor

Welcome to your CSO!

I’m delighted to welcome you back to another exciting month at the Charlotte Symphony! As we begin the celebration of Black History Month, it feels important to reflect on the immense contributions of Black composers and performers in orchestral music. Throughout February, we will be sharing notable performances of works by Black composers, the history of Black pioneers in classical music, and information about the Black composers and artists of today who are enriching the classical music scene and inspiring countless future musicians.

I invite you to visit our website to learn more about how we are showcasing the music of Black composers and artists in our programming this season, including in a recently announced concert at Johnson C. Smith University on March 21 that showcases the music programs of JCSU side by side with the Charlotte Symphony.

We also continue to share the joy of music with children in communities across the region through our many education and community engagement programs. We believe that music has the power to change lives, and we are committed to making sure that everyone has access to exceptional performances and educational resources.

I hope you will join us in celebrating Black History Month by experiencing the music and stories of these important figures in the world of classical music. It is our goal to make the Charlotte Symphony a welcoming and inclusive space for our entire community. I look forward to seeing you at the Symphony.!

David Fisk President & CEO

The CSO is…

MORE THAN WHAT’S ONSTAGE.

Did you know that the Charlotte Symphony is much more than what you see on the Belk and Knight Theater stages? Beyond the Classical, Pops, Family, and Movie Series in the theaters, we work to uplift, entertain, and educate our community through inclusive education programs and community performances.

• The CSO has three programs for young musicians: the Youth Orchestra, the Youth Philharmonic, and the Youth Ensemble. CSO musicians participate in coaching throughout the year, and even perform with the young musicians!

• Reaching approximately 15,000 students each season, we also have extensive school programs, including Project Harmony, “Music and the Holocaust,” and “One Musical Family” Education Concerts.

• We perform throughout the region, from community parks and schools to breweries, senior care centers, and places of worship all season long.

The CSO is…FOR EVERYONE .

To learn more, visit charlottesymphony.org

Friday, February 24, 2023 at 7:30pm

Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 7:30pm Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts

Mei-Ann Chen, conductor

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, violin

Overture in C major

MAX BRUCH (1838-1920)

Concerto for Violin No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

I. Prelude: Allegro moderato

II. Adagio

III. Finale: Allegro energico

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, violin

INTERMISSION

CÉSAR FRANCK (1822-1890)

Symphony in D minor

I. Lento - Allegro non troppo

II. Allegretto

III. Finale: Allegro non troppo

concert duration: approximately 1 hour, 40 minutes. There will be one 20-minute intermission.

This weekend’s concerts are made possible in part by the generosity of The Symphony Guild of Charlotte

FANNY MENDELSSOHN HENSEL (1805-1847)

Mei-Ann Chen

guest conductor

Praised for her dynamic, passionate conducting style, Taiwanese American conductor Mei-Ann Chen is acclaimed for infusing orchestras with energy, enthusiasm, and highlevel music-making, galvanizing audiences and communities alike. Music Director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011, Ms. Chen has been Chief Conductor of Austria’s Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte since fall 2021, making her the first female Asian conductor to hold this position with an Austrian orchestra. She continues as the first-ever Artistic Partner of Houston’s ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra), a post she was named to in 2019. She begins her new role as Artistic Partner with Washington state’s Northwest Sinfonietta this fall. Highly regarded as a compelling communicator and an innovative leader both on and off the podium, and a sought-after guest conductor, Ms. Chen continues to expand her relationships with orchestras worldwide (over 120 orchestras to date).

Maestra Chen’s upcoming 2022-23 season engagements include debuts with Germany’s Staatsorchester Darmstadt, Orchestra national Capitole Toulouse (her France debut), and in the US with the Rochester and Buffalo philharmonic orchestras, and the Hawaii Symphony. Return guest engagements in the United States include the American Composers Orchestra, in a program presented by Carnegie Hall featuring Mark Adama’s Last Year (NY premiere) and two world premieres: a Carnegie Hall co-commission by Yvette Janine Jackson, and one by Inti Figgis-Vizeuta, as well as California’s Pacific Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and in Sweden with Norrlandsoperan.

Recent guesting highlights include England’s BBC Symphony in London, Finland’s Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra, Norway’s Oslo Philharmonic and Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Het Residentie Orkest in The Netherlands, Malmö and Norrlandsoperan in Sweden, Taiwan Philharmonic, Spain’s Basque National Orchestra, Austria’s Tonkünstler-Orchester, Finland’s

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Tampere Filharmonia, Germany’s Musikalische Adademie des Nationaltheater-Orchestesters Mannheim, and NDR

Radiophilharmonie Hanover, Sweden’s Gävle and Helsingborg Symphonies, Switzerland’s Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra at Weiwuying (the world’s largest performing arts center since 2018), in addition to US return engagements with the San Francisco, Atlanta, Detroit, Pacific, and Toledo symphonies.

As Music Director of Chicago Sinfonietta, Ms. Chen has made two recordings for Cedille Records: Project W - Works by Diverse Women Composers (March 2019) and Delights and Dances (June 2013). In 2018, Innova Records released River Oaks Chamber Orchestra’s debut album ROCO: Visions Take Flight, featuring 5 commissioned contemporary works conducted by Ms. Chen.

Honors include being named one of the 2015 Top 30 Influencers by Musical America; the 2012 Helen M. Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras; Winner, the 2007 Taki Concordia Fellowship founded by Marin Alsop; and 2005 First Prize Winner of the Malko Competition (she remains as the only woman in the competition history since 1965 to have won First Prize), and ASCAP awards for innovative programming.

Born in Taiwan, Ms. Chen came to the United States to study violin in 1989 and became the first student in New England Conservatory’s history to receive master’s degrees simultaneously in both violin and conducting, and she earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting at the University of Michigan.

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu

violin

Born in Timisoara, Romania, violinist Calin Ovidiu Lupanu is the Concertmaster of the Charlotte Symphony. Mr. Lupanu completed his undergraduate studies at the Music Academy in Bucharest, where he served as Concertmaster of the conservatory’s Chamber Orchestra. During his summers as a student, Mr. Calin Lupanu performed in festival orchestras in Lanciano, Italy as Assistant Concertmaster and the Young Soloists Orchestra “Fiori Rari” in Lugano, Switzerland as Concertmaster. Upon graduation, Mr. Lupanu was appointed Violin Professor at the Music Academy.

While in Bucharest, Lupanu joined the newly formed Lipatti String Quartet as first violin, continuing in that capacity for ten years. In 1995 the quartet was named Quartet-inResidence at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, where Lupanu earned a Performance Certificate in Chamber Music, studying with Ralph Evans, Efim Boico, and the members of the Fine Arts String Quartet. During its studies at UWM, the quartet was featured as Ensemblein-Residence with the Pabst Theater. Prize winners at the London International String Quartet Competition, the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and the Dmitri Shostakovich Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Lipatti Quartet was invited by the Dmitri Shostakovich Foundation to participate in the celebration of the 90 th anniversary of the composer’s birth with a performance at the Opera Comique in Paris, France. In 1997, the Quartet became Quartet-in-Residence at Northern Illinois University, working with the renowned Vermeer Quartet. While there, Lupanu completed his Master’s Degree and earned a Performance Certificate, studying with Shmuel Ashkenasi and Mathias Tacke. Additionally, the Lipatti Quartet has performed in master classes with many of the world’s most respected chamber ensembles, including the Amadeus, American, Borodin, Cleveland, Emerson, Guarneri, Juilliard, Orion, Takacs, and Tokyo String Quartets. The Lipatti Quartet toured extensively in the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, and Romania.

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Lupanu’s awards as a soloist include the First Prizes of the International Violin Competition in Stresa, Italy, and the National Violin Competition in Suceava, Romania. Prior to winning the national audition for the Charlotte Symphony position, Lupanu served as Associate Concertmaster of the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaster of the Evansville Philharmonic, Principal of the Alabama Symphony, and Concertmaster of the West Virginia Symphony, as well as being the first violinist of the Montclaire Quartet. In addition to his season-long responsibilities in Charlotte, Lupanu maintains a busy summer schedule, participating in such festivals as Bach and Beyond, Aspen, Lower Saxony, Strings in the Mountains, and the Colorado Music Festival, the latter of which he has been a member since 1998 and served as Concertmaster from 2004 until 2022, being the longest serving Concertmaster in the history of the Colorado Music Festival.

An active chamber musician, Lupanu has collaborated with the Fine Arts Quartet, Angela Cheng, Jon Nakamatsu, Christopher Taylor, Orion Weiss, Andres Cardenes, Lynn Harrell, Desmond Hoebig, Jose Feghali, Olga Kern, Joshua Roman, Phillip Bush, and was featured as a soloist with the Evansville Philharmonic, Alabama Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.

A very dedicated teacher, Lupanu maintains an active teaching studio in Charlotte and served as Lecturer in Strings at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Since 2016, Calin Lupanu and his wife, Monica Boboc, have started the non-profit ensemble and series, Chamber Music for All, committed to providing high quality chamber music performances and educational projects, accessible to both younger audiences as well as experienced listeners. Chamber Music for All performs concerts throughout Charlotte greater area.

Mr. Lupanu plays a violin made by Pierre Silvestre in Lyon, France in 1857.

YOUR CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY

Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate & Music Adviser

Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor

FIRST VIOLINS

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster

The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair

Joseph Meyer, Associate Concertmaster

Kari Giles, Assistant Concertmaster

Ernest Pereira°*

Susan Blumberg°°

Jane Hart Brendle

Emily Chatham°°

Ayako Gamo

Jenny Topilow°°

Dustin Wilkes-Kim

Hanna Zhdan

SECOND VIOLINS

Oliver Kot, Principal

The Wolfgang Roth Chair

Kathleen Jarrell, Assistant Principal

The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair

Carlos Tarazona°

Monica Boboc

Tatiana Karpova

Ellyn Stuart

Martha Geissler

Sakira Harley

VIOLAS

Benjamin Geller, Principal

The Zoe Bunten Merrill Principal Viola Chair

Alaina Rea, Assistant Principal *

Chihiro Tanaka, Acting Asst. Principal

Ellen Ferdon

Cynthia Frank

Viara Stefanova

Ning Zhao

Matthew Darsey †

CELLOS

Jonathan Lewis, Principal

The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair

Allison Drenkow, Assistant Principal

Alan Black, Principal Emeritus

Marlene Ballena

Jeremy Lamb

Sarah Markle

DOUBLE BASSES

Kurt Riecken, Principal

Judson Baines, Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Ferdon

Jason McNeel

FLUTES

Victor Wang, Principal

The Blumenthal Foundation Chair

Amy Orsinger Whitehead

Erinn Frechette

PICCOLO

Erinn Frechette

OBOES

Hollis Ulaky, Principal

The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡

Erica Cice

Terry Maskin

ENGLISH HORN

Terry Maskin

CLARINETS

Taylor Marino, Principal

The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair

Samuel Sparrow

Allan Rosenfeld

E♭ CLARINET

Samuel Sparrow

BASS CLARINET

Allan Rosenfeld

BASSOONS

Joseph Merchant, Principal

Joshua Hood

Naho Zhu†

CONTRABASSOON

Naho Zhu†

HORNS

Byron Johns, Principal

The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair

Andrew Fierova

Robert Rydel

Richard Goldfaden

Philip Brindise†

TRUMPETS

Alex Wilborn, Principal

The Betty J. Livingstone Chair

Jonathan Kaplan

Gabriel Slesinger, Associate Principal*

The Marcus T. Hickman Chair

TROMBONES

John Bartlett, Principal

Thomas Burge

BASS TROMBONE

Scott Hartman, Principal

TUBA

Colin Benton, Principal

The Governor James G. Martin Chair

TIMPANI

Jacob Lipham, Principal

The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair

PERCUSSION

Brice Burton, Principal

HARP

Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal

The Dr. Billy Graham Chair

This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians onstage varies depending on the piece being performed.

° Non-revolving position

°° Alternates between first and second violins

† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony

‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.

* On leave

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

Michael Reichman, VP of Artistic Operations & General Manager

Carrie Graham, Director of Artistic Planning

Tim Pappas, Acting Director of Operations

Nixon Bustos, Principal Music Librarian

Bradley Geneser, Assistant Librarian

Erin Eady, Acting Personnel Manager

John Jarrell, Stage Manager

The Charlotte Symphony is a proud member of the League of American Ochestras.

KARI GILES Assistant Concertmaster

Member of CSO since 2006

hometown: Western NC

FUN FACTS

• I love playing all types of music, and recently bought an electric 5-string violin!

• Beautiful and eclectic shoes are my weakness. My newest pair were inspired by the amazing conductor Marin Alsop!

• Being in the woods is one of my favorite places to be. Horseback riding at the Anne Springs Close Greenway is so relaxing.

For more information about Charlotte Symphony musicians, visit charlottesymphony.org

One of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) connects with more than 100,000 music lovers each year through its lively season of concerts, broadcasts, community events, and robust educational programs. The CSO is committed to its mission of uplifting, entertaining, and educating the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional music experiences.

The Charlotte Symphony upholds the highest artistic integrity and takes bold steps to engage with its community through music. Its 62 professional, full-time musicians perform throughout the region — from community parks and breweries, to places of worship and senior care centers — and offer significant educational support, aimed at serving the underresourced areas of our community.

The Charlotte Symphony is deeply committed to the notion that music, accessible to all and experienced in its many forms, enriches and unifies our community. The CSO believes in equity and inclusion and strives to be an industry leader in imaginative, relevant programming by intentionally seeking out women conductors, underrepresented in our industry, and conductors, composers, and guest artists of color.

Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony plays a leading cultural role in the Charlotte area and aims to serve the community as a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region through the transformative power of live music.

OUR MISSION

The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.

OUR VISION

Reaching out through the transformative power of live music, the Charlotte Symphony will be a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region.

For more information, visit us online at charlottesymphony.org

MUSIC AND THE HOLOCAUST MAKES AN IMPACT

On November 18, 2021, The Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act was passed into law, making North Carolina one of just nineteen states in the United States to mandate Holocaust education in public middle and high schools. With the act taking effect in the 2023–24 school year, the Charlotte Symphony’s Music and the Holocaust program is poised to address the growing need for supplemental education about the Holocaust in our schools.

Music and the Holocaust features an ensemble of Charlotte Symphony musicians performing music of significance during this tumultuous period in history. Through this music, students learn about Jewish culture and the horrors of the Holocaust. The music features a mix of traditional Jewish music — which was forbidden and considered “degenerate” by the Nazis — music composed in the concentration camps, and music that evokes survival and healing. Each concert includes narration and projected images that explore pre-WWII Jewish culture, the Third Reich’s attempts to control art and culture, the role of music and musicians in the concentration camps, and how the European Jewish community refused to be silenced.

Mitch Rifkin is Chairman of the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation, a non-profit that helps fund the many programs offered by the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust such as teacher workshops, traveling plays and exhibits, and speaking engagements.

Why was The Holocaust Education Act so important to advance the work that you’re already doing?

“[The Act] passed after a lot of hard work, as you can imagine. We are excited about the fact that it came about because of all the right reasons. Not just talking about the horrors of the holocaust, but about how the holocaust came to be and that it could happen again — meaning the hatred prevails — and how one man was able to exterminate 12 million people.”

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How is the Foundation and the N.C. Council on the Holocaust preparing educators for this upcoming school year?

“To teach this topic properly, educators need to understand the facts behind the holocaust. We hold nine seminars a year where we bring teachers in to learn these facts and how to address holocaust denial and distortion. We also sponsor a bus trip that takes educators to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. It truly is enlightening for them, and they come back and tell other teachers about their experiences. The curriculum being written by the Council is designed to teach the holocaust correctly, how it came to be, so we can avoid this happening again.”

How can a program like the Charlotte Symphony’s Music and the Holocaust help to educate students?

“Music is important, there’s no question. When I attended Music and the Holocaust, I noticed that the students were engaged, they weren’t wiggling in their seats, they were paying attention to the music, so that’s 90% of the battle — getting them engaged. I think your music and this topic are current. The rise of hatred in America, and globally, today is horrific. There is so much hatred in the world, and certainly the rise of antisemitism is a daily occurrence. When you see people like Kanye West and Kyrie Irving, with a huge following on social media, put that junk out there and no one contradicts them, it’s horrible. But we contradict it. And we try to bring forth the understanding of how we, as a people, should be more tolerant of each other.”

Learn more about the Charlotte Symphony’s Music and the Holocaust

PROGRAM NOTES by Ken

Metzer

FANNY MENDELSSOHN HENSEL

born: November 14, 1805 in Hamburg, Germany

died: May 14, 1847 in Berlin, Germany

Overture in C Major (1830)

Fanny Mendelssohn was, like her brother Felix, a remarkably gifted composer, pianist, and conductor. But her fate as a musician, dictated by the times in which she lived, is reflected in this advice from her father, Abraham, given on Fanny’s twenty-third birthday: “become more steady and collected, and prepare more earnestly and eagerly for your real calling, the only calling of a young woman — I mean the state of a housewife.” The following year, Fanny married artist Wilhelm Hensel.

Despite barriers, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel composed many outstanding works. Among them is the Overture in C, composed in 1830, and performed as part of the private concerts the Mendelssohn family held in their Berlin home. It does not appear that the Overture received a public performance during the composer’s lifetime. For decades, the score resided in Berlin’s Mendelssohn Archive. Judith Rosen, a board member of San Francisco’s Women’s Philharmonic, visited the archive. There, she secured permission for release of the score for performance and recording. In May of 1992, the Women’s Philharmonic, conducted by Music Director JoAnn Falletta, gave the public premiere of the Mendelssohn C Major Overture. Those same artists recorded the work for Koch International Classics.

The Overture begins with an extended and graceful slowtempo introduction (Andante). A scurrying string figure (Allegro di molto) and orchestral fanfares (L’istesso Tempo) herald the principal quick tempo section, featuring two principal themes. The first is a vibrant sequence, introduced by strings (Con fuoco). The violins also sing the flowing second principal melody. The first theme predominates the development section, and is also proclaimed fortissimo by the ensemble for the start of the recapitulation. The second theme returns as well, as the Overture in C propels to a rousing close.

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Fanny Mendelssohn, sketched in 1829 by her husband, artist Wilhelm Hensel.

Self-portrait of Fanny’s husband Wilhelm Hensel (1794–1861).

The Music Room of Fanny Hensel, watercolor drawing by Julius Eduard Wilhelm Helfft (1818 - 1894)

MAX BRUCH

born: January 6, 1838 in Cologne, Germany died: October 2, 1920 in Friedenau, Germany

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor

Opus 26 (1866)

Max Bruch began composition of his First Violin Concerto at the age of nineteen, finally completing the work nine years later. The first performance took place on April 24, 1866, at a concert of the Music Institute of Koblenz on the Rhine. Bruch, then Music Director of Koblenz, conducted the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne. The Orchestra’s concertmaster, Otto von Königslöw, served as soloist.

Shortly after the premiere, Bruch decided to revise the Concerto. He forwarded the score to the eminent Austro-Hungarian violinist, Joseph Joachim. Due to the improvisational spirit of the Concerto’s opening movement, Bruch had contemplated renaming the work a “Fantasy.”

Joachim disagreed, commenting: “For a fantasy, the last two movements are too completely and symmetrically developed. The different sections are brought together in a beautiful relationship, yet and this is the principal thing— there is sufficient contrast.”

Bruch followed Joseph Joachim’s counsel. After penning extensive revisions, the composer dedicated the final version of his First Violin Concerto to Joachim, who gave its premiere in Bremen in 1868, with Bruch conducting. In 1906, at his 75th birthday party, Joachim stated: “The Germans have four violin concertos,” and named those by Ludwig van Beethoven, Felix Mendelssohn, Bruch, and Johannes Brahms. While Joachim praised each of these magnificent works, he commented: “Max Bruch wrote the richest and most enchanting of the four.”

The Concerto is in three movements. The first (Vorspiel. Allegro moderato), which Bruch calls a “Prelude,” begins in dramatic fashion, with a dialogue between orchestra and soloist. The soloist introduces both of the principal melodies, highly contrasting in character. A reprise of the

premiere: April 24, 1866 in Koblenz, Germany

opening orchestra-soloist dialogue leads to a brief passage, serving as a bridge to the slow-tempo movement, which follows without pause. That second movement (Adagio) is based upon a pair of lovely melodies, again both introduced by the soloist. The Finale (Allegro energico) presents an almost continuous series of technical challenges for the soloist, who concludes the Concerto with a fiery, Presto sequence.

Bruch pictured working at the piano, an instrument he loathed, with its “dull rattle-trap;” as he famously remarked, “The violin can sing a melody better than the piano can.”

Sculpture of Bruch on the tower of the Cologne City Hall, restored after the Allied bombing of the city during World War II.

CÉSAR FRANCK Symphony in D minor (1888)

born: December 10, 1822 in Liège, Belgium died: November 8, 1890 in Paris, France

premiere: February 17, 1889 in Paris

The Franck D minor, one of the most performed and beloved 19th-century French symphonies, had a decidedly inauspicious beginning. Franck was highly revered as a virtuoso organist, and professor at the Paris Conservatoire. His compositions, however, did not always inspire the same level of adulation. Franck’s disciple and champion, composer Vincent d’Indy, gave this unforgettable eyewitness account of the premiere of the D-minor Symphony:

The Symphony was given for the first time on February 17, 1889, by the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire. The performance was quite against the wish of most performers of the famous orchestra, and was only pushed through thanks to the benevolent obstinacy of the conductor, Jules Garcin. The subscribers could make neither head nor tail of it, and the musical authorities were in much the same position. I inquired of one of them—a professor at the Conservatoire, and a kind of factotum on the Committee—what he thought of the work. “ That, a symphony?” he replied in contemptuous tones.

“But, my dear sir, who ever heard of writing for the cor anglais in a symphony? Just mention a single symphony by Haydn or Beethoven introducing the cor anglais? (Annotator’s note: Haydn had in fact composed a Symphony that included not one, but two English horns, the 1764 “Philosopher,” No. 22 in E-flat major.) There, well, you see—your Franck’s music may be whatever you please, but it will certainly never be a symphony!” This was the attitude of the Conservatoire in the year of grace 1889.

At another door of the concert-hall, the composer of Faust , escorted by a train of adulators, male

and female, fulminated a kind of papal decree to the effect that this symphony was the affirmation of incompetence pushed to dogmatic lengths.

(Charles) Gounod must be expiating these words in some musical purgatory; for, coming from an artist such as he was, they can never have been sincere nor disinterested.

For sincerity and disinterestedness we must turn to the composer himself, when, on his return from the concert, his whole family surrounded him, asking eagerly for news. “Well, were you satisfied with the effect on the public? Was there plenty of applause?”

To which “Father” Franck, thinking only of his work, replied with a beaming countenance: “Oh, it sounded well, just as I thought it would! ”

Over time, the strengths of the Franck D minor Symphony have revealed themselves to performers and audiences alike. The Franck D minor charts a dramatic symphonic journey that, as d’Indy observed: “is a continual ascent towards pure gladness and life-giving light, because its workmanship is solid, and its themes are manifestations of ideal beauty.”

The Franck D minor Symphony is in three movements. The first opens with a slow-tempo introduction (Lento) and the central three-note motif, reminiscent of both the “Muß es sein?”

(“Must it be?”) theme in the final movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet, Opus 135, and the opening of Franz Liszt’s symphonic poem, Les préludes. That introduction leads to the orchestra’s tempestuous outburst (Allegro ma non troppo), also based upon the three-note motif. The second movement (Allegretto) serves the dual function of the Symphony’s slowtempo movement and lively scherzo. Over harp and pizzicato strings, the English horn sings a plaintive cantabile melody. A scurrying passage for muted strings inaugurates an episode that recalls the quicksilver charm of Felix Mendelssohn’s incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The triumphant finale (Allegro non troppo) reprises melodies from the Symphony’s earlier movements.

We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Annual Fund. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2022 through January 1, 2023

BENEFACTOR CIRCLE

$100,000+

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Catherine & Wilton Connor

$50,000 – $99,999

Roberta H. Cochran

Ellen M. Fitzsimmons & Greg Rogowski

$25,000 – $49,999

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DG Brungard Foundation

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For more information on how to make a gift to the CSO Annual Fund, please contact Libby Currier, Annual Fund Manager, at 704.714.5137 or lcurrierl@charlottesymphony.org

Snyder

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Cotty

Arlene H. Elisha

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Dr. & Mrs. Jack Kramer

Anna Marriott

Ms. Rosemarie Marshall & Mr. Lee Wilkins

Jim & Dottie Martin

Cricket Weston & David Molinaro

Eleanor W. Neal

Caroline Olzinski

Mr. Vincent Phillips & Mr. Paul Pope

Torsten & Kim Pilz

John & Wilma Pinter

Larry & Dale Polsky

John & Susan Rae

Mr. & Mrs. Pope A. Shuford

Morris & Patricia Spearman

Robert & Maxine Stein

Ann & Wellford Tabor

Tillie S. Tice

James H. Trexler & Kelly Zellars

Daniel & Kathleen Troy

Mindy & Don Upton

Vera Watson

Grant Webb

Linda & Craig Weisbruch

Mrs. Eugenia N. White

Deems Wilson

Ms. Deborra Wood & Mr. Russell Propst

$1,000 – $1,499

Anonymous (2)

Ashley & Steve Allen

Kathleen & Richard Anderson

JWD Atchison

Mary Lou & Jim Babb

Mr. & Mrs. Lincoln A. Baxter

Morgan Beggs

John & Katherine Beltz

Shirley W. Benfield

Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein

Family Foundation

Mr. James Biddlecome

In Memory of Bernadette Zirkuli Biddlecome

Ms. Brett Blumenthal & Mr. David Wax

Carole Bourret

Khary Brown

Herbert Browne

Jane & Larry Cain

Maggie Callen

Ralph & Sam Canfield

Ms. Elizabeth Carr

Bill & Pauline Chinnis

Mr. Mark Copeland & Mrs. Kathleen Goldammer-Copeland

(continued next page)

Hans Teich

Sarah S. Tull

Mrs. William K. Van Allen

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Van Glish

Bill & Rita Vandiver

Dr. & Mrs. Bill Chu & Jin Wang

Pam & Steve West

Peter White

David Wilcox

Bryan Wilhelm

Ms. Judith Wood

Mrs. Anne Yudell

$500 – $999

Anonymous (3)

Michael & Lee Abbott

Doug & Lynda Abel

Mark Abrams & Iris Prandi

Mr. Lester Ackerman & Mr. Layton Campbell

Larry Anderson

Leigh & Rhonda Armistead

Mrs. Natascha A. Bechtler

Bob & Cathy Becker

Dr. John L. Bennett & Mr. Eric T. Johnson

Jeffrey Boghosian

David Bower & Ann Richardson

Ms. Marianne Bragg

James Broadstone

Aram & Scott Bryan

Mr. Charles Budd

Greg & Mary Lou Cagle

Barbara F. Caine

Ms. Lisa Callen

$500 - $999 cont.

Amanda & Kevin Chheda

Hobart B. Cheyne

Ms. Michele T. Classe

Mr. Brent Clevenger

Dr. W. Gerald Cochran & Mr. Timothy D. Gudger

Mr. Thomas E. Collins, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Charles E. Cook

Dr. Kilian Cooley

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Couture

Mr. & Mrs. Alpo F. Crane

Ellen M. Crowley

Mrs. Judy Crozier

Craig Selimotic Danforth

Dr. Roy E. DeMeo, Jr. & Ms. Linda A. Evanko

Thomas & Kris Duffy

Virginia Dulaney

Ms. Helen Edwards

Rebecca Elliott

Martin Ericson, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. J. Murray Fadial

Doug Faris

Tom & Gail Fennimore

Lawrence W. Fetner, Jr.

Robert & Catherine Flynn

Melisa & Frank Galasso

(continued next page)

Pitts

Jeanine & Naeem Qasim

Dr. & Mrs. R. Pinkney Rankin, Jr.

Haywood & Sabine Rankin

Jane & Milburn Ratteree

Brendan Reen

Casey Rentch

Nancy Rutledge & Jim Rutledge

Robert & Christine Rydel

Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert

John Schroeder, in honor of Patty McArthur

Mr. Andrew Silliker

Carol Smith

Dr. & Mrs. Henry L. Smith II

Rebecca & Eric Smith

Scott Smith

John-Palmer Smith

Julia J. Souther

Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stern

Kathryn Stewart

Sam & Martha Stowe

Wesley & Claudia Sturges

George & Brenda Sweet

Ms. Sarah Teague

Tim Timson

Jenny & Ken Tolson

James & Melanie Twyne

Greg & Sandy Vlahos

Lyman Welton

Barnet & Harriet Weinstock

Dr. Thomas H. White

Mr. & Mrs. John A. Yakob

Ms. Barbara Yarbrough

Dan & Susan Yardley

Dr. & Mrs. T. Price Zimmermann

$250 – $499

Anonymous (3)

Paula Andretta

Andrew & Karen Antoszyk

Judi Bainbridge

Dr. & Mrs. Michael J. Bell

Sam & Nancy Bernstein

Ms. Deborah Berry

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Bierce

Stuart Blackmon

Lawton & Janette Blandford

Megan Blankemeyer List

Ken & Nelle Brown

Mr. Nicholas Bonevac

Steve Bost

David H. & Barbara J. Burns

John Carr

Robert & Jo Anne Caruso

Mary Case

Amy Cathey

Rev. Janice Chalaron

Ms. Catherine Choudary

Gray Clark

Mortimer & Josephine Cohen Fund

Ms. Dorothy Cole

Jill Maxwell

Matula

Kim & Alan Maxwell

Ms. Judy Mayo

James & Stephanie McGarvey

Eric Miller

Kimberly Moore-Wright

Glenn A. Muegel

David H. Nance & Jennifer Nance

Sara & Tom Nolan

Dr. & Mrs. Michael E. Norman

Dimitris & Jennifer Papageorgiou

Cookie & Jerry Parnell

Rose & Bailey Patrick

Bradley & Sharon Patterson

Mr. Conrad Puckett

Mr. Mason & Dr. Krista Rankin

Stephen & Melissa Ratliff

$250 - $499 cont.

Emily & Brian Reinicker

Dr. Livia Robicsek

Mr. & Mrs. Albert E. Rodgers

Sarah E. Schoedinger

Eileen Scholl

Merle & Judy Schuh

Dr. & Mrs. Marvin Shapiro

Ginny Shaw

Fred H. Smith

James & Ellie Stephens

William & Catherine Stone

Larry Stratemeyer

Charlene Sturgill

Brenda Gail Summers

Ms. Jena M. Summerville

Carrie & Jeffrey Teixeira

Nancy & Dick Thigpen

Gretchen & Jean-Claude Thill

Melissa M. Tolin

Patti Tracey & Chris Hudson

Cynthia Turner

Sarah & Tim Turner

Rebecca Valenstein

Minyan Wang

Jenny & Henry Ward

Ms. Leslie Webster

Mr. Erik Weghorst

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Weidman

Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Wertheimer

Mrs. Carol Wilson

Allen & Clara Wolfe

Karen & Charles Wolff

CORPORATE PARTNERS

We are grateful for the following outstanding corporate funders:

$250,000 +

$100,000 - $249,999

$20,000 - $49,999

$10,000 - $19,999

$5,000 - $9,999

Atrium Health Kingfisher Capital The Dunhill Hotel

For more information, please contact Amanda LoCascio, AVP - Institutional Philanthropy at 704.714.5138 or alocascio@charlottesymphony.org

GOVERNMENT & FOUNDATION SUPPORT

We are grateful for the following outstanding foundation and government funders:

$100,000 +

$50,000 - $99,999

$20,000 - $49,999

DG Brungard Foundation

Mariam & Robert Hayes Charitable Trust

The Trexler Foundation

$10,000 - $19,999

Blumenthal Foundation

Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation

Cole Foundation

Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation, Inc.

John S. & James L. Knight Foundation

The Maurer Family Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

AT&T Foundation

The George W. & Ruth R. Baxter Foundation

The Jack H & Ruth C. Campbell Foundation

The Charlotte Assembly

$2,500 - $4,999

Barnhardt/Thomas Trust

Kathryn Stephenson Pipe Organ Endowment Foundation

Stanly County Community Foundation

Winer Family Foundation

For more information, please contact Toni Freeman, Grant Writer at development@charlottesymphony.org

Dickson Foundation

The Truist Charitable Fund is a donor-advised fund created by Truist and administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation

We invite your firm to join this special group of corporate supporters committed to keeping the music alive — enriching Charlotte and the surrounding communities as a first-class place to work and live.

$2,500 - $4,999

GreerWalker

Moore & VanAllen Park Inc.

$5,000 + $500 - $2,499

Carter Troutman Pepper LLP

World Famous Golf Carts of South Carolina

For more information, please contact Amanda LoCascio, AVP - Institutional Philanthropy at 704.714.5138 or alocascio@charlottesymphony.org

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra recognizes donors of exceptional generosity whose cumulative giving to the CSO exceeds $1 million with the designation of Music Director Society.

Anonymous (2)

Bank of America Corporation

Catherine & Wilton Connor

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The Leon Levine Foundation

John S. & James L. Knight Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Hugh L. McColl, Jr.

Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

C. D. Spangler Foundation

The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.

Wells Fargo Corporation

For more information, please contact Leslie Antoniel, AVP of Development, at 704.714.5139 or lantoniel@charlottesymphony.org.

Anonymous (3)

Geraldine I. Anderson†

Richard & Ruth Ault

Baldwin Family Trust

Barnhardt Thomas Trust

Larry & Joyce† Bennett

Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein

Mark & Louise Bernstein†

Twig & Barbara Branch

Saul Brenner

Mike & Joan Brown†

Mrs. Joan Bruns †

Jan & Bob Busch

Dr. Helen G. Cappleman, Ph.D.†

Jim Cochran†

Robin Cochran

Tom Covington

Charles & Peggy Dickerson

Mr. Martin Ericson, Jr.

David J.L. Fisk & Anne P. O’Bryne

Peter & Ann† Guild

William G. & Marguerite K. Huey Fund†

Dr. Nish Jamgotch, Jr.

Betty & Stanley Livingstone†

† Deceased

Nellie McCrory †

M. Marie Mitchell†

Cricket Weston & David Molinaro

Joan & Richard Morgan

Don C. Niehus

Eva Nove

Richard J. Osborne

Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge

James Y. Preston†

Mrs. Clayton (Dusty) Pritchett

Ann & Fritz Rehkopf

Elizabeth Waring Reinhard

Nancy W. Rutledge

Mike Rutledge

Harriet Seabrook

Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert

Morris & Patricia Spearman

Bob & Maxine Stein

Dr. Ben C. Taylor III

Mr. & Mrs. Hans Teich

Cordelia G. Thompson

Tim Timson

Jenny & Ken Tolson

Ms. Debora Wood & Mr. Russell Propst

The Encore Society includes individuals who have made provisions for the CSO in their estate plans. We are honored to recognize their support: Leave a lasting legacy of great music through your planned gift. For more information, contact Leslie Antoniel at 704.714.5139.

With your gift, the Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.

March 24 & 25

Belk Theater

Jessica Cottis, conductor

Charlotte Master Chorale

“Engaging” (The Scotsman) conductor Jessica Cottis returns to lead the Charlotte Master Chorale and your CSO in Mendelssohn’s expansive Symphony No. 2, “Hymn of Praise.”

Multimillion Dollar Commitment City of Charlotte

$1.5 million and above Bank of America

C.D. Spangler Foundation / National Gypsum Company

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Trane Technologies

$600,000 - $1 million

Albemarle Foundation

Atrium Health

Barings

Duke Energy

Honeywell

JELD-WEN, Inc.

LendingTree Foundation

Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Novant Health

Red Ventures

Truist

$300,000-$600,000

Ally Financial

The Centene Charitable Foundation

Childress Klein Properties

Coca-Cola Consolidated

Deloitte

EY

The Gambrell Foundation

Moore & Van Allen

PwC

Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.

Rodgers Builders

Wells Fargo

Up to $300,000

Fifth Third Bank

Foundation For The Carolinas

Deidre and Clay Grubb

Leslie and Michael Marsicano

Jane and Hugh McColl

Nucor Corporation

PNC Bank

Premier, Inc.

Jane and Nelson Schwab

The Charlotte Symphony is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Linda McFarland Farthing

Chair

John Williams

Vice Chair

Mick Ankrom

Treasurer

David Fisk

President & CEO

Melissa Anderson

Joye D. Blount

Mike Butterworth

Manny Clark

Nick Clements

Catherine Connor

Mary Delk*

Denise DeMaio

Richard Krumdieck

Alex McKinnon

Ulrike W. Miles

Glenn Mincey

Robert Rydel*

Ylida Scott

Melinda Snyder

Jennifer Sullivan

Jenny Tolson*

Jenny Topilow*

Kevin Walker

*ex officio

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Richard Osborne, Chair

Ruth & Richard Ault

Kat Belk

Arlene & Milton Berkman

Jason & Tiffany Bernd

Mary & Charles Bowman

Frank Bragg

Robin & Bill Branstrom

Derick & Sallie Close

Robin Cochran

Wilton Connor

Jeanie & T. Thomas Cottingham III

Brian Cromwell

Alessandra & Pasquale De Martino

Alvaro & Donna de Molina

Peggy & Richard Dreher

Lisa Hudson Evans

Todd Gorelick

Janet Haack

Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.

Mark & Whitney Jerrell

Jeff Lee

Gov. James G. Martin

Jane & Hugh McColl

Susan & Loy McKeithen

Elizabeth J. McLaughlin

George McLendon

Patrick J. O’Leary

Debbie & G. Patrick Phillips

Paul Reichs

Nancy & Charles Robson

Patricia A. Rodgers

M.A. Rogers

Dan & Sara Garces Roselli

Laura & Mike Schulte

Carolyn Shaw

Tom Skains

Emily & Zach Smith

Bob & Marsha Stickler

Adam Taylor

Cynthia Tyson

Braxton Winston

Richard Worf

Albert Zue

EXECUTIVE

David J. L. Fisk, President & CEO

Samantha Hackett, Executive Administrator

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS (see p. 11)

DEVELOPMENT

Shayne Doty, Vice President of Development

Leslie Antoniel, Associate Vice President of Development

Libby Currier, Annual Fund Manager

Tammy Matula, Database Manager

Jennifer Gherardi, Campaign Coordinator

Senta Harvey, Annual Fund & Sponsorships Associate

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Angel Adams, Vice President of Finance & Administration

Lissette Rodriguez, Staff Accountant

Chazin & Company, Financial Services

Amy Hine, Office Administrator

HUMAN RESOURCES

Maribeth Baker (Catapult), Human Resources Counselor

LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Aram Kim Bryan, Vice President of Learning & Community Engagement

Emily Gordon, Project Harmony Manager

Dylan Lloyd, Youth Orchestras Manager

Peyton Wulff, Learning Manager

Jirah Montgomery, Youth Orchestras Assistant

MARKETING

Mical Hutson, Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development

Deirdre Roddin, Director of Institutional Marketing & Communications

Nicole Glaza, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing

Chad Calvert, Visual Communications Manager

Laura Thomas, Marketing Manager

Meghan Starr, Patron Communications Manager

Garrett Whiffen, Ticketing Manager 128

March 10 & 11

Knight Theater

Paolo Bortolameolli joins the CSO to lead an exploration of music and art with works by composers Pablo Picasso worked with and admired, including two ballets for which he designed costumes and sets: Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Erik Satie’s Parade.

Paolo Bortolameolli conductor

A special collaboration with The Mint Museum