March 11 Knight Theater
I’m delighted to welcome you to the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras Spring Concert at the Knight Theater!
Under the wonderful leadership of Youth Orchestra
Conductor Christopher James Lees and Youth Philharmonic Co-Conductors Katie Ebert and Eric Thompson III, we are more committed than ever to providing our young musicians with an extraordinary music education and a nurturing environment in which to grow and connect in music and friendship.
This afternoon you’ll experience the Youth Orchestra and Youth Philharmonic perform a wide range of works from Mozart and Wagner to Stravinsky and Ravel! This inspiring group of young musicians have worked incredibly hard alongside the Symphony’s talented conductors and musicians, who served as coaches to prepare them for this moment today. We are all extremely proud of their accomplishments!
None of this would be possible without the support of parents and families and without the generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony. Thank you for being here today to hear these talented young musicians and to support the future of music in our community.
Enjoy the concert!
David Fisk President & CEO
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
Saturday, March 11, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY YOUTH PHILHARMONIC
Katie Ebert, co-conductor
Eric Thompson III, co-conductor
GIUSEPPE VERDI
“Anvil Chorus” from Il Trovatore
Calypso Sea SOON HEE NEWBOLD
American Landscape
Overture from The Magic Flute W. A. MOZART
RICHARD WAGNER Suite from Tannhäuser
I. Pilgrim’s Chorus
II. Evening Star
III. Grand March
(There will be a brief pause to reset the stage.)
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Christopher James Lees, conductor
Ancient Desert Drone HENRY COWELL
JOSEPH HAYDN
MAURICE RAVEL
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Symphony No. 89
I. Vivace
“The Fairy Garden“ from Mother Goose Suite
Firebird Suite (1919 Version)
Berceuse and Finale
Emerging American conductor Christopher James Lees brings passionate and nuanced orchestral performances to the stage, a fierce commitment to contemporary music, and a natural charisma to audiences all around the world.
In 2018, Mr. Lees began an appointment as Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. In addition to the more than 50 annual concert appearances with the CSO, he has stepped in to conduct Subscription Classical performances on four occasions, including gala concerts with Grammy Award winning artists Branford Marsalis in May 2021 and Rhiannon Giddens in November 2022.
This season, Mr. Lees makes his debuts with the New York Philharmonic, New World Symphony, and Fort Worth Symphony. An active guest conductor, Mr. Lees has returned for performances with the Los Angeles and Rochester Philharmonics, the Houston, Detroit, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Portland, and Flint Symphonies, and conducted debuts with the Indianapolis, Kansas City, Toledo, and Vermont Symphonies.
Additional engagements have taken him to the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestra de Chambre de Paris, Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and at the Music in the Mountains Festival & Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordão in Brazil.
Only the second American Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mr. Lees made his debut with the orchestra in April 2013 and returned for concerts in February 2015.
With the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis & Atlanta Symphonies, among others, Mr. Lees has served as a assistant conductor for the world’s leading conductors, including: Gustavo Dudamel, Paavo Järvi, Herbert Blomstedt, Leonard
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Slatkin, David Robertson, Marin Alsop, Pablo Heras-Casado, Stéphane Danève, Susanna Mälkki, Robert Spano, and Nicholas McGegan.
After two summers of study with Robert Spano at the Aspen Music Festival, Mr. Lees was named winner of both the 2011 James Conlon Conducting Prize and the 2012 Aspen Conducting Prizes, respectively. In 2013, Mr. Lees returned for a third summer as assistant conductor for the Aspen Music Festival and School.
An active pianist, and equally comfortable in the opera pit, Mr. Lees has served as Music Director or Assistant Conductor for a wide array of operas: Aida (Atlanta Symphony), Peter Grimes & John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby (Aspen Opera Theatre Center), Louis Andriessen’s De Materie, and Philip Glass’ the CIVIL warS (Los Angeles Philharmonic), Don Giovanni & Mark Adamo’s Little Women, (University of Michigan Opera Theatre), and Nino Rota’s Il Capello di paglia di Firenze (AJ Fletcher Opera Institute).
A recipient of a Career Assistance Grant from the Solti Foundation US, Mr. Lees was also chosen for showcase on the Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation National Conductor Preview, hosted by the League of American Orchestras and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
A dedicated advocate for music of our time, Mr. Lees has premiered more than one hundred fifty new works by a diverse range of composers, and collaborated closely with Pulitzer Prize winners John Adams, William Bolcom, John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, Joseph Schwantner, Steven Stucky, Caroline Shaw, Roger Reynolds, and Julia Wolfe.
A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Lees holds bachelors and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, and has studied conducting with Larry Rachleff and Robert Spano, as well as having participated in masterclasses with Lorin Maazel, Michael Tilson Thomas, Gustav Meier, and Jorma Panula.
When not performing, Mr. Lees can be found building Lego sets with his seven year old son, reading the stack of books on his nightstand, or perpetually training for a marathon.
Katie Ebert is the Director of Bands at Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw NC, having served in this capacity since the school’s opening in 2009. She is in her 19th year teaching public school, and each of her ensembles continues to experience success. The Cuthbertson Middle School concert bands have consistently earned superior ratings at local, district and regional music festivals. Under her baton, the middle school program has grown to a current enrollment of approximately 220 music students. Mrs. Ebert also serves as the Assistant Director of Bands at Cuthbertson High School.
A graduate of Lassiter High School in Marietta GA, Mrs. Ebert holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Performance from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah GA, and a Master of Music Education from Western Carolina University. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and holds professional associations in the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Educators, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the American School Band Directors Association, the South-Central District Bandmasters Association, and the Union County Bandmasters Association. Mrs. Ebert is a three-time award recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence and was recognized as Cuthbertson Middle School’s Teacher of the Year in 2016/17. She currently serves as a district representative on the state MPA committee and Solo and Ensemble chair.
Mrs. Ebert recently served as a guest clinician for the South Central and Northwestern All District Symphonic Honor Bands, and she continues to conduct both Distinct and County bands in the Southeast. She resides in Waxhaw, NC and team teaches the Cuthbertson band program alongside her husband Todd.
Eric L. Thompson, III serves as the Conductor for the Charlotte Symphony Youth Ensemble and Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2007 where he held the Robert Ehrman Fellowship. There he studied with Grammy Award Winning and MacArthur “Genius” Edgar Meyer and Harold Robinson, principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Upon graduation, Eric played full-time bass with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra prior to joining Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Mr. Thompson is the recipient of many awards-he is the first bassist to become a laureate of the Sphinx Competition, he was awarded second place in the ASTA National Solo Competition, and in 2002 he was awarded a musicians union scholarship from the American Federation of Musicians and the rank of Eagle Scout by the National Eagle Scout Association of Boy Scouts of America. As a soloist, he has played on live television broadcasts and has performed concertos twice with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2013, Mr. Thompson has been teaching orchestra at the Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. His students have participated in CMS All-District Honors Orchestra, Western Regional Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra, Youth Orchestra of Charlotte, All State Orchestra, NC Governor’s School, Interlochen Arts Camp, UNCG Summer Music Camp, and attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. Thompson has been recognized many times as an educator, including the Outstanding Music Educator Award in 2019 by the Youth Orchestras of Charlotte and the Crowning Achievement Award in Music Education in 2020 by the Crown Jewels Chapter, The Links, Incorporated. Most recently he was voted as the 2023 CMS Orchestra Director of the Year and conducted CMS All-District Middle School Honors Orchestra.
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra experience provides extraordinary music education in pursuit of musical excellence. The program aims to inspire in our students a strong sense of character, discipline, commitment, and community.
The ensembles are inclusive, diverse, and accessible to all students, regardless of financial resources. High-quality ensemble training is led by Charlotte Symphony Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees, Youth Philharmonic Co-Conductor Katie Ebert, CSYE Conductor & CSYP CoConductor Eric Thompson III, and professional Charlotte Symphony musicians, who provide a nurturing environment through which young musicians create lasting bonds in music and friendship.
We offer regular performance opportunities throughout the city, including the Belk and Knight theaters, plus access to the Charlotte Symphony’s renowned Conductor Laureate & Music Adviser, Christopher Warren-Green, and international visiting artists, such as Joshua Bell.
Eric
FIRST VIOLINS
Ethan Brainard
Susan Carroll
Ian Cox
Noel Fang
Lilliann Fernandez
Amelia Fleury
Erin Hadiwidjaja*
Janelle Haywood
Mila Held
Emma Hew
Emily Li
Aarthi Nelatoor
Mya Nguyen
Ishika Peter
Neil Zhu
SECOND VIOLINS
Ryan Ahn*
Ellie Allen
Amisha Bharti
Campbell Carter
Clara Gaviria
Danyal Khan
Madison Lee
Elena Oh
Ramya Puttagunta
Corban Ressler
Keshav Saravanan
Rithika Saravanan
Purvi Selvaraj
Ariya Song
Elina Tackson
Ethan Zheng
VIOLAS
Tom Joseph
Keisha Kalra
Katelyn Morton
Mahi Valiveti
Jane Wieland*
Rhianna Zhu
CELLOS
Lars Botts
Alexander Chu
Anja Magi
Chloe Oh*
Addison Turner
DOUBLE BASS
Noah Hagerty
FLUTES
Kieran Betts
Justin Li
Sullivan Mann
Siya Patel
Nitin Rapolu
CLARINETS
Grace Chiu
Sarah Echevarry
Maxwell Tan
Natalie Taylor
TROMBONES
Daniel Paulauskas
TUBA
Josh Pascual
PERCUSSION
Codi Travis
* Denotes Principal String player. Wind & Brass players rotate positions throughout the concert.
Christopher James Lees, conductor
FIRST VIOLINS
Aauysh Bharti
Nathan Butler
Sarah Chen
Juliette DeMay
Andrew Hempe
Evan Hempe
Hailey Kim
Brigitte Kittner
Akshara Krishna
Aliya Ling
Annie Liu
Allen Ma
Julia Moy
Joy Ni*
Ishara Shrestha-Rai
Medha Ullagaddi
Julia Yang
Jasmine Zheng
Alice Zhong
SECOND VIOLINS
Marie Allbritton
Aarti Anugonda
Cecilia Bolling*
Lillian Dong
Lucy Frost
Hadley Hines
Zodayah Hsu
Dhanvi Manivasagam
Dhiya Manivasagam
Madeline Mckinney
Sydney Nguyen
Sophia Oh
Isabella Pierre
Jordan Polk
Rose Pradeep
Neal Rao
Anjali Reddy
Maya Sanders
Mackenzie Sturgill
Sameeya Vasan
Rachel Wang
ZhangKai Yang
VIOLAS
Nicholas Feddersen
Brendon Hablutzel*
Katie Jung
Ella Kuzara
Mia Lederer
Kiu Yuk Kieran Lee
Katherine Liu
Claire Mitchell
David Rankin
CELLOS
Charlotte Feddersen
Ryan Kim
Christian Ko*
Isaac Park
Gabriel Pierre
Josiah Shin
Madeline Sturgill
Ben Uslan
Raechel Wu
DOUBLE BASSES
Brian Dong
Alexander Shaffer
Michael Stratford*
FLUTES
Kieran Betts
Prisha Desai
Nandini Goswami
Karis Huang
Aubry Wilhelm
OBOES
Andre Berard
Kimberly Haines
Connor Koivisto
Rebecca Roberts
CLARINETS
Cecilia Chiu
Forrest Healy
Wyatt Stocks
BASSOONS
Timothy Brown
Akosua Mensah
HORNS
Nicholas Garman
Liliana Grajales
Elliot Kreitman
Misty May
TRUMPETS
Oscar Bao
Conner Bapp
Jacob Sims
Sheldon Turner
William Wiand
TROMBONES
Ryder Hutchinson
Hannah Moore
TUBA
Mira Schar
PERCUSSION
Mark Li
Ethan Xu
HARP
Ella Higham
* Denotes Principal String player. Wind & Brass players rotate positions throughout the concert.
March 17 & 18 7:30 pm | Belk Theater
The original Star Wars trilogy comes to a dramatic conclusion at Belk Theater this season with Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The Empire and the Rebel Alliance prepare for a final confrontation. See it on the big screen with John Williams’s legendary score performed live!
704.972.2000 | charlottesymphony.org
© 1983 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox Film Corp, Lucasfilm and Warner/Chappell Music. © All rights reserved.
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 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.
The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
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
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
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
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
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
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. 9)
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 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.”
