2014/15 Season Colorado Symphony Pops Series presented by Arrow Electronics
POPS • 2014/15 EVERYTHING’S COMING UP BROADWAY! COLORADO SYMPHONY SCOTT O’NEIL, resident conductor SUSAN EGAN, vocals DOUG LABRECQUE, vocals DEBBIE GRAVITTE, vocals DENVER GAY MEN’S CHORUS, JAMES KNAPP, artistic director DENVER WOMEN’S CHORUS, MARK ZWILLING, artistic director SATURDAY’S CONCERT IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED TO KENNETH KENDAL KING FOUNDATION Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 7:30 pm Sunday, September 28, 2014 at 1:00pm Boettcher Concert Hall STYNE PORTER/BERLIN LOEWE/LERNER ARLEN/HARBURG HERMAN TESORI/SCANLON LOESSER WILLSON LOESSER KANDER/EBB HERMAN
Gypsy Overture “Another Opening, Another Show” from Kiss Me, Kate “No Business Like Show Business” from Annie Get Your Gun “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz Miss Spectacular Thoroughly Modern Millie “Luck Be a Lady” from Guys and Dolls “76 Trombones” from Music Man “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” from Guys and Dolls Cabaret Hello, Dolly! —INTERMISSION—
PORTER KANDER/EBB SCHOENBERG LOESSER ABBA (Ulvaeus/Andersson) HERMAN SCHWARTZ WEBBER WEBBER/HART
“Blow Gabriel Blow” from Anything Goes Overture/All That Jazz “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables “Standing on the Corner” from A Most Happy Fella Mamma Mia “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles “Defying Gravity” from Wicked “Memory” from Cats “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera
SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG PROGRAM 5
POPS BIOGRAPHIES SCOTT O’NEIL, resident conductor This is Scott O’Neil’s ninth season with the Colorado Symphony, and his fourth full season as resident conductor. O’Neil maintains a strong commitment to making music of the highest quality accessible to young audiences. He served as associate conductor for the Utah Symphony, which he joined in August 2000. O’Neil studied piano performance at the Oberlin College Conservatory, served as the assistant conductor of the Eastman School Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestras at the Eastman School of Music, and earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting at Rice University, where he was the director of the Campanile Orchestra, a community/university orchestra. In the spring of 2003, O’Neil was selected by the League of American Orchestras (LAO) to conduct an orchestra comprised of members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and advanced students from the University of Southern California in Synergy, a program created to promote young, contemporary composers. O’Neil is prominently featured with the Colorado Symphony as conductor and creator of the Inside the Score series, in addition to appearances on each of the Masterworks, Family, Pops and Holiday Series.
SUSAN EGAN, vocals Susan Egan has traversed all four corners of the entertainment industry, making powerful impressions in theatre, film, television and music. Most recently, Susan starred on Broadway as Thoroughly Modern Millie. She has also won critical acclaim as Broadway’s (longest-running) “Sally Bowles” in Cabaret, in Triumph of Love and State Fair, and most notably, as the original “Belle” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Tony and Drama Desk noms.). Regionally, Egan starred alongside Carol Burnett in “Putting It Together” and Tommy Tune in the national tour of Bye, Bye Birdie. Film credits include: 13 Going on 30, Man of the Century (Slamdance Audience Award), Death and Texas (Slamdance/Seattle Film Festivals, 2004), The Almost Guys (HBO Comedy/Boston Film Festivals 2004), Meet Market (Sarasota Film Festival, 2004), and The Third Wish (2005 release). In animation, Susan voiced the characters of “Meg” in Disney’s Hercules, “Lin” in the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, “Gina” in the latest Miyazaki release Porco Rosso, and “Angel” in Lady and the Tramp II. On television, Susan spent two seasons on WB’s Nikki, starred in Gotta Kick It Up for Disney Channel, and has guest-starred on NUMB3RS, NYPD Blue, Arli$$, Drew Carey, Party of Five, Great Performances, and more. Egan has sung with scores of symphonies nationwide and will spend 2005-06 touring the country with her solo concert. She has over 30 recording credits, including three solo CDs. Her latest, CoffeeHouse, won a Best Vocalist of the Year 2004 award from TalkinBroadway.com. For more information, visit susanegan.net.
PROGRAM 6 SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG
POPS BIOGRAPHIES DOUG LABRECQUE, vocals Doug LaBrecque is one of the most prolific concert singers of his generation. He has been a soloist with some of the world’s finest orchestras, including Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, and Cleveland Orchestra. He has appeared with more than 125 orchestras worldwide and most major Pops orchestras in America including Philly Pops, Boston Pops and NY Pops at Carnegie Hall. LaBrecque thrilled theater audiences as The Phantom and Raoul, in The Phantom of the Opera. He starred in the original cast of the Harold Prince Broadway revival of Showboat and toured nationally with Les Misérables. He was also featured in Oscar Hammerstein’s 100th birthday celebration at the Gershwin Theatre. Regionally, LaBrecque has played leading roles in Candide, A Chorus Line, Man of La Mancha, and many others. A graduate of The University of Michigan, he appeared in the musical adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life and starred in the premiere Revival of Kurt Weill’s Love Life. International engagements have included Korean National Symphony, Shanghai Radio Orchestra in China, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, The Jerusalem Symphony, and numerous return engagements with Israel Philharmonic. He appeared in Alba, Italy as the guest soloist in an all Bernstein concert and performed at the International Music Festival in Cesky-Krumlov, Czech Republic. He recently performed with acclaimed pianist Lang Lang in Beijing and was a frequent soloist with the legendary Marvin Hamlisch. For information on these and other engagements, as well as information about his recordings, visit DougLaBrecque.com.
DEBBIE GRAVITTE, vocals One of Broadway’s biggest personalities, Debbie Gravitte received the Tony Award for her critically acclaimed performance in Jerome Robbins Broadway, along with the New York Showstopper Award and a Drama Desk Award nomination. She made her Broadway debut in the original cast of They’re Playing Our Song, and went on to appear in: Blues In The Night, Perfectly Frank (Drama Desk Award Nomination), Zorba, Ain’t Broadway Grand?, Chicago and Les Misérables. Debbie appeared in London in Jerry Herman’s Mack and Mabel at the Drury Lane Theatre and has been seen in the New York City Encores! productions of The Boys From Syracuse, Tenderloin, and Carniva. Debbie has sung with over 100 orchestras worldwide, including National Symphony with Marvin Hamlisch, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Pops, Cleveland Pops, Philly Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, San Diego Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Houston Symphony. Overseas, she’s appeared with the London Symphony, Stockholm Philharmonic, Jerusalem Symphony, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Syphonica of Brazil, Munich Philharmonic, and a special performance in Beijing with Lang Lang and the Chinese Philharmonic. Debbie is featured on many recordings including her 3 solo CDs: Defying Gravity, The Alan Menken Ablum, and The MGM Album. Film: Isn’t She Great and The Little Mermaid. Television: Trial and Error (CBS), Pursuit of Happiness (NBC), numerous PBS Specials including: Broadway Plays Washington, Ira Gershwin’s 100th Birthday Live from Carnegie Hall, and In Concert with the Boston Pops. Debbie was featured in the Peter Martin’s ballet Thou Swell with the NYC Ballet. F or more information, visit debbiegravitte.com. SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG PROGRAM 7
POPS BIOGRAPHIES JAMES KNAPP, artistic director, Denver Gay Men’s Chorus With 30 years of choral conducting experience with colleges, churches and community choruses, James Knapp is now in his second season leading the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus to greater levels of artistic and musical excellence. James, who is the Artistic Director Emeritus of the Bayou City Performing Arts, guided the Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston, the Bayou City Women’s Chorus and the Bayou City Chorale for eight years with tremendous success. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Fredonia State University, a diploma from the Mozarteum Conservatory of Music in Salzburg and a Master of Music from the University of Texas at Austin. His choirs have appeared at regional conventions such as the American Choral Director’s Association and the Texas Choral Directors Association. They have also appeared with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in the Palace of St Petersburg Chamber Music Festival in Russia. Additionally, he conducted the featured choir at the International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England with Sir David Willcocks. His choirs have been heard on NPR affiliate stations in performances of the Brahms Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and portions of I Am Harvey Milk. His Singspiration Singers won first prize in a national gospel symposium for their performance and interpretation of gospel music. Mr. Knapp is an educator, performance adjudicator, clinician and has presided over choral workshops in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Italy, England, Thailand and throughout the United States.
THE DENVER GAY MEN’S CHORUS
The Denver Gay Men’s Chorus was established in 1982 with a passionate commitment to LGBT people, to build community and foster acceptance, diversity and tolerance thorough music. It was the first openly gay arts organization in Denver and the Rocky Mountain region. This premier, auditioned 100-voice community chorus has performed more than 125 concerts in its 32-year history, remaining true to its mission of entertaining, educating, inspiring and empowering audiences. DGMC has collaborated with artists such as Margaret Cho, Ann Hampton Callaway, and the Colorado Symphony and has worked with the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music. DGMC has recorded two commercial CDs and has a devoted commitment to the commissioning of new works, the most notable being I Am Harvey Milk by Broadway’s Andrew Lippa. This 60-minute oratorio, scored for PROGRAM 8 SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG
POPS BIOGRAPHIES three soloists, men’s chorus and orchestra premiered last June at Gates Concert Hall to a sold out audience receiving high critical acclaim. Most recently, Mayor Michael B. Hancock proclaiming June 12, 2014 as Denver Gay Men’s Chorus Day honored the chorus as a respected leader in the arts community, significantly enriching the cultural life of the city while serving as a messenger of social justice and change. The chorus produces three concert series per season and sings over 15 community outreach events each year. DGMC is a member of GALA Choruses, a LGBT choral organization made up of over 180 choruses and 10,000 singers worldwide.
THE DENVER GAY MEN’S CHORUS James Knapp, Artistic Director Paul Crowley, Assistant Conductor Ricki Moyer, Principal Accompanist First Tenor Christopher Adams Hayes Burton James DeMarco Robert Haerr Scott Holmes Londell Jackson Michael Kadowitz Shawn Keller Andrew LeBeau Luiz Quiroz Sly Reza Craig Roberts David Valdez Second Tenor Jesse B. Anderson Matthew Bradford Jim Carsten Christopher Cassady Mick Davey Peter DiLeo Randy Eastman Scotte Hoerle Ryan Hunter Jeffrey Winn Kyle Jensen TJ Kizula Brian Lloyd LeMaire Andrew Lindstad Gene McBryde Todd D. Nienhueser Billy Rediess Lucas Ripley
Carlos Rodriguez Michael Sattler Joseph Schwab Karl Sowa Wayne L. Sutton Steven Winters Jaime Zuloaga Baritone Jon Blessing Dale Britt Carlan D Christopher Dapper Kevin L. Ford Clark Geary Greg Gossett Vincent Grandi Bill Heath Don Johnson Robert Kahn John F. Krotchko Doug Lanworthy Stephen Layman Scot McGiveron J.T. McGowan Kevin McGrellis J.T. Miller John Mowry Nolan Oltjenbruns Lars Preece Greg Ravenwood Jeff Reinhard Matthew Rittenberry Michael Rodel
Marcus Smith Eric E. Stephenson Peter Stone Anthony Trujillo, Jr. Bass Robert Allen Greg Andersen Michael Backman Justin Ball Terry Bohannon Steven M. Calpaldi Paul Crowley James Drake Ross Hodgkins Christopher Johnston Jay Kleiber Jarrett LeBeau Everette Marshall Doug Miller Doug Milliken Ryan Page Robert S. Parker Ian Post-Green Cory Rivers Mark Roberts Tom RuBane Everett Schneider Nicholas R. Snakenberg Vern J. Tuttle Doug Wagner George E. Ware
SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG PROGRAM 9
POPS BIOGRAPHIES THE DENVER WOMEN’S CHORUS
The Denver Women’s Chorus was founded in 1984 from an idea that Carol White had with Shirley Guenthner and a few friends. They wanted to create a woman’s chorus of musical excellence that was open to all women that were either Lesbian or respectful of Lesbianism. The Women’s Chorus is now a member of the Rocky Mountain Arts Association and exist to build community through music. Although their origins lie in the lesbian community, the Chorus is open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. They are a community chorus of women with equal interests in the excellence of our music and performances, as well as in the communities in which we live. DWC was the first women’s chorus to perform at a GALA festival in 1986, and has performed at each of the following 7 GALA Festivals, National Conferences, Local Festivals, Public Schools, across the state and in major concert halls across the country, including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York. DWC has been proud to bring new music to the women’s choral community through more than 7 original commissions and many compositions and arrangements written specifically for and often by the chorus. The Denver Women’s Chorus recorded 4 CDs for the public including Where I Live, a major work on breast cancer. They have sung all types of music from Classical, Madrigal and Modern to Jazz, Folk and Blues, from Rock, Pop and Broadway to Barbershop, Chants and Bulgarian. DWC has not been limited by a style of music but rather use every style to convey a message and give the audience an experience that they will remember. They tell stories about environmental, social, health and how they are all women’s issues. The Chorus is rich in its diversity with the eldest members who have lived a lifetime and young women who are just starting their lives. They have families that include spouses, wives, husbands, children, parents, friends and pets. DWC believes that music should challenge and inspire us towards individual growth and dynamic engagement in enriching the entire community; the chorus, our audience, and beyond.
PROGRAM 10 SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG
POPS BIOGRAPHIES THE DENVER WOMEN’S CHORUS Mark Zwilling, Artistic Director Alison Dozier, Assistant Director Beth DeBoer, Principal Accompanist First Soprano Alicia Burtard Angie Durlin Caroline Yates Cathy Noland Connie North Courtney Squire Dorthy Peter Ena Logan Gwen Balk Janice Tilden Jennifer Maupin Jennifer Johnson Jessica Knoedler Laura Reed Lyndsey Lane Megan Hawthorn Sue Knight Second Soprano Ann Foster Angie Stevens Becky Bright Carolyn Burtner Cecelia Thomas Clacy Olson Emily Beer Jennifer Abeyta Jewell Cochran Julia Steadham Julie Korhonen Karen Aase Lane Wake Lauren Grenz Lucy Ellsworth Lucy Reyes
Meghan Morris Michelle Busse Mollye Barrett Monet Leleua Pamela Coen Patricia O’Brien Patricia Sheaffer Rachel Richards Rebekah Whittaker Renee Ellis Sarah Blizzard Stephanie Jauregui Stephanie Sandoval Sarah TL Waugh V McDougall First Alto Alison Dozier Amber Cantorna Angela Gilbert Ann Afton Ann Chamberlin Breana Romero Carri Ratazzi Cheryl Hamilton Clarsa McElhaney Diana Martinez Dianna Orf GwenEllyn Nordquist Indra Lusero Janice Arey Janice Bowen Jennifer Bell Jennifer Baldwin Jessica Christensen Kalima Knapp
Kathryn Woods Krystalyn Goodson Martha Everett Mary Palmer Megan Waples Michelle Gebhart Niki Horino Osharae Steadham Paula Dinwiddie Rosemary Aitken Susan Whittlesey Yael Shalom Second Alto Alyson Daly Ariel DeFazio Barb Jensen Barbara Eberhardt Beth Wienski Chantel Spann Dominique Malik Jada Petersen Jude Gassaway Kareen McCollough Kareena Rae Romero Karen Aviles Karen Edson Leah Klein Lisa Brotz Liz Tredennick Megan Geigle Michelle Bressette Petra Bennett Sarah Lehan Val Durfee
SOUNDINGS 2014/15 | COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG PROGRAM 11
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
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