Program - Final Fantasy - Cinco de Mayo

SPECIAL

2018/19

DISTANT WORLDS: MUSIC FROM FINAL FANTASY

2018/19 SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:

COLORADO SYMPHONY ARNIE ROTH, conductor COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS Thursday, May 2, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, May 3, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

Boettcher Concert Hall

-– Selections to be announced from stage -–

© 2001-2004,2013 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA

© 2009, 2010 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

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2018/19

PROGRAM 1

SPECIAL BIOGRAPHIES ARNIE ROTH, conductor Arnie Roth is a Grammy-winning artist known for his work with performers including Il Divo, Diana Ross, Jewel, The Irish Tenors, Charlotte Church, Peter Cetera, and Dennis DeYoung. Roth has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the BBC Symphony, the Czech National Chamber Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the San Diego Symphony, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Detroit Symphony, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic, and the Sydney Symphony. Roth is well known in the world of video game music for his work with Nobuo Uematsu and Square Enix as Music Director and Conductor of the “Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “More Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “VOICES: music from FINAL FANTASY,” as well as his role as Music Director and Conductor of “PLAY! A Video Game Symphony.” He was the winner of the Best Score Award at the 2003 DVD Premier Awards for his score for the film Barbie™ as Rapunzel and was nominated for an Emmy in 2007 for his original song “Shine” from the movie Barbie™ in The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Roth has produced dozens of best selling CD’s. For more information, visit www.awrmusic.com.

COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS The 2018/19 Colorado Symphony concert season marks the 35th year of the Colorado Symphony Chorus. Founded in 1984 by Duain Wolfe at the request of Gaetano Delogu, then the Music Director of the Symphony, the chorus has grown, over the past three decades, into a nationally respected ensemble. This outstanding chorus of 185 volunteers joins the Colorado Symphony for numerous performances (more than 25 this year alone), and radio and television broadcasts, to repeat critical acclaim. The Chorus has performed at noted music festivals in the Rocky Mountain region, including the Colorado Music Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, where it has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Dallas Symphony. For over two decades, the Chorus has been featured at the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival, performing many great masterworks under the baton of notable conductors Lawrence Foster, James Levine, Murry Sidlin, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, and David Zinman. Among the seven recordings the Chorus has made is a NAXOS release of Roy Harris’s Symphony No. 4, as well as a remarkable recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The Chorus is also featured on a Hyperion release of the Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem and Stephen Hough’s Missa Mirabilis. Most recently, the Orchestra and Chorus has released a worldpremier recording of William Hill’s The Raven. In 2009, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the chorus, Duain Wolfe conducted the chorus on a three-country, two-week concert tour of Europe, presenting the Verdi Requiem in Budapest, Vienna, Litomysl, and Prague, and in 2016 the chorus returned to Europe for concerts in Paris, Strasbourg, and Munich. From Evergreen to Brighton, and Boulder to Castle Rock, singers travel each week to rehearsals and performances in Denver totaling about 80 a year. The Colorado Symphony continues to be grateful for the excellence and dedication of this remarkable all-volunteer ensemble! For an audition appointment, visit the symphony website for an on-line sign up form. www.coloradosymphony.org PROGRAM 2

C O L O R A D O SY M P H O N Y.O R G

SPECIAL BIOGRAPHIES COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS Duain Wolfe, Founding Director and Conductor; Mary Louise Burke, Associate Conductor; Travis Branam, Taylor Martin, Assistant Conductors; Brian Dukeshier, Hsiao-Ling Lin, Danni Snyder, Pianists; Eric Israelson, Barbara Porter, Chorus Managers SOPRANO Sarah Coberly Suzanne Collins Claudia Dakkouri Kate Emerich Lynnae Hinkley Angela Mitchell Angie Nesbit Barb Porter Nicole Stegink Hannah York Joan Zisler

ALTO Sheri Daniel Daniela Golden Kelsey Holmes Genevieve LeBlanc Joanna Maltzahn Jan Pringle Kathi Rudolph Danni Snyder Heather Wood Beth York

TENOR James Carlson Jack Dinkel John Gale David Hodel Ken Kolm Mark Lively Todd McCracken

BASS Ben Eickhoff Bob Friedlander Chris Grossman Eric Israelson Geoff Phillip Ken Quarles Russ Skillings

SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY AWR Music Productions, LLC is proud to present the official symphony concert world-tour Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY. Launched in conjunction with the twentieth anniversary of FINAL FANTASY, this concert tour features the music of Japanese video game composer Nobuo Uematsu and is conducted by Grammy award-winner Arnie Roth. This multimedia experience combines stirring screen images to match the soaring emotions of a symphony orchestra performing music from SQUARE ENIX’S world-renowned FINAL FANTASY video game series.

History After the success of the 2002 FINAL FANTASY concert held in Japan, SQUARE ENIX announced a six-city, seven-show tour of Japan in 2004 entitled “Tour de Japon: music from FINAL FANTASY.” The first stateside concert, “Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY,” followed on May 10, 2004 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA and sold out in three days. It featured music from SQUARE ENIX’s world-renowned FINAL FANTASY video game series, performed by the acclaimed Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The positive reception of this performance gave rise to the 2005 U.S. concert tour “Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY.” Uematsu’s award-winning music was then featured in “More Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY” in Los Angeles at the Universal Amphitheatre. Later that year, the “VOICES: music from FINAL FANTASY” concert took place in Tokyo with the Tokyo Philharmonic under the direction of Music Director Arnie Roth. Video game music has grown increasingly popular in the last few years. Music plays an integral role in today’s games, enhancing the players’ overall experience. While still a growing market, video game soundtracks are now sold in major SOUNDINGS

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SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES outlets and include a variety of genres such as rock, hip-hop, electronica, classical compositions, and songs performed by popular artists. The FINAL FANTASY soundtracks, which are original compositions, have grown so popular that TIME magazine named series composer Nobuo Uematsu a notable “Innovator” in its recent “Time 100: the Next Wave Music” feature. SQUARE ENIX hopes to pioneer awareness and appreciation of not only its own musical creations, but also video game music throughout the industry.

ABOUT COMPOSER NOBUO UEMATSU Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most celebrated composers in the video game field. He has achieved global recognition for his work on the FINAL FANTASY series that has been performed by world-class orchestras around the world. Nobuo Uematsu has been recognized as a major contributor in the increasing appreciation and awareness of video game music. A prime example is the “FINAL FANTASY VIII” theme song, “Eyes on Me,” composed and produced by him. His song featured Hong Kong pop star Faye Wong and sold a record 400,000 copies. It also won “Song of the Year (Western Music)” at the 14th Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999, which was the first time in history that music from a video game had attained this illustrious honor. The music from the game series has grown to such notoriety, Nobuo Uematsu was named as one of the “Innovators” in Time Magazine’s “Time 100: the Next Wave Music “ feature.

About FINAL FANTASY Since the release of FINAL FANTASY in 1987, this unique RPG series continues to showcase the spectacular visuals, highly imaginative worlds and rich stories leading the industry and earning the highest accolades from users around the world. Titles of the series have so far achieved a cumulative shipment of over 100 million units worldwide.

About SQUARE ENIX, Inc. SQUARE ENIX, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the SQUARE ENIX Group. The SQUARE ENIX Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 62 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Visit www.square-enix.com for more information.

PROGRAM 4

C O L O R A D O SY M P H O N Y.O R G

FAMILY

2018/19

CINCO DE MAYO: FIESTA PARA LA FAMILIA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MEXICAN CULTURAL CENTER COLORADO SYMPHONY BERTIE BAIGENT, conductor GUEST ARTISTS: JEANETTE TRUJILLO-LUCERO MARIACHI LOS CORRECAMINOS DE MSU DENVER WESTMINSTER HIGH SCHOOL MARIACHI DE LA LUNA MARIACHI CORAZÓN DE ORO FIESTA COLORADO DANCE COMPANY BALLET FOLKLORICO BAILE CALIENTE Sunday, May 5, 2019, at 2:30 p.m.

Boettcher Concert Hall

HERNANDEZ El Cumbanchero Colorado Symphony RAMIREZ

La Malagueña Colorado Symphony

AGUIRRE

Jarabe Tapatío Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver Ballet Folklorico Baile Caliente GIMÉNEZ Intermezzo from La Boda de Luis Alonso Colorado Symphony Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero ROSAS Sobre las Olas Colorado Symphony CUELLO /arr. O’NEIL La Llorona Colorado Symphony Fiesta Colorado Dance Company Ballet Folklorico Baile Caliente continued on next page PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

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FAMILY

2018/19

LECUONA Malagueña from Andalucia Colorado Symphony Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero VARGAS El Cascabel Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver VARGAS/FUENTES El Son de la Negra Colorado Symphony Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver Fiesta Colorado Dance Company Ballet Folklorico Baile Caliente FERNANDEZ Cielíto Lindo Colorado Symphony Mariachi Groups performing: Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver Westminster High School Mariachi de la Luna Mariachi Corazon de Oro Dance Troupes performing: Fiesta Colorado Dance Company Ballet Folklorico Baile Caliente

Come early for the Garibaldi Plaza Celebration! Join us before the concert from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. for a FREE celebration featuring local Mariachi and Folklorico talent in the Denver Performing Arts Complex Galleria. Local food carts with authentic Mexican food and beverages will add to the fun.

Mexican Cultural Center Founded in 1992, the Mexican Cultural Center is a non-profit 501 © 3 organization that works in partnership with cultural, educational and other institutions to promote and maintain the richness of Mexican culture in the State of Colorado. The Mexican Cultural Center is dedicated to increasing awareness of Mexico’s unique arts, customs, traditions and destinations among the audiences of the United States of America.

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C O L O R A D O SY M P H O N Y.O R G

FAMILY BIOGRAPHIES

PHOTO: BEN DURRANT

BERTIE BAIGENT, conductor British-born Bertie Baigent is rapidly building an international reputation as an exciting and dynamic conductor-composer. He is the musical director of the Waterperry Opera Festival, the London Young Sinfonia, and in various contexts has conducted the WDR Sinfonieorchester, the Gürzenich-Orchester, the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, the Britten Sinfonia, the London Sinfonietta, the Orchestre National de Lille, and the Orchestre de Picardie. Baigent has assisted conductors including Sir Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, and Jac van Steen, and has participated in masterclasses with Martyn Brabbins, Pierre-André Valade, Harald Jers, and others. In 2017 he was awarded the Royal Academy of Music’s Sir Henry Wood Scholarship and Ernest Read Conducting Prize, and participated in the Deutscher Dirigentenpreis. Also at home in the world of opera, recent engagements have included Così fan tutte at the Bedford Park Festival and the world premiere of Nero Monologues for Opera in the City; Baigent has also worked with Shadwell Opera, Helios Opera, OperaUpClose, and will conduct at Hampstead Garden Opera and Waterperry Opera Festival in the 2018–19 season.

New music is particularly important to Baigent, with past and forthcoming collaborations including those with the London Sinfonietta, the Phaedra Ensemble, and 4|12 Collective.

Baigent’s compositions have been widely performed by artists such as the Aurora Orchestra, the Bath Philharmonia, the Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, and the viol consort Fretwork, and have been heard in venues such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Royal Festival Hall. He has been awarded prizes and commissions by organisations including the Royal Philharmonic Society, the BBC, and the National Centre for Early Music. His works have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, and other European radio stations, and are published by Stainer & Bell.

Baigent is a prize-winning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and trained as a cellist and pianist before focusing on conducting and composition. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a double first in 2016, and completed an MA in conducting with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

JEANETTE TRUJILLO-LUCERO, Spanish dance soloist Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero is a native of Denver and is considered as a “Living Legend of Dance in Colorado” by the Brierly Carson-Giffin Dance Library, which was awarded by the Colorado Dance Alliance from the University of Denver. She has performed classical, traditional, Mexican, and Spanish dances with Colorado Symphony since the 1980’s. She will be dancing the Spanish Classics: La Boda De Luis Alonso and La Malagueña—historical dances taught to her by, Governor’s Award Recipient, Lucille Campa. Jeanette received the Mayor’s Award for Excellent in the Arts in 1997 and was feature as one of Colorado’s People in 1995 by the Rocky Mountain News. In 2017, Jeanette received the Latina Trailblazer Award from the Latina’s First Foundation and the Luminaria Recognition Award from the Latino Leadership Institute. Her photos are seen in the Pulitzer nominated book “Hispanic Cultures of the Southwest“ by Dr. Arthur Campa. She has performed throughout the Southwest her entire life and she has taught thousands of dancers.

FAMILY BIOGRAPHIES MARIACHI LOS CORRECAMINOS DE MSU DENVER The Mariachi Correcaminos (Roadrunners) was created by a small group of Adams City High School alumni who united as students at Metropolitan State University in Denver because of their love of mariachi in 2013. In 2015, the MSU’s Music Department moved forward to offer mariachi as an accredited class. Class membership hosts a majority of music major students who will have a career in music. Some of them will become future teachers of mariachi music in our public schools. In the past few years, students have performed at the Colorado Music Educator’s Association Conference at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, for Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Mexican Consulate, and with the Colorado Symphony, among others.

WESTMINSTER HIGH SCHOOL’S MARIACHI DE LA LUNA Westminster High School’s Mariachi de la Luna, a member of the Westminster Public Schools Creative Arts Pipeline, aims to create a world fully enriched by music through the study, composition, and performance of Mariachi music, inspiring personal growth, a positive school culture, and healthy communities. During 2018-2019, the Mariachi de la Luna performed for several community events. Now in its second year, the ensemble’s roster currently includes twenty students,and expects to add two additional high school ensembles for the 2019-2020 year. The Mariachi de la Luna are under the direction of Michael Linert, Westminster High School’s Performing Arts department chair and director of Orchestras and Mariachi, and have also received additional essential and impactful advisement from Dr. Lorenzo Trujillo of the Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver, José Hernández of Mariachi Sol de Mexico, and the faculty of the National Summer Workshop for Mariachi Educators run by Marcia Neel.

MARIACHI CORAZÓN DE ORO Mariachi Corazón de Oro is the advance group of the Colorado Youth Mariachi Program, formed in January 2018, each student in this group have auditioned and demonstrated commitment and passion for mariachi music and its culture. Colorado Youth Mariachi Program is a non-profit mariachi school based in Commerce City. Their mission is to inspire youth in the art of music making and mariachi culture. Students in Mariachi Corazón de Oro represent CYMP and service as role models to other students in the program. Mariachi Corazón de Oro has performed at varies events including the Colorado Statewide Mariachi Festival and attended the Mariachi Spectacular conference in Albuquerque New Mexico. This group is lead by Program Director, Isahar Mendez, along side Co - Director and trumpet teacher, Victor Becerra, and armonía teacher, Randy Juarez.

THE FIESTA COLORADO DANCE COMPANY The Fiesta Colorado Dance Company is the premier and most recognized Hispanic Dance Company of Colorado. The company is directed by, Denver native, Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero.

Formed in 1972, Fiesta Colorado celebrates 45 years of Mexican and Spanish dance in Denver.

The Fiesta Colorado Dance Company was awarded the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2006 for its service to the community and for excellence in the preservation of the Hispanic Arts.

The Dance Company can be seen in theaters and cultural Performances throughout Colorado.

BALLET FOLKLORICO BAILE CALIENTE Ballet Folklorico Baile Caliente is a loc.0325 al folkloric dance group under the direction of Tamara Vigil. Baile Caliente has been sharing the art of traditional Mexican dance with communities since 2010 and strives to bring a cultural impact to every stage and audience.