Monte Perkins, Conductor presents
“Timeless Romance� An all-Mendelssohn program, featuring violin soloist, Frank Almond
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
March 16, 2014 3:00 PM Pabst Theater 144 E. Wells
PROGR A M Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.............................................................. Felix Mendelssohn Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor, Opus 64....................................... Felix Mendelssohn I. Allegro molto appassionato. II. Andante. III. Allegretto non troppo; Allegro molto vivace. Frank Almond, violin Intermission Symphony No.3 in A Minor, Opus 56 (the “Scottish”)........................................... Felix Mendelssohn I. Andante con moto—Allegro un poco agitato. II. Vivace non troppo. III. Adagio. IV. Allegro vivacissimo. FCS SPECIAL GUESTS SUPER READERS—children who have earned free tickets for themselves and their families by participating in Milwaukee Public Library’s SUPER READERS program. PAJAMA JAMBOREE FANS—families who attend our children’s “pops” concerts and earn an opportunity to ‘sample’ one of our “Symphony Sundays” programs. CIVIC MUSIC ASSOCIATION (CMA) SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION PARTICIPANTS—Young music students who have participated in CMA’s audition for scholarship awards have received a complimentary pass for themselves and their family to enjoy great music, well performed at a ”Symphony Sundays” concert of their choice.
***Festival City Symphony is a member organization of Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras, the Creative Alliance, VISIT Milwaukee, an affiliate member of UPAF, and a program partner at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. FCS made the Business Journal’s “Book of Lists” 2002 – 2007, 2010, and 2012.***
T H A N K S TO O U R S P O N S O R S Festival City Symphony would like to take this opportunity to thank its sponsors, without whom these programs would not take place.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Franklyn and Barbara Esenberg Fund
for operational expenses in-kind support for “Pajama Jamborees” 2
Festival City Symphony
through in-kind contribution
F E S T I VA L C I T Y S Y M P H O N Y Chief Executive Officer................................................................................................Franklyn Esenberg Conductor/Artistic Director...............................................................................................Monte Perkins Executive Director................................................................................................................. Linda E. Jones Education Director..................................................................................................................Jayne Perkins Librarian.................................................................................................................................. Christine Treter Assistant Librarians.......................................................................................Robert and Martha Kriefall Board of Directors Franklyn Esenberg, Chairman of the Board Theodore Zimmer, Secretary/ Treasurer JoAnn Norris Charlane O’Rourke Robert W. Stack PERSONNEL FIRST VIOLIN Robin Petzold Concertmaster Pamela Simmons Ass’t Concertmaster Marvin Suson Catherine Bush Mary Stryck JoAnn Haasler Alyssa Yank Al Bartosik Katie Brooks Isabel Escalante Carol Christensen SECOND VIOLIN Ellen Scott Principal Juanita Groff Ruth Bryskier Laurie Asch Melissa Mann Cheryl Ann Fuchs Hilary Mercer Eva Szoke Tassia Hughes VIOLA Christine Treter Principal Olga Tuzhilkov Lynne Fields Jenna Dick Julie Roubik Korinthia Klein Mary Pat Michels
CELLO Stefan Kartman Principal Tom Smith Co-Principal Ingrid Tihtcheva Elizabeth Bender Sacia Jerome Melissa Honigman Martha Kriefall Carol Wittig BASS Charles Grosz Principal Kathryn Jursik Barry Paul Clark Michael Gudbaur Steven Rindt FLUTE Kristen Fenske Principal Heidi Knudsen
BASSOON Lori Babinec Principal Steven Whitney HORN Kelly Hofman Principal Nancy Cline Anne Maliborski Charles Payette Sean Brown TRUMPET Gerry Keene Principal Joe Burzinski TUBA Dan Neesley TIMPANI Robert Koszewski
OBOE Bonnie Cohen Principal Suzanne Swenson CLARINET Franklyn Esenberg Principal Linda E. Jones Timeless Romance
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C O N D U C TO R ’ S N O T E S “ T I M E L E S S R O M A N C E ” Good afternoon and welcome to this concert featuring the music of Felix Mendelssohn. Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) lived a remarkably short life; in ill health for most of it. The frustrations and conflicts felt by many other composers were not a part of his life. He was born to a family of position and culture. His grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786), was dubbed “the modern Plato” in reference to his being one of the revered philosophers of his generation. Felix’s Photo by Joseph A. Haertle sister, Fanny (1805-1847), was raised as a coequal and was a gifted performer and composer. Felix Mendelssohn was greatly taken by Shakespeare and wrote his Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1826, when he was only 17 years old. In 1842, he wrote a series of pieces intended to accompany the play, which included the famous Wedding March and reprised the overture. During our performance, listen for the famous “HeeHaw” in the orchestra emulating the character of Bottom while wearing a donkey’s head. One of history’s outstanding musical prodigies, Mendelssohn was an established musician and conductor. By 1836, he was appointed head of the Leipzig Gewandhaus concerts. His concertmaster and lifelong friend, Ferdinand David, was a brilliant violinist and the dedicatee of the concerto we will play for you today. Written between 1838 and 1845, the Violin Concerto was Mendelssohn’s last orchestral work. David provided practical input and also wrote the cadenza that is usually performed. David was the soloist at the premiere of the piece in Leipzig on March 13, 1845. Mendelssohn was unable, due to his failing health, to conduct and was replaced by the Danish composer and conductor Neils Gade. Though almost 175 years old, the concerto has, as one critic calls it, “the charm of eternal youth.” As our soloist today, we are fortunate to once again feature the concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Frank Almond. As any well-to-do scion of a well-bred family in the 19th century, Mendelssohn embarked on a “grand tour” of Europe and Great Britain. His travels provided inspiration throughout his career. In 1829, he went to Scotland and met Sir Walter Scott in Edinburgh. Holyrood Castle, home of Mary, Queen of Scots, had a profound impact on him. While there, he sketched his Scottish Symphony, though it was 13 years before he completed it. By the time he completed the work now known as the Symphony No. 3 (Scottish), it was the last symphony he composed. Mendelssohn made a point of never providing stories to accompany his works. Any socalled “programs” were written subsequently by critics. Premiered on March 3, 1842, with Mendelssohn himself conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Symphony No. 3 is considered the ultimate statement of his symphonic vision.
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ABOUT OUR SOLOIST Violinist Frank Almond holds the Charles and Marie Caestecker Concertmaster Chair at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and teaches at Northwestern University. He returned to the MSO after holding positions as Concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic with Valery Gergiev and Guest Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic with Kurt Masur. He continues an active schedule of solo and chamber music performances in the US and abroad, has been a member of the chamber group An die Musik in New York City since 1997, and also directs the somewhat notorious Frankly Music Chamber Series based in Milwaukee. At 17, he was one of the youngest prizewinners in the history of the Nicolo Paganini Competition in Genoa, Italy, and five years later was one of two American prizewinners at the Eighth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow,which was documented in an award-winning PBS film. Since then he has kept up an eclectic mix of activities in addition to his Concertmaster duties, appearing both as a soloist and chamber musician. In addition to his work with An die Musik, Mr. Almond’s talent as a chamber musician has generated collaborations with many of today’s well-known institutions, including the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Ravinia Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, Music in the Vineyards, and numerous other festivals. He has recorded for AVIE, Summit, Albany, Innova, Boolean (his own label), Newport Classic, Wergo and New Albion and has appeared numerous times on NPR’s Performance Today. In both 2002 and 2004 An die Musik received Grammy nominations for its “Timeless Tales” series. The re-release of Mr. Almond’s recording of the complete Brahms Sonatas, performed in collaboration with pianist William Wolfram, brought an extraordinary critical response, followed by a CD with William Wolfram released in November 2006 on the AVIE label. In 2010 his CD of American music for violin and piano was released to much acclaim on Innova, featuring the pianist Brian Zeger. Also in 2010 he continued his collaborations with the Hal Leonard Corporation, releasing a CD of violin and piano works of Samuel Barber, including several first editions and the premier recording of a previously “lost” sonata for violin and piano. His most recent recording for AVIE is A Violin’s Life, partially chronicling the history and pedigree of the violin he currently plays, the 1715 Lipinski Stradivari. Funded by a hugely successful Kickstarter project, the CD debuted in the Billboard Top Ten Classical in its first week of release, and continues to receive enormous critical acclaim. Mr. Almond holds two degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Dorothy Delay. Other important teachers included Michael Tseitlin, Felix Galimir, and Joseph Silverstein. He has held academic positions at San Diego State University, Texas Christian University, and is now on the faculty at Northwestern University. When he’s not traveling around playing the violin he lives in Milwaukee with his wife and daughters Tess and Gabrielle. In regards to the recent theft and return of the “Lipinski” Stradivarius, Frank Almond states: “Many of you have sent me personal messages, email, cards, flowers, and so many other good wishes. I want to express my gratitude for that; the avalanche of goodwill has been really heartening during a difficult time.” More at frankalmond.com Timeless Romance
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M E E T F E S T I VA L C I T Y S Y M P H O N Y M U S I C I A N - B A R R Y PAU L C L A R K BARRY PAUL CLARK has played Double Bass for Festival City Symphony for five years. Birthplace: Born in Melbourne, FL on an Air Force base, grew up in Wauwatosa, WI from the age of six. Education: Attended Wauwatosa East High School, studied privately at The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music with John Babbitt, and graduated in 2009 from The Mannes College of Music (NYC) with a bachelor’s in classical music performance. What I enjoy most about playing the Double Bass: It’s such an adaptive instrument, and in most music, a desired element. Music needs low end! It can be rhythmic, aggressive, melodic, lyrical; there are so many voices that the instrument can take on across many genres and ensembles. What I find most challenging (or what I like least) about playing the Double Bass: It’s not the most mobile of instruments…I have to allot time for loading in and out of my car and sometimes taking a few trips depending on the gig. Plus with a bigger instrument comes a bigger price tag for strings and accessories! Other instruments I play: I compose and record experimental electronic music, so I know my way around a lot of electronic gear like synthesizers/keyboards and digital instruments. I also play electric bass when the music calls for it. Other musical involvements: There’s the aforementioned experimental music project, which I release under the moniker adoptahighway (soundcloud.com/adoptahighway) I’m also a co-curator in a monthly improvised music series called Unrehearsed MKE, which brings together musicians of all backgrounds for spontaneous composition and improvised sonic landscapes – taking place the first Sunday of every month at The Jazz Estate. I also play in various jazz/free music/modern music ensembles around the Milwaukee area, as well as playing in the bass section of the Kenosha Symphony and Kettle Moraine Symphony. Non-musical activities: I love watching movies, particularly horror films and independent cinema. I enjoy hiking and nature, as well as traveling.
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M E E T F E S T I VA L C I T Y S Y M P H O N Y M U S I C I A N - M I C H A E L G U D B AU R MICHAEL GUDBAUR has played Double Bass for Festival City Symphony for five years. Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin Education: UW Parkside, English What I enjoy most about playing the bass: To me, there is something deeply satisfying about providing the harmonic foundation for a musical group, whether it’s a symphony orchestra or a jazz combo. Although I do enjoy those brief moments when the bass gets to shine, my temperament is definitely better suited to the supporting role. What I find most challenging (or what I like least) about playing the bass: Most folks assume it would be hauling the thing around, but I think most bassists would agree they don’t give it a second thought after a while. Worse are the tired jokes and comments you hear when carrying the bass (don’t you wish you’d played the flute?). Other instruments I play: bass guitar, chromatic harmonica, piano. Other musical involvements: Aside from Festival City, I play in the Racine Symphony, the Kenosha Symphony, and the Wisconsin Philharmonic. I also play jazz in several groups in the Racine/Kenosha/Milwaukee area. I have several private students and am adjunct bass instructor at UW Parkside. Non-musical activities: Cooking for my family, reading, bicycling when the weather permits. Music I play on my iPOD, CD player: I listen to a big mishmash of classical and jazz I’ve collected over the years. I have no favorites, but I often skip ahead in the shuffle until I find some Bach, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Ray Brown, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon... But, nerd that I am, I most often listen to NPR podcasts such as This American Life, RadioLab, Fresh Air, etc. Favorite musical memory: As part of the Racine Symphony’s “Side-By-Side” young-artist outreach program a couple of years ago, I was able to perform with both my then-highschool-age daughters, Hannah and Sarah (viola and violin), on a program of Bizet, Britten and Mozart. I was a very proud dad that day! Advice to young musicians: Become a musical polyglot; learn several styles, including those that require improvisation. You will find that each style contributes to the other and will make you a more rounded musician.
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UPCOMING PROGR A MS
S
ymphony undays
CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR ALL AGES
“MAGNIFICENT MOODS”
SYMPHONY SUNDAYS CONCERT Sunday, May 4, 2014 3:00 pm | Pabst Theater 144 E. Wells Street Children Program Notes at 2:45 Tickets: $14, Adult $8, Child, student, or senior The final “Symphony Sundays” concert of the season will again feature works from one composer, Robert Schumann, including his great “Piano Concerto in A minor,” with nationally recognized Milwaukee pianist Stephen Swedish as soloist. The concert will begin with the moody “Manfred Overture,” based on a poem by Lord Byron. The “Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish)” or “Of the Rhine” then completes the Symphony Sundays season with German folk dances and imagery of the magnificent Cologne Cathedral.
“SPRING IS IN THE AIR!”
PAJAMA JAMBOREE Wednesday, May 21, 2014 7 – 8:00 pm | FREE children’s classical pops concert Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in the Bradley Pavilion Use the 123 E. State Street entrance. FCS will perform lively selections to celebrate spring with a special guest, folksinger and guitarist David Drake. Youngest audience members will have the opportunity to conduct the finale, Sousa’s “Stars & Stripes!” These popular programs welcome children* and their parents and grandparents to attend in casual dress or pajamas and sit on the floor, up close to “meet” the orchestra. Conventional seating is also available. *Most suitable for children grades K4 through 5.
festivalcitysymphony.org • 414-365-8861 festivalcitysymphony@wi.rr.com
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