In cooperation with Young Concert Artists Presents
Jose Franch-Ballester
March 11, 2011 8:00 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
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BIOGR APHY As recipient of the 2010 MIDEM Classique Outstanding Young Artist Award, which aims to introduce the as yet unsigned recording stars of the future to the Classical recording industry, clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester performed Debussy’s Rhapsody with the Sinfonietta Cracovia at the awards ceremony in Cannes, which was broadcast live on France Musique, Radio Luxembourg and Polish Radio. Since winning the 2004 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Mr. Franch-Ballester’s career has gone from strength to strength. He became a member Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two and continues to perform with them in New York. He is on the roster of Astral Artistic Services in Philadelphia, was selected by Carnegie Hall for Master Classes with Emanuel Ax and Richard Stoltzman, and performed in Carnegie’s Weill Hall. Mr. Franch-Ballester was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2008. His other prestigious awards include the Alexander Kasza-Kasser Concert Prize for his Kennedy Center debut, and the Claire Tow Prize, which sponsored his New York debut. He performs with the woodwind quintet, Astral Winds.
Society of Lincoln Center, the Arts Council of Moore County, the Tryon Concert Association, Morning Musicales, Rockport Music, at Wisconsin Lutheran College, the University of Florida, and the Howland Cultural Center and Chamber Music Circle.
Mr. Franch-Ballester is in demand for numerous festivals, both national and international, including Chamber Music Northwest, Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, the Skaneateles Festival, the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire, and the Usedomer Musikfestival in Germany, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, the Cartagena Festival Internacional de Música in Colombia, and the Young Concert Artists Festival at Nexus Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Born in Moncofa, Spain into a family of clarinetists and Zarzuela singers, Jose Franch-Ballester began clarinet lessons at the age of nine with Venancio Rius Marti, and gave his first recital in Valencia at the age of sixteen. He graduated from the Joaquin Rodrigo Music Conservatory in Valencia in 2000 and won First Prize of the Cultural Council of Valencia for three consecutive years (20012003) and First Prize in the “Francisco Hernandez Guirado” Interpretive Soloists Competition. Mr. Franch-Ballester came to the U.S. to study at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he graduated in 2005, studying clarinet with Donald Montanaro and Ricardo Morales and chamber music with Pamela Frank. Mr. Franch-Ballester is also an avid photographer.
This season, Mr. Franch-Ballester’s concert tours take him to South America as soloist with the YOA Orchestra of the Americas, performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, and to Mexico with Pro Musica. Other concerto engagements include performances with the International Clarinet Association, the La Crosse Symphony and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. Mr. FranchBallester appears at Montclair State University, with the Chamber Music 2 Wisoconsin Lutheran College
Mr. Franch-Ballester has given concerts at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Iowa State University, Buffalo Chamber Music Society, and at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, and as soloist with the Victoria and Wichita Falls symphonies in Texas, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the direction of Keith Lockhart at Lincoln Center, the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, and with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Keith Lockhart. In Spain, he has performed with the Orquesta de Radio y Television Española, Orquesta Sinfonica Castellon, Orquesta Supramusica, Orquesta Cambra XX Teatro Monumental (Madrid), and the Musica de Vall de Uxo Orchestra. He performed the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Winter Roses with mezzosoprano Frederica von Stade.
Anna Polonsky, pianist, is widely in demand as a soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared with the Moscow Virtuosi and Vladimir Spivakov, the Buffalo Philharmonic with JoAnn
BIOGR APHY (cont.) Falleta, the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and many others. Ms. Polonsky has collaborated with the Guarneri, Orion, and Audubon Quartets, and with such musicians as Mitsuko Uchida, David Shifrin, Richard Goode, Ida and Ani Kavafian, Cho-Liang Lin, Arnold Steinhardt, Anton Kuerti, Gary Hoffman, and Fred Sherry. She is regularly invited to perform chamber music at festivals such as Marlboro, Chamber Music Northwest, Seattle, Moab, Music@Menlo, Bridgehampton, Bard, and Caramoor, as well as at Bargemusic in New York City. Ms. Polonsky has given concerts in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Alice Tully Hall, and the Stern, Weill and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall, and has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. A frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, she was a member of CMS Two during 2002-2004. In
2006 she took a part in the European Broadcasting Union’s project to record and broadcast all of Mozart’s keyboard sonatas, and in the spring of 2007 she performed a Carnegie Hall solo recital, inaugurating the Emerson Quartet’s Perspectives Series. Anna Polonsky made her solo piano debut at the age of seven at the Special Central Music School in Moscow, Russia. She immigrated to the United States in 1990, and attended high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Music diploma from The Curtis Institute of Music, where she worked with the renowned pianist Peter Serkin, and continued her studies with Jerome Lowenthal, earning her Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School. Polonsky was a recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship in 2003. In addition to performing, she serves on the piano faculty of Vassar College. She is a Steinway Artist.
PROGR A M JOSE FRANCH-BALLESTER, clarinet ANNA POLONSKY, piano Grand Duo Concertante for clarinet and piano op. 48.........................C. M. VON WEBER Allegro Con Fuoco (1786-1826) Andante Con Moto Rondo-Allegro Reverie for clarinet and piano.................................................................... CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Theme and variations for clarinet and piano ...........................................JEAN FRANÇAIX (1912-1997) INTERMISSION Sonatina for clarinet and piano..............................................................PAUL SCHOENFIELD (b. 1947) Milonga del angel......................................................................................... ASTOR PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Two Rags for Two Johns....................................................................................JOHN NOVACEK Schenectady (b. 1962) 4th street Drag Recuperation Full Strede Ahead Wisoconsin Lutheran College 3
Presents
Cirque Voila!
March 13, 2011 3:00 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
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BIOGR APHY Cirque (n.)- French. 1. Circle, 2. Circus, 3. Circular or round, as in the center ring of a circus It takes a lot of gumption to use that word in your title, Cirque Voila! After all, everyone is so over-exposed to Cirque du Soleil, the 800 pound gorilla of the New Circus, that it is hard to remember that the word “CIRQUE” doesn’t refer to any one single company, but rather to a STYLE of circus. Sometimes people ask, “So is this different from Cirque du Soleil?” The answer is that, at the core, it is not. These are circus performers dedicated to excellence, comedy and doing the impossible right there in your lap, in a live theatre.
The year 2004 saw Cirque Voila grow into its first full length theater productions. Since then, the show has been presented coast to coast appearing at casinos, universities, colleges, civic centers, performing arts centers and corporate special events in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and California. They are delighted to have come this far on the adventure and look forward to expanding the horizon of their audiences in the years to come.
Cirque Voila! brings to you the core of what circus has always been about; extraordinary people doing amazing things. It is just pure circus, delivered straight to you, wrapped up in a comedy confection. Cirque Voila tells the human story via mind bending skills. Tomfoolery Entertainment, Cirque Voila’s parent organization, has been providing unique cirque-style and variety acts for corporate events since its inception in 1989. Over the years, clients kept asking for more, bigger, larger shows. Before they knew it, they had an entire theatrical show on their hands. The first performance was in the year 2000 as a corporate entertainment for Accessline.com. This was followed by more corporate shows at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Multiple cirque installations at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino and Bally’s Park Place Casino made it clear that a bigger picture was emerging and the show was transcending its roots.
Patricia Joslin
Independent Beauty Consultant www.marykay.com/phansen3 262-284-6781
Wisoconsin Lutheran College 5
Presents
Keyboard Conversations速 with Jeffrey Siegel NORTHERN STARS: BRAHMS, GRIEG, SIBELIUS, AND NIELSON
March 23, 2011 7:30 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
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PROGR A M Rhapsody No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 79............................................................. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) May Night, Op 27, No. 4 .................................................................................... Selim Palmgren (1878-1951) Rustles of Spring, Op. 32, No. 3 .................................................................... Christian Sinding (1856-1941) Snapdragon . ..............................................................................................................Jean Sibelius Capricietto (1865-1957) Evergreen Romance in D-flat INTERMISSION Folk Tune, Op. 3, No. 1.................................................................................................Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) Evening in the Mountains, Op. 68, No. 4............................................................Edvard Grieg Cradle Song, Op. 68, No. 5 (1843-1907) Spring Dance, Op. 38, No. 5 Norwegian Dance, Op. 71, No. 5 Questions and Answers
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BIOGR APHY The distinguished American pianist JEFFREY SIEGEL has been soloist with the world’s great orchestras. Abroad, these include the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Philharmonic and Philharmonia, Moscow State Symphony, Bayerischer Rundfunk, The Hague Residentie Orkest, Oslo Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Orchestra of La Scala and NHK Symphony of Japan. In the United States, engagements include the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Siegel has collaborated with many of the pre-eminent conductors of our time: Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman, as well as legendary maestros of the past, including Eugene Ormandy, Sir George Solti, William Steinberg, Klaus Tennstedt and Yevgeny Svetlanov. In addition to his solo appearances, Jeffrey Siegel presents Keyboard Conversations®, a unique concertplus-commentary format in which he speaks to the audience about the music before performing each work. New listeners have greeted these programs enthusiastically, as they present an informal, accessible and highly entertaining introduction to the vast repertoire of the piano and to classical music in general. Seasoned music-lovers have been enriched by Mr. Siegel’s erudition and delighted by his wit. Ongoing series flourish in numerous American cities, among them New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minneapolis/ St. Paul, Dallas, Washington, D. C. and Denver. Some of these venues have been presenting Keyboard Conversations for more than thirty years—resounding testimony to Jeffrey Siegel’s superb artistry, innovative format and loyal fans. 8 Wisoconsin Lutheran College
Following the successful reception of Keyboard Conversations in the United Kingdom last season, Keyboard Conversations continue in 2010-2011 at London’s dynamic, newest arts complex, Kings Place. Listeners to Oprah Radio’s “Dr. Oz Show” recently heard Mr. Siegel in an interview and performance dedicated to the joys of music, as the guest of host and heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and popular author and co-host Dr. Michael Roizen. Random House Audio Publishing Group has released an audiobook series of four CDs of Keyboard Conversations: Mozart and Friends, The Power and Passion of Beethoven, The Romanticism of the Russian Soul and The Romance of the Piano. They are available at www.randomhouse. com/audio, at www.amazon.com, for download at iTunes, and at booksellers across the country. Twin Cities Public Television, in conjunction with The Schubert Club, has produced two halfhour Keyboard Conversations - Mozart & Chopin - available on DVD exclusively at Mr. Siegel’s concerts. Jeffrey Siegel’s recording of Gershwin’s complete works for piano and orchestra with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony continues to be a best-seller, and is available on Amazon, as well. Born into a musical family, Jeffrey Siegel studied with Rudolf Ganz in his native Chicago, with the legendary Rosina Lhévinne at The Juilliard School and, as a Fulbright Scholar, with Ilona Kabos in London. Mr. Siegel and his wife live in New York City and are the parents of two grown children. * WEBSITE: WWW. KEYBOARDCONVERSATIONS.COM. Please visit Mr. Siegel’s website for further information about Keyboard Conversations® - including the current season’s schedule, audio and video highlights, and direct box office links. Jeffrey Siegel is a Steinway artist.
Presents TheatreworksUSA production of
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
March 27, 2011 3:00 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
T H E AT R E WO R K S U S A TheatreworksUSA is America’s largest and most prolific professional not-forprofit theatre for young and family audiences. Since 1961, TheatreworksUSA has enlightened, entertained, and instructed over 68 million people in 49 states and Canada, now performing for about four million people annually. Every year, the company tours approximately 16 shows from its ever-growing repertoire of 110 plays and musicals. In addition, TheatreworksUSA also has an extensive multi-cultural guest artist roster, including storytellers, puppeteers, poets, and magicians. Under the direction of Barbara Pasternack (Artistic Director) and Ken Arthur (Managing Director), TheatreworksUSA is also one of the most honored theatres of its kind. It is the only children’s theatre to receive both a Drama Desk and a Lucille Lortel Award. In addition, TheatreworksUSA was the recipient of a 2001 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award, and in May 2000, The Actors Fund of American bestowed its Medal of Honor upon its founders, Jay Harnick and Charles Hull. T H E AU T H O R C.S. Lewis was born on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He spent his early childhood in an atmosphere of learning and imagination. When his brother was sent away to school, Lewis began spending more and more time reading. He found that he especially enjoyed stories about how magical things happened to ordinary children. When he was 18, he began writing stories. Although he had no children of his own, Lewis never forgot what it was like to be a child. In 1939, with Britain at war and bombs being dropped on London, as many children as possible were sent to live in the country for safety. During this period, the first of several groups of children came to live in his Oxford home. As he got to know them, he was saddened to learn how little they read and how few imaginative stories they seemed to know. Lewis recognized a need to kindle young people’s imaginations with the types of magical stories he treasured as a child. It was nine years later, in 1948, when he started writing The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. THE MUSICAL This enchanting musical is based on an adventure story about four children of war-torn England, who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. This strange and wondrous place is ruled by the cold-hearted White Witch, who makes the winter last year round. Although they seem unlikely saviors, the children fulfill an ancient prophecy by defeating the witch, thus restoring sunshine and peace to the spell-bound Narnia and returning the great Lion King Aslan to his throne. The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe is a condensed version of the full-length musical Narnia, with book by Jules Tasca, music by Thomas Tierney, and lyrics by Ted Drachman. It is based on the book of the same name by C.S. Lewis, which is part of the 7-volume Chronicles of Narnia series. The production is directed by John Henry Davis, with choreography by Janet Bogardus and fight direction by John Morgan. The scenery is designed by Beowulf Boritt and the costumes are by AnneMarie Wright. Orchestrations are by Dave Hab.
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Presents
Club Swing
April 1, 2011 8:00 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
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BIOGR APHY Five By Design’s signature harmonies have withstood the test of time in a career that stands out on America’s musical landscape, spanning more than fifteen years. This nationallyacclaimed vocal quintet has been the choice of symphony orchestras and performing art centers delighting hundreds of thousands. But Five By Design’s creative talents go far beyond their vocal prowess. As the creative talent behind Radio Days, Club Swing, and Stay Tuned, their productions showcase the group’s penchant for storytelling and the comedic. Five By Design embraces the unforgettable melodies, lush harmonies, and swinging rhythms that evoke the names of Miller, Mancini and Mercer. The Minnesota-based Five By Design includes LORIE CARPENTERNISKA, SHERIDAN ZUTHER, KURT NISKA, MICHAEL SWEDBERG, and TERRANCE NISKA. Four of the five members have been singing together since 1986. The group’s familial ties include brothers Terrence and Kurt Niska and the husband-wife duo of Kurt and Lorie Niska and childhood collaborator, Michael Swedberg. The creative team is supported by in-house artist representatives Alton Accola, Lynn Callahan and Midge Swedberg. Their technical team includes Sound Engineer Phil Henrickson who has been with the quintet since 1987. Radio Days, Five By Design’s flagship production, debuted as a patriotic tribute to the “golden age of radio,” commemorating the 50th anniversary of World War II. Nearly two decades later, Radio Days still receives great reviews. The Washington Post heralded its Kennedy Center debut with the National Symphony Orchestra as “one of the best pops performances of the season.” 12 Wisoconsin Lutheran College
With the success of Radio Days, the Baltimore Symphony requested another production from Five By Design, leading to the premiere of Club Swing in 2001. The show follows the rise and fall of the big band era from 1937-1955 at the fictional Hotel Crosby, “where the music’s hot, the drinks are cool, and the legend lives forever.” Club Swing’s soundtrack was recorded with a big band headed by Willis Delony, Five By Design’s principal pianist/conductor. Combining warm, well-rounded signature vocals with vintage fashions and a bit of theatrical panache, Five By Design unveiled their third production, Stay Tuned, a nod to the “television variety show” and American culture from 1950-1966. Five By Design enjoys working with outstanding orchestrators including: Lovell Ives, University of WisconsinGreen Bay Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies; Willis Delony, Professor of Jazz Studies at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and film score orchestrator, Maury Laws, noted most for his work on the Rankin-Bass animated specials including “Frosty, the Snowman” and “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” While the vocal arrangements are the creative work of Five By Design, their orchestrators bring those charts to life with unparalleled expertise. National media exposure includes National Public Radio’s “Weekend Edition–Sunday” and “Swingin’ Down the Lane”; and a feature story in Symphony magazine. With a touring itinerary averaging 60-plus performances each season, their talents have taken them across the country, up into Canada and as far away as the Bosphorus International Music Festival in Istanbul.
SYNOPSIS Where the music’s hot, the drinks are cool and the legend lives forever. The Stork Club. The Copa. The Cocoanut Grove. Club Swing. Formerly the hottest spots to see great entertainment. Sadly, only the once magnificent Club Swing is left standing and even now the wrecking ball is poised to strike her down. Can Joe Sullivan, the club’s former mixologist, prevent this tragedy from occurring? A long forgotten neon sign flares to life illuminating palm trees and the art deco bar magically restoring Club Swing to her former splendor. From the freneticpaced opening of Benny Goodman’s “Bugle Call Rag” to the show’s blockbuster finale of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing,” Club Swing celebrates the songs, events and personalities that defined American popular culture during the Swing era. PROGR A M Traffic Jam.........................................................................................Teddy McRae, Artie Shaw Bugle Call Rag..................................................... Elmer Schoebel, Billy Meyers, Jack Pettis Begin The Beguine.....................................................................................................Cole Porter It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)........... Duke Ellington, Irving Mills Woodchopper’s Ball...................................................................Woody Herman, Joe Bishop The Hut-Sut Song.............................................Leo V. Killion, Ted McMichael, Jack Owens Dream..................................................................................................................... Johnny Mercer American Patrol...............................................................................F.W. Meacham, Jerry Gray Dig Down Deep............................................................................. Marco Sano, Walter Hirsch, Gerald Marks, Morton Milman Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie............................ Vaugh Horton, Milton Gabler, Denver Darling (Give Me) Five Minutes More.......................................................Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne In The Mood................................................................................................................Joe Garland INTERMISSION Bumble Boogie................................................................................................................ Jack Fina Cocktails For Two....................................................................Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening..................Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer Bugler’s Holiday................................................................................................Leroy Anderson Goody, Goody.......................................................................... Johnny Mercer, Matt Malneck Mona Lisa...........................................................................................Jay Livingston, Ray Evans Open The Door, Richard................................................................ Jack McVea, Dan Howell, Dusty Fletcher, John Mason So Long For A While..............................................................................Ernest Gold, Hy Zaret, Alex Kramer, Joan Whitney,Robert Sour, Donald McCray Something’s Gotta Give.....................................................................................Johnny Mercer Carioca............................................................. Vincent Youmans, Gus Kahn, Edward Eliscu Cara de Payaso............................................................................. Haroldo Barbosa, Luiz Ruis One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).......... Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen Sing, Sing, Sing...........................................................................................................Louis Prima Program subject to change.
Wisoconsin Lutheran College 13
Presents
Keyboard Conversations速 with Jeffrey Siegel 1911: A CENTURY CELEBRATION!
May 11, 2011 7:30 p.m. Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI (414) 443-8802 (Box Office)
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PROGR A M Golliwog’s Cake Walk........................................................................................................ Claude Debussy Two Preludes (1862-1918) Brouillards (Mists) Les collines d’Anacapri (The Hills of Anacapri) Two Preludes, Op. 103............................................................................................................Gabriel Fauré No. 3 in G Minor (1845-1924) No. 2 in C-sharp Valses nobles et sentimentales.........................................................................................Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) INTERMISSION Three Movements from “Petrushka”..............................................................................Igor Stravinsky Russian Dance (1882-1971) Chez Petrushka (Petrushka’s House) The Fair Questions and Answers
BIOGR APHY The distinguished American pianist JEFFREY SIEGEL has been soloist with the world’s great orchestras. Abroad, these include the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Philharmonic and Philharmonia, Moscow State Symphony, Bayerischer Rundfunk, The Hague Residentie Orkest, Oslo Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Orchestra of La Scala and NHK Symphony of Japan. In the United States, engagements include the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Siegel has collaborated with many of the pre-eminent conductors of our time: Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman, as well as legendary maestros of the past, including Eugene Ormandy, Sir George Solti, William Steinberg, Klaus Tennstedt and Yevgeny Svetlanov. In addition to his solo appearances, Jeffrey Siegel presents Keyboard Conversations®, a unique concert-pluscommentary format in which he speaks to the audience about the music before performing each work. New listeners have greeted these programs enthusiastically, as they present an informal, accessible and highly entertaining introduction to the vast repertoire of the piano and
to classical music in general. Seasoned music-lovers have been enriched by Mr. Siegel’s erudition and delighted by his wit. Ongoing series flourish in numerous American cities, among them New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas, Washington, D. C. and Denver. Some of these venues have been presenting Keyboard Conversations for more than thirty years—resounding testimony to Jeffrey Siegel’s superb artistry, innovative format and loyal fans. Following the successful reception of Keyboard Conversations in the United Kingdom last season, Keyboard Conversations continue in 2010-2011 at London’s dynamic, newest arts complex, Kings Place. Listeners to Oprah Radio’s “Dr. Oz Show” recently heard Mr. Siegel in an interview and performance dedicated to the joys of music, as the guest of host and heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and popular author and co-host Dr. Michael Roizen. Random House Audio Publishing Group has released an audiobook series of four CDs of Keyboard Conversations: Mozart and Friends, The Power and Passion of Beethoven, The Romanticism of the Russian Soul and The Romance of the Piano. They are available at www.randomhouse.com/ audio, at www.amazon.com, for download at iTunes, and at booksellers across the country. Twin Cities Public Television, in conjunction with The Schubert Club,
B I O G R A P H Y ( c o n t .) has produced two half-hour Keyboard Conversations - Mozart & Chopin - available on DVD exclusively at Mr. Siegel’s concerts. Jeffrey Siegel’s recording of Gershwin’s complete works for piano and orchestra with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony continues to be a best-seller, and is available on Amazon, as well. Born into a musical family, Jeffrey Siegel studied with Rudolf Ganz in his native Chicago, with the legendary Rosina Lhévinne at The Juilliard School and, as a Fulbright Scholar, with Ilona Kabos in
London. Mr. Siegel and his wife live in New York City and are the parents of two grown children. * WEBSITE: WWW. KEYBOARDCONVERSATIONS.COM. Please visit Mr. Siegel’s website for further information about Keyboard Conversations® - including the current season’s schedule, audio and video highlights, and direct box office links. Jeffrey Siegel is a Steinway artist.
HOUSE POLICIES LATE ARRIVAL Patrons that arrive late for a performance may be asked to wait to be seated until a suitable pause in the performance. Reserved seating at a performance is not guaranteed beyond the start time of a performance. CAMERAS, CELL PHONES AND RECORDING EQUIPMENT The audience is respectfully reminded that recording of any performances, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. The Center for Arts and Performance reserves the right to confiscate any cameras or recording devices used in the performance locations. Personal photos may be taken inside the lobby areas. When attending a performance, please turn off all cell phones, pagers and beeping watches. COURTESY During the performance, talking, coughing, rustling of paper and noise from digital devices and phones disturbs performers and your fellow audience members. To ensure guests and performers enjoy shows free of distractions, the Center for Arts and Performance reserves the right to ask any individual to leave if his or her behavior is deemed as disruptive by the Center for Arts and Performance staff. FOOD AND DRINKS No food or beverages are allowed in the performance spaces of the Center for Arts and Performance SMOKING Wisconsin Lutheran College is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is only permitted outside of the campus buildings. Please refrain from smoking near doorways or open windows.
UPCOMING FINE ARTS EVENTS Cirque Voila! presents the core of what circus has always been about; extraordinary people doing amazing things. On Sunday, March 13, 2011, at 3 p.m., experience pure circus wrapped up in a comedy confection. You may ask, “So how is this different from Cirque du Soleil?” The answer is that, at their core, there is no difference. They make audiences laugh, cry, and drop their jaws in amazement. You will stare in utter disbelief at the contortion, juggling and acrobatics, and be mesmerized with the beautiful aerial performances. Cirque Voila is a group of circus performers dedicated to excellence, comedy and doing the impossible right there in your lap, in a live theatre. cirquevoila.com The Wisconsin Lutheran Concert Choir and Chamber Choir will present a Choral Concert, on Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 8 p.m. This select 60-voice choir, under the direction of Dr. James Nowak, performs music from the sixteenth through the twenty-first centuries, sung in original languages. The Chamber Choir, a select 28-voice mixed ensemble taken from the Wisconsin Lutheran Choir, is also under the direction of Dr. James Nowak. 16 Wisoconsin Lutheran College
U P C O M I N G F I N E A R T S E V E N T S ( c o n t .) Jeffrey Siegel Keyboard Conversations® Series performs the third concert of the series “Northern Stars: Brahms, Grieg, Sibelius, and Nielsen” on Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. American pianist Jeffrey Siegel enjoys a flourishing career and has appeared with every major American orchestra as well as in the leading music capitals of the world. His enthusiasm is contagious, his credentials are world-class, and his virtuosity is astounding. These experiences begin with an insightful and entertaining prologue on the music and its composer, are followed by a full performance of the works, and end with a lively question and answer session. KeyboardConversations.com On Sunday, March 27, 2011, at 3 p.m., the Family Series will continue with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This enchanting musical is based on C.S. Lewis’ adventure story about four children of war-torn England, who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. This strange and wondrous place is ruled by the cold-hearted White Witch, who makes the winter last all year round. Although they seem unlikely saviors, the children fulfill an ancient prophecy by defeating the witch, thus restoring sunshine and peace to the spell-bound Narnia and returning the great Lion King Aslan to his throne. www.theatreworksusa.org A long forgotten neon sign flares to life illuminating palm trees and the art deco bar magically restoring Club Swing to her former splendor. From the frenetic-paced opening of Benny Goodman’s “Bugle Call Rag” to the show’s blockbuster finale of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing,” Club Swing celebrates the songs, events and personalities that defined American popular culture during the Swing era. Whether performing their seductive arrangement of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine,” the madcap parody of Spike Jones’“Cocktails for Two,” or the lush romance of Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa,” On Friday, April 1, 2011, at 8 p.m., Five By Design will enchant the audience by deftly blending music and theatrics effortlessly. So check your coat and grab a seat for a night of unparalleled delight at the fabulous Club Swing! A Pre-Show Dinner Option is available with this show at 6:30 p.m. fivebydesign.com/ClubSwing.html In the aftermath of the atrocities of two world wars, Archibald MacLeish wondered how people could retain hope and keep on living with all the suffering in the world. His play, J.B., was his response. Based on the Biblical account of Job, this modernized “verse” play reflects MacLeish’s contention that turning to the Bible as a framework seemed sensible “when you are dealing with questions too large for you which, nevertheless, will not leave you alone.” Though stripped of his fortune and family, J.B. (like his Biblical counterpart) refuses to turn his back on God. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1959. The Wisconsin Lutheran College Theatre Department, under the direction of Professor Jay Sierszyn, will present this play in the Raabe Theatre on Thursday, April 8 through Saturday, April 16, 2011. The Wisconsin Lutheran Concert Choir and Chamber Choir will present the Spring Choral Concert, on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 8 p.m. This select 60-voice choir, under the direction of Dr. James Nowak, performs music from the sixteenth through the twenty-first centuries, sung in original languages. The Chamber Choir, a select 28-voice mixed ensemble taken from the Wisconsin Lutheran Choir, is also under the direction of Dr. James Nowak. The Wisconsin Lutheran College Music Department will present the Spring Band Concert, on Friday, May 6, 2011 at 8 p.m. The Wisconsin Lutheran College Concert Band, under the direction of Professor Terry Treuden, is an ensemble that performs the finest of the wind and band literature, and presents concerts on the campus and tours regionally and nationally. The membership in this organization is through a seating audition. The band meets five hours each week while exploring a wide variety of band compositions and arrangements. Jeffrey Siegel Keyboard Conversations® Series performs the final concert of the series “1911: A Century of Celebration!” on Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. American pianist Jeffrey Siegel enjoys a flourishing career and has appeared with every major American orchestra as well as in the leading music capitals of the world. His enthusiasm is contagious, his credentials are world-class, and his virtuosity is astounding. These experiences begin with an insightful and entertaining prologue on the music and its composer, are followed by a full performance of the works, and end with a lively question and answer session. KeyboardConversations.com
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F I N E A R T S E V E N T S C A L E N DA R March Mar. 13- Family Series: Cirque Voila, 3 p.m. Mar. 20- WLC Choral Concert, 8 p.m. Mar. 23- Jeffrey Siegel Keyboard Conversations, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 27- Family Series: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 3 p.m. Mar. 28- Schooltime Program: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 10 a.m. & 12 p.m. April Apr. 1- Art Gallery Opening Reception – James Matson Sabbatical Exhibition, 6 p.m. Apr. 1- Encore Series: Club Swing, 8 p.m ( Dinner Option) Apr. 6- Schooltime Program: Stuart Little, 10 a.m. & 12 p.m. Apr. 8- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 8 p.m.
Apr. 9- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 8 p.m. Apr. 10- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 3 p.m. Apr. 14- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 8 p.m. Apr. 15- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 8 p.m. Apr. 16- WLC Theatre Production: J.B., 8 p.m. Apr. 29- WLC Choral Concert, 8 p.m. May May 1- WLC Instrumental Ensemble Concert,7:30 p.m. May 6- WLC Band Concert, 8 p.m. May 9- Schooltime Program: Click, Clack, Moo, 10 a.m. & 12 p.m. May 11- Jeffrey Siegel Keyboard Conversations, 7:30 p.m.
2 010 - 2 011 F R I E N D S O F T H E A R T S M E M B E R S Lifetime ($2,500 & above) Anonymous Richard & Michelle Mannisto
Friend ($100-$249) Scott & Deb Uecker Clair & Mary Baum Dean & Verna Weigand Gerhard & Marian Thomas Wilsmann Biedenbender Rhoda Wolle Elfred Bloedel T.A. & Marion Youngquist Director ($250-$2,499) Judy Burmeister Anonymous Dorothy K. Eisenberg Supporter ($50-$99) Ken & Lois Artlip Michael & Deborah Farchione Marilyn Auer Jon & Linda Beierle Bonnie Frederick Carol Deweese Alta Berridge Barbara Fruhbauer Roger & Sandra Drews Sharon & Mike Bingen Harold Goede Bob & Trudy Erdman Russell & Myrene Chich Judith & David Hecker Robert Erskine Gene & Mona Christophersen Ronald & Patricia Hepner Jim & Pat Freer Jake & Marge Gruel Barb Kletzke John & Helen Gregorski Richard & Charlotte Halfman Ralph & Carole Kohrs Ted & Sharon Hutton John Hoem Duane & Jean Kuehl David & Carol Jones William & Amy Hofmeister Donald Kusmierczyk Pat & Margaret Marcella Don & Merilee Holst Carolyn McKenzie R. Frederick Roepe Christian & Anita Indermuehle Virginia Meier Jon Siegler Roger & Bonnie Lemanczyk Pat Mitschrich Marcia Thompson Robert & Patricia Long Delores Riemer David Wesley Christopher & Sue Neuman Caitlin Ristow Dorothy Schlueter Dean & Mary Rockstad Eugene & Eleanore Schulz Mary Ann Schmal Ed & Marge Seigworth David & Beth Schulz James Thomas Mary Steinbrenner Deborah Turriff Robert & Jan Swiderski (If you have recently donated and do not see your name or if your name is listed incorrectly, please contact the Fine Arts Office at 414-443-8702.) A special Thank You to our Corporate Sponsor: WaterStone Bank
S U P P O R T T H E A R T S AT W I S C O N S I N L U T H E R A N C O L L E G E Your annual tax-deductible gift as a Friend of the Arts will help provide support for visual art exhibitions, professional performing artist programs, schooltime programs for children, free Summer Arts in the Park concerts, and other special facility needs and productions. Plus, take advantage of special exclusive donor benefits.
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EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS FOR DONORS Discount Ticket Prices: All donors pay the discounted ticket price for all events. Listing in Programs: All donors will be listed in event programs. Those wishing to remain anonymous will be listed as anonymous donors. Annual Friends of the Arts Christmas Party and Dinner: Donors of $100 or more will be invited to the annual Friends of the Arts Christmas Party and dinner, an event you won’t want to miss! Free Tickets: Donors of $250 or more will receive two complimentary tickets to the special performance in the Schwan Concert Hall following the annual Christmas Party and dinner. Sponsors: The Sponsor level is open to businesses and corporations as well as individual donors. Sponsors may receive two complimentary tickets to any events in the Center for Arts and Performance. An added benefit for business or corporation Sponsors would be the inclusion of the sponsor’s logo in promotional materials. Contact the Fine Arts Office (414-443-8875) for specific benefits for business and corporation sponsors. Gift Levels: SUPPORTER: $50-$99 Annual Gift FRIEND: $100-$249 Annual Gift DIRECTOR: $250-$2,499 Annual Gift LIFETIME MEMBER OR SPONSOR: $2,500+ Annual Gift C E N T E R F O R A R T S A N D P E R F O R M A N C E S TA F F Director of Arts Programming Daniel Schmal Fine Arts Events Manager Loni Boyd House Managers Katie Neuman Wendy Englebert Schwan Concert Hall Head Technician Sean Floeter Schwan Concert Hall Technicians Randy Foat Sarah Laupan Anthony Nachreiner Kristin Plessinger Lane Schultz Tyler Zehfus
Box Office Attendants Kristen Kraklow Samantha Nommensen Katie Hilbelink Jasmin Taylor Madelyn Herbert Samantha Nigbur Ushers Michelle Neuman Amanda Sternitzky Jesse Cordes Jessica Howard Kayla Schmidt Alex Nikolai Lachrissa Grandberry Jamie Jensen Emily Knippel Garett Lemerand Security Desk Staff Christopher Martin Angela Stern Michael Werni
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