Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra - The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards by Footlights.com

Francesco Milioto, Musical Director

Sunday, April 6, 2014 3:00 PM North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie

The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards Ride of the Valkyries...........................................................................................................Richard Wagner

(1813-1883)

Night on Bald Mountain.......................................................................................... Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881)

Sorcerer’s Apprentice.................................................................................................................. Paul Dukas

(1865-1935)

Harry Potter Symphonic Suite............................................................................................John Williams (1932)

INTERMISSION Join us for Wizard of Oz Sing-a-long rehearsal with soprano Sarah Hibbard in the lobby! Wizard of Oz Sing-a-long...................................... Music by Harold Arlen & Lyrics by E.Y Harburg We’re Off To See the Wizard (1905-1986)

If I Only Had A Brain Somewhere Over the Rainbow Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Sarah Hibbard, Soprano

Lord of the Rings Symphonic Suite..................................................................................Howard Shore

Eryk Kokosinski, Boy Soprano

(1946)

Symphony Fantastique........................................................................................................ Hector Berlioz V. Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath (1803-1869)

The Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the Village of Skokie, Niles Township, and The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation, sponsor of the Children’s Concert November 25, 2013. The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

PROGR A M NOTES RICHARD WAGNER – “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre Wagner’s magnum opus, Der Ring des Niebelungen, completed in 1876, is a cycle of four operas based on ancient Norse legends in which gods, giants, dwarves, and humans all contend for power. The second work in the cycle, Die Walküre, follows the adventures of the nine daughters of the god Wotan. Known as Valkyries, these warrior-maidens, led by Brunhilde, transport heroes killed in battle to their eternal resting place, Valhalla. As the curtain rises on Act III of Die Walküre, Brunhilde and her Valkyrie sisters have gathered upon a stormy mountaintop to carry out their noble duty. What follows for the next few minutes is some of the most popular music Wagner ever wrote, as he depicts the wild, wind-swept peaks, the powerful strides of the Valkyrie’s magical flying horses, and the women’s thrilling war cries. Dubbed the “Ride of the Valkyries,” it is heard today in a shorter instrumental iteration but the operatic version includes the passionate war whoops of the sisters as they scan the battlefields below in search of dead warriors. Due to the music’s popularity, Wagner received numerous requests to have it performed as a stand-alone concert work separate from the opera. According to his wife, Cosima, he considered this an “utter indiscretion” and expressly forbade the practice. However, the tide of interest grew so strong that the composer eventually relaxed his stance on the matter, even going so far as to conduct the “Ride of the Valkyries” himself. MODEST MUSSORGSKY – Night on Bald Mountain Modest Mussorgsky shared with many of his artistic contemporaries, a 19th century fascination with the macabre, the ghoulish, and the mystical realm of the supernatural. Thus it was in 1860 that he considered composing an opera based on Nikolai Gogol’s story St. John’s Eve, a fanciful tale from Russian folklore featuring a midnight gathering of witches, evil spirits, and other devilish characters atop a rugged mountain. Plans for the stage work came to nothing but, in 1867 he completed an orchestral piece entitled St. John’s Night on Bald Mountain. In a letter to Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky described the composition as: “this wicked prank of mine a really Russian and original achievement, quite free from German profundity and routine, born... on Russian soil and nurtured on Russian corn.” Obviously proud of his new composition, Mussorgsky showed it to his mentor and teacher, Mily Balakirev, who was not impressed and refused to allow it to be performed. Hurt but undaunted, Mussorgsky reworked the piece several times, transforming it into a choral work and, eventually, a “dream intermezzo.” Despite his efforts, he had never heard any of these adaptations when he died unexpectedly at the age of 42. It was only after Mussorgsky’s death that the various versions were synthesized by Rimsky-Korsakov and shaped into the familiar composition we know today. In his autobiography RimskyKorsakov wrote: “When I started putting it in order with the intention of creating a workable concert piece, I took everything I considered the best and most appropriate out of the late composer’s remaining materials to give coherence and wholeness to this work. I did my utmost to keep all the best and most connected parts without change, and to put in as little as possible of my own.” The result, though far more colorful and orchestrally brilliant than Mussorgsky’s original, follows his plan for the events depicted in the music: “Subterranean din of supernatural voices, Appearance of Spirits of Darkness, followed by that of the black god, Chernobog, Glorification of the Black God, The Black Mass, Witches’ Sabbath, interrupted at its height by the sounds of the far-off bell of the little church in a village. It disperses the Spirits of Darkness, Daybreak.” 2

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PAUL DUKAS – The Sorcerer’s Apprentice French composer Paul Dukas may rightly be termed a one-hit-wonder. Despite his first-rate education, his prominent position as a teacher of composition at the Paris Conservatoire, and a catalogue of respectable works, Dukas’ reputation rests almost entirely on his brief orchestral scherzo The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Upon its completion in 1897 the work proved to be an immediate success, bringing its composer a measure of fame that he had never before enjoyed and, sadly, was never to see again. Almost 50 years later the work achieved even greater popularity after being immortalized by Mickey Mouse in the 1940 Disney classic movie, Fantasia. Dukas’ inspiration for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was Wolfgang Goethe’s ballad Die Zauberlehrling, the tale of a magician’s hapless young assistant. Having observed his master bring a broomstick to life, the apprentice seeks to do the same. He utters the appropriate incantation, animates the broomstick, and orders it to fetch water from a nearby well to fill the sorcerer’s empty cistern. The cistern is soon overflowing but the apprentice cannot remember the appropriate spell to stop his wooden servant. In desperation he chops the broomstick in half, but that causes two brooms to emerge and further inundates the house with water. Disaster is averted only when the sorcerer returns and, with a wave of his hand, restores order. All of the action in Goethe’s poem is masterfully portrayed in Dukas’ brilliant music, where the composer’s highly developed sense of color and his mastery of orchestral effects served him well in depicting the supernatural, fantastic spirit of the story. He begins by evoking a magical, once-upona-time atmosphere with muted strings, fluttering woodwinds, and a harp. A fanfare-like figure in the brass represents the life-bringing incantation, while a delightfully comedic theme introduced by the bassoon portrays the demonic broomstick and the increasingly agitated young apprentice. The bustling action comes to a halt as the sorcerer returns home, and we hear the mysteriously hushed opening material once again. JOHN WILLIAMS – Harry Potter Symphonic Suite In a career spanning over six decades, John Williams has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in cinematic history, including Jaws, Superman, E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial, Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln, the Star Wars saga, and in recent years, the first three Harry Potter films. He has won five Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, and twenty-one Grammy Awards. The popularity of Williams’ scores has inevitably meant that much of his music has enjoyed a life outside of the movie theater. Indeed, since his success with Star Wars in 1977, he has culled some of the most popular themes from many of his films and arranged them into works for the concert hall. The Symphonic Suite from Harry Potter brings together several of the most popular tunes from the first three Potter films. Though the music is continuous, it falls into seven distinct sections. “Hedwig’s Flight” uses the delicate sounds of the celesta, along with strings and woodwinds, to portray Harry’s pet owl, who serves as his messenger and confidant. The lilting, waltz-like melody and light, gossamer orchestral colors suggest the bird’s flight. “Broomstick Practice” is a raucous trumpet theme which accompanies the young wizards as they test out their magical modes of transportation for the first time, then quickly segues into “Hogwarts Forever,” a noble, nostalgic school song. “Diagon Alley” is the main shopping and commercial street in London’s wizarding world, depicted here as a cornucopia of sights and sounds. The terror of the Dark Lord, Voldemort, is conjured up in an eerie melody featuring brass and tolling bells. In contrast, “Quidditch” is a sprightly theme associated with the boisterous game played on broomsticks by Harry and his schoolmates. The suite is brought to a close by the sweeping, richly orchestrated theme known as “Harry’s Wondrous World.” The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

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HAROLD ARLEN – Wizard of Oz Songwriter Harold Arlen was born in upstate New York, the son of a Jewish cantor. A high school dropout, he earned a decent living and a respectable reputation as a pianist and singer with his own band, performing in jazz clubs and vaudeville houses throughout the New York area. In due time, he began to compose, penning such standards as “Get Happy,” “Let’s Fall in Love,” “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” and “Stormy Weather.” After a stint on Broadway, by the mid- 1930s he increasingly found himself on the West Coast writing music for films. It was during this time that he began working with lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, whose credits included the hits “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” “April in Paris,” and “That Old Devil Moon”. The Arlen-Harburg partnership was deemed by MGM producer Arthur Freed to be the perfect choice to provide songs for his studio’s upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. In the publicity build-up to the Oz project, several other composers and lyricists were mentioned as possible candidates for the film, including Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields, Ira Gershwin, and Nacio Herb Brown (Freed’s own longtime songwriting partner). However, Freed argued convincingly that Arlen’s sparkling, fanciful music and Harburg’s feeling for lyrical fantasy would suit the magical, imaginative nature of the film, and they were hired in the spring of 1938. Given only two months to finish the score, the pair turned out one of the most famous soundtracks in Hollywood history. The team first completed what Arlen called “the lemon drop songs”: “Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead,” “The Merry Old Land of Oz,” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” He was concerned, however, that these up-tempo pieces should be balanced by a ballad to be sung by the lead character, Dorothy. “I felt we needed something with a sweep, a melody with a broad, long, line. Time was getting short, I was getting anxious.” The song came to him during a drive through Hollywood. It was immediately jotted down on a notepad he kept handy for just such moments of inspiration. “It was as if the Lord said, ‘Well, here it is, now stop worrying about it!’” When he played it for Harburg the next day, his lyricist was not convinced that the grand, sweeping melody was appropriate for a sweet, simple Kansas girl. Harburg changed his mind only after Ira Gershwin – called in by Arlen to offer a second opinion – gave his approval. The lyrics were quickly written and “Over the Rainbow” was born. Seemingly echoing Harburg’s reservations, directors and editors cut “Over the Rainbow” from the film three different times. On each occasion Arlen and Arthur Freed managed to have it reinstated. Further objections came from the publisher who felt certain sections of the melody were too difficult to sing while others were overly simplistic. Again, Arlen and Freed stood firm, the song remained and, in fact, went on to win an Academy Award as best song of the year. HAROLD SHORE – Symphonic Suite from Lord of the Rings Like his contemporary, John Williams, Howard Shore has enjoyed a lengthy career as one of Hollywood’s most prominent and influential composers. With over 70 films to his credit, including The Fly, The Silence of the Lambs, Mrs. Doubtfire, Prelude to a Kiss, and M. Butterfly, the Toronto native has been honored with three Grammy Awards and three Academy Awards. After attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Shore performed for a time in a jazz ensemble until he was tapped by his close friend, Lorne Michaels, to be the first music director of the legendary television program Saturday Night Live, a position he held from 1975 until 1980. Subsequently, he began to collaborate with David Cronenberg, scoring many of that director’s dark horror films and gaining a reputation as something of a specialist in that genre. Thus, it came as a surprise when Shore – with limited experience – 4

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was selected as the composer for the epic tale The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. However, the score was hugely successful and won Shore his first Oscar and Grammy. He went on to provide the music for the remaining two films in the Rings trilogy: The Two Towers and The Return of the King. For the Rings films, Shore immersed himself in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein, on whose novels he movies were based. “Page by page, then note by note I was able to uncover Tolkien’s complex world,” he writes. For musical inspiration, he drew upon the neo-Romantic style of Eric Korngold, Max Steiner, and, more recently, John Williams, whose lush, full-bodied scores seemed appropriate for the project at hand. Furthermore, just as Williams had done in the Star Wars saga, Shore utilized a technique known as leitmotif to help bring coherence and unity to almost eleven hours of music spanning three films. Most famously associated with Richard Wagner, a leitmotif is simply a musical phrase or motive that signifies a character, place, plot element, mood, or idea. Thus, each time a character appears we hear his or her musical theme or leitmotif; whenever a specific location is shown or referenced, the corresponding leitmotif is heard in the soundtrack. The Symphonic Suite performed this afternoon is, then, simply a collection of the primary themes or leitmotifs introduced in The Fellowship of the Rings. HECTOR BERLIOZ – Symphonie Fantastique, V. Dream of a Witches Sabbath Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is one of the most remarkable works in the 19th century canon. Written in 1830, it was an extraordinary – even bizarre – manifestation of the composer’s allconsuming passion for Shakespearean actress, Harriet Smithson, with whom he had become obsessed after seeing her in a performance of Macbeth. Though she rejected his advances and left Paris without ever meeting him, Berlioz was smitten

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and continued to pursue the young girl, to the point of composing an entire symphony to describe his overwrought feelings. Only when Harriet heard the symphony by chance several years later and realized it was about her did she agree to meet its composer. (They were eventually married, divorced, and reconciled but the union was never a happy one.) The Symphonie Fantastique tells the story of a young artist (Berlioz) who spies a beautiful lady at a masked ball. She is an ideal being; the personification of all of his dreams. He falls immediately, hopelessly in love. As the music progresses he becomes separated from his beloved. Loneliness soon turns to jealous suspicion and, convinced that his love is not being returned, the young artist poisons himself with opium and falls into a dream-like, delusional state. He imagines he has murdered his beloved and is led to the scaffold for his own execution. In the final movement of this fantastic journey, which we hear today, the artist awakens in hell. In the program provided for the first performance, Berlioz describes the scene: “He sees himself at the Sabbath, surrounded by a hideous crowd of spirits, sorcerers, and monsters assembled for his funeral. Strange noises, groans, bursts of laughter, and distant cries are heard. The beloved returns to the tune of a vile dance. She joins in the diabolic orgy. A funeral knell sounds and all join in the witches’ Sabbath dance.” In a flurry of orchestral brilliance, Berlioz paints a vivid picture of the grotesque scene. Program notes by Michael Vaughn 2014. No reproduction of notes is permitted without author’s consent.

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Skokie Valley Symphony

F R A N C E S C O M I L I O TO, M U S I C A L D I R E C TO R Since his debut in Chicago just over a decade ago, Mr. Milioto now balances a busy career conducting a wide range of orchestral and operatic repertoire while maintaining a full schedule as a pianist and vocal coach. He currently holds the positions of Co-founder/ Conductor of the New Millennium Orchestra, Music Director of the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Highland Park Strings, and Artistic Director/Conductor of Access Contemporary Music. The 2013-14 season will see Mr. Milioto debut with Chicago Opera Theater, conducting Verdi’s rarely performed Giovanna d’Arco in collaboration with his New Millennium Orchestra. Immediately following his work with COT, he will join the staff at Lyric Opera of Chicago as cover conductor for Verdi’s masterpiece La Traviata. To complete this Verdi bicentennial Mr. Milioto will return to Opera Santa Barbara to lead Falstaff. This season will conclude in a second engagement with Chicago Opera Theater, leading a double bill of The Emperor of Atlantis (Ullmann) and The Clever One (Orff ). Now in his seventh season as Music Director of the Skokie Valley Symphony, Mr. Milioto will guide the orchestra down a new path of creative and collaborative concerts. The SVSO will present concerts featuring a wide variety of repertoire and styles, while seeking to utilize new and innovative ways to engage the community. Performances will highlight multimedia, dance, theater, and partnerships with our talented local schools, while continuing to support our Young Artist Competition winners. Mr. Milioto is particularly proud of his work with the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, which he co-found in 2005. The NMO has an incredible range of repertoire, playing everything from classical music and opera to collaborations with jazz and hiphop artists. This season begins with an incredible collaboration in the Harris Theater with Chicago Opera Theater for their production of Giovanna d’Arco. Since it’s inception, NMO has maintained a regular presence on the City of Chicago’s stages, in a range of repertoire from chamber music to orchestral concerts, and fully produced opera. Most recent was a production of Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis on the Pritzker Pavillion stage. NMO recently made its Chicago Symphony Center debut with world-renowned tenor Yonghoon Lee. This young dynamic group has successfully debuted on both the Ravinia Festival Kraft Kid’s Series and the Harris Theater Family Series with innovative programs like D.J Beethoven and Hip Hopera, both created by Mr. Milioto. His critically acclaimed work with the Highland Park Strings ranges from the earliest string music to the romantic and contemporary orchestral repertoire. As Principal Conductor, Mr. Milioto has had the pleasure to work with many international soloists, and numerous members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This season will highlight the HPS journey from string ensemble to full orchestra with works such as Verdi’s string quartet, and Britten’s Simple Symphony to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. As Artistic Director and Conductor of Access Contemporary Music, Mr. Milioto is in command of the brilliantly vibrant ensemble Palomar, which has been featured on the radio and in performances through the city and abroad. Especially exciting are ACM’s Composer ALIVE project and the Sound of Silent Film performances. This season, the Composer ALIVE project features Brazilian composer Alexandre Lunsqui. Following last season’s critically acclaimed debut of the Sound of Silent Film festival in New York City, ACM will once again return to the big apple in 2014. Mr. Milioto is very proud of the work ACM does in nurturing living composers, and performing many new works each season by composers in Chicago. The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

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As an opera conductor, last season included his debut with Opera Santa Barbara in Don Pasquale, as well as New Millennium Orchestra’s presentation of Der Kaiser von Atlantis on the Pritzker Pavillion stage in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Mr. Milioto has recently made his debut with Opera Southwest in a production of La Traviata, and led his sixth production with Opera on the James in Virginia. As Music Director of the Chicago Cultural Center Summer Opera, he has led nine productions to critical acclaim including Le Nozze di Figaro, Candide, Dido and Aeneas, The Magic Flute, L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, and most recently Handel’s Acis and Galatea which he led from the harpsichord. As an assistant conductor, Mr Milioto has worked at the Ravinia Festival, Los Angeles Opera, Portland Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. His duties have encompassed the roles of rehearsal pianist, prompter, coach, and chorus master. ERYK KOKOSINSKI Eryk Kokosinski is an eighth grader at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, and a member the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Treble Choir, directed by Paul French. Eryk started his musical education at the age of three and has been singing for over five years and plans to continue singing throughout high school. This will be his first performance outside the choir and he is very honored and excited to be part of the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the Lord of the Rings Suite. SAR AH HIBBARD Sarah Hibbard is a masterful musician whose voice has been described as a shimmering soprano with a resounding quality reminiscent of the golden age of singing. The Albuquerque Journal declared her to have “a brilliant sound and thorough-going technique, clearly a star in the making.” In Chicago she was praised for her “charismatic acting technique and her verismo singing.” Recent performances include, Frasquita in Carmen with Denyce Graves at Opera Charleston, Summer of Knoxville with Chicago Sinfonietta and Rigoletto with the Haifa Symphony in Israel. Upcoming performances include The Messiah with Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra and the Verdi Requiem with Evanston Symphony. Ms. Hibbard’s operatic portrayals of past seasons include Violetta in La Traviata, Nedda in Pagliacci, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Mimi in La Bohème, the Countess in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Della in Gift of the Magi. In addition to her performance credentials, Sarah Hibbard completed her doctorate in performance and teaches at Northeastern Illinois University and College of Lake County as a music professor.

Skokie Valley Symphony

S K O K I E VA L L E Y S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A Violin 1 Jeff Yang, Concertmaster, Canny Chair Margarita Solomensky, Asst. Principal, Sandleman Chair Vitaly Briskin Milan Miskovic Hansuh Rhee, Mittenthal Chair Iris Seitz Wally Pok Hon Yu Violin 2 Michael Kleinerman, Principal Venus Fu Alyssa Isaacson David Ratner Isabelle Rozental Fran Sherman Mary Stoltz Nataliya Temkova Iris Turk Viola Michael Rosental, Principal, Dr. Lee Malmed Chair Rick Neff Jason Rosen Sid Samberg Bruno Vaz Da Silva Cello Alyson Berger, Principal Howard Miller Mike Taber Tess Van Wagner Rebecca Zimmerman

Bass Brett Benteler, Principal Jacob Nagler Bev Schiltz

Trombone Adina Salmansohn, Principal Tom Park

Flute Karen Frost, Principal Barb Austin

Bass Trombone John Alberts

Piccolo Stefanie Abderhalden Oboe Jen Stucki, Principal Ken Adams

Tuba Beth Lodal Timpani Jay Renstrom

Clarinet Walter Grabner, Principal Brandon Sheppard

Percussion Barry Grossman, Principal Paul Betz Michael Moehlman Emily Saltz

Bass Clarinet Scott Thomas

Harp Phyllis Adams

Bassoon Beth Heller, Principal Jen Speer

Keyboards Alyssa Arrigo

Trumpet Jordan Olive, Principal Michael Harper Kyle Upton Horn Beth Mazur-Johnson, Principal Jack Shankman Chair Ericka Hollenback Laurel Lovestrom

C H A I R E N D OWM E N T A N D S P O N S O R S H I P S Kathryn J. Canny, Chair Endowment – Concertmaster Chair The Leo Krakow Community Endowment Fund – Concert Elizabeth and E. Harris Krawitz Endowment – Concert Harvey E. Mittenthal Scholarship Fund – Mittenthal String Chair Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation Charles and Cyd Sandleman Chair Endowment – Assistant Concertmaster Chair The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

2 013 - 2 014 S V S O D O N AT I O N S Sustaining: $2500+ Kathryn J. Canny Dr. Lee & Bonnie Malmed Niles Township Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation Rice Foundation Special Fund Village of Skokie Benefactor: 1,000 - $2,499 Steven J. Blutza, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Steven Rosen Patron: $500 - $999 Esther Sabbah Korn Ethel Mittenthal Thomas E. Progozen Jack Shankman Ruth Sharps Clifford R. Wolf M.D. and Robin M. Wolf Sponsors: $250 - $499 John Alberts

Mark Barats Carol & Roger Hirsch Randy Micheletti Richard A. Mittenthal Dr. and Mrs. Salmansohn Thomas E. Rice Donors: $100 - $249 Phyllis Adams Louis & Loretta Becker Bredeman Lexus Annette & Sidney Caron Dr. & Mrs. Richard Chessick Bernard & Marilyn Friedman Patricia Gottschalk Pamela Grad Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Heyman Jamisons Char House Sandor Jankovich Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Merkin Ronald and Shirley Mostovoy Mr. Irwin F. Noparstak Ronald & Shirley

Pregozen George Rice Henry Rimnac Thelma Rosenberg Mr. & Mrs. Henry Rosenbaum Harold & Rita Schuman Dolores Sharps, In honor of grandson Jason Rosen Thelma Soletsky Peter P. Thomas Mrs. Henry Wolf Friends: $25 - $99 Ada Barrach Ruth Barrash Sherwin Chapman Greg Davis, In honor of Roger Hirsch Maurice and Ruth Ettleson Debra Feldman Warren Grabner Terese Klinger

Sharon & Sol Levin Rochelle Magid Gloria Messerschmidt Michael Modica Sheldon Mostovoy Judy Rosenbaum Lorraine Rosenbaum Eva Selz Eva Shane Doris Silverman Wes Skidgel John Soderstrom Anita Stein Florence T. Stein Peter P. Thomas Merle D. Warshausky Izzie Weinzweig Charlene Whisler Jack B. Whisler Lucille and Henry Wiss Mr. & Mrs. Henry Wolf In honor of the birth of Darcy Wolf Janice Ross & Martin Zabin

The concert you hear today was made possible by the generous donors you see listed in our program. To find out how you can contribute, please contact the SVSO office or go to our website at www.svso.org

SVSO 53rd Remarkable Concert Season Music and the Spoken Word - Richard Strauss’ 150th Anniversary 12 October 2014

Strauss – Four Last Songs Mendelssohn – Midsummer Night’s Dream selections Beethoven – Egmont Overture

Music of the Chosen People - Remembrance and Celebration 16 November 2014

Bloch, Goldmark, Gliere, Mahler, Schönberg, and Bruch

Prize Winning Exhibition 15 February 2015

Featuring the talented Winners of the 2014 Young Artists Competition and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7

Musical Theater and Opera – together at last! 26 April 2015

Enjoy music from Mozart, Verdi & Puccini to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Bernstein & Sondheim 10

Skokie Valley Symphony

2 014 - 2 015 B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S John Alberts, President � Michael Vaughn, Artistic Vice President Steven Jay Blutza, Ph.D., Administrative Vice President Steven Jay Blutza, Ph.D., Treasurer Heather Hill, Secretary Kathryn J. Canny Karen Frost � Roger Hirsch Bonnie Malmed �

Lee Malmed, M.D. � Randy Micheletti Ethel Mittenthal

Honorary Board Members Barbara Brown Thomas Rosenwein J.D. Lucinda Kasperson Jack Shankman, J.D. � Denotes member of the orchestra Francesco Milioto, Conductor and Music Director Valerie Simosko, Office Manager Office address: 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL 60077 Phone: 847-679-9501 x3014 SVSO Office E-mail: info@svso.org Website: www.svso.org

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SING -A- LONG WIZ AR D OF OZ

WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD We’re off to see the Wizard The wonderful Wizard of Oz. We hear he is a whiz of a Wiz, if ever a Wiz there was if ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was, The Wizard of Oz is one, because, because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful things he does! We’re off to see the Wizard The wonderful Wizard of Oz. We hear he is a whiz of a Wiz, if ever a Wiz there was if ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was, The Wizard of Oz is one, because, because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful things he does! We’re off to see the Wizard The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN I could while away the hours, Conferrin’ with the flowers, Consulting with the rain And my head I’d be scratchin’ While my thoughts were busy hatching’ If I only had a brain. I’d unravel every riddle for any individ’le In trouble or in pain. With the thoughts I’d be thinking I could be another Lincoln If I only had a brain. Oh, I could tell you why 12

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The ocean is near the shore. I could think of things I never thunk before And then I’d sit, and think some more. I would not be just a nothin’ my head all full of stuffin’ My heart all full of pain. I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry, If I only had a brain! Oh, I could tell you why The ocean is near the shore. I could think of things I never thunk before And then I’d sit, and think some more. Gosh, it would be awful pleasin’ To reason out the reason For things I can’t explain Then, perhaps, I’d deserve ya, and be even worthy erve ya, If I only had a brain If I only had a brain.

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, There’s a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somwhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday I’ll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

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Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops, That’s where you’ll find me Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh why, can’t I? If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why, can’t I?

DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD Ding dong! The witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch. Ding dong! The wicked witch is dead! Wake up you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed! Wake up, the wicked witch is dead! She’s gone where the goblins go. Below, below, below, yoho! Let’s open up and sing, and ring the bells out. Ding dong! the merryo Sing it high, sing it low. Let them know, the wicked witch is dead! (Repeat from the top)

Skokie Valley Symphony

SING -A- LONG WIZ AR D OF OZ

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MERRY OLD LAND OF OZ Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! And a couple of Tra-la-las That’s how we laugh the day away In the merry old land of Oz. Buzz, buzz, buzz! Chirp, chirp, chirp! And a couple of La-de-das… That’s how the crickets crick all day In the merry old land of Oz. We get up at twelve, and start to work at one, Take an hour for lunch and then at two we’re done! Jolly good fun!! Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! And a couple of Tra-la-las That’s how we laugh the day away In the merry old land of Oz. Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! And a couple of Tra-la-las That’s how we laugh the day away With a Ho-ho-ho! Ha-ha-ha! In the merry old land of Oz.

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Register the Skokie Valley Symphony as your favorite charity, then go to your favorite on-line store. The STORE will give us a % of your sale. All of your coupons and discounts will still apply!

It’s EASY and it helps us! The Wizard of Oz and Other Wizards

Skokie Valley Symphony