CRESCENDO NEWSLETTER F O R
H A N D E L
A N D
H A Y D N
S O C I E T Y
P A T R O N S
VOL. 3 ISSUE 3 | Spring 2019
CHALLENGE FOR EXCELLENCE REACHES NEW HEIGHTS H+H has received two significant gifts aimed at supporting strategic plans and sustaining our future. We are very grateful to these visionary donors for their leadership. The first gift, $250,000 from an anonymous donor, will expand the Challenge for Excellence matching fund to $1 million. The Challenge for Excellence was established in 2018 by a group of H+H Board members to inspire other generous donors to make new and increased gifts at the $10,000+ level. These important gifts will fund H+H’s strategic initiatives, which will help to solidify our place as the preeminent leader in Baroque and Classical performances in America, expand the size and diversity of our audiences, build the depth and breadth of our learning programs, create a more diverse and inclusive organization, and bolster our institutional capacity to ensure H+H’s next 200 years.
“The Challenge provides critical current funds for H+H’s operations,” commented Rob Shapiro, advisor to H+H’s Major Gifts Task Force. “The growing endowment over time underwrites the permanence of the boost that the Challenge is providing in the near term. They are complementary pieces of a financial model that combines accelerated activity now and sustainable activity in the future.”
H+H is also excited to announce a $500,000 gift from an anonymous donor, which bolsters the permanent endowment. This is the largest new gift to the organization since the conclusion of the last capital campaign.
If you would like to join the Challenge for Excellence and help H+H meet its goal, please contact Mike Peluse, Vice President of Development at mpeluse@handelandhaydn.org or by phone at 617.262.1815.
A CONVERSATION WITH NEW PRINCIPAL BASS HEATHER MILLER LARDIN Which musicians inspired you most growing up? I didn’t grow up in a musical family, but my father loves all kinds of music and played many different genres in the house. We danced to Motown tunes on Friday nights in the living room; Sundays were for Sinatra. As a young teenager, I wore out our record of Handel’s Messiah with Ormandy leading the Philadelphia Orchestra and Mormon Tabernacle Choir. (Later on in college I switched to Hogwood’s version.) When the movie, Amadeus, was on cable I just had to have the soundtrack, and I suppose that was my first exposure to any kind of historically-informed performance. What a thrill to play it live last year with H+H! This year, H+H had the pleasure of welcoming three new principals to the ranks of our Orchestra. These musicians, each an expert in their instrument and in Historically Informed Performance practice, have performed in a number of H+H concerts to date. We caught up with newly-appointed Amelia Peabody Chair Principal Bass Heather Miller Lardin to get a special perspective on her new position within the H+H family. H+H: From your perspective, what makes H+H so special? HML: Across the board top-notch players committed to serving the music through historical performance practice, consistent and excellent venues in which to perform, many concerts throughout each season in which to develop a unique sound and elegant style, and a shared history of music-making in a city that has offered its support for over 200 years. All of this adds up to tremendous pride and ownership within the ensembles. It’s an absolute joy to make music with them.
How did you make the decision to pursue Baroque bass? My music history professor at the Curtis Institute was Dr. Ford Lallerstedt. Each year, he directed a chamber orchestra project and asked students to emulate early performance practices in repertoire spanning from Bach and Vivaldi to Wagner and beyond. While I loved playing in the big symphony orchestra, it was in these thoughtful chamber programs that I felt most like myself. After graduating from Curtis, my first teacher asked me to sub for her in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6. Neither of us knew it was on period instruments, so I showed up with my modern bass and steel strings, completely clueless! The piece starts with 12 bars of rest for the basses, and I was shocked to hear the bright and clear sound of gut strings. Before our entrance, I knew that I never wanted to play any other way again. I began taking steps to transition my career that very day and never looked back. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
H+H SEEKS SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR VOCAL ARTS PROGRAM TOUR TO IRELAND Direct expenses for each student totals $3,500, which covers transportation, accommodations, performances, and workshops. Each scholarship offers students an opportunity to participate in a program with life-changing impact. Dina, one of the students traveling this year, offered this insight to her own experience touring with H+H:
VAP STUDENTS IN MONTREAL, 2017
H+H recently announced that students from the Vocal Arts Program (VAP) will embark on an eight-day tour to Ireland in June 2019. The ensemble, comprising members of both the Young Men’s and Young Women’s choruses, will be led by Dr. Kevin McDonald. The tour features cultural experiences as well as performances around the country, including a performance at Galway Cathedral, a collaborative concert with a local Irish choir, and a recital at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.
I think travel and getting outside your comfort zone is the best way to learn about yourself and the world. It is especially important to see the world and understand how much more there is than just their hometown. As our lives globalize more and more, understanding different cultures is essential to being a successful member of the world. Getting that experience comes from travel, and any trips that H+H offers have the ability to enlarge our perspectives. To make this deeply impactful opportunity truly need-blind, H+H aims to raise $45,000 to fund all the scholarships requested for this year’s tour. If you would like to support this initiative, contact Brook Holladay, Director of Annual Giving, at 617.262.1815 or bholladay@handelandhadyn.org. Thank you for helping these H+H students join in this experience!
Kathy Weld, Chair of the Education Committee, spoke of the important role that the tour plays in a student’s experience, saying, “We know that when our young singers tour, it helps raise performance standards and enhances the overall quality of our education program. This is a tremendous opportunity for their personal and artistic growth.” A group of 33 students will be traveling this year, and while some will be supported by their families, many will receive financial aid. H+H plans to provide both full and partial scholarships, so no student who wishes to participate is left behind.
GALWAY CATHEDRAL GALWAY
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL DUBLIN
FINANCE AND ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR AND LUNCH JUNE 13, 2019, 11:00AM—2:00PM ROPES & GRAY, PRUDENTIAL CENTER
CHRISTOPHER T. CARLSON, ESQ. Partner at Gilmore, Rees, & Carlson
Tax changes have come quickly and frequently in recent years, especially around estate planning and charitable giving. Many families are now uncertain how to best plan for their future, providing for loved ones while still supporting the charities they hold dear. Join H+H for a free lunchtime seminar led by Chris Carlson, an estate planning attorney with over 40 years experience, and longtime H+H subscriber. In this session, Chris will discuss many of the recent changes in the law, and how your planning should address them. The session will be accompanied by an exclusive talk by Teresa Neff about H+H’s more than 200 years of history. If you would like to join us for this special afternoon, we kindly ask that you RSVP to Lisa Yasui at 617.262.1815 or lisa@handelandhaydn.org.
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TERESA NEFF, PhD Christopher Hogwood Historically Informed Performance Fellow
CONVERSATION WITH HEATHER MILLER LARDIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
What has been your favorite concert to perform with H+H? My favorite concert is always the one I’m currently playing! But if I had to choose, I would say it was the Bach St. Matthew Passion in 2012. It was incredibly moving to perform the piece for the first time with the H+H Orchestra and Chorus under Harry Christophers. In the piece, there are two orchestras that play separately for arias and together for larger numbers. It’s an unusual treat to sit onstage and just listen to your amazing colleagues play. I’m really looking forward to playing it again next season! VOL. III, ISSUE 3 | SPRING 2019
THE SOCIETY BALL RETURNS TO THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL “The most elegant evening of the Boston social calendar is back with a modern venue juxtaposed against enchanting Baroque performances by our own talented musicians, and a chance for guests to ‘waltz’ to the music!” say gala co-chairs Eric Aho and Michael Oliveri, who share leadership of the event with Honorary Chair Jane Tyler and co-chairs Judy Verhave and Catherine Powell. H+H’s annual gala, The Society Ball, will take place on Saturday, May 4 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and will feature musical performances by members of the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus, as well as young singers from H+H’s Vocal Arts Program. This year, H+H honors David Gergen, Founding Director of the Center for Public Leadership and Professor of Public Service at the Harvard Kennedy School, Senior Political Analyst at CNN, and advisor to four Presidents. “I am deeply touched to be honored by the Handel and Haydn Society at this year’s Society Ball,” said David. “H+H delivers unsurpassed musical excellence to its many followers throughout the greater Boston community.
H+H PARTNERS WITH CASTLE OF OUR SKINS
REGINALD MOBLEY DIRECTOR + COUNTERTENOR
A new collaboration between Castle of Our Skins, a concert and educational series dedicated to celebrating black artistry through music, and H+H will highlight the breadth and depth of black artistry. The concert on April 27, 2019 will feature music by black composers over two centuries,
as well as the world premiere of Jonathan Woody’s Nigra Sum Sed Formosa; I am Black But Beautiful - A fantasia on microaggressions. Jamie Hoyte, Chair of the H+H Diversity and Inclusion (D+I) Committee, spoke of the importance of this endeavor: “Diversity and inclusion goals have been interwoven throughout the H+H Strategic Plan. Recognizing the Plan’s major goal of increasing H+H’s relevance to racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse communities throughout Greater Boston, the D+I Committee has focused on ways to actively
VOL. III, ISSUE 3 | SPRING 2019
My wife Anne and I are proud to have played a role in the success of H+H. We look forward to many future years of masterful H+H performances.” Help us create the night of a lifetime by making a donation, sponsoring a table, or purchasing tickets. You can do so by calling 617.262.1815 or emailing Brook Holladay at brook@handelandhaydn.org.
seek out new audiences of color. This concert represents one of many steps H+H is taking to that end.” Directed by Reginald Mobley, Ashleigh Gordon, and Jennifer Kane, this concert collaboration offers H+H a new opportunity for engagement within our community, and the chance to explore new ranges of repertoire. This concert is free, but reservations are requested. Visit handelandhaydn.org for more information. ASHLEIGH GORDON DIRECTOR + VIOLA
JONATHAN WOODY COMPOSER + BASS 3
DONOR HIGHLIGHT: WAYNE AND KATHRYN SMITH
FROM THE H+H ARCHIVES: RARE FIRST EDITION MOZART REQUIEM SCORE
BY WAYNE SMITH
I first found H+H when I moved to Boston in 1981, and found work in a hardware store. After a year or so of living here, I decided that I needed to restart my cultural engagement, and since music always played a large role in my life, i began looking into concert subscriptions. First I looked at the BSO, but as I was so poor in those days, that was out of the question. Then I happened upon H+H which was much more affordable, and in 1982 bought my first year’s subscription. I was hooked! So what keeps us coming back year after year? Simply: the performances! Now that we are retired and living in Florida, we have the time to fly up to continue the tradition. My favorite H+H memory was November 1, 2013, when H+H played a piece that was written for my family. Back in 1780-something, my great, great, etc., grandfather Sigmund asked his good friend Leopold if Leopold might convince his son to write some music that Sigmund could present to his daughter on her upcoming nuptials. Sigmund’s last name was Haffner (my paternal grandmother’s maiden name), and Leopold’s son was, of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! The piece ended up being his Symphony No. 35, the Haffner Symphony. When it comes to supporting H+H, that came a bit later. My parents had a charitable fund, and after they died, it was passed on to my sister and me to manage. Since I am such a strong believer that arts education - in this case music - is critical, I decided that this is where my share of the money should go. H+H is truly grateful to Wayne and Kathryn for their generous support over the years. We look forward to sharing many more seasons with them!
AUDIENCE PRAISE FOR BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY NO. 5
“Yesterday’s performance was magnificent! By the beginning of the 3rd movement I became misty eyed. Such energy and passion! I’ll never forget this performance, bravo H+H, bravo!” “I hope that Boston realizes that H+H has been performing some next level ‘stuff’ these last two years. The performances have been stratospheric.”
The Handel and Haydn Society’s extensive archival holdings include more than 160 scores, music collections and anthologies, monographs, and serial publications. Most of the scores are volumes used by H+H in performance during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and some were given to H+H by other New England-based music groups that failed to survive more than a few years. Others came to H+H as posthumous gifts from members of the Society. Much of the collection is extremely rare, including a c.1800 first edition copy of the Breitkopf edition of Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor (seen above). While most of the score’s history has been lost over the centuries since its publication, we do know that the signature of Lowell Mason, renowned music publisher and H+H president from 1827 to 1832, appears on both the title and dedication pages. The score also includes the text of “Der Tag des Gerichts, Parodie des Requiem, von Herr Kapellmeister Hiller in Leipzig,” which roughly translates to “The Day of Judgment, parody of the Requiem, by Mr. Kapellmeister Hiller in Leipzig.” Johann Adam Hiller was a German composer and conductor who died in 1804, so the inclusion of his work in this volume supports the idea that this is a rare early edition of Requiem. H+H delivered the Boston premiere of Mozart’s Requiem in 1858—the first full-length performance of the piece in the city’s history. You can see H+H perform Mozart’s Requiem to close the 2018-19 Season on May 3 or 5. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 617.266.3605 or at handelandhaydn.org.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR PURCELL DIDO AND AENEAS
“The quietly crumbling recitative before [Dido’s] final Lament was among the most exquisitely devastating renditions of those brief bars I can recall ever hearing.” - CJ Ru, The Boston Music Intelligencer “The audience all but exploded with applause. Others wept openly.” - Susan Miron, The Arts Fuse
PHOTO CREDITS (TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT): PAGE 1: LARA SILBERKLANG, SAM BREWER; PAGE 2: KEVIN MCDONALD, MIGUEL MENDEZ, COURTESY OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL; PAGE 3: GRETCHEN HELENE, ATHLONE ARTISTS, LIZ LINDER, MONIKA BACH SCHROEDER; PAGE 4: WAYNE SMITH, H+H COLLECTIONS AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, SAM BREWER, CHRIS PETRE-BAUMER