Spring FanFare Newsletter

fanfare SPRING 2010

Fashion Première

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF MUSIC

FASHIONS BY A sumptuous array of fresh and unique fashions will be showcased in a New York-style runway fashion show by professional models.

The event also includes a silent auction of exquisite baskets from local vendors with Neiman Marcus providing a speciallyselected favor for all attendees. A drawing will be held to select the winners of the Grand Drawing raffle. Prizes include a stay in an Irish castle – Ashford Castle (courtesy of Mari Atchason, Travel Professionals); and lodging, golf and a spa treatment in Bermuda (courtesy of Tucker’s Point.)

Also available are a $2500 Neiman Marcus shopping spree (courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Tony Pascotti); a Le Vian® Chocolate diamond pendant (courtesy of The Jeweler at the Hotel Hershey); and dinner for 10 at the Golden Sheaf Restaurant (courtesy of the Harrisburg Hilton).

Individual tickets are $80 and Priority seating is $125. Proceeds benefit the Harrisburg Symphony Society’s ongoing support of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. Contact Sandy Henry for tickets at: Sandy539@comcast.net

Thursday, May 6th 11 a.m.

Hilton Harrisburg

Ronald Schafer to Step Down as Youth Symphony Conductor Photo credit: The Burg

Dr. Ronald Schafer has announced that he will retire as Music Director and Conductor of the Harrisburg Youth Symphony at the end of the current season. Over the course of his remarkable 42-season tenure he has mentored thousands of talented young musicians in the Central Pennsylvania region. Many of these young people have gone on to study music at the college level and even on to careers as professional musicians. Presently, Harrisburg Youth Symphony graduates are performing in the symphony orchestras of Harrisburg, York, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston Grand Opera, and many other regional orchestras throughout the United States.

Aside from the Harrisburg Youth Symphony, Dr. Schafer served as String Specialist and Director of Orchestras in the Derry Township Public Schools for 36 years. He also served as conductor of the Messiah College Orchestra, The Hershey Symphony Orchestra, The Central Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, and The Harrisburg Opera Orchestra. A violinist and former member of the Harrisburg Symphony, Ron holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from West Chester University, and Masters and Doctorate Degrees from Penn State. His interest in sports cars over the years has not waned, and he continues to enjoy participating in Porsche driving events at race tracks throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

His final concerts with the Youth Symphony will be given at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27 at the Forum and at noon on Saturday, May 15 in the Strawberry Square Atrium. Admission is free to both events. We salute Dr. Schafer for his inspirational leadership and for the positive impact he has had on so many young lives.

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Dear Symphony Society Members and Friends,

former

GET TO KNOW

HSO!

Stuart Malina introduced a very special lady to the audience gathered at the March 28 Masterworks concert. In attendance, as she always is on Sunday afternoons, was Mrs. Nancy Hatz, who played French horn in the Harrisburg Symphony from 1935-38 under then-music director, George King Raudenbusch. During her tenure, she progressed from 3rd horn to 2nd horn to assistant 1st horn. She also taught music for many years in the York area. For Nancy, the HSO was not only a fabulous experience for ensemble play, it was also the place she met her husband, Russell Hatz, a violinist and violist who played in the HSO from 1932 until 1964. Mr. Hatz also taught at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, where he was head of the Music Department. Mrs. Hatz is now a resident of Mt. Gretna.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS TO TRAVEL TO MOULIN ROUGE! Join us for an evening of fun artistry in France.

Wander the “streets” of our Silent Auction and Sign-ups with strolling street entertainment, artists in progress, can-can dancers and more! Immerse yourself in the ambiance of romantic France with fabulous cuisine and music. The Beau Jazz band will delight us with songs reminiscent of Edith Piaf.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7 5 PM HERSHEY LODGE CHOCOLATE BALLROOM

The Symphony Society/Neiman Marcus Fashion show preparations are in place and we are looking forward to an extremely successful and goodlooking event at the Hilton on May 6. Co–chairs Mary Zimmerman and Patti Brenckle have really done a magnificent job with our major fundraiser for 2010.

“Committee Concerto,” a membership-building event, is scheduled for Thursday, May 20 from 4:00-6:00pm at my home in Mechanicsburg.

This casual get-together is a way for the HSS to introduce ourselves and our many volunteer opportunities to prospective members. To receive an invitation contact the office at 545-5527.

Finally, our Annual Meeting this year, on June 10 at the West Shore Country Club, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Harrisburg Symphony Society. All of the past presidents of the Society have been sent a special invitation, and we hope to see many of them in June. We want to celebrate with those who have made this milestone possible.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the final concerts of the season and please make sure to head out to one of the outdoor HSO concerts in July. Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely, Pat Ferris, Symphony Society President

Music Feeds More Than Just The Soul The HSO collected non-perishable food items and cash donations at our March Concerts. All donations collected will be distributed to our community by Lemoyne-based Channels Food Rescue.

To date, 246 orchestras have come together to combat hunger in their communities through Orchestras Feeding America. The drive was inspired by the true story of the motion picture, The Soloist.

Thank you for supporting our community through non-perishable food and cash donations. Our efforts

yielded more than 400 lbs of food! THANK YOU!!

GET TO KNOW

HSO! TOM ROWE

Oboe

Tom Rowe (L) and son David

music WHILE DRIVING? I typically just listen to the wind rushing by while riding my motorcycle, but on four wheels, I share my time with WITF, WJTL and WHP. favorite music? I generally don’t listen to pop music, but I do listen to traditional Irish folk music. Arcady, Mary Bergin, and the early Chieftains are my favorites.

FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD: My wife makes a wonderful home made Chicken Pot pie. (She’s from Lancaster County.)

FAMIly: I was born and raised in Linglestown, the youngest of 11 children. I grew up working at my father’s auto body repair shop in our back yard. Years of sanding inspired me to go to college. I met my wife of 27 years in music school.

Together we raised three children. My oldest daughter is a professional dancer at the Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland, OR. My second daughter recently accepted a commission to attend the United States Air Force Academy. My youngest son is an honors student and percussionist at Cumberland Valley High School.

HObbies: We enjoy sailing, tennis, backcountry hiking and camping.

Musically: In addition to the modern oboe, I play Renaissance and Baroque Recorders, Baroque oboe, and riqq. I offer master classes and perform as a founding member of the Susquehanna Baroque. I also play Irish whistle and Bodhran in festivals, sessions, churches and even weddings.

RISING STARS WINNER WILL PERFORM Twenty-five contestants from seven states participated in the second Rodney & Lorna Sawatsky Rising Stars Concerto Competition at Messiah College on January 22-23, 2010. Walking away with top honors was 15 year old pianist Yen-Yu Chen from Philadelphia. Ms. Chen, a student at the Curtis Institute of Music, performed the Piano Concerto in A Minor by Robert Schumann.

She was awarded a cash prize of $1,000 and also will be featured as a soloist performing Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G with Stuart Malina and Pianist Yen-Yu “Jenny” Chen the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra next January. The Rodney & Lorna Sawatsky Rising Stars Concerto Competition was established in 2007 in memory of Dr. Rodney Sawatsky, former President of Messiah College and HSO Board member. Judges for the competition included pianist Ya-Ting Chang plus HSO musicians Eric Henry, Gail Ober, Peter Sirotin, and Fiona Thompson.

outside music: In my spare time, I am a Senior Estimator and Pre-construction Manager at Pyramid Construction Services, Inc.

FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES LEMOYNE Thursday, July 1 at 8PM Negley Park, Lemoyne

CARLISLE Sunday, July 4 at 7:30PM Carlisle Summerfair, Carlisle

Sponsored by Concert at Negley Committee

Sponsored by Summerfair and Citizens of Carlisle

ANNVILLE Friday, July 2 at 7:30PM Lebanon Valley College Quad

MIFFLINTOWN July 5 at 7:30PM Juniata High School, Mifflintown

Sponsored by Lebanon Valley College

Sponsored by First National Bank of Mifflintown and the Lawrence L. and Julia Z. Hoverter Foundation.

HARRISBURG Saturday, July 3 at 8:30PM Harrisburg Sponsored by Dauphin County Commissioners

Author Diane Phillips with Stephanie Otto and Debra Tocks

Let the Good Times Roll Let the Good Times Roll was a series of parties, classes, outings, etc that were sold at the Toast & Roast in November. Food & Wine Cooking Class and Dinner was one of these events. Cookbook author Diane Phillips demonstrated and prepared a six-course dinner with fine wine at The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle. Phillips, known as the Diva of Do-Ahead, is the author of over 14 cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-nominated Perfect Party Food.

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NOTES!

Mendlow Family Creates Memorial Scholarship

Jane & Mark Mendlow

An annual scholarship in the amount of $2,000 toward tuition at the New England Music Camp in Sidney, Maine has been created in memory of Eric M. Mendlow. The memorial scholarship is being made available in perpetuity by Eric Mendlow’s parents, Mark and Jane Mendlow of Harrisburg, and Eric’s sister, Emily Mendlow.

Welcome!

The Mendlow family has requested that priority consideration be given to a member of the Harrisburg Youth Symphony when awarding the scholarship. Eric Mendlow graduated in 1993 from Susquehanna Township High School and went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree from Oberlin College and a Master’s Degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He also studied piano at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. He was very active as a pianist and string bass player, was a member of the Harrisburg Youth Symphony, and attended the New England Music Camp in the summers of 1989, 1990 and 1991. Eric Mendlow passed away in October 2008 at the age of 33.

the HSO’s new Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Graphic Design. Kim joins us from the Rose Lehrman Arts Center and Lutzy’s Lather, bringing Arts Marketing and retail marketing experience. She and her husband Scott live in Harrisburg with their two daughters, Madysen (age 5) and Samantha (age 3).

Please join us in welcoming

Kimberly Isenhour

Fashion Première CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF MUSIC FASHIONS BY Like Neiman Marcus, The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra is a cultural icon that brings beauty to all those who experience it.”

Thursday, May 6th at 11 a.m.

Hilton Harrisburg L to R Margaret Hathaway, Patti Brenckle (Co-Chair), Mary Zimmerman (Co-Chair), Laura Melmont, and Susan Seitz.

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HarrisburgSymphony.org 800 Corporate Circle, Suite 101 Harrisburg, PA 17110

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG, PA PERMIT NO. 173