HARRISBURG SYMPHONY
SPRING NEWSLETTER 2011
Harrisburg Symphony Society Presents
2011
HIDDEN IN HARRISBURG
The
Am ac azing Symphony R
e
FRIDAY | MAY 13 | 5:30 PM DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG & HARRISBURG HILTON
The Harrisburg Symphony Society presents Hidden in Harrisburg on Friday, May 13th. This year’s theme is our version of an Amazing Race - ours is the The
Amazing Symphony Race!
We begin at 5:30 with hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine at The Hilton Harrisburg & Towers and then extend into the streets of Harrisburg as the teams search for answers to clever clues relating to Harrisburg, its history, commerce and culture (no vehicle required). After the hunt, everyone returns to The Hilton Harrisburg & Towers for more fun, food, and drink with emcees Valerie Pritchett and Al Gnoza (from WHTM). If you are not a racer and choose to forgo the hunt, you are still welcome! Please join us at 8:30 for the festivities. Register online at HarrisburgSymphony.org
THE THREE FACES OF BRAHAMS How many ways can you portray Brahms?
Experience three unique “faces” of the Austrian composer May 14-15 as HSO presents our final Masterworks of the season. An innovative “Brahms Fan-Fare,” arranged by our own Maestro Stuart Malina provides the perfect introduction to the inspirational composer. Then hear Brahms’ only violin concerto - we’re featuring HSO Concertmaster Odin Rathnam, in his 20th season with the HSO. This concert concludes with Symphony No. 1, a remarkable and impressive achievement that was the result of a fourteenyear gestation period, and established Johannes Brahms as the leading German symphonist of his generation.
IT’S MAHLER TIME! DON’T MISS MAHLER’S MAJESTIC LANDSCAPES On April 16-17 Stuart Malina and the HSO will perform one of the supreme challenges of the orchestral repertoire, the grand and glorious Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler. Composed in the mid-1890s at the composer’s isolated mountain retreat in the Austrian Alps, the work is an unabashed attempt to describe in musical terms the forces of nature and mankind’s place in the natural world. Never one to write music as mere diversion or entertainment, Mahler’s symphonies are large pieces about large matters requiring large forces. Joining Maestro Malina and the HSO for these performances will be mezzo-soprano Layna Chianakas, the women of the Messiah College Concert Choir, and the Susquehanna Children’s Chorale. Mahler symphonies are always a special occasion. Don’t miss Mahler’s epic Third!
THE PHANTOM! Franc D’Ambrosio joins the HSO on April 30-May 1 at the Forum.
Best known for his role in The Phantom of the Opera, Franc is “The World’s Longest Running Phantom,” having played the role over 3,000 times. His deep, rich tenor voice and flawless delivery will delight you with this revue of Broadway hits and love ballads performed with the HSO. This is a MUST SEE performance!!
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GET TO KNOW
HSO!
HSO French horn player Leise Ballou and her husband Dave (who subs with the HSO on trumpet for Pops performances occasionally) live a musical life. Dave actually proposed to Leise here in Harrisburg during an HSO concert weekend! Leise’s oldest son Nate plays the double bass. Upon graduating from high school he was accepted into The Curtis Institute! Curtis is one of the most exclusive, selective college in this country - possibly the world. Roughly only 4% of applicants are accepted in Curtis! Sidenote: Curtis is one of Stuart Malina’s alma maters...so we at the HSO are especially fond of it!
Take well-played, aged violins, add in artists’ vision and talent coupled with paint and a musical theme and you have “Painted Violins.” Sixteen painted violins, each depicting a different musical theme or composition are the focus of this exciting fundraiser organized to benefit the HSO. Composer Jennifer Higdon, violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, eclectic trio Time for Three and HSO concertmaster Odin Rathnam each signed a painted violin.
Co-Chairs Karen Shughart & Judy Mecum HSO Musician Susan Aquila on Electric Violin
On Sunday, April 3rd the Painted Violin Brunch and raffle was held at the Hershey Country Club. Over 100 were in attendance to see and win these magnificient works of Musical Art!
Their family is a fascinating story...Dave is a professor at Towson University in Maryland. After they married, Leise stayed in New Jersey so the kids would not be uprooted and they’ve had a commuting/long distance marriage until now. Leise’s youngest, Jeff, is graduating this year and heading off to Wheaton College (MA) to play soccor in the fall, Leise will move to Towson so that she and Dave can finally be together full time. Top: Leise Ballou Middle - l to r: Dave, Nate, Leise Bottom: Dave & Leise
HSO Musician Susan Aquila played her electric violin with musicians Rob Tomaro, Gary Bristol and Joseph Church - their jazz selections added to the festive afternoon. Two limited-edition lapel pins: “Flight of the Bumblebee” and “Carnival of the Animals” plus special Painted Violin note cards were available for purchase.
HSO Staffer Alice Anne Schwab with Artist/Daughter Anna Novak
Co-Chairs Karen Shughart and Judy Mecum said, “We were excited to bring this unique event to symphony goers in the Harrisburg area. The project is a wonderful collaboration between the orchestra community and local artists, and we know the violins will become collectors’ items for those fortunate enough to obtain one or more of them.”
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Photo credit: Debra Schell
Music Feeds More Than Just The Soul
Stuart & Friends Musical Outreach 2011 HSO Food Drive Collection
Throughout the month of March, “Orchestras Feeding America” led their annual food drive initiative. Members of the League of American Orchestras (including the HSO) partnered with Feeding America. This is the third consecutive year that many of America’s orchestras (HSO being one of them) have mobilized their musicians, staff, volunteers, and audiences to help alleviate hunger in their communities. More than 200 food banks and 63,000 agencies are part of the Feeding America Network. HSO audience and community members donated nonperishable food items at the our concerts on March 12 & 13 and March 26 & 27 at the Forum. The food was donated to Lemoyne-based CHANNELS Food Rescue which has delivered over 4 million pounds of non-perishable food to people in need in Central Pennsylvania since 1999. 456 pounds of food where donated during the HSO 2011 Food Drive...just a few more Dinty Moore beef stews and we could have had ¼ ton! Thanks to all who donated!
As part of the annual Stuart & Friends concert, Marilynn Kanenson also sponsors a musical outreach activity to special needs students in the Harrisburg area. This year Stuart Malina performed an interactive program for special needs students in the Steelton-Highspire school district the morning of the Stuart & Friends concert. This was a great opportunity for students with disabilities (some multiple) to have up-close and personal interaction with Maestro. Music can be such a great educational and expressive tool for students who may have challenges in communicating… or they may excel in music when they struggle scholastically or socially. The Stuart and Friends concert and school outreach are underwritten by Marilynn R. Kanenson in memory of Dr. William Kanenson.
Puxatawney PHILharmonic A severe winter storm didn’t stop HSO friends and generous donors from celebrating Groundhog Day at the new headquarters of The Patriot-News on February 2nd. The Maestro demonstrated his ragtime flare by performing “Kitten on the Keys.” Joined by Maestra Simoncic, guests learned about the the upcoming 11/12 season, special events, and expanded plans for the Youth Symphony and educational programs. HSO Board Member Dr. Stephen C. MacDonald, Patriot-News publisher John Kirkpatrick, and a video produced by WHTM abc27 stressed the impact that the HSO has on the Capital Region. MacDonald discussed that the “Four Score and More” campaign – which has surpassed the 50% mark by raising almost $2.2 million in new endowment funds for the HSO! The evening concluded with fascinating tours of The Patriot-News printing press.
Treat Mom on Mother’s Day! Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra Mother’s Day Concert Sunday, May 8th | 3 pm | Forum No Ticket Required
HARRISBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA n www.HarrisburgSymphony.org n
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG, PA PERMIT NO. 173
800 Corporate Circle, Suite 101 Harrisburg, PA 17110 HarrisburgSymphony.org
The HSO and Greenbelt Events are excited to offer our Night Fusion Series that will explode your notion of a “symphony concert.” Come early for an hors d’oeuvre social hour, meet new friends, mingle with musicians, and experience a fusion of classical music with jazz & other genres in a whole new way.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 @ 7:30
ABBEY BAR at Appalachian Brewing Company
SWEET PLANTAIN Blending jazz, Latin and classical styles, this virtuoso quartet brings freshness and inventiveness to every note they play.
TIX: $25 (includes hors d’oeuvre social hour @6:30)
HarrisburgSymphony.org or 717.545.5527 Appalachian Brewing Company | Cameron Street | Hbg
Night Fusion Series PRESENTED BY
THE HARRISBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & GREENBELT EVENTS
Sponsored by Mary Jean & Stewart Holmes
BACKSTAGE DRAMA!
Tom Rowe
Christa Robinson Emily Petokas
Caption: Tom Rowe, Christa Robinson and Emily Petokas, a senior at Tunkhannock Area High School who studies oboe with HSO’s Christa Robinson of New York City. They meet in Harrisburg for lessons, which coincide with HSO Masterworks Concerts.
Symphony patrons at the March 27th Masterworks Concert couldn’t help but wonder why Maestro Malina failed to appear “on-cue.” After a few suspenseful moments, HSO Executive Director Jeff Woodruff calmly informed the audience that “technical difficulties” had caused a slight delay. However, they had nothing to do with the maestro. Backstage, oboist Christa Robinson, who had been routinely cleaning her instrument before her performance, suddenly had a once-in-lifetime crisis. Her cleaning swab was stuck in her oboe and wouldn’t come out! After several frantic attempts to dislodge the obstruction, Christa remembered that her student, Emily Petokas (who drives 130 miles one-way for lessons with Christa ), was in the audience...with her oboe! A text message to Emily’s cell phone summoning her backstage was unsuccessful. Emily, being a proper student, was following concert etiquette and had turned off her cell-phone. However, an on-stage “shout-out” to Emily -- and her oboe – succeeded. Soon, Christa was ready to perform. Thank gosh Emily and her Oboe were both in attendance that night. During intermission, fellow oboist Tom Rowe was able to remove the cleaning cloth from Christa’s oboe so she would play her own instrument during the second half.
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