Encore 4: 2017-2018 by Jax Symphony

THE MAGAZINE OF THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY

THE SEASON OF MAGIC

JAXSYMPHONY.ORG JAXSYMPHONY.ORG

Apr- Jun 2018

LIFE IS EXPANDING AT FLEET LANDING. Introducing our newest neighborhood, Beacon Pointe at Fleet Landing.

Encore18-88145

Now taking reservations for these luxury apartment homes. To learn more about our vibrant and welcoming retirement community, visit www.fleetlanding.com or call 904.701.0621. Ask about scheduling a personal appointment at our new sales center. One Fleet Landing Boulevard Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

WELCOME!

Insight One hour prior to each Florida Blue Masterworks Series concert, join Music Director Courtney Lewis and other Masterworks guest conductors in Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall to hear their insight on the program. An open, low-key 15 to 25 minute presentation including question and answer time will provide the opportunity to learn more about the fantastic works performed by the Jacksonville Symphony.

Dear Friends, Welcome to the Symphony! We have an incredible line-up of performances for you this spring. Our Florida Blue Masterworks Series showcases iconic works of Brahms and Bruckner, classics by Haydn and Mozart, an all-American program including the music of Ellington, Bernstein and the famous Barber Adagio for Strings, and an epic series finale with selections from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung featuring stars from the Metropolitan Opera.

Guest artists often join the conductor to give their vision of the works to be presented. Insight is a new angle on the concert experience. You’ll never listen to the music the same way after hearing Insight. So come early, grab a seat and hear what the experts have to say.

INSIGHT

In partnership with the American Composers Forum, the Jacksonville Symphony will invite four emerging composers to introduce their works on the April 20 program, EarShot. Two days later, on Earth Day, we will present John Luther Adams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning composition, Become Ocean, along with Jacksonville’s own Dr. Quinton White for a unique program examining our waterways and how they impact not only our community but the world.

is sponsored by

Tickets: 904.354.5547 Contributions: 904.354.1473 Administration: 904.354.5479 JaxSymphony.org Encore Production

Publisher – Robert Massey Editor – Sydney Schless Graphic Designer – Kenneth Shade Advertising Sales – Caroline Jones Photography – Tiffany Manning, Renee Parenteau Fran Ruchalski Communications Coordinator – Sydney Schless © 2018 Jacksonville Symphony Association 300 Water Street, Suite 200 • Jacksonville, FL 32202

@jaxsymphony

The Fidelity National Financial Pops Series brings us the music of David Bowie, an evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein led by one of our favorite guest conductors, Steven Reineke, and one of the most inspiring performances of the year, Patriotic Pops.

#jaxsymphony

is the official piano of the Jacksonville Symphony

4 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

Students from the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras will have the opportunity of a lifetime this June, as they are one of only three student ensembles invited to perform at the Los Angeles International Music Festival. Their trip will culminate in a performance at the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As you can imagine, flights to and from Los Angeles, hotel and meals are quite a financial burden on the students, who are funding this trip themselves. If you would like to contribute to the JSYO trip scholarship fund, please use the envelope found in this issue of Encore, or see staff in the lobby during intermission. Thank you in advance for giving the gift of music to a student. We know they’ll represent Jacksonville well. As many of you have seen, we have announced our next season, which will include some of your favorite symphonic pieces, an incredible roster of guest soloists and conductors, more films with orchestra and even a few special treats. To ensure you don’t miss a moment of this music, I encourage you to subscribe early. Thank you for your patronage, and enjoy the performance!

Robert Massey President and CEO

EnCORE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY

2017 - 2018 SEASON

VOLUME 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ISSUE FOUR

EVENTS 21

29 29

WINDBORNE'S MUSIC OF DAVID BOWIE FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL POPS SERIES April 13, 14

EarShot

SPECIAL PRESENTATION April 20

BECOME OCEAN SPECIAL PRESENTATION April 22

55 53

DEPARTMENTS

BRAHMS AND BRUCKNER REGENCY CENTERS SYMPHONY IN 60 SERIES RAYMOND JAMES COFFEE SERIES FLORIDA BLUE MASTERWORKS SERIES April 5, 6, 7

CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS FLORIDA BLUE MASTERWORKS SERIES April 27, 28 REINEKE, RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN RAYMOND JAMES COFFEE SERIES FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL POPS SERIES May 4, 5 JSYO FESTIVAL OF STRINGS YOUTH ORCHESTRAS SERIES May 7 JSYO MAJOR/MINOR CONCERT YOUTH ORCHESTRAS SERIES May 11 AMERICAN LANDSCAPES FLORIDA BLUE MASTERWORKS SERIES May 18, 19, 20

Welcome

Music Director Courtney Lewis

Symphony Association Board

About the Symphony

6, 9, 62-64

Thank You, Supporters

12-13

Jacksonville Symphony Musicians

Volunteer Activities and Events

Sound Investment Program

TWILIGHT OF THE GODS FLORIDA BLUE MASTERWORKS SERIES June 1, 2

The Cadenza Society

Jacksonville Symphony Administration

Cover Photo by Tiffany Manning

PATRIOTIC POPS RAYMOND JAMES COFFEE SERIES FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL POPS SERIES May 25, 26

ENCORE 5

The Jacksonville Symphony gratefully acknowledges some of our most important music makers. J. Wayne & Delores Barr Weaver

Ruth Conley

Robert D. and Isabelle T. Davis Endowment Fund

The Roger L. and Rochelle S. Main Charitable Trust

State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund Special Gift in Honor of the City Rescue Mission Staff

The DuBow Family Foundation

Donald C. McGraw Foundation

PGA TOUR, Inc.

Valdemar Joost Kroier Endowment Fund

Yvonne Charvot Barnett Young Artist Fund • bestbet • Biscottis • G. Howard Bryan Fund • Brooks Rehabilitation • CSX Transportation, Inc. Cummer Family Foundation • Downtown Investment Authority • Drummond Press • Jess & Brewster J. Durkee Foundation • Fleet Landing David and Ann Hicks • The Kirbo Charitable Trust • Martin Coffee Co • National Endowment for the Arts • Publix Super Markets Charities Rice Family Foundation • David and Linda Stein • Jay and Deanie Stein Foundation • Carl S. Swisher Foundation Edna Sproull Williams Foundation • Stein Mart • SunTrust • Vanguard Charitable-Kessler Fund Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts ACOSTA Sales & Marketing • Arcus Capital Partners • Baptist Health • Buffet Group USA • Burgman Winston Youth Orchestra Scholarship Fund Tom Bush BMW • CenterState Bank • Chartrand Foundation • Claude Nolan Cadillac • Dana’s Limousine and Transportation Services Duval Motor Company • Enterprise Holdings Foundation • Harbinger Sign • JAX Chamber • JAX Chamber - Downtown Council Brady S. Johnson Charitable Trust • The Main Street America Group • Mayse-Turner Fund • Parsley’s Piano • PNC • Rowe Charitable Foundation Sabel Foundation • Shacter Family Foundation • The Shultz Foundation • Harold K. Smith Foundation • Stellar Foundation • TigerLily Media V Pizza • Wells Fargo • Westminster Woods on Julington Creek • Workscapes • Zimmerman Family Foundation A-B Distributors, Inc. • The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida • Cornelia and Olin Watts Endowment Fund Members of the Corporate Conductor’s Club: Admira Dentistry with Dr. Joe Barton • Arkest LLC • Assign Commercial Group LLC • Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Jacksonville Business Journal • PRI Productions • Meinrod & Leeper Wealth Management • Dr. Christine Ng - ngderm.com Kathryn S. Robbie - Attorney at Law • Saunders & Company Media Partners: WJCT Public Broadcasting • Florida Times-Union 6 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

MUSIC DIRECTOR Courtney Lewis Music Director, Haskell Endowed Chair With clear artistic vision, subtle musicality and innovative programming, Courtney Lewis has established himself as one of his generation’s most talented conductors. The 20172018 season will mark his third season as music director of the Jacksonville Symphony. Highlights of the past season included engagements with the Dallas Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Since his debut in November 2008 with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, he has appeared with the Atlanta Symphony, Washington National Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Houston Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, among others. As a young conductor, Courtney Lewis has served as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra and Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

RENEE PARENTEAU

From 2008 to 2014, Courtney Lewis was the music director of Boston’s acclaimed Discovery Ensemble, a chamber orchestra dedicated not only to giving concerts of contemporary and established repertoire at the highest level of musical and technical excellence, but also bringing live music into the least privileged parts of Boston with workshops in local schools. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Lewis read music at the University of Cambridge during which time he studied composition with Robin Holloway and clarinet with Dame Thea King. After completing a master’s degree with a focus on the late music of György Ligeti, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music, where his teachers included Sir Mark Elder and Clark Rundell.

ENCORE 7

SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers

David M. Strickland, Chair Tim Cost, Vice Chair Michael Imbriani, Treasurer Elizabeth Lovett Colledge, Secretary Robert Massey, President and CEO

Executive Committee

Don Baldwin, Marketing Committee Chair Gilchrist Berg, Vision 2020 Campaign Co-Chair Carl Cannon, Vision 2020 Campaign Co-Chair R. Chris Doerr, At-Large Member Margaret Gomez, Foundation Board Chair Randolph R. Johnson, Development Committee Chair Matthew S. McAfee, Immediate Past Board Chair John Surface, At-Large Member Randall C. Tinnin, Programming Committee Chair Gwendolyn “Gwen” Yates, Governance Committee Chair

Board of Directors

Sandra Sue Ashby, ex officio Martha Barrett Douglas A. Booher Karen Bower J.F. Bryan, IV Chung-Hae Casler Tyler Dann Barbara Darby Jack Dickison, ex officio Michael Drexler Aubrey Edge Katheryn Hancock, ex officio Anne H. Hopkins Wesley Jennison Susan Jones Charles S. Joseph Allison Keller Ross Krueger Anne Lufrano Elizabeth McAlhany Sheila McLenaghan Rick Moyer W. Ross Singletary III Douglas Worth

Foundation Board Margaret Gomez, Chair Gilchrist Berg R. Chris Doerr Peter Karpen

8 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

Honorary Directors Ruth Conley David W. Foerster Preston H. Haskell Robert E. Jacoby Frances Bartlett Kinne Mary Carr Patton Robert T. Shircliff Mary Ellen Smith Jay Stein James Van Vleck James H. Winston

Multicultural Advisory Council African-American Council Mr. Mark Chapman Ms. Betty Collier Dr. Barbara Darby Dr. Helen Jackson Mrs. Pamela Prier Ms. Willetta Richie Mr. Henry L. Rivers Mrs. Patricia Sams Ms. Veronica Tutt Ms. Felicia Wilcox Reverend Barry Wright Hispanic-American Council Mrs. Alicia Burst Mr. Rafael Caldera Mr. Gil Colon Mr. Victor Cora Dr. Barbara Darby Mr. Wilfredo Gonzalez Mrs. Maribel Hernandez Mr. Ed Perez Ms. Betzy Santiago

Past Board Chairs

Olin E. Watts, Founding President Wellington W. Cummer Hugh R. Dowling Giles J. Patterson Carl S. Swisher Gert H. W. Schmidt Robert R. Bowen Roger L. Main Charles L. Hoffman Hugh Abernethy Archie J. Freels Harold K. Smith Jacob F. Bryan, III Ira M. Koger J. Shepard Bryan, Jr. Randall C. Berg W. E. Grissett, Jr. B. Cecil West James C. Blanton David C. Hastings Alford C. Sinclair Constance S. Green Arthur W. Milam John H. McCallum Preston H. Haskell Sylvia F. “Tibby” Sinclair J. F. Bryan, IV David W. Foerster E. William Nash, Jr. James H. Winston Robert T. Shircliff Robert O. Purcifull Carl N. Cannon Phillip E. Wright Jay Stein Mary Ellen Smith R. Travis Storey John S. Peyton A. R. “Pete” Carpenter Steven T. Halverson Gerald J. Pollack James Van Vleck R. Chris Doerr Richard H. Pierpont Martin F. Connor, III Matthew S. McAfee

The Jacksonville Symphony Association gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the following individuals, businesses and foundations: Gifts to the Annual Fund between July 1, 2016 and March 7, 2018. ∆ Designates a gift in-kind * Designates deceased

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL $100,000+

Amy and Gilchrist B. Berg BRASS Ruth Conley in memory of Paul Conley Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville Fidelity National Financial Mrs. Josephine Flaherty Florida Blue Monica and Bob Jacoby Florida State College of Jacksonville ∆ PRI Productions ∆

$50,000 - $99,999

Anonymous gift in honor of the City Rescue Mission Staff Pete and Lory Doolittle State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs Mayo Clinic Mrs. C. Herman Terry Florida Times-Union ∆

$25,000 - $49,999 Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. John D. Baker II Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Bryan, IV Tim and Stephanie Cost Robert D. and Isabelle T. Davis Endowment Fund Stephen and Suzanne Day Deutsche Bank Chris and Stephanie Doerr Donald C. McGraw Foundation DuBow Family Foundation EverBank Haskell Valdemar Joost Kroier Endowment Fund Jessie Ball duPont Fund Anne and Robert Lufrano

Magnolia Foundation Roger L. and Rochelle S. Main Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs. Matthew S. McAfee Mr. and Mrs. Russell B. Newton, Jr. PGA TOUR Regency Centers, Inc. Ronald and Karen Rettner Rice Family Foundation Stein Mart, Inc. VyStar Credit Union J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Music Education Endowment Quentin and Louise* Wood Omni Hotels and Resorts ∆ ENCORE 9

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Napa Cabbage Kimchi made in-house at Black Sheep

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B E L LW E T H E RJA X .C O M

TWO ALUMS • TWO ERAS • TWO SUCCESSES ULYSSES OWENS, JR. Jazz Artist with three solo albums, 2-time Grammy Award winner, recently joined the Faculty at The Juilliard School in the Jazz Studies Program

JULIAN ROBERTSON National Young Arts Finalist, Recipient of Full Scholarship at The Juilliard School

CLASS OF 2001

CLASS OF 2016

Offering Intensive Studies in Dance, Vocal, Instrumental Music, Film, Creative Writing, Theatre and Visual Arts

F O R 2017 AU D I T I O N I N FO R MAT ION:

10 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

(9 0 4 ) 3 4 6 -5 6 2 0 , E X T. 1 0 1 • DA -A RT S . ORG

ABOUT THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY

As Music Director Courtney Lewis begins his third season at the conductor’s podium, the Jacksonville Symphony celebrates an expanded 2017-2018 season that promises more weeks of music reaching more people than ever before. Last year’s record attendance of 255,000 individuals is sure to be broken this season. As the concert schedule expands to 38 weeks, there are new events, along with more artists that will make the season shine. The Daily’s Place Symphony Series debuted with the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, performed with live orchestra soundtrack and was a first of its kind partnership between a symphony and a NFL team. The Jacksonville Symphony is one of Northeast Florida’s most important cultural institutions. Founded in 1949, the Symphony is ranked among the nation’s top regional orchestras. The Symphony’s home, Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, is considered to be an acoustic gem. Each year thousands enjoy the Symphony’s performances both at Jacoby Symphony Hall in the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and at venues located throughout Northeast Florida. The Symphony is also the community’s leader in music education for children, serving four county school districts. In addition to offering free tickets to children under the age of 18 for select Masterworks,

and other special youth pricing, there are several programs to foster music education. This year the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras is under the direction of Assistant Conductor and JSYO Principal Conductor Deanna Tham. As part of the JSYO’s activities, they will be gearing up to play in L.A.’s famous Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall this coming June as one of just three student orchestras invited to perform in the Los Angeles International Music Festival. Over the years the Jacksonville Symphony has hosted some of the most renowned artists of the music world including Isaac Stern, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman, Kathleen Battle, Mstislav Rostopovich, Audra McDonald, Joshua Bell and Lang Lang. This year the Symphony hosted the incomparable Renée Fleming for the January 2018 Gala. Our season would not be possible without the generosity of our donors, patrons and volunteers. We thank them and all our patrons for their support. For more information about the Jacksonville Symphony, please visit www.Facebook.com/JaxSymphony, follow us on Twitter @JaxSymphony, and on Instagram at JaxSymphony.

ENCORE 11

THE ORCHESTRA

Anthony Anurca SECOND/CONTRA BASSOON

Katharine Caliendo SECOND HORN

Chi-Yin Chen VIOLIN

Patrice Evans VIOLIN

Anna Genest VIOLIN

Melissa Barrett

Christopher Bassett

Patrick Bilanchone

Aaron Brask

Rhonda Cassano

Kevin Casseday

Laurie Casseday

Christopher Chappell

Kacy Clopton

Conrad Cornelison

Clinton Dewing

Ileana Fernandez

Kayo Ishimaru-Fleisher PRINCIPAL HARP

SECTION PERCUSSION

Annie Hertler

Jiayi Huang

Max Huls

ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER

Dr. Hugh A Carithers Endowed Chair

SECOND FLUTE

Tristan Clarke

BASS TROMBONE

BASS

PRINCIPAL TRUMPET

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CELLO

Kenneth Every

Betsy Federman

PRINCIPAL TIMPANI

Patrick Graham

SECOND CLARINET

12 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

CELLO

Michael Harper

SECOND TRUMPET

BASS

CELLO

PRINCIPAL BASSOON

PRINCIPAL KEYBOARD

The George V. Grune Endowed Chair

VIOLIN

THIRD HORN

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN

VIOLIN

VIOLA

Andrew Bruck VIOLIN

DJ Cheek

PRINCIPAL VIOLA

Aurelia Duca

PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN

Kevin Garry

VIOLIN

THE ORCHESTRA

Vernon Humbert CELLO

Mark Knowles FOURTH HORN

Ellen Caruso Olson VIOLA

Jorge A. PeÃ±a Portillo VIOLA

Piotr Szewczyk VIOLIN

James Jenkins

Ran Kampel

PRINCIPAL TUBA

Jennifer Glock Endowed Chair

Jonathan Kuo

Jason Lindsay

VIOLIN

Eric Olson

PRINCIPAL OBOE

PRINCIPAL CLARINET

BASS

Brian Osborne THIRD/UTILITY TRUMPET

Cynthia Kempf VIOLA

Todd Lockwood

Colin Kiely VIOLA

Brian Magnus

Joel Panian

Susan Pardue VIOLA

PRINCIPAL TROMBONE

Paul Strasshofer

SECTION PERCUSSION

Les Roettges

Alexei Romanenko

PRINCIPAL FLUTE

PRINCIPAL CELLO

James Tobias

Carol Whitman

John Wieland

Yuping Zhou

SECOND TROMBONE

VIOLIN

The Musicians of the Jacksonville Symphony are proudly represented by the American Federation of Musicians, Local 444.

Steve Merrill

CELLO

SECOND OBOE/ENGLISH HORN

Daniel Rios

VIOLIN

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL BASS

PRINCIPAL HORN

Kevin Reid

Ilana Kimel

PRINCIPAL BASS

PRINCIPAL PERCUSSION

Jeffrey Peterson

BASS

VIOLIN

Backstage Employees are proudly represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) Local 115, Saul Lucio, Business Agent.

ENCORE 13

The TrusT You Place In us Is PrIceless. Thank You.

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Together, We Are Your

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THE CREW TAKES A BOW by Richard A. Salkin

Musicians get standing ovations. But the technical crews who support them, not so much. So despite their natural reticence, as we hurtle toward the tail end of another great season, they deserve a little appreciation. It takes more than you realize to bring a Jacksonville Symphony concert to life. The amazing, unnoticed and unseen work that happens before, during and after the concert is like a finely choreographed ballet. And some of those supporting non-musical performers, while not especially eager to take a bow, add magic of their own to every performance.

Setting the stage “We are lucky to have crews of dedicated professionals who enrich every concert in their own way,” said Symphony President and CEO Robert Massey. “Because of their consistent work, audiences can focus on the magic that’s happening onstage instead of distractions.” Leading the crew: Stage Manager Ray Klaase, a self-described stagehand since high school. “I did three years as the Symphony’s sound engineer and three years as the lighting technician,” he said, before a brief detour to Sight and Sound Productions, where he served as senior technical director. From there he re-joined the Symphony in his current job, a position he’s held for the past seven years. Klaase directs technical crews who must nail down countless details whenever the orchestra convenes for a rehearsal or performance. The size of the crew and the time required varies with the type of concert involved. For a basic Masterworks concert, the setup takes a crew of 4; something more complicated, like a Symphonic Night at the Movies, requires a crew of about 10; for a full-scale production like the Nutcracker, you’re looking at 27 people, more or less. And they do follow a checklist, which Klaase and his crew have developed over the years. “We monitor the rigs, check every light, place and check mics for all players, check the speakers, the curtains, the conductor stand and clean the stage,” he said, and that’s just for starters. It’s a process that requires teamwork—“You better be great as a team player,” he said, naming two of his most significant team members: Technical Director Shamus McConney and Stage Associate James Pitts. Between them, McConney and Pitts have 27 years of theatrical tech experience.

Most audience members don’t even notice the drape-like acoustical panels along the Jacoby’s side walls, but they’re managed by Klaase and crew, too. They were built into the hall’s original design to adjust sound absorption. “There are 14 curtains on the side walls—10 above the patrons and four above the stage,” Klaase said. “Also a curtain along the back wall of the orchestra stage behind the fabric wall.” The crew can adjust the panels according to the type of music, the number of patrons, or to get the desired acoustical effect, he added. The side panels operate with motors. But that one in the back? “It’s adjusted the old-fashioned way. By hand.” Music Director Courtney Lewis explained that “the curtains affect how resonant the hall is, how much of an echo you hear. With the curtains up, the sound is quite wet [meaning there’s more echo from sound bouncing off the walls]; when they’re down all the way, the hall is drier [less echo]. In rehearsal, we have the curtains all the way down, because it simulates people in the hall.” For performances, the curtains are usually kept at half-mast because patrons themselves absorb a lot of the sound that would otherwise reverberate. Speaking of the back wall, there’s the Bryan Family Organ, with its massive array of pipes. It doesn’t just sit there. Perhaps surprisingly, it requires the occasional tuning. “The organ gets about two solid days of tuning every season,” Klaase said. “And it also gets touched up and tuned when we need it for a concert.” The instrument’s 6,215 pipes all get “just a little nudging” because, despite the climatecontrolled environment, they can expand or contract with changes in temperature. When the organ was first installed, the initial process of voicing and tuning took 10 months.

A piano for all seasons Compared to the mighty Cassavant organ, the symphony’s concert piano, a Steinway Model D, is a lot easier to maintain. Almost nine feet in length, it sports 225 strings, all of which need to be tuned before every rehearsal and every performance. Other components, like the hammers, pins and springs, need to be microadjusted to produce a tone and feel that suits every soloist who performs on it. That’s the job of Skip Becker, Master Piano Technician, who has been tuning pianos for the Jacksonville Symphony almost continuously since 1990. When a visiting pianist first arrives in town, “my job is to provide the most perfect piano I can,” Becker explained. “Then the artist will play it and tell me what adjustments need to be made. It’s really a collaborative process.” In the end, his goal is to give each pianist the confidence to play their best on an unfamiliar instrument. “If I can provide consistency and regularity of touch, it gives the soloist the illusion of surefootedness, so they can transcend the limitations of their fingers.” Becker said the crew also devised a unique way of steadying the Steinway on stage. Former Music Director Fabio Mechetti “had Phillippe Entremont playing Rachmaninoff. During rehearsals, he was literally pushing the piano across the stage—not inches, meters!—and having to scoot the bench forward to catch up with it.” The stage manager at the time, Bill Vogt (affectionately known as Bear), “found some rope and wrapped it around the wheels to prevent the instrument from moving. That’s unique to the Jacksonville Symphony.”

ENCORE 15

Beyond the Jacoby Stage With the advent of social media and digital technology, the Symphony has new ways to reach audiences. To keep that process running as smoothly as operations inside the Jacoby, Digital Marketing Manager Anna Birtles oversees an evolving and exciting process. She’s currently in her second season in that role. “I manage the Symphony’s website, digital ad campaigns, video production, social media and streaming,” Birtles said. One of the most promising aspects of her work involves livestreaming concerts out via Facebook—a new offering that started this season and is already gaining a following. “We’re averaging a couple thousand viewers for each stream,” she said, “and our reach is typically around 30,000 per stream. In the last two seasons, we’ve essentially built our digital display and live streaming strategies from the

16 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

ground up. The live-streaming program is something we’re really proud of. We’re the only symphony our size doing this, and really one of only a handful across the country who are.”

Following a performance, “I listen late at night or the next day, thinking about what I can do differently, the pacing, or if particular things need to be adjusted. It’s a very useful tool.”

The symphony has been employing a more established technology, radio, for years, with help from media partner WJCT. “For the radio show (WJCT Presents the Jacksonville Symphony) we have a couple thousand listeners joining us each show,” Birtles said. The radio show, airing on the second Monday of each month at 7pm, is co-hosted by Melissa Ross and Courtney Lewis. The production team includes recording engineer Jeff Alford and WJCT’s David Luckin.

Lewis is keenly grateful about the support he depends on from the technical and stage crews. “The best stage management of my career has been here,” he proclaimed. “Every single piece we play has a different stage layout. They have an awful lot of things to do to make it all happen without us noticing.” If there’s ever a mishap or some drama backstage, Lewis is blissfully unaware of it. “That’s the goal of good stage management.”

Every Jacksonville Symphony Masterworks concert is recorded, for a variety of audiences and purposes. One of the people who takes maximum advantage of that capability is Music Director Lewis. “Our sound engineer works with me and the staff on archive recordings,” he said. “I find them enormously useful.”

He saves his most ardent appreciation for Klaase: “Ray is fantastic. At the end of every performance he hands me a Stella Artois. He has a special place in my heart.”

CORPORATE CONDUCTOR’S CLUB ENGAGE I ENTERTAIN | CONNECT

EXPAND your brand and CREATE exposure for your business, while fostering a reputation for corporate citizenship. CONNECT to potential clients, high-impact businesses and individuals ENGAGE in unique opportunities to entertain clients and employees

CONCERT EXPERIENCES INTERMISSION RECEPTIONS COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING YEAR-LONG RECOGNITION ADVERTISING DISCOUNTS SPECIAL EVENTS EARLY ACCESS TO THE ANNUAL GALA

BE A CATALYST FOR MUSIC

$3,000 – SILVER 16 Flexible concert tickets

$5,000 – GOLD 32 Flexible concert tickets

Complimentary Intermission Reception Vouchers

12-month recognition as “Corporate Silver” in Encore

12-month recognition as “Corporate Gold” in Encore and listing in Symphony Season Guide

Not Available

Up to 8 complimentary parking passes

Discount on season advertisement in Encore

Invitations to exclusive member events

Exclusive discount on Gala table purchase Ability to reserve a table before tickets go on sale

Corporate contributions empower the Jacksonville Symphony to share the magic of great music. Ticket sales only account for 40% of revenue needed to sustain season-long programming.

The Jacksonville Symphony creates experiences that build a more joyful, connected, cultured and economically-thriving Jacksonville. Corporate Conductor’s Club members make that happen.

Connect your company to the Symphony by joining today. 904.354.7779 - Corporate@JaxSymphony.org – JaxSymphony.org/Corporate

ENCORE 17

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CONCERTMASTER SEARCH Concertmaster Audition Process

The Jacksonville Symphony is hosting eight candidates for the concertmaster position during the 2017-2018 season. Candidates will play with the orchestra for one Masterworks series weekend and one Pops/Special Presentation weekend. Please give them a warm Jacksonville welcome.

Jeffrey Dyrda – April 5, 6 & 7 / April 13 & 14 Canadian violinist Jeffrey Dyrda has performed across the Americas, Europe and Asia in a variety of musical roles. He has had extensive experience as concertmaster, leading international ensembles such as the Verbier Festival Orchestra, the Lucerne Academy Orchestra and the New World Symphony. Dyrda has also appeared as guest concertmaster for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. He has spent three seasons as the second violinist of the Rolston String Quartet, with whom he has received the Cleveland Quartet Award, as well as the first prizes of the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition. They also received prizes at the M-Prize Competition and Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, and were winners of the Astral Artists 2016 auditions. Dyrda has appeared with the Rolston Quartet in throughout the world including Canada, the United States, Germany, Italy, France, England and the Czech Republic. Some of their most notable performances have taken place at Esterházy Palace, La Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Smithsonian Institution. Devoted to social projects and music education, Dyrda has mentored at the Academia Filarmonica de Medellin in Colombia and served in South Korea as concertmaster for a World Peace Orchestra comprised of musicians from a multitude of UN countries. He holds degrees from Rice University, New England Conservatory and McGill University, and Fellowships from the New World Symphony and Yale University, where he has taught chamber music as part of their Fellowship String Quartet in Residence.

Lauren Roth – May 25 & 26 / June 1 & 2 Lauren Roth is concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and was named assistant professor of Violin at the University of Arizona beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. Prior to these positions, she was concertmaster of the Canton Symphony. In May 2013, Roth earned a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of William Preucil, and she was accepted into his prestigious Concertmaster Academy. She was a member of the Cleveland Pops orchestra and a substitute with the Cleveland Orchestra. A native of Seattle, Roth received a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian studies from the University of Washington. She was a student of Professor Ron Patterson. During that time, she served as concertmaster of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, Thalia Symphony, Marrowstone Festival Orchestra and the UW Symphony. Roth has appeared as soloist with Philharmonia Northwest, Thalia Symphony, Canton Symphony, Sierra Vista Symphony and the Tucson Symphony. In 2013, she attended the Tanglewood Music Center and received the Jules C. Reiner Violin Prize. An avid teacher and chamber musician, Roth was an adjunct faculty member at Holy Names Academy in Seattle and has served on the faculty of Icicle Creek Music Center and the International Lyric Academy in Italy. She spends summers in Prague, Czech Republic and Bellingham, WA where she is a faculty member at the Prague Summer Nights Festival and the Marrowstone Music Festival respectively. This year, Roth looks forward to joining the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Camp and to solo engagements with the Tucson Symphony and Chandler Symphony. Outside of music, Roth enjoys playing and watching sports, yoga and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

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GET INVOLVED - VOLUNTEER WITH THE SYMPHONY The Jacksonville Symphony loves its volunteers. There are many ways to support the Symphony – you can give a gift, join an auxiliary group, serve as an usher or sing in the chorus. Read about the many opportunities to support our mission.

SAVE THE DATE:

The BRASS Annual Gala is planned for Sunday, April 29, 2018.

BRASS

Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony

BRASS was excited to host their 2018 Wines for Music event on February 25, 2018. It was a deliciously successful fundraising event that annually benefits the Jacksonville Symphony, held at Marsh Landing Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The Foley Food & Wine Society was the event’s signature sponsor. The event was chaired by Ms. Nadine Sabatier and Bill Maletz, Auction Committee Chair. For people in the surrounding area who love wine and music, this year's 140 guests had an opportunity to peruse 44 silent auction items that were primarily wines from around the globe - vintage and rare, plus a few distinctive vacations to Ft. Lauderdale and Napa Wine Country. An overwhelming standing ovation kicked off Wines for Music with the musical program, including Jacksonville Symphony musicians and the 2017 BRASS RING winner, Leila Warren. SAVE THE DATE: The upcoming BRASS Annual Gala & Dinner will be held on April 29, 2018 at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club.

ARIAS Continues Its Support of Nassau County Music Education ARIAS, Amelia Residents in Action for the Symphony, continues its primary mission as a provider of music education for the elementary grades of Nassau County schools. At the 4th grade level, we continue our wildly successful Instrument Zoo program, allowing children to handle and make sounds from the four families of symphonic instruments. We are continuing our financial support of Suzuki violin lesson sessions under the auspices of Arts Alive Nassau, moving up to the 4th grade level. In 5th grade, all students are exposed to marvelous melodies of a selection of Symphony ensembles right in their school. We extend our educational theme to adults as well by providing discounted bus transportation to a variety of Masterworks, Pops and Special concerts, allowing a broad spectrum of county residents to enjoy our local musical gem! For membership information, please call Jack Dickison, ARIAS president, 904.277.0572.

THE GUILD The Guild year is coming to an end and we have three events left. On Friday, May 4, the Friends of the Guild will sponsor the Pops concert, Reineke, Rogers and Hammerstein. Sunday, May 6 is the Queen’s Harbour Pops, which is our main fundraiser for the year. On Tuesday, June 5, our Annual Meeting and Election of Officers will be held at Fleet Landing. The Education Committee is finishing up the Instrument Zoos for the year and planning our Scholarship presentation. If you are interested in becoming a Guild member we would love to have you join us. There is something for everyone whether it’s working at the will call desk during concerts, helping address and stuff envelopes for Symphony mailings, serving coffee and cookies at the Coffee concerts, helping with the Nutcracker Boutique or serving on our various committees. If you have any question please call me at 904.880.0759. Sue Ashby, President The Guild of the Jacksonville Symphony 20 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

SYMPHONY IN 60 SERIES COFFEE SERIES MASTERWORKS SERIES

Symphony in 60 Series: Coffee Series: Masterworks Series:

Thursday, April 5, 2018 l 6:30 pm Friday, April 6, 2018 l 11 am Friday & Saturday, April 6 & 7, 2018 l 8 pm

“Insight” one hour prior to each Masterworks concert

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

Regency Centers Symphony in 60 Series

BRAHMS SYMPHONY NO. 3 Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Johannes BRAHMS

Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90

Raymond James Coffee Series

BRUCKNER SYMPHONY NO. 7 Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Anton BRUCKNER

Symphony No. 7 in E major

Florida Blue Masterworks Series

BRAHMS AND BRUCKNER Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Johannes BRAHMS Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90 Allegro con brio Andante Poco allegretto Allegro

~ Intermission ~

Anton BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7 in E major Allegro moderato Adagio: Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam Scherzo: Ser schnell Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht schnell

Presented by: PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

PROGRAM NOTES By Steven Ledbetter

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90 (33 minutes)

By the time Brahms wrote his Third Symphony, he had come to be regarded with great respect, at least, by many of the critics and the public, particularly those who saw in him a bulwark of instrumental abstract music against Wagner’s “Music of the Future.” That is not to say that new works were received with universal acclaim. For one thing, Wagner’s partisans were always as vicious in their denunciations of Brahms as the Brahmsians were in their attacks on the Wagnerian faction. And many wellintentioned music-lovers simply found Brahms' elusive, complex music unclear, demanding, highly intellectual rather than emotional. When the Third Symphony was first performed in Boston in the fall of 1884, the response was all-too typical: “Like the great mass of the composer’s music,” wrote a critic, “it is painfully dry, deliberate and ungenial; and like that, too, it is free from all effect of seeming spontaneity.” For the average listener it took decades—and many hearings—to find the extraordinary lyricism, the rapturous interplay of lines and rhythms which create a complexity that does indeed benefit from the sorting-out acquired by familiarity. A hundred years ago it was a commonplace to say that Wagner was the avatar of musical modernism and Brahms of a musical conservatism. And yet the situation cannot have been so simply stated, or the music of Brahms would have been much easier to grasp. No less a musical mind than that of Arnold Schoenberg, whose Transfigured Night may be the apotheosis of Wagner’s Tristan, also wrote a profound essay entitled “Brahms the Progressive,” in which he drew attention to Brahms’s unsurpassed genius at melodic variation and the complex richness of his rhythms, to which no other composer of his time came close. BRAHMS (continued on page 23)

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BRAHMS (continued from page 21) It is well known that Brahms waited until he was well into his forties—in 1876—before daring to bring forth his first symphony. But once having broken ground for a symphonic edifice, he quickly moved onto his second such structure the following year. Then he concentrated for a time on concertos, chamber music and choral works. Finally, in the summer of 1882 he began his Third Symphony, completing it the following summer. The first performance took place that December in Vienna, where it was well received except for the noisy opposition of a few members of the Wagner-Bruckner camp. In those days, of course, there were neither recordings nor radio broadcasts to carry the sound of a new work beyond the audience that first heard it in the concert hall. Brahms’ friends in other cities—particularly his oldest and dearest friend and confidante, Clara Schumann—were eager to hear the piece. But they did not have to wait long; orchestras all over Europe and even the distant United States undertook to perform it in 1884 and before the end of the year performances had taken place in Cambridge (England), Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne, Meiningen, as well as both New York and Boston. Brahms had prepared an arrangement for two pianos and twice allowed the powerful Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick to hear the score in a two-piano reading before the official premiere. After the performance, Hanslick hailed the new work as “a feast for the music lover and musician,… artistically the most perfect” of the composer’s works to that time. For all the immediate fame and success that the symphony achieved, the Brahms Third is the least-often programmed of the four symphonies. And this in spite of the fact that Brahms’s great devotee Hans Richter referred to the piece “Brahms’s Eroica.” Actually that epithet could be partly the cause of the symphony’s relative infrequency in performance, because the two works have almost nothing in common except the fact that they are both “third symphonies” and bear the tempo marking “Allegro con brio” for their first movements. The Beethoven work shatters the past with a two-fisted aggressive outburst of dynamism; the Brahms is altogether quieter, more internalized, more evocative. Every movement ends quietly, including the finale, and this may be another reason why it is heard rarely, since audiences are psychologically more attuned to

applaud a loud, brilliant finish rather than the quiet close. The first, second and fourth movements of the symphony are linked by the presence of a “motto” that appears in the opening measures: three chords underlie a three-note melody that consists of F rising to A-flat, the soaring upward to the F in the higher octave. Now, in this context, A-flat would suggest that the symphony is to be in F minor, but the chords underlying the first and third pitches have instead an A natural, which suggests that the symphony is in F major. From the first three measures, then, the symphony unfolds an expressive scheme that is constantly playing with the opposition between major and minor, sometimes forcefully, but most often in delicate ways. Nearly thirty years earlier Brahms had composed a violin sonata movement based on the musical emblem F-A-F, which (according to the composer’s biographer Kalbeck) stood for the phrase “frei aber froh” (“free but happy”). Here the same phrase recurs, except its middle member is now A-flat, bringing in a totally different mood. A and A-flat contend dramatically throughout the movement, a harmonic competition that helps to generate the great forward thrust the continues even past the more delicate and ravishing secondary theme, first heard in the clarinet. The two middle movements are both more delicate, lighter, of the type that Brahms often chose to call “intermezzo.” The second movement features a melody that seems almost as simple as a folk song, developed with rich changes in the orchestration. The lyric flow is twice interrupted by a succession of chords that sound vaguely ominous. The cellos sing a gorgeously poignant melody at the opening of the third movement, and the first violins soon take it up. Though this movement lacks specific references to the continuing struggle between A and A-flat, its mood of overall melancholy fits right in with the nature of that harmonic combat. The finale opens in F minor, giving the impression that the A-flat will ultimately triumph. A chorale-like passage and a succession of motives build a powerful symphonic struggle. But rather than carrying this through to anything like a heroic conclusion, Brahms draws all of the thematic materials of this movement together in a calm apotheosis that finally settles the original question—minor or major?—in favor of the latter, with shimmering strings and a hushed close.

Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) Symphony No. 7 in E major (64 minutes)

Bruckner’s symphonies offer so individual and personal a treatment of the form inherited from his Viennese predecessors Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert that we still often misunderstand them. Until quite recently Bruckner’s name was always linked in the same breath with Mahler’s, as if Bruckner-andMahler were no less inseparable than Gilbertand-Sullivan. To be sure, Bruckner and Mahler each wrote lengthy and demanding symphonies that were rarely performed in their own time, but in other respects their music looked in opposite directions. Mahler’s symphonies involved the creation of entire worlds, with all of the diversity that entails; they were, moreover, filled with existential doubt and anguish, and no matter how assertively positive the endings might be, searching and doubting always remains at the core. Bruckner could hardly have been more different. Though in many respects insecure as an individual, when it came to composing symphonies, his music reflects throughout the absolute conviction of his Catholic faith. Each symphony seems from the beginning to be aiming for a predestined conclusion of grandeur and almost heavenly glory. We might say that if Mahler’s symphonies are in some self-psychoanalysis, Bruckner’s symphonies are liturgical acts. Or, to use a very different comparison: Haydn, another composer who came from the peasantry in the Austrian countryside, wrote Mass settings that were profoundly symphonic in character; Bruckner wrote symphonies that were deeply liturgical. It is not only that he often quoted themes from his Masses in his symphonies, but rather the nature of the musical rhythm, the grand, measured progress from certainty to certainty, leading in confident assertion to the final glory, that gives his symphonies their special character. Picture, if you will, Anton Bruckner at his arrival in Vienna in 1868. He was 44 years old and had come to take up the professorship in harmony and counterpoint at the Vienna Conservatory. This position of considerable prestige in the elegant and fashionable capital of the AustroHungarian Empire had been bestowed on a composer of extraordinarily refined technique. He had begun to make a name for himself as a composer of Masses, having already written his ENCORE 23

three major works in that medium, and he had composed his Symphony No. 1, though it was not yet known in the capital. But for all his growing reputation as a composer and the support that he had received in the reviews of the influential critic Eduard Hanslick, Bruckner must have been a strange apparition. A child of the country, born and raised in rural Upper Austria, he continued to dress in the simplest costume characteristic of his peasant background—baggy black pants, a loose coat unstylishly cut, a comfortable white shirt with an unfashionably broad collar. In a more important respect he failed to fit in at Vienna: his characteristically simple nature— pious, trusting, deferential and naive. A true innocent, he found himself in a musico-political snakepit. He simply failed to understand the pattern of backbiting, of personal grudges and attacks that made up the Viennese musical scene. He made one devastating political mistake and—characteristically—kept on repeating it, quite ignorant of its consequences to himself: he expressed and constantly reaffirmed a strong admiration for Wagner. After arriving in Vienna, Bruckner devoted almost his entire creative energy to the composition of symphonies. The years 1871 to 1876 saw the pouring out of symphonies 2, 3, 4 and 5. The Vienna Philharmonic refused to play the First on account of its “wildness and daring,” then the Second, claiming that it was “nonsense.” Yet when a patron was found to finance a performance of the Second, it received a standing ovation from the audience. But it was the next symphony that really set the cap on Bruckner’s problems in Vienna. In sincere admiration of the musical accomplishments of Wagner, Bruckner dedicated the score to him. He was delighted that Wagner accepted the dedication and naively referred to it in all his letters as “my Wagner Symphony,” oblivious to the fact that Vienna was anti-Wagner territory and that he thus lost the good will of the powerful critic Hanslick. After a devastating performance in 1877 of the Third Symphony, at which Bruckner saw the hall emptied of its audience before the end, leaving only some 25 young musicians (among them Mahler) to applaud the work, he began to revise his earlier symphonies to make them more accessible. The Fourth underwent this process of rewriting without ever having been heard in public, and he found no conductor willing to take on the Fifth. He quickly completed his Sixth and Seventh symphonies. The Seventh was launched with great success, but the Eighth, which followed 24 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

it, was misunderstood, and Bruckner spent the rest of his life trying to rework his earlier symphonies to make them “acceptable”—an activity that prevented him from completing his Ninth symphony, a work that remains a magnificent torso. Yet it was the Seventh that brought the real start of his international fame, first with the great success of the work at its world premiere in Leipzig under the direction of Arthur Nikisch at the end of 1884, then in a Munich performance in March 1885, under the direction of Hermann Levi, where the audience was even more enthusiastic.

Bruckner’s favorite way of beginning a symphony is with a hushed tremolo, to suggest the birth of something out of nothing, a gambit that he learned in Beethoven’s Ninth and never got over. But the Seventh is unique in starting with a glorious, serene, arched melody in E major in the cellos, supported occasionally by the horns, or violas, or clarinets. This vast movement begins in a serene and sunny E major, moves away archlike to B minor and B major. The opening theme is not only heard both in its original form and upside down, but provides a tree from which grow other thematic tendrils that enrich the unfolding of the movement. Eventually Bruckner recaptures that home key and in the serene closing pages the main theme is heard simultaneously in its original form and upside down. The slow movement is generally regarded as one of Bruckner’s greatest single achievements. In January 1883 wrote to the great Wagnerian conductor Felix Mottl: “One day I came home

and felt very sad. The thought had crossed my mind that before long the Master would die, and then the C-sharp minor theme of the Adagio came to me.” To any devotee of Wagner, the words “the Master” were entirely unambiguous. Indeed, Wagner died the following month, on February 13, and Bruckner’s prescient mourning theme is presented on a quartet of the instruments that are known colloquially as “Wagner tubas”—tenor and bass tubas that Wagner had created for The Ring of the Nibelung in order to blend the mellowness of horn sound with the rich power of the tubas. Immediately after the tuba theme we hear music in the strings that Bruckner conceived for his Te Deum, which he was composing at the same time. In the choral work, this theme sets the words “non confundar in aeternum” (“let me not be confounded forever”). Following this statement, Bruckner introduces a gentler, slightly faster contrasting idea, an “Austrian” melody in 3/4 time. Bruckner uses the Te Deum theme to build to a particularly massive climax in the astonishingly distant key of C major— harmonically almost as far from C-sharp as it is possible to get. Here there is a roll of drums and triangle and a single powerful cymbal crash to mark the climax. This was an afterthought, and it is the subject of some controversy, because at this point Bruckner’s manuscript contains the words “gilt nicht” (“not valid”)— though not, it appears, in the composer’s own hand. Since Bruckner used a similar— and clearly authentic—climax in his Eighth Symphony, there seems to be no real reason to discredit this one, and most conductors choose to keep it. Following this deeply internal slow movement, the Scherzo returns to the outer world of Austrian dance and peasant life that Bruckner knew so well as a child. The scherzo galumphs heavily along in an obstinately repeated rhythmic pattern against which the trumpet issues a crowing fanfare. The Trio is slower and more lyrical, a moment of tranquility before the repeat of the scherzo. The finale grows from a theme that is a faster variant of the broad opening melody of the first movement. But here it is sometimes quirky, sometimes grand, cast on a spacious geography that visits the keys of E (the home key), A-flat, and C as principal way-stations. These three keys divide the octave into equal thirds and set up an architecture that Bruckner fills, in the end, with a blaze of glory, bringing back that very opening theme in its final resonant form. © Steven Ledbetter (www.stevenledbetter.com)

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Presented by

2018 SYMPHONY GALA

Featuring Renée Fleming

The 2018 “Evening of Grandeur” Gala featured a VIP Reception, concert, VIP dinner with Music Director Courtney Lewis and Renée Fleming, and After Glow Party. Martha Barrett from Bank of America and Jacksonville Symphony Board member served as the 2018 Symphony Gala event chair. SAVE THE DATE - 3.2.19

y n o h ymp

S ala G

featuring

Alisa Weilerstein

3.2.19 7PM

26 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

Fanfare! OPENING NIGHT 2018-2019 SEASON Branford Marsalis, saxophone Courtney Lewis, conductor

SATURDAY

SEP 15

8PM

Presented by

2018-2019 SEASON SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE AUG 13, 2018

RESERVE YOUR SEATS! 904.354.5547 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG

Mayo Clinic

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POPS SERIES Friday & Saturday, April 13 & 14, 2018 l 8 pm Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

WINDBORNE'S THE MUSIC OF DAVID BOWIE Brent Havens, conductor Brody Dolyniuk, vocalist ”Rebel Rebel” ”Ziggy Stardust” ”Changes” ”Blue Jean” ”Suffragette City” ”Under Pressure” ”China Girl” ”Heroes” ~ Intermission ~ ”Modern Love” ”Fashion” ”Space Oddity” ”Young Americans” ”Ashes to Ashes” ”Golden Years” ”Let's Dance” ”Fame” ”Life on Mars”

Support provided in part by: PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Windborne's The Music of David Bowie David Robert Jones was born in Brixton, a district of South London, on January 8, 1947. His interest in music developed early and he picked up the saxophone at the age of 13. Jones would go on to study art, music and design before embarking on a career as a professional musician in 1963. Three years later, having performed with bands such as The Kon-Rads, The King Bees and the

Manninsh Boys, David Robert Jones would embrace his diverse interests and become the musical chameleon we know today as David Bowie. Bowie’s hopes of stardom were originally met with forgotten singles and a mind full of brilliant dreams. It was not until 1969 that the rock star would sign on with Mercury Records

and release his first hit, “Space Oddity.” Bowie would later admit the song came to him after seeing Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Following his splash on the charts, Bowie released his second album The Man Who Sold the World in 1970. The heavier rock sound and hits such as “All the Madmen” further catapulted Bowie into the stardom that had once only been a dream. Hunky Dory followed with favorites such as “Changes,” which would come to be an accurate representation of the artist himself. As his stardom increased, so did his desire to keep his fans on their feet. Before his 1972 album, he introduced himself to the pop world as Ziggy Stardust, his portrayal of a doomed rock star. When he finally released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars, he was launched into superstardom. Bowie appeared onstage as this flamboyant character dressed in wild costumes telling stories of the future. With the introduction of Ziggy, Bowie welcomed in a new era of rock music. Just as quickly as Ziggy Stardust appeared, Bowie disbanded the Spiders and Stardust took his final bow. He went on to collaborate with artists including Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while releasing albums such as Pin Ups and Young Americans. By the 1970s, Bowie had given up the outrageous costumes and he continued releasing albums through the 80s. Although his love of music always took precedence, Bowie also explored his talent as an actor. He landed a title role in The Man Who Fell to Earth and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Elephant Man. The rock star was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and was the recipient of the 2006 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He would go on to release The Next Day which quickly rose to number two on the Billboard charts. His last album, Blackstar, was released in 2016 on the artist’s 69th birthday. Tonight features some of Bowie’s greatest hits! From “Changes” and “China Girl” to the song that started it all “Space Oddity.” Enjoy Brent Havens and Brody Dolyniuk with the Jacksonville Symphony for Windborne’s The Music of David Bowie. ENCORE 29

Brent Havens, conductor Berklee-trained arranger/conductor Brent Havens has written music for orchestras, feature films and virtually every kind of television. His TV work includes movies for networks such as ABC, CBS, ABC Family Channel Network and sports music for networks such as ESPN. Havens has also worked with the Doobie Brothers and the Milwaukee Symphony, arranging and conducting the combined group for Harley Davidson’s 100th Anniversary Birthday Party Finale attended by over 150,000 fans. He has worked with some of the world’s greatest orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic in London, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Dallas Symphony and the Nashville Symphony. Havens recently completed the score for the film Quo Vadis, a Premier Pictures remake of the 1956 gladiator film. In 2013, he worked with the Baltimore Symphony and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens to arrange and produce the music for the Thanksgiving Day halftime show between the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, adapting both classical music and rock songs into a single four minute show. Havens is arranger/guest conductor for all of the symphonic rock programs including the Music of Led Zeppelin, the Music of Pink Floyd, the Music of Queen, the Music of Michael Jackson, the Music of Whitney Houston, the Music of The Rolling Stones, the Music of U2, the Music of Journey, the Music of David Bowie and the Music of Prince!

Brody Dolyniuk, vocalist Brody Dolyniuk remembers mimicking voices even as a child, listening to old records and tapes. He is a gifted, self-taught musician, capable of playing several instruments, with a particular knack for capturing the voices and mannerisms of classic characters from music, TV and movies. His first professional gigs were at piano bars in several U.S. cities, where he learned to charm audiences and expand his musical repertoire. With a longing to perform the music of the many rock bands that inspired him, Dolyniuk assembled Yellow Brick Road, unquestionably Las Vegas’ most successful classic rock band. Since 1997, YBR has been reshaping the casino entertainment scene by bringing a rock concert atmosphere to showrooms previously reserved for Top-40-style lounge acts. Along the way, Dolyniuk has made numerous radio and TV appearances and earned a spot in the finals of two national singing competitions. In 2007, Brody lent his vocal talents by singing several tracks on the mega-hit video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and has already done several more for the new Konami game Rock Revolution.

Florida Blue Masterworks Series

American Landscapes May 18/19/20

Fri & Sat at 8pm . Sun at 3pm Kazem Abdullah, conductor • Julian Schwarz, cello

See page 65 for concert details.

TICKETS: 904.354.5547 JaxSymphony.org ENCORE 31

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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS CONCERT PRIVILEGES Early access to Listen Up Chamber Concert Tickets 10% off all single tickets 2 one-time passes to Florence N. Davis Gallery intermission receptions Complimentary tickets to all Listen Up Chamber Concerts Intermission receptions at all subscription concerts VIP Ticketing Concierge Complimentary Valet Parking SPECIAL EVENTS – TICKETS AND INVITATIONS TO EXCLUSIVE DONOR EVENTS Donor Appreciation Concert Tickets Sound Bites Open Rehearsals Premium Evening Open Rehearsals Donor Appreciation Season Announcement Breakfast Major/Minor Concert Tickets Post-concert artist meet and greets On-stage Rehearsals EXTRA PERKS AND RECOGNITION Donor-exclusive CD recording Recognition in Encore program book Advance invitation to Annual Gala Invitation to travel with the Symphony Symphony Association voting member status Host a group of 25 or more at a private open rehearsal Complimentary lunch at all Sound Bites events Concert dedication evening for up to 8 guests Receive a CD signed by one guest artist of your choice Tailored recognition, access and privileges

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34 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

EQUITY

SPECIAL PRESENTATION Friday, April 20, 2018 l 8 pm Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

EarShot

Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Nicolas BENTZ

E.W. Korngold Goes To Nikkatsu

Ursula KWONG-BROWN

Night & Day

Meng WANG

Blooming In The Long Dark Winter's Night

William HEALY

Kolmanskop

Courtney BRYAN

White Gleam Of Our Bright Star

PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

EarShot EarShot is a program that serves as a component of the National Orchestra Competition Discovery Network, bringing up-and-coming composers together with orchestras. EarShot is a partnership between the American Composers Orchestra, the League of American Orchestras, American Composers Forum and New Music USA. Orchestras all across the nation have participated in the EarShot program and the Jacksonville Symphony welcomes the opportunity to play a part in supporting new music throughout the nation. The process is simple: composers submit works to be selected and performed by orchestras across the nation and, once selected, will spend a week with the chosen symphony workshopping their compositions. The composers selected for Jacksonville will spend the week working under the guidance of Music Director Courtney Lewis, the musicians of the Jacksonville Symphony and three mentor composers. This concert features works by all four up-and-coming composers as well as Courtney Bryan’s White Gleam Of Our Bright Star.

Courtney Bryan Courtney Bryan, a native of New Orleans, LA, is “a pianist and composer of panoramic interests” (New York Times). Her music is in conversation with various musical genres, including jazz and other types of experimental music, as well as traditional gospel, spirituals and hymns. Focusing on bridging the sacred and the secular, Bryan’s compositions explore human emotions through sound, confronting the challenge of notating the feeling of improvisation. Bryan has academic degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM), Rutgers University (MM), and Columbia University (DMA) with advisor George Lewis. She has also completed an appointment as postdoctoral research associate in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. Bryan is an assistant professor of music at Tulane University’s Newcomb Department of Music, and serves as a board member of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans (MASNO), Composers Now and New Music USA. Bryan’s work has been presented in a wide range of venues, including Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, The Stone, La MaMa Experimental Theatre, National Gallery of Art, Blue Note Jazz Club and Ojai Music Festival. Upcoming commissions include compositions for the Jacksonville Symphony, Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, Ensemble Pi, and collaborations with writers Sharan Strange and Ashon Crawley.

ENCORE 35

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SOUND INVESTMENT PROGRAM Music in the Schools (Elementary School)

Musicians from the Jacksonville Symphony visit schools throughout Northeast Florida introduce smaller ensembles (quartets/quintets) and integrate music with a variety of grade-appropriate curricula.

Music in the Schools (Middle and High School)

The new Jacksonville Symphony Chamber Orchestra provides students with a unique program for a smaller orchestra which is not traditionally seen in concert halls. Visiting middle and high schools throughout the region, this ensemble uses music to create cross-curricular connections.

Family Concerts (Infants-Age 10)

Musical classics and creative storytelling are sure to engage and enthrall children of all ages. Add to this concert experience by attending FREE pre-concert activities designed specifically for the theme of each concert. Activities include crafts, games and the Instrument Zoo presented by the Jacksonville Symphony Guild. Family concerts are used to establish a foundation for learning, reading and/or storytelling. This is essential in creating successful students, and ultimately, successful adults and an educated work force. Designed for children ages 4-10, these concerts now include age-appropriate activities, privacy areas and a relaxed environment to welcome infants and toddlers to create a fun experience for the entire family to learn and listen together.

Mayo Clinic Community Concerts (All Ages)

With a promise of making musical accessible to all, the Jacksonville Symphony provides free concerts throughout the community.

JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY’S SOUND INVESTMENT PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE J. WAYNE AND DELORES BARR WEAVER MUSIC EDUCATION ENDOWMENT Sponsored in part by: Deutsche Bank, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Carl S. Swisher Foundation and Edna Sproull Williams Foundation

FIELD TRIPS Youth Concerts (Elementary School)

Each fall (Preludes), winter (Nutcracker) and spring (Young People’s Concerts), elementary school students attend a 45-minute concert featuring the full Jacksonville Symphony at Jacoby Symphony Hall. Educator classroom guides and supporting material maximize the impact of the experience for the child. Sponsored in part by: Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts

Students at the Symphony (Middle and High School)

Students at the Symphony is a concert-going experience that provides FREE tickets to students and their families for select Jacksonville Symphony Masterworks and Pops concerts via school partnerships. Pre-concert workshops and activities with Symphony Teaching Artists teach students about the orchestra and connect content of each performance to general elements of musical knowledge, allowing students to make cross-curricular connections. Sponsored in part by: DuBow Family Foundation, Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and Wells Fargo

36 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

Nicholas Bentz Nicholas Bentz is forging a path of the composer-performer that hasn’t been explored in generations. His music often takes its inspiration from pieces of literature and poetry, film and visual art. As a composer he has received commissions from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Robinson Jeffers Association, the College of Charleston Contemporary Music Ensemble, SONAR New Music Ensemble, Troika, Symphony Number One and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. He has had his music played by the Peabody Modern Orchestra and the Peabody String Sinfonia. Bentz was a winner of SONAR New Music Ensemble’s RADARLab Competition and was also a finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards in 2014. Bentz was the composer in residence for Symphony Number One’s 2016-2017 season.

Ursula Kwong-Brown Ursula Kwong-Brown is a composer and media artist from New York City. Described as “atmospheric and accomplished” by The New York Times, her work has been performed in diverse venues including Carnegie Hall, le Poisson Rouge, and the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center in New York. Awards include a 2017-2019 fellowship with the Berkeley Symphony, the 2016 George Ladd Prix de Paris Prize, the 2015 Composers, Inc. BAMM Prize, and the 2014 Bowdoin Festival Prize. This past year she was commissioned by the Composers, Inc. Matthew Paul Finnegan Commissioning Prize to write a string quartet, and by the San Francisco Friends of Contemporary Music to write for the Black Cedar trio.

Meng Wang Meng Wang is a Chinese composer currently based in New York City. Her composition portfolio shows a prolific collection of orchestral, chamber, and electronic works. Wang’s music has been performed throughout North America, China and Europe, by esteemed ensembles such as The Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Thin Edge New Music Collective, LONGLEASH trio and MSM Composer’s Orchestra. Her piece, Beloved by Artemis, won the 2012 Chinese National Chamber Music Composition Competition and was selected for the composition showcase by the Xi’an Conservatory of Music in China. Wang has been a fellow at Aspen Music Festival and School and was named The Deolus W. Husband Scholarship for Composition in 2015-2017.

William Healy Noted by The New York Times for his “lushly bluesy” sound and “adroitly blended…textures,” Will Healy is a composer and pianist based in New York. He is the artistic director of ShoutHouse, an ensemble of 15 hip-hop, jazz, and classical musicians. After his time playing trumpet in an Afrobeat band, he grew interested in collaborating with performers from many corners of the New York music scene. In addition, he is an accomplished pianist specializing in Bach. Healy was the recipient of the Richard Rodgers Scholarship at The Juilliard School, where he studied with John Corigliano. Recent awards include a 2017 Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, an ASCAP Morton Gould Award, the W.K. Rose Fellowship and a JFund commission from the American Composers Forum. Healy’s work has appeared at The Apollo Theater, on the NY Philharmonic’s Biennial series, on “New Sounds” with John Schaefer (WNYC) and “Making Music” (WBAI). His commissions include Copland House, the Great Lakes Chamber Festival, Novus New Music, Kyo Shin-An Arts and Robert Fleitz.

ENCORE 37

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION Sunday, April 22, 2018 | 3 pm

Dr. Quinton White

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

BECOME OCEAN Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Dr. Quinton White, presenter

Presentation by Dr. Quinton White John Luther ADAMS

Become Ocean

Panel Discussion Dr. Jim Gelsleichter - Program Director, Coastal Biology, University of North Florida Lisa Rinaman – The St. Johns Riverkeeper Mayor Nancy Shaver - Mayor of St. Augustine PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Become Ocean Become Ocean was written by American composer John Luther Adams. The work was commissioned by the Seattle Symphony and premiered in Benaroya Hall in 2013. A year later, Become Ocean won the Pulitzer Prize for Music as well as the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Even though Become Ocean was inspired by the oceans of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, Adams actually wrote the piece while completely surrounded by desert. He took inspiration from composer John Cage: "Life on this earth first emerged from the sea. As the polar ice melts and sea level rises, we humans find ourselves facing the prospect that once again we may quite literally become ocean."

Video Credits Alex Willemin, head of the film program at Jacksonville University, is also an independent filmmaker with a specialization in writing and directing micro-budget films. He earned his MFA in Motion Picture Production from the University of Miami and, while in graduate school, worked at the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Film Archive where Alex organized and created footage packages for documentaries that aired on ESPN and PBS. His films and screenplays have won awards at film festivals across the globe. Joe Kistel is known in the North Florida area for his offshore adventures. He and his underwater imagery have been featured on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, as well as national and international news media outlets. He is producer of Sunken Conservation an award-winning television documentary featuring underwater conservation efforts of northeast Florida. Kistel is author of North Florida Reefs and Spike the Tugboat, both books featuring underwater northeast Florida. He is a conservationist at heart and coordinates habitat creation and habitat restoration projects with the marine conservation organization TISIRI.

A. Quinton White, Jr., Ph.D., is executive director of the Marine Science Research Institute and professor of Biology and Marine Science at Jacksonville University. The Marine Science Research Institute building opened in 2010 and is the first LEED certified Gold building on the JU campus. The MSRI recently became home to OCEARCH which is the world’s largest shark tagging and ocean research program of its kind. Dr. White joined the faculty at Jacksonville University in 1976, having completed his Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina at the Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research. Dr. White has written numerous research and technical papers or reports and received grants and contracts to support marine research at JU. Currently he is conducting research on the history of human impact on the Florida environment and especially on the St. Johns River with a focus on manatees and water quality issues. Dr. White has been active in the Jacksonville community and writes a monthly column in the Florida Times-Union called “River Life.” He is president-elect of the Southern Association of Marine Labs and past-board chair of the Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association. Recent awards have included Florida Wildlife Federation Marine Conservationist of the Year in 2015, the Regional Leadership Award from the Northeast Florida Regional Council and the City of Jacksonville’s Christi P. Veleta Environmental Award in 2014. He was honored by Leadership Jacksonville in 2011 as a Community Trustee. In 2010, he received the City of Jacksonville Mayor’s Environmental Achievement Award. He was recognized as a 2016 Veteran of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal. Dr. White served in the U.S. Army prior to starting graduate school at the University of Virginia where he earned a MS in 1972. ENCORE 39

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INSIGHT Get the scoop on the music!

One hour prior to each Masterworks Series concert, join the program’s conductor and guest artists in Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall to hear their insight on the program. An open, low-key 15 to 25 minute presentation including question and answer time will provide the opportunity to learn more about the fantastic works performed by the Jacksonville Symphony. Guest artists often join the conductor to give their vision of the works to be presented. Insight is a new angle on the concert experience. You’ll never listen to the music the same way after hearing Insight. So come early, grab a seat and hear what the experts have to say.

Gain even more “Insight”

View video program notes before you arrive and learn even more about the music. JaxSymphony.org/watch-listen/

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MASTERWORKS SERIES

Friday & Saturday, April 27 & 28, 2018 l 8 pm “Insight” one hour prior to each Masterworks concert

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS Sergey Neller, conductor and piano Franz Joseph

Symphony No. 102 in B-flat major

HAYDN

Largo - Vivace

Adagio

Menuet: Allegro

Presto

Wolfgang Amadeus

Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467

MOZART

[Allegro maestoso]

Andante

Allegro vivace assai

~ Intermission ~ Igor

Suite from Pulcinella (rev. 1949)

STRAVINSKY Sinfonia Serenata Scherzino Tarantella Toccata

Gavotta on due variazioni

Vivo Minuetto Finale

Sergei

Symphony No. 1, Op. 25, “Classical”

PROKOFIEV

Allegro con brio

Larghetto

Gavotte: Non troppo allegro

Finale: Molto vivace

Dedicated in honor of: The Shorstein Family PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

PROGRAM NOTES By Steven Ledbetter

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Symphony No. 102 in B-flat major (24 minutes)

Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 is one of the last three symphonies composed for his second London visit of 1794-1795. By this time, Haydn knew well what the London audience liked, and once again, he provided it. At the same time his art continued to grow as his symphonies risked surprising harmonic extensions whose significance he well understood, though he can hardly have imagined how Beethoven and other later composers would take these daring steps into a new musical world. Symphony No. 102 is among the briefest, yet richest in event, of Haydn’s mature symphonies. A seemingly innocent passing chromatic note in the melody at the end of the first phrase (perhaps an homage to Haydn’s late friend Mozart) has far-reaching consequences in the harmonic surprises that begin to arrive even before the slow introduction gives way to the Vivace. And the ready humor and intelligence with which Haydn reworks elements of his themes into a daring development filled with surprises is utterly breathtaking. Haydn evidently considered the slow movement as particularly important. The pious composer invoked God’s blessing and aid on his project at the very beginning of this movement (by writing “In nomine Domini” at the head of the score), something he normally did only at the beginning of an entire symphony. The Minuet here is a fast-moving dance, with changes of direction of themes, unexpected extensions of phrase, and so on. The Trio’s combination of solo oboe and solo bassoon with the violin line running in between them is but one of many delectable touches of color in the score. Haydn’s finale is compact, like the first movement, but imbued with the comic fastmoving spirit of opera buffa, as the main tune races along playfully, throwing off all kinds of jokes as it goes, jokes that cannot fail to bring a sigh of contentment and a smile of delight to the listener. ENCORE 43

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K.467 (29 minutes)

Mozart was the greatest opera composer and the greatest concerto composer of his generation. There is a strong connection between these two genres, though one is vocal and one is instrumental. In both cases the composer is writing for a soloist who must function with an orchestra and who must be allowed to stand out, to project an independent personality. In the opera, of course, this happens in part because the soloist is in costume and on a stage physically separate from the orchestra, playing a role in a story which presumably attracts the audience’s attention. In the concerto, the composer is restricted to the notes he writes to create and project a specific personality for the soloist as distinct from the orchestra. Part of this happens because the soloist plays material which is faster or higher, and part of it comes from a strategy in which the composer reserves some of the best tunes for the soloist, who has them exclusively or at least presents them first. Sometimes, though, a concerto can suggest opera in another way. The C major concerto, K.467, was composed as part of an extraordinary string of works produced in just over a year—eight piano concertos altogether between February 1784 and March 1785. Mozart had written many operas, but of the works still in the regular repertory, only Idomeneo and The Abduction from the Seraglio had already been composed. The Marriage of Figaro was to come in 1786 and Don Giovanni a year and a half later. Nonetheless, the opening music of K.467 strongly hints at Leporello’s impatient marching up and down outside the home of Donna Anna, waiting for his libertine master to finish his nocturnal rendezvous inside. It is the gestural quality of the music that gives this effect, the element that implies physical movement on an actual stage. In the present instance, of course, the continuation of this little marching tune is more symphonic than we could expect in the opera house, but the vivid theatricality of the interplay between winds and strings, between small instrumental groups and the full tutti, and between the soloist and the orchestra is all of the character that Mozart constantly turned to such dramatic purpose in his operas.

44 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

The essence of drama is surprise, and the same is true of a good classical piano concerto. From the beginning the audience waits for the principal player to make his appearance on this musical stage. The orchestra has played an elaborate ritornello providing plenty of material for discourse; it has ended with a ringing tutti and a full cadence. Now we are ready for the soloist—but no! The oboe carries on with an extension, and we evidently have to wait through a closing section before we can hear piano. Just as we have reconciled ourselves to further delay, the soloist sneaks in. Once on stage, the pianist begins his own discussion of the material already presented, offering elaborate decorations for variety. Of course Mozart is concerned with concerto structure, one signal point of which is the arrival of a new key. The orchestra was quite unable to move out of C major, but the pianist boldly charts new territory—the pianist creates a tactical feint that leads us astray and once again establishes the pianist as the leading personality of this dramatic discourse, guiding the course of action where he wants it to go. If the first movement suggests opera buffa, the slow movement seems to be in every essential respect to be a serious aria that happened to get composed for a pianist rather than a singer. The accompanimental figures are operatic stereotypes, and the soaring melody, while perfectly suited to the piano, has the kind of languishing grace that a prima donna could work wonders with. The melodic lines that climb to an early peak then gradually descend in graceful arcs call for a bel canto treatment from the lucky instruments that get to sing this delicate melody. The muted strings and the passing chromaticisms suffuse the whole with a tinge of unutterable melancholy. In the final rondo we are back in the realm of opera buffa, with the orchestra playing straight man to the piano’s jester. The orchestra presents a perky little tune echoed very briefly by the piano. But things seem about to turn rather more grandiose. An orchestral tutti sets up the cue for the pianist’s next entrance; the piano starts with what could be the beginning of a heroic gesture, but suddenly it turns again to cheerful laughter (though the horns quietly echo the grand gesture behind the fun). And on it goes, throughout this delicious rondo until, at the final return of the rondo theme, the soloist races off in a burst of highspirited runs to close the concerto.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) Suite from Pulcinella (rev. 1949) (24 minutes)

After the end of World War I, Serge Diaghilev was eager to bring his prize composer, Igor Stravinsky, back into the fold of his Ballets Russes, where he had achieved such epochal prewar successes as Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. Big ballet productions had not been possible during the war, and Stravinsky had worked during that time with a Swiss writer, C.F. Ramuz, in the creation of a small stage work, The Soldier’s Tale, produced with great success. The jealous Diaghilev sought a project to attract Stravinsky’s interest. The Ballets Russes had recently produced a piece based on old works by Scarlatti dressed up in new orchestrations, and Diaghilev thought Stravinsky might enjoy a similar undertaking. Igor Stravinsky by Pablo Picasso

When Stravinsky first learned that Diaghilev wanted him to arrange the music of Pergolesi, the composer thought the impresario had taken leave of his senses. He knew little of Pergolesi’s work and he didn’t think much of that little. Diaghilev, who was an experienced musician as well as an impresario, had already gathered pieces that he thought might be suitable in a balletic context, and he finally persuaded Stravinsky at least to look at what he had collected. The composer fell in love with what he saw and agreed at once to accept the commissions. Diaghilev, Stravinsky, and the choreographer Massine jointly created a scenario for the course of the action, and Stravinsky set to work choosing and “coloring” the two-hundred-year-old scores.

Sergey Neller, conductor and piano Born in Russia, Sergey Neller studied at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory, before becoming a Fellow of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation at the Universitat der Künste in Berlin. A rising talent on today’s conducting scene, Neller achieved critical acclaim and distinction in 2016 when he took second prize at the prestigious Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, hosted by the Bamberg Symphony. Neller’s dynamic style and deep musical knowledge have led him to collaborate with several renowned ensembles, including taking part in masterclasses with the Tonhalle Orchestra, Zurich and the Orchestre Régional de Cannes-Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, and workshops with the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. While finalizing his studies in Berlin, Neller led performances with the Berlin Symphony and Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt, and worked with the Kammerakademie Potsdam. In the current season and beyond, Neller will make his debut with the South Netherlands Philharmonic, the Janáček Philharmonic of Ostrava, the Jacksonville Symphony, Nürnberg Symphony and Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestras. As a gifted composer, from 2002 to 2006 Neller was the recipient of the renowned Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation Award, during which period he composed his first opera, Tintagiles and premiered it at the Helikon Opera in Moscow. Composed to an original libretto based on Maurice Maeterlinck’s play The Death of Tintagiles, the work attracted the attention of the international press and resonated strongly with Russian audiences. In 2010, Neller completed his second opera, Phaedra, composed to a libretto by the contemporary Russian poet and playwright Alexey Parin. Neller has also enjoyed considerable success as a pianist, having won international competitions in Austria, Bulgaria, Italy and the United States, and given concerts throughout Europe, North America and Australia.

Stravinsky did not realize at the time, though we now know, that of the selections he finally used in his ballet, fewer than half were actually by Pergolesi, and, considering that the genuine Pergolesi is to be found almost entirely in the songs (which are not included in the orchestral suite), the title is even more thoroughly incorrect for the suite. The other composers, who have recently been identified, are almost entirely unknown: Domenico Gallo, Alessandro Parisotti and a Dutch count named Unico Wilhelm von Wassenaer, along with that favorite composer, “anon.” Of course, the actual source of the originals need not trouble us in the slightest when listening to Stravinsky’s witty score. In the concert hall we hear at once that the originals have become thoroughly and delightfully Stravinskyized. Pulcinella proved to be the first step in Stravinsky’s turn to neoClassicism, which dominated his music for the next thirty years.

thoroughly that it is virtually never identified in the more formal way. The precocious young musician had entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory at the age of 13, and made his best marks as a pianist, but his interest in composing grew ever stronger. Following youthful efforts at symphony writing both before and during his conservatory years, Prokofiev finally wrote the first symphony whose paternity he would acknowledge publicly in 1916, choosing to use the model of Haydn.

Symphony No. 1, Op. 25, “Classical“

The actual impetus to write the “Classical“ Symphony came from Prokofiev’s desire to compose an entire symphony without the use of a piano, which had been his constant aid in composition from his childhood improvisations to that time. It occurred to him that it might be easier to employ Haydn’s style in that undertaking. And another thought intrigued him: if Haydn were alive at the time of his new composition (1916), how would he blend his own musical style with the newer elements of later music? Prokofiev decided to answer the question for him.

This symphony is officially the Symphony No. 1 in D major of Sergei Prokofiev, but the nickname “Classical” has taken hold so

He began the symphony in the summer of 1916 with the Gavotte (the third movement) and wrote material for the other movements too. The following summer, near Petrograd,

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) (15 minutes)

he discarded the original finale entirely and rewrote it, while polishing the rest of the work. “And when it began to hang together, I renamed it the Classical Symphony. First because that was simpler. Second, out of mischief...and in the secret hope that in the end I would be the winner if the symphony really did prove to be a classic.” And so it has proved: no symphonic work of Prokofiev’s is performed more frequently or received with greater delight. The opening downbow of the strings and the arpeggiation of the D major triad take us back immediately to the world of the Viennese classics, as does the size of the orchestra and the way the various instruments are handled. The Larghetto unfolds a simple rondo form, equally clear in its returns to the descending lyrical theme in the violins. The Gavotte is pure Prokofiev in its blend of innocent dance with delightful, unexpected twists of harmony. The brilliant rushing finale, Molto vivace, maintains its high spirits without letup from beginning to end, partly because Prokofiev tried, in writing this movement, to use nothing but major chords. © Steven Ledbetter (www.stevenledbetter.com)

ENCORE 45

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COFFEE SERIES POPS SERIES

Coffee Series: Friday, May 4, 2018 | 11 am Pops Series: Friday & Saturday, May 4 & 5, 2018 | 8 pm

Steven Reineke, conductor

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

REINEKE, RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN Steven Reineke, conductor Ashley Brown, vocalist • Ryan Sliverman, vocalist Jacksonville Symphony Chorus

Oklahoma! (1943) arr. DEUTSCH/orch. COURAGE Overture - Main Title - ”Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'”* orch. BENNETT ”People Will Say We're in Love”* Carousel (1945) orch. WALKER The Carousel Waltz* / Soliloquy / ”You'll Never Walk Alone”* State Fair (1945) orch. BENNETT ”It's a Grand Night for Singing” Allegro (1947) orch. BENNETT ”The Gentleman is a Dope” South Pacific (1949) orch. WALKER ”You've Got to Be Carefully Taught” orch. BENNETT ”A Wonderful Guy”* / ”Some Enchanted Evening”* / ”There is Nothin' Like a Dame” ~ Intermission ~ The King and I (1951) orch. BENNETT/ad. SPERLING ”Overture”* orch. BENNETT ”I Have Dreamed” / ”I Whistle a Happy Tune” Me and Juliet (1953) orch. BENNETT ”No Other Love” Pipe Dream (1955) orch. BENNETT ”Everybody's Got a Home But Me” Cinderella (1957) orch. BENNETT Cinderella's Waltz Flower Drum Song (1958) orch. BENNETT "I Enjoy Being a Girl"* The Sound of Music (1959) orch. KOSTAL Prologue - ”The Sound of Music”* orch. BENNETT ”Edelweiss”* / ”Climb Ev'ry Mountain”* * Performed on Coffee series concert. Pops series concert presented by:

The Coffee Concert is hosted by the Jacksonville Symphony Guild. Coffee and tea are provided by Martin Coffee Company, Inc. PRI Productions is the Proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America’s leading conductors of popular music. He is the music director of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and principal pops conductor of the Houston and Toronto symphonies. He previously held the posts of principal pops conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto symphonies and associate conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. His extensive North American conducting appearances include concerts in San Francisco, Kansas City, Seattle, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Ottawa, Detroit, Milwaukee and Calgary. On stage, Reineke has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, Broadway, television and rock including Common, Kendrick Lamar, Cheyenne Jackson and Ben Folds, among others. In 2017, National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” featured Reineke leading the National Symphony Orchestra performing live music excerpts between news segments — a first in the show’s 45-year history. As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Reineke’s work has been performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. ENCORE 47

Jacksonville Symphony Chorus Donald McCullough, Director Tom Zimmerman Endowed Chair

Jill Weisblatt, Chorus Manager

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48 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

William Adams David Avery Deborah Baker Jerrye Baker Susan Baker Stan Ballenger Carole Banks Alla Bartosh May Beattie Jessica Bergstol Elizabeth Bricknell Louise Brooks Dorothy Jean Bush Rita Cannon Chuck Carroll Kenneth Chin Estelle Chisholm Dale Choate Melody Choate Sandy Clarke Susan Connors Bradley Corner Nancy Crookshank Julie Cross Katherine Crowell Marley Curtis Jane Daugherty Tracy Davis Stephanie Doerr Jeff Elledge Gregory Fisher Jr. Jennifer Flagge Kate Flint, Brian Ganan Veronica Gibson Bonnie Goldsmith Michele Hale Robert Hall Carol Heckrotte Wayne Heckrotte Deborrah Hoag Dennis Holt Kathy Hunt Ryan Justice Ken Kutch Ginger Lindberg Mark Macco Linda MacLeod Jim Maher Walter Mattingly Liz McAlhany Marianne McAlhany James McGuffin Kate Medill Ozzie Medina Pat Medlock

Bill Meisel Janet Metcalf Barbara Miller Molly Miller Kenneth Mixon Libby Montgomery John Morrow Sevella Mostella Tom Nesbitt Christina Ng Ben Norman Katie Obi Sally Offen John Owen Jane Palmer Rosina Paul Anne Petersen John Petersen David Pierson Deborah Pierson Kelsey Potratz Caroline Price Vickie Prince John Pugh Nancy Purcell Robert Quinby Amy Quinn Mark Reasoner Tim Redding Nancy Redfern Wynn Redmon Alex Robertson Patti Robertson Karl Rogers Robert Roth Kim Rowland AJ Ruvane John Ruvane Jen Schlechte Jeffrey Schroer Keith Schroyer Rebecca Seekatz Jennifer Serotta Kara Shidemantle Jai Smith Janet Snell Richard Sykes Hugh Tobias Sheri Van Orden Jerri Lea Ware Jill Weisblatt John Weitzel Cindy Wohl Peter Wynkoop Sam Young

Ashley Brown, vocalist Ashley Brown originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress. Brown also starred as Mary Poppins in the national tour of Mary Poppins where she garnered a 2010 Garland award for “Best Performance in a Musical.” Brown’s other Broadway credits include Belle in The Beauty and The Beast as well as a starring role in the national tour of Disney’s On The Record. Brown recently returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to star in the role of Laurey in Oklahoma. She previously played Magnolia in Francesca Zembello’s Showboat at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Brown has performed with virtually all of the top orchestras in North America including the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Seattle Symphony, the Houston Symphony and the BBC orchestra opposite Josh Groban. Brown made her solo concert debut at The Kennedy Center as part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series.

Ryan Silverman, vocalist Ryan Silverman has starred in Side Show on Broadway, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Actor. Other Broadway credits include star turns as Billy Flynn in Chicago and Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera. Silverman received Drama Desk and Drama League nominations for his performance as Giorgio in CSC’s production of Passion. He has appeared at the Kennedy Center as Sir Lancelot alongside Brian Stokes Mitchell in Camelot, and as Terry Connor in Side Show. Internationally, Silverman has starred in the Théâtre du Châtelet’s acclaimed production of Passion, and as Tony in the Olivier-nominated 2008 West End production of West Side Story. Other credits include Cry-Baby on Broadway, Finian’s Rainbow and The Most Happy Fella at New York City Opera. He recently made his debut at Papermill, starring in Ken Ludwig’s “A Comedy of Tenors.” Silverman starred as Sky in the first national tour of Mamma Mia! and Jose in the world premiere of the new musical Carmen at La Jolla Playhouse. Silverman has also played the role of Rapunzel’s Prince in Into The Woods at the MUNY. Concert performances include appearances with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the Seattle Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philly Pops, Vancouver Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, Houston Symphony and Detroit Symphony, among others.

Donald McCullough

Director, Jacksonville Symphony Chorus Tom Zimmerman Endowed Chair Hailed by the Washington Post for his “dazzling expertise” on the podium, Donald McCullough is considered one of America’s pre-eminent choral conductors. He became the director of the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus in 2012 and in November 2014, he led the Symphony Chorus on its first appearance at Carnegie Hall. Previously, he was the director of the Master Chorale of Washington in the John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall for more than a decade, developing a reputation for creating choruses that sang “with an innate sense of lyricism and musical poise” and “sensitive, scrupulous and heartfelt” (Washington Post). McCullough is also a composer whose works have been critically acclaimed throughout North America and Europe. Routinely sought after for commissions, his works have been described as “powerful and heart-wrenching,” “mystically beautiful” and “remarkably inspirational.”

ENCORE 49

About the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus The Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Donald McCullough, is an all-volunteer group of individuals from all walks of life who have a love of singing choral music. The 140 members must audition to participate.

This season the chorus has participated in several performances including Faure’s Requiem and Holiday Pops. They close the season with a performance of Twilight of the Gods.

Choral singing is the most popular form of participation in the performing arts according to a recent study by Chorus America. Over 18% of American households report one or more adults participate in a chorus.

“The Symphony chorus is designed to sing over the Symphony,” said McCullough. “I look for voices that have focus and ring to them and that are sizeable enough to add to the sound we are trying to achieve.” Some of the voice factors that go into selecting a choral member include their ability to sing in tune, which must be impeccable; their flexibility, range, diction and innate sense of musicality. The Chorus is celebrating its 33rd season this year and was founded by past Music Director Roger Nierenberg. In 2014 the Chorus traveled to New York City for perform under McCullough’s direction in the Lincoln Center premiere of his cantata In the Shadow of the Holocaust.

20% OFF FOR GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE! Plan a fabulous outing with the Jacksonville Symphony, an experience unlike any other in our community. Perfect for corporate functions, special occasions or a night out with family and friends! We invite you to take advantage of our group savings. Make it an event with special offers on private reception space, dining and group tours.

BUS TRANSPORTATION Round trip luxury bus transportation is available for a stress-free trip to Jacoby Symphony Hall to enjoy the Jacksonville Symphony. Choose from one of our convenient pick-up locations across the First Coast. Visit JaxSymphony.org for a complete listing of bus pick-up locations.

For more information about group sales and bus transportation, please contact Group Sales at 904.356.0426 or GroupSales@jaxsymphony.org. 50 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

MEET THE MUSICIANS

KACY CLOPTON

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CELLO Unlike most four-year-olds, Kacy Clopton’s Christmas wish was to play the cello. Coming from a musical family, Kacy fell in love with the cello the moment she heard Pablo Casals playing Bach on the radio at the age of four. The next year, her Christmas wish came true as she ran out to find her very first cello under the tree. Knowing she never really wanted to fully pursue a career as a solo musician, Kacy fell in love with chamber music. She played eight years with her string quartet Excelsa and even went to Europe for almost two years to study in a special chamber program with her ensemble. “Growing up as an only child, I have always loved playing in groups. The connection and necessity for communication is something I thrive off of.” Come 2017, Kacy was ready for a change. She packed up the car with her husband and made the drive down to Jacksonville to join the Jacksonville Symphony and an old friend. “I first met Courtney when I played as his very first principal cello in the Discovery Ensemble project he started in Boston. He is an incredibly energetic and expressive conductor and I could not be more excited to work with him again!” Living with Kacy and her husband are Sita the cat and Rory (short for Aurora) the rescue puppy. Taken at Manifest Distilling in downtown Jacksonville by photographer Tiffany Manning

ENCORE 51

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YOUTH ORCHESTRAS SERIES Monday, May 7, 2018 l 7 pm Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

JSYO FESTIVAL OF STRINGS Jump Start Strings – JSYO Communities in Schools

Naira Cola/John Wieland, conductors

Jump Start Strings

David Song, conductor

Arbelaez Cuellar Composed by the 2018 JSYO Communities in Schools Students arr. Song arr. Song Beethoven/arr. Song

Paseo Pizzicato Arie de Marcha / Hymn Subdividing

Lightly Row French Folk Song "Ode to Joy"

Foundation Strings

Rose Francis, conductor

Foundation Strings – JSYO Clay

Naira Cola, conductor

Mozart/arr. Wagner Schubert/arr. Curnow Traditional/arr. Caravella Lopez

Newbold Dvořák

Country Dance in C "Sanctus" Finish Folk Song Suite Fandango Festival

Rhythm 'n' Blues Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 - II. Largo ~ Intermission ~

Encore Strings

Helen Morin, conductor

Premier Strings

Helen Morin, conductor

Rimsky-Korsakov/arr. Monday Mozart/arr. Campbell Meyer Williams/arr. Longfield Rossini/arr. Gruselle Haydn/arr. Jeremy Bizet/arr. Parrish

Alborada Symphony No. 17 in G major, K. 129 Fantasia on a Theme from Thailand Rey's Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens The Barber of Seville "The London" Symphony Carmen Suite

study of classical repertoire, each orchestra improves its musical skills and understanding at both the individual student level and the ensemble level. In all, there are six ensembles that rehearse and perform under the direction of JSYO Principal Conductor and Symphony Assistant Conductor, Deanna Tham and her team of music educators. These professional conductors, along with Jacksonville Symphony musicians, nationally recognized soloists and other professional educators in the community, enable the JSYO to serve the needs of each young musician with individualized, ability-level specific instruction. JSYO members are afforded unique musical experiences, in addition to the exposure to and performance of orchestral masterworks. For example, JSYO ensembles perform in the Symphony’s Jacoby Symphony Hall during the season as well as the annual Major/Minor concert which this year will be conducted by Jacksonville Symphony Music Director Courtney Lewis. At this concert, finalists in the annual Young Artists Concerto Competition showcase their exceptional talents by performing with their orchestra’s accompaniment. The Jacksonville Symphony and the JSYO also perform free community engagement concerts, both in Jacoby Symphony Hall and at various First Coast locations. This season, the JSYO Philharmonic will participate in their first-ever tour to the Los Angeles International Music Festival where they will perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The JSYO ensembles are as follows:

Jump Start Strings

beginner string students

Foundation Strings

Presented by:

advancing beginner string students Support provided in part by: Cummer Family Foundation Rice Family Foundation Rowe Charitable Foundation Smoller Scholarship Fund PGA TOUR, Inc.

About the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras (JSYO) are Northeast Florida’s premiere developmental orchestral ensembles. Last season, the JSYO served more than 400 young musicians ages 7-21, who were admitted through competitive auditions. Through the in-depth

Encore Strings

intermediate string students

Premier Strings

advancing intermediate string students

Repertory Orchestra

intermediate to advancing full orchestra

Philharmonic

advanced/pre-conservatory full orchestra See insert for complete JSYO Rosters.

ENCORE 53

Deanna Tham

Assistant Conductor and JSYO Principal Conductor Hailing from Saratoga, California, Deanna Tham has conducted and guest conducted all over the United States, most recently working with renowned conductors Marin Alsop and James Ross at the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival. Before joining the Jacksonville Symphony, Tham was the music director of the 350-piece Louisville Youth Orchestra. Tham has also served as the music director of the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and has conducted the Boise Philharmonic, Ballet Idaho and Opera Idaho. Tham worked as the assistant conductor for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra where she received a Professional Studies Certificate from the Cleveland Institute of Music in Orchestral Conducting. Previously, Tham was the music director of the American Chamber Orchestra. Her work with the company includes a groundbreaking, semi-staged version of Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Mozart’s Don Giovanni, staged in English. Tham has been a conducting fellow at the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival working with Dr. Susan Deaver, the musicians of the Pierrot Consort and the talented youth of the festival orchestra. There she was the recipient of the festival conducting award.

Support for JSYO is provided in part by: EverBank Cummer Family Foundation Rice Family Foundation Rowe Charitable Foundation PGA TOUR Smoller Scholarship Fund

In 2013, Tham made her debut with the National Music Festival. She was one of two assistant conductors who appeared with Maestro Richard Rosenberg, working with some of the top professional musicians and teachers from around the world. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Wintergreen Summer Music Academy Conductor’s Guild Scholarship where she worked with Master Teacher Victor Yampolsky. Tham has served as the assistant conductor of the Carnegie Mellon All-University Orchestra. While at Carnegie Mellon, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in horn performance. Tham went on to receive her Master of Music degree, with honors, from Northwestern University studying with Dr. Mallory Thompson. She also completed community outreach projects in the form of concerts in the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Kid’s Fare series, participating in a movie-music themed concert as well as conducting, managing and producing a multicultural themed interactive concert.

Publix Super Markets Charities Florida State College at Jacksonville

Helen Morin, conductor

Encore Strings and Premier Strings Helen Morin earned a Master of Music in Violin Performance with Lucia Lin at Boston University and holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin from Trinity College of Music, London, where she studied with John Crawford. Prior to her studies in the United States, she performed in Europe with the Britten Peers Orchestra, the Fine Arts Sinfonia of London, and as Concertmaster of the Trinity Sinfonia. Morin has been a guest artist at the Dartington International Music Festival, performed at the Brevard Music Festival, and toured Europe with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed at the London Festival Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Queens House Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College Chapel and St. Johns Square. She is a recipient of the Cavatina Trust Award and the Licentiate Trinity College London Teaching Diploma (qualifying her to teach at university level in the United Kingdom.) While in Massachusetts, she led the Civic Symphony Orchestra, MetroWest Orchestra and spent five seasons as a first violinist with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra. She was a featured artist in the Rimscha Concert Series and director of the Hopkinton String Program. Since moving to St. Augustine in September 2010, Morin has substituted on several occasions for the Jacksonville Symphony, freelances with local chamber orchestras in St. Augustine as well as in the Jacksonville area and has a private violin studio. She is a member of the Georgia Coastal Symphony and has performed as part of the St. Augustine Music Festival Orchestra. She currently teaches music at R.B. Hunt Elementary School in St. Augustine, where she has established an after school strings program, now in its fifth year, in the St. Johns County School District. 54 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

YOUTH ORCHESTRAS SERIES Friday, May 11, 2018 l 8 pm Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

MAJOR/MINOR Repertory Orchestra

Deanna Tham, conductor

Mikhail GLINKA

Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila

Reinhold GLIÈRE

Russian Sailor's Dance

Young Artists Competition Soloists Carl Maria von WEBER

Bassoon Concerto in F major, Op. 75 Sam Watson, bassoon

Édouard LALO

Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21 Max VanHoeij, violin ~ Intermission ~

Philharmonic

Courtney Lewis, conductor

Claude DEBUSSY

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

Igor STRAVINSKY

Suite from The Firebird (1919)

Presented by: Support provided in part by:

PGA TOUR, Inc.

Cummer Family Foundation Rice Family Foundation Rowe Charitable Foundation Smoller Scholarship Fund

Major/Minor Concert The culmination of hard work, hours of practice, intuitive talent and insightful instruction for members of the Repertory and Philharmonic ensembles of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras is the Major/Minor concert. This event pairs the young musicians with members of the Jacksonville Symphony for a concert that highlights everyone’s musical ability and features the talents of two very special youth. Bassoonist Sam Watson and violinist Max VanHoeij are the winners of this year’s concerto competition. These two talented musicians will be featured between performances by the Repertory Orchestra and Philharmonic with pieces they have worked tirelessly to perfect. Watson will perform Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F major and VanHoeij will perform Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. The Repertory Orchestra, which is for intermediate and advancing full orchestra students, will be playing Mikhail Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila and Reinhold Gliére’s Russian Sailor’s Dance. Ruslan and Lyudmila is a Russian opera presented in five acts and based on the 1820 poem of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. Today, the opera is best-known for the overture that will be performed tonight. Russian Sailor’s Dance comes from the Russian ballet The Red Poppy. The Russian Sailor’s Dance is the most popular dance from Gliére’s score. The Philharmonic’s performance includes Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of the Faun and the suite from Igor Stravinsky’s famous The Firebird. Debussy’s Prelude is a symphonic poem inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem of the same name. The Firebird is perhaps Stravinsky’s most popular work. The suite performed tonight pulls music from the ballet telling the story of the Russian fairy-tale surround the Firebird.

ANNOUNCING

2018-2019 Season Auditions – May 29-June 3, 2018 – Information. Guidelines. Apply. Sam Watterson, bassoon

Max VanHoeij, violin

JaxSymphony.org/JSYO ENCORE 55

Rose Francis, conductor FSCJ Foundation Strings

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Rose Francis was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Brevard County, Florida where she began her violin studies from a young age. She holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education where she studied violin under Dr. Simon Shiao and a Master of Music Performance in Conducting under the direction of Dr. Gordon Brock from the University of North Florida. Francis participated in master classes with the Ying String Quartet (violin), UNF Conducting Symposium participant with Eugene Corporon and was recently a conducting fellow with the Saratoga Orchestra for the Pacific North West Conducting Institute workshop with Diane Wittry and Dr. Anna Edwards. She has served as string orchestra director at Pine Forest Magnet School of the Arts since 2012, where she developed and cultivated a full-time string program for the entire school population with instruction including violin, viola, cello and bass. Francis teaches upper strings techniques and pedagogy as an adjunct professor at University of North Florida since 2016. She has served as the assistant conductor of the Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville from the beginning of its inaugural season in the fall of 2016. She develops educational outreach materials for multiple organizations throughout Jacksonville. Francis is an advocate for string education and an emerging leader in the field.

Naira Cola, conductor

David Song, conductor

John Wieland, conductor

Violinist Naira Cola has been playing with the Jacksonville Symphony since 2012. Cola was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, and her upbringing was filled with jazz, gospel and soul music. She studied at the Mannes College of Music under the tutelage of Sally Thomas and Dr. Ann Setzer before attending New York University and the Juilliard School for her graduate and post graduate studies.

A native of Jeon-Ju, South Korea, violinist David Hwan-Min Song began studying the violin at the age of 10. He received his training at the Jeonju Fine Arts Middle School under Seung-Gu Baek before immigrating to the United States in 2002. Since then, he has performed extensively as an orchestral, chamber and solo violinist.

John Wieland, principal bass for the Jacksonville Symphony, has assumed additional duties as assistant conductor for the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras in charge of Jump Start Strings and Foundation Strings at Woodland Acres and North Shore Elementary Schools.

Clay County Foundation Strings

Over the course of her career, Cola has received numerous accolades for her unique artistry, including winning the Doris Kahn Concerto Competition, being a semi-finalist in the National Sphinx Competition and being awarded the Artist Award from the New York Foundation for the Arts. As a soloist, she has been featured on NPR radio, WUWF Classic radio and WEAR TV. She has also toured with Ensemble Du Monde chamber orchestra. Cola has served as an artist in residence for the Sphinx Performance Academy, Queens Borough Community College and the Noel Pointer School of Music, where she became the artistic director. She works each summer as the artistic director of the Four Strings Academy in Lexington, MA. As a pedagogue and advocate for arts education, she has instructed hundreds of students in Brooklyn and throughout the New York Metropolitan area.

FSCJ Jump Start Strings

In 2003, Song made his solo debut with the Southwest Florida Youth Orchestra and has also appeared as a soloist with the Southwest Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Song was featured as a soloist on NPR’s program From the Top, performing with pianist Christopher O’Riley. In 2005, he was selected to perform with the London Symphony during the Florida International Festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. In April 2011, Song was a featured guest soloist performing Pablo de Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy as First Prize Winner of the Southwest Florida Symphony Young Artist Competition. Song was a full scholarship student of the internationally renowned Routa KroumovitchGomez at Stetson University, where he received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance. He was also a scholarship student of Dr. Bruce Berg at Baylor University where he pursued a Masters of Music in Violin Performance. Song currently serves as an assistant principal violin in the Savannah Philharmonic and the 2017-2018 season will be his first as an assistant conductor for the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras. He also performswith the Jacksonville Symphony, the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, the Orlando Philharmonic and the Southwest Florida Symphony.

Woodland Acres Jump Start Strings and Foundation Strings

Prior to joining the Jacksonville Symphony, Wieland was principal bass of the Virginia and Oklahoma Symphonies, as well as the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria in Mexico City and the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder Colorado. His bachelor’s degree is from the New School of Music in Philadelphia (now part of Temple University) and included studies with Michael Shahan (Associate Principal Bass/ Philadelphia Orchestra) and (the late) William Smith (Assistant Conductor/Keyboard/ Philadelphia Orchestra). Additional teachers include Eugene Levinson/Principal/New York Philharmonic and (the late) H.Stevens Brewster/ Principal of the National Symphony. An avid educator, he has taught students from age three up to the university level. He has held faculty positions at the University of Central Oklahoma, Langston University, Bethune-Cookman University and Stetson University. His many former students teach all over North and Central America and many play professionally around the world.

ENCORE 57

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JSYO Philharmonic

JSYO Repertory Orchestra Deanna Tham, conductor

Violin Carolyn Chen Augustina Cole Franchesca Dalugdug Ethan Das Caleb Feng Kismet Field Katherine Gabriel Samuel Gayle Megan Graham Sarah Guo Gerald Huang Jihae Kim Michael Kim Rohini Kumar William Li Audrey Lindsay Rachael Lovejoy Nora Menon Songhan Pang Audrey Plauche Eden Rewa James Robinson Willmott

Alexander Roes Elise Russu Sarah-Iyuna Spencer Pilar Thorn Isabella Vuong Yasmin Vuong Leila Warren Viola Russell Greco Nathan Oyler Cello Christina Bucher Rebecca Cooper LaRyn Fagan Sam Iturra Natalie Taunton Nicholas Willie Double Bass Chris Cavaliere Peter Goricki

Flute Rebecca Bohlender Ainsley Elgin Emily Kelsey Grace Seitz Oboe Dominik Klemetsrud Treston Lawson Katie Zabawa Clarinet Aidan Chau Theresa Le Ansley McNeese Hunter Robertson Bass Clarinet Cordelia Ciuk Aidan Pedersen Alex Tun

Deanna Tham, conductor Bassoon Brandon Boyle Trumpet Toby Chau Gavin Rapelye Joseph Stancil Horn Owen Burow Claire Groulx Anna Leach Lillian Weller Trombone Ethan Halligan Alex Karstedt Tuba Willie Batista Percussion Connor Parish

Violin Saejin Albright Arianna Arcenas Noah Arcenas Lilah Dees Glen Dizon Lexi Feng Katherine Harland Laura Harrington Gabrielle Keller Anastasia Letkemann Ariel Lockley Fiona Lockley Nicole Lukens Mira Menon Benjamin Model Joseph Petchauer Dolaine Qian Jessica Rinosa Oona Roberts Daniel Savo Katie Seitz Selin Tiryakioglu Maxwell VanHoeij Max Warren Charles Woo Viola Armando Atanda Breanna Lang Aditi Shandilya Kaitlyn Thornton Cello Andrew Angelo Hannah Budd Nathan Ealum Noah Hays Alejandro Ochoa Darren Wang Matthew Zabatta Double Bass Kieran Elwood Peter Goricki

Oboe Jacob Hutchinson Mackenzie Ki Mathew Rowell Clarinet Michael Jenkins Jenna Wolbers Frank Lukens Bass Clarinet Shelby DeVore Chris Nelson Bassoon Skye Sisco Sam Watson Horn Adam Agonoy Paola Colon Michael Flanagan Amanda Friedman Trumpet Allison Jenkins Rachel Katrinic Trombone Mason Wheeler Ian Wolff Percussion Anastasia Imeson Lucas Johnson Emma Lasswell Harp Leeann Watson Lina Leyhausen Piano/Keyboard Joseph Petchauer

Flute Alyse Ellenburg Hanna Kissinger Alexandra McGuire Gabi Park

ENCORE 59

MEET THE STAFF Tony Nickle

Director of Artistic Operations Tony Nickle serves as the Jacksonville Symphony’s director of artistic operations. Although he wears many different hats (and bowties) in this position, he is primarily focused on working with multiple members throughout the administrative team to curate a season’s programming and high-level guest artist lineup. “It’s exciting to play a part in putting great art in front of not only existing patrons, but those new to the artistic experience the Jacksonville Symphony can offer.” Hailing from Iowa, Nickle joined the Symphony after working with the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre and serving on the faculty in the music department at Mount Mercy University. Nickle has always had a love for music and starting playing piano at the age of eight. He majored in music and politics at Cornell College and went on to earn his master’s in piano performance at the University of Iowa. Following his master’s, Nickle began playing piano for Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre before taking on a more integrated role in production management. As he began to explore the depths of production management, he realized he had a deep passion for the administrative side of the performing arts. Since arriving in Jacksonville in 2016, Nickle has found his local favorites to be the popular French restaurant Orsay and the newly opened River and Post. You can always recognize him in Jacoby by his classy bowties and colorful socks!

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We have built our business on a commitment to truth and fair-dealing, and we take very seriously our role in the community as the arbiter of truth, and the protector of our democracy. The trust we have earned is a privilege and we work continuously to keep and nurture that trust. We’re committed to pushing the conversation of Jacksonville’s growth forward at every turn.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28 • 7:30PM • LAZZARA PERFORMANCE HALL

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www.JaxChildrensChorus.org ENCORE 61

Anonymous Arts Consulting Group ∆ Sandra Sue Ashby Bank of America Biscottis ∆ Brooks Rehabilitation G. Howard Endowment Fund Sandra and Phillip Burnaman Mr. and Mrs. A. R. “Pete” Carpenter Luther and Blanche Coggin Elizabeth Lovett Colledge CSX Transportation, Inc. Cummer Family Foundation Sally and Tyler Dann Jane and Jack Dickison Edward* and Susan Doherty Downtown Investment Authority Drummond Press Jess & Brewster J. Durkee Foundation Jon A. Ebacher and Jill T. Wannemacher Andrew Farkas Fleet Landing Margaret Gomez Paul and Nina Goodwin Scott and Camille Gregg Harbinger Sign Hicks Charitable Foundations Michael and Maryann Imbriani Jacksonville Symphony Association Endowment Fund Jacksonville Symphony Guild Rebecca and Randolph Johnson Charlie and Anne Joseph Bob and Cindy Kastner Michel and Heidja Kruse The Thomas M. Kirbo and Irene B. Kirbo Charitable Trust Mrs. Edward W. Lane, Jr. National Endowment for the Arts Lee and Darlene Nutter Publix Super Markets Charities Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Riverplace Capital Management, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Shircliff Samuel Shorstein Mr. and Mrs. Ross Singletary Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP ∆ Suzanne Spanier St. Vincent’s HealthCare David and Linda Stein David and Elaine Strickland SunTrust Bank, North Florida John and Kristen Surface Carl S. Swisher Foundation Erlane D. and John E. Tait Chip and Phyllis Tousey 62 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

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Carolyn Marsh Lindsay Mrs. Richard C. Lonsdale Mrs. John R. Mackroth Mr. and Mrs. John Malone Robert Massey and Lisa Ponton Susan and Ron Masucci Ann and Bob Maxwell Mayse-Turner Fund for Public Performance of Classical Music Alison McCallum Davis and Sandra McCarty Donald McCurry and Suzanne Keith Rachel T. Maddox Memorial Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Marcia Mederos Meinrod & Leeper Wealth Mgmt Newman Family Foundation John and Dorothy Nutant Capt. John and Mrs. Carol O’Neil Jr (USN Ret.) Marie and Joel Pangborn Mr. and Mrs. John Peyton PNC Kathryn S. Robbie - Attorney at Law Donald Albert James Robinson Bruce Rosborough and Judy Ham Herb and Ann Rowe Charitable Foundation Sheila and Louis Russo Ms. Betty Saunders Dr. and Mrs. Ralph A. Sawyer Mrs. Miyuki Scheidel Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Sherin Stephen and Joan Shewbrooks Mr. Benjamin Shorstein and Ms. Nicole Nissim Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Shorstein Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Shorstein Steve and Judy Silverman Hal and Ana Skinner Harold K. Smith Charitable Fund Dr. Edward and Mary Ellen Smith Rev. and Mrs. J. Perry Smith Diane P. Soha In Loving Memory of Margaret B. Partridge Dr. Mandell and Rita Diamond Stearman Marianne and Ben Stein Mrs. C. G. Strum Mr. and Mrs. John Tancredi Mireille and Robert Threlkel Maureen and Ronald Townsend Mrs. Georgia Wahl Carol and Manuel Wallace Barbara C. West Arlene and Phil Wiesner Stephen Williams Mr. and Mrs. A. Daniel Wolff III Jacob and Karen Worner Hon. Gwen Yates and Lt. Col. Alton Yates, Ret. Carolyn and Elliot Zisser

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Berman Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Charles Berman Mr. and Mrs. Francesco Borghese The Brady S. Johnston Perpetual Charitable Trust John and Hilary Breen Mary Ann and Shepard Bryan Burgman Winston Youth Orchestra Scholarship Fund Jim and Mary B. Burt Mrs. Lynn Cabrera Gary and Barbara Christensen Tom and Pat Conway Mr. and Mrs. Warren C. Coughlin Harriett L. Dame Mr. John A. Darby and Dr. Barbara Darby Mr. and Mrs. Bruce R. Darnall Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Davis Mr. and Mrs. Henry D’Hulst Dr. and Mrs. A. R. Eckels Mark R. Evans Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ezequelle Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Jim and Elaine Funk Dr. John Gallo Jeff and Jolee Gardner Geneva Presbyterian Church Mr. and Mrs. Roland and Sara-Ann Gomez Drs. Thomas Gonwa and Mary Alice Westrick Gisela Haemmerle Mr. Howard Haims Suna Hall Bill and Kent Hamb Jack and Grace Hand A. Sherburne Hart Dr. Hazem Herbly Paula and Kenneth Horn Barbara Johnson Rita H. Joost Luke and Sandy Karlovec William Kastelz, Jr. in memory of Sandra Richard and Nancy Kennedy Don and Donna Kinlin Ted M. Klein and Barbara Levoy Sunny and Harold Krivan Mr. David Lakari James and Karen Larsen Norman and Mary Ellen Ledwin Alison R. Leonard Eleanor L. Lotz Hal and Frances Lynch William and Mary Lou MacLeod Mr. and Mrs. Donald Maley Mr. and Mrs. Philip S. May, Jr. Patrick and Helen Mayhew Mr. P. L. McWhorter Lee and Bobbie Mercier Brett and Susan Merrill Barbara and Lance Mora Dr. Lesley Morgan Linda Crank Moseley Monica and Robert Mylod Tom and Harriet Nesbitt Mr. and Mrs. Ken New Robert Nuss and Ann Harwood-Nuss David and Kathryn Olson Patricia D. Page The Parker Foundation ENCORE 63

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MASTERWORKS SERIES

Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19, 2018 l 8 pm Sunday, May 20, 2018 | 3 pm “Insight” one hour prior to each Masterworks concert

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

AMERICAN LANDSCAPES Kazem Abdullah, conductor Julian Schwarz, cello Edward Kennedy The Three Black Kings “Duke” ELLINGTON King of the Magi King Solomon Martin Luther King Samuel BARBER

Adagio for Strings

Leonard BERNSTEIN

Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront ~ Intermission ~

Lowell LIEBERMANN Concerto For Cello and Orchestra, Op.132 * Recitative lento, Andante piacevole ed appassionanto, Allegro Molto Largo Allegro energico Howard HANSON Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, “Romantic” Adagio; Allegro moderato Andante con tenerezza Allegro con brio * Jacksonville Symphony Commission Supported in part by:

Presented by:

PROGRAM NOTES By Steven Ledbetter

Duke Ellington (1899-1974) (19 minutes)

’20s and the increasing list of masterful works turned out in his most creative decade, from 1932 to 1942, propelled him to the head of the list of creative

Duke Ellington has long been regarded as the greatest of jazz composers. Already by the end of the 1920s, when his big band first attained widespread prominence at the Cotton Club in New York, it was as much for the highly original compositions of the leader as for the remarkable tonal qualities and ensemble of the playing. The innovative “jungle style” of the

artists in jazz, a position that he never left thereafter. Throughout the history of his band, Ellington constantly created pieces tailored to the specific talents of his players—much as Mozart used to write operatic arias designed to fit the voices of particular sopranos. When the make-up of the band changed, he often reworked a piece so as to reflect the

The Three Black Kings

personality of the new player. His imagination, flexibility, and energy were extraordinary. Three Black Kings began as a commission for a dance work from the Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 1973, Ellington gave Luther Henderson a short score from which he was asked to prepare the ballet version with a symphonic orchestration. The project never came to fruition, and after Ellington’s death in 1974, his son Mercer completed it and asked Henderson to score it for jazz band and orchestra. In his last decade, Ellington composed a number of large-scale works under the overall classification “sacred concert,” usually based on a Biblical theme. Though it goes beyond that designation, The Three Black Kings celebrates two figures from the Bible and one modern leader who was a Christian preacher, all of whom can fit into the category of “king.” The three movements refer, respectively, to Balthazar, one of the “three kings” of the Nativity story, who is traditionally identified as black. The second movement refers to King Solomon, identified as notable for his wisdom; he was the son of King David from his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, the wife of one of David’s generals. The final movement is devoted to the most significant modern “king”—Dr. Martin Luther King, whose martyrdom was still a recent event at the time Ellington wrote this music.

Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Adagio for Strings (8 minutes) Samuel Barber grew up in a musical family and he began to play the piano at six and compose the following year. Still, it was with some trepidation that he left a note on his mother’s dresser when he was about eight to tell her of his selfrealization: “To begin with, I was not meant to be an athelet [sic] I was meant to be a composer. and I will be, I’m sure...Don’t ask me to try to forget this...and go play football.” It was Sam’s uncle Sidney who encouraged his composition most with letters full of advice. Barber’s musical technique was formally developed during the eight years he spent as a student at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, where he joined its first class in 1924 when he was just fourteen. There he studied piano, composition, conducting and voice. ENCORE 65

Barber’s style was always conservative, emphasizing the long lyrical line and relatively traditional tonal harmonies. His setting of language was felicitous, and his ear for color acute. All of these strengths made him for many years one of the most popular of American composers. In July 1937 Artur Rodzinski conducted Barber’s First Symphony at the Salzburg Festival, the first American music ever to be performed in that bastion of European culture. This performance led to Arturo Toscanini to take interest in the young composer and later program two of his works. Toscanini had a reputation for having a lack of interest in American music and the fact that he played two works by an American composer on the same program brought Barber’s name and music before the public more effectively than almost anything else could have done. Of course, it was the quality of the music that held the public attention. The haunting serenity of the Adagio, in particular, has retained its hold unbroken. The Adagio for Strings is one of those extraordinary works that feels never to have been created but always to have existed just out of hearing. Its shape is a nearly seamless arch from infinite quiet sadness to great intensity and back to silence.

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront (23 minutes)

Leonard Bernstein’s only venture into the score of films was for Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront, a story of violence and heroism, of racketeers and longshoremen. Marlon Brando played Terry, an ex-prizefighter and longshoreman who, though at first a tool of the racketeers, develops the courage to withstand them, largely through the love and support of his girl Edie, whose brother has been killed by the mobsters, a hit that Terry unknowingly helped set up. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won eight of them, including Best Picture. The orchestral suite begins with the film’s opening music presenting, in the solo horn, Terry’s theme, which, in a much grander version, will conclude the score. A rapid, nervous section, Presto barbaro, presents the music connected with scenes of violence in the film. Its septuple meter creates unsettling, even frightening, effects. A complete change of character, to a fresh lyrical melody in solo flute 66 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

accompanied by harp and clarinets, marks the beginning of an extended love scene, building to great intensity. Another version of Terry’s theme leads to a new section of violence, the music that accompanies Terry’s fight with the racketeer John Friendly. Its conclusion leads to the dénouement of the film and the score. The other longshoremen have agreed to work only if Terry works. Though he has been severely beaten in the fight, he drags himself to the docks and begins working in an act of heroic defiance of the crooked union leaders. His music builds gradually to a powerful climax with recollections of the bitterness of his story.

Lowell Liebermann (1961-present) Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 132 (26 minutes)

Lowell Liebermann was born in New York City, grew up there, and still lives there. He began piano studies at age eight and formal composition studies at fourteen. A year later he made his performing debut at Carnegie Recital Hall—playing his own Piano Sonata, Opus 1. He attended the Juilliard School, where he earned bachelor’s, master’s, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Liebermann has been one of the most prolific composers of his generation, and one of the most frequently commissioned and performed. Moreover, musicians who have premiered one work of his have often come back to premiere the next in the same genre, a clear sign that he composed music that the soloists themselves found satisfying. In May of 1996 his opera The Picture of Dorian Gray, based on the novel of Oscar Wilde, had a very successful premiere in Monte Carlo—the first opera by an American composer to be performed there. His voluminous creative output now includes no fewer than twelve concertos, four symphonies, and two operas. There is also a substantial body of chamber music, piano works, and vocal and choral pieces.

Note From the Composer The Cello Concerto Op.132 was commissioned by a consortium of orchestras including the Toledo Symphony, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MA) and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (OH.) The concerto was written for cellist Julian Schwarz. The short score of the concerto was completed in August of 2017 and the orchestration completed a month later. The work is dedicated to Alan Benaroya. The concerto is in the customary three movements. The work opens with an accompanied cadenza for the cello, which directly leads into the Andante piacevole ed appassionato with the cello singing a long-phrased lyric melody over a glistening accompaniment. A breathlessly virtuosic Allegro energico follows. A return of material from the opening cazenza leads us back to the Andante before ending the movement with one last Allegro flourish. The second movement is a heart-felt, extended Lento. The final movement, Allegro energico, alternates menacing and exuberant music in a rondo-like form that showcases the soloist’s virtuosity.

Howard Hanson (1896-1981) Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, “Romantic“ (23 minutes)

Millions of people know Howard Hanson’s Romantic Symphony without knowing they know it; one section of this rich example of 20th-century American romanticism provides the quiet, consoling music that appears under the final credits of the outer space adventure Aliens—a welcome touch of humanity after the nerve-wracking tension of the film, in which violently destructive alien creatures nearly take a small human community in the far reaches of space. Howard Hanson might have been surprised to know that some part if his symphony would enjoy such unanticipated fame, but he would not have been surprised that its warmth and human qualities were recognized, because it was always his desire to touch the listener. HANSON (continued on page 68)

Kazem Abdullah, conductor A vibrant, versatile and compelling presence on the podium, American conductor Kazem Abdullah is one of the most watched talents on the international stage today. Since 2012 he has been Generalmusikdirektor of the City of Aachen, Germany, where he leads both the orchestral and operatic seasons. Recently, he was nominated by critics in Die Welt, as best conductor in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen for his conducting of Brokeback Mountain, Tosca and Tannhäuser. This season, Abdullah will conduct three opera productions in Aachen: Macbeth, Il Trittico and Ariadne auf Naxos. In addition, he will also lead several subscription concerts with the Sinfonieorchester Aachen and will make guest appearances with the orchestra in Amsterdam at the Concertgebouw and in the East-Belgium Music Festival. In the spring of 2017 he led a tour of Germany and Italy with the Nürnberger Symphoniker. In 2009 Abdullah conducted a 12-city tour of the United States with Orquestra de São Paulo, one of Brazil’s most celebrated ensembles. Internationally he has made appearances with ensembles including the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, the Boca del Rio Philharmonic and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Abdullah made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Gluck’s Orfeo ed Eurydice. The New York Times lauded this first performance at the Metropolitan Opera as “…a confident performance… impressively responsive to the singers during their long stretches of orchestra-accompanied recitative.” Born in the United States, Kazem Abdullah began his musical studies at the age of 10. A graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance, he continued his studies at the University of Southern California. Prior to his conducting studies at The Peabody Institute of the John Hopkins University, he spent two seasons with the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson-Thomas. In 2006 Abdullah was appointed assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York by Music Director James Levine.

Julian Schwarz, cello Julian Schwarz was born to a multi-generational musical family in 1991. Heralded from a young age as a cellist destined to rank among the greatest of the 21st century, Schwarz’s powerful tone, effortless virtuosity and extraordinarily large color palate are hallmarks of his style. In 2016, Schwarz won first prize at the Boulder International Chamber Music Competition’s “The Art of Duo” with Canadian pianist Marika Bournaki. After making his concerto debut at the age of 11 with the Seattle Symphony and his father, Gerard Schwarz on the podium, he has led an active career as soloist. Recent and upcoming debuts include the Buffalo and Rochester Philharmonics, Camerata Chicago, Symphony Silicon Valley and the Jacksonville Symphony. Internationally, he made his Australian debut with the Queensland Symphony, his Mexican debuts with the Boca del Rio Symphony in Veracruz and the Mexico City Philharmonic, and his Hong Kong debut at the Intimacy of Creativity Festival. Schwarz embarked on an extensive 10-recital tour of China in March 2017 and made debuts for the Musical Club of Hartford and the University Club. An avid chamber musician, he is a member of the New York based Frisson Ensemble, the New York Classical Players, the Solisti Ensemble and the Mile-End Trio with violinist Jeff Multer and pianist Marika Bournaki. An avid supporter of new music, Schwarz often commissions new, exciting works to enhance the cello repertoire. He has premiered concertos by Richard Danielpour, Samuel Jones and will give the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s first Cello Concerto with five orchestras in the 2017-2018 season. Schwarz plays on a Neapolitan cello made by Gennaro Gagliano in 1743.

ENCORE 67

HANSON (continued from page 66) Born in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1896, Hanson became an important symbol of American music-making as composer, conductor, teacher and academic administrator. Hanson was born to Swedish immigrants on the plains of Nebraska. Thus, he was an example of the classic American story. Though there was never any doubt in his mind that he was an American composer, his sense of “place” was greatly colored by the culture and the music of Scandinavia. In 1924 George Eastman hired him as founding director of the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, N.Y.; he was not yet thirty! Soon after this appointment, he won the Prix de Rome, and stayed in Europe for three years, composing his First Symphony. It demonstrated the arrival of a master of symphonic style in the mode of the Jan Sibelius symphonies, which were then at the peak of their popularity. Not surprisingly, then, Serge Koussevitzky chose Hanson as one of the American composers commissioned to write a piece for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s fiftieth anniversary in 1930.

Inspire.

This work turned out to be far and away his most popular. Its subtitle Romantic makes explicit the composer’s link to the past—and, again, especially to Sibelius, whose dark, rich sonorities he favored. At the time of the premiere, Hanson wrote that he chose this approach, and his subtitle, because he believed “that romanticism will find in this country rich soil for a new, young, and vigorous growth.” But what makes this symphony “romantic,” is not a program or a story connected with the piece or described in it, but the broad spaciousness of the melodic lines, the rich texture of the orchestration, and the flexibility of mood throughout. Cast in three movements, the symphony would seem to present itself as a fast-slow-fast pattern, but the tempo ranges widely, and this affects the character, too; the slow introduction builds to an Allegro--but only one at moderate speed, and the very lyrical second theme is introduced in a Lento (slow) passage for strings with a countermelody in the horns. Like Sibelius, Hanson sometimes creates “cyclical” structures by bringing back themes from earlier movements to appear in a later part of the

In a word, Raymond James believes in the transformative power of the arts.

score. Following the main theme of the tender second movement, the brass recall the introduction of the first movement for a time before leading to a “new” theme, which itself is derived from a horn melody in the first movement. The last movement is the liveliest in tempo, and its middle section develops through a substantial passage featuring solos or fanfares in the brasses—horn, then trombones, finally trumpets, building to a climax that announces the main theme of the first movement. The second theme of the first movement is also restated, fortissimo, before the closing coda. Such a description makes the music sound far more complicated than it is. In essence Hanson shapes the entire symphony out of a few thematic kernels, developing color and mood and character from beginning to a richly romantic conclusion. © Steven Ledbetter (www.stevenledbetter.com)

RAYMOND JAMES IS PROUD TO BE THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY COFFEE SERIES. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO CONTINUE OUR SUPPORT OF THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY.

JACKSONVILLE COMPLEX 245 Riverside Avenue, Suite 500 Jacksonville, FL 32202 Jacksonville 904.858.4100 Ponte Vedra 904.273.2426 St. Augustine 904.825.4224 © 2017 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Raymond James is not affiliated with the Jacksonville Symphony Coffee Series or the Jacksonville Symphony.

68 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

CADENZA SOCIETY

An invitation to play your part in the future of our Symphony

Cadenza Society members are a group of dedicated supporters who have made a future financial commitment to ensure that the orchestra you love will be able to keep making vibrant music for generations to come.

Membership is easy. No immediate donation is necessary. You simply need to name Jacksonville Symphony as a beneficiary in your will, trust, insurance policy, donor advised fund or foundation. Cadenza Society Members receive recognition in Encore as well as invitations to: • An exclusive Cadenza Society gathering with Music Director Courtney Lewis • Onstage Open Rehearsals • Annual Donor Appreciation Night Kaye Glover • 904.354.9136

J a x S y m p h o n y. o r g / l e g a c y

The Symphony is honored to have Bob Shircliff and Chip Tousey, Jr. as our Cadenza Society Chairs.

The Jacksonville Symphony gratefully acknowledges these members for including the Symphony in their estate planning. Mark and Rita Allen Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Anderson Sandra Sue Ashby Rick E. Bendel Jacob F. Bryan IV Elizabeth I. Byrne, Ed.D. Carl and Rita Cannon Clarissa and Warren Chandler Estelle and Terry Chisholm Col. and Mrs. Robert B. Clarke Mike and Naomi Coffey Luther and Blanche Coggin Elizabeth Schell Colyer Ruth P. Conley Caroline S. Covin Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Cowden Dr. Amy Crowder in memory of Carole V. Ewart Sara Alice Bradley Darby* Stephen and Suzanne Day Ann Derby Chris and Stephanie Doerr Mr. and Ms. Pete Doolittle Jeff Driggers* Brock Fazzini Josephine Flaherty Mr. and Mrs. David Foerster Friend of the Symphony (4) Mr. and Mrs. George D. Gabel, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Allan Geiger John L. Georgas* Linda Barton Gillis Rabbi Robert and Marilyn Goodman Sue Gover

Mary T. Grant* Camille Clement Gregg Charitable Remainder Trust in memory of Ruthwood Craven Samek Dr. Dan W. Hadwin and Dr. Alice Rietman-Hadwin Suna Hall Preston H. Haskell Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hetzel Richard Hickok and Andrea Ashley Bev and Bill Hiller Calvin and Ellen Hudson Charitable Trust Wes and Beth Jennison Virginia Johnsen Rebecca and Randolph Johnson Mrs. Rita H. Joost Elizabeth Kerr Frances Bartlett Kinne, Ph.D. Norman and Dolores Kramer Dr. and Mrs. Ross T. Krueger E. Michael and Heidja Kruse Mrs. Edward W. Lane, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Lindsey Dr. D’Anne and Mr. Daniel Lombardo Leyse Lowry Jean Lumpkin* Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Doug and Laura* Mathewson Allison McCallum Frances Watts McCurry Lee and Bobbie Mercier Roxie Merrill Robert A. and Fay Mills* Sherry Murray* Mr. and Mrs. E. William Nash, Jr.

Christine Ng and Herbert Wolfsen Janet and Joseph Nicosia Lloyd Hamilton Oakes Charitable Remainder Trust in memory of Ruthwood Craven Samek Mr. Val Palmer Mr. and Mrs. Joe Peters Ruth (Rusty) Pierce Richard and Leslie Pierpont JoAnne Reilly J. William Ross Ruthwood C. Samek* Carol and Bob Shircliff Mrs. Sally Simpson Ann H. Sims* Mr. and Mrs. Al Sinclair* Helen Morse and Fritz Skeen Ana and Hal Skinner Virginia Smith* Mary Love Strum Mary Virginia Terry Gwynne* and Bob Tonsfeldt Chip and Phyllis Tousey Rev. W. Glenn Turner Mary Jane and Jack Uible Tom Vickery and Elizabeth McAlhany Stephen R. Wickersham Steven Williams Renee Winkler Quentin E. Wood Thomas C. Zimmermann* *Designates deceased ENCORE 69

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70 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

COFFEE SERIES POPS SERIES

Coffee Series: Friday, May 25, 2018 | 11 am Pops Series: Saturday, May 26, 2018 | 8 pm Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

PATRIOTIC POPS Nathan Aspinall, conductor

Lucas RICHMAN

”Colonial Liberty Overture”*

John Philip SOUSA

”Liberty Bell March”*

John Philip SOUSA

”Washington Post March”

Stephen FOSTER /arr. HERMANN

Stephen Foster Medley*

Morton GOULD

”American Salute”*

John WILLIAMS /arr. CUSTER

Summon the Heroes* ~ Intermission ~

John WILLIAMS

The Cowboys Overture

Aaron COPLAND

”Hoe-Down” from Rodeo*

arr. Bob LOWDEN

”Armed Forces Salute”*

Samuel WARD /arr. DRAGON

”America the Beautiful”

Piotr TCHAIKOVSKY

1812 Overture*

* Performed on Coffee series concert. Pops series concert sponsored by The Coffee Concert is hosted by the Jacksonville Symphony Guild. Coffee and tea are provided by Martin Coffee Company, Inc. PRI Productions is the Proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Patriotic Pops Every country has special music and songs that engender a national response. It’s that special feeling that makes your proud to be party of the community. For the British is may be “God Save the Queen.” For the French, it’s definitely “La Marseillaise.” For Americans, there are many pieces of music that bring out a sense of patriotism, and John

Philip Sousa is responsible for many of them. “Liberty Bell March” was written for Sousa’s unfinished operetta The Devil’s Deputy. This particular march has been played at five of the past seven presidential inaugurations.

other countries. In 1889, The Washington Post newspaper requested the Sousa compose a march for the award ceremony of the paper’s essay contest. The popularity of this march led to a British journalist dubbing Sousa as “The March King!” Famed movie score composer John Williams makes an appearance in tonight’s program with his orchestral work Summon the Heroes. Written for the 1996 Summer Olympics, it premiered at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. The second half begins with another work by Williams. The Overture comes from the 1972 American western film The Cowboys starring the well-known American actor, John Wayne. A concert featuring patriotic tunes would not be complete without a feature by American composer Aaron Copland. “Hoe-Down” is the fourth movement from the ballet Rodeo, which premiered in 1942. When Copland set out to score the ballet, he aimed to produce a type of classical music that had a very distinct American sound. He used two American folk tunes throughout including “Bonaparte’s Retreat,” which is heard in the opening of “Hoe-Down.” We end with Tchaikovsky’s classic 1812 Overture. The popular piece was written in 1812 to commemorate Russia’s defense of its homeland against the invasion of Napoleon’s army. In 1891, the overture was conducted by Tchaikovsky at the dedication of Carnegie Hall; this was one of the first times a major European composer visited the United States. With a performance by Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops on July 4, 1974, the overture was lifted into standard American repertoire to celebrate Independence Day. The overture is most well-known for its climactic end featuring the sounds of cannon fire, ringing chimes and epic brass fanfare.

“The Washington Post” march, another Sousa creation, is one of the most popular marches in not only the United States, but in many ENCORE 71

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Nathan Aspinall, Associate Conductor

Nathan Aspinall is currently the associate conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony. Recent performances in this position have included Handel’s Messiah, Prokofiev’s Cinderella and a special event concert with organist Cameron Carpenter. Formerly, he held the position of young conductor with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra where he assisted Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch and visiting guest conductors and conducted concerts for the education series. Aspinall studied French horn and conducting at the University of Queensland and upon graduation was awarded the Hugh Brandon Prize. In 2012, Aspinall attended the Aspen Music Festival, studying with Robert Spano and Hugh Wolff. He was awarded the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize, inviting him to return to Aspen in 2013. Aspinall has conducted the Sydney, Adelaide, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. In addition he has conducted the Queensland Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra and has acted as assistant conductor for Opera Queensland. Festival master classes and appearances have included the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Oregon Bach Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Seminar. During the 2017-2018 season, Aspinall led the Jacksonville Symphony in his second Masterworks subscription appearance conducting Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 and Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto with Behzod Abduraimov. As a guest conductor he will return to the Atlanta and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. Aspinall studied Orchestral Conducting with Hugh Wolff at New England Conservatory in Boston.

MASTERWORKS SERIES

Friday & Saturday, June 1 & 2, 2018 l 8 pm “Insight” one hour prior to each Masterworks concert

Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

TWILIGHT OF THE GODS Courtney Lewis, conductor Haskell Endowed Chair

Christine Brewer, soprano Jay Hunter Morris, tenor

Paul Whelan, bass-baritone

Jacksonville Symphony Chorus With guests from the University of North Florida Jonathan HARVEY

Tranquil Abiding

Claude DEBUSSY From Images: Ibéria Par les rues et par les chemins Les parfums de la nuit Le matin d’un jour de fête ~ Intermission ~ Richard WAGNER Selections from Götterdämmerung Sunrise Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey Prelude to Act II Hagen’s Call and Vassals Chorus Meeting of the Hunting Party (Gunther: Wilford Kelly) Siegfried’s Narration, Death and Funeral March Brunnhilde’s Immolation PRI Productions is the proud Event Production Partner of the Jacksonville Symphony. Dana’s Limousine is the official transportation of the Jacksonville Symphony. Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the official hotel of the Jacksonville Symphony.

PROGRAM NOTES By Steven Ledbetter

Jonathan Harvey (1939-2012) (15 minutes)

orchestra, in which line he wrote Tranquil Abiding for chamber orchestra in 1998. This was during the period (1995-2000) that he taught at Stanford University.

Like many young boys who go on to become composers, Jonathan Harvey was a boy chorister at St. Michael’s, Tenbury, and later attended St. John’s College, Cambridge, then earned doctorates in Glasgow and Cambridge. Benjamin Britten suggested that he also undertake private studies with Erwin Stein and Hans Keller. After spending a year at Princeton on a Harkness Fellowship, he accepted an invitation from Pierre Boulez to work at IRCAM, his contemporary music institute in France, where he produced installations and composed a number of electronic compositions. But he also continued to work in traditional genres, including the

As the title suggests, Tranquil Abiding is a work largely suggesting relaxation, or, better, meditation, built of soft breathing figure. But that does not mean that it never builds to a focus of energy and rhythmic activity. As the composer wrote: Tranquil Abiding is a Buddhist term for a state of single-pointed concentration. This piece is a 14-minute movement based throughout on a single, slow breathing rhythm. The rhythm consists of an “inhalation” on an upper note followed by an “exhalation” on a lower one. There are melodic fragments above it: one using only

Tranquil Abiding

one pitch, another three pitches, another five pitches, another eight pitches and a fifth fifteen pitches. It is scored for small orchestra.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) From Images: Ibéria (20 minutes)

After completing his opera Pelléas et Mélisande, which is all hints and subtleties, pastel shades and mists, Debussy was eager to move into a different mode, to compose livelier, more outgoing music. The years following Pelléas were busy, seeing the composition of La Mer, the Danse sacre and Danse profane, the two books of Images for piano, and the triptych entitled Images for orchestra, of which Ibéria is the second panel. These were the years in which Debussy began to become voguish. His popular success, however, was short‑lived. Debussy’s constant search for new paths, though enormously fruitful to his fellow composers, outstripped the willingness of his audiences to follow much beyond La Mer and Ibéria, so that, just as his health was beginning to decline with the first signs of the cancer that was eventually to prove fatal, he was also starting to lose the audience that had so recently discovered him. The orchestral Images started in Debussy’s mind as a set of works for two pianos, obviously intended as a counterpart to the Images for solo piano. In September 1905 he wrote to his publisher Durand, “I am now going to complete as quickly as possible the Images two pianos.” This alone would not identify the works in question, but on July 9, 1906, he wrote, “I hope to have finished Ibéria next week and the two other pieces in the course of the month.” This can only refer to the piano version of Ibéria, since the orchestral score was still more than two years from completion. As published, the orchestral Images consists of three pieces: Gigues, Ibéria and Rondes de printemps. The order, however, is purely arbitrary, not reflecting the order of composition. Ibéria, which came first, is further subdivided into three sections, reflecting aspects of Debussy’s imaginative picture of Spain. Like Bizet, whose Carmen so richly evokes the Spanish scene, Debussy knew his Spain only by way of literature and art, though he did study the collections of Spanish folk music assembled by Felipe Pedrell. Still, he did not quote any actual folk tunes in his “Spanish” score, but rather recreated the imagined “feel” of a day in Spain. So successful was he in this respect that Ibéria is widely regarded as the finest “Spanish” music ever ENCORE 73

written, even by native Spanish composers like Manuel de Falla, who found here the way to treat their own cultural heritage in music. Debussy did, in fact, spend one lone afternoon in Spain, crossing the border just long enough to watch a bullfight at San Sebastian. Debussy plays with the full orchestra in all its richness and variety, suggesting Spain in the characteristic melodic and rhythmic turns, in actual Spanish instruments, or imitations thereof (such as the violins‑turned-guitar in the last movement, where the players are specifically told to place the instruments under the arm in traditional guitar position while they pluck the strings). The first movement is built of a series of brief ideas that weave in and out like fragments of songs half‑heard while passing from street to street. The central nocturne is sultry and laden with suppressed passion. But Debussy avoids a cheap erotic climax. Instead he links the movement directly to the final “festa,” in a transition from night to day of which he was particularly proud. The last movement is replete with splashes of one thing and another thrown out in a display of seemingly incoherent energy, brilliantly lighted throughout by the masterful treatment of the orchestra.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Selections from Götterdämmerung (60 minutes)

Wagner originally conceived what was to be his greatest work as early as 1848; it was finally realized on the stage 28 years later, in 1876, with the first production in his own theater at Bayreuth of the complete tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen (“The Nibelung’s Ring”). Few artistic creations of such scope and power exist in the European tradition. Perhaps only two literary works—Dante’s Divine Comedy and Goethe’s Faust—can be mentioned in the same breath with Wagner’s gigantic composition. All three of these mighty creations present an allencompassing world view in a work of epic size that spanned the entire universe, dominating the creative lives of the artists who envisioned them. Time and time again in his operas, Wagner chose a dramatic situation in which the principal character or characters were in need of redemption, and this usually came from the self-sacrifice of a noble, courageous woman. In the Ring, Wagner casts his tale of redemption on the grandest possible scale, covering more than one generation chronologically and the entire physical world from subterranean caverns to rocky mountain heights geographically. Although the Ring ostensibly deals with gods, giants, dwarves, dragons, magic helmets and 74 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

an all-controlling ring of power, its philosophical and ethical basis grows directly out of midnineteenth century European social problems, generated by the unfettered capitalism of the industrial revolution. It is surely no coincidence that Wagner wrote an essay on “The Nibelung Myth as a Sketch for a Drama” in 1848, the same year that Marx and Engels published The Communist Manifesto. In their characteristically different ways, both men addressed the theme that wealth was a dominating force, potentially destructive, in human relations. Wagner imagined his story in terms of powerful and flexible symbols that could be visualized on the stage. Gold, in itself an innocent natural object, is stolen from the bed of the river Rhine by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich, who has learned that by forswearing love, he can fashion the gold into a Ring that will give him supreme power over creation. The gods, chief of whom is Wotan, enjoy the highest respect of any race in this mythical world, partly on the strength of the fact that Wotan is the protector of agreements and treaties by which all creatures live. Runes carved on his spear, the visual representation of his power, affirm this.

Program commentary by Tony Nickle Der Ring des Nibelungen, or Ring Cycle, is a gargantuan 16 hours of music drama divided into four operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. They tell the story of the Rhinegold, a source of nearly limitless power that can only be wielded by an individual who rebukes love. The dwarf Alberich’s theft of the gold from its guardian Rhine Maidens sets a cascading domino effect of greed, betrayal and suffering in motion. Alberich forges a ring of power from the gold (yes, this predates J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), which instantly becomes the story’s most coveted object around which all narratives revolve. Wotan, king of the gods of Valhalla, steals the ring from Alberich, and in doing so betrays the laws he is charged with upholding. Alberich lays a fearful curse on the Ring: it will bring doom to all who possess it and envy to all who do not. Wotan is immediately forced to relinquish the ring to the giants Fafner and Fasolt as payment for building the fortress of Valhalla. The curse of the ring immediately reveals itself as Fafner kills his brother in order to possess the ring for himself, using its power to transform into a dragon. Die Walküre, or The Valkyries, centers on the relationship between Wotan and his demigoddess daughter, Brünnhilde. Love comes into conflict with duty when the Valkyrie betrays her father’s orders in what she believes to be an act of devotion. As protector of law and order, Wotan has no choice but to imprison his beloved daughter in a perpetual sleep, only able to be awoken by a true hero.

Many generations have passed by the beginning of the third opera in the tetralogy, which tells the story of Siegfried, the mortal grandson of Wotan. Through pedigree and distant help from his grandfather, Siegfried grows into a hero who is finally capable of defeating the dragon Fafner. After slaying the dragon and claiming the ring, Siegfried is led to the mountain where Wotan laid Brünnhilde in her magical sleep. The destined hero awakens her with a kiss, and the two instantly fall in love. As a symbol of his love and fidelity, Siegfried gifts the ring to Brünnhilde. This is where Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), the final component of this massive work, begins, in dark of night as three Norns, or Fates, are weaving the rope of destiny. Just as they are ready to predict the future, the rope breaks. They have lost their powers and disappear. At this point the selections to be heard in the present performance begin: Sunrise. Siegfried and Brünnhilde wake after their night of love. Dawn Duet. Brünnhilde, now a mortal woman, urges Siegfried to undertake heroic adventures that will make him worthy of her. The orchestral tone poem known as Siegfried’s Rhine Journey functions as the link between the prologue and Act I; it is built up of many musical themes already connected in the listener’s mind with Siegfried (his lively horn call, which gives this excerpt the character of a great symphonic scherzo), of past events (the Magic Fire behind which Brünnhilde slumbered before Siegfried’s kiss awakened her) and the mighty stream of the Rhine itself, followed by the song of the Rhinemaidens whose loss of the gold had set in motion the whole tragic train of events. In Act I, Siegfried meets a family along the shores of the Rhine: Gunther, his sister Gutrune, and his half-brother Hagen, who is the son of the dwarf Alberich who set the entire story in motion by stealing the Ring from the Rhine Maidens, and who will do anything to get it back. But first he counsels Gunther to make a great marriage for himself by wedding Brünnhilde, while his sister marries the hero Siegfried. (He does not tell them that the two are already promised to one another.) When Siegfried arrives on his heroic quest, Hagen assures that he is served a drugged drink that makes him forget his recent experiences with Brünnhilde and to fall in love with Gutrune. Then he is asked to go to the fire-surrounded rock and bring the woman who is there to be Gunther’s wife. Without realizing that he has broken his vow to Brünnhilde, he agrees to do so. Disguising himself with a magic helmet that changes his features, he returns to the rock and forces Brünnhilde to accept him as Gunther—and tears the Ring off her hand as compensation. (She, meanwhile, has learned from one of her former Valkyrie sisters that Wotan now despairs of the future and simply waits in Valhalla for the end of everything.) WAGNER (continued on page 77)

Christine Brewer, soprano Christine Brewer is a Grammy Award-winning American soprano who performs in opera, concert and recitals around the world. She was named “one of the top 20 sopranos of all time” by the BBC and the New York Times’ Anthony Tommasini described her as “in her prime and sounding glorious.” An avid recitalist, Brewer has graced such prestigious venues as Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, Oberlin Conservatory and many others. She has appeared in Lincoln Center’s “Art of the Song” series at Alice Tully Hall, the Boston Celebrity Series, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Atlanta’s Spivey Hall, California’s Mondavi Center, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. Brewer has performed with ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, the Toronto Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York City Opera, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic, the Academy of St. Martin-inthe-Fields, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin, Gewandhaus Leipzig, and Orchestre de Paris. She also performed for the re-opening of Covent Garden with Plácido Domingo for TRH the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Jay Hunter Morris, tenor Opera singer, Grammy-Winner and author, Jay Hunter Morris came into the National spotlight when he created the role of Tony in Terrence McNally’s celebrated play Master Class, on Broadway in 1995. Career highlights include performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Seattle, Santiago, Santa Fe, San Diego, Calgary, Toronto, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Hawaii, Atlanta, Paris, Monte Carlo, Budapest, Tokyo, Nice, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Vienna and Beijing. He debuted the role of Siegfried with the San Francisco Opera in 2011, and perhaps most famously, at the Metropolitan Opera in their new production by Robert LePage in 2011-2013. The production was broadcast live to cinemas worldwide and won a Grammy in 2013 for Best Opera Recording. He sang the role in Budapest at the Wagner Days Festival, and again in 2016 with Houston Grand Opera. Other recent successes include his first Tristan in Valencia, under the baton of Zubin Mehta, and Schoenburg’s Guerre-Lieder at the Vienna Konzerthaus with Kent Nagano. Mr Morris has most recently been seen on PBS in the role of Captain Ahab in Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick, from the San Francisco Opera.

Paul Whelan, bass-baritone Paul Whelan began the 2017-2018 season at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in the role of Gremin in Eugene Onegin. He travels to Norway for performances of Haydn’s Creation with the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. Back in the US Whelan sings the role of Hagen in selections from Götterdämmerung with the Jacksonville Symphony. The bass-baritone recently added the role of Sarastro Die Zauberflöte to his repertoire which he sang at Hawaii Opera Theatre. In Geneva, he joined the Grand Theatre for their new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Quince, and he appeared at Gothenburg Opera for the role of Claudio in Hamlet for a new production by Stephen Langridge for which he won sterling reviews. Recent highlights include the role of Daland Der fliegende Holländer at Hawaii Opera Theatre and New Zealand Opera as well as role debuts as Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress for Opera New Zealand, Banco in Macbeth at Opera North in the UK, and Titurel Parsifal with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Other past successes include the artist’s return to Opera Australia as Ramfis Aida, and an appearance at Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago for Beethoven’s Mass in C. Other notable appearances include Theseus in the new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for English National Opera and Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Norway. ENCORE 75

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Join us for our 17th season at Prelude Chamber Music Camp June 3 - 10, 2018. Applications are available online now. Register by April 3 at PreludeChamberMusic.org. Prelude Chamber Music, Inc. is a 501C3 non-profit organization. We gratefully accept donations on our web site to help us provide camp scholarships and expand our offerings! 76 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; APRIL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JUNE 2018

WAGNER (continued from page 74) The Prelude to Act II continues the plot to destroy Siegfried and recover the Ring. Nocturnal music brings Alberich to speak to his son Hagen, sleeping by the Rhine. Hagen promises to recover the Ring, which Siegfried has given to Brünnhilde. Hagen summons Gunther’s men (“Hoi ho!”) who gather to go on a hunt in the forest. When Brünnhilde arrives, thinking she has been carrier there by Gunther, she is surprised and angered to see him speaking warmly with Gutrune. Seeing the Ring on his hand, she is confused, having thought that Gunther stole it from her. She charges Siegfried with having stolen the Ring and with having slept with her (which he had done previously). Siegfried, still under the effect of the drug, swears an oath that he has never slept with her, and saying that he is ready to die if the opposite were true. Brünnhilde blesses the spear Hagen is holding, as the point that will pierce Siegfried if he has sworn falsely. When Siegfried leaves, Brünnhilde, Gunther and Hagen decree that he will die during that event. The final act begins with Siegfried encountering the Rhine Maidens, who plead with him to return the Ring, but he refuses, explaining that he slew a dragon to win it in the first place.

Siegfried’s meeting with hunting party of Hagen, Gunther and the vassals seems to be entirely sociable. Hagen invites Siegfried to tell about his adventures. Siegfried's Narrative. When he almost reaches the point of finding Brünnhilde on the fire-surrounded rock, Hagen offers him a cool drink—the antidote for the drug that had befogged his mind. Siegfried goes on to tell how he found Brünnhilde, awakened her, and slept with her. Gunther is shocked. Hagen has set up this moment: He seizes the spear that Brünnhilde had blessed and drives it into the back of the hero, exclaiming: “I avenge perjury!” Siegfried’s Death comes slowly as he turns his eyes to the sky and calls upon Brünnhilde, imagining that she calls him to her. The curtain falls between the two scenes of the act and the orchestra plays a passage known as Siegfried’s Funeral March, a darkly somber march that unfolds all the themes associated with the tragic hero and his family from the beginning of the story. In the final scene, along the banks of the Rhine, Brünnhilde has come to learn how she and Siegfried were both deceived by Hagen, with the foolist connivance of Gunther and Gutrune. Then she begins the great final vocal section of the work: Brünnhilde’s Immolation. She orders Gunther’s men to pile up logs into a funeral pyre

for the hero’s burial. She says that she will follow him in death, declaring that no one was ever as pure as he, even though he betrayed her. She turns to Valhalla in the distance and invokes Wotan, whose long-ago crime ultimately brought this fiery fate on the gods, men, dwarfs and all of creation. She takes the Ring from Siegfried’s finger and puts it on her own, telling the Rhine Maidens that they will be able to take it and cleanse it once again its curse. She throws a torch on the pyre and its fire begins to consumer it all. Calling for her great horse, on which she used to ride through the air like a Valkyrie, she cries out to the body of Siegfried, “Behold! Blissfully your wife greets you!’ As she leaps onto the pyre, too, the flames shoots up and burns everything it sight. The Rhine then rises and floods everything. Hagen, determined to get the Ring from Brünnhilde’s finger, follows into the water, but the Rhine Maidens seize him and carry him to his death, then swim upward again showing the Ring. Finally, in the distance, the gods fortress of Valhalla takes fire and burns, both the palace and all the gods sitting helplessly within. A soaring theme is heard in the orchestra—symbolizing the new world order that will grow out of the total destruction, a world of redemption by love. © Steven Ledbetter (www.stevenledbetter.com)

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ENCORE 77

JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Robert Massey, President & Chief Executive Officer Sally Pettegrew, Vice President of Administration Jennifer Barton, Chief Strategy Officer

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS Roger Wight, Vice President & General Manager

Artistic Administration

Tony Nickle, Director of Artistic Administration Ileana Fernandez, Staff Accompanist Linda Holmes, Ballet Coordinator Jill Weisblatt, Chorus Manager

Orchestral Operations

Bart Dunn, Principal Librarian Ray Klaase, Stage Manager Shamus McConney, Technical Director James Pitts, Stage Associate Robert Grossman, Orchestra Personnel Manager Kenneth Every, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager Debby Heller, Assistant Librarian Annie Hertler, Bowing Assistant

Education & Community Engagement

Kathryn Rudolph, Director of Education & Community Engagement Brian Ganan, Education & Community Engagement Manager Peggy Toussant, JSYO Site Coordinator Kyle Wehner, JSYO Site Coordinator

78 JAXSYMPHONY.ORG – APRIL – JUNE 2018

MARKETING

Peter Gladstone, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Anna Birtles, Digital Marketing Manager Scott Hawkins, Patron Services Manager Christie Helton, Marketing Manager Caroline Jones, Sales Manager Ken Shade, Graphic Designer Pam Ferretti, Assistant Patron Services Manager Sydney Schless, Communications Coordinator Betty Byrne, Patron Services Associate Tara Paige, Patron Services Associate Robin Robison, Patron Services Associate Cori Roberts, House Manager

DEVELOPMENT

JoLynne Jensen, Vice President & Chief Development Officer Kaye Glover, Major & Planned Giving Officer Celeste Hart, Annual Fund Director Terri Montville, Director of Institutional Giving Jessica Mallow, Assistant Director of Corporate Relations Kyle Enriquez, Senior Manager of Memberships & Events Ann Marie Ball, Development Operations Manager Maureen Cockburn, Interim Gift Services Associate

FINANCE

Deborah Forsberg, Chief Financial Officer Mark Crosier, Controller Sydna Breazeale, Staff Accountant Ashley Green, Administrative Services Associate

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