La Jolla Music Society Season 55 Program Book 2 Jan-Feb 2024

2023—2024

THE CONRAD Home of La Jolla Music Society

SEASON

Renée Fleming

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 1 TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

OCTOBER

JANUARY

ISATA KANNEH-MASON, piano

SEAN MASON QUARTET*

Piano Series

Concerts @ The JAI

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2023 • 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2024 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM

THIBAUDET/BATIASHVILI/CAPUÇON TRIO*

PETER HILLARY* 70 Years of Everest

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2023 • 7:30 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 • 7:30 PM

MARIACHI HERENCIA DE MÉXICO & MARISOL “LA MARISOUL” HERNÁNDEZ*

Speaker Series

TATIANA EVA-MARIE & AVALON JAZZ BAND*

Global Roots Series

Concerts @ The JAI

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2023 • 3 PM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

SPECIAL EVENT: LILA DOWNS DOS CORAZONES

TONY SIQI YUN*, piano

Balboa Theatre

LUCAS & ARTHUR JUSSEN*, pianos

SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2024 • 3 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2023 • 7 PM

Discovery Series

BANDA MAGDA*

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024 • 7:30 PM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

Piano Series

Concerts @ The JAI

LAKECIA BENJAMIN AND PHOENIX

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2024 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM

NOVEMBER

Concerts @ The JAI

TURN IT OUT W/ TILER PECK & FRIENDS*

FEBRUARY

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023 • 7:30 PM Dance Series Civic Theatre

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO* 50TH ANNIVERSARY

SILKROAD ENSEMBLE WITH RHIANNON GIDDENS* AMERICAN RAILROAD

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 • 7:30 PM Dance Series Balboa Theatre

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2023 • 7:30 PM Global Roots Series Balboa Theatre

BALOURDET QUARTET

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2024 • 3 PM

SPECIAL FAMILY EVENT: COCO LIVE-TO-FILM CONCERT*

Discovery Series

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2023 • 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM

BLUE NOTE 85TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR*

ALISA WEILERSTEIN FRAGMENTS 2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023 • 7:30 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series Co-produced by the San Diego Symphony

MAO FUJITA*, piano

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2023 • 3 PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2024 • 7:30 PM Jazz Series WINTERFEST

CONNECT TO THE CONRAD RENÉE FLEMING*, soprano & INON BARNATAN, piano ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

Gala WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2024 • 8 PM

Discovery Series

FLOR DE TOLOACHE*

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2023 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

DECEMBER MICHELE CAFAGGI — THE MAGIC OF BUBBLES*

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2023 • 10 AM & 11:30 AM

Recital Series

CLARICE & SÉRGIO ASSAD*

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024 · 6 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

AROD QUARTET

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2024 • 7:30 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE TRIO*

ConRAD Kids Series The JAI

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

SEONG-JIN CHO, piano

ANDY MANN* Making Waves: Summit to Sea

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2023 • 3 PM Piano Series

DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS HOLIDAY SHOW

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2023 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

MATTHEW WHITAKER QUARTET*

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2023 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

2 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

Concerts @ The JAI

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024 • 7:30 PM Speaker Series

MARCH LAWRENCE BROWNLEE*, tenor

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 • 7:30 PM Recital Series Co-produced by San Diego Opera

MARIA IOUDENITCH*, violin & KENNETH BROBERG*, piano SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2024 • 3 PM

HIROMI: THE PIANO QUINTET FEATURING PUBLIQUARTET*

Discovery Series

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024 • 3 PM

KRONOS FIVE DECADES EVENT KRONOS QUARTET AND SAM GREEN: A THOUSAND THOUGHTS

YEFIM BRONFMAN, piano

FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2024 • 7:30 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series

KINGS RETURN

ProtoStar Innovative Series

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 • 7:30 PM Piano Series

MAY

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

KAKI KING*

MEOW MEOW*

ConRAD Kids Series The JAI

Concerts @ The JAI

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2024 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024 • 10 AM & 11:30 AM

AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS

JUNCTION TRIO CONRAD TAO, piano; STEFAN JACKIW, violin; JAY CAMPBELL, cello

Jazz Series

Revelle Chamber Music Series

Concerts @ The JAI

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024 • 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2024 • 3 PM

ALPHABET ROCKERS*

COMMUNITY ARTS OPEN HOUSE

ConRAD Kids Series

Free Community Event The Conrad

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024 • 3 PM

ĀHUTI: NRITYAGRAM* & CHITRASENA*

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024 • 1 PM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024 • 7:30 PM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024 • 7:30 PM

BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL* DANCE ME

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO

Dance Series Civic Theatre

Global Roots Series

PABLO FERRÁNDEZ*, cello

RAY CHEN, violin & JULIO ELIZALDE*, piano

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024 • 7:30 PM

Recital Series

Recital Series

CHARLES McPHERSON & FRIENDS Featuring John Beasley and The Next Generation*

Dance Series

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024 • 7:30 PM THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024 • 7:30 PM

APRIL

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2024 • 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI* WITH IL POMO D’ORO BEYOND

Concerts @ The JAI

Revelle Chamber Music Series

Discovery Series

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024 • 3 PM

QUATUOR ÉBÈNE*

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024 • 7:30 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series

JIJI*, guitar

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024 • 3 PM

TERRY VIRTS* How to Astronaut

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024 • 7:30 PM

ABEL SELAOCOE & MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE* SIROCCO

Speaker Series

ProtoStar Innovative Series

Piano Series

SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024 • 7 PM

BRUCE LIU*, piano

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2024 • 7:30 PM

JAZZ PIANO MINI FESTIVAL

JUNE

HERBIE HANCOCK

LARRY & JOE*

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 • 7:30 PM Jazz Series Balboa Theatre

SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

CHRIS THILE

DAYRAMIR GONZÁLEZ* & HABANA enTRANCé*

FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2024 • 7:30 PM

Concerts @ The JAI

THE CHARLES McPHERSON QUINTET*

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

Global Series

HIROMI’S SONICWONDER*

SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM

Jazz Series

*LJMS debut

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024 • 7:30 PM

Concerts @ The JAI

Dates, times, programs, artists, and venues are subject to change.

All events take place in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall unless noted.

TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

3

FLOWERCHILDSANDIEGO.COM

4 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

Elegant Dining, Exceptional Moments

Thoughtfully Prepared by Executive Chef Kelli Crosson For reservations, call (858) 777-6635

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5

WE ARE CALIFORNIA’S

BUSINESS BANC. Proud Partner and the Official Bank of

LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY Every day, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives and community leaders are being empowered by Banc of California to reach their dreams and strengthen our economy. With more than $10 billion in assets and over 30 banking locations throughout the state, we are large enough to meet your banking needs, yet small enough to serve you well.

Learn more about how we’re empowering California through its diverse businesses, entrepreneurs and communities at

bancofcal.com

TOGETHER WE WIN

TM

© 2019 Banc of California, N.A. All rights reserved.

6 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

WELCOME TO THE LOT...

CINEMAS/ RESTAURANT/ BAR/ CAFÉ/

La Jolla 7611 Fay Ave, La Jolla CA, 92037 (858) 777- 0069 Liberty Station 2620 Truxtun Rd, San Diego CA, 92106 (619) 566- 0069

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7

A SYMPHONY O F TA S T E George’s at the Cove is a Proud Community Partner in support of

THE CONRAD The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

experience g e o rg e s a t t h e co v e . co m •

858.454.4244 •

8 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

1 2 5 0 P ro s p e c t S t re e t , L a J o l l a , C A 9 2 0 3 7

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Proud partner in support of The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center A one minute walk from THE CONRAD LUNCH | DINNER | HAPPY HOUR SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH

7550 FAY AVENUE, LA JOLLA, CA 92037 | 858 454-5013 berninisbistro.com

10 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

TABLE OF CONTENTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2

TRANSFORMATIVE SUPPORT

12

BOARD & STAFF OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY

15

PETER HILLARY: 70 YEARS OF EVEREST

17

TONY SIQI YUN

18

LUCAS & ARTHUR JUSSEN

22

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO

26

BALOURDET QUARTET

29

BLUE NOTE 85TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

32

CONNECT TO THE CONRAD: RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN

33

MIRÓ QUARTET

39

ANDY MANN: SUMMIT TO SEA

42

ARTIST PROFILES

43

CELEBRATING LATIN ARTISTS, MUSIC & CULTURE

48

CONCERTS @ THE JAI

49

CONCERTS DOWNTOWN

52

SPEAKER SERIES

53

THE ConRAD KIDS SERIES

54

JAZZ PIANO MINI FESTIVAL

55

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT | DONOR LISTINGS

56

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TRANSFORMATIVE SUPPORT Our gratitude to these Medallion Society Pillars founding members who have made significant four-year commitments that will help us better serve all of the San Diego region. The Conrad can be a catalyst to bring thousands of adults and children together through a common appreciation of the performing arts, which enhance the artistic fabric of our community.

$1 MILLION and above

$1 MILLION and above

Brenda Baker and Steve Baum

Irwin and Joan Jacobs

$500,000 and above

$400,000 and above

Dorothea Laub

Raffaella and John Belanich

$400,000 and above

$400,000 and above

Mary Ellen Clark

Debbie Turner

12 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

ANNUAL SUPPORT

$200,000 and above

$200,000 and above

Julie and Bert Cornelison

Herbert Solomon and Elaine Galinson

$200,000 and above

$200,000 and above

Angel and Fred Kleinbub

Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong

Thank you to these Pillars in the community.

$200,000 and above

Sue and Peter Wagener

TABLE OF CONTENTS

For information about supporting La Jolla Music Society through membership in the Pillars program, please contact Ferdinand Gasang at 858.526.3426 or FGasang@TheConrad.org.

TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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THE CONRAD Home of La Jolla Music Society

Winter Season

From classical, jazz, and dance to global music, exciting speakers, and family concerts, each season Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal brings the best artists in the world to the San Diego community. This season, our most thrilling to date, will feature more than 80 artists, including superstars like Renée Fleming, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Kronos Quartet, Tiler Peck, Chris Thile, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet as well as many inspiring new faces like Isata Kanneh-Mason, Bruce Liu, Lakecia Benjamin, Hiromi, Seong-Jin Cho, and many more.

SummerFest

La Jolla Music Society’s acclaimed chamber music festival, SummerFest, curated by award-winning pianist and festival Music Director Inon Barnatan, engages more than 80 of the world’s finest musicians to perform at The Conrad throughout the month of August. In addition to remarkable mainstage performances, SummerFest offers over 50 free and opento-the-public educational activities. To learn more, visit TheConrad.org/SummerFest.

Learning and Engagement

La Jolla Music Society’s award-winning Learning and Engamement Programming provides unmatched access and learning opportunities to more than 11,000 students and community members throughout San Diego County annually.

With learning and engagement at the heart of our mission, we work closely with each visiting artist and ensemble to create outreach activities that highlight their unique talents and expertise at both The Conrad and in the community. With our state-of the-art video and streaming capabilities at The Conrad, we are able to provide live streaming for events such as our annual SummerFest and education events for free in our Digital Concert Hall.

The Conrad

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center opened in 2019 and serves as a gathering place for cultural, arts education, and community activity. As the permanent home of La Jolla Music Society, The Conrad hosts world-class performances presented by LJMS and other local arts organizations in its four outstanding performance and activity spaces, The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, The JAI, The Atkinson Room, and the picturesque Wu Tsai QRT.yrd.

Follow Us

@ljmusicsociety

14 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

Land Acknowledgment

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center acknowledges the ancestral, unceded territory of the Kumeyaay people, on which The Conrad was built.

We hold great respect for the land and the original people of the area where our performing arts center is located. The Kumeyaay continue to maintain their political sovereignty and cultural traditions as vital members of the San Diego community.

La Jolla Music Society

BOARD OF DIRECTORS · 2023–24

LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY STAFF

H. Peter Wagener – Chair Vivian Lim – Vice Chair Bert Cornelison - Treasurer Sharon Cohen - Secretary

Todd R. Schultz – President & CEO Leah Rosenthal – Artistic Director Inon Barnatan – SummerFest Music Director

Steve Baum Mary Ann Beyster Marla Bingham Eleanor Y. Charlton Ric Charlton Mary Ellen Clark Ellise Coit Ann Parode Dynes Jennifer Eve Debby Fishburn Stephen Gamp Lehn Alpert Goetz John Hesselink Susan Hoehn Diana Lombrozo Sue Major Richard A. Norling Arman Oruc Tom Rasmussen Sylvia Ré Stacy Kellner Rosenberg Sheryl Scarano Marge Schmale Jeanette Stevens Stephanie Stone Debra Turner Lise Wilson Bebe L. Zigman HONORARY DIRECTORS Brenda Baker Stephen Baum Joy Frieman, Ph.D. Irwin M. Jacobs Joan K. Jacobs Lois Kohn (1924—2010) Helene K. Kruger (1916—2019) Conrad Prebys (1933—2016) Peggy Preuss Ellen Revelle (1910—2009) Leigh P. Ryan, Esq. Dolly Woo

The Conrad · Home of La Jolla Music Society 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, California 92037 Admin: 858.459.3724

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ADMINISTRATION Karin Burns – Director of Finance Brady Stender – Finance & Administration Manager Breanne Self - Finance & Administrative Assistant PROGRAMMING Anne-Marie Dicce – Artistic Planning Manager Grace Smith – Senior Artistic Operations Manager Carly Cummings – Artistic Operations Coordinator John Tessmer – Lead Artist Liaison Jade Lewenhaupt – Artist Liaison Maya Greenfield-Thong – Artist Liaison Eric Bromberger – Program Annotator LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT Allison Boles – Director of Learning & Engagement Carly D’Amato – Learning & Engagement Coordinator Serafin Paredes – Community Music Center Director Xiomara Pastenes – Community Music Center Administrative Assistant Community Music Center Instructors:

Noila Carrazana, Marcus Cortez, Ian Lawrence, Marko Paul, Eduardo Ruiz, Juan Sanchez, Rebeca Tamez DEVELOPMENT Ferdinand Gasang – Director of Development Camille McPherson – Individual Giving and Grants Officer Anne Delleman – Development Coordinator VENUE SALES & EVENTS Nicole Slavik – Venue Sales & Events Director Juliet Zimmer – Venue Sales Manager Vivian Vu – Special Events Coordinator MARKETING & TICKET SERVICES Stephanie Saad Thompson – Communications & Public Relations Director David Silva – Marketing Manager Cristal Salow – Data & Marketing Analysis Manager Mariel Pillado – Graphic Designer Marsi Bennion – Box Office & Guest Services Manager Patrick Mayuyu – Box Office & Guest Services Assistant Manager Kaitlin Barron – Box Office & Guest Services Lead Associate Sam Gilbert – Box Office & Guest Services Associate Mitch Cook – Box Office & Guest Services Associate Shaun Davis – House Manager OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION Tom Jones – Director of Production & Technology Jamie Coyne – Production Manager Ryn Schroeder – Production Coordinator Calvin Cadua – Event Manager Thomas Thomas – Technical Director Yoni Hirshfield – Technical Coordinator Tom Mehan – Facilities Manager Colin Dickson – Facilities Coordinator Kim Chevallier – Security Supervisor Jonnel Domilos – Piano Technician TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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Welcome to La Jolla Music Society’s 55 Winter Season th

Dear friends, Welcome to 2024 at The Conrad!

As we celebrate the start of the New Year, I can’t help but reflect on the wonderful year we just finished and the relationships we’ll carry with us into the next: not only our relationship with the exceptional artists we present, but our connections with all of you. You are an integral part of this arts ecosystem, and I hope that you continue to feel connected to and inspired by La Jolla Music Society and the artists onstage. Upcoming programs in January and February will do just that over a wide range of musical genres and styles, ensuring there is something for everyone to experience and enjoy.

Whether you are a fan of classical music, jazz, or lectures, January promises to be an extraordinary month of programming. Stellar jazz performances at The JAI will include the San Diego debut of the Sean Mason Quartet, followed by Tatiana Eva-Marie and Avalon Jazz Band, and GRAMMY nominee Lakecia Benjamin, returning to headline her own show after she wowed us as part of the Monterey Jazz Festival on tour last season. January also brings the start of our fascinating Speaker Series, featuring Peter Hillary, the son of Sir Edmund Hillary, who has carried on his father’s legacy of both mountaineering and philanthropy.

But the excitement doesn’t end there! In February, classical music and dance shine brightly. For the first time in San Diego, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company, brings us top-notch ballet that’s also uproariously funny in celebration of their 50th Anniversary. And I’m delighted to welcome “the people’s diva,” superstar soprano Renée Fleming, to LJMS for the first time in a very special recital with our own Inon Barnatan. Along with the Blue Note 85th Anniversary Tour and more, February will be a month to remember.

At La Jolla Music Society, we believe that music has the power to unite and inspire. We invite you to join in celebrating the gift of music and the performing arts as we launch into the next few months of programming.

Happy New Year! I wish you all a joyous start to 2024 and I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming performances.

Leah Rosenthal Artistic Director La Jolla Music Society / The Conrad

Our Mission: The mission of La Jolla Music Society is to enhance cultural life and engagement by presenting and producing a wide range of programming of the highest artistic quality, and to make The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center a vibrant and inclusive hub.

16 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

PETER HILLARY 70 YEARS OF EVEREST THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

PROGRAM Presentation Question & Answer Session NO INTERMISSION

ABOUT

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

Just what is it about the world’s highest peak? Peter Hillary is a high achiever from one of the great families of mountaineering. Like his father, the late Sir Edmund Hillary—who made the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953—Peter summited Everest and reached the South Pole on skis, forging a new route across Antarctica. Peter’s life is a testament to setting goals and accomplishing them. His ambition and good judgment have enabled him to climb mountains and survive ferocious storms and avalanches. His captivating talk is filled with authentic, spine-tingling, and at times hilarious stories about what it takes to travel to the ends of the earth.

This presentation marks Peter Hillary’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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TONY SIQI YUN, piano SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2024 · 3 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

BRAHMS

Theme and Variations in D Minor, Opus 18b

WAGNER

Isoldes Liebestod: Schlußszene aus Tristan und Isolde, S.447 Con moto: Presentiment Adagio: Death

(1833–1897)

(1813–1883)

PRELUDE 2 PM

Musical Prelude by students from the Colburn School

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata in F Minor, Opus 57 “Appassionata” Allegro assai

Andante con moto

Allegro ma non troppo (1770–1827)

INTERMISSION

Support for the Discovery Series and Musical Prelude provided by:

Gordon Brodfuehrer Jeanette Stevens

BUSONI

Berceuse from Elegies, BV 249

SCHUMANN

Symphonic Études, Opus 13 Thema: Andante Étude I (Variation 1): Un poco più vivo Étude II (Variation 2): Espressivo Étude III: Vivace Étude IV (Variation 3) Étude V (Variation 4): Vivacissimo Posthumous Variation No. 3 Étude VI (Variation 5): Agitato Étude VII (Variation 6): Allegro molto Posthumous Variation No. 2 Posthumous Variation No. 5 Étude VIII (Variation 7): Andante Étude IX: Presto possibile Étude X (Variation 8): Allegro Étude XI (Variation 9): Con espressione Étude XII: Finale: Allegro brillante Tony Siqi Yun, piano

(1866–1924)

(1810–1856)

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

This presentation marks Tony Siqi Yun’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

18 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

TONY SIQI YUN - PROGRAM NOTES

Program notes by Eric Bromberger

Theme and Variations in D Minor, Opus 18b

JOHANNES BRAHMS Born May 7, 1833, Hamburg Died April 3, 1897, Vienna Composed: 1860 Approximate Duration: 11 minutes

Clara Schumann met Brahms when he was only twenty, and over the next forty years each remained the most important person in the other’s life. For Brahms, Clara was friend (often a very angry one), confidant, champion, and critic. In 1860 Brahms completed his Sextet for String in B-flat Major, and Clara knew the music in manuscript long before it was performed. She was especially attracted to its second movement, a set of variations marked Andante, ma moderato, and—wishing to be able to play it herself—she asked Brahms to make an arrangement for piano. This he did on September 13, 1860, inscribing the manuscript to her “as a friendly greeting”; the first performance of the String Sextet itself did not take place for another month—it was premiered in Frankfurt am Main on October 31. The arrangement may have been made for Clara, but Brahms himself was very fond of it and would perform it for friends.

It was not published until 1927, thirty years after his death.

The somewhat severe eight-bar theme is heard immediately over a bass-line so prominent that it has suggested passacaglia structure to some, though Brahms’ variations do not proceed in that form. The six variations are usually in binary form, with both halves repeated. The first three variations remain in D minor. The first sounds somewhat Bach-like, the second presents the theme in pounding triplets, and the third features a swirling bass-line.

The fourth and fifth variations move into D major: the fourth sings nobly (Brahms marks it molto espressivo e legato), while the fifth offers a delicate melodic variation (this line is taken by a solo viola in the sextet version). The final variation returns to D minor and presents what is virtually a skeletal transformation of the original theme, and this leads the set to a subdued and somber close.

Isoldes Liebestod: Schlußszene aus Tristan und Isolde, S.447

RICHARD WAGNER Born May 22, 1813, Leipzig, Germany Died February 13, 1883, Venice

FRANZ LISZT

Born October 22, 1811, Raiding, Hungary Died July 31, 1886, Bayreuth, Germany Composed: 1867 Approximate Duration: 8 minutes

Liszt and Wagner shared a long and at times difficult relationship. During his years as music director in Weimar, Liszt championed Wagner’s music and led a number of his operas, including the premiere of Lohengrin. But in 1865 Liszt’s daughter Cosima abandoned her husband, Hans TABLE OF CONTENTS

von Bülow, ran off with Wagner, and eventually married him. Liszt was furious with both Cosima and Wagner and remained estranged from them until a reconciliation was worked out in 1872.

If Liszt could disapprove of Wagner’s actions, he nevertheless admired his music, and he made piano transcriptions of music from eleven of Wagner’s operas. Liszt wrote a number of what have been called paraphrases or reminiscences of music from the operas of many composers—often these were completely original compositions in which the opera music served only as the starting point for Liszt’s own virtuosity. But Liszt’s transcriptions of excerpts from Wagner’s operas were much more respectful—they were almost always straightforward and literal. Liszt’s intentions here were generous: he liked this music and felt that he could make it better known by creating piano versions of works that would be heard only rarely in their original form.

Liszt made his transcription of Isoldes Liebestod in 1867, only two years after the premiere of Tristan und Isolde (and during his period of estrangement from Wagner and Cosima). Isolde’s final scene is of course best-known as the Liebestod (or “love-death”). At the end of the opera, as Tristan lies dead before her, Isolde sings her farewell to both Tristan and to life. This music has become familiar as one of the most famous orchestral excerpts from Wagner’s operas: as Isolde finds ecstatic fulfillment in death, Wagner surrounds her with a shimmering, glowing orchestral sound.

Liszt’s transcription of this scene is remarkable for its fidelity to Wagner’s music and for his subtle approach to the sonority of the piano.

Piano Sonata in F Minor, Opus 57 “Appassionata”

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Born December 17, 1770, Bonn, Germany Died March 26, 1827, Vienna Composed: 1806 Approximate Duration: 47 minutes

Between May and November 1803, Beethoven sketched the Eroica, a symphony on a scale never before imagined.

Nearly half an hour longer than his Second Symphony, Beethoven’s Third thrust the whole conception of the symphony—and sonata form—into a new world, in which music became heroic struggle and sonata form the stage for this drama rather than an end in itself. It was a world of new dimensions, new sonorities, new possibilities of expression, and with the Eroica behind him, Beethoven began to plan two piano sonatas. These sonatas, later nicknamed the Waldstein and the Appassionata, would be governed by the same impulse that shaped the Eroica.

While Beethoven completed the Waldstein Sonata quickly, the other sonata, delayed by his work on his opera Leonore, was not finished until early in 1806. The subtitle “Appassionata” appears to have originated with a publisher TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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rather than with the composer, but few works so deserve their nickname as this sonata. At moments in this music one feels that Beethoven is striving for a texture and intensity of sound unavailable to the piano, reaching for what Beethoven’s biographer Maynard Solomon calls “quasiorchestral sonorities.” Despite the volcanic explosions of sounds in this sonata, however, it remains piano music—the Appassionata may strain the resources of the instrument, but this music is clearly conceived in terms of a pianistic rather than an orchestral sonority.

The ominous opening of the Allegro assai is marked pianissimo, but it is alive with energy and the potential for development. As this long first theme slowly unfolds, deep in the left hand is heard the four-note motto that will later open the Fifth Symphony, and out of this motto suddenly bursts a great eruption of sound. The movement’s extraordinary unity becomes clear with the arrival of the second theme, which is effectively an inversion of the opening theme. And there is even a third subject, which boils out of a furious torrent of sixteenth-notes. The movement develops in sonata form, though Beethoven does without an exposition repeat, choosing instead to press directly into the turbulent development. The rhythm of the opening rhythm is stamped out in the coda, and after so much energy, the movement concludes as the first theme descends to near-inaudibility. When this sonata was published in 1806, a reviewer, aware of the new directions Beethoven was taking music, tried to offer some measure of this movement: “Everyone knows Beethoven’s way when writing a large-scale sonata… In the first movement of this Sonata (15 pages in 12/8 time) he has once again let loose many evil spirits…”

The second movement, a theme and four variations marked Andante con moto, brings a measure of relief. The theme, a calm chordal melody in two eight-bar phrases, is heard immediately, and the tempo remains constant throughout, though the variations become increasingly complex, increasingly ornate. Beethoven insists that the gentle mood remain constant–in the score he keeps reminding the pianist to play dolce, and even the swirls of 32nd-notes near the end remain serene. The sonataform finale, marked Allegro ma non troppo, bursts upon the conclusion of the second movement with a fanfare of dotted notes, and the main theme, an almost moto perpetuo shower of sixteenth-notes, launches the movement. The searing energy of the first movement returns here, but now Beethoven offers a repeat of the development rather than of the exposition. The fiery coda, marked Presto, introduces an entirely new theme.

Beethoven offered no program for this sonata, nor will listeners do well to try to guess some external drama being played out in the Appassionata. Sir Donald Francis Tovey, trying to take some measure of this sonata’s extraordinary power and its unrelenting conclusion, has

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noted: “All his other pathetic finales show either an epilogue in some legendary or later world far away from the tragic scene… or a temper, fighting, humorous, or resigned, that does not carry with it a sense of tragic doom. [But in the Appassionata] there is not a moment’s doubt that the tragic passion is rushing deathwards.” That may be going too far, but it is true that in sharp contrast to the shining, exultant conclusions of the Eroica, Leonore, and the Fifth Symphony, this sonata ends with an abrupt plunge into darkness.

Berceuse from Elegies, BV 249

FERRUCCIO BUSONI Born April 1, 1866, Empoli, Italy Died July 27, 1924, Berlin Composed: 1907 Approximate Duration: 5 minutes

In 1907 Ferruccio Busoni, then forty-two years old, composed a set of six piano pieces and published them the following year under the title Elegies. The pieces are not really elegies in the sense that they memorialize people who had died but more a collection of pieces that showed new directions for Busoni as composer. Though some of the pieces were based on music that he had composed earlier, now Busoni’s harmonic language became more astringent, his sense of theme more elusive, his expression more abstract. Busoni felt that in the Elegies he had finally found his authentic voice as a composer, but this music did not find a receptive response from either critics or audiences.

In 1909 Busoni came back to the set and added a seventh piece, which he titled Berceuse. A berceuse is in no sense an elegy—it is in fact a cradle song, intended to help infants fall asleep; perhaps Busoni chose that title because of the restrained character of this music. Busoni’s Berceuse is brief and for the most part very quiet, rarely rising above the dynamic of piano. The performance marking is Andantino calmo, and along the way Busoni instructs the pianist to make the performance dolcissimo, calmissimo, and espressivo dolente. So Busoni regarded this music as sweet, expressive, and grieving, yet it feels subdued and restrained throughout. Over a pattern of steady eighth-note arpgeggios, Busoni sounds his spare, almost disembodied main idea. The left-hand accompaniment turns those eighth-note arpeggios in flowing triplets, and the music grows more animated, only to return to the opening calm and finally to break down and dissolve into silence.

A NOTE: This music exists in several forms. In 1919, ten years after composing the Berceuse, Busoni returned to it for a very personal reason. His mother had died, and in her memory he orchestrated the Berceuse, retitling it Berceuse élégiaque in the process. That orchestral version was in turn arranged for a small chamber ensemble by Erwin Stein for Arnold Schoenberg’s Society for Private Music Performances in Vienna. All three versions have been recorded.

TONY SIQI YUN - PROGRAM NOTES

Symphonic Études, Opus 13

ROBERT SCHUMANN Born June 8, 1810, Zwickau, Germany Died July 29, 1856, Endenich, Germany Composed: 1837 Approximate Duration: 34 minutes

The piano teacher Friedrich Wieck sometimes took promising students to live in his own home. Robert Schumann was one of these, and in April 1834 Wieck brought the seventeen-year-old Ernestine von Fricken into the household. She herself would prove only a mediocre pianist, but her effect on Schumann—and his music—was profound. He promptly fell in love with her, and the two became secretly engaged—to the quiet fury of Clara, who even at age fifteen could see what was going on, even if her father could not. Under Ernestine’s spell, Schumann composed Carnaval, based on a four-note sequence derived from the name of her hometown Asch. At this point, her father, Baron von Fricken, got wind of matters and carried her off, and that was that.

Before this rupture, however, Schumann had begun to compose a set of piano variations on a theme in C-sharp minor written by the Baron himself for flute and titled Thema quasi marcia funebre. The end of the romance probably put an end to Schumann’s enthusiasm for the piece, and he set it aside, where it lay for two years. But in September 1836 Chopin made a visit to Leipzig, and Schumann was so dazzled by his playing that he pulled out the manuscript and set to work, exclaiming that he was writing “Études with great gusto and excitement.”

He completed the work and published it the following year.

Schumann had heard Chopin play his Études and was inspired to write something similar. His Symphonic Études were intended at first simply as a set of études, but he soon realized that almost all of these were variations on von Fricken’s flute theme, so that the set is a collection— simultaneously—of études and variations. It was originally published in 1837 under the title Études in Orchestral Character for Piano from Florestan and Eusebius, but for the second edition in 1852, Schumann revised the music, dropped several Études, and renamed it Études in the Form of Variations. The generally accepted title today for the set is Symphonic Études, though this music has nothing to do with the orchestra: it is simply brilliant music for the piano.

The music’s subsequent publication history is complex.

In 1861, five years after Schumann’s death, Friedrich Wieck brought out a new edition that attempted to reconcile the differences between the two versions Schumann had published. In 1890, for the publication of Schumann’s collected works by Breitköpf and Härtel, Brahms prepared a new edition that restored the five études Schumann himself had cut. As a result, the work is performed today in a variety of forms.

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The Symphonic Études are regarded as one of Schumann’s finest creations, but when he wrote this music variation-form was considered something from the past, bookish and academic. Schumann realized that audiences might not respond readily to a set of variations, and when Clara decided not to play them in public, he concurred: “You were wise not to play my Études. That sort of thing is not suited for the general public, and it would be very weak to make a moan afterwards and say that they had not understood a thing which was not written to suit their taste, but merely for its own sake.” He was, however, delighted when Clara chose to play them for Franz Liszt, who instantly recognized their merit.

In their complete form, the Symphonic Études—the theme, the variation/études, and a finale—make up a substantial piece of music lasting over half an hour. The Baron’s cool, poised theme gives shape to most of the variations, but listeners often feel that in the excitement of Schumann’s writing it vanishes altogether—and they may be right. Schumann treats the theme in a variety of ways, ranging from the brilliant and technically difficult to the gentle and evocative. The theme sometimes appears as a subordinate voice, sometimes as a polyphonic subject, and sometimes simply as the melody.

Schumann concludes with a huge finale based on a quotation from Heinrich Marschner’s opera Der Templer und die Judin, and the Baron’s original theme appears in the course of this. During the month when he composed this finale, Schumann was being visited by a good friend, the young English composer William Sterndale Bennett. In Marschner’s opera this theme, a leaping chordal melody, accompanies the words “England, rejoice,” and Schumann includes it here as a welcoming tribute to his English friend.

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PRELUDE 6:30 PM

Lecture by Kristi Brown Montesano

LUCAS & ARTHUR JUSSEN, pianos THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

Support for this program provided by:

Elizabeth Gabriel Taft

MOZART

(1756–1791)

SCHUBERT

(1797–1828)

Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos, K. 448 Allegro con spirito Andante Allegro molto Lucas Jussen, Arthur Jussen, pianos Fantasy in F Minor for Piano Four-Hands, D.940 Allegretto molto moderato Largo Allegro vivace Tempo I Lucas Jussen, Arthur Jussen, piano INTERMISSION

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

HANNA KULENTY

VAN . . .

Arthur Jussen, Lucas Jussen, piano

STRAVINSKY

The Rite of Spring for Two Pianos The Adoration of the Earth The Sacrifice Lucas Jussen, Arthur Jussen, pianos

(b. 1961)

(1882–1971)

This presentation marks Lucas and Arthur Jussen’s La Jolla Music Society debuts.

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Program notes by Eric Bromberger

Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos, K.448

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Born January 27, 1756, Salzburg Died December 5, 1791, Vienna Composed: 1781 Approximate Duration: 24 minutes

Mozart wrote almost no music for two pianos, and for obvious reasons. He lived and worked in an era before the solo piano recital, and virtually the entire market for piano music was domestic. In the final decades of the eighteenth century, there were enough homes with a keyboard instrument to make such music profitable, but there were almost none with two instruments. It would take an unusual set of circumstances for a composer to write music for two pianos, and such a set of unusual circumstances led to the creation of the Sonata in D Major.

When Mozart made his break from the Archbishop of Salzburg and moved to Vienna in the summer of 1781, he needed to establish himself in his new city. There were three ways a musician could do that—as teacher, as composer, and as performer—and Mozart did all three: he took students, he published music, and he gave concerts.

One figure in Vienna was involved with him in all three of these. Josepha von Aurnhammer was one of Mozart’s first piano students in his adopted city. She was quite a good pianist, and while he discouraged her romantic interest in him, Mozart was happy to have her as a student and a colleague: he often performed with her, he dedicated to her the set of six violin sonatas he published soon after his arrival in Vienna, and he wrote the Sonata in D Major for the two of them to play together, completing it in November 1781. (The Köchel number 448, by the way, is misleadingly high and suggests a later date of composition; the revised catalog number is K.375a.)

The Sonata in D Major is Mozart’s only work in this form. It is also terrific music, and Alfred Einstein is almost rhapsodic about it, saying that “the art with which the two parts are made completely equal, the play of the dialogue, the delicacy and refinement of the figuration, the feeling for sonority in the combination and exploitation of the different registers of the two instruments—all these things exhibit such mastery that this apparently ‘superficial’ and entertaining work is at the same time one of the most profound and most mature of all Mozart’s compositions.”

That last phrase may be extravagant, but the verve and high spirits of this music sweep all before them. Beyond its high spirits, this sonata is notable for Mozart’s careful attention to sonority: this can range from the most delicate writing in the slow movement, where over murmuring accompaniment the music sings gracefully in the pianos’ ringing high registers, to thunderous effects in the outer TABLE OF CONTENTS

movements: the hammered octaves in the development of the first movement are particularly impressive.

There is a real pleasure about this music. One feels that Mozart must have enjoyed writing and enjoyed playing it (he and Josepha are known to have given frequent performances). It is easy to understand why.

Fantasy in F Minor for Piano Four-Hands, D.940

FRANZ SCHUBERT Born January 31, 1797, Vienna Died November 19, 1828, Vienna Composed: 1828 Approximate Duration: 18 minutes

The Fantasy in F Minor for Piano Four-Hands is one of the creations of Schubert’s miraculous final year of life, which saw a nearly unbroken rush of masterpieces.

Schubert wrote most of the Fantasy in January 1828 but ran into problems and set the work aside for several months, returning to complete it in April. He and his friend Eduard von Bauernfeld gave the first performance on May 9 of that year, six months before the composer’s death at age thirty-one.

Music for piano four-hands is a very particular genre, now unfortunately much out of fashion. In early nineteenth-century Vienna, however, there was a growing market for music that could be played in the home, where there might be only one piano but several pianists, usually amateur musicians. Such music often had an intentionally “social” appeal—it was not especially difficult, and it tended to be pleasing rather than profound. Much of Schubert’s four-hand piano music was intended for just such “home” performers (he often wrote music for his students to play together), but the Fantasy in F Minor is altogether different: this work demands first-class performers and contains some of the most wrenching and focused music Schubert ever wrote. Schubert scholar John Reed has gone so far as it call it “a work which in its structural organisation, economy of form, and emotional depth represents his art at its peak.”

The title “fantasia” suggests a certain looseness of form, but the Fantasy in F Minor is extraordinary for its conciseness. Lasting barely a quarter of an hour, it is in one continuous flow of music that breaks into four clear movements. The very beginning, Allegretto molto moderato, is haunting. Over murmuring accompaniment, the higher voice lays out the wistful first theme, whose halting rhythms and chirping grace notes have caused many to believe that this theme had its origins in Hungarian folk music. Schubert repeats this theme continually—the effect is almost hypnotic—and suddenly the music has slipped effortlessly from F minor into F major. The second subject, based on firm dotted rhythms, is treated at length before the music drives directly into the powerful Largo, which is given an almost baroque TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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luxuriance by its trills and double (and triple) dotting. This in turn moves directly into the Allegro vivace, a sparkling scherzo that feels like a very fast waltz; its trio section (marked con delicatezza) ripples along happily in D major.

The writing for the first pianist here goes so high that much of this section is in the bell-like upper register of the piano—the music rings and shimmers as it races across the keyboard. The final section (Schubert marks it simply Tempo I) brings back music from the very beginning, but quickly the wistful opening melody is jostled aside by a vigorous fugue derived from the second subject of the opening section. On tremendous chords and contrapuntal complexity the Fantasy drives to its climax, only to fall away to the quiet close.

Schubert dedicated this music to the Countess Caroline Esterhazy, who ten years before, as a girl of fifteen, had been one of his piano students. Evidence suggests that Schubert was—from a distance—always thereafter in love with her: to a friend he described her as “a certain attractive star.” Given the intensity of this music, it is easy to believe that his love for her remained undiminished in the final year of his life.

VAN . . .

HANNA KULENTY Born March 18, 1961, Bialystok, Poland Composed: 2014 Approximate Duration: 7 minutes

Polish composer Hanna Kulenty had her initial training in Warsaw, then went on to individual study with Dutch composer Louis Andriessen; she now divides her time between Warsaw and Arnhem in the Netherlands.

Kulenty’s early works were influenced by minimalism, but she later developed an approach to composition that she described as “arch” form, in which different layers or textures of music occur at the same time; she refined this into an expressive technique that she has called “European trance music.” Kulenty has lectured and taught in Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Spain, and other countries, and she has been an extremely prolific composer, writing works for the stage, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and film. Her opera The Mother of Black-Winged Dreams was premiered in Munich in 1996 and has been revived frequently since then, and her string quartets have been performed by the Kronos and Arditti String Quartets. She has written concertos for a variety of instruments, including flute, violin, viola, two cellos, saxophone, trumpet, and others.

In a note in the score, the composer explains the genesis of her work heard on this concert: “VAN . . . was written in 2014 at the request of the Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw on the occasion of the State Visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima” (WillemAlexander, born in 1967, is king of the Netherlands).

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Kulenty’s piece, scored for either piano four-hands or for two pianos, spans about seven minutes and requires two virtuoso pianists who can master the music’s rapid exchanges and evolving textures.

The Rite of Spring for Two Pianos

IGOR STRAVINSKY Born June 17, 1882, St Petersburg, Russia Died April 6, 1971, New York City Composed: 1913 Approximate Duration: 33 minutes

In the spring of 1910, while completing the orchestration of The Firebird, Igor Stravinsky had the most famous dream in the history of music: “I saw in imagination a solemn pagan rite: wise elders, seated in a circle, watching a young girl dancing herself to death. They were sacrificing her to propitiate the god of spring.” This idea became The Rite of Spring, which Stravinsky began composing in the summer of 1911, immediately after the premiere of Petrushka. For help in creating a scenario that would evoke the spirit of pagan Russia, Stravinsky turned to the painter-archaeologist-geologist Nicholas Roerich, who summarized the action: The first set should transport us to the foot of a sacred hill, in a lush plain, where Slavonic tribes are gathered together to celebrate the spring rites. In this scene there is an old witch, who predicts the future, a marriage by capture, round dances. Then comes the most solemn moment.

The wise elder is brought from the village to imprint his sacred kiss on the new-flowering earth. During this rite the crowd is seized with a mystic terror. After this uprush of terrestrial joy, the second scene sets a celestial mystery before us. Young virgins dance on the sacred hill amid enchanted rocks; they choose the victim they intend to honor. In a moment she will dance her last dance before the ancients clad in bearskins to show that the bear was man’s ancestor. Then the greybeards dedicate the victim to the god Yarilo.

This story of primitive violence and nature-worship in pagan Russia, inspired in part by Stravinsky’s boyhood memories of the thunderous break-up of the ice in St. Petersburg each spring, became a half-hour ballet in two parts, “The Adoration of the Earth” and “The Sacrifice.”

In the music, Stravinsky drew on the distant past and fused it with the modern. His themes (many adapted from ancient Lithuanian wedding tunes) are brief, of narrow compass, and based on the constantly changing meters of Russian folk music, yet his harmonic language can be fiercely dissonant and “modern,” particularly in the famous repeating chord in “Dance of the Adolescents,” where he superimposes an E-flat major chord (with added seventh) on top of an F-flat major chord. Even more striking is the rhythmic imagination that animates this score: Stravinsky himself confessed that parts of the concluding “Sacrificial

LUCAS & ARTHUR JUSSEN - PROGRAM NOTES

Dance” were so complicated that while he could play them, he could not write them down. And beyond all these, The Rite of Spring is founded on an incredible orchestral sense: from the eerie sound of the high solo bassoon at the beginning through its use of a massive percussion section and such unusual instruments as alto flute and piccolo trumpet (not to mention the eight horns, two tubas, and quadruple woodwind), this score rings with sounds never heard before. The premiere may have provoked a noisy riot, but at a more civilized level it had an even greater impact: no composer writing after May 29, 1913, would ever be the same.

Stravinsky’s teacher Rimsky-Korsakov once divided composers into two groups—those who could compose away from the piano and those who had to be at one—and he placed Stravinsky in the latter category: Stravinsky needed to hear music as he composed it. But no simple two-hand version could encompass The Rite of Spring, so Stravinsky wrote it out for piano four-hands; he published this version in 1913, the year of the premiere (the orchestral score was not published until 1921). Inevitably, the piano version loses much of what makes symphonic performances so exciting: the richly varied instrumental palette and the sheer sonic impact of a huge orchestra. But the original piano version offers unusual insights into this music. Shorn of orchestral color, the simple black-andwhite tones of the piano reveal the rhythmic and harmonic complexities of this score with crystalline clarity: here in their purest forms are Stravinsky’s wonderful simultaneous rhythms and pungent polychords. And, beyond these, the keyboard version offers the rare pleasure of watching two virtuoso pianists master the incredible difficulties of a score usually left to a hundred performers.

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PRELUDE 6:30 PM Interview hosted by Molly Puryear Support for this program provided by members of the Dance Society and presenting sponsor:

Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO 50TH ANNIVERSARY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 · 7:30 PM BALBOA THEATRE

For up-to-date information and dancer profiles please click here:

PROGRAM LE LAC DES CYGNES (SWAN LAKE, ACT II) INTERMISSION

PAS DE DEUX, SOLO OR MODERN WORK TO BE ANNOUNCED YES, VIRGINIA, ANOTHER PIANO BALLET trockadero.org facebook.com/thetrocks Instagram @lesballetstrockadero

INTERMISSION

VALPURGEYEVA NOCH (WALPURGISNACHT) FEATURING

To connect with the company, click here La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

Colette Adae, Ludmila Beaulemova, Holly Dey-Abroad, Nadia Doumiafeyva, Elvira Khababgallina, Varvara Laptopova, Anya Marx, Resi Oachkatzlschwoaf, Grunya Protazova, Olga Supphozova, Gerd Törd, Bertha Vinayshinsky, Tatiana Youbetyabootskaya, Blagovesta Zlotmachinskaya Bruno Backpfeifengesicht, Ilya Bobovnikov, Boris Dumbkopf, Araf Legupski, Marat Legupski, Sergey Legupski, Timur Legupski, Mikhail Mudkin, Boris Mudko, Chip Pididouda, Yuri Smirnov, Kravlji Snepek, Pavel Törd, Jens Witzelsucht Artistic Director Tory Dobrin Associate Director Isabel Martinez Rivera

Executive Director Liz Harler Ballet Master Raffaele Morra

Production Manager Shelby Sonnenberg

This presentation marks Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

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LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO - PROGRAM NOTES

LE LAC DES CYGNES (SWAN LAKE, ACT II) Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography after Lev Ivanovich Ivanov Costumes by Mike Gonzales Decor by Clio Young Lighting by Kip Marsh Swept up into the magical realm of swans (and birds), this elegiac phantasmagoria of variations and ensembles in line and music is the signature work of Les Ballets Trockadero. The story of Odette, the beautiful princess turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer, and how she is nearly saved by the love of Prince Siegfried, was not so unusual a theme when Tchaikovsky first wrote his ballet in 1877—the metamorphosis of mortals to birds and vice versa occurs frequently in Russian folklore. The original Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow was treated unsuccessfully; a year after Tchaikovsky’s death in 1893, the St. Petersburg Maryinsky Ballet produced the version we know today. Perhaps the world’s best-known ballet, its appeal seems to stem from the mysterious and pathetic qualities of the heroine juxtaposed with the canonized glamour of 19th-century Russian ballet.

Benno: Kravlji Snepek (friend and confidant to) Prince Siegfried: Araf Legupski (who falls in love with) Varvara Laptopova (Queen of the) Swans: Artists of the Trockadero (all of whom got this way because of) Von Rothbart: Yuri Smirnov (an evil wizard who goes about turning girls into swans) INTERMISSION

PAS DE DEUX, SOLO OR MODERN WORK TO BE ANNOUNCED YES, VIRGINIA, ANOTHER PIANO BALLET Music by Choreography by Costumes by Decor by Lighting by

Frederic Chopin Peter Anastos Olivia Kirschbaum Clio Young Kip Marsh

The surfeit of “piano ballets” that have appeared since Jerome Robbins’ “Dances at a Gathering” (1969) sought to somehow humanize the classical ballet dancer and his milieu. Piano ballets take the aristocracy out of the ballet dancing by presenting the dancers as affectionately friendly, democratic, just plain folks relating to each other; in much the same way, television talk shows demystified the glamour of Hollywood by featuring noted celebrities discussing their laundry problems. The Trockadero, not unaware of these trends, now tenders its own sensitive relationships.

Boy in Brick Boy in Blue Girl in Lavender Girl in Orange Girl in Green

Pavel Törd Chip Pididouda Grunya Protazova (with a grey chiffon underlay) Ludmila Beaulemova (with a slight tilt to the left) Holly Dey-Abroad (with a sparkle in her eye) INTERMISSION

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LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO - PROGRAM NOTES

VALPURGEYEVA NOCH (“WALPURGISNACHT”) Music by Staged and with additional choreography by Costumes by Lighting by Décor by

Charles Gounod Elena Kunikova after Leonid Lavrovsky Nicole Valencia-Gann Jax Messenger Kip Marsh

This ballet is inspired by the Bolshoi Ballet’s Valpurgeyeva Noch, which Russians have long respected as a specimen of Soviet balletic camp.

BACCHANTE BACCHUS PAN FAUNS NYMPHS MAIDENS

Nadia Doumiafeyva Bruno Backpfeifengesicht Boris Dumbkopf Marat Legupski, Chip Pididouda, Timur Legupski, Mikhail Mudkin Elvira Khababgallina, Olga Supphozova, Ludmila Beaulemova Artists of the Trockadero Program subject to change without notice.

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO, Inc. is a nonprofit dance company chartered by the State of New York. Martha Cooper, president; Jenny Palmer, vice-president; Amy Minter, treasurer; Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis, secretary. James C.P. Berry, Tory Dobrin All contributions are tax-deductible as provided by law.

Special Thanks to our Major Institutional Supporters: Booth Ferris Foundation The New York Community Trust The Howard Gilman Foundation Mertz Gilmore Foundation The Max and Victoria Dreyfus foundation Rallis Foundation Shubert Foundation This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Major support for the Choreography Institute is provided by Denise Littlefield Sobel.

Thanks to our local and state cultural funding agencies for their contributions to our work in New York with support, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; and the NYU Community Fund.

Thanks to our Board of Directors and individual supporters for their generous contributions that make our nonprofit mission possible.

Make up provided by: MAC Cosmetics

The official Pointe Shoe Provider of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Nikolay

Music for ballets on the program is conducted by Pierre Michel Durand with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Pavel Prantl, Leader BOOKING INQUIRIES: Liz Harler Executive Director liz@trockadero.org

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PRELUDE 2 PM Musical Prelude by students from the Colburn School

BALOURDET QUARTET SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2024 · 3 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

MOZART

String Quartet in D Minor, K.421 Allegro Andante Menuetto: Allegretto Allegretto ma non troppo

(1756–1791)

Support for the Discovery Series and Musical Prelude provided by:

Gordon Brodfuehrer Jeanette Stevens

KARIM AL-ZAND (b. 1970)

String Quartet No. 4 “Strange Machines” Alberti Machine Goldberg Machine Mannheim Machine Balourdet Quartet Justin DeFillippis, Angela Bae, violins; Benjamin Zannoni, viola; Russell Houston, cello INTERMISSION

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

BEETHOVEN String Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, No. 1 (1770–1827) Allegro Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando

Adagio molto e mesto

Thème russe: Allegro Balourdet Quartet Angela Bae, Justin DeFillippis, violins; Benjamin Zannoni, viola; Russell Houston, cello

The Balourdet Quartet last performed for La Jolla Music Society during SummerFest on August 19, 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BALOURDET QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES

Program notes by Eric Bromberger

String Quartet in D Minor, K.421

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Born January 27, 1756, Salzburg Died December 5, 1791, Vienna Composed: 1783 Approximate Duration: 30 minutes

Mozart’s move to Vienna in 1781 opened new musical vistas for him, and these must have seemed all the more exciting after so many years in provincial Salzburg. Among the attractions of his adopted city were the string quartets of Haydn, whose Opus 33 quartets were published in Vienna in 1782. Mozart had written no string quartets since 1773, but now, impressed by what Haydn had achieved with this most demanding of forms, Mozart wrote a set of six quartets and dedicated them to Haydn. In that dedication, Mozart noted that these quartets were the product of “long and laborious study,” and there is evidence that Mozart, usually a fast worker, took a long time indeed with these quartets, revising each carefully.

It is a magnificent cycle. Each of the six is distinctive in its own way, and certain moments stay to haunt the mind: the fugal finale of K.387, which looks ahead to the “Jupiter” Symphony; K.464, which so impressed Beethoven that he modeled one of his own quartets on it; and K.465, the “Dissonant,” with its enigmatic beginning.

Yet even in such distinguished company, the Quartet in D Minor, K.421, composed in June 1783, stands out as radically different. The only one of the cycle in a minor key, it is one of the most serious and powerful works that Mozart ever wrote. A minor-key quartet was not by itself unusual, and Haydn (who usually published his quartets in groups of six) would often include one minor-key quartet in a set. But no Haydn quartet—great a master as he was of that form—ever matched the expressive power of Mozart’s Quartet in D Minor. Individual keys had specific meanings for Mozart, and D minor, the key of the Piano Concerto No. 20 and of the Requiem, was the key he sometimes associated with revenge in his operas. This quartet is by no means program music, but the mood here partakes of that dark spirit—this is somber and unrelenting music.

The Allegro opens with the first violin’s falling octave on D, and there follows a long and intense melody, marked sotto voce, for that instrument over unobtrusive accompaniment from the other voices. A more flowing second subject makes brief appearances, but the dark first theme dominates this movement. Mozart asks for the standard exposition retreat, but then offers performers the opportunity to repeat the entire development. The recapitulation continues to develop the movement’s material, and finally the cello leads the way into the brief coda with a dark and expressive idea of its own.

30 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

The Andante, in F major, affords relief with its gentle main theme. Mozart had originally intended a somewhat simpler melodic idea here; his manuscript shows that he recognized the limits of that theme and replaced it. While this is not a variation movement, the lyric main idea undergoes a process of continuous evolution, sometimes with the most delicate shading, before Mozart brings back a reprise of the opening and rounds things off with a quiet coda. By sharp contrast, the Menuetto is fierce, almost clenched in its chromatic intensity. And then Mozart springs one of his most effective surprises: the trio eases into D major, and—over pizzicato accompaniment—the first violin sings an elegant, soaring melody built on Lombard rhythms (dotted rhythms with the short note coming first).

The viola joins the second statement before the return to the driven minuet.

The finale is a theme-and-variation movement.

Mozart’s dancing main theme bears more than a passing resemblance to the main theme of the finale of Haydn’s Quartet in G Major, Opus 33, No. 5. Perhaps this was intended as an act of homage, but Mozart’s version of this theme is quite subtle: it tints the home key of D minor with hints of D major, and the harmonic tension of this beginning will energize the entire movement. Four variations follow: the second brings a famous syncopated accompaniment from the second violin, the third features the tawny sound of the viola, the fourth moves into D major. At the very end, Mozart brings back his original theme but now marks it Più Allegro, and the music rushes ahead on tense chromatic lines to the sudden end, where the first violin’s falling octave D rounds off this glorious quartet with the same gesture that began it.

String Quartet No. 4 “Strange Machines”

KARIM AL-ZAND Born 1970, Tunis, Tunisia Composed: 2022 Approximate Duration: 12 minutes

Born in Tunisia, Karim Al-Zand grew up in Canada, graduated from McGill University in Montreal, and received his Ph.D. from Harvard. He is currently on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he is a founding board member of Houston’s principal new music ensemble, Musiqa. Al-Zand has written for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and for voice, including a number of settings of poetry from the Middle East. He has been particularly interested in collaborative projects and has composed music inspired by visual and other arts.

Al-Zand composed his String Quartet No. 4 “Strange Machines” in 2022. On his website, the composer has provided an introduction: “Strange Machines” imagines three quirky musical automata. In Alberti Machine we encounter a steam-

BALOURDET QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES

punk music box, its buttons, levers and dials adjusting a familiar accompanimental pattern until the machine breaks. Bach meets Rube in Goldberg Machine, a contraption that careens between variations in a musical chain reaction. Mannheim Machine is a cliché-bot, an unhinged device that furiously spits out distorted musical tropes from the dawn of the symphony.

“Strange Machines” was written for the Balourdet Quartet with support from a Chamber Music America Commissioning Grant. (Karim Al-Zand)

String Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, No. 1

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Born December 17, 1770, Bonn, Germany Died March 26, 1827, Vienna Composed: 1806 Approximate Duration: 42 minutes

Count Andreas Kyrillovich Razumovsky, the Russian ambassador to Vienna, was an amateur violinist and a string quartet enthusiast who had studied with Haydn. When he commissioned a set of three string quartets from Beethoven in 1805, he could not possibly have known what he would receive in return. Beethoven had at that time written one set of six quartets (published in 1801 as his Opus 18), cast very much in the high classical mold as set out by Haydn and Mozart. Doubtless Razumovsky expected something on this order, and he provided Beethoven with some Russian themes and asked that he include one in each of the three quartets. The count further assisted the composer by putting at his disposal the count’s own string quartet, led by Beethoven’s friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh. Beethoven worked two years on these quartets, completing them in 1806 and publishing them two years later.

The three quartets Beethoven published as his Opus 59, known today as the “Razumovsky Quartets,” were so completely original that in one stroke they redefined the entire paradigm of the string quartet. These are massive works in duration, sonority, and dramatic scope, and it is no surprise that they alienated their early audiences. Only with time did Beethoven’s achievement in this music become clear. Trying to take the measure of this new music, some early critics referred to the Razumovsky quartets as “symphony quartets,” but this is misleading, for the quartets are genuine chamber music. But it is true that what the Eroica did for the symphony, these quartets—and the two that followed in 1809 and 1810—did for the string quartet: they opened new vistas, entirely new conceptions of what the string quartet might be and of the range of expression it might make possible.

Schuppanzigh’s quartet is reported to have burst into laughter at their first reading of the Quartet in F Major, convinced that Beethoven had intended a joke on them.

When Schuppanzigh complained about the difficulty of this

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music, Beethoven shot back: “Do you think I worry about your wretched fiddle when the spirit speaks to me?”

The Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, No. 1 is, at forty minutes, one of the longest of Beethoven’s quartets, and its opening Allegro is conceived on a gigantic scale.

The movement springs to life with its main theme rising powerfully in the cello under steady accompaniment and then taken up by the first violin. This is an extremely fertile subject, appearing in many guises and giving the movement much of its rhythmic and melodic shape. It is entirely characteristic of Beethoven that this theme, which will unleash so much strength and variety across the span of the movement, should be marked dolce on its first appearance. There is no exposition repeat—the music seems to repeat, but Beethoven is already pressing forward—and the development centers on an unusual fugal passage introduced by the second violin. At the conclusion of the movement, the opening subject returns to drive to a massive climax marked by huge chords and slashing power.

While this music is clearly conceived for string quartet, both in sonority and technique, it is exactly this sort of powerful climax that earned these quartets the nickname “symphony quartets.”

A curious feature of this quartet is that all four movements are (more or less) in sonata form. The second, Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando, has an unusual shape, alternating scherzando sections with trios. The opening rhythm, announced by the cello and consisting of only one note, a recurring B-flat, underlies the entire movement; this figure—one repeated note—particularly infuriated many early performers and listeners. The main theme itself, an oddly asymmetrical figure, appears in the fourth measure and takes up some of this rhythm.

The heartfelt third movement is built on two ideas: a grieving opening theme announced by the first violin (Beethoven marks it mesto: “sad”) and a steadily rising melody first played by the cello. The movement comes to a close as a quasi-cadenza for violin leads without pause to the finale, marked Thème russe. Here is the Count’s “Russian theme,” a folk melody played by the cello under a sustained violin trill. The blazing final movement is based primarily on this theme, and its energy level matches the power of the first two movements. Beethoven offers a final recall of this theme—at a very slow tempo—just before the Presto rush to the close.

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PRELUDE 6:30 PM Prelude interview hosted

by Robert John Hughes

BLUE NOTE RECORDS 85TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR STARRING THE BLUE NOTE QUINTET FEATURING GERALD CLAYTON, JOEL ROSS, IMMANUEL WILKINS, KENDRICK SCOTT, & MATT BREWER

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

Gerald Clayton, piano Joel Ross, vibraphone Immanuel Wilkins, alto saxophone Kendrick Scott, drums Matt Brewer, bass

PROGRAM Works to be announced from stage.

NO INTERMISSION La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

ABOUT

Blue Note Records is celebrating its 85th Anniversary with a US tour starring “The Blue Note Quintet”—a group brought together to honor the label’s rich history and pave the way for the eclectic artists of today’s roster. Six-time GRAMMY Award nominee Gerald Clayton leads the band as Musical Director and pianist. “Gerald Clayton is one of the most accomplished, distinctive and innovative pianists performing today,” says Don Was, the label’s president since 2012. Rounding out the group are vibraphonist Joel Ross, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer.

This performance marks the Blue Note Quintet’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

32 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

CONNECT TO THE CONRAD RENÉE FLEMING, soprano & INON BARNATAN, piano WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2024 • 8 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

CAROLINE SHAW

Aurora Borealis

FAURÉ

Au bord de l’eau Les berceaux Jeux d’eau Inon Barnatan, piano S’il est un charmant gazon Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh Selections from Six Songs, Opus 48 Lauf der Welt Zur Rosenzeit All the Things You Are

(b. 1982)

(1845–1924)

RAVEL

(1875–1937)

LISZT

(1811–1886)

GRIEG

(1843–1907)

KERN

(1885–1945)

Entr’acte:

JACKSON BROWNE

INTERMISSION

Before the Deluge (recording) Arrangement: Caroline Shaw, with Rhiannon Giddens, Alison Krauss, Renée Fleming, & Yannick Nézet-Séguin, piano

Support for this program provided by:

Mary Ellen Clark Debra Turner

Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene

The following accompanied by a film provided by National Geographic.

During the second half, the audience is asked to kindly hold applause until the end of the program.

DICKENS

Pretty Bird

HANDEL

Care Selve from Atalanta

NICO MUHLY

Endless Space

CANTELOUBE

Baïléro from Songs of the Auvergne

MARIA SCHNEIDER

Our Finch Feeder from Winter Morning Walks

BJÖRK

All Is Full of Love

RACHMANINOFF HOWARD SHORE

Presto from Moments musicaux, Opus 16, No. 4 Inon Barnatan, piano Twilight and Shadow from Lord of the Rings

KEVIN PUTS

Evening

CURTIS GREEN

Red Mountains Sometimes Cry (recording)

(1935–2011) (1685–1759)

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

Renée Fleming appears by arrangement with IMG Artists, LLC, 7 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019. 212-994-3500 Ms. Fleming is an exclusive recording artist for Decca and Mercury Records (UK).

Ms. Fleming’s jewelry is by Ann Ziff for Tamsen Z. www.reneefleming.com Inon Barnatan: Opus 3 Artists

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(b. 1981)

(1879–1957) (b. 1960) (b. 1965) (1873–1943) (b. 1946) (b. 1972)

Program subject to change This performance marks Renée Fleming’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

Inon Barnatan last performed with La Jolla Music Society during SummerFest 2023.

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RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN - PROGRAM NOTES

ARTIST’S STATEMENT When I was 14, the film Soylent Green was released, a sci-fi thriller about a dystopian future of worldwide pollution, dying oceans, depleted resources, and rampant starvation. The story was set in the year 2022.

The movie has faded from memory, but one scene left a profound impression. An aged researcher, unable to go on, has chosen assisted suicide at a government clinic. To ease his last moments of life, he is shown videos of a world that no longer exists: flowers and savannahs, flocks and herds, unpolluted skies and waters, all set to a soundtrack of classical music by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Grieg.

This scene captured my imagination in a terrifying way.

The impact increased when I later learned that the actor playing the researcher, Edward G. Robinson, was terminally ill at the time it was filmed.

Fast forward to the pandemic. After more than two decades of constant touring, usually to urban cultural centers, performances abruptly ceased, and I suddenly found myself at home. I sought comfort in long walks outside near my house. I needed this time outdoors to maintain my emotional equilibrium, and I was reminded that nature would always be my touchstone. At the same time, the news about climate change grew more alarming: the extinction of animals we took for granted when we were children, the knowledge that white rhinos had disappeared from the wild, and daily reports of heat, fires, and flooding.

I realized that the crisis we had been warned of for so long had arrived.

I thought of the great legacy of song literature that I love, when Romantic-era poets and composers reveled in imagery of nature, finding reflections of human experience in the environment. I decided to record some of this music, and to juxtapose these classics with the voices of living composers, addressing our current, troubled relationship with the natural world.

The result, in collaboration with my friend Yannick Nézet-Séguin, was the album Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene. When it received the 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, I was thrilled, and I had the idea to tour music addressing this theme of nature as both our inspiration and our victim.

I was incredibly fortunate to connect with the imaginative, dedicated leadership at the National Geographic Society, the global nonprofit committed to exploring, illuminating, and protecting the wonder of our world. It has been so exciting to work with this universally respected landmark institution. I am deeply grateful for the help of President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Ulica, Chief Executive Officer Jill Tiefenthaler, and Producer/Editor Sam Deleon, whose expertise and vision have been instrumental in creating the video you will see in the second half of tonight’s program.

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Thankfully, the stunning natural world depicted in this film still exists, unlike that movie scene so upsetting to my younger self. In blending these beautiful images with music, my hope is, in some small way, to rekindle your appreciation of nature, and encourage any efforts you can make to protect the planet we share.

Sincerely, Renée Fleming

RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN - PROGRAM NOTES

Program notes by Eric Bromberger

Aurora Borealis

CAROLINE SHAW Born August 1, 1982, Greenville, North Carolina Composed: 2017 Approximate Duration: 5 minutes

Caroline Shaw studied violin as a child and began to compose at age ten. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rice University and her master’s from Yale, then entered the doctoral program at Princeton in 2010. She performs as a violinist and vocalist with a number of new music ensembles, including as a founding member of the GRAMMY award-winning Roomful of Teeth. In 2012 she became the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize, for her Partita for Solo Voices. Aurora Borealis was commissioned by Renée Fleming, who gave the first performance in 2017. The song sets a text by the American poet Mary Jo Salter, who currently teaches at Johns Hopkins University.

Au bord de l’eau

GABRIEL FAURÉ Born May 12, 1845, Pamiers, France Died November 4, 1924, Paris Composed: 1861 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

Les berceaux

GABRIEL FAURÉ Composed: 1879 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

Gabriel Fauré is acknowledged as the greatest French composer of songs, but his melodies—which number slightly more than a hundred—remain generally unfamiliar to American audiences. Fauré’s sensitivity to language, graceful lyric sense, and ability to create a specific atmosphere make these songs, often subtle and subdued, a very particular pleasure. This recital presents two of Fauré’s settings of texts by Sully Prudhomme.

Sully Prudhomme was the pen name of the French poet René Francois Armand Prudhomme (1839–1907); if that name is unfamiliar, we should remember that he won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1901. Fauré’s brief setting of Prudhomme’s Au bord de l’eau is gorgeous, radiating a sense of contentment and repose rare in a love song. Les berceaux makes contrast between the rocking cradles on the quay and the ships about to depart. Fauré has the song rock gently along its 12/8 meter; despite its more animated middle stanza, this song is a lullaby.

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Jeux d’eau

MAURICE RAVEL Born March 7, 1875, Ciboure, France Died December 28, 1937, Paris Composed: 1901 Approximate Duration: 6 minutes

Ravel composed Jeux d’eau in 1901, when he was twenty-six and almost unknown, but this piece brought him sudden fame. Jeux d’eau is at once a connection with the past and a departure toward the future. The connection with the past may at first seem an unlikely one: Franz Liszt. In 1877, while living in Rome, Liszt had composed a brief piano piece called Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este, a depiction of the play of the water in the fountain of the estate where he was living. Ravel borrowed both the general conception of Liszt’s music and the first part of his title when he wrote Jeux d’eau (“Play of the Water”), but he achieved a range of sparkling color from the piano that Liszt never dreamed of.

In the score, Ravel prefaced the music with a quote from Henri de Regnier: “The river god laughs at the water as it caresses him.” One should take this as a general suggestion of spirit rather than as something the music sets out to depict literally—Ravel himself said that Jeux d’eau was “inspired by the bubbling of water and the musical sounds of fountains, waterfalls, and brooks.” In this music he achieves an enormous range of sounds that evoke sparkling waters: the very opening (which sounds bell-like because Ravel keeps it in the piano’s ringing high register) suggests a completely new sound-world from the piano, and Ravel contrasts this with a variety of sonorities, from delicate tracery cascading downward to thundering music that sweeps across the keyboard.

S’il est un charmant gazon

FRANZ LISZT

Born October 22, 1811, Raiding, Hungary Died July 31, 1886, Bayreuth, Germany Composed: 1844 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh

FRANZ LISZT Composed: 1848 Approximate Duration: 4 minutes

We do not automatically think of lieder when we think of Franz Liszt, but he was attracted to the song throughout his career. What is remarkable is that he then returned to many of these across the span of his life, revising and improving them as his own conception of songwriting evolved. Liszt’s early songs tend to be dramatic (the piano parts are brilliant, the vocal writing quasi-operatic), but as he matured, he sought a more subtle fusion of voice and piano. Liszt set texts by German, French, Italian, and Hungarian poets, and he originally wrote many of TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN - PROGRAM NOTES

these songs at a time when he barely understood those languages—his revisions reflect a deeper response to language and to shades of meaning.

S’il est un charmant gazon composed in 1844 on a text

by Liszt’s friend Victor Hugo, is an idealized love poem that expresses the poet’s wishes for his lover. Liszt’s gentle setting flows smoothly along a steady pulse of sixteenths.

Liszt originally composed Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh for male chorus in 1842, then arranged it for voice and piano six years later. This beautiful setting preserves the calm of Goethe’s text: the melodic line floats above minimal accompaniment, the music rises to a restrained climax, and the song falls away to an ending that Liszt marks quadruple piano.

Selections from Six Songs, Opus 48 Lauf der Welt

EDVARD GRIEG Born June 15, 1843, Bergen, Norway Died September 4, 1907, Bergen Composed: 1844 Approximate Duration: 2 minutes

Zur Rosenzeit

EDVARD GRIEG Composed: 1889 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

It comes as no surprise that Grieg was so prolific a composer of songs (he wrote about 140 of them): his gift as a composer was lyric, he married a superb singer, and he was a fine pianist who frequently accompanied his wife. It is also no surprise that so strongly nationalistic a composer should turn primarily to Scandinavian writers for his.

The Six Songs of his Opus 48 represent a break from this pattern, for they are all settings of German poets—anyone coming to this set without knowing its composer might well guess this the work of a German composer (Grieg’s good friend Brahms, in fact, set texts by four of the poets in this group). Grieg wrote the first two of these songs in 1884, then returned to complete the final four in 1889.

This recital offers two songs from Grieg’s Six Songs, both composed in 1889. Lauf der Welt feels very much like one of Brahms’ arrangements of German folk songs, with its portrait of rural lovers and a marvelous piano accompaniment that clops along cheerfully in innocent counterpoint to the bubbly tale of love. The Goethe setting, Zur Rosenzeit, is a much more serious song, and Grieg’s marking Allegretto serioso sets that mood precisely. This is a song about lost love, and while the soprano’s soaring line captures the pain of that loss, the syncopated rhythm in the pianist’s right hand is heard in every measure, unsettling both rhythm and expectation.

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All the Things You Are

JEROME KERN Born January 27, 1885, New York City Died November 11, 1945, New York City Composed: 1939 Approximate Duration: 5 minutes

In the fall of 1939 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II produced their final musical together, Very Warm for May. It opened to mixed reviews, ran for only 59 performances, and then disappeared for about 50 years.

Attempts to revive Very Warm for May have proven only moderately successful—it has a very peculiar plot—but everyone agrees that it has some terrific songs. The most famous of these is All the Things You Are, a love song that comes near the end of the second and final act. In the musical, All the Things You Are was sung by a quartet of singers, but in its arrangement for solo singer it has become one of Kern’s most famous songs (it has also been covered by a number of jazz pianists).

The success of All the Things You Are should come as no surprise. Hammerstein’s text captures the sense of giddy longing and happiness as love takes hold, and Kern’s setting, full of nice harmonic changes as the emotions of the text evolve, stays to haunt the memory.

Pretty Bird

HAZEL DICKENS Born June 1, 1925, Montcalm, West Virginia Died April 22, 2011, Washington, D.C. Composed: 1967 Approximate Duration: 4 minutes

One of eleven children born into utter poverty in rural West Virginia, Hazel Dickens left home at sixteen, worked a variety of jobs, and eventually became a bluegrass singer, songwriter, guitarist (and doublebassist), and feminist.

She was also a political activist, particularly on behalf of non-union coal miners—among her many songs are Black Lung (her coal-mining brother died of that disease); Don’t Put Her Down, You Put Her There (a defense of women working in the bars of Baltimore); and Working Girl Blues.

Dickens had a distinctive and very powerful voice, and she would accompany herself on guitar as she sang. Her famous Pretty Bird is an exception to that, however: the song is to be sung a capella—with no accompaniment.

Care Selve from Atalanta, HWV 35

GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL Born February 23, 1685, Halle, Germany Died April 14, 1759, London Composed: 1736 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

In 1736 Frederick, Prince of Wales (son of George II and father of George III) married Augusta, Princess of Saxe-Gotha. To celebrate the royal marriage, Handel composed his opera Atalanta, which also celebrates a royal

RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN - PROGRAM NOTES

marriage. First produced at Covent Garden on May 12, 1736, Atalanta was revived for a few performances later that year, and then it vanished for over two centuries—the next performance did not take place until 1970. Set in ancient Greece, Atalanta tells of Meleagar’s pursuit of Atalanta, who prefers the life of the countryside to the court. After much confusion, the two, both of royal birth, are married, and early productions of the opera ended with great displays of fireworks in honor of the wedding about to take place in London. Meleagar, a role sung by a soprano, sings Care selve early in Act I. The text is simplicity itself (“Beloved woods, I come in search of my heart”), and all who write about it stress that this is an arioso, a form somewhere between the lyric lines of an aria and the speech-like presentation of text in a recitative.

Endless Space

NICO MUHLY Born August 26, 1981, Vermont Composed: 2021 Approximate Duration: 9 minutes

The child of artistic parents (his mother is a painter, his father a documentary film-maker), Nico Muhly learned to play the piano as a boy, but perhaps the most important musical experience of his childhood was singing in a boys’ choir—church music, choral music, and the sound of the human voice have remained very important to him. Muhly earned his undergraduate degree in English at Columbia while pursuing a master’s degree in music at Juilliard, where he studied composition with John Corigliano and Christopher Rouse. Over the last decade he has been an almost Promethean force in music, working with rock bands, Philip Glass, opera houses, and individual performers and composing operas, orchestral works, numerous dance scores, piano pieces, a vast amount of music for chorus and solo voice.

Commissioned by Renée Fleming, Muhly’s Endless Space alternates stanzas by Robinson Meyer, a contemporary writer on climate change, and Thomas Traherne, a seventeenth-century English poet. Though 400 years separate these texts, there are surprising similarities between them.

Baïléro from Songs of the Auvergne

JOSEPH CANTELOUBE Born October 21, 1879, Annonay, France Died November 4, 1957, Gridny, France Composed: 1923–1955 Approximate Duration: 7 minutes

French composer Joseph Canteloube studied at the Paris Conservatory and wrote orchestral works and two operas, but all this music has been forgotten and Canteloube’s name would be unknown were it not for his passion for folk music. Canteloube was born in Annonay, south of Lyon, and early in life he fell in love with French folk music, TABLE OF CONTENTS

particularly the songs of his native Auvergne. He traveled throughout France, collecting and notating folk songs, and arranged approximately thirty songs from the Auvergne for solo voice and orchestra; these were published in five series between 1923 and 1955 as Songs of the Auvergne. These songs are in langue d’oc, a form of Old French surviving in the south of France and combining elements of Celtic and Latin. The original songs spring from the sources that inspire the folk songs of all peoples: love (and with it, longing, betrayal, and dizzy happiness), lullabies, shepherd songs, and songs about birds and animals. The great success of these settings is Canteloube’s ability to generate atmosphere: one almost smells the citrus and wine of the Auvergne, feels the rush of wind, and hears the cry of birds and the sound of laughter.

This concert presents one of the most famous of Canteloube’s arrangements. Baïléro is a playful shepherd’s song, distinguished by the soprano’s gorgeous melodic line.

A quiet introduction, marked Calme et contemplatif, leads to her entrance. This is a strophic song, and the story gradually unfolds on repetitions of its principal melody.

Our Finch Feeder from Winter Morning Walks

MARIA SCHNEIDER Born November 27, 1960, Windom, Minnesota Composed: 2013 Approximate Duration: 2 minutes

Maria Schneider trained at the University of Minnesota and the Eastman School, then went on to make a career as a jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and advocate on behalf of individual musicians. She has won seven GRAMMYs, and earlier this year she was inducted in the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Our Finch Feeder is from her 2013 album Winter Morning Walks, which won three GRAMMYs the following year: for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, for Best Vocal Performance (Dawn Upshaw), and Best Engineering. The album sets a collection of poems by Ted Kooser, who was Poet Laureate of the United States from 2004 to 2006. Our Finch Feeder offers a quick portrait of lively finches busily feeding on a swinging bird feeder.

Kooper’s sharp-eyed text turns this scene into a miniature military operation.

All Is Full of Love

BJÖRK

Born November 21, 1965, Reykjavik, Iceland Composed: 1997 Approximate Duration: 4 minutes

Many listeners will discover that they know Björk’s All Is Full of Love more readily as a video than as a song.

The Icelandic singer originally wrote and recorded the song in 1997, intending it as a song in praise of the whole conception of love. The song was successful on its own TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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RENÉE FLEMING & INON BARNATAN - PROGRAM NOTES

terms, but two years later Chris Cunningham turned it into what has been called the best music video ever conceived.

Cunningham accompanied Björk’s song with a video of the assembling of robots; one of the robots had Björk’s face, and her lips and eyes gave an expressive character to the mechanistic black-and-white world in which static robots gradually took shape. The song has an appeal all its own, however, and it has been covered—and remixed—by many artists.

Presto from Moments musicaux, Opus 16, No. 4

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Born April 1, 1873, Semyonovo, Russia Died March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills Composed: 1896 Approximate Duration: 3 minutes

Rachmaninoff wrote the six pieces of his Moments musicaux in the fall of 1896, when he was only 23 years old. They were written under strange circumstances: Rachmaninoff composed them rapidly as a way of earning money. Part of the problem, he told a friend, was his need to replace “a rather large sum of money that was stolen from me on a train, money that did not belong to me.” To another he wrote: “I am using all my free time to write intensively and I hurry this work not just to be able to say to myself, ‘There—I’ve finished.’ No! I hurry in order to get money I need by a certain date… This perpetual financial pressure is, on the one hand, quite beneficial—at least it makes me work on schedule.”

Such a background might make the Moments musicaux seem a hack-job rushed into print for the money, but in fact these six mood-pieces show signs of a new maturity in Rachmaninoff and begin to point the way toward his later music. This is demanding music technically, and it seems to alternate between two expressive poles: explosive energy on one hand and a somber darkness on the other (four of the six pieces are in minor keys). The fourth piece, marked Presto, takes place in a blur of energy, with the left-hand accompaniment whirling constantly downward before the drive to the abrupt close.

Twilight and Shadow from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

HOWARD SHORE Born October 18, 1946, Toronto Composed: 2003 Approximate Duration: 4 minutes

Canadian composer Howard Shore wrote, orchestrated, and conducted the music for all three of the Lord of the Rings films, in the process composing about thirteen hours of music. That score has been consistently voted the best film music ever composed, and Shore earned three Academy Awards for it. Twilight and Shadow

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comes from the third film, The Return of the King, and was sung on the soundtrack by Renée Fleming. A song full of hope and loss, it sets a text in Sindarin, one of the Elvish languages Tolkien created specifically for use in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and other works about his fictional world of Middle-Earth.

Evening

KEVIN PUTS Born January 3, 1972, St. Louis Composed: 2021 Approximate Duration: 6 minutes

Kevin Puts earned his DMA at Yale, where he studied with David Lang, Christopher Rouse, William Bolcom, and Bernard Rands; he now teaches at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Puts has enjoyed unusual success as a composer. His opera Silent Night won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music, and his works—which include four operas, four symphonies, eleven concertos, and compositions for small ensembles—have been performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore and Indianapolis symphonies, and many other artists.

Renée Fleming commissioned Evening from Puts.

The song, which sets a reflective text by the American poet Dorianne Laux (b. 1952), is framed by a long piano prelude and postlude. The piano’s murmuring introduction sets the subdued mood of Laux’s text, which rises from its quiet beginning to the climactic final stanza. The song is remarkable for Puts’ quite clear setting of the text, and the piano’s postlude takes us back to the silence from which the song began.

PRELUDE 6:30 PM

Lecture by Michael Gerdes

MIRÓ QUARTET SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

HAYDN (1732–1809)

DVOŘÁK

(1841–1904)

String Quartet in G Major, Opus 77, No. 1 Allegro moderato Adagio Minuet. Presto - Trio Finale. Presto Selections from Cypresses for String Quartet, B. 152 In Deepest Forest Glade I Stand Death Reigns in Many a Human Breast When Thy Sweet Glances Fall on Me Thou Only, Dear One Nature Lies Peaceful in Slumber and Dreaming INTERMISSION

BRAHMS La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

String Quartet in C Minor, Opus 51, No. 1 Allegro

Romanze: Poco adagio

Allegretto molto moderato e comodo

Allegro Miró Quartet Daniel Ching, William Fedkenheuer, violins; John Largess, viola; Joshua Gindele, cello

(1833–1897)

The Miró Quartet last performed for La Jolla Music Society at SummerFest 2022.

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MIRÓ QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES

Program notes by Eric Bromberger

String Quartet in G Major, Opus 77, No. 1

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Born March 31, 1732, Rohrau, Austria Died May 31, 1809, Vienna Composed: 1799 Approximate Duration: 25 minutes

Haydn turned the string quartet into a great form.

Music for two violins, viola, and cello had been written for years-usually as background or entertainment music-but in his cycle of 83 quartets Haydn transformed the quartet into an ensemble of four equal partners, wrote music that demanded the greatest musicianship and commitment from all four performers, and made the quartet the medium for some of his most refined expression. His quartet-writing, however, came to an end in the late 1790s. Haydn had just returned from two quite successful visits to London, and now-in his mid-sixties-he was losing interest in purely instrumental music. He would write no more symphonies and would instead devote his final years to vocal music: from these last years came his oratorios The Creation and The Seasons, as well as the great masses.

Just as he was embarking on these new directions, Haydn completed the two string quartets of his Opus 77 (and actually began one more, destined to remain unfinished). Commissioned by Prince Lobkowitz, who would later be Beethoven’s patron, the two Opus 77 quartets of 1799 represent the culmination of a lifetime spent developing and refining the form: the Quartet in G Major performed on this concert is widely considered one of Haydn’s finest, and that is saying a great deal. Audiences might best approach this quartet by listening for the many signs of a master’s touch: the liberation of all four voices, the rapid exchanges of melodic line between them, and the beautifully idiomatic writing for all four instrumentsincluding the often-neglected viola.

The opening Allegro moderato is in the expected sonata form, though with some original thematic touches: the main subject is a genial march-like tune-the steady 4/4 pulse of this march strides along easily throughout the movement. The second subject is hardly a theme at all, just a flowing two-measure figure that moves between the two violins-it is a measure of Haydn’s mature mastery that he can find so much in such simple material. The Adagio is built on a single theme, which is then repeated, growing more elaborate with each recurrence. The brisk minuet (its marking is Presto!) sends the first violin soaring from the bottom of its range to the very top, while the trio makes a surprising leap from the minuet’s G major to the unexpected key of E-flat major, which in turn slides into C minor as it goes. The finale, also marked Presto, is a miniature sonata-form movement that blisters along at a pace that makes it feel almost like a perpetual-motion.

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Some suspect that Haydn derived its central theme from a Hungarian folksong, but-whatever its origin-this movement is a real showcase for the first violin, and Haydn demands sparkling, athletic playing from all four players throughout this movement.

Selections from Cypresses for String Quartet, B. 152

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

Born September 8, 1841, Nelahozeves, Czechia (Czech Republic) Died May 1, 1904, Prague, Czechia Composed: 1887 Approximate Duration: 15 minutes

In 1865 Dvořák, then 24 years old and living in Prague, took several students to help support himself. He fell in love with one of them-Josefa Čermáková, the daughter of a goldsmith-and for her he wrote a cycle of eighteen songs on texts by the Moravian poet Gustav Pfleger. This cycle of songs, which Dvořák called Cypresses (or Evening Songs), was not a great success. Dvořák’s biographer Karel Hoffmeister described Pfleger’s texts as “somewhat tearful and effeminate.” Dvořák neither published the cycle nor assigned it an opus number, and the young lady had no interest at all in the composer. But the experience appears not to have been a total loss, for Dvořák eventually married Josefa’s sister Anna. The composer remained close to Josefa, and her death thirty years later caused him to rewrite the closing moments of his Cello Concerto in her memory, inserting a passage that contains some of the most beautiful, moving music ever written.

If Cypresses in its original form had little success, it is remarkable how this music seems to have haunted Dvořák throughout his life. He drew four songs from the cycle and published them immediately as his Opus 2; he revised eight more and published them as Love Songs, Opus 83 in 1888; he used a melody from another in an aria in his littleknown opera King and Collier; he used another as one of his Silhouettes, a set of twelve piano pieces published in 1879; and he used a theme from yet another in his Cello Concerto of 1895.

But it was in 1887, when he was 45, that Dvořák made the most significant use of his early cycle. In the space of one month that spring (April 21–May 21) he arranged twelve of the songs for string quartet. Though he did not publish this arrangement (it did not appear until 1921, nearly twenty years after his death), Dvořák took great pains with the string version: he rearranged the order of the songs and gave most of the melodic material to either the first violin or the viola (his own instrument). The result is a set of lyric miniatures for string quartet, a cycle of twelve brief pieces that might almost be called quartet-songs.

Almost unknown to modern audiences, the set of Cypresses is not just a charming addition to the quartet literature but offers continuing life to music that remained important to its composer throughout his own life.

MIRÓ QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES

String Quartet in C Minor, Opus 51, No. 1

JOHANNES BRAHMS Born May 7, 1833, Hamburg, Germany Died April 3, 1897, Vienna Composed: 1873 Approximate Duration: 32 minutes

In one of the most candid admissions in the history of music, Brahms lamented to the conductor Hermann Levi about the strain of having to compose within the shadow of Beethoven: “You have no idea how the likes of us feel when we hear the tramp of a giant like him behind us.”

This comment is usually taken to refer to the overpowering example of Beethoven’s symphonies, but Brahms was just as haunted by the prospect of composing string quartets, and in that form he had to confront not one, but a number of giants from the past. Brahms was all too aware of the string quartets of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, and he knew that any quartet he wrote would be judged against the achievement of those four masters.

It was not a case of Brahms’ being uninterested in writing quartets. On the contrary; Brahms said that he wrote and destroyed at least twenty quartets. Eventually he sketched two that he liked well enough to preserve, and in Switzerland during the summer of 1866 he played one of them-in C minor-on the piano to Clara Schumann.

But Brahms was still not satisfied, and he set them aside for seven more years. Finally, during the summer of 1873 Brahms completed the two quartets he would publish as his Opus 51-he said that they had been “written for a second time” during this final revision. He heard both quartets performed privately before their official premieres that fall, and after those premieres he continued to refine them for publication. When Brahms’s first two quartets were finally published, he was 40 years old.

Faced with the overpowering example of the quartets of those earlier masters, Brahms made his first effort in the form a very serious one indeed. The Quartet in C Minor is marked by extraordinary concentration. The mood of this quartet is dark-Brahms sets it in C minor, the key Beethoven reserved for his most dramatic works, and he drives the music forward with an almost implacable logic.

Virtually the entire quartet is unified around a central musical idea-the rising, dotted figure heard in the first violin at the very beginning. This theme saturates the opening Allegro and much of the rest of the quartetas theme, as accompaniment, as rhythm. A rigorous development and an extremely dramatic coda drive to a quiet close as that seminal theme collapses into silence.

Brahms marks the second movement Romanze, which suggests music of a lyric or gentle nature, and this movement alternates two ideas that in the aftermath of the first movement do seem gentle; even these, however, are marked by emotional restraint. The dotted motif of the first movement becomes the slow accompaniment at TABLE OF CONTENTS

the beginning here, and over it Brahms presents the first theme, marked espressivo. The second idea-marked dolce and built on halting triplets-is somewhat darker; Brahms alternates and varies these two theme-groups.

The concentration that marks Brahms’ thinking in this music is clear at the beginning of the Allegretto, where he presents two themes simultaneously: the first violin’s chain of sixteenths (an inversion of the quartet’s opening motif?) pulses steadily above the viola’s wistful tune. The trio section brings the quartet’s one moment of sunshineBrahms switches to F major as the first violin sings a little waltz-tune. Beneath that, the second violin alternates A’s on open and closed strings; the shifting colors of the resulting “wow-wow-wow” make an effective accompaniment to the waltz. A da capo repeat concludes the movement.

The finale brings back the concentration-and the furies-of the first movement. This movement’s opening figure is derived almost literally from the quartet’s initial motif, and the more relaxed second subject is in fact a slow variant of that same shape. In sonata form, this movement is built on the contrast between these two themes, already so much alike. In these same years, Brahms was working on his First Symphony, which moves from a stormy beginning in C minor to a triumphant conclusion in C major. Brahms allows himself no such release at the end of his first official string quartet: he remains firmly in C minor, and the powerful cadence re-invokes-one last time-the thematic motif that has saturated the work.

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Photo Credit: Andy Mann

ANDY MANN MAKING WAVES: SUMMIT TO SEA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL

PROGRAM Presentation Question & Answer Session NO INTERMISSION

ABOUT

La Jolla Music Society’s 2023–24 season is supported by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Cafe Coyote, Rancho Coyote, Giuseppe's, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Bert and Julie Cornelison, Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Angelina and Fred Kleinbub, Dorothea Laub, Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Sue and Peter Wagener, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

Andy Mann’s voyage from rock climber to marine photographer and filmmaker is an unlikely story overflowing with adventure. His work has brought him face-to-face with crocodiles, sharks, and icebergs—all on his quest to protect and share the fragile, fascinating, and fierce stories of our ocean. A dedicated conservationist, Andy uses his compelling imagery to raise awareness about our seas and has helped create marine protected areas around the world. Andy’s stunning visuals have captured groundbreaking marine science and the awe of wild places. His work inspires change and brings us to places we have never seen before.

This presentation marks Andy Mann’s La Jolla Music Society debut.

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ARTIST PROFILES Arod Quartet

Balourdet Quartet

Jordan Victoria, violin; Alexandre Vu, violin; Tanguy Parisot, viola; Jérémy Garbarg, cello The Arod Quartet came to international attention when they won First Prize at the 2016 ARD International Music Competition in Munich and went on to serve as a BBC New Generation Artist from 2017 to 2019. An exclusive recording artist for Erato Warner Classics, the Arod has released a trio of acclaimed albums since their debut Mendelssohn disc in 2017. Most recently, the Arod released a Schubert album featuring Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” together with two other works. Recent and upcoming performances include in their hometown at the Philharmonie de Paris, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre, Salzburg’s Mozarteum, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Oji Hall of Tokyo, and the Berlin Philharmonia. Jordan Victoria and Alexandre Vu play composite Stradivari and Guadagnini violins on loan from the Beare’s International Violin Society. The group takes its name from Legolas’ horse in J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy; in Tolkien’s mythic Rohirric language, Arod means “swift.”

Angela Bae, violin; Justin DeFilippis, violin; Benjamin Zannoni, viola; Russell Houston, cello The Balourdet Quartet, based in Boston, MA, is currently in residence at the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program. The quartet received the Grand Prize at the 2021 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, as well as prizes in international competitions including the Banff, Paolo Borciani, and Carl Nielsen competitions. They were also awarded the Gold Medal at the 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the 2021 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition. Highlights of the Balourdet’s 2022–23 season include appearances at Chamber Music Detroit; NEC’s Jordan Hall; Merkin Hall; and Wigmore Hall. Last summer the Balourdet performed at festivals including at Bravo! Vail, Music Mountain, and Strings Music Festival. Additionally this season, the quartet premieres a new commissioned work by celebrated composer Karim Al-Zand, made possible through Chamber Music America’s Classical Commissioning Grant. The Balourdet has performed at festivals and series including Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, Santa Fe ProMusica, and the Schneider Concert Series. The quartet takes its name from Antoine Balourdet, chef extraordinaire at the Hotel St. Bernard and beloved member of the Taos School of Music community.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company, brings its internationally beloved troupe of dancers to San Diego as part of its landmark 50th anniversary season featuring gems from across the company’s groundbreaking repertoire.

Founded in New York City in 1974, the company, affectionately known as the Trocks, has grown from its roots in late-late shows in off-off Broadway lofts to a global touring sensation, performing from Tokyo to Toronto and everywhere in between. The company dances en travesti with razor-sharp wit and breathtaking pointe work, performing polished parodies of works that span the classical ballet canon. Revered by ballet aficionados as well as by those who don’t know a plié from a jeté, the Trocks are “a guaranteed hoot for people who know nothing of ballet and an absolute must for those who think they know the originals.” (Sydney Star Observer).

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Inon Barnatan, piano An acclaimed and multifaceted musician, pianist Inon Barnatan is equally celebrated as soloist, curator, and collaborator. As a soloist, Barnatan is a regular performer with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors. He was the inaugural Artist-in-Association of the New York Philharmonic from 2014–17, and has played with the BBC Symphony for the BBC Proms, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and most major orchestras in the US, as well as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra Symphony and the London, Helsinki, Hong Kong, and Royal Stockholm Philharmonics.

He performed a complete Beethoven concerto cycle in Marseilles; Copland’s Piano Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas in San Francisco and at Carnegie Hall; and multiple U.S. tours TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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ARTIST PROFILES

with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, playing and conducting from the keyboard. Barnatan is Music Director of La Jolla Music Society SummerFest, one of the leading music festivals in the country. He regularly collaborates with world-class partners such as Renée Fleming and Alisa Weilerstein, and plays at major chamber music festivals including, Seattle, Santa Fe, and Spoleto USA.

Matt Brewer, bass Matt Brewer was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Albuquerque, NM, surrounded by a family of musicians and artists. At the age of 10, Matt fell in love with the bass and began a lifelong study of music.

He graduated high school from the Interlochen Arts Academy, and then went on to study at The Juilliard School. He has travelled the world playing in the bands of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman, Dave Binney, Gerald Clayton, Ben Wendel, Aaron Parks, Vijay Iyer, Dhafer Youssef, Antonio Sanchez, Mark Turner, Steve Lehman, Ben Monder, and Lage Lund, among many others. He has been a frequent guest lecturer at the Banff Center and is an adjunct faculty member at the New School University.

Gerald Clayton, piano Six-time GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer, and band leader Gerald Clayton recently earned Recording Academy recognition for Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard, his debut release on Blue Note Records. Collaborating over the years with such distinctive artists as Diana Krall, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Terence Blanchard, John Scofield, Terri Lyne Carrington, Peter Bernstein, Ambrose Akinmusire, Gretchen Parlato, Ben Wendel, the Clayton Brothers Quintet, and legendary band leader Charles Lloyd, Clayton currently serves as Director of Next Generation Jazz Orchestra following service as Musical Director for Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour. Clayton’s creative spirit honors the legacy of his father, bassist/composer John Clayton. Among his many projects, in 2019 he received a commission from LACMA to compose a musical pendant for artist Charles White’s “5 Great American Negroes” mural; Clayton titled the project White Cities: A Musical Tribute to Charles White. In 2020, he wrote the critically acclaimed score for Sam Pollard’s award-winning documentary MLK/FBI.

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Renée Fleming, soprano Renée Fleming is one of the most acclaimed singers of our time, honored with five GRAMMY® awards and the US National Medal of Arts. She has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Super Bowl.

A World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health and 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree, she starred recently in the world premiere staging of The Hours, a new opera based on the prize-winning novel and film, at the Metropolitan Opera, and she portrayed Pat Nixon in a new production of Nixon in China at the Paris Opera last spring. She won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo Album for Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene.

A leading advocate for research at the intersection of arts and health, Renée launched the first ongoing collaboration between The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the NIH. She is a founding advisor for the Sound Health Network at UCSF.

Peter Hillary, speaker Peter Hillary’s father, Sir Edmund Hillary, made the first ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 with his climbing partner, Tenzing Norgay. That expedition would launch the Hillary family on extraordinary journeys through the Himalayas and around the world, and inspire a life of philanthropy.

Peter has been on 50 mountaineering expeditions around the world, including five on Mt. Everest and the other six of the world’s tallest peaks, the “Seven Summits.” He became the first second-generation summiteer to reach the top of the world’s highest mountain. In 2003 he made his second ascent of Everest alongside Pete Athans and Jamling Norgay, the son of Tenzing, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of their fathers’ world-record-setting climb. Peter went on to create his own firsts, trekking to the South Pole on skis, forging a new route across the sensory-deprived ice plateau of Antarctica. Peter chairs the Himalayan Trust, a nonprofit organization his father founded to provide health, environment, and education services for the people in the Himalayas, which has built 42 schools and hospitals at the foot of Mt. Everest—all programs at the request of the local people with their cooperation—and now runs educational programs at 80 schools. Peter has written seven books and made numerous documentaries, including two for National Geographic, and leads adventure travel expeditions worldwide.

ARTIST PROFILES

Arthur & Lucas Jussen, pianos

Joel Ross, vibraphone

Dutch brothers Lucas (30) and Arthur Jussen (27) have performed with orchestras such as the Boston Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestras, Concertgebouworkest, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, as well as Montréal, Sydney, Singapore, and Shanghai symphony orchestras. They collaborate with renowned conductors such as Andris Nelsons, Christoph Eschenbach, Iván Fischer, Valery Gergiev, Sir Neville Marriner, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Jaap van Zweden.

In 2022, they made their debuts at the Tanglewood Festival (USA). Together with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Andris Nelsons, they gave the US premiere of “Anka kuşu” (Phoenix) for piano fourhands and orchestra, written for them by Fazıl Say. Most recently they toured Europe with the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Ivan Fischer. Guest engagements in 2022–23 take them to Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and as Artists-in-Residence with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. In recitals, the duo can be seen in Berlin, London, Paris, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Essen, and Dortmund. They have recorded exclusively with Deutsche Grammophon since 2010.

Joel Ross continues refining an expression that’s true to his sound and his generation.

In 2019, the vibraphonistcomposer issued his anticipated Blue Note debut, Edison Awardwinning record, KingMaker to critical acclaim, followed by his 2020 release Who Are You?, which features his band, Good Vibes, at their most synchronous. New York Times critic Giovanni Russonello praised the album for the ways it “speaks to a new level of group cohesion... more tangle, more sharing, more possibility.” The Parable of the Poet, Ross’ third release for Blue Note Records, explores feelings of self-awareness—confidence, doubt, regret, and forgiveness—through storytelling and retelling.

Using collaborative improvising, collective melody, and instrumental features, the bandleader spotlights fellow artists Immanuel Wilkins, Maria Grand, Marquis Hill, Kalia Vandever, Sean Mason, Rick Rosato, Craig Weinrib, and returning special guest Gabrielle Garo.

Andy Mann, speaker Andy Mann is an Emmynominated director, 12-time Telly Award winner, National Geographic photographer, and marine conservationist. In 2013, while Andy was working with National Geographic Pristine Seas, the Russian Geographic Society awarded the program the Crystal Compass Award for the storytelling that led to the designation of the world’s largest Arctic national park, in Franz Josef Land, Russia.

In 2015, he directed the first Oceano Azul Foundation expedition to Azores, resulting in the declaration of 150,000 square kilometers of new marine protected area in the Azorean Sea. His work in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean in 2018–21 helped create the world’s first international marine protected area. A public speaker and songwriter, Andy also helped launch nonprofit SeaLegacy with Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier and leads the organization’s impact media team.

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Kendrick Scott, drums Kendrick Scott was born in Houston, TX, and grew up in a family of musicians. By age 8 he had taken up the drums and while still in high school, he won several DownBeat Magazine student awards, as well as the Clifford Brown/ Stan Getz Award from the International Association of Jazz Educators. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. Scott has toured with Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, The Crusaders, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Elling, and Terence Blanchard, also appearing on several of the trumpeter’s Blue Note albums including Flow (2005), A Tale of God’s Will (2007), and Magnetic (2013). Scott’s first two releases on Blue Note as a leader presented his band: We Are the Drum (2015) and A Wall Becomes a Bridge (2019). Scott was also a member of the Blue Note All-Stars, a supergroup formed for the label’s 75th Anniversary featuring Ambrose Akinmusire, Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, Lionel Loueke, and Marcus Strickland. Scott’s 2023 Blue Note album Corridors finds him paring down to a trio with saxophonist Walter Smith III and bassist Reuben Rogers.

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ARTIST PROFILES

Immanuel Wilkins, alto sax The music of saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is filled with empathy and conviction, bonding arcs of melody and lamentation to pluming gestures of space and breath. Listeners were introduced to this Wilkins with his acclaimed debut album, Omega, which was named the #1 Jazz Album of 2020 by The New York Times. The album also introduced his quartet with Micah Thomas on piano, Daryl Johns on bass, and Kweku Sumbry on drums, a tight-knit unit that Wilkins features once again on his sophomore album The 7th Hand, exploring relationships between presence and nothingness across an hour-long suite comprised of seven movements.

Tony Siqi Yun, piano The Canadian-born pianist Tony Siqi Yun this season made his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He first met Maestro Nézet-Séguin in the final round of the inaugural China International Music Competition in 2019, where he went on to win First Prize and a Gold Medal performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1. Other recent concerto performances have included the Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto, Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal, and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. Tony regularly performs solo recitals in both Europe and North America. Recent and future highlights include his debuts at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Düsseldorf, and in North America the Vancouver Recital Society and Gilmore Rising Stars Series. He was awarded two prizes at the Kissinger KlavierOlymp in 2022. Tony has a longstanding relationship with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he has toured and also appeared as soloist in the 2019 CCT New Year’s Concert. He has also performed with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

46 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

Winter Season 2023–24 Prelude Lecturers, Interviewers, and Performers Kristi Brown Montesano, Piano Series lecturer

Molly Puryear, Dance Series interviewer

Michael Gerdes, Revelle Chamber Music and Recital Series lecturer

The Colburn School, Discovery Series Musical Preludes

Chair of the Music History Department at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, Kristi Brown Montesano is an enthusiastic “public musicologist.” She is an active lecturer for the LA Philharmonic, the Opera League of Los Angeles, the Salon de Musiques series, and Mason House Concerts. Her book, The Women of Mozart’s Operas (UC Press, 2007), offers a detailed study of these fascinating roles; more recent scholarly interests include classical music in film, women in classical music, and opera for children.

Michael Gerdes is Director of Orchestras at San Diego State University, where he conducts the San Diego State Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Selected by the San Diego Union-Tribune as one of three “Faces to Watch in Classical Music” during his first year as Director of Orchestras, Gerdes is focused on creating a thriving orchestral community at San Diego State University.

Robert John Hughes, Jazz Series interviewer

Journalist, broadcaster, musician, author, and record producer Robert John Hughes has interviewed hundreds of musical artists in classical, jazz, pop, rock, R&B, and blues, including Sting, Wynton Marsalis, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Adele, and Peter Gabriel. As a record producer and member of the GRAMMY® Academy, Hughes has released five albums of live performances by artists heard on San Diego FM station 102.1 KPRi. Hughes has hosted La Jolla Music Society Preludes since 2018.

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Molly Puryear brings passion for dance and nonprofit administration to her position as Executive Director of Malashock Dance. Puryear has worked with Malashock Dance since 2006, and previously served in the role of Education Director.

She strategically aligns artistic and educational efforts to create a dynamic relationship between programs, the communities they serve, and the organization’s valuable funders. Puryear is committed to serving the San Diego community through the development and administration of vibrant dance programs. She believes that dance is an avenue for personal expression that engages people from all walks of life.

A performing arts institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, the Colburn School trains students from beginners to those about to embark on professional careers.

The academic units of the school provide a complete spectrum of music and dance education united by a single philosophy: that all who desire to study music or dance should have access to top-level instruction. Each year, nearly 2,000 students from around the world come to Colburn to benefit from the renowned faculty, exceptional facilities, and focus on excellence that unites the community. colburnschool.edu

PHOTO CREDITS: Cover: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo © Zoran Jelenic; Pg. 11: The Baker-Baum Concert Hall courtesy of The Conrad; Pg.12: The Baker-Baum Concert Hall © Steve Uzzell; Pg.16: L. Rosenthal © Sam Zauscher; Pg.17: P. Hillary courtesy of artist; Pg.18: T. Siqi Yun © Dario Acosta, L. Jussen, A. Jussen © Marco Borggreve Pg.26: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo © Zoran Jelenic; Pg.29: Balourdet Quartet courtesy of artist; Pg.32: The Blue Note Quintet courtesy of artist; Pg.33: R. Fleming © Andrew Eccles, I. Barnatan © Marco Borggreve; Pg.38: Arod Quartet © Julien Benhamou; Pg.41: Polar Bear © Andy Mann; Pg.42-43: Arod Quartet © Julien Benhamou, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo © Zoran Jelenic, Balourdet Quartet courtesy of artist, I. Barnatan © courtesy of artist, M. Brewer © Jimmy Katz, G. Clayton © Ogata, R. Fleming © Andrew Eccles, P. Hillary courtesy of artist; Pg.44-45: A. Jussen, L. Jussen © Marco Borggreve, A. Mann courtesy of artist, J. Ross courtesy of artist, K. Scott © Justin Bettman, I. Wilkins © Rog Walker, T. Siqi Yun © Dario Acosta; Pg. 46: K. Brown Montesano © Elisa Ferrari, M .Gerdes courtesy of artist, R.J. Hughes courtesy of artist, M. Puryear courtesy of artist; Back Cover: Nrityagram Dance Ensemble © Sujith Kumar

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CELEBRATING LATIN ARTISTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE! Friday, April 19, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

DAYRAMIR GONZALEZ & HABANA enTRANCé The JAI

Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, Cuban pianist Dayramir González has gone on to win three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album, Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé. Hear this Latin Jazz phenomenon in our cabaret-style space with table service, cocktails, and small bites!

Thursday, May 16, 2024 • 7:30 PM

PABLO FERRÁNDEZ, cello The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

The prize-winning Spanish cellist returns to The Conrad playing works by Bruch, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Franck. A captivating performer, “Ferrández has the lot: technique, mettle, spirit, authority as a soloist, expressivity and charm” (El País).

Saturday, June 1, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM

LARRY & JOE The JAI

Venezuelan joropo maestro Larry Bellorín and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass star Joe Troop fuse their respective North and South American folk traditions to prove that music has no borders.

Their bilingual program in English and Spanish includes storytelling, humor, and sing-alongs for a unique evening you won’t soon forget.

For tickets and details visit TheConrad.org 48 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

CONCERTS @ THE JAI TATIANA EVA-MARIE & AVALON JAZZ BAND DISCOVERY ARTIST

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM Growing up, Tatiana Eva-Marie was influenced by her father’s New Orleans jazz records and her mother’s heritage of Klezmer and Romany folk music. Acclaimed as a “millennial shaking up the jazz scene” by Vanity Fair, who included her in a list of rising jazz stars alongside Cyrille Aimée and Cécile McLorin Salvant, Eva-Marie’s original arrangements and lyrics are inspired by her French and Romany heritage and her love for the Parisian art scene of the 1920s to 1960s.

LAKECIA BENJAMIN AND PHOENIX SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2024 5 PM & 7:30 PM

Voted “Rising Star Alto Saxophonist” in the 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll and “Up and Coming Artist of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association, charismatic and dynamic young saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin fuses traditional conceptions of jazz, hip hop, and soul. For this JAI debut, Benjamin features the quartet from her 2023 release Phoenix, an album that also featured cameos by some of Benjamin’s heroes including Wayne Shorter, Angela Davis, Dianne Reeves, and Patrice Rushen.

CLARICE & SÉRGIO ASSAD

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE TRIO

The musical history of the Assad Family began in the 1950s with Seu Jorge, a self-taught mandolinist, and his wife Dona Ica, praised by the LA Times as “The Billie Holiday of Brazil.” Together they passed on to their children, Sérgio, Odair and Badi, their passion for music, but they never imagined that it would blossom into the phenomenon that would make Assad musicians known all over the world.

Now Sérgio and Clarice, a composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist in her own right, bring this legacy of brilliance to The JAI.

During his 15-year career, Ambrose Akinmusire has paradoxically situated himself in both the center and the periphery of jazz, masterfully weaving inspiration from other genres, arts, and life in general into compositions that are as poetic and graceful as they are bold and unflinching. In July 2023 he was named Artistic Director of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024 6 PM AND 8:30 PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM

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CONCERTS @ THE JAI KINGS RETURN

MEOW MEOW

Kings Return made a triumphant SummerFest debut in 2021, bringing audiences to their feet with their a cappella stylings inspired by gospel, jazz, R&B, soul, and classical music. The group became internet sensations in 2016 when they started posting videos to social media from the stairwell where they rehearsed and now have more than 10 million views across digital platforms.

“Post-post-modern diva” Meow Meow has hypnotized and inspired audiences globally with unique creations and sellout seasons, from New York’s Lincoln Center and Berlin’s Bar Jeder Vernunft to London’s West End and the Sydney Opera House, specializing in the Weimar repertoire and French chanson. Named one of the “Top Performers of the Year” by The New Yorker, this spectacular artist has been called “sensational” (The Times), a “diva of the highest order” (New York Post), and “a phenomenon” by the Australian press.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2024 5 PM & 7:30 PM

DAYRAMIR GONZÁLEZ & HABANA enTRANCé

LARRY & JOE

Cuban piano phenomenon Dayramir González began his professional career as a pianist and composer with former Irakere member Chucho Valdés’ Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Diákara at the age of 16. Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, González has gone on to win three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album, Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé, and the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for most outstanding jazz composer.

Venezuelan joropo maestro Larry Bellorín and GRAMMYnominated bluegrass and oldtime star Joe Troop from North Carolina are two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists who fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas to prove that music has no borders. Their bilingual program in English and Spanish includes storytelling, humor, and singalongs for a unique evening you won’t soon forget.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM

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SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM

CONCERTS @ THE JAI CHARLES & FRIENDS FEATURING JOHN BEASLEY AND THE NEXT GENERATION SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024 6 PM & 8:30 PM

Our inaugural Jazz @ The JAI Guest Curator, legendary award-winning saxophonist Charles McPherson, and John Beasley, two-time GRAMMY winner, pianist, and composer, curate a program from Duke Ellington through the eras of jazz up to what’s happening now. John Beasley is joined by a roster of rising star jazz artists.

John Beasley, piano; Giveton Gelin, trumpet; Erena Terakubo, alto saxophone; Russell Hall, bass; Anthony Fung, drums

CHARLES & FRIENDS FEATURING THE CHARLES McPHERSON QUINTET SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 5 PM & 7:30 PM

Our jazz Guest Curator Charles McPhersons’ New York band performs all over the world and is acclaimed by audiences everywhere. Now the internationally renowned legend brings the best jazz musicians on the scene together for two intimate shows in The JAI, celebrating their new CD release.

Charles McPherson, saxophone; Terell Stafford, trumpet; David Wong, bass; Jeb Patton, piano; Lewis Nash, drums

La Jolla Music Society is proud to partner with GRNFC Hospitality Group, founded by one of San Diego’s most established chef/restaurateurs, Giuseppe Ciuffa.

Enjoy a savory small bites menu, delicious cocktails, and the opportunity to order before you arrive!

Giuseppe’s at The Conrad is the perfect culinary pairing to your musical experience.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CONCERTS DOWNTOWN 50TH ANNIVERSARY LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 · 7:30 PM BALBOA THEATRE

Look no further for top-notch ballet that’s also uproariously funny! The world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company, famed for performing en travesti and on pointe, is back with another sensational program spoofing some of your favorite works—for the first time in San Diego. The virtuosity and technical prowess of these dancers amaze even as they exaggerate the foibles, accidents, and underlying incongruities of serious dance. As pioneers of diversity and acceptance, the Trocks’ mission continues: to bring the pleasure of dance to the widest possible audience.

HERBIE HANCOCK

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 · 7:30 PM BALBOA THEATRE Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 GRAMMY Awards, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe.

BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL DANCE ME MUSIC BY LEONARD COHEN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2024 · 7:30 PM CIVIC THEATRE Under Louis Robitaille’s artistic direction, in collaboration with stage director Eric Jean and 14 dazzling dancers, three international choreographers—Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Ihsan Rustem—evoke in “five seasons” the grand cycles of existence, as captured in the music and poems of Leonard Cohen. The revered torch singer’s words find new expression through dance in this stylish, sexy, and innovative program, which received Cohen’s blessing before he passed.

52 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

SPEAKER series PETER HILLARY

70 YEARS OF EVEREST

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL A true lifetime adventurer, Peter Hillary has been on 50 mountaineering expeditions around the world, including five on Mount Everest and the other six tallest peaks of the world, the “Seven Summits.” Peter chairs the Himalayan Trust, a nonprofit organization his father founded to provide health, environment, and education services for the people in the Himalayas. As the author of seven books about his life of adventure and hands-on philanthropy, Peter has stories to share! He’s also made numerous documentaries, including two for National Geographic, as he leads adventure travel expeditions worldwide.

ANDY MANN

MAKING WAVES: SUMMIT TO SEA

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL Experience the wonder of our underwater world through riveting stories by Emmy Award-nominated director, Nat Geo photographer, and accomplished musician Andy Mann. For the past decade, Andy has traveled the seven seas to show the interconnectedness of our planet.His work has enabled the protection of large sections of wilderness, including the world’s largest Arctic National Park in Franz Josef Land.

TERRY VIRTS

HOW TO ASTRONAUT

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL Terry Virts retired from the space program after having achieved nearly everything he ever dreamed possible, including serving in the U.S. Air Force as an F-16 fighter and test pilot, piloting the Space Shuttle Endeavour, serving as Commander for the International Space Station, and conducting three spacewalks during a 200-day mission in 2014 and 2015. During his seven months in space, he took more than 300,000 photographs and hours of video—the most of any space mission before or since. These images form the backbone of the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet featuring Terry and narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, and were featured in National Geographic’s book View from Above. Join Terry to hear his reflections on spaceflight, stewardship of life on earth, and our place in the cosmos.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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The ConRAD Kids series

ALPHABET ROCKERS

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024 · 3 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL GRAMMY WINNERS + FOUR-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEES BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM 2023

Alphabet Rockers make music that makes change! Founded by Kaitlin McGaw (she/her) and Tommy Shepherd (he/him/they), this intergenerational group creates brave spaces to shape a more equitable world through hip hop. You and your little ones will explore elements of hip hop together, have shared moments to express and uplift affirmations and reflections, and get your bodies MOVING in celebration and joy!

KAKI KING

SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024 · 10 AM & 11:30 AM THE JAI A new LJMS commission sees one of the most acclaimed rock guitarists creating a show all about the wild and wonderful world of BUGS! Composer and musician Kaki King is considered one of the world’s greatest living guitarists, known both for her technical mastery and for her constant quest to push the boundaries of the instrument. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “a genre unto herself,” Kaki has released nine albums and toured extensively, presenting in such prestigious arts centers as the Kennedy Center, MoMA, LACMA, The Met and Smithsonian Design Museum. She has created music for numerous film and TV soundtracks, including August Rush and Into the Wild, for which received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score. Now she brings her formidable talents to The Conrad in an exciting and fun show all about bugs, to delight kids and adults alike.

54 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

JAZZ PIANO MINI FESTIVAL In honor of JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH In April, the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month. To honor the legacy and history of this music, we have curated a weekend of performances by some of the most revered jazz pianists of our time as well as masterclasses, panel discussions and more taking place at The Conrad and throughout San Diego.

HERBIE HANCOCK

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 · 7:30 PM BALBOA THEATRE Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 GRAMMY Awards, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe.

DAYRAMIR GONZÁLEZ & HABANA enTRANCé

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024 · 6 PM & 8:30 PM THE JAI

Cuban piano phenomenon Dayramir González began his professional career as a pianist and composer with former Irakere member Chucho Valdés’ Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Diákara at the age of 16. Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, González has gone on to win three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album, Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé, and the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for most outstanding jazz composer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HIROMI

sonicwonder

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024 · 7:30 PM THE BAKER- BAUM CONCERT HALL

Ever since the 2003 release of her groundbreaking debut, Another Mind, pianist Hiromi has astonished audiences with a creative energy that eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical, and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication. Taking the stage as part of the electrified four-piece ensemble sonicwonder, Hiromi builds on the spark of collaboration to create something magnificent.

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THANK YOU! The wonderful array of musical activity that La Jolla Music Society offers would not be possible without support from its family of donors. Your contributions to La Jolla Music Society help bridge the gap between income from ticket sales and the total cost to present the finest musicians and the best chamber music repertoire in San Diego.

Your generosity also supports our programs in the local schools and throughout the community.

On the following pages La Jolla Music Society pays tribute to you, the leading players who make it possible to share the magic of the performing arts with our community.

56 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

ANNUAL SUPPORT

ANNUAL SUPPORT

La Jolla Music Society depends on contributed income for more than 60% of its annual budget. We are grateful to all of our contributors who share our enthusiams and passion for the arts. Every donor is a valued partner and they make it possible for one of San Diego’s premier music organization to present year-round.

It is our honor to recognize the following donors.

FOUNDER Brenda Baker and Steve Baum ($250,000 and above) Wendy Brody Estate The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture Joan and Irwin Jacobs The Conrad Prebys Foundation ANGEL Raffaella and John Belanich Mary Ellen Clark Lynda Fox Estate Dorothea Laub Debra Turner Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai

($100,000 - $249,999)

BENEFACTOR Ric and Eleanor Charlton ($50,000-$99,999) Peter Cooper and Erik Matwijkow Julie and Bert Cornelison Silvija and Brian Devine Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon Lehn and Richard Goetz Angelina and Fredrick Kleinbub Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong Marge and Neal Schmale Joyce and Ted Strauss Family Trust Sue and Peter Wagener Anna and Edward Yeung Bebe and Marvin Zigman TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ANNUAL SUPPORT

GUARANTOR

($25,000 - $49,999)

Mary Ann Beyster Gordon Brodfuehrer Marla Bingham and Gary Gallagher Barbara Enberg Jennifer and Kurt Eve Ingrid and Ted Friedmann Jeanne Herberger John Hesselink Susan and Bill Hoehn Helen and Keith Kim The Lodge at Torrey Pines Viviana and Enrique Lombrozo Sue and John Major Arlene and Lou Navias Jeanne and Rick Norling Peggy and Peter Preuss Steven and Sylvia Ré Sheryl and Bob Scarano Sempra Energy Jeanette Stevens Haeyoung Tang Vail Memorial Fund Lise Wilson and Steve Strauss

SUSTAINER

($15,000 - $24,999)

Judith Bachner and Dr. Eric L. Lasley Banc of California | Stephen Gamp Katherine and Dane Chapin Cafe Coyote and Rancho Coyote Wines Sharon L. Cohen Ellise and Michael Coit County of San Diego Community Enhancement Fund Jendy Dennis Endowment Fund Martha and Ed Dennis Ann Parode Dynes and Robert Dynes Monica Fimbres Debby and Wain Fishburn Pam and Hal Fuson Brenda and Michael Goldbaum

58 THE CONRAD | HOME OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2023-24 SEASON

Teresa and Harry Hixson Helen and Keith Kim Las Patronas Diana and Eli Lombrozo Monarch Cottage Arman Oruc and Dagmar Smek ProtoStar Foundation Thomas Rasmussen and Clayton Lewis Stacy and Don Rosenberg Stephanie and Nick Stone Elizabeth Taft Abby and Ray Weiss

SUPPORTER

($10,000 - $14,999)

Anonymous Alison Alpert Dede and Mike Alpert Celeste and Timothy Bailey Jeffrey Barnouw Jim Beyster Bjorn Bjerede and Jo Kiernan Boys and Girls Foundation Gordon Brodfuehrer Goldman Sachs Raymond Chinn Valerie and Harry Cooper Una Davis and Jack McGrory Nina and Robert Doede Sue and Chris Fan Joy Frieman Wendy Frieman ResMed Foundation Leigh P. Ryan Dr. Seuss Foundation Maureen and Thomas Shiftan June and Dr. Bob Shillman Susan Shirk and Samuel Popkin Thalassa Journey LLC Dolly and Victor Woo

ANNUAL SUPPORT

AMBASSADOR ($5,000 - $9,999)

Anonymous (3) Julie and Edgar Berner Ginny and Bob Black Karen and Jim Brailean Isabel and Stuart Brown Janice and Nelson Byrne Lisa and David Casey Bill Coltellaro and Eric Cohen George and Tallie Dennis Nina and Robert Doede The Hon. Diana Lady Dougan JWDA Architects Sarah and Mike Garrison Buzz and Peg Gitelson Lisa Braun Glazer and Jeff Glazer Molly and Thomas Grieco Margaret Stevens Grossman and Michael Grossman Richard Harris and Sonya Celeste-Harris Pati Heestand Norma Hidalgo-Del Rio Barbara and Paul Hirshman Elisa and Rick Jaime Theresa Jarvis Barbara Kjos Marilee and Peter Kovacs Carol Lazier and Jay Merritt Sylvia Liwerant Kathleen and Ken Lundgren Jain Malkin Marilyn and Stephen Miles Gail and Edward Miller Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation Elaine and Doug Muchmore Joyce and Ron Nelson Shelby and Courtland Palmer Marina and Rafael Pastor Linda Platt Vivien Ressler Catherine Rivier James Robbins and Jill Esterbrooks Kathleen Roche-Tansey and David Tansey Patty Levaur Rome Clifford Schireson and John Venekamp Todd R. Schultz Reesey and David Shaw Gigi and Joe Shurman TABLE OF CONTENTS

Gerald and Susan Slavet Diane and DJ Smith Beverly and Alan Springer Gloria and Rod Stone Susan and Richard Ulevitch Ayse Underhill Jo and Howard Weiner Lisa Widmier Shara Williams and Benjamin Brand Mary and Joseph Witztum

AFICIONADO ($2,500 - $4,999)

Judith Adler Emily and Barry Berkov Carolyn and Giovanni Bertussi Li-Rong Lilly Chen June Chocheles Debbe Deverill Diane and Elliot Feuerstein Richard Forsyth Virginia Graham Carrie Greenstein Rossina Grieco Cheryl Hintzen-Gaines and Ira Gaines Susan and David Kabakoff Christine and Charles Lo Daphne Nan Muchnic Nancy Linke Patton and Rip Patton Robert and Allison Price Carol Randolph and Robert Caplan Eva and Doug Richman Jonathan Scheff Jathan Segur Gwynn Thomas Diana and Roger Van Duzer Mary Walshok Western States Arts Federation Armi and Al Williams Carol Young Betty Zeng

ASSOCIATE

($1,000 - $2,499)

Anonymous (2) Axel's Gift Jadwiga Alexiewicz

Sue Andreasen Arleene Antin and Leonard Ozerkis Joan Jordan Bernstein William Boggs Carol and Jeff Chang Kathleen Charla Anthony Chong and Annette Nguyen Chong Ann Craig Linda and Wallace Dieckmann Lu Dai Caroline DeMar Renée and James Dunford Girard Foundation Lynn Gorguze and Scott Peters Warren Green Andrea Harris Laura and Geoffrey Hueter Audrey Jacobs Dwight Kellogg Sallay and Tae Kim Melvin Knyper James Kralik Jain Malkin Eileen A. Mason Margaret McKeown and Peter Cowhey Ted McKinney Susan and Doug McLeod William Miller and Ida Houby Sandra Miner Norman Needel Ursula Pfeffer Virginia Oliver William Pitts and Mary Sophos Sandra Redman Cristina and Victor Saldivar Anne and Ronald Simon William Smith and Carol Harter Joanne Snider Phyllis and David Snyder Jean Sullivan Daniel Swain Victor A. Van Lint Yvonne Vaucher Erika Walter Karen Walter Patricia and Christopher Weil Bart Ziegler

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ANNUAL SUPPORT

FRIEND

($500 - $999)

Anonymous (3) K Andrew Achterkirchen The Leonard B. and Martha M. Allen Fund Gene and Mary Barduson Abdul Rahman Bitar DeAnn Cary Kathleen Charla Elizabeth Clarquist Edwin Chen David R. Child Jeanette Day Linda and Rick Dicker Kim Doren Jeane Erley Ferdinand Marcus Gasang Mary Gegax Cynthia and Tom Goodman Jeff and Patt Hall Lulu Hsa Sofia and Leon Kassel Kathleen Kovacs Carol Lynne Krumhansl Lewis Leicher Greg Lemke Ruth and Ronald Leonardi Charles Letourneau Gerald and Ann Lipschitz Linda and Michael Mann Lynn and Charles McPherson Desiree Michelle Esther Nahama Rosalva Parada Sigrid Pate Paula M. Pottinger Sharon Rearwin and Tom Delmer Esther Rodriguez Teri Rodriguez Denise Selati

Tom Son and Eunmi Lee Leland and Annemarie Sprinkle Lester Stiel Anne Turhollow Karen L. Valentino Paul Viani Suhaila White Joyce Williams LaShawn C. Williams Marty and Olivia Winkler Barbara and Michel Zelnick

ENTHUSIAST ($250 - $499)

Anonymous Robin Allgren Kristin Alpert Bruce H. Athon Steve Axel Mary Lonsdale Baker Abdul Rahman Bitar Scott Brinkerhoff Marc Brown Kathy Chambery Tiffany Chow Amy Corton Sue Dramm Robert C. Fahey Derek Floyd L. Michael Foley Claire Friedman Bruce Galanter Hany Magdy Girgis John Graul Margie and Paul Grossman Phyllis and Gordon Harris Vivian and Greg Hook David K. Jordan H. and Susan Koshkarian

Patricia M. Lending Jayne Lindberg Robin Lipman Marti Kutnik Carolynn La Pierre Pamela and Martin Morris Brigitte and Richard Obetz Antje Olivie Renee Levine Packer Timothy Palmer Carol Plantamura William Purves and Don Schmidt Ellen M. Quandahl Rick Rand Jean-Luc and Jaqueline Robert Laura A. Romero Barbara Rosen Carolyn Rynard Arlene and Peter Sacks Cristina and Victor Saldivar James F. Sallis Alice and Brad Saunders Deborah Serra Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz Lee Talner Monica Valdez N.B. Varlotta Suzanne Weiner Ms. Joyce Williams

This list is current as of December 1, 2023. We regret any errors.

Please contact Annie Delleman at ADelleman@TheConrad.org or 858.526.3445 to make a correction which will be reflected in the next program book.

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MEDALLION SOCIETY CROWN JEWEL

SAPPHIRE

Brenda Baker and Steve Baum Joan and Irwin Jacobs

Raymond Chinn John Hesselink Helen and Keith Kim Elizabeth Taft Bebe and Marvin Zigman

DIAMOND Raffaella and John Belanich Mary Ellen Clark Dorothea Laub Debra Turner

RUBY Julie and Bert Cornelison Silvija and Brian Devine Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon Angelina and Fred Kleinbub Vivian Lim and Joseph Wong Sue and Peter Wagener

EMERALD Barbara Enberg Arlene and Louis Navias

GARNET Pam and Hal Fuson Peggy and Peter Preuss Anna and Edward Yeung

TOPAZ Anonymous Mary Ann Beyster Virginia and Robert Black James C. and Karen A. Brailean Buzz and Peg Gitelson Lisa Braun-Glazer and Jeff Glazer Margaret Stevens Grossman and Michael Grossman Theresa Jarvis Kathleen and Ken Lundgren Elaine and Doug Muchmore Don and Stacy Rosenberg Leigh P. Ryan Sheryl and Bob Scarano Neal and Marge Schmale Susan and Gerald Slavet Diane and DJ Smith Jeanette Stevens Gloria and Rodney Stone Susan and Richard Ulevitch Shara Williams and Benjamin Brand Dolly and Victor Woo

We are honored to have this extraordinary group of friends who have made multi-year commitments to La Jolla Music Society, ensuring that the artistic quality and vision we bring to the community continues to grow.

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DANCE SOCIETY

GIFTS IN HONOR/MEMORY

GRANDE JETÉ

HONORARIA

Elaine Galinson and Herbert Solomon Bebe and Marvin Zigman

In Memory of Bjorn Bjerede:

JETÉ Marla Bingham and Gary Gallagher

ARABESQUE Ellise and Michael Coit Jeanette Stevens

Anonymous Ferdinand Marcus Gasang James Hobza Michael Laprey Patricia Laprey Amy and Bill Morris Annemarie and Leland Sprinkle

In Memory of George Damoose: Ferdinand Marcus Gasang Margie and Paul Grossman Mary Manak Pamela and Martin Morris

POINTE Carolyn Bertussi

In Memory of Selma Malk: Ann and Gerald Lipschitz

In Memory of Joanne Snider: Ferdinand Marcus Gasang Jud, Lee Ann, and Tyler Groshong Glenn Moiser Kevin Pearson and Stephen Murphy Renee Roth Reissa Schrager-Cole and Hilary Cole Kerry Symonds Dolly and Victor Woo

We are grateful for each patron for their passion and support of our dance programs.

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PLANNED GIVING / ENDOWMENT LEGACY SOCIETY Anonymous (2) Brenda Baker and Steve Baum June L. Bengston* Joan Jordan Bernstein Bjorn Bjerede and Jo Kiernan Dr. James C. and Karen A. Brailean Gordon Brodfuehrer Wendy Brody* Barbara Buskin* Trevor Callan Geoff and Shem Clow Anne and Robert Conn George and Cari Damoose* Teresa and Merle Fischlowitz Lynda Fox* Ted and Ingrid Friedmann Joy and Ed* Frieman Sally Fuller Maxwell H. and Muriel S. Gluck* Dr. Trude Hollander* Eric Lasley Theodora Lewis* Joani Nelson* Maria and Dr. Philippe Prokocimer Bill Purves Darren and Bree Reinig Jay W. Richen* Leigh P. Ryan Jack* and Joan Salb* Johanna Schiavoni Pat Shank

Drs. Joseph and Gloria Shurman Karen and Christopher Sickels Todd R. Schultz Jeanette Stevens Elizabeth and Joseph* Taft Norma Jo Thomas Dr. Yvonne E. Vaucher Lucy and Ruprecht von Buttlar Ronald Wakefield John B. and Cathy Weil Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome and H. Barden Wellcome* Karl and Joan Zeisler Josephine Zolin

REMEMBERING LJMS IN YOUR WILL It is easy to make a bequest to La Jolla Music Society, and no amount is too small to make a difference.

Here is a sample of language that can be incorporated into your will: “I hereby give ___% of my estate (or specific assets) to La Jolla Music Society, Tax ID 23-7148171, 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, CA 92037, for its artistic programs (or education, general operating, or where needed most).”

Then, please contact Ferdinand Gasang at FGasang@TheConrad.org or 858.526.3426 and let him know you have included LJMS in your estate plans.

The Legacy Society recognizes those generous individuals who have chosen to provide for La Jolla Music Society’s future. Members have remembered La Jolla Music Society in their estate plans in many ways — through their wills, retirement gifts, life income plans, and many other creative planned giving arrangements. We thank them for their vision and hope you will join this very special group of friends. If you have included LJMS in your estate plans, please let us know so we may recognize you. Contact Ferdinand Gasang at FGasang@TheConrad.org or 858.526.3426. *In memoriam TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FOUNDATION & INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

VAIL MEMORIAL FUND

TERRA LAWSON-REMER San Diego County Supervisor, District 3

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JOE LACAVA

City of San Diego Councilmember, District 1

CORPORATE SUPPORT CORPORATE SPONSORS

CORPORATE PARTNERS

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JOIN OUR FAMILY

For more than 50 years, La Jolla Music Society has nurtured a love of music by keeping one vision in mind: To present diverse programs of great music performed by the best musicians in the world.

Today, that vision has reached beyond the intimate beauty of the chamber music ensemble and into new and diverse offerings such as orchestras, jazz ensembles, dance companies, renowned speakers, and robust education programs.

This impressive growth has been carefully conducted by an active and highly committed volunteer board of directors and dedicated staff. But most importantly, La Jolla Music Society’s progress has been sustained by the generosity of the community and ticket buyers.

...WITH A GIFT TODAY! TheConrad.org/donate To make a donation by phone or if you are interested in sponsoring an artistic or education program, please contact Ferdinand Gasang, Director of Development, at 858.526.3426 or FGasang@TheConrad.org

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LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY

WinterFest Gala with Renée Fleming, Soprano & Inon Barnatan, Piano

Mary Ellen Clark, Gala Chair Raffaella and John Belanich, Honorees Wednesday, February 14, 2024 · 4 PM Concert begins at 8 PM The Conrad TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728

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2019 NINE-TEN SummerFest Program Ad.pdf 1 05/29/2019 9:55:32 AM

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QUALITY SERVICE EXPERIENCE INNOVATION Chairs to China

Linens to Lighting

Tables to Tents

bright.com • 858.496.9700

Proud Supporter of the La Jolla Music Society Los Angeles • West Los Angeles • Santa Barbara • Orange County • San Diego Palm Springs • San Francisco • Sonoma • Saint Helena • Healdsburg • Phoenix

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Foundation

The ResMed Foundation is pleased to support your excellent programs in musical arts education.

Board of Trustees Edward A. Dennis, PhD Chairman

Mary F. Berglund, PhD Treasurer

Peter C. Farrell, PhD, DSc Secretary

Charles G. Cochrane, MD Michael P. Coppola, MD Anthony DeMaria, MD Sir Neil Douglas, MD, DSc, FRCPE Klaus Schindhelm, BE PhD Jonathan Schwartz, MD Kristi Burlingame Executive Director

7514 Girard Avenue, Suite 1-343 La Jolla, CA, USA, 92037

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Tel 858-361-0755

ResMedFoundation.org

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"Candor is La Jolla's hidden gem!"

Brian L. — Tripadvisor

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COMING UP...

MARCH

APRIL

LAWRENCE BROWNLEE*, tenor

JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI* WITH IL POMO D’ORO BEYOND

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 • 7:30 PM Recital Series

Co-produced by San Diego Opera

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024 • 3 PM

The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

MARIA IOUDENITCH*, violin & KENNETH BROBERG*, piano

QUATUOR ÉBÈNE*

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2024 • 3 PM Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

KRONOS FIVE DECADES EVENT KRONOS QUARTET AND SAM GREEN: A Thousand Thoughts FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2024 • 7:30 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

KINGS RETURN

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024 • 7:30 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

ABEL SELAOCOE* & MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE* SIROCCO SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024 • 7 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall *LJMS debut

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024 • 6 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

MEOW MEOW*

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2024 • 5 PM & 7:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI

AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024 • 7:30 PM Jazz Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

ALPHABET ROCKERS*

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024 • 3 PM ConRAD Kids Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

ĀHUTI: NRITYAGRAM* & CHITRASENA*

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024 • 7:30 PM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024 • 7:30 PM Dance Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024 • 7:30 PM Global Roots Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

RAY CHEN, violin & JULIO ELIZALDE*, piano THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024 • 7:30 PM Recital Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

e C o|nHOME r a dOF .LAoJOLLA r g MUSIC · 8SOCIETY 5 8 .· 42023-24 5 9.SEASON 37 2 8 76 TTHEhCONRAD

Ahuti: Nrityagram & Chitrasena