Community Newsletter of the Long Beach Symphony
FALL 2018
In This Issue •
Season Preview:
2018–2019 Season •
Family Concert Returns
•
Vision for the Future Campaign
•
2018–2019 Board of Directors
•
2018–2019 Season Schedule
•
Ovation!
Season Preview: 2018–2019 Season Long Beach Symphony’s 84th Season: A kaleidoscope of sounds that titillates the senses and touches the soul! Long Beach Symphony’s 2018–2019 season under the baton of Music Director Eckart Preu runs from September 29, 2018 through June 8, 2019, with 6 Classical, 5 POPS!, 4 student, and one family concert. Adding a bit of the unorthodox, the new Classical season provides monumental masterworks combined with sizzling new works that let people hear what’s happening now in the world of classical music. Opening night (September 29) is a fusion of contemporary American works in celebration of the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein. In tribute to Bernstein’s fascination with Pop Music, we begin with the frenetic sounds of G-Spot Tornado by Frank Zappa who began his career in Classical music. Zappa thought the work was too difficult for humans to play, so you won’t want to miss the Long Beach
Symphony executing its throbbing motifs! The program then mellows to Gershwin’s jazz-infused Second Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra and his iconic Rhapsody in Blue performed by GRAMMY-nominated pianist Terrence Wilson, before bursting forth with a work called Mothership by living composer Mason Bates (born 1977) who was a Bernstein protégé. Bates’ riveting score offers virtuosic riffs over action-packed electro-acoustic orchestral figuration. This explosive program ends with music by the honoree: Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy outdoor seating, beverage bars and a pre-concert talk by Maestro Preu. Continued on the next page.
2018–2019 Season Preview The
Special Events
Classical
season
continues
on
November 10 with a poignant program of music from the Romantic period that includes a rare work by British composer Lilian Elkington who was inspired by the
October 1, 2018 Twilight on the Green Virginia Country Club December 3, 2018 Long Beach Symphony Golf Classic Virginia Country Club January 31, 2019 Toyota Youth Concerts Terrace Theater February 1, 2019 Toyota Youth Concerts Terrace Theater February 2, 2019 Family Concert Terrace Theater March 23, 2019 Port POPS! Reception Long Beach Arena March 30, 2019 Crescendo 2019 Hotel Maya
May 4, 2019 Lexus Opportunity Drawing Long Beach Arena Dates subject to change.
return of the ship carrying the coffin of the Unknown Soldier. Then, Concertmaster Roger Wilkie will be put to the test in Brahms’ highly virtuosic Violin Concerto
which
will
be
followed
by
Dvořák’s
Symphony No. 7, a work delicately woven
Roger Wilkie, November 10
with Slavonic folk melodies.
On February 2, 2019, lovers of the Classical period will revel in Beethoven’s epic Eroica and a lovely work by the first classical composer of African ancestry, Josef Boulogne, sometimes referred to as “Black Mozart.” On March 9, we’ll explore music of various vintages from Finland, Iceland and Russia beginning with a mesmerizing 1994 work by Finnish composer Rautavaara whose mystical sounds will send you into the cosmos, as well as a work by Gen-Xer Daniel Bjarnason from
Iceland. That leads into the highly sensory April 29 concert that will put you in touch with your inner self via works by Pärt, Mozart, Golijov, and Korngold. Music of pomp and unity rounds out the season on June 8, 2019: Handel’s Royal Fireworks Music and Beethoven’s epic 9th Symphony. The Symphony’s great concerts,
the
POPS!
rollicking
mix
of
indoor-picnic
Series,
food,
are
music
a
and
mingling with friends held in the Long
Beach
Arena ,
which
provides
audiences with a chance to relax with popular
music
performed
by
the
orchestra. Dancing in the Street: A Symphonic
Tribute
to
Motown
introduces the fun on October 6 with silky smooth tunes and moves from that golden era and includes wonderful
Shayna Steele, October 6
vocal performers.
For those new to the POPS! experience, the Symphony recommends choosing tickets in its popular Bistro-style section with 4-top tables perfect for couples and friends. Tables of 10 and stadium-style loge seating are also a popular choice and highly coveted. Regardless of seating preference, all POPS! patrons can bring their own picnics or purchase food and beverages from preferred local caterers listed on the Symphony’s website. Doors open at 6:30 PM to allow time for dining and mingling with friends and the concert begins at 8:00 PM. The Symphony will honor the holiday season on December 22 in a festive concert 2
2018–2019 Season Preview of seasonal favorites guaranteed to put you and your family in the holiday spirit! On February 16, celebrate Valentine's Day weekend with fiery Tango classics featuring award-winning dancers from Argentina and the sultry sound of the bandoneón. Faith: A Tribute to the music of George Michael follows on March 23, conducted by fan-favorite Michael Krajewski who is always full of surprises! To cap off the POPS! season, Cirque Musica will present “Heroes & Villains”, a new Cirque spectacular featuring classical repertoire and popular sci-fi pieces from movies, comics, and television. In addition, the Long Beach Symphony, in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, proudly performs four free symphonic concert fieldtrips for over 12,000 4th and 5th grade students and will have its 2nd Family
Cirque Musica, May 4
Concert on Saturday, February 2, 2019. Tickets to the Symphony’s Classical concerts start at $28 and $29 for POPS! concerts (student tickets $10). Season subscriptions start at $90 for the POPS! Series and $126 for the Classical Series. Subscriber benefits include up to 30% off of single ticket prices, priority seating, 20% off dining discount card, free ticket exchanges and more. For more information, or to purchase tickets and subscriptions, please visit LongBeachSymphony.org or call (562) 436-3203 ext. 1.
Holiday POPS!, December 22
Camille Zamora, February 16
Michael Krajewski, March 23
Hector Del Curto, February 16
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Family Concert Returns for a Second Season Up, Up and Away! An Afternoon of Music — A Lifetime of Memories Long Beach Symphony is launching our second annual Family Concert entitled, Up Up! And Away! on Saturday, February 2nd after a hugely successful first Family Concert last April. Last year’s Family Concert was designed to inspire families to engage with or-
chestral music while spending quality time together and that’s what was successfully accomplished! The concert nearly sold out the 3,000-seat concert hall with families from all over Long Beach experiencing that magic of a professional symphony orchestra. Entitled We Can Be Heroes!, superconductor Eckart Preu along with supersinger, Susan Egan, led a 50minute
interactive,
performance Beethoven,
featuring John
fun
and
music
Williams,
Alan
educational by
Copland,
Silvestri
This year the Ariel Butterflies will treat patrons to a performance on the plaza!
and
sing-alongs to music from Frozen and Moana! Children and families conducted, sang, pantomimed, and danced during the concert and created lifelong memories for them and us! This year’s Family Concert will be a musical afternoon celebrating things that fly from bumblebees to birds, kites to magic carpets, dragons to aliens, and superheroes to starships! Families will be able to enjoy an afternoon of interactive musical activities, sing-alongs, conducting, dancing, and MORE! Family Concert pre- and post-concert activities will be free and open to the public. Pre-concert activities will begin at 12:00 PM, and the full symphonic concert begins at 2:00 PM with the activities resuming after the concert.
General adult concert tickets are $20 each and all children under 18 are free, thanks in part to a grant from the Earl B. & Loraine H. Miller Foundation which has partnered with the Long Beach Symphony to make these concerts accessible to all children throughout the region. This
musical afternoon of singing and conducting will
include works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Holst, Giacchino, and John Williams’ Superman March, E.T. Flying Theme and Nimubs 2000 from Harry Potter. Audiences are encouraged to come dressed in costumes to add to the fun! The Symphony will once again partner with various nonprofit organizations, such as the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, area music stores and other arts organizations to create a festival-like atmosphere with a sensory-friendly story corner, a makers-space Mobile Studio that includes a music-making machine called “Makey Music,” and much more.
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Family Concert Returns for a Second Season
Family Concert tickets are available now through the Symphony box office at (562) 436-3203 ext. 1. Photos courtesy of Caught in the Moment
Come dressed in a costume that flies! Join us for an afternoon of singing and conducting to the music of Superman, E.T., Harry Potter, and more! 5
Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony Vision For the Future Campaign For Artistry | For Community | For Legacy Did You Know?
The Plan
The Long Beach Symphony has its own, separate endowment managed by The Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony which was created in 1984.
The Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony aims to run a two-year campaign to raise $6 million in new funds. Adding $6 million to the endowment would provide as much as $200,000 or more in additional annual distribution to the Long Beach Symphony! This is like adding two major Toyota-level sponsors! To ensure a vibrant and long-lasting Long Beach Symphony, Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony stands ready to assist in structuring a donor’s planned gifts, including bequests, IRA grants, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, and gifts of life insurance. As the campaign launches the Foundation will provide more information on how you can participate. For more information, please contact Genevieve Macias, Executive Director at (562) 436-3203 ext. 226 or at gmacias@LongBeachSymphony.org. The Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with tax ID# 95-3950515
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2018–2019 Board of Directors & Administration OFFICERS
BOARD MEMBERS, continued Margaret Farwell Smith President, Farwell Associates Douglas Smyth Community Leader Brissa Sotelo-Vargas Director, Community Relations & Government Affairs Valero Energy Corporation Michele Vadon Burke, Williams & Sorenson, Attorney W. H. Walker CEO, Farmers and Merchants Bank Sharon Weissman Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Long Beach—Transportation
Paulette Matson, President President and C.E.O., Paulette Barrett Interiors (ret.) Cindy Costello, Treasurer Branch Manager Massingham & Associatest (ret.) Roger Goulette Chief Operating Officer, InspiRD, Inc. (ret.)
BOARD MEMBERS Rob Bellevue Principal, Granite Group, Inc Barbara Blackwell Community Leader John Blumberg Principal, Blumberg Law Corporation Dr. Oliver Brooks Pediatrician Becky Cool CEO/President of The R.M. Cool Company Bill Cusato Boeing, Director - Service Engineering & Operations Center, Commercial Aviation Services Bobbie Cusato Community Leader John Di Carlo Managing Partner, Windes LaDonna DiCamillo Regional AVP of Govt. Affairs, BNSF Railway Company Debra Fults Chief Financial Officer, Wallboard Tool Co., Inc. Charlotte Ginsberg Community Leader Jason Gwin Regional Vice President, Wells Fargo David Hancock Consulting Director, ADI Strategies Dan Hart Virgin Orbit, President & CEO Patricia Hausknost City National Bank, Senior Vice President and Wealth Planner Tracy Hernandez CEO, Los Angeles County Business Foundation Margie Masterson Community Leader Henry Matson President, Matson Development Company Sandor X. Mayuga, Secretary Shareholder, Keesal, Young & Logan Irv Miller Group Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, USA (ret.) Sean Miller Senior V.P. & Chief Investment Officer, Farmers and Merchants Trust Company Randy Mizer Vice President (ret.) Boeing Company Peggy Morse VP for Directed Energy Systems, Boeing Company (ret.) Richard Neri Schulzman-Neri Foundation Jennifer Peterson Community Leader Christopher Pinckney Gunn | Jerkens Marketing Communications Lyn Pohlmann Owner, Pohlmann Piano Jodi Reep President and CEO of Biocell Laboratories, Inc. Barbara Richards Community Leader Nanette M. Salley Senior Vice President, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management Ethel Sanford President, Ovation!! Lee Shoag Realtor, Re/Max College Park Realty
Lynda Sue Marks- Orchestra Liaison Percussionist Jacqueline Suzuki - Orchestra Liaison Violinist
ADMINISTRATION Kelly Lucera Executive Director DEVELOPMENT | MARKETING Genevieve Macias Director of Development and Communications John Cross Associate Director of Patron Engagement Jessica Meyers Administrative Assistant Florita Davis Manager of Sales Robb Belmontez Marketing and Systems Manager Nancy Fox Public Relations and Grant Writer ARTISTIC OPERATIONS | EDUCATION Issy Roberts Director of Operations and Education Connor Bogenreif Manager of Operations and Education Carrie Holzman-Little Orchestra Personnel Manager Daniel Gee Assistant Conductor Mark Fugina Librarian Natalie Do Education Assistant Kristina Rakosh House Manager Robert Echavarria Stage Manager Mario Flores Assistant Stage Manager Steve Schell Piano Technician FINANCE Dana Ramos Director of Finance Katrena Rainey Office Administrator and Finance Assistant LONG BEACH SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION 249 E. Ocean Blvd., Suite 200 Long Beach, CA 90802 Phone: (562) 436-3203 Email: info@LongBeachSymphony.org Web: www.LongBeachSymphony.org
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2018–2019 Classical Series 9.29.18 | OPENING NIGHT: AMERICAN FUSION Eckart Preu, conductor | Terrence Wilson, piano Zappa Gershwin Gershwin Bates Bernstein
G-Spot Tornado Second Rhapsody for Piano & Orchestra Rhapsody in Blue Mothership Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
11.10.18 | BRAHMS & DVOŘÁK Eckart Preu, conductor | Roger Wilkie, violin
Elkington Brahms Dvořák
Out of the Mist Violin Concerto, op. 77, D major Symphony No. 7, op. 70, D minor
2.2.19 | BEETHOVEN’S EROICA Eckart Preu, conductor Boulogne Haydn Beethoven
Overture to L’amant anonyme Symphony No. 85, B-flat major, La Reine Symphony No. 3, op. 55, E-flat major, Eroica
3.9.19 | NORTHERN LIGHTS Eckart Preu, conductor | Joshua Roman, cello Rautavaara Sibelius Sibelius Bjarnason Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 7, Angel of Light Symphony No. 3, op. 52, C major Finlandia, op. 26 Bow to String, Movements 1 & 3 Variations on a Rococo Theme, op. 33
4.27.19 | MOZART’S JUPITER Eckart Preu, conductor | Simone Porter, violin Pärt Mozart Golijov Korngold
Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten Symphony No. 41, C major, Jupiter Sidereus Violin Concerto, op. 35, D major
6.8.19 | SEASON FINALE: BEETHOVEN’S NINTH Eckart Preu, conductor | Long Beach Camerata Singers, chorus Handel Beethoven
Royal Fireworks Music Symphony No. 9, op. 125, D minor
Program and artists subject to change.
Become a subscriber today by visiting www.LongBeachSymphony.org or by calling the Symphony box office at (562) 436-3203 ext. 1.
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2018–2019 POPS! Series 10.6.18 | DANCING IN THE STREET: A SYMPHONIC TRIBUTE TO MOTOWN Jeff Tyzik conductor | Michael Lynche & Shayna Steele, vocals Experience the magic of the music from MOTOWN with authentic arrangements and amazing vocalists that will encourage you to be Dancing in the Street! This concert is not affiliated with Motown Records.
12.22.18 | HOLIDAY POPS! Eckart Preu, conductor | Long Beach Camerata Singers, chorus
It’s the most wonderful time of year to start a new holiday tradition! Join Music Director Eckart Preu, Long Beach Symphony, and The Long Beach Camerata Singers to experience this festive concert of seasonal favorites guaranteed to put you and your family in the holiday spirit. 2.16.19 | TANGO CALIENTE! Robert Istad, conductor | Camille Zamora, soprano | Hector Del Curto, bandoneón Prepare for a night of fiery Tango classics featuring the Orchestra joined by award-winning Argentinian dancers and fall in love with the seductive heart of
Tango. Sponsored by Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg
3.23.19 | FAITH: A SYMPHONIC TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL Michael Krajewski, conductor | Ben Caron, vocals This evening of award-winning music will include George Michael’s biggest hits from his solo career as well as with his group Wham!. Fan-favorite Michael Krajewski will be joined by very special guest artists.
5.4.19 | CIRQUE MUSICA PRESENTS: “HEROES & VILLAINS” Sean O’Loughlin, conductor An exciting and new Cirque spectacular featuring classical repertoire including The Planets and Night on Bald Mountain as well as popular sci-fi pieces from movies, comics and television including The Avengers, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and more. Hear powerful music combined with spellbinding performances. What better way to celebrate “May the 4th Be With You” day! Program and artists subject to change. Presented by
POPS! Series Sponsor Become a subscriber today by visiting www.LongBeachSymphony.org or by calling the Symphony box office at (562) 436-3203 ext. 1. 9
Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony Ovation President’s Message by Ethel Sanfrod September marks the beginning of the Symphony’s new concert season, and I’m sure you join me in looking forward to Maestro Preu’s exciting second season! Opening night for the Classical series is Saturday, Sept. 29, and for the POPS!, Saturday, Oct. 6. We’re off and running, and Ovation volunteers are ready to help after a busy summer!
About Ovation! T h e m i s si o n of th i s organization shall be to support the programs, policies and goals of the Long Beach Symphony through the coordination and facilitation of volunteer activities.
Ovation! 249 E. Ocean Blvd., Suite 200 Long Beach, CA 90802 Tel: (562) 436-3203 Fax: (562) 491-3599 Email: info @LongBeachSymphony.org
Web: LongBeachSymphony.org/ ovation
Ethel Sanford, Ovation President
During the summer, Ovation volunteers took the Symphony’s Instrument Petting Zoo to eight locations (libraries and one park) to share the magic of musical instruments. Children of all ages (and adults!) delighted in holding and playing the violins, trumpets, clarinet, flute, drums (ouch!) and so forth. The “IPZ” will continue to travel to festivals and special events throughout the year, so stay tuned (no pun intended) if you’d like to join the IPZ on an outing. It’s a hoot!
Ovation’s Membership drive began on July 1, and is ongoing. There’s still time to join and have your name listed in our directory, but hurry! Membership renewal information and reminders were emailed, but if you didn’t see yours, please let me or Ovation’s Membership Co-chairs know, or you can go online to LongBeachSymphony.org to join. Membership dues are $40, and the benefits include being involved with an enthusiastic group who assist the Symphony in a myriad of ways, from helping serve refreshments at Symphony rehearsals, to helping host the Symphony’s golf tournament, to ushering at the Toyota Youth Concerts, to name just a few. Ovation members receive notices about volunteer opportunities, invitations to special social events, and are welcome to attend monthly Ovation Council meetings. Ovation Council meets at 4:00 PM on the 4th Wednesday of the month at Marina Pacifica’s HOA Clubhouse. Ovation members are always welcome to attend – and to join a committee on the Council if you can! On a personal note, I want to thank all of the Symphony family for the wonderful support you have given me the past several months since the death of my husband Tom. He loved the Symphony, and served on the Symphony Association board for several years.
With gratitude, Ethel Sanford
Get Involved! The Long Beach Symphony simply wouldn’t exist without a dedicated volunteer force. From the smiling people who greet our patrons at the theater and arena doors, to fund-raising specialists, to the people who lend a helping hand in our offices, the mission and outreach of the Symphony are enriched by the generosity of its community of volunteers. Our valued volunteers are critical in our continued efforts to achieve and maintain the mission of the Long Beach Symphony. It takes hundreds of volunteer hours to make our special events successful and they are made possible with your support. Sign up today to become an Ovation volunteer at LongBeachSymphony.org/Ovation.
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Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony Meet Your Ovation! Board by Renee B. Simon Nearly 20 years ago Ovation evolved from what was once the Symphony Guild. We’ve grown, year by year, in membership, in enthusiasm, and definitely in service to the Symphony. All of that can be attributed singularly to the great new members who continually accept responsibility as members of the Ovation board. Meet Judy D’Ambrosio, among that group of newest “Ovationites.” She has agreed to serve as the board’s Parliamentarian. Thanks to our master Ovation recruiter, Mary Hester, Judy followed Mary’s advice to fill some of her time since retiring with volunteering for Ovation, assuring her this was definitely the “worthwhile organization” Judy was looking for. That turned out to be a win-win for everyone. Judy, with her M.A. in public health, had been Judy D’Ambrosio director of government affairs for a major health organization, managing a team serving offices in 13 western states. She got to know Ovation first by volunteering for the Instrument Petting Zoo, a joyful experience. Herding kids during the Concerts for Young People really hit home, however. “The children were so enthusiastic and definitely on best behavior,” she says. “And they totally related to Maestro Preu.” Ovation’s education outreach to children won Judy’s involvement. A native of Kansas City, MO, she graduated from NW Missouri State University and earned her graduate degree from the University of Hawaii. She and her husband of 42 years (he’s a jazz pianist) have been enthusiastic residents of Long Beach since 2003. With her heavy duty administrative job, Judy felt she had perhaps put other parts of her life on hold. Retirement has changed that. Besides Ovation, she relishes reading and talking books with her women’s book club. She passionately enjoys Jane Austin. Judy aims for five-mile daily walks often in view of the ocean near her home. She volunteers to help out the food bank at her church. And her most recent commitment is to golf, an activity she is sharing with her husband. Whatever challenge falls to Ovation’s parliamentarian, we can be sure Judy will master it with vigor.
2018–2019 Ovation! Council President: Ethel Sanford President Elect: Judy Boland/Victoria Chenevey Past President: Pauline Eade-Sheppard Administrative Secretary: Victoria Chenevey Treasurer: Patricia Salkowski Membership Co-Chairs: Victoria Sawtelle, Judy Boland Education Programs Toyota Youth Concerts: Doug Lane, Sally Boyne, (Marilyn North & Josefa Curtin, advisors) Instrument Petting Zoo: Ethel Sanford Family Concert Volunteers: Bobbie Cusato Newsletter Advisor: Renee Simon Nominating Committee: Pauline Eade-Sheppard Ovation! Occasion/Social: Mary Hester, Pat Mohler Parliamentarian: Judy D’Ambrosio Patron Engagement Table: Mary and Steve Lang Coordinator of Volunteers: Bobbie Cusato, Shannon Taylor Personal Communications: Pat Mohler Rehearsal Receptions: Shannon Taylor Tributes/Memorials: Joan Gustafson 11
Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony Ovation! Event Volunteer Opportunities
Meet Your Orchestra: An Interview with Andrew Duckles by Peggy Lymburner
December 3, 2018 Long Beach Symphony Golf Classic Virginia Country Club
Meet one of the newest members of our Long Beach Symphony, Andrew Duckles, Principal Viola. Andrew joined the Orchestra following the recent May 2018 auditions. He often performed, however, with the orchestra as guest Principal viola so he is not new to the scene and has been an “unofficial” member for almost 15 years. He auditioned, he said “in order to join a great tradition and a number of my friends and colleagues who were already members of the orchestra.” He added, “The Long Beach Symphony is a gem — full of world-class talent and amazing, beautiful people.” We all heartily agree!
January 31, 2019 Toyota Youth Concerts Terrace Theater February 1, 2019 Toyota Youth Concerts Terrace Theater February 2, 2019 Family Concert Terrace Theater March 30, 2019 Crescendo 2019 Hotel Maya May 4, 2019 Lexus Opportunity Drawing Long Beach Arena Dates subject to change. Contact Issy Roberts at iroberts@ LongBeachSymphony.org to volunteer.
Sign up for The Score on our website!
Andrew himself is a world-class musician, and no stranger to the rigors of that life style. His grandfather was a musicologist who taught at UC Berkley and authored a book, “Music Reference and Research Materials: An Annotated Bibliography,” still used in Universities world-wide long after its first publication. Andrew’s parents played strings in the Vancouver Symphony —his father as Principal cellist, and his mother as a violinist. It was she who chose the viola for him, and he said it was a good call: the family was able to play a lot of chamber music together while he was growing up. His older brother, Jason, his favorite cellist, lives in Berlin with his violinist wife. Music runs through the veins of this talented family. Andrew has a Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master’s degree in Viola Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. Andrew has studied the viola since he was six and credits his teacher for instilling a fear of wrong notes and bad intonation! He describes an early solo performance in Vancouver at age seven. “I was so nervous before the performance, that I walked out on stage with my eyes closed. I performed the piece by memory and opened my eyes to bow at the conclusion. Much to my surprise, I had walked out on stage and performed my entire piece with my back to the audience.” As the budding professional, he simply rotated 180 degrees, took his bow, and exited stage left. Andrew was born in Vancouver B.C., Canada, and now lives in the Long Beach area where his wife, Laura Strand, teaches music at Tincher Middle School and Kettering Elementary. Their two sons, Aidan, 12, and Kiefer, 9, are also musicians, so it appears to be a beginning tradition of a Duckles’ family band! Andrew is a busy guy, travelling and performing world-wide. He says, “The beauty of being a musician is that you go where the work goes, and that means you travel, basically, everywhere.” His favorite genre is animation and has performed for Pixar and the like. He is also in demand as a studio musician, playing for many films including several Star Wars films. He said one of the toughest challenges is enforcing the Non-Disclosure agreement studios require. With two kids at home who really loved those stories, he had to toughen-up to not disclose the plots! Yet, he says, one of the best parts of life as a professional musician is, “sharing it with my two sons.” He has also performed on many studio albums, among them 12
Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony with Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, and Bruce Springsteen. Andrew also plays the banjo (thanks to the inspiration of Steve Martin!) and plays piano “very poorly.” Throughout his career, Andrew has guested with the Boston Symphony, been a member of the L.A. Phil, L.A. Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Oregon Symphony, and the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestra. Such a stellar career for someone only in his mid-forties. As Andrew says, “I love music and being a musician so much. I’m so grateful to my parents and teacher for enabling me to have a musical life.” Andrew, so are we, and thanks for “officially” joining our Symphony family! We look forward to sharing your love of great music in our upcoming Symphony season. A note from Andrew Duckles: "My admiration for the Long Beach Public School's music programs and how the Symphony is further enriching that experience is a significant reason why I auditioned last May. It's so great to see the Long Beach Public Schools and the Long Beach Symphony so actively integrated in promoting music education together. The city of Long Beach and the Symphony have had a long and meaningful tradition of promoting the value of music in the lives of children, and I'm really proud to have my wife and kids in attendance for these programs. This is a priceless resource for our community, and I'm so proud to be part of the future of introducing music to our community and helping shape hearts and minds for years to come."
Instrument Petting Zoo Update by Doug Lane So what is the Long Beach Symphony Instrument Petting Zoo (IPZ) anyway? Simply put – it’s an opportunity for children of all ages to have a hands-on experience to first learn about the instruments in a symphony orchestra, and then to touch, hold and play these instruments. Is it fun and educational? You bet. For the children, volunteers, and the parents. For example, children can try the loud cymbals, a tiny violin or a loud trombone. Any, even those under the age of five have tried their hand at playing multiple instruments. Hopefully, with the Zoo, and other musical experiences in schools and with the symphony, we will be grooming future lovers of symphonic music. This summer we have presented at three Long Beach libraries, and three in adjoining city libraries. Still to come is a fun day at the Whaley Park Music and Arts Day Camp. So can you volunteer if you don’t know how to play an instrument? YES, of course. Because it’s fun and educational for the volunteers. I have learned this summer how to hold the brass instruments and even make a sound. (No, I can’t play them – but I can show youngsters how to hold the instrument and to make a sound). The excitement and joy and pride in their faces is all the reward I need. So next time the Symphony has a short training session, give it a try and sign up for one of the Zoos. No experience is needed to participate and I guarantee you will have as much fun as the children.
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Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony Did You Know… *That the Long Beach Symphony regularly provides free concert tickets to Active Duty, Retired and Wounded Vets and their families thru VetTix? *That the Symphony donates approximately $70,000 in tickets yearly to other non-profits for their fundraisers? *That you can help make the above donations possible with your contribution to the Long Beach Symphony using this “Tributes and Memorials” form?
A very special thanks to our Ovation community for their donations made in memory of Tom Sanford: Judy and Don Boland Robert W. Cash and Mary Hester Victoria Chenevey Josefa Curtin Bobbie Cusato
Jean Fullerton Judith Griggs John and Elizabeth Hancock Jeanne Karatsu Rita Kimble Paul and Ruth Martineau Craig Sanford & family, Cindy Soughty & family, and Barbara Sanford Carol Senske Pauline and Daniel Sheppard Sheila Watson John Wells David York
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Ovation! Volunteers of the Long Beach Symphony
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249 E. Ocean Blvd., Suite 200 Long Beach, CA 90802 Tel: (562) 436-3203 Web: LongBeachSymphony.org
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Single tickets on sale now! Save up to 30% off single tickets by joining the Symphony’s family of subscribers. Purchase online now at www.LongBeachSymphony.org or by calling the Symphony box office at (562) 436-3203 ext. 1.
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