Friday, February 24, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center
Daniel Reith , conductor
RICHARD WAGNER (1813–1883)
Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
Mass No. 2 in G major, D. 167
Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei
AMANDA POWELL, soprano ETHAN BURCK, tenor SETH HOBI, baritone CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH CHORUS
INTERMISSION
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897)
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Opus 68
I. Un poco sostenuto — Allegro
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
IV. Adagio — Più andante — Allegro non troppo, ma con brio
This performance is about 1 hour and 40 minutes in length. Major support for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra provided by The Geoffrey and Sarah Gund Endowment.
Tonight’s concert will be broadcast on ideastream/WCLV Classical 90.3 FM on Sunday, April 9, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.
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Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
Composed: 1862
BY Richard Wagner
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (“The Mastersingers of Nuremberg”) is Wagner’s only comic opera. At five hours in length, it is a serious comedy, filled not just with humor but with weighty questions — of the rightful place of rules and law in everyday life, of free choice in romance and love, and of the value of arts and music in society. Wagner also pokes fun at his own critics — and critics in general — who show resistance to changing with the times, preferring old styles to new innovations.
BORN
May 22, 1813
Leipzig, Germany
DIED
February 13, 1883
Venice
The prelude to the opera is filled with joyful music and the effortless artistry of Wagner as a mature composer. Created in the midst of his three-decade ordeal of writing the four Ring of the Nibelung operas, Wagner exercises all his creativity in both the opera and the prelude. Remarkably, he wrote the prelude before the opera, already outlining many of the opera’s main musical themes. Usually, this is done in reverse after the full opera is completed. To top it off, he created a fugal intermingling of these melodies — a jab at his critics who inaccurately accused Wagner of not understanding the basic building blocks and forms of classical music. Here, Wagner shows his skill as a “mastersinger” of the first rank.
Duration: 10 minutes
Composed: 1815
Schubert was only 18 when he wrote his Second Mass over a six-day period in March 1815. Incredibly, this was already his second entry in the genre. His Mass No. 1 in F major, written a year earlier to celebrate the centennial of his parish church in Lichtenthal, was a grand affair following in the footsteps of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. It required an orchestra of more than 60 musicians, six soloists, and chorus.
BY Franz Schubert
BORN
January 31, 1797
Vienna
DIED
November 19, 1828
Vienna
In his second Mass, Schubert turned toward a more intimate rendering of the liturgical texts. This was no big concert piece but a more personal and practical work; a missa brevis rather than the more austere missa solemnis. The G-major Mass was first performed at the same church in Lichtenthal, where Schubert was a choirboy, but in a more modest service. Originally written for chorus, three soloists, strings, and organ, Schubert later added wind, trumpet, and timpani parts.
The opening Kyrie sets a calm and gentle tone with the chorus’s entrance. The lovely solo soprano part — likely debuted by Therese Grob, a daughter of Schubert’s neighbors who also sang the solo soprano part in the first Mass — introduces the Christe eleison, before calmly passing the melody back to the chorus, repeating the Kyrie eleison.
The sunshine-filled Gloria, “unclouded by any of the sombre forebodings that mark the composer’s last years,” according to authors Carl A. Rosenthal and Abram Loft, shows off Schubert’s exceptional melodic skills, especially as the soloists join in the exquisite Dominus Deus.
The Credo begins softly, as if whispering with delicately plucked strings nudging along the melody. The suspended wonder transforms into pronouncement of faith before miraculously receding back into whisper.
The grand statement of the Sanctus breaks the spell of the Credo, closing with a contrapuntal Osanna in excelsis, showcasing Mozart’s profound influence on Schubert, in the best of ways. The succeeding Benedictus brings together soprano, tenor, and bass soloists in that order to unite in a trio of melting sweetness.
In the final Agnus Dei, the soprano plaintively invokes the first petition for mercy, and her final words are repeated by the chorus. The bass soloist makes the second petition, again the chorus echoes his words. The final invocation, by soprano and reaffirmed by chorus, brings the Mass back full circle to G major.
Duration: 25 minutes
Kyrie eleison, Christie eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis
Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, Gratias agimus tibi
propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, rex coelestis, Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili
unigenite, Jesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
filius Patris, Qui tollis peccata mundi
miserere nobis, [suscipe deprecationem nostram, Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
Lord, have mercy upon us, Christ, have mercy upon us, Lord, have mercy upon us.
Glory be to God on high, And on earth, peace to men of good will, We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee, We give thanks to thee for thy great glory, Lord God, heavenly king, Father almighty, Lord
The only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father
Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, [receive our prayer, Who sitteth at the right hand of the
miserere nobis,] Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, to solus altissimus, [Jesu Christe], cum sancto spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen.
CREDO
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae visibilium omnium et invisibilium, [Et] in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, [et] ex Patre natum, ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum non factum, con substantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt, Qui propter nos homines et [propter] nostram salutem descendit de coelis, Et incarnatus est de spiritu sancto ex Maria Virgine et homo factus est, Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est, Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas, et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris, et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis. Et in spiritum sanctum,
Father, have mercy on us,] For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only art the most high, [Jesus Christ], with the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
CREDO
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, [And] in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, [born] of the Father before all ages, God of God, light of light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made, Who for us men and [for] our salvation came down from heaven, And became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again, according to the scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and he shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost,
Dominum et vivifacantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas, [Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam,] Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum, Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi, Amen.
SANCTUS
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.
BENEDICTUS
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.
AGNUS DEI
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis, dona nobis pacem.
the lord and life-giver, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is adored and glorified, who spake by the prophets, [And in one holy catholic and apostolic Church,] I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come, Amen.
SANCTUS
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, Heaven and earth are full of Thy Glory. Hosanna in the highest.
BENEDICTUS
Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
AGNUS DEI
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, give us peace.
Composed: 1855–76
The opus number of Brahms’s First Symphony tells a whole story: Number 68, out of his lifetime catalog.
Like Beethoven, Brahms came late to writing symphonies. Beethoven was 30 years old when his First Symphony appeared — and yet his Opus 68 was already his Sixth Symphony.
BY Johannes BrahmsBORN
May 7, 1833
Hamburg, Germany
DIED
April 3, 1897
Vienna
Brahms was 43 when his First Symphony appeared. He was unquestionably intimidated by the great Beethoven and the large shadow he cast over Western music. Beethoven’s nine symphonies, the last premiered in 1824, were held up to be the ultimate standard against which all modern music should be compared. especially in Germany. Brahms, always conscious of his German heritage, made sure that when he finally wrote a symphony of his own, it would compare favorably.
Brahms began work on his first concerto for piano (an instrument he played well) when he was 21, and started to sketch a symphony the following year, probably the beginning of what would eventually emerge as his First Symphony. Two orchestral Serenades from those early years reveal his ability to write for orchestra. His German Requiem (1868) and his Variations on a Theme by Haydn (1873) also show this skill.
All that said, Brahms felt that his first symphonic effort should be weighty and substantial, without any frivolities such as the programs and suggestive titles that other living composers were attaching to their new symphonies. For Brahms, a symphony should be a strong and pure musical statement, without storyline or tale to tell.
One way to achieve this weightiness was to delay the main substance of the first and last movements with slow introductions. These passages prepare the ground (and the listener’s ears) for the stirring quicker music that is to come. In both cases, we hear outlines of themes, even themes themselves, that will later be part of the Allegro body of the movement (the “argument” made up of the formal
sections of music). The seriousness with which these introductions signal the music to come is not to be underestimated.
The heavy tread of the timpani at the opening of the first movement is one of Brahms’s simplest yet most impressive ideas, supporting the winds’ descending phrase and the strings’ complementary ascent. Melodies of the conventional kind are rare in the first movement, even after the Allegro begins. Instead, the material is mostly made up of motivic fragments that lend themselves well to energetic argument.
The second movement, in contrast, is rich in gorgeous melody. The writing for strings is particularly powerful. Oboe and clarinet come forward with solo material, and, at the end of the movement, a solo violin sings high above the orchestra, bathed in nostalgia.
Where Beethoven would usually write a scherzo, Brahms preferred a less hectic, medium-paced movement. This third movement takes us back to the relaxed serenades of Brahms’s early years, and although a middle section introduces some tension, the lovely clarinet melody returns. The movement ends in tranquility.
Perhaps a slow, portentous introduction was then needed to draw the mind back to the important matter of a fourth-movement finale. No light Haydnesque solution was possible for Brahms, so he prefaced the main part of the movement with a series of dramatic sections, including some solemn entries for horns and trombones, before launching into the famous main tune. This has inevitably been likened to the “Joy” theme in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, but it has its own identity, and it carves out its own course in a powerful movement that maintains its potency and drive to the very end.
Those who heard this work in 1876 were left in little doubt that no symphony of comparable range and impact had been heard since Beethoven’s famous Ninth. Brahms, characteristically taking no chances, had made sure that his First Symphony was the mightiest thing he had yet done. And, indeed, it remains one of the mightiest things he ever composed.
Duration: 45 minutes
Moshi Tang
CONCERTMASTER
Hawken School
Marina Ziegler
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Copley High School
Sherry Du
Hudson High School
Anthony Yang Andrews Osborne Academy
Avaneesh Polaconda
Strongsville High School
Holly Bennett Cleveland School of the Arts
Nicolo Moulthrop
Shaker Heights High School
Anika Westerbeke
Hawken Mastery School
Jacob Andreini University School
Chengyu Jiang Solon High School
Sophie Ng
Avon High School
Hana Mazak
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Emily Boron
Shaker Heights High School
Sophia Muller
Cleveland Heights High School
Cyprus Foster Homeschooled
Carol Huang
PRINCIPAL
Hathaway Brown
Christina Bencin
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Hathaway Brown
Aidan Scheuer
Westlake High School
Ehren Collins University School
Cavin Xue Western Reserve Academy
Alice Han
Beachwood Middle School
Audrey Greer
Strongsville High School
Elizabeth Huang
Shaker Heights High School
Yikun Zhao
Hawken School
Hannah Lee Hudson High School
Brian Hong Solon High School
Harris Wang Solon Middle School
Kailani Farivar
Solon High School
Julia Peyrebrune PRINCIPAL
The Lyceum
Alexandra Yeoh
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Homeschooled
Ben Wong
Mentor High School
Lindsey Jones Oberlin Senior High School
Jason Wei Solon High School
Ethan Lee Mentor High School
Milo Page Homeschooled
Roy Morcos
Hudson High School
Chengyu Li PRINCIPAL
Beachwood High School
Eleanor Pompa
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Laurel School
Kobby Owusu
Solon High School
Ada Ortan
Avon High School
Elena Ziegler
Copley High School
Stine Adkins
Westlake High School
Jill King
Lakewood High School
Aiden Tian
Hawken Upper School
Claire Hua
Western Reserve Academy
Alexandra Chen
Oberlin Senior High School
Louis X. Wang
Solon High School
Jonathan Jacques
PRINCIPAL
Shaker Heights High School
Bettie McGurr
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Hudson High School
Travis Phillips University School
Sullivan Wiggins Shaker Heights High School
Rowan Toth-Cseplo
Harvey S. Firestone CLC
Bobby Johnston
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Sachin Singh University School
Amy Deng
Avon Lake High School
Olivia Fritz B Homeschooled
Grace Gregg
Brunswick High School
Christine Kim
Hathaway Brown
Elena Ko W
Avon High School
Grace Gregg W
Sophie Craciun W
Lakewood High School
Matthew Dawson
Mentor High School
Andrew Kelly B
Bay Village Middle School
Isabel Martin
Walsh Jesuit High School
Elizabeth Corn Ontario High School
Chloe Fuller
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School
Owen Ganor B
Rocky River High School
Ava Haehn W
Riverside High School
Shannon Joyce
Saint Joseph Academy
Emma Foster B
Copley High School
Megan Janke W
Green Local Schools
Madeline Wilks W B **
Jack Berendt B
Aurora High School
Maxwell Foster W
Hudson High School
Josslyn Rossos
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Alyssa Webb
Olmsted Falls High School
Frank Berendt
Aurora High School
Sam Haskell
Brunswick High School
Kahlen Sykora W
Jackson Local Schools
Alex Wu B
Western Reserve Academy
Grace Berendt
Aurora High School
Elden Schrembeck W B
Lake High School
Thomas Toth Mentor High School
TUBA
Casey Mobley W
Wadsworth High School
TIMPANI
Aaron Miller W
Lake High School
David Schrembeck B
Lake High School
Major support for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is provided by The Geoffrey and Sarah Gund Endowment. The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is supported by a generous grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and by gifts from many other donors from across Northeast Ohio. Endowment support is provided by The George Gund Foundation
Abby Bemak W
Lakeland Community College
Aaron Miller
David Schrembeck W
HARP
Lina Tian W
Hathaway Brown
Isabel Mearini S
Shaker Heights High School
Kennedy McKain
Malia Rivera
Lauren Generette
Performers are listed alphabetically within each woodwind, brass, and percussion sections. Superscripts indicate principal player according to the following key:
W Wagner
S Schubert
B Brahms
** Extra/substitute musician
The following eight endowed Youth Orchestra chairs have been created in recognition of generous gifts to The Cleveland Orchestra’s endowment:
Concertmaster, Daniel Majeske Memorial Chair
Principal Cello, Barbara P. and Alan S. Geismer Chair
Principal Viola, Anthony T. and Patricia A. Lauria Chair
Principal Bass, Anthony F. Knight Memorial Chair
Principal Flute, Virginia S. Jones Memorial Chair
Piccolo, Patience Cameron Hoskins Chair
Principal Harp, Norma Battes Chair
Principal Keyboard, Victor C. Laughlin M.D. Memorial Chair
Daniel Reith was appointed assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and music director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) starting in the 2022–23 season. As COYO’s music director, Mr. Reith oversees the ensemble’s artistic planning, selects personnel for the ensemble, and leads rehearsals and performances of the Youth Orchestra. He’s also actively involved with the Orchestra’s education programs and community performances, and provides assistance for the Orchestra’s Classical and Blossom Music Festival seasons.
Mr. Reith was the 2019 winner of Opptakt, Talent Norway’s program for fostering young conductors, and has since performed with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, and the Norwegian Armed Forces. In 2022, Mr. Reith made his debuts with the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. He also served as assistant conductor for the Norwegian Opera production of Orpheus in the Underworld.
In addition to his conducting work, Mr. Reith is a talented pianist and chamber musician, having performed in concerts and competitions throughout Germany, Norway, and other countries. Mr. Reith has been awarded several scholarships in Germany, where he’s worked with orchestras such as the Hamburg Philharmonic and Neubrandenburg Philharmonic.
Mr. Reith grew up in Bühl, Germany, and studied music in his home country as well as Norway. He received bachelor’s degrees in piano from Freiburg’s Academy of Music and the Norwegian Academy of Music. He also received a bachelor’s degree in music theory at Freiburg’s Academy of Music, followed by a bachelor’s degree in conducting at Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. In 2021, he received his master’s degree in conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
“Promising young tenor” (Seen and Heard International ) Ethan Burck from Aurora, Illinois, began his Master of Musical Arts at the Yale School of Music in fall 2022, after finishing his Master of Music degree at the Curtis Institute of Music. This season, he performs in Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, as well as in scenes in which he sings the roles of Lensky from Eugene Onegin, Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles, and Hoffmann in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with the Yale Opera. During his time at the Curtis Institute of Music Mr. Burck performed roles including Ferrando in Così fan tutte; Tito in Mercy, a filmed adaptation of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito; and a “nicely traced” (OperaWire) turn as the title character in Albert Herring. While at Curtis, Mr. Burck “heroically stepped in’’ ( parterre box) to make his Opera Philadelphia debut as Shepherd in Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. Mr. Burck was an apprentice artist at Santa Fe Opera in summer 2021. He received his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Baldwin Wallace University in 2019. At Baldwin Wallace his performances included Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, Young Jim in Glory Denied, and Paolino in Il matrimonio segreto
Baritone
Cleveland native Seth Hobi is a 21-year-old baritone who has been heard extensively in Northeast Ohio. An alumnus of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, Mr. Hobi has performed in genres ranging from musical theater, opera, contemporary music, and early music. He recently was a baritone soloist in performances of Handel’s Messiah and was cast in the lead role of Max Rosenbaum in the staged premiere of Cathy Lesser Mansfield’s opera, The Sparks Fly Upward. As a choral singer, Mr. Hobi is a Shari Bierman Singer Fellow with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, and has performed with the Case Western Reserve University Early Music Singers, Old Stone Singers, and Singers Club of Cleveland. Mr. Hobi has
collaborated in concert with composers such as Cecilia McDowall, Sydney Guillaume, and John Adams. Mr. Hobi is currently in his third year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at Cleveland State University, where he studies with Amanda Powell. He has also studied with Tyler Evatt-Young and Bob Godfrey.
Amanda Powell is at home in repertoire from Monteverdi to Mozart to Ravel, and has toured internationally as soloist in Baroque opera, oratorio, and crossover folk programs. She performed with Grammy Award–winning Apollo’s Fire in venues such as the National Concert Hall of Ireland in Dublin, the Irish National Opera House, the Aldeburgh Festival (U.K.), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the National Gallery (Washington, D.C.), and Zellerbach Hall (San Francisco). Her 2019 debut in Handel’s Messiah with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra won kudos as “the soloist of the night... singing to perfection.”
As a recording artist, Ms. Powell has been featured on Apollo’s Fire albums including Sugarloaf M ountain, Sephardic J ourney, and Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain — all of which debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard Classical Chart. Her solo album, Beyond Boundaries, is an intimate program of folk, jazz, and global music. She has collaborated with Bobby McFerrin, Jamey Haddad, and Sheila Jordan, and currently tours with the Italian folk/ jazz group Alla Boara.
Ms. Powell is on the voice faculty at Cleveland State University. She is also community arts liaison for the Cultural Arts Center at Disciples Church in Cleveland Heights.
Daniel Singer Director
Devon Steve Assistant Director
Daniel Overly Collaborative Pianist
Elif Albulut
Solon High School
Serin Arikan
Hawken School
Cameron Armstrong
Mentor High School
Aiste Berzinskas
West Geauga High School
Nina Tejada Bramhall
Beaumont High School
Abs Burkle
Cleveland Heights High School
Marin Carlson
Kenston High School
Zelie Cerda-Malicdem
Aurora High School
William Christian
Shaker Heights High School
Natasha M. Dudick
Padua Franciscan High School
Henry Dyck
Cleveland Heights High School
Eleanor Fleming
Orange High School
Jacob Gao
Copley-Fairlawn Middle School
Jade Gladue
Laurel School
Eva Gross
Laurel School
Julianne Harbath
Hawken Upper School
Matthew Hebert
Independence High School
Vishwum Kapadia University School
Gregory Karulin
Solon Middle School
Shannon Katzenberger
Lakewood High School
Keniel Keeney
Laurel School
Kelly Kirchner
Laurel School
Rohan Kumar University School
Kingsten Lin University School
Edith Masuda
Laurel School
Aurora McCloud
Aurora High School
Lila Nagy
North Olmsted High School
Adelyn Nicholson
Mayfield High School
Maggie Panichi
Independence High School
Eli Posa
Beachwood High School
Leah Rodrick
Normandy High School
Carley Sorrent
Wadsworth High School
Sasha Turner
Hawken School
Julia Weber
West Geauga High School
Sammy Weidenthal University School
Sydney Wilson
Independence High
Sophia Young
Berkshire High School
Ishani Zimmerman
Mentor High School
Daniel Singer joined the choral conducting staff of the Cleveland Orchestra in 2012 as assistant director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. He was promoted to assistant director of Choruses and director of the Youth Chorus with the start of the 2018–19 season.
In 2022, Mr. Singer joined the music faculty of The College of Wooster, where he teaches courses in music education, conducting, and music theory. From 2011–2022, Mr. Singer served as director of music at University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio, where he conducted orchestra and chorus. He is also active as a guest conductor and has worked with honor choirs and student ensembles in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and North Carolina. Mr. Singer has performed professionally with Quire Cleveland and Apollo’s Fire, and has sung as baritone soloist with ensembles throughout Northeast Ohio. He is also an arranger and composer, having written for choral and instrumental groups throughout the United States.
Prior to coming to Ohio, Mr. Singer worked as a performer, music director, and teacher in the Chicago area. He taught high school choral music in the cities of Lincolnshire and Cary and participated in music engagement in the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Singer holds degrees in music education and conducting from Northwestern University and Michigan State University.
Devon Steve is in his first season with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, of which he is an alumnus. He is a Cleveland native, returning after years of teaching in Des Moines, Iowa. He currently serves as director of music at University School, teaching choir and orchestra. An active choral singer, he participates in ensemble projects across the Midwest. Mr. Steve received a bachelor’s degree in music education from St. Olaf College and is pursuing his master’s degree in choral conducting from Simpson College.
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is a full symphonic ensemble composed of 89 young musicians drawn from 41 communities in 12 counties across Northern Ohio. Founded in 1986 by Jahja Ling (then resident conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra), the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) provides serious young music students of middle and high school age with a unique pre-professional orchestral training experience. The 2022–23 season marks COYO’s 37th season and the first under the direction of Daniel Reith.
Among the acclaimed artists to work with COYO are Marin Alsop, Pierre Boulez, Stéphane Denève, Christoph von Dohnányi, Giancarlo Guerrero, Witold Lutosławski, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Michael Tilson Thomas, Antoni Wit, and Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. The ensemble has been featured on three international tours.
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is part of a suite of Cleveland Orchestra programs designed to nurture aspiring young musicians, which also includes the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, the Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus and Preparatory Chorus, and the Crescendo and Music Mentors pathways initiatives for students in Cleveland schools. In addition, with the support of many generous individual, foundation, corporate, and governmental funding partners, the Orchestra’s full range of education and community programs reach more than 100,000 young people and adults annually, helping to foster a lifelong relationship with music by removing barriers to participation, advocating for and helping to facilitate equitable access to comprehensive music education in schools, and harnessing the lifechanging power in service to the community.
Auditions for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra’s 2023–24 Season will take place in May. Learn more about requirements and how to apply at clevelandorchestrayouthorchestra.com.
Open to middle and high school-aged instrumentalists. The application deadline is Friday, March 24. For questions, call 216-456-8410 or email coyo@clevelandorchestra.com.
At Oberlin, you don't line up behind graduate students vying for ensemble positions, world premiere performances, or touring opportunities. You're at the center of the action from day one. Learn more at oberlin.edu/conservatory.
The 2022–23 season marks the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus’s 32nd season. Founded in spring 1991, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was established to help raise awareness of choral music-making in the schools of Northeast Ohio and encourage students to continue their choral singing activities through college and into adulthood. The Youth Chorus provides professional guidance for talented singers in grades nine through twelve beyond their high school experience and performs works from the standard choral-orchestral repertoire.
The members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus are selected through competitive auditions held each spring. This season, the members represent more than 20 schools and communities from six counties across Northeast Ohio. The Youth Chorus participates in a half-dozen performances each season, including a joint concert at Severance Music Center with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and frequently with The Cleveland Orchestra.
In addition to performances at Severance Music Center, the Youth Chorus participates in concerts and community engagement programs in the greater Cleveland area, and ensemble singers also attend workshops and masterclasses with noted choral directors and clinicians. The Youth Chorus has appeared in concert at the Ohio Choral Directors Association, the Ohio Music Education Association Convention, and on the subscription concert series at a number of churches across Northeast Ohio.
Auditions for the 2023–24 season will be held this spring. The coming season will include performances with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Honor Choir, and community performances. Choristers who participate in Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus Chamber Ensemble have additional opportunities to perform in the Holiday Concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra. More information is available at coyc.cochorus.com.
The following members of The Cleveland Orchestra have served as section coaches for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra in preparation for this concert:
VIOLINS
Stephen Tavani
Assistant Concertmaster
Kathleen Collins
VIOLA
Stanley Konopka
Assistant Principal
Jeffrey Irvine
Emeritus Viola
CELLOS
David Alan Harrell
BASSES
Mark Atherton
Martin Flowerman
Emeritus Bass
FLUTE
Jessica Sindell
Assistant Principal
John Rautenberg
Emeritus Flute
OBOE
Frank Rosenwein
Principal
CLARINET
Robert Woolfrey
BASSOON
Phil Austin
Emeritus Bassoon
Gareth Thomas
HORNS
Hans Clebsch
Alan DeMattia
Emeritus Horn
TRUMPET
Lyle Steelman
Assistant Principal
TROMBONE
Shachar Israel
Assistant Principal
James DeSano
Emeritus Trombone
TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama
PERCUSSION
Thomas Sherwood
HARP
Trina Struble Principal
KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
Joela Jones
Emeritus Keyboard
WITH SPECIAL THANKS
Michael Ferraguto
Librarian
The members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus express gratitude to their school music directors for the role they play on a daily basis in developing musical skills:
Sarah Dixon Aurora High School
Mason Smith
Aurora High School
Jesse Martin Avon High School
Joshua Brunger
Avon Lake High School
Mark Awad
Bay Village Middle School
David Luddington
Beachwood High School
Allison Siekmann Beachwood Middle School
Steven Cocchiola
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Ethan Eraybar
Brunswick High School
Daniel Heim
Cleveland Heights High School
Jesse Lang
Cleveland Heights High School
Diana Richardson
Cleveland School of the Arts
Michael Foster
Copley High School
Basil Kochan
Copley High School
Sloan Stakleff
Firestone CLC
Amy Rach
Green Local Schools
James Hogan
Hathaway Brown School
Yu Yuan
Hawken Mastery School
Kyra Mihalski
Hawken School
Jodie Ricci
Hawken School
Jelani Watkins
Hawken School
Sam Hartman
Hudson High School
Roberto Iriarte
Hudson High School
Gretchen Obravac
Independence High School
Michele Monigold
Jackson Local Schools
Jared Cooey
Lake Local Schools
Demetrius Steinmetz
Lakeland Community College
Ryan Brooks
Lakewood High School
Elizabeth Hankins
Lakewood High School
Clinton Steinbrunner
Lakewood High School
Joel McDaniel Laurel School
Joseph Kucel
The Lyceum
Brian Fancher
Mayfield High School
Adam Landry
Mentor High School
Steven Poremba
Mentor High School
Matthew Yoke
Mentor High School
Sarah Shonk
Normandy High School
Alex Phan
North Olmsted High School
Audrey Melzer
Oberlin Senior High School
Julie Budd
Olmsted Falls High School
Elijah Henkel
Ontario High School
Brandon DuVall
Orange High School
Tammy Plasterer
Padua Franciscan High School
David Schwartz
Riverside High School
Michael Komperda
Rocky River High School
Katherine Holaway
Roxboro Middle School
Brian Patton
Saint Joseph Academy
Bill Hughes
Shaker Heights High School
Donna Jelen
Shaker Heights High School
Nicholas LaPete
Shaker Heights High School
Stephanie Bettinger
Solon Middle School
Gerald MacDougall
Solon Middle & High School
Andrew Hire
Strongsville High School
Damon Conn
Twinsburg City School District
David Kay University School
Devon Steve University School
Darlene Khoury
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School
Dana Hire
Wadsworth High School
Nicholas Ratay
Walsh Jesuit
Margaret Karam
Western Reserve Academy
Hilary Patriok
Westlake High School
At Interlochen Arts Camp, you’ll hone your technical and performance skills while learning from world-renowned instructors, artists, and composers. Whether in an intensive study or a summer-long immersion in music, you’ll grow as a musician and a performing artist.
INTERLOCHEN ARTS CAMP - Grades 3-12 Scholarships are available
INTERLOCHEN ONLINE - Grades 2-12
Experience Interlochen in your home
The members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus express gratitude to their private teachers for their patience, insight, and expertise:
VIOLIN TEACHERS
Masha Andreini
David Bowlin
Wei-Shu Co
Catherine Cosbey
Heather Crawford
Kim Gomez*
Wei-Fang Gu*
Liesl Hook-Langmack
Olga Kaler
Joan Kwuon
Yung-Ting Lee*
Sonja Braaten Molloy*
Yoko Moore
Eugenia Poustyreva
Mary Price
Amber Rogers
Carol Ruzicka
Zhan Shu*
Laura Shuster
Stephen Sims
Jennifer Walvoord
Joy Wiener
Yu Yuan*
VIOLA TEACHERS
Jeffrey Irvine
Laura Keunen-Poper
Nancy McConnell
James Rhodes
Lembi Veskimets*
Ann Yu
Louise Zeitlin
CELLO TEACHERS
Martha Baldwin*
Ruby Brallier
Eliza Fath
David Alan Harrell*
Rebecca Konow
Dmitry Kouzov
Paul Kushious*
Daniel Pereira
Richard Weiss*
Elizabeth Zadinsky
BASS TEACHERS
Patricia Johnston
Tracy Rowell
Bryan Thomas
Susan Yelanjian
FLUTE TEACHERS
Kyra Kester
Audrey Park
Heidi Ruby-Kushious
Debbie Woods
OBOE TEACHERS
Jack Harel
Mary Kausek
Justine Myers
Corbin Stair*
CLARINET TEACHERS
Arlyn Caral
Meghan Colbert
Adrienne Lape
Alix Reinhardt
Craig Wohlschlager
Robert Woolfrey*
BASSOON TEACHERS
Mark DeMio
Judith Guegold
HORN TEACHERS
Alan DeMattia
Sam Hartman
Rose Madonia
TRUMPET TEACHERS
Chris Hall
Michael Miller*
Rich Pokrywka
Erik Sundet
TROMBONE TEACHERS
Adam Landry
Eric Richmond
Elisabeth Shafer
TUBA TEACHER
Christopher Blaha
PERCUSSION TEACHERS
Luke Rinderknecht
Joan Wenzel
HARP TEACHER
Jody Guinn
KEYBOARD TEACHER
Madeline Levitz
VOCAL TEACHERS
Jennifer Call
Marie Cox
Judy Fesk
Carol Mancini
Vicki McCrone
Noriko Paukert
Miki Saito
* Member of The Cleveland Orchestra
UPCOMING PERFORMANCE BY THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA
SPRING CONCERT
Friday evening, May 5, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
For more information, visit clevelandorchestra.com/coyo.
Our students work with internationally recognized performers in a mutually supportive, individualized, inclusive and student-focused environment. This environment provides balance and productivity, preparing students for future careers ensuring they are welltrained musicians, and experienced performers.
For more information on Admissions, please email music@csuohio.edu.
csuohio.edu/music
State and federal dollars through the Ohio Arts Council supported your arts experience today.
WHERE WILL THE ARTS TAKE YOU NEXT ? VISIT ARTSINOHIO.COM
Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
As a courtesy to the audience members and musicians in the hall, late-arriving patrons are asked to wait quietly until the first convenient break in the program, when ushers will help you to your seats. These seating breaks are at the discretion of the House Manager in consultation with the performing artists.
Please silence any alarms or ringers on pagers, cell phones, or wristwatches prior to the start of the concert.
Audio recording, photography, and videography are prohibited during performances at Severance. Photographs of the hall and selfies can be taken when the performance is not in progress. As a courtesy to others, please turn off any phone/ device that makes noise or emits light.
Get instant access to your tickets for Cleveland Orchestra concerts at Blossom Music Center and Severance by using the Ticket Wallet App. More information is at clevelandorchestra.com/ticketwallet
Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.
For the comfort of those around you, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other devices that may produce a noise that would detract from the program. Infrared AssistiveListening Devices are available. Please see the House Manager or Head Usher for more details.
Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical season subscription concerts are not recommended for children under the age of 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (recommended for children 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).
Copyright © 2023 by The Cleveland Orchestra and Musical Arts Association
Amanda Angel, Managing Editor of Content (AAngel@clevelandorchestra.com)
Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members. The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.
Handro Spradling ’25
Music Education and Trumpet Performance
double major
