FRIDAY FAVORITES: AN AFTERNOON OF GERSHWIN AND BRANFORD MARSALIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | NOON Filmed and recorded live from Meymandi Concert Hall Woolner Stage Raleigh
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FRIDAY FAVORITES: AN AFTERNOON OF GERSHWIN AND BRANFORD MARSALIS Friday, November 13, 2020 | Noon
Filmed and recorded live from Meymandi Concert Hall Woolner Stage Raleigh Joseph Peters, host George Gershwin Suite from An American in Paris Emily Rist Glover, violin David Kilbride, violin Paul Malcolm, viola Peng Li, cello George Gershwin / Second Prelude Arr. Sigurd Rascher Branford Marsalis, saxophone Joey Calderazzo, piano George Gershwin Lullaby Emily Rist Glover, violin David Kilbride, violin Paul Malcolm, viola Peng Li, cello Irving Berlin / Alexander’s Ragtime Band Arr. Bill Holcombe Emily Rist Glover, violin David Kilbride, violin Paul Malcolm, viola Peng Li, cello Joey Calderazzo La Valse Kendall Branford Marsalis, saxophone Joey Calderazzo, piano George Gershwin / Selections from Porgy and Bess Arr. Jack Gale Paul Randall, trumpet Don Eagle, trumpet Kimberly Van Pelt, horn John Ilika, trombone Seth Horner, tuba
This concert is made possible in part by the Else R. Couch/John N. Couch Fund
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ABOUT THE MUSIC
Suite from An American in Paris
Alexander’s Ragtime Band
GEORGE GERSHWIN • A fragment of music that Gershwin labeled “Very Parisienne” first came to him during a trip to Paris in 1926.
IRVING BERLIN • Alexander’s Ragtime Band was a Tin Pan Alley song that was a #1 hit from October 1911 through January 1912.
• When Gershwin returned to Paris with his brother Ira in 1928, he was inspired to build on that musical fragment and compose a symphonic poem reflecting his time in the French capital.
• A superstar singer and comedian of the time, Emma Carus, introduced the song to much of the country when she brought it on tour.
• “My purpose here is to portray the impressions of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city, listens to the various street noises, and absorbs the French atmosphere,” Gershwin wrote. • Originally scored for full orchestra, An American in Paris was premiered at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic. Gershwin did not approve of the performance, feeling that the tempo was too slow. • The 1951 Oscar-winning film An American in Paris concluded with a dance sequence built around Gershwin’s music.
Second Prelude GEORGE GERSHWIN • The Second Prelude is one of three short piano pieces; Gershwin originally intended to write 24 preludes, but only three made it into the final set. • Gershwin first performed his Three Preludes at New York City’s Roosevelt Hotel in 1926. • Gershwin called the Second Prelude “a kind of blues lullaby.”
• The sheet music—the primary way to distribute music at the time—sold more than two million copies between 1911 and 1912. • Its popularity resurged in the 1930s, when it was covered by the Boswell Sisters, followed by covers by many other popular artists; within 50 years of its release, the song had at least a dozen hit covers. • Although it wasn’t a traditional ragtime song, its popularity led to the revival of ragtime dance. • Scott Joplin alleged that Berlin plagiarized the melody of Alexander’s Ragtime Band from his music, which Berlin denied.
La Valse Kendall JOEY CALDERAZZO • The melancholy and beautiful song La Valse Kendall was recorded by its composer—pianist Joey Calderazzo—and saxophonist Branford Marsalis in 2011. • Marsalis noted that the three-beat meter reminded him of waltzes by Chopin and Ravel, which gave the piece part of its title, “La Valse.”
• The prelude is in A–B–A form: It opens with a subdued and pensive melody; the B section is suddenly in an entirely different key and tempo; and the gentle melody returns to conclude the work.
• It was also named for Calderazzo’s girlfriend at the time, Kendall.
Lullaby
GEORGE GERSHWIN • Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess is an opera adapted from DuBose Heyward’s play Porgy; the libretto was written by Gershwin’s brother Ira.
GEORGE GERSHWIN • Gershwin composed his Lullaby as a student exercise in harmony in 1919 and it is often considered his first “serious” piece. • The work begins and ends with “harmonics” in the strings—a special sonic effect achieved by touching the finger very lightly to the string at a particular place along the fingerboard. • The delicate beauty of the work matches its title—it moves slowly and softly, with hypnotic repetition and gently lilting, syncopated rhythms. • Although Lullaby was frequently performed among Gershwin’s friends, the manuscript sat on his brother’s shelf for decades—it wasn’t until 1968 that it was finally published.
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Selections from Porgy and Bess
• Set in Charleston, South Carolina, the opera tells the story of Porgy, a disabled Black street beggar, who attempts to rescue Bess from her possessive lover and her drug dealer. • It is often considered the “great American opera,” with tunes like “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So” that are immediately recognizable. • The opera was premiered by a cast of classically-trained African-American singers—a daring choice for the time. The Gershwins’ requirement that the opera only be performed by Black artists remains in effect around the world. • The Broadway premiere in 1935 drew Hollywood stars such as Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford; at the afterparty, Gershwin played excerpts from the score on the piano.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS Branford Marsalis, saxophone The world first came to know saxophonist Branford Marsalis as a visionary jazz artist, a status reflected in his being named an NEA Jazz Master and his Grammy Awards. At the same time, Branford has gained growing recognition for his performances with symphonic and chamber classical ensembles. He appears regularly with leading orchestras around the world with a growing repertoire that includes compositions by John Adams, Debussy, Glazunov, Ibert, Mahler, Milhaud, Ned Rorem, and Vaughan Williams.
the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, where he was Assistant Principal Viola for four years.
Praised by The New York Times for bringing “a graceful poise and supple tone…and an insouciant swagger” to his classical performances, Branford has proven that his musical command knows no bounds. A longtime resident of Durham, North Carolina, he has often appeared with the North Carolina Symphony and serves on its Board of Trustees.
Paul Randall, trumpet At age 17, Paul Randall won his first-ever audition and joined the New Orleans Symphony in 1973. Four years later he became Principal Trumpet, and went on to win the same position at the North Carolina Symphony in 1988. In addition to performing as an orchestral soloist, he has toured with Capital Brass, comprised of NCS colleagues.
Joey Calderazzo, piano Having recorded 13 albums as a leader in addition to his work as a sideman, Joey Calderazzo has traveled the road from child prodigy to in-demand session musician to elite member of the finest ensembles in jazz. He’s accompanied geniuses from Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis to Jack DeJohnette and Dave Holland, and has a long-running trio with bassist Orlando Le Fleming and drummer Donald Edwards. Also active as a composer, he embodies swinging blues and post-bop, traditional jazz, and boundary-exploring improvisation. Originally a classical pianist who turned down a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and dropped out of Manhattan School of Music, Joey dove headfirst into the history of jazz piano and its heroes. A single solo, either with his trio or Branford Marsalis’ Quartet, can allude to myriad generations of jazz piano giants, filtered through his keen, hard-swinging lens and joyous touch. Emily Rist Glover, violin Emily Glover joined the North Carolina Symphony as a first violin in September 2015 and is also a member of the Central City Opera Orchestra. A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, she has played regularly with the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras, among others, and was Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra from 2013 to 2016. David Kilbride, violin David Kilbride was named North Carolina Symphony Assistant Principal Second Violin in 2007. Previously he had served as Concertmaster with the New World Symphony and was a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic. He has also been Assistant Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony and a member of the Richmond Symphony and the Virginia Symphony, among others. Paul Malcolm, viola Paul Malcolm began playing with the North Carolina Symphony two weeks after graduating from Wichita State University and has now been with the orchestra for almost 44 years. Paul has also been a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and of
Peng Li, cello North Carolina Symphony Assistant Principal Cello since 2008, Houston native Peng Li was previously a member of the San Antonio Symphony and has performed with the National Repertory Orchestra and Houston Symphony, among others. He was Principal Cello for the 2006 premiere of Elliot Carter’s opera What Next? at the Tanglewood Music Center.
Don Eagle, trumpet Don Eagle teaches trumpet at Duke University and has appeared as soloist with the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, Raleigh Civic Symphony, North Carolina Bach Festival, Elon University Chamber Orchestra, North Carolina State University Band, and Triangle Brass Band, among others. Kimberly Van Pelt, horn After engagements in Los Angeles and three-and-a-half years with South Africa’s Cape Town Symphony, Kimberly Van Pelt joined the North Carolina Symphony in 1993 and was appointed Associate Principal Horn in 2003. She has appeared as a soloist with NCS and in chamber music performances throughout the state. John Ilika, trombone North Carolina Symphony Principal Trombone since 2001, John Ilika has been a member of many musical organizations including the Delaware Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra and the Eastern Music Festival. Since 2010 he has also been Artist Faculty Trombone at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Seth Horner, tuba Seth Horner joined the North Carolina Symphony as Principal Tuba in 2017. He was Acting Principal Tuba of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for three seasons, where he performed on two BSO recordings. He has held principal positions with several other orchestras throughout the U.S., and has been featured widely as a soloist and chamber musician. Joseph Peters, host Joseph Peters has been North Carolina Symphony Associate Principal Oboe and English Horn since 2018, and previously held Principal Oboe chairs with the Minnesota Orchestra and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. NCS audiences may also know him as a 2019 Holiday Pops conductor! To his role as host, Joseph brings a great love for teaching. NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 5
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ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Grant Llewellyn, Music Director Laureate The Maxine and Benjamin Swalin Chair
Suzanne Kelly
Wesley Schulz, Associate Conductor The Lucy Moore Ruffin Chair
Anton Shelepov
VIOLIN I Brian Reagin, Concertmaster The Annabelle Lundy Fetterman Chair Dovid Friedlander, Associate Concertmaster** The Assad Meymandi and Family Chair To Be Filled, Assistant Concertmaster The Anne Heartt Gregory Chair Karen Strittmatter Galvin, Assistant Concertmaster
Oskar Ozolinch
Jeanine Wynton VIOLA Samuel Gold, Principal The Florence Spinks and Charles Jacob Cate and Alma Yondorf and Sylvan Hirschberg Chair Kurt Tseng, Associate Principal The Betty Ellen Madry Chair To Be Filled, Assistant Principal Petra Berényi
DOUBLE BASS Leonid Finkelshteyn, Principal The Martha and Peyton Woodson Chair Robert K. Anderson, Associate Principal The Dr. and Mrs. Preston H. Gada Chair Craig Brown The Mark W. McClure Foundation Chair Erik Dyke The Harllee H. and Pauline G. Jobe Chair Bruce Ridge The John C. and Margaret P. Parker Chair FLUTE Anne Whaley Laney, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. George M. Stephens Chair
Robert Anemone**
Paul Malcolm
Emily Rist Glover The Jessie Wyatt Ethridge Chair
Christine Martin
Mary E. Boone, Assistant Principal The Dr. and Mrs. Shaler Stidham, Jr. Chair
Amy Mason The J. Sidney Kirk Chair
Elizabeth Anderton Lunsford The Jack and Sing Boddie Chair
Paul Goldsberry The Richard and Joy Cook Chair So Yun Kim The Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. Chair Marilyn Kouba The Phyllis (“Pat”) Conrad Wells Chair Eric McCracken The James C. Byrd and Family Chair Maria Meyer The Tom and Mary Mac Bradshaw Chair Eileen Wynne The Harvey At-Large Chair Erin Zehngut The J. Felix Arnold Chair VIOLIN II Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky, Principal The Nancy Finch Wallace Chair
Sandra Schwarcz The Samuel H. and Anne Latham Johnson Viola Chair CELLO Bonnie Thron, Principal The Herman and Marga Roberg Chair Elizabeth Beilman, Associate Principal The Sarah Carlyle Herbert Dorroh Chair Peng Li, Assistant Principal Anonymously Endowed Yewon Ahn Anonymously Endowed Sunrise Kim The William Charles Rankin Chair David Meyer The Nell Hirschberg Chair
PICCOLO Elizabeth Anderton Lunsford The Jean Dunn Williams Chair OBOE Melanie Wilsden, Principal The Hardison and Stoltze Chair Joseph Peters, Associate Principal The Lizette T. Dunham Chair Sandra Posch The Clarence and Alice Aycock Poe Chair ENGLISH HORN Joseph Peters The Bruce and Margaret King Chair
To Be Filled, Associate Principal The Blanche Martin Shaw Chair
Lisa Howard Shaughnessy The Sara Wilson Hodgkins Chair
CLARINET Samuel Almaguer, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. J. Christopher Walker, II Chair
David Kilbride, Assistant Principal
Nathaniel Yaffe The Secretary of Cultural Resources Betty Ray McCain Chair
To Be Filled, Assistant Principal The Kathryn Powell and Green Flavie Cooper Chair
Qi Cao Janet Gayer Hall
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ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL BASSOON Aaron Apaza, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald S. Hudson Chair Wenmin Zhang, Assistant Principal The Beethoven Chair FRENCH HORN Rebekah Daley, Principal The Mary T. McCurdy Chair Kimberly Van Pelt, Associate Principal The James Marion Poyner Chair Christopher Caudill The Roger Colson and Bobbi Lyon Hackett Chair Rachel Niketopoulos The Paul R. Villard and Gabriel Wolf Chair To Be Filled The Mary Susan Kirk Fulghum Chair TRUMPET Paul Randall, Principal The George Smedes Poyner Chair To Be Filled, Associate Principal The Henry and Martha Zaytoun and Family Chair Don Eagle Anonymously Endowed
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TROMBONE John Ilika, Principal The Thomas Warwick Steed, Jr. Family Chair Jonathan Randazzo, Assistant Principal The Frances Armour Bryant Chair BASS TROMBONE Matthew Neff Anonymously Endowed TUBA Seth Horner, Principal The Governor and Mrs. James G. Martin, Jr. Chair HARP Anita Burroughs-Price Vonda Darr TIMPANI Colin Hartnett, Principal The Patricia R., Steven T. and George F. Hackney III Chair PERCUSSION Richard Motylinski, Principal The Margery and Earl Johnson, Jr. Chair Rajesh Prasad, Assistant Principal The Abram and Frances Pascher Kanof Chair
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ORGAN To Be Filled The Albert and Susan Jenkins and Family Organ Chair LIBRARY Stephanie Wilson, Principal The Mary Colvert and Banks C. Talley Chair *Acting position **Leave of absence Named musician chairs are made possible through very meaningful gifts to the Symphony’s endowment. As such, these donor families are also members of the Lamar Stringfield Society. Learn more. All string players rotate stands on a periodic basis in each section with the exception of titled players: Principals, Associate Principals, and Assistant Principals. The North Carolina Symphony is a member of the League of American Orchestras and the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. The North Carolina Master Chorale is the Resident Chorus of the North Carolina Symphony. The North Carolina Symphony Foundation gratefully acknowledges the generous gift of the Lupot violin from Arnold and Zena Lerman.
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