Classics 2 - Handel's Messiah by IBPSA

Masterworks Chorus & NMSU Choirs - Stephanie Reyes, Music Director Sarah Neely, Soprano Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano Jeonai Batista, Tenor Michael Hix, Bass 28

Letter from the President Dear Patrons,

Welcome to our 2023-24 season of the finest symphonic music, performed by our dedicated orchestra under the direction of Maestro Ming Luke. This will be a season of change as we try new things and collaborate with other arts organizations in exciting ways. Whether it be joining our music with the arts of ballet and drama, the joining of cultures in celebration of Día de los Muertos, the joining our instruments with choral voices for the holidays, or just humming along with our favorite tunes from the movies, we recognize that music has the ability to touch everyone. As the saying goes, “Where words fail, music speaks”. We also recognize our responsibility to educate and develop the next generation of musicians through the development of our The Las Cruces Symphony Youth Orchestra and our newly formed Junior Orchestra! We are excited that the Youth Orchestra will again be joining us onstage, not once, but twice this season. Our mission is to present and promote music of the highest quality for the region’s enrichment and to serve our community. This would not be possible without the financial support of you who are here, our season sponsors, business advertisers, and donors. We are truly thankful for your generosity and look forward to your continued support.

Sincerely,

Michael Chang LCSA President 4

Las Cruces Symphony Association The mission of the Las Cruces Symphony Association is to present and promote music of the highest quality for the region’s enrichment, and to serve our community as a musical, cultural, and educational resource

2023-24 Board of Directors Michael Chang

Marc A. Moffett

Laura Self

Larry Hill

Barbara Ross

Catherine Zaharko

Scott Lucas

Carmen Rustenbeck

Executive Board Michael Chang, President

Marc A. Moffett, Vice-President Larry Hill, Secretary Carmen Rustenbeck, Treasurer Ex-Officio Carmen Rustenbeck, Interim Executive Director Ming Luke, Music Director

The Las Cruces Symphony Association is the administrative and governing arm of the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra, governed by a Board of Directors composed of local community members. A successful symphony orchestra is a partnership between the music director, musicians, administrative staff, board of directors, donors, and patrons. Acting on behalf of all who have a vested interest in the LCSO, the Board of Directors is responsible for the good stewardship of the Symphony. For more information about the LCSA Board o f Directors and membership possibilities, please contact the LCSA at 575-646-3709.

Classics Two: Handel’s Messiah

Become a Donor Director’s Circle

Sponsored by M.U.S.I.C. and Glennis Adam

The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra Stephanie Reyes, Music Director & Conductor Masterworks Chorus & NMSU Choirs − Stephanie Reyes, Music Director Sarah Neely, Soprano Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano Jeonai Batista, Tenor Michael Hix, Bass Overture Scene 1 Comfort ye, My People Ev’ry valley Shall be Exalted Jeonai Batista, Tenor And the Glory of the Lord Scene 2 Thus Saith the Lord, Michael Hix, Bass But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming? Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano And He Shall Purify Scene 3 Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano For, Behold, Darkness The People that Walked in Darkness Michael Hix, Bass For unto us a Child is born

~ Intermission ~ Pastoral Symphony Scene 4 There Were Shepherds And Lo, the Angel of the Lord Sarah Neely, Soprano And the Angel Said Unto Them And Suddenly There was With the Angel Sarah Neely, Soprano Glory to God in the Highest Scene 5 Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion Sarah Neely, Soprano Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind be Open'd Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd/Come unto Him Sarah Neely, Soprano Sarah Daughtrey, Mezzo Soprano His Yoke is Easy and His Burthen is Light Hallelujah!

Director’s Circle − $750.00 (Limited)

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Priority seating ticket

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VIP Green Room pre-concert reception

Director’s Circle− $2,500.00 (Couples Option)

with drop-in from the Maestro

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Intermission reception

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Private entry to theatre

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Invitation to all post-concert meet and

2 priority seating tickets

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All of the single Director’s Circle benefits + the following

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2 additional season tickets next to (or close to) your priority tickets

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greets, with conductors and muscicians

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2 guests at all pre-concert and intermission receptions

Valet parking when available

Corporate Sponsorships Meet your corporation’s philanthropic goals and highlight your community responsibility. Corporate Sponsorships are a great return on investment! Allegro Corporate Sponsorship − $10,000+

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Customized benefits to fit your organization’s unique needs

Bellissimo Business Sponsorship − $6,500

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Ideal for entertaining clients with high quality performances and gifting employees

Maestro Professional Sponsorship − $3,5000

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Perfect for raising your business’s community profile and enjoying some of the finer things in life

All sponsorships include VIP tickets, special events, advertising benefits, private theatre entrance, and more. For more information, contact the Las Cruces Symphony office at 575-646-3709 or visit our website: lascrucessymphony.com/support-us/

Classics Two: Program Notes

Ways to Give Annual Fund For more than 62 years, the LCSO has been a leader among the arts in Las Cruces, employing more than 70 musicians who live and work in our area. Ticket sales only support about 40 percent of the cost of producing concerts. That is why we depend generous donations from our patrons. Please consider making a contribution to support the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra at one of the suggested donation levels and help to ensure the future of a professional symphony in Las Cruces.

• Grandioso: $5,000-$9,999 • Appassionato: $2,000-$4,999 • Maestoso: $1,000-$1,999 • Scherzo: $500-$999 • Rondo: $250-$499 • Dolce: $50-$249 Contact the Las Cruces Symphony office at 575-646-3709 or visit our website: https://lascrucessymphony.com/support-us/

Adopt a Chair The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra is a community supported orchestra, requiring the ongoing support of people willing to invest in the future of live performance. An “Adopt a Chair” sponsor provides funding for a specific musician’s salary; thus, establishing long-term sustainable funding for our orchestra. The sponsorship is not designated for a specific musician, but rather for the “chair” or position in the orchestra. Levels (per year)

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Music Director Concertmaster Principal Section Player

$5,000 $1,500 $1,000 $500

Benefits

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Name recognition on personnel page Name recognition on LCSO website Personal introduction between sponsor and musician with photo op Invitation to post-concert receptions and special events

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) When compared to J. S. Bach, as he often is, George Frideric Handel is frequently identified as being the more “cosmopolitan” of the two. Handel was a German, trained in Italy, who spent almost fifty years of his life as a star of the London musical scene. As with Telemann, Handel was much better known to the general public throughout Europe when compared to Bach, both as a composer and a performer. Handel’s early years were spent in Halle and Hamburg. In 1706 he traveled to Italy, where he mastered the local operatic style and began composing his first oratorios. Handel returned to Germany in 1710 to become Kapellmeister for the Elector of Hanover. Over the course of the next few years, he took several trips to London, where his compositions met with great success. When Queen Anne died in 1714, the Elector of Hanover (Handel’s employer) became the next king of England (King George I), and Handel stayed in London for the rest of his life. He became the toast of the town, composing successful operas in the Italian style for the Royal Academy of Music, new music commissioned for the English court and Royal Chapel, and, toward the end of his career, some of the most famous oratorios ever written, most notably, Messiah. Handel approached composition with a flair for improvisation and innovation but also with a businessman’s eye for potential commercial success. When Italian operas were in favor in London, that was what he composed. When they fell out of favor, he switched to oratorios, which offered him the double commercial advantage of being performed during Lent (when the opera houses were dark) and being written in the local language, which gave the works more mass audience appeal. Again, a comparison with J. S. Bach proves interesting. When Bach died, his compositions were largely forgotten, but today, almost everything he wrote is considered a masterpiece. Because of his enormous popularity during his lifetime, a great deal more of Handel’s music was published and, therefore, preserved for history. Nonetheless, much of Handel’s music has since fallen out of favor. Today he is best remembered for the previously mentioned oratorio, Messiah, and a handful of other works including the two orchestral pieces Music for the Royal Fireworks and Water Music. Of his 40 plus operas and 30 plus oratorios, only a few are still performed today. Handel also composed over 150 cantatas, of which 100 are still extant, but they are rarely performed today outside of academic and historic performance circles. Likewise, there are hundreds of purely instrumental compositions by Handel, but outside of the previously mentioned orchestral works, a few of his concerti grossi, and some of his solo concertos for organ and orchestra, only few of them are performed on a regular basis. 7

Classics Two: Program Notes

LCSO Donors

Today, Handel’s Messiah is generally thought of as a work for Christmas, but it actually tells stories from the entire life of Christ. The work is over two and a half hours long and is rarely performed in its entirety today. Now it is common for ensembles to extract the Christmas portions of the work, stick the Hallelujah Chorus on the end, and perform the work only during the Christmas season. Handel composed the work in less than a month, but he continued to revise the oratorio until his death in 1759. The work makes use of all the conventions found in operatic compositions of the day, including secco and accompagnato recitatives, arias, duets, and dramatic choruses such as the famous Hallelujah Chorus. Over the years, it has become a tradition for the audience to stand during a performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, and there are several interesting stories as to how that tradition came to be. In the oratorio’s original format, this movement happens about two-thirds of the way through the work. The basic story goes that the King stood up during the performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, so quite naturally the rest of the audience stood with the King. One theory has it that the King had fallen asleep, and the loud chorus woke him with a start. More recent scholarship has suggested that the King had a new girlfriend seated in the audience below, and he stood up to get a better look at her. During Handel’s day, oratorio performances were marathon events, which frequently included the performance of other works during the intermissions between the different parts of the main work. In a letter home, a French traveler named Madame Fiquet wrote of her experience attending a performance of Handel’s greatest oratorio:

London, April 15, 1750

The Oratorio, or pious concert, pleases us highly. HANDEL is the soul of it: when he makes his appearance, two wax lights are carried before him, which are laid upon his organ. Amidst a loud clapping of hands he seats himself, and the whole band of music strikes up exactly at the same moment. At the interludes he plays concertos of his own composition, either alone or accompanied by the orchestra. These are equally admirable for the harmony and the execution. The Italian opera, in three acts, gives us much less pleasure.

Rondo: $250-$499 Frank Belyan & Paul Mach Ben Holberg Shirley Cruse Charles & Linda Tharp Jim Maxon Dolce: $50-$249 Lee Beatty Karen Casci Jeffrey Brown Larry & Connie Candelaria Thomas & Joan Dormody Lois Grant & Richard Pratt Sally Ann Harper Kennan Newtson Ann Sallemi Wayne Flowers Garn Harris David Card Ellie Chalekian Sue Lashley Youth Orchestra Founders Circle: Caryl Kotulak Jennifer Taylor Richard & Joy Pearce Ann Carlson Larry & Connie Candelaria

Grandioso: $5,000 and up

Appassionato: $2,000-$4,999 Glennis L. Adam Maestoso: $1,000-$1,999 David Brown & Mary Beagle Elmer & Nancy Houghten James Gerwels & Tiffany Reimann Richard & Joy Pearce Julie Marineau Philip &Louise Silano Doug & Tina Bailey Scherzo: $500-$999 Arturo & Maria Elena Jurado Caryl Kotulak Janet Hampton Irv & Barb Ross Richard & Susan Emery Darrel W. Dodson Linda A. Shubeck Helen Zagona Francie Casillas

Youth Orchestra Sponsors Marlene Mayfield Gordon Butler & Martha Ludeman Jim Maxon Lydia Evans Thomas & Joan Dormody Edward Aylesworth James Gerwels & Tiffini Reimann Karen Billings Henry & Marti Taylor Ilse Pokorny Susan Williams Kennan Newtson Juliana Boxer Richard Hiss Shirley Cruse Glennis L. Adam Frank & Cally Williams Peter & Dael Goodman Leora Zeitlin

Mary Ann Willson Lois Grant Grant & Tenya Price Ellen Michnovicz Jeffrey Brown Lucia Greene Ann Goldsberry Philip & Louise Silano Lee Beatty Emroy Shannon Kathryn Treat Gay Lenzo Barbara C. Davis Arturo & Maria Elena Jurado Don & Pat Johnson Ellie Chalekian Doug & Tina Bailey Roger C. Young Shevek Barnhart

LCS Youth & Junior Orchestras

Classics Two: Program Notes This performance by the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra, joined by Dr. Stephanie Reyes, the NMSU choirs, Masterworks Chorus, Dr. Sarah Daughtrey, Sarah Neely, Jeonai Batista, and Dr. Michael Hix, will follow the aforenoted tradition of extracting the Christmas portions of the work, and we will, in fact, end with the rousing Hallelujah Chorus. This will be your cue to stand if you’ve fallen asleep during the show or if you need to get a better look at someone else in the audience!

Program Notes by Jim Shearer. Portions of these notes are drawn from MUSIC 101: An Active Listening Guide for a Generation Online by James E. Shearer. Kendall Hunt Publishing Co. Used by permission.

Depiction of King George standing during the Hallelujah Chorus. Source: Jupiterimages, Corp.

Classics Two: The Messiah

Art Builds Community

Messiah Part 1 Movement 1: Overture (symphony only) Movement 2: Isaiah 40:1–3 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Movement 3: Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. Movement 4: Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Movement 5: Haggai 2:6–7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; yet once, a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations; and the Desire of All Nations shall come. Movement 5: Malachi 3:1 The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. Movement 6: Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire.

Movement 7: Malachi 3:3 And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Movement 8: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel. “God with us.” Movement 9: Isaiah 40:9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 10

Every great city needs a great symphony! There is something special about live music. Something special about the moment your concert master initiates the final tuning of the orchestra; about the moment your conductor takes the podium; about the moment Ming’s baton drops and the first chords from your Symphony transport you into a fabulous musical journey. The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra is a source of joy and discovery for the people who are engaged in this community. It is an irreplaceable chance for music lovers of all ages and backgrounds to be a part of something unique; an experience that cannot be duplicated by streaming performances online or flying to distant places to watch some other city’s symphony. As great as those things can be, they are fundamentally different. Listening today, you will not just experience beautiful works of music. You will not just experience them in the company of other like-minded people. But you will experience them in the company of hundreds of your neighbors and fellow Las Crucians. In this way, these performances weave together our community.

Thank you for joining us! 19

Classics Three: Space & Earth

Classics Two: The Messiah

Sponsored by A Circle of Symphony Friends

The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra Ming Luke, Music Director & Conductor in collaboration with

Las Cruces Symphony Youth Orchestra, Jorge Martinez-Rios (Music Director) present

Bedrich Smetana Die Moldau (with the Las Cruces Symphony Youth Orchestra) Heather Pinkham Nowhere and Nowhen Piano Concerto Soloist, Heather Pinkham Claude Debussy La Mer

Movement 10: Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Movement 11: Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Movement 12: Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Movement 13: Pastoral Symphony Movement 14a: Luke 2:8 There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Movement 14b: Luke 2:9 And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. Movement 15: Luke 2:10–11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Movement 16: Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Movement 17: Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men. Movement 18: Zechariah 9:9–10 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen. Movement 19: Isaiah 35:5–6 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.

Classics Two: The Messiah Movement 20: Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Matthew 11:28–29 Come unto Him, all ye that labor, come unto Him ye that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Movement 21: Matthew 11:30 His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light. Movement 44: Revelation 19:6; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:16 Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

Pops Two: The Silver Screen The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra Ming Luke, Music Director & Conductor presents

007: Through the Years − Various Arr. Bulla Highlights from Wicked − Stephen Schwartz Arr. Ricketts Music from Frozen − Kristen Anderson-Lopez Arr. Krogstad Star Wars Through the Years − John Williams Arr. Bulla Highlights from Jurassic Park − John Williams Arr. Custer Star Trek Through the Years − Various Arr. Custer Harry Potter Symphonic Suite − John Williams Arr. Brubaker

Stephanie Reyes, D.M.A. Conductor and Music Director Stephanie Reyes is an accomplished choral conductor and vocalist, having graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University. During her time at Texas Tech, she was the conductor of Scarlet Voce and University Singers, associate conductor of University Choir, and director of the Opera Chorus. Alongside her conducting positions, Dr. Reyes taught Choral Conducting, Choral/Vocal Pedagogy, and private lessons for undergraduate vocal music education students. Outside of her conducting, Dr. Reyes has excelled as a vocalist, captivating audiences with her performances in large-scale choral works like Mozart's Requiem, Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, Handel's Messiah, and Bach's St. John Passion. She holds a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and a master's degree in Choral Conducting from Texas State University.

Pops One (Past): Día de los Muertos

Classics Two: Personnel

The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Stephanie Reyes

Ming Luke, Music Director & Conductor