ORIGIN STORIES JANUARY 27, 2022 • HEINZ HALL
WELCOME TO ORIGIN STORIES WITH THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA! Tonight’s innovative program was inspired by the work of Pittsburgh artists Mikael Owunna and Marques Redd, whose mural “Playing the Cosmic Strings” was installed last fall on the exterior of Heinz Hall, and who we are honored to have as guides for our musical journey this evening. Origin Stories fuses music, art and poetry to delve into big questions: Who are we? How did we come to be here? How did our universe begin? Humans have pondered these questions across time and in all parts of the world; digging deep into our own origin stories lends power and purpose to our lives. As we learned more about the Igbo cosmology that underpins “Playing the Cosmic Strings,” music emerged as an ideal vehicle not only to animate specific origin stories, but also to express the equally significant emotions that these questions elicit: awe, wonder, energy, spirit. And so, we began our journey into the orchestral repertoire to explore how composers express different origin stories through music, and how music in turn can help us express our own thoughts and feelings about our origin. Tonight’s program features music reflecting origin stories of the ancient Greek, Mayan and Igbo peoples, as well as pieces that conjure the primordial world. Hugo Alexander Cruz Machado joins us to present Nicolás Guillén’s poem Sensemayá, which served as the inspiration for Silvestre Revueltas’s vivid musical work of the same name that depicts an Afro-Cuban dance ritual of growth and renewal. We are also thrilled to welcome new Assistant Conductor Moon Doh to the podium, in his first month with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and to celebrate his origin story with the PSO premiere of “Suri Temple” from Four Scenic View of Suri Mountain by Korean composer Jeongyang Park. Following the concert, we invite you to continue your journey by exploring additional resources online that deepen our understanding of the music and stories featured this evening. In connection with tonight's concert, the Pittsburgh Symphony’s virtual Schooltime learning program also includes a multidisciplinary Origin Stories unit for educators to use with their students at no cost through June 30, 2022—registration is available at https://pittsburghsymphony.org/schooltime. Thank you for joining us. Enjoy the concert!
Scan to learn more about this program and download additional resources.
OUR VISION: Great Music in Every Life. OUR MISSION: To engage, enrich and inspire through unparalleled live musical experiences. OUR VALUES: Excellence—Inclusivity— Integrity—Celebration/Enjoyment
PROGRAM
January 27 program...........................................................................4 January 27 program notes..................................................................5 Moon Doh biography........................................................................10 Mikael Owunna biography...............................................................11 Marques Redd biography.................................................................12 Hugo Alexander Cruz Machado biography.......................................13 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra biography......................................14 INDIVIDUALS & HEINZ HALL INFORMATION Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Musicians........................................2 Administrative Staff.............................................................................3 Heinz Hall information......................................................................17
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performances are brought to the community in part by generous support from the following public agencies: Allegheny Regional Asset District, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community & Economic Development, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. We also thank our corporate partners, foundations and individual donors for believing in the work we do for our region and beyond.
Radio station WQED-FM 89.3 and WQEJ-FM 89.7 is the official voice of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Tune in Wednesdays and Sundays at 7 p.m. for “Pittsburgh Symphony Radio” concert broadcasts hosted by Jim Cunningham.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all patrons. For information about our accessible services, please contact the box office at 412.392.4900 or visit pittsburghsymphony.org.
THE PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO AND SOUND RECORDING OF THIS CONCERT IS PROHIBITED PITTSBURGHSYMPHONY.ORG 2021-2022 SEASON
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Manfred Honeck
ENDOWED BY THE VIRA I. HEINZ ENDOWMENT
PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR
Byron Stripling
ENDOWED BY HENRY & ELSIE HILLMAN
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Moon Doh Jacob Joyce
FIRST VIOLIN
Mark Huggins
ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER BEVERLYNN & STEVEN ELLIOTT CHAIR
Huei-Sheng Kao ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Kelsey Blumenthal Justine Campagna Ellen Chen-Livingston
SELMA WIENER BERKMAN MEMORIAL CHAIR
Irene Cheng Sarah Clendenning LOIS R. BROZENICK MEMORIAL CHAIR
HARP
TRUMPET
Jeremías Sergiani-Velázquez b Albert Tan Ran Cheng r Shannon Fitzhenry r
Gretchen Van Hoesen j
Micah Wilkinson j
Karen Strittmatter Galvin r Ross Snyder r VIOLA
Tatjana Mead Chamis Q
JON & CAROL WALTON CHAIR
Susanne Park
DR. ALAN & MARSHA BRAMOWITZ CHAIR
Christopher Wu
NANCY & JEFFERY LEININGER CHAIR
Kristina Yoder SECOND VIOLIN
Jeremy Black j
G. CHRISTIAN LANTZSCH & DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY CHAIR
Louis Lev
d
THE MORRISON FAMILY CHAIR
Dennis O’Boyle x Laura Motchalov WILLIAM & SARAH GALBRAITH CHAIR
Eva Burmeister b Andrew Fuller Lorien Benet Hart ARLYN GILBOA CHAIR
Yeokyung Kim Claudia Mahave
ALICE VICTORIA GELORMINO CHAIR
JACKMAN PFOUTS CHAIR
Jennifer Steele
HILDA M. WILLIS FOUNDATION CHAIR
Shantanique Moore PAUL J. ROSS FELLOW
PICCOLO
Rhian Kenny j
FRANK & LOTI GAFFNEY CHAIR
Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida j
Erina LarabyGoldwasser Stephanie Tretick Andrew Wickesberg MR. & MRS. MARTIN G. McGUINN CHAIR
Kallie Sugatski r Rimbo Wong r CELLO
Anne Martindale Williams j
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION CHAIR
David Premo d
GEORGE & EILEEN DORMAN CHAIR
RON & DOROTHY CHUTZ CHAIR
Lorna McGhee j
Marylène Gingras-Roy L Laura Fuller
Marta Krechkovsky Jennifer Orchard
FLUTE
OBOE
DONALD I. & JANET MORITZ AND EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC. CHAIR
SNAPP FAMILY FIRST VIOLIN CHAIR
VIRGINIA CAMPBELL CHAIR
Joen Vasquez E
Alison Peters Fujito OLGA T. GAZALIE CHAIR
2 2
Cecee Pantikian
Adam Liu xb
Mikhail Istomin SUSAN CANDACE HUNT CHAIR
Bronwyn Banerdt Will Chow Michael DeBruyn Alexandra Lee
WILLIAM BLOCK MEMORIAL CHAIR
Michael Lipman JANE & RAE BURTON CHAIR
Charlie Powers HALEYFESQ CELLO CHAIR
Karissa Shivone BASS
Brandon McLean Q Joseph Campagna Jeffrey Grubbs MICHAEL & CAROL BLEIER CHAIR
Peter Guild Micah Howard
STEPHEN & KIMBERLY KEEN CHAIR
John Moore Aaron White
DR. WILLIAM LARIMER MELLON JR. CHAIR
MARTHA BROOKS ROBINSON CHAIR
Charles Lirette h EDWARD D. LOUGHNEY CHAIR
Neal Berntsen Chad Winkler
SUSAN S. GREER MEMORIAL CHAIR
TROMBONE
Peter Sullivan j TOM & JAMEE TODD CHAIR
Rebecca Cherian h James Nova ANN MCGUINN CHAIR
BASS TROMBONE
Jeffrey Dee j
WILLIAM & JACQUELINE HERBEIN CHAIR
Max Blair d
TUBA
Nora Prener r
Craig Knox j
ENGLISH HORN
Kyle Mustain j CLARINET
Michael Rusinek j
DR. MARY ANN CRAIG CHAIR
TIMPANI
Christopher Allen Q PERCUSSION
MR. & MRS. AARON SILBERMAN CHAIR
Andrew Reamer jb
Victoria Luperi d Ron Samuels
Jeremy Branson Q
SIDNEY STARK, JR. MEMORIAL CHAIR
E-FLAT CLARINET
Victoria Luperi j BASS CLARINET
Jack Howell j
MR. & MRS. WILLARD J. TILLOTSON, JR. CHAIR
BASSOON
Nancy Goeres j
MR. & MRS. WILLIAM GENGE AND MR. & MRS. JAMES E. LEE CHAIR
David Sogg h Philip A. Pandolfi CONTRABASSOON
James Rodgers j HORN
William Caballero j ANONYMOUS DONOR CHAIR
Stephen Kostyniak d Zachary Smith x Robert Lauver
IRVING (BUDDY) WECHSLER CHAIR
Mark Houghton Joseph Rounds
REED SMITH CHAIR HONORING TOM TODD
ALBERT H. ECKERT CHAIR
Christopher Allen Shawn Galvin r LIBRARIAN
Lisa Gedris j JEAN & SIGO FALK CHAIR
Grant Johnson STAGE TECHNICIANS
Ronald Esposito Tommy Gorman j h d X Q E L b r
PRINCIPAL CO-PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ACTING PRINCIPAL ACTING ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ON LEAVE 2021-22 SEASON MUSICIAN
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PERRY & BEEJEE MORRISON STRING INSTRUMENT LOAN FUND
ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT & CEO
Melia Peters Tourangeau
RANDI & L. VAN V. DAULER, JR. PRESIDENT & CEO CHAIR
Lisa G. Donnermeyer MANAGING ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & COO
Martin D. Bates Imogen Campbell Hendricks EXECUTIVE OFFICE ASSOCIATE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CFO
Scott Michael SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CDO
Mary Anne Talotta ARTISTIC PLANNING
Mary Persin
VICE PRESIDENT OF ARTISTIC PLANNING
Jesse Montgomery ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATOR
Brigit Stack
MANAGER OF ARTISTIC PLANNING
FINANCE
Bridget Meacham Kowalski CONTROLLER
Linda Mason
MANAGER OF PAYROLL AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Eric Quinlan
CASH MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT
David Swendsen ACCOUNTANT
HALL MANAGEMENT
Carl A. Mancuso
VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER OF HEINZ HALL
Suzanne Perrino
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Amy Cale
PROGRAM MANAGER OF LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Katie Schouten DIRECTOR OF LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MARKETING & SALES
Aleta King
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING & SALES
Richard Aversa
Andy Coleman
Paul Bell
Julie Goetz
STAGE TECHNICIAN
CLEANING SUPERVISOR
Kevin Berwick CHIEF ENGINEER
Jonathan Brown MAINTENANCE
Thomas Furey STAGE TECHNICIAN
Chris Heastings ENGINEER
Jeffrey Hough DEVELOPMENT
LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MAINTENANCE
SENIOR MANAGER OF MARKETING OPERATIONS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Brian Hughes
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Allison Lambacher
SENIOR MANAGER OF CLASSICAL MARKETING AND MARKETING ANALYTICS
Erin Lynn
DIRECTOR OF POPULAR PROGRAM MARKETING AND GRASS ROOTS OPERATIONS
ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS
Tabitha M. Pfleger VICE PRESIDENT OF ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS
Kaylene Beal
MANAGER OF ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS
Katie Blakey
COORDINATOR OF ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS
Harold Chambers RECORDING ENGINEER
Edward DeArmitt VIDEO PRODUCER
Ronald Esposito SYMPHONY STAGE TECHNICIAN
Thomas Gorman Jr. SYMPHONY STAGE TECHNICIAN
Beth Paine
DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL
Joe Scriva
MANAGER OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL
POPULAR PROGRAMMING
Shelly Fuerte
VICE PRESIDENT OF POPULAR PROGRAMMING
Christian Kriegeskotte
Christine Mouser
MANAGER OF POPULAR PROGRAMMING & DIGITAL LICENSING
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
MANAGER OF DIGITAL MARKETING OPERATIONS
Bryan Abbott
Ron Hughes
B Crittenden
Susan M. Jenny
Rachel Reid
Isabella Jaffery
Michael Karapandi
Steven Turkovich
Meredith Kelly
Maurice Moore
Michaela Kizershot White
Robbin Nelson
Steven Ascencio
Nicholas DeRoss
Mary Alice Ryan
Ryan Clark
Carolyn J. Friedrich
Geoffrey Waldo
James Guzman
SENIOR MANAGER OF FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
William Weaver
Sierra Kompa
Whitney Nicholson
Stacy Weber
Liesl McGouldrick
MANAGER OF EVENTS
MANAGER OF CORPORATE SUPPORT COORDINATOR OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
GIFT OFFICER
MAINTENANCE
MANAGER OF HEINZ HALL OPERATIONS STAGE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE
Dawn McWilliams
MANAGER OF HEINZ HALL SERVICES
Tracey Nath-Farrar
ENGINEER
DIRECTOR OF EVENTS
MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS
Camilla Brent Pearce
STAGE TECHNICIAN
MANAGER OF HEINZ HALL SCHEDULING & RENTALS
SENIOR GIFT OFFICER
Becky Rickard
DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SUPPORT & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Andrew Seay
DIRECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
Brian Skwirut
HUMAN RESOURCES
Kimberly Mikolay
VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING OPERATIONS
Patron Services
PATRON SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE MANAGER OF PATRON SERVICES
Fidele Niyonzigira
VICE PRESIDENT & TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
T.C. Brown
ANNUITY DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPER ARCHIVIST
PATRON SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE PATRON SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE PATRON SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
Ticketing Services
Stacy Corcoran
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING SERVICES
Lori Doyle
TICKETING SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
Bill Van Ryn
TICKETING SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
PITTSBURGHSYMPHONY.ORG 2020-2021 SEASON PITTSBURGHSYMPHONY.ORG 2021-2022 SEASON
7 3
ORIGIN STORIES | HEINZ HALL THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 AT 7:00 P.M.
Moon Doh, conductor Mikael Owunna, host Marques Redd, host Hugo Alexander Cruz Machado, reader and drums Franz Joseph Haydn
Introduction, "Representation of Chaos" from The Creation, H. XXI:2
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, Opus 43
Peter Boyer
Three Olympians II. Aphrodite
Carlos Rafael Rivera
POPOL-VUH: Four Mayan Dance Scenes for Orchestra I. First Creation
Jeongyang Park
"Suri Temple" from Four Scenic Views of Suri-Mountain
Silvestre Revueltas
Sensemayá for Chamber Ensemble
Jessie Montgomery
Strum for String Orchestra
Igor Stravinsky
Suite from The Firebird (1919 revision) V. Finale
SCHOOLTIME SPONSORS HENRY C. FRICK EDUCATIONAL FUND OF THE BUHL FOUNDATION
HOWARD & NELL E. MILLER FOUNDATION
IMAGE CREDITS Hubble telescope images - NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team Diego Rivera watercolor - © 2022 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Playing the Cosmic Strings - Mikael Owunna
4
PROGRAM NOTES FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN
“Representation of Chaos” from The Creation “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the Waters.” Haydn opens his dramatic work The Creation with a musical depiction of the dark, formless void described in the opening line of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Torah of the Hebrew Bible, and later the first book of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. A striking chord calls our attention to this evocative movement, followed by wandering cadences that don’t quite resolve, sparse textures, and dissonance that combine to paint a vivid musical portrait of chaos – the time before creation.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
“Overture” from The Creatures of Prometheus Known as protector of humans, the Greek god Prometheus (meaning “foresight”) and his brother Epimetheus (meaning “hindsight”) were tasked by Zeus with creating all living things. Prometheus shaped the first humans out of mud while his brother Epimetheus assigned qualities to all creatures – except that when it came time to assign qualities to humans, Epimetheus had run out of options. Despite invoking the wrath of Zeus, Prometheus gave fire to humans so they could thrive – thus earning his status as protector. Beethoven’s rendition leaves out some of the more gruesome details of the mythological Prometheus, and instead invites us to imagine the development of humans as they gain knowledge and instruction in the arts, illustrated in the overture by energetic tempos and jovial motifs.
PETER BOYER
“Aphrodite” from Three Olympians The mythological Aphrodite is one of twelve major Olympian gods – that is, Greek gods who resided at Olympus. These twelve Olympians presided over all major aspects of human life, with Aphrodite’s divine role being that of love and beauty. Boyer’s “Aphrodite” is the middle movement of a set of musical portraits of three of these Olympian gods. Using only the string instruments of the orchestra, Boyer creates a lush soundscape of lyrical melodies to evoke the goddess of love and beauty. Upward glissandos lend an ethereal quality to the music, while the restatement of the main melody in the solo violin portrays Aphrodite in all her exquisite beauty. PROGRAM NOTES 2021-2022 SEASON
5
CARLOS RAFAEL RIVERA
“First Creation” from POPOL-VUH:: Four Mayan Dance Scenes for Orchestra The Popol Vuh is the creation narrative of the Quiché Mayan people from the region that is today Guatemala. It is a work of tremendous significance and is considered a sacred text. Among other accounts, it tells the story of the primordial world, the dawn of life, and three attempts to make humans – first from mud, then from wood, and finally, successfully, from white and yellow corn (maize). Rivera draws deeply on the text of the Popol Vuh for his work of the same name. Like the sacred text, Rivera’s POPOL-VUH contains four parts. The first part, performed tonight, depicts the appearance of the gods of sea and sky; the gathering of those gods; the sowing of the earth from the sea; the dawning of all creatures; and the departure of the gods. Rivera employs instrumentation brilliantly to evoke the characters and actions of this rich origin story. Tension in the strings depicts the time before creation, then different instruments across the orchestra introduce each new section of the story until a triumphant brass fanfare hails the emergence of
JEONGYANG PARK
"Suri Temple" from Four Scenic Views of Suri-Mountain The second movement from Four Scenic Views of Suri-Mountain by Korean composer Jeongyang Park depicts the serene landscape that surrounds Suri Temple in the city of Gunpo, 25 miles south of Seoul. As a Buddhist temple built 1,500 years ago during the reign of King Jinheung, Suri Temple boasts a rich cultural history of the Silla Dynasty and has served as a place of solace and refuge for generations. Legend has it that the Silla Dynasty was founded in 57 BCE by Park Hyeokgeose, who hatched out of a chicken-dragon egg. King Park is considered the progenitor of the Park family name— under which the composer of this piece also falls. The simple melodic lines are reminiscent of Korean folk tunes while the use of wind instruments such as the flute, oboe, and bassoon reflects the sound of traditional Korean instruments.
SILVESTRE REVUELTAS
Sensemayá for Chamber Ensemble Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas and Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén became acquainted in 1937 at a convention of the League of Writers and Revolutionary Artists (LEAR) in Guadalajara, Mexico. The following year, Revueltas composed a symphonic tone poem based on Guillén's poem, Sensemayá.
6
Subtitled Canto para matar una culebra (“chant to kill a snake”), the works depict an Afro-Cuban dance ritual practiced by the Palo Monte Mayombe. Just as a snake sheds its skin, practitioners of this Afro-Caribbean creole religion believe the killing of a snake symbolizes renewal, fertility, and growth. The verses of the poem alternate between Spanish and African Bakongo, creating a driving rhythm that is echoed in Revueltas’s vibrant music.
JESSIE MONTGOMERY
Strum for String Orchestra Composer Jessie Montgomery describes her piece, Strum, as an expansive soundscape that strings together different textures for melodies to weave in and out. Alternating between smooth lyrical lines, bouncing pizzicato, and changing tempos throughout, the piece brings to life the infinite ways in which strings can vibrate and harmonize with one another. The concept of infinite and endless vibrations animates Mikael Owunna’s visual work, Playing the Cosmic Strings, commissioned jointly by the Pittsburgh Symphony and Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and accompanying tonight’s performance of Strum. Based in Igbo cosmology, Playing the Cosmic Strings depicts the story of Ududo-Okwa-Nka, the divine cosmic spider that is considered a metaphor for the Milky Way Galaxy. The infinite cosmic string patterns that emerge when the spider’s egg breaks apart represent the vibrating loops of energy that form the physical structure of the world – including those consciously produced by humans, such as the incredible string vibrations of an orchestra.
IGOR STRAVINSKY
"Finale" from Suite from The Firebird (1919 revision) “To truly penetrate into the higher realms of creation, a higher form of language must be employed. Such a language cannot be of words, but rather of pure energy and pure spirit sound.” - Mikael Owunna The Firebird met with immediate success when it premiered in 1910 and continues to resonate strongly with audiences to this day. Perhaps its resonance stems in part from the extraordinary power and spirit of its glorious finale, performed here as a musical illustration of the Igbo sense of creation, which, as articulated by artist Mikael Owunna, requires a language not of words but of pure energy and spirit sound to access. We share the finale tonight as a symbol of the awe and wonder invoked by pondering our many origin stories.
PROGRAM NOTES 2021-2022 SEASON
7
SENSEMAYÁ BY NICOLÁS GUILLÉN (ORIGINAL TEXT) (ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Sensemayá Sensemayá Canto para matar una culebra Chant to kill a snake ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
La culebra tiene los ojos de vidrio; La culebra viene y se enreda en un palo; Con sus ojos de vidrio, en un palo, Con sus ojos de vidrio.
The snake has eyes made of glass; The snake comes, wraps itself around a stick; With its eyes made of glass, round a stick, With its eyes of glass.
La culebra camina sin patas; La culebra se esconde en la yerba; Caminando se esconde en la yerba, Caminando sin patas.
The snake walks without legs; The snake hides in the grass; Walking hides in the grass, Walking without legs.
¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
Tú le das con el hacha, y se muere: Hit it with the ax, and it dies: ¡Dale ya! Hit it now! ¡No le des con el pie, que te muerde, Don’t hit it with your foot, it will bite you, No les des con el pie, que se va! Don’t hit it with your foot, it will flee! Sensemayá, la culebra, Sensemayá, the snake, Sensemayá. Sensemayá. Sensemayá, con sus ojos, Sensemayá, with his eyes, Sensemayá. Sensemayá. Sensemayá, con su lengua, Sensemayá, with his tongue, Sensemayá. Sensemayá. Sensemayá, con su boca, Sensemayá, with his mouth, Sensemayá… Sensemayá… La culebra muerta no puede comer; La culebra muerta no puede silbar; No puede caminar, No puede correr. La culebra muerta no puede mirar; La culebra muerta no puede beber; No puede respirar, ¡No puede morder!
8
The dead snake cannot eat; the dead snake cannot hiss; Cannot walk, Cannot run. The dead snake cannot see; The dead snake cannot drink; Cannot breathe, Cannot bite!
¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, la culebra… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, no se mueve… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, la culebra… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! ¡Sensemayá, se murió!
¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, the snake… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, is not moving… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, the snake… ¡Mayombe—bombe—mayombé! Sensemayá, he is dead! SUPPORTED BY
STUDENT SIDE-BY-SIDE
REHEARSE AND PERFORM WITH THE PIT TSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTR A
APPLY TODAY!
SUBMISSIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2022! PROGRAM NOTES 2021-2022 SEASON
9
MOON DOH A recipient of the Takaya Urakawa Foundation Grant awarded to promising young musicians, conductor Moon Doh has found great acclaim in various concert venues across Germany. As the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Flora Symphony Orchestra in Cologne for the past three seasons, he not only led exciting concerts but also worked closely with music pedagogues, reaching an unprecedented number of children through music. Moon’s latest collaborations include leading the WDR Funkhausorchester in Germany, Savaria Symphony Orchestra in Hungary, and Pleven Philharmonic in Bulgaria. Born in South Korea, Moon spent much of his childhood in the Philippines, Russia, and the United States. At the age of nine, he began cello and piano studies in Russia and has since been performing with various youth and student orchestras across the globe. As a passionate advocate for young rising artists, he was the assistant conductor to the State Youth Orchestra of Hessen. In addition, he was also the conductor of the Under-16 Orchestra of Tonhalle Düsseldorf and regularly coached the Youth Orchestra of Essen. He is the conductor of the annual European Youth Music Week where talented young musicians across Europe gather for intense music making. A staunch believer in empowering others, Moon has actively worked with asylum seekers in Hungary, children in underserved areas of Bangladesh, and inmates in Baltimore as the president of a student organization while completing his B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Johns Hopkins University. In recent years, Moon has worked with many orchestras across Europe: Duisburger
10
Philharmoniker, Dortmunder Philharmoniker, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, and Bergische Symphoniker in Germany, Romanian Chamber Orchestra in Romania, Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra in Spain, Sinfonietta Cracovia in Poland, and Ruse Philharmonic in Bulgaria to name a few. Under the tutelage of Rüdiger Bohn, Moon received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in orchestral conducting from the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany. Prior to his conducting studies, he received a B.A. in music composition from Sahmyook University in South Korea. Moon has participated in renowned music festivals such as Accademia Chigiana in Italy and Bartók Festival in Hungary. His conducting mentors include Cristian Măcelaru, Peter Eötvös, Jorma Panula, and Manuel Hernandez Silva.
MIK AEL OWUNNA Mikael Owunna is a queer Nigerian American multi-media artist and engineer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Exploring the intersections of visual media with engineering, optics, Blackness, and African cosmologies, his work excavates and celebrates the ancient origins and future cosmic destinies of humanity. Owunna’s work has been exhibited across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America and been collected by institutions such as the Nasher Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Equal Justice Initiative; Duke University Pratt School of Engineering; and National Taiwan Museum. His work has also been featured in media ranging from the New York Times to CNN, NPR, VICE, and The Guardian. He has lectured at venues including Harvard Law School, World Press Photo (Netherlands), Tate Modern (UK), and TEDx. Owunna has published two monographs: Limitless Africans (FotoEvidence, 2019) and Cosmologies (ClampArt, 2021). Owunna’s multi-media practice also includes film, and in
Photo credit: Nathan Shaulis
2021 he directed the dance film Obi Mbu (The Primordial House): An Igbo Creation Myth with Marques Redd.
BIOGRAPHY 2021-2022 SEASON
11
MARQUES REDD Marques Redd is a traditional African cosmologist, independent scholar, and multimedia artist. He is immersed in a wide array of African spiritual systems, particularly from ancient Egyptian, Afro-Cuban, Yoruba, Dogon, Igbo, and Dagara cultural contexts. His published academic essays include “Astro-Black Mythology: The Poetry of Sun Ra” and “Those Mysteries, Our Mysteries: Ishmael Reed and the Construction of a Black Esoteric Tradition.” He has also contributed essays for arts institutions and galleries including Silver Eye Center for Photography and Women of Visions. In September 2021, he released Obi Mbu (The Primordial House): An Igbo Creation Myth, a film he co-directed with Mikael Owunna, and it has been screened at ClampArt (NYC), Iris Project (LA), and CAM Raleigh. In October 2021, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's public art installation “Playing the Cosmic Strings” launched, which features an image of him engaging in a creation ritual on a 1,200 sq. ft. billboard that will be displayed for 5 years. Other work in production includes a scholarly text entitled Ancient Origins, Future Destinies:
12
Blackness, World Creativity, and the Word and a series of glass sculptures of queer African deities that will be exhibited at the Pittsburgh Glass Center in 2023.
HUGO ALEXANDER CRUZ MACHADO Hugo Alexander Cruz Machado is a Cubanborn, award winning, internationally renowned drummer and composer who has performed in South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, and the United States. Hugo is the leader of the group Caminos, who have made appearances at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival 2019, Fábrica de Artes in Havana, Cuba, First Night Pittsburgh 2020, City of Asylum, the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust events, The Frick Museum, and Con Alma, among others. Caminos fuse rhythms and melodies of AfroCuban, Cuban, and American music, in an original contemporary expression that honors traditional Cuban form. While a resident of Cuba, Hugo toured regularly with Síntesis, a leading Afrocuban rock-fusion group. Hugo has performed in Havana’s largest jazz festival, Jazz Plaza, with acclaimed artists Dave Weckl and Victor Goines. He is a graduate of the Instituto de Superior de Artes, the leading arts university of Cuba, and in 2014 won the award as the “best drummer” at the international Festival del Tambor Guillermo Barreto in Memoriam in Havana, Cuba. Hugo has shared the stage and studio with many of Cuba’s leading musicians, such as La Trovuntivitis, Tony Guzmán y Su Poder Latino,
Síntesis, Janio Abreu y Aire de Concierto, Adrian Berazain, Interactivo, Zule Guerra, and Mayco de Alma. Hugo performs and records with notable Pittsburgh artists including Afro Yaqui Music Collective, Dr. James Johnson, Ernest McCarty Jr., Tubby Daniels, Dwayne Dolphin, Mark Strickland, and Max Leake. Hugo has been a guest teaching artist at the Afro American Music Institute, the University of Pittsburgh, and several youth and cultural organizations throughout the city.
BIOGRAPHY 2021-2022 SEASON
13
THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Now in its 126th season, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is credited with a rich history of engaging the world’s finest conductors and musicians and demonstrates a genuine commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. Known for its artistic excellence for more than a century, the Pittsburgh Symphony has been led by its worldwide acclaimed Music Director Manfred Honeck since 2008; past music directors have included Fritz Reiner (1938-1948), William Steinberg (1952-1976), André Previn (1976-1984), Lorin Maazel (1984-1996) and Mariss Jansons (1997-2004).
broadcasts. Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra have received multiple GRAMMY® nominations for Best Orchestral Performance, taking home the award in 2018 for their recording of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio. As early as 1936, the Pittsburgh Symphony has been broadcast on the radio. The orchestra has received increased attention since 1982 through national network radio broadcasts on Public Radio International, produced by Classical WQED-FM 89.3, made possible by the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The Pittsburgh Symphony is continually at the forefront of championing new American works. The Orchestra premiered Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 “Jeremiah” in 1944, John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine in 1986, and Mason Bates’ Resurrexit in 2018 to celebrate Manfred Honeck’s 60th birthday.
Lauded as the Pittsburgh region’s international cultural ambassador, the orchestra began regular touring in 1896 and has embarked on scores of domestic and international tours. In 2019, Music Director Manfred Honeck led the orchestra on an extensive tour of Europe, the 25th in orchestra history.
The two-time 2018 GRAMMY® Award- In the 2021-2022 season, the Pittsburgh winning orchestra has a long and illustrious Symphony will celebrate the 50th anniversary history in the areas of recordings and live radio of Heinz Hall as the home of the orchestra.
14
N
E
W
R
E
C
O
R
D
I
N
G
!
A NEW RECORDING FROM MANFRED HONECK AND THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN SUPERB AUDIOPHILE SOUND Exceptional Performances and a
WORLD PREMIERE! PIT TSBU
RGH SYM PHO
NY ORCH ESTRA
• MANFR E
D HONE CK
, MUSIC DIREC TO
R
BR AHMS MacMILL A N SYMPH ONY N O. 4
LARGH ETTO F OR OR CHEST RA
Available now! Get yours in the Heinz Hall lobby or visit www.pittsburghsymphony.org/shop
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RECORDINGS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM BNY MELLON. BIOGRAPHY 2021-2022 SEASON 15
DAULER HEARING LOOP: A system to provide better sound to hearing aid and cochlear implant users.
If you use a hearing aid or have a cochlear implant, you can have an improved listening experience at Heinz Hall concerts and events! The Dauler Hearing Loop runs throughout the auditorium, with the exception of the Orchestra pit, first four Orchestra level rows and Grand Box left. The hearing loop system also is installed at the Heinz Hall Box Office windows, allowing you to hear the amplified voice of Box Office personnel directly through t-coil enabled hearing aids. VISIT OR CALL THE HEINZ HALL BOX OFFICE AT 412.392.4900 WITH ANY QUESTIONS. The Dauler Hearing Loop is named for late Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra trustee L. Van V. Dauler, Jr and was made possible through a gift from Randi & L. Van V. Dauler, Jr. and the Emma Clyde Hodge Memorial Foundation.
TO USE THE DAULER HEARING LOOP: If you have a hearing aid or cochlear implant with a telecoil (t-coil) you need to make sure the t-coil is activated and properly set by your audiologist. You can then activate the setting once in Heinz Hall. If you are not sure if your hearing aid has a t-coil or if you experience difficulty and require assistance, please contact your audiologist. Sound heard through telecoils can vary from hearing aid to hearing aid and according to position in the theater. Generally, the best signal is found when you sit in the center of a row and facing toward the stage. If you need further assistance in selecting the best seats, please contact the Heinz Hall box office.
HEINZ HALL POLICIES
Heinz Hall, owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony Inc., is committed to the safety and well-being of all guests and patrons, and aims to provide a safe, comfortable and enjoyable entertainment experience.
ENTRANCE SECURITY POLICY All audience members are required to enter through state-of-the-art “free-flow” scanning equipment, designed both to enhance security and convenience. Patrons using wheelchairs and mobility devices will enter via a door adjacent to the screening equipment for alternative screening. Patrons with children in strollers may enter through the screening equipment.
of this policy. Violators of this policy may be subject to ejection from Heinz Hall and/or civil or criminal penalties. The only exception to this policy is sworn law enforcement personnel and private security officers employed and/or contracted by Pittsburgh Symphony Inc.
BAG POLICY Heinz Hall reserves the right to search any bags entering the facility. Oversized bags must fit comfortably under a seat to ensure the safety of WEAPONS POLICY patrons entering or exiting seats and Weapons are not permitted in the aisles. Bags failing to meet these venue and/or public spaces owned requirements must be checked and or operated by Pittsburgh Symphony pass a security search, or you must Inc., including Heinz Hall. Any item remove the bags from the Hall. that could endanger public safety is SMOKING POLICY considered a weapon for purposes Heinz Hall is a smoke/vapor free
16
facility. (Smoking is permitted in the Heinz Hall Garden Plaza)
FOOD AND BEVERAGE POLICY Outside food or alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Patrons are permitted to bring in one sealed clear plastic water bottle which may only be consumed in designated areas and may not be consumed in the auditorium. COSTUME POLICY Heinz Hall does not permit costume masks of any kind or facsimiles of weapons that would make other guests feel uncomfortable or detract from the concert experience. Guests are welcome to attend certain programs, (e.g. The Music of Harry Potter or The Music of Star Wars) in costume.
HEINZ HALL INFORMATION
ACCESSIBLE SEATS are available with companion seats. There is a level entrance and route to the main floor of the auditorium. Contact the box office for the location of the companion seats. HEINZ HALL BOX OFFICE HOURS are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m; Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Weekend hours vary based on performance times. Tickets may be purchased by calling 412.392.4900 and are also available at the Theater Square Box Office.
DAULER HEARING LOOP to be used with hearing aid telecoil settings, portable assistive listening devices are available. Please see the ushers for assistance or contact the box office for the best locations for using the hearing loop. DRESS CODE for all concerts is at your personal discretion and ranges from dress and business attire to casual wear. ELEVATOR is located next to the Grand Staircase.
MOBILE DEVICES should be turned off and put away upon entering the theater.
PHOTOGRAPHY, video, or audio recording of the performance is prohibited at all times, unless otherwise noted.
PRE-PAID PARKING is available to all ticketholders in the Sixth & Penn garage across from Heinz Hall. Ask about prepaid parking when you order your tickets.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S RESTROOMS are located on the Lower, Grand Tier and Gallery levels. BRAILLE AND LARGE Additional women’s restrooms are PRINT PROGRAMS are available at the concierge desk for FIRE EXITS are to be used ONLY located off the Garden and Overlook rooms. Accessible restrooms are all BNY Mellon Grand Classics, PNC in case of an emergency. If the located on the Grand Tier level and Pops, Fiddlesticks Family Series and fire alarm is activated, follow the a family/accessible restroom is Sensory-Friendly performances. direction of Heinz Hall ushers and available on the Main Floor. staff to safely evacuate the theater. CHILDREN are encouraged to attend our youth concerts and GROUPS can receive discounted SMOKING is not permitted Fiddlesticks Family Concerts. in Heinz Hall. The garden is tickets, priority seats, personalized Children age six and over, are accessible during performances service and free reception space. welcome at all performances with a For more information, call for this purpose. purchased ticket. The Latecomer’s 412.392.4819 or visit our website at SUPPORTING THE PSO Gallery and lobby video monitors are pittsburghsymphony.org/groups for AND HEINZ HALL always options for restless children. information. is critical to the financial future of the COAT CHECK is available in the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ticket sales LATECOMER’S GALLERY Grand Lobby. only cover a portion of our operating is located behind the Main Floor CONCIERGE SERVICE is to enjoy the performance until you costs. To make a tax-deductible gift, please contact our Development available in the Entrance Lobby can be seated. Latecomers will be department at 412.392.4880 or visit to assist with your questions seated at suitable intervals during us online at pittsburghsymphony.org and to help with dining, hotel, the program, at the discretion of entertainment and transportation the conductor. The gallery is also concerns. [Penny Vennare, Event available for parents with Supervisor; Barbara Smorul, restless children. Concierge.] LOCKERS are located on the Lower and Gallery levels. EMERGENCY CALLS can be referred to the concierge desk at 412.392.2880.
LOST AND FOUND items can be retrieved by calling 412.392.4844 on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PITTSBURGHSYMPHONY.ORG 2021-2022 SEASON
17
18
