WMS Program - Volume 11, Issue 1

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Holland • Muskegon

Manistee

Spring Lake

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

SCOTT SPECK | MUSIC DIRECTOR

Artistic Staff

Scott Speck Music Director

Angela Corbin Debut and Premier Strings Director

Lauren Garza Tune Up Program Manager & Lead Teaching Artist

Beth Slimko WMS Children’s Choir Director

Administrative Staff

Andrew Buelow President/CEO

Amanda Dykhouse Orchestra Librarian

Karen Mueller O'Neill Vice President of Development and Marketing

Maris Myers Patron Services Manager

Keely Payne Art Director/Marketing Coordinator

Gabe Slimko Vice President of Operations and Orchestra

Sherrie Tower Finance and Facilities Manager

Karen Vander Zanden Director of Education and Engagement

Find Us Online

West Michigan Symphony Website: westmichigansymphony.org

Facebook: facebook.com/wmsymphony Twitter: twitter.com/westmisymphony

Email: info@westmichigansymphony.org

The Block Website: theblockwestmichigan.org

Facebook: facebook.com/AtTheBlock Twitter: twitter.com/attheblock

Email: info@theblockwestmichigan.org

The West Michigan Symphony is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides programs and services without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or disability. Programs are funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dates, artists and programs are subject to change.

Cover art by Keely Payne

WHAT'S INSIDE

Message from the Music Director Meet the WMS Principal Musicians

West Michigan Symphony Musicians

Message from the Chairperson 2022/23 Board of Directors

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

West Michigan Symphony Endowment West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving Music of John Williams

Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky

About West Michigan Symphony

Music Director Scott Speck Concerts at The Block Muskegon Arts & Culture Coalition

Education Programs Advertisers

SEASON SPONSORS

MISSION

West Michigan Symphony connects and enriches our diverse community through the transformative power of music. We fulfill this primarily through three core offerings:

• Professional, live symphonic performances in a welcoming environment

• The Block, a gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music

• Music Education that enriches the lives of children and adults through exploration, participation and performance

VISION

We are a catalyst for a musicinfused West Michigan: leading, facilitating, connecting and collaborating with the community to stimulate cultural vibrancy, inclusivity and pride of place.

SEASON TICKET SPONSORMASTERWORKS MEDIA SPONSOR

When all the music has been played, and the baton lies motionless on the stand,

what’s remembered most is the song that remains in the heart forever.

~

Performances On Your Radio Every Day!

Great Performances On Your Radio Every Day!

WBLU

GRAND RAPIDS MUSKEGON

classical • jazz • npr (Listen on the web at www.bluelake.org/radio)

classical . jazz . npr (Listen on the web at www.bluelake.org/radio)

A Division of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

A Division of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

MESSAGE FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

As we begin the 2022/23 Season, I'd like to reflect on three of the greatest masters of lush, soaring melody in all of classical music: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and John Williams.

The "serious" music world's relationship to John Williams has undergone a huge change. When I was a student, no academic musician would take him seriously. His music was derivative, they said—too reminiscent of the Romantics of the late 1800s. And of all things, he began composing during the mid-20th century, when tonal music was completely out of bounds for "serious" composers.

Now, of course, the situation is completely reversed. Not only is John Williams respected in academic circles, but he is actually considered the new Dean of American Composers—a distinction once held by Aaron Copland.

What changed? In a word, time. Specifically, today's musicians all grew up on Star Wars.

In truth, the same thing happened with Sergei Rachmaninoff. A lot of people may be surprised to know that Rachmaninoff wasn't solely a nineteenth century composer—he actually lived until 1943. That year, the greatest hit was "Pistol Packin' Mama" with Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. "Johnny B. Goode" was only 15 years away. And Stravinsky had written The Rite of Spring a full 30 years earlier. In short, Rachmaninoff's musical ideas were not groundbreaking at all. And the critics dismissed him as a hopeless dinosaur living in the past. Until enough time had passed that the music was simply a part of every musician's upbringing. From then on, nobody has questioned its quality.

The same was even true for our beloved Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The man knew how to write melodies, all right—but during his lifetime, his music wasn't always taken seriously, because it didn't fully embody the new, forward-thinking musical ideals that the critics were looking for.

Thankfully, the critics don't have the last word. You do. In the music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and John Williams, the emotions travel directly from the composer's heart to yours. The number of years between composing and listening is immaterial. Great music is great music—no matter when it is composed.

I hope you enjoy the Romantic (or neo-Romantic) masterpieces that the West Michigan Symphony will play for you in our first two concerts of the season!

Scott Speck Music Director

MEET THE WMS PRINCIPAL MUSICIANS

Our musicians are West Michigan’s cultural ambassadors and a key part of its creative capital. In addition to WMS, our players teach privately and at major Michigan universities, perform with other orchestras, and appear as recitalists and chamber musicians across the Midwest and beyond.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Jacie Robinson Assistant Concertmaster

Adam Liebert Assistant Principal – Violin 1

Amanda Dykhouse Principal – Violin 2

Mark Portolese Associate Principal – Violin 2

Arturo Ziraldo Principal – Viola

Gene Hahn Associate Concertmaster

John Heffernan Concertmaster

Alica Gregorian Sawyers Principal – Cello

Igor Cetkovic Associate Principal – Cello

Stephen Castiglione Principal – Bass

Robert Johnson Associate Principal – Bass

Jill Marie Brown Principal – Flute

Gabriel Renteria-Elyea Principal – Oboe

Jonathan Holden Principal – Clarinet

Marat Rakhmatullaev Principal – Bassoon

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell Principal – Horn

Bill Baxtresser Principal – Trumpet

Edward Hickman Principal – Trombone

Clinton McCanless Principal – Tuba

Matthew Beck Principal – Percussion

Sylvia Norris Principal – Harp

Leo Taylor Principal – Timpani

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY MUSICIANS

Music Director

Scott Speck

Mike & Kay Olthoff Endowed Chair

First Violin

John Heffernan concertmaster

Sponsored by Pat & Julie Donahue Gene Hahn assc. concertmaster

Gust and Mary Theodore Danigelis Endowed Associate Concertmaster Chair

Jacie Robinson asst. concertmaster

Sponsored by Bruce & Donna Hood Adam Liebert asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr Alan Steinman

Carmen Abelson

Sponsored by John & Sue Sytsema Hannah Christiansen

Jennifer Kotchenruther

Sponsored by Bob & Charlotte Chessman

Maya Shiraishi

Sponsored by Kevin & Annette Even Oxana Sourine

Sponsored by Darlene Collet in memory of Lee Collet

Sofie Yang

Second Violin

Amanda Dykhouse principal Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Endowed Chair Mark Portolese assc. principal Katie Bast Karen-Jane Henry

Sponsored by Norna Verplank Natalie Hockamier

Britta Bujak Portenga

Sponsored by Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors Jackie Engel, CFP®

Rachele Torres Carol Wildgen Tatiana Zueva

Viola

Arturo Ziraldo principal

Sponsored by Jan & Laura Deur Open assc. principal

Sponsored by Tom Schaub & Mary L Price David Beytas Sara Churchill

Csaba Erdélyi

Sponsored by JoLee Wennersten Josh Holcomb

Cello

Alicia Gregorian Sawyers principal Igor Cetkovic assc. principal

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye Open asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague Lee Copenhaver

Sponsored by Dr Mark D & Kristine M Clark

Abigail Monroe

Calin Muresan

Sponsored by Norna Verplank & Tom Knight Open

Sponsored by Cynthia Mazurek

Bass

Stephen Castiglione principal

Robert Johnson assc. principal

David Chapman-Orr

Sponsored by Tom Knight Stephen Reichelt

Flute

Jill Marie Brown principal Marissa Olin

Sponsored by Mary E Malek Leslie Deppe piccolo

Oboe

Gabriel Renteria-Elyea principal Open

Sponsored by Ellie Williams

Open English horn

Clarinet

Jonathan Holden principal

Sponsored by Jon & Jane Blyth

Stephanie Hovnanian

Sponsored in memory of E. Wesley & Orel A. Borgeson

Lisa Raschiatore bass clarinet

Sponsored by Don & Kathy Dahlstrom

matched by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Bassoon

Marat Rakhmatullaev principal

Jason Kramer

Sponsored by Eric & Merica Dobry

Horn

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell principal Greg Bassett

Lisa Honeycutt

Sponsored by Allen & Sandy Beck Leah Brockman

Trumpet

Bill Baxtresser principal Open

Sponsored by Roger & Rebecca Tuuk Open

Trombone

Edward Hickman principal Joe Radtke

Evan Clifton bass trombone

Tuba Clinton McCanless principal

Timpani

Leo Taylor principal Douglas & Janet Hoch Endowed Chair

Percussion

Matthew Beck principal

Sponsored by Jill Sanders

Eric Jones

Sponsored by Cornelia Holley & Sheryl Wescott

Harp

Sylvia Norris principal

Sponsored by Paul & Karen Jackson

Piano/Celesta Open

Music Librarian

Amanda Dykhouse

Sponsored by Ardy Bulthouse Kroes

Musical Chairs

Sponsor a musician for the season. Endow for a lifetime. For more information, contact Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231 or abuelow@westmichigansymphony.org.

Dear West Michigan Symphony Friends and Family:

Welcome to the 2022/23 Season! This is my second year as Board Chair and WMS’s 83rd season of providing music, education and cultural opportunities for Muskegon and our neighboring lakeshore communities.

Last year we returned to live concerts and were able to perform the entire season as planned with no pauses or cancellations—despite the numerous and unpredictable ebbs and flows of the pandemic. This was possible due to the cooperation of all patrons in observing the “Symphony Safe” protocols, as well as good-naturedly adjusting to changes in guidance as they emerged. We are particularly grateful for our volunteers, who assisted during this difficult time ensuring that everyone’s concert experience would be a safe and positive one.

We enter this season having been able to relax these protocols, although we will continue to provide free masks for those who wish to use them. We are monitoring Michigan’s Safe Start Map frequently, and will keep you apprised if there is any further need for precautions.

Last season, we embarked on the public phase of the Play Your Part Campaign to raise funds for our Endowment and for a new after-school string program in Muskegon Public Schools. To date we have raised nearly $3.9 million, including over $600,000 for the student program. Called Tune Up, this new program will pilot in two Muskegon elementary schools, Marquette and Oakview, beginning this fall and expand in subsequent years to include additional schools. We are grateful to our donors for their support!

The Board is also pleased to announce the three-year extension of Scott Speck’s contract as Music Director. Since 2003 we have been enriched by his vast knowledge of music and his ability to communicate the essence of an entire symphony in just a few words. With persistence but gentleness, authority but inclusiveness, he has built WMS into a versatile and vibrant ensemble. He will continue to grow the Symphony—and thereby enhance your concert experience—at least through 2025!

Let us celebrate together as we enjoy another wonderful and rewarding season of concerts!

tickets

Susan Cloutier Crain Chairperson, WMS Board of Directors

2022/23 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Susan Cloutier Crain, Chairperson

A West Michigan resident by birth and upbringing, Susan began attending WMS years ago, while working in a commuting job, as a way to stay connected to her beloved lakeshore community. Attending concerts and bringing friends has become an important part of her life and a way of self-enrichment. Past Executive Director of Disability Network/West Michigan, past president of Muskegon Rotary and former trustee of Harbor Hospice, Susan brings a community engagement sensibility to her work with WMS. Even before joining the WMS Board, she and her late husband Orville spearheaded the campaign to bring outdoor allweather musical instruments to eight Muskegon parks. Since joining, she has been a leader in fostering an organization-wide focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Paul R Jackson, Secretary and Immediate Past President

Paul is among the longest-serving members of the Board, having joined in 2005 in the early years of Scott Speck’s tenure. He served as Chairman from FY2007 through FY2009 and again from FY2019 through FY2021. His other community affiliations have included the boards of Muskegon Civic Theatre, Muskegon Country Club and the United Way of the Lakeshore. As an attorney at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Paul practices in the areas of tax and business law, with particular expertise in corporations, partnerships, LLCs, mergers and acquisitions. This came into play during the development of The Block in 2013 as a subsidiary of WMS, and again in 2021 when The Block and WMS merged into a single 501(c)(3). Paul’s wife Karen is a longstanding dedicated volunteer on the WMS Gala Task Force steering committee and has been instrumental in its growth into one of the area’s most successful annual fundraising events.

Kevin Even, Treasurer

A board member since 2016, Kevin has served as a member of the Resources Committee, the Gala Task Force, and since 2021 as Treasurer. He enjoys almost all kinds of music and is an advocate for concerts that bring in the next generation of listeners. A shareholder and partner at Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, Kevin has years of experience in litigating commercial disputes involving contracts, construction claims, commercial leases, business torts, real estate and employment related claims. His clients include business owners, property owners, investors, developers, landlords, manufacturers, builders, individuals and governmental entities. He and his wife Annette live in Fruitland Township. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys spending time with his two young grandchildren, biking, golfing and hunting.

Melisa Baker

Melisa joined the WMS Board in August 2022, and is an enthusiastic new member. She brings a diverse outlook to the Board with a business mindset and a background in human relations. Her goal is to live her personal and professional tagline, “I am here to help.” Melisa has volunteered for several non-profits including the United Way of the Lakeshore, the American Red Cross of Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo Counties, and others. She has worked at Webb Chemical as their Human Resources Manager since 2004.

Retired Executive Director, Disability Network

Partner, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Shareholder, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

Human Resources Manager, Webb Chemical Service Corporation

Jan L Deur

Another West Michigan native, Jan was born and raised in Fremont. He played clarinet in junior high and high school bands, and took piano lessons for a year until able to convince his mother that his younger sister had the greater ability. Retired now, Jan spent most of his career as a financial executive with GTE and Verizon, serving in all areas of finance and accounting, including auditing, budgeting, accounting, financial analysis, controllership, and corporate treasury. A member of the Board since FY2014, Jan served as Treasurer from FY2018 through the end of 2021 and co-chaired the Play Your Part Endowment & Education Campaign with Kay Olthoff. He has chaired numerous other area campaigns and served on multiple boards—including the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, White Lake Association, White Lake Community Fund, Friends of the Playhouse, and the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, to name a few.

Merica S Dobry

Growing up with three brothers, Merica learned the art of negotiation early on; “you should be a lawyer!” was a frequent family refrain. Taking this advice, Merica attended Michigan State College of Law, launched a solo practice in the Muskegon area, and today is an attorney at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, practicing in the trusts and estates field. She loves creating tailored solutions for her clients, preventing future headaches and fostering peace and ease. No stranger to the performing arts, Merica sang in the Smith College Glee Club and various community choirs, and is a veteran of Muskegon Civic Theatre. She met her husband Eric on the golf course, a sport they continue to enjoy together (her skill level gives him plenty of opportunity to practice patience). They also love to spend time at the beach with their two young children. Merica enjoys event planning, and also supports the Harbor Hospice Foundation and the Rotary Club of Muskegon as a volunteer.

Larry Fife

Larry grew up as a resident of Muskegon Heights and he and his wife Lynette moved back to their hometown after his retirement. Previously, he served as Infotainment Director for Siemens and Continental Automotive. Originally, Larry was a volunteer member of the WMS/Muskegon Rotary collaborative campaign to purchase and install permanent all-weather outdoor musical instruments throughout Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. He was inspired to join the Board due to his passion for music and his interest in furthering WMS youth education programs. Larry is a vocal proponent of WMS helping to connect the organization to neighborhood associations, city leaders, school board members and educators. He is a team player who wants to make sure the arts thrive and are accessible to everyone throughout the community.

Bob Garretson

A former Navy officer, Bob has lived and traveled to many places, but Muskegon is his favorite—and working to improve its quality of life is a strong passion. In 2019, he and his wife Heather moved back after several years in New York City; one of the primary draws was Muskegon’s vibrant arts scene, including WMS. He is CEO of Embark Financial Partners, a relatively new venture that he has been growing gradually since returning to Muskegon. Bob is a creative, energetic person who loves to generate ideas that bring people together. His special focus is to make the Symphony more visible, accessible and inclusive. His other great loves are his family, cooking, golfing and scuba diving.

Retired CPA, Verizon

Senior Council, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP CEO, Embark Financial Partners

Retired Infotainment Director, Siemens and Continental Automotive

Senior Resident Director, Merrill Lynch

Kimberly L Hammond, CFP, CIMA, C(k)P

Kim has been a volunteer her entire adult life and regards it as both an obligation and a joy. This has given her a deep level of community engagement and experience. When invited to join the Board in 2014, however, she had little prior knowledge about WMS or its music. Since then she has come to love the Orchestra and feels great pride in its contributions to area quality of life. She enjoys all of its concerts, but is a particular fan of those featuring Irish music and Jazz. Kim’s focus on the Board includes Finance and Fund Development. She is a quiet person who prefers action to words, and loves to work behind the scenes to introduce potential donors and sponsors to WMS. A Michigan State University graduate and Spring Lake native, Kim has been with Merrill Lynch since 1989 and is a Senior Partner in The Hammond, Martin & Associates Team, based in Muskegon. She was recognized by the Financial Times as one of 401 Top Retirement Advisors in the nation. In addition to WMS, Kim has been on the Board of Mercy Health and is a past member of the Spring Lake Village Council. Amy Hosford

Amy began attending WMS in 2018 after returning to Muskegon from living in the New York City metro area. She finds Symphony concerts moving and inspiring on all levels: listening to the music, feeling the energy, and taking in the beauty of the Frauenthal Theater. As a Board member, one of her greatest joys is to share that experience with friends and watch their response—particularly those attending for the first time. Amy recently retired after 23 years in the publishing industry with Brilliance/Amazon Publishing, where her roles ranged from acquisitions editor and content manager to associate publisher—among other activities. She brings this breadth of experience to her work as chair of the Audience Committee. What motivates Amy to serve? “Muskegon is thriving! We have the ability to further shape the community we live in, and I want to live in a community that values and supports the Arts,” she shares. “The Symphony Board is a place for me to help do that.”

Michael Olthoff

Mike has been a subscriber and supporter of WMS for many years and has served several Board tenures, currently since the 2013/14 Season. He appreciates the level of engagement shown by WMS Board members, the professionalism of the staff, and the artistic excellence of the orchestra under Scott Speck’s leadership. As he puts it, “excellence in our lives is a journey and not a destination.” He sees the expansion of WMS’s artistic and educational footprint as key to its future. As examples, he cites the steady growth of The Block since its opening in 2014 and the launching of the Tune Up string program in Muskegon Public Schools this fall. Last year, Mike retired as CEO of Nichols, which under his leadership became one of the largest independent paper, packaging, and sanitary supply distributors in the Great Lakes region. Together with his wife Kay, Mike’s community and philanthropic work includes numerous organizations, projects and endeavors across Muskegon's civic, arts and healthcare communities.

Emma Peterson

As a youngster, Emma attended WMS concerts with her grandpa, Sterling, a longtime subscriber. Early in her career, she spent three years on the WMS staff as Finance Manager. She was a charter member of The Block Advisory Board and served as its Chair from 2019 through 2021. All four of her daughters have participated in the Debut Strings and Premier Strings ensemble programs, and one in Children's Choir. With this level of engagement, it felt like a natural fit for Emma to join the WMS Board at the time of the merger of WMS and The Block. She sees WMS as an anchor organization of Muskegon and wants to help it continue, grow and adapt. Given the impact it has had on her family, she is particularly excited about the expansion of the education programs, especially the addition of Tune Up. Emma is the Director of Philanthropy at Trinity Health Muskegon where she loves working with donors, who she says “lift us up and allow us to do more.”

Director of Philanthropy, Trinity Health

Retired CEO, Nichols

Retired Executive, Brilliance/Amazon Publishing

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

Your contributions to West Michigan Symphony help to sustain a vital community resource. Just over 60% of contributions to WMS come from individual patrons, with the remainder generated from corporate and foundation support. We extend our deepest appreciation to you for helping make WMS a cultural touchstone in our community.

The listings below represent total pledges and gifts by each patron household from Aug 1, 2021 through Sept 1, 2022. This includes our Annual Fund and other special initiatives. In particular, we wish to express our gratitude to Mike and Kay Olthoff for their support of both our November-December and May-June Matching Challenge campaigns.

We have given careful attention to ensure a complete and accurate list. Please notify us of any inaccuracies by calling 231.726.3231.

Barbara Kelso Clara Lang

William and Jeanne Leaver Donor Advised Fund of Fremont Area Community Foundation

Jim & Mary Malek

Charles Matthews & Kay Cater Matthews in honor of Donald Matthews Cindy Mazurek

Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal

Mark & Bonnie Meengs

Roger C Morgenstern

Dale & Connie Nesbary Perry & Deb Newson

Joanna & Fred Norris

$10,000 and up

Anonymous

Jan & Laura Deur

Pat & Julie Donahue

Mike & Kay Olthoff Jill Sanders

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous

Jon & Jane Blyth

George W & Lori Lynn Cannon III Orville Crain & Susan Cloutier Crain

Douglas & Janet Hoch Paul & Karen Jackson Buzz & Wendy Kersman Scott & Donna Lachniet Monica Morse

Steve & Deb Olsen Jack & Becky Slimko

Peter M Turner JoLee Wennersten Marguerite & Kenneth Winter

$2,500-$4,999

Anonymous

Andy & Beth Buelow

Bonnie Borgeson

Pete & Sherry Brown Michael Cerminaro & Connie Verhagen

Mary Douville

William & Mary Lou Eyke Tilio Giacobassi Family

Bruce & Donna Hood Park & Kacey Kersman

John & Jessie Martin

Frank & Emma Peterson Denis & Barbara Potuznik Kenneth & Chrissy Robison

Sawyer Family Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

Tom Schaub & Mary Price Michael & Marijean Smith

Michael & Corina Soimar Scott Speck

Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague Susan & Stephen Struck Roger & Rebecca Tuuk Elinore Verplank (Norna)

$1,000-$2,499

Anonymous (3) Charles & Gloria Alstrom Bruce & Paula Baker in memory of Robert Landman Allen & Sandy Beck Susan & Frank Bednarek Fund of the CFFMC Bob & Charlotte Chessman

George & Deborah Chmelar

Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark Don & Kathy Dahlstrom Rob & Cathleen Dubault

Kevin & Annette Even Larry & Lynette Fife Ron Fritz

David F Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes

Don Goodman

Robert & Clara Harrell

Bill Haug & Jane Curtis

Dr Tom & Heidi Hill

Hugh & Barbara Hornstein

Stephen & Debra Jackson Charles & Vivian Johnson Tom & Pat Johnson Bari Johnson

Chris & Amy Olthoff

Steve & Kathleen Parker

David Roodvoets

John Saling & Diane Fischer

Dr Alan Steinman Marty & Heidi Sytsema

John and Sue Sytsema

Drs David & Linda Taylor

Dr Jane L Toot Liz & Tom Trzaska

LJ Verplank

Robert & Nancy Voyt Michael & Patricia Wade Judy Wilcox Ellie Williams

$500-$999

Anonymous (2) Sherri Balaskovitz

Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund of CFFMC Claudia Bryant

Gordon & Mary Buitendorp

Valerie Church-McHugh & Fred McHugh

Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall Dale & Susan Ertzinger

Marcia D'Oyly

Jackie Engel, CFP Jean Enright

Eugene Fethke

Mark & Jennifer Gross

Jan & David Harris

Theresa Hegedus Kurt & Antoinette Hildwein Greg & Debi Hillebrand Cornelia Holley Mary Ann Howe Wilda James Joel & Kathleen Jarvis

Pete & Mimi Kunz

Joan La Mourie

Mr & Mrs Paul Ladas

Stephanie McNamara & John Meulenberg in honor of Mike & Kay Olthoff

Scott & Janee' Musselman Jason & Jamye Olthoff Gary & Beth Post Donna Little & Faye Redmond Susan Rehrer

Gretchen & Randy Rhoades

Clyde & Beth Rinsema Dr Gary & Pennie Robertson Dan Sheldon Jane & Tim Stoepker Clifford & Lucia Storr

John & Mary Swanson Don & Jane Tjarksen

Sheryl Wescott

Harry & Julie Wierenga Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier

Jane J Wright

Robert & Joanne Zayko

$100-$499

Anonymous (7) Dave & Bonnie Adamczak Brown Ross & Sandra Aden Margo Atwell Larry & Sandy Austin Bill Baldridge Stephen & Martha Bartlett Greg Bassett Gary Beatty Theodore & Joanne Bensinger

Carl & Bonnie Bergman Herb & Anne Bevelhymer

Robert & Cindy Birtles in memory of Jon Chesney Andrew Bissonnette Greg & Kara Black in honor of Fred and Joanna Norris Isabelle Blake-Evans Arthur & Marilyn Bolt Mary & Bob Boyer

Jerry & Marcia Brichan

Ron & Ann Marie Brown Michael & Joanna Buboltz

Greta Bushnell

Joe & Natalie Carmolli Ray Chaplin

Alyson Chapman Rudy & Pat Chmelar Darlene Collet

E Jane Connell & Steven W Rosen

Roger Cooper

Ryan & Angela Corbin Keith & Sue Corbin

William & Carol Cross III

David & Marie Culver Steve & Darleen Dangel Kurt & Cheryl Deford John & Jan Ditmar

Michael & Nancy Dodge Brad Doriot

Karen & Herb Driver

Bruce & Esther Drukker

Dennis & Barbara Dryer Joel Dulyea

Amanda & Gregory Dykhouse

Bruce & Linda Eckerman Kath & Greg Edwards

Joel & Linda Engel

Harold & Mary Englund

Tim & Anne Erickson

Bob & Ann Erler Wallace & Jane Ewing Randy & Lynnel Filbrandt Charles & Patti Fisher Roberta Fleischmann Dale & Bridget Fox Paula DeGregorio & Frank Galante Chuck & Jeanne Gembis

Marjorie Gorajec Mary Anne Gorman Thom and Judy Gouwens LaDon Gustafson in honor of Susan Bissell

Revs Susan & Jerry Hagans Virginia Hague Jeff & Gail Hall

Hayner Consulting and Management Services, LLC

Patricia Hesling in memory of Jon Chesney Thomas & Rita Higgins

Roberta Hilleary

Sandra Hinterman

Bud & Shelly Hoffman in memory of Jon Chesney Gwen Hoffman

Kathy L Hoogstra

William Horne in memory Margaret Linebaugh and in honor of her children

Mary Anne & Thom Hornik

Marcia Hovey-Wright & Ernie Boone Richard & Holly Hughes John & Jane Humphrey Pat Hunt

Jose & Sue Infante

Don & Penny Johnson

Robert & Susan Johnson Connie Karry Loretta Kasprzyk

David & Allison Keessen Francine Kieft

Louie & Earlaine Kiel Gloria Klinger

Randy & Debra Knapp

Robert & JoAnn Landman in memory of Robert Landman

Pam Lascko

Phyllis Laurin

Mark Leonard in honor of Steven and Kitty Leonard Patricia Locke in honor of Arturo Ziraldo Kyle & Stacey Lohman

Deborah Margules

Rondalyn Marron Shirley McIntire John & Cindy McKinnon Paul & Winnie McNergney Carole Meade

Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Megan Susan Meston Alice Michaud Rich & Teresa Micheil Patrick & Sheila Miller Roger & Jane Missimer Rhonda Myers Matt & Laurel Nease Phil Nehar

John & Mary Nonhof

Eric Norris in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris The Gerber Foundation

Dr C Michael & Mary O'Brien in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris Jim & Ruthann Olthoff

Merilee & Kenneth Otto Richard A. Pardini Daniel & Dominga Partenio Thomas Pascoe

Bill & Erika Paulson Gay C Petersen David & Beth Pickard Irene Pierson Nick & Barb Roy & Britta Bujak Portenga Albert & Elizabeth Posthuma Sylvia Precious Margaret Price C. Bruce & Shirley Privacky Bruce & Mari Rice Gail Ringelberg

Bruce & Judy Rollston

Susan Rositch

Karl & Barbara Rowe James M. Rynberg

Bob & Bobbi Sabine

Stephen & Susan Salisbury Marc Sawyers & Alicia Gregorian Sawyers

Jane Appleton Schapka Stephen Schmidt Jim Schmidt Gwynne & Steve Schoff Pat & Ed Schroeder Sue Schuiteman

Laura Schultz

Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink Thomas & Suzanne Shepherd Joanie Smith

Hayden Smith Carlo Spataro Gayle Speck in honor of Andy Buelow Susan Sridharan

Catherine Steed in memory of Jon Chesney

Anbritt & Darlene Stengele Bill Papo & Julie Stewart James & Nancy Stier Ted & Judy Stojak George & Dottie Strabel Julie Stuberg

Verne & Janet Sutherland Howard & Marilyn Swanson Ann & Dan Tabor George & Laura Thurlow Richard & Marge Tourre Pastor Bill & Bev Uetricht Stephen Vallier John Van Walsum

Bridget VanDerhoff

Phillip VanderPol Nancy & Gerrit Vanderwest Ed DeJong & Diane VanWesep

Tom Vitale

Bill & Shirley Walther Daniel & Barbara Weikel Dan & Nancy Weller

Brewster & Mary Ellen Willcox

Dick & Marilyn Witham in memory of Nancy Kieft

Witt Buick Joe & Cindy Wolff in memory of Loopo the clown Jessica Wolin and Frank Crownover Jon J & Cathy Workman

Seth York

Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer

Corporate, Arts Council & Foundation Donors

$10,000 and up

Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

DTE Energy Foundation Fund

Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation

Hines Corporation

Leonel L & Mary Loder Fund of the CFFMC

Meijer Foundation

Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs Nichols

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

$5,000-$9,999

Fifth Third Bank

Fremont Area Community Foundation

The Gerber Foundation

Howmet Community Fund of the CFFMC

JSJ Foundation Fund

RENK America

Samuel L. Westerman Foundation Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

Trinity Health Women's Division Chamber of Commerce

$2,500-$4,999

Active Manufacturing Corp Arconic

Consumers Energy Core Realty Partners

Embark Financial Services Lake Michigan Credit Union Lorin Industries

Muskegon Community College Raymond James Shoreline Insurance Agency, Inc

$1,000-$2,499

Billie Klont Greinke Memorial Fund of the CFFMC

F Martin & Dorothy A Johnson Family Fund of GHACF

Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF)

Grand Valley State University

Mary C Payne Fund of the CFFMC

Newkirk Electric

Sand Products Corporation Fund of the CFFMC Sparta Community Foundation

$500-$999

Ann & Bud Eichmann Fund of the CFFMC Comerica Bank

Gentry Real Estate LLC

John L Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund of the CFFMC

Past Presidents Club

The Past Presidents Club provides ongoing guidance, advocacy and support to the WMS long after its members’ terms are completed. WMS thanks and honors these individuals for their generosity, collective wisdom and continuing leadership.

Pete Brown

Marcia D’Oyly

David Gerdes

Holly Hughes David Hogan

Pat Hunt Paul Jackson G Thomas Johnson Tom Johnson Wendy Kersman JoAnn Landman Clara Lang Deb Newson Fred Norris Kay Olthoff Mike Olthoff Sylvia Precious Chip Sawyer Susan Sridharan Ann Tabor Jane Toot Peter Turner Jane Wright

Block Underwriters

Consumers Energy

Grand Valley State University Lake Michigan Credit Union

Lorin Industries

Trinity Health

Muskegon Community College

Steve & Deb Olsen

Mike & Kay Olthoff

Mary Price & Tom Schaub

Shoreline Insurance Agency

Smith, Haughey, Rice and Roegge Michael & Corina Soimar Warner, Norcross + Judd LLP

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY ENDOWMENT

Now in its 83rd Season, WMS is dedicated to building a music-infused West Michigan, providing professional concerts in a welcoming environment and music education that enriches the lives of both children and adults. The Endowment, along with robust annual giving, provides a stable funding base that supports this cause. WMS’s Endowment is held in two funds at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC), as well as in a third newly established fund at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF).

Established in 1992, the CFFMC Secure the Spirit Fund reported a fair market value of $547,135 on June 30, 2022. Established in 2020, the CFFMC Play Your Part fund reported $960,136 on the same date. The GHACF Play Your Part fund, established in 2021, was at $69,242.

The corpus of each fund is owned, managed and directed by these foundations, whose staff and trustees determine the timing and amount of distributions—normally an annual amount equal to 4% of the average balance over the previous 16 quarters. Foundation staff handles all administrative details and investment responsibilities, freeing WMS leadership and staff to focus on mission delivery.

Play Your Part Campaign

West Michigan Symphony’s $5 million Play Your Part Campaign has two primary objectives. The first is to bring the Endowment to a level that will generate 15% of the annual budget, thereby providing a stable revenue model for the future. The second is to establish a five-year, $600,000 startup fund for Tune Up, a new string orchestra program for underserved students who currently lack access to such instruction. This program launches this fall in Muskegon Public Schools. For more information, please see page 30.

At the end of August 2022, campaign leadership reported more than $3,847,013 in gifts and pledges. We thank all those who have given generously to the campaign to date, and invite you to consider “playing a part” in WMS’s future. Whether through an outright gift or a designation in your will and trusts, your support will ensure continuity and future growth of WMS’s artistic and education footprint.

To learn more, please contact Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231 or abuelow@westmichigansymphony.org.

Honorary Chairs

Larry & Lari Hines

Robert & Wendy Kersman

Fred & Joanna Norris Mike & Kay Olthoff

Peter Turner & Jean Enright

Cabinet Members

Sherry Becker

Jon & Jane Blyth Pete & Sherry Brown Ryan Bryker Susan Cloutier Crain Anne Dake

Endorsement Council

Marilyn Andersen Troy Bell

Bernie & Cathy Berntson Pat Donahue

Steve Gawron Judy Hayner Amy Heisser

Operation Chairs

Jan Deur Kay Olthoff

Kevin Even Bill Eyke Jim & Susan Geisler

Dave Gerdes Kimberly L. Hammond Paul & Karen Jackson

Roger Morgenstern Steve & Deb Olsen Susan Rehrer Tom Schaub & Mary Price Dr Alan Steinman

Brad Hilleary Todd Jacobs Clara Lang Cindy Larsen Gary Nelund Dale Nesbary Frank & Emma Peterson

Asaline Scott John Severson Dan & Ann Tabor Rebecca Veltman Walter Watt

Maestro: $250,000 and up

Michael & Kay Olthoff Larry & Lari Hines

Premiere: $100,000-$249,999

Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

Douglas & Janet Hoch Robert & Wendy Kersman Scott & Donna Lachniet Jack & Becky Slimko

Crescendo: $50,000-$99,999

Bernie & Cathy Berntson

Jon & Jane Blyth

Mary Theodore Danigelis

Jan & Laura Deur

Pat & Julie Donahue

Mark & Christine Fazakerley

Mrs. Carol Folkert

Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF)

Howmet Aerospace Dan & Sheryl Kuznar Meijer Foundation

Patrick O'Leary Foundation Steve & Deb Olsen Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Symphony: $25,000-$49,999

Pete & Sherry Brown

Orville & Susan Cloutier-Crain Don & Kathy Dahlstrom matched by Charles Stewart Mott Fund Rob & Cathleen Dubault Eagle Alloy William & Mary Lou Eyke

Fifth Third Bank

Paul & Karen Jackson John & Jessie Martin

Monica Morse

Dr Richard & Nancy Peters Tom Schaub & Mary Price

Concerto: $15,000-$24,999

Marilyn Andersen Allen & Sandy Beck

Jackie Engel, CFP James & Susan Geisler

Kimberly & Michael Martin matched by Bank of America Stephen & Susan Struck

Prelude: $10,000-$14,999

Andy & Beth Buelow

G&L Hot Dogs

The Gerber Foundation David Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes

Stephen & Debra Jackson

F. Martin & Dorothy A. Johnson Fund of the GHACF

Paul C Johnson Fund of the CFFMC

Fred & Joanna Norris

Greg & Shelley Olson

Bonnie Olson Memorial Fund

Susan Rehrer

Robbins Road Animal Clinic

Dr Alan Steinman

John & Mary Swanson

Liz & Tom Trzaska matched by L3Harris

Mr Peter M Turner Roger & Rebecca Tuuk Webb Chemical Judy Wilcox

Overture: $5,000-$9,999

Anonymous (2)

BDO

Bill Baldridge

Sherry Albertie Becker Frank & Susan Bednarek George & Lori Lynn Cannon

Cofessco Fire Protection

Consumers Energy Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall Anne & Allan Dake Kevin & Annette Even Mary Anne Gorman

Judith Hayner & Charlene Romanosky Greg & Debi Hillebrand

Pat Hunt

Bari Johnson

Tom & Pat Johnson

Dick & Lynn Kamps Ray & Betsy Komray Clara Lang Mark & Bonnie Meengs Frank & Emma Peterson

Suzanne Richards & Lee Burlison Kurt Rosen

Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague John & Sue Sytsema Dan & Ann Tabor Don & Jane Tjarksen LJ Verplank Webb Chemical Kathy West in memory of David Alan West

Sonata: $1,000-$4,999

Anonymous (2) Cynthia Ackerman Christine Adams

Charles & Gloria Alstrom Margo Atwell

Bank of America Charitable Foundation Jack & Marilyn Brown

Ryan & Katie Bryker

Robert & Charlotte Chessman

George & Deborah Chmelar

Dr & Mrs Paul Christie

Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Darlene Collet

Core Realty Partners

Kurt & Cheryl Deford

Jean Enright

Charles & Lynn Freeman

Evelyn Geile Michael Gluhanich

Mr & Mrs Bill Hendrick

Cornelia Holley

Keith & Mary Kay Hopkins

Hugh & Barbara Hornstein

Richard & Holly Hughes

Ed Hunt & Nancy McCarthy

Joel & Kathleen Jarvis

Heather Kettler

Bruce & Mary Krueger

Peter Kurdziel Michael Martin Cindy Mazurek

Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal

Roger & Jane Missimer

Roger & Michelle Morgenstern in memory of Richard & Nancy Morgenstern

Scott & Janee' Musselman

Gary Nelund & Angie Wasserman-Nelund matched by State Farm Insurance Dr Dale & Connie Nesbary

Steve & Kathy Parker

Gary & Beth Post

Denis & Barbara Potuznik

RENK America

David & Georganna Rice David Roodvoets

John & Marilyn Ruck

John Saling & Diane Fischer Jill Sanders

Chip & Susan Sawyer

Duane & Susan Schecter

Laura Schultz

John & Elaine Severson

Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink Shoreline Insurance

Michael & Corina Soimar

Scott Speck in honor of the WMS Musicians Ted & Judy Stojak

Marty & Heidi Sytsema

Bryce & Marti Tallant

Carol Parker Thompson

Peter & Judy Theune

Judy Tierney

Evan & Rachel Ufer

David & Laura Valk

Karen & John Wells

JR Whitby

Eleanor Williams

Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier

Jan Witt

Jane Wright

Robert & Joanne Zayko Environmental Fund of the CFFMC Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer

Introit: Up to $999 Anonymous (4) Anonymous in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris

Larry & Sandra Austin

Charles Black in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris Gary & Rhonda Bogner Dana & Claudia Bryant

Jerry & Marcia Brichan Benjamin Christian on behalf of Tina Horigan E Jane Connell & Steven W Rosen

Calvin Deur

Harold & Mary Englund Eugene Fethke

Martha Ferriby

Tilio Giacobassi Family Erica Gillard Harvey & Maraleigh Heyer Ellen Hanichen

Gwen Hoffman

Doug & Judy Hostetler

Mary Ann Howe

Kristi Klomp

Randy & Debra Knapp

Pete & Mimi Kunz

Cindy Larsen

Joeseph & Barbara Legatz Charles Matthews & Kay Cater Matthews

Patrick & Sheila Miller Barb & John Mullally Kathryn Neumann

Perry & Deb Newson

James & Ruth Olthoff

Thomas Pascoe

Janet Payne William & Gay Peterson Linda Quaine

Rev William Randall Mike & Char Ratchford

Stephen & Susan Salisbury

Schieholz/Hogan Fund of the CFFMC

Sally Schwartz

Asaline Scott

Joanie Smith

Howard & Marilyn Swanson Warren Tibbitts

Richard & Marge Tourre

Mary Towner

Nancy & Gerritt Vanderwest Rebecca Veltman

Duane & Laurie Wright

Raimonds T Ziemelis

Jim & Linda Zolman

Tune Up Donors: $5,000 and up Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund of CFFMC Jon & Jane Blyth

Orville Crain & Susan Cloutier Crain Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

Mary Danigelis

Jan & Laura Deur

Mark & Christine Fazakerley Fifth Third Bank

Gerber Foundation

Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation

Hines Corporation

Dr Douglas E & Janet P Hoch

Howmet Aerospace Foundation

Dick & Lynn Kamps

Robert & Wendy Kersman

Dan & Sheryl Kuznar Scott & Donna Lachniet Meijer Foundation

Patrick J O'Leary & Karen Yamasaki Steve & Deb Olsen Mike & Kay Olthoff Jack & Becky Slimko Stephen & Susan Struck

West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving

All It Takes to Start a Symphony is One Note

With a planned gift to West Michigan Symphony, you can continue to support the Orchestra even after your passing. Planned giving is simply creating a plan to make a gift. You don’t need to be wealthy to make an impact—you just need to make a plan.

The easiest way to make a planned gift is through a charitable bequest, where you designate in your will or trust the assets that you wish to gift to WMS upon your death. A bequest is not all or nothing; you can leave either a percentage of your total estate value, a specific asset (such as a car or part of an investment portfolio), a specified amount of money, or the remaining assets in your estate after all your other requests have been satisfied. You can also make a planned gift by designating the WMS as a beneficiary of your retirement or IRA account, or your life insurance.

You can also specify how you would like your gift used by designating it toward music education, the Endowment, or “wherever it is needed.”

Even a single note, when combined with others, can become a symphony. Any gift you wish to make, now or in the future, can grow into something more impactful over time with the right planning. Imagine the impact if every member of this audience designated even 1% of their estate to WMS!

Creating a planned gift is a wonderful way to leave a legacy, provide future funding, and ensure that WMS continues to delight, teach and entertain audiences in the future. Talk with your estate plan attorney about your options.

We welcome your questions. Please reach out to Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231, or visit our website at westmichigansymphony.org. We would be happy to provide sample language to include in your estate plan documents, explore your ideas about your plan, or simply connect. And if you do make a planned gift, or have already done so, please consider letting us know so that we can thank you!

MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30

7:30 PM

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

SPONSORS

CONCERT

Main Title from Star Wars Across the Stars from Star Wars Episode 2 Imperial March from Star Wars Theme from Jaws Suite from Far and Away Raiders March from Raiders of the Lost Ark Intermission

Flight to Neverland from Hook

Theme and Remembrances from Schindler’s List John Heffernan, violin

Harry Potter Symphonic Suite

The People’s House from Lincoln

Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan Adventures on Earth from E.T.

arr. Jerry Brubaker

SEASON

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR HARBOR STEEL

What would Star Wars, Jaws, and Raiders of the Lost Ark have been without the music of John Williams? This great American composer knew just how to write music that enhanced the mood of whatever was happening on the screen. His scores were as important to the success of these great films as the actors, directors and producers.

West Michigan Symphony’s season opening celebrates this great Maestro of the Movies in his 90th year—and Harbor Steel is delighted to sponsor the program. There’s nothing like hearing these great film scores performed live by our orchestra in the warm, lush acoustics of the Frauenthal Theater.

It is our joy and delight to support the Symphony’s Vision for a music-infused West Michigan. Enjoy the concert!

John Williams (1932– )

In a career that spans five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He served as music director of the Boston Pops and has maintained thriving artistic relationships with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others. Mr. Williams has received a variety of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Olympic Order, and numerous Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. At the age of 90, he remains one of our nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices.

Mr. Williams has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films. His 40-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including Schindler’s List, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, four Indiana Jones films, Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Munich, Hook, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Empire of the Sun, The Adventures of TinTin and War Horse. Their latest collaboration, The BFG, was released on July 1, 2016. Mr. Williams has composed the scores for all seven Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, Superman: The Movie, JFK, Born on the Fourth of July, Memoirs of a Geisha, Far and Away, The Accidental Tourist, Home Alone, Nixon, The Patriot, Angela’s Ashes, Seven Years in Tibet, The Witches of Eastwick, Rosewood, Sleepers, Sabrina, Presumed Innocent, The Cowboys and The Reivers, among many others.

He has worked with many legendary directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, William Wyler and Robert Altman. In 1971, he adapted the score for the film version of Fiddler on the Roof, for which he composed original violin cadenzas for renowned virtuoso Isaac Stern. He has appeared on recordings as pianist and conductor with Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Jessye Norman and others. Mr. Williams has received five Academy Awards and 50 Oscar nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. His most recent nomination was for the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He also has received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), 22 Grammys, four Golden Globes, five Emmys, and numerous gold and platinum records.

Born and raised in New York, Mr. Williams moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1948, where he studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. After service in the Air Force, he returned to New York to attend the Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Madame Rosina Lhevinne. While in New York, he also worked as a jazz pianist, both in nightclubs and on recordings. He returned to Los Angeles and began his career in the film industry, working with a number of accomplished composers including Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, and Franz Waxman. He went on to write music for more than 200 television episodes for anthology series Alcoa Premiere, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Chrysler Theatre and Playhouse 90. His more recent contributions to television music include the well-known theme for NBC Nightly News (“The Mission”), the theme for what has become network television’s longest-running series, NBC’s Meet the Press, and a new theme for the prestigious PBS arts showcase Great Performances.

In addition to his activity in film and television, Mr. Williams has composed numerous works for the concert stage, among them two symphonies, and concertos for flute, violin, clarinet, viola, oboe and tuba. His cello concerto was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and premiered by Yo-Yo Ma at Tanglewood in 1994. Mr. Williams also has filled commissions by several of the world’s leading orchestras, including a bassoon concerto for the New York Philharmonic entitled The Five Sacred Trees, a trumpet concerto for the Cleveland Orchestra, and a horn concerto for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Seven for Luck, a seven-piece song cycle for soprano and orchestra based on the texts of former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, was premiered by the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in 1998. At the opening concert of their 2009–2010 season, James Levine led the Boston Symphony in the premiere Mr. Williams’ On Willows and Birches, a concerto for harp and orchestra.

In January 1980, Mr. Williams was named 19th music director of the Boston Pops, succeeding the legendary Arthur Fiedler. He currently holds the title of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor which he assumed following his retirement in December 1993, after 14 highly successful seasons. He also holds the title of Artist-inResidence at Tanglewood.

One of America’s best known and most distinctive artistic voices, Mr. Williams has composed music for many important cultural and commemorative events. Liberty Fanfare was composed for the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. American Journey, written to celebrate the new millennium and to accompany the retrospective film The Unfinished Journey by director Steven Spielberg, was premiered at the “America’s Millennium” concert in Washington, D.C. on New Year’s Eve, 1999. His orchestral work Soundings was performed at the celebratory opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. In the world of sport, he has contributed musical themes for the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and the 1987 International Summer Games of the Special Olympics. In 2006, Mr. Williams composed the theme for NBC’s presentation of NFL Football.

Mr. Williams holds honorary degrees from 21 American universities, including The Juilliard School, Boston College, Northeastern University, Tufts University, Boston University, the New England Conservatory of Music, the University of Massachusetts at Boston, The Eastman School of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the University of Southern California. He is a recipient of the 2009 National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. In 2003, he received the Olympic Order, the IOC’s highest honor, for his contributions to the Olympic movement. He served as the

Grand Marshal of the 2004 Rose Parade in Pasadena, and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor in December of 2004. Mr. Williams was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2009, and in January of that same year he composed and arranged Air and Simple Gifts especially for the first inaugural ceremony of President Barack Obama.

FREEDOM. MADE IN MUSKEGON.

RENK America is driven by a sense of pride and purpose in our country and our community. We are passionate about providing crucial components that support our military family, and we’re equally passionate about providing for our employees and supporting community initiatives that make Muskegon a better place to be. Whether here in our city or on the front lines, we take care of our own.

WE POWER FREEDOM.

WHAT’S

Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4 7:30 PM

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

GABRIELA MARTINEZ PIANO

SPONSORS

Adolphus Hailstork Fanfare on "Amazing Grace" WMS premiere

Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no.2 in C minor, op. 18

I. Moderato

II. Adagio sostenuto

III. Adagio scherzando

Intermission

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony no.5 in E minor, op. 64

I. Andante – Allegro con anima

II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza

III. Valse: Allegro moderato

IV. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace

Adolphus Hailstork (1941– ) Fanfare on "Amazing Grace"

Composer Adolphus Hailstork often blends the music of his African-American heritage with that of the European tradition, which he learned from such esteemed mentors as the famous composition teacher Nadia Boulanger. Hailstork says about his compositional style: “I tried just about everything, musically speaking. There wasn’t a single thing in 20th-century music that I didn’t dabble in, from 12-tone to aleatoric to whatever. While I’m willing to embrace any technical thing that might help me achieve what I want, my true musical heart is based in song.”

In this work, that song is the centuries-old hymn about redemption and mercy: Amazing Grace. Hailstork sets the hymn in the style of a Baroque chorale prelude, where phrases of the hymn gradually emerge from ornate counterpoint. This short piece is rife with brass fanfares that lend it a triumphant and dignified sound. Nearly halfway into the piece, the strings emerge from their supporting role with the first phrases of the well-known tune. The solemn Fanfare on "Amazing Grace" was recently used at an event befitting its stately sound: the President’s Own United States Marine Band performed it at the Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in January of 2021.

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Piano Concerto no.2 in C minor, op. 18

In 1897, the premiere of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s first symphony was a failure. According to accounts of the concert, the musical disaster could be partly blamed on the conductor, who apparently mismanaged rehearsal time and showed up to the concert drunk. Rachmaninoff was panned in the musical press by the respected critic Cesar Cui, who suggested that if the composer had intended to depict the “seven plagues of Egypt” for a concert at a “conservatory in Hell,” he would have “fulfilled his task brilliantly and delighted the inmates of Hell.” Rachmaninoff was wounded by the reviews of his first substantial work. But even worse, he felt that the symphony “did not please me after its first rehearsal.” Following this huge disappointment, Rachmaninoff was despondent: he became depressed, drank heavily, and was so self-critical that composition became impossible. Three years of writer’s block ensued.

Finally, his concerned aunt, Varvara Satina, sought help for her gifted nephew from neurologist Nikolai Dahl. An amateur musician and art lover, Dahl spent hours in conversation with Rachmaninoff and used hypnotherapy to reignite his desire to compose. With Rachmaninoff in a hypnotic state, Dahl would repeat, “You will begin to write your concerto. You will work with great facility. The concerto will be excellent.” Either through hypnotherapy or by offering a much needed sympathetic ear, Rachmaninoff’s time with Dahl had its desired effect. He finished his second piano concerto in April of 1901, inscribing it with a dedication to Dahl.

The work has all the hallmarks of Rachmaninoff’s Romantic style: beautiful and expressive melodies, rich orchestral colors, and a demanding part for the pianist. But what is most striking about this concerto is how often the pianist steps into the background, taking on the role of accompanist to let other instruments shine. It is this constant give and take—with Rachmaninoff choosing exactly the right orchestral color as each unforgettable theme unfolds—that gives this work such emotional power.

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony no.5 in E minor, op. 64

Like Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky suffered frequent bouts of depression and self-doubt throughout his career. The months in 1888 when he composed his Fifth Symphony were bookended by such feelings. As he set out to compose the work, he wrote to his patron and to his brother that he worried that he was played out as a composer, that his imagination had dried up, that he had nothing left to express in his music. Yet when he finally escaped to his vacation home and set pen to paper, Tchaikovsky was able to complete the symphony in less than four months. Unfortunately, poor reviews of the premiere returned Tchaikovsky to his former gloomy state.

The Fifth Symphony is in cyclic form, meaning that its theme returns in more than one movement. Beethoven mastered this convention in works such as his fifth and ninth symphonies, causing many Romantic composers—including Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Brahms, and Liszt—to take up the challenge. Like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, it has been speculated that the theme of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth represents fate. This conclusion comes from a short musing in Tchaikovsky’s notebook when he started sketching the symphony: “…a complete resignation before fate, which is the same as the inscrutable predestination of fate.”

At the outset of the introduction to the first movement, the clarinets present the fate theme in a minor key, with somber orchestral accompaniment, suggesting something like a funeral march. The theme returns in the second movement when trumpets and timpani twice rudely interrupt otherwise warm, passionate music. When the low, ominous theme sounds at the end of the third movement in the clarinets and bassoons, it is in stark contrast to the stately waltz that had preceded it. In the fourth movement, the theme is finally in a major key, seemingly emerging out of darkness. It sounds triumphant, even soaring by the end of the piece.

One contemporary critic wrote that “if Beethoven’s Fifth is Fate knocking at the door, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth is Fate trying to get out.” As Tchaikovsky mused in his notebook, he was resigned to fate and had accepted it. Perhaps it was this resignation that unlocked Tchaikovsky’s imagination and set him free to compose.

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Phd

Gabriela Martinez

Versatile, daring and insightful, Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Martinez is establishing a reputation on both the national and international stages for the lyricism of her playing, her compelling interpretations, and her elegant stage presence.

Delos recently released Ms. Martinez’s debut solo album, Amplified Soul, which features a wide-ranging program including works by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Szymanowski. She also pays homage to acclaimed composers Mason Bates and Dan Visconti, whose title selection, Amplified Soul (world premiere recording), was written for her. Ms. Martinez collaborated with Grammy Award-winning producer David Frost on the recording. A music video of Amplified Soul can be found on Ms. Martinez's YouTube channel.

Since making her orchestral debut at age seven, Ms. Martinez has played with such distinguished orchestras as the San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, New Jersey, Tucson, West Michigan, Pacific and Fort Worth symphonies; Canada’s Victoria Symphony Orchestra; Germany’s Stuttgarter Philharmoniker, MDR Leipzig

Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nurnberger Philharmoniker; the Costa Rica National Symphony and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela. Recent season highlights include debut appearances with the Buffalo, Boulder, Dayton and National philharmonic orchestras and the Jacksonville, Delaware, Akron, La Crosse, Modesto, Rogue Valley, Springfield (MO), Topeka, and Wichita symphony orchestras.

She has collaborated with such conductors as Gustavo Dudamel, James Gaffigan, James Conlon, Marcelo Lehninger and Guillermo Figueroa, among many others, and has performed at such esteemed venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Merkin Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York City; the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, El Paso Pro Musica Series, the Kansas City HarrimanJewell Series; Canada’s Glenn Gould Studio; Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens; Salzburg’s Grosses Festspielhaus; Dresden’s Semperoper; and Paris’s Palace of Versailles. Her festival credits include the Mostly Mozart, Ravinia, and Rockport festivals in the United States; Italy’s Festival dei Due Mondi (Spoleto); Switzerland’s Verbier Festival; the Festival de Radio France et Montpellier; and Japan’s Tokyo International Music Festival.

Her wide-ranging career includes world premieres of new music, live performance broadcasts, and interviews on TV and radio. Her performances have been featured on National Public Radio, CNN, PBS, 60 Minutes, ABC, From the Top, Radio France, WQXR and WNYC (New York), MDR Kultur and Deutsche Welle (Germany), NHK (Japan), RAI (Italy), and on numerous television and radio stations in Venezuela.

Ms. Martinez was the First Prize winner of the Anton G. Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Dresden, and a semifinalist at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, where she also received the Jury Discretionary Award. She began her piano studies in Caracas with her mother, Alicia Gaggioni, and attended The Juilliard School, where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees as a full scholarship student of Yoheved Kaplinsky. Ms. Martinez was a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s The Academy, and a member of Ensemble Connect (formerly known as Ensemble ACJW), while concurrently working on her doctoral studies with Marco Antonio de Almeida in Halle, Germany.

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

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DIRECTOR SCOTT SPECKABOUT WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

An anchor cultural organization headquartered in Muskegon, WMS is a resident performing group at the Frauenthal Center, where its eight-concert season is the most visible part of a larger artistic enterprise of far-reaching community benefit. Founded in 1939, today’s WMS is comprised of professional musicians of the highest caliber playing challenging repertoire and presenting some of the world’s most acclaimed guest artists. WMS concerts and education events bring 16,500 people— more than 30% of whom are children and students—downtown annually, making it the largest performing arts organization on the West Shore. Audiences come from throughout Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Oceana and surrounding counties.

Mission

WMS connects and enriches our diverse community through the transformative power of music. We fulfill this primarily through three core offerings:

• Professional, live symphonic performances in a welcoming environment

• The Block, a gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music

• Music Education that enriches the lives of children and adults through exploration, participation and performance

Statement Of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

West Michigan Symphony is committed to building an organization that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion. We acknowledge and celebrate the 19th century European cultural heritage from which the symphony orchestra arises. At the same time, we believe the art form is renewed and enlivened by embracing multifarious cultures and influences.

We will continually explore ways to reflect plurality, inclusivity and curiosity in our artistic programming. We commit to inviting under-represented ethnic groups into an ongoing, active dialogue so that we can learn, grow, and change, making the Symphony a place where everyone feels invited and accepted. In our Board, staff and volunteer base, we will work for greater inclusivity, thereby reflecting the rich diversity of the West Michigan community. We will strive to reflect these values throughout our organization.

MUSIC

Scott Speck became Music Director of the West Michigan Symphony in 2002. Since then he is proud to have helped the WMS enter the ranks of the nation's finest regional orchestras.

Scott also holds positions as music director of the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Philharmonic and Mobile Symphony. He previously held positions as conductor of the San Francisco Ballet; music advisor and conductor of the Honolulu Symphony; and associate conductor of the Los Angeles Opera. During a tour of Asia he was named principal guest conductor of the China Film Philharmonic in Beijing. He was also invited to the White House as music director of the Washington Ballet.

In past seasons Scott Speck has conducted at London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, New York's Lincoln Center, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Washington’s Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, and the Los Angeles Music Center. He has led numerous performances with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Houston, Baltimore, Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing, Vancouver, Romania, Slovakia, Buffalo, Columbus, Louisville, New Orleans, Oregon, Rochester, Florida, and Virginia, among many others.

Speck is co-author of the world’s best-selling books on classical music for a popular audience: Classical Music for Dummies, Opera for Dummies, and Ballet for Dummies. He has been a regular commentator on National Public Radio, the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of Russia, broadcast throughout the world.

Born in Boston, Scott Speck is a Fulbright Scholar, a summa cum laude graduate of Yale University, and an Aspen Conducting Fellow. He is fluent in English, German and French, has a diploma in Italian, speaks Spanish and has a reading knowledge of Russian.

Web: scottspeck.org; Twitter: ScottSpeck1 Facebook: facebook.com/ConductorScottSpeck

WEST

CONCERTS AT

WMS’s Listening Room for the Musically Curious, The Block, is an innovative performance venue featuring a mixture of jazz, crossover-folk, and classical chamber concerts. Since its opening in 2013, The Block has become a vibrant downtown gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music and educational programs. Audiences have found the venue a refreshing alternative—to the formality of a concert hall on one hand, the clamor of a brewpub on the other. The Block is also a gathering place for various nonprofit, musical and community groups. Recent users have included Black Business Expo, GVSU Piano Chamber Series, Greater Muskegon Economic Development, Lakeshore Art Festival, Muskegon Rotary, the Poppen Foundation, Third Coast Trombone Retreat, Tux ‘n Chucks, and Young Black Professionals, to name a few.

For rental information, call 231.726.3231

ARTS & CULTURE COALITION

WMS is a founding member of the Muskegon Arts & Cultural Coalition (MACC), whose purpose is to advocate for and educate the community on the significant economic and quality of life impact of the arts and cultural sector. Muskegon County is home to a wide range of institutions offering exceptional arts and culture experiences that reflect and celebrate our diverse community. The arts have been key to the revitalization of our region for decades, and they remain pivotal in the post-COVID recovery economy. A recent study by Visit Muskegon found that cultural institutions and festivals contributed more than $56.48 million annually to Muskegon County’s economy. According to the Creative State Michigan Report, the Arts accounted for $2.5 billion in state tourism revenues—more than professional sporting events, golf, boating and sailing, hunting and fishing, hiking and biking combined.

For more information see display ad on page 16

BLOCK

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Enriching the lives of children through music exploration, participation, and performance are the goals of the WMS Education programs. Inschool programs, after-school programs, pre-concert activities and a range of events, make up the educational offerings from the West Michigan Symphony.

Link Up

Did you know over 60,000 students from six West Michigan counties have participated in Link Up since 2004? A curriculum written by Carnegie Hall, Link Up is taught by music teachers in our local schools to grades 3-5 and completely supported by the WMS; which means we keep this program free. The program culminates with and interactive concert where student perform their recorder along with the Symphony in the Frauenthal Theater. More than 50 elementary schools partner with WMS to bring this program to their schools each year.

Tune Up

Launching in fall of 2020, elementary students in Muskegon’s Marquette and Oakview Elementary schools will be given an early start in instrumental music. A new program called “Tune Up” will provide aspiring young musicians with their own string instrument and free group lessons with a qualified teacher and unique performance opportunities. This will mark the debut of a new partnership between West Michigan Symphony, Muskegon Public Schools, and the 21st CCLC Impact after-school program. Tune Up program gives children in 3, 4 and 5 grades a jump into learning an instrument and finding the thrill of making music together.

Children's Choir

Many children love to sing, yet don’t have the opportunity to do so at school. The WMS Children’s Choir provides children ages 8-13 a place to sing and perform under the direction of a talented vocal director. Beginning its tenth season, the Children’s Choir performs numerous times each season, including on stage with the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s Home for the Holidays and Link Up concerts. An audition based program, Children’s Choir meets every Tuesday from September through May.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Debut & Premier Strings

Two string orchestras, made up of young string musicians from throughout West Michigan, meet every Monday at The Block, September to April, to grow their musicianship. Developing their playing abilities and making new friendships is all a part of encouraging these musicians to stretch their belief in themselves and grow as musicians. The Debut Strings program is for those with one to two years of experience. Premier Strings is for those more advanced and experienced, and offers a variety of performance opportunities, including a side by side with the WMS Orchestra at Link Up. Both groups are taught by a qualified and experienced string instructor.

Click Clack Moosic

Unique to the WMS, Click Clack Moosic is a live musical story time program for young children ages 2-8. Based on the books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, the WMS Click Clack Moosic was created for young children to experience live symphonic music, up close! Through engaging education activities, the telling of a great story, and music composed just for these programs; children will love to be part of these shows. We’ll perform a holiday show at the Block on December 3, but we also visit schools, libraries, events, and organizations. Let us know how we can be a part of your next event.

Music Mentors

Providing students with real life experiences is part of the WMS Music Mentor program. Students participation in the Link Up program receive visits to their schools from WMS musicians. Deepening the music learning experience through engaging visits with Music Mentors helps support school music programs and gives students the opportunity to work with an outside professional.

WMS is the largest presenter of live music in Muskegon County, offering more than 30 events annually at the Frauenthal, The Block and elsewhere for audiences of all ages

Dear Friends,

There’s more to the West Michigan Symphony than meets the eye... and even the ear. What you see before you is truly a miracle: a community resource nurtured and grown over the past 80 years and sustained through the dedication and love of the entire community. WMS brings together the finest musicians and guest artists from across the country and touches the hearts and souls of listeners of all ages. We are proud to sponsor the 2022-2023 season. Enjoy the performance!

WMS impacts more than 6,000 area youth from five West Michigan counties through its music education programs

Music Director Scott Speck also conducts the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Philharmonic and Mobile Symphony

Our musicians travel from Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and throughout Michigan to perform with WMS

The Orchestra prepares Masterworks performances in just 3-4 evening rehearsals, Pops in 1-2 rehearsals