Prelude Volume 12 • Issue 4 • Apr - May 24

West Michigan Symphony Season Magazine

Volume 12 • Issue 4 • April – May 2024

wms around the world, part II

FRIDAY • APR 19 • 7:30 PM

rhapsody in blue

FRIDAY • MAY 10 • 7:30 PM

Artistic Staff

Scott Speck Music Director

Angela Corbin WMS Debut & Premier Strings Director

Lauren Garza Tune Up Program Manager & Lead Teaching Artist

Beth Slimko WMS Children’s Choir Director

Kristina Zeinstra Tune Up Teaching Artist

Administrative Staff

Andrew Buelow President/CEO

Amanda Dykhouse Orchestra Librarian

Megan James Marketing & Design Manager

Karen Mueller O'Neill Vice President of Development & Marketing

Maris Myers Patron Services Manager

Gabe Slimko Vice President of Operations & Orchestra

Sherrie Tower Finance & Facilities Manager

Karen Vander Zanden Vice President of Community Learning & Engagement

Board of Directors

Susan Cloutier Crain, Chairperson

Retired Executive Director, Disability Network

Amy Hosford, Vice Chairperson

General Manager, KN Literary Arts

Kevin Even, Treasurer

Shareholder, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

Merica S. Dobry, Secretary

Senior Council, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Melisa Baker

Human Resources Manager, Webb Chemical Service Corporation

Jan L. Deur

Retired CPA, Verizon

Larry Fife

Retired Infotainment Director, Siemens and Continental Automotive

Bob Garretson

CEO, Embark Financial Partners

Donna Joyce

Advancement Director, DOOR International

Kate Kesteloot Scarbrough

Retired Executive Director, Mediation & Restorative Services

Jason Olthoff

Vice President of Sales, Nichols

Emma Peterson

Director of Philanthropy, Trinity Health

Ryan Sterkenburg CTFA®, CISP®

VP / Senior Trust Administrator, Macatawa Bank

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 Megan James

WHAT'S INSIDE

Message from the Music Director

Meet the WMS Principal Musicians

West Michigan Symphony Musicians

Message from the Chairperson

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

West Michigan Symphony Endowment

West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving

WMS Around the World, Part II

Rhapsody in Blue

Community Music Encounters

About West Michigan Symphony

West Michigan Symphony 2024/25 Season

The Block 2024/25 Season

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

• Inspired small ensemble performances in an immersive live listening room

• Learning activities that enrich 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.

Find Us Online

West Michigan Symphony

Website: westmichigansymphony.org

Facebook: facebook.com/wmsymphony

Email: info@westmichigansymphony.org

The Block

Website: theblockwestmichigan.org

Facebook: facebook.com/AtTheBlock

Email: info@theblockwestmichigan.org

Dear Friends,

MESSAGE FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

Our 2023-2024 WMS season ends in spectacular fashion with two concerts that take you from West Michigan around the world and back again.

A couple of years ago, we first introduced the "Around the World" concept, with a program featuring just our own musicians, in a diverse array of international repertoire. Many of you told us that this was your favorite concert of the season. So we have brought back this concept — with all new music. Our April program highlights light classics of Verdi, Grieg, Smetana, Brahms, Copland, Rimsky-Korsakov and more — including some pieces I'll bet you have never heard before.

If you're going to bring in a soloist to work with our musicians, you'd be lucky to have a singular phenomenon like Aldo López-Gavilán, playing Rhapsody in Blue . Our season finale in May marks Aldo's third visit to West Michigan. This time we celebrate his native Cuba by presenting the West Michigan premiere of Guagancó , a symphonic showpiece by his father, Guido López-Gavilán. Plus, a Danzón by Arturo Márquez and the Mambo of Leonard Bernstein give a nod to lands south of the border.

Thank you for finishing out the season with us in grand style. We're happy you're here!

Scott Speck Music Director

Please see Scott Speck’s bio on page 32

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.vv

JESÚS LINÁREZ Concertmaster

MARK PORTOLESE Associate Principal – Violin 2

IGOR CETKOVIC Associate Principal – Cello

JONATHAN HOLDEN Principal – Clarinet

GENE HAHN Associate Concertmaster

CARMEN ABELSON Assistant Principal – Violin 2

CAMERON SLAUGH Assistant Principal – Cello

CHLOE ROBBINS Principal – Bassoon

RILEY LINDSEY Principal – Tuba

JACIE ROBINSON Assistant Concertmaster

ARTURO ZIRALDO Principal – Viola

ROBERT JOHNSON Principal – Bass

PAUL CLIFTON-O’DONNELL Principal – Horn

LEO TAYLOR Principal – Timpani

ADAM LIEBERT Assistant Principal – Violin 1

REBECCA BOELZNER Associate Principal – Viola

JILL MARIE BROWN Principal – Flute

BILL BAXTRESSER Principal – Trumpet

MATTHEW BECK Principal – Percussion

AMANDA DYKHOUSE Principal – Violin 2

ALICIA GREGORIAN SAWYERS Principal – Cello

ASAKO FURUOYA Principal – Oboe

EDWARD HICKMAN Principal – Trombone

SYLVIA NORRIS Principal – Harp

Music Director

Scott Speck

Mike & Kay Olthoff Endowed Chair

First Violin

Jesús Linárez concertmaster

Sponsored by Pat & Julie Donahue

Gene Hahn assc. concertmaster

Gust and Mary Theodore Danigelis

Endowed Chair

Jacie Robinson asst. concertmaster

Sponsored by Bruce & Donna Hood

Adam Liebert asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr Alan Steinman

Hannah Christiansen

Sponsored by Evelyn Geile

Robbie Herbst

Jennifer Kotchenruther

Sponsored by Bob & Charlotte Chessman

Jane Mockus

Maya Shiraishi

Sponsored by Kevin & Annette Even

Oxana Sourine

Sponsored by Darlene Collet in memory of Lee Collet

Second Violin

Amanda Dykhouse principal

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Endowed Chair

Mark Portolese assc. principal

Sponsored by Joanna Norris

Carmen Abelson asst. principal

Katie Bast

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Patrick Foley

Karen-Jane Henry

Natalie Hockamier

Britta Bujak Portenga

Sponsored by Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors

Jackie Engel, CFP®

Carol Wildgen

Sponsored by Mark & Karla Lange

Tatiana Zueva

Viola

Arturo Ziraldo principal

Sponsored by Jan & Laura Deur

Rebecca Boelzner assc. principal

Sponsored by Anonymous

Csaba Erdélyi

Sponsored by JoLee Wennersten

Josh Holcomb

Sponsored by Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma

Cello

Alicia Gregorian Sawyers principal

Sponsored by Steve & Deb Olsen

Igor Cetkovic assc. principal

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Cameron Slaugh asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague

Lee Copenhaver

Sponsored by Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Karen Krummel

Abigail Monroe

Sponsored by Cynthia Mazurek

Grace Mockus

Calin Muresan

Bass

Robert Johnson principal

Frank E. & Flora M. Johnson Endowed Chair

David Chapman-Orr

Stephen Reichelt

Flute

Jill Marie Brown principal

Sponsored by Anonymous

Marissa Olin

Sponsored by Mary E Malek

Leslie Deppe piccolo

Oboe

Asako Furuoya principal

Natalie Feldpausch

Sponsored by Ellie Williams

Clarinet

Jonathan Holden principal

Sponsored by Susan Cloutier Crain

Stephanie Hovnanian

Lisa Raschiatore bass clarinet

Sponsored by Don & Kathy Dahlstrom matched by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Bassoon

Chloe Robbins principal

Sponsored by Sheila & Patrick Miller

Jason Kramer

Sponsored by Eric & Merica Dobry

Horn

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell principal

Jeffrey Lake Johnson Endowed Chair

Greg Bassett

Lisa Honeycutt

Sponsored by Allen & Sandy Beck

Leah Brockman

Sponsored by Karen & John Wells

Trumpet

Bill Baxtresser principal

Sponsored by Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

Ethan Adams

Trombone

Edward Hickman principal

Sponsored by Stephen & Debra Jackson

Joe Radtke

Sponsored by Laketown Family Dental

Carter Woosley bass trombone

Sponsored by Joel & Linda Engel

Tuba

Riley Lindsey principal

Sponsored by Dr. Chris Jansen-Yee

Timpani

Leo Taylor principal

Douglas & Janet Hoch Endowed Chair

Percussion

Matthew Beck principal

Sponsored by Jill Sanders

Jordan Berini

Eric Jones

Sponsored by Cornelia Holley & Sheryl Wescott

Harp

Sylvia Norris principal

Sponsored by Paul & Karen Jackson

Music Librarian

Amanda Dykhouse

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.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Dear WMS Patrons and Friends:

“I can’t wait to get my very own violin!”

Words like these, uttered by a first-year string student in Tune Up, testify to the impact your support is having on young people throughout West Michigan. WMS Community Music Encounters are making music accessible and providing stability and inspiration to students in a rapidly changing education environment. Here are a few examples:

• Underserved elementary students are participating in a free after-school beginning strings program.

40 elementary and middle school students are enrolled in the second year of Tune Up, a new partnership with Muskegon Public Schools. Provided with a free quality instrument, children gather several times a week to learn to play under the guidance of experienced teaching artists.

• Young musicians are receiving ensemble performance experience in a supportive environment.

70 gifted young players in three audition-based ensembles—Children’s Choir, Debut Strings and Premier Strings—meet weekly throughout the school year to rehearse for performances with each other and with WMS.

• 3rd and 4th graders are learning about music under the guidance of WMS musicians.

4,000 elementary students are learning about the orchestra directly from musicians visiting their classrooms. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of WMS’s partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program. In May, they will play their recorders along with the Symphony in concert at the Frauenthal!

2023-2024 has been a banner year, not only for WMS performances at the Frauenthal Center and The Block, but for the breadth and impact of the programs that make up the Community Music Encounters. Just by being here tonight, you are part of the larger community footprint of your West Michigan Symphony, reaching far beyond the walls of this beautiful venue. Together, we are doing something truly amazing. Let’s keep it up!

The Board and I thank you for all your support. Enjoy tonight’s concert!

Susan Cloutier Crain Chairperson

Do you know a student with a love of live musical entertainment? Encourage them to become a WMS Student Music Pass member. This FREE membership program gives area students access to $5 tickets (best available seats) for all WMS Masterworks performances at the Frauenthal Center and select performances at The Block.

June 7

1:00 pm | The Block

Brian Wendel, Sebastian Vera, Nicholas Schwartz, and Helen Lukan

June 9

7:00 pm | The Block

Peter Steiner and Constanze Hochwartner

June 10

4:00 pm | St James Lutheran Church

Anthony P. Hopkins Memorial Trombone Choir

Additional performances and class times may be found at: TROMBONERETREAT.COM

Summer Solstice Sunset Cruise with your WMS

June 20, 2024 8-10 pm

Help raise funds for WMS learning and community initiatives with this two-hour private party cruise. Mix and mingle with WMS musicians and fans while enjoying the natural beauty of West Michigan. Includes cash bar, live musical entertainment and small bites, catered by The Hearthstone Bistro. $65 per person. Tickets here >>> bit.ly/WMSCruise

WESTMICHIGANSYMPHONY.ORG

Merrill

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Merrill Private Wealth Management is a division of MLPF&S that offers a broad array of personalized wealth management products and services.

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

The Bull Symbol and Merrill are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

© 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. MAP5272720 | AD-10-23-0270 | 470944PM-0123 | 10/2023

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

Your annual 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 Jan 13, 2023 through Mar 15, 2024. This includes our Annual Fund, other special initiatives and events. In particular, we wish to express our gratitude to Mike and Kay Olthoff for their support of our November-December Matching Challenge campaign.

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

$10,000 and up

Anonymous

Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Susan Cloutier Crain

Jan & Laura Deur

Pat & Julie Donahue

Jeffrey Lake Johnson

In memory Jeffrey Johnson. Thanks Jeff!

Wendy Kersman

Clara Lang

Mike & Kay Olthoff

In memory

Fred Norris and Michael Soimar

Brad & Kathleen Playford

Jack & Becky Slimko

Peter M Turner

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous (2)

George W & Lori Lynn Cannon III

Deborah DeVoursney

William & Mary Lou Eyke

James & Susan Geisler

Nelson & Elizabeth Huldin

Paul & Karen Jackson

Stephen & Debra Jackson

Kate Kesteloot Scarbrough

Daniel & Sheryl Kuznar

Ryan & Emily Leestma

Patrick & Sheila Miller

Joanna Norris

Steve & Deb Olsen

Jill Sanders

Sawyer Family Fund of CFFMC

Dr Michael & Marijean Smith

Scott Speck

Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

JoLee Wennersten

Hazel Whittaker

In memory

Clara Lang

$2,500-$4,999

Anonymous

Krista Abbott

Melisa Baker

Pete & Sherry Brown

In memory Marilyn Andersen

Andy & Beth Buelow

Darlene Collet

Mary Douville

Larry & Lynette Fife

Brad & Janice Hilleary

Greg & Debi Hillebrand

Bruce & Donna Hood

Hon Kathy L Hoogstra & Dr Robert Hoogstra

Amy & William Hosford

John & Jessie Martin

Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal

Susan Meston

Roger C Morgenstern

Chris & Amy Olthoff

Jason & Jamye Olthoff

Frank & Emma Peterson

Tom Schaub & Mary Price

Laura Schultz

In memory Jack Schultz

Sam Slaughter & Anne Lehker

Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague

Dr Alan Steinman

Susan & Stephen Struck

Liz & Tom Trzaska

$1,000-$2,499

Anonymous

Cindy Ackerman

Charles Alstrom

Allen & Sandy Beck

Susan & Frank Bednarek Fund of the CFFMC

Jane Blyth

Ron & Ann Marie Brown

Janice Buck

Michael Cerminaro & Connie Verhagen

Bob & Charlotte Chessman

Valerie Church-McHugh & Fred McHugh

Colin Billingsley

Amy Conn Tenny

In memory Jeff Conn

Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall

Don & Kathy Dahlstrom

Anne Dake

Eric & Merica Dobry

Robert and Cathleen Dubault

Joel & Linda Engel

Kevin & Annette Even

Brian & Gwen Fosse

Evelyn Geile

David F Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes

Tilio Giacobassi Family

Mark & Jennifer Gross

Mary Gust

In honor Liz and Tom Trzaska

Carl and Sylvia Hansen

Robert & Clara Harrell

Bill Haug & Jane Curtis

Larry & Lari Hines

Richard & Holly Hughes

Pat Hunt

Ed Hunt & Nancy McCarthy

Wilda James

Christian Jansen-Yee

Joel & Kathleen Jarvis

Charles & Vivian Johnson

Pat Johnson

Dick & Lynn Kamps

Barbara Kelso

Heather Kettler

Rich & Nancy Klassen

Pete & Mimi Kunz

Paul & Patricia Ladas

Mark & Karla Lange

Tim & Lynette Lipan

Jim & Mary Malek

Charles & Kay Cater Matthews

Cindy Mazurek

Mark & Bonnie Meengs

KN Literary Arts

On behalf of Amy Hosford and KN Literary Arts, thank you West Michigan Symphony, for the work you do to transform lives in meaningful ways!

Bonnie Olson Memorial Fund

David & Beth Pickard

Barbara Potuznik

Terry & Joy Puffer

Susan Rehrer

Gretchen & Randy Rhoades

In memory Fred Norris

David Roodvoets

David Ruck

John Saling & Diane Fischer

Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma

Josh & Amy Silvis

Ryan & Kris Sterkenburg

John & Mary Swanson

Drs David & Linda Taylor

Kathleen Torresen

Michael & Patricia Wade

Karen & John Wells

Melody & JR Whitby

Judy Wilcox

Ellie Williams

Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier

Marguerite & Kenneth Winter

Jan Witt

Tom & Jane Witt

Jane J Wright

Jim & Linda Zolman

$500-$999

Anonymous (4)

Darlene Alt

Bruce & Paula Baker

In memory JoAnn Landman

Herb & Anne Bevelhymer

Brian & Jill Boersema

Arthur & Marilyn Bolt

Dr Mary & Robert Boyer

Gordon & Mary Buitendorp

Curtis Chambers & Diana Wojton

George & Deborah Chmelar

Rudy & Pat Chmelar

Mary Theodore Danigelis

Chris Dean

Marcia D'Oyly

Deb & Chris Drake

Wallace & Jane Ewing

Eugene Fethke

Mark Foreman

Charles & Lynn Freeman

Chip Furst

Don Goodman

Marjorie Gorajec

Brennen & Rachel Gorman

Kurt & Antoinette Hildwein

Cornelia Holley

Reedel & Rosie Holmes

Jonathon & Wendy Hoogstra

Norma Jean Horan

Donna Joyce

Karen Kayes

Denise Kwiecien

Joan La Mourie

Brian Leibrandt

Shelley Essebaggers Lewis

Pat Locke

Andy & Jill Maciejewski

Paul & Winnie McNergney

Perry & Deb Newson

In memory Fred Norris

Richard & Katie Norton

Dr Richard & Nancy Peters

Roy & Britta Bujak Portenga

Robert Pyka

Mike & Char Ratchford

Faye Redmond

Clyde & Beth Rinsema

Dr Gary & Pennie Robertson

Susan (Sue) Schuiteman

In memory Clara Lang

John & Elaine Severson

Mary Holmes Sorensen

Tom & Nanci Stone

Clifford & Lucia Storr

George & Dottie Strabel

Kim Suarez

Dr Ryan & Heather Terlouw

Richard & Marge Tourre

Elinore Verplank (Norna)

Bill & Shirley Walther

Sheryl Wescott

$100-$499

Anonymous (6)

Ross & Sandra Aden

Lionel & Contessa Alexander III

Lee Anderson

Bernadette Arnold

Margo Atwell

Larry & Sandy Austin

Esther Baldridge

Barbara Bates-Lalick & Martin Lalick

Gary and Carol Beatty

Sherry Albertie Becker

Amy Bensinger

David & Sue Bird

Jeanne Kuharivicz Bleich

Aaron & Amy Bodbyl-Mast

Bill & Sue Brookstra

Michael & Joanna Buboltz

Marie Bustin

Ray & Theresa Chaplin

Robert & Diane Collier

In honor Fred Norris Friend and Multi-talented Musician

E Jane Connell & Steven W Rosen

Bill & Carol Cross

Jessica Wolin & Frank Crownover

David Culver

Agnes De Boer

Dean Denman & Gale Ford

In memory Janie Denman

Larry DeVoogd

Greg & Judith DeWeerd

David and Dortha DeWitt

Joyce Downing

In memory Clara Lang

Judy Draper

Karen & Herb Driver

Bruce & Esther Drukker

Dennis & Barbara Dryer

Amanda & Gregory Dykhouse

William & Donna Eckert

James Edmonson

Bethann Egan & Len Lieffers

Harold & Mary Englund

Jean Enright

Cork Farkas & Kathy Mauck

Bobby Fisher

Charles & Patti Fisher

Carla Flanders

Manley Ford

Dale & Bridget Fox

Carol & Pete Friar

Bruce Froelich & Margot Haynes

Paula DeGregorio & Frank Galante

Marisol Garcia Linstrom

Chuck & Jeanne Gembis

Mary Anne Gorman

Marcia Grasman

LaDon Gustafson

Revs' Jerry & Susan Hagans

Virginia Hague

Jeff & Gail Hall

Patricia Hesling

Dan & Celeste Hibler

Molly McCarthy & Timothy Hicks

Roberda Hilleary

Susan Hoekenga

Gwen Hoffman

Mary Anne & Thom Hornik

Marcia Hovey-Wright & Ernie Boone

Mary Ann Howe

John & Jane Humphrey

Nicholas Huryk

Katherine & Kenneth Jacobs

Robert E Johnson

Natalie Johnson & Dana Pink

In memory Donna Little

Lamar and Diane Jordan

Connie Karry

Francine Kieft

Thomas Knight

Meghann Kruse

Jeff & Jody Lewis

Lloyd & Mildred Lindland

In memory Fred Norris. A talented Musician and a champion for Music as well as a lover of Music.

Dale and Amanda Lowder

Mark Luttenton

William & Mary Macleod

Deborah Margules

Shirley McIntire

John & Cindy McKinnon

Rich & Teresa Micheil

Roger & Jane Missimer

Amanda Moblo

John & Barbara Mullally

Matt & Laurel Nease

Kathryn Neumann

Susan and Tyler Newton

In memory Herb and Ellie Hoeker. Thanks for instilling in us appreciation for this kind of music.

David Olsen

Garry & Charlotte Olson

Richard A Pardini

Gay C Petersen

Nick & Barb Pietrangelo

Albert & Elizabeth Posthuma

C Bruce & Shirley Privacky

Ellen & Vic Prowant

Rev William Randall

David Redmond

In memory Donna L Little

Robert & Sharon Remmerde

In honor Leon Fredrick Norris

Bruce & Mari Rice

Dan & Sarah Rinsema Sybenga

Christine & Marv Robere

Bob & Bobbi Sabine

Kim Sakis

Gregory Shaull

Duane & Susan Schecter

Gwynne & Steve Schoff

Pat & Ed Schroeder

Lee & Sandra Schuitema

John Selmon

Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink

Karen Shields

Colleen & Joseph Skendzel

Hayden Smith

Helen & Jay Smith

Joanie Smith

Nancy Spargo

In memory Fred Norris It is our humble honor to support the continued activities of the symphony that Fred loved so dearly.

Dr Carlo V Spataro

Anbritt & Darlene Stengele

Michael & Cindy Stevens

James & Nancy Stier

Eileen Stoffan

Julie Stuberg

Verne & Janet Sutherland

Howard & Marilyn Swanson

Marty & Heidi Sytsema

Ann & Dan Tabor

In memory JoAnn Landman

Judy Theune

Sera Thompson

In memory Fred Norris

George & Laura Thurlow

Judith Tierney

Scott Timmer

Charles & Susan Rogalla Tindall

David & Mary Turbessi

Brandon Turnbull

Sandra Tyrrell

In memory Fred Norris

Catherine & Chris Uganski

Stephen & Valerie Vallier

John Van Walsum

Phillip VanderPol

David Vanderwall

Nancy L Vanderwest

Ed DeJong & Diane VanWesep

Dan & Nancy Weller

Jenny Wilkes

Brewster & Mary Ellen Willcox

Beverly Williams

Jonathan & Melissa Wilson

Robert & Joanne Zayko

Lori Zeman

Raimonds T Ziemelis

Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer

Corporate, Arts Council & Foundation Donors

$10,000 and up

City of Muskegon

Community Foundation for Muskegon County

Embark Financial Services

Fremont Area Community Foundation

Grand Haven Area

Community Foundation

Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation

Hines Corporation

Howmet Community Fund of the CFFMC

Leonel L. & Mary Loder Fund

Meijer Foundation

Michigan Arts & Culture Council

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

$5,000-$9,999

Adelaide Pointe

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

DTE Energy Foundation Fund

JSJ Foundation Fund

Muskegon Community College

RENK America

Samuel L. Westerman Foundation

Smith Davis Morse Group

The Gerber Foundation

The Leonard Luxury Apartments

Trinity Health

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Webb Chemical Service Corporation

West Shore Bank

Women's Division Chamber of Commerce

$2,500-$4,999

Consumers Energy

Fifth Third Bank

Grand Valley State University

Howmet Aerospace

i'move

Lake Michigan Credit Union

Lorin Industries

Mart Dock Corporation

Mary C Payne Fund of the CFFMC

PNC Bank

Raymond James

Scherdel Sales & Technology

Shoreline Insurance Agency, Inc.

$1,000-$2,499

Ann & Bud Eichmann Fund of the CFFMC

Billie Klont Greinke Memorial Fund of the CFFMC

Cofessco

Hazekamp's Premier Foods

Tyler Sales

John L. Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund of the CFFMC

Laketown Family Dental

$500-$999

Shape Corporation

Past Chairs Committee

The Past Chairs Committee 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.

Tim Arter

Pete Brown

Marcia D’Oyly

David Gerdes

Holly Hughes

David Hogan

Pat Hunt

G Thomas Johnson

Wendy Kersman

Clara Lang

Deb Newson

Kay Olthoff

Mike Olthoff

Sylvia Precious

Chip Sawyer

Ann Tabor

Peter Turner

Jane Wright

Block Underwriters

Consumers Energy

Grand Valley State University

Lake Michigan Credit Union

Lorin Industries

Michael & Kimberly Martin (Endowed)

Muskegon Community College

Steve & Deb Olsen

Mike & Kay Olthoff

Mary Price & Tom Schaub

Scherdel Sales & Technology

Shoreline Insurance Agency

Jack & Becky Slimko

Smith, Haughey, Rice and Roegge

Trinity Health

Tyler Sales

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Now in its 84th Season, WMS is dedicated to building a music-infused West Michigan, providing professional concerts in a welcoming environment and learning opportunities that enrich 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 fund established at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF).

Established in 1992, the CFFMC Secure the Spirit fund reported a fair market value of $573,958 on June 30, 2023. Established in 2020, the CFFMC Play Your Part fund reported $1,844,706 on the same date. The GHACF Play Your Part fund, established in 2021, was at $95,890.

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 launched in fall 2022 in Muskegon Public Schools. For more information, please see page 28.

At the end of September 2023, campaign leadership reported more than $3,968,167 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 community 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

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West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving Circle WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

It Takes just one note to Start a Symphony

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 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.”

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!

Announcing the FRANK E. AND FLORA M. Johnson Principal DOUBLE BASS CHAIR

Thank You As Well To Our Newest Legacy Giving Circle Members:

Susan Cloutier Crain

Jan & Laura Deur

Pat & Julie Donahue

Jeffrey Lake Johnson

Mike & Kay Olthoff

Bob & Bobbi Sabine

IN LOVING Memory of Frank E. AND Flora M. Johnson

Growing up in the Frank and Flora Johnson household meant a life rich with music, including attendance at the West Michigan Symphony concerts held in the Muskegon High School auditorium. Frank and Flora created a loving home where music was part of the family. Flora would accompany Frank on the piano as he rehearsed for his solo singing gigs at area churches and weddings. There were family sing-alongs around that same piano and holiday gatherings where Chris and Jeff (their oldest sons) would entertain the family with songs and guitar playing. Wintery Sunday afternoons were often spent lying on the living room floor listening to orchestral, Broadway, and opera LPs. And Frank and Flora supported each of their five children’s participation in all manner of musical endeavors from piano lessons to band, chorus, and the West Shore Youth Symphony.

Frank and Flora’s legacy of love and music has extended on through their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Their second son, Jeffrey Lake Johnson, developed his musical talents into a career in which he played French horn in traveling Broadway musicals and orchestras around the country — including right here in Muskegon.

Jeff left a legacy of his own through a meaningful estate bequest to the West Michigan Symphony, as well as two other local institutions, to support the cultural enrichment of the area. Jeff cared deeply for West Michigan — its people, environment, and culture. He believed strongly in the transformative power of music as well as the importance of having access to it right where you live. Of all the many worthy institutions and places he could have chosen for his estate giving, he wanted to make a difference in his hometown — the place that nurtured and developed his interests and character. His gift to the Symphony will endow two chairs and provide support to the West Michigan Symphony Tune Up program. The first endowment was the principal French horn chair dedicated in his name in 2023. For the second endowment, that of the principal double bass, it seemed fitting that the dedication be in the name of Frank and Flora in loving tribute to them and the musical legacy they passed down.

The remaining Johnson family children, Jennifer Grow, Tim Johnson, and Amy McEwen, are honored to help see their brother’s gift come to fruition. They join his friends and former colleagues in gratitude for Jeff’s life and in special appreciation for their parents, Frank E. and Flora M. Johnson, for nurturing in them the love of music and community.

Thank you, Jeff, and thank you Frank and Flora, for all you gave us.

2024/25 Season to be announced soon. We don’t concede, we will not give up. It is a will to win – a tenacious focus that Smith Haughey brings to advocating on our clients’ behalf. When the future is on the line, you need us on your side. SHRR.COM |

WMS AROUND THE WORLD part II

FRIDAY

APRIL 19

7:30 PM

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

SPONSORS

CONCERT

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Overture to Nabucco

César Guerra-Peixe (1914-1993), arr. Clóvis Pereira

Mourão

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Experience new sounds and rediscover familiar favorites on this musical journey around the globe traversing Italy, Spain, Norway, Germany and more. An all-orchestral program celebrates your talented WMS musicians—front and center.

Scott Speck conductor

Solveig’s Song from Peer Gynt, Op. 23

WESTMICHIGANSYMPHONY.ORG

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)

Sabre Dance from Gayane

Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

The Moldau

INTERMISSION

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Academic Festival Overture

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Quiet City

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

Spanish Dance No. 1 from La Vida Breve

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

Capriccio Espagnole, Op. 34

Loop and Infrared Systems in place for the hearing impaired. Please inquire with an usher for use of this system.

Please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices.

The use of cameras and recording devices during the performance is strictly prohibited.

In 1879, Brahms got word that the University of Breslau would confer upon him an honorary doctorate, noting that he was “the foremost composer of serious music in Germany today.” Brahms had never gone to college, but had spent two months on campus at the University of Göttingen in 1853 with his friend the composer Joseph Joachim. While Joachim studied, Brahms enjoyed the other facets of campus life. And it is perhaps this experience that he turned to in the summer of 1880, when he composed Academic Festival Overture as a show of thanks to the University of Breslau.

When Brahms conducted the premiere of the work at a special ceremonial concert in January of 1881, the academic faculty at the esteemed university may have felt they didn’t get quite what they had expected from “the foremost composer of serious music.” Rather than a majestic piece honoring serious academic pursuits, Brahms presented them “a rollicking potpourri of student songs.” Brahms weaved together four student drinking songs into a symphonic overture.

Following an introduction, the first song, “Wir hatten gebauet ein stattliches Haus” (“We had built a stately home”) is presented by the trumpets after a soft drumroll. This song was not only a popular student song, but had also been coopted for use in student protests during the 19th century and was subject to frequent bans. The second violins and violas play the lyrical “Der Landesvater” (“The father of our country”), accompanied by low string pizzicato. Then, as the tempo picks up, bassoons introduce a song known as “The Fox Ride” or “Was kommt dort von der höh,” a song associated with freshmen initiation. After mixing these three songs together, Brahms presents one more in the triumphant conclusion. The full force of the orchestra plays one of the most popular student songs of the day, “Gaudeamus igitur, Iuvenes dum sumus” (“Therefore let us be merry while we are young”).

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR Harbor Steel

Every concert is a journey, but tonight the West Michigan Symphony takes us on a musical journey around the world. We’ll visit Armenia, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain and the United States. Some of the music on tonight’s program may be familiar to you, and some you may never have heard before. Each piece sparkles with the spirit of its homeland!

Harbor Steel is proud to sponsor WMS Around the World Part II as a celebration of the different cultures that make up the world we all share. It is always our joy to support the Symphony’s Vision for a music-infused West Michigan. Enjoy the concert!

Brahms composed this overture alongside his Tragic Overture, writing that “one of them weeps, the other laughs.” It was probably the fun-loving Brahms that was laughing as he conducted the Academic Festival Overture at its premiere.

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Quiet City

Aaron Copland is known for capturing the landscapes of rural America in his popular ballets Appalachian Spring and Rodeo. In these famous works, open melodic intervals and ambiguous harmonies suggest the broad, uninhabited landscapes of rural America. In Quiet City, he adopts similar compositional techniques to evoke a different American landscape: a slowed-down, emptied New York City at night.

Quiet City was originally composed as incidental music for a play by the same name written by Irwin Shaw. The play had only a few preview performances in 1939 before closing, leaving Copland to bleakly assert that his “career in theater has been a flop.” But the resourceful composer repurposed a waltz from the play in his film score for Our Town, and he used much of the rest of the music to compose this concert piece for trumpet, English horn, and string orchestra.

Copland said in an interview: “I composed music that I hoped would evoke the inner distress of the central character” of the play. That character is a man who renounces his Jewish heritage and his artistic aspirations to find financial success in a more conventional life. While wandering through New York City at night grappling with the consequences of his inauthentic life, he is haunted by the sound of his brother’s trumpet. He is in a city full of people, yet feels alone as he imagines the private lives of those around him. Copland uses static harmonies to suggest the restlessness of a sleepless night: Quiet City wanders, it never moves towards

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Academic Festival Overture

a certain end. The English horn grounds the piece with its melancholy melodies and the strings occasionally abandon their sustained accompaniment to add the steady sound of footsteps. The solo trumpet floats dream-like over the quiet, urban landscape.

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)

Sabre Dance from Gayane

Nearly everyone knows Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance”—either by name or by instant recognition when heard. It sounds frequently in movies, TV shows, cartoons, and commercials. It accompanies circus acts, game shows, and figure-skating competitions. In short, if you want to add a sense of urgency to any situation, “Sabre Dance” is your soundtrack. But in its original conception, it was a nod to its composer’s heritage in the finale of one of his popular ballets.

Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia. He wrote that his upbringing was “rich in folk music: popular festivities, rites, joyous and sad events in the life of the people always accompanied by music.” By incorporating the folk music of Armenia and other Eastern and Central European countries into his ballets and presenting plots that celebrated communist ideals, Khachaturian won the approval of the Soviet government. His ballet Gayaneh, from which “Sabre Dance” comes, is no exception. The ballet tells the story of a woman named Gayaneh, who lives on a cooperative farm where people from different Eastern European cultures live together in harmony. Throughout the course of the ballet, it becomes apparent that Gayaneh’s lazy, bumbling husband is an anticommunist spy. He is arrested, she is allowed to divorce him, and the happy ending comes when she marries the chairman of the farm. “Sabre Dance,” whose middle section employs an Armenian folk tune, is performed at the wedding celebration in the finale of the ballet.

Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

The Moldau

In the summer of 1874, Czech composer Bedřich Smetana began to notice changes to his hearing and tingling sensations around his ears. By October he divulged in a letter that he had completely lost his hearing. He resigned his conducting post and, with a surplus time available to him, experienced an intense period of composing. He started right away on a set of six symphonic poems about Bohemia’s countryside, history, and legends: Má vlast, (“My Fatherland”). “Vltava,” or “The Moldau,” stands as the second of this series.

The subject of this symphonic poem came to Smetana several years earlier when he traveled with a friend to the western edge of Bohemia. According to his traveling companion, he stood in wonder observing a place where two streams came together:

“He sat down and stayed there, motionless as though in a trance. Smetana looked around at the enchantingly lovely countryside, at the confluence of the streams, he followed the Otava, accompanying it in spirit to the spot where it joins the Vltava, and within him sounded the first chords of the two motives which intertwine and increase and later grow and swell into a mighty melodic stream.”

In this short symphonic poem, Smetana tells the story of the Vltava river, flowing through Bohemia until it reaches the North Sea. He provides section titles in the score to make clear exactly what he wished to portray.

In “The Source of the Vltava” section, two flutes introduce the sound of the flowing river, as they trade quick scalar figures back and forth. The flutes are soon joined by the clarinets and then the strings, who pick up the sound of the growing river. About one minute into the piece, the main melodic theme is first heard, introduced by the oboes, bassoons, and first violins. The sound of the river’s flow continues underneath it, as it will through the entire piece.

Timpani and horn calls feature prominently during the “Hunt in the Woods” before the music transitions into a folk dance with a gentle lilt for a “Country Wedding.”

The character of the piece changes drastically as night falls in “Moonlight, Dance of the Nymphs.” Sustained notes build to a dissonant chord before a quiet shimmering sound comes forth: high strings play a slow, even melody, while the flutes trade scalar passages again, as at the beginning. Harp arpeggios add to the magical mood.

The main theme returns before we reach “St. John’s Rapids.” Smetana evokes fast-moving white water with driving rhythms in the brass, upward rushing motives in the strings, shrieks from the high woodwinds, and timpani rolls. At the end of this tumultuous stretch of the river, everything descends to a low rumble.

As the river widens for “The Broad Flow of the Vltava,” the main theme returns, sounding its loudest and most triumphant yet. It morphs into a broad, majestic melody played by the entire orchestra for the final section, which depicts the first castle of the Czech kings: “The Vyšehrad.” The texture of the orchestra thins as the piece comes to a close with two fortissimo chords to mark the river’s final arrival at sea.

Select Wednesdays, Noon – 1 pm @ The Block Event Sponsor: Embark Financial Partners

Hour-long informal conversations where Music Director Scott Speck and special guests share insights and anecdotes to enhance your enjoyment of Masterworks performances. Learn more on page 29.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

Capriccio Espagnole

Today, Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is widely regarded as a master of orchestration, able to choose just the right instruments played in just the right way to create his desired effect. So it comes as no surprise that he was offered a Professorship in Practical Composition and Instrumentation at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. However, RimskyKorsakov never had formal composition training, but rather relied solely on intuition to create his sparkling orchestral scores. Undeterred by his lack of qualifications, he accepted the job and, with the help of his colleague Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, learned as he taught, always staying one step ahead of his students.

Capriccio Espagnol showcases the composer’s orchestration skills in a five-movement suite based on Spanish folk melodies. The piece opens with a festive Spanish dance called an “Alborada,” which literally means “daybreak” and stems from the tradition of welcoming the day with music. This dance is followed by a slow second movement in which the horns present a melody that is then varied by the other instruments of the orchestra. The third movement returns to the “Alborada,” though in a different key and with different instrumentation.

The fourth movement — “Scene and Gypsy Song” — begins with five short cadenzas, each accompanied by percussion rolls. Horns and trumpets, solo violin, flute, clarinet, and harp each have a brief chance to shine. Then the “Gypsy Song” commences as a dance in which the strings imitate a Spanish guitar. This movement leads without break into the lively dance of the final movement, before the “Alborada” theme returns once more to conclude the piece.

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Ph. D.

MASTERWORKS.5

Rhapsody in Blue

FRIDAY MAY 10 7:30 PM

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN PIANO

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Arturo Márquez (b. 1950) Danzón no. 2

INTERMISSION

Guido López-Gavilán (b. 1944) Guaguancó

Aldo López-Gavilán (b. 1979) Improvisation

George Gershwin (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue

Aldo López-Gavilán

Praised for his “dazzling technique and rhythmic fire” in the Seattle Times and dubbed a “formidable virtuoso” by The Times (London), Cuban pianist and composer Aldo LópezGavilán excels in both the classical and jazz worlds as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber-music collaborator, and performer of his own electrifying jazz compositions.

López-Gavilán was born in Cuba to a family of internationally acclaimed classical musicians—his father a conductor and composer, his mother a concert pianist. The latter introduced him to the piano at the age of four; at five, he wrote his first composition; and at seven, he began formal piano studies. He won a Danny Kaye International Children’s Award at age 11, and the following year debuted with the Matanzas Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba. López-Gavilán’s Carnegie Hall debut took place in November of 2012 during the prestigious Voces de Latino América festival. Parallel to his classical abilities, LópezGavilán developed remarkable skills in improvisation. He performed at the world-famous Havana Jazz Festival with the legendary Chucho Valdés, who called him “simply a genius, a star.”

A milestone in López-Gavilán’s professional and personal life came in early 2015, when he partnered with the Harlem Quartet—co-founded by his brother Ilmar, the quartet’s first violinist—for concerts in Calgary, Seattle, and Phoenix. This continued in the summer and fall of 2016 with a U.S. tour that included concerts and residencies at the Rockport (MA) Chamber Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution, Santa Fe College, Las Vegas’s Smith Center, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, and L.A.’s Wallis Annenberg Center.

Since 2016, López-Gavilán has played an active role in cultural exchange between the US and Cuba. Under Joshua Bell’s direction, López-Gavilán aided in organizing Seasons of Cuba, a PBS Special that took place at Lincoln Center, celebrating a new era of cultural diplomacy. At the Napa Festival in July 2016, he rejoined Bell for his Seasons of Cuba concert, and that same month he premiered Emporium, his

A MESSAGE FROM ARTIST SPONSOR West Shore Bank

For over a century, West Shore Bank has remained committed to helping the people and businesses of the West Shore community improve their financial well-being. As a local business, West Shore Bank and its people are deeply engrained in the communities they serve. The bank financially supports more than 200 local organizations and events throughout Mason, Oceana, Manistee, Benzie, Muskegon, Kent and Grand Traverse County, donating over $200,000 each year. Making a real difference in your life, from generation to generation since 1898.

West Shore Bank is a proud supporter of the West Michigan Symphony and its mission to lead, facilitate, connect and collaborate with the community to stimulate cultural vibrancy, inclusivity and pride of place. Thank you for joining us and enjoy the performance. Equal Housing Lender | Member FDIC

first concerto for piano and orchestra, with Nevada’s Classical Tahoe Orchestra, led by Joel Revzen. Several years later, he reunited with the ensemble to record the concerto, this time under the direction of Ken-David Masur.

With the summer of 2019 came the fulfillment of a longstanding dream of López-Gavilán and his brother Ilmar: recording an album together, appropriately titled Brothers. Aldo wrote some new material for this special occasion, while Ilmar arranged several of his existing compositions for violin and piano. The album won First Prize in the Instrumental Music category for the 2020-2021 Cubadisco Awards (Cuba’s equivalent to the Grammys).

In the fall of 2019, his new solo album Playgrounds was released by the French label Esprit du Piano. This album represents a new stage for him as a composer and brings together a wide range of styles including jazz, world music, Afro, experimental music, and Cuban sounds and rhythms. Also in late 2019, López-Gavilán was honored as the composer in residence at Habana Clásica Festival, where many internationally known musicians performed a wide assortment of his compositions.

López-Gavilán’s recent North American engagements include The Florida Orchestra; the Colorado Springs, Chicago, and Boulder philharmonics; the Chautauqua, West Michigan and Mobile symphonies; and Canada’s Maison symphonique de Montréal. He has appeared at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center; Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; the Kennedy Center and the Kreeger Museum in Washington, DC; the Chamber Music Society of Detroit; the Wallis Annenberg Center in Los Angeles; and Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. In the U.S. he has performed with such conductors as Michael Butterman, Josep CaballéDomenech, Michael Francis, and his wife Daiana García, among many others.

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story was not his first work for Broadway. He had previously found success with On the Town in 1944 and Wonderful Town, which won the Tony for Best Musical in 1953. His operetta-style musical Candide — which he composed in tandem with West Side Story, frequently swapping music between the two — premiered in 1956. Though it was a box office flop, its Overture has lived on in the concert setting.

When West Side Story hit Broadway in 1957, Bernstein gave his audience something groundbreaking. This adaptation of a classic Romeo and Juliet love story was unlike anything Broadway audiences had seen before. It contained dark themes, had a tragic ending, and focused on relevant social issues. Its music was sophisticated: it referenced diverse jazz styles, used motivic development to add depth to the story and its characters, and it drew on the formal constructs of classical music. And it was truly a hybrid between ballet and musical, with lengthy dance sequences that contributed to the story rather than simply dressing it up with spectacle.

So when Bernstein compiled a suite of music from West Side Story for the New York Philharmonic’s gala fundraising concert in 1961, he didn’t lean on hit songs like “America,” “One Hand, One Heart,” “I Feel Pretty,” and “Tonight.” Instead, he let the dance numbers tell the story — without singing, without acting, and without dancing. The nine movements of Symphonic Dances do not occur in the order they appear in the musical. Yet they recount its story. Bernstein’s longtime assistant Jack Gottlieb provided this explanation of each movement:

Prologue: The growing rivalry between two teenage gangs, the Jets and Sharks.

“Somewhere”: In a visionary dance sequence, the two gangs are united in friendship.

Scherzo: In the same dream, they break through the city walls, and suddenly find themselves in a world of space, air and sun.

Mambo: Reality again; competitive dance between the gangs. Cha-Cha: The star-crossed lovers see each other for the first time and dance together.

Meeting Scene: Music accompanies their first spoken words. “Cool” Fugue: An elaborate dance sequence in which the Jets practice controlling their hostility.

Rumble: Climactic gang battle during which the two gang leaders are killed.

Finale: Love music developing into a processional, which recalls, in tragic reality, the vision of “Somewhere.”

The orchestra with its large compliment of percussion — expanded from the original instrumentation required by the space constraints of a Broadway pit — and the musician’s finger-snapping and shouts of “Mambo” contribute to the energy of the piece. Bernstein subtly weaves in a couple of favorite songs to hook his listeners. “Somewhere” is played by a solo viola in the second movement, and echoes of it continue in the following “Scherzo.” And “Maria” sounds in both the “Cha-cha” movement and “Meeting Scene.”

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

Rhapsody in Blue

Irving Berlin once said that George Gershwin was the “only songwriter I know who became a composer.” This metamorphosis was due in part to Gershwin’s working relationship with Paul Whiteman, the leader of a popular big band.

In November 1923, Whiteman presented a concert featuring the Canadian singer Éva Gauthier that programmed classical music alongside what would soon become known as jazz. It included “ancient” music by Henry Purcell and Vincenzo Bellini, “modern” music by Arnold Schoenberg and Béla Bartók, and a set of Broadway and popular songs by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and others. The concert’s success propelled Whiteman to push the envelope even further. He immediately set to work on a concert slated for February 1924, which he titled “An Experiment in Modern Music.”

Whiteman approached Gershwin about composing a piano concerto for the concert, a commission he initially turned down due to lack of time. But, much to his surprise, the composer awoke on January 4 to see an article in the New York Tribune stating that Gershwin was “already at work on a jazz concerto” for Whiteman’s upcoming concert. His hands tied, Gershwin began composing. Inspiration struck when he was on a train to Boston:

“It was on the train, with its steely rhythms, its rattle-ty bang, that is so often so stimulating to a composer.... I frequently hear music in the very heart of the noise. And there I suddenly heard—and even saw on paper—the complete construction of the rhapsody, from beginning to end… I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our metropolitan madness. By the time I reached Boston I had a definite plot of the piece, as distinguished from its actual substance.”

On the afternoon of Whiteman’s “Experiment in Modern Music,” the Aeolian Theater was packed with critics and musicians, including Igor Stravinsky, Leopold Stokowski, and John Philip Sousa. Rhapsody in Blue held the penultimate spot on Whiteman’s very long concert and the audience was

reportedly restless and bored by the time Gershwin took the stage to perform the solo part of his Rhapsody. Gershwin’s performance — much of it improvised — turned the concert around, prompting “tumultuous applause.” The piece was an immediate success, and by the end of 1927, Whiteman’s band had performed it more than eighty times and a recording of it had sold over a million copies.

With his “Experiment in Modern Music,” Whiteman set out to prove that the popular dance music of the time — what we now call jazz — could find success in the concert hall. Whiteman hired the right songwriter to prove his point. Gershwin created a rhapsody based on classical models: it is a concerto in a single movement that is improvisational in nature and displays rich contrasts. Within this classical model, he referenced various elements of popular music: he used vernacular instruments like the saxophone and banjo; he employed ragtime and clave rhythms; he featured blue notes; and he imitated various popular piano styles. According to one critic, Rhapsody in Blue had “made an honest woman out of jazz.”

Guido López-Gavilán (1944 – ) Guaguancó

Guido López-Gavilán is one of Cuba’s most celebrated composers and conductors. His music reveals his European training — he has degrees from music conservatories in Havana and in Moscow — fused with elements of AfroCuban music. In a 2015 interview, López-Gavilán described his musical style:

“In my music it is often possible to find elements of Cuban popular music that are elaborated on with the resources of contemporary art music such as poly-harmony, aleatoric elements, and extended techniques. There is usually a strong dose of humor and joy present….But…I also transmit ideas of solemnity, sentimentality, or dramatic climax…”

López-Gavilán is father to two sons who are both accomplished musicians in their own right: violinist Ilmar and, of course, pianist Aldo, our soloist this weekend. Ilmar Gavilán writes about his father’s 2005 work for string orchestra, Guaguancó:

“Guaguancó is both a dance and a distinctive rhythmic pattern. Like most Cuban music, the rhythmic foundation for Guaguancó is based on the clave — a rhythmic ostinato that can be arranged in several ways. Guaguancó is known for its characteristic delay on the third clave accent. This delay creates what is known as a rumba clave pattern, the rhythmic underpinning for the Cuban rumba style.”

A rhythmic vitality persists throughout this short piece, whether the strings are playing sustained arco melodies, syncopated pizzicato, or drumming on the bodies of their instruments.

Arturo Márquez (1950 – ) Danzón No. 2

Arturo Márquez is regarded as one of the most important Mexican composers of his generation. Born to a father who was a mariachi musician, Márquez was exposed to several musical styles as a child before he started composing at age 16. He went on to study at Mexico’s Conservatorio Nacional and later received an MFA in composition from the California Institute for the Arts. His early works tended towards the avant-garde: many were interdisciplinary — combining music with theater, dance or photography — and used new electronic sounds. In the 1990s, Márquez abandoned the avant-garde when he composed eight Danzónes for orchestra.

The danzón is a popular ballroom dance from the Veracruz region of Mexico. Like the tango, it is nostalgic and sensual. It is characterized by standard footwork on syncopated beats. The dancing couple frequently has elegant pauses where they stand still and listen to the virtuosic melodies provided by flute, clarinet, violin, or brass instruments. Márquez encountered the danzón when he began frequenting a Mexico City dance hall in the early 1990s. He spoke of that experience:

“That’s where I really learned — the way they play, the danzón sounds, the rhythms, the melodies, more or less the harmonies. And especially the connection between the dance and the music, which is very strong. I think it’s one of the dances that the dance, the music, really goes together, all the time. It’s like a marriage.”

The most popular of Márquez’s Danzónes — Danzón No. 2 — is so popular in Mexico that it has become the country’s unofficial anthem. Composer Aurelio Tella was at its premiere in 1994 in Mexico City, and reported in an interview that

“The audience was shouting, and for five or six minutes, the audience were clapping. It was amazing. I don’t remember, ever, in 30 years, 32 years that I’m living in Mexico, a similar occasion, a similar perception, a similar situation. The audience was impressed with Danzón.”

It is easy to imagine the audience’s frenetic reaction to this piece. Listen for the clave rhythm that provides a rhythmic vitality from the very start: it is a syncopated rhythm played primarily by the claves (wood sticks) that underlies the whole piece. Over this foundation, Danzón No. 2 starts with solo woodwinds playing relaxed, sensuous melodies that are characterized by sliding, bending notes. From there, it slowly builds to a frenzied climax where the entire orchestra, including a large percussion section, move together, swirling around each other like couples on a dance floor.

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Ph. D.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

CLICK CLACK MOOSIC

Based on books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, this series introduces children ages 3-8 to instrumental music in a storybook format. A host/ narrator introduces the small ensemble of WMS musicians, teaches the children about musical concepts, and then reads the story aloud— accompanied by music written for the series. Let us know if you are Interested in bringing CCM to your area!

Debut Strings introduces beginning and intermediate students to large ensemble performance through challenging and diverse repertoire. Students in Debut Strings have one to two years of experience. Premier Strings is for intermediate to advanced string players who have previously participated in Debut Strings.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

CHILDREN’S CHOIR

Audition-based for children ages 8-13, WMS Children’s Choir performs in its own concerts, collaboratively with Debut and Premier Strings, and on stage with the Symphony during Home for the Holidays and the spring Link Up concerts.

LINK UP

Beginning its 20th season, this free beginner music education program— a collaboration with Carnegie Hall—pairs WMS with 50 area schools in six West Michigan counties. Students in grades 3-5 learn to play music on the recorder and gain an understanding of orchestral repertoire. They benefit from regular contact with classroom visits from Music Mentors from the Orchestra. The program culminates with an interactive concert at the Frauenthal Center during which students perform on recorders along with the Symphony.

TUNE UP

Our newest learning program, launched in 2022, Tune Up brings free string instruments and instruction from qualified teaching artists to Muskegon Public School students as part of the afterschool CCLC Impact program. Tune Up expanded in 2023-2024 to include all Muskegon Public Elementary Schools and the Middle School reaching over 40 students in support of music education.

LUNCH

‘N LEARN

These free noon hour events, hosted by Music Director Scott Speck, are held in The Block on Wednesdays prior to each Masterworks concert. Guests enjoy a delicious lunch and learn about the music on the upcoming concert. Everyone is invited, including those who already have tickets to the concert, those who are curious and want to learn more, downtown community businesses, and area residents.

WATCH MUSKEGON PLAY

In 2020, WMS collaborated with Muskegon Rotary to bring all-weather outdoor musical instruments to Muskegon parks and neighborhoods. These durable sound sculptures enhance outdoor community spaces throughout Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. Please visit our website for details.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

INSPIRING WHAT’S NEXT

For Grand Valley students, next is creativity and opportunity. Next unites and connects us. It shapes the spaces in which we work, live, and play. It is a commitment to progress. Next is where minds are free to imagine what could be. At GVSU, next is now. And whatever’s next for you, we will help inspire you to get there. gvsu.edu

MUSIC

DIRECTOR

SCOTT SPECK ABOUT 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

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

• Inspired small ensemble performances in an immersive live listening room

• Learning activities that enrich 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.

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

CONCERTS AT THE BLOCK

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

MUSKEGON 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.

POPS

SEASON

A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES: CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR

September 27

This Fab Four joins your WMS to perform more than 20 Beatles hits exactly as they were written. Experience the British Invasion all over again!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

December 20

Beloved West Michigan conductor John Varineau leads a night of joyful, heartwarming, pure family fun.

AMERICAN DIVA WITH SHAYNA STEELE

March 28

Shayna Steele returns with her eclectic style of soul and blues honoring the musical divas who inspired her — Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey, and more.

MASTERWORKS

RAVEL & GERSHWIN

November 22

Did you know Ravel and Gershwin were friends and mutual fans? Experience works reflecting the composers’ mutual admiration, as well as the jazz era in which the music was born.

MOZART AND BEETHOVEN

January 24

This concert is full of music that feels good. If you like Barber’s Adagio, you’ll love Walker’s Lyric for Strings. Mozart’s Figaro sounds like radiant sunshine, and Weber’s captivating Clarinet Concerto is virtuosic and tuneful. Lastly, you’ll delight in the lightheartedness of early Beethoven.

TCHAIKOVSKY WINTER DREAMS

February 28

This all-orchestral concert will warm your heart and soul. Experience Wagner’s dramatic overture and Kodaly’s reflection of his Hungarian folk tradition. With “Winter Dreams,” you’ll hear the beginnings of the sound we have come to know as “pure Tchaikovsky.”

DVOŘÁK CELLO CONCERTO

May 9

Immerse yourself in an evening of Bohemian melodies, crowned by Dvořák’s beloved Cello Concerto. This masterpiece is both exhilarating and profound, and pushes the instrument’s boundaries to deliver some of his most soulful, heart-achingly beautiful music you’ll ever experience.

AMERICAN LANDSCAPES

May 30

There’s nothing like experiencing a great American orchestra performing great American music. You’ll hear two of Copland’s majestic masterpieces and Torke’s Sky, written for violinist Tessa Lark, reflecting her Kentucky Bluegrass roots.

24/25 SEASON

5-concert package starts at $150 231.726.3231

theblockwestmichigan.org

Immersive Listening Room for the Musically Curious

CONCERTS BEGIN AT 7:30 PM

Djangophonique Gypsy Jazz • Oct 12

Born out of reverence for the Parisian Jazz Manouche style, Djangophonique captivates with their unique blend of gypsy jazz and contemporary vibes. You’ll hear hot swing, lush ballads, jazz standards, boleros, and more.

Yasmin Williams Fingerstyle Guitar • Oct 25

Yasmin Williams is one of the country’s most imaginative young solo guitarists. Untethered to any one tradition, her unique fingerstyle technique blends folk, blues, and ambient elements, taking audiences on a spellbinding musical journey.

Marion Hayden Jazz Quintet • Nov 9

This trailblazing bassist is known her soulful playing and impact on Detroit’s jazz scene. She previously graced The Block stage with her all-woman jazz group, Straight Ahead. On this night, she’ll present music of generations of Detroit jazz greats.

Claire Huangci Classical Piano • Nov 23

On the heels of her performance with Scott Speck and West Michigan Symphony, pianist Claire Huangci will put The Block’s Steinway through its paces in an inspiring solo recital featuring the music of Mendelssohn, Gershwin, Barber and more.

Bryan Eng Trio A Jazzy Christmas • Dec 14

Multifaceted jazz singer and pianist Bryan Eng brings his celebrated trio back to The Block – just in time for the holidays! The group’s musicality packs a punch, with a sound and vibe akin to Nat King Cole and Harry Connick Jr.

Lisa Sung Quartet Jazz Quartet • Jan 10

Lisa Sung is a versatile pianist who is passionate about reflecting world music within the American jazz tradition. The West Michigan-based pianist leads her ensemble for a night of jazz standards and originals.

Jon Holden Ensemble Classical Chamber • Jan 25

WMS’s Principal Clarinet joins with friends from the orchestra – Concertmaster Jesús Linárez, Associate Principal Cellist Igor Cetkovic, and pianist Emily Grabinski –to bring you an inspiring night of music from Brahms, Bartok and more.

Ian Maksin Valentine’s Day | Contemporary Cello • Feb 14

This Valentine’s Day, immerse yourself in the enchanting musical odyssey of cellist Ian Maksin. Breaking boundaries, his passionate performance weaves diverse genres, layering rich tapestries of sound with electronic looping devices.

Tony Monaco Trio Organ Jazz • Mar 14

The Tony Monaco Trio, a powerhouse in jazz, dazzles with Hammond B3 organ mastery. Monaco’s virtuosic playing, combined with the trio’s dynamic chemistry, delivers soulful and energetic performances that breathe new life into classic jazz standards.

Bayberry String Quartet Classical Chamber • Apr 26

Enjoy an evening filled with the exquisite sound of blended string instruments. You’ll hear string quartets by Mozart, Dvorak and Beethoven, all brought to life by The Bayberry String Quartet.

Inbal Segev Classical Cello • May 10

The night after her appearance with WMS at the Frauenthal, cellist Inbal Segev brings a solo performance to The Block. She’ll perform music of Bach, Debussy and Prokofiev, as well as some of her own compositions.

Tessa Lark Classical Violin | Stradgrass • May 31

American violinist Tessa Lark is one of the most captivating artistic voices of our time, consistently praised for her astounding range of sounds, technical agility, and musical elegance. Bridging classical and bluegrass, she’ll weave a unique musical narrative.

ADVERTISERS

Enjoy these new pre- & post-concert experiences!

Desserts & Snacks from The Book Nook

Sweet and savory items will be available for purchase after each concert in the Frau Lounge.

Hearthstone’s Symphony Café

Experience this pre-concert dinner experience curated by Executive Chef Nick Tushek. This provides an opportunity to arrive to the concert hall early, beat the last-minute parking rush, and enjoy a relaxing, exquisitely prepared three-course dinner in the elegant ambiance of the Frau Lounge.

Lean more here >>> bit.ly/3sY79ID

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 2023/24 Season. Enjoy the performance!

Mike & Kay Olthoff 2023/24 Season Sponsors

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

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

Tune Up provides free string instruments and free after school instruction at all Muskegon Public Elementary schools and Muskegon Middle School.

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