14/15 season

14/15 SEASON | 1

14 /15 S EAS O N JOANA CARNE I ROMUSIC DIRECTOR

Z E LLERBACH HALL SER I ES

BERKE LEY SYMPHONY & FR I ENDS

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

MUS IC I N TH E SCHOOLS

FAM I LY CONCERTS

14/15 SEASON | 32 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY

WELCOME

In December of 2008, I conducted Berkeley Symphony for the first time. The program

that evening included Shaker Loops by John Adams, a composer whose music I had

conducted all over the world. To present a work by an artist so dear to me, for my first

concert in a community so dear to him, was an unforgettable gift.

Now, six years later, I couldn’t be more excited to announce that our 14/15 season

includes John Adams’ enormous and towering Choruses from The Death of Klinghoffer.

Six years ago we were in no position to mount such a large-scale work. That we can

do so now is a testament to your support. The work we do at Berkeley Symphony is

a partnership that begins with you.

I am also proud to share with you two other large scale works this season. Asyla by

Thomas Adès enlists a 90-piece orchestra and three grand pianos to take us from

sweeping pandemonium to unbridled refuge in its breathtaking musical journey.

Mozart’s Requiem Mass engages a coterie of soloists and two choruses to present

a multi-layered, monumental masterpiece.

These phenomenal musical experiences are just a part of the story! Read on to

learn more about our two new commissioned composers, stellar guest soloists,

Under Construction emerging composer workshops (that took a quantum leap forward

this season), Music in the Schools, and the establishment of our new Berkeley Symphony

& Friends Chamber Series.

I thank you and all of our Berkeley and Bay Area communities. Year after year you bring

your passion into the concert hall, and I am honored to share with you another season of

dazzling and adventurous music.

Warmest regards,

Joana CarneiroMUSIC DIRECTOR

DEAR FRIENDS,


The new season opens with the world premiere performance of Oscar Bettison’s Sea Shaped, commissioned by Berkeley Symphony. A native of the UK, Bettison stretches the boundaries of contemporary concert music with his use of non-traditional instrumentation. Violinist Jennifer Koh returns to Berkeley to perform the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Orchestra. A favorite with Berkeley audiences, Ms. Koh is recognized for her intense, commanding performances, delivered with dazzling virtuosity and technical assurance. The evening ends with Edward Elgar’s stirring Enigma Variations. Premiered in 1899, Elgar dedicated the piece to “my friends pictured within,” each variation being an affectionate portrayal of one of his circle of close acquaintances.

Celebrate at the post-concert Opening Night Gala Dinner and make this an evening to remember! Call 510.841.2800 for details.BE INVOLVED!

A B O U T T H E A R T I S T SDescribed by critics as having a “unique voice,” British/American composer Oscar Bettison’s music has been commissioned and performed by leading ensembles and soloists around the world. He likes to work with what he calls “Cinderella instruments,” either by making percussion instruments or by re-imagining other instruments as well as writing for instruments more common in rock music and the inclusion of electro-acoustic elements. His recent pieces have been concerned with bringing these strands together.

“…an unconventional lyricism and a menacing beauty.” —WNYC RADIO/SOUNDCHECK

Recognized for her intense, commanding performances, Jennifer Koh is forging an artistic path of her own devising, choosing works and collaborations that both inspire and challenge. She is dedicated to performing the violin repertoire of all eras from traditional to contemporary, believing that the past and present form a continuum. Committed to exploring connections in the works she performs, Ms. Koh searches for similarities of voice among diverse composers and associations within the works of a single composer.

“Jennifer Koh is a risk-taking, high-octane player of the kind who grabs the listener by the ears and refuses to let go. . . . a scorching talent that should on no account be missed.” —THE STRAD

* Please note early start time due to Opening Night Gala Dinner.

P R O G R A M I

E N I G M A

O S C A R B E T T I S O NSEA SHAPED

(World Premiere Commission)

S I B E L I U SVIOLIN CONCERTO

Jennifer Koh, violin

E L G A RENIGMA VARIATIONS

JOANA CARNE I ROC O N D U C T O R

TH U R S D AY • O CTO B E R 2 , 2 014 • 7 P M*

7 pm* Performance | 9 pm Opening Night Gala Dinner | Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley

S I N G L E T I C K E T S $74 | $68 | $48 | $28 | $15 Opening Night Gala Dinner is not included.


Mr. Adès and Berkeley Symphony have a long history. In 1997 the Orchestra debuted the concert version of his provocative chamber opera, Powder Her Face, before it was fully staged in New York, London and Chicago. Commissioned by Almeida Opera for the Cheltenham Festival in 1995, Powder Her Face was televised by Channel Four (UK) and has been performed around the world. Mr. Adès’ violin concerto Concentric Paths (2005) was written for British violinist Anthony Marwood, who was a featured artist during Berkeley Symphony's 13/14 season.

A B O U T T H E A R T I S TThomas Adès studied piano, composition and percussion at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, University College School and King's College in Cambridge. In addition to composing, he is an acclaimed concert pianist and conductor. His music has been featured at prominent festivals in Helsinki, Salzburg, Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Melbourne and New York and has attracted numerous awards and prizes, including the Grawemeyer Award. Mr. Adès is a three-time recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Prize for large-scale composition.

“It seems that there can be no end to the enormous praise that Thomas Adès’s music receives from audiences. And now, he has been selected as one of the top 100 ‘Makers of the 21st Century’.” —THE SUNDAY TIMES

BE INFORMED!

P R O G R A M I I

S A N C T U A R YJOANA CARNE I ROC O N D U C T O R

TH U R S D AY • J A N U A RY 15 , 2 015 • 8 P M

SINGLE TICKETS $74 | $68 | $48 | $28 | $15A D È SASYLA

(Bay Area Premiere)

TC H A I K O V S KYSYMPHONY NO. 6 IN

B MINOR , Op. 74, “Pathétique”

Commissioned by the City of Birmingham Orchestra, Asyla was given its premiere in 1997, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. The title Asyla implies both a place of rest and a home for the mentally unstable, capturing the subversive tone of the piece. Berkeley Symphony is honored to introduce Bay Area audiences to this important work. One of the best-loved works in the classical music repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” Symphony premiered in October of 1843, conducted by the composer, only nine days prior to his death. Its rich melodies and passionate romanticism remain profoundly moving and provide a welcome escape from 21st century realism.

Enhance your listening experience by learning about the music you are about to hear during free Pre-Concert Talks, 7 pm in Zellerbach.


Maurice Ravel’s delightful Mother Goose Suite opens the program. A series of illustrations of French fairy tales was the inspiration behind this piece, which started out as a piano duet, then was expanded to a ballet, from which this orchestral suite was derived. Jake Heggie’s Camille Claudel: Into the Fire was premiered to great acclaim as a song cycle for mezzo-soprano and string quartet in San Francisco in 2012. Berkeley Symphony commissioned Mr. Heggie to write the orchestral version, which receives its world premiere with the enchanting Sasha Cooke as soloist. Brahms’ powerful Symphony No. 4 premiered in 1884, the same year that the French sculptor Camille Claudel began working with Rodin, ultimately becoming his muse.

Observe the creative process as emerging composers share their work at the Under Construction/EarShot residency on May 2-3, 2015 at Osher Studio.

BE AMAZED!

A B O U T T H E A R T I S T SJake Heggie is the American composer of the operas Moby-Dick, Dead Man Walking, Three Decembers, To Hell and Back, and Out of Darkness. He has also composed some 250 songs, as well as chamber, choral and orchestral works. His operas—most created with the distinguished writers Terrence McNally and Gene Scheer—have been produced on five continents. Moby-Dick was telecast in 2013 as part of Great Performances’ 40th Season and receives its East Coast premiere in 2014 at the Kennedy Center.

“Heggie is a rarity, an accessible composer whose melodic lines and sense of drama are aimed at audiences rather than academics.” —THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Grammy-award winning, American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke triumphed in 2013 as the title role in the world premiere of Mark Adamo’s The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at San Francisco Opera. She was hailed by the San Francisco Examiner for “her soaring and warm voice, crystalline diction and regal yet endearing presence”; Ms. Cooke as Mary was “the glory of the production.” Equally acclaimed for her chamber music performances, the versatile young mezzo has been celebrated by The New York Times as a “luminous standout.”

“equal parts poise, radiance and elegant directness.” —OPERA NEWS

P R O G R A M I I I

I M A G I N A T I O N

RAVELMOTHER GOOSE

SUITE

HEGG I ECAMILLE CLAUDEL: INTO THE FIRE

for Orchestra and Mezzo-Soprano (World Premiere Commission)

Sasha Cooke, MEZZO-SOPRANO

BRAHMSSYMPHONY NO. 4

IN E MINOR, OP. 98

JOANA CARNE I ROC O N D U C T O R

TH U R S D AY • F E B R U A RY 26 , 2 015 • 8 P M

SINGLE TICKETS $74 | $68 | $48 | $28 | $15


A B O U T T H E A R T I S T SComposer, conductor, and creative thinker John Adams occupies a unique position in the world of American music. His works, both operatic and symphonic, stand out among contemporary classical compositions for their depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes. Over the past 25 years, Adams’ music has played a decisive role in turning the tide of contemporary musical aesthetics away from academic modernism and toward a more expansive, expressive language, entirely characteristic of his New World surroundings.

“John Adams...may be the most vital and eloquent composer in America.” —THE NEW YORKER

Subscribe to all four of these extraordinary programs and save up to 35% off the cost of single tickets. First-time renewals save 25%.BE COMMITTED!

P R O G R A M I V

H O M A G EJOANA CARNE I ROC O N D U C T O R

TH U R S D AY • A P R I L 3 0 , 2 015 • 8 P M

SINGLE TICKETS $74 | $68 | $48 | $28 | $15JOHN ADAMSCHORUSES FROM THE

DEATH OF KLINGHOFFER

MOZARTREQUIE M MASS IN D MINOR , K . 626

Featuring soloists from the Adler Fellowship Program and members of the University and Chamber Choruses of the University of California, Berkeley

ADLER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMUnder the auspices of San Francisco Opera Center, the Adler Fellowships are two-year performance-oriented residencies for classical music’s most promising young artists.

UC BERKELEY CHORUSESUnder the direction of Marika Kuzma, the Chamber Chorus is the University's premier concert choir. A select group of some thirty-two singers, it is open to current students and alumni, staff, faculty and singers from the greater Berkeley community. Also led by Ms. Kuzma, the University Chorus has a similar make up, but is comprised of approximately eighty singers.

First produced in 1991, John Adams’ opera The Death of Klinghoffer is based on the hijacking of the passenger liner Achille Lauro by the Palestine Liberation Front in 1995, and the resulting murder of Jewish-American passenger Leon Klinghoffer. Mozart’s Requiem was composed in Vienna in 1791, during the last year of the composer’s life. Though considered one of Mozart’s most popular and respected works, the question remains as to how much of the music he actually completed before his death and how much was later composed by others. The Orchestra is joined by soloists from the Adler Fellowship Program of the San Francisco Opera Center and the choruses from the University of California, Berkeley.


B E R K E L E Y S Y M P H O N Y & F R I E N D S C H A M B E R M U S I C S E R I E S

4 SUNDAYS @ 5

U N D E R C O N S T R U C T I O N N E W M U S I C P R O G R A M : M a y 2 - 3 , 2 0 1 5

in partnership with

Berkeley Symphony’s Under Construction program has served as an incubator for emerging composers for more than 20 years, offering the unique opportunity to develop skills and gain practical experience in writing for a professional orchestra. In 2013, Berkeley Symphony established a partnership with EarShot, the national orchestral composition discovery network, administered by the American Composers Orchestra (ACO) with partner organizations American Composers Forum, League of American Orchestra and New Music USA. This new collaboration has expanded the program to a national level, where emerging composers from around the country are encouraged to apply and submit orchestral scores to be considered for acceptance in the Under Construction program. The four composers whose works were read in 2014 were selected from nearly two hundred candidates.

The selected composers attend a two-day residency, during which they meet privately and in small group sessions with guest mentors and receive feedback and orchestration lessons from Music Director Joana Carneiro. They also participate in sessions led by key orchestra members. Each selected composer workshops one symphonic work. The works are performed twice by Berkeley Symphony in front of a live audience. After the first performance, the composers receive feedback from the musicians and mentors and then make revisions before the pieces are performed for the second time. These performances allow the composers the chance to hear their concepts realized and audiences the opportunity to have a window into the creative process. The two public performances are on

Saturday, May 2, at 3pm and on Sunday, May 3, at 7pm at Osher Studio in Berkeley.

Funding for EarShot is made possible with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and The Aaron Copland Fund for Music.

Inaugurated in 2013 and curated by Executive Director and violinist René Mandel, Berkeley Symphony & Friends is a series of chamber music concerts performed at the Piedmont Center for the Arts. Each program features musicians from Berkeley Symphony joined by special guest artists. The intimate space allows audiences to experience the music up close and personal, the way chamber music is meant to be heard. Berkeley Symphony & Friends is a co-production of Berkeley Symphony and Piedmont Center for the Arts.

All dates, artists and repertoire subject to change.

September 21, 2014Special guests Stuart Canin, violinSarah Cahill, piano Works by Adès and Beethoven

November 9, 2014Franklyn D’Antonio, violin Roman Fukshansky, clarinet Eric Gaenslen, cello Miles Graber, pianoWorks by Adams, Bartók and Brahms

February 8, 2015René Mandel, violin Peter Wyrick, cello Markus Pawlik, pianoWorks by Mozart and Tchaikovsky

April 12, 2015Dan Flanagan, violin Elizabeth Prior, viola Jonah Kim, cello Michel Taddei, bass Miles Graber, pianoWorks by Ravel and Schubert


M U S I C I N T H E S C H O O L SM I N G L U K E , Education Director & Conductor

More than 4,200 elementary school children each year benefit from Berkeley Symphony’s Music in the Schools program:

» Over 200 In-class Sessions led by Berkeley Symphony musicians are provided free of charge. Included are hands-on music instruction and age-appropriate curriculum booklets addressing state standards for music education.

» Eleven Meet the Symphony concerts are performed in elementary schools each fall.

» Six I’m a Performer concerts provide young musicians with an opportunity to rehearse and perform with Berkeley Symphony.

» Four Family Concerts provide an opportunity for the whole family to experience a Berkeley Symphony concert together.

» All Music in the Schools programming is provided 100% free of charge for children and their families.

FAMILY CONCERTSSaturday, Nov. 1, 10am & 11:30amSaturday, Apr. 4, 10am & 11:30amOn two Saturday mornings during the season, Ming Luke and the Orchestra perform concerts that the entire family can enjoy. Concerts are at 10am and 11:30am.

“Meet the Symphony” on Saturday, November 1, introduces children of all ages to the various families of instruments in an orchestra. Presented in an entertaining and interactive manner, these concerts engage even the youngest audience members.

“I’m a Performer” on Saturday, April 4, invites audience members young and old to bring their own instruments and join the Orchestra on stage. Seated beside and among the Berkeley Symphony musicians, children and adults have the opportunity to be a part of an orchestra.

Ticket sales cover only a portion of concert expenses. And our Music in the Schools program – offered free of charge to thousands of children each year – is entirely Membership driven! Your Membership makes Berkeley Symphony thrive, and provides many opportunities to make the most of your concert-going experience. Consider adding a Membership to your subscription – or increase your level of Membership in support of the 2014-15 season.

FRIENDS CIRCLE OF MEMBERSSupporting Members: $100+» Advance e-newsletter notice of discounts and

special events.» Listing in season concert programs.

Associate Members: $300+ (All of the above plus…)» Invitation for two to an exclusive reception and

open rehearsal of the orchestra.» Two concert guest passes.

Principal Members: $750+ (All of the above plus…)» Invitation to select special events including

post-concert receptions with the music director, musicians, soloists, and/or visiting composers.

SYMPHONY CIRCLE OF MEMBERS

Concertmaster: $1,500+ (All of the above plus…)» Two exclusive Symphony Circle Salon

Receptions hosted by Joana Carneiro.» A total of four concert guest passes.

Conductor: $2,500+ (All of the above plus…)» Three exclusive Symphony Circle Salon

Receptions hosted by Joana Carneiro.» Invitation to an exclusive Musicians Dinner and

“closed” rehearsal for you and guests.» A total of eight concert guest passes.

SPONSORSHIP CIRCLE OF MEMBERS

Founding Sponsors: $5,000, $10,000, and above (All of the above plus…)» Recognition as Sponsor of a season concert,

guest soloist, commissioned composer, orchestra section chair, or the Under Construction or Music in the Schools programs.

» VIP access to Berkeley Symphony intermission Sponsors’ Lounge.

» Special “Sponsorship Dinner” opportunities with Music Director Joana Carneiro.

B E C O M E A “ M E M B E R ” O F B E R K E L E Y S Y M P H O N Y


2 0 1 4 - 1 5 S U B S C R I P T I O N O R D E R F O R M

Please use this form to order a new subscription, renew your current subscription, or to order ‘add-on’ tickets. Subscribers are entitled to ‘add-on’ tickets at 10% off the single ticket price. Be sure to indicate the quantity (Qty) of subscriptions and tickets that you are purchasing. Thank you.

PATRON INFORMATIONNAME

ADDRESS

CIT Y STATE ZIP

PHONE EMAIL

SUBSCRIPTIONS I am a first-time subscriber purchasing an Introductory Subscription at 35% off.

I am renewing my subscription for the first time at 25% off.

I am a current season subscriber renewing my subscription at 10% off.

4-CONCERT SUBSCRIPTIONSSUBSCRIPTION PRICES

A QTY B QTY C QTY D QTY E QTY TOTAL

FIRST-TIME SUBSCRIPTION $192 $176 $124 $72 $40

FIRST-TIME RENEWAL $224 $204 $144 $84 $44

REGULAR RENEWAL $268 $244 $174 $100 $56

SUBSCRIBER ‘ADD-ON’ TICKETSPROGRAM I $67 $61 $43 $25 $14

PROGRAM II $67 $61 $43 $25 $14

PROGRAM III $67 $61 $43 $25 $14

PROGRAM IV $67 $61 $43 $25 $14

ADDITIONAL PACKAGES QTY TOTAL

Buy all 4 Berkeley Symphony & Friends concerts ($100 per person)

Buy tickets for both Under Construction readings ($20 per person)

ORDER FEES AND DONATIONSAdd a MEMBERSHIP! (See page 15. All donations are tax-deductible)

Handling fee $5

TOTAL DUE

AS A FIRST-TIME SUBSCRIBER, YOU CAN SAVE 35%!Did you know that by subscribing to all four concerts, you can save 35% off the price of additional tickets? Plus, as a subscriber, you receive:

» A 10% discount off additional ‘add-on’ tickets to performances of your choice

» Quarterly e-newsletters with ‘insiders’ information about the Orchestra

» Free and flexible ticket exchanges

» Free lost ticket replacements

» The opportunity to enroll in our flexible payment plan

Not sure you can make all four dates? Concert tickets make wonderful gifts for friends and colleagues or you can always donate your unused tickets for someone else to enjoy.

CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS SAVE 10% WHEN YOU RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION.Current subscribers have until July 1 to renew and ensure that you will have the same seat(s) as last season or request a seating upgrade. Single tickets go on sale July 1, 2014.

ENJOY THE SYMPHONY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILYWhy not plan an evening out with friends? Groups of 6 or more receive a 20% discount off the single ticket price.

STUDENT RUSH TICKETS FOR ONLY $7!Full-time students with a valid student ID can purchase $7 Rush tickets at the Zellerbach Box Office the night of the performance. One ticket per student.

2014-15 TICKET PRICING

LOCATION FIRST-TIME SUBSCRIPTION

FIRST-TIME RENEWAL

REGULAR RENEWAL

SINGLE TICKET

PREMIUM (A) $192 $224 $268 $74

B $176 $204 $244 $68

C $124 $144 $172 $48

D $72 $84 $100 $28

E $40 $44 $56 $15

S U B S C R I B E N O W A N D S A V E !

ORCHESTRA

STAGE

BALCONY

MEZZANINE

WHEELCHAIR SEAT

Take advantage of this early opportunity to buy tickets toBerkeley Symphony & Friends chamber concerts andUnder Construction!

NEW TH IS SEASON!


PHOTO CREDITS: Joana Carneiro (front cover)/Dave Weiland; (page 3)/Rodrigo de Souza; (back cover)/Margaretta Mitchell; City of Berkeley/Joe Parks; Oscar Bettison/Heiko Geerts; Jennifer Koh/Juergen Frank; Thomas Adès/Brian Voice; Jake Heggie/Ellen Appel; Sasha Cooke/Dario Acosta; John Adams/Margaretta Mitchell; Under Construction, Music in the Schools, Become a Member/Dave Weiland; Berkeley Symphony & Friends/Julie Reichle.

Total Due Amount $_________________

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C O M P L ETE YO U R O R D E R• B y Ma i l : Send your completed order form to:

Berkeley Symphony, 1942 University Avenue, Suite #207, Berkeley, CA 94704

• B y F a x : Send both sides of this order form to: 510.841.5422

• I n P e r s o n : Bring this form to the Berkeley Symphony offices at 1942 University Avenue, Suite #207 in Berkeley, Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 5pm

NOTE : Subscriptions and ticket orders can also be placed

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C HAM B E R M US I C 1

Berkeley Symphony & FriendsPiedmont Center for the Arts

SEPT21

S U N D AY

P R O G RAM I I : SANCTUARY

Adès I TchaikovskyZellerbach Hall

FAM I LY C O N C E RT 1

“Meet the Symphony”Malcolm X Elementary School

NOV1

S ATU R D AY

P R O G RAM I I I : IMAG INATION

Ravel I Heggie I BrahmsZellerbach Hall

FEB26

TH U R S D AY

P R O G RAM I : EN IGMABettison I Sibelius I ElgarZellerbach Hall

OCT2

TH U R S D AY





NOV9

S U N D AY



APR12

S U N D AY

U N D E R C O N STR U CTI O N

EarShot ResidencyOsher Studio

MAY2-3

S AT- S U N

P R O G RAM I V : HOMAGE

Adams I MozartZellerbach Hall

APR30

TH U R S D AY

FAM I LY C O N C E RT 2

“I’m a Performer”Malcolm X Elementary School

APR4

S ATU R D AY

T H E 2 0 1 4 / 1 5 C A L E N D A RP A Y M E N T O P T I O N S

All programs and dates subject to change.

If ADA seating is required, please specify what accommodations are needed or contact the Box Office at 510.841.2800, x1.

ORCHESTRA

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BALCONY

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