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Williamsport Symphony Orchestra E-Notes May 2017

2016-2017 Calendar

May 201715 Up Close & Personal Event Capitol Lounge, CAC 5:00 - 7:00pm

16 Happy 50th! CAC, 7:30pm 31 WSYO Auditions August 2017 5 WSO Pops in the Park in Muncy Pepper Street, 7:00 PM Free 20 Billtown Brass Pops in the Park Brandon Park, 7:00 PM Free

For more information, pleasevisit www.williamsportsymphony.org

Special thanks to sponsors!

Conductor's Corner

Dear Friends, The last concert of theseason is approaching andit is going to be a blast! We are excited to premierea new composition by oneof the young Americancomposers, ChristopherTheofanidis. It is calledSummer Music,and I amsure it is going to warmyour hearts! The program also includes an early symphony byJoseph Haydn - the first piece performed by theWilliamsport Symphony fifty years ago. The"Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5 by Beethoven withpianist Chris Guzman and the monumentalDaphnis and Chloe suite No. 2 by Ravel complete aprogram that promises to be a rousing finale for aspectacular season. The celebration continues so don't miss theopportunity to hear live, beautiful, and inspiringmusic. See you, your family and friends at theconcert! Fondly,

Blaise & GabrielaAlexander

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Gerardo Edelstein

Program Notes by Dr. Gary Boerckel

Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto and Ravel's Suite No.2 from Daphnis et Chloe are so well-known and sohighly-regarded that it is more than a little surprising thatboth were created with difficulty and both had a rockystart. While Beethoven was composing his final pianoconcerto--now known as the "Emperor"--the Frencharmy was besieging Vienna. When the cannonade wasintense, Beethoven rushed to the cellar of his brother'shouse, where he covered his ears with pillows topreserve the little hearing he had left. By the time theconcerto was finished, Beethoven's deafness was soadvanced that he had to forego playing it himself. Thefirst performance--in Leipzig, 1811--won a rave review,but the premiere in Beethoven's home town, Vienna, with his star pupil, Carl Czerny atthe piano, was a bust! The Viennese music critic laid the blame squarely on the "proudand overconfident" Beethoven, who "can be understood and appreciated only byconnoisseurs."

Serge Diaghilev, music director of the famed Ballets Russes, commissioned Ravel in1909 to write the music to a ballet based on a second century Greek romance about ayoung shepherdess and a goatherd. Ravel fell in love with the idea, and told his friendsthat he was at work on "a large fresco painting, less in keeping with antiquity than withthe Greece of my dreams...that which French artists at the end of the eighteenth centuryimagined and painted." At a little under an hour, it was the longest work Ravel everwrote and it took him three years. Then everything began to go wrong. The Russianscene designer, Léon Bakst, used the brightest colors he could find, in contrast to thesubtle shades Ravel had in mind. During rehearsals the principal dancer--Nijinsky--andthe choreographer--Fokine--couldn't seem to agree on anything and the corps de balletcould not negotiate the five beats of the final bacchanale until they were taught towhisper Ser-ge Dia-ghi-lev as they danced. The premiere was not one of Ravel'sgreatest triumphs...but better days were ahead for Daphnis et Chloe.

Happy 50th - Tuesday, May 16 Composer Christopher Theofanidis Christopher Theofanidis' music has been performed to by many of the world's leading performing arts organizations, from the London Symphony and New York Philharmonic to the San Francisco Opera and the American Ballet Theatre. He is a two time Grammy nominee, and his work, Rainbow Body, is one of the most performed works of the new millennium, having been performed by over 150 orchestras worldwide. Mr.

Christopher Guzman

ChristopherTheofanidis

Theofanidis is currently on the faculty at Yale University and the Aspen Music Festival. On May 16, the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra will give the first performance of Theofanidis' Summer Music.

The following are Mr. Theofanidis' thoughts about his new work.

How can you possibly write anything other than a joyous piece for the celebration of the50th anniversary of the Williamsport Symphony? It is an incredibly optimistic and wonderful thing that an orchestra can thrive for fifty years, and as I was thinking of music that I love that has the celebratory quality fitting the occasion, my mind went immediately to Handel's Water Music which is made of up many shorter movements of both allegro and more lyrical characters. Knowing that the premiere of this work would happen on the cusp of summer, the title of my piece is called Summer Music.Happy birthday to the Williamsport Symphony!Christopher Theofanidis Pianist Christopher Guzman playing Beethoven

Guzman regularly performs for audiences throughout North America, Europe and Asia, as soloist and chamber musician. He is a multiple prizewinner in many international competitions. Recently, Mr. Guzman garnered the grand prize and several special prizes at the 10th Concours International de Piano d'Orléans of Orléans, France.

Guzman's performances showcase a broad range of styles, from Baroque to the avant-garde. He continues to collaborate with many of the nation's preeminent new music ensembles. The New York Times hailed his performance of Christopher Theofanidis's Statues as "coiled" and "explosive."

He has studied at the Juilliard School, the University of Texas at Austin, and theNew England Conservatory. He is currently Assistant Professor of Piano at PennState University in State College, PA. For more information,please visit www.christopherguzman.net .

Principal Guest Cellist: Jonathan DexterWith Andrew Rammon's departure from the

Jonathan Dexter

WSO, the fourth applicant for that position -Jonathan Dexter - assumes the principal's seatfor the May concert.

Jonathan Dexter received degrees from theOberlin Conservatory, the Franz Liszt Academyin Budapest, and the University of Texas atAustin.

In 2016, he was the cellist in the recording IrvingBerlin: This is the Life with the Paragon RagtimeOrchestra and has been featured on SONYMasterworks & Columbia Records recordingswith singer Megan Hilty.

He performs with his own original music trio THEUNBANNED in State College, PA at the HappyValley Brewing Company. With the AllegriaEnsemble, another State College based group,Dexter has been a part of ongoing musicaloutreach shows with violinist Debbie Trudeaufunded in part by the PA Council on the Arts. This2016-2017 season, he has been serving as theChamber Orchestra director for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra.

WSO Anniversary finale......

Aware that the Symphony's 50th anniversary was on thehorizon in two years, in January 2014 a small group metto brainstorm over lunch at Jeannette Winner's home.Jeannette's reputation as an exceptional cook wasadded incentive to come. And seven did: Caryn Powersand Ann Marie Phillips (former Board /current Emeriti);Lori Clutter, Veronica Muzic, and Dianne Peeling(current Board); Georgia Burch (a WSO musician), andJeannette (donor and supporter).

During lunch and conversation after, ideas werefloated...to create an Anniversary steering committee; develop a budget and get Boardapproval; focus on fundraising. Suggestions for core components of an anniversary...aPops in the Park concert; a Gala celebration; commission a piece of music; create acomplete, accurate history; bring back former conductors; and solicit ideas from oursupporters, musicians, and community.

Gerardo met with us at the Moon and Raven a month later and was key in realizing thefollowing ideas that became a part of the season, among them: performing a piece fromthe first concert as the WSO; bringing back Robin Fountain and Rolf Smedvig inseparate concerts; commissioning a piece; including Mahler's Resurrection Symphony;producing a CD - The Best of the Last Fifty Years; and creating a video history. All ofthe above ideas, plus a few more, became part of the anniversary season. And with thecooperation and hard work of every component of the WSO, all of the above - plus afew more - happened!

With Board approval, the anniversary team began meeting monthly, Michael Gross,

Lyneah Hudock, Georgia Burch, Valerie Whyman, Barbara Velez, Bev McCauley, RickCoulter, Lori Clutter, Joyce Hershberger, Hind and Janet - and occasionally Brad Nasonand Suzanne Murray. We agreed that we needed Honorary Co-Chairs as the face ofthe anniversary, and Lyneah and Michael Hudock accepted with characteristicenthusiasm. Local artist Fred Gilmour created a brilliantly colored acrylic piece he titled"Urge to Provoke" which Hind used in all marketing and programs for the season.

One event that grew out of conversations with former players was the October Meet theMaestro (M/M) to which we invited all former players and conductors. Georgia Burchwith help from Eleanor Welde and Veronica Muzic, reached out to all the formers theycould locate, inviting them as guests to the M/M and to the first concert of the season -October 18th. Thanks to Georgia's persistent communications, 16 plus 8 of their guestswere at M/M, and 29 plus 19 guests attended the concert the next evening. ViolinistJuanita Serang made the journey from British Columbia. And we were honored to havereturning conductors Don Beckie and Robin Fountain speak about their experience inthe growth of the orchestra. Sadly, Rolf Smedvig died as plans were being made.

Georgia's team made this event the success it was. As letters from these formermusicians came in, Georgia, Arthur Erickson, and Hind collected them in a scrapbook -testament to how important WSO was to them. They became a valuable resource forthe history pieces that were part of every WSO newsletter for the next year. VeronicaMuzic combined her own research with the letters Georgia received creating what isundoubtedly the surest history of the WSO, explaining its roots all the way back to theSusquehanna Valley Symphony which predated WSO. Her files are now archived in theWSO library in the office suite.

At the October event, we premiered the In Concert with the Community video. Over thecourse of a year, Brad Nason, working with Xavier Francis and Mind's Eye Productionstold the WSO story. It includes Interviews with former and current players, Gerardo,Robin, staff, supporters, Board leaders, and audience members, interspersed withsequences of WSO and WSYO performances. We showed it at intermission for thatOctober concert and many in the audience- as well as musicians who came frombackstage - watched it.

And the Mahler Resurrection Symphony in February - an extraordinary performance. Ittruly was a logistical triumph with so many people planning and performing. Theresponse of those in the audience has been one of gratitude for making this happen inWilliamsport.

Where do we start to thank those who made this possible? First, our resourceful andever-positive music director, Gerardo, was key to each idea and event. The steadfastAnniversary Team, Hind ( marketer-and master of budget); Janet (fund-raising andgreeter at every WSO event); Orchestra Manager Becky Ciabattari; the Friends of theSymphony; the First Community Foundation Partnership with a generous $50,000 grant;a $15,000 grant from NEA; the orchestra musicians, the Board and everyone whosupported the $50 for 50 years campaign... all of you! Thank you! We can say withassurance that the energy from this year will carry us forward!

Schedule your audition now to be part of this group of young talented musicians forthe 2017-2018 season. The Youth Symphony performs two concerts a season - afall and spring concert - as well as a side-by- side with the WSO.To Schedule, please call WSO office at 570-322-0227 or emailrciab@williamsportsymphony.org . For more details and requiremetns, check theWSO website at www.williamsportsymphony.org or follow the link below:

WSYO Audition Packet

From the desk of the EDRecently, I read a beautiful comment made by several youngschool children who were asked the question, "what is thebest thing about our community?" Their answer - "the musicprograms and the coffee"! Clearly music matters to the livesof children, and thank you to the community forunderstanding the importance. And, yes, we do have greatcoffee!

At the Symphony, we know that music makes our community a better place and itwas exciting to see over 10,000 people of all ages served by our programs andconcerts last year. They came to Williamsport from 20 counties in Pennsylvania, 9states and 2 provinces in Canada! For a rural region, no one can say we lack forculture ... or good restaurants!

Because of you, our concerts and educational programs continue to thrive. Also,we are grateful for the support of grant-making organizations such as The FirstCommunity Foundation of Pennsylvania, National Endowment for the Arts,Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts, Lycoming County VisitorsBureau, the City of Williamsport Cultural grant, and the Pennsylvania Council onthe Arts.

It takes a community to raise a child and we are grateful for our role and yours inmaking this region a great place in which to live!

Let the music play on!

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