260501 MW5 Still Point & Chamber 2

concerts and events

April

Opera Star John Holiday

April 25

Young People’s Concert: The Orchestra Swings

April 29

May At the Still Point

May 1 & 2

Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Spring Concert

May 3

Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess In Concert

May 15 & 16

Memorial Day Celebration Concert

May 24

Dayton Ballet School Concert: Enchanted Tales

May 30

June

Mahler 5 & Violinist Charles Yang

June 5 & 6

Jazz Trumpeter Byron Stripling

June 21

Dear Friends FROM THE LEADERSHIP

As we enter the final months of our 2025–2026 Season, we find ourselves in a moment of both reflection and anticipation. With many more upcoming performances, there is so much left to experience— performances that celebrate the power of live music, movement, and storytelling at their very best!

This season also marks a couple of meaningful transitions. We are nearing the conclusion of Keitaro Harada’s first season as Music & Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, a season that has been filled with fresh perspectives, curiosity, and renewed momentum on our stages. We also honor Kathleen Clawson’s final season as Artistic Director of the Dayton Opera, lauding her extraordinary leadership and the lasting impact she has made on our organization. Her influence will continue to resonate in future seasons on our stages and in the community we’ve built together.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to bold collaboration— uniting artists, audiences, and ideas in ways that reflect the vibrancy of our community. Thank you for being part of this season, and for joining us as we continue to imagine what comes next.

Patrick J. Nugent President and CEO

Joseph Zehenny DPAA Board Chair

this sceneyouris

Is this your first time at a DPAA event? If so, welcome! To ensure your visit is meaningful and enjoyable, we offer the following resources.

Box Office

The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance proudly partners with Dayton Live for its box office services. Contact the box office at (937) 228-3630 or visit the office in the Schuster Wintergarden.

Restrooms / Family Restrooms

Restrooms are available on each level of the Schuster Center and Victoria Theatre. An adult changing table is located in the family restroom on the Loge level.

Accessibility

DPAA is committed to providing access to the arts. If you have any specific needs or questions, please contact the box office.

Audio description is available upon request for patrons who have vision loss. Describers provide a live, objective, descriptive delivery of the visual elements of a performance in between the dialogue and/or music via a small receiver. Requests must be received two weeks prior to an event and are subject to the availability of the Describer. Arrange by calling the box office.

Assistive listening devices are available for all performances. Borrow a device from the kiosk in the lobby or from a house manager.

Sign language interpretation is also available upon request for performances at the Schuster Center and Victoria Theatre. Requests for sign language interpretation must be received two weeks prior to the event and are subject to the availability. Call the box office to make a request.

Military Appreciation and Discount Programs

In addition to our standard military discount, DPAA offers a Military Appreciation Program for active-duty military members, retired veterans with ID cards, and WPAFB government civilian employees in the region. Each household may receive four free tickets annually. Contact the box office to redeem.

Local Dining

Make it a night on the town! We recommend the following options: Bistecca, Blind Bob’s, Grist, Joui, Lily’s, Lucho, Meadowlark Restaurant, Mudlick Tap House, Salar Restaurant and Lounge, Sueño, Table 33, and Wheat Penny Oven & Bar.

Group Sales

Groups of 10 or more can save up to 30% on tickets! Contact Engagement & Patron Services Manager, Kate LaFollette, at (937) 535-5443.

Age Recommendation

Our events are recommended for age 6 and up.

Lost and Found / Security

If you lose an item at a performance or need assistance from the security team, call (937) 6377366. For the safety of those in the audience, behind the scenes, and on stage, everyone entering the performance space is required to pass through metal detectors.

Questions?

For additional ticket questions or information, contact our Engagement & Patron Services Manager, Kate LaFollette at (937) 535-5443.

Keitaro Harada’s Inaugural Season

The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance would like to acknowledge Trustee Barbara N. O’Hara for her generosity and vision.

Barbara was the catalyst for bringing Maestro Keitaro Harada to the Dayton Community. We wish to thank her and the following donors for their generosity:

Barbara N. O’Hara

Peter & Patricia Torvik

Tim & Mary Riordan

Grismer Tire Company

Barbara & Leib Lurie

Dr. Michael & Christine Manchester

Dr. Thomas G. Olsen & Mary Boosalis

Paul & Susanne Weaver

Kathleen & Joseph Zehenny

Nirmala Abraham & Scotty Blackburn

The Mary H. Kittredge Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Artistic Directors

Kathleen Clawson,

Artistic Director, Opera; Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Chair

Kathleen Clawson is a distinguished director, performer, and educator whose career has been defined by her deep commitment to opera. Clawson’s extensive directing work includes over 20 productions for the Dayton Opera and a long-standing association with The Santa Fe Opera, where her credits include staging two world premieres, and staging the Apprentice Scenes for over two decades.

Clawson first came to Dayton as a soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic. Now a retired mezzo-soprano, she performed with opera companies and orchestras throughout the country, and performed in musical theatre, including the “Mother Abbess” in an international tour of The Sound of Music.

A passionate advocate for arts education, she served as the Associate Director of The Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Singer Program for ten years and mentors the Dayton Opera Artists in Residence.

Keitaro Harada

Music and Artistic Director, Philharmonic; Sponsored by Barbara N. O’Hara

Armed with intensity and depth, Keitaro Harada consistently provides riveting concerts and opera performances in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. As Music and Artistic Director of the Savannah Philharmonic since 2020, Harada has transformed the orchestra and energized its audiences throughout the community with his imaginative programs and charismatic presence.

In 2024, Harada was named Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Partner for the Aichi Chamber Orchestra, and he begins a five-year tenure as Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic in the 2025–26 season. He has forged a close connection with the NHK Symphony Orchestra with whom he appears frequently and has recorded three albums. Harada is a recipient of the 2023 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.

Brandon Ragland

Artistic Director, Ballet; Sponsored by Dr. Troy Tyner and Dr. Ingrid Brown

Brandon Ragland has more than a decade of professional experience as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. He trained in Birmingham, AL, and has a bachelor’s degree in Dance-Arts Administration from Butler University. After graduation, Ragland danced with Alabama Ballet, followed by Louisville Ballet in 2010, spending 13 years as a leading artist. A respected choreographer, Ragland choreographed works for Louisville Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, AROVA Contemporary Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, Sedona Chamber Ballet, and The Perla Ballet. In 2017, Ragland was honored to perform with the Black Iris Project at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of the Kennedy Center’s Dance Across America Program. He has received numerous awards, including “Best Artist” in Louisville Magazine and The Lift a Life Foundation’s “Emerging Leader in the Arts Award” from The Fund for the Arts.

Dayton Ballet Company Dancers

Dayton Opera Artists In Residence

Dayton Ballet Studio Company

At The Still Point

May 1 & 2, 2026 • Schuster Center

ARTISTS

Awadagin Pratt, piano

Keitaro Harada, conductor

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

Steven Hankle, chorus director

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus

PROGRAM

Paola Prestini

Dayton Opera Artists in Residence

Malone Blaich, soprano

Isabel Randall, mezzo-soprano

Aaron Hill, tenor

Evan Fleming, baritone

Stillpoint: Code

Awadagin Pratt, piano

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus

Jessie Montgomery Rounds

Awadagin Pratt, piano

- INTERMISSIONContinued on next page

Masterworks support provided by Steve & Lou Mason

Masterworks Media Sponsorship provided by Discover Classical 88.1 WDPR/ 89.1 WUSO/89.9 WDPG

PROGRAM CONTINUED

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem, K. 626 (Süssmayr)

1. Introitus

I. Requiem aeternam

2. Kyrie

3. Sequentia

I. Dies irae

II. Tuba mirum

III. Rex tremendae

IV. Recordare

V. Confutatis

VI. Lacrymosa

4. Offertorium

I. Domine Jesu

II. Hostias

5. Sanctus

6. Benedictus

7. Agnus Dei

8. Communio

I. Lux aeterna

II. Cum sanctis tuis

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus

Dayton Opera Artists in Residence

About the Artists

Awadagin Pratt Piano

Through his kaleidoscopic career as a pianist, conductor, educator, and curator, Awadagin Pratt amplifies diverse artistic voices and shapes the next generation of inventive musical talent. Since winning the Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1992 and receiving an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1994, Pratt has earned acclaim for performances described as “forceful, imaginative, and precisely tinted” (The Washington Post) and has been hailed as “one of the great and distinctive American pianists and conductors of our time” (WGBH). He has performed at the White House for both the Clinton and Obama administrations, appeared on Sesame Street, and collaborated with leading ensembles including the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, the New York Philharmonic, and many more. His recital stages include Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center, and his chamber music partners have included Zuill Bailey, Simone

Dinnerstein, and the Harlem and St. Lawrence String Quartets.

Pratt’s 2023 recording Stillpoint explores T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets through new works by Tyshawn Sorey, Paola Prestini, Pēteris Vasks, Jessie Montgomery, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Alvin Singleton, and Judd Greenstein. As a conductor, Pratt became principal conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra in 2023–2024 and has led the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh, the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra, and Bang on a Can at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He made his operatic conducting debut with Porgy and Bess at Greensboro Opera.

In response to the murder of George Floyd, Pratt created a podcast that evolved into Awadagin Pratt: Black in America, a multimedia performance fusing music by Bach, Messiaen, and Liszt with film by Alrick Brown and Pratt’s narration recounting both his artistic journey and his experiences with racial profiling. Presented widely on U.S. campuses, the project was adapted into a documentary by Michelle Bauer Carpenter and screened at national film festivals in 2023.

Pratt is also a committed mentor, serving as founding director of the Next Generation Festival, the Art of the Piano Foundation, and the Nina Simone Piano Competition. He taught for two decades at the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music and currently serves as professor of piano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Steven Hankle

Chorus Director

Dr. Steven Hankle is the Associate Professor of Choral Music and Music Education at the University of Dayton, where he directs the University Chorale and Bella Voce and teaches choral conducting and methods. Hankle also serves as choral faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, where he directs the Staff Choir and Vocal Ensemble, Alumni Choir, and Festival Choir. As the Chorus Director of the Alumni Choir and Festival Chorus, Hankle has directed live Blue Lake Radio broadcast performances of John Rutter’s Gloria and Andre Thomas’s Celebration Mass of Love and Joy. He also conducted Johannes Brahms’s Liebeslieder Walze Op. 52 during Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Summer Festival.

An active clinician and adjudicator, Dr. Hankle has worked with or directed choirs in California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kenya, Africa, and Tijuana, Mexico

A native of Chicago, Steven Hankle received both undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education and choral conducting from San Francisco State University and his Ph.D. in choral conducting and music education from Florida State University. Prior to his appointment at the University of Dayton, he served as choral music and music education faculty at Penn State University and successfully developed a new choral music program at Mission High School in San Francisco.

Malone Blaich

Soprano

Soprano Malone Blaich is a recent CCM Artist Diploma graduate, where she received her Master of Music degree in 2023. Her appearances there included Zina (Dark Sisters), Serpetta (La finta giardiniera), Zlatohřbítek (The Cunning Little Vixen) and Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites). In Summer 2025, Blaich served as an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera where she covered the Governess in The Turn of the Screw, sang Daphne in Strauss’ Daphne, and Cunégonde in Candide in The Apprentice Scenes Programs. In 2024, Blaich attended American Institute of Musical Studies, where she performed Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Clivia in Nico Dostal’s Clivia, and Valentina in Torroba’s zarzuela, La Marchenera. In 2023, Blaich took part in the workshop-performance and recording of The Righteous for Opera Fusion/New Works. Blaich joins Dayton Opera as a 2025–2026 Artist in Residence, performing Frasquita in Carmen, acting as the Soprano Soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem with the Dayton Philharmonic, and singing the role of Ivy Sweet in Shawn Okebholo’s The Cook-Off.

Isabel Randall

Mezzo-Soprano

Isabel Randall is a civic-engaged mezzo-soprano from Rota, Spain, praised for her “impassioned, expressive physicality” (The New England Theatre Geek). In the 2025–2026 season, she returns to Dayton Opera’s Artist in Residence

program, making her Dayton Opera and role debut as Mercédès in Carmen. With Dayton Philharmonic, she will be a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, American Soundscapes, and as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. She will debut with Rochester Oratorio Society in their Arts Connexions recital series.

In 2024–2025, Randall portrayed Amelia J. Piper in Whaling Women (Boston Conservatory), covered Zoe Walker in This House (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis), and portrayed journalist Gwen Ifill in Say It Ain’t So, Joe? with Guerrilla Opera.

She has performed with Boston Lyric Opera, Virginia Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and White Snake Projects, and is a recipient of the 2023 St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award.

Aaron Hill

Tenor

Aaron Hill is a versatile tenor praised for his bright timbre and dynamic stage presence across opera, musical theatre, and concert repertoire. His operatic credits include Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi (University of Louisville), Apollo in Semele, Ciccio in The Most Happy Fella, and Luiz in The Gondoliers. He has also sung with Toledo Opera in productions of Carmen and The Magic Flute. In the 2024–2025 season, Hill appeared as a featured vocalist with the Dayton Philharmonic and Muse Machine, and most recently, he performed the role Remendado in Dayton Opera’s Carmen as well as The Witch in Hansel and Gretel

Equally at home in musical theatre, Hill has recently performed roles such as

Malcom McGregor in The Full Monty (TheatreLab Dayton), Matterson in The Hello Girls (Beavercreek Community Theatre), and Jerry in Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Dayton Theatre Guild). He earned his Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Louisville and his Bachelor of Music from Bowling Green State University.

Evan Fleming

Baritone

Hailing from New Jersey, baritone Evan Fleming is an avid performer of stage and concert works. Fleming is elated to serve as an Artist in Residence with Dayton Opera for the 2025–2026 Season, performing Dancairo in Carmen and Peter in Hansel and Gretel.

Fleming started 2025 as a Smith Young Artist with Cedar Rapids Opera, singing the King in Cinderella (Massenet). After premiering Souls for Abigail (Steven Naylor) with Praecepta at Bowling Green State University in February, Fleming was a Tyler Young Artist with Opera on the James. While in Virginia, he appeared in several chamber operas, reprising the role of Ben in Menotti’s The Telephone and touring a children’s production of Hansel and Gretel. In October, Fleming returned to perform with Opera Company of Middlebury for a celebration of the music of Leonard Bernstein. When not performing, Fleming can be found teaching music lessons and practicing fiber arts.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus

Dr. Steven Hankle, chorus director

Kevin Wilson, assistant conductor

Andrea Arese-Elias, accompanist

Carolyn Sweezy, chorus manager

Soprano

Carla Ballou

Eva Borbonus

Katy Bowman

Lillian Chambliss

Alyssa Cornelius

Melissa Tan Curtis

Jordan Drinnon

Hadley Gammie

Katy Greene

Jeanne Kallenberg

Nedra Kaufman

Lydia Kee

Virginia Kuepper

Ella McCormick

Katy McCormick

Natalie Nolte

Tamra Payne

Graysen Schaney

Amy Schopperth

Lora Scott

Susan Thomas

Carole Webb

Emma Weir

Juulia White

Alto

Rebecca Betts

Christy Brewster

Chelsea Brown

Julia Crowl

Elizabeth Douras

Michele Foley

Michele Goodpaster

Sharon Gratto

Farrah Isaacs

Hannah Kaufman

Linda Keith

Carol Manda

Keara Parciak

Julia Randel

Carolyn Sweezy

Katelyn Tesla

Lydia Updike

Lynne Vaia

Keatha Wilson

Camden Green Wing

Tenor

Dorian Borbonus

Jeff Christmas

Charles Garland

Frank C. Gentner

Brad Kallenberg

Matthew Keener

Gregory Marx

Charles Nykiel

Vincent Velten

Kevin Wilson

Bass

Dan Bruno, Jr.

Donald Collins

Doug Conrad

Rick Gonzalez

Jeff Greene

Jonathan Kuehnle

Tim McLinden

Aaron Meece

Curtis Notestine

Grant Parks

Howard Poston

Barrie Van Kirk

Peter Veley

Paul Webb

About the Concert

Stillpoint: Code

Paola Prestini (b. 1975)

From Paola Prestini, composer

“There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.”

— T. S. Eliot

Inspired by the relationship between T.S and Emily Hale, this pianistic ode is dedicated to an invented love with an eight letter name. Each section is led by different motives that are built on musical depictions of the letters of the name translated into notes. It is in essence a love poem in eight takes, that in its culmination, mirrors the relationship between T.S. and Emily, and fails.

However, the work is also inspired by the idea of a frozen moment in time in terms of the feeling of being in love—how love dances in those moments in frenzied freedom—and how in retrospect it allows for great moments of self clarity.

The piece is further enveloped in an arc of ascension, as these frozen moments actually exist in the framework of a life and societal movements. And I believe that our current moment is upward in its trajectory in terms of goodness and clarity.

I have always believed that our art must reflect the life we lead. As a member of a multiracial family, and an immigrant to this country, I feel deep respect and love for the pillars upon which our democracy is built. I also feel responsibility in the progress and active hope we must have in order to keep good and progress afloat. This year has brought great pain and clarity, and yet it has inspired me to be a better and more reflective citizen. I am honored to write for Awadagin, and hope to give him a piece that alights the different and intriguing aspects of his mind, hands, and soul.

COMPOSED 2022

PREMIERE

July 10, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio

LAST DPO

PERFORMANCE

DPO Premiere

APPROXIMATE DURATION

18 minutes

Rounds

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)

From Jessie Montgomery, composer

“Rounds” for solo piano and string orchestra is inspired by the imagery and themes from T.S. Eliot’s epic poem Four Quartets.

In addition to this inspiration, while working on the piece, I became fascinated by fractals (infinite patterns found in nature that are self-similar across different scales) and also delved into the work of contemporary biologist and philosopher Andreas Weber who writes about the interdependency of all beings. Weber explores how every living organism has a rhythm that interacts and impacts with all of the living things around it and results in a multitude of outcomes.

Like Eliot in Four Quartets, beginning to understand this interconnectedness requires that we slow down, listen, and observe both the effect and the opposite effect caused by every single action and moment. I’ve found this is an exercise that lends itself very naturally towards musical gestural possibilities that I explore in the work—action and reaction, dark and light, stagnant and swift.

Structurally, with these concepts in mind, I set the form of the work as a rondo, within a rondo, within a rondo. The five major sections are a rondo; section “A” is also a rondo in itself; and the cadenza—which is partially improvised by the soloist—breaks the pattern, yet, contains within it, the overall form of the work.

To help share some of this with the performers, I’ve included the following poetic performance note at the start of the score:

Inspired by the constancy, the rhythms, and duality of life, in order of relevance to form:

Rondine – AKA Swifts (like a sparrow) flying in circles patterns

Playing with opposites – dark/light; stagnant/swift

Fractals – infinite design

I am grateful to my friend Awadagin Pratt for his collaborative spirit and ingenuity in helping to usher my first work for solo piano into the world.

COMPOSED 2022

PREMIERE

March 27, 2022; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

LAST DPO PERFORMANCE

DPO Premiere

APPROXIMATE DURATION

15 minutes

Requiem, K. 626 (Süssmayr)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

From Carolyn Sweezy, chorus manager

Mozart’s Requiem, in its entirety, seems destined to be a piece shrouded in mystery; from the initial unknown origin of its commissioner, the circumstances surrounding Mozart’s illness, to the subsequent speculation amongst musicologists regarding how Mozart would have intended the piece to be finished.

For many singers, myself included, the Mozart Requiem is often the first Requiem we are exposed to, and in many respects is widely regarded as the gold standard amongst Requiems. I personally recall singing this as my first Requiem with the Dayton Philharmonic in 2010, when I was still relatively new to choral-symphonic repertoire. I distinctly remember being excited to sing my first Requiem, while feeling equally daunted by the challenging fugal passages and fast-paced melismas (singing multiple notes on a single syllable). Through practice and repetition, those melismas and fugal entrances became second nature. Now having the honor of performing the Mozart Requiem for the fifth time, it is gratifying to discover new insights into the piece while rediscovering familiar favorite passages. What remains particularly rewarding however, is to observe new singers performing the Requiem for the first time, starting with the same trepidation, gradually growing in confidence and developing a personal affinity for the piece.

Choral singers are often asked which movement is their favorite, and the overall favorite in the Mozart Requiem is the “Confutatis.” The strong downbeat signals the fiery ostinato strings, immediately proceeded by the tenors and basses singing forte of the infernal. All cacophony dramatically ceases and gives way to the sopranos and altos entering sotto voce “under the voice,” giving them a distant quality as if angels from heaven, imparting an ethereal atmosphere as they sing in their upper registers. Through its virtuosic writing, all-encompassing range of emotions, and transcendent, timeless beauty, the final piece of a composer facing his own mortality continues to captivate musicians and audiences alike, and thus the Requiem itself remains immortal.

COMPOSED 1791–1792

PREMIERE

December 10, 1791; Vienna Austria (partial premiere)

December 14, 1793; Wiener Neustadt, Austria

LAST DPO PERFORMANCE

June, 2017; Neal Gittleman, conductor

APPROXIMATE DURATION

50 minutes

Chamber Music: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

May 6, 2026 • Wright State University, Schuster Hall

ARTISTS

Keitaro Harada, conductor

String Principals Quartet

Zulya Bashirova, violin

Kirstin Greenlaw, violin

Sheridan Currie, viola

Jonathan Lee, cello

Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra

PROGRAM

Franz Schubert String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D 804, Op. 29, “Rosamunde”

- INTERMISSION -

Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni)

1. Concerto No. 1 in E Major, Op. 8, RV 269, “Spring” (La primavera)

II. Allegro

II. Largo e pianissimo sempre

III. Allegro pastorale

2. Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, “Summer” (L’estate)

I. Allegro non molto

II. Adagio e piano—Presto e forte

III. Presto

Antonin Dvořák Seven Pieces for Small Orchestra (Interludes), B.15 (Sedm skladeb)

1. Capriccio (Allegro risoluto)

2. Andante sostenuto

3. Con molto espressione

4. Allegro con brio

5. Allegro assai

6. Serenata (Andantino con moto)

7. Allegro animato

About the Artists

Zulya Bashirova

Violin

Zulfiya (Zulya)

Bashirova is the Concertmaster of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a prize winner of multiple national and international competitions, including Glazunov International Competition of Violinists, National Society of Arts & Letters, and the Lynn University Concerto Competition. Bashirova was previously Assistant Principal Second Violin in Toledo Symphony, Principal Second Violin in Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Assistant Concertmaster in Des Moines Metro Opera. She also performed with St. Louis Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, and Detroit Opera.

Kirstin Greenlaw

Violin

Kirstin Greenlaw, Principal Second Violin of the Dayton Philharmonic, maintains an active performance schedule in Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Between performances with the DPO String Principals Quartet and the Trillium Quartet in Cincinnati, Greenlaw performs with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. A grand prize winner of the Carmel Chamber Music Competition and graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, Greenlaw holds degrees from DePauw University and The Florida State University.

Sheridan Currie

Viola

Sheridan Currie is the Principal Violist of the Dayton Philharmonic.

She has appeared with the Cincinnati, Columbus, Baltimore, Kentucky, and New World Symphonies, as well as the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. She has performed chamber music throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. After earning her Bachelor of Music degree at the Peabody Conservatory, she earned a Master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati’s CollegeConservatory of Music.

Jonathan Lee Cello

Jonathan Lee, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is Principal Cellist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Lee performs regularly with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Opera, and has appeared with the New Mexico Philharmonic and Kentucky Symphony Orchestras. An avid chamber musician, he has performed on numerous concert series and music festivals. Lee holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. He also holds a MBA degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra

Violin I

Zulya Bashirova

Aurelian Oprea

Youjin Na

Elizabeth Hofeldt

David Goist

Violin II

Kirstin Greenlaw

Kara Camfield

Scott Moore

Gloria Fiore

Maggie Niekamp

Viola

Sheridan Currie

Colleen Braid

Karen Johnson

Cello

Jonathan Lee

Christina Coletta

Bass

Deborah Taylor

Jon Pascolini

Flute

Jennifer Northcut

Oboe

Eileen Whalen

Clarinet

John Kurokawa

Bassoon

Rachael Young

Horn

Aaron Brant

Amy Lassiter

Trumpet

Charles Pagnard

Eric Knorr

Timpani

Kaleb Hascall

Harpsichord

Amanda Roberts

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians

PERCUSSION

to come

to come

to come

TROMBONE

Pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra on opening night of the 2025–2026 Masterworks Series

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Endowed Chairs

* Denotes leave of absence

1 J. Ralph Corbett Chair

2 Huffy Foundation Chair

3 Sherman Standard Register Foundation Chair

4 Jesse Philips Chair

5 F. Dean Schnacke Chair

6 Grace Counts Finch Chair

7 Edward L. Kohnle Chair in Memory of Andra Lunde Padrichelli, Principal Cellist 2003–2018

8 Gilbert and Patricia Templeton Chair

9 Paul and Susanne Weaver Chair

10 Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association/C. David Horine Memorial Chair

11 Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association Chair

12 Catharine French Bieser Chair

13 Rhea Beerman Peal Chair

14 Robert and Elaine Stein Chair

15 Frank M. Tait Memorial Chair

16 John W. Berry Family Chair

17 John Reger Memorial Chair

18 Bill and Wanda Lukens Chair

19 Zachary, Rachel and Natalie Denka Chair

20 Rosenthal Family Chair in Memory of Miriam Rosenthal, In Honor of Donald Donnett, Principal Timpani 1966–2023

21 Miriam Rosenthal Chair

22 Richard A. and Mary T. Whitney Chair

23 Daisy Talbott Green Chair

24 Demirjian Family Chair

Our Members Make the Magic!

Special thanks to all our DPAA Members who keep the classical arts thriving in Dayton with their annual donation.

VISIONARY

IMPRESARIO ($100,000+)

Anonymous

Paul & Dolores Anderson

Steve & Lou Mason

Barbara N. O’Hara

Peter & Patricia Torvik

Dr. Troy Tyner & Dr. Ingrid Brown

AFICIONADO ($50,000+)

Linda W. Lombard & Paul W. Marshall

Peggie & Mike McQuiston

Lee Monnin

Estate of Kathleen J. Turner

VIRTUOSO ($25,000+)

Kathy & John Beran

Maria & David Berry

Susan Kettering

Luke & Juanita Lovell

Raymond & Sue Merz

Dr. David H. Ponitz & Cathy Ponitz

Tim & Mary Riordan

Ann & Harry Santen

Linda & Miles Schmidt

Bill & Dianne Schneider

Larry & Abbie Trittschuh

Betsy B. Whitney

Estate of Raymond E. Wylam

LUMINARY ($10,000+)

Anonymous (2)

Nirmala Abraham & Scotty

Blackburn

Dr. Ron Anderson & Robb Sloan-Anderson

Drs. Mary & Charles Bane

Frances & Thomas Bankston

Esther & David Battle

Catherine Clark

Jim Crosset

Janice Culver & Eugene Kurtz

Allyson & John Danis

Richard M. DeLon

Dr. Charles & Patricia Demirjian

Dr. Grace L. DeVelbiss

Vernon & Janet Fernandes

Janet & Donald Grieshop

Stanley C. & Ann* Herr

Lesley & Chris Hopkins

Karen Duguid & Wally Johnson

Judith & Michael Kreutzer

Wanda & William* Lukens

Barbara & Leib Lurie

Dr. Michael & Christine Manchester

Darrell & Kenneth May

Dr. Jeffrey & Susan Mikutis

Dr. Thomas G. Olsen & Mary Boosalis

Dawn & Milt Ross

Mr. & Mrs. Jonah Sandler & Family

Matthew J. Scarr

Marcy Schade

Jane & Richard Schwartz

William* & Cynthia Uhl

Dr. Byron & Theresa Wade

Paul & Susanne Weaver

William & Carolyn* Winger

Mr. Philip G. Wise & Dr. Joe Law

Marcia & Walter Wood

Sandra & Brian Woodruff

Kathleen & Joseph Zehenny

CENTER STAGE ($5,000+)

Margy Anderson

Rebecca Appenzeller & Craig Brown

Shirley Ark

Mary Arnett

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Brown

Dr. Gwen L. Brubaker

Joan & Thomas Burkhardt

Kathleen I. Clawson

Sharon J. Danosky

Linda & Daniel Deitz

Pat & Dave Diven

Mark Dlott & Dale Goldberg

Dr. Sharon D. Gratto & Thomas P. Gratto

Susan & Jonas Gruenberg

Charlie Hardwick

Kathy Harper

Kate & Steve Hone

Dr. R. Alan Kimbrough

Leora K. Kline

Karen & Dale Medford

Anna Jones Monnett

Patrick J. Nugent

Nancy & Kenneth Quinter

Dr. C. Daniel & Kathy Raisch

Colleen M. Ryan

Diane & William Schaff

Sharon Lindquist-Skelley & Thomas F. Skelley

David Strohscher

Michael Suhar

Mark Duffy & Tony Talbot

Dr. Daniel Zehringer & Justin Mohler

OVATION! ($2,500+)

Anonymous (3)

Mert Adams

Jennifer & Bill Almoney

Vicky & Dan Archibald

Amy Askins & Chris Schairbaum

Sandra & Karl Ayers

Jann H. Barr

Mr. Ronald Bernard & Dr. Judith E. Woll M.D.

Dr. Bob Brandt, Jr.

Susan & Charles Bridgman

Michelle Bryant & Alek Kohut

Janet & Joseph Burke

Sarah Burns

Barbara J. Campbell

Chris Coombs

Christina Coletta & Scott Silverstein

Martha & John Culp

Dr. Robert & Lisa Custer

Susan & Bryan Daly

William DeVenzio* & Linda Short

Charlene & David Dutton

Susan & Robert Ellefson

Sue Falter

Marilyn R. Fischer

Nancy & Thomas Gaudion

Andrea & John Gillespie

Mrs. Carol Graff

David J. & Lois Ann Gribler

Dr. David & Pamela Griffith

Keitaro Harada

Mr. Anthony L. Haugrud

Marge & Jon Hazelton

Jessica & Derek Huggett

Dr. Michael A. Jaffe M.D.

Margarete & Craig Jennings

The Mark Andrew Kreusch Memorial Fund

Carol & Paul Lamberger

Brittany Laughlin

Lisa Becker & Mark Levy

Dr. William & Kathy Lindahl

Drs. Jerry Clark & Barry McCorkle

Judy D. McCormick

Susan B. McCoy & Allen Kennedy

Deborah & James McCutcheon

Pat & David McDonald

David McElwee

William Mitchel

Mark Olson & Barbara Furyk-Olson

Dr. Gary B. Pacernick & Ms. Peggy Weller

Carmen & Bill Perry

Dr. Robert & Anita Rankin

Dominick & Margaret Rinaldi

Greg & Kimberly Robinson

June & Richard Smythe

Susan & John Spacht

Lois & Roger Sutherland

Jeri & John Tate

Fred & Chris Tokarz

Dr. Edward & Tracey Tomme

Sharon A. Tschudin

Representative Mike Turner

Michael Tyrchniewicz & Dr. Rachael Courtney

Tami & James Whalen

Sharon & Thomas Williamson

Penny & Bill Wolff

Miriam & Tim Wood

BRAVO! ($1,000+)

Anonymous (11)

Mr. Joshua E. Adams

The Albert & Nancy Freudenberger Fund

Irene & Charles Allbery

Karen & Bruce Anderson

Jo & Matt Anderson

Juanita & Richard Angel

Scott Arentsen

Karen & Michael Armstrong

The Honorable Bill & Karen Beagle

Mike & Ginny Beamish

Lois & Donald* Bigler

Janet & Steven Boehmer

Jon Blunt & Rodney Veal

Mary & Dan Bowman

Eva Buttacavoli & Patrick Martin

Musicians of the DPO & staff of DPAA, in memory of C.

Donald Compton

Rebecca & Lawrence* Corson

Karen & Gary Crim

Kelly H. Dalton

Kathleen Daly

Joyce E. Dean & Mary Ellen Batiuk

Susan DeLuca

Rosario & Helen Demers

Rebecca Dianis

Dorothy B. Dick & John C. Halpin*

Mr. C. Bruce Driver

Mrs. Sue Dugan

Dr. Margaret M. Dunn & Dr. William A. Spohn

Jane A. Dunwoodie

Mr. Joseph Flanagan

Marcia Frank* (2025 Bequest on behalf of Delta Omicron Foundation)

Mrs. Renate Frydman

Martha & Joseph Gardner

Lt. Col. Frank & Diane Gentner, USAF Ret.

Elaine Gounaris & Mark Winwood

Mindy & Garry Greene

Rita Gujadhur

Melody Goodwin & Douglas Hahn

Terri & John

Jon & April Hale

Dr. Bruce & Mayumi Hall

Thomas Hanley

Bob Hanna

Mary & Richard Harstad

Barbara A. Hayde & Ronald F. Budzik*

Lori & Don Heinrich

Susan K. Henry & Perry Nystrom

Virginia & Del Herbeck

Carol & William Herrick

The Holland Family Trust

Ellen Holroyd

Dr. Jeremy Holtgrave & Dr. Amy Magnus

Nancy Hoover

Jeffrey Huntington

Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates

Sandi Simmons & Tom Jonak

Norma Keefer

Dr. Caroline Kennebeck-Hale & Dr. Brian Hale

Dr. Brian & Linda Kent

Jennifer & Robert Kitchen

Margaret Klein

Chuck Knickerbocker

Susan & Jon Kreusch

Barb Kuhns

James Kurek & Linda Black-Kurek

Kathryn Lamme

Kathryn & James Lange

Mary Jo & Wayne Langguth

Susan J. Lauf

Hon. Peggy Lehner & Dr. James T. Lehner

Cheryl & Franklin Lewis

Wendy & Vincent Lewis

Robyn Lightcap

Mr. Joe Lutz

Kathryn MacVeigh

Amy Radachi & Tom Maher

Moni & George Malacos

Joyce McDonald

Marc & Melissa McNulty

Penni & Thom Meyer

Arthur D. Mills Jr.

Mary & Peter Moenter

Jim Nathanson

Shannon Joyce Neal & Philip Neal

Ruth & John Neely

Susan & Shaun Nicholson

Dianne & Les Niemi

Jeaunita Ìfewándé Château

Olówè

John Phillips

Helen C. Potter

Cynthia & Robert Puskar

Rebeccah & Nicholas Raines

Ellen & James Ratti

Sarah Enterline Roch & Joshua Roch

Alice & Charles Roedersheimer

David Rohlfing

Patricia Roth

Julia & Donald Routson

Lisa & Thomas Routsong

Alice & Burt Saidel

Susan & Dan Sauer

Beth & Alan Schaeffer

Winnie Scholl

Ann & Bil Schuerman

Marie & James Seiler

Catherine Skardon

Stephanie Skelley

Dori & Tim Spaulding

Gaynelle M. Spiegel

Toni Sprinkel

Joan Stonitsch

Tawnya & Rick Stover

Phyllis Strayer

Dr. Charles Taylor & Kim E. Iconis

Ms. Ruth Templeton

Mary T. Tymeson

Sharon Vander Gheynst, D.M.E.

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Van Graas

Julie & Jud Wallner

L.N. Wasserman

Merle Wilberding & Susan Elliott

Janice Finch Willhelm

Jane & John Winch

Mary & Niels M Winther

Veronica & Jeffrey Winwood

Virginia Wood

Sarah & David Wrazen

Mary Yerina & Bob Redfield

Dr. David Zelmon & Dr. Mojgan Samardar

FELLOW* ($750+)

Dr. Charles & Barbara Cerny

Jill & Dale Courte

Elizabeth Frye

Barbara & Edward Hennessey

Sharon & Fred Hill

Patricia Horvath

Karen & Charles Kronbach

Michele & Greg Palmer

Mr. Harold Poppe & Mr. Dale Schmidt

Susan & Randy Woods

Carol J. Yegerlehner

* Fellow is no longer a membership level we offer. Please visit our website for more details about membership

Meet the Artists of DPAA

Go behind the scenes with the artists whose passion drives every performance.

Zulfiya (Zulya) Bashirova Concertmaster, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

I grew up in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where my love for music began the day my father brought me my first violin at the age of six. The moment I held it, I knew that the violin would become my lifelong path. I began my musical training at the V. A. Uspensky Republican Specialized Music School in Tashkent. I went on to earn my Bachelor’s degree from the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, followed by a Master of Music degree from the Lynn Conservatory of Music and a Specialist in Music degree from the University of Michigan. Throughout my education, I had the privilege of studying with extraordinary musicians and renowned

violinists, including Elmar Oliveira and David Halen. DPAA drew me in with its unique structure as an organization that brings together all three genres I have always dreamed of working with. Being part of a symphony and performing great masterpieces in the Masterworks series is deeply fulfilling for me as a musician. I have always admired opera—its power, its emotional depth, and the beauty of the human voice. Ballet has also been one of my passions, and having the opportunity to perform with Dayton Ballet truly feels like a dream come true. I am eager to work with Maestro Harada in his inaugural season as Music Director and to be part of this new chapter for the organization.

Corporate and Foundation Partners

We thank our corporate and foundation partners for supporting DPAA’s mission, programs, and artists.

IMPRESARIO

AES Ohio Foundation

Virginia W. Kettering Foundation

Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation

Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts

Schiewetz Foundation

Harry A. Toulmin, Jr. and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation

MAESTRO

The Charles D. Berry Foundation

The Berry Family Foundation

VIRTUOSO

Dayton Freight

Bill and Jackie Lockwood Fund to Support Opera

LEGATO

Dayton Aerospace

Dayton Daily News/Cox First Media

Kettering Health

The Mary H. Kittredge Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Marriott University of Dayton

The Shubert Foundation

The Troy Foundation

The Nick and Edna Weller Charities, Inc.

CONCERTO

Bob Ross Auto Group

Cox Media Group/WHIO

Discover Classical 88.1 WDPR/89.1 WUSO/89.9

WDPG

Jack and Debra Edelman Foundation

Grismer Tire Company

Hotel Ardent and Bistecca

iHeartMedia

The Charles F. Kettering Foundation

Mathile Family Foundation

WYSO Public Radio

ARIA

America 250 – Ohio Commission

The Disability Foundation

Houser Asphalt and Concrete

The Iddings Foundation

LION

Lockwood Family Foundation

ThinkTV

Victory Wholesale Group and the Kantor Family

SONATA

The Allegro Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Crown Equipment Corporation

The Dayton Hydraulic Co.

The Clark J. Haines Musical Scholarship Fund

Johnson Investment Counsel

The Kuntz Foundation

Nova Creative

PNC

Premier Health

University of Dayton

INTERMEZZO

AES Ohio

Appliance Gallery Dayton

Coolidge Wall

Enterprise Roofing

Harlamert Foundation

Henny Penny

KeyBank

Knack Video + Photo

League of American Orchestras

Sam Levin Foundation

LexisNexis

McCutcheon Music

Merrill Lynch

Morris Home

Opera America

Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling

Sinclair Broadcast Group/FOX/ABC

Square One Salon and Spa

The Synergy Schade Team

Taylor Corporation

OVERTURE

Requarth Lumber Company

The Rubi Girls

Taft

Thompson Hine

Voss Auto Network

ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

Ohio Arts Council

Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District

Culture Works

The Dayton Foundation

Board of Trustees and Staff

OFFICERS

Joseph Zehenny, Chair

Patricia McDonald, Vice Chair

Rev. Joshua Ward, Secretary

Rodney Veal, Assistant Secretary

Timothy Riordan, Treasurer

Patrick Martin, Assistant Treasurer

Ed Tomme, Chair Emeritus

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Nirmala Abraham

Dr. Ron Anderson

Libby Ballengee

Dr. Zachary Beck

Ashley Bethard

Sarah Burns

Jim Butler

Christopher Coombs

Allyson Danis

Dr. Samuel Dorf

Mary-Kathryn Haddad

Kathy Harper

Michael Howard

Dr. Xavier L. Johnson

Scott Jones

Robyn Lightcap

Peggie McQuiston

Shannon Joyce Neal

Barbara N. O’Hara

Sharon Schroder

Dori Spaulding

John Tate

Rick Thie

Abbie Trittschuh

Dr. Daniel Zehringer

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS EMERITUS

Thomas Bankston, Opera

Neal Gittleman, Philharmonic

ADMINISTRATION

Patrick J. Nugent, President and CEO

Teri Warwick, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer

Michael Sieveking, Chief Information Officer

Milena Treer, Chief of Staff

ARTISTIC

Kathleen Clawson, Artistic Director, Opera

Keitaro Harada, Music and Artistic Director, Philharmonic

Brandon Ragland, Artistic Director, Ballet

Isaac Selya, Interim Staff Conductor

Steven Hankle, Director, Philharmonic Chorus

Carolyn Sweezy, Manager, Philharmonic Chorus

Maureen Hickey Haitch, Conductor, Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Youth Strings

Michelle Mastin, Conductor, Philharmonic Junior Strings

Sharon Neumeister, Company Teacher and Rehearsal Assistant

Rachel Cahayla Wynne, Rehearsal Director and Dayton Ballet Studio Company Manager

DEVELOPMENT

Elaine Gounaris, Vice President for Philanthropy

Allie Haines, Director of Philanthropy

Lynnette Ivey, Director of Institutional Giving

Kate LaFollette, Engagement and Patron Services Manager

Anne O’Hara, Development Operations Manager

LEARNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Jeaunita Ìféwándé Château Olówè, Vice President for Learning and Community Engagement

Jacqueline Griffin, Learning Programs Manager

Melissa McCoy, Engagement Programs Manager

Megan Forney, Dayton Ballet School Education Manager; Co-Director of Dayton Ballet School Ensemble

Gabrielle Sharp, Co-Director of Dayton Ballet School Ensemble

Elizabeth Sabol, Ballet School Registrar

Vicky Archibald, Ballet School Receptionist

MARKETING

Brittany Laughlin, Vice President for Marketing and Audience Development

Kate LaFollette, Engagement and Patron Services Manager

Sandyna Woodward, Marketing Coordinator

OPERATIONS

Chris Brislin, General Manager

Lyn Baudendistel, Wardrobe Supervisor

Josephine Baudendistel, Costume Assistant

Kelly DeLisle, Artistic Administrator

Maureen Hickey Haitch, Librarian

Sean Vore, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Katie West, Production Coordinator/ Assistant Librarian

The stagehands of IATSE Local 66

The wardrobe members of IATSE Local 886

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

HARRY A. TOULMIN JR. AND VIRGINIA B. TOULMIN FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION

JESSE AND CARYL PHILIPS FOUNDATION

BILL AND JACKIE LOCKWOOD FUND TO SUPPORT OPERA

MARY H. KITTREDGE FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION

ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY