HOLIDAY POPS WITH JINGLES THE ELF SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2020 | 7PM Filmed and recorded live from Meymandi Concert Hall Woolner Stage Raleigh
The North Carolina Symphony, in grateful acknowledgment of its generous grant-in-aid, performs under the auspices of the State of North Carolina, the Honorable Roy Cooper, Governor.
The North Carolina Symphony gratefully acknowledges financial support from Wake County, the City of Raleigh, and the Town of Cary.
Don’t miss our printable coloring sheet for kids at this end of this program book!
Thank you to the North Carolina Symphony Society Board of Trustees, the North Carolina Symphony Foundation Board, the North Carolina Symphony Chapter Boards, and the many individuals, businesses, foundations, and community partners who support the North Carolina Symphony through contributions each season. Our performances this season, along with our extensive music education program and community service across the state, are made possible by your support. View North Carolina Symphony board members here and a list of our supporters here.
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2 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY
3120.WM.16 • Job Title: Extraordinary Talent
HOLIDAY POPS WITH JINGLES THE ELF Saturday, December 19, 2020 | 7pm
Filmed and recorded live from Meymandi Concert Hall Woolner Stage
Raleigh Joseph Peters, host Jesse Gephart, actor
Yolanda Rabun, actor, narrator Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Christopher James Lees, piano
Lowell Mason / Joy to the World Arr. Zach Collins Paul Randall, trumpet Don Eagle, trumpet Christopher Caudill, horn John Ilika, trombone Seth Horner, tuba Traditional / Angels We Have Heard on High Arr. Kris Dorsey and David Kilbride, violin Bill Holcombe Eric McCracken, violin Sandra Schwarcz, viola Yewon Ahn, cello Erik Dyke, double bass Traditional / “O, Christmas Tree” Arr. Christopher James Lees Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Christopher James Lees, piano Irving Berlin / White Christmas Arr. Robert Longfield David Kilbride, violin Eric McCracken, violin Sandra Schwarcz, viola Yewon Ahn, cello continued on next page
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NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 3
Clement Clarke Moore Benjamin Hanby / Arr. Christopher James Lees Various / Arr. Bill Holcombe
A Visit from St. Nicholas Yolanda Rabun, narrator “Up on the Housetop” Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Christopher James Lees, piano A Christmas Jazz Suite David Kilbride, violin Eric McCracken, violin Sandra Schwarcz, viola Yewon Ahn, cello Erik Dyke, double bass
Traditional / Arr. Christopher James Lees
“Go Tell It on the Mountain” Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Christopher James Lees, piano
Johnny Marks / Arr. Luther Henderson
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Paul Randall, trumpet Don Eagle, trumpet Christopher Caudill, horn John Ilika, trombone Seth Horner, tuba Richard Motylinski, percussion
Leroy Anderson /
Sleigh Ride Paul Randall, trumpet Don Eagle, trumpet Christopher Caudill, horn John Ilika, trombone Seth Horner, tuba Richard Motylinski, percussion
Arr. R. R. Cardo
“Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson © Woodbury Music Company Used with permission www.leroyanderson.com
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS Jesse Gephart, actor Jesse Gephart returns for a second performance with the North Carolina Symphony even though he still doesn’t play an instrument. Since he moved to the area in 1998, he has been involved in more than 60 Triangle theatre productions as an actor and director. He has worked with many different theatre companies across the Triangle and beyond, including Raleigh Little Theatre, Theatre In The Park, and Theatre Raleigh. For the past 14 years, he has been featured as a different type of elf in Theatre In The Park’s annual production of (the notso-kid-friendly) The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris. Jesse would like to thank you for supporting Raleigh’s performing arts institutions by donating directly or purchasing a ticket during this tumultuous time. Yolanda Rabun, narrator A proud graduate of Northside High School of the Performing Arts in Atlanta, Yolanda Rabun is a recording artist, actor, and storyteller. She has headlined national jazz festivals, toured jazz clubs, and most recently opened for Stephanie Mills at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) and Sheila E at the Red Hat Amphitheater. Yolanda has won accolades for Best Lead Actress (Archy and Mehitabel, Member of the Wedding, Nina) and Best Ensemble (Twelfth Night, Crowns, the world premiere of Chaunesti Webb’s I Love My Hair When It’s Good: & Then Again When It Looks Defiant and Impressive). Recent appearances with North Carolina Theatre, Theatre Raleigh, and Playmakers Repertory Company include Beehive: The 60s Musical, Newsies, Smokey Joe’s Café, Mary Poppins, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Howard L. Craft’s one-woman play, No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone. As a wife, mother, corporate executive, lawyer, singersongwriter and publisher, motivational speaker, political scientist, community activist for youth, touring performance artist, and music entrepreneur, Yolanda lives at the speed of passion and challenges everyone to hold on to your dreams! Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Lindsay Kesselman is featured on recordings including Chris Cerrone’s The Pieces That Fall to Earth with Los Angelesbased ensemble Wild Up, Mathew Rosenblum’s Falling with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and Jon Magnussen’s Twinge with HAVEN. She is the resident soprano of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble and toured to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019 with Kieren MacMillan’s The Gray Cat and the Flounder. Lindsay appeared with the North Carolina Symphony for its 2019 Independence Day concert and a 2018 tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein. Recent highlights include world premieres by John Mackey and D. J. Sparr, Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, and the John Corigliano 80th birthday celebration at National Sawdust.
Lindsay holds degrees from Rice University and Michigan State University. HAVEN, her trio with Kimberly Cole Luevano (clarinet) and Midori Koga (piano), tours throughout North America and has released the albums Bright Angel and Atonement. Christopher James Lees, piano Christopher James Lees is Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has conducted the North Carolina Symphony for several Young People’s Concert and Summerfest programs. Other appearances include the symphony orchestras of Detroit and Milwaukee and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. Only the second American to be named a Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Christopher led concerts with that orchestra in 2013 and 2015. He has taught at the University of Michigan and been a featured guest clinician of El-Sistema-inspired programs including Kidznotes in Durham. Since 2014, Christopher has served as Music Director of the UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra. In this position he has spearheaded cross-disciplinary collaborations across five arts schools. A native of Washington, D.C., he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan. Paul Randall, trumpet The George Smedes Poyner Chair At age 17, Paul Randall won his first-ever audition and joined the New Orleans Symphony in 1973. Four years later he became Principal Trumpet, and went on to win the same position with the North Carolina Symphony in 1988. In addition to performing as an orchestral soloist, he has toured with Capital Brass, comprised of NCS colleagues. Don Eagle, trumpet Anonymously Endowed Don Eagle teaches trumpet at Duke University and has appeared as soloist with the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, Raleigh Civic Symphony, North Carolina Bach Festival, Elon University Chamber Orchestra, North Carolina State University Band, and Triangle Brass Band, among others. Christopher Caudill, horn The Roger Colson and Bobbi Lyon Hackett Chair Christopher Caudill joined the North Carolina Symphony in 2003 after three years with the New World Symphony, a season as Principal Horn with the Honolulu Symphony, and two seasons with the Virginia Symphony. He studied at Northwestern University and the Tanglewood Music Center, and toured Russia with the American-Russian Youth Orchestra. continued on next page NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 5
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
continued
John Ilika, trombone The Thomas Warwick Steed, Jr. Family Chair
taught strings at several colleges and at the Ravenscroft School in Raleigh.
North Carolina Symphony Principal Trombone since 2001, John Ilika has been a member of many musical organizations including the Delaware Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra and the Eastern Music Festival. Since 2010 he has also been Artist Faculty Trombone at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Yewon Ahn, cello Anonymously Endowed
Seth Horner, tuba The Governor and Mrs. James G. Martin, Jr. Chair Seth Horner joined the North Carolina Symphony as Principal Tuba in 2017. He was Acting Principal Tuba of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for three seasons, where he performed on two BSO recordings. He has held principal positions with several other orchestras throughout the U.S., and has been featured widely as a soloist and chamber musician. Richard Motylinski, percussion The Margery and Earl Johnson, Jr. Chair Principal Percussion Richard Motylinski joined the North Carolina Symphony in 1974 after playing in the percussion sections of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra. He founded the Raleigh Consort, a group which has performed Renaissance music since 1979. David Kilbride, violin David Kilbride was named North Carolina Symphony Assistant Principal Second Violin in 2007. Previously he had served as Concertmaster with the New World Symphony and was a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic. He has also been Assistant Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony and a member of the Richmond Symphony and the Virginia Symphony, among others. Eric McCracken, violin The James C. Byrd and Family Chair With degrees from California State University in Long Beach and the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Eric McCracken began his music career as Assistant Concertmaster of the Jackson Symphony in Jackson, Mississippi, and came to the North Carolina Symphony in 1975. Here he has taught at several colleges and performed with many ensembles, and has been string coach for the Raleigh Youth Orchestra and conductor for the Wake All-County Orchestra Festival. Sandra Schwarcz, viola The Samuel H. and Anne Latham Johnson Viola Chair Sandra Schwarcz earned degrees from Indiana University and the University of Akron. After engagements including the Cleveland Opera orchestra and the Colorado Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by a year with the Savannah Symphony, she joined the North Carolina Symphony in 1984. She has
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Yewon Ahn joined the North Carolina Symphony cello section in 2018, after two seasons and an eight-concert European tour with the Houston Symphony. She earned an artist diploma and professional studies certificate from the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, where she also performed in the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices founded by James Conlon, Music Director of LA Opera. Her teaching experience includes the Meadowmount School of Music. Erik Dyke, double bass The Harllee H. and Pauline G. Jobe Chair Erik Dyke, double bassist with the North Carolina Symphony since 1978, studied at the University of Michigan, Aspen Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, where he served as Operations Manager at the Summer Festival for 25 years. Principal teachers have included Lawrence Hurst, Peter Mercurio, and Stuart Sankey. Other performances have included the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds and Santa Fe Opera. Joseph Peters, host Joseph Peters has been North Carolina Symphony Associate Principal Oboe and English Horn since 2018, and previously held Principal Oboe chairs with the Minnesota Orchestra and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. NCS audiences may also know him as a 2019 Holiday Pops conductor! To his role as host, Joseph brings a great love for teaching.
Please consider making a gift to the Annual Fund.
Your gift will count toward the 2020/21 State Challenge Grant, multiplying your generosity even more!
Click here to make a gift online or call 919.733.2750 or toll free 877.627.6724. We are re-imagining donor benefits for this unique time, including opportunities to meet our musicians and go behind the scenes virtually. Click here to learn more.
SUPPORT STATEWIDE SERVICE THROUGH MUSIC
With creativity and innovation, your North Carolina Symphony remains committed to serving our state with inspiring music and meaningful music education programs.
Thank you to the members of the Lamar Stringfield Society who support the future of your North Carolina Symphony with estate gifts and endowed funds. Their generosity will help the orchestra share the power of music for generations to come.
Want to make music part of your legacy? To learn more about including the Symphony in your estate plans, contact Rebecca Watkins, Director of Major Gifts & Planning Giving, rwatkins@ncsymphony.org or 919.789.5497
NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 7
ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Grant Llewellyn, Music Director Laureate The Maxine and Benjamin Swalin Chair
Janet Gayer Hall
Wesley Schulz, Associate Conductor The Lucy Moore Ruffin Chair
Anton Shelepov
VIOLIN I Brian Reagin, Concertmaster The Annabelle Lundy Fetterman Chair Dovid Friedlander, Associate Concertmaster** The Assad Meymandi and Family Chair To Be Filled, Assistant Concertmaster The Anne Heartt Gregory Chair Karen Strittmatter Galvin, Assistant Concertmaster
Oskar Ozolinch
Jeanine Wynton VIOLA Samuel Gold, Principal The Florence Spinks and Charles Jacob Cate and Alma Yondorf and Sylvan Hirschberg Chair Kurt Tseng, Associate Principal The Betty Ellen Madry Chair To Be Filled, Assistant Principal Petra Berényi
DOUBLE BASS Leonid Finkelshteyn, Principal The Martha and Peyton Woodson Chair Robert K. Anderson, Associate Principal The Dr. and Mrs. Preston H. Gada Chair Craig Brown The Mark W. McClure Foundation Chair Erik Dyke The Harllee H. and Pauline G. Jobe Chair Bruce Ridge The John C. and Margaret P. Parker Chair FLUTE Anne Whaley Laney, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. George M. Stephens Chair
Robert Anemone**
Paul Malcolm
Emily Rist Glover The Jessie Wyatt Ethridge Chair
Christine Martin
Mary E. Boone, Assistant Principal The Dr. and Mrs. Shaler Stidham, Jr. Chair
Amy Mason The J. Sidney Kirk Chair
Elizabeth Anderton Lunsford The Jack and Sing Boddie Chair
Paul Goldsberry The Richard and Joy Cook Chair So Yun Kim The Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. Chair Marilyn Kouba The Phyllis (“Pat”) Conrad Wells Chair Eric McCracken The James C. Byrd and Family Chair Maria Meyer The Tom and Mary Mac Bradshaw Chair Eileen Wynne The Harvey At-Large Chair Erin Zehngut The J. Felix Arnold Chair VIOLIN II Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky, Principal The Nancy Finch Wallace Chair
Sandra Schwarcz The Samuel H. and Anne Latham Johnson Viola Chair CELLO Bonnie Thron, Principal The Herman and Marga Roberg Chair Elizabeth Beilman, Associate Principal The Sarah Carlyle Herbert Dorroh Chair Peng Li, Assistant Principal Anonymously Endowed Yewon Ahn Anonymously Endowed Sunrise Kim The William Charles Rankin Chair David Meyer The Nell Hirschberg Chair
PICCOLO Elizabeth Anderton Lunsford The Jean Dunn Williams Chair OBOE Melanie Wilsden, Principal The Hardison and Stoltze Chair Joseph Peters, Associate Principal The Lizette T. Dunham Chair Sandra Posch The Clarence and Alice Aycock Poe Chair ENGLISH HORN Joseph Peters The Bruce and Margaret King Chair
To Be Filled, Associate Principal The Blanche Martin Shaw Chair
Lisa Howard Shaughnessy The Sara Wilson Hodgkins Chair
CLARINET Samuel Almaguer, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. J. Christopher Walker, II Chair
David Kilbride, Assistant Principal
Nathaniel Yaffe The Secretary of Cultural Resources Betty Ray McCain Chair
To Be Filled, Assistant Principal The Kathryn Powell and Green Flavie Cooper Chair
Qi Cao
8 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY
BASSOON Aaron Apaza, Principal The Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald S. Hudson Chair Wenmin Zhang, Assistant Principal The Beethoven Chair FRENCH HORN Rebekah Daley, Principal The Mary T. McCurdy Chair Kimberly Van Pelt, Associate Principal The James Marion Poyner Chair Christopher Caudill The Roger Colson and Bobbi Lyon Hackett Chair Rachel Niketopoulos The Paul R. Villard and Gabriel Wolf Chair To Be Filled The Mary Susan Kirk Fulghum Chair TRUMPET Paul Randall, Principal The George Smedes Poyner Chair To Be Filled, Associate Principal The Henry and Martha Zaytoun and Family Chair Don Eagle Anonymously Endowed
TROMBONE John Ilika, Principal The Thomas Warwick Steed, Jr. Family Chair Jonathan Randazzo, Assistant Principal The Frances Armour Bryant Chair BASS TROMBONE Matthew Neff Anonymously Endowed TUBA Seth Horner, Principal The Governor and Mrs. James G. Martin, Jr. Chair HARP Anita Burroughs-Price Vonda Darr TIMPANI Colin Hartnett, Principal The Patricia R., Steven T. and George F. Hackney III Chair PERCUSSION Richard Motylinski, Principal The Margery and Earl Johnson, Jr. Chair Rajesh Prasad, Assistant Principal The Abram and Frances Pascher Kanof Chair
SHARE YOUR SYMPHONY EXPERIENCE
ORGAN To Be Filled The Albert and Susan Jenkins and Family Organ Chair LIBRARY Stephanie Wilson, Principal The Mary Colvert and Banks C. Talley Chair *Acting position **Leave of absence Named musician chairs are made possible through very meaningful gifts to the Symphony’s endowment. As such, these donor families are also members of the Lamar Stringfield Society. Learn more. All string players rotate stands on a periodic basis in each section with the exception of titled players: Principals, Associate Principals, and Assistant Principals. The North Carolina Symphony is a member of the League of American Orchestras and the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. The North Carolina Master Chorale is the Resident Chorus of the North Carolina Symphony. The North Carolina Symphony Foundation gratefully acknowledges the generous gift of the Lupot violin from Arnold and Zena Lerman.
Show us how you’re spending Symphony night! Are you in your cozy pajamas as you watch with the family? Sipping hot chocolate or eggnog? Snuggled up with a pet as you listen?
Tag us in your posts! @ncsymphony #ncsymphony #TheMusicWillPlayOn NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 9
STREAMING TICKETS JUST $20
Holiday Favorites WITH BRASS & ORGAN WED, DEC 23, 2020 | 8PM David Jernigan, organ Lindsay Kesselman, vocals Christopher James Lees, piano
Celebrate the splendor of the holidays with festive music! You’ll enjoy Silent Night, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, and Carol of the Bells with the glorious sounds of our North Carolina Symphony brass, plus special guest organist David Jernigan and vocalist Lindsay Kesselman.
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CORPORATE SUPPORT 2020/21 SEASON The North Carolina Symphony is grateful for the generous support of the many corporations across the state that have partnered with us to sustain and advance the mission of the orchestra. With their help, the music WILL play on.
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NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 11
H o l y i d p a p y a H from Jingles the Elf s
HOLIDAY POPS WITH JINGLES THE ELF Streaming Concert SAT, DEC 19, 2020 | 7PM YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT SERIES SPONSOR
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