TCHAIKOVSKY SERENADE SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2021
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.
SAMUEL ALMAGUER
PERFORMED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY
STREAMING SERIES
March 2021–June 2021
BEETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO
SAT, MAR 27, 2021 | 8PM
SAT, MAY 8, 2021 | 8PM
Joseph Peters, conductor Relive your favorite classical music moments in film history, including music from Amadeus, Harry Potter, Platoon, The Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Psycho, and more!
Aram Demirjian, conductor Augustin Hadelich, violin Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Thomas Wilkins, conductor Samuel Almaguer, clarinet Copland: Clarinet Concerto Dvořák: Serenade for Strings Concert Sponsor: Galloway Ridge
APPALACHIAN SPRING
SAT, APR 17, 2021 | 8PM
Andrew Grams, conductor Copland: Suite from Appalachian Spring Mozart: Symphony No. 33
RAGTIME KINGS
SAT, APR 24, 2021 | 8PM Wesley Schulz, conductor Enjoy your Ragtime-era favorites with iconic music by Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton including The Entertainer, Maple Leaf Rag, and King Porter Stomp.
CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF BEETHOVEN
with powerful programs that illuminate his genius.
ncsymphony.org
FILMED AT
919.733.2750
DATES, PROGRAMS, ARTISTS, PRICES, & VENUES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PENDING CURRENT HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES
POPS AROUND THE WORLD
SAT, MAY 15, 2021 | 8PM Sarah Hicks, conductor Take a musical journey around the world with guest pops conductor Sarah Hicks and the Symphony—from close-tohome gems like Georgia on My Mind, to music from faraway lands including the Argentinian tangos of Piazzolla, and much more.
Concert Sponsor: UNC Health
THE KRUGER BROTHERS
February 20, 2021 concert has been postponed.
Concert Sponsor: First Citizens Bank
Concert Sponsor: First Citizens Bank
BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY NO. 4
SAT, MAY 22, 2021 | 8PM Brett Mitchell, conductor Joan Tower: Chamber Dance Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 Concert Sponsor: Penick Village
SARAH HICKS
SAT, APR 10, 2021 | 8PM
Wesley Schulz, conductor Cirque de la Symphonie returns for an all-new program with dazzling feats of strength and grace. Acrobats, aerial flyers, contortionists, and strongmen perform awe-inspiring choreography to orchestral favorites that will thrill audiences of all ages.
THOMAS WILKINS
COPLAND & DVOŘÁK
SAT, JUNE 12, 2021 | 8PM
Concert Sponsor: The Cypress of Raleigh
MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES
Concert Sponsor: UNC Health
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES
AUGUSTIN HADELICH
THE MUSIC Will PLAY ON!
TCHAIKOVSKY SERENADE Saturday, March 13, 2021 | 8pm
Filmed and recorded live from Meymandi Concert Hall Woolner Stage
Raleigh Andrew Grams, conductor Joseph Peters, host
Jessie Montgomery Banner (b. 1981)
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 (1840-1893) I. Pezzo in forma di sonatina: Andante non troppo – Allegro moderato II. Walzer: Moderato – Tempo di valse III. Elégie: Larghetto elegiaco IV. Finale (Tema Russo): Andante – Allegro con spirito
CONCERT SPONSOR
This concert is made possible in part by The Helton Family Foundation Fund.
NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 3
YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT STREAMING MATINEE SERIES STREAMED TO YOUR HOME FROM MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL
PETER AND THE WOLF
THE MUSIC Will PLAY ON
PETER AND THE WOLF
SAT, MAY 1, 2021 | 3PM
Each performance is available on demand for 20 days following the live air date.
You’ll love Prokofiev’s delightful musical adventure, helping children identify the instruments of the orchestra while the story of Peter and his animal friends attempting to outsmart the big bad wolf captures the imagination.
CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
SAT, JUNE 5, 2021 | 3PM Michelle Di Russo, conductor
This performance introduces little ones to the joys of the orchestra with The Carnival of the Animals, one of the best-known pieces by French composer Camille SaintSaëns, with each movement depicting a different animal—from the royal lion to the graceful swan. Truly a fantastic family experience for all ages!
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
SAT, JUNE 12, 2021 | 3PM Wesley Schulz, conductor SERIES SPONSOR
CONCERT SPONSORS
Cirque de la Symphonie returns for an all-new program with dazzling feats of strength and grace. Acrobats, aerial flyers, contortionists, and strongmen perform awe-inspiring choreography to orchestral favorites that will thrill audiences of all ages.
ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750
DATES, PROGRAMS, ARTISTS, PRICES, & VENUES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PENDING CURRENT HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
The greatest in classical, pops, and family-friendly music—in the comfort of your own home.
CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
Michelle Di Russo, conductor
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Banner
Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48
JESSIE MONTGOMERY
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
THE STORY:
THE STORY:
• Commissioned by the Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation, Jessie Montgomery composed Banner in 2014 as a tribute to the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
• In September 1880, Tchaikovsky attempted to spend several days relaxing, but, as he wrote to his patroness and to his brother, he began to feel anxious and restless.
• She drew on various anthems and patriotic songs from around the world to create a multi-cultural anthem for the 21st century, reflecting diversity in American society. • Montgomery contemplated the ideals of freedom and the reality of injustice and oppression, stating that “In 2014, a tribute to the U.S. National Anthem means acknowledging the contradictions, leaps and bounds, and milestones that allow us to celebrate and maintain the tradition of our ideals.” • The New York Times wrote, “She daringly transforms the anthem, folding it into a teeming score … to create a musical melting pot.” LISTEN FOR: • The scoring for solo string quartet and string orchestra— the quartet sometimes works with and sometimes works in opposition to the rest of the orchestra • An introduction followed by several contrasting sections—a structure which is loosely based on traditional marching band form • The strings evoking the sounds of breathing from a large brass choir at the climax of the trio section, about three minutes into the work
• He shared in these letters that he satisfied his “intrinsic need to work” by designing sketches for what he thought might become a symphony or a string quartet; instead, these sketches became the Serenade for Strings. • He composed this elegant work at the same time as his bombastic 1812 Overture. • When Tchaikovsky sent the Serenade for Strings to his publisher, he wrote, “I love this Serenade terribly, and fervently hope that it might soon see the light of day.” • It was premiered, to huge success, in St. Petersburg in 1881—the waltz movement was so popular that it had to be repeated. • Ten years later, on his only trip to the United States, Tchaikovsky conducted performances of the Serenade for Strings in Philadelphia and Baltimore. LISTEN FOR: • A beautiful, broad, rich chorale introducing the first movement—followed by athletic figures in the cellos underneath the violins and violas during the first theme, and the perpetual motion of ascending, descending, and cascading notes in the second theme • Numerous harmonic shifts in the second movement, a waltz • The fade-out effect at the end of the elegiac third movement, created in part by the shift from fingered notes to breathy harmonics • In the final movement, two themes based on Russian folk dances and also clearly related to the opening chorale— which Tchaikovsky masterfully brings back at the conclusion of the work!
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS Andrew Grams, conductor Andrew Grams became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in 2014 after an international search. He’s the winner of 2015 Conductor of the Year from the Illinois Council of Orchestras and has led orchestras throughout the United States including the National Symphony Orchestra; the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Dallas; and The Philadelphia Orchestra. He most recently appeared as a guest conductor with the North Carolina Symphony in 2016, leading works by Debussy, Franck, and Saint-Saëns.
Institute of Music, Indiana University, Roosevelt University, the National Orchestral Institute + Festival at the University of Maryland, and the Amsterdam Conservatory.
A frequent traveler, Andrew has worked extensively with orchestras abroad, including the symphony orchestras of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; BBC orchestras in London, Wales, and Scotland; the symphony orchestras of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and West Australia; the Orchestre National de France; and Het Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, Netherlands. He has led multiple performances of New York City Ballet’s George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and the first performances of the new production of The Nutcracker for the Norwegian National Ballet in Olso.
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. To his role as host for this season’s streaming concerts, Joseph brings a great love for teaching and communication. He will also be conducting the Symphony’s Music From the Movies concert on Saturday, March 27.
As an educator, Andrew has worked with orchestras at institutions such as the Curtis Institute of Music, the Cleveland
Also an accomplished violinist, Andrew was a member of the New York City Ballet Orchestra from 1998-2004, serving as acting Associate Principal Second Violin in 2002 and 2004. Additionally, he has performed with ensembles including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and chamber music ensembles around the country.
Please find bios for orchestra personnel performing on this evening’s concert linked on the following pages.
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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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 Karen Strittmatter Galvin, Associate Concertmaster* To Be Filled, Assistant Concertmaster The Anne Heartt Gregory Chair
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
continued on next page
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ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL 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
continued
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 hosting a “watch party” with the family? Enjoying dinner with a friend beforehand? Mixing a special cocktail to accompany the music? Snuggled up with a pet as you listen?
Tag us in your posts! @ncsymphony #ncsymphony #TheMusicWillPlayOn
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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
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.
NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY • 9
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.
SUSTAINERS
BENEFACTORS
PARTNERS
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