Presented by Dr. Ken and Sandy Tokita & the Parnassus Society
Shunta Morimoto plays Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with Scott Dunn & The Four Seasons Orchestra Saturday, January 20 | 3 PM Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America
Shunta Morimoto plays Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto
Four Seasons Orchestra Scott Dunn, Conductor Violin 1 Zun-Hin Woo Kirika Suzuki Noriko Yamaga Tingwei Tan Sinmyung Min Walter Park Violin 2 Ji Yeon Shin Lily Fang Fumie Motoki Hiro Goto Luis Guerrero Josh Reyna Violas Janine Lai Dani Tam Kyle Bague Shiika Suzuki Cellos Janice Cheung Henry Chen Ashley Ng Conner Crystal Park Bass Chien Chien Lee Alan Wang
Flutes James Hilsabeck Kara Machos Oboes Eric Smith Maralynne Mann Clarinets Monica Whang Hee Jeong Przytulski Bassoons Alex Chay Jorge Ruvalcaba Horns Ben Randall John Acosta Trumpets Jon Kang Michael Kallin Timpani Sho Fujieda
PROGRAM
PROGRAM WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 Molto Allegro Andante Menuetto Allegro Assai
- INTERMISSION LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5, op. 73 (“Emperor”) Allegro Adagio Poco Moto Rondo
ABOUT THE PROGRAM In today’s concert, we have two consummate masterpieces by two giants of the classical style: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 -1791) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 -1827). One marvels at the sublime power and inventiveness of these works given the fact that both were created during periods of considerable personal adversity for their composers. In the a remarkable period of only nine weeks during the summer of 1788, Mozart dashed off his three final symphonies: No. 39 in E-flat, No. 40 in G Minor, and No. 41 (“Jupiter”) in C Major. During this astonishingly short time period, Mozart created three full, fourmovement symphonies. Each is
a distinct individual masterpiece and all reside at the pinnacle of symphonic repertoire. Adding to the miraculous genesis of these symphonies is that fact that they were created during a period when Mozart was also dealing with an ailing wife, the management of a lavish life style on diminished fortunes, the recent death of a six-month-old daughter, a costly move to a new large Viennese apartment and the recent lackluster premier of his opera Don Giovanni. The second of these final three symphonies, No. 40, which we hear today, is, like Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, in the foreboding key of G minor and full of “sturm
Shunta Morimoto plays Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto and drang.” It is also the only one of the three final symphonies that Mozart was able to hear performed before his tragic and early death on December 5th, 1789. Mozart’s colleague and sometime rival, Viennese court Kapellmeister Antonio Salieri led two performances in Vienna in April of 1789. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 expresses a wide emotional range; from breathless and unsettling in the first movement, to somber and sensual in the second. The heavyfooted third movement minuet, has a lovely pastoral trio in G major and leads to the explosive final movement, full of wild contrasts, climbing figures, driving octaves and relentless momentum which decisively concludes the work. Beethoven’s fifth and final piano concerto, in the heroic key of E-flat was also created during a stressful time for its composer, the summer of 1809. In early May 1809, Napoleon’s army had attacked and besieged Vienna, forcing the entire Viennese court and aristocracy (including Beethoven’s friend, pupil and benefactor Archduke Rudolf) to flee, and along with them, went Beethoven’s only source of financial support. Beethoven stayed in Vienna during the bombardment and invasion. He took shelter in his brother’s cellar during the French assaults and reportedly wrapped his head and ears in blankets and pillows to protect what little remained of his hearing from the terrible cacophony of bombs. It was a
terrible time. He wrote that Vienna had become a city “filled with nothing but drums, canon and human misery of all sorts.” With the settling-in of the French occupation, Beethoven was finally able to leave Vienna late in the summer of 1809 for the countryside where he produced several masterpieces in the “heroic” key of E flat major: Piano Concerto No. 5, op. 73, the op. 74 “Harp” Quartet and the op. 81a “Farewell” Piano Sonata, which like the Fifth Piano Concerto is dedicated to Archduke Rudolf. A fascinating side note about the op. 73 concerto and the op. 81a Sonata is that early sketch versions of each exist with figured bass and other markings present, which indicate that Beethoven used these ‘new’ works as composition teaching materials for his student Archduke Rudolf. Though finished in 1809, the concerto’s eventual premiere was delayed by several factors. Beethoven was now too deaf to play the work himself and other pianists would need to learn it. He had, in fact, not written the solo part for himself but instead he wrote with the incredible virtuosity of the next generation of pianists, such as his pupil Carl Czerny, in mind. Even though an armistice had been signed and the aristocracy had returned by 1810, the streets of Vienna were still filled with French uniforms, and things were not back to normal musically. For these reasons, the premiere of the work finally
ABOUT THE PROGRAM took place in Leipzig in 1811 with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Friedrich Schneider at the piano. The first Viennese performance was in February 1812 with Beethoven’s amanuensis Carl Czerny as soloist. In this final piano concerto, as in the fourth concerto, Beethoven again tackles the problem of how best to start. In the fourth concerto, rather than starting with the conventional long orchestra exposition, Beethoven begins with a tender and gentle appeal from the solo piano. By contrast, the fifth concerto commences with massive orchestral chords in conversation with sweeping cadenza-like gestures from the solo piano. This sets up a bilateral dialogue between the soloist and orchestra which puts them on more or less equal footing which continues through the entire work. The grand first movement is the longest concerto movement he ever wrote and is full of huge contrasts, inventive solo piano writing and a number of ethereal orchestral effects to accompany the soloist. The second movement consists of a sublime and tender nocturne-like chorale in the orchestra interpolated with delicate interludes and elaborations from the solo piano. The theme is then twice-developed and the music fades to a single french horn note, which drops a semitone over which the piano quietly states of theme of the upcoming third movement in the slow tempo of the second. Suddenly the piano proclaims the
robust German dance theme of the last movement and a grand exuberant rondo follows and carries us to the end. This fifth and final piano concerto was given the nickname “Emperor” early in its history, likely by a publisher, not Beethoven. It is apt given that the concerto is in the heroic and royal key of E-flat major and also given the titanic, imperious, symphonic character of the piece. Program notes by Scott Dunn, January 3rd, 2024
Shunta Morimoto, piano Shunta Morimoto was born in Kyoto, Japan, in December 2004. From a very early age he showed his remarkable pianistic gifts. At the age of twelve, he won the prestigious First Prize of the Piano Teachers Association of Japan, as well as the Fukuda Scholarship Award, one of the most important prizes for a Japanese musician today. This Scholarship allowed him to study with some of the leading pianists and pedagogues in the world. He took part in the Van Cliburn Junior Competition in Dallas, Texas, in May 2019 to much public acclaim and his extraordinary performances went viral on the internet gaining him a large global following of admirers, musicians, and critics. Since then he has performed with leading chamber ensembles, musicians, and orchestras in Japan and abroad. In November 2021, the phenomenal success of his recital in the historic hall of Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome was one of the highlights of his early career. In February 2022, at the age of 17, from over 300 competitors, he was awarded unanimously the First Prize in the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, playing the Schumann Piano Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has given concerts in England, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, the USA and Japan, performing solo repertoire, chamber music and piano concertos.
In January 2023, he performed the Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Orange County, California, and also received The Parnassus Society Medal Award. He will perform four concerts this year with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in England, including his debut in London with this orchestra playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. In October 2023, He performed Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. He currently studies with Maestro William Grant Naboré at the world-famous International Piano Academy in Lake Como, Italy, and participates in the Masterclasses of the Academy as the youngest student in the history of this venerable institution. He has been awarded the Yamaha Scholarship for his studies at Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, where he is enrolled in the class of Piano Accompaniment with Maestro Giovanni Velluti. In Japan He studies with Prof. Shōhei Sekimoto with whom he has been studying since he was 8 years old.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS Scott Dunn, Conductor American conductor and pianist Scott Dunn – one of the most versatile and capable musicians of his generation – has appeared with the BBC, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg and Royal Philharmonics; the Vienna Radio (RSO) and BBC Concert Orchestras; the Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Sydney and Vancouver Symphonies; the Cleveland Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Orchestre National de Lyon; and numerous other distinguished ensembles and headliners. A noted interpreter of contemporary music and advocate for cross-over and film music, Dunn has given premieres of numerous works by the world’s most distinguished composers and appeared throughout the United States and Europe as conductor, recitalist and collaborator. Since his momentous 1999 Carnegie Hall debut playing his own orchestration of the ‘lost’ Vernon Duke Piano Concerto in C, Dunn has brought light to neglected works of composers ranging from Franco Alfano, Vernon Duke, and Duke Ellington to his mentors Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Lukas Foss, Leonard Rosenman and others. A pianist of great distinction, Dunn was a student of Byron Janis. Also an orchestrator of note, he is the principal conductor of the Parnassus Society and has served as
Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Hollywood Bowl Orchestra since 2007. Dunn is a Steinway Artist.
The Parnassus Society Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Tokita, founders of The Parnassus Society, are longtime patrons of the arts and dedicated cultural leaders in Orange County, California. The Tokitas’ passion for the arts encompasses everything from classical to jazz music, to contemporary and Eastern art. Dr. and Mrs. Tokita have traveled the globe experiencing the art of numerous cultures, and have amassed an exceptional private collection of works by internationally and locally renowned artists including over 150 paintings, drawings and prints by Los Angeles-based American artist, Ed Moses. Dr. and Mrs. Tokita have contributed their time and resources as board members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, founders of Chamber Music Orange County, and founders and directors of the Medici Foundation. Additionally, the Tokitas open their home to host solo and chamber music concerts performed by musical luminaries and young emerging artists alike. With the support of respected members of the local arts and academic community, Dr. and Mrs. Tokita continue their commitment to the growing cultural advancement of Orange County through The Parnassus Society, which was created to nurture the development and professional careers of promising young artists and musicians. Founder and President: Kenneth Tokita, M.D. Head of Administration: Diane Oshiro Artistic Director: Cheryl Lin Fielding Resident Conductor: Scott Dunn Orchestra Contractor: Zun-Hin Woo Orchestrator: David Carp Technical Advisor: Miles Shishido Website www.parnassussociety.org/ CONCESSIONS A wide variety of concessions will be available courtesy of the Parnassus Society at this concert.
UPCOMING
Parnassus Opera Donizetti - La Fille Du Régiment
(“Daughter of the Regiment”) Highlights SATURDAY, FEB 3, 2024, 3 PM SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER REGULAR: $25 - $65 | SENIOR (62+)/MILITARY: $22.50 - $58.50 FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS | Limit one free ticket per valid school ID FEATURED ARTISTS:
Lynette Tapia, Marie John Osborn, Tonio Mattia Venni, Sulpice Erin Theodorakis, La Marquise Ryan Reithmeier, Corporal
OCSA Classical Voice Conservatory Donizetti Chorus Parnassus Virtuosi Orchestra Kelly Kuo, Conductor
TICKETS & INFORMATION HERE
Presented by the Parnassus Society
soka.edu/pac tickets@soka.edu 949-480-4278
Grandi Voci:
Splendor of the Human Voice SATURDAY, MAR 23, 2024, 3 PM SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Join us for the vocal splendor that is Grandi Voci with opera stars: Milena Kitic, Nmon Ford and Bruce Sledge, with Cheryl Lin Fielding at the piano. Special appearance by the All-American Boys Chorus directed by Wes Martin. Don’t miss it!
REGULAR: $25 - $65 | SENIOR (62+)/MILITARY: $22.50 - $58.50 FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS | Limit one free ticket per valid school ID
TICKETS & INFORMATION HERE
Presented by the Parnassus Society
soka.edu/pac tickets@soka.edu 949-480-4278
Soka Performing Arts Center Mission Statement
Our mission is to Engage, Educate, and Elevate the Human Spirit Soka Performing Arts Center strives to elevate humanity through transcendent experiences. Come experience our exquisite acoustics. Come to expand your understanding and appreciation of music. Come to forge community and emotional connections through the shared experience of live music.
Listen. Feel. Transform.
ABOUT SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Soka Performing Arts Center is located on the beautiful hilltop campus of Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo. Our facility includes the 1,032seat Concert Hall featuring world-class acoustics designed by master acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others. We also have an intimate 350-seat Black Box Theatre that allows for multiple seating configurations including club seating with bistro tables. More than 750 performances have taken place since the center’s dedication on May 27, 2011. The 2023-24 season marks our twelfth season presenting first-class programming in our world-class concert hall. We are continuing to expand our programming and outreach with the addition of a Children’s Concert Series, Blues Festival, and the only Great Pianists Series on the West Coast. From classical and jazz to world and contemporary music, the Soka Performing Arts Center has become a prized space for artists and audiences alike. We are proud to be the home of the Pacific Symphony Chamber Orchestra. Our Sundays @ Soka Series with Pacific Symphony continues to be one of our most popular series year after year. Our presentations with other Orange County arts organizations have enabled us to reach further into our community to offer arts education and programming. Our partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County includes our PSOC Series, which brings superlative artists to our stage. We also partner with PSOC for our Outreach Program, bringing over 7,000 school children to Soka Performing Arts Center to experience live performances with outstanding musicians. With its world-class acoustics and first-class performances, Soka Performing Arts Center is quickly becoming one of the cultural jewels of Orange County.
SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DONORS
OUR SUPPORTERS
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($75,000+) Dr. Kenneth & Sandra Tokita Sam & Lyndie Ersan CONCERTMASTER ($10,000+) Ms. Emi Maeda STAGE CHAMPION ($5000+) Anonymous STAGE BENEFACTOR ($1000+) John and Sue Prange Terumi Saito Jochen Schumacher GOLD CLEF ($500+) Jeffrey Hendrix Jane A. Lynch Alex & Sandy Scott SILVER CLEF ($200+) Lorraine Leiser Anson and Marilyn Wong BRONZE CLEF ($25+) Raquel Bruno Sammy Chang Judy Kaufman Jeannette Pease Thomas Prigorac Jonia Suri Naomi Uchiyama Joseph Whitaker Joyce M Wrice Taro Yamanashi Anonymous
List current as of 09/29/2023 The Soka Performing Arts Center deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact Renee Bodie, General Manager at (949) 480-4821 to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.
CREATE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE
This season, we have made exciting updates to our subscription and renewal program, providing you with even more flexibility in our season packages*. With our enhanced program, you now have the power to curate your very own unique experience. • 15% Discount for a 3 performance package • 18% Discount for a 4 performance package • 20% Discount for a 5+ performance package *full details online at soka.edu/pac
OUR PARTNERS • Blueport Jazz • Philharmonic Society of Orange County • Pacific Symphony • San Diego Symphony • Parnassus Society
SOKA PAC MANAGEMENT TEAM Renée Bodie General Manager & Artistic Director John Morgan Box Office Manager Jarmil Maupin Technical Services Manager Jenski Nguyen Stage Manager Madeline Webb Lighting Technician Hiroyuki Connor Miki Internal Events Manager Jaime Spataro Marketing & Communications Manager Joe Nicholls Marketing & Communications Assistant Steve Baker Interim Production/House Manager
SokaPAC @SokaPAC SokaPerformingArtsCenter @SokaPAC Website soka.edu/pac
SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Soka Performing Arts Center resides on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America. We thank the SUA Board of Trustees and the SUA Leadership Council for all of their support.
SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Steve Dunham, JD Chair Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland Tariq Hasan, PhD Vice Chair Chief Executive Officer, SGIUSA | New York, New York Andrea Bartoli, PhD President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York Matilda Buck Benefactor | Los Angeles, California Lawrence E. Carter, Sr, PhD, DD, DH, DRS Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia Andy Firoved CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California Jason Goulah, PhD Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California Lawrence A. Hickman, PhD Director Emeritus, The Center for Dewey Studies and Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Carbondale, Illinois
Kris Knudsen, JD Attorney | Wilsonville, Oregon Karen Lewis, PhD Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Luis Nieves Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS Health Care Consultant, Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing | Corte Madera, California Adin Strauss General Director, Soka Gakkai International-USA | Santa Monica, California Yoshiki Tanigawa Benefactor, Soka Gakkai | Tokyo, Japan Edward M. Feasel, PhD President, Soka University of America (ex-officio member) | Aliso Viejo, California
SUA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
SUA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Edward M. Feasel, PhD President Chief Academic Officer Professor of Economics
M. Robert Hamersley, PhD Dean of Faculty Professor of Environmental Biogeochemistry
Archibald E. Asawa Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Chief Financial Officer Chief Investment Officer
Hyon J. Moon, EdD Dean of Students Title IX and Section 504 Deputy Coordinator for Students
Katherine M. King, PHR Executive Vice President of University Community Chief Human Resources Officer Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator for Faculty, Staff and Others Michael Weiner, PhD Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Professor of East Asian History & International Studies Kevin Moncrief, PhD Vice President for Mission Integration Bryan E. Penprase, PhD Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations Professor of Physics and Astronomy Tomoko Takahashi, PhD, EdD, LHD Vice President for Institutional Research and Assessment Dean of the Graduate School Professor of Linguistics and Education David Welch, JD Vice President University Counsel
Michelle Hobby-Mears, MBA Associate Dean of Students Director of Student Activities Andrew Woolsey, EdD Dean of Enrollment Services Martin Beck, MA Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications