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THE DONALD J. TRUMP AND JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

APRIL 29 & MAY 1, 2026 AT 7 P.M. | CONCERT HALL

Gianandrea Noseda, Music Director and Conductor

Erika Grimaldi, Soprano

Meryl Dominguez, Soprano

Agnieszka Rehlis, Mezzo-Soprano

Hakeem Henderson, Tenor

Gregory Kunde, Tenor

Roman Burdenko, Baritone

The Washington Chorus, Eugene Rogers, Artistic Director

GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858–1924)

Il trittico

Suor Angelica (1917)

INTERMISSION

Il tabarro (1913–16)

INTERMISSION

Gianni Schicchi (1917–1918)

Supertitles by Alexa Lietzow. The supertitles used in this production are owned by Houston Grand Opera: Khori Dastoor, General Director and CEO.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui

The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation Fund for the National Symphony Orchestra Noseda Era Fund Supporters The Amici di Gianandrea Cestone Family Foundation, Larry Driver, National Italian American Foundation

Patrons are requested to turn off cell phones and other electronic devices during the performance. Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

From the Music Director

Cari amici,

It is with immense joy and anticipation that I welcome you to the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th anniversary season. This moment is more than a milestone—it is a celebration of our deep musical legacy and a renewed commitment to bringing powerful, moving performances to our community and beyond. This is only the beginning. The 95th season is filled with musical discovery, celebrated artists, and unforgettable experiences.

This season features iconic works that have stood the test of time, from classic masterpieces to thrilling contemporary music. The NSO also has the opportunity to share the stage with an exceptional lineup of guest artists and conductors—beloved icons and rising stars alike. Performing new music is something the NSO truly believes in. Make history with us as we present innovative new works, including five world premieres.

I am deeply grateful to share this journey with you. Your presence in the Concert Hall is what brings our music fully to life. Thank you for being a part of the NSO family—for your passion, your applause, and your unwavering support.

Con tutto il cuore,

Gianandrea Noseda Music

Gianandrea Noseda

Director, National Symphony Orchestra

Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra

Che la musica vi porti gioia e ispirazione—may music bring you joy and inspiration.

The Program / The Cast

Suor Angelica

La Zia Principessa (her aunt)

La badessa (The Abbess)

La suora zelatrice (The Monitress)

La maestra delle novizie (The Mistress of the novices)

Suor Genovieffa

La suora infermiera (The nursing sister)

Suor Osmina

Suor Dolcina

La prima suora cercatrice (first alms sister)

La seconda suora cercatrice (second alms sister)

Una novizia (a novice)

La prima conversa (first lay sister)

La seconda conversa (second lay sister)

Il tabarro

Michele Giorgetta

Luigi

Talpa

La Frugola

Tinca

Un venditore di canzonette (a song seller)

Due amanti (two lovers)

Erika Grimaldi

Agnieszka Rehlis

Hannah Ludwig

Michelle Mariposa*

Anne Marie Stanley

Meryl Dominguez

Megan Moore

Lauren Carroll*

Anneliese Klenetsky*

Viviana Goodwin*

Veronica Siebert*

Lauren Carroll*

Viviana Goodwin*

Veronica Siebert*

Roman Burdenko

Erika Grimaldi

Gregory Kunde

Scott Wilde

Agnieszka Rehlis

Nicholas Huff*

Randy Ho

Meryl Dominguez

Nicholas Huff*

Gianni Schicchi

Lauretta

Zita

Rinuccio

Nella

Simone

Gherardo

Gherardino

Betto di Signa

Marco

La Ciesca

Maestro Spinelloccio

Ser Amantio di Nicolao

Pinellino

Guccio

Roman Burdenko

Erika Grimaldi

Agnieszka Rehlis

Hakeem Henderson*

Meryl Dominguez

Scott Wilde

Randy Ho

Veronica Siebert*

Thandolwethu Mamba*

Jonathan Patton

Michelle Mariposa*

Chandler Benn*

Robert Frazier*

Atticus Rego*

*Member of the Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artists Program

With special thanks to Christopher Cano, Director; Caitlin Oldham, Assistant Manager; and Ken Weiss, Principal Coach.

Notes on the Program

As early as 1912, Giacomo Puccini thought about an evening of three one-act operas, a “triptych.” It didn’t take him long to find his first subject, the shadowy story of jealousy along the Seine that would become Il tabarro (The Cloak), but the next two eluded him. With growing frustration, he read through and discarded numerous plays until the young Italian playwright Giovacchino Forzano presented him with two viable plots: an original sketch with an allfemale cast for a one-act play set in a convent, and a scenario based on a few lines in Dante’s Inferno about Gianni Schicchi, a Florentine con artist.

As Puccini wrote to librettist Giuseppe Adami, “The difficulty for me is to begin an opera, that is, to find its musical atmosphere.” Il trittico speaks truth to Puccini’s artistic creed like no other work in his oeuvre; each tableau in no way resembles another, musically or dramatically. Three individual stories reside within three unique sound worlds: the austerity of stone convent walls in Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica), the undulations of the Seine in Il tabarro, and the jubilant, speed-driven comic action in Gianni Schicchi. The audience would gasp in horror, weep in despair, and laugh in delight.

Suor Angelica GIACOMO PUCCINI

Born December 22, 1858, in Lucca, Italy. Died November 29, 1924, in Brussels, Belgium.

Giovacchino Forzano’s libretto for Suor Angelica is divided into seven titled scenes: The Prayer, The Penances, The Recreation, The Return from the Quest, The Princess, The Grace, and The Miracle. Together, these sections unfold a tragic tale: the revelation of Angelica’s sin, her devastating loss, her suicide, and the miracle that saves her. Chimes and muted strings introduce a series of short tableaux depicting convent life, followed by a radical shift in mood with the arrival of the Zia Principessa (Princess Aunt), whose harsh condemnation of Angelica and shocking disclosure ignite the beginning of the end.

Their conversation is confidential, but also suffocating and oppressive. Puccini intended the pace to be glacial, yet intense. In a letter from 1918 to his publisher, Tito Ricordi, Puccini included a lengthy account of the Principessa’s entrance. The composer emphasized her slow gait, icy demeanor, and immutable demand that Angelica repent for the sin of bearing an illegitimate child—relinquishing any claim on the family estate and allowing her sister to marry.

Puccini cast the Principessa as a contralto, a voice type outside his norm; there is no comparable major role anywhere else in his oeuvre. The dark vocal sonority of the backstairs exchange between noblewoman and nun is paralleled in the orchestra, beginning with what Puccini called the Principessa’s sinister “ritornello,” which is heard before she is seen. In voce cupa (covered voice, somberly), she establishes her position of power in a series of distant, expressionless, and appropriately hushed phrases. Angelica’s cries pierce the

quiet, a reaction to the news of her son’s death. The orchestra takes over as she signs the document, and the Principessa leaves without another word. Angelica, now alone, collapses into “Senza mamma,” the most well-known piece of the opera and one guaranteed to elicit tears. What follows is a somber scene, supported by the orchestra and offstage instruments, including two pianos, organ, trumpets, bells, and cymbals. Angelica gathers herbs to mix a poison, recoils in fear of damnation, and begs for deliverance; the drama moves quickly from despair to suicide to redemption. An offstage chorus sings “Salve Maria,” as Angelica envisions the Virgin Mary and her son in the glow of heavenly light. Puccini erases all sin (and chromaticism) with a turn to C major, which dissolves slowly and softly into the ether.

Il tabarro

GIACOMO PUCCINI

Between La fanciulla del West (1910) and La rondine (1915), Puccini took a trip to Paris, where he saw Didier Gold’s one-act play, La Houppelande (The Cloak), and was deeply impressed by its intense passion, not to mention its enormous possibilities for colorful music and scene design. He immediately wrote to Luigi Illica (librettist alongside Giuseppe Giacosa for La bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly), “[Gold’s play] is an apache subject in every sense of the word, almost, and not just almost Grand Guignol. But that doesn’t matter. I like it, and it seems to me highly effective.”

The French ideas of apache and Grand Guignol are key to understanding Puccini’s desire to open the evening with something different, jolting—both words connect to violent spheres. Apache recalls early 20th-century Parisian street gangs as well as a dramatic, even animalistic, genre of dancing. Grand Guignol was the name of a Parisian theater (1897–1962) known for its horror shows and graphic depictions of brutality.

Il tabarro, with a libretto by Giuseppe Adami, is an extremely compact work with the explosive conclusion of a tale that has already unraveled by the time the curtain rises. The death of a child and an overwrought, risky, and illicit love affair loom over this final chapter of a May–December marriage turned bitter. The opera begins at sunset, at the end of a working day; stevedores unload the cargo of Michele’s barge, which has finally reached Paris. The workers chat, drink, and entertain themselves in a distraction from what is to be revealed: Michele’s wife Giorgetta has been sleeping with Luigi on the boat, quite literally under her husband’s nose. Michele knows that Giorgetta has been unfaithful, but with whom? In the lengthiest solo in the opera, a stream-of-consciousness soliloquy that seesaws between whisper and shout, he considers the possibilities and envisions “crushing” him. The ending is swift: Michele strangles Luigi, hides the corpse under his cloak, and shoves his wife’s face in it. Curtain.

For Il tabarro, Puccini demanded a claustrophobic, monotonous ambience that forced his three main characters into close quarters. He defined the musical

Notes on the Program

atmosphere through three recurring motives, clearly understood to represent the river, the cloak, and fate. The opera packs a punch, and Puccini knew early on that it would need a “chaser,” as he explained to Illica, “This splash of red [must be counterbalanced] with something absolutely different; that’s what I’m looking for: something that will be somewhat elevated, and give me an opportunity to write music that will take wing.” That wish was realized in Suor Angelica.

Gianni Schicchi GIACOMO PUCCINI

Gianni Schicchi, according to Dante in his Inferno, was a real person who swindled his friends and relatives and, thus, was sent to one of the deepest levels of hell: the eighth circle, reserved for liars and traitors. Dante encounters Schicchi and learns that the Florentine impersonated the wealthy Buoso Donati in order to steal his estate for himself. The author vividly describes Schicchi’s punishment in Canto XXX: he is eternally doomed to act as a mad animal, “gnarling wildly,” “scampering like a swine” let loose to sink his “fangs” into the necks of other deceivers and cheats.

Not exactly the stuff of comedy, is it? Yet, librettist Giovacchino Forzano kneaded what seems impossibly awful, even terrifying material into a satire with an abundance of charm, laughter, and happy resolution. There is remarkable specificity in the libretto: the year is exactly 1299, the place is Florence, the time is 9:00 in the morning, and the precise age of each character is provided in the dramatis personae. The one and only set is Buoso Donati’s bedroom.

For an opera that lasts for barely an hour, Gianni Schicchi has loads of action divided among 10 characters (if Buoso Donati’s corpse is counted). How did Puccini manage to pack so much onto what is, in operatic terms, the head of a pin? Answer: with the utmost speed. Buoso has died, and his body is barely cold when the relatives surrounding his deathbed begin to worry and quarrel over what might be in Buoso’s will—who will get what? They tear the house apart searching for the will, which reveals their worst fears: he has left his considerable fortune to the friars. Can anything be done? The answer lies in the clever machinations of Gianni Schicchi, who, hiding behind the bed curtains, mimics the voice of an apparently still-living Buoso, and dictates a new will to a notary. Each relative receives a piece, but Schicchi gives himself the lion’s share.

A large orchestra supports the entire structure from start to finish, unfurling sequences of short but memorable themes and simple musical gestures heard in both solo instruments and voices. A significant component of the overall sonority of the opera is its ingenious variety of vocal sounds—plenty of speaking and shouting in addition to singing. Overall, the repartee is fast and the tempos brisk. The curtain rises with an upward orchestral swoop, revealing the mourning Donati relatives collectively sobbing—heavy, unpitched sighs, more akin to groans. Puccini actually wrote the lines into his music score by

eliminating note heads and drawing downward ‘slurs’ attached to stems. The opera is through-composed and almost completely lacking traditional pauses in the action, moments of reflection like arias. There is one show-stopper, however, which survives as a recital piece and in numerous film scores: the lovely “O mio babbino caro” (“Oh dearest daddy”), in which Lauretta begs her father (Schicchi) to allow her to marry Rinuccio, a Donati family member.

At the end, Schicchi sweeps the Donati relatives out of “his” home, as they cry, “Thief! Plunderer! Scoundrel! Traitor!” Peace at last. Doors are thrown open to reveal a spectacular view of Florence—and the lovers, Lauretta and Rinuccio— bathed in sunlight. Schicchi smiles at them, turns to the audience, and begs forgiveness (in a speaking voice, by the Kenneth Chalmers translation):

“Tell me, ladies and gentlemen, if Buoso’s money could have had a better end than this.

For this prank they sent me to hell, and so be it; but, with the permission of the great old man Dante, If you’ve been entertained this evening, Allow me extenuating circumstances.

(He claps his hands, bows, and greets the audience).”

Curtain.

Meet the Artists

Gianandrea Noseda, conductor

Gianandrea

Noseda is one of the world’s most soughtafter conductors, equally recognized for his artistry in both the concert hall and opera house. Noseda is in his ninth season as Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., where his leadership has inspired and reinvigorated the ensemble. The renewed artistic recognition and critical acclaim have led to invitations to Carnegie Hall and international concert halls, as well as digital streaming and a record label distributed by LSO Live, for which Noseda also records as principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Noseda became General Music Director of the Zurich Opera House in September 2021 and reached an important milestone in May 2024, conducting two highly praised complete Ring Cycles. He was recognized as “Best Conductor” by the jury of the German Oper! Awards, specifically for his Wagner interpretations. Noseda and the Zurich Opera will make history in March 2027 when Carnegie Hall presents them in the legendary hall’s first-ever “Ring” Cycle.

Noseda’s discography of over 80 recordings includes dozens of critically acclaimed albums with a wide range of orchestras and repertoire for various labels, including Deutsche Grammophon and Chandos.

Noseda has conducted the most important international orchestras, opera houses, and festivals, and had significant roles at the BBC

Philharmonic (chief conductor), Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (principal guest conductor), Mariinsky Theatre (principal guest conductor), Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI (principal guest conductor), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Victor de Sabata Chair), Rotterdam Philharmonic (principal guest conductor), and Stresa Festival (artistic director). From 2007–2018, Noseda served as Music Director of the Teatro Regio Torino, where his leadership marked the opera house’s golden era.

Working with the next generation of musicians is important to Noseda, and in the summer of 2025, he led a tour of major concert halls in China, Korea, and Japan with Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the USA. In 2019, he was appointed the founding Music Director of the Tsinandali Festival and Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra in the village of Tsinandali, Georgia.

In autumn 2025, The Noseda Effect, a documentary about Noseda’s life and artistry, was released and is available on streaming services, including Carnegie Hall+, medici.tv, and Mezzo.

A native of Milan, Noseda is Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, marking his contribution to the artistic life of Italy. He has been honored as Conductor of the Year by both Musical America and the International Opera Awards. He is also a recipient of the Puccini Award, whose past recipients include legendary opera stars Maria Callas, Birgit Nilsson, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Erika Grimaldi, soprano

Born in Asti, Erika Grimaldi earned diplomas in piano and voice from the Conservatory of Turin and made her stage debut at the age of 18 as Serpina in La serva padrona.

She has since appeared at major houses and festivals, including Teatro alla Scala, San Francisco Opera, the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hong Kong Opera, Rome Opera, and the Edinburgh International Festival, performing roles such as the protagonist of Giovanna d’Arco, Amelia Grimaldi in Simon Boccanegra, Mathilde in Guillaume Tell, and Nedda in Pagliacci. She made her debut at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 2008 as Mimì in La bohème and has returned regularly in productions such as Le nozze di Figaro (Countess), Guillaume Tell (Mathilde), Turandot (Liù), Pagliacci (Nedda), Otello (Desdemona), Il matrimonio segreto (Elisetta), Simon Boccanegra, Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), La donna serpente, and Carmen (Micaëla). In recent seasons, Grimaldi has expanded her repertoire with a number of major lirico spinto roles. Following her role debut as Maddalena in Andrea Chénier (Bologna and Zurich), she added the Puccini heroines Manon Lescaut (Bologna, Turin, Zurich), Tosca (Las Palmas, Parma, Torre del Lago), and Madama Butterfly (Santiago de Chile), for which she received the 2025 Award from the Círculo de Críticos de Arte de Chile. Verdi role debuts include Leonora in Il trovatore (Auckland, Genoa) and La forza del destino (Bologna), the title

role in Aida (Turin), Amelia in Un ballo in maschera (Zurich), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth, Seoul), and Abigaille in Nabucco (Bonn).

In addition to her appearances as Giorgetta, Suor Angelica, and Nella in Il trittico with the National Symphony Orchestra, upcoming engagements include her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Mimì in La bohème, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera at the Edinburgh International Festival with Opernhaus Zürich and at the Teatre Principal de Maó, the title role of Tosca at Oper Bonn, and the title role of Madama Butterfly in Auckland.

Grimaldi has worked with conductors including Roberto Abbado, Marco Armiliato, Andrea Battistoni, Daniele Callegari, Riccardo Chailly, Nicola Luisotti, Oksana Lyniv, Riccardo Muti, Gianandrea Noseda, Daniel Oren, Renato Palumbo, Daniele Rustioni, and Emmanuel Villaume.

Agnieszka Rehlis, mezzo-soprano

2022 Gloria Artis award winner Agnieszka Rehlis’s 2025–2026 season features her appearances at the Washington National Opera as Amneris (Aida) and Liza in Weinberg’s The Passenger at the Polish National Opera. On the concert stage this season, she sings Rossini’s Stabat mater at Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Szymanowski’s Stabat mater with RundfunkSinfonieorchester Berlin and with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Verdi’s Requiem at Müpa Budapest and Opernhaus Zürich, and Il trittico in concert with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Trump Kennedy

Meet the Artists

Center.

Last season saw her return to the Royal Opera House and debut with Staatsoper Berlin as Azucena (Il trovatore), as well as appearances as Amneris (Aida) at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Arena di Verona and as Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera) at the Royal Opera House Muscat and Opernhaus Zürich.

An accomplished performer of modern music, she has performed in concert works composed and conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki, participated in the world premiere of his Symphony No. 8, “Lieder der Vergänglichkeit,” and is featured in the Grammy Award®–winning recording of Penderecki conducts Penderecki.

Roman Burdenko, baritone

Born in Russia, Roman Burdenko is one of today’s most exciting baritones on the international stage. Invited to the world’s most prestigious theatre stages, Roman regularly appears at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Arena di Verona.

Highlights in the 2025–2026 season are Macbeth in Zurich, Andrea Chénier at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence and in Amsterdam, and Otello at the Opera Royal de Wallonie in Liège.

Roman’s 2023–2024 season started with Tosca at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma on tour in Japan, conducted by Michele Mariotti. He returned to La

Scala for a new production of L’amore dei tre re, followed by Cavalleria and Pagliacci later in the season. At the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Roman appeared in the title role of Rigoletto and at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in Pique Dame. He also returned to the role of Jago in Verdi’s Otello with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Highlights of recent seasons include Rigoletto, Il tabarro, and Aida at the Paris Opera; Pagliacci at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Tosca and Macbeth at the Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper of Berlin, and Il trittico at Teatro Verdi in Trieste, and Aida at the Metropolitan Opera.

Among the international awards that Roman has received are the first prize at the Competizione dell’Opera International Competition in Moscow in 2011, the second prize at the Concours de Chant Lyrique LongThibaud-Crespin in Paris in 2011, the third prize in the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition in Beijing in 2012, and the second prize in the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Amsterdam in 2013.

Gregory Kunde, tenor

American tenor Gregory Kunde is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished singers on today’s international opera stage. Across an illustrious 40year career, he has appeared at many of the world’s leading opera houses, continuing to expand his repertoire with new role debuts while collaborating with eminent conductors and orchestras.

Highlights of the 2025–2026 season

include returns to major European houses, performing Osaka in Mascagni’s Iris at Teatro Real Madrid, Radamès in Verdi’s Aida at the Paris Opera, and the title role in Verdi’s Otello at Teatro Massimo Bellini. He also appears in the title role of Verdi’s Stiffelio in Piacenza, Modena, and Reggio Emilia; makes his role debut as Oebalus in Mozart’s Die Grosse Stille in Hamburg; and sings Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot in Valencia. In autumn 2026, he returns to Teatro La Fenice as Canio in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. On the concert platform, he presents gala performances in China, including a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti in collaboration with Shanghai Opera. Recent seasons have seen Kunde make significant role debuts, including Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West and Captain Vere in Britten’s Billy Budd. His wide-ranging repertoire encompasses leading roles performed at houses such as the Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Initially celebrated for his interpretations of French and Italian bel canto repertoire, Kunde has become a leading exponent of Verdi’s dramatic roles. Since his debut as Otello in 2012, he has performed the role worldwide, achieving the rare distinction of being the only tenor to perform both Rossini’s and Verdi’s Otello in the same seasons.

Alongside his operatic career, Kunde maintains an active concert schedule. Recent highlights include performances of his new jazz project entitled Then and Now in a series of concerts in London and Japan, solo opera galas in Malta and Gran Canaria, Verdi’s Requiem with Deutsches SymphonieOrchester Berlin and conductor Eva Ollikainen, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Sofia Opera and Ballet and conductor Daniel Oren. Recently appointed as Patron and Mentor of the International Opera Studio at Hamburg

State Opera, Kunde works regularly with students and young artists.

National Symphony Orchestra

The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Gianandrea Noseda serves as the orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders: Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Antal Doráti, Howard Mitchell, and Hans Kindler. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke.

Since its founding in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has performed since the Center opened in 1971. The 96-member NSO participates in events of national and international importance, including the annual nationally televised concerts on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, livestreamed performances on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA Classical 90.9 FM.

Meet the Artists

by Gustav Mahler and William Grant Still, as well as Samuel Barber’s opera Vanessa.

The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, and career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuition-free Summer Music Institute.

The Washington Chorus

The Washington Chorus is one of the foremost symphonic choruses in the nation and a cultural leader in our nation’s capital, creating transformative choral music since 1961. A three-time nominated and two-time Grammy Award® winner, the 220-voice Chorus presents performances annually at the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Music Center at Strathmore, and the National Presbyterian Church. These programs, including the Chorus’ beloved annual production of A Candlelight Christmas, are dedicated to reimagining beloved classics, commissioning new works, and uncovering lost or overlooked masterpieces. Since 2022, TWC has also partnered with the National Philharmonic to present an annual collaboration at Strathmore to further those efforts.

TWC was the first major Washington area chorus to be founded independent of a church or college. In 1961, Hugh Hayward, a medical doctor and classically trained musician, founded the Oratorio Society of Montgomery County, which became known as the Oratorio Society of Washington, and is now celebrated under the name of The Washington Chorus. In 1971, Robert Shafer succeeded Hayward as music director, leading the chorus for more than three decades with

great distinction, including two Grammy Awards®. From 2008 to 2017, Julian Wachner led the organization with education and innovation at the forefront of his programs. Christopher Bell brought unparalleled attention to precision and clarity to the ensemble with his trademark flair during his tenure as Artistic Director from 2017 to 2020.

The Chorus’ fifth Artistic Director, Eugene Rogers, is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed nextgeneration conductors and musical thought leaders today working at the intersection of classical music and social change.

Chorus America, the national association for choruses, has honored The Washington Chorus with the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence and the ASCAP Alice Parker Award, which recognizes a chorus programming significant, recently-composed music that expands the mission of the chorus and challenges audiences in new ways. Other awards include the 2000 Grammy Award® for Best Choral Performance for the live-performance recording of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem and a 1996 Grammy Award® for John Corigliano’s Of Rage and Remembrance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin.

Eugene Rogers, director

Lauded for leading performances of “pure magic” (Washington Post), conductor Eugene Rogers is at the vanguard of American musicians, recognized for his musical

and educational leadership around the world. Rogers is a committed conductor, teacher, arranger, and industry thought leader, championing timely new works, bringing historically overlooked music to life, and supporting next-generation talents.

Rogers is a two-time Michigan Emmy Award® winner, a 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient, and a 2025 Grammy Award® nominee. Musical America magazine has named him one of the top music industry professionals, and his work has been profiled on CNN and PBS, as well as on radio stations and in print and online publications across the world.

Since 2020, Rogers has served as Artistic Director of The Washington Chorus. He is also the Founding Director for EXIGENCE, a professional vocal ensemble affiliated with the world-renowned Sphinx Organization. Alongside his own appearances as guest conductor for orchestra, chorus, and opera, he has also proudly acted as chorus master to leading conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Marin Alsop, Joe Hisaishi, and James Conlon.

Rogers is an Associate Professor of Music and the Director of University Choirs at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. He currently serves on the board of Chorus America and is the former national chair of the Diversity Initiatives Committee for the American Choral Directors Association. Rogers is also active as an arranger, with publications including the Eugene Rogers Choral Series and the EXIGENCE Choral Series for Mark Foster Publishing.

National Symphony Orchestra

The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Gianandrea Noseda serves

as the orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders: Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Antal Doráti, Howard Mitchell, and Hans Kindler. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke.

Since launching its eponymous recording label in 2020, the NSO has embarked on ambitious recording projects, including its first complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the release of the first-ever cycle of George Walker’s Sinfonias, both led by Noseda. Recent projects include Four Symphonic Works by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon conducted by Noseda, and William Shatner’s So Fragile, So Blue, recorded live in the Concert Hall with the NSO under Steven Reineke. Forthcoming releases with Gianandrea Noseda include music by Gustav Mahler and William Grant Still, as well as Samuel Barber’s opera Vanessa. The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, and career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuitionfree Summer Music Institute.

Symphony

Loud and Clear

Terms to know in the Concert Hall, loosely defined.

An extended work with multiple sections—typically four movements.

A “symphonic” piece is a long piece with multiple interpretations of a musical idea. A repeated, transformed musical idea is called a theme.

Orchestra

A group of musicians who play together.

In the Western European tradition, an orchestra often includes the four major instrument families—brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. An especially large orchestra is called a symphony orchestra. A smaller orchestra is called a chamber orchestra

Movement

A section of a musical work. Movements are often separated by silences, and they typically differ in tempo—speed.

Opera

A musical play with singers who perform a staged version of the dramatic text—the libretto.

Sonata

Originally, a musical composition played on instruments. In modern usage, “sonata” can mean a piece for a soloist or an ensemble, often with two to four movements.

If a work or a movement is written in sonata form, it is structured in three sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation.

Concerto

A piece pairing a technically advanced soloist with the support of an orchestra, usually in three movements. Though there may be multiple soloists, the contrast between a larger ensemble and a soloing group defines a concerto.

Tone poem

An orchestral piece meant to convey a non-musical subject such as an art piece, landscape, story, or mood.

Rhapsody

A one-movement composition without a strict formal structure. Rhapsodies often include improvisation and evocative contrasts.

Counterpoint

The interaction of multiple melodies to create a larger musical product.

Tempo Markings

Adagio - slow, at ease

Andante - moderately slow, walking pace

Moderato - moderate

Allegretto - slightly slower than allegro

Allegro - fast, bright

Vivace - fast, lively

Additional Markings

Non tanto - not as much

Ma non troppo - but not too much

Molto - very

Con delicatezza - with delicacy

Cantabile - in a singing style

Scherzo - a fast, playful section

National Symphony Orchestra

GIANANDREA NOSEDA , MUSIC DIRECTOR

The Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Chair

STEVEN REINEKE , PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC ADVISOR

VIOLINS

Nurit Bar-Josef, Concertmaster

Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster, The Jeanne Weaver Ruesch Chair

Ricardo Cyncynates, Assistant Concertmaster

Xiaoxuan Shi, Second Assistant Concertmaster

Jane Bowyer Stewart

Heather LeDoux Green

Lisa-Beth Lambert

Jing Qiao

Marina Aikawa

Peiming Lin

Derek Powell

Regino Madrid**

Meredith Riley**

Susan Midkiff**

Marissa Regni, Principal

Dayna Hepler, Assistant Principal

Cynthia R. Finks

Deanna Lee Bien

Glenn Donnellan

Natasha Bogachek

Carole Tafoya Evans

Jae-Yeon Kim

Wanzhen Li

Hanna Lee

Benjamin Scott

Malorie Blake Shin

Angelia Cho

Kei Sugiyama**

VIOLAS

Daniel Foster, Principal, The Mrs. John Dimick Chair

Dana Kelley, Assistant Principal

Denise Wilkinson

Nancy Thomas

Jennifer Mondie

Tsuna Sakamoto

Ruth Wicker

Mahoko Eguchi

Abigail Evans Kreuzer

Rebecca Epperson

Jacob Shack

Chiara Dieguez**

CELLOS

David Hardy, Principal, The Hans Kindler Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Raymond Tsai, Assistant Principal

David Teie

Rachel Young

Mark Evans

Eugena Chang Riley

Loewi Lin

Britton Riley

Noah Krauss

BASSES

Robert Oppelt, Principal

Richard Barber, Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Weisner

Ira Gold

Paul DeNola

Charles Nilles

Alexander Jacobsen

Michael Marks

HARP

Adriana Horne, Principal

FLUTES

Aaron Goldman, Principal

Leah Arsenault Barrick, Assistant Principal

Matthew Ross

Carole Bean, Piccolo

OBOES

Nicholas Stovall, Principal, The Volunteer Council Chair

Jamie Roberts, Assistant Principal

Harrison Linsey***

Kathryn Meany Wilson***, English Horn

CLARINETS

Lin Ma, Principal

Eugene Mondie, Assistant Principal

Paul Cigan

Peter Cain, Bass Clarinet

BASSOONS

Sue Heineman, Principal

David Young, Assistant Principal

Steven Wilson

Sean Gordon, Contrabassoon

HORNS

Abel Pereira, Principal, The National Trustees’ Chair

James Nickel, Acting Associate Principal

Markus Osterlund***

Scott Fearing

Robert Rearden

Geoffrey Pilkington**

TRUMPETS

William Gerlach, Principal, The Howard Mitchell Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Michael Harper, Assistant Principal

Michail Thompson

Tom Cupples

TROMBONES

Craig Mulcahy, Principal

Evan Williams, Assistant Principal

David Murray

Matthew Guilford, Bass Trombone

TUBA

Seth Cook**, Acting Principal

TIMPANI

Jauvon Gilliam, Principal, The Marion E. Glover Chair

Scott Christian, Assistant Principal

PERCUSSION

Eric Shin, Principal, The Hechinger Foundation Chair

Erin Dowrey, Assistant Principal

Scott Christian

Jason Niehoff*

KEYBOARD

Lisa Emenheiser*

ORGAN

William Neil*

LIBRARIANS

Elizabeth Cusato Schnobrick, Principal

Zen Stokdyk, Associate

Karen Lee, Assistant

PERSONNEL

Karyn Garvin, Director

Brooke Bartolome, Manager

Sufyan Naaman**, Coordinator

STAGE MANAGERS

David Langrell, Manager

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Manager

The National Symphony Orchestra uses a system of revolving strings. In each string section, untitled members are listed in order of length of service.

*Regularly Engaged Extra Musician ** Temporary Position

***Leave of Absence

National Symphony Orchestra Staff

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Nigel Boon, Vice President, Artistic Planning & Co-interim Executive Director

John Roloff, Vice President, Operations & Co-interim Executive Director

Kasama Apfelbaum, Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis

Sabryn McDonald, Executive Assistant

ARTISTIC PLANNING

Justin Ellis, Senior Producing Director

Ana Vashakmadze, Assistant Artistic Administrator

DEVELOPMENT

Laney Pleasanton, Manager of Individual Giving

Pamela Wardell, Senior Director of Development

EDUCATION

Vanessa Thomas, Director of Education Activation & Engagements

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Eric Rubio, Director of Finance & Administration

HUMAN RESOURCES

Tony Amato, Director, Total Rewards

Chanel Kemp, Talent Acquisition Manager

Patrice McNeill, Director, HR Operations

Lisa Motti, HRIS Coordinator

Ericka Parham, Benefits Analyst

John Sanford, Senior Business Partner

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Michael Granados, Marketing Manager, NSO, Fortas & New Music

Lily Maroni, Senior Manager, Advertising Communications

Ada Morrison, Director, Marketing & Sales Analytics

Derek Younger, Director, Sales & Ticketing Service

ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS & CONCERT PRODUCTION

Brooke Bartolome, Orchestra Personnel and Operations Manager

Joseph Benitez, Media & OPAS Support Coordinator

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Stage Manager

Cayley Carroll, Director, Production & Orchestra Operations

Karyn Garvin, Director of Orchestra Personnel

David Langrell, Stage Manager

Sufyan Naaman, Operations and Auditions Coordinator

Ava Yap, Operations Assistant

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Amanda Fischer, Deputy Director of Public Relations

Kennedy Center Staff

Trump Kennedy Center Staff

KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing

Chief

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Ambassador Richard Grenell

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Chief

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Donna Arduin

General

General Counsel

Berke

Donna Arduin General Counsel

Berke

Senior Vice President, Development

Dale

Senior Vice President, Development

Vice

Dale

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Osborne

Senior Vice President,

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Senior

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Osborne

Senior Vice President, Special

Senior Vice President, Special Events

Vice

Senior Vice President, Special Events

Donlon

Vice President, Human

Vice President,

Vice President, Human

Senior

Vice President, Human Ta’Sha Bowens

Vice President, Operations

Vice President,

Vice

Vice President, Operations

Vice

Vice President,

Vice President, Education

Vice President,

Vice President, Education

Chief

Vice

Vice President, Public Relations

Vice President,

Vice President, Public Relations

Chief

Chief Information

Chief Information Officer

Chief

Executive Director, National

Executive

Executive Director, National

Executive Director, National Symphony

Executive Director,

General Director, Washington National

General

General Director, Washington

Concert Hall Staff

Theater Manager

Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Theater Manager

Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Box Office Treasurer

Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Head Usher

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Head Usher

Stage Crew

Cathy Crocker

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Cathy Crocker

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Stage Crew

Stage Crew Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Stage Crew Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Zach Boutilier, Chandler Bryant, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano

*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Trump Kennedy Center.

Steinway Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The box office at the Trump Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The technicians at the Trump Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E. AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E. AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.

The American Guild Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington,

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.

Thank You to Our Supporters

National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors

Officers

Joan Bialek, Chair

Ashley Davis, Vice Chair

Stanley Pierre-Louis, Treasurer

Brian Boyle, Secretary

Executive Committee

Carl Bergeron, Chair, Pension Committee

Brian Boyle, Co-Chair, Development Committee

Ashley Davis, Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee

Shannon McCormick Davis, Co-Chair, Development Committee

Ronald D. Abramson

Anne K. Altman

Michael F. Brewer

Jean Davidson, ex officio

Barbara H. Franklin

Directors

Ernest Abbott

Andrita J. Andreas

Katherine Armstrong

Jane Lipton Cafritz

Ronya Corey

Pierre de Lucy

Debbie Driesman

Larry Driver

William Finnerty

Brian L. Gevry

David Ginsberg

Cindy Green

Thomas C. Green

Kathryn Jones

Christina Co Mather

Michael Mayton

Richard Moxley

Stephanie Guyett

Dana Hearn

Daniel Heider

Helen Jackson

Ann D. Jordan, Lifetime Dir.

Vlad Khomenko

Gerald L. Kohlenberger, ex officio

Michael Lipsitz

Jan M. Lodal

Timothy R. Lowery

Katherine Marshall

Heidi Narang

Michael Salzberg

Roger W. Sant

Susan Silverstein Scott

Tina B. Small

David B. Novy

Cathy McCulloch

Sarah Mills

Jeanne Weaver Ruesch

Sheryl Schwartz

Jeffrey M. Senger

Jeff Shockey

Raghu Srinivasan

Courtney Straus

Meaghan VerGow

Stuart Winston

National Symphony Orchestra National Trustees

Officers

Gerald L. Kohlenberger, VA, Chairman

Ross Ain, DC, Vice Chairman

Ken Leibowitz, DC, Vice President of Membership

Purvi Patel Albers, TX, Vice President of Development

Jeannette J. Segel, AZ, Vice President of Special Events & Meetings

Members

Susan Ain, FL

Ralph Baxter, WV

Jeri Crawford, NV

Nancy Jean Davis, FL

Gail Charnley Elliott, CT

Glenn Finch, VA

Mary Galvin, IL

Larry Kellogg, FL

Ex-Officio Positions

Michael Mayton, AR, Past Chairman

Jessine Monaghan, DC, Past Chairman

Mary K. Abercrombie, ID, Past Chairman

Laura Kerr-Engstrom, OK

Tom Mims, FL

The Rostropovich Legacy Guild

Theresa Thompson, VA

James Ward, NM

John Wohlstetter, SC

Stephen T. Young, GA

Members of the Rostropovich Legacy Guild have designated future gifts to support the National Symphony Orchestra’s artistic, educational, and community programs. The Guild honors cellist and former Music Director Mstislav Rostropovich, whose legacy continues to inspire the NSO.

Anonymous (4)

Patty Perkins Andringa

Rebecca J. Ault Trust

Mavis A. Walters and Thomas A. Baxter†

Michael D. Bolden

Dr. and Mrs. William P. Brose

John Cahill

Julia A. Carr

James M. Compton, Col USA (Ret)†

Mrs. Jane L. Donaghy

Christine M. Feinthel

Eleanor and Thomas W. Fina

Mrs. Nancy M. Folger

George† and Duffy† Ftikas

Olga M. Gazda

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey A. Gorman

Mrs. Susan D. Hamburger

Rodney† and Anne Haugh

Dana A. Hearn and Kevin J. McCloskey

Maria C. Higgins

Carla H. Jones-Batka

Maria and Stephen Lans

Virginia Cretella Mars

Catherine H. and Michael R. Mayton

Dr. and Dr. Omar Mazzoni

Patricia Morton†

Mrs. William E. Naylor, Jr.†

Phylliscity and John Oliff

Mr. Theodore C. Panglao

William and Cathy Pastor

Mr. W. Larz Pearson

Steven C. Price

Francis H. Rasmus

Ms. Jennifer Renner

Helen I. Rickels†

Mrs. George W. Riesz

Dr. Ann H. Rose

Carol Ruppel

Rita Shapiro and Edward F. Maclary

Peggy M. Siegel

Margaret Stehman

Elena Thompson

Mr. Rick Trevino

Stella Boyle Smith Trust

Mr. Dennis L. Stout and Mr. Daniel Studnicky

Rafael E. Urrutia and Joanne H. Urrutia Trust

Jenny Craig Wallace

Mr. Glenn D. White, Jr.

Drs. Robert and Gail† Wilensky

Mr. and Mrs.† Rance R. Willis

Thank You to Our Donors

Individual, Foundation, and Corporate Donors

$500,000+

AARP

Sandy and Bud Drutz

$100,000–499,999

Anonymous

Mrs. Byrle M. Abbin

Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Mrs. Daris M. Clifton-Alloy

Agnieszka and Witold Balaban

Boeing

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

$50,000–99,999

Ernest and Catherine Abbott

The Andreas Family Foundation

Maria Bartiromo

Joan Bialek and Louis Levitt, MD

Brian and Sheila Boyle

Cestone Family Foundation

Ms. Ashley Davis

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$25,000–49,999

Anonymous

Mary K. Abercrombie

Ms. Anne K. Altman

Eve E. Bachrach

Bender Foundation, Inc.

Michael Brewer and Janet Brown

BVLGARI

CityCenterDC

Clark Construction Group, LLC

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$15,000–24,999

Anonymous (2)

Ross and Judy Ain

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Mr. and Mrs. Richard T. Crawford

Patricia Duggan

Gail Charnley Elliott and E. Donald Elliott

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Finch

$10,000–14,999

Anonymous (4)

Jeffrey S. Abramson

In Honor of Joan Bialek

Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC

Ms. Nadine Cohodas

Paul Dans and Mary Helen Bowers

Betsy and Robert Feinberg Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences

Dr. Gary Mather† and Ms. Christina Co Mather

Dana A. Hearn and Kevin J. McCloskey

Doug Kimmelman

Jacqueline Badger Mars

Thank You to Our Donors

$6,000–9,999

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Baly, III

Aaron Copland Fund for Music

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Henrietta “Etta” Fielek

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Gold

Mr. Woolf P. Gross

$4,000–5,999

Anonymous (2)

David M. Bachman, M.D.

Dr. Mark Cinnamon and Ms. Doreen Kelly

George and Phyllis† Cohen

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Dimick Foundation

Ms. Thelma Duggin

Jack Firestone

Mr. and Mrs. Jurgen O. Gobien

Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Graage

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Joe† and Lynne Horning

Dr. Elaine S. Jaffe and Mr. Michael Evan Jaffe

$1,800–3,999

Anonymous (4)

Anja Allen

Mr. John Ausink and Ms. Elaine S. Simmons

Ken and Liz Babby

Ann and Russel Bantham

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Herschel V. Beazley

Robin Berrington

Robert Bleimann and May Chin

Jane B. Boynton

Mary Breiner

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Helen Chason

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In Honor of Jenny Mondie

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MG (Ret) and Mrs. Alan B. Salisbury

Steven and Donna Shriver

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Marilyn Walz Taylor

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Gloria M. Weissberg, PhD

Dr. Linda E. Wetzel

Mr. Christopher Wolf and Mr. James L. Beller, Jr.

David Worby

The Honorable Chris Wright and Mrs. Liz Wright

George and Virginia Potts

Jane Evans Ramsay

William Reed

In Memory of Jane Reese

Henry & Anne Reich Family Foundation, Lee G. Rubenstein, Co-President

Gerd and Duncan Ritchie

Mr. and Mrs. James P. Roach

Mr. and Mrs. William Ronsaville

Dr. Shirley Ross and Mr. Joseph Pinciaro

Robert and Fran Rubin

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Mr. Ronald J. and Mrs. Rise F. Schlesinger

Cheryl L. Sharp

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Kenneth Timmer

Steven and Prudence Traut

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Capt. and Mrs. Eric Vanderpoel II, USN, Ret.

Mr. and Mrs. James G. Vaughter

Dr. Jean Vike

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Judy Ann and Richard Webster

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Lawrence Wilkerson

Al Wilson

Dr. Ursula R. Wolfman

Robert Woodward and Elsa Walsh

Clinton B. Wright

Daniel Zak

Orchestrated Lives

Each month, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) spotlights a different musician. For this program, section percussionist and Assistant Principal Timpani Scott Christian discusses onstage awe, the importance of an audience, and the special relationship between bassists and percussionists.

Name: Scott Christian

Hometown: Red Wing, Minnesota

Instrument: Timpani and percussion

Years with the NSO: 7

What most distinguishes percussion from other instrument groups?

One of the things that I like about playing percussion is that it’s the only instrument group where you are supposed to know the whole family of instruments. If I were stuck practicing one instrument, I don’t know if my attention span would last that long. Yet it’s really difficult to keep all those instruments up at a high level, because there are only so many hours in a day. There are weeks when I might not be able to play a certain instrument, and I have to go through some basic exercises to get back to a performing level.

Are there any percussion instruments for which you wish composers would write more?

Not necessarily. I think that composers could learn the instruments better to be able to use them to their fullest potential. For example, Béla Bartók wrote for the timpani in incredible ways—challenging but completely doable. Sometimes we’ll get a timpani part that isn’t super thought out, or that could be doing a lot more. But, for composers, it’s a lot to learn what is and isn’t idiomatic to an instrument. Ultimately, if the music is less idiomatic but quite gripping, I would much rather work around those problems than play something that is technically virtuosic but lacking in connection.

In the February “Orchestrated Lives,” bassist Charles Nilles mentioned how the percussion section and the bass section have a special relationship, a real rapport. What do you think makes that relationship so special?

Charlie wishes that our relationship was special! No, no… I’ll just put it this way: the percussion section is not the meat and potatoes of the orchestra. We’re not always playing the melody, but we’re the spice. When we get a piece of music, it just says “triangle,” or it just says “cymbal;” it doesn’t tell us which cymbal we’re supposed to use. It’s a lot of fun for us to find the correct sound for that moment, and if the sound is wrong, it's like adding too much spice to a dish. If we go unnoticed, we’re doing our job, and I think it’s similar for the bass section. They’re so pivotal in creating that bass tone that everybody else can tune off of in their intonation.

Do you have a favorite onstage memory from your time at the NSO?

Generally speaking, when I look around and watch my colleagues play at such a high level, I just feel so lucky to be on stage with them. I also like to take moments to look out into the audience. I’m always amazed that all of us practice, come to rehearsals, and work on these small details, waiting for the finished product—and that product requires an audience to be there. I like to think about all the stuff that the audience has had to do to get to the concert. They’ve had to buy their ticket, pay for parking, or maybe change their outfit. All that preparation comes together. You say that the audience has to be there for the final product. What role would you say the audience plays in a live performance?

With an audience, there’s communication happening. Otherwise, it’s like an actor practicing their lines in front of a wall. Every concert is a little different. You might have somebody in the audience who’s known this piece since they were a kid, or somebody who’s hearing it for the first time. There might be somebody who really needs this moment—somebody who wanted to come to the concert, but it’s been a really tough week, and they’re barely able to stay awake. You have so many different people sitting next to each other, all focused on this one thing, and I think that that’s such a special moment. That’s what’s so interesting about music, versus a book where you can keep reading a passage over and over again, or an artwork that you can stand in front of as long as you want. It’s very ephemeral; it’s there, and then it’s gone.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Support your ORCHESTRA

The mission of the National Symphony Orchestra is to engage audiences locally, across the country, and around the world through excellence in performance and education. Each year, the NSO offers approximately 150 concerts as well as some of the country’s most extensive community and educational programming. It regularly participates in events of national and international importance, including performances for state occasions, highlevel government events, and regularly televised holiday appearances for Capitol Concerts and local radio broadcasts on WETA, making the NSO one of the most-heard orchestras in the country.

Give your support in this 95th season by becoming a Member, joining the NSO Circles, or pledging a Legacy Gift. Visit tkc.co/SupportNSO or scan the QR code.

Thank You to Our Supporters

The Trump Kennedy Center Board of Trustees

National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors

The Trump Kennedy Center President’s Council

The Trump Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts

President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts

National Committee for the Performing Arts

National Symphony Orchestra National Trustees

The Trump Kennedy Center Circles Board

The Trump Kennedy Center Community Advisory Board

The Trump Kennedy Center Corporate Fund Board

The Trump Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Committee

Corporate Donors

Individual and Foundation Donors

Endowment Gifts, Bequests, and Legacy Donors

Building the Future Campaign Donors

Visit tkc.co/Support for a full listing of donors and to learn how you can join us by becoming a Member.

Andrew Geraci

More Concerts this Season!

Hisaishi conducts Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi is renowned for his fantastical scores to Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films— along with his sensitive symphonic and solo works. In this program, Hisaishi conducts the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra and the latest concert version of music from The Boy and the Heron. Please note: this concert is presented without film.

May 14, 2026 at 8 p.m.

May 15, 2026 at 8 p.m.

May 16, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Top Gun: Maverick in Concert

Top Gun: Maverick in Concert features the NSO performing the original music score composed by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, and Hans Zimmer and produced by Lorne Balfe. Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it. Rated PG-13

May 20 & 21, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Appalachian Spring & Mahler’s First

Charles Ives’ Three Places in New England paints an evocative portrait of history and memory. Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite follows—a radiant work of optimism crowned by its iconic “Shaker” melody. Conductor James Gaffigan closes the evening with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, charting a youthful “Wayfarer’s” journey through darkness to a triumphant, heroic climax.

April 29 & 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.

2025–2026 CLASSICAL SEASON PERFORMANCE CALENDAR

Appalachian Spring & Mahler's First

Fri., May 29, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., May 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Kennedy Center Chamber

Players: Spring Concert

Mon., May 31, 2026 at 2 p.m.

*Full orchestra does not perform.

Porgy and Bess & Coleman Piano Concerto

Fri., June 5, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., June 6, 2026 at 8 p.m.

An American in Paris & Barber Violin Concerto

Fri., June 12, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., June 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.

*Please note: The National Symphony Orchestra does not perform in these concerts.

For 250 years, America’s story has been told through the voices of its artists, the rhythm of its music, the words of its writers, and the movement of its dancers. It is a story of resilience and reinvention, of dreams daring enough to redefine what was possible, and of creativity that has not only shaped a nation, but the world.

As the nation marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Center invites Americans everywhere to take part in 250 Years of US, a yearlong exploration of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. Through music, theater, dance, and visual art, 250 Years of US celebrates the boundless imagination of a people united by creativity.

SHARE THE JOY of the ARTS

A toast before the show. A meal with a view. A selfie in the foyer. At the Trump Kennedy Center, it’s not just about the performance, it’s the moments you share before and after the curtain rises. Here, you’ll find joy and awe, surprise and wonder. When you come for a performance, you’ll leave with something more. Because what you feel—and who you feel it with— becomes the memory you both carry.

Take home... a musical memory.

Mozart Magic Flute Earrings

These exquisite earrings bring Mozart’s masterpiece to life with fluteinspired details that create a visual symphony. $42

NSO Cap and T-shirt

Our new National Symphony Orchestra cap and tee let you show your pride in our world-class symphony. $30 each

Make Your Own Music Mug

No better way to start your day than with a coffee mug imprinted with blank sheet music and sticker notes so you can compose your own melody. $20

Visit our two gift shops on Level A and in the Hall of States. Shop online 24/7 at tkc.co/shop

CURTAIN UP

Patrons share their first experiences at the Center.

Louisa and Savanah

My daughter Louisa went to her first Center performance in January 2024 at age five. It was a mother-daughter date with her friend Eliza and Eliza’s mom Joy. The girls both dressed as Elsa, and it happened to be a snowy day in D.C. The magic of Frozen, along with the wonder created by the atmosphere made for an unforgettable first experience!

Maka

I remember the first time I saw the Center. It was a tapestry of rainbow lights, holding its own in the vast D.C. skyline. I gaped as my mom drove us right up next to it. It was big, but somehow more welcoming than intimidating.

The grand hall led into yet another equally grand one, where I felt as if I were walking the red carpet, with imported

Louisa and friend Eliza, both dressed as Elsa, wait outside the Opera House to see Frozen.

crystal chandeliers far overhead. I thought that this in and of itself was magical, but the real magic was inside the theater. I whipped out my phone to take a picture of the illuminated ceiling, but as soon as the lights dimmed and the show started, I forgot phones existed. My mom and I were there to see & Juliet, and we were blown away by the acting, music, and lights that went into the production. At the end, my face hurt from smiling and my hands hurt from clapping, and it was worth it.

Diann

My family and I came to see The Princess Bride in Concert with the National Symphony Orchestra. Both of our boys play viola, and The Princess Bride is a very loved movie in our family so it was meant to be…

The best thing is, I have a service dog, Eugene, and we were welcomed without issue. The kindness started when I first emailed to see what seating was like to make sure that Eugene would fit under the chair. In the response to my email, I received kindness, dimensions, photos, and was asked to reach out to book my seats if I needed any assistance.

Overall, I was highly impressed with the hospitality of this venue. 10/10 will be attending another event!

Benjamin

As I watched the curtain rise on the opening night of the Stuttgart Ballet’s performance of Onegin, I felt a great sense of excitement swell within me. The sheer beauty of the dancers, sets, and costumes was almost overwhelming and reminded me that beauty truly is something objective, because that is the best way to describe this ballet: beautiful.

Following the bows, I could not get Onegin out of my head; something about it was so magnetic and hypnotic that I ended up returning twice more to witness the spectacle. Each night I sat in a different location around the Opera House, giving me a unique experience each performance, and each night, I picked up on new details and nuances that I had not been keen enough to see before.

While it would be impossible to name one scene as my favorite, the finale was so gut-wrenching and emotional that I will never forget what true passion looks like.

Diann’s children pose by the riverfront before The Princess Bride in Concert.

Create an experience... that will last a lifetime.

WEDDINGS AT THE REACH

REACH wedding rentals offer a variety of indoor and outdoor venues to create an unforgettable celebration of love. Situated on the south end of the Trump Kennedy Center Campus, the REACH is a premier Washington, D.C. event venue. With stunning views of the Potomac River, the largest green roof in D.C., and multifunctional event spaces, the REACH provides new elegance with a modern aesthetic.

Visit tkc.co/weddings or scan the QR code for more information.