The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Winter Concert
Concert February 22, 2026
YOUTH ORCHESTRA
YOUTH CHORUS
Winter Concert
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center
Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 7 PM
James Feddeck, conductor
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
HOWARD HANSON (1896–1981)
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841–1904)
Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, “Organ”
I. Adagio — Allegro moderato — Poco adagio —
II. Allegro moderato — Presto — Maestoso
INTERMISSION
Song of Democracy, Op. 44
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Te Deum, Op. 103
I. Te deum laudamus: Allegro moderato maestoso
II. Tu Rex gloriae: Lento maestoso
III. Aeterna fac cum sanctis: Vivace
IV. Dignare Domine: Lento
Juliette Tacchino, soprano
Emilio Vasquez , baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
This program is about 1 hour 30 minutes in length.
Major support for The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is provided by The Geoffrey and Sarah Gund Endowment.
This evening’s concert will be broadcast on Ideastream/ WCLV Classical 90.3 FM Sunday, April 19, at 4 PM.
SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN C MINOR, OP. 78, “ORGAN”
Composed: 1886
Duration: about 35 minutes
BY Camille Saint-Saëns
BORN
October 9, 1835, in Paris
DIED
December 16, 1921, in Algiers
With his third and last symphony, Camille Saint-Saëns set out to write a masterpiece. At age 51, he was — and had long been — one of the most famous musicians in France, equally successful as a composer, conductor, pianist, and organist. His career started with the unqualified endorsement of such luminaries as Berlioz and Liszt , and he had come to be a noted luminary himself.
At the same time, he had reason to feel that some of his best efforts in the field of composition were not sufficiently appreciated. He had won great acclaim for his concertos and other virtuosic solo pieces. However, his symphonic poems, such as Le Rouet d’Omphole (Omphale’s Spinning-Wheel), were met with little enthusiasm in Paris. At home, SaintSaëns found himself locked in a rivalry with César Franck , his senior by 13 years, who wrote some of the best French Romantic instrumental music. Saint-Saëns was antagonized by Franck’s students and was increasingly isolated in the Societe Nationale de Musique (which he had founded).
Saint-Saëns wanted to make a major symphonic statement, and an invitation of the London Philharmonic Society provided the perfect opportunity. In fact, Saint-Saëns had already sketched the work and, before long, he was able to report that the project was “well under way.” Saint-Saëns conducted the premiere of his completed symphony in London on May 19, 1886, to a standing ovation.
Some of the innovations in Saint-Saëns’s symphony clearly follows Lisztian models. The four movements are telescoped into two parts, with the opening Allegro and the slow movement constituting the first part, and the scherzo with the finale, the second. Moreover, motivic relationships permeate all of the movements so that the entire work is extremely rich in internal connections. Saint-Saëns was well aware of the symphony’s significance in his career. He never attempted to write another symphony; instead, he returned to writing operas, concertos, and chamber music. He wrote about the “Organ” Symphony in later years: “I have given all that I had to give. What I have done I shall never do again.”
— Eric Sellen
Eric Sellen is The Cleveland Orchestra’s Editor Emeritus. He previously was Program Book Editor for 28 seasons.
THE NORTON MEMORIAL ORGAN
Well into its ninth decade, the Norton Memorial Organ proudly stands as one of the finest orchestral organs in the country. This instrument, named in memory of David Zadlock Norton and his wife Mary Castle Norton , was a gift from their children when Severance was built.
Designed and assembled in 1930 by renowned organ maker Ernest M. Skinner and his Boston company, this magnificent instrument weighs 50,000 tons, comprising 94 ranks of 6,025 pipes ranging in length from 32 feet to a mere 8 inches.
Originally located directly above the stage, the organ chambers were relocated to a purpose-built space directly behind the stage in 2000, to improve the acoustics. The new hall design also included three impressive ranks of façade pipes built into the stage. These “just-for-show” pipes serve several important purposes. First, they are more aesthetically pleasing because they can be symmetrical, unlike the uneven lengths and varied materials of functioning organ pipes. They also protect the real organ pipes from damage and provide a porous surface through which the organ’s sound can easily project into the concert hall.
While the hall got its facelift, the organ itself was whisked off to the Schantz Organ Company in Orrville, Ohio. The organ’s pipes and mechanism had to be carefully removed and reinstalled during this process. When the hall reopened, the newly restored instrument was rededicated with none other than Saint-Saëns ’s “Organ” Symphony.
In tonight’s performance of the symphony, Hunter Peterson will perform on the Norton Memorial Organ. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in organ performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Peterson also serves as director of music and organist at Trinity United Church of Christ in Wadsworth, Ohio.
— Ellen Sauer Tanyeri
SONG OF DEMOCRACY , OP. 44
Composed: 1957
Duration: about 10 minutes
BY Howard Hanson BORN
October 28, 1896, in Wahoo, Nebraska
DIED
February 26, 1981, in Rochester, New York
There have always been conservatives and progressives in music. Some — composers, performers, listeners — are happy with the status quo and yesterday’s hits. Others are constantly experimenting and striving to find or create new sounds for tomorrow’s ears. Howard Hanson lived comfortably in both worlds — writing his own music conservatively (but with great finesse), while also tirelessly championing the new works of others far more daring than himself.
Hanson was part of a new generation of American composers, born at the turn of the 20th century and coming of age with the horrors of World War I. He studied at the Institute of Musical Arts in New York City and then at Northwestern University. In 1921, he became the first American to win the Prix de Rome, a French prize that recognized the latent talents of generations of outstanding composers (including Berlioz , Bizet , and Debussy) by funding several year’s study in Rome. Hanson spent his time in Italy studying with Ottorino Respighi , whose decidedly Romantic musical tendencies meshed well with and encouraged Hanson’s own conservative bent.
Upon his return to the United States at age 28, Hanson was appointed director of the Eastman School of Music. Over the next four decades, he developed the school into one of the world’s best conservatories. As conductor of the school’s orchestral program, he presented over 1,500 works by some 700 different composers, with particular attention to new American pieces.
Hanson composed constantly throughout most of his life and was quicly recognized as an authentic voice in American classical music. His seven symphonies projected strength and assuredness. He also wrote a number of important works for chorus, including Lament for Beowulf (1926), Song from “Drum Taps” (1935), and The One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm (1968).
Borrowing sections of two poems by Walt Whitman , Hanson created Song of Democracy in 1957 on a commission from the National Education Association (NEA) and the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) in commemoration of the NEA’s 150th anniversary. Not just the music, but the words themselves conjure an uplifting American outlook on life and self-government, of a people working together.
— Eric Sellen
SUNG TEXTS
Texts by Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
An old man’s thought of school, An old man’s gathering youthful memories and blooms that youth itself cannot.
Now only do I know you, O fair auroral skies — O morning dew upon the grass!
And these I see, these sparkling eyes, These stores of mystic meaning, these young lives, Building, equipping like a fleet of ships, immortal ships, Soon to sail out over the measureless seas, On the soul’s voyage.
Only a lot of boys and girls?
Only the tiresome spelling, writing, ciphering classes?
Only a public school?
Ah more, infinitely more.
And you, America, Cast you the real reckoning for your present? The lights and shadows of your future, good or evil? To girlhood, boyhood look, the teacher and the school.
— An Old Man’s Thought of School (1874)
Sail, Sail thy best, ship of Democracy, Of value is thy freight, ’tis not the present only, The Past is also stored in thee. Thou holdest not the venture of thyself alone, not of thy Western continent alone.
Earth’s resume entire floats on thy keel, O ship, is steadied by thy spars, With thee Time voyages in trust, the antecedent nations sink or swim with thee. With all their ancient struggles, martyrs, heroes, epics, wars, thou bear’st the other continents, Theirs, theirs as much as thine, the destination — port triumphant; Steer then with good strong hand and wary eye O helmsman, thou carriest great companions, Venerable priestly Asia sails this day with thee, And royal feudal Europe sails with thee.
— “Thou Mother With Thy Equal Brood, Part 4” from Leaves of Grass (1881–82)
TE DEUM , OP. 103
Composed: 1892
Duration: about 20 minutes
BY Antonín Dvořák BORN
September 8, 1841, in Nelahozeves, Bohemia
DIED
May 1, 1904, in Prague
In December 1891, Antonín Dvořák signed a contract to travel from his homeland in Europe to New York, where he was to be director of the new National Conservatory for two years. It was a bold step. He was 50 years old, already worldfamous, and comfortably living between an apartment in Prague and a house in the Bohemian countryside to which he loved to retreat. Taking a position in the New World was widely regarded by European musicians as the last resort of the desperate. It was all right to visit America, give a few concerts, and come home rich (as Tchaikovsky was about to do around this same time), but for an established composer to stay in the United States for a prolonged period was unheard of.
Nevertheless, Dvořák was persuaded to sign the contract by dollars and his daredevil spirit. From his frequent visits to England, he already had a respectable command of English. On September 15, 1892, he left Bohemia (more or less today’s Czech Republic) with his wife, his two eldest children, and a secretary, leaving four children in the care of his mother-in-law. They sailed from Bremen and arrived in New York 10 days later. In the composer’s luggage were two new works he had written especially for his first New York appearances. One, an incomplete English cantata called The American Flag, was destined not to be heard until 1895, after Dvořák’s return to Europe.
The other piece in Dvořák’s suitcase was a Te Deum , which he had composed that July at his country retreat with the intention of including it in his first New York concert. This was originally planned to coincide with the nationwide celebrations on October 12 of the 400th anniversary of Columbus ’s voyage to the Americas. In the end, the concert did not take place until October 21, but the work was nonetheless dedicated to the memory of Columbus — the Latin text having been associated for centuries with celebrations and triumphs. Dvořák treats the words in that spirit, even adding an “Alleluia” at the end in a final paean of praise.
— Eric Sellen
SUNG TEXTS
Text from the Latin hymn Te Deum
I. Te deum laudamus
Te deum laudamus;
Te Dominum confitemur. Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli, tibi coeli et universae potestates, tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Pleni sunt coeli et terra majestate gloriae tuae.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, (Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth) te prophetarum laudabilis numerus, (Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth) Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus. (Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth) Te per orbem terrarum, sancta confitetur Ecclesia, Patrem immensae majestatis: Venerandum verum et unicum Filium, Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
II. Tu Rex gloriae
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe!
Tu Patris sempiternus, tu Patris es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruistl Virginis uterum, Tu devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna coelorum.
We praise you, God; we confess you as Lord. Eternal Father, you are venerated by all the Earth.
To you all Angels, to you the heavens and universal powers, to you Cherubim and Seraphim proclaim with an unceasing voice: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! The heavens and Earth are filled with the majesty of your glory.
The glorious chorus of Apostles, (Holy Lord God of Hosts) the laudable numbers of the prophets, (Holy Lord God of Hosts) the host of Martyrs, white-robed, praise you. (Holy Lord God of Hosts) Throughout the earthly globe, the holy Church confesses you, Father of immense majesty: Your honorable, true and only Son, and the Holy Spirit and Advocate.
You are the King of glory, Christ! You are eternally of the Father, you are Son of the Father. To liberate us you took up humanity, you did not abhor the Virgin’s womb. Having overcome death’s sting, you opened to believers the kingdom of heaven.
(Te ergo quaesumus tuis famulis subveni, quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.)
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes in gloria Patris. Judex crederis esse venturus. Te ergo quaesumus tuis famulis subveni, quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
III. Aeterna fac cum sanctis
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari. Salvum sac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic haereditati tuae, et rege eros, et extolle eos usque in aeternum.
Per singulos dies, benedicimus te, et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, in saeculum saeculi.
IV. Dignare Domine
Dignare Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodiri. Miserere nostri, Domine. Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos quemadmodum speravimus in te. In te, Domine, speravi; non confundar in aeternum. Benedicamus Patrem et Filium cum Sancto Spiritu. Alleluia! Laudemus et superexaltemus eum in saecula. Alleluia!
(Therefore, we pray you to aid your servants, who by your blood you redeemed.)
You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. You are believed to be the judge who will come. Therefore, we pray you to aid your servants, whom by your blood you redeemed.
Grant us to be numbered with your saints in eternal glory. Make your people safe, Lord, and bless your heritage, and rule them, and extol them continually for eternity.
Throughout each day, we bless you, and we praise your name for centuries, from generation to generation.
Vochsafe, Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us for we have hoped in You.
O Lord, in You I have hoped; let me never be put to shame. Let us bless the Father and the Son and with the Holy Spirit. Alleluia! Let us praise and exalt him highly, Alleluia!
FIRST VIOLINS
Cyprus Foster
CONCERTMASTER Homeschool
Harris Wang
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Solon High School
Aaron Wei Solon High School
Aika Birch
Jackson High School
Mason Zhang
Shaker Heights High School
Julia Astorga Homeschool
Maria Shrefler
Padua Franciscan High School
Cole Krajewski
Twinsburg High School
Peter Dzero
Western Reserve Academy
Siyoon Kim
Jackson Memorial Middle School
Yi-Chuan Li
Hudson Middle School
Sophia Jiang
Solon Middle School
Jerry Du
Hudson High School
Arthur Zhao
Avon High School
Roan Westerbeke
Hawken School
SECOND VIOLINS
Lydia Andres
PRINCIPAL Homeschool
Marina Han
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Solon High School
Sujin Kim
Menlo Park Academy
Chengyu Jiang
Solon High School
YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Alex Jin
Aurora High School
Jason Fan
Rocky River High School
Alexandria Zhang
Hawken School
Cinyi Zhang
Ballard Brady Middle School
Claire Huang
Solon High School
Christopher Wei
Solon High School
Esther Hayashi
Hudson High School
James Zeng
St. Edward High School
Abby Hahnenberg
Shaker Heights High School
Cailyn Hua
Western Reserve Academy
Brayden Qi
Hawken School
VIOLAS
Jason Yi-Kun Zhao
PRINCIPAL
University School
Preston Duncan
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Aurora High School
Gabi Levy
Oberlin High School
Lydia Huff
Oberlin High School
Jonah Paponetti
Shaker Heights High School
Nicholas Pokalev
Twinsburg High School
Seohyun Kwon
Beachwood High School
Min Garcia
Cleveland School of the Arts
Claire Wilburn
Lake Ridge Academy
Kaustubh Devarakonda
Strongsville High School
Elizabeth Pineda
Hawken School
Lindsey Jones Homeschool
CELLOS
Jack Neely PRINCIPAL
Hawken School
Nicholas Jacques
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Hawken School
Oliver Krishnaney University School
Michael Zhu
University School
Kaiden Honaker Twinsburg High School
Cate Dzero
Western Reserve Academy
Rhys Scott University School
Dylan Hansen
Cleveland Heights High School
Caroline Jang
Orange High School
Eldon Foster Homeschool
Julia Zollinger
Hoover High School
Seraphina Huang
Hawken School
Lilly Paponetti
Shaker Heights High School
Wesley Lewis
Shaker Heights High School
BASSES
Travis Phillips PRINCIPAL
University School
Abigail Kovach
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Lakewood High School
Sullivan Wiggins
Shaker Heights High School
Andrew Kunselman
Strongsville High School
Kate Davis
Firestone Community
Learning Center
Robert Mosack
Strongsville High School
Violet Yeh
Shaker Heights High School
Luke Heiland
Highland Middle School
FLUTES
Malkyiah Grant S
Columbiana High School
Zachary Moskowitz D Shaker Heights High School
Aryaman Sigdel H
Twinsburg High School
PICCOLO
Zachary Moskowitz H
OBOES
Eliana Fittante D Ontario High School
Andrew Kelly H Bay High School
Emily Petrella S Hudson High School
Christopher Wang
Solon High School
ENGLISH HORN
Eliana Fittante H
Andrew Kelly S
CLARINETS
Nicholas Garrett S Cleveland School of the Arts
Willa Kenny D Saint Joseph Academy
Evan Lee
Hudson High School
Sawyer Sulzener H Highland High School
BASS CLARINET
Willa Kenny S
BASSOONS
Anton Bekeny
Bay Middle School
Alessio Matera H Lakewood High School
Angie Stump S
Copley High School
Preston Thigpen D Howland High School
CONTRABASSOON
Preston Thigpen S
HORNS
Jack Berendt H **
Keegan Evans D Columbia High School
EJ Thomas S Oberlin High School
Elena Miller**
TRUMPETS
Alex Alafi D Mentor High School
Dominic Morataya Howland High School
Owen Rinaldo S Stow-Munroe Falls High School
Connor Yorke H Wadsworth High School
TROMBONES
Grace Berendt S, D Aurora High School
Lucas Marques Westlake High School
Brennon Mitchell H Canfield High School
The following eight endowed Youth Orchestra chairs have been created in recognition of generous gifts to The Cleveland Orchestra’s endowment:
Concertmaster, Daniel Majeske Memorial Chair
Principal Cello, Barbara P. and Alan S. Geismer Chair
Principal Viola, Anthony T. and Patricia A. Lauria Chair
TUBA
Cameron Fullen
Galion High School
TIMPANI
Matthew Arnold S
Orange High School
Nathaniel Pino H Solon High School
Justin Reimschisel D Solon High School
PERCUSSION
Matthew Arnold
Nathaniel Pino
Justin Reimschisel
Kelsey Rogers
Shaker Heights High School
HARP
Elizabeth Gao H
Solon High School
PIANO
Saya Uejima
Green High School
Alexandria Zhang
CELESTA
Saya Uejima
ORGAN
Hunter Peterson**
MANAGER
Kennedy McKain
Performers are listed alphabetically within each woodwind, brass, and percussion section. Superscripts indicate principal player according to the following key:
S Saint-Saëns
H Hanson
D Dvořák
** Extra/substitute musician
Principal Bass, Anthony F. Knight Memorial Chair
Principal Flute, Virginia S. Jones Memorial Chair Piccolo, Patience Cameron Hoskins Chair
Principal Harp, Norma Battes Chair
Principal Keyboard, Victor C. Laughlin M.D. Memorial Chair
JAMES FEDDECK
Principal Conductor & Musical Advisor of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra | Sidney and Doris Dworkin Chair
James Feddeck is Principal Conductor & Musical Advisor of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra for the 2025–26 season.
A conductor of international acclaim, Feddeck inspires audiences with a presence felt across the world’s finest stages. In North America, he has conducted major symphony orchestras including Chicago, Cleveland, Montreal, San Francisco, and Toronto. His performances with leading European orchestras include the Vienna Radio Symphony, the national orchestras of France, Belgium, Ireland, and Scotland, and major UK orchestras. In addition, he regularly performs throughout Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
For the last five seasons, Feddeck served as principal director of the Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan, Italy, leading operatic productions and concert performances.
He has collaborated with many of the world’s foremost soloists, including PierreLaurent Aimard , Marc-André Hamelin , Yo-Yo Ma , Midori , and Lise de la Salle. His recorded discography includes works by Georg Schumann for CPO with the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (2017), as well as the music of Terry Riley and Dane Rudhyar with The Cleveland Orchestra and Calder Quartet (2022).
Feddeck was previously appointed to the Cleveland Orchestra conducting staff in 2009 during which he also served as Music Director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and led their first European tour.
He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he received the Outstanding Alumni Award, and the Aspen Music Festival and School, which awarded him the Robert Harth and Aspen prizes. He was also the winner of the prestigious Solti Conducting Fellowship and the sixth Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting Competition.
PHOTO BY ROGER
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is a full symphonic ensemble composed of 98 young musicians drawn from 39 communities in 12 counties across Northern Ohio. Founded in 1986 by Jahja Ling (then resident conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra), The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) provides serious young music students of middle and high school age with a unique pre-professional orchestral training experience. The 2025–26 season marks COYO’s 39th performing season and the return of conductor James Feddeck , who previously led the ensemble from 2009–13.
Among the acclaimed artists to work with COYO are Marin Alsop, Pierre Boulez , Stéphane Denève, Christoph von Dohnányi , Giancarlo Guerrero, Witold Lutosławski , Yo-Yo Ma , Gil Shaham , Michael Tilson Thomas , Antoni Wit , and Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst . The ensemble has been featured on three international tours.
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is part of a suite of Cleveland Orchestra programs designed to nurture aspiring young musicians, which also includes The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus and Preparatory Chorus, and the Crescendo, Music Mentors, and Bassoon Farm pathways initiatives for students in Cleveland schools. In addition, with the support of many generous individual, foundation, corporate, and governmental funding partners, the Orchestra’s full range of education and community programs reach more than 100,000 young people and adults annually, helping to foster a lifelong relationship with music by removing barriers to participation, advocating for and helping to facilitate equitable access to comprehensive music education in schools, and harnessing the life-changing power of music in service to the community.
JULIETTE TACCHINO
Soprano
Described by Le Devoir as “an excellent actress with impeccable projection and style,” soprano Juliette Tacchino is garnering acclaim for her artistry and stage presence. In the 2025–26 season, she stars in the premiere stage adaptation of Les Demoiselles de Rochefort at the Théâtre du Lido in Paris and tours throughout the United States in chamber concerts and recitals. She won the special jury prize at the 2024 Sumi Jo International Singing Competition and the 2024 French Riviera Masters Competition at the Opéra de Nice Côte d’Azur.
In 2024–25, Tacchino performed with Opéra Fuoco in France under David Stern , where she presented a recital at the Château d’Écouen, and performed in William Boyce ’s Solomon at Opéra de Massy. She also made role debuts as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro under Nicholas McGegan and in Candide under David-Charles Abell with Curtis Opera Theatre, performed Claude Vivier ’s Lonely Child with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and joined internationally renowned soprano Sumi Jo on tour in China and South Korea.
BY
Other performance highlights include concert performances of Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) and Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier) with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin , as well as performing roles on stage, including Ginevra (Ariodante), Thérèse (Les Mamelles de Tirésias), Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen), and as a featured soloist in a staged production of Handel’s L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. In concert, Tacchino appeared as the soprano soloist in Mozart ’s Requiem with the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler ’s Fourth Symphony with the Université de Montréal Orchestra, and Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Dettingen Te Deum with the Monte-Carlo Chamber Orchestra.
Tacchino received her Master of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and her bachelor’s degree from the Université de Montréal.
PHOTO
NICOLE MC PHOTOGRAPHY
EMILIO VASQUEZ
Baritone
Baritone Emilio Vasquez is quickly establishing himself as a versatile and engaging performer in opera and concert repertoire. Currently a master’s student at the Curtis Institute of Music, during the 2024–25 season, he appeared as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro and Pangloss in Candide. In 2025–26, he performs the role of Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Curtis Opera Theatre. In summer 2025, he returned to the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a secondyear Gerdine Young Artist, covering the role of Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale. He also performed at the Ravinia Festival as a Steans Vocal Fellow. Vasquez is a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
BY NICOLE
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MC PHOTOGRAPHY
Zain Abbas
Saint Ignatius High School
Emily Allen
Laurel School
Sujith Aring
Westlake High School
Anonabelle Arndt
Mentor High School
Freddie Averre
Independence Middle School
Matilda Averre
Independence High School
Penny Averre
Independence High School
Katherine Bohlen
Mastery School of Hawken
Addison Borders
Mastery School of Hawken
Isaiah R. Bragg
Hawken Upper School
Rose Brittan-Wille
Shaker Heights High School
Ian Broihier*
University School
Macey Caraballo
Bay Village High School
Brooke Carlson
Kenston High School
Marin Carlson
Kenston High School
Caris Carmean
Independence High School
Emma Carroll
Fairview High School
Ligaya Coolbear
Aurora High School
Alice Corcoran
Avon High School
Nadia Corso
Hawken Upper School
Phoebe Crane
Lakewood High School
Bryn Crasto
Mentor High School
Mayvis Darby
Riverside High School
YOUTH CHORUS
Clementine
Diamond-Ortiz
Lakewood High School
Ellis Freer
Hathaway Brown
Evie Friday
Mentor High School
Bryn Gordon
Hawken Upper School
Mary Kate Hever
Lake Catholic High School
Makayla Howard
Mentor High School
May Hunsaker
Shaker Heights High School
Parla Ilaslan*
Hawken Upper School
Sam Jacobs
Hawken Upper School
Kennae Jacoby
Coventry High School
Gregory Karulin*
Solon High School
Lucas Kingston
Brecksville-Broadview
Heights High School
Haven Kinsley
Lake Catholic High School
Dimitrios V. Kosteas
Gilmour Academy
Adalyn Kropinak
Bay High School
Peter Krouse
Hawken Upper School
Rhea Kumar
Hathaway Brown
Lauren Malbasa
Gilmour Academy
Yannely Marquez
Riverside High School
Peyton Martin
Mentor High School
Aurora McCloud
Aurora High School
Noah Montgomery
Riverside High School
Brooklyn Mora
Mentor High School
Isabella Nelson
Mentor High School
Maggie Nicholson
Mayfield High School
Isabelle Nicol
Laurel School
Abby O’Callaghan
Avon Lake High School
Logan Orloff
Saint Edward High School
Mckayla Osborne
Cornerstone Christian Academy
Gianna Paternite
Willoughby South
Sophia Ardis Petrovic
Mastery School of Hawken
Liam Polter
Independence Middle School
Sophie Polter
Independence High School
Westley Quintin
Chagrin Falls High School
Will Radefeld
Kenston High School
Ollie Weatherlow Rand
Nordonia High School
Shaan Rao
Orange High School
Eric Robinson
Hudson High School
Savannah Roggy
Albert Einstein Academy
Ayla Rottman
Mentor High School
Ellie Rottman
Mentor High School
Roger Sabry
Solon High School
Logan Samarin
Valley Forge High School
Maren Scott*
Hawken Upper School
Jaidan Shauf-Dressman
Orange High School
Olivia Skillman
Mentor High School
Creek Smith*
Brecksville-Broadview
Heights High School
Holly Smith
Howland High School
Sky Square
Mentor High School
Cameron Studly
Mayfield High School
August Sumlin*
Laurel School
Gabrielle Tan
Mayfield High School
Hollie Tennant
Rocky River High School
Carolyn Wang
Hudson High School
Iskandar Williams*
Brecksville-Broadview
Heights High School
Sophia Williams*
Lakewood High School
Rian Xiong*
Orange High School
Kadence Young*
Beaumont School
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Devon Steve
COLLABORATIVE PIANIST
Daniel Overly
MANAGER
Taylor Mills Logan
Student Stage Manager
DANIEL SINGER
Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Assistant Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
Daniel Singer joined the choral conducting staff of The Cleveland Orchestra in 2012 as Assistant Director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Choruses and Director of the Youth Chorus with the start of the 2018–19 season. In addition to his responsibilities in Cleveland, Singer is the Robert Page Music Director for The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, known as the “chorus of choice” for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and director of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.
Most recently, Singer served on the faculty of The College of Wooster, where he taught courses in music education, conducting, and music theory. From 2011–22, he was the director of music at University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio, and previously taught high school choral music in Northern Illinois and participated in music engagement in the Chicago Public Schools.
Singer has performed professionally with Quire Cleveland, Apollo’s Fire, and The Lakeside Singers, appeared in recitals in Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, and performed as a soloist with ensembles throughout Northeast Ohio, including the Wooster Symphony Orchestra and Choral Arts Cleveland.
Singer holds degrees in music education and conducting from Northwestern University and Michigan State University.
BY ROGER
PHOTO
MASTROIANNI
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH CHORUS
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was founded in 1991 to raise interest in choral music within the schools of northeastern Ohio, and to encourage more students to continue their choral activities through college and into adulthood. The Youth Chorus comprises of approximately 90 members in grades 9 through 12 and represents almost 40 schools and communities. Like their colleagues in the Youth Orchestra, they are selected by audition.
On average, the Youth Chorus presents five concerts each season and collaborates with other musical ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. In addition to performances at Severance Music Center, their activities include concerts and community engagement programs throughout the greater Cleveland area, as well as workshops and masterclass opportunities with highly regarded choral directors and clinicians. The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus has been led by Gareth Morell (1991–98), Betsy Burleigh (1998–2006), Frank Bianchi (2006–12), Lisa Wong (2012–17), and Daniel Singer (2017–present). The ensemble has been widely praised as one of the top high-school-aged choral performing ensembles in the state of Ohio.
On stage from day one.
At Oberlin, undergraduates perform, lead, and tour from the start—immersed in chambermusic study and ensemble performances from their very first semester. oberlin.edu/conservatory
YOUTH ORCHESTRA COACHING STAFF
Your career starts here.
The following members of The Cleveland Orchestra have served as section coaches for the Youth Orchestra in preparation for this concert:
VIOLINS
Stephen Tavani Assistant Concertmaster
Kathleen Collins
VIOLA
Stanley Konopka Assistant Principal
CELLO
David Alan Harrell
BASS
Mark Atherton
FLUTE
Jessica Sindell Assistant Principal
OBOE
Frank Rosenwein Principal
CLARINET
Robert Woolfrey
BASSOONS
Phil Austin Emeritus
HORN
Meghan Guegold Hege
TRUMPETS
Michael Miller
Jack Sutte
TROMBONE
Shachar Israel Assistant Principal
TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama Principal
PERCUSSION
Tanner Tanyeri
HARP
Trina Struble Principal
WITH SPECIAL THANKS
Michael Ferraguto Librarian
SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHERS
The members of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra express gratitude to their school music directors for the role they play on a daily basis in developing musical skills:
Jason Burdett
Aurora High School
Mason Smith
Aurora High School
Jesse Martin
Avon High School
Brendan Caldwell
Baldwin Wallace University
Rebecca Ellsworth
Ballard Brady Middle School
Devon Gess
Bay High School
Mark Awad
Bay Middle School
David Luddington
Beachwood High School
Anthony Bonamase
Canfield High School
Daniel Heim
Cleveland Heights High School
Robert Davis
Cleveland School of the Arts
Dianna Richardson
Cleveland School of the Arts
Jessie Shrenkel
Columbia High School
Charles Miller
Columbiana High School
Michael Foster
Copley High School
Sloan Stakleff
Firestone Community
Learning Center
Theresa O’Deens
Galion High School
Amy Rach
Green High School
Kyra Mihalski
Hawken School
Edward Marquette
Highland High School
Laura Joss
Highland Middle School
Ronald Varn
Hoover High School
Gregory Rezabek
Howland High School
Roberto Iriarte
Hudson Middle & High School
John Rodesh
Hudson High School
Scott Eversdyke
Jackson High School
Joseph Carlson
Jackson Memorial Middle School
Mary Price
Lake Ridge Academy
Elizabeth Hankins
Lakewood High School
Clinton Steinbrunner
Lakewood High School
Adonai Henderson
Menlo Park Academy
Steve Porema
Mentor High School
Emily Cromwell
Oberlin High School
Ryan Jaeckin
Oberlin High School
Grace Reven
Ontario High School
Brandon DuVall
Orange High School
Rebecca Ellsworth
Orange High School
Mark Wozniak
Padua Franciscan High School
Brian Patton
Saint Joseph Academy
Bill Hughes
Shaker Heights High School
Donna Jelen
Shaker Heights High School
Mark Mauldin
Solon High School
Gerald MacDougall
Solon Middle & High School
Robert Luce
Solon High School
David Michaels
St. Edward High School
Andrew Hire
Strongsville High School
Ryan Bonitz
Twinsburg High School
Damon Conn
Twinsburg High School
Abigail Dudzik
University School
Devon Steve
University School
Dana Hire
Wadsworth High School
Margaret Karam
Western Reserve Academy
Hilary Patriok
Westlake High School
PRIVATE MUSIC TEACHERS
The members of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra express gratitude to their private teachers for their support, insight, and expertise:
VIOLIN TEACHERS
Masha Andreini
Sibbi Bernhardsson
Heather Crawford
Vladimir Deninzon**
Francesca DePasquale
Amos Fayette
Wei-Fang Gu*
Liesl Hook
Amy Lee*
Ruoyao Li
Kimberly Meier-Sims
Ioana Missits*
Marlene Moses
Eugenia Poustyreva
Corrie Ann Riberdy
Barton Samuel Rotberg
Stephen Sims
Cory Smith
Beth Woodside*
Yu Yuan*
VIOLA TEACHERS
Jeffrey Irvine
Laura Kuennan-Poper
Teng Li
Micaela Murphy
Mary Price
James Rhodes
Carol Ross
Laura Schuster
Luke Wardell
Louise Zeitlin
CELLO TEACHERS
Martha Baldwin*
Rachel Bernstein
Abbey Hansen
David Alan Harrell*
Pamela Kelly
Melisa Kraut
Rabecca Landell
Hannah Lintz
Ida Mercer
Daniel Pereira
BASS TEACHERS
Steven Brija
Blake Kniola
Tracy Rowell
Susan Yelanjian
FLUTE TEACHERS
Kaleb Chasnic
Stephanie Carter Dennis
Linda Miller
Thomas Miller
OBOE TEACHERS
Carol Bernhardt
Stephanie Cohn
Jack Harel
Corbin Stair*
CLARINET TEACHERS
Meghan Colbert
Kerri Davis
Stanislav Golovin
Sally Kish
BASSOON TEACHERS
Lydia Byndas
Mark DeMio
Zach Elmore
Shawn Renolds
HORN TEACHERS
Van Parker
Jason Riberdy
TRUMPET TEACHERS
Ted Clark
James Johnson
Jerry Kleman
Ken Young
TROMBONE TEACHERS
Ty Deane
Andrew Mitchell
Eric Richmond
TUBA TEACHER
Brian Griffin
PERCUSSION TEACHERS
Thomas Freer**
Katalin La Favre
Matthew Larson
Jennalee Quillen
HARP TEACHER
Jody Guinn
KEYBOARD TEACHER
Haewon Song
* Member of The Cleveland Orchestra
** Emeritus member of The Cleveland Orchestra
LATE SEATING
As a courtesy to audience members and musicians, late-arriving patrons are asked to wait quietly until the fi rst convenient break in the program. These seating breaks are at the discretion of the House Manager in consultation with the performing artists.
CELL PHONES, WATCHES & OTHER DEVICES
To ensure a quiet and respectful listening environment, please silence all electronic devices.
PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY & RECORDING
Audio recording, photography, and videography are not allowed during performances at Severance. Photographs can only be taken when the performance is not in progress.
THE NEW CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA APP
Explore upcoming concerts, purchase and access your tickets, receive performance updates, and more. Available for iOS and Android on Google Play and at the Apple App Store. More information is at clevelandorchestra.com/tcoapp
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY
Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.
HEARING AIDS & OTHER HEALTH-ASSISTIVE DEVICES
In consideration of others, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other healthassistive devices that may produce noise. For Infrared Assistive-Listening Devices, please see an usher. To request one in advance, email info@clevelandorchestra.com.
AGE GUIDELINES
Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical Season subscription concerts are not recommended for children under 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (for 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).
Editorial: Kevin McBrien, Editorial & Publications Manager (kmcbrien@clevelandorchestra.com)
Ellen Sauer Tanyeri, Archives & Editorial Assistant
Design: Melissa Leone (melissa@melissaleone.com)
Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members.
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.
Learn from renowned instructors and take master classes with world-famous musicians. Surround yourself with the beauty and inspiration of two lakes and 1,200 acres of pine forest. Celebrate the connections between art forms through breathtaking interdisciplinary performances. And take part in a time-honored legacy that leads to top colleges, renowned conservatories, and placement in the world’s best orchestras. Where else can you do all these things? THERE’S ONLY ONE INTERLOCHEN.
