Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
Across the Silk Road: Scheherazade Akiko Fujimoto, Guest Conductor
January 31, 2026
Across the Silk Road: Scheherazade Saturday, January 31, 2026 – 7:30PM Walton Arts Center Akiko Fujimoto, Guest Conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio
Alexander Borodin
In the Steppes of Central Asia
Maurice Ravel
Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose)
I. Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty II. Little Tom Thumb III. Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas IV. Conversations of Beauty and the Beast V. The Fairy Garden
K. 384
Cinq pièces enfantines (Five Pieces for Children) Suite for Orchestra, M. 60a
INTERMISSION Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade
I. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship II. The Legend of the Kalendar Prince III. The Young Prince and The Young Princess IV. Festival at Baghdad; The Sea; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock
Op. 35
This concert is generously sponsored by George & Mary Benjamin and Alan & Sherri Lamb Flowers are given by the Greenwood family in honor of Mary Ann Greenwood 2
Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
SoNA Board & Staff Board of Directors Marti Sudduth, Chair Holly Johnson, Vice Chair Kim Hadley, Treasurer Laura Wilkins, Secretary Monique Carswell Grant Davis Al Dominguez Malcolm Hayward, M.D. Tom King, Ph. D. Juan Rodriguez Tod Yeslow Min Yoo, M.D. Board of Advisors Ed Clifford Cynthia Coughlin Reed Greenwood Susan Hui Jill King Peter B. Lane Bill Mitchell Frank Sharp Dick Trammel Staff Ben Harris, Executive Director Natalie Fernandez, Education Director/Personnel Manager Ben Glodowski, Operations & Production Manager Dr. Hannah Monk Truehart, Development Manager Terry Hicks, SoNA Singers Director Sarah Pearson, Assistant Conductor Luke Pearson, Accounting Elizabeth Bainbridge, Chorus Manager Richard Bobo, Music Librarian Contact PO Box 1243, Fayetteville, AR 72702 479.521.4166 info@sonamusic.org Connect www.sonamusic.org facebook.com/sonafan instagram.com/symphonynwa Join our email list Email us at info@sonamusic.org to receive the latest updates.
The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas Akiko Fujimoto Guest Conductor Bob & Becky Alexander Chair
FIRST VIOLIN Winona Fifield, Concertmaster Sandy Edwards Chair
Zsolt Eder, Associate Concertmaster Thad & Melanie Beck Chair
Jennifer Sherman, Acting Assistant Concertmaster Will Bush Carolyn Smart Chair
CELLO Kari Caldwell, Principal Min Yoo Chair
Grace Whitton, Associate Principal Mike & Mary Russell Chair
Amelia Ivory Ezgi Karakus
SECOND VIOLIN Miho Oda Sakon, Principal Mt. Sequoyah Women of Music Chair*
Geronimo Oyenard, Associate Principal
Marshall & Beth Saviers Chair
Karol Rulli
Harrison & Rhonda French Chair
Ashley Allison
Carol Sue & Alan Wooten Chair
Glenn Dewey, Acting Associate Principal Jeff Pugh & Rebecca Levy Chair
Carter Buckner
Daniel & Chauna Ellis Chair
Joshua Gebhard
FLUTE Virginia Broffitt-Kunzer, Principal Bob & Becky Alexander Chair
Kristen Salinas, Associate Principal Min Yoo Chair
Carley Flowers, piccolo OBOE Kristin Weber, Principal Beau G. Reynolds Chair
Rebecca Cutler-Metzger Albert Garcia Diana Norwood Sara Sasaki Lam Dayton Strick Hannah Truehart Jill Woodhouse
Andrew Baker, English horn
VIOLA Jesse Collett, Principal
David & Holly Johnson Chair
Neil & Katie Paine Chair
CLARINET Jasper Hensley, Acting Principal Laura & Bruce Wilkins Chair
Orlando Scalia
Bob & Becky Alexander Chair
BASSOON Austin Way, Acting Principal
Mt. Sequoyah Women of Music Chair*
Richard Bobo, contrabassoon
Grace Clark, Acting Associate Principal Paul Roberts Anne Wenzel
Brooke Brander Chair
Justin Mohling
Pour Jon’s Coffee Chair
Lester Lewis Endowed Chair
Colton Privette
Elle & Raymond Etheredge Chair
Michael Puryear
Peter Lane & Barbara Putman Chair
Thane Isaac Mariah Murphy Lauren Pokorzynski Austin Rice Alla Wijnands Ben Weir
Tod Yeslow & Jackie Telfair Chair
Jason Hofmeister
Michael E. Hill Chair
Allison Steiner
Kim & Kelly Hadley Chair
Michael Gale
The Nichols Family Chair
BASS Jarrett Bastow, Principal
Andrew Chu
HORN David Renfro, Acting Principal
Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Chair Jennifer & Dr. Kenton Ross Chair
Anonymous Donor Chair
TRUMPET Richard Rulli, Principal Todd & Melissa Hall Simmons Chair
Andrew Stadler
Martha & Drew Frits Chair
TROMBONE Cory Mixdorf, Principal Tenor Michael Hollomon & Eric Wailes Chair
Doug Fletcher
Bud & Mary Storey Chair
Jason Hausback, Principal Bass TUBA Ben Pierce, Acting Principal Justice David Newbern Chair
TIMPANI Erick Saoud, Acting Principal Thad & Melanie Beck Chair
PERCUSSION Fernando Valencia, Acting Principal Micheal Barnes Michael E. Hill Chair
Jacob Carter Amy Hearting Carson Vanduch
HARP Emily Duncan, Acting Principal Bob & Becky Alexander Chair
KEYBOARD Tomoko Kashiwagi, Acting Principal Marti & Kelly Sudduth Chair
The Dancing Rabbit Chair
Logan Mabry
Calvin & Shawna Jarrett Chair
Micah Neely
Tim & Deborah Ogg Chair
Vesko Todorov Anthony Verge
*Mt. Sequoyah Women of Music: Jenny Coogan, Karolyn Farrell, Linda Kelly, Jill King, Lynn Rogers, Jane Scroggs, Jackie Telfair, Laura Wilkins, and Ann Marie Ziegler
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Akiko Fujimoto Guest Conductor
With expressive style, meticulous preparation and a gift for connecting with ensembles, Japanese conductor Akiko Fujimoto is known for evoking dynamic performances wherever she conducts, inspiring praise for her “powerhouse performance” from the San Francisco Chronicle. Fujimoto is currently Music Director of the Mid-Texas Symphony. She has held titled conducting positions with the Minnesota Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, and Virginia Symphony, and made conducting appearances with numerous other U.S. orchestras including San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony, Houston Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Hawai’i Symphony and the Florida Orchestra. Highlights from recent seasons include her debut with the Charlotte Symphony, leading a North Carolina premiere of Mendelssohn’s Double Concerto for Violin and Piano in D minor. In August 2025, Fujimoto returns to the Minnesota Orchestra to collaborate with pianist Jon Kimura Parker as part of Summer at Orchestra Hall. The 2025/2026 season marks Fujimoto’s seventh season as Music Director of the Mid-Texas Symphony, where she has guided the ensemble through the pandemic, spearheaded a period of unprecedented growth, and led the ensemble into its watershed 45th anniversary season. Recent projects include a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, a Texas premiere of Peter Boyer’s Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue and the world premiere of Grace Xu Schott’s Hill Country Piano Concerto.
At the Minnesota Orchestra, Fujimoto held the title of Associate Conductor. Working closely with Music Director Osmo Vänskä, she conducted concerts in a range of genres and formats including Sommerfest, pops, and educational programming. She also previously worked with Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, and Susanna Mälkki as a cover conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As Conducting Associate of the Virginia Symphony, Fujimoto conducted a variety of subscription, educational, and community concerts, and worked closely with Music Director JoAnn Falletta. In her time as Associate Conductor at the San Antonio Symphony, Fujimoto’s highlights included a gala concert featuring violinist Gil Shaham and fully staged ballet productions of Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. She was widely appreciated for connecting with audiences through her on-stage presentations and weekly pre-concert lectures, and for her successful collaborations with organizations including Mariachi Campanas de America, Guadalupe Dance Company, U.S. Air Force Band of the West, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Mass Choir. Fujimoto holds a bachelor’s degree in music and psychology from Stanford University and Master of Music degrees in conducting from Eastman School of Music and Boston University. She began her career with conducting roles at Harvard University and Stanford University, later serving as Director of Orchestras at the College of William & Mary and Music Director of the Williamsburg Youth Orchestras.
“Every time I come to NWA, I’m struck not just by the stunning scenery, but by the creative energy and global curiosity of the people who live here. That spirit inspired me to put together this program full of vivid stories, colorful sounds, and musical adventures across cultures. The journey begins with Mozart’s sparkling Abduction Overture, followed by Borodin’s windswept Steppes, and Ravel’s enchanted Mother Goose, before closing with Rimsky-Korsakov’s hypnotic Scheherazade.” –Akiko Fujimoto
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Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
Ways to support SoNA Overture Society
Gifts of any size to the Overture Society provide general operating support for concerts, education programs, community outreach, and administrative expenses.
Chair Sponsorships
Chair Sponsorships support the musicians in the orchestra and help SoNA attract and retain the best talent in the region. A gift of $2,500 will support a Principal musician for a season. A gift of $1,750 will support an Associate Principal position, and a gift of $1,000 will support a section musician.
The Maestro’s Circle
Members of the Maestro’s Circle are donors who have committed to multi-year gifts of $5,000 or more annually. Contributions to the Maestro’s Circle help support the financial stability and long-term growth of SoNA.
Legacy Gifts
Planned charitable bequests to SoNA help to ensure that our mission of bringing great music to life in Northwest Arkansas will continue for generations to come. For assistance with bequests, including gifts of stock, please contact Greenwood Gearhart, Inc. at (479) 521-5353.
The Maestro’s Circle Bob & Becky Alexander George & Mary Benjamin The James Burton Blair Family Foundation Bob Bogle (in memoriam) Joel & Lynn Carver Nick & Carolyn Cole Cynthia Coughlin Sandra K. Edwards Daniel & Chauna Ellis
Mary Ann Greenwood (in memoriam) Reed Greenwood Susan & Orville Hall Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Tom & Jill King Greg Lee Hannah Lee (in memoriam) Rebecca Levy & Jeff Pugh Ellis & Kay Melton
Robert T. Murphy III David & Pam Parks Mary Lynn Reese Beau G. Reynolds Mark & Diane Simmons Kelly & Marti Sudduth Walton Family Foundation
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Corporate, Foundation & Government Partners
Overture Society Gifts listed below have been received or pledged between July 1, 2024 through December 29, 2025, and do not include corporate matches. We make every effort to maintain accurate records. If we have omitted or misspelled your name, please let us know. Concerto $10,000+ Bob & Becky Alexander Mary & George Benjamin Nick & Carolyn Cole Reed Greenwood Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Thomas & Jill King Jim & Ann McKenzie Robert T. Murphy III Beau G. Reynolds Mark & Diane Simmons The Starr Foundation David H. Stiegler Trust Kelly & Marti Sudduth Bravissimo $5,000 - $9,999 The James Burton Blair Family Foundation Joel & Lynn Carver Cynthia Coughlin Sandra K. Edwards Daniel & Chauna Ellis Susan & Orville Hall Dr. Alan & Sherri Lamb Lester Lewis Endowment Rebecca Levy & Jeff Pugh Ellis & Kay Melton Francis Spencer Millett David & Pam Parks Mike & Mary Russell Todd & Melissa Hall Simmons Joyce Stafford Ashley & Dusty Wardlow Tod Yeslow & Jackie Telfair Min Yoo
North Arkansas Symphony Guild
Nadine L. Baum Charitable Trust Foundation
Support for the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Media Partners
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Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
Bravo $2,500 - $4,999 Thad & Melanie Beck Virginia Ann Coogan Hershey & Denise Garner Kimberly & Kelly Hadley Michael Hollomon & Eric Wailes Bob & Linda Kelly Greg Lee David & Deborah Malone Mike Necessary Doug & Barbara Prichard Mary Lynn Reese Laura & Bruce Wilkins Encore $1,000 - $2,499 Anonymous Phyllis Black Brooke Brander Wendy Brant Anita Bukey Ed & Carol Clifford Thomas and Susette Cole Natallia Collins Lance & Wendy de la Rosa Al Dominguez John & Kay DuVal Trae & Elle Etheredge William & Joyce Feldman Drew & Martha Frits Morton Gitelman & Nancy Garner Lyle & Sue Gohn
Howard & Treva Hamilton Ann Henry Michael Hill Art Hobson Anthony & Susan Hui Emmett and Eric Jackson Calvin & Shawna Jarrett David & Holly Johnson David Jolliffe & Gwynne Gertz Jerre Jouett Elana Kahaykin Diane & Edward Knight Peter Lane & Barbara Putman Sabra & William Martin Marshall McKenzie Jeffrey Metzner Lindsey & Rita Miller Bill & Deeg Mitchell Emily and Chris Moore David and Carolyn Newbern The Nichols Family Tim & Deborah Ogg Neil & Katie Paine Jennifer & Dr. Kenton Ross Margaret & Dick Rutherford Marshall & Beth Saviers Ken & Celia Shireman Carolyn Smart Cynthia & Dewitt Smith Arnold Smith & Kathleen Wong Diane Standefer & Tom O’Neal Sally Stone (in memoriam) O.H. & Mary Storey Cheryl & Jeff Thomas Walton Arts Center Alan & Carol Sue Wooten Linda Wray Ann Marie Ziegler Prestissimo $500 - $999 Anonymous Jacquelyn Brandli Lori Bremer & Wayne Stout Phil & Margie Bullock Monique Carswell Gaye Cypert Peter & Tara Elzer Donald & Karolyn Farrell Matthew Herren & David Fedele Tom & Karen Kapella Bill & Missy Kincaid Bill & Judy Kramer Lisa Mahlum Stephen & Cathy Marak Jana & Mac Mayfield Lee & Lynn Moore Michael & Kathy Moss Nancy Preis Mary Purvis Lynn Rogers & Jerry Jones Kathryn Rubenstein Jane Scroggs Bob & Diane Shaw Mark Smidt Brad & Lindsay Vester Mr. & Mrs. William Waitsman Pattie Williams Carrie & Chris Wolf
Presto $250 - $499 Robert Adair Karen Anderson Ashley Appling Max & Margaret Barron Ted Belden Kim Bennett Susan Bristow Judy Brittenum Terrye & Patric Brosh Ann & Jack Butt June Carter Jack & Grace Cleghorn Kelly Coughlin Sid & Kay Davis Karen Dobbs Tom & Dana Dykman Adrienne Elrod Tommy & Rebecca Free Joel Freund & Carla Crawley Gail & Randy Goodrum Joan & Bruce Johnson Sandy Luetjen Micky & Marybeth Mayfield Bill & Kim McComas Jeanette Millar Dwight & Brandy Mitchell D. Riley Nicholson Jeffrey O’Dea & Ellen Byars Sallie & Thomas Overbey Charles & Carey Pollard William Prettyman & Judy Dunleavy John & Frances Rankin William Rosenaur Charles & Ann Rye James & Buffy Scherer Stephen & Colleen Shogren Barbara Sieger Rebecca Summerlin Loyd and Carol Swope Julia Thorn Dick & Nancy Trammel Margaret Whillock Allegro $100 - $249 C.L. Abercrombie Louis & Patricia Beland Thomas A. Beller Arlene & Jerry Biebesheimer Van Brahana Howard Brill Holly Childs Jason Clark Roy Clinton Marsha R. Daniel Tommy & Kathy Deweese Suzanne & David Dickey Dianne & Ted Dreher Charity Dye Alan Ellstrand & Karen Byers Heath England Debbie Evans James Ezell Michael & Mary Green Sarah Greer Lowell & Kathy Grisham Ian & Donna Hanson Betty Harrison Dr. Jacob & Michelle Hayward Peter & Margo Heinzelmann Terry L. Held Vickie Hilliard Caitlyn Hutchison David Wilson Johnson Stephen Johnson Marsha Jones
Tomoko Kashiwagi Hugh Kincaid Jacqueline King John King & Sally Kelley-King Kari Larson Christopher Lavagnino Molly Longstreth Bill Mandrell Heather Mayo Bob & Linda McMath Rob & Kathy Merry-ship Mike & Debbi Mohler Brandon Moore James & Mary Ellen Moore William & Jennifer Murry Sarah & Miles Myers Joseph O’Connell J.P. Peters Julia Peters John Pianowski & Kate Mamiseishvili Deborah Sabo Martha Ragar Anita Scism David & Jerilyn Renfroe Ann Rosso Michael and Suzanne Saltz Christopher Schaechtel Robert Schur Carl & Rita Sewald Jordan Smith Zach & Rachel Strickland Lynn Tatum Mark Tocco & Colleen McCarthy Sandi Villinski Cody Vineyard Mary Walters-Ford Tara Weaver Dale & Roselle Williams Dina Wood Debut $20 - $99 Tom & Linda Bacon Carole & John Ball Myra Bolinger Becky Brink Sara Brown Erin Burke Kimberly Duhamel Cathleen Faircloth Julie & Dennis Fellers Susan Garriss Grimsley and Carol Graham Rebecca Harrison Carolyn Hartman Bryan Huntsman Ruth Hustead Terri Mahaffey Nancy Koonce & David Marshall Sharon Kavanagh Leslie C. Krusen, Jr. Michael & Eileen Lieber John & Harriet Mack Catherine McGowan Patrick & Peggy Moriarity Linda Ward Partridge Tom & Crystal Perry Chalon & Dell Ragsdale Sue Richardson Bill & Mildred Rogers Faith A. Sawyer-Tindle Doris Schuldt Becky & David Seidl Winifred Shanor (in memoriam) Sherry Singh Irina Tantchou Gene Tweraser Bruno Valdes
Michael & Martha Ward James Wentworth Sarah & Chandler Wrampe In Honor of Ben Harris Lori Bremer Hershey & Denise Garner In Honor of Ben Harris, Paul Haas, & Terry Hicks Vickie Hilliard In Honor of Dr. Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Tod Yeslow & Jackie Telfair Roy Clinton In Honor of Miho Oda Sakon and the Sequoyah Strings Lori Bremer In Honor of D. Riley Nicholson Mary & George Benjamin Kimberly & Kelly Hadley David & Holly Johnson In Honor of Marti & Kelly Sudduth Tim & Deborah Ogg In Honor of Reed Greenwood Dina Wood Billie’s Friends Bob & Becky Alexander Ted Belden Mary & George Benjamin Phil & Margie Bullock Ann & Jack Butt Nick & Carolyn Cole Virginia Ann Coogan Cynthia Coughlin Sid & Kay Davis Don Deweese Tommy & Kathy Deweese Karen Dobbs Susan & Orville Hall David Fedele & Matthew Herren Reed Greenwood Howard & Treva Hamilton Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Michelle & Jacob Hayward Morriss & Ann Henry Anthony & Susan Hui Stephen Johnson Bob & Linda Kelly Bill & Missy Kincaid Hugh Kincaid John King & Sally Kelley-King Tom & Jill King Kari Larson Peter Lane & Barbara Putman Bill Mandrell Sabra & William Martin Rob & Kathy Merry-ship Bill & Deeg Mitchell Mike & Debbi Mohler Sarah & Miles Myers D. Riley Nicholson Sallie & Thomas Overbey David & Pam Parks Doug & Barbara Prichard Chalon & Dell Ragsdale Mary Lynn Reese Bill & Mildred Rogers William Rosenaur Jennifer & Dr. Kenton Ross Margaret & Dick Rutherford Anita Scism Bob & Diane Shaw Ken & Celia Shireman
Carolyn Smart Joyce Stafford Starr Family Foundation Kelly & Marti Sudduth Margaret Whillock David & Pattie Williams Linda Wray Ann Marie Ziegler In Memory of Doug Cummins Tom & Jill King Virginia Ann Coogen In Memory of Don Deweese Tom & Jill King In Memory of Gary Lynn Fast Michael Hill In Memory of Michael Lieber Tom & Jill King In Honor of Orlando Scalia Colleen & Steve Showgren In Memory of Phoebe Goodwin Meredith Abel Nancy Dadigan Virginia Coogan Billie Emert Tom & Jill King Joao Santa-Rita Ann Marie Ziegler In Memory of Mary Ann Greenwood Betty Harrison Nancy Koonce & David Marshall Tom & Jill King In Memory of Robert Ratliff Marti & Kelly Sudduth In Memory of Sally McLemore Hennis Linda Ward Partridge Michael & Martha Ward In Memory of Sara Sharp Betty Harrison Matching Gifts Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund Eli Lilly & Company Foundation The Walmart Foundation In-Kind Support Mary & George Benjamin Catering Concepts Common Dwellings Lindsay Cook DOXA / VANTAGE Eventures Garrison Financial Corporation Glass Soul Creations ReBecca Graham Arts Reed Greenwood Malcolm & Ellen Hayward Heroncrest Event Center Anthony & Susan Hui Joan & Bruce Johnson The Kester Group Jill King Jana Mayfield Mint 2 Mix Romance Diamond Co. Bill & Judy Schwab SoNA Board of Directors Marti & Kelly Sudduth
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Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
Behind the Mask: Romeo and Juliet
Tamara Dworetz, Guest Conductor
SATURDAY, MARCH 7 / 7:30PM Walton Arts Center Antonin Dvořák – Carnival Overture Carl Nielsen – Maskarade Overture Anna Clyne – Masquerade Aram Khachaturian – Masquerade Suite: Waltz & Galop Sergei Prokofiev – Romeo and Juliet Tamara Dworetz
Concert sponsored by
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