Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society 48th Season proudly presents. The Creation. by Joseph Haydn One of the world s musical treasures!

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1 Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society 48th Season proudly presents The Creation by Joseph Haydn One of the world s musical treasures! Musical Arts Chorus Musical Arts Orchestra Guest Soloists: Alisa Thomason, Soprano (Gabriel) Gerald Grahame, Tenor (Uriel) Neil Wilson, Bass-Baritone (Raphael) Dr. Douglas R. Peterson, Conductor Sunday, November 14, :00 p. m. Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, UNLV Admission: $15 for adults $10 for seniors, disabled, and military $5 for students with ID Tickets available: UNLV Performing Arts Center Box Office ( ) This concert is co-sponsored by Wynn Resorts and made possible in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization.

2 Dr. Douglas R. Peterson, Music Director 3950 Springhill Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada, Phone (702) Fax (702) The Grandeur of the Universe and the Wonders of our Earth Join us for a celebration The Creation by Joseph Haydn Performed by the 70-voice Musical Arts Chorus, 35-piece Musical Arts Orchestra and Guest Soloists News Release The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, under the direction of Dr. Douglas R. Peterson, is proud to bring Joseph Haydn s masterpiece oratorio The Creation to Las Vegas: 3:00 pm Sunday, November 14 UNLV s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall Guest artists in the solo roles are: Alisa Thomason, soprano, as Gabriel (recently featured in KNPR s Desert Companion); Gerald Grahame, tenor, as Uriel; and Neil Wilson, bass-baritone, as Raphael. This special program is just one highlight in the Society s 48 th season, in which the Musical Arts Chorus will perform with Andrea Bocelli in his Christmas engagement at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 11th, Speaking about The Creation, Dr Peterson said, Southern Nevadans have a rare opportunity to hear this grand work in all its power and majesty, crafted and performed by the Musical Arts Chorus, an excellent trio of guest soloists, and the Musical Arts Orchestra. Haydn s oratorio is a musical picture book written for all ages. The masterpiece describes in a very unique way the origin of the world, with its stars and tides, plants and animals, as well as the dignity of mankind in paradise. There is an abundance of tone painting found everywhere in the music. Haydn, the symphonist, for example, takes advantage of the opportunity to depict each animal with its own rhythms, melodies and typical sounds - the lion s roar, the tiger s litheness, the deer s light-footedness, the peacefully grazing cattle, and the swarm of insects, illustrated in a whirring tremolo of strings. Tickets are available at the UNLV Performing Arts Center - $15.00 for adults; $10 for seniors, military, disabled; and $5 for students with ID. Box Office: For immediate release 1

3 This performance is gratefully co-sponsored by Wynn Resorts. About The Creation The first performance of The Creation took place in Vienna in Haydn was inspired to write his masterwork during his visits to England where he heard oratorios of Handel performed by large forces. The three sources of the oratorio are Genesis, the Biblical Book of Psalms, and John Milton s Paradise Lost. The oratorio was published in both England and German in 1800 and was performed nearly forty more times in Vienna, and forty times outside the city during Haydn s lifetime. The words of the Bible are divided between three archangels, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, and a chorus that, throughout the whole work, may be considered heavenly hosts. Uriel is distinctly the angel of the sun and of daylight; his is the tenor voice, and his is the description of Man. Raphael sings of the beasts, the great whales, and every living creature that moveth and it is he who reports God s blessing Be fruitful and multiply. Gabriel, the soprano, leads the heavenly hosts and describes the vegetable kingdom and the world of bird life. Listen for it! Following a choral presentation of the creation of light, which is depicted first with a soft pizzicato note from the strings, there is a surprise fortissimo C major chord on the word Light. This moment created a sensation at the public premiere of the work in Vienna. The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, now in its 48th season, has performed The Creation twice during its long history - first in 1972 (as the Las Vegas Musical Arts Workshop) and for a second time in 1998 (the group changed its name in 1981). About the Director Dr. Douglas R. Peterson, serving his 43rd season as Music Director/CEO, has been recognized on many occasions for his contributions to the arts in Nevada. Dr. Peterson retired as Emeritus Associate Professor of Music at UNLV in 2003, having initiated the choral program at Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) in His career at the university spanned 36 years. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Performance and Vocal Pedagogy, and a Masters degree in Music, from the University of Iowa. His undergraduate degrees include a Bachelor of Arts from Grinnell College, Iowa, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University. About the Soloists Alisa Thomason, soprano Lyric soprano Alisa Thomason received her music performance degrees from the Universities of Utah and Brigham Young. Her training extends across the country and abroad, with scholarships to young artist programs in The Berkshires, MA and in Italy. She has performed with the Society several times and last season wowed audiences with her breathtaking singing in Haydn s Creation Mass in Bb and in Handel s Messiah. Neil Wilson, bass-baritone Neil Wilson has sung to critical acclaim throughout the US and Germany during a wide-ranging career as teacher and singer. He has been soloist with the Society in the Brahms and Verdi Requiems, and St. John and St. Matthew Passions. He has been a soloist with numerous city symphonies and local opera companies. He retired as Emeritus Professor from Virginia Commonwealth University in Dr. Wilson has been a soloist with SNMAS on 19 different occasions. Gerald Grahame, tenor Gerald Grahame has appeared with orchestras and opera companies throughout the USA. After completing a BA in Music Education at SUNY/Fredonia, he received his Masters in Opera Performance from Binghamton University in conjunction with the Tri- Cities Opera, a company with which he has performed over 20 lead roles. Currently, Mr Grahame For immediate release 2

4 teaches voice and other music courses at Broome Community College, in addition to his duties as Director of the College Choir. Press: For more information, photos and full biographies, please contact Dr Doug Peterson on or Public: For info and tickets call the UNLV Performing Arts Center on Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society (SNMAS) Performing Choral and Orchestra Masterworks * 48 th Season (20010/11) * 501(c)(3) non-profit, community organization snmusicalarts@aol.com Info: SNMAS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, community organization whose purpose is the promotion and performance of quality choral and orchestra masterworks, musical productions, and chamber concerts consistent with a strong community and educational outreach in Southern Nevada. It is the umbrella organization for three performing groups: the Musical Arts Chorus, a large community choir; the Musical Arts Singers, a vocal chamber ensemble of semi-professional singers; and the Musical Arts Orchestra, comprised of professional instrumentalists. The Society was established as the Las Vegas Musical Arts Workshop in Dr Peterson has served as Music Director since The organization is administered by a Board of Trustees composed of volunteer representatives from the local business community, in addition to Society members. The annual budget is earned from ticket sales, contract performances, grants and donations from the private and public sector. Sponsors and donors include Lochsa Engineering, Wynn Resorts, Harrah s Las Vegas, Thomas & Mack, Klai-Juba Architects, the Nevada Arts Council (a State agency), and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). We are extremely grateful to our supporters, past & present. Praise for the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society It was a delightful way to spend an afternoon; the choruses in Messiah were exquisite! Midge Spatz, (47th season) they opened on a triumphant note with Zadock the Priest, one of Handel s many coronation anthems. The 70 massed voices were lush and appropriately majestic as they followed cascading layers of God save the King! Long live the King! with volleys of Amens and Alleluias. Joe Brown, Las Vegas Sun (47th season) Thank you for such a great community resource for us! Audience member, 47 th season. "The pairing of the two Requiems was perfect. The sublime and melodic Fauré Requiem followed by the dramatic and more powerful Duruflé Requiem was a match made in heaven, culminating in an afternoon of quietude and peace. Vive la France!" Pat Clary (46th Season) "The concert yesterday was fantastic! The Rutter 'Requiem' was beautifully performed. Las Vegas is indeed lucky to have had Doug Peterson in its midst for the last half-century." Ken Bierman (42nd season) For immediate release 3

5 Dr. Douglas R. Peterson, Music Director 3950 Springhill Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada, Phone (702) Fax (702) SNMAS The Creation Concert, CCSD Participants Teachers: Doug Anderson Durango High School Klark Black Silverado High School Dan Dziedziak Warren Elementary School Eric Eichorst Wiener Elementary School Virginia Jimenez Griffith Elementary School Elizabeth Larson Hollingsworth Elementary School Gregory Lauck Martinez Elementary School Amanda Massy Snyder Elementary School Students: Marissa Arnold Kylee Bestenlehner Anthony DeFelice Jacob Hawkins Foothill High School Ashley Lugo Elizabeth Lui Nora Stewart Justin Willer Carolyn Peterson Lomie Heard Elementary School Lisa Tanin Martinez Elementary School David Wankier Bonanza High School Performing Choral and Orchestra Masterworks