Adam Stern, Music Director and Conductor Jae-In Shin, violin Friday, October 23, 2015 7:30 p.m. Meydenbauer Theatre Sunday, October 25, 2015 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Center Expanded Horizons Nicolas Slonimsky Franz Joseph Haydn Pablo de Sarasate My Toy Balloon (Variations on a Brazilian Folktune) Theme Variation I: Music Box Variation II: All Over the Place Variation III: In a Minor Mode Variation IV: Commotion Variation V: With Apologies to Brahms Variation VI: Circus Parade Symphony No. 92 in G, Oxford Adagio Allegro spiritoso Adagio cantabile Menuetto: Allegretto Presto Carmen Fantasy Allegro moderato Moderato Lento assai Allegro moderato Moderato Jae-In Shin, soloist INTERMISSION Malcolm Arnold George Gershwin Four Scottish Dances Pesante Vivace Allegretto Con brio An American in Paris Please turn off all cell phones and pagers. No audio/video recording or flash photography is allowed during the performance.
Orchestra Management Board of Directors Founding Director Joyce Cunningham Music Director & Conductor Adam Stern President Armand Binkhuysen Vice-President Miranda Thorpe Treasurers Andrea Adee Secretary Cathy Grindle Directors-at-Large Dennis Helppie Andy Hill Cindy Jorgensen Renee Kuehn Daphne Robinson Honorary Board Members Don Gerend Former Mayor, City of Sammamish Skip Rowley Chairman, Rowley Properties hearty Welcome! to the Sammamish A Symphony Orchestra s 2015-16 season, which we re kicking off with a festive and varied program of music from three centuries, deliberately designed to show the flexibility and virtuosity of this fine ensemble. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Maestro R. Joseph Scott, whose tireless efforts in bringing the Sammamish Symphony to its present artistic estate can never be underestimated. His resignation as our Music Director a few months ago for reasons of health has resonated throughout the musical community, a community which has immeasurably benefitted from his presence for nearly five decades. I am dedicating our entire 2015-16 season to Maestro Scott in recognition of his rare combination of musicianship, guidance, vision, and spirit; if anyone ever exemplified the phrase A hard act to follow, it is he. The Sammamish Symphony has given me the honor of taking on the position of Music Director following several months of serving as Joseph s deputy. I am thrilled to do so, and am hopeful that my manner of leadership and tastes in programming will be embraced by the Symphony s faithful followers and its potential new devotees. Today s concert an amalgam of such beloved classics as Haydn s Oxford Symphony and Gershwin s An American in Paris with some lesser-known (if not virtually unknown) and delightful works by Malcolm Arnold and Nicolas Slonimsky is an example of what I shall bring to the table: a mixture of the familiar and the new, with musical enjoyment and enrichment paramount. Awash as we presently are in promises of responsible and committed leadership from copious sources, it may seem redundant to hear another variation on I ll do my best for you. Nonetheless, this is my heartfelt pledge to the Sammamish Symphony s members and constituency. Thank you for your support. Adam Stern Conductor and Music Director, Sammamish Symphony Orchestra Nancy Whitten Sammamish City Council member Personnel Ensemble coordinator Donna Mansfield Librarians Elaine Cox Renee Kuehn Grants Armand Binkhuysen Concert Program Adam Stern Emaugo Creative Webmaster Mark Wiseman Youth Concerto Competition Andy Hill Lobby Managers Kathie Jorgensen Cindy Jorgensen Concessions Manager Sydney Holderness Sound Recording Philip Chance Adam Stern ADAM STERN, Conductor and Music Director of the Sammamish Symphony, is one of the region s busiest musicians. Since arriving in Seattle in 1992, he has been active as a conductor, composer, pianist, educator and lecturer. He has been leading the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra since 2003, during which tenure he has brought numerous world, U.S., West Coast and Northwest premieres to the Puget Sound community. Stern s unique programming combines beloved masterworks with must-hear rarities; his programs are not merely concerts, but true musical events. Stern was born in Hollywood in 1955. He began his musical studies at age five as a piano student, and began flute lessons two years later. At 15, Stern was accepted at California Institute of the Arts, where he initially majored in flute performance, but changed his major to conducting in his second year at the urging of the late Gerhard Samuel, a noted conductor and educator. Stern was graduated in 1977 with an MFA in conducting at 21, the youngest Masters degree recipient in CalArts history. From 1996 until 2001, Stern was the Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony (after having served as Assistant Conductor from 1992-96). He led numerous concerts in all of the orchestra s series, including the orchestra s first performances of Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 3 and Elgar s Symphony No. 2. In addition, he led many pops concerts and was the happy collaborator of such artists as James Taylor, Art Garfunkel, Judy Collins and Frank Sinatra, Jr. Stern resides in Seattle with his wife, soprano Kamila Stern, and his children Ella and Oscar. R. Joseph Scott Maestro Scott has retired from the Sammamish Symphony Orchestra after 16 years with the Symphony. His dedication, talent, and passion for excellence has grown the Sammamish Symphony to an organization revered in the community as one of the finest orchestral ensembles in the region. We are grateful for his years of service to the members of the orchestra, the residents of Sammamish and the community at large. 2
Featured Guest Violinist Jae-In Shin has distinguished herself as one of the most promising artists, performing extensively throughout Europe, North America, and Asia since her concerto debut at the age of 10. Her numerous solo engagements include those with the Seoul Symphony, Port Angeles Symphony, UW Symphony, Daejeon Philharmonic, Gloria Chamber Ensemble, Seattle Philharmonic, and Washington Idaho Symphony. Jae-In has also performed live on national television and radio, including appearances on KBS World Radio and KING-FM. Jae-In is the concertmaster of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra and has lived in Seattle since 2010. The Sammamish Symphony would like to thank Sales Appraisals Repairs Rentals Third Generation Violin Maker Voted Evening Magazine s Best of Western WA! www.hkbviolins.com 425 822-0717 Gordon Brown and the Gordon Brown Foundation for the generous contribution for music to build the Symphony s library. Gordon has been an active member and contra-bassoon player with the symphony for many years. The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra would like to thank the City of Sammamish for their support 3
FIRST VIOLIN Dennis Helppie, Concertmaster Tim Strait, Associate Concertmaster Ian Backman Kristin Edlund Michael King Sarah Linkatoon Donna Mansfield Lynn Martinell Haley Schaening Kolleen Uppinghouse Deborah Wade SECOND VIOLIN Shelby Eaton, Principal Feather Asmussen, Assistant Principal Barbara Ethington Matthew Guenther Jillian Kent-Dobias Cathy Grindle Nancy Johnson Shravani Kulkarni Paula Libes Andromeda Mendez Fran Pope Setsuko Reeves McKenna Roberts Personnel VIOLA Libby Landy, Principal Jan Rider, Acting Principal Hans Klein, Acting Assistant Principal Armand Binkhuysen Kathryn Boudreau Dan Pope Amanda Salmick Loraine Terpening Barb Thorne * Myrl Venter CELLO Shiang-Yin Lee, Principal Juha Niemist, Assistant Principal Kumiko Chiba Andy Hill Loryn Lestz Gail Ratley Joyce Sanford Joan Selvig Sandra Sultan BASS Jarod Tanneberg, Principal Natalie Schlichtmann, Assistant Principal Timothy Corrie FLUTE Melissa Underhill, Principal Tori Berntsen Elana Sabovic-Matt PICCOLO Elana Sabovic-Matt OBOE Susan Jacoby, Principal Jim Kobe ENGLISH HORN Dennis Calvin CLARINET Jayne Marquess, Principal Kathy Carr Linda Thomas BASS CLARINET Linda Thomas BASSOON Shannon Nelson, Principal * Julia Kingrey, Acting Principal Titan Rodick SAXOPHONE David Barnes FRENCH HORN Evelyn Zeller, Principal Brian Adamski Dan Chernin Craig Kowald TRUMPET Jim Sailors, Acting Principal Rosie Allwright Jeff Davis TROMBONE John Ochsenreiter, Principal Rob Birkner BASS TROMBONE Randall Ruback Michael Wennerstrom* TUBA Mark Wiseman, Principal TIMPANI Eric Daane, Principal PERCUSSION Craig Wende, Acting Principal Eric Peterson PIANO/KEYBOARD Catherine Lowell, Principal HARP Bethany Man, Principal Section members are listed in alphabetical order. 4
2015-2016 Season At a Glance THE SOUNDS OF CINEMA Thursday, August 20, 2015, 6:30 p.m. Pine Lake Park, Sammamish Friday, August 21, 2015, 7:30 p.m. Village Theater, Issaquah EXPANDED HORIZONS Friday, October 23, 2015, 7:30 p.m. Meydenbauer Theatre Sunday, October 25, 2015, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater HOLIDAY POPS Saturday, December 5, 2015, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater Sunday, December 6, 2015, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater ENERGY, LIFE, AFFIRMATION: NIELSEN S THIRD SYMPHONY Sunday, February 21, 2016, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater Saturday, February 27, 2016, 2:00 p.m. Meydenbauer Theatre THE DRIVING FORCE OF ALL NATURE Friday, April 29, 2016, 7:30 p.m. Meydenbauer Theatre Sunday, May 1, 2016, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater THE SPRING BLOSSOMS OF THE EARTH: BRAHMS SECOND SYMPHONY Sunday, June 12, 2016, 2:00 p.m. Eastlake Performing Arts Theater 5
by Adam Stern Program Notes Composers of classical music have always enjoyed creating the musical equivalents of postcards and journal entries, detailing their travels to foreign lands and the many delights to be found there. (In at least one instance, a composer chronicled something that decidedly did not delight him: Ottorino Respighi, in the second movement of his Brazilian Impressions, painted a grim and nightmarish musical portrait of the Butantan Institute where snakes are raised and researched; his widow Elsa said that he lost sleep over his visit there for years afterward.) In particular, the music of a foreign country has often prompted composers to celebrate and emulate it. As far back as the first decade of the 18th century, Georg Philipp Telemann wrote a Polish Concerto for orchestra, inspired by the peasant bands he had heard there; his desire to commemorate, as he put it, the folk music s true barbaric beauty and the inventiveness with which these pipers and fiddlers improvise resulted in a rowdy little concerto grosso that s a far cry from the festive but more proper music of the time. Following is a short list of works in which composers of later generations recounted their travels in sound, or at least demonstrated their familiarity with the music of another country even if they hadn t been there. Imagine the repertoire bereft of these immortal masterworks: Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219, Turkish Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A, Op. 90, Italian Brahms: Hungarian Dances Bizet: Carmen Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnole Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in e, Op. 95, From the New World Elgar: In the South (Alassio) Ravel: Boléro Copland: El Salón Mexico (Would you wish to be without any of these?... Me, neither.) The five works on today s program are the results of very different stimuli, and all are worthy of frequent inclusion on symphony concerts whether they have achieved this status or not. Nicolas Slonimsky (1894-1995 [sic]) was one of the 20th century s most brilliant musicians, a composerconductor-pianist-author whose versatility and skills were more than matched by an ever-ready wit and pixieish sense of humor (the original title of his autobiography, eventually published as Perfect Pitch, was Failed Wunderkind, a Rueful Autopsy). In a 1986 interview, he had the following to say about My Toy Balloon:...the only piece that I ever wrote of any significance is a series of variations on a Brazilian tune, which I heard during my travels in South America in 1941. It s a set of variations on a tune that is called My Toy Balloon in English; of course the original words are in Portuguese. It s a Carnival song during which young men and women send up balloons, and if they can catch those balloons when they fall back then he or she would get married during the Carnival that year. If not, then he or she would have to wait till next Carnival. A quick perusal of the works individual movement titles will give some idea of what s to come. More (Continued on Page 7) The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the generous support of the Garneau-Nicon Family Foundation. 6
than that I won t say, as there are some delightful surprises along the way that are just too good to spoil. The 106 known symphonies of Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) constitute one of the greatest treasure-troves in symphonic literature (the qualifier known is used in the event [crossing fingers!] that another one or more come to light some day). There is virtually nothing that anyone could covet from music that cannot be found in these riches, be it humor (No. 60, Il Distratto or No. 94, Surprise ), lyricism (No. 44, Mourning or No. 49, La Passione ), stormy drama (No. 52), celebration (No. 48, Maria Theresia ) musical verisimilitude (No. 101, The Clock ), uniqueness of key and structure (No. 46 in B [!] major), or any other desideratum one might harbor. The Symphony No. 92, Oxford, acquired its nickname due to its appearance on a 1791 concert that Haydn conducted as a requirement of his receiving an honorary degree from Oxford University. Interesting that, in spite of a title that binds it to London, it is not one of the twelve London symphonies (Nos. 93-104); none of these latter were finished when Haydn came to England s capital to accept his honor and begin an extended residency, so Haydn introduced to British audiences a recently-completed symphony that had actually had its premiere in Paris not long before. There isn t a single Haydn symphony that doesn t boast unique features; in the present case one can cite an introduction that, short though it is, is of melting beauty, a slow movement that combines reverie with temperamental outbursts, and a fleet finale whose puckish main theme is first heard over the barest of cello accompaniments. It is the Menuetto, however, which has elicited the most comment from enthusiasts, in that Haydn s penchant for comedy is given such free rein. One of the distinguishing features of a minuet, derived as it is from a peasant dance called the Ländler, is a steady and readily discernible ONE-twothree, ONE-two-three pulse; Haydn has a jolly good time turning this expectation on its head throughout the movement, arbitrarily stressing the second or third beat of the measure to the point where one s rhythmic sense is totally discombobulated. There are also some unexpected and delicious pauses in the music, proving that Haydn was well ahead of his time in terms of capitilizing on the effectiveness of silence (take that, adherents of John Cage!). Although not remembered to the legendary degree as is Niccolò Paganini, Pablo de Sarasate (1844- (Continued on Page 8) Discover the Joy of Music with Plateau Music Lessons Sales Rentals Supplies Repairs Lessons for all instruments and voice all ages beginning to advanced classical to rock and everything in between in our studio location or in your home Open 7 days a week 4532 Klahanie Dr SE Issaquah, WA 98029 (425) 369-9333/PlateauMusic.org plateaumusic your complete music resource 7
1908) was one of the most honored, respected and sought-after violin soloists of the 19th century. A prodigy, his gifts were recognized when he was still a child and his musical education was funded by a wealthy patron. Once established, he led the peripatetic life of a touring virtuoso, invariably leaving awed fans and superlative-seeking critics in his wake. Several notable staples of the violin repertoire were written for him: Lalo s Symphonie espagnole, Brush s Scottish Fantasy, Wieniewski s Violin Concerto No. 2 and, perhaps most loved of all, both Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso and Violin Concerto No. 3. (One piece that did not grace Sarasate s repertoire was the Brahms Violin Concerto, which he refused to play due to his famous assertion, apropos the second movement, that the oboe has the only real melody in the entire work. ) Sarasate s Carmen Fantasy is very much a product of its time, when virtuosi on all instruments would take familiar pieces and base variations, fantasies, suites and potpourris after them. (The practice continued until well into the 20th century; perhaps the last great such piece was Rachmaninov s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, written, as was all of Rachmaninov s piano music, with himself in mind.) Appreciating the Frenchman Bizet s assimilation of Spanish folk music within his great opera, Sarasate returned the favor and fashioned a medley comprised of some of Carmen s greatest hits, while not incidentally pushing the violin to its technical limits in the process. The listener is afforded the enviable opportunity to revisit, courtesy of Sarasate s inventiveness and prodigious demands, such beloved moments as the Aragonaise, the Habanera, and the Danse Bohème. (Note: Please observe that there is no tilde over the n in Habanera, one of the most oft-mispronounced words in music. If you ever hear someone say Ha-ban-yer-a, please correct them with my compliments.) Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) was a much-honored and -performed English composer. Like compatriots Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten and William Walton, he wrote music in virtually every genre: ballet and opera, orchestral (including nine symphonies), choral, chamber music, and a staggering amount (several dozen) of film scores, among them Hobson s Choice, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, the first film version of Nineteen Eighty Four, and, most famously, The Bridge on the River Kwai. His personal life was complex and troubled, yet his fecundity survived intact for the duration of his long life; his last works date from the 1990s, when the composer was in his eighth decade. The Four Scottish Dances date from 1957; although written for the BBC Light Music Festival, these are by no means insubstantial miniatures. Arnold s gifts as a vivid orchestrator are well in evidence in each dance (he spent years as a professional orchestral trumpet player, and thus knew the orchestra from the inside out ), whether in the foot-stomping Pesante first movement, the Howdry-I-am central episode of the Vivace, the pastoral and romantic Allegretto or the whirlwind final dance, Con brio. In paying homage to music he obviously cherished, Arnold made use of some of Scottish folk music s most significant traits, including the Scotch snap (the musical counterpart to a trochee) and some remarkable orchestral replications of the bagpipes. So true to the sound and feel of Scottish music are Arnold s Dances that many listeners are surprised to learn that the tunes are not settings of extant originals, but are Arnold s own. Unarguably the most famous work on our program, An American in Paris by George Gershwin (1898-1937) has been a hit since its premiere in 1928; its popularity was further buoyed (as if it needed to be) by the immortal 1951 film with Gene Kelly (Gershwin s music and Kelly s dancing and choreography were made for each other). Although Gershwin s ego was not exactly of modest dimensions, in the opinion of the present writer he may have sold An American in Paris short when he commented: It s not a Beethoven Symphony, you (Continued on Page 9) Cascade Woman s Club Living the Volunteer Spirit The GFWC Cascade Woman's Club is a non-profit charitable organization bringing together women from surrounding areas to promote community service and welfare locally, regionally and internationally. Anyone interested in learning more and contacting us visit our website at: gfwccascadeclub.weebly.com 8
know... It s a humorous piece, nothing solemn about it. It s not intended to draw tears. If it pleases symphony audiences as a light, jolly piece, a series of impressions musically expressed, it succeeds. It certainly pleases for those reasons, but not only for those reasons. The tender solos for English horn and oboe, representing the titular American s spasm of homesickness (to quote the composer s own precis), and the great, celebrated bluesy tune for trumpet, are some of the most poignant moments in all of American music, period. Gershwin was blessed with one of the deepest veins of lyricism ever bestowed upon a composer; I would take a chorus of A Foggy Day in London Town or the second movement of the Concerto in F or I Loves You, Porgy over the entire outputs of Arnold Schoenberg or Anton Webern. A final personal note: I regard the passing of George Gershwin at the age of 38 as one of music s greatest tragedies, along with the before-40 deaths of Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Bizet and Chopin. Had any of these geniuses been afforded even one more decade, we would have been the beneficiaries of that much more beauty in a world that so desperately needs it. 2015 Sammamish Symphony Association BECOME A PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION! Are you interested in playing with us? The Sammamish Symphony offers volunteer opportunities from lobby assistance and marketing support to board positions. We welcome the public to bring their talents to our growing organization. The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra is composed of adult volunteer musicians dedicated to performing concerts and maintaining outreach programs serving Eastside communities. Please contact us at 206-517-7777 if you are interested Rehearsals: Thursdays 7:15-9:45 p.m. at Eastlake High School Please call 206-517-7777 or go to www.sammamishsymphony.org ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS TO YOUR PARTY OR EVENT. The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra offers small chamber groups for private functions. FOR INFO CALL 206-517-7777 9
Contributors In addition to the following donors we gratefully acknowledge those individuals and families who purchased donated goods and services at our Sammamish Symphony Auctions. PATRONS ($1,000+) Anonymous Sandy Anuras The Boeing Company The Charles Maxfield and Gloria F. Parrish Foundation Garneau-Nicon Family Foundation Allyn & Pat Hebner Ruth & Preben Hoegh-Christensen Andrew Coldham Expedia Gordon Brown Foundation King County 4Culture Kevin and Lynn Martinell Microsoft Corporation Skip Rowley Rowley Properties City of Sammamish Harry & Claradell Shedd Tim Strait Swedish Hospital University House Mark & Linda Wiseman Patty Zundel BENEFACTORS ($500-999) Anonymous (King County Employee) Bischofberger Violins David Campbell Shelby Eaton Bob & Cathy Grindle King County Employee Giving Program Florian LaPlantif BENEFACTORS ($500-999) Continued Jane Marquess Kenneth Morse Estate of Eleanor Nein Dan and Melissa Truax David E. Van Moorhem Herman & Myrl Venter SPONSORS ($100-499) Pete & Andie Adee Arthur & Lora Lee Allan Ann & John Backman Alethia Barnes ArtEAST Patricia Bice Armand & Claudia Binkhuysen Verna Borup Ava Brock Debbie & Keith Brownfield David Brooks Dennis Calvin Daniel & Jan Chernin Eric & Pat Daane Kristen Edlund & Ken Rosenow Jonathan Feil Heidi Fivash Margaret & Scott Fivash Don and Sue Gerend Todd Gugler Scott Hamilton & Gail Twelves Dennis Helppie Shrikant Kulkarni Andy & Lori Hill Ron Hindenberger SPONSORS ($100-499) Continued Heather Holmback Kathy Huckabay Judith Johnson Nancy & Paul Johnson Jim Kobe Shannon Krzyzewski Victoria LaBerge Joel & Catherine LaPlantif Helen Lau Paula Libes Jessica Lorant Wilda Luttermoser Nels H. Magelssen & Evelyn M. Zeller Donna Mansfield Ted & Lenore Martinell Dave Van Moorhem John & Sally Morgan Kenneth Morse Pauline Miller Leslie Nielson Tom & Ruth Odell Donna Onat in memory of Ruth & Preben Janis Orrico Fran & Dan Pope Heather and Michael Raschko Gail Ratley Daphne Robinson R. Joseph Scott N. Jayne Marquess & Peter Sefton Robert Schneble Carl Schwartz Setsuko Shigeno SPONSORS ($100-499) Continued Stamen & Denitsa Stoychev Sandra Sultan Ron & Cheryl Tanneberg Linda M S Thomas Miranda and Dave Thorpe Melissa Underhill Dan & Marianna Vail Dorothy Wendler SUPPORTERS ($25-99) Feather & David Asmussen Lisa Bergman Rena Brady Kathy Carr Maury Corbin Pete & Tara Cummings CeCilio Di Gino Annie & Ed Evans Bill Ferensen John Ferensen Dr. Martin Hanson Iris King Jayne Marquess Michelle Miller Juha Niemisto Jose Pantoja Judy Peterson Issam Rashid Kimberly Russ David & Penny Short Carol Stewart Tom & Mary Lynn Vance Susan Vanleuven Acknowledgements Many people have worked together to make our community orchestra possible. They have given of their time, talent, and energy. Thank you! Facilities Meydenbauer Center Eastlake High School Program Design & Layout Emaugo Creative Program Notes Adam Stern Rehearsal Space Bellevue Christian School Lobby Services The City of Sammamish Volunteer Network Refreshments Safeway/Costco Klahanie QFC/Pine Lake QFC Percussion Equipment Marianna Vale Beaver Lake Middle School Recording Engineer Phillip Chance We are seeking donations from supporters like you to help us sustain and expand our programs. Please join the generous individuals and organizations who have provided support to enable us to make the music our audiences love to hear. All contributions are taxdeductible. Please contact one of our representatives about how you can help. You can now donate via Paypal on our website at www.sammamishsymphony.org. The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra Association (SSOA) is a Non-Profit Corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service. For further information, contact the SSOA: P.O. Box 1173, Issaquah, WA 98027 www.sammamishsymphony.org (206) 517-7777 10
Sponsors For more information please visit www.sammamishsymphony.org Thank you to our generous sponsors. 11