Spring 2020 Orchestra concerts

Thursday, March 12, 2020

7:00 p.m., Concert Hall ($10 gen., $7 sen., $5 stu.)

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

7:00 p.m., Concert Hall ($10 gen., $7 sen., $5 stu.) Symphony Orchestra
Ryan Murray, conductor

with 2019 Concerto Competition Winners

Madison Armstrong, clarinet
Tatiana Grabciuc, soprano

Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.

December 3, 2019
Capistrano Concert Hall
Program Personnel

Premiére Rhapsodie Claude Debussy Symphony Orchestra

(1862-1918)
Madison Armstrong, clarinet Violin I Cello Bassoon
Daniel Boschee Corey Oiler Hugorafael Chacon-
Darya Voronina Julian Summer Kreysa
Matthew Major Corbin Weiss Tyler Kashow
“Song to the Moon” from Rusalka Antonín Dvořák Julie Vosheva Makenna Mann Owen Polkinghorn
(1841-1904) Ryan Datar Renato Sahagun
Tatiana Grabciuc, soprano Stella Moschovas Hector Morales Horn
Roger Xia Brianna Jones Natasha Buckman
Il Bacio Luigi Arditi Brittany Thorne Alex Winter Arianna Guntvedt
(1822-1903) Sydney Scott Veloy Tafoya
Tatiana Grabciuc, soprano Elyssa Havey Double Bass Vincent Salvitti
Kevin Myers
Violin II Sean Metcalfe Trumpet
Jamie Sauveur Connor Green Jordyn Kennell
Trevor Reynolds Teddy White Mario Bonilla
INTERMISSION Samuel Olmos Juliette Turner
Audrey Crooks Trombone
Edward Guinan Flute Wesley Schoch
Mikayla Triplehorn Olivia Chaikin Joey Murray
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor Vasily Kalinnikov Chad Williams Kelly Bacon Autumn Istre
(1866-1901) Isabella Alcantar Kristen Hogan (picc.)
I. Allegro Moderato Marnelle Mac Dula Tuba
Dagenais Smiley Oboe Alexis True
II. Andante commodamente
Jolán Friedhoff Wentao Jiang
III. Scherzo. Allegro non troppo Erik Moberg Harp
IV. Finale. Allegro moderato Viola Kerstin Allvin
Samantha Rosas Clarinet
Emily Svendsen Madison Armstrong Percussion
Anna Murray Luis Cruz Bee Trinh
Laura Huey Emma Keisler Sophia Sumpo
George Hayes Noah Blevins, bass Owen Polkinghorn
Rhennie Boyle

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Program Notes Program Notes

addition to his several operas, he wrote vocal showpieces and waltzes of The Premiere Rhapsodie of Debussy was a piece that had humble
which Il Bacio is the most famous. It is a light and fun piece that talks origins. As a member of the board of directors for the Paris Conservatoire,
about the joys of falling in love. Debussy was required to compose two works for the following years
clarinet exams. As is typical with the great composers, a piece that was
Vasily Kalinnikov died tragically at the age of 34 from tuberculosis. He originally written as a utility piece withstands the legacy of time and is
was the son of a policeman and became a church choir director at the age considered a masterpiece. This piece was originally written for clarinet
of 14. He was unable to afford the tuition at the Moscow Conservatory and piano and Debussy orchestrated it following the premier. It has all of
and so instead went to the Moscow Philharmonic Society School where the hallmarks of the Debussy style. Layered textures, poly rhythms and
he was the recipient of a bassoon scholarship. Tchaikovsky was impressed the high tertian harmony that we have come to expect from Debussy. He
with Kalinnikov and got him a conducting position with the Moscow has scored the piece in a very effective way to create a beautiful orchestral
Italian Theater, however his declining health required him to move further texture but to never cover up the solo clarinet. The piece is incredibly
south for the warmer weather. Rachmaninoff was impressed with demanding for the clarinet and features the full virtuosic and expressive
Kalinnikov’s music and was largely responsible for getting it published range of the instrument.
posthumously. His music is still relatively unknown outside of Russia, but
various conductors throughout history have tried to bring it forward Antonin Dvorak composed nine operas but the only one that is
including Toscanini with the NBC Symphony. His writing has similarities to frequently performed, at least in the United States, is Rusalka. The “Song
Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov and uses Russian folk songs to help create to the Moon” that is part of the first act of the opera is the most popular
his symphonic sound. There is no question that if Kalinnikov had lived as and frequently performed excerpt. In this aria, Rusalka, daughter of a
long as his contemporaries he would have the same reputation as the water goblin, sings of how she wants nothing more than to become
major romantic Russian composers. human and run away with the Prince that frequently visits her lake.
O moon high up in the deep, deep sky,
His first symphony has an energy and life to it that is at once familiar and
Your light sees far away regions,
fresh. The piece is in four movements and right from the start we are
You travel round the wide,
greeted with one of Kalinnikov’s signature spinning melodies. In
Wide world peering into human dwellings
particular, the second theme of the first movement is one of the nicest
O, moon, stand still for a moment,
melodies in the repertoire. One can hear that this is the work of a young Tell me, ah, tell me where is my lover!
composer. Sometimes the development sections seem to wander and
Tell him. please, silvery moon in the sky,
lack the focus that we would expect from a composer with decades of
That I am hugging him firmly,
symphonic writing under their belt. However, his voice is so strong, and
That he should for at least a while
the symphony is so full of youthful energy that these little inconsistencies Remember his dreams!
don’t disrupt from the flow and expanse of this work. The second
Light up his far away place,
movement features an ostinato pattern from the violins and harp, and a
Tell him, ah, tell him who is here waiting!
beautiful melody from the English Horn. This melody is passed
If he is dreaming about me,
throughout the orchestra and Kalinnikov uses interesting combinations of
May this remembrance waken him!
colors to keep the listener engaged. The third movement is reminiscent of
O, moon, don't disappear, disappear! (Jules Brunelle, translation)
a Dvorak scherzo with a trio section again based on folk songs. The finale
features a return of the opening two themes of the symphony and closes
with a thrilling brass chorale that can stand with any of the great 19th Luigi Arditi was an Italian composer, conductor and violinist. During his
century masterworks. lifetime he was more known for his conducting than his compositions. In

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