Introductions
Interview
by
Tanner Kent
Season’s soundtrack Mankato Symphony Orchestra musicians hit some favorite holiday high notes
Mankato Magazine What is your favorite holiday selection to play, and why? Hulda Niles (assistant concermaster): I really love playing the “Nutcracker”; not only because it is beautiful, but also because it is challenging musically. Plus, there is a certain magic in the music that Tchaikovsky creates that is unforgettable. I find myself unconsciously humming it all year long. There is nothing like having “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” going through your head when you’re supposed to be playing Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” on the Fourth of July. Mary Hakes (piccolo): I love “Sleigh Ride,” and I also really love playing the “Nutcracker Suite.” The parts are challenging but so much fun to play. Tchaikovsky wrote good piccolo parts! Helen Baumgartner (violin): My favorite holiday selection to play might be the four-hand arrangement of “Carol of the Bells” I play with my husband. We have been featured at the GSR Arts & Crafts Show for several years now and Tom Bliese has announced this as our “signature piece.” (We will be appearing at this show in the Civic Center Dec. 7 from 3-4 p.m.) Jill Mahr (flute): I think it must be “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson. Holidays are all about family and when I was little, my mother played a particular Christmas album that had this on it. It brings back all kinds of warm fuzzies. Plus, it’s always fun to hear the trumpet try to neigh like a horse. Mankato Magazine: What role has music played in your own holiday celebrations? Hakes: Can anyone even imagine Christmas without music? Music, especially at the holidays, forms the soundtrack to our season. And because we hear the same songs every year, it connects us with years past, and makes those memories come alive. Baumgartner: Music is a huge part of our Christmas. We sing in our church choir, sometimes play service music at Christmas time, and share Christmas music with community organizations Niles: I celebrate Christmas — and there is no way Christmas would ever be the same without music. I need the music to help me take Christmas to the next level, so I can appreciate the deeper spirituality behind it all. “Silent 10 • december 2013 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Night” and “What Child Is This?” really strike a chord with me (pun intended) that wakes me up and makes me realize that Christmas is about peace and quiet, too. Mahr: My husband and both our girls all are musicians, so music plays a big role at Christmas. From playing particular CDs while we trim the tree to performing every holiday at local retirement centers with extended family musicians, it wouldn’t seem like Christmas without music in the air. Mankato Magazine: Is there a memorable Candy Cane concert experience you can share? What makes this concert a favorite holiday tradition? Hakes: A highlight for me was playing the “Nutcracker” and having the young dancers join us. I love the Candy Cane concert because of the familiarity of the pieces, and the excitement of the children. There’s a great sense of anticipation in the air. Baumgartner: I think my favorite Candy Cane concert memory was the year MSO collaborated with the Mankato Ballet for the “Nutcracker.” I think audiences enjoy the sing-along aspect of the annual concert. Niles: My favorite Candy Cane concert memory involves the little ballerinas that used to dance while the orchestra played “Nutcracker.” We were all on stage together and the ballerinas’ huge tutus kept hitting the violins and cellos that sit on the outskirts of the orchestra. You could see a wave in the orchestra as musicians leaned out of the way whenever a dancer leaped past. I found it amusing, but I sit on the inside. Perspective is everything. I think the Candy Cane Concert is a favorite holiday tradition because it’s nice to be able to all get together outside of a church service and just feel the joy of community — whatever your personal religion may be. Mahr: I’m not sure of the particular concert, but it was when my oldest daughter was very little and Diane Pope was our director. She invited the youth to come forward and sit among the orchestra while we played. My daughter sat right next to me and she talked about that for a vey long time. I think what makes this a favorite holiday tradition is that word “tradition.” Holidays are made of traditions and what could be better than one that involves music! M