A publication of Thursday Musical MARCH/APRIL 2016
VOLUME XXVIII, NO. 4
President’s Letter
Liz Nordling, President
CONTENTS President’s Letter
1
Artist Series
1
Young Artist Prgm
2
Annual Meeting
2
Home Programs
2
Community Concerts 5 Membership
7
Events of Note
8
This is a bittersweet column for me, as it is my last column as the president of Thursday Musical, a position I have held for the last four years. A lot has happened over those four years. There have been joys and challenges. But it is the joys that I will remember, so please indulge me as I do a bit of reminiscing about the things in Thursday Musical that have brought me joy. Number one is the concerts! They have been fabulous. But I think it is the variety that I love the most. Three different groups on each concert and sometimes we get a bonus when one of our student winners also performs. Where else can you hear that? And the variety in the music played. Every single concert has had music that I had never heard before. What a joy! And closely following the concerts are the members of Thursday Musical, who put on those concerts! They have gobs of talent, dedication (who else would come to play or attend a concert on a cold winter day?) and creativity (that’s why our concerts are so entertaining!). As a singer, I know a lot of other singers, but because of TM I also know pianists, string players, wind players, ensembles, and composers. TM has expanded my horizons! We wouldn’t have concerts – or members either – if it weren’t for the TM board. We are a volunteer based organization, and if it weren’t for the dedication and work of our board we wouldn’t exist. They program our concerts (all three venues!), work on our membership, hold our auditions, watch our budget, run our student section, put together our newsletter, take the minutes, and keep us going. Wow! These are the people who said Yes when the Nominating Committee called. Continued on page 7
THURSDAY MUSICAL
Thursday Morning Artist Series “Old” and New – there is always something for everyone on a Thursday Musical concert! Our winter concert season started with an exceptional recital! Members and guests enjoyed an all-Bach (Johann Sebastian, that is!) program followed by a delicious “Bach’s Lunch.” It was a wonderful event so look for the “Bach’s Lunch” concert to return next year! You won’t want to miss it! Our concerts going forward promise to offer classical favorites, along with lesser known composers and new works. Balancing established repertoire with new works on March 17, Beth Blackledge, flute and Rebecca Heyn, piano, will present Sonatine by Henri Dutilleux. Composed as part of a series of four test pieces for the Paris Conservatoire, the pieces were intended both to test the technique of the students as well as provide them with new repertoire. However, Dutilleux, notoriously critical of his early works, including the Sonatine once stated that he had never been completely happy with the piece “because it doesn’t yet sound really like my music.” Despite the composer’s misgivings it has become a favorite and a standard of the flute repertoire. (wikipedia.org) Tenor Jim Reilly and pianist Beatrice Giere will perform songs in Czech by the composer Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915-1940). This little known composer was born in Brno to a composer father (who had studied withLeoš Janáček himself) and a voice teacher mother. Kaprálová's talent was recognized early and by the time of her death at age of only 25 she had already achieved significant success as both a composer and conductor. Continued on page 2
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Volume XXVIII, No. 4 March/April 2016 A publication of Thursday Musical 906 West 44th St #1 Minneapolis, MN 55409 612-333-0313 thursdaymusical.org Editor Amy Morris Graphic Design Vanessa Voskuil
Board of Directors Executive Committee Elizabeth Nordling President Monica Murray Ingrid Koller Vice Presidents, Artist Series Michael Davis Vice President, Auditions Sylvia Wilson Russell Dedrick Judy Blomgren Vice Presidents, Student Section Michael Santoro Treasurer Beth Blackledge Recording Secretary
Members may advertise free of charge in a classified ad format with a five-line maximum. For more information info@thursdaymusical.org 612-333-0313
In 1937 she conducted the Czech Philharmonic and a year later the BBC Orchestra in her composition Military Sinfonietta, to much critical acclaim. Her early death deprived the Czech people of the woman who might very well have been the next great Czech composer. “We guarantee that having heard her music, you will find its artistry unforgettable.” (Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, 2015). Reilly and Giere are scheduled to perform on April 14. Also on April 14, Mitchell Blatt, clarinet, Mary Hunt, piano, and Nanette Goldman, violin, will present Darius Milhaud’s Suite for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano. This work is based on incidental music Milhaud composed for Le voyageur sans bagage (The Traveller Without Luggage), a play in by Jean Anouilh. The first movement, bearing the title "Ouverture," immediately establishes a piquant Latin feel (reflecting, as do other of his pieces, the influence of Milhaud's two years' residence in Brazil several years earlier). The second movement, "Divertissement," utilizes intricate and playful imitative textures, as well as Milhaud's signature polytonal techniques. In the spirit of its title, "Jeu" (French for play), the third movement is a boisterous folk dance based on a hearty and relentless rhythm, and the fourth movement, "Introduction et final," begins with a somber introductory passage but culminates in a kind of jazzy cowboy tune that brings the movement and the suite to a close. (Grimshaw, Jeremy; allmusic.com) New art song and composers will be featured on our April 28 concert. Melissa Culloton, soprano, Steve Swanson, piano and Laura Sewell, cello will perform 21st century songs by contemporary composers Jake Runestad, Jocelyn Hagen and Josh Shank. Are you a fan of Game of Thrones, religious history or epic tales? Then you will not want to miss Malagigi the Sorcerer, by Venezuelan-born composer Efraín Amaya, performed by flutist Amy Morris and pianist Mary Goetz. The piece is developed from the romanticism of mythical stories, in particular, the legends of Charlemagne. The work portrays the enchantment of Bayard, an untamable horse, who is placed under a magical spell, and later tamed by the knight Rinaldo. A few surprises will be in store for the audience, as Amaya uses not only flute
and piano to create these fantastical settings. Ms. Morris will also perform a Tango Etud e by Astor Piazzolla, on the bass flute. Monica Murray Co-Chair, Artist Series
Home Programs Three Home Programs are slated for Thursday, April 21. Home Programs are a timehonored Thursday Musical tradition; performers and audience members are always enthusiastic about the opportunity to experience a concert in a lovely home setting. Two programs are at 10:30 AM, with coffee and refreshments served at 10, and there is one evening concert at 7:30 PM, with coffee and dessert served at 7 PM. Winds, strings, sopranos, and pianists are represented on the performer lists, so there is truly "something for everyone." The Ariel Trio has switched places on the roster with Megan Wallace, pianist, which means that piano enthusiasts can hear an all-piano program on the Steinway at the home of Greg and Lisa Buck. Full information regarding home locations and concert times can be found at thursdaymusical.org. Space is limited; reserve your spot by visiting thursdaymusical.org or calling 612-333-0313. Kathryn Christie Co-chair, Home Programs
Student Section The student section of Thursday musical has had a tremendous 2016 season of musicmaking by extraordinaire students in the areas of instrumental, keyboard and vocal genres. An outstanding contest held on March 5, 2016 resulted in tough competition for the first, second and honorable mention placement. The Winners’ Concert will be held on March 31, 2016 at MacPhail Center for Music and will showcase the first place winners in performance. Five students will also perform during the UUAW annual luncheon in April. This is an annual opportunity for students to showcase their expertise for the UUAW organization. Judy Blomgren Student Section Vice President
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Annual Meeting May 5! Thursday Musical Annual Meeting Thursday, May 5, 2016 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Antonello Hall MacPhail Center for Music Coffee and refreshments will be served at 10:00 All members of Thursday Musical are welcome and encouraged to attend. Program will consist of short reports from some of TM’s officers, the election of new officers, and music, of course!
Thursday Musical’s Young Artist Scholarship Competition 2015 See the results at thursdaymusical.org/competition And attend the Winners’ Concert on March 31, 2015 at 7pm MacPhail Center for Music!
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2015-2016 Our 30th Season! All concerts at 8 p.m. Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University Campus 1531 Hewitt Avenue, St Paul, 55104 Saturday, October 24 - Martha Masters, classical guitar Saturday, November 14 - Eduardo Fernandez, classical guitar Saturday, December 5 - Acoustic Jazz Guitarathon Saturday, January 23 - Ekachai Jearakul, classical guitar Saturday, February 20 - John Rankin & Don Vappie, - Music from New Orleans Saturday, March 26 - Brasil Guitar Duo, classical guitar duo Saturday, April 23 - Ian O'Sullivan, Hawaiian classical guitar Saturday, June 4 - Classical Guitarathon Tickets can be purchased at the door
or online at mnguitar.org
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Community Concerts Features Three Public Concerts, Plus More in March and April In addition to providing quality performances as an outreach to many of the Twin Cities’ retirement communities, Thursday Musical has partnered with several area concert series, lending its fine artists to their venues. Three of these series will be occurring in the next two months, offering Thursday Musical members, as well as the general public, an opportunity to hear our fine performers in settings around the area. The first of these concerts will occur on Thursday, March 17 at the newest of our venues. The Hastings Arts Center and Blessings Academy of Arts and Music opened recently in a refurbished church on Fourth Street in Hastings, MN. Our March 17 concert will feature soprano Melyssa Rice performing a tribute to the music of Ireland on St. Patrick's Day. This will include arrangements of Irish folk songs by Herbert Hughes and John Larchet, an aria by Victor Herbert, and traditional Irish songs set for voice and violin by Rebecca Clarke. Melyssa will be accompanied by Sarah Lockwood on piano and violin. Mark Bussey will also appear on this concert, delivering soulful guitar music from Brazil, Cuba and Spain. A long-time Thursday Musical partner, the gorgeous Owatonna Arts Center will be the site of an afternoon concert on Sunday, April 10. Pianist Deanne Mohr will treat the audience to Beethoven’s profound Sonata in A major, Opus 101, contrasting this intense work with Olivier Messiaen’s mystical Prem ière com m union d e la vierge (The First Communion of the Virgin). The eleventh movement of his monumental cycle Vingt regard s sur l'enfant-Jésus, this piece is derived from Messiaen’s religious background, and bears the mark of his unique harmonic language and rhythmic ideas which are influenced by Eastern cultures and mathematics. Mezzo-soprano Jocelyn Kalajian will also appear on this program, bringing a vocal quartet consisting of Patricia Kent, John deCausmeaker and Jon Nordstrom to sing music by Franz Josef Haydn. The group is the resident solo quartet at The Church of St. Agnes in St. Paul performing masses by Haydn, Mozart and Schubert among others with full orchestra during the Mass there every week. Jocelyn will also perform a set of solo songs by Ernest Chausson, collaborating with pianist Mary Goetz. On Sunday, May 1, Thursday Musical will partner once again with Oak Grove Lutheran Church in Richfield to present a concert in its spacious and lovely sanctuary. Flutist Betty Olson will collaborate with Gene Swanson on the guitar to present a delightful program spanning 300 years of music, from Mozart to Fauré to McGuire, and featuring several works written by Gene Swanson. Pianist Charles Scarborough is also scheduled to appear on this concert in the heart of the south metro area. If these public concerts don’t present opportunity enough to get around the Twin Cities and hear great music, the following residential venues do welcome our members to join their audiences.
First on the calendar is another performance at Walker Place in Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 16, where soprano THURSDAY MUSICAL Elizabeth Woolner will sing two little-known songs by Giacomo Puccini, followed by two Italian songs by Paolo Tosti. She will also sing a humorous French salon-style song called “J'ai Deux Amants” by André Messager and a Kurt Weill song “Mon Ami, My Friend” from the musical Johnny Johnson. Jim Reilly will join Elizabeth at the piano, and also in a little duet called “The Love Nest” by Louis Hirsch. Also appearing on this program will be the Ensemble l’Autumno string trio, with Elizabeth Ericksen on the violin, Stella Anderson on the viola and Faith Farr on the cello. The trio will present Ernst von Dohnanyi’s Serenade in C major, Opus 10, a four-movement work which has elements of 20th century chromaticism while still harking back to the earlier style of a serenade. A concert set for Thursday evening, March 24 at 1666 Coffman Condminiums will feature soprano Nancy Cox and pianist Gail Olzsewski both as soloists and in collaboration with each other. Along with cellist Molly Wilbur-Cohen, Nancy will perform the Madam Songs, composed by British composer Betty Roe on poetry by Langston Hughes. Gail will be playing two of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccatas on the piano, as well as collaborating with Nancy to present a set of songs by Charles Ives, for a widely diverse program. If you will be in the Golden Valley area on Thursday, April 7, you might be interested in the concert to be given at Covenant Manor by pianist Salam Murtada, who will perform several selections by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexandr Scriabin. This passionate music will be contrasted by Beethoven’s charming and playful Violin Sonata No. 6 in A major, performed by violinist Dragan Stojković with Mary Goetz at the piano. On April 20, Thursday Musical once again will partner with Walker Place in Minneapolis to present a concert featuring Kate Lamb, soprano, singing Bach’s Ich folge d ir gleichfalls and Quia respexit, three Bizet mélodies, Luigi Arditi’s soaring waltz “Il Bacio,” and melodramatic arias from Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, with Leah Siltberg playing the piano. Also playing the piano will be the duet team of Vern Maetzold and Charles Lilienfeld. The two will perform several Waltzes by Johannes Brahms, three pieces by Edvard Grieg and an arrangement for piano duet of Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze." Thursday Musical wraps up its season of outreach performances with an April 29 concert at another long-time community venue, the Kenwood. Here, soprano Julie Ann Greif and pianist Sarah Lockwood will present a set of songs centered on the theme of "Spring Around the World," encompassing several genres and languages. Ann Buran and Lynn Shackelford will also team up for this concert performing Claude Debussy’s darling Petite Suite for piano duet. Mary Goetz Co-Chair, Community Concerts
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-7President’s Letter continued from page 1 They have my unending gratitude for all of the support that they have given me. Thank you. There would have been no joy without our wonderful TM staff. We only have two part time staff members: Vanessa Voskuil, our Operations Manager, and Holley Thompson, our Accountant, and they are indispensable. Vanessa keeps us running smoothly, and Holley can account for every penny that comes in and goes out. We are so lucky to have them. Over the years I have held just about every position in TM. I have enjoyed each position, but the one that brought me the most joy was serving on the Student Section. I still volunteer every year on the student recitals and the Young Artist Competition, because I just love those students! Watching them grow as performers and musicians is so rewarding. Let me put in a plug here for the Winners’ Concert on March 31, 7:00 PM at MacPhail. Come and hear them play and you will understand why I love them so. They are the future of classical music. Thank you for a good four years. I have been privileged to serve as your president.
Membership: Proposed Bylaw Changes The Thursday Musical Bylaws Committee proposes the following changes to our Bylaws. These will be voted upon at our Annual Meeting on May 5. Delete Home Programs chair from the Membership Committee Article IV, Section 6. C. Vice President-Membership Shall appoint and chair a Membership Committee that includes a Vice President-Artist Series and Vice PresidentAuditions and a Home Programs Chair Delete Education Outreach from the Auditions Committee Article IV, Section 6. E. Vice President-Auditions 3. Shall appoint a committee, which shall hear
Liz Nordling, President
and rate those who audition. The committee should represent piano, winds, strings and voice, and should include a Vice PresidentArtist Series, Vice President-Membership and
Season Subscription and Membership March/April Promotion Become a member after March 1 and your subscription will extend through the following concert season (April 30, 2017)! Membership Includes
12 Thursday Morning Artist Series concerts 4 Home Programs
a chair of Home Programs and Community Concerts. and Education Outreach. Delete requirement of non-performing members on the Nominating Committee Article IV, Section 7.F. Nominating Shall chair a committee chosen in part from names submitted by the Board of Directors consisting of and include two performing members and two nonperforming members. One of the committee members shall be a past president.
Numerous Community Concerts 4 Issues of Uptem po, the Thursday Musical newsletter
Delete Events Chair
Member directory Two Complimentary Tickets to any Thursday Morning Artist Series Concert ($20 value)
Article IV, Section 8.C Delete and renumber C through H
Member Announcements Voting Privileges at the Annual Meeting
$75/$65 senior (65+) Subscribe Online or by Phone thursdaymusical.org/membership 612-333-0313 or info@thursdaymusical.org
Change wording to acknowledge that a few of our Community Concerts are not open to Thursday Musical members or the public Article V, Section 3. Community Concerts A.Shall be open to all Thursday Musical members and the public unless otherw ise noted .
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, Permit No. 2984
THURSDAY MUSICAL 906 West 44th Street #1, Minneapolis, MN 55409 Address Service Requested
Events of Note (A) Thursday Morning Artist Series (C) Community Concert (H) Home Programs (S) Student program
(C) Thursday, March 24, 7:30 PM 1666 Coffman Condominiums 1666 Coffman St, Falcon Heights Nancy Cox, soprano - Gail Olszewski, piano
(C) Wednesday, March 16, 2:30 PM Walker Place 3701 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis Elizabeth Ericksen, violin, Stella Anderson, viola and Faith Farr, cello - Elizabeth Woolner, soprano
(C) Thursday, April 7, 1:30 PM Covenant Village 5800 St Croix Ave N, Golden Valley Dragan Stojković, violin - Salam Murtada, piano
(A) Thursday, March 17, 10:30 AM MacPhail Center for Music 501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis Beth Blackledge, flute and Rebecca Heyn, piano - Suzanne Kennedy, mezzo soprano and Jim Reilly, piano Ensemble l’Autumno (Elizabeth Ericksen, violin, Stella Anderson, viola and Faith Farr, cello) (C) Thursday, March 17, 7:00 PM Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council 310 10th St W, Hastings Mark Bussey, guitar - Melyssa Rice, soprano and Sarah Lockwood, piano and violin Thursday, March 31, 7:00 PM Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winners' Concert MacPhail Center for Music 501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis
(C) Sunday, April 10, 2:00 PM Owatonna Arts Center 435 Dunnell Drive, Owatonna Deanne Mohr, piano - Jocelyn Kalajian, mezzo-soprano (C) Wednesday, April 20, 2:30 PM Walker Place 3701 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis Vern Maetzold and Charles Lilienfeld, piano four-hands - Kate Lamb, soprano (A) Thursday, April 14, 10:30 AM MacPhail Center for Music 501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis Rie Tanaka, piano (Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015) - Mitch Blatt, clarinet - Jim Reilly, tenor and Beatrice Giere, piano Mimi Tung, piano (H) Thursday, April 21, 10:30 AM Home of Julie Ann Greif
1782 Humboldt Ave S, Minneapolis Claudia Schnitker, flute - Ann Buran and Lynn Shackelford, piano duo - Mary Lois Dick, soprano (H) Thursday, April 21, 10:30 AM Home of Karen Hansen 1536 Mississippi River Blvd S, St. Paul Karen Hansen, clarinet - Judy Olson, soprano - Ariel Trio (Kathryn Christie, violin, Sandra Haines, cello and Nancy Lichtenstein, piano) (H) Thursday, April 21, 7:30 PM Home of Greg and Lisa Buck 6104 Wilryan Ave, Edina Mimi Tung, piano - Shannon Loehrke, piano - Megan Wallace, piano, Kathryn Bakke, piano (has cancelled) (A) Thursday, April 28, 10:30 AM MacPhail Center for Music 501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis Elizabeth Kleiber, flute (Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015) - Amy Morris, flute and bass flute - Melissa Culloton, mezzo-soprano - Elliott Wilcox, piano (C) Friday, April 29, 7:00 PM The Kenwood 825 Summit Ave, Minneapolis Julie Ann Greif, soprano and Sarah Lockwood, piano - Ann Buran and Lynn Shackelford, piano four-hands