2022-2023 Program Book

Enthusiastically Supporting the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

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Melynda Wilcox, President, Board of Trustees

George Hanson, Executive Director

When former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith was asked in an interview about her new English text for Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” she said that “joy is about acknowledging the largeness and beauty of others.” That is a fitting image for our 2022-2023 season, when we will acknowledge powerful and stirring stories and tales told through evocative works such as Scheherazade and Rite of Spring, as well as through the amazing guest artists appearing on our stage.

With joy and gratitude, the ASO Board of Trustees and I acknowledge the support and generosity of our patrons and donors, and we welcome you to our 2022-2023 season. We are excited to see you. As Smith’s new “Ode” proclaims, may our hearts vie for joy!

Dear Friends of the ASO,

As we emerge together from the challenges of the past two years, ASO is stronger than ever thanks to you! This season Maestro Ross has put together an eclectic, diverse and truly thrilling combination of world-class soloists, great classics and new works, each program a compelling and slightly untraditional mix. The response so far has been wonderful!

ASO stayed active and vital during the pandemic, performing in unusual venues across the city. Your financial support kept the organization healthy and poised to continue innovation and engagement. Ticket sales last season exceeded all expectations, and the inspiring work of our musicians is reaching new and broader audiences. The purpose of great art is to inspire and transform. We are grateful you are joining us on this journey. Fasten your seatbelts!

2022-2023 Board of Trustees

Melynda Wilcox, President

Nancy Davenport, Vice President

Paul Kentes, Treasurer • Judy Grey, Secretary

George Bostick

Suzanne S. Brock

Sally Guy Brown

Miriam Browning Linda Bunce

Carolyn Fuller

Jon Hakken

Barbara H. Hayes

Anne Reed, Chair

Mollie Danforth

Alex Deringer

Ellis Duncan

Dr. Joseph V. Braddock Mr. Waller T. Dudley Hon. William D. Euille Mr. Caswell O. Hobbs

Avril James

David Johnson Lee Klousia

Jonathan Kolm

Martha Lloyd Harriett G. McCune

Genevieve Moorhouse, SOLA

Arthur Peabody, Jr.

Advisory Board

Becky Siegel

Elizabeth Siegel

Edward Stark

Trustees Emeritus

Frank Purcell

Betty Quirk

Anne Best Rector

Phyllis Sintay, SOLA Johan van Zyl

Ed Walters

Andrew Weller George White

Jeanne Warner Judy Williams Nancy Ziegler

CAPT W. Ward Lasley USN (Ret.)

Mr. James B. Singerling

Jeanne Warner Donnan C. Wintermute

Concerto Foundation Board of Trustees

Frank J. Quirk, Chair

Charles Ballou

Miriam Browning

Mary Ann Best Millard

Betty Quirk

ASO Administration

George Hanson, Executive Director

Ryan Jordan, Director of Operations

Thomas Sargeant Forrest Williams

Melinda Kernc, Director of Development and Marketing Cindy Gossman, Sympatico Program Manager Susan Kelly, Personnel Manager

Craig Teer, Stage Manager

Christina Kramer, Volunteer Manager

Cecilia Stroud, Graphic Designer

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

700 N Fairfax Street, Suite 501

Alexandria, VA 22314

A Letter from the Maestro

The Camino of Santiago across Northern Spain is one of the world’s great pilgrimages. It starts in southern France and weaves over mountains and plains in thoughts and words towards the Cathedral of St. James in Galicia. Ancient, yet ever renewed by those souls on foot or bike, it is a path trodden for centuries by people of all faiths and people of no faith carrying little more than a seashell to identify them. The journey can be undertaken all at once or in bits and pieces. It is unique to every person who chooses to make the trek; it encompasses the most powerful moments of solitude as well as the sense of deep connection to all those who walk with you, around you, and before you. Your inner Camino is yours alone, yet you are among many—all headed the same direction. We welcome you to Camino ASO!

A good piece of music, a good concert, a good season, should be like a musical pilgrimage—a Camino story in sound. The ASO’s musical path this year is full Of Songs and Tales. Here’s the itinerary:

All Hearts Vie for Joy We start from home in early October with the spirit of Schiller and Beethoven forged in the Ninth Symphony now reimagined for our times through the gifts of U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. Fabulous soloists, a mighty chorus, and a gorgeous Vaughan Williams prelude. What does joy sound like to our 21st century ears? From the depths of what chaos can joy be mined?

Afghan Days, Arabian Nights By mid-November, we warmly welcome two Afghan musicians to our stage—both recently arrived from their troubled homeland. Hamid will share his transporting sonic world of tabla with us, while Negin will conduct two popular songs by the “Afghan Elvis,” Ahmad Zahir, in newly commissioned arrangements. Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade presents a woman with the voice of a violin who has to earn

the right to continue living every night by weaving magical tales for her brutal husband. Interspersed poetry by Afghan women of our century will help throw light on what Scheherazade’s days could have been like and the staggering challenges still faced by many women in our world. How does it feel to be a stranger in a new country? To be a victim in your own home?

Jingle Our December holiday festivities will feature the vocal gifts of soprano Helena Colindres, as well as the beautiful movement of BalletNova who will fill our stage with danced excerpts from The Nutcracker in music by both Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Duke Ellington. Do snowflakes fall the same in Sweden as in St. Petersburg as in New York City? Do sleighbells affect our morale?

Banner By early February, we’ll be mixing the time-stopping contemplation of Samuel Barber’s Adagio with some Haydn, and fragments of a Sinfonia Concertante begun and abandoned by Mozart happily completed by Philippine-born composer Jeffrey Ching for this American premiere. Jeffrey is one of my longest-standing musical friends, my college roommate, and one of the greatest Mozart lovers I know. Jessie Montgomery’s Banner is a musical depiction of the ethnic melting pot of our country welcoming national anthems of all varieties into vital conversation with America’s own. Who is walking around us? And how can our differences support and complete each other?

Awaken And finally, as our Camino concludes, Cuba rises up magically out of the Caribbean waters in greeting. In Guido López-Gavilán’s vision, the spirit of that mystical island is embodied in mojitos with rum, coconut water, and the toe-tapping rhythms of rumba! Georgian pianist Natalia Kazaryan will invite Edvard Grieg to join our multinational pilgrimage’s final leg, which then culminates with Igor Stravinsky’s staggering explosion of primal spring awakening that hearkens back to heathen times in a bracing modernist language and rhythms of joyous unpredictability. Toetapping becomes boot-stomping; a tug of war leads to a head-snapping sacrificial dance. Why do the last miles always require the biggest effort?

We hope this season’s journey Of Songs and Tales will pull you in, magnify you, and fortify you all along the way.

James Ross

Music Director

James Ross is a native of Boston, an improviser, a horn-blower, a dogged questioner of concert rituals, a man who likes to move, a phrase-shaper, and a firm believer in the humanizing impact of classical music on the lives of those it touches. Fueled by those various traits, he is starting his fifth season as Music Director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra in a city he now calls home.

He has led the National Youth Orchestra USA as Orchestra Director since its founding in 2013 and taught conducting at the Juilliard School since 2011. He was Professor and Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Maryland for 16 years and served as Music Director of the Orquesta Simfònica del Vallès in Barcelona, Spain. Jim’s principal conducting teachers were Kurt Masur, OttoWerner Mueller, Seiji Ozawa, and Leonard Bernstein. He was Artistic Director of the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) at the University of

Maryland from 2002-2012 where his leadership helped served as an impetus for change in the orchestral landscape of our country.

Ross is internationally recognized for his work advancing the future of orchestras through cross-genre collaborations especially with choreographer and MacArthur Fellow Liz Lerman, polymath designer-director Doug Fitch, and video artist Tim McLoraine. In 2019, he led inaugural courses of the Cuban American Youth Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s RCO Young.

He spent the pandemic playing soulful tunes with himself and others, caring for an old and a young dog, and imagining a creative reboot for classical music. He loves art that is new no matter when it was written. He loves concerts that tell an inner story, and he loves helping both conductors and orchestras find their own singular voices.

Sponsors

Beethoven’s Ninth

All Hearts Vie for Joy!

1, 2022

PM

Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

2, 2022 • 3:00 PM

Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

Ross,

Presented in partnership with Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Excerpt from Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 in D major “Choral,” op. 125

Text adapted by Tracy K. Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate 2017-2019

I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso

II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - Presto

III. Adagio molto e cantabile

IV. Presto; Allegro molto assai (Alla marcia); Andante maestoso; Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato

Dara Rahming, soprano

Marquita Raley-Cooper, mezzo-soprano

Rodrick Dixon, tenor

Daniel Rich, baritone

FAIRFAX CHORAL SOCIETY

Victoria Gau, chorus master

Performance runtime will be

Concerts

75 minutes with no intermission

by

Excerpt from Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Program Notes by George Hanson

Like many composers known to be closely associated with the musical heritage of their homelands, British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams sought his own musical roots in the history of his island nation. Sibelius, Bartók, Dvořák and Vaughan Williams all looked to folk songs and other musical traditions of their native lands to find their own compositional style; each has a distinctive and instantly recognizable sound palette.

In this remarkable fantasia composed in 1910, Vaughan Williams mines the rich colors of the music of Thomas Tallis, court composer during the Renaissance-era Tudor dynasty. In 1567 Tallis wrote a set of songs for the Archbishop of Canterbury, one of which contained the theme taken up by Vaughan Williams. The striking harmonies develop from the nature of the tune itself: set in the Phrygian mode, a scale that departs from our more modern expectations, in which the second, third, sixth and seventh notes are flatted relative to our major scale.

Vaughan Williams also employs a Renaissance-era technique called “antiphony,” or the setting apart of groups within the physical and musical space. Here he sets apart a string quartet from the rest of the full string orchestra, allowing a dialogue of questioning and response.

The music is hauntingly beautiful, tinged in sadness but concluding in hope. Performances for British audiences often bring listeners to tears; if you are so moved, British or not, the music is hitting its mark.

Symphony No. 9 in D major “Choral,”op. 125

van Beethoven

Composed between 1822 and 1824 and considered by many to be among the most important musical works in history, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 transformed the landscape for all future composers. Johannes Brahms withdrew his first attempts at writing a first symphony, delaying its premiere for a decade, saying, “You have no idea of how it feels always to hear the tramp of such a giant [Beethoven] behind you.”

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony ushered in the new era of musical composition we now refer to as the Romantic era. His innovations included an enlarged orchestra (with piccolo, contrabassoon, trombones and percussion instruments), a quartet of vocal soloists and a chorus, all for the first time included in the symphonic form. The 64-minute, four-movement work encompasses a tragic view of the world, with redemption found in Friedrich Schiller’s remarkable poem An die Freude, or Ode to Joy.

Beethoven begins the first movement with a quiet tremolo-like drone in the low strings. The tonality is neither major nor minor, creating mystery, anxiety and a worried energy. A quick crescendo leads to a fortissimo awakening, a realization of tragedy. The movement develops a dramatic descending melodic arpeggio, finally releasing the tension with a reminiscence of calm and beauty. It ends with a dramatic return of the tragic music in D minor.

The scherzo-like second movement is among the most familiar of Beethoven’s symphonic movements. Using the same two tones as the

opening of the first movement, Beethoven starts with several violent coups d’archet (strokes of the bow) announcing an entirely new energy. The two tones, A and D, are used to develop a fugue with string voices that starts in a whisper, growing to an angry snarl. Suddenly the anger is interrupted by a beautiful but still energetic melody. These musical moods alternate until a coda that seems to long for beauty is cut off with the same violent strokes that began the movement.

The third movement is a deeply spiritual longing, a recalling of beautiful memories. Again Beethoven begins softly; again he uses the fugue form to explore the depths of agonizing sorrow. A quiet coda prepares us for what follows.

It is these tragic three movements that lead us to perhaps one of the most uplifting musical moments ever composed. The final movement is so powerful, precisely because it is preceded by the depth of human experience encompassed in the first three.

After a crashing introduction, Beethoven reminds us of the themes used throughout the earlier movements. Again he utilizes the fugue to introduce one of the most famous melodies in all classical music. Starting in hushed tones, Beethoven builds voice upon voice, sweeping along the listener as he paints a picture of hope and joy. A tumultuous interruption is halted by a lone voice: “O Friend, my heart has tired of such darkness. Now it vies for joy!” The famous theme, now with Schiller’s text, returns. The chorus enters the celebration. A series of variations develops this remarkable sound of joy to a truly transcendent conclusion.

These performances present a new English version of the text by U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer prize-winner Tracy K. Smith. Much like Beethoven’s small changes to Schiller’s text brought meaning relevant to the times, Ms. Smith’s text shines a new light on our view of the world today, bringing meaning and relevance to ASO’s performances.

A Washington, D.C. area based nonprofit organization, with outreach throughout the nation, the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA) was founded in 2003 by classical musicians brother and sister team Victor Simonson and Pamela Simonson, along with a collective of artists and arts lovers, who were seeking to create wider-based performance opportunities for African American classical musicians and performing artists, as well as introducing the classical music genre, along with other art forms to African American audiences.

The native New Yorkers sought to bring their own love and passion for classical music to African American organizations, individuals, and companies, but more importantly, as beneficiaries of organizations and groups who supported their talent in the arts as youth, they desired to provide a platform for others, in order to “give back to their community.” CAAPA is their way of saying thank you to their “village.” The musicians now live by the credo…”Bring color to the classics!”

BE ON

Concert 1 • October 2 & 3

Bahamian-born soprano, Dara Rahming has been gracing the concert and operatic stage for over 20 years, performing leading roles in operas and giving recitals throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Known for its beautifully shimmery quality, her voice and acting ability have gained her much praise world-wide. Highlights of her career include the roles of Medora in Verdi’s Il Corsaro and Tosca in Puccini’s Tosca with Sarasota Opera, the 1st Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Florida Grand Opera, Minerva in Monteverdi’s Ulisse with Opéra Louisiane, and most recently premiering the role of Sylvie in Dan Shore’s Freedom Ride with Chicago Opera Theater. She has also had the privilege of singing several roles in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Serena/Lily with Washington National Opera, Bess with Oakland East Bay Symphony and Union Avenue Opera, and Clara with New Orleans Opera and New York-Harlem Productions’ world tour.

Lauded and recognized around the globe, mezzo-soprano Marquita Raley-Cooper exhibits beauty and versatility on the stage. Her work has been praised by The New York Times and Opera News for “her big, pulsating instrument.” She debuted in recitals at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall with The New York Philharmonic in New York City and with The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She is also a featured soloist with Ebony String Quartet with works by leading female composer Christina Spinei, Jazz at Lincoln Center for Wynton Marsalis’ Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration and Leonard Bernstein’s Candide with The New York Philharmonic and a guest artist for Lyric Fest accompanied by acclaimed pianist, Laura Ward. Oratorio works include, Handel’s Messiah and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem. Operatic roles include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress), Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), 2nd & 3rd Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Anne (The Mother of Us All), Gianetta (L’elisir d’amore), Fountain Voice (Ainadamar), Martha (Iolanta), Madame Flora (The Medium), Delilah (Samson et Delilah) with Venture Opera, Philadelphia Opera and Chautauqua Opera.

Rodrick Dixon’s extraordinary range and versatility have been heard with opera companies including Los Angeles Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Portland Opera, Opera Columbus, Virginia Cincinnati Opera, and Opera Southwest. He is a frequent soloist of the Cincinnati May Festival. He has also appeared with The Cleveland Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ravinia Festival, American Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Vail Music Festival, Kimmel Center, and Sydney Arts Festival. This season includes appearances with the Enescu Festival in the title role of Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg, Philadelphia Orchestra for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Florida Orchestra for Mozart’s Requiem, Calvin University for Handel’s Messiah, the Richmond Symphony, Greensboro Symphony and appearances in Detroit and Chicago for Too Hot to Handel. He has appeared on television in several PBS specials. He was part of the original cast of Ragtime on Broadway, and in Show Boat at the Auditorium Theatre. He has appeared on recordings for PBS (Great Performances), Follow That Star, Sacred Land, Rodrick Dixon Live in Concert, and a Christmas album with the Cincinnati Pops.

Daniel Rich, has performed with Frostburg Opera, Morgan Opera, MSM Opera Theater, Trilogy Opera, The Phoenicia Festival of the Voice and The Spoleto Festival. He has performed in aria concerts for Maryland Opera and Opera Delaware. For the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Rich will join the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Rich has enjoyed early success not only as an emerging opera singer but as a recitalist and concert artist. He has performed concert and oratorio work with organizations such as Capital Singers of Trenton, Baltimore Musicales, Opera Ebony, DC Strings Workshop, Brooklyn Ecumenical, South East Queens Ecumenical, Three on 3, CAAPA, NANM, and Harlem Opera Theater. Most recently Daniel was the 1st place winner of the ALLTech Vocal Competition at The University of Kentucky and 1st place winner of the Black Brilliance Art Song Competition by The Pleiades Project and Toledo Opera. He is an alumnus of Morgan State University and The Manhattan School of Music. Daniel is a current student in the private vocal studio of Ms. Marquita Lister.

Victoria Gau is Artistic Director of the Capital City Symphony and Cantate Chamber Singers and Concert Choir. Previous positions include Associate Conductor of National Philharmonic, and music director of the Richmond Philharmonic and Takoma Ensemble, among others. Gau has guest conducted such choruses as The Metropolitan Chorus, Capitol Hill Chorale, and the Congressional Chorus, assisted in preparation of the 150-voice National Philharmonic Chorale for approximately six concerts per season, and served as Co-Director of the National Philharmonic Singers, and Director and Co-Conductor of the National Philharmonic Summer Choral Institutes. She has guest conducted the Alexandria Symphony several times.

Celebrating their 60th season in 2022-2023, the Symphonic Chorus of the Fairfax Choral Society, led by Patrick Vaughn, has inspired and enriched Northern Virginia’s cultural horizon since 1962. For this particular performance with the Alexandria Symphony, the Symphonic Chorus is thrilled to join forces with the Northern Virginia Community College Chorus and the Northern Virginia Chorale under the baton of Chorus Master Victoria Gau. This collaboration goes straight to the heart of the mission of the Fairfax Choral Society: to serve the community by enriching lives through the performance, education, and appreciation of choral art.

The Fairfax Choral Society Symphonic Chorus is comprised of approximately 50 singers who audition annually. The Symphonic Chorus has received rave reviews for its performance of choral masterworks in collaboration with the Fairfax Symphony, Cathedral Choral Society, Choral Arts Society, National Symphony Orchestra, City of Fairfax Band, and other arts organizations in the region. The Washington Post has described the FCS Chorus as “…confident and polished…this chorus produced waves of gorgeous tones and a rich tapestry of color…the effect of some very skillful conducting.”

Scheherazade

Afghan Days, Arabian Nights

2022

PM

M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

13, 2022 • 3:00 PM

george washington masonic memorial

JOHN WILLIAMS Adventures on Earth from E.T.

DINUK WIJERATNE

Tabla Concerto

II. Folk song: ‘White in the moon the long road lies (that leads me from my love)’

AHMAD ZAHIR (Arr. Lauren Braithwaite)

Hamid Habib Zada, tabla

I. Canons, Circles Farwardin

Zindegi Akhair Sarayat

Negin Khpalwak, guest conductor

INTERMISSION -

Scheherazade (Op. 35)NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV

I. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship

II. The Kalendar Prince

III. The Young Prince and the Young Princess

IV. Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Ship Breaks against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman.

runtime will be

minutes

minute

Adventures on Earth from E.T. John Williams (b. 1932)

Program Notes by George Hanson

Composer John Williams has written, and is writing, the soundtrack to our American lives. It would be difficult to imagine any creative artist who has had a bigger impact on American culture: Star Wars, the musical themes for the Olympics and NBC’s Today Show, more Grammy nominations than any human being besides Walt Disney himself—an endless list of musical moments we experience every day. In person, Maestro Williams is enormously generous and loves sharing his gifts and insight with young musicians; ASO’s music director and executive director can both attest personally to his warmth, energy, humility and kind manner.

Williams draws on the leitmotif methods of Richard Wagner, the open-interval melodies of Aaron Copland, the colorful orchestrations of Gustav Holst and his own gift for memorable tunes to create a musical universe for telling great stories. Adventures on Earth, from his soundtrack for E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial, reflects and enhances the excitement, movement, touching sentiment and childhood adventure of Steven Spielberg’s creation. The ever-ascending main theme, associated with the unforgettable image of children on bicycles flying through the air, serves as the foundation for many of the other tunes with its rising fifths and octaves, and the occasional raised fourth added for color. Pulsing rhythms in the horns drive the music homeward with energy.

Tabla Concerto Dinuk Wijeratne (b. 1978)

Sri Lankan-born Canadian composer Dinuk Wijeratne, described by the New York Times as “exuberantly creative,” is a remarkably eclectic musician. Raised in Dubai and trained in Great Britain and New York’s Juilliard School, Wijeratne has performed as pianist with YoYo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and legendary tabla artist Zakir Hussain.

A tabla is a pair of twin hand drums, constructed of hollowed out wood or metal, believed to have evolved from instruments of the Indian

subcontinent. The small drums can be tuned to create a variety of tonal effects, both treble and bass. Wijeratne connects with this instrument and its best-known players through his own Sri Lankan heritage.

In his Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra, Wijeratne employs a wide range of orchestration techniques to create a unique blend of the traditional and unconventional. Memorable melodies often overlap, rhythms drive the music forward, and unique instrumental combinations create crystalline moments.

Farwardin and Zindegi Akhair Sarayat Ahmad Zahir (1946-1979)

Known as the “Elvis of Afghanistan,” composer and singer Ahmad Zahir is considered among the most important musicians of his native land. He incorporated Afghan folk music, Persian and Indian influences and Western pop and rock elements to create his unique and enormously popular songs. His mysterious and tragic death at the age of 33 cemented his legacy as a national hero.

Scheherazade, Op. 35

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

In the 1850s a group of five composers, later known as “The Russian Five” or “The Mighty Bunch,” set out to make Russians aware of their unique musical traditions by creating a singularly Russian style of classical composition. Formality, conventionality and especially “German-ness” were eschewed. None of the five had formal musical training; indeed, when one of the five took a position with a conservatory, the others were highly critical of him. Yet the group was enormously influential, and to this day the recognizable qualities of Russian music stem from The Five’s exploration and inventiveness.

A naval midshipman by trade, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was drawn to the group after meeting composer Mili Balakirev; Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin and César Cui rounded out the group. RimskyKorsakov often found himself helping in the editing and completion

of many of the group’s works. Ultimately Rimsky-Korsakov broke from the others, taking up the study and teaching of Western idioms and accepting a position at a conservatory. He created what we now consider to be the modern technique of orchestration: the assigning of musical elements to the instruments of the orchestra. His text is still used in music schools today. His style was virtually self-taught, a product of his own talent and imagination. Whether you’re listening to orchestral music of Igor Stravinsky or John Williams, you are hearing the influence of Rimsky-Korsakov.

The creation of his best-known work, Scheherazade, arose from RimskyKorsakov’s desire to connect Russian sounds with exotic themes. This “orientalism,” as it was called, was a key element in The Five’s stylistic handbook. Rimsky-Korsakov chose four stories from One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of narratives from Middle Eastern sources. Each story is part of a framework built around the sultan Shahryar and his wife—or should we say his LAST wife—Scheherazade.

Shahryar had learned that his brother’s wife had been unfaithful; he was shocked to learn that his own wife had been even more flagrant in her dalliances. He had her killed; in his despair he determined that all women are deceitful. He ordered his vizier to line up some virgins to marry; after each blissful wedding night he had his bride beheaded. Of course, eventually the vizier could find no more virgins—but his own daughter, Scheherazade, bravely stepped forward. After their wedding feast, Scheherazade began telling the sultan a remarkably compelling story with a real cliffhanger of an ending, which she refused to share unless Shahryar allowed her to live until the next evening. She repeated this trick 1,001 times, until finally she was pardoned.

Much like Wagner’s leitmotif, Rimsky-Korsakov helps us keep track of each story’s progress by assigning musical themes and gestures to characters. The bombastic music we hear at the start is a portrayal of the sultan himself; later we are introduced to the bride Scheherazade through the sweet, soulful voice of the solo violin. The composer uses themes conversationally, passing them from one instrument to another to help the listener imagine the storytelling.

Negin Khpalwak,

born in 1997 in Kunar in eastern Afghanistan, is the first Afghan female conductor and was the conductor of Zohra, the first orchestra in Afghan history composed of only women. The group was a powerful symbol of a new Afghanistan. As a high achiever at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM), she played piano and participated as a singer in ANIM’s choir. She also played sarod (a stringed Hindustani instrument) for three years before switching to piano. She is presently studying conducting and piano privately in the D.C. region.

Ms. Khpalwak has traveled to several countries representing Afghan musical culture and beauty. In 2017 she toured India with Zohra. Khpalwak also toured Europe and led Zohra at the World Economic Forum in Davos. As part of the Nahid Choir Group, Ms. Khpalwak traveled to Turkmenistan and Dubai, UAE in 2015. The Afghan Youth Orchestra tour to the United States in 2012, in which Ms. Khpalwak participated as the first Afghan female sarod player, included a performance at Carnegie Hall and remains one of her proudest musical experiences.

Ms. Khpalwak is a well-known Afghan artist and although she came to the United States in August of 2021, she remains deeply connected to her colleagues from Zohra and to the plight of women in present-day Afghanistan. As a group, Zohra was awarded the Freemuse Award in 2017 and the Human Spirit Award in 2016. Khpalwak speaks Pashto, Dari (Persian) and English. She loves to listen to music, read books, and enjoy the outdoors in her leisure time.

Hamid Raouf Habibzadah

was born in 1997 in Herat, Afghanistan. He is a professional tabla player and also plays harmonium. He started playing tabla when he was nine years old; he learned from his brother, who is a professional classical singer in Herat. Hamid arrived in the U.S. in August of 2021 and has quickly become very active in the Afghan music community of our country.

Over the last ten years, he has played with many singers in Herat and throughout the United States in concerts, weddings and private parties, including singing traditional songs, playing classical music and traditional sofi ghazals music. In 2018, he played in two music festivals in Turkmenistan. Hamid recently performed at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of Summer in the City.

Hamid taught a music course for over six years in Herat with his brother. He studied in the Agha Khan Music School in Herat for one year. Then in 2018 and 2019, he studied at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul for winter academy to increase his skills with tabla. He can speak Dari (Afghan dialect of Persian). In his leisure time, he listens to music, swims and plays football.

Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria

For over 40 years, the dedicated volunteers of the Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria (SOLA) have supported the Alexandria Symphony and other musical and arts programs within Alexandria. In addition to small fundraising gatherings, we will be hosting our Annual Uncorked, a pre-Christmas evening of wine, cheese and chocolate pairings. Come for an evening of fun!

SOLA will also be hosting our Annual Mary Graham Lasley Scholarship Competition for college level music students. Held in the spring and open to the public, this event is a showcase of future musical talent. SOLA will also be working with other organizations in Alexandria to raise funds and build support for music, arts and culture in our community. SOLA looks forward to welcoming you as a member and a participant of all the good works we endeavor to do! For more information, please contact us.

Genevieve Moorhouse, SOLA Co-President gmoorhouse@mcenearney.com

Phyllis Sintay, SOLA Co-President psintay@mcenearney.com

2022-2023 Membership

Barbara Bankert

Mason and Clark Bavin

Suzanne Brock Miriam and Ben Browning

Jim and Marcia Buchanan Jan Campbell Jane Hughes Carlson Susan and Dave Cavanaugh William and Teddye Clayton Ann Corson Donna Cramer Mollie Danforth and Steve Colangelo Rebecca Davies Michelle Farrell

Nicholas and Sandra Fleischmann

Yolande Frommer Rosa Fullerton

Janet Hawkins and David Wormser Margaret Hodges

Jenny Indelicato

Ann Kavaljian

Jacque and Ed Knight Kit Leider

Eva Manning

Cassandra and Shawn McLaughlin Susan Montague

Genevieve Moorhouse and Joshua Compton Richard and Michele Moorhouse

James and Suzanne Morrison

Margaret J. O’Grady Kristie Owens

Annmarie Pittman

Anne Rector and Timothy Allen Fran and Gant Redmon

Jane Ring

Patti Schmid

Janet Shipko

Phyllis Sintay

Joan Vogel

Ken and Sharon Walker

Trudie Williams

Margaret Wohler

Margherita Woods

Susan Yonts-Shepard

ENSURING THE LONG-TERM STABILITY OF THE ASO

The Alexandria Symphony Concerto Foundation was established in 2005 to create an endowment fund providing long-term financial support to the ASO. The Foundation’s goal is to build a significant capital fund, with the income from that fund providing annual income to the Symphony. The Foundation is a “supporting organization” under section 509(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts made to the Foundation are tax deductible as charitable donations. As of June 2022, the Foundation had assets of $230,000 and has cumulatively donated $452,000 in support of the ASO.

The following individuals contributed gifts of $5,000 or more to meet the $100,000 Challenge sponsored by Frank and Betty Quirk, which was completed in May 2007:

Anonymous

C. Maxine Baustian

Suzanne S. Brock Miriam and David Browning Penny and Tim Bryan Linda and Elliott Bunce Agnes and Jack Dover

Gerhard and Diana Dreo Loti and Stewart Dunn Julie and Edward Dyson Anne and Caswell Hobbs

Ruth Kotler

Eva and Frank Manning Mary Ann and David Millard Reae and Thomas Sargeant Molly and Jim Singerling Ann and Roy Snyder

Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria (SOLA) Judy and Forrest Williams Stuart and Robert Wineland Susan and Allan Winn

A donation or bequest to the Alexandria Symphony Concerto Foundation will go toward ensuring long-term support of the ASO. Gifts can be a specific dollar amount, a specific piece of property, a percentage of an estate, or all or part of the residue of an estate. You can also name the Foundation as a contingent beneficiary if someone named in your will is no longer living.

For more information on the Concerto Foundation or making a bequest, please contact the Alexandria Symphony at 703-548-0885.

Home for the holidays

LEROY ANDERSON

DUKE ELLINGTON (Orch. Jeff Tyzik)

PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY (Arr. Lawrence Golan)

ENNIO MORRICONE

HANDEL

PER-ERIK MORAEUS

MARIAH CAREY and WALTER AFANASIEFF (Arr. Matt Smith)

DUKE ELLINGTON

WILLIAMS

TCHAIKOVSKY

The

Festival

from The Nutcracker

of the Reed Flutes

Powell, Artistic Director

from The Mission

Colindres, soprano*

The Nutcracker

Excerpts from The Nutcracker

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Program Notes by George Hanson

Today it seems hard to believe that Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet The Nutcracker was poorly received when it was first introduced in 1892 in St. Petersburg. There were many complaints: The story wasn’t true to the original book; one of the lead dancers was in less-than-athletic shape; the stage was crowded and confused.

Tchaikovsky’s first success with the now-cherished work came through the concert suite he himself extracted. Comprised of the most compelling solo and ensemble numbers, the suite became an instant hit. It was not until the mid-20th century that the work received the accolades it now garners. Today it is an annual staple on stages around the world.

From the delicate “Prelude” to the vigorous “Russian Dance” to the flowing “Waltz of the Flowers,” Tchaikovsky’s gifts of melody and imaginative orchestration bring the story to life.

The Nutcracker Suite

Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

Washington, D.C. born and bred, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington became one of the most important musical forces in all of 20th century American music. Wishing to remain uncategorized, Ellington resisted calling his music “jazz,” preferring instead the expression “beyond category.” To this end, he frequently dabbled in combining musical genres; his Nutcracker Suite is one of several classical works Ellington explored by translating it into his own inimitable style.

Perhaps most fascinating about performing and hearing the original and Ellington versions back-to-back is to sense the difference in the feel of the music between the two renditions. In the Overture, Tchaikovsky is light on his feet, barely touching the ground; Ellington is laid back and cool. Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” is a lilting flow of triplets; Ellington’s is a hard-driving duple rhythm that makes the listener want to move in ways having nothing to do with a waltz.

Excerpts from Messiah

George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)

Messiah is an oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled from the Bible. Having composed the work in just 24 days, Handel inscribed the manuscript with “To God alone the glory.” After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

The original score was meant for modest vocals and orchestral accompaniment with some optional settings. After his death, the work was expanded for massive scale choirs and orchestras, including one amplified version by Mozart. In modern performance, his work is often presented with his original modest scale, like the excerpt you will hear today.

“Gabriel’s Oboe” from The Mission Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)

One of the most prolific and highly regarded composers in the world of cinema and television, Italian composer Ennio Morricone wrote scores for more than 70 films and 300 television broadcasts. His score for the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ranks among the most recognizable and beloved film music in the lexicon.

The haunting beauty of Morricone’s soundtrack for The Mission (1986) captures both the stunning cinematography and the story of Father Gabriel. At a critical moment in the story of Gabriel’s mission to the deep jungles of central South America, he plays his oboe for members of the Guarani tribe. They are so taken with the music’s beauty that they allow him to live among them, despite their earlier treatment of missionaries. Like several of Morricone’s tunes, music from The Mission had a gratifying run as a stand-alone popular release in the world of adult FM radio.

BalletNova Center for Dance opened in the Fall of 1981 as Arlington Center for Dance, founded by Ken and Kathy Fredgren. The studio has grown in size and stature and has long been recognized as one of the premier dance training centers in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Known for its pre-professional ballet program, the Center also has one of the most extensive adult dance programs available, with classes in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, modern, and body conditioning.

In 2002, The Fredgrens turned the management over to long-time faculty member and choreographer Nancie Woods. The board acquired the school and merged it into one nonprofit organization, with Ms. Woods as Artistic Director, becoming The Center Dance Company. In 2008, BalletNova moved to its current space in Fairfax County: a 20,800 square foot facility on Carlin Springs Road with six beautiful state-ofthe-art equipped dance studios with spring floors and high ceilings. The current space is only a block from Arlington, a short half mile from Alexandria and the City of Falls Church. Our studios are available for rehearsals, events, and more!

In September of 2015, BalletNova launched its new Fredgren Studio Theater, dedicated to the co-founders Ken and Kathy Fredgren. The Fredgren Studio Theater is a black box-style theater designed for dance, the only one-of-its-kind available to the public in Northern Virginia. It offers sprung wood flooring with marley overlay, 150-seat audience area, fully equipped sound and lighting, and free parking. BalletNova anticipates that the Fredgren will become an important community resource and encourage small dance, theater and music groups to increase their performance activities and grow the impact of the arts’ presence in Northern Virginia.

The organization, now with over 1,300 students, is based on elements from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum syllabus (nationally and internationally recognized systems that provide a certification program in classical ballet). BNCD operates on a semester basis for adult and enrichment divisions and school year basis for pre-professional training program. The Center accepts children and adults at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels.

Helena Colindres (they/them) is a nonbinary versatile vocalist, educator, and activist of Nawataketza ancestry. As a rising opera vocalist, they have performed roles such as die Königin from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, the Governess in Britten’s Turn of the Screw, Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Therese in Poulenc’s Les Mamelles di Tiresias, and recently made their professional debut as Winnie in Beecher’s Sky on Swings with Opera Saratoga.

In addition to their opera experience, they have also had the pleasure of performing as a soloist in works such as Handel’s Messiah, Schubert’s Mass in G, and Larson’s A God in Disguise with the latter being in Davies Symphony Hall.

They have had the pleasure of performing in master classes with various established operatic figures including Evelyn Mandac, Kevin Murphy, and Marilyn Horne. Additionally, they have won first place at various competitions such as the Camille Coloratura Awards and the Sylvia Green Voice Competition and are a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Association.

When they are not singing, they are sharing their knowledge with their community through their private voice studio. They are passionate about teaching voice through an anti-racist, non-gendered, trans-friendly, anatomy-based, cross-training approach that refuses to put styles of music into a hierarchy.

Helena graduated from the Peabody Conservatory with their MM in Voice and Pedagogy in May 2022. They also have a BM in Voice and a BA in Comparative American Studies with a concentration in Identity and Diversity from the Oberlin College and Conservatory and an AA in Latin American and Latinx studies as well as an AS in social sciences from City College of San Francisco. Born and raised on Yelamu Ohlone land to refugee parents, Helena is passionate about fighting for marginalized people and feels blessed that they get to build community through their art, teaching, and organizing every day.

ADOPT A CHAIR SPONSORSHIP

ASO proudly recognizes the 22-23 Adopt a Chair sponsors:

• Podium: Sponsored by Suzanne S. Brock

• Concertmaster: Sponsored by Whit and Angela Ayres

• Violin II, Principal: Sponsored by Miriam and David Browning

• Principal Viola: Sponsored by Richard and Sandra Toye

• Principal Cello: Sponsored by Judy Grey

• Principal Bass: Sponsored by H. Arthur Sauer

• Principal Oboe: Sponsored by Dennis A. and Julia M. Watkins

• Principal English horn: Sponsored by SOLA

• Principal Horn: Sponsored by Gerry and Diana Dreo

• Principal Trumpet: Sponsored by David W. and Melynda Dovel Wilcox

• Principal Trombone: Sponsored by Lee and John Klousia

• Principal Percussion: Sponsored by Marty and Temple Moore

• Principal Keyboard: Sponsored by Harriett G. McCune

“Adopt a Chair” is a signature giving program designed to provide funding for each musician’s salary and long-term sustainable funding for our orchestra. ASO is a community supported orchestra, requiring the ongoing support of people willing to invest in the future of live music performance. As a part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, ASO concert-goers demand and expect the highest quality music offered by world-class musicians. Through this program, contributors endorse and ensure that quality through multi-year sponsorships.

Sponsors have an opportunity to choose a specific instrument, receive special program recognition, and receive invitations to special events where they can meet and get to know the musicians holding the chair they have sponsored. This program provides an opportunity to learn about the orchestra from the inside out and to draw a closer relationship between the players and the audience.

New chair sponsorships are accepted at any time during the season!

To “Adopt a Chair” and for more information, call (703) 548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org.

Mozart, Haydn, and BarBer adagio

Sinfonia

Whitley,

Kumiko Sakamoto,

Lauren Spaulding,

Alex

Sinfonia Concertante

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Program Notes by George Hanson

Completed and adapted by Jeffrey Ching (b. 1965)

Composer Jeffrey Ching’s prodigious and eclectic body of work springs from his heritage and background. Born in the Philippines to Chinese Buddhist parents, Jeffrey grew up in Manila with Spanish and American influences and received a Catholic education while living next door to his grandfather’s museum of ancient Chinese scrolls.

Mr. Ching’s work has been lauded for its boundless creativity and inventiveness. He was honored by the President of the Philippines for his compositions that have “expanded the scope and quality of Philippine musical literature” with their “depth and dimension.”

Now a British citizen, Jeffrey and his wife, soprano Andion Fernandez, spend most of their time in Berlin. Mr. Ching’s opera Das Waisenkind (The Orphan) was awarded the Theater Erfurt Audience Prize for Best Production in 2009-2010.

ASO Maestro Jim met Jeffrey while both were studying at Harvard University. The composer was fascinated with the unfinished Sinfonia Concertante of Mozart and took up the project of finishing it and adapting it for performance. This week’s performances mark the first time the completed work has been heard in the United States.

Banner

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)

Raised in New York City in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Jessie Montgomery is the child of musical parents. She holds degrees in violin performance from Juilliard and composition from New York University. While still in her teens, Montgomery connected with the Sphinx Organization, a group devoted to supporting African American and Latino string players. Her early career focused on performance and education; she found herself drawn to composition leading to

works performed by major orchestras including Dallas, Minnesota, Atlanta and San Francisco. She serves as Composer-in-Residence for Sphinx and became Chicago Symphony’s Mead Composer-in-Residence in 2021.

Her work Banner arose from a commission by Sphinx and The Joyce Foundation commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner. “What does an anthem for the 21st century sound like in today’s multi-cultural environment?” asked the composer. Her conclusion: “In 2014, a tribute to the U.S. National Anthem means acknowledging the contradictions, leaps and bounds, and milestones that allow us to celebrate and maintain the tradition of our ideals.” As an African American, Montgomery incorporated her own complex relationship with the anthem and what it stood for. The solo quartet dialogs with the full string section in questioning and attempting to answer the challenges facing our country. The thrilling and energetic finale signals hope and reason to come together.

Adagio for Strings

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Samuel Barber is the quintessential American composer. Pianist, baritone vocalist and conductor, fluent in every style of composition, Barber was most at home in the language of consonance and resolution. Along with Aaron Copland, Barber’s voice shaped the American classical music palette.

A true prodigy, Barber wrote his first work at the age of six. He announced to his parents at age nine he was certain he would become a composer, saying he should not be forced to play football as his father desired. Barber attended the Curtis Institute of Music (as did ASO Music Director Jim Ross), later joining the faculty and

maintaining a long association with the school. There he met his longtime partner and companion Gian Carlo Menotti.

Barber’s Adagio for Strings is among the most popular and recognizable classical works of the 20th century. Composed in 1936 as the second movement of his opus 11 string quartet, Barber extracted and arranged the movement for string orchestra. He sent a score to conductor Arturo Toscanini, who promptly returned the score without comment, much to Barber’s dismay. However, Toscanini explained later he loved the work and planned to perform it, but no longer needed the score because he had memorized it on the spot. Toscanini conducted the premiere in 1938.

Despite receiving less than glowing reviews—typical of any work of the period that wasn’t pushing the bounds of listenability—Adagio hit the mark with audiences. It communicates deep and profound sadness, loss and longing, instantly relatable by all who hear it. Probably owing to its use as the film score to the 1986 movie Platoon with its tragic depictions of the Vietnam war, Bill McGlaughlin compared Adagio’s meaningfulness to Americans to that of Elgar’s Nimrod to the British. Adagio for Strings seldom leaves a dry eye in the house—or on the stage for that matter.

Symphony No. 104 “London” in D major

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

The culminating symphonic work of the composer who shaped and ultimately defined the Classical era of music, Joseph Haydn’s “London” symphony is the very model of classical form—an inimitable mixture of humor, drama, passion, and beauty contained in a tightly controlled package of stylistic expectations.

It is in fact within these then-contemporary “expectations” that the

4 • February 11 & 12 humor emerges. Unfortunately, today’s listener often misses the jokes. For example, from the first dramatic notes of the introduction to the first movement of Haydn’s London Symphony, listeners are led to believe they are about to experience a darkly dramatic work. Sigh-like figures in the violins over a deeply troubling D minor bass figure bode ill and unease. As the introduction closes, listeners are left hanging, silently wondering what profoundly serious contemplation comes next; it turns out to be a laughingly ebullient tune one might whistle whilst walking happily down the street.

The second movement reverses the expectations. It begins with a simple, child-like tune; as listeners settle in for a quiet respite, with barely a moment’s warning they are plunged into the Sturm und Drang of loud drums, sudden harmony shifts and dramatic fortissimo. Haydn brings back the lovely opening sounds, rounding out a most pleasing classical Andante.

As was typical of the symphonic form which Haydn himself established, the third movement comes in the form of a minuet and trio. Haydn’s tempo hints at what later would develop into the scherzo in Beethoven’s hands—much too fast to be danceable for a well-fed aristocrat. Here the joke is in the “false starts” each time the trio returns, no doubt causing our imaginary dancer to stumble.

The finale begins with a low drone in the basses and cellos, like the drone of a bagpipe, above which appears a tune apparently known to everyone at the premiere in 1795 as “Hot Cross Buns.” An exuberant and fitting close to the ultimate classical symphonic work.

In memory of Susan Dau Fannon, a proud supporter of the Symphony.

The Thalea String Quartet brings their signature vibrancy and emotional commitment to dynamic performances that reflect the past, present, and the future of the string quartet repertoire while celebrating diverse musical traditions from around the world. Fueled by the belief that chamber music is a powerful force for building community and human connection, the Thalea String Quartet has performed across North America, Europe, and China, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Massey Hall, and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall.

They have shared the stage with luminaries of the chamber music world, including members of the Emerson, Borromeo and St Lawrence String Quartets, and they have performed alongside celebrated artists including Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, violist Lawrence Power, acclaimed Canadian band BADBADNOTGOOD, and visionary hip hop artist Jay Electronica.

Committed to shaping and contributing to the future of the string quartet repertoire, the Thalea String Quartet has premiered dozens of new works and have collaborated on new commissions with composers including Paola Prestini, Anthony R. Green, Akshaya Avril Tucker, and Tanner Porter.

Winners of the 2021 Ann Divine Educator Award from the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the members of the Thalea String Quartet have been celebrated for their innovative approach to education and community engagement.

The Thalea String Quartet is the Doctoral Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland. The quartet has also held fellowship positions at the University of Texas at Austin and the San Francisco Conservatory. They were top prize winners at the 2018 Fischoff Competition and 2018 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition.

Christopher Whitley (violin) is originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Kumiko Sakamoto (violin) is from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada; Lauren Spaulding (viola) is from San Antonio, Texas, and Alex Cox (cello) is from West Palm Beach, Florida. Christopher performs on the 1700 “Taft” Stradivari, generously on loan by the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.

ASO CONCERT VENUES

RAcHEL M. ScHLESINGER cONcERT HALL ANd ARTS cENTER

• Complimentary concert parking is provided by the ASO in the Beauregard Street garage, located across East Campus Drive from the Schlesinger Center. We highly encourage all our patrons to park in this location, as parking is restricted on campus.

• Our Will Call pickup and On-Site Box Office sales begin 60 minutes prior to the start of each performance in the lobby of the Schlesinger Center.

• Restrooms and drinking fountains are available to the right of the lobby on the first floor, and to the right of the Seminar Room on the second floor.

• An elevator is available for your convenience and is located around the corner from the restrooms.

• Please visit alexsym.org/tickets/covid-19-safety-protocols/ for all updated health and safety protocols.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIc MEMORIAL

• Complimentary concert parking is provided by the ASO in the north parking lot with an entrance directly to the concert hall.

• All patrons should enter the Memorial on the parking lot side of the building, where the handicap ramp can be found as well. This entrance is the closest one to the concert hall and can be accessed without stairs.

• Our Will Call pickup and On-Site Box Office sales begin 60 minutes prior to the start of each performance.

• An elevator is available for your convenience. Please note that the elevator runs slowly and is operated by GWMM personnel; we strongly encourage you to arrive early if you intend to use it.

• Please visit alexsym.org/tickets/covid-19-safety-protocols/ for all updated health and safety protocols.

SYMpATIcO IS FULLY UNdERWRITTEN BY THE ALExANdRIA SYMpHONY ORcHESTRA

Enriching Children’s Lives through Music

ASO Sympatico is a music education program underwritten by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra in Alexandria City Public Schools. The inspiration for Sympatico was born out of the ASO’s commitment to education, the youth of Alexandria, and social change. After considering numerous models for music education programs, the ASO chose an El Sistema-inspired program to best serve its mission.

El Sistema originated more than 40 years ago as a music education initiative in Venezuela, in which students receive high-quality free music instruction with the goal of social change. Today, there are El Sistema programs in 55 countries and more than 100 El Sistema programs active in the U.S. Each of the programs, including Sympatico, are guided by similar core principles: equitable access to students regardless of income; intense and high-quality music instruction; the use of an ensemble as the main learning environment; community and family engagement; and social change.

Since Sympatico’s official launch in 2013, the program has grown to include five unique ensembles at John Adams Elementary School in grades K-5. Students meet Monday through Friday throughout the school year.

Sympatico provides students with opportunities to experience success in themselves and with others in their ensembles, their school, and their community. Each year Sympatico participates in more than 20 performances. Past performances include appearances at the George Washington Masonic Memorial, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, the Alexandria City Council Inauguration, and the National Teachers of the Year celebrations. Sympatico ensembles have performed alongside the ASO, Alexandria Choral Society, Virginia Bronze, National Symphony Orchestra violinist Marissa Regni, and Washington Performing Arts soprano Karin Paludan.

M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

GUIDO LÓPEZ GAVILÁN

EDVARD GRIEG

IGOR

STRAVINSKY

con saoco

Concerto for Piano, op. 16

I. Allegro molto moderato

II. Adagio

III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato – Quasi presto –Andante maestoso

Natalia Kazaryan, piano

Rite of SpRing & gRieg ConCeRto - INTERMISSION -

The Rite of Spring

Part I: Adoration of the Earth Introduction

Augurs of Spring: Dances of the Young Girls

Ritual of Abduction

Spring Rounds

Ritual of Two Rival Tribes

Procession of the Sage

The Kiss of the Earth Dance of the Earth

Part II: The Sacrifice Introduction

Mystic Circles of the Young Girls

Glorification of the Chosen One Evocation of the Ancestors

Sacrificial Dance: The Chosen One

Mojito con saoco Guido López-Gavilán (b. 1944)

Program Notes by George Hanson

In 2019 the Paulus Fund, founded on behalf of renowned American composer Stephen Paulus by his family in memoriam, granted their first-ever commission to Cuban composer Guido López-Gavilán. The work resulting from this commission, Mojito con saoco, was premiered by the newly formed Cuban American Youth Orchestra in performances that were prepared by ASO Music Director Jim Ross.

López-Gavilán began his studies in Havana and obtained a scholarship to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, graduating in 1973. He achieved recognition internationally for his conducting and compositions.

The extraordinary international project that created the Cuban American Youth Orchestra began with interest from donors in Minnesota, Stephen Paulus’ home state, who hoped to repair and cement ties between the U.S. and Cuba. It resulted in a true crosscultural exchange, forming an orchestra of 40 Cuban and 40 American young musicians. López-Gavilán, regarded as the dean of Cuban composers for his generation, wrote this remarkable overture for CAYO to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the founding of Havana. The title refers to Hemingway’s favorite drink, the mojito, spiced with unique flavors. The work is a wonderful musical depiction of this enticing tasty crossbred.

Piano Concerto in A Minor

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Imagine missing the world premiere of the work that would make you famous because you had a concert elsewhere! That’s what happened to Edvard Grieg—the world premiere of his Piano Concerto in A Minor, one of the most popular works in the orchestral repertoire, occurred in Copenhagen while Grieg was busy conducting concerts in Oslo (then known as Christiana).

Born in Bergen, Norway to a family with Scottish roots (the original

spelling of the name was Greig), Edvard’s father was a merchant and his mother a music teacher. At a young age Edvard met Ole Bull, one of Norway’s most famous musicians; Bull recognized the youngster’s talent and encouraged his parents to send him to Germany. Edvard secured a spot studying piano at the Leipzig Conservatory.

The young composer returned to Norway with the proper European training but realized he wanted to develop his own style built on his Norwegian heritage. He began incorporating Norwegian folk music and other local idioms to create his unique musical voice.

Grieg suffered for much of his life with lung ailments and was frequently under a doctor’s care. In 1867 he married, and his only child Alexandra was born in 1868. Grieg composed his piano concerto during this brief happy period of his life. (Young Alexandra died of meningitis in 1869.)

The concerto shows off Grieg’s remarkable melodic gifts in a virtuosic and still-German sounding context. This seamless blend between beauty and drama has helped make it the most popular piano concerto in the repertoire, rivaled only by that of Grieg’s admirer Tchaikovsky. From silence, a brief roll of the timpani crescendos to a powerful coup d’archet, a dramatic A minor chord that announces in no uncertain terms what’s to follow—the very definition of what we call the Romantic era of late-1860s musical style.

The piano immediately establishes the dominant role. The orchestra introduces the main theme, a sad but memorable rising tune, quickly handed back to the piano. Virtuosic development transitions to a beautiful second theme, introduced by the cellos, then expanded by the piano. After a thrilling cadenza, the coda incorporates a new theme to bring the first movement to a close. The second movement begins to hint at Grieg’s own heritage: strings introduce a prayer-like melody, easily reminiscent of Peer Gynt. The finale has inspired audiences to standing ovations and inspired many young musicians to the lifelong pursuit of the physical skills necessary to play it.

The Rite of Spring

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971)

A riot in Schlesinger Concert Hall? Today it seems unlikely; however, that’s exactly what happened at the first performance of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet Le Sacre du printemps, The Rite of Spring, in Paris in 1913.

Stravinsky was commissioned to create scores for three ballets in Paris by Sergie Diaghilev. The first two were successful; the third ballet transformed 20th century music as we know it today. In Rite, Stravinsky set aside all musical convention, from rhythm to harmony to meter to melody. While learning the choreography, dancers had to develop new mathematical systems to memorize the steps.

Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography was as avant-garde as the music; the story, stemming from an idea of Stravinsky himself, was described by the ballet’s subtitle, “Pictures of Pagan Russia.” It depicts ancient rituals of spring, culminating in the sacrifice of a young girl. Quite apart from the brutality occurring on the stage, the music developed a life of its own as a concert work.

What is it like as an orchestra musician to perform a work of this intensity, with its incredible series of technical challenges? In a word: hair-raising. Musicians are asked to play notes that are out of the conventional range of their instruments; they must count endlessly changing meters (no fewer than 450 changes). It requires perfect focus for 33 minutes. Yet remarkably, it is likely the work players most look forward to playing.

As for the riot, it is said that renowned French composer Camille Saint Saëns had learned of the musical “atrocities” going on at rehearsals and brought his entire class of students to the premiere with intention to disrupt; during the performance, on his cue they all stood up and stormed out. Others brought suitable vegetables for use as projectiles. After the interruption the performance was successfully completed. Barely a handful of performances later, the run was ended. Today it is considered one of the most influential works in the history of music.

From Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, pianist Natalia Kazaryan has been hailed by The New York Sun for her “prodigious ability,” remarking that she “immediately established an atmosphere of strength and confidence.” She is “a marvel among marvels … fascinating, elegant” (Nice-Matin) and “incredible” (All Classical Portland).

Dedicated to giving equal platform to female composers in her public appearances, she notably curated and performed a recital of all women composers at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., a performance The Washington Post named “one of the best classical concerts of the summer 2019.”

A frequent collaborator with members of the National Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Kazaryan often appears at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and in partnership with the orchestra’s performances at Howard University. Two notable concerts included celebrating the centennial of the 19th amendment (women’s suffrage) and commemorating the lifetime work of George Walker.

She was invited to perform at the National Orchestral Institute, where Marin Alsop is the newly appointed music director. Playing Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement conducted by James Ross, Ms. Kazaryan’s acclaimed performance was featured on Front Row Washington (WETA), D.C.’s classical music radio station.

She is co-founder of Washington Arts Ensemble, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering an unforgettable chamber music experience. Having completed its inaugural season, the groundswell of support for this venture has propelled it well into the future as a touchpoint for many artists who want to connect with this highly unique community. DC Metro Theater Arts best summarized the zeitgeist of this organization: “Economists and policymakers rub shoulders with students, connect over drinks and fine hors d’oeuvres, experience live music together, and meet again afterward to engage with the artists themselves.”

Concert 5 • April 15

Recent standout performances include Ms. Kazaryan opening Portland Piano International’s return to in-person concerts, which was guest curated by Angela Hewitt, and appearing in a solo recital on the prestigious Chicago series, Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts.

Over the pandemic, Ms. Kazaryan released three albums to Spotify and Apple Music: Lili Boulanger’s Trois morceaux pour piano; Bacewicz Piano Sonata No. 2; and Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit. All recordings were previously made at her Philadelphia recital debut presented by Astral Artists, which included a special commission by Alexandra Gardner. In 2016, she won Astral’s National Auditions. She has appeared in the U.S. and Europe at key venues such as New York’s Merkin Concert Hall, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Cultural Campus, Salzburg’s Schloss Mirabell, Monaco’s Théâtre des Variétés, Madrid’s Auditorio Sony, and Paris’ Salle Cortot and Musée Carnavalet. She performs regularly at the Palazzo Tornabuoni in Florence and has participated in the IMS Prussia Cove Master Classes in Cornwall, England.

Ms. Kazaryan began studying piano at the age of six and performed as soloist with the Tbilisi State Chamber Orchestra just one year later. She studied in the preparatory division of the Tbilisi Music Conservatory with Alla Nakashidze. She now holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The Juilliard School, where she studied under Jerome Lowenthal and Matti Raekallio. She completed doctoral studies at the University of Michigan under Logan Skelton. An active chamber musician, she took part in the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship, dedicated to collaboration between The Juilliard School, the Paris Conservatoire, and the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. She later won both a Fulbright Grant and a Harriett Hale Woolley Scholarship to Paris to continue her studies, with a focus on Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus.

Ms. Kazaryan holds an adjunct piano faculty position at Howard University. She is a board member of the International Alliance for Women in Music.

ASO Supporters

Includes contributions made to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Foundations, Government, and Corporate Support

&Pizza

Alexandria Commission for the Arts

Alexandria Times

Amazon Smile

Brandywine Living at Alexandria Burke and Herbert Bank

Caudron Megary Blackburn Charles Delmar Foundation

Clarke & Sampson

Coldwell Banker Cares Foundation Concerto Foundation Connection Newspapers

The Crest of Alexandria Donnan C. Wintermute (Coldwell Banker)

Goodwin House - Alexandria IBM Corporation Jack Taylor’s Alexandria Toyota

JBG Smith

John Adams Elementary PTA KBR Foundation Kositzka, Wicks & Company

Lois Herr Family Fund

The Maple Tree Fund

McEnearney Associates Realtors, Inc.

MJK Homes (Keller Williams)

National Endowment for the Arts

New Target, Inc.

Paul M. Angell Foundation

Rea Charitable Trust

Redmon, Peyton & Braswell, L.L.P. Renner and Company, CPA Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts

Rotary Club of Alexandria

Simpson Commerical Real Estate

SOLA

Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc.

Thompson Gray Inc.

Unalane Foundation

Virginia Commission for the Arts

The Virginia Florist

Williams Whittle Associates Inc.

WETA

The Zebra Press

Gifts were given in Memory or in Honor of the following:

In Honor of ASO Sympatico

In Memory of Dennis Barnhart

In Honor of Becky and George Bostick

In Honor of Linda Bunce

In Memory of T. Sills Bunn

In Honor of George Hanson In Memory of Ziva and Arthur Impastato

In Honor of Ryan Jordan In Honor of Marietta Jemison

In Memory of Florence King

In Memory of Doris Lindsey

In Honor of Martha Lloyd

In Honor of Christine and Frank Purcell

In Honor of James Ross

In Memory of Connie Ring

In Memory of Angela M. Raish

In Honor of Elizabeth Shaw

In Honor of H. Arthur Sauer

In Honor of Melynda Wilcox

In Honor of George and Patti White

Conductor’s Baton Circle (over $20,000)

Suzanne S. Brock Linda Bunce Harriett Glover McCune

Conductor’s Circle ($10,000-$19,999)

Ronal Butler and Martha Lloyd

David W. and Melynda Dovel Wilcox Mrs. Robert Wineland

Platinum Circle ($5,000-$9,999)

Whit and Angela Ayres

Sally Guy and Thomas Brown Miriam and David Browning Nancy Davenport Carolyn Fuller

Judy Grey Lee and John Klousia

Lucy Thomson and Arthur E. Peabody, Jr. Christine and Frank Purcell Clyde Gary Sydow

Golden Circle ($2,500-$4,999)

Anonymous Becky and George Bostick

Evalyn Carter Mollie Danforth and Steve Colangelo Gerry and Diana Dreo

CAPT Fred S. Dunning, Jr., USN (Ret.)

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hayes David Johnson and Scarlett Swan

Anne Best Rector and Tim Allen Mrs. Carlyle C. Ring H. Arthur Sauer Becky and Jerry Siegel Susan and Keith Stalder Col. and Mrs. Richard G. Toye Jeanne E. Warner Dennis A. and Julia M. Watkins George and Patti White

Circle

Nancy Hall-Berens and Thomas Berens

Lisa Flam and William Corin Nicholas F. and Victoria A. Coward

Rebecca Davies

Louise Dovel

Daniel and Christine Gill Laurie MacNamara and Bill Hendrickson Mr. and Mrs. Caswell O. Hobbs

Margaret Hodges

Charles Scott and Avril James Mr. and Mrs. Edward Knight Laura and Thomas Lawler

Louise Meng

Craig Miller and Lisa Brock Julianne Owens Mr. and Mrs. Frank Quirk Mr. and Mrs. Gant Redmon Anne and Steve Reed John and Terry Rixse Craig and Martha Schiele Claire Schwab Jeannette Segel Wanda and Edward Walters John Schalow and Bianca Warner Linda Windsor Glenna Winnie Nancy Ziegler

Donors ($500-$999)

Lisa and Fred Abbey Eugenia Ballering and Chris Wolz Bruce Batten and Currie Smith Carl and Susan Behnke Anne Beverly and Freeman Jones Paul Brinkman and Lisa Jacobs James and Marcia Buchanan Hugh L. and Jan Campbell Pamela De Candio Beth Knickerbocker and Dale Carson Marti and Linc Cummings Janet Cady and Jeffrey Davidson Julie and Edward Dyson Lawrence and Pam Hall Robert Hinchman Mike and Louise Kenny Bowman and Pamela Miller

Donors

Temple and Marty Moore

Nancy Olson

James Page and Raquel Cordero-Page Judy Stark

Patricia Macgowan and T. Whittier Warthin Donnan Wintermute Walter and Gail Woolwine

Susan Yonts-Shepard and Ralph Shepard

Sustainers ($100-$499)

Anonymous

Bessie Alkisswani Barbara J. Allen Patrick and Kim Anderson Leslie Ariail

Leonard Bachman Virginia and Richard Banchoff Barbara and Joseph Bankert Patricia Barbarowicz Roberta Barbee Brittany Baron Barbara Beckwith Carol A. Bell Kathleen A. Brackett Bertha Braddock Stephen Brennwald Ken and Meredith Brown Amoret Bell Bunn Paul and Sandra Byrne Sandra B. Calhoun

Walter Callahan Jane Hughes Carlson Aaron Christoff Karen Coda

Jacqueline Collier Ruth and Cleve Corlett Brian and Paula Coupe E. Kay Cowan Dorothy and David Crabb Anne Crowther Robert and Teri Culbertson Judith Curtis and Jim Bradley Michael Dean Elizabeth DiGregorio Rita and Earl Donaldson

Daniel and Mary Taylor Dose

Ellen Frances Dyke and James Webster Dyke Jr. Charles English

Debra Fairweather

Joan Ferrell

Barbara Fisher

Nicholas and Sandra Fleischmann

Michele M. Franco and Margarita Mattei

Josh Gallin and Nara Hojvat-Gallin Nell and A. L. Gibson

Stevie and Gardner Gillespie Susan Amber Gordon Marilyn and Peter Haase Jon Hakken Cheryl Halkowicz

Julia Hall

Phyllis Haney and Joseph Makurath Evelyn Harpham

Amy Harris and Franklin White James and Bayanne Hauhart Janet Hawkins and David Wormser Ross and Carolyn Heasley Neeta Helms and Johan van Zyl Elizabeth and Christopher Hickey Michael E. and Ann Reed Hobbs Sally Hollman

Holly and Morris C. Hoven, Jr. Sharon Hsu

Richard and Nancy Hunt Arthur Impastato Amy Jackson Erwin Jacobs

Freeman and Heather Jelks

Deborah Johnston

Richard Jones and Christine Cheevers William and Linda Jordan Ann and Dikran Kavaljian

Susan A. Kelly Rosita Kerr Mang Lois Khairallah Robert Kimmins

Martha and Ira Kirschbaum Edgar P. and Rosemary Kley Sarah Kolo

Deborah Kops and John Gosling Constance Lambert and Jeffrey Kotsch

Robert Larke

John Leahy

Karen Leider

S. William and Elizabeth A. Livingston Elisabeth A. Maher

Virginia Martin Mary Carol Mason

Claride W. Mayo

William and Joan McCulla Michael McCormick Susan McGrath

Tedd Mendelsohn

Ericka Miller

Susie and Lou Miller Rose Miller

Robert Montague III Susan T. Montague Michele and Richard Moorhouse Marilyn Murphy and W. Allan Cagnoli Steve and Pam Nelson James and Caroline Norman Linda O’Connor Ann O’Hanlon and John Harris Robert and Susan Orttung Laura Peebles and Ellen Fingerman Peter Pennington Greg and Diane Beyer Perett Tim and Harry Peterson Michael Powers and Christa Cochran Cheryl Purcell

Yuri Ralcheno

Nancy Rettig

Burton Reynolds Beth and Jim Roberts

Michaela and Robert Robinson Cindy Roscoe Shirley Ruhe

Karen and William Schuiling Robert and Barbara Seraphin Barbara Silverman Alex and Ivy Sinaiko Irwin and Joan Singer Edwin Smith

John Snyder and Heather McPhail Eugene Steuerle and Marge Scheflen Harley Thronson

Tam Tran

Emily and Benjamin Tsai

Anne and Sam Ulm

Alexandra vanBever-Green Tom and Pat Vernon Charles and Ellen Walker

CDR, USN (Ret.) Kenneth and Sharon Walker Mary J. Wall

Patricia Washington Barbara and William Watts Sandra Welch Andrew Weller

Guy and Kerry Whitlock Michael and Priscilla Wiener Bonnie Williams and Robert A. Skelly

Margo and Larry Williams Nancy and Marcus Williams Rance Willis

John T. and Pat Wilson Justin Wilson Madeleine Wyss Barbara J. Yentzer and John Shuster

Friends ($1-$99)

Charles and Doris Ablard Canek Aguirre

David and Susan Aland Thomas and Sylvia Albro Amantha Allen Caryn Allender

Agnes Artemel Amanda Babcock Jennifer Babcock

Jocelyn and Thomas Ballantine Diana Banat Candace Bean Nina Birch Eileen Brackens Ronald Brandt Christina Brennan Chris Brezinski

Christopher A. Brooks Catie Brownback Barbara Browne Linda Budinski Drew Carroll

Maria Ciarrocchi

William and Teddye Clayton

Catherine Clifford Brian and Sheri Coppersmith Christina Curley

Paula Danko and Paul Grabowski Mary Davidson Richard Davis

Vonda and Greg Delawie Cheryl Dennis Wendy Donohue John Dowdle Mike Doyle

Andrea and Greg Drone Laurie Drysdale Sean Dungan

Aaron and Bridget Flaaen Donald and Cora Fosdick Kathryn and Craig Franklin Molly Frantz Kevin Grillot Elizabeth Groover Scott and Ashley Gunn Diane de Guzman John Hamel Sally and Brian Harte Kenneth Hawkins Claire and Russell Haymes Claire Heffernan Cathryn Helm

William S. and Mary Page Hickey Grace Holloway Lisa Horowitz and Richard Wexell Patrick and Sally Hunnicutt Christiane G. Hyland Leota Johnson Steve Johnson Barbara G. Jonas Ryan Jordan Susan Kaput Olesya Karpenkopf Sharon Keefer

Richard H. and Melissa Keiser Diana Kim Nancy Kincaid

Janet E. King Yvonne Kirby

Maya Kirkhope

David Kitzmiller

David Klamm

David Kolm

Virginia Kress

Andrea Lacey

Loyd and Eve LaMois Anne Ledyard Martha Lee

Jessica Lefevre Paula Lettice

Michael Levin

David Levy Linda Lovell Stephen Lovell Maria Lvova

Jessi Macleod Marina Madhavan Judith Mahanes George Maksymonko Jane Malik

John and Rosemary Maloney Marion Mangus Morrill Marston Robert Martini Shelly Matte Brigitte May

Patricia McCarthy Lynn McCreedy Anita and Robert McSwain Dale Medearis India Mertens

Harry Meyers Anne Mitchell Nicole Monachino Helen Morris and Michael Gaw Stephen Ng Robert Norris

Daniel and Sandra O’Keefe Sean O’Keefe Ulla Olofsson

Tamer Onat

Arnold and Maria Theresa Pachtman Alan and Laura Paez

Darcey Pancoast

Ellen Parkhurst

Robert S. and Gay L. Pasley Kate Patterson Maria Pellegrini Jane Perkinson Annmarie Pittman Ross Reaves

Jeffrey Roberts Mary Kate Roberts Laura Rodin

Lynn Rohrs

Lisa Warren Roman Marilee Sanders Elizabeth Schepps Patti Schmid

Kay and Stefan Sidahmed Arash Sigarchi Linda G. Silversmith Blake Smith Dede Spitznagel Barbara Stachowiak Paul V. Stasiewicz

Barry Stauffer Matthew Strom Daria Surmach and Jason Kendall Amanda Sutton John Syphax Sandra and Stetson Tinkham Nina Tisara

Jennifer Topping Michelle Trigg Christopher Ullman Michael van Sickle Meredith and Doug Wade Holly Wallace Clifford Whitham Judy and Forrest Williams Brett and Margaret Wohler Margherita Woods Bette Yancey

THE

your creative meetings and gatherings

Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center.

History of the

ORCHESTRA

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra was founded during World War II. President Roosevelt asked all Americans for sacrifices to free more of the nation’s capacity and resources to help the war efforts. In spite of the war and necessary sacrifices, Alexandria came together as a community. During this time, in 1943, a young music teacher, Miss Lucie Neale Landen, recruited 40 amateur musicians to play orchestral music together. A few years after founding the “Alexandria Civic Orchestra,” Landen moved to California, where she spent more than 40 years as a high school orchestra teacher.

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra was officially incorporated in 1954 with an annual budget of $1,200. Dr. Wendell Margrave, Director of the Washington Musical Institute, took over the baton in 1948 and led the orchestra until the mid 1960s. In 1966, as demand for a more formal programming schedule arose, the orchestra hired George Washington University professor Dr. George Steiner as Music Director. Under Steiner’s influence, the ASO introduced its first subscription series, performed at Albohm Auditorium on the campus of T.C. Williams High School. He also started the “Lollipop” children’s educational concerts.

In 1976, the ASO strengthened its dedication to education with the introduction of the Mary Graham Lasley Scholarship Competition. Now in its 44th year and co-sponsored with the Symphony Orchestra League

of Alexandria (SOLA) since its founding in 1981, the annual event promotes the ASO’s commitment to nurturing young talent and creativity by encouraging college-level musicians to pursue careers in classical music. Besides co-sponsoring the competition, SOLA is dedicated to fundraising and volunteer support for the ASO.

In 1988, Kim Allen Kluge was chosen to succeed Dr. Steiner. Under Kluge’s direction during the 1990s, the ASO became a professional orchestra. In partnership with the City of Alexandria, the ASO significantly expanded its programs and concerts in the schools and began performing in the Alexandria Birthday Celebration concert on the waterfront each July.

In 2001 the ASO gave the inaugural concert at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, now its primary venue. In the Schlesinger era, the ASO emerged as a leader of the Washington, D.C. area inter-arts movement forging artistic partnerships with many of the region’s leading cultural institutions. In 2014 ASO added its secondary venue, the George Washington Masonic Memorial, an iconic landmark in the heart of Old Town. Over the last two decades, the ASO has performed with many of the world’s leading musicians including Midori Gotō, Peter Serkin, Nadja SolernoSonnenberg, Richard Stoltzman, Garrick Ohlsson, Yefim Bronfman, Lynn Harrell, Sarah Chang, Elizabeth Pitcairn and Branford Marsalis.

In 2013, the ASO took its education program in an exciting new direction, led by the vision and support of Linda Bunce and the late Elliott Bunce. Sympatico, a program based on the El Sistema model of social change through music education, was launched at John Adams Elementary School. Now in its tenth year of operation, this transformational program serves 100 students daily between five ensembles.

In 2018, the ASO welcomed James Ross as its fifth Music Director. Maestro Ross has introduced new concert experiences, audience engagement and nontraditional venues and formats to the community, attracting new attendees and growing the ASO family. Through his artistic leadership, ASO has broadened its reach and inclusivity with collaborations through the Alexandria Film Festival, Alexandria Choral Society, BalletNova, Classical Movements, the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts and the Fairfax Choral Society.

Music to our ears

of Brandywine

thrilled with the