The mission of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is to inspire, educate, and enrich lives near and far by creating extraordinary musical experiences with uncompromising artistic excellence.
With a 63-year history of artistic excellence, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is recognized as the largest and most distinguished performing arts organization in Maryland’s capital city. Under the direction of José-Luis Novo, the Symphony continues to rise in excellence and national reputation, performing Masterworks, Pops, Family Concerts, and special events. The Symphony reaches thousands annually with its free Pops in the Park concert, performances in partnership with the United States Naval Academy and the Annapolis Opera, and collaborative projects with other arts organizations and touring headliners. Additionally, ASO sponsors award-winning education concerts and outreach programs in community schools, sharing the joy of music-making with thousands of school children, including through the Annapolis Symphony Academy (ASA).
ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STAFF
ERICA BONDAREV RAPACH
Interim Executive Director
JULIE NOLAN Director of Community Outreach, Grants Manager
As a classically trained violinist and longtime advocate and administrator for the arts, I am honored to serve as ASO’s Interim Executive Director. I have quickly been impressed by the dedication of the board, staff, musicians, supporters (like you!), and the broader Annapolis community to the ASO’s success.
I am looking forward to joining you for performances this season. As a violinist, I am always partial to a Violin Concerto. You will have the chance to hear our concertmaster (and Director of the Annapolis Symphony Academy), Netanel Draiblate perform Camille SaintSaens’ Violin Concerto No. 3 as part of Masterworks III, Jan 31 - Feb 2 and it’s a good one! The ASO’s performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No.10 this evening resonates with me. Not only have I performed it several times as a member of an orchestra over the years, my undergraduate studies were in Russian Language & Literature so Shostakovich was a part of my upbringing. I also lived in Volgograd, Russia for 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and played with the Volgograd Symphony Orchestra there. But my biggest and most important tie to Russia is that my two daughters are bicultural - their father is a Russian musician!
In addition to attending performances with the ASO, I am eager to experience the important and inspiring work of the Annapolis Symphony Academy. I can’t wait to attend their winter recitals, including performances by the Aries Youth Chamber Orchestra and the Orion Youth Orchestra. I heard that last Spring’s recitals were standing room only, so I encourage you to add an ASA performance to your schedule, and early!
The ASO has an incredible 63-year legacy we are standing on. Together, we will not only continue the ASO’s tradition of artistic excellence but we are ensuring a solid groundwork for the permanent Executive Director. The transformative power of the arts has always been the driving force of my career, and my work with the ASO is no exception. Whether you are a long-time supporter or new to our community, your role in this journey is invaluable.
Thank you for your continued support. If you see me around Maryland Hall or at a concert, please don’t hesitate to say hello. I look forward to meeting you.
Artfully,
Erica Bondarev Rapach Interim Executive Director Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
E LI ZA BETH RICHEBO U RG R E A
Under writer, The Philip Richebourg Ar tistic Director and Conductor ’s Chair
THE PHILIP RICHEBOURG ENCORE CIRCLE honors multi-annual pledges of $100,000+
Elizabeth Richebourg Rea, in honoring the legacy of her father, Co-Founder of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, created a legacy of her own. In 2011, she donated the largest single contribution in the history of the orchestra for the 50th Anniversary Season. This generosity transformed giving by inspiring future endowments of substantial amounts in addition to pledges spanning multiple years. Her pioneering leadership has created new levels of support, enabling the A SO to expand our work on stage and in the community. Elizabeth is underwriter of the Artistic Director and Conductor’s Chair in her father’s name and in addition is the founding member of the Philip Richebourg Encore Circle.
Elizabeth Rea is a fine ar t photographer and curator She has curated numerous Joseph Cornell exhibitions and two Roy Lichtenstein Retrospectives. Elizabeth is President of the Dungannon Foundation, sponsor of the Rea Award for the Shor t Stor y. She ser ves on the Peggy Guggenheim Advisor y Board and is an Honorar y Trustee of the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation.
Photo: Thomas MacDonald, The N e w Y ork Times
PHILI P RI C H E BO U R G | 1919-201 1
Co-Founder and First Board President Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
1972
“My father Philip Richebourg conducted his own orchestra ever y da y of his life. He personified exactitude and precision in business; in ser vice to his community and in leadership on numerous Boards. He was meticulous in his passions as pilot, musician, archi vist. Dedicated to each task at hand my father approached all things in life as if resolute in achieving one goal, that of per fect harmony ” professional orchestra, Philip was at the helm every step of the way. His commitment, dedication, and passion for musical awareness leaves an indelible mark on the history of the A SO. The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra would not be what it is today without him.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is indebted to Philip Richebourg, Co-Founder and First Board President (1967-1974). Philip Richebourg ’s stalwart support, organizational vision and strong leadership during its formative years helped solidify the orchestra financially and administratively, ensuring its longevity and signature as one of Maryland’s most distinguished performing arts organizations. Philip passionately supported the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra as it sought to enrich the lives of the community through classical music and educational programs. From the modest beginnings of a small community ensemble to the present acclaimed
Photo:
Elizabeth Richebourg Rea
Photo By: David Trozzo
The Season 63 Masterworks Series is made possible by the Brian and Patricia Giese Foundation
MASTERWORKS II CONNECTIONS
Adolphus Hailstork, Óscar Navarro, Shostakovich with hornist Alex Kovling
Nov 1 & 2 | 7:30 pm
Maryland Hall
Holiday Pops
Masterworks Series and Series @ Strathmore subscribers receive 20% off single tickets to the Maryland Hall performance!
MASTERWORKS III PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
Coleridge-Taylor, SaintSaëns, Mussorgsky with violinist Netanel Draiblate
Jan 31 & Feb 1 | 7:30 pm
Maryland Hall
Feb 2 | 3:00 pm
Music Center at Strathmore
Dec 13 | 7:30pm at Maryl and Hall
Dec 14 | 3:00pm at Severna Park High School
MASTERWORKS IV SERENADE
Beethoven, Bernstein, Ginastera with violinist Noah BendixBalgley
Feb 28 & Mar 1 | 7:30 pm
Maryland Hall
Mar 2 | 3:00 pm
Music Center at Strathmore
Family Concert
Our annual concert for families promises to inspire a love for classical music and performing arts for students grade 3-12, and their family, friends, and caregivers. Tickets are $10.
May 10 | 11:00am
Maryland Hall
MASTERWORKS V FIESTA
Roydon Tse (world première ASO Co-commission), Sonia Morales-Matos, Ravel with the Dalí Quartet
Apr 4 & 5 | 7:30 pm
Maryland Hall
Music for Dance
Join us for an exciting field trip concert that will take your students on a rhythmic journey through the world of dance! Tickets are just $5 per student or adult. To purchase tickets call our Box Office at 410-263-0907
May 8 | 10am & 11:30am
Maryland Hall
May 9 | 10am & 11:30am
Chesapeake Arts Center
DALÍ QUARTET
NETANEL DRAIB LATE
ALEX KOVLING
NOAH BENDIX-BAL GLEY
Photo By: Nikolaj Lund
Photo By: Ryan Brandenberg
SERIES @
MASTERWORKS III Pictures at an Exhibition
Coleridge-Taylor, Saint-Saëns, Mussorgsky with violinist Netanel Draiblate SUN FEB 2 | 3:00 PM
Music Center at Strathmore
MASTERWORKS IV Serenade
Beethoven, Bernstein, Ginastera with violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley SUN MAR 2 | 3:00 PM
Music Center at Strathmore 7
ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY .ORG
ANNAPOLISSYMPHONY.ORG/SUBSCRIBE
Masterworks SERIES
MASTERWORKS III PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
SAINT-SAËNS VIOLIN CONCERTO NO.3, WITH NETANEL DRAIBLATE
FRI JAN 31, 2025
SAT FEB 1, 2025
7:30 pm | Maryland Hall
SUN FEB 2, 2025
3 pm | Music Center at Strathmore
MASTERWORKS IV SERENADE BEETHOVEN, BERNSTEIN, AND BENDIX-BALGLEY
FRI FEB 28, 2025
SAT MAR 1, 2025
7:30 pm | Maryland Hall
SUN MAR 2, 2025
3 pm | Music Center at Strathmore
MASTERWORKS V FIESTA
RAVEL DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ WORLD PREMIÈRE BY ROYDON TSE WITH DALÍ QUARTET
FRI APR 4, 2025
SAT APR 5, 2025 7:30 pm Maryland Hall
EXPLORE OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TICKET OPTIONS NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AT ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY .ORG
Coleridge-Taylor,
MASTERWORKS SERIES
November 1, 7:30 PM | November 2, 7:30 PM
MARYLAND HALL
José-Luis Novo, Artistic Director & Conductor The Philip Richebourg Chair
Alex Kovling, horn
Three Spirituals Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)
I. Everytime I Feel the Spirit
II. Kum Ba Yah
III. Oh Freedom
Connection: Horn Concerto Óscar Navarro (b. 1981)
Introduction—March—Scherzando—Lento—Grand finale
Alex Kovling, horn
- INTERMISSION -
Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
I. Moderato
II. Allegro
III. Allegretto—Largo—Più mosso
IV. Andante—Allegro
Photography and video/audio recording are not permitted in the concert hall. Please silence all electronic devices. Thank you.
MASTERWORKS II MUSICIAN ROSTER
VIOLIN I
Nicholas Currie, Acting Concertmaster
Heather Haughn, Acting Associate Concertmaster
Wan-Chun Hu, Acting Assistant Concertmaster
Yoon Young Bae
Susan Benac
Abby Armbruster
Rachael Stockton
Qian Zhong
William Wang
Jennifer Rickard
Katelyn Lyons Peaden
Angela YuTing Chew
VIOLIN II
Christian Tremblay, Principal
Kristin Bakkegard, Associate Principal
Karin Kelleher
Megan Gray
Alexandra Mikhlin
Sally Stallings Amass
Paul Bagley
Amelia Giles
Sara Schneider
Kei Sugiyama
VIOLA
Sarah Hart, Principal
Kate Zahradnik, Acting Associate Principal
Rachel Holaday
Susan Taylor Dapkunas
Brian Shoop
Michael Sinni
Nikki Ponticelli
Heidi Remick
CELLO
Todd Thiel, Principal
Pei Lu, Associate Principal
Alison Bazala Kim
Nicole Boguslaw
MaryAnn Perkel
April Studeny
Daniel Shomper
Katlyn DeGraw
BASS
Patrick Raynard, Principal
Brandon Smith, Acting Associate Principal
Broc Mertz
Adriane Irving
Peter Cohn
Kimberly Parillo
FLUTE
Kimberly Valerio, Principal
Genevieve Eichman
Lori Kesner
OBOE
Fatma Daglar, Principal
Rick Basehore
Amanda Dusold
CLARINET
Robert DiLutis, Principal
David Drosinos
Elise Bond
BASSOON
Jimmy Ren, Acting Principal
Patricia Morgan
Lynn Moncilovich
HORN
Alex Kovling, Principal
Shane Iler, Associate Principal
Ho Hin Kwong
Anthony Valerio
Kevin Grasel
TRUMPET
Christopher Sala, Principal
Christopher Buchanan
Andrew Fremder
TROMBONE
David Perkel, Principal
David Sciannella
Jay Heltzer
TUBA
Jake Fewx, Principal
TIMPANI
Curt Armbruster, Principal
PERCUSSION
Robert Jenkins, Acting Principal
Aubrey Adams
Curt Duer
Thomas Maloy
Gerald Novak
HARP
Maryanne Meyer, Acting Principal
PIANO
Tomoko Kanamaru, Acting Principal
PROGRAM NOTES
Three Spirituals
ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK
Born April 17, 1941, Rochester
American composer Adolphus Hailstork began his musical education on the violin, then quickly expanded into piano and organ lessons, as well as singing in the Episcopal Cathedral of All Saints (located in Albany, NY) choir. Hailstork credits the cathedral as well as his high school choir as the “most important influences in my early life.” By age 15, he considered himself a composer and went to Howard University to study music. Even though he was at an HBCU, Hailstork recalls how within the music department at Howard, there was no sense of “black consciousness;” there were not courses about or content on Black musical traditions and they did not learn about previous Black composers. While
his formal education lacked African American history, Hailstork was still “intimately exposed to the Black musical traditions” while part of the Howard community, building on the music with which he grew up at home. After graduation in 1963, Hailstork traveled to Paris for the summer to study with Nadia Boulanger, then returned to the states for his master’s program. In 1968, as Hailstork finished a two-year term in the Army, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Hailstork notes that this made him “more actively racially conscious” and the news about the educated activist motivated Hailstork to get his own doctorate, which he completed in 1971.
Throughout his career, Hailstork has remained “racially conscious,” with a goal of supporting and amplifying the African American community:
I want to help establish a black canon, so that after I have gone away, I [will] have left a few symphonies [and] piano sonatas that black and white conductors will want to do. And they will say, “Hey, this is great music.” But there will be a hint of African American experience in it. You see, we were left out of the American school of composition in the twenties, or forties of Copland, and all that…we were left out of it. Now, it’s our time to make our impact and to add to the American repertoire, and that should include us.
Hailstork’s compositional style reflects this goal, pulling on Black musical genres like the blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, and spirituals. At the
same time, he is also influenced by the mid-twentieth century American school of composition, led by composers such as Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and Leonard Bernstein. Hailstork identifies as a “folk” composer along the lines of Antonín Dvoˇrák or Jean Sibelius, using cultural idioms of and for his community.
Three Spirituals , composed in 2005, takes three spiritual tunes as the basis for the work, perfectly demonstrating Hailstork’s compositional interests and style. The first movement quotes the boisterous melody for the spiritual “Everytime I Feel the Spirit.” After a tutti introduction that is influenced by the American school composers, the bassoon line is based on the verse text for “Everytime I Feel the Spirit,” with the full orchestra joining in with the exact refrain melody. At the end of the movement, jazzy trumpets incorporate another African American idiom. The second movement, marked tranquillo, is entitled after the spiritual “Kum Ba Yah,” the melody of which is immediately introduced in the English horn. The clarinet takes over and ornaments the melody while remaining peaceful. “Oh Freedom” is the spiritual that is quoted in the third movement. The playful nature of the music matches the joyful text, written after the Civil War, that celebrates freedom.
Connection: Horn Concerto ÓSCAR NAVARRO
Born June 15, 1981, Novelda Óscar Navarro’s first instrument is the clarinet, which he studied for his undergraduate career at the Conservatorio Superior de Música Óscar Esplá in Alicante, Spain. After studying composition and conducting with Ferrer Ferran, he continued his studies in film and TV music composition at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (UCLA). One of Navarro’s main goals in composition is to tell a story, whether that is by writing music that will accompany film—one of his primary genres—or by focusing on emotions that are a touchstone for any listener. This goal to connect with the listener is the impetus for Connection , which Navarro explains in his own program note for the piece:
A connection with the public is one of the main reasons why a work remains alive. Music has the ability to enter the soul of the listener, to make him or her feel different sensations, and to remove certain feelings. This is one of the goals and challenges of my music, and in this case, one of the aims of this work, Connection : Concerto for Horn and Symphony Orchestra.
The main feature of the work is the variety in the musical discourse, which in my point of view, each day is more necessary to captivate the attention and create a direct connection with the listener, making the musical message reach the listener via the solo instrument, the French Horn. Mystery, anger, complicity, [and] mood or passion are part of the main aesthetic ingredients used in this new concerto, whose purpose is to immerse the listener in the work through a fusion of styles and a varied harmonic language. The orchestration is very colorful, always leaving the necessary space for the soloist to be the central axis of the work [and to maintain] a constant dialogue with the rest of the symphony orchestra throughout the work.
Connection is conceived as a concerto in a single movement without pauses, divided into a great mysterious introduction, followed by four different sections that have the character of a march , scherzando, lento, and a grand finale . It is truly important to delve into each of the four sections of the work in order to show the stylistic difference between them, necessary
to avoid the disconnection of the listener.
The varied sonic elements are evidence of Navarro’s improvisational compositional process, and the flamboyant nature of the tutti sections also points towards the influence of his film music style. Originally composed for and dedicated to the horn player Salvador Navarro, the Connection concerto premiered in April 2019.
Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Born Sep. 25 (O.S. Sep. 12), 1906, Saint Petersburg Died Aug. 9, 1975, Moscow
Just ten years old when the Russian Revolution established a communist state in 1917, Dmitri Shostakovich spent the majority of his life under communist rule. Especially after Joseph Stalin became the de facto dictator in 1922, every facet of culture and life was controlled by the totalitarian state. Musical style and function were
governed by the Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians, which censored works that were overly abstract, dissonant, or expressive: stylistic features thought to contradict the values of the proletariat worker and the Communist Party.
After being denounced by Stalin in 1936, Shostakovich regained favor with Symphony No. 5 and enjoyed the reduced scrutiny of the arts throughout World War II, when the government had higher priorities than musical censorship. But after WWII and as the USSR positioned itself against the West in the Cold War, the government renewed its demands for purely socialist music without outside influence. In this atmosphere of increasing tension, Shostakovich and other composers were again denounced in February 1948. Having been placed on a blacklist, Shostakovich had to revive his career— and necessary income—by scoring patriotic films and setting socialist poetry to music for vocal music. By the end of 1949, Shostakovich was back in a position of relative safety, having won the Stalin Prize for an oratorio in honor of the dictator.
Symphony No. 10 was Shostakovich’s first symphonic work following the 1948 denunciation. While some parts were previously sketched, he composed a large portion of the work in the summer of 1953, which was after Stalin’s death in March 1953. The timing of this symphony is notable, but it is impossible to assign with certainty a particular meaning or program to the piece due to the problematic nature of the records that remain. In 1954, the work was
debated by the Composers Union and as was required, Shostakovich published critical remarks about Symphony No. 10 in the academic journal Sovetskaya Muzyka . Within these remarks, he stated that “it would be much more interesting to know what listeners feel, to hear their opinions. I will just say one thing: in this work, I wanted to convey human feelings and passions.”
The symphony begins hauntingly with piano cellos and basses, meditating on their theme even as the upper strings join. A solo clarinet enters, and the orchestra builds to an intense fortissimo. Despite the tonal ambiguity throughout the sonata form first movement, Shostakovich provides stability through the subtle relationships between rhythms, themes, and keys. Shostakovich did not include a slow movement in his tenth symphony; the second movement is instead a blistering Allegro dance with bright timbres, swirling woodwinds, and almost continually increasing volume. In the third movement, after an introduction in the lower range by the clarinets, the high register woodwinds play a theme that includes the pitches D–E-flat–C–B, the musical spelling of D-S-C-H (using the Germanic spelling for E-flat and B), Shostakovich’s musical signature. Shostakovich’s penchant for contrasts is evident in the final movement, which opens with yearning woodwind solos that are starkly juxtaposed with the joyful Allegro section, again including the D-S-C-H motive, that ends the work triumphantly.
Program notes by Elizabeth Massey, Ph.D.
ALEX KOVLING HORN
Alex Kovling, a native of Lewisville, Texas, joined the US Navy Band in 2015 and was appointed Principal Horn of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2020, having previously held the position of Third Horn since 2018. Since being in the DC area, he has been guest principal with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, MidAtlantic Symphony Orchestra, and York Symphony Orchestra as well as regularly performing with the National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Signature Theatre
in Arlington, and the Chesapeake Orchestra. Mr. Kovling takes advantage of chamber music opportunities as a member of Barclay Brass and with his brass quintet, Apex Brass, second prize winner of the Bucharest International Music Competition in 2021. He also occasionally performs with the Washington Symphonic Brass, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet and Wind Quintet, Dominion Brass, and the Navy Band Chamber Recital Series. Mr. Kovling performed the Gordon Jacob Horn Concerto with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2021 and soloed with the Navy Band in 2018. He also has enjoyed covering Principal Horn on occasion in the Navy
Band and has even performed alongside Mannheim Steamroller, Andrea Bocelli, The Beach Boys, and Katy Perry.
Alex Kovling received his Bachelor of Music from Texas Tech University, where he studied with Christopher M. Smith. After graduating, he continued his studies at Rice University, earning his Master's Degree in Music. While at Rice, he studied with William VerMeulen and was part of a CD project called The Christmas Horn conducted by Dale Clevenger. Giving back to the younger generation of aspiring musicians, Mr. Kovling has taught masterclasses at Texas Tech University, Baylor University, and Kansas State University. In 2022, the horn section of the Navy Band presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
While still a student in Texas, Mr. Kovling was third horn of the Lubbock
Symphony Orchestra from 2010–2013 and second horn of Santa Fe Pro Musica in the 2012–2013 season. He was also a regular substitute/extra horn with the Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and the Amarillo Symphony. Doubling on Wagner tuba as well as French horn, Mr. Kovling performed with the Houston Grand Opera in Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre . Mr. Kovling won several awards including the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition and was a two-time winner of the Mid-South Horn Workshop solo competition. He attended numerous summer festivals, including the National Orchestral Institute for three years, Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute, and the Banff Brass Residency.
JOSÉ-LUIS NOVO
THE
PHILIP RICHEBOURG CHAIR
Spanish-born José-Luis Novo has instilled a new and vibrant artistic vision into the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra since his appointment as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Maryland-based symphony in 2005. Highlights of Novo’s tenure include numerous appearances at the Music Center at Strathmore with violinists James Ehnes, Anne Akiko Meyers, Leticia Moreno, and Chee-Yun, pianist Olga Kern, late cellist Lynn Harrell, guitarist Manuel Barrueco, pipa virtuoso Wu Man, and the Naval
Academy Glee Club. Also remarkable are a 2012 return appearance at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, national broadcasts on NPR’s Performance Today, debut TV broadcasts on Washington’s WETA Metro PBS, the launching of the ASO’s award-winning streaming platform Symphony+, the creation of the Annapolis Symphony Academy, and the ASO’s first commercial CD commemorating the 300th anniversary of the signing of the City of Annapolis’ Royal Charter. In July of 2022, Maestro
The Artistic Director’s Chair is graciously underwritten by Elizabeth Richebourg Rea, daughter of Philip Richebourg, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra Co-Founder and First Board President (1967-1974).
“My father conducted every day of his life as if resolute in achieving perfect harmony. I can think of no greater legacy than naming the Artistic Director’s Chair after my father, Philip Richebourg.”
Novo and the ASO stunned audiences on both sides of the Atlantic in a debut international tour to Spain with guitar virtuoso Pepe Romero as guest soloist.
Maestro Novo’s continuous drive for artistic excellence, innovative thematic programming, and collaborations with some of today’s most respected guest artists keeps generating unprecedented artistic growth and enthusiastic reviews from publications such as The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun
In addition to his directorship of the ASO, Maestro Novo held an impressive thirteen-year tenure as Music Director and Conductor of the Binghamton Philharmonic in New York state from 2003 to 2016. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under both late Music Director Emeritus Jesús LópezCobos and former Music Director Paavo Järvi, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra under the late Erich Kunzel.
Recent and upcoming guest conducting engagements include debut appearances
with the Rochester Philharmonic, the Grand Rapids, Hilton Head, Palm Beach, Alexandria, and South Bend Symphony Orchestras, and return appearances with the Baltimore Symphony, the Fresno Philharmonic, Symphoria, and a Kimmel Center debut in Philadelphia conducting the Curtis Institute Orchestra. After a successful debut with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) for the Thailand International Composition Festival in 2015, Maestro Novo has been invited back regularly to guest conduct the TPO on several occasions. Other guest conducting engagements have included appearances with the Symphony Silicon Valley; the Minnesota Orchestra; the Syracuse, Modesto, Windsor, Stamford, Tulsa, and Tallahassee Symphonies; the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra; the Cleveland and Abilene Philharmonics; and most of the major Spanish orchestras.
José-Luis Novo has also fostered a reputation as a keen educator of young musicians. He has held conducting
Photo By: David Trozzo
positions with the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Miami University Symphony Orchestra, and National Repertory Orchestra, and has been on the conducting faculty at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina since 1999. In addition, he has conducted many noteworthy college and youth orchestras such as the Curtis Institute Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, the Bard Conservatory Orchestra, the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, and the Portuguesa State Youth Orchestra of the Venezuelan El Sistema. Under the auspices of the Annapolis Symphony Academy, he presided over the debut of its Orion Youth Orchestra, conducting the inaugural concert in June 2022.
Maestro Novo was featured in the League of American Orchestras Symphony magazine in “Podium Powers,” an article about emerging Hispanic conductors in the United States of America. He holds music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Yale University, and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, and is the recipient of a 2010 Annie Award in Performing Arts from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, a 2008 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Adventurous Programming Award, and a 2005 Broome County Arts Council Heart of the Arts Award.
What’s Up? Media has been a proud supporting partner of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for over 25 Years.
MUSICIAN SPONSORS
Join us in a campaign to get all 55 of our currently tenured musicians sponsored! Sponsoring a musician is a transformative way to show your support for the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. It is a special opportunity to personally connect with an individual musician and deepen your connection to the symphony.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
José-Luis Novo
The Philip Richebourg Chair
VIOLIN I
Netanel Draiblate, Concertmaster
Sponsored by Jillinda Kidwell
Nicholas Currie, Associate Concertmaster
Sponsored by Laird Lott & Linda Gooden
Abby Armbruster
Sponsored by Mimi Jones
Yoon Young Bae
Sponsored by Drs. Mark Davis & Ann Tran
Susan Benac
Sponsored by Herb* & Sallie Abeles
Heather Haughn
Sponsored by Constance & William Scott
Rachael Stockton
Sponsored by Tara Balfe
Clifford
William Wang
Sponsored by Dr. Mary C. McKiel
VIOLIN II
Kristin Bakkegard, Associate Principal
Sponsored by Stephen A. Sotack
Sally Stallings Amass
Co-sponsored by Dr. Mary C. McKiel
Megan Gray
Sponsored by Lawrence & Jeanne Kelly
Karin Kelleher
Sponsored by Prudence Clendenning
Alexandra Mikhlin
Sponsored by Anna E. Greenberg VIOLA
Derek Smith, Associate Principal
Sponsored by Al & Ginger From CELLO
Todd Thiel, Principal
The Philip Richebourg Chair
Alison Bazala Kim
Sponsored by Dr. Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt & Mr. Steve Schmidt
Nicole Boguslaw
Sponsored by Norman J. Fisher & Doris Fisher Foundation
Catherine Mikelson
Sponsored by Patrick M. Green
MaryAnn Perkel
Sponsored by Florence Calvert
Daniel Shomper
Sponsored by Paula Abernethy
April Studeny
Sponsored by Judith Templeton BASS
Patrick Raynard, Principal
Sponsored by Collot Guerard
Peter Cohn
Sponsored by Anne S. Potter FLUTE
Kimberly Valerio, Principal
Sponsored by William Seale & Marguerite Pelissier
Genevieve Eichman
Sponsored by Russ Stevenson & Margie Axtell
OBOE
Fatma Daglar, Principal
The Sage Tower Mumma Endowed Chair
Rick Basehore
Sponsored by William & Renata Davis
CLARINET
Robert DiLutis, Principal
Sponsored by Shelley Row
BASSOON
Patricia Morgan
Sponsored by Ann & Robert Whitcomb
HORN
Alex Kovling, Principal
Sponsored by Martha & John T. Schwieters
Anthony Valerio
Sponsored by Carole & Richard Falk
TRUMPET
Christopher Sala, Principal
The Philip Richebourg Chair
TROMBONE
David Perkel, Principal
Sponsored by David & Eleanor Huggins
David Sciannella
Sponsored by Robert & Kathleen Arias
Jay Heltzer
Sponsored by Peter Bungay, Joy Chambers & Ellen Posten
* Deceased
Thank you to our generous sponsors. If you’re interested in sponsoring a musician, please visit www.annapolissymphony.org/support or email development@annapolissymphony.org.
Violin II cont.
Ensuring a Legacy of Musical Excellence for Future Generations
It is with our deepest gratitude that we acknowledge the following Legacy Circle Members for their commitment to the future of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and its place in our community.
Anonymous (3)
Melvin &
*Judy Bender
Bud & *Bee Billups
Elana Rhodes Byrd
James W. Cheevers
Elizabeth Colandro
Ronald E. Council
*Forbes Leland & *Marilyn Eason
*Patricia Edwards
*Colonel Allan &
*Audrey English
Patrick M. Green
Anna E. Greenberg
*Joe Bales Gruber
*Nancie Kennedy
*Dr. Michael Kurtz
Dr. Mary C. McKiel
*Mr. John P. McKim
Anne S. Potter
Susan Rosenfeld
Shelley Row
Stephen A. Sotack
To discuss including the Symphony in your Estate Plans, please contact development@annapolissymphony.org Annapolis Symphony Orchestra Inc. Tax I.D. 23-7001357 Make your
SUPPORTERS OF THE ASO
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra who have contributed to this fiscal year.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is sustained through your generous support. We are indebted to you for supporting our music making, education programs, and community initiatives.
GIFTS OF $1 MILLION +
John McKim*
Joyce Pratt & Jeff Harris + William Seale & Marguerite Pelissier
THE PHILIP RICHEBOURG CIRCLE
GIFTS OF $500,000 – $999,999
Elizabeth Richebourg Rea + GIFTS OF $250,000 – $499,999
Robert & Kathleen Arias + GIFTS OF $150,000 – $249,999
The Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation
Jillinda Kidwell + Maryland State Arts Council
Michael J. Mumma, Peter R. Mumma, & Amy Mumma R askopf +
GIFTS OF $50,000 – $149,999
Anonymous + Paula Abernethy + Jane Campbell-Chambliss & Peter Chambliss
James W. Cheevers + Mr. Arthur & Dr. Katherine Edwards +
Laird Lott & Linda Gooden
Impact100 +
Anne S. Potter + Shelley Row + Stephen A. Sotack +
GIFTS OF $25,000
–$49,999
Anonymous
Anne Arundel County
Recreation & Parks
Arts Council of Anne Arundel County
Elville Center for the Creative Arts +
Peter & Sarah Evans + Al & Ginger From +
David & Eleanor Huggins
Mimi Jones +
Patricia & David Mattingley + Martha & John T. Schwieters +
GIFTS OF $10,000 – $24,999
Florence Calvert + Collot Guerard
Deb Howe +
Dr. Elizabeth MaxwellSchmidt & Mr. Steve Schmidt +
Judith Templeton + Ann & Robert Whitcomb + Cecelia Wyatt
GIFTS OF $5,000 – $9,999
Peter Bungay, Joy Chambers & Ellen Posten
Susan Byrom & Robert Thomas
Hugh D. Camitta
Prue Clendenning
Council Family Foundation
William & Renata Davis + Norman J. Fisher & Doris Fisher Foundation
Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999 cont.
Capt. Mark & Michelle Hellstern (USN Retired) + JosuahOneNine Fund
Lawrence & Jeanne Kelly
Evelin Reynolds*
Russ Stevenson & Margie Axtell
GIFTS OF $2,500 – $4,999
Herb* & Sallie Abeles
Dea Code Family Foundation
Drs. Mark Davis & Ann Tran
Carole & Richard Falk
Patrick M. Green
Anna E. Greenberg
Pierre & Danalee Henkart
Jan & David Hoffberger
Dr. Mary C. McKiel
Music Educators of Greater Annapolis
Steve Root & Nancy Greene
Constance & William Scott
Doug & Karen Smith + Fred Stielow & Susan Rosenfeld
Bill & Marilynn Sweetser
Judith Templeton
+ MULTIYEAR PLEDGES
Multiyear pledges support the Orchestra’s strategic vision while ensuring a sustained level of funding. Thank you to everyone for signing pledge commitments of three years or more. These donors are recognized with a + beside their name.
ANNUAL GIVING 2024-2025
GIFTS OF $1,000
– $2,499
Anonymous (5)
Michael Alin & Ann Carroll
Jack & Leslie Andryszak
Annapolis Musicians Fund for Musicians
Melvin & Judy Bender
Renee Ehler & George Bentley
Ann Burchard
Enser & Marguerite Cole
Jesse Cunitz & Faith
Goldstein Cunitz
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Demoyer
Elizabeth Gordon-Bluntschli
Bonnie Gorman
Bob & Diane Heaney
Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Hecht
Hugh & Deborah Houghton
Ted & Karen Kirakawa
Katherine Lantz
Elizabeth Maneiro
David McGill
Jan O’Connor
James E & Cheryl H Painter
Patricia Petrou
Ms. Barbara Pittman
Rotary of Annapolis
Cynthia Scruggs
Mrs. Tamara & Dr. Stephan Tymkiw
GIFTS OF $100 – $999
Linda Allen
Sandra Collyear Altherr
Ms. Susan Armstrong
Adele Baron
Randal Billingsley
Martha Blaxall & Joe Dickey
Ms. Jeannie Block Bessmer
Pat & Karen Brown
Carmen & Nancy Brun
Carole Burchette
David Bush
Deborah Chin
Elizabeth Colandro
Petey Cosby
Susan Craig
Laudine Creighton
Dr. Albert A. Del Negro, M.D., FACC, & Ms. Patrisha
C. Creevy, PA-C
Carl DeVore
Fred & Susan Eckert
James R. Fitzpatrick
David & Cindy Fox
Frederick R. Galloway
Charitable Trust
Frances R. Hall
Georgina Hammond
Patty Harris
D. Gayle Hensley
Gretchen Herdt
Paul Herman & Karen
Goldman
David R. Herron, Ph.D.
Maureen Hess
Marian Holt
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Hoot
Dr. & Mrs. William Hunter
Kevin Hurley & Kathleen McDevitt
Kurt Karsten
Christine Kelsey
Lynne Malley
Don & Carol Nelson
David & Carol Newman
Stanton Palmer
William & May Parks
Fariba Partawi
Bob & Cookie Pollock
John T. Quinn
Michael & Margret Rauh
Ken & Maureen Reightler
Clay & Carol Richards
Christopher & Anita Rizek
John & Constance Robinson
Janet & Michael Rowan
Amy & Joe Rubino
Joan Russell
Ellen von Seggern Richter
Bob Sherer
Leslie Skibo
Anne Sloan
Paula Thistle
Peter Threadgill
Joan Townshend
Christine Trapnell
Mark Wynn Gifts of $100 - $999 cont. Gifts of $100 - $999 cont.
Nicholas Kemp & Kay Osburnsen
Leon & Barbara Kestenbaum
Julia Krause
Dr. Monique Langston
Susanne Lieberman
Joan Machinckick
Elizabeth Mainiero
Laura & Jack Van Geffen
Mr. & Mrs. Damien Wanner
Cynthia Wells
Jeffrey Williams
Claire Winestock
Bradley Wirz
Francis & Maureen Wright
Bernard & Louis Wulff
*Deceased
MEMORIAL AND HONORARY GIFTS
In memory of Marion Borsodi
Sandra Collyear Altherr
In memory of Louise A. Snyder
Hugh D. Camitta
In memory of Ralph Bluntschli Elizabeth Gordon-Bluntschli
In honor of Rachael Stockton Rene Shumate
Generous friends of Howard and Thea Pinskey established a scholarship fund in their memory dedicated to providing financial assistance to students in the Annapolis Symphony Academy. The Annapolis Symphony Academy will also add funds given in memory of Howard and Thea Pinskey to this scholarship fund in their memory. If you would like to contribute to this fund, visit www.annapolissymphony.org/support.
We make every effort to ensure accuracy. If you notice an error, omission or would like to be recognized in a different way, please let the Symphony staff know at your earliest convenience. The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra greatly appreciates all contributors of any amount.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is funded by operating grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive, and the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, which receives public support from Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, and the Maryland State Arts Council. Funding for the Maryland State Arts Council is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
We invite YOU to become a friend!
FASO is a dynamic group of music lovers who support the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. FASO fundraising events include the Concert of Tastes, Historical Happy Hour, themed dinners, Dine-toDonate, Movie & Trivia Nights, wine tastings at local vineyards, international trips and much more. FASO collaborates with the Annapolis Symphony Academy to provide grants that expand programming and provide scholarships. FASO efforts expand beyond Annapolis. FASO recently sponsored the featurelength film Sing to Me Sylvie, which won the Spotlight Award from the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras. Join us! Become part of the fun while helping to benefit the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and rising artists. IT IS EASY TO JOIN - VISIT ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY.ORG
Membership: $50 per person | $75 per couple Contact info: 410-267-3646 friends@annapolissymphony.org
2024-2025 Board of Directors
Officers/Executive Committee:
Ann A. Tran, President
Marguerite Cole, Vice President
Ways & Means
Paula Abernethy, Vice President
Membership
Julie S. Grudzinskas, Treasurer
David Bush, Recording Secretary
Carol Richards, Corresponding Secretary
Directors:
Adele Baron
John Andryszak
Adele Baron
Jim Cheevers
Betsy Chotin
Kathy Clatanoff
Renee Ehler
Robert Foye
Elizabeth
Gordon-Bluntschli
Diane Green
Patrick Green
Anna E. Greenberg
Valerie Gutterson
Stephen Holt
Marilyn Lyons
Lynn Maichle
Mary McKiel
Rick Sullivan
The Friends of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization. Dues and donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, providing no goods or services are realized by joining.
Champagne Sunday photo by Don Dement
MARYLAND HALL CONCERT & TICKET INFORMATION
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Use of cameras or recording devices during the performance is strictly prohibited.
LATECOMERS
Latecomers will only be seated at the conclusion of a musical selection.
CHILDREN
Annapolis Symphony Orchestra Family Concerts are designed for ages four and up. The Symphony recommends that children be at least age eight to attend a Masterworks or Pops concert.
IN CASE OF FIRE
Please note the nearest exit to your seat. In the event of fire or another emergency, WALK — do not run — to that exit.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event of severe weather, every effort will be made to continue with scheduled concerts. No refunds will be given if a concert is performed during severe weather but not attended by the ticket holder.
NO SMOKING
Maryland Hall is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is prohibited in and on the grounds of the building.
MARYLAND HALL BAR
Enjoy a beer or glass of wine before the concert and at intermission in room 206. Cash and credit cards are accepted and drinks are allowed in the concert hall.
ACCESS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Parking, ramp, and elevator facilities are available at the entrance nearest Spa Road. Wheelchair accessible seating is also available. Please call 410-263-0907 to make arrangements.
SUBSCRIPTION TICKETS
Subscribing to the Masterworks Series at the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is the best deal around! As a subscriber you get exclusive access to a 20% discount on single tickets, priority seating, and free exchanges. Subscriptions are available for all 5 Masterworks concerts as a full series or 3 or 4 concerts as a Flex Pass. Learn more at annapolissymphony.org/ subscribe.
SINGLE TICKETS
Whether it’s your first or fifth time at the Symphony, single tickets are always available for purchase! Tickets can be purchased online at annapolissymphony. org/events or by calling the Symphony Box Office at 410-263-0907.
GROUP SALES
We are dedicated to making your group‘s visit to the Annapolis Symphony a memorable experience. With a group of 10 or more, receive a 15% discount on all tickets.
TICKET EXCHANGES
Subscribers may exchange their tickets for the alternate performance of the same concert only. Exchanges are subject to availability.
TICKET DONATIONS
Subscribers may donate tickets back to the Symphony as a tax-deductible contribution. We will mail you an acknowledgement letter for your donation.
There are no refunds and all ticket sales are final. If there are changes to the program, ticket holders will be contacted with options.
