CSO Dvorak Symphony No. 8 - program 05-19-23

May 19 & 20 7:30 pm | Knight Theater

DIGITAL PROGRAM BOOK

Kazem Abdullah, conductor Alexi Kenney, violin

Welcome to your CSO!

The weather is heating up in Charlotte and so is the Charlotte Symphony! Over the next month, our incredible musicians and guest artists will showcase their talents and versatility through a range of musical genres from classics like Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 to film music from The Princess Bride and hit pop songs from the best spy movies.

But the music doesn’t stop there. We’re pleased to have recently announced the Charlotte Symphony’s highly anticipated summer season. In partnership with Novant Health, we’ll turn Symphony Park into a patchwork of picnickers with the return of our Summer Pops series, featuring four family-friendly concerts including “The Music of John Williams” and “Celebrate America.” New this year: if you subscribe to all four concerts, we’ll reserve a premium spot for you on the lawn — you can avoid the rush and still enjoy great music under the stars. We’re also taking the show on the road, presenting five free concerts in community parks throughout the region. To learn more about our summer offerings, visit charlottesymphony.org/summer

While there is so much left to enjoy this season, we’re always looking ahead — and we have a fantastic season planned for you in 2023–24. I invite you to explore all of the exciting details at charlottesymphony.org/season-2023-24.

Thank you for joining us and enjoy the concert.

David Fisk President & CEO

The CSO is…

MORE THAN WHAT’S ONSTAGE.

Did you know that the Charlotte Symphony is much more than what you see on the Belk and Knight Theater stages? Beyond the Classical, Pops, Family, and Movie Series in the theaters, we work to uplift, entertain, and educate our community through inclusive education programs and community performances.

• The CSO has three programs for young musicians: the Youth Orchestra, the Youth Philharmonic, and the Youth Ensemble. CSO musicians participate in coaching throughout the year, and even perform with the young musicians!

• Reaching approximately 15,000 students each season, we also have extensive school programs, including Project Harmony, “Music and the Holocaust,” and “One Musical Family” Education Concerts.

• We perform throughout the region, from community parks and schools to breweries, senior care centers, and places of worship all season long.

The CSO is…FOR EVERYONE .

To learn more, visit charlottesymphony.org

Friday, May 19, 2023 at 7:30pm

Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 7:30pm

Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts

Kazem Abdullah, conductor

Alexi Kenney, violin

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)

Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, “Prague”

I. Adagio - Allegro

II. Andante

III. Presto

IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

[approx. 23 minutes]

Concerto in D major for Violin & Orchestra

I. Toccata

II. Aria I

III. Aria II

IV. Capriccio

Alexi Kenney, violin

INTERMISSION

ANTONÍN DVOŘ ÁK (1841-1904)

Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88

I. Allegro con brio

II. Adagio

III. Allegretto grazioso

IV. Allegro ma non troppo

[approx. 22 minutes]

[approx. 36 minutes]

concert duration: approximately 2 hours. There will be one 20-minute intermission.

This concert is made possible in part by Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman

Kazem Abdullah

guest conductor

Kazem Abdullah works internationally and excels at reaching newer and diverse audiences, conducting concerts and operas in a wide variety of styles and formats.

Kazem Abdullah conducted four modern operas in 2022: The Life and Times of Malcolm X and The Central Park Five by composer Anthony Davis, as well as the world premiere of Castor and Patience composed by Greg Spears with a libretto by Track K Smith, and Omar composed by Rhiannon Giddons. Among his recent orchestral credits are the Oregon, Indianapolis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati symphony orchestras. In addition to his symphony engagements, he recently conducted an opera Gala for the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the American premiere of Charles Wuorinen’s opera Brokeback Mountain with the New York City Opera, Tosca for Seattle Opera, and Hänsel und Gretel for Cape Town Opera.

Abdullah currently lives in Nürnberg, Germany, and was the Generalmusikdirektor in Aachen, Germany, from 2012 to 2017. During his tenure in Aachen, in addition to reaching newer and diverse audiences through innovative programming, moving out of the concert hall, and experimenting with juxtapositions of styles in non-traditional concert formats, he also conducted over 25 operas. He collaborated with musicians such as Johannes Moser, Lise de la Salle, Angela Gheorghiu, Augustin Haedelich, and Midori.

Prior to 2012, Abdullah led the Orquestra de São Paulo on its third United States coast-to-coast tour and the New World Symphony at the Ives In-Context Festival by special invitation from Michael Tilson Thomas. He also conducted the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in performances of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in collaboration with the Mark Morris Dance Group. He was also an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, where he assisted and prepared over twenty operas, including Der Ring des Nibelungen, Wozzeck, and Lulu.

Abdullah has also guest conducted at companies such as the Atlanta Opera, Portland Opera, Detroit Opera, and the Théâtre du Châtelet de Paris, where he led sold-out performances of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha. Abdullah made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2009, conducting Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, and will return in the fall of 2023 with Anthony Davis’ opera The Life and Times of Malcolm X.

In the 2022-23 season, Abdullah will make debuts with the Atlanta Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony, Los Angeles Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, he will collaborate with soprano Renée Fleming and director Yuval Sharon on Proximity.

Trained as a clarinetist, Abdullah has performed extensively as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, and soloist. He spent two seasons as a member of the New World Symphony and performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra, as well as the chamber ensembles Trio Wanderer and the Auryn Quartet.

A dedicated educator, Abdullah has worked with student orchestras at the Interlochen Arts Center, the Oklahoma Arts Institute, and at universities in Cologne, Germany, and Stellenbosch, South Africa. He was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award by his alma mater, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where he worked with the students there and spoke at their commencement in 2015.

Alexi Kenney violin

Violinist Alexi Kenney is forging a career that defies categorization, following his interests, intuition, and heart. He is equally at home creating experimental programs and commissioning new works, soloing with major orchestras in the USA and abroad, and collaborating with some of the most celebrated musicians of our time. Alexi is the recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a BorlettiBuitoni Trust Award.

Following the 2021/22 season, which included solo appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Alexi devotes the first part of 2023 to the debut of his new project Shifting Ground, bringing it to the Celebrity Series of Boston, Cal Performances, Princeton University Concerts, and the Phillips Collection. Shifting Ground intersperses seminal works for solo violin by J.S. Bach with pieces of our time by Samuel Adams, Matthew Burtner, Steve Reich, Paul Wiancko, and Du Yun, as well as commissions by composers Salina Fisher and Angélica Negrón.

In recent years, Alexi has performed as soloist with the Detroit Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Virginia Symphony, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, California Symphony, and Sarasota Orchestra, as well as in a play-conduct role as guest leader of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. He has played recitals at Wigmore Hall, on Carnegie Hall’s ‘Distinctive Debuts’ series, Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, 92nd Street Y, Mecklenberg-Vorpommern Festival, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Winner of the 2013 Concert Artists Guild Competition and laureate of the 2012 Menuhin Competition, Alexi has been profiled by Musical America, Strings Magazine, and The New York Times, and has written for The Strad.

Chamber music continues to be a major part of Alexi’s life, regularly performing at festivals including Caramoor, ChamberFest Cleveland, Chamber Music Northwest,

Kronberg, La Jolla, Ojai, Music@Menlo, Ravinia, Seattle, and Spoleto, as well as on tour with Musicians from Marlboro and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He is a founding member of Owls, a new quartet collective with violist Ayane Kozasa, cellist Gabe Cabezas, and cellistcomposer Paul Wiancko.

Born in Palo Alto, California in 1994, Alexi is a graduate of the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he received an Artist Diploma as a student of Miriam Fried and Donald Weilerstein. Previous teachers in the Bay Area include Wei He, Jenny Rudin, and Natasha Fong. He plays a violin made in London by Stefan-Peter Greiner in 2009 and a bow by François-Nicolas Voirin.

Outside of music, Alexi enjoys hojicha, modernist design and architecture, baking for friends, and walking for miles on end in whichever city he finds himself, and listening to podcasts and Bach on repeat.

JUST ANNOUNCED!

Join the Charlotte Symphony for an exciting new season with a compelling lineup of concerts! Subscribe today for the best seats, the best prices, and great benefits!

Single tickets on sale later this summer.

BEETHOVEN’S EROICA Oct. 6 - 8

GERSHWIN’S RHAPSODY IN BLUE Mar. 1 & 2 HOLST’S THE PLANETS May 17 & 18

THE HOT SARDINES Nov. 10 & 11

REGINA CARTER Feb. 9 & 10 GREAT LADIES OF SWING April 12 & 13

HOLIDAY POPS Dec. 16

SAINT-GEORGES’ SWORD & BOW Feb. 10 CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS April 13

featuring... featuring... featuring...

ELF IN CONCERT Nov. 24 & 25 THE FORCE AWAKENS IN CONCERT Mar. 15 & 16 JAWS IN CONCERT June 14 & 15

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE UP TO 50% OFF SINGLE TICKETS!

view the full season at charlotte symphony.org

presented by

presented by

featuring...

VIOLINIST

Jennifer Koh

JAZZ VIOLINIST

Regina Carter

RESIDENT CONDUCTOR

Christopher James Lees

star wars: the force awakens in concert

YOUR CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY

Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate & Music Adviser

Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor

FIRST VIOLINS

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster

The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair

Joseph Meyer, Associate Concertmaster

Kari Giles, Assistant Concertmaster

Ernest Pereira°*

Susan Blumberg°°

Jane Hart Brendle

Emily Chatham°°

Ayako Gamo

Jenny Topilow°°

Dustin Wilkes-Kim

Hanna Zhdan

SECOND VIOLINS

Oliver Kot, Principal

The Wolfgang Roth Chair

Kathleen Jarrell, Assistant Principal

The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair

Carlos Tarazona°

Monica Boboc

Tatiana Karpova

Ellyn Stuart

Martha Geissler

Sakira Harley

VIOLAS

Benjamin Geller, Principal

The Zoe Bunten Merrill Principal Viola Chair

Alaina Rea, Assistant Principal *

Chihiro Tanaka, Acting Asst. Principal

Ellen Ferdon

Cynthia Frank

Viara Stefanova

Ning Zhao

Matthew Darsey †

CELLOS

Jonathan Lewis, Principal

The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair

Allison Drenkow, Assistant Principal

Alan Black, Principal Emeritus

Marlene Ballena

Jeremy Lamb

Sarah Markle

DOUBLE BASSES

Kurt Riecken, Principal

Judson Baines, Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Ferdon

Jason McNeel

FLUTES

Victor Wang, Principal

The Blumenthal Foundation Chair

Amy Orsinger Whitehead

Erinn Frechette

PICCOLO

Erinn Frechette

OBOES

Hollis Ulaky, Principal

The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡

Erica Cice

Terry Maskin

ENGLISH HORN

Terry Maskin

CLARINETS

Taylor Marino, Principal

The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair

Samuel Sparrow

Allan Rosenfeld

E♭ CLARINET

Samuel Sparrow

BASS CLARINET

Allan Rosenfeld

BASSOONS

Joseph Merchant, Principal

Joshua Hood

Naho Zhu†

CONTRABASSOON

Naho Zhu†

HORNS

Byron Johns, Principal

The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair

Andrew Fierova

Robert Rydel

Richard Goldfaden

Philip Brindise†

TRUMPETS

Alex Wilborn, Principal

The Betty J. Livingstone Chair

Jonathan Kaplan

Gabriel Slesinger, Associate Principal*

The Marcus T. Hickman Chair

TROMBONES

John Bartlett, Principal

Thomas Burge

BASS TROMBONE

Scott Hartman, Principal

TUBA

Colin Benton, Principal

The Governor James G. Martin Chair

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

TIMPANI

Jacob Lipham, Principal

The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair

PERCUSSION

Brice Burton, Principal

HARP

Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal

The Dr. Billy Graham Chair

This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians onstage varies depending on the piece being performed.

° Non-revolving position

°° Alternates between first and second violins

† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony

‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.

* On leave

Michael Reichman, VP of Artistic Operations & General Manager

Carrie Graham, Director of Artistic Planning

Tim Pappas, Director of Operations

Nixon Bustos, Principal Music Librarian

Erin Eady, Personnel Manager

Bradley Geneser, Associate Principal Librarian

Claire Beiter, Operations Coordinator

John Jarrell, Stage Manager

The Charlotte Symphony is a proud member of the League of American Ochestras.

HONORING NANCY MARSH LEVINE ON HER RETIREMENT

This weekend we mark the retirement of longtime Charlotte Symphony musician, Nancy Marsh Levine, who has served in the orchestra for an incredible 42 years. Join us in celebrating her achievements and wishing her well.

NANCY MARSH LEVINE viola

Hometown: Mishawaka, Indiana

Joined the CSO: 1981

About: She earned a BA degree from Ball State University. Half way through her undergraduate studies Nancy switched from the violin to the viola and finished her degree as a violist. Nancy went on to earn a Master's degree from Rice University in Houston, following her brother, who is also a musician. After graduating, Nancy played for one season with the Savannah Symphony in Georgia before joining the Charlotte Symphoncy.

If you could meet one composer, who would it be and what would you ask him/her? "Beethoven. I would love to understand how he heard everything perfectly in his head without being able to hear."

What’s your funniest/most compelling on-stage moment? "My funniest moment on stage was when I was 12. I had won a solo competition and clumped out there to perform with a full-length cast on my leg."

What do you love most about being a professional musician? "The best thing about being a professional musician is getting to work with such amazingly talented colleagues."

Favorite Memory: "The CSO’s European Tour in 1986, especially playing Beethoven’s 9 th Symphony in the Old Town Square in Warsaw for thousands and thousands of people. Also, sitting right next to Yo-Yo Ma, who joined the cello section after performing a concerto. It was so inspiring that someone who is basically the world’s greatest cellist, thought we were worthy to join in and make music with. That was amazing."

Message to the Audience: “Keep coming back, because we keep reinventing ourselves! There’s always something new and different, like when we performed with Thorgy Thor. We had so many new faces in the audience; I was near tears. All of this music that reaches out to new people, it’s just so wonderful.”

For more information about Charlotte Symphony musicians, visit charlottesymphony.org

HOLLIS ULAKY Principal Oboe

Member of CSO since 1974 hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

FUN FACTS

• When I first joined the Charlotte Symphony, I was the youngest member of the orchestra. Almost 50 years later, I am the oldest!

• I was voted Best Female Instrumentalist in 2004 by Charlotte Magazine.

• I am the youngest of six children and have the cutest four-year-old grandson ever.

For more information about Charlotte Symphony musicians, visit charlottesymphony.org

One of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) connects with more than 100,000 music lovers each year through its lively season of concerts, broadcasts, community events, and robust educational programs. The CSO is committed to its mission of uplifting, entertaining, and educating the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional music experiences.

The Charlotte Symphony upholds the highest artistic integrity and takes bold steps to engage with its community through music. Its 62 professional, full-time musicians perform throughout the region — from community parks and breweries, to places of worship and senior care centers — and offer significant educational support, aimed at serving the underresourced areas of our community.

The Charlotte Symphony is deeply committed to the notion that music, accessible to all and experienced in its many forms, enriches and unifies our community. The CSO believes in equity and inclusion and strives to be an industry leader in imaginative, relevant programming by intentionally seeking out women conductors, underrepresented in our industry, and conductors, composers, and guest artists of color.

Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony plays a leading cultural role in the Charlotte area and aims to serve the community as a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region through the transformative power of live music.

OUR MISSION

The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.

OUR VISION

Reaching out through the transformative power of live music, the Charlotte Symphony will be a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region.

For more information, visit us online at charlottesymphony.org

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

born: January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria

died: December 5, 1791 in Vienna, Austria

No. 38 in D Major K.

On May 1, 1786, Mozart’s brilliant comic opera The Marriage of Figaro received its premiere in Vienna. In early December of that year, the Prague National Theater staged an extraordinarily successful production of Figaro. As one Prague critic wrote: “No piece (so everyone here asserts) has ever caused such a sensation as the Italian opera The Marriage of Figaro, which has already been given several times here with unlimited applause.”

During the height of the commotion over Figaro, Mozart accepted the invitation of “the orchestra and a company of distinguished connoisseurs and music-lovers,” and traveled to Prague. Mozart recalled: “here they talk about nothing but Figaro. Nothing is played, sung or whistled but Figaro. No opera is drawing like Figaro. Nothing, nothing, but Figaro. Certainly a great honor for me!” Mozart attended a Prague staging of The Marriage of Figaro. The audience learned of Mozart’s presence in the theater, and before the curtain rose for the first act, they greeted him with a rousing ovation. Some days later, Mozart himself conducted another triumphant performance of his opera.

In between the two performances of The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart conducted a January 19 concert at the Prague National Theater. The program included the premiere of a Symphony he had completed in Vienna on December 6, 1786. That Symphony, the D-Major, K. 504, has, of course, become known as the “Prague.”

On February 8, Mozart left Prague to return to his home in Vienna. However, prior to his departure, Mozart secured a commission from the Prague impresario, Pasquale Bondini, for a new opera. That opera, Don Giovanni, opened in Prague in October of 1787 — yet another triumph for Mozart.

premiere: January 19, 1787 in Prague

Symphony

504, “Prague” (1786)

approx. duration: 23 minutes

The “Prague” Symphony is in three movements, instead of the usual four. Mozart omits the traditional thirdmovement minuet. The first movement opens with an extended, dramatic introduction (Adagio) that foreshadows the gripping music of the avenging Stone Guest in Don Giovanni. This leads to the principal Allegro that teems with irrepressible energy and optimism. The “Prague” Symphony’s slow-tempo movement (Andante) is cast in a flowing 6/8 rhythm. Like the opening movement, it is based upon a succession of concise themes. The final movement (Presto) opens with a rapid-fire motif that forms the nucleus for virtually all that follows. And as with the opening movement, the finale has an arresting momentum that continues unabated to the resounding final measures.

Prague's historic Estates Theatre, which hosted the premieres of Mozart's Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito.

IGOR STRAVINSKY

born: June 17, 1882 in Lomonosov, Russia died: April 6, 1971 in New York City

Concerto in D major for Violin

and Orchestra (1931)

premiere: October 23, 1931 in Berlin approx. duration: 22 minutes

In Stravinsky: An Autobiography (Simon and Schuster, NY, 1936), the Russian composer provides a detailed and engaging history of his Violin Concerto. Willy Strecker, coowner and director of the Schott publishing firm, approached Stravinsky with the idea of composing a piece for the Polishborn American violinist Samuel Dushkin (1891-1976), a pupil of Fritz Kreisler and Leopold Auer. Stravinsky recalled: “I hesitated at first, because I am not a violinist, and I was afraid that my slight knowledge of that instrument would not be sufficient to enable me to solve the many problems which would necessarily arise in the course of a major work specially composed for it.” Stravinsky was also concerned that Dushkin might be subject to the “temptations and dangers” that befall many virtuosos who “seek immediate triumphs and to lend themselves to the wishes of the public, the great majority of whom demand sensational effects from the player.”

Stravinsky’s reservations concerning the first issue were allayed by his friend, composer Paul Hindemith, whom Stravinsky described as “a perfect violinist.” Hindemith viewed Stravinsky’s lack of experience in playing the violin in a positive light, observing; “it would be a very good thing, as it would give rise to ideas which would not be suggested by the familiar movement of the fingers.” Further, as Stravinsky acknowledged: “I was not a complete novice in handling the violin. Apart from my pieces for the string quartet and numerous passages in Pulcinella, I had had occasion, particularly in the Histoire d’un Soldat, to tackle the technique of the violin as a solo instrument.”

Stravinsky’s misgivings regarding a collaboration with virtuoso Samuel Dushkin vanished as soon as the composer and violinist met. Stravinsky “was glad to find in [Dushkin], besides his remarkable gifts as a born violinist, a musical culture, a delicate understanding, and — in the exercise of his profession — an abnegation that is very rare.” The two worked closely throughout the creation of the Violin Concerto. Dushkin placed himself completely at the service of Stravinsky and his new creation.

The premiere of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto took place in Berlin on October 23, 1931. Dushkin (to whom Stravinsky dedicated the Concerto) was the soloist, and the composer conducting the Berlin Radio Orchestra. Stravinsky and Dushkin then performed the work throughout Europe. In all cases, Stravinsky noted with great satisfaction: “my new work was very well received.” The cordial relationship between Stravinsky and Dushkin continued with the composition of the 1932 Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano, again dedicated to the violinist.

The Violin Concerto is in four movements. The first (Toccata) opens with a brusque four-note motif. Stravinsky described this theme as “a passport to the music.” It opens each of the movements, and returns in various forms throughout the work. Two slow-tempo movements follow (Aria I, Aria II), each in A—B—A form. The playful finale (Capriccio), a series of mercurial episodes, provides the Concerto’s most overtly virtuoso writing. The four-note motif now appears in its most varied form. In the thrilling presto that concludes the work, the emphatic syncopations and earthy violin sonorities recall the composer’s 1918 L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale).

ANTONÍN DVOŘ ÁK

born: September 8, 1841 in Nelahozeves, Bohemia died: May 1, 1904, in Prague, Bohemia

No. 8 in G Major Opus 88 (1889)

Symphony

premiere: February 2, 1890 in Prague approx. duration: 36 minutes

While working on his Piano Quartet, Opus 87, Czech composer Antonín Dvořák told his friend, Alois Göbl: “It’s going unexpectedly easily and the melodies simply pour out of me.” On August 26, 1889, one week after finishing the Piano Quartet, Dvořák began work on his Symphony in G Major. It appears a similar level of inspiration attended the new symphony. Dvořák began to collect ideas for the symphony, and started the composition sketch on September 6. Dvořák completed the sketches for all four movements by September 23, and finished the orchestration on November 8.

On February 2, 1890, Dvořák conducted the Prague National Theater Orchestra in the premiere of his Eighth Symphony. A few months later, the composer again presented the Symphony in honor of his election as Member of the Franz Josef Academy for Science, Literature and Art in Prague. On June 16, 1891, the University of Cambridge bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Music upon Dvořák, who again offered his G-Major Symphony in commemoration of the event.

As with most of Dvořák’s musical creations, the G-Major Symphony reflects the influence of Czech folk melodies and rhythms. It is also in many ways highly innovative, suggesting new possibilities for traditional symphonic forms. According to Dvořák biographer Otakar Sourek, the composer (by his own admission) consciously strove to create “a work different from his other symphonies, with individual thoughts worked out in a new way.” This, Dvořák achieved in the context of energetic and optimistic music, bursting with unforgettable melodies.

The Symphony’s first movement (Allegro con brio) begins with a somber introduction, played by the winds and cellos. This music serves as a unifying force throughout the movement, returning as a bridge to the development and recapitulation of the principal themes. Out of the shadows emerges the sprightly main theme, first played by the flute and soon, triumphantly, by the full orchestra. A minor-key second theme and chorale melody follow. The slow-tempo movement (Adagio), in rather free form, presents a series of episodes based in great part upon the opening fournote motif. The third movement (Allegretto grazioso) is in the character of a melancholy waltz. The joyful closing measures (Coda. Molto vivace) serve as a bridge to the finale (Allegro, ma non troppo), opening with a trumpet call. The cellos introduce the theme that serves as the basis for a series of diverse and often thrilling variations. In the midst of the variations, the trumpet-call motif returns. A group of lyrical variations finally yields to a jubilant coda (Tempo I), as the G-Major Symphony dashes to a rousing close.

Dvořák's summer home in Vysoká u Příbramě, where he composed the Eighth Symphony.

We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Annual Fund. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2022 through April 1, 2023

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For more information on how to make a gift to the CSO Annual Fund, please contact Libby Currier, Interim Director of Major Gifts, at 704.714.5137 or lcurrierl@charlottesymphony.org

& Mrs. Harley F. Shuford, Jr.

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Joan Irwin

Gene & Helen Katz

Dr. & Mrs. Jack Kramer

Elizabeth J. McLaughlin

Anna Marriott

Ms. Rosemarie Marshall & Mr. Lee Wilkins

Jim & Dottie Martin

Cricket Weston & David Molinaro

Eleanor W. Neal

Caroline Olzinski

Mr. Vincent Phillips & Mr. Paul Pope

John & Wilma Pinter

Larry & Dale Polsky

John & Susan Rae

Jane Perry Shoemaker

Mr. & Mrs. Pope A. Shuford

Morris & Patricia Spearman

Ken Spielfogel & Richard Withem

Robert & Maxine Stein

Ann & Wellford Tabor

Tillie S. Tice

James H. Trexler & Kelly Zellars

Daniel & Kathleen Troy

Mindy & Don Upton

Vera Watson

Grant Webb

Linda & Craig Weisbruch

Mrs. Eugenia N. White

Deems Wilson

Ms. Deborra Wood & Mr. Russell Propst

$1,000 – $1,499

Anonymous (2)

Ashley & Steve Allen

Kathleen & Richard Anderson

Melissa & Daren Anderson

Mary Lou & Jim Babb

Mr. & Mrs. Lincoln A. Baxter

Morgan & Katie Beggs

John & Katherine Beltz

Shirley W. Benfield

Si & Michael Blake

Ms. Brett Blumenthal & Mr. David Wax

Carole Bourret

Khary Brown in Memory of Kyden Justice

Brown

Herbert Browne

Jane & Larry Cain

Maggie Callen

Sarah & Marco Carbone

Bill & Pauline Chinnis (continued next page)

Van Allen

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Van Glish

Bill & Rita Vandiver

Dr. & Mrs. Bill Chu & Jin Wang

Pam & Steve West

Peter White

David Wilcox

Bryan Wilhelm

Ms. Judith Wood

$500 – $999

Anonymous (4)

Michael & Lee Abbott

Mark Abrams & Iris Prandi

Mr. Lester Ackerman & Mr. Layton Campbell

Larry Anderson

Leigh & Rhonda Armistead

JWD Atchison

Mrs. Natascha A. Bechtler

Bob & Cathy Becker

Dr. John L. Bennett & Mr. Eric T. Johnson

Jeffrey Boghosian

David Bower & Ann Richardson

Ms. Marianne Bragg

James Broadstone

Aram & Scott Bryan

Mr. Charles Budd

Greg & Mary Lou Cagle

Barbara F. Caine

Ms. Lisa Callen

Amanda & Kevin Chheda

Hobart B. Cheyne

Ms. Michele T. Classe

Mr. Brent Clevenger

Dr. W. Gerald Cochran & Mr. Timothy D. Gudger

Mr. Thomas E. Collins, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Charles E. Cook

Dr. Kilian Cooley

Martin & Leslie Cooper

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Couture

Mr. & Mrs. Alpo F. Crane

Ellen M. Crowley

Mrs. Judy Crozier

Craig Selimotic Danforth

Dr. Roy E. DeMeo, Jr. & Ms. Linda A. Evanko

Thomas & Kris Duffy

Virginia Dulaney

Ms. Helen Edwards

Rebecca Elliott

Martin Ericson, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. J. Murray Fadial

Doug Faris

Tom & Gail Fennimore

Lawrence W. Fetner, Jr.

Melisa & Frank Galasso

Dr. John & Eileen Gardella

Stephen C. & Jean S. Geller

$500 – $999 (continued)

Mr. & Mrs. Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe

Pete & Stacy Gherardi

Mr. Walter H. Goodwin, Esq.

Dan & Linda Gordon

Ms. Cynthia Greenlee

Mr. & Mrs. Lowrance Harry

Mr. Charles Haughey

Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Heafner

Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert

John Schroeder, in honor of Patty McArthur

Mr. Andrew Silliker

Michael Silverman

Carol Smith

Dr. & Mrs. Henry L. Smith II

Rebecca & Eric Smith

Scott Smith

John-Palmer Smith

Julia J. Souther

Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stern

Kathryn Stewart

William & Catherine Stone

Wesley & Claudia Sturges

George & Brenda Sweet

Ms. Sarah Teague

Tim Timson

B. Maureen Turner

James & Melanie Twyne

Greg & Sandy Vlahos

Theodore & Dorothy Kramer Jonathan Lamb Christopher James Lees Jerome & Barbara Levin

Mr. Michael Lewandowski

Mr. George Linfors Kathryn Long Mark & Katherine Love

Mr. Calin Lupanu

Dr. & Mrs. William W. MacDonald Bruce & Leigh Marsh Francis & Paula Martin Ed & Wendy Matthews Tom & Sandy Meckley

Mr. & Mrs. Kiran H. Mehta Roy H. Michaux Eric Miller Anne & Brad Mitchell

Sallie & Joe Moody Tom & Sally Moore Gary & Fran Morrison Janet Nelson In Memory of Patricia Nims

Karen L. Oldham

Nancy Olah & Bill Pace

Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge

Janet & Rick Pfeiffer Catherine Philpott

John H. Pickett

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney C. Pitts

Jeanine & Naeem Qasim

Dr. & Mrs. R. Pinkney Rankin, Jr.

Haywood & Sabine Rankin

Casey Rentch

Nancy Rutledge & Jim Rutledge

Robert & Christine Rydel

Minyan Wang

Lyman Welton

Barnet & Harriet Weinstock

Dr. Thomas H. White

Mr. & Mrs. John A. Yakob

Ms. Barbara Yarbrough

Dan & Susan Yardley

Dr. & Mrs. T. Price Zimmermann

$250 – $499

Anonymous (3)

Michael & Lee Abbott

Paula Andretta

Andrew & Karen Antoszyk

Dr. & Mrs. Michael J. Bell

Sam & Nancy Bernstein

Ms. Deborah Berry

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Bierce

Stuart Blackmon

Ken & Nelle Brown

Steve Bost

Saul & Martha Brenner

David H. & Barbara J. Burns

Philip Bush

John Carr

Robert & Jo Anne Caruso

Mary Case

Amy Cathey

Gray Clark

Mortimer & Josephine Cohen Fund

Ms. Dorothy Cole

Ron & Shirley Coffman

Tom Covington

Mr. Todd Croy

Leeda Currin

Glenn A. Muegel

David H. Nance & Jennifer Nance

Sara & Tom Nolan

Dr. & Mrs. Michael E. Norman

Cookie & Jerry Parnell

Rose & Bailey Patrick

Bradley & Sharon Patterson

Conrad Pogorzelski

Mr. Conrad Puckett

Mr. Mason & Dr. Krista Rankin

Stephen & Melissa Ratliff

Emily & Brian Reinicker

Dr. Livia Robicsek

Mr. & Mrs. Albert E. Rodgers

Ms. Aparna Sagunarthy

Sarah E. Schoedinger

Eileen Scholl

Merle & Judy Schuh

Dr. & Mrs. Marvin Shapiro

Ginny Shaw

Fred H. Smith

Anna Stallman

James & Ellie Stephens

Larry Stratemeyer

Charlene Sturgill

Brenda Gail Summers

Ms. Jean M. Summerville

Mr. Jorge Tapie

Carrie & Jeffrey Teixeira

Nancy & Dick Thigpen

Gretchen & Jean-Claude Thill

Ms. Audrey Truman

Cynthia Turner

Sarah & Tim Turner

LynnErin & Scott Tyler

Rebecca Valenstein

Minyan Wang

Jenny & Henry Ward

Mr. Erik Weghorst

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Weidman

Allen & Clara Wolfe

CORPORATE PARTNERS

We are grateful for the following outstanding corporate funders:

$250,000 +

$100,000 - $249,999

$20,000 - $49,999

$10,000 - $19,999

$5,000 - $9,999

The Charlotte Hornets Kingfisher Capital The Dunhill Hotel

For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.

GOVERNMENT & FOUNDATION SUPPORT

We are grateful for the following outstanding foundation and government funders:

$100,000 +

$50,000 - $99,999

$20,000 - $49,999

DG Brungard Foundation

Dowd Foundation, Inc

Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation, Inc.

Mariam & Robert Hayes Charitable Trust

The Trexler Foundation

$10,000 - $19,999

Blumenthal Foundation

Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation

Cole Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

AT&T Foundation

The George W. & Ruth R. Baxter Foundation

The Jack H & Ruth C. Campbell Foundation

The Charlotte Assembly

Carrie E. & Lena V. Glenn Foundation

The Mary Norris Preyer Fund

$2,500 - $4,999

Barnhardt/Thomas Trust

Kathryn Stephenson Pipe Organ Endowment Foundation

For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.

Dickson Foundation

Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

The Truist Charitable Fund is a donor-advised fund created by Truist and administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation

We invite your firm to join this special group of corporate supporters committed to keeping the music alive — enriching Charlotte and the surrounding communities as a first-class place to work and live.

$2,500 - $4,999

GreerWalker Moore & VanAllen Park Inc.

$5,000 + $500 - $2,499

Troutman Pepper LLP

World Famous Golf Carts of South Carolina

Symphony Orchestra recognizes donors of exceptional generosity whose cumulative giving to the CSO exceeds $1 million with the designation of Music Director Society.

Anonymous (2)

Bank of America Corporation

Catherine & Wilton Connor

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The Leon Levine Foundation

John S. & James L. Knight Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Hugh L. McColl, Jr.

Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

C. D. Spangler Foundation

The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.

Wells Fargo Corporation

For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.

The Charlotte

The Encore Society includes individuals who have made provisions for the CSO in their estate plans. We are honored to recognize their support:

Anonymous (3)

Geraldine I. Anderson†

Richard & Ruth Ault

Baldwin Family Trust

Barnhardt Thomas Trust

Larry & Joyce† Bennett

Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein

Mark & Louise Bernstein†

Twig & Barbara Branch

Saul Brenner

Mike & Joan Brown†

Mrs. Joan Bruns †

Jan & Bob Busch

Dr. Helen G. Cappleman, Ph.D.†

Jim Cochran†

Robin Cochran

Tom Covington

Charles & Peggy Dickerson

Mr. Martin Ericson, Jr.

David J.L. Fisk & Anne P. O’Byrne

Peter & Ann† Guild

William G. & Marguerite K. Huey Fund†

Dr. Nish Jamgotch, Jr.

Betty & Stanley Livingstone†

Lucille & Edwin Jones

† Deceased

Paul and Paula McIntosh

Nellie McCrory †

M. Marie Mitchell†

Cricket Weston & David Molinaro

Joan & Richard Morgan

Don C. Niehus

Eva Nove

Richard J. Osborne

Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge

James Y. Preston†

Mrs. Clayton (Dusty) Pritchett

Ann & Fritz Rehkopf

Elizabeth Waring Reinhard

Nancy W. Rutledge

Mike Rutledge

Harriet Seabrook

Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert

Morris & Patricia Spearman

Bob & Maxine Stein

Dr. Ben C. Taylor III

Mr. & Mrs. Hans Teich

Cordelia G. Thompson

Tim Timson

Jenny & Ken Tolson

Ms. Debora Wood & Mr. Russell Propst

Leave a lasting legacy of great music through your planned gift. For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.

Support your CSO.

With your gift, the Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.

Every gift makes a difference. Make your contribution today:

Multimillion Dollar Commitment City of Charlotte

$1.5 million and above Bank of America

C.D. Spangler Foundation / National Gypsum Company

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Trane Technologies

$600,000 - $1 million

Albemarle Foundation

Atrium Health

Barings

Duke Energy

Honeywell

JELD-WEN, Inc.

LendingTree Foundation

Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Novant Health

Red Ventures

Truist

$300,000-$600,000

Ally Financial

The Centene Charitable Foundation

Childress Klein Properties

Coca-Cola Consolidated

Deloitte

EY

The Gambrell Foundation

Moore & Van Allen

PwC

Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.

Rodgers Builders

Wells Fargo

Up to $300,000

Fifth Third Bank

Foundation For The Carolinas

Deidre and Clay Grubb

Leslie and Michael Marsicano

Jane and Hugh McColl

Nucor Corporation

PNC Bank

Premier, Inc.

Jane and Nelson Schwab

The Charlotte Symphony is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Linda McFarland Farthing

Chair

John Williams

Vice Chair

Mick Ankrom

Treasurer

David Fisk

President & CEO

Melissa Anderson

Joye D. Blount

Mike Butterworth

Manny Clark

Nick Clements

Catherine Connor

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Richard Osborne, Chair

Ruth & Richard Ault

Kat Belk

Arlene & Milton Berkman

Jason & Tiffany Bernd

Mary & Charles Bowman

Frank Bragg

Robin & Bill Branstrom

Derick & Sallie Close

Robin Cochran

Wilton Connor

Jeanie & T. Thomas Cottingham III

Brian Cromwell

Alessandra & Pasquale De Martino

Alvaro & Donna de Molina

Peggy & Richard Dreher

Lisa Hudson Evans

Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle

Todd Gorelick

Ralph S. Grier

Laurie Guy

Janet Haack

Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.

Mark & Whitney Jerrell

Mary Delk*

Denise DeMaio

Richard Krumdieck

Alex McKinnon

Ulrike W. Miles

Glenn Mincey

Robert Rydel*

Ylida Scott

Melinda Snyder

Jennifer Sullivan

Jenny Tolson*

Jenny Topilow*

Kevin Walker

*ex officio

Jeff Lee

Gov. James G. Martin

Jane & Hugh McColl

Susan & Loy McKeithen

Elizabeth J. McLaughlin

George McLendon

Patrick J. O’Leary

Debbie & G. Patrick Phillips

Paul Reichs

Nancy & Charles Robson

Patricia A. Rodgers

M.A. Rogers

Dan & Sara Garces Roselli

Laura & Mike Schulte

Carolyn Shaw

Tom Skains

Emily & Zach Smith

Bob & Marsha Stickler

Adam Taylor

Cynthia Tyson

Braxton Winston

Richard Worf

Albert Zue

EXECUTIVE

David J. L. Fisk, President & CEO

Samantha Hackett, Executive Administrator

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS (see p. 13)

DEVELOPMENT

Shayne Doty, Vice President of Development

Libby Currier, Interim Director of Major Gifts

Tammy Matula, Database Manager

Jennifer Gherardi, Development Manager - Campaign & Special Events

Senta Harvey, Annual Fund & Sponsorships Associate

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Angel Adams, Vice President of Finance & Administration

Lissette Rodriguez, Staff Accountant

Chazin & Company, Financial Services

Amy Hine, Office Administrator

HUMAN RESOURCES

Maribeth Baker (Catapult), Human Resources Counselor

LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Aram Kim Bryan, Vice President of Learning & Community Engagement

Emily Gordon, Project Harmony Manager

Dylan Lloyd, Youth Orchestras Manager

Peyton Wulff, Learning Manager

Tom Mika, Operations Coordinator

Jirah Montgomery, Youth Orchestras Assistant

MARKETING

Mical Hutson, Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development

Deirdre Roddin, Director of Institutional Marketing & Communications

Nicole Glaza, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing

Chad Calvert, Visual Communications Manager

Laura Thomas, Marketing Manager

Meghan Starr, Patron Communications Manager

Garrett Whiffen, Ticketing Manager

MOVIE

SERIES

June 16 & 17 7:30 pm | Belk Theater

The film that gave the world one of its greatest movie heroes is back and better than ever before! Relive the magic of the original great adventure on the silver screen with John Williams’s epic score performed live by a full symphony orchestra!

704.972.2000 | charlottesymphony.org