“… one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today.”
— NPR
• A fixture at leading international opera houses and major orchestra halls
• Named “Male Singer of the Year” by both the International Opera Awards (2017) and Bachtrack
Martin James Bartlett PIANO
April 6, 2025
“… not only a prodigy of the piano but an accomplished artist who counts among the greats of his generation.”
— Nice Matin
• Plays with a maturity and elegance far beyond his years
• Known for his fearless technique, he is the recipient of numerous awards
Both recitals are on Sundays at 5 PM at Memorial Hall, OTR
Tickets: Single tickets $15–$35 · Students $10. Call the Memorial Hall Box Office at 513-977-8838 (Tuesday–Friday, 1–6 p.m.) or visit MatineeMusicaleCincinnati.org
9
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2025
9
Part II of Fanfare Magazine’s series “Getting to Know Cristian Măcelaru” (pp. 9–12) focuses on his early conducting career, starting with The Philadelphia Orchestra, where, as assistant conductor, he stepped in to lead 20 programs while the orchestra was on strike: “Those are make-or-break times for a young conductor…. You have to really know the music.”
Part II of Fanfare Magazine’s series “Getting to Know Cristian Măcelaru” (pp. 9–12) focuses on his early conducting career, starting with The Philadelphia Orchestra, where, as assistant conductor, he stepped in to lead 20 programs while the orchestra was on strike: “Those are make-or-break times for a young conductor…. You have to really know the music.”
17
17 In January, two longtime CSO principal players step to the front of the Music Hall stage—Elizabeth Freimuth and Ilya Finkelshteyn.
29 Concerts in this Issue:
• JAN 3–5: A Night at Hogwarts: The Music of Harry Potter (Pops)
• JAN 11 & 12: Rachmaninoff & Copland (CSO)
• JAN 17–19: Simply the Best: The Music of Tina Turner (Pops)
• JAN 24 & 25: The Magic Cello (CSO)
• JAN 28: Folk Traditions (Winstead Chamber Series)
Although both have played their featured concertos with other orchestras, they each feel a distinct thrill in repeating that experience in Cincinnati. Read more on pp. 17–19
21
• JAN 31 & FEB 1: Strauss & Debussy (CSO)
• FEB 1: Lost in Space! (Lollipops)
In January, two longtime CSO principal players step to the front of the Music Hall stage—Elizabeth Freimuth and Ilya Finkelshteyn. Although both have played their featured concertos with other orchestras, they each feel a distinct thrill in repeating that experience in Cincinnati. Read more on pp. 17–19
21
The Andrew J. Brady Internship Program provides aspiring arts administrators with unparalleled
• FEB 8 & 9: Dvořák New World Symphony (CSO)
• FEB 11: Beethoven X Beyoncé (Pops)
• FEB 14 & 15: Gil Shaham Plays Dvořák (CSO)
70 Financial Support
75 Opus 50 & 25 Subscribers
80 Administration
ON THE COVER: Cristian Măcelaru, Music Director Designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Credit: Claudia Hershner
The Andrew J. Brady Internship Program provides aspiring arts administrators with unparalleled
hands-on experience, mentorships and direct exposure to every facet of arts administration. Article author and 24–25 season intern Mya Gibson says the internship “…not only builds valuable experience but allows the interns to play an active role in the organization, aligning seamlessly with the Orchestra’s mission to ‘seek and share inspiration,’” pp. 21–23.
hands-on experience, mentorships and direct exposure to every facet of arts administration. Article author and 24–25 season intern Mya Gibson says the internship “…not only builds valuable experience but allows the interns to play an active role in the organization, aligning seamlessly with the Orchestra’s mission to ‘seek and share inspiration,’” pp. 21–23.
COMING UP at Music Hall
MAR 2025
CSO Recital Series
CONRAD TAO
MAR 5 WED 7:30 PM
Conrad Tao piano
DEBUSSY Études, Book I
ARLEN (arr. TATUM) Over the Rainbow (trans. Conrad Tao)
Keitaro Harada conductor; Anne Akiko Meyers violin
TOYAMA Rhapsody for Orchestra
Arturo MÁRQUEZ Fandango
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Sheherazade
APR 2025
Chamber Series
ROMANTIC
STRINGS
APR 1 TUE 7:30 PM
BEN FOLDS live with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
APR 15 TUE 7:30 PM
Ben Folds singer-songwriter/pianist
WE BELIEVE MUSIC LIVES WITHIN US ALL Welcome
regardless of who we are or where we come from. We believe that music is a pathway to igniting our passions, discovering what moves us, deepening our curiosity and connecting us to our world and to each other.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is catalyzed by systemic injustice and inequality perpetuated by individuals and institutions. Our mission is to seek and share inspiration, and at its essence, the CSO exists to serve our community. Our entire community. Reflecting our community and the world around at every level— on stage, behind-the-scenes, and in neighborhoods throughout the region—is essential to the CSO’s present and future and makes us a strong ensemble and institution.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops acknowledge that Cincinnati Music Hall occupies land that has been the traditional land of the Hopewell,
Adena, Myaamia (Miami), Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee), and Wahzhazhe Manzhan (Osage) peoples, who have continuously lived upon this land since time immemorial.
We honor past, present and future Indigenous peoples.
Along with the online version of Fanfare Magazine, the CSO has developed a digital platform to deliver concertspecific content to audiences.
WELCOME
to the January & February issue of Fanfare Magazine
For many of us, the New Year marks the beginning of a new chapter. It is no di erent for the CSO. In February, the CSO begins a new chapter as the Orchestra welcomes back Cristian Mӑcelaru, Music Director Designate, for the first time since his appointment in April 2024. Fanfare Magazine continues its ongoing series of getting to know Mӑcelaru (p. 9). Also, follow along on the CSO’s YouTube Channel (@CincySymphony) for the threepart video series Introducing Cristian Mӑcelaru
Continuing with the “new” theme, Q&A profiles of the remaining four of eight new musicians of the Orchestra are sprinkled throughout this issue. Mya Gibson, the Orchestra’s current Brady Internship Program intern, expounds the program and interviews three program alumni who have found their first job in the orchestra industry within the CSO’s administrative sta (p. 21). After the success of “The Resurrection Mixtape” in January 2024, conductor and creator Steve Hackman is back with an imaginary musical festival of his dreams, Beethoven x Beyoncé; writer Mildred Fallen discusses with Hackman the inspiration behind this new venture (p. 13).
Ken Smith speaks with principals Elizabeth Freimuth and Ilya Finkelshteyn, who move from their chairs within the Orchestra to center stage as concerto soloists in January (p. 17).
FOLLOW US on social media for the latest updates!
Facebook: @CincySymphony
@CincinnatiPops
Instagram: @CincySymphony
YouTube: @CincySymphony
TikTok: @cincysymphony
President & CEO Jonathan Martin is poised for a new chapter as he retires on February 16 after leading the CSO for seven years. On p. 7, Martin writes his final letter to CSO audiences.
Please enjoy these stories that have been curated for you in Fanfare Magazine, but also know that the Fanfare Magazine experience is not limited to a print publication available only at Music Hall concerts. You can always explore Fanfare Magazine at any time via our website at cincinnatisymphony.org/fanfare-magazine.
Along with the online version of Fanfare Magazine, the CSO has developed a digital platform to deliver concert-specific content to concert audiences. To meet the CSO’s ongoing commitment to digital storytelling, innovation and accessibility, in the 2024–25 season this digital platform has expanded to o er early access to exclusive concert-specific content: full-length program notes, artist biographies, feature stories, up-to-the-minute information and much more! As a bonus, program notes and artist biographies for the entire season will be available on this digital platform in advance of the seasonopening concerts, allowing you to engage with all the content before you arrive at Music Hall.
*By texting to this number, you may receive messages that pertain to the organization and its performances; msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP to help, STOP to cancel.
Unlike a print magazine, this digital platform is compatible with all smartphone accessibility features. The CSO’s digital platform is easily accessible—no app to download or subscription to manage. To explore our digital content, visit cincinnatisymphony.org/ DigitalProgram or text the word PROGRAM to 513.845.3024.*
The CSO hopes you find inspiration within these pages and within the music—past, present and future—that reverberates at Music Hall and in the community. Thank you for being with us, and Happy New Year!
CINCINNATI SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA & CINCINNATI POPS
Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
O cers
Dianne Rosenberg, Chair
Robert W. McDonald, Immediate Past Chair
Sue McPartlin, Treasurer and Vice-Chair of Finance
Gerron McKnight, Esq., Secretary
Kari Ullman, Vice-Chair of Volunteerism
Anne E. Mulder, Vice-Chair of Community Engagement
Charla B. Weiss, Chair Elect, Vice-Chair of Institutional Advancement
Melanie Healey, Vice-Chair of Leadership Development
Directors
Dorie Akers
Heather Apple
Michael P. Bergan
Evin Blomberg
Kate C. Brown
Ralph P. Brown
Trish Bryan*
Otto M. Budig, Jr.*
Andrea Costa
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You are welcome to take this copy of Fanfare Magazine home with you as a souvenir of your concert experience. Alternatively, please share it with a friend or leave it with an usher for recycling. Thank you!
Adrian Cunningham
Gabe Davis
Maria Espinola
Mrs. Charles Fleischmann III*
Kori Hill
Francie S. Hiltz*
Joseph W. Hirschhorn*
Lisa Diane Kelly
Edna Keown
Florence Koetters
John Lanni
Shannon Lawson
Spencer Liles*
Will Lindner
James P. Minutolo
Laura Mitchell
Aik Khai Pung
James B. Reynolds*
Jack Rouse*
Patrick Schleker
Valarie Sheppard
Stephanie A. Smith
Albert Smitherman
Randolph L. Wadsworth, Jr.* *Director Emeritus
BOARD OF DIRECTORS DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DE&I) COMMITTEE and MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS COUNCIL
In May 2020, the CSO created a 10-point DEI Action Plan to prioritize the Orchestra’s work to better represent and serve the entirety of the Cincinnati community. Action items included the continued amplification of BIPOC artists on stage and in education programs, a review of hiring and compensation practices, organization-wide implicit bias training and increased mentorship opportunities. We thank our many partners who are helping us with this important work.
CSO Board of Directors
DE&I Committee
Charla B. Weiss, Lead
Heather Apple
Ralph Brown
Adrian Cunningham
Maria Espinola
Kori Hill (MAC)
Lisa Kelly
Gerron McKnight
Jack Rouse
Stephanie Smith
Primary Sta Liaison: Harold Brown
Other Sta : Kyle Wynk-Sivashankar
Multicultural Awareness Council
Holly Bates
Susan Carlson
Andria Carter
Piper Davis
Kori Hill
Alverna Jenkins
Beverley Lamb
Kick Lee
Quiera Levy-Smith
RaeNosa Onwumelu
Yemi Oyediran
Aurelia “Candie” Simmons
Daphney Thomas
Sta : Key Crooms
Dear Friends of Music,
Happy New Year from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops!
Dear Friends of Music, Happy New Year from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops!
As the calendar turns to 2025, I am at the beginning of a new chapter of my life, as I plan to retire on February 16, 2025 after seven years as President and CEO of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
As the calendar turns to 2025, I am at the beginning of a new chapter of my life, as I plan to retire on February 16, 2025 after seven years as President and CEO of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
This period of leading the CSO, a community that loves and nurtures the performing arts, has been unquestionably the highlight of my 45 years in the American orchestra field.
This period of leading the CSO, a community that loves and nurtures the performing arts, has been unquestionably the highlight of my 45 years in the American orchestra field.
Together we have celebrated the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, found new ways of connecting during the Covid-19 pandemic, honored the legacy of Louis Langrée and found inspiration in the appointment of our new Music Director Cristian Mӑcelaru. What we have accomplished together is nothing short of extraordinary.
Together we have celebrated the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, found new ways of connecting during the Covid-19 pandemic, honored the legacy of Louis Langrée and found inspiration in the appointment of our new Music Director Cristian Mӑcelaru. What we have accomplished together is nothing short of extraordinary.
When I began at the CSO in 2017, the organization embarked on developing a new long-term strategic plan. The result was a plan to innovate the ways in which we present and experience classical music for 21st century audiences. This plan inspired the creation of the CSO Proof series. CSO Proof is an incubator for pioneering new concert formats and experiences, which launched in 2019. Since then, the CSO has presented 10 CSO Proof concerts with experiences ranging from vogue ballroom culture in Singulis et Simul (2020), multimedia in ANNO (2021), an immersive Havana night club experience in Surrealist El Tropical (2023) to participatory tango in the upcoming Tango Lab (March 27, 2025).
When I began at the CSO in 2017, the organization embarked on developing a new long-term strategic plan. The result was a plan to innovate the ways in which we present and experience classical music for 21st century audiences. This plan inspired the creation of the CSO Proof series. CSO Proof is an incubator for pioneering new concert formats and experiences, which launched in 2019. Since then, the CSO has presented 10 CSO Proof concerts with experiences ranging from vogue ballroom culture in Singulis et Simul (2020), multimedia in ANNO (2021), an immersive Havana night club experience in Surrealist El Tropical (2023) to participatory tango in the upcoming Tango Lab (March 27, 2025).
Our strategic initiatives also led the organization to amplify and recommit to inclusion at all levels while focusing on strategies to address systemic underrepresentation of BIPOC people in orchestra music, both on and off the stage. The CSO became one of the first American orchestras to create, and the first to endow, a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer position on its administrative team, ensuring that best practices are present in every facet of the organization. To bring music beyond the walls of Music Hall and create community, the CSO created the Brady Block Party series. These free outdoor concerts take place in neighborhood parks across the City of Cincinnati, bringing communities together around music.
Our strategic initiatives also led the organization to amplify and recommit to inclusion at all levels while focusing on strategies to address systemic underrepresentation of BIPOC people in orchestra music, both on and off the stage. The CSO became one of the first American orchestras to create, and the first to endow, a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer position on its administrative team, ensuring that best practices are present in every facet of the organization. To bring music beyond the walls of Music Hall and create community, the CSO created the Brady Block Party series. These free outdoor concerts take place in neighborhood parks across the City of Cincinnati, bringing communities together around music.
I am proud of the strength of our entire institution, which includes Music and Event Management, Inc (MEMI), and its broadened service to our community. While my decision to retire is bittersweet for me personally, it was made less so by knowing that the CSO is a strong, stable organization with fabulous musicians, an extraordinarily talented Music Director Designate, a dedicated Board of Directors and an administrative staff that is the envy of the orchestra industry.
I am proud of the strength of our entire institution, which includes Music and Event Management, Inc (MEMI), and its broadened service to our community. While my decision to retire is bittersweet for me personally, it was made less so by knowing that the CSO is a strong, stable organization with fabulous musicians, an extraordinarily talented Music Director Designate, a dedicated Board of Directors and an administrative staff that is the envy of the orchestra industry.
As I look toward retirement and spending time with my family, I will forever cherish the memories we have created together and the music we have heard together, but most of all I will remember the sheer love this community has for its Orchestra. Thank you to the musicians of the Orchestra, our artistic leaders, Board of Directors, technical crew, administrative staff, donors and to you, our dedicated audience members, for making the last seven years of my career so special and meaningful. It has been an honor to serve the community with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
As I look toward retirement and spending time with my family, I will forever cherish the memories we have created together and the music we have heard together, but most of all I will remember the sheer love this community has for its Orchestra. Thank you to the musicians of the Orchestra, our artistic leaders, Board of Directors, technical crew, administrative staff, donors and to you, our dedicated audience members, for making the last seven years of my career so special and meaningful. It has been an honor to serve the community with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Music Director Designate Cristian Măcelaru will be introduced to CSO audiences in a series of articles in Fanfare Magazine. Follow along as the story of the CSO’s 14th Music Director unfolds.
Getting to Know Cristian Măcelaru
by JAMES M. KELLER
RReaders of the November/December edition of Fanfare Magazine learned about the early years of Cristian (“Cristi”) Măcelaru, the Music Director Designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra—his upbringing in Romania and the lucky breaks that led to his growth as a violinist and conductor at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, the University of Miami in Florida and Rice University in Texas. (Read Part 1 at cincinnatisymphony.org/CristianMacelaru.)
Through his work as a concertmaster and his early experiences on the podium he absorbed the subtleties of how an orchestra makes magic. He came within range of the big-time spotlight when he was appointed assistant conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2011 and then was promoted to associate conductor the next year and to conductor-in-residence from 2014 to 2016.
call week after week, always ready to step in, always ready to give meaningful feedback. Those are make-or-break times for a young conductor, when you get the call and someone says, ‘Hey, how’s your Petrouchka? You’re going on in two hours.’ You have to really know the music.”
His relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra began even before he received his o cial appointment, when the orchestra invited him to cover a program being led by its chief conductor, Charles Dutoit. It included Richard Strauss’ tone poem Don Juan, a touchstone of orchestral virtuosity; in fact, most of the string players in any top-tier orchestra probably played its opening page at their audition.
“I remember sitting down and hearing The Philadelphia Orchestra begin to play Don Juan and thinking to myself, ‘Oh, my God, this is perfect,’” he says. “What would be the process of taking a Philadelphia Orchestra from the first rehearsal to the concert? And let me tell you, The Philadelphia Orchestra, like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, like most major American orchestras, they do not sound bad on day one. It’s already pretty close to a really beautiful performance. So then what does a conductor do to create an interpretation that has their own stamp, their own identity? I saw this as an unbelievable opportunity to have real-life training lessons.”
Concertgoers naturally focus on an orchestra’s music director and the guest conductors who lead subscription concerts week after week. Less visible, under normal circumstances, are the journeyman conductors who labor behind the scenes, but they play an important role in the smooth functioning of an ensemble. “An assistant conductor,” says Cristi, “can end up working more in the organization than even the music director, because the assistant conductor is always on
As the assistant conductor, he anticipated being one of several conductors watching from the wings. The Philadelphia Orchestra traditionally had an assistant conductor and an associate conductor on sta , and also a couple of conductors-in-training from the League of American Orchestras, plus extra conductors who might assist on specific projects. The place o ered conducting stimulation at every turn. The position of assistant conductor was, for Cristi, a dream come true. But then…
“The morning after I got o ered the job, they filed for bankruptcy.” It sent shock waves through the music world, and it took more than a year for the orchestra to get back on a sustainable track. “Really, it was a traumatic experience for them,” he says. “But for me, as the assistant conductor, it led to a unique circumstance. They cut every position that was
Previous page: Cristian Mӑcelaru inside the Kölner Philharmonie in Cologne as Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester. Credit: Peter Adamik
Cristian Măcelaru as The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor. Credit: Pete Checchia
not absolutely essential—no associate conductor, no conducting fellows. So I was literally the only conductor on sta . In that first season as assistant conductor, I conducted 20 programs, which was unheard of. Any assistant conductor would be glad to do two or three. It was as if someone was paying for my room and board to study at the greatest private training academy.”
my manager Charlotte to seize many opportunities for me. But I didn’t just sit on the couch expecting her to do it all. I made contacts, too, and then directed them to her to work out the details.”
One thing led to another.
Not for the first time in his life, Cristi had found himself at the right place at the right time.
“In my experience,” he says, “musicians are excited to be able to call their friends at other orchestras and say, ‘We just had a concert last night with this young conductor who did a great job.’ That’s how careers are made.” As word circulated, o ers started to arrive— debuts with the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, major orchestras in Europe. He didn’t have to negotiate this alone. When he began at The Philadelphia Orchestra, he also signed on with a professional manager, Charlotte Lee, who still represents him to this day. “The relationship between a conductor and a manager is something like that between a conductor and a soloist in a concert. People ask me, ‘Who is leading, you or the soloist?…and the answer is ‘Yes.’”
His calendar started to fill up, and when The Philadelphia Orchestra elevated him to conductor-in-residence, it arranged things so he could accept more engagements elsewhere. Cancellations are also a godsend to rising conductors, at least to those who have a vast repertoire of pieces that can be moved to the front burner at a moment’s notice. “I hadn’t conducted everything that was likely to come up on an orchestral program, but I had studied all of it and really could conduct it if I was called on,” says Cristi. “This allowed
The first time he appeared with the DSO Berlin (German Symphony Orchestra Berlin), the executive director of the WDR Sinfonieorchester (Cologne) happened to be in the audience. Jukka-Pekka Saraste had just stepped down as Cologne’s conductor. “They invited me to conduct a week—Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and a two-piano concerto by Avner Dorman. I did it and returned home to Philadelphia, where I had just sat down to dinner when the phone rang. Alan Gilbert had cancelled in Cologne. Could I substitute? I was in Philadelphia for exactly four hours before I returned and conducted Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Mozart’s D minor Piano Concerto with Rudolf Buchbinder, and at the end of the week they o ered me the position of chief conductor— so we moved to Europe.” At the end of the 2024–25 season, he will relinquish that podium, just in time to pivot to Cincinnati.
Something similar happened in Paris: his debut there stirred up enough excitement for the Orchestre National de France (ONF) to schedule him for guest appearances in 2018 and 2019. In November 2019, it announced that he would be their next music director, beginning with the 2021–22 season. But when the orchestra’s music director, Emmanuel Krivine, resigned unexpectedly, he consented to start a year early, and now he’s under contract through 2026–27.
Subscribe to the CSO's YouTube channel and watch the three-part docuseries: Introducing Cristian Măcelaru
You may be thinking that things have an uncanny way of falling into place for Cristi, that he is the sort of guy you ought to take along when you buy a lottery ticket. You would not be
Cristian Măcelaru leading the Orchestre National de France on tour at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. Credit: Orchestre National de France
wrong, but it is also true that opportunities tend to arise for people who are prepared to make good on them.
Being a music director, he finds, is very different from being a guest conductor. As a guest conductor, he strives to wipe away preconceptions about how a piece must be played, erase assumptions that have accumulated, and build an interpretation that honors the details of what the composer actually wrote in the score. A music director, on the other hand, can address the ongoing attributes of an ensemble.
He set different goals with his orchestras in Cologne and Paris. “In Cologne,” he explains, “I somewhat changed the sound concept. It’s an extremely flexible orchestra, with an incredible palette of colors and dynamics, especially at soft volumes. It was a very good orchestra when I began, and I feel it is a truly extraordinary one now. In Paris, we focused on consistency and on balance, on the sense of playing together in a profound way, with the musicians listening to each other intently. Now they play as if these things were never an issue.”
Cristi arrives in Cincinnati with a lot of experience under his belt, enough to have developed a philosophy of conducting that he shares when teaching the next generation. It consists of seven “action steps”: Discover, Familiarize, Comprehend, Absorb, Retain, Develop and Give.
He elaborates: “Discover refers to constant curiosity, to searching for the next thing. Familiarize is just to have a first pass at things. After you discover something, you familiarize and decide whether you want to go further. Then Comprehend, to really understand the music—you spend a lot of time on this plateau. Absorb is to allow it, through time and repetition, to become part of your psyche, part of your outlook. Then Retain—this is the step where I tell my students they must do whatever is necessary to memorize a piece, to try to put it in their minds so they don’t have to think about it anymore. Develop is where you have a bit of fun by bringing, only at this point, your own take on things, your own interpretation, which has to do with fluctuations of tempo and intensity, finding subtle things that you can add to the piece without changing what the composer has written. That is a lifelong process that develops. And Give is the necessity of all art to be shared, so that it actually becomes art, so it is not just in our heads or something selfishly kept, but rather something that connects people through the sharing.” n
James M. Keller, in his 25th season as program annotator of the San Francisco Symphony, was formerly program annotator of the New York Philharmonic and is the author of Chamber Music: A Listener’s Guide (Oxford University Press).
Cristian Măcelaru, Orchestre National de France Concert de Paris. Credit: Christophe Abramowitz
SPOTLIGHT
Visionary Producer and Composer Steve Hackman Blurs Lines
by MILDRED C. FALLEN
In his 2016 Ted Talk, Beethoven X Beyonce: Who’s Violating Whom, multidisciplined conductor, arranger and composer Steven Hackman said a great teacher once told him, “If you’re not controversial, you’re not much.” Lauded for his reimagined compositions of symphonic masterpieces, Hackman dares to break barriers between classical and popular music. For more than a decade, the 44-year-old’s catalog of millennial-focused fusion productions, SYMPHONYFUSE, have connected audiences across the aisle. His mission? To introduce the symphony orchestra to its future audience and make its repertoire more welcoming for everyone.
So why is this kind of work so important to Hackman? “In my work as a professional classical musician, advocacy is integral to what we do; otherwise, we’re not going to do it anymore,” he explains. “It’s always occurred to me that there are so many lovers of different genres of music that just haven’t had the exposure to classical yet, but if they were played the right thing, if they were delivered the right message, extended the right olive branch, they could become passionate about what we do.”
Even at a young age, Hackman always cared about bridging gaps. Having an equal affinity for popular and classical music, he says, “I was that 10-year-old who was trying to get my friends to listen to
Steve Hackman in his studio.
Chopin and Mozart and Beethoven.” Native to Cincinnati and raised in suburban Chicago, Hackman became immersed in the diversity of the public schools he attended and his father’s record collection. “I really didn’t get professional musical training until I got to college,” says Hackman, who has an undergraduate degree in piano performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and studied conducting at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen Academy. “But that was a blessing in a
way because I grew up loving all types of music. I grew up being friends with all sorts of people— from the sports people to the musical theater people, to the drama people, to the grunge people—and I think that really shaped how I am, what my musical tastes are and the openness.”
His 13 orchestral fusions pair genres that would seem disparate, such as IGOR DAMN STRAVINSKY, his synthesis of Stravinsky’s Petrouchka with Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prizewinning album DAMN, and The Resurrection Mixtape, which combines Mahler’s Second Symphony with music from Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Yet, in his productions, he pinpoints when to interpolate from popular music while keeping the classical piece intact. These curatorial elements are why he prefers the term fusion instead of mashups.
In 2024, Hackman premiered SYMPHONYFUSE’S Beethoven X Beyoncé, which uses Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony as the structural outline for the “Renaissance” singer’s music. For Hackman, Beyoncé and Beethoven are “the queen and the king” of their respective eras and genres, and the production’s premise is like a duet between the two icons.
“Beethoven is like Zeus sitting atop a Mount Olympus of composers,” Hackman says. “You could argue, but I think a lot of people feel like that’s who Beethoven is within the classical music canon. And then Beyoncé, I mean, the longevity, the reimagination of her identity, the way she takes on a new persona with each
her
Beyoncé, from the promo for
halftime performance on Christmas Day 2024 during the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans game, part of Netflix’s first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday.
Steve Hackman leading the Cincinnati Pops in the January 2024 Resurrection Mixtape performance. Credit: Charlie Balcom
album, and just the quality, I just think she’s such a singular figure.”
A signature technique of Hackman’s is demonstrating how classical compositional techniques like counterpoint (creating music lines and aligning them with existing ones) are also used in all music genres. “A lot of the techniques that I use to create orchestral fusions overlap with that of a DJ,” Hackman observes.
Interestingly, the DJ mixes he heard on the radio as a child also fed his curiosity for experimentation. “Being in Chicago, I was listening to [WBBM-FM] B-96 on the weekends. I was like 11 years old,” Hackman recalls. “I was taping the DJ sets that those DJs were doing, and I would listen to it on the bus all through the week. Those DJs were mashing things up; it was like they were crossing genre boundaries. It didn’t matter if it was a theme from a TV show or a new disco record, a new rap record, R&B or a house beat, they were matching it all together, which was so cool.”
As his musical fluency developed in high school, it was as though he already was a musical director, because he tried to get his friends to appreciate the juxtaposition between classical compositions and bands like Phish, Beastie Boys, Radiohead and Pearl Jam. “It was always my mission to say, ‘Hey, if you like that, you might like Stravinsky because of this,’” Hackman says. These kinds of conversations helped Hackman manifest his first orchestral fusion, Brahms X Radiohead, where he leaned heavily on the counterpoint, improvisation, arranging and composition skills he’d perfected during his graduate studies at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute
of Music. Since, he has reimagined the music of some of popular music’s most recognized artists, including The Beatles, Queen, Coldplay, Drake and Björk, which set the stage for him adding a classical dimension to live performances for Charlie Puth, Steve Lacy and Doja Cat.
In 2019, Hackman collaborated with Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir’s production of the opera Mary, for which he conducted, arranged and composed music. Hackman has also written numerous original scores and compositions. He was part of the writing team for the 2024 Academy Awards. Additionally, he co-arranged the “In Memoriam” segment for the 2004 Emmy Awards along with Puth, The War and Treaty, and legendary music director Rickey Minor.
Hackman hopes audiences enjoy Beethoven X Beyoncé’s celebration of dance, which he says includes three powerhouse female soloists. He has also added a guest drummer, guitarist/ keyboardist and bassist to the orchestra.
“This one was so much fun to write, I chose Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony because that piece was famously dubbed by Richard Wagner as ‘the apotheosis of the dance,’” Hackman says. “It’s Beethoven infusing all the dance rhythms of the time into this symphony, and I think that that’s a perfect backdrop for Beyoncé’s music, which of course is not all dance, but it has heavy dance influences as she’s evolved.”
Beethoven X Beyoncé comes to the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on February 11, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
The crowd swaying with phone flashlights on to a fusion of Mahler, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur at January 2024’s Resurrection Mixtape with the Cincinnati Pops. Credit: Charlie Balcom
INVEST ENGAGE INNOVATE LEAD
Grantee Spotlight: INSPIRATION STUDIOS, INC.
Inspiration Studios, Inc., and Sonny Spot Too are two Southwest Ohio organizations serving people with developmental disabilities. In 2023, they collaborated to create a new mural for Sonny Spot’s computer and technology room.
courtesy of the organziation
Investing state and federal dollars, the Ohio Arts Council funds and supports quality arts experiences for all Ohioans to strengthen communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
Learn more about our grant programs and resources, find your next arts experience, or connect: OAC.OHIO.GOV.
SPOTLIGHT
CSO Musicians Take Center Stage
CSO Musicians Take Center Stage
by KEN SMITH
by KEN SMITH
FFFor more than a century, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has graciously hosted the most famous concerto soloists from around the world. Sometimes, though, the right player for the job is a little closer to home.
For more than a century, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has graciously hosted the most famous concerto soloists from around the world. Sometimes, though, the right player for the job is a little closer to home.
In late January, two longtime CSO principal players step to the front of the Music Hall stage— Ilya Finkelshteyn to perform Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 and Elizabeth Freimuth to play Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. Both trace their relationship with their respective pieces back to their student days. And although both have played those particular concertos with other orchestras, they each feel a distinct thrill in repeating that experience in Cincinnati.
In late January, two longtime CSO principal players step to the front of the Music Hall stage— Ilya Finkelshteyn to perform Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 and Elizabeth Freimuth play Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. Both trace their relationship with their respective pieces back to their student days. And although both have played those particular concertos with other orchestras, they each feel a distinct thrill in repeating that experience in Cincinnati.
Finkelshteyn, who performs the SaintSaëns concerto on January 24 and 25, initially encountered the piece “in fifth or sixth grade,” recalls. He first played the piece in public while
Finkelshteyn, who performs the SaintSaëns concerto on January 24 and 25, initially encountered the piece “in fifth or sixth grade,” he recalls. He first played the piece in public while
touring France in the Juilliard Orchestra when the slated soloist (“who was supposed to play maybe 10 times”) had a schedule conflict. “Teachers often give this piece to young cellists to develop certain technical skills,” he says, “so I still cross paths with this work all the time with my own students and in masterclasses.”
touring France in the Juilliard Orchestra when the slated soloist (“who was supposed to play maybe 10 times”) had a schedule conflict. “Teachers often give this piece to young cellists to develop certain technical skills,” he says, “so I still cross paths with this work all the time with my own students and in masterclasses.”
Freimuth, for her part, can’t even remember the first time she discovered the Strauss, which she performs on January 31 and February 1. “It must have been in high school,” she says. “Any young horn player who’s at all serious about the instrument learns Strauss’ First Horn Concerto in high school. The first movement often comes up in competitions and honor band solos, and it’s a pretty standard work for auditions, both in college and in the professional world.”
Freimuth, for her part, can’t even remember the first time she discovered the Strauss, which she performs on January 31 and February 1. “It must have been in high school,” she says. “Any young horn player who’s at all serious about the instrument learns Strauss’ First Horn Concerto in high school. The first movement often comes up in competitions and honor band solos, and it’s a pretty standard work for auditions, both in college and in the professional world.”
Although she had played excerpts from the concerto in “countless auditions,” her
Although she had played excerpts from the concerto in “countless auditions,” her
CSO Principal Horn Elizabeth Freimuth, December 2023 (Credit: Charlie Balcom) and CSO Principal Cello Ilya Finkelshteyn, January 2020 (Credit: Mark Lyons).
CSO Principal Horn Elizabeth Freimuth, December 2023 (Credit: Charlie Balcom) and CSO Principal Cello Ilya Finkelshteyn, January 2020 (Credit: Mark Lyons).
first public performance was with the Kansas City Symphony two decades ago during her tenure as the orchestra’s principal horn. After performing it again as a guest soloist with an orchestra in Tennessee 12 years ago, Freimuth has long been eager to reprise the work with her Cincinnati colleagues (earlier plans were postponed when she was sidelined from the CSO during physical therapy for a pinched nerve). “Whenever I’ve played in the orchestra when my colleagues are soloing, I know the feeling is entirely di erent,” she says. “You already know them better than any visiting soloist. So this time I’m not just the soloist, I’ll be playing with friends— even extensions of my family—who also happen to be some of the finest musicians in the world.”
“To play with an orchestra like the CSO is a pleasure in any capacity, but being a soloist here is very special because the musicians already know how I think,” Finkelshteyn concurs. “Playing other places, you actually have less freedom because you always have to adjust to the group, to what they can or can’t do. Here I feel totally free. There’s more responsibility, but also much more love both on and o the stage.”
experience with playing extended solos from his regular chair (as he did in Strauss’ tone poem Don Quixote with the CSO in 2018), he adds, “Being a concerto soloist is not much di erent from playing a solo while sitting in the section, when you suddenly have to create a moment. The only di erence is that, sitting up front, your moment lasts a little longer.”
In Cincinnati, though, musicians often find another dynamic, as both Finkelshteyn and Freimuth are quick to point out: Strauss and Saint-Saëns are two among the many musical figures who have graced the Music Hall stage, and whose spirit often echoes in the CSO ranks. “It can be a bit spooky to play music by a composer who was on this stage a hundred years ago,” Finkelshteyn admits. “In Cincinnati, the ‘six degrees of separation’ between you and the composer is often more like two.”
Freimuth sees it a bit di erently. “Strauss wrote this piece in Munich, so it’s not like Fanfare for the Common Man, which Aaron Copland wrote specifically for this orchestra,” she says. “Even though the CSO has 100% di erent personnel now, the music still feels very personal. A composer like Strauss is more of a distant cousin.”
Finkelshteyn and Freimuth may be getting their turn in the spotlight, but they agree that the di erence is less a matter of definition than degree. “As a soloist, you obviously have a di erent relationship in presenting your musical ideas,” Finkelshteyn explains, “but the collaboration—listening, responding, interacting—is still similar no matter where you’re sitting. It’s like chamber music. The only real di erence between the CSO and a string quartet is that there are more people.” Comparing this
Not to say the composer’s work is entirely free of a family dynamic. “Strauss’ music for the horn was very personal,” she continues. “His father was a virtuoso player, so even as a boy he heard the instrument being played at a very high level. He knew what the horn could do, and how to make it sound best. Strauss wrote his first concerto when he was only 18, so if you discover the piece when you’re around that age, you’re on a parallel plane with the composer. There’s something you really connect with.”
CSO Principal Horn Elizabeth Freimuth. Credit: Roger Mastroianni
No two performances of any work are ever the same, however, and both Finkelshteyn and Freimuth look forward to a fresh take on an old piece, reflecting not just a new collaboration but also a di erent vantage point. “It’s probably impossible to play any other way, since as we grow older and more experienced our perspective changes,” Finkelshteyn says. “When I was young, it was all about figuring out the technical challenges. Musically, I just didn’t have the understanding of life or imagery or stories. Now the technique is second nature, and I have a much fuller understanding of the music, partly from playing other works by Saint-Saëns and partly from years of playing a huge range of musical styles in di erent orchestras under di erent conductors.”
The main di erence in Cincinnati, he adds, is that he will be playing the concerto for the first time on his current instrument, a 1730 cello built by Venetian luthier Domenico Montagnana previously played by Carlo Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901) and May Mukle (1880–1963). “This will make a tremendous di erence, both in terms of the scope of colors and the character of what the instrument can do—or rather, what it makes me do,” Finkelshteyn says. “I feel that this cello knows
a lot of the repertoire intimately already, but it’s gracious enough to let me do what I want.”
“The last time I played Strauss’ first concerto was in Tennessee when I was seven months pregnant, so this experience will be completely di erent,” says Freimuth, laughing. “The piece is full of youthful energy, so coming to it again years later I’ll be reminiscing. I mean, I still think I have a lot of youth left in me, but it’s not the same thing.”
Some 60 years passed before Strauss wrote his Second Horn Concerto, one of his final pieces, which is “filled with a completely di erent wisdom of life,” she says. “I’ve always thought of the first concerto as a tone poem and the second as an opera. Even at 18, Strauss wrote music that was very character-driven, with real storylines.”
This time around, Freimuth feels a fuller connection to the first concerto’s more reflective second movement, as well as having a more mature take on the finale. “The ending of this concerto really burns, and back when I was performing this piece 20 years ago, I was…well, you know what they say about young brass players: louder, faster, higher,” she says. “It’s not that I can’t play that fast anymore, but it feels like there’s a lot more in the music to explore.”
CSO Principal Cello Ilya Finkelshteyn, Cincinnati Pops’ December 2024 Home Alone concerts. Credit: Charlie Balcom
Building Careers Through Harmony: The Andrew J. Brady Internship Program
by MYA GIBSON, 2024–25 Communications Intern
“In
order to be successful, I think you have to have an internship that will broaden your mind to what
else is out there—not
only within the
department you are interested in, but in the field itself.”
—D’Anté McNeal, 2021–22 Brady Intern
Behind the grandeur of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra lies a vibrant engine of young talent and ambition: The Andrew J. Brady Internship Program. Named in honor of a beloved Cincinnati music educator, this season-long paid internship provides aspiring arts administrators with unparalleled handson experience in the world of the performing arts. The program is designed to foster the next generation of industry leaders, offering interns direct exposure to every facet of arts administration. At the heart of the internship is a mentorship initiative that pairs each intern with a member of the senior management team, providing valuable insight from experienced leaders within the organization. The interns have regular oneon-one career development sessions that cover essentials such as workplace etiquette, resume reviews and mock interviews. They also have the unique opportunity to work closely with their managers on projects and assignments that contribute directly to their teams’ success. This hands-on approach not only builds valuable experience but allows the interns to play an active role in the organization, aligning
seamlessly with the Orchestra’s mission to “seek and share inspiration.”
Diversity within the orchestra field remains a work in progress. According to a report by the League of American Orchestras covering orchestras in the U.S. over the last decade from 2013 to 2023, the representation of historically underrepresented groups in orchestral music has only seen modest growth. This includes roles such as board members, top executives, staff members, music directors, conductors and musicians. The Andrew J. Brady Internship, now in its fourth year, is making strides to address this disparity by encouraging applicants from historically underrepresented groups in orchestra music.
Mya Gibson, Brady intern and author of this article
2024–25 Brady interns, from left: Kit Gladieux, Madelyn McArthur, Lauren Hall, Isabella Prater, Laura Aldana, Mason Stewart and Grace Kim.
The program’s structure owes much of its success to the e orts of Kyle WynkSivashankar, Vice President of Human Resources, and Natalia Lerzundi, Human Resources & Payroll Coordinator. They have shaped the program into the robust initiative it is today. As Wynk explains, one of the program’s key goals is to “make our interns the most qualified people for any entry-level position.”
Obtaining qualifications like this is invaluable for someone looking for a job in the competitive performing arts field. Lerzundi adds, “We have hired at least one intern from every Brady intern class we have had, which is something we are really proud of.”
The journey from internship to employment inspires participants, showing them that a fulfilling career in arts administration is within their reach. The success of the Brady Internship Program is evident in the stories of its alumni. Three current CSO employees began their careers as Brady interns.
MADELYN McARTHUR, Audience Engagement Manager
When Madelyn McArthur applied for the internship in 2023, she had no idea this would be her future full-time job. McArthur served as the marketing intern for the 2023–24 season. “The internship gave me a lot of confidence,” remarked McArthur. “As an intern at the CSO, I felt like I was fully part of the team, not just a one-on-one experience with my supervisor. That team mentality really motivated me to integrate within the entire organization.” McArthur’s background is in the visual arts and her work as an intern was clearly visible to concertgoers. Those attending the March 2024 Proof concert, “From the Canyons to the Stars,” would have seen McArthur’s exhibit that “was inspired by the sounds and the bird calls present in the piece and native to Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion National
Park.” For the 2024 May Festival, McArthur collaborated with local artists to create a zine, which contained artwork based on the themes of the Festival.
SHUTA MAENO, Assistant to the Music Director & Artistic Planning
Shuta Maeno was part of the 2022–23 season cohort as the artistic planning intern. Maeno had held previous internships at smaller nonprofits “where I did a bit of everything,” adding that “I wanted an internship that was more focused on one area and where I could be close to music.”
Maeno holds a dual degree from the University of Cincinnati in clarinet performance and philosophy, so artistic planning is a good fit. Maeno credits relationship-building as a key component of the internship. “As an intern, I had two great mentors in my supervisor Anthony Paggett and my senior management mentor Robert McGrath. Both imparted their broad knowledge about the industry and helped develop the skillset I use today. Working alongside my mentors at an orchestra whose mission and vision align with my own philosophy really solidified my desire to continue to work here. So, when a position opened up the fall after I completed my internship, I jumped at the opportunity.”
D’ANTÉ McNEAL, Special Projects Coordinator
D’Anté McNeal was part of the inaugural Brady Internship class in the 2021–22 season and served as the philanthropy intern. McNeal’s long-term goal is clear: “My ultimate goal is be an executive director of an orchestra and use music to connect and heal communities.” McNeal’s background is in production and operations, and he knew he had to broaden his experiences to achieve his goal. “During the philanthropy internship, I learned how to interact with people through our mission to create a better relationship between the organization’s vision and the donor’s needs.”
For McNeal, what makes the Brady Internship di erent from other internships is the dedicated focus on learning and tailoring the experience to meet each intern’s needs. “My intern supervisor, Kate Farinacci, had a set of skills she wanted me to learn, and she gave me the ability to learn outside of these areas. For me, the attitude was ‘bring what you want to learn and we’ll make it happen.’”
MYA GIBSON, 2024–25 Communications Intern
As a current Brady intern [and author of this article], I can personally attest to the program’s value. I recently earned my bachelor’s degree in music in 2023 and am now a student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of
Kyle Wynk-Sivashankar (Credit: Roger Mastroianni) and Natalia Lerzundi (Credit: Mark Lyons) oversee the Brady Internship Program.
Music working on a Master of Arts Administration degree. I have only been with the CSO for a short time, but the experience has been nothing less than enriching. I know that, after the season is over, I will have so much knowledge to apply for any job.
While interviewing the alumni of the program, I asked each of them a final question: “What advice would you give current or future interns?” Building professional relationships emerged as a key piece of advice. McArthur encouraged me to “reach out to your colleagues and make the most of your experience as an intern at the CSO.” McNeal reflected, “These are the people that make everything happen—both seen and unseen. They’ve got the experience, so invite them to co ee or lunch to learn as much as you can from them.” There is a shared culture of knowledge and support within the walls of Music Hall, which reinforces the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s mission of fostering innovation and inspiration. Maeno pointed out, “What we do here is very special, it is unique, and the goals we strive for are something we believe the entire industry should aim for.”
The dedication to high standards, representation and visibility drives the dedicated team at the Orchestra to create inclusive and impactful work. For some, the Andrew J. Brady Internship marks the beginning of a promising career, a launching pad to absorb knowledge and pave the way to
their dream roles in or out of music. For others, it represents the culmination of their aspirations, o ering fulfillment and purpose right here within the organization. For students and young professionals passionate or curious about arts administration, this program is a must.
Another strength of the program is its openness; applicants do not need a background in music to apply. Diverse perspectives and talents are not only welcomed but celebrated. It is a vibrant community learning experience and a steppingstone for an aspiring arts professional.
For more information about the Andrew J. Brady Internship, visit cincinnatisymphony.org/intern
Brady Internship Program alumni, clockwise from right, Shuta Maeno, Madelyn McArthur and D’Anté McNeal
CSO String Players Answer ‘What’s Your Favorite Cincinnati-Area Park or Outdoor Space?’
In the cold, wintery months of January and February, we all dream of the spring sunshine and to once again walk around in the area’s best outdoor spaces. For a little bit of spring in the winter, we asked our string players about their favorite parks or outdoor spaces.
Caterina Longhi
Pioneer Park in Montgomery
I walk to this neighborhood park every day with my dog, and we both love seeing all the different trees and wildflowers and listening to the sound of the creek. In the fall it’s a beautiful place to see the leaves change, and we always love sitting on the swings by the pond!
Background: The Gazebo at Eden Park, looking toward Mirror Lake
Joanne Wojtowicz
Viola
Lebanon Bike Park
The Lebanon Bike Park is a car-free zone to ride mountain bike trails, a large pump track and a tiny one for beginner riders. There are features to test your balance and a rock garden to test your bravery. An easy gravel track circles the park while tougher cyclocross trails crisscross through. The wildflowers and crickets can be enjoyed from the picnic shelter while the kids explore the dirt jumps. We love this park!
Rachel Charbel
Second Violin
Ida Ringling North Chair
Bender Mountain
I love the trail system and the spectacular views of the Ohio River (especially during fall).
Rose Brown
Second Violin
Ault Park
Ault Park is a great park for a picnic or to lie on a blanket in the grass and read a book for a while.
Hyesun Park
Second Violin
I love Ault Park for many different reasons—the view from the top of the pavilion, the hiking trails, the flower gardens, the workout area and, last but not least, the beautiful cherry blossom trees that bloom every spring.
Philip Marten First Assistant Concertmaster
James M. Ewell Chair
Ault Park
I love to get lost on the trails here, because, somehow, I always find my way back without having to worry about getting too far into the woods.
Rick Vizachero
Stanbery Park in Mt. Washington
Felicity
James Associate Concertmaster
Tom & Dee Stegman Chair
Eden Park
Eden Park is just beautiful. I take my dog for walks there every day and we love looking at all the trees, plants, wildlife and the gorgeous views. As a bonus, in the winter you can even ice skate on Mirror Lake!
Stanbery is a beautiful park with walking trails, walking track and areas for children and adults to picnic and play.
FIRST VIOLINS
Stefani Matsuo
Concertmaster
Anna Sinton Taft Chair
Felicity James
Associate Concertmaster
Tom & Dee Stegman Chair
Philip Marten
First Assistant Concertmaster
James M. Ewell Chair++
Eric Bates
Second Assistant Concertmaster
Serge Shababian Chair
Kathryn Woolley
Nicholas Tsimaras–
Peter G. Courlas Chair++
Anna Reider
Dianne & J. David Rosenberg Chair
Mauricio Aguiar§
Anne G. & Robert W. Dorsey Chair
Minyoung Baik
Jo Ann & Paul Ward Chair
James Braid
Marc Bohlke Chair given by Katrin & Manfred Bohlke
Rebecca Kruger Fryxell
Clifford J. Goosmann &
Andrea M. Wilson Chair
Elizabeth Furuta
Gerald Itzkoff
Jean Ten Have Chair
Joseph Ohkubo
Luo-Jia Wu
Jonathan Yi
SECOND VIOLINS
Gabriel Pegis
Principal
Al Levinson Chair
Yang Liu*
Harold B. & Betty Justice Chair
Scott Mozlin**
Henry Meyer Chair
Kun Dong
Cheryl Benedict
Evin Blomberg§
Sheila and Christopher Cole Chair
Rose Brown
Rachel Charbel
Ida Ringling North Chair
Chika Kinderman
Charles Morey
Hyesun Park
Paul Patterson
Charles Gausmann Chair++
Stacey Woolley
Brenda & Ralph Taylor Chair++
VIOLAS
Christian Colberg
Principal
Louise D. & Louis Nippert Chair
Gabriel Napoli
Acting Associate Principal
Grace M. Allen Chair
Julian Wilkison**
Rebecca Barnes§
Christopher Fischer
Stephen Fryxell
Melinda & Irwin Simon Chair
Caterina Longhi
Denisse Rodriguez-Rivera
Dan Wang
Joanne Wojtowicz
CRISTIAN MӐCELARU,
Music Director Designate
Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair
JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL, Cincinnati Pops Conductor
Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair
Matthias Pintscher, CSO Creative Partner
Damon Gupton, Pops Principal Guest Conductor
Louis Langrée, Music Director Laureate
Samuel Lee, Associate Conductor
Ashley and Barbara Ford Chair
Daniel Wiley, Assistant Conductor
Ashley and Barbara Ford Chair
CELLOS
Ilya Finkelshteyn
Principal
Irene & John J. Emery Chair
Lachezar Kostov *
Ona Hixson Dater Chair
Norman Johns**
Karl & Roberta Schlachter
Family Chair
Drew Dansby§
Daniel Kaler
Peter G. Courlas–
Nicholas Tsimaras Chair++
Nicholas Mariscal
Marvin Kolodzik & Linda S. Gallaher Chair for Cello
Hiro Matsuo
Laura Kimble McLellan Chair++
Alan Rafferty
Ruth F. Rosevear Chair
Tianlu (Jerry) Xu
BASSES
Owen Lee
Principal
Mary Alice Heekin Burke Chair++
Luis Celis*
Thomas Vanden Eynden Chair
Stephen Jones**
Trish & Rick Bryan Chair
Boris Astafiev§
Gerald Torres
Rick Vizachero
HARP
Gillian Benet Sella
Principal
Cynthia & Frank Stewart Chair
FLUTES
Randolph Bowman
Principal
Charles Frederic Goss Chair
Henrik Heide*
Haley Bangs
Jane & David Ellis Chair
PICCOLO
Rebecca Pancner
Patricia Gross Linnemann Chair
OBOES
Dwight Parry
Principal
Josephine I. & David J. Joseph, Jr. Chair
Lon Bussell*
Stephen P. McKean Chair
Emily Beare
ENGLISH HORN
Christopher Philpotts
Principal
Alberta & Dr. Maurice Marsh Chair++
CLARINETS
Christopher Pell
Principal
Emma Margaret & Irving D.
Goldman Chair
Joseph Morris*
Associate Principal and E-flat Clarinet
Robert E. & Fay Boeh Chair++
Ixi Chen
Vicky & Rick Reynolds Chair in honor of William A. Friedlander
BASS CLARINET
Ronald Aufmann
BASSOONS
Christopher Sales
Principal
Emalee Schavel Chair++
Martin Garcia*
Hugh Michie
CONTRABASSOON
Jennifer Monroe
HORNS
Elizabeth Freimuth
Principal
Mary M. & Charles F. Yeiser Chair
David Alexander
Acting Associate Principal
Ellen A. & Richard C. Berghamer
Chair
Molly Norcross** ‡
Sweeney Family Chair in memory of Donald C. Sweeney
Lisa Conway
Susanne & Philip O. Geier, Jr. Chair
Duane Dugger
Mary & Joseph S. Stern, Jr. Chair
Charles Bell
Donald & Margaret Robinson Chair
TRUMPETS
Anthony Limoncelli
Principal
Rawson Chair [OPEN]
Jackie & Roy Sweeney
Family Chair
Alexander Pride†
Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Chair++
Christopher Kiradjieff
TROMBONES
Cristian Ganicenco
Principal
Dorothy & John Hermanies Chair
Joseph Rodriguez**
Second/Assistant Principal Trombone
Sallie Robinson Wadsworth & Randolph L. Wadsworth Jr. Chair
BASS TROMBONE
Noah Roper
TUBA
Christopher Olka
Principal
Ashley & Barbara Ford Chair
TIMPANI
Patrick Schleker
Principal
Matthew & Peg Woodside Chair
Joseph Bricker*
Morleen & Jack Rouse Chair
PERCUSSION
David Fishlock
Principal
Susan S. & William A. Friedlander Chair
Michael Culligan*
Joseph Bricker
Morleen & Jack Rouse Chair
Marc Wolfley+
KEYBOARDS
Michael Chertock
James P. Thornton Chair
Julie Spangler+
James P. Thornton Chair
CSO/CCM DIVERSITY
FELLOWS
Lucas Ferreira Braga, violin
Melissa Peraza, viola
Manuel Papale, cello
Caleb Edwards, double bass
Wendell Rodrigues da Rosa, double bass
LIBRARIANS
Christina Eaton
Principal Librarian
Lois Klein Jolson Chair
Elizabeth Dunning
Associate Principal Librarian
Cara Benner
Assistant Librarian
STAGE MANAGERS
Brian P. Schott
Phillip T. Sheridan
Daniel Schultz
Mike Ingram
Andrew Sheridan
§ Begins the alphabetical listing of players who participate in a system of rotated seating within the string section.
* Associate Principal
** Assistant Principal
† One-year appointment
‡ Leave of absence
+ Cincinnati Pops rhythm section
++ CSO endowment only
Funded by The Mellon Foundation
CRISTIAN MĂCELARU
Music Director Designate
Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair
Grammy-winning conductor Cristian Măcelaru is the Music Director Designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, artistic director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, music director of the Orchestre national de France, artistic director and principal conductor of the Interlochen Center for the Arts’ World Youth Symphony Orchestra, music director and conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne, where he will serve through the 2024–25 season and continue as artistic partner for the 2025–26 season.
Măcelaru recently appeared at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony, which was broadcast to 1.5 billion viewers worldwide. He led the Orchestre national de France and Chœur de Radio France in the performance of the Olympic Anthem as the Olympic Flag was raised at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Măcelaru and the Orchestre national de France continue their 2024–25 season with tours throughout France, Germany, South Korea and China. Guest appearances include his debuts with the Oslo Philharmonic and RAI National Symphony Orchestra in Turin as well as returns with the Wiener Symphoniker, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich in Europe. In North America, Măcelaru leads the Pittsburgh Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Măcelaru’s previous seasons include European engagements with the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Concertgebouworkest, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Staatskapelle Berlin and Budapest Festival Orchestra. In North America, he has led the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2020, he received a Grammy Award for conducting the Decca Classics recording of Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti and The Philadelphia Orchestra. His most recent release is of Enescu symphonies and two Romanian Rhapsodies with the Orchestre national de France, released on Deutsche Grammophon.
JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL
Cincinnati Pops Conductor
Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair
John Morris Russell’s (JMR) embrace of America’s unique voice and musical stories has transformed how orchestral performances connect and engage with audiences. As conductor of the Cincinnati Pops since 2011, the wide range and diversity of his work as a musical leader, collaborator and educator continues to reinvigorate the musical scene throughout Cincinnati and across the continent. As Music Director of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina, JMR conducts the classical series as well as the prestigious Hilton Head International Piano Competition.
A Grammy-nominated artist, JMR has worked with leading performers from across a variety of musical genres, including Aretha Franklin, Emanuel Ax, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Garrick Ohlsson, Rhiannon Giddens, Hilary Hahn, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Cynthia Erivo, Sutton Foster, George Takei, Steve Martin, Brian Wilson, Leslie Odom, Jr., Lea Salonga and Mandy Gonzalez.
For over two decades, JMR has led the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s wildly successful Classical Roots initiative honoring and celebrating Black musical excellence. Guest artists have included Marvin Winans, Alton White, George Shirley, Common and Hi-Tek.
JMR has contributed seven albums to the Cincinnati Pops discography, including 2023’s holiday album JOY!. In 2015, he created the “American Originals Project,” which has won both critical and popular acclaim and features two landmark recordings: American Originals (the music of Stephen Foster) and the Grammynominated American Originals 1918 (a tribute to the dawn of the jazz age). The 2020 “American Originals” concert King Records and the Cincinnati Sound with Late Show pianist Paul Shaffer honored legendary recording artists associated with the Queen City. In the 2024–25 season JMR takes on the next installment of the project, offering a concert and recording celebrating the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, and presents a national PBS broadcast of Rick Steves Europe: A Symphonic Journey. JMR’s American Soundscapes video series with the Pops and Cincinnati’s CET public television station, has surpassed one million views on YouTube since its launch in 2016.
PNC is proud to be the Pops Season Presenter and to support the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. Thank you for mastering the art of making Greater Cincinnati a more beautiful place.
FRI JAN 3, 7:30 PM SAT JAN 4, 7:30 PM SUN JAN 5, 2 PM Music Hall
AN EVENING AT HOGWARTS: Music from Harry Potter DANIEL WILEY conductor
“Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
“Diagon Alley” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
John Williams
John Williams Children’s Suite for Orchestra
“Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
“The Chamber of Secrets” from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
“Witches, Wands and Wizards” from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Buckbeak’s Flight” from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Concert Suite from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
John Williams
John Williams
John Williams
John Williams
Patrick Doyle Voldemort!/Hedwig’s Theme
The Quidditch World Cup (The Irish) Foreign Visitors Arrive Potter Waltz Voldemort!
Hedwig’s Theme/Hogwarts’ Hymn
“Fireworks” from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Nicholas Hooper
Selections from Harry Potter Symphonic Suite Various
“Flight of the Order of the Phoenix” from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix “Harry and Hermione” from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
“Obliviate” from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
“Lily’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
“Courtyard Apocalypse” from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
“Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Program subject to change. There is no intermission.
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is grateful to Pops Season Presenter PNC and Presenting Sponsor The Rendigs Foundation
The Cincinnati S\ymphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
James Newton Howard
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The Rendigs Foundation
Bradley J. Hunkler Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Western & Southern Financial Group
Kate C. Brown, CFP® Managing Director, Fort Washington, CSO Board Member
John F. Barrett Chairman, President & CEO, Western & Southern Financial Group
Maribeth S. Rahe President & CEO, Fort Washington
Tracey M. Stofa Managing Director, Head of Private Client Group, Fort Washington
SAT JAN 11, 7:30 PM SUN JAN 12, 2 PM Music Hall
MATTHIAS
PINTSCHER conductor GEORGE LI piano
Unsuk CHIN
subito con forza (“Suddenly, with Power”) (b. 1961)
Sergei RACHMANINOFF
Concerto No. 3 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 30 (1873–1943)
Allegro ma non tanto
Intermezzo
Finale
INTERMISSION
Aaron COPLAND
Symphony No. 3 (1900–1990)
Molto moderato, with simple expression Allegro molto
Andantino quasi allegretto Molto deliberato—Allegro risoluto
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These performances are approximately 130 minutes long, including intermission.
The CSO is grateful to CSO Season Sponsor Western & Southern Financial Group and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Presenting Sponsor Johnson Investment Counsel and Supporter Sponsor The Blue Book of Cincinnati
These concerts are endowed by Martha Anness, Priscilla Haffner & Sally Skidmore in loving memory of their mother, LaVaughn Scholl Garrison, a long-time patron of the Orchestra.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson
WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
Listen to selections from this program on 90.9 WGUC March 9, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.
Matthias Pintscher is the newly appointed Music Director of the Kansas City Symphony (KCS), effective from the 2024–25 season. He launched his tenure with the KCS with a highly successful tour to Europe in August.
The 2024–25 season sees Pintscher in his fifth year as Creative Partner at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. As guest conductor, he returns to the New York Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Oslo Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, Orquesta Nacional de España, Orchestre National de Radio France and the Boulez Ensemble.
Pintscher recently concluded a decade-long tenure as the Music Director of the Ensemble intercontemporain, the iconic Parisian contemporary ensemble founded by Pierre Boulez. He has held several titled positions, including as BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s artist-in-association, music director for the 2020 Ojai Festival, and as season creative chair with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and artist-in-residence at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, principal conductor of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, and director of the Heidelberger Atelier, among others.
Pintscher is also well known as a composer, and his works appear frequently on the programs of major symphony orchestras throughout the world. He has been on the composition faculty of The Juilliard School since 2014.
Matthias Pintscher is published exclusively by Bärenreiter, and recordings of his works can be found on Kairos, EMI, Teldec, Wergo and Winter & Winter. matthiaspintscher.com
George Li, piano
Since winning the Silver Medal at the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, George Li has rapidly established a major international reputation and performs regularly with some of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors.
In the 2024–25 season, Li debuts with The Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC, the Minnesota and Belgian National orchestras, in a season opening chamber recital with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall, with the Hohhot Philharmonic and Xi’an Symphony orchestras in China, as well as with the Charleston and Des Moines symphony orchestras. Further engagements include returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Symphony Tacoma; the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Pacific symphony orchestras; and the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in Sweden. In recital, Li will appear in Montreal, Singapore, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Li is an exclusive Warner Classics recording artist; his third and most recent album, Movements (summer 2024), includes solo pieces by Schumann, Ravel and Stravinsky.
Li gave his first public performance at Boston’s Steinway Hall at age 10, and in 2011 he performed for President Obama at the White House in an evening honoring Chancellor Angela Merkel. Li received the 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2012 Gilmore Young Artist Award and was first prize winner of the 2010 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the New England Conservatory, continuing to work with Wha Kyung Byun. georgelipianist.com
Unsuk Chin: subito con forza (“Suddenly, with Power”)
n Composed: 2020
n Premiere: September 24, 2020, Amsterdam, by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä conducting n Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, crotales, crash cymbals, gongs, güiro, marimba, snare drums, tam-tam, tambour de Basque, triangle, tubular bells, vibraphone, whip, xylphone, piano, strings n Duration: approx. 5 minutes
Unsuk Chin, born in 1961 into the family of a Presbyterian minister in Seoul, South Korea, had little formal musical instruction when she was young, but she taught herself piano by playing in her father’s church and composing by copying scores of well-known composers. Chin was admitted as a composition student to Seoul National University on her third try, and there she became familiar with the leading contemporary European composers. A piece of hers was played at the 1984 ISCM World Music Days in Canada, the following year she won an award from the Gaudeamus Foundation in Amsterdam and, in 1985, she received a German government grant to study in Hamburg with György Ligeti. Ligeti’s influence proved decisive in forming her own creative personality. Chin moved to Berlin in 1988 to compose and work at the Electronic Music Studio of the Technical University and has since made that city her home. She began to build her international reputation when Die Troerinnen (“The Trojan Women”) for orchestra and women’s voices was premiered in Bergen in 1990, and she was soon having her works performed and commissioned by leading orchestras, ensembles and soloists around the world; her growing acclaim was validated when she received the prestigious
Born: July 14, 1961, Seoul, South Korea
Director of the Tongyeong International Festival in South Korea and Artistic Directorship of the Weiwuying International Music Festival in Taiwan. Chin composed subito con forza (“Suddenly, with Power”) in 2020 “on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth,” as she inscribed in the score. The work was premiered on September 24, 2020 in Amsterdam by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and since performed widely; the first United States performance was given by the Minnesota Orchestra in October 2021. subito con forza has several references to Beethoven’s music, most immediately the stern chords borrowed from the Coriolan Overture that open the work, but British critic Simon Cummings wrote that “the piece is less about quotation than celebrating, and mirroring, the indomitable attitude of one of music’s truly great innovators. Chin has sought to embody one of the key defining characteristics of Beethoven’s music: the restless, relentless fire and energy that propels his music with seemingly unstoppable force. This is articulated, as the title implies, via a connected sequence of sudden shifts.” Chin confirmed Cummings’ description: “What particularly appeals to me are the enormous contrasts: from volcanic eruptions to extreme serenity.”
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Born: April 1, 1873, Oneg (near Novgorod), Russia
Died: March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills, California
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 30
n Composed: 1909
n Premiere: November 28, 1909, New York, with the composer as soloist and Walter Damrosch conducting
The impresario Henry Wolfson of New York arranged a 30-concert tour for the 1909–10 season for Rachmaninoff so he could play and conduct his own works in a number of American cities. Rachmaninoff was at first hesitant about leaving his family and home for such an extended overseas trip, but the generous financial remuneration was too tempting to resist. With a few tour details still left unsettled, Wolfson died suddenly in the spring of 1909, and the composer was much relieved that the journey would probably be cancelled. Wolfson’s agency had a contract with Rachmaninoff, however, and during the summer finished the arrangements for his appearances so that the composer–pianist–conductor was obliged to leave for New York as scheduled. It was for the American tour that Rachmaninoff composed his Third Piano Concerto.
The concerto consists of three large movements. The first is a modified sonata-allegro form that begins with a theme recalled in the later movements. The espressivo second theme is presented by the pianist, whose part has, by this point, abundantly demonstrated the staggering technical challenge this piece offers to the soloist, a characteristic Rachmaninoff had disguised by the simplicity of the opening.
The second movement, subtitled Intermezzo, which Dr. Otto Kinkleday described in his notes for the New York premiere as “tender and melancholy, yet not tearful,” is a set of free variations with an inserted episode.
“One of the most dashing and exciting pieces of music ever composed for piano and orchestra” is how Patrick Piggott described the finale. It is music that employs virtually every sonorous possibility of the modern grand piano, making it a dazzling showpiece for the master performer.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Aaron Copland: Symphony No. 3
n Composed: 1944–46
n Premiere: October 18, 1946, Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra
American composer Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony may be best known today for its incorporation of the iconic Fanfare for the Common Man (a piece commissioned by the CSO) at the beginning of its finale, but the piece represented more for the composer. During the waning months of World War II, Copland began the Third Symphony as a way to give musical voice to the burgeoning optimism of his country as Allied forces overtook the Axis and the tides of the war were clearly turning. Copland completed the work two years later, bringing together elements of his signature musical styles, from the jazzinflections of his early works and austere abstractions of works like his Piano Sonata to the iconic sounds of his “populist” works from the 1930s and 40s, such as the ballets Appalachian Spring and Rodeo. Suffusing all these materials into his most extensive orchestral work, Copland was able to synthesize feelings carried over from geopolitical struggles and create a work that mirrored triumphs in Europe as they were seen from American soil. Snippets of melodies and rhythms that become recognizable across the work come together in the thrilling Fanfare finale—a reflection of the prowess of a composer well versed in narrative and drama, one uniquely capable of translating those art forms into instrumental idioms to make a grand statement through the 20th-century symphony.
—Jacques Dupuis
Born: November 14, 1900, New York City Died: December 2, 1990, North Tarrytown, New York
FRI JAN 17, 7:30 PM
SAT JAN 18, 7:30 PM
SUN JAN 19, 2 PM Music Hall
SIMPLY THE BEST: THE MUSIC OF TINA TURNER
DAMON GUPTON conductor
SHALEAH ADKISSON vocalist
TAMIKA LAWRENCE vocalist
SCOTT COULTER vocalist
JOHN BOSWELL piano
All hail the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Tina Turner’s singular voice provided the soundtrack of a generation and her story inspired hearts and minds around the world. With a career including 12 Grammy wins and more than 100 million records sold worldwide, she was simply “better than all the rest.” Join the Pops for a tour of Turner’s iconic musical legacy, featuring hits like “Proud Mary,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Disco Inferno” and more!
There will be one 20-minute intermission.
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is grateful to Pops Season Presenter PNC and Presenting Sponsor ArtsWave Flow
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
For exclusive content, such as full-length artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
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n ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Damon Gupton, Pops Principal Guest Conductor
Damon Gupton is the Principal Guest Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops. A native of Detroit, he served as American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony and held the post of assistant conductor of the Kansas City Symphony. His conducting appearances include the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Detroit Symphony, Boston Pops, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Florida Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Princeton Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Chineke!, NHK Orchestra of Tokyo, Orquesta Filarmonica de UNAM, Charlottesville Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, Brevard Music Center, and Sphinx Symphony as part of the 12th annual Sphinx Competition. He led the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra on two national tours with performances at Carnegie Hall, and conducted the finals of the Seventh Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition and the 2021 Classic FM Live at Royal Albert Hall with Chineke!.
Gupton received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Michigan. He studied conducting with David Zinman and Murry Sidlin at the Aspen Music Festival and with Leonard Slatkin at the National Conducting Institute in Washington, D.C.
An accomplished actor, Gupton is a graduate of the Drama Division of The Juilliard School. He has had a number of roles in television and film, including in the upcoming Paramount+ series Happy Face and the film Lear Rex with Al Pacino, as well as on stage.
He is represented by Harden Curtis Kirsten Riley Agency (HCKR), SMS Talent and Brookside Artist Management.
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artsstronger for strongera region
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Since 1927, ArtsWave has been the primary way to fund Cincy’s arts. Gifts from ArtsWave Members are invested in nearly every neighborhood and town across the Cincinnati region, supporting arts organizations like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra that create a vibrant economy and a connected community.
Become a member today and discover what we can do, together
CHRISTIAN REIF conductor ILYA FINKELSHTEYN cello
Wolfgang Amadeus Overture to Die Zauberflöte (“The Magic Flute”), K. 620 MOZART (1756–1791)
Camille SAINT-SAËNS
Concerto No. 1 in A Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33 (1835–1921)
Allegro non troppo
Allegretto con moto
Allegro non troppo; un peu moins vite
Jimmy LÓPEZ
Symphony No. 5, Fantastica world premiere, cso co-commission (b. 1978)
The Book of Books
Atreyu’s Great Quest
Moon Child
Bastian the Savior
AURYN
Sergei PROKOFIEV
INTERMISSION
Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131 (1891–1953)
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Moderato
Allegretto
Andante espressivo
Vivace FRI JAN 24, 11 AM SAT JAN 25, 7:30 PM Music Hall
These performances are approximately 125 minutes long, including intermission.
The CSO is grateful to CSO Season Sponsor Western & Southern Financial Group and Fort Washington Investment Advisors
The appearance of Ilya Finkelshteyn is made possible by a generous gift from Linda and James Miller
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s world premiere commission of Symphony No. 5, Fantastica by Jimmy López is made possible by a generous gift from Kari and Jon Ullman
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson
WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
Listen to this program on 90.9 WGUC March 16, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.
n ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Christian Reif, conductor
Chief Conductor of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Christian Reif has established a reputation for his natural musicality, innovative programming and technical command. Since 2022, Reif has also served as Music Director of the Lakes Area Music Festival (MN).
Highlights of Reif’s 2024–25 season include debut performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Phoenix Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, SWR Symphony Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia. He conducted his own arrangement of John Adams’ El Niño with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Gävle Symphony and the American Modern Opera Company in December 2024. Reif and his wife, soprano Julia Bullock, also bring Bullock’s original program History’s Persistent Voice to performances at Lincoln Center and Yale University’s Schwarzman Center in February 2025.
In 2024, Reif won a Grammy for the Nonesuch Records album Walking in the Dark, Bullock’s debut solo album. In 2020 during the pandemic, Reif and Bullock recorded a series of at-home virtual “Songs of Comfort.” christianreif.eu
Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello
Ilya Finkelshteyn is Principal Cello of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops and the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center. He has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, and he continues to perform a variety of solo and chamber music engagements throughout the year.
Finkelshteyn started his education at the Special Music School at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Sergei Chernyadiev. After immigrating to the United States, he studied with Tanya Remenikova for one year at the University of Minnesota School of Music and then went on to study at The Juilliard School with Harvey Shapiro.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and National Repertory Orchestra, among others. His skillful playing has led to prizes in the Brahms International Competition, Concertino Praga, Russian Cello Competition and the WAMSO International Competition.
Finkelshteyn is on faculty at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and also teaches through the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Program as well as a small number of private lessons.
He plays on a 1730 Domenico Montagnana cello.
n PROGRAM NOTES
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to Die Zauberflöte (“The Magic Flute”)
n Composed: 1791
n Premiere: September 30, 1791, Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, Mozart conducting n Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings
n Duration: approx. 6 minutes
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finished his last opera, The Magic Flute, during the summer of 1791 and conducted the premiere in September of that year. Just three months later, gravely ill and bedridden, Mozart died at the age of 35. Mozart was incredibly productive before his illness took hold, composing a final piano concerto, his beautiful Clarinet Concerto and the unfinished Requiem, in addition to The Magic Flute
The plot takes place in a mythical land and revolves around the heroic Prince Tamino and his companion Papageno, a creature who is half-man and half-bird. They are sent on a quest to rescue the Queen of the Night’s daughter, Pamina, who has been captured by the evil Sarastro.
The opera’s overture opens with three declamatory chords (taken from Act I of the opera) and a slow, somber introduction. Then, seamlessly, Mozart delves into the fast Allegro section and a joyful fugal passage full of o beat accents and dynamic contrasts. The fugue is not taken directly from the opera but the infectious spirit in the music reflects the exuberance and humor of the opera’s hero and sidekick.
—Catherine Case
Camille Saint-Saëns: Concerto No. 1 in A Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33
Composed: 1872
Premiere: January 19, 1873 at the Paris Conservatoire, Auguste Tolbecque (for whom the work was written), cello
Saint-Saëns wrote his First Cello Concerto in 1872, at age 37, for his close friend Auguste Tolbecque, who premiered the work. A review of the performance appeared in the Revue et gazette musicale de Paris the following day, noting that “the Cello Concerto seems to us to be a beautiful and good work of excellent sentiment and perfect cohesiveness, and as usual the form is of greatest interest.” Reports also praised the significant role of the orchestra as not merely an accompaniment to the soloist but an integral part of the work. The overall charm and vitality of this concerto led to its widespread popularity and helped to establish Saint-Saëns within the revered musical circles of Paris. Although the overall form is a standard three-movement fast-slow-fast structure, Saint-Saëns weaves each section together without breaks to create a
Together Now h
SUN FEB 16
Music Hall | 5 pm
May Festival Chorus
Matthew Swanson, conductor
Andrew Miller, conducting fellow
Cincinnati Boychoir
Lisa Peters, conductor
May Festival Youth Chorus
Jason Alexander Holmes, conductor
Hundreds of singers take the stage at Music Hall to celebrate a new alliance between the May Festival and the Cincinnati Boychoir! Featured performances by the Cincinnati Boychoir, May Festival Youth Chorus and May Festival Chorus culminate in the world premiere of a new work by Cincinnati's own Howard Helvey, commissioned for the occasion.
This concert is sponsored by Rozy Park and Chris Dendy.
work of seamless continuity. After a forceful and shocking opening chord from the orchestra, the cello enters immediately with a rush of notes cascading down to the lowest register of the instrument. A second theme, introduced by the soloist, offers a contrast with its yearning, sustained melody accompanied by chordal strings in the orchestra.
For the middle section, Saint-Saëns travels back in time with a muted minuet that recalls an 18th-century ballroom with its courtly rituals.
After a closing phrase from the cello marks the conclusion of the middle movement, the oboe enters quietly, beginning the final movement with the return of the concerto’s very first motive. The cello introduces a new lamenting theme made up of elements from the minuet. The somber tone soon transforms into one of virtuosic energy and quick passagework. The concerto ends in a powerful finale reminiscent of the opening movement, with brilliant flourishes from the soloist.
—Catherine Case
Jimmy López: Symphony No. 5, Fantastica world premiere, cso co-commission
n Composed: 2024, co-commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Gävle Symphony and Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz. It is dedicated to Christian Reif and to his son, John Lukas.
n Premiere: These CSO performances are the work’s world premiere.
Jimmy López’s works have been performed by leading orchestras around the world. His violin concerto Aurora was nominated for a 2022 Latin Grammy. Fiesta!, one of his most famous works, has received more than 150 performances worldwide. Dreamers, an oratorio he wrote in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz, was premiered in 2019. Bel Canto, a full-length opera commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago as part of the Renée Fleming initiative and based on Ann Patchett’s bestselling novel, premiered in December 2015 to wide critical acclaim and was broadcast nationwide on PBS’ Great Performances. Highlights of the 2024–25 seaon include performances by the orchestras of Toronto, Melbourne, Tampere, Naples, Oregon and Sarasota.
A native of Lima, Peru, Jimmy López studied at the city’s National Conservatory of Music before graduating with a Master of Music degree from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and with a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. jimmylopez.com
Lopez has written an extensive statement about his Symphony No. 5, Fantastica, which is based on the novel The Neverending Story. The full version of Lopez’s statement can be read on the digital program (cincinnatisymphony.org/DigitalProgram), and an excerpt is below.
There is something truly special about Michael Ende’s 1979 novel The Neverending Story, something that I can’t quite pinpoint, even after having written a whole symphony inspired by it. Perhaps, like all great masterworks, it refuses to give away all its mysteries at once, therefore begging for repeated readings—just like the great masterpieces of music require repeated listening, over decades and centuries, to be fully understood.
Across its many chapters one is met with oracles, centaurs, flying dragons, and a host of fantastical creatures that seem to pour incessantly from an endless fountain of creativity. Much is demanded from the reader, for one cannot sit on the sidelines while our main protagonist, Bastian, is inevitably drawn to this magical world not by his own will, but by the irresistible and magnetic power of Fantastica, a realm where everything that the mind can
Born: 1978, Lima, Peru
SPOTLIGHT: NEW MUSICIANS OF THE ORCHESTRA
by DiDi TURLEY
This season, audiences will see eight new faces on Music Hall’s stage: four violinists, two cellists, a horn player and a bass trombonist bring their talents to the CSO. Woven within this issue of Fanfare Magazine are Q&A’s with the remaining four of those new players.
Find the other three New Musician Q&A’s for this issue on the following pages:
Lachezar Kostov, associate principal cello, p. 45; Jonathan Yi, violin, p. 55; Tianlu (Jerry) Xu, cello, p. 60
David Alexander
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Instrument: Horn
How did you get involved with playing horn?
When I was in elementary school, my best friend and I would play Rock Band and Guitar Hero. We’d put on little concerts for our parents where we’d wear leather jackets and gel our hair back. When I got to middle school, I had to take an arts elective. I saw band as an option and I thought, “Yeah, I want to play in a band!” I wanted to play drums, but my band director convinced me that my big head would be perfect for the horn because it would help the sound project or something like that. He really just needed horn players, but the rest is history.
What’s one Cincinnati staple you’ve tried and loved?
I accidentally tried goetta while I was here for my audition, actually! I was at my hotel the night before the audition and saw goetta sliders on the menu. I had never heard of goetta before, so I was just expecting regular burger meat. That first bite was a surprise, but it was really good!
What are you currently listening to?
Honestly, I don’t listen to music that much. I feel like my life’s pretty saturated with music. I’ll listen to repertoire that I have coming up, and I love all types of music. I just don’t really put it on in the background, you know?
Do you have any rehearsal or performance must-haves?
My water bottle is definitely my best friend when I’m on stage. Especially if I’m nervous, I tend to get dry mouth. I think it’s more psychological than anything—when nerves kick in, that little discomfort can become so noticeable. So, if you see me taking some extra sips, there might be a big horn moment coming up.
What’s something audience members may not know about your instrument?
There are dozens of different notes you can play with one fingering on the horn, to the point that you could play a whole scale without changing fingers. That’s why we tell everyone that it’s so easy to play wrong notes on the horn, but the flip side is that even if you throw down the wrong fingering you might still hit the right note! I’ve definitely flubbed my fingerings in critical moments and gotten away with it because of this.
If you had to play an instrument besides horn, what would you pick and why?
I would love to be able to play piano well. I took piano lessons as a kid, but I quit when my little brother got better than me. With horn, I can only play one note at a time but on piano, you can play harmony. It’s also a nice little party trick to sit down and play something at the piano. No one is super excited when someone pulls out a horn at a party.
conjure up seems possible. By the time I had reached the middle of the book, I felt as if the walls between reality and fiction had been completely obliterated, and I found myself questioning whether I was also a part of this story, and whether Ende had found a way for our minds to move across dimensions in ways that our bodies are not yet capable of.
The music flowed. It flowed from within me and beyond me. There were times it felt as if I was taking dictation rather than composing, where I felt like a mere scribe rather than the author of the music. The characters lived and thrived within me and each one of them seemed to claim their own musical realm.…
Divided into five movements, this symphony is an adventure on its own. Rather than narrating the events in detail, I have chosen to follow the grand arch of the novel and focus on its main protagonists.…
The Symphony No. 5 will be premiered by its commissioners, the Cincinnati (world premiere), Detroit and Gävle symphony orchestras.
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131
n Composed: completed in 1952
n Premiere: October 11, 1952 Samuil Samosud conducting the All-Union Radio Orchestra at Trade Union Hall of Columns in Moscow
Sergei Prokofiev’s last major work, the Seventh Symphony, was premiered just a few months before the composer’s death at age 61. Originally written for a radio program intended for young people, the symphony is a nostalgic look at youth by a man broken by ill health and political attacks. The composer made a major effort to follow the strict aesthetic guidelines imposed by the Soviet Communist Party, and it is a tribute to his unique genius that he was able to meet those demands without compromising his artistic integrity. In four movements, the symphony abounds in lyrical melodies, jaunty, dance-like themes and upbeat dance tunes, all gorgeously orchestrated and unified by a well-balanced symphonic structure that reveals the hand of a master. The symphony originally ended with a change of mood: the previous cheerfulness suddenly gave way to a solemn and mysterious tone. Prokofiev was put under pressure to write a more upbeat conclusion for the work, which he did; however, he made it clear to his trusted friend, the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, that he considered the first ending as the only valid one. That ending, which gets gradually slower and slower, was certainly unusual in a symphony, but there is no doubt that it was more in keeping with how the composer felt at the time.
—Peter Laki
Born: April 23, 1891, Sontsovka, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire) Died: March 5, 1953, Moscow
SPOTLIGHT: NEW MUSICIANS OF THE ORCHESTRA
by DiDi TURLEY
This season, audiences will see eight new faces on Music Hall’s stage: four violinists, two cellists, a horn player and a bass trombonist bring their talents to the CSO. Woven within this issue of Fanfare Magazine are Q&A’s with the remaining four of those new players.
Find the other three New Musician Q&A’s for this issue on the following pages: David Alexander, acting associate principal horn, p. 42; Jonathan Yi, violin, p. 55; Tianlu (Jerry) Xu, cello, p. 60
Lachezar Kostov
Hometown: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Instrument: Cello
How did you get involved with playing cello?
I was five years old, and in Bulgaria we would have certain testing done for musical aptitudes. I learned I was too old to start on a violin or piano—in Bulgaria at that time it was customary for students to start piano at age three and violin at age four. So the next best thing was cello. I decided to pursue it professionally around age 10, after giving my first recital. Everyone gave an enthusiastic ovation, which I now understand is customary for any children’s recital, regardless of how good they are. Regardless, that was the moment I knew it was the best thing I could ever do.
Were your parents supportive of your choice to pursue music?
Yes! My parents are both engineers, but my mother started learning cello with me so she could help me with my lessons. As a child, there’s only so much you can learn at once. Any parent can help their child with math, geography, but not every parent can help their child with music. So my mother learned to play.
What are you currently listening to?
Actually, if it’s not directly connected with my work at the CSO, I don’t listen to music at all. I do listen to a lot of audiobooks, though. I recently finished a book called Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Israeli writer Yuval Noah Harari. I have a very eclectic taste in books, but not in music.
What’s one Cincinnati staple you’ve tried and loved?
One thing I found very exciting was going to Jungle Jim’s. Everybody had said that it’s exceptional, but I think everybody undersold it. I travel a lot—all over the world—and I’ve never seen anything like that, anywhere. There were even things from my home country, Bulgaria!
What are your rehearsal must-haves?
On my cello, I have something called posture pegs. If your string gets detuned, you have to use a special key-like tool on the peg to fix it. I make sure that I always have one on me. There was only one concert where I didn’t have one. I was playing principal cello with the Baltimore Symphony and one of my strings got loose. When I couldn’t fix it, I had to ask one of the last cellists in the section if I could borrow their cello and send them home.
What are you most excited about in the CSO’s 2024–25 season?
I’m sort of excited by every program, whether it’s something I’ve played a million times or something new, because the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is new to me. It’s really interesting and exciting to see how each piece is shaped by my colleagues, with myself included in that equation.
If you had to play an instrument besides cello, what would you pick and why? I just bought a trumpet, actually, so that would be my choice! I really wanted to get my hands on a wind instrument, and I know colleagues from each instrument, so I’ve spoken to them about which I should try to learn. With oboe, you spend an exorbitant amount of time just dealing with reeds. Horn can be finicky. So, I bought a cheap trumpet.
TUE JAN 28, 7:30 PM Music Hall Ballroom
Paul Schoenfield Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano (1947–2024)
Freylakh
March
Nigun
Kozatske
Christopher Pell, clarinet
Felicity James, violin
Anna Vinnitsky, piano
Arno BABAJANIAN Piano Trio (1921–1983)
Largo—Allegro espressivo
Andante
Allegro vivace
Rachel Charbel, violin
Nicholas Mariscal, cello
Garret Ross, piano
INTERMISSION
Edvard GRIEG
String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 (1843–1907)
For exclusive content, such as full-length program notes and artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
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Un poco andante—Allegro molto ed agitato
Romanze: Andantino—Allegro agitato
Intermezzo: Allegro molto marcato—Allegro agitato Finale: Lento—Presto al saltarello
Kun Dong, violin
Rebecca Kruger Fryxell, violin
Dan Wang, viola Lachezar Kostov, cello
This performance is approximately 110 minutes long, including intermission.
YOU’RE INVITED to greet the musicians after the concert.
The Winstead Chamber Series is endowed by a generous gift from the estate of former CSO musician WILLIAM WINSTEAD
n PROGRAM NOTES
Paul Schoenfield: Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano
n Composed: 1990–91
n Premiere: July 15, 1991, Portland, Oregon by David Shifrin (clarinet), Ik-Hwan Bae (violin) and the composer (piano)
n Duration: approx. 19 minutes
Writing in the third person, the composer noted:
Paul Schoenfield is one of an increasing number of contemporary composers whose works are inspired by the whole range of musical experience—popular styles (both American and international) and vernacular folk traditions, as well as the established forms and idioms of cultivated music-making (which are often treated with sly twists). Schoenfield frequently mixes within a single piece ideas that emerged from entirely different musical worlds, making them “talk” to each other, so to speak, and delighting in the surprises that their interaction elicits.
Of his Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano, Schoenfield wrote:
It was in 1986 that clarinetist David Shifrin first asked me to write a chamber work for violin, clarinet and piano, but it was not until the summer of 1990 that I was able to begin the project. In addition to my primary goal of composing a work for David, the Trio realizes a long-standing desire to create entertaining music that could be played at Chassidic gatherings as well as in the concert hall.… Each of the movements is based partly on an East European Chassidic melody. The exact source of many Chassidic melodies is unknown. Frequently they were composed by the Tzadikim of the 18th and 19th centuries, but as often as not they appear to have been borrowed from regional folk songs, Cossack dances and military marches. In their Chassidic versions, however, the melodies and texts were completely reworked, since the borrowed tunes which originated in a completely different milieu could not satisfactorily express the Chassidic ideal that regarded the exuberant expression of joy as a religious duty.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Arno Babajanian: Piano Trio
n Composed: 1952
n Premiere: unknown
n Duration: approx. 22 minutes
Among the national cultures that have become better known in the West since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 is that of Armenia, Turkey’s eastern neighbor, and one of that country’s leading 20th-century musical figures was Arno Babajanian. Babajanian was born in 1921 into the family of an accomplished folk musician in Yerevan; he showed such musical promise that he was admitted to the Yerevan Conservatory at the age of seven, and he premiered his Symphony No. 1 six years later. He trained not only in the Western classics but also in the folk and concert traditions of Armenia, and the interaction of those influences provided the foundation of Babajanian’s musical style. Babajanian entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1948 to study piano, composition and ethnomusicology, and two years later he returned to Armenia to join the faculty of the Yerevan Conservatory.
He quickly established a reputation among the country’s leading composers, pianists and teachers, writing works in a folk-inflected style for orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, voice and jazz band; performing throughout the Soviet Union and Europe; receiving the Stalin State Prize, Armenia State Prize and Order of the Red Banner of Labor; and being recognized as a People’s Artist of the Armenian SSR and the Soviet Union.
Babajanian’s Piano Trio of 1952 is reminiscent of the style, sonority and scale of Rachmaninoff’s works but with a distinctly nationalist tone and spirit.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Born: January 24, 1947, Detroit, Michigan
Died: April 29, 2024, Jerusalem, Israel
Born: January 22, 1921, Yerevan, Armenia
Died: November 11, 1983, Moscow
Born: June 15, 1843, Bergen, Norway
Died: September 4, 1907, Bergen, Norway
Edvard Grieg: String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27
Composed: 1877–88
Premiere: October 1878, Cologne, by the Heckmann Quartet
Duration: approx. 35 minutes
By 1877, Grieg had established his reputation as a composer with the piano concerto, the incidental music for Ibsen’s Peer Gynt and a growing body of well-received songs and piano miniatures, and he felt the need to find a quiet place away from his increasingly frequent concert tours and conducting responsibilities to carry on his creative work. He settled on a summer retreat in the village of Børve, perched atop the scenic Sørfjord east of his hometown and professional base, Bergen.
Before he left Børve at the end of summer 1877, he had begun sketching out a string quartet into which he would incorporate the distinctive but essentially simple gestures of Norwegian folk song. For the motto theme that was to be woven throughout the quartet, he chose one of his own songs—Spillmaend (“Minstrels,” Op. 25, No. 1)—with a text by Ibsen that tells of the Hulder, the spirit of the Norwegian waterfall who can reveal the deepest secrets of the art to musicians, but only against the chance that the minstrel might lose his happiness and peace of mind in exchange. Grieg worked on the quartet throughout the winter, regularly soliciting technical advice on string writing from violinist Robert Heckmann, who had agreed to give the premiere with his ensemble and accept the dedication of the score; the piece was finished at Børve in July 1878 and introduced by Heckmann in Cologne four months later.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
by Theresa Rebeck
Photo: 1888 by Elliot and Fry
cincinnatisymphony.org/harmonypass
FRI JAN 31, 7:30 PM
SAT FEB 1, 7:30 PM Music Hall
JUN MÄRKL conductor
ELIZABETH FREIMUTH horn
Richard STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (“Till Eulenspiegel’s (1864–1949) Merry Pranks”), Op. 28
Richard STRAUSS Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 11
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
INTERMISSION
Claude DEBUSSY Images pour orchestre (1862–1918)
I. Gigues
III. Rondes de printemps (“Spring Rounds”)
II. Ibéria: 1 Par les rues et par les chemins (“Through Streets and Lanes”)
Ibéria: 2. Les parfums de la nuit (“The Fragrances of the Night”)
Ibéria: 3. Le matin d’un jour de fête (“Morning of a Feast-Day”)
For exclusive content, such as full-length program notes and artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
*By texting to this number, you may receive messages that pertain to the organization and its performances; msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP to help, STOP to cancel.
These performances are approximately 105 minutes long, including intermission.
The CSO is grateful to CSO Season Sponsor Western & Southern Financial Group
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson
WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
Listen to this program on 90.9 WGUC March 30, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.
n ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Jun Märkl, conductor
Jun Märkl is a highly respected interpreter of core Germanic repertoire and has become renowned for his refined and idiomatic explorations of the French Impressionists. He currently serves as Music Director of the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and is the newly appointed Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague, Netherlands. He serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Oregon Symphony.
Märkl has an extensive discography—among the more than 55 albums he has recorded are the complete Schumann symphonies with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn and Wagner with the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, and works by Ravel, Messiaen and a highly acclaimed Debussy series with the Orchestre National de Lyon. He is currently working on a cycle of works by Camille Saint-Saëns, Richard Strauss and Toshio Hosokawa.
Elizabeth Freimuth, horn
Elizabeth Freimuth is Principal Horn of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. Her chair is endowed by the late Charles and Mary Yeiser. Before joining the CSO in 2006, Freimuth was principal horn of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra (2005–06), principal horn of the Kansas City Symphony (2000–05) and assistant principal/utility horn of the Colorado Symphony (1998–2000).
Freimuth has performed as the featured soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Butler County Symphony (PA), Johnson City Symphony Orchestra (TN), Overland Park Symphony (KS) and the Lakewood Symphony (CO), along with several appearances as a guest principal horn with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, KBS Symphony (Korea), St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony.
Freimuth is a graduate and recipient of the coveted Performer’s Certificate of the Eastman School of Music (B.M. Horn Performance and B.M. Instrumental Music Education). She is also a graduate of Rice University Shepherd School of Music (M.M.).
n PROGRAM NOTES
Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (“Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks”), Op. 28
n Composed: 1894-95
n Premiere: November 5, 1895, Gürzenich Orchestra, Cologne, Franz Wüllner conducting n Instrumentation: 3 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 8 horns, 6 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, crash cymbals, ratchet, tenor drums, triangle, strings n Duration: approx. 15 minutes
After the deaths of Wagner and Brahms at the close of the 19th century, Richard Strauss emerged as one of the most important living German composers. Strauss composed in nearly all musical genres throughout his lengthy artistic career, but he is particularly well known for his orchestral tone poems. He embraced the genre of the programmatic tone poem as a creative and innovative musical expression of ideas.
Strauss wrote his tone poems in two compositional phases, beginning with Macbeth, Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung (“Death and Transfiguration”) in 1886–89. He then tried his hand at composing an opera, Guntram, but it was poorly received. Upset by the failure of his opera, Strauss channeled his energy into Till Eulenspiegel. He initially conceived of his Till project as a one-act opera, but he soon shifted gears, and Till Eulenspiegel became the first of his second
Born: June 11, 1864, Munich, Germany
Died: September 8, 1949, GarmischPartenkirchen, Germany
set of tone poems. Till Eulenspiegel was followed by Also sprach Zarathustra (1896), Don Quixote (1897) and Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero’s Life”) (1898).
Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel musically recounts the legends of the medieval German trickster. The folkloric stories introduce the character of Till Eulenspiegel, a mischievous prankster who mocks society through his various exploits.
—Dr.
Rebecca Schreiber
Richard Strauss: Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 11
n Composed: 1882–83
n Premiere: March 4, 1885 in Meiningen, conducted by Hans von Bülow with Gustav Leinhos as soloist
n Instrumentation: solo horn, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings
n Duration: approx. 15 minutes
Franz Strauss, Richard’s father, was one of the outstanding instrumentalists of his day. For more than 40 years as principal horn he was a chief adornment of the Munich Court Orchestra, a post he held until the age of 69; he was especially renowned for the power and artistry of his solos in Mozart’s concertos, Beethoven’s symphonies and Wagner’s operas. The eminent pianist and conductor Hans von Bülow dubbed him “the Joachim of the horn” (Brahms wrote his Violin Concerto for Joseph Joachim), and Wagner, whose personality and music Franz detested, grudgingly admitted, “Strauss is an unbearable fellow, but when he plays his horn, one cannot be cross with him.” Franz was also a composer, mainly of horn music, as well as the conductor of an amateur orchestra and a capable player of guitar and viola.
The sound of Franz’s horn-playing was a fixture in the Strauss household: it is said that Richard as a baby would coo and smile when he heard the horn, but cry at the sound of a violin. It is hardly surprising, then, that the boy wrote for the horn when his talent began to blossom. Two such early works are a song called Alphorn with horn obbligato and the Introduction, Theme and Variations for horn and piano, both with writing difficult enough to give the young composer’s virtuoso father pause. Late in 1882, while he was a student at Munich University, Richard began a concerto for the horn and completed it early the next year. Franz played through the work and found it filled with such difficulties that he refused to perform it in public, though he occasionally tackled the piece for family concerts. The public premiere was given in 1885 by conductor Hans von Bülow and the principal horn of his Meiningen Orchestra, Gustav Leinhos. The First Horn Concerto was soon taken up by other performers and remains the earliest of Strauss’ works in the orchestral repertory.
Father Franz saw that Richard was trained strictly in the classical style of Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn, with Wagner and Liszt treated more like anathema than mere composers. During the time of the First Horn Concerto, Richard shared his father’s reactionary tastes (this changed radically after 1885, when the young musician left home) and the piece is in Strauss’ most untroubled classical vein.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Claude Debussy: Images pour orchestre
Composed: 1905–1912
Premiere: Gigues was premiered in Paris, January 26, 1913, Gabriel Pierné conducting; Ibéria was premiered in Paris, February 20, 1910, Pierné conducting; Rondes de Printemps was premiered in Paris, March 2, 1910, the composer conducting.
The last decade and a half of Debussy’s life were marked by several di culties, including overwhelming public notoriety resulting from the success of his 1902 opera Pelléas et Mélisande and heavy creative obligations from his ambitious agreement with the publisher Jacques Durand, not to mention familial and financial problems. That such brilliant music as the Images could arise out of such di cult circumstances is a tribute to Debussy’s artistic spirit and creative diligence.
Although it was the last to be completed, Debussy placed Gigues as the first of the Images in the published edition, followed by Ibéria and Rondes de Printemps. Edward Downes noted that its original title, Gigues tristes (“Sad Jig”), was “a typically Debussian paradox, for the gigue (the French form of the English-Scottish-Irish jig) was traditionally a high-spirited, often wild dance in triple meter.” The music’s immediate inspiration seems to have been a poem, given the English title “Streets,” that Paul Verlaine wrote on a visit to London in 1890 in which he ironically juxtaposed the merriment of the jig with a soured love a air.
Rondes de Printemps (“Spring Rounds”), dedicated to the composer’s second wife, Emma, is headed with the legend, “Welcome to the May, with its sylvan banner,” a verse Debussy found in a 1908 book on Dante by the French author Pierre Gauthiez. The original poem was by the 15th-century Tuscan humanist and poet Angelo Poliziano (whose Orfeo was one of the earliest plays in the Italian language) and was used by Gauthiez to preface his description of a medieval May Day festival.
Ibéria is a remarkable evocation of the land across the Pyrenees, considering that Debussy spent only a single afternoon in Spain during his entire life—to attend a bull fight in San Sebastian. Manuel de Falla, Spain’s great composer, wrote admiringly of Ibéria, “The entire piece down to the smallest detail makes one feel the character of Spain.”
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Born: August 22, 1862, Saint-Germainen-Laye, France
Died: March 25, 1918, Paris, France
You are welcome to take this copy of Fanfare Magazine home with you as a souvenir of your concert experience. Alternatively, please share it with a friend or leave it with an usher for recycling.
Thank you!
credit: Atelier Nadar
Essentially French
January 26/27
CSO principal musicians and the Ariel String Quartet perform colorful works for harp, flute, clarinet, and strings, including music by Debussy and Ravel.
American Sketches
February 16
Violin virtuoso Kristin Lee makes her Linton debut with Cincinnati’s own Michael Chertock in a program celebrating the brilliance of American composers.
Souvenir de Florence
March 16/17
The rich sonority of strings portrays Tchaikovsky’s fond memories of Italy in this program which also includes an inspired quartet by Arensky, written as a tribute to Tchaikovsky.
New York’s Finest
April 13/14
The New York Philharmonic String Quartet performs music featuring the charm of Haydn, romantic sensibility of Florence Price, and graceful lyricism of Dvořák.
Musical Café
May 11/12
CSO guest pianist Michelle Cann joins Tommy Mesa and Stefani Matsuo to perform Paul Schoenfield’s dazzling Café Music alongside the music of Debussy, Winton Marsalis, and Clara Schumann.
SPOTLIGHT: NEW MUSICIANS OF THE ORCHESTRA
by DiDi TURLEY
This season, audiences will see eight new faces on Music Hall’s stage: four violinists, two cellists, a horn player and a bass trombonist bring their talents to the CSO. Woven within this issue of Fanfare Magazine are Q&A’s with the remaining four of those new players.
Find the other three New Musician Q&A’s for this issue on the following pages: David Alexander, acting associate principal horn, p. 42; Lachezar Kostov, associate principal cello, p. 45; Tianlu (Jerry) Xu, cello, p. 60
Jonathan Yi
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Instrument: Violin
How did you get involved with playing violin?
I started playing the violin when I was five. My mom grew up loving the piano, but my parents were both immigrants, so they didn’t start with a lot of money. We couldn’t afford a piano, but we could afford to rent a violin. I started taking lessons and it all went from there.
Did you know any of your fellow new CSO musicians before winning your position?
I had the same teacher as Joseph Okubo, another one of our violinists, which is crazy. When we were kids, we would have back-to-back lessons at our teacher’s house. We’ve had the same teacher three times now, and we went to high school together. We were stand partners for two years! Now that we’re adults, Joseph and I have seen each other at, like, every audition on the circuit. It’s just crazy that, for both of us, this orchestra was the one that stuck. It is magical. Our high school teacher was thrilled.
What is your post-concert routine?
I really enjoy my ride home. I get to sit in my car and reflect on things that I thought went well and what I could have done better. No matter how good a musician you are, there’s always room to improve. I’ll earmark a couple things mentally and ask myself, “Why didn’t that go well? Did I not practice this well enough? Why did this go a certain way?”
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received from a musical mentor?
One of my teachers told me to never allow fear to control my actions or decisions. I think that has gone further than any other advice I have received. It comes up when I’m on stage and I have to hit a really high note I want to shy away from, and it comes up in auditions. I’m always reminding myself not to let my doubt and insecurities get in the way of the hard work I’ve put in. I work really hard, but it’s not, you know, open heart surgery. It’s okay to play or live without fear.
What are your rehearsal must-haves?
I always make it a point to carry a tin of Altoids to share with people! It’s one of those simple things, right? Sharing is one of those things that brings a good energy to the room.
What is one Cincinnati staple you’ve experienced?
Every time I’ve had the chance, I’ve gone over to the Skyline Chili near Music Hall. When I went for the first time, I was like, “Oh, my God. What is this?” My mind was blown. I couldn’t believe it. I really, really enjoy Skyline Chili.
If you had to play an instrument besides violin, what would you pick and why? If my musician friends see this, they’re never going to let me live it down, but I think I would love to play the cello. I love the sound of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s cello section, and, over the past couple of years, it just happened that all my best friends were cellists. I think cello is just such a gorgeous and versatile instrument.
SAT FEB 1, 10:30 am
Music Hall
Lost in Space (1967 Season 3 Theme)
Clair de lune from Suite bergamasque
Theme from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Starburst
John Williams
Claude Debussy
Dennis McCarthy
Jessie Montgomery “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” from The Planets
“The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land Suite
Gustav Holst
Aaron Copland “Flying Theme” from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
John Williams
The Cincinnati Pops is grateful to Series Sponsor UDF & Homemade Brand Ice Cream and Concert Sponsor Cincinnati Symphony Club Lollipops Family Concerts are supported in part through the George & Anne Heldman Endowment Fund and the Vicki & Rick Reynolds Endowment Fund
JASON SEBER conductor
SAT FEB 8, 7:30 PM SUN FEB 9, 2 PM Music Hall
CRISTIAN MĂCELARU
CSO Music Director Designate RANDALL GOOSBY violin
Wynton MARSALIS Mvt. IV, Southwestern Shakedown, from Blues Symphony (b. 1961)
Ernest CHAUSSON Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25 (1855–1899)
Florence PRICE
Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra (1888–1953)
INTERMISSION
Antonín DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, From the New World (1841–1904)
Adagio. Allegro molto
Largo Molto vivace
Allegro con fuoco
For exclusive content, such as full-length program notes and artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
*By texting to this number, you may receive messages that pertain to the organization and its performances; msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP to help, STOP to cancel.
These performances are approximately 125 minutes long, including intermission.
The CSO is grateful to CSO Season Sponsor Western & Southern Financial Group and Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Digital Access Partner CVG Airport Authority and Presenting Sponsor Cincinnati Symphony Club
The appearance of Randall Goosby is made possible by the Janice W. & Gary R. Lubin Fund for Black Artists
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson
WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
Listen to selections from this program on 90.9 WGUC June 22, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.
n ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Cristian Măcelaru, CSO Music Director Designate
A biography for Cristian Măcelaru is on p. 27 Explore our ongoing series of content dedicated to getting to know Cristian Măcelaru by visiting cincinnatisymphony.org/CristianMacelaru.
Randall Goosby, violin
Signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, American violinist Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship alongside his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as bringing the music of underrepresented composers to light.
Highlights of Randall Goosby’s 2024–25 season include debut performances with the Chicago Symphony/Sir Mark Elder, the Minnesota Orchestra/Thomas Søndergård, National Arts Centre Orchestra/Alexander Shelley, Montreal Symphony Orchestra/Dalia Stasevska and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic/ Michele Mariotti. He joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra on their U.S. tour led by Edward Gardner.
Goosby returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony and Utah Symphony. He appears in recital across North America and Europe as soloist, as well as with the Renaissance Quartet.
Goosby plays the Antonio Stradivarius, Cremona, “ex-Strauss,” 1708 on generous loan from the Samsung Foundation of Culture. randallgoosby.com
This season, audiences will see eight new faces on Music Hall’s stage: four violinists, two cellists, a horn player and a bass trombonist bring their talents to the CSO. Woven within this issue of Fanfare Magazine are Q&A’s with the remaining four of those new players.
Find the other three New Musician Q&A’s for this issue on the following pages: David Alexander, acting associate principal horn, p. 42; Lachezar Kostov, associate principal cello, p. 45; Jonathan Yi, violin, p. 55
Jerry Xu
Hometown: Changzhou, China
Instrument: Cello
How did you get involved with playing cello?
I actually started on the violin at age three. And then at age seven, I injured my hand, so I had to take a two-month break. When it was time to start playing again, my dad was like, “Oh, cello is so much cooler, because it just sounds like a human voice.” So, I switched to cello.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received from a musical mentor?
As a student, it’s so important to note the details that orchestral players must pay attention to. When we study to play as soloists, we don’t always put our energy into mastering the different kinds of articulations and sound color that an orchestra member would focus on. When you’re focused on playing solo repertory, you have so much freedom, but taking the time to notice those details can really make or break an orchestra’s sound.
What do you do when you aren’t playing music?
Besides playing basketball and being a Golden State Warriors fan, I play video games quite a lot. My favorite at the moment is either Counter-Strike 2 or Battlefield. I find that playing games, especially with a mouse and keyboard, helps with my coordination, which helps me play better! Having the ability to visualize where you want your arm or hand to go without having to stop and think about it is incredibly helpful with playing the cello.
What are you currently listening to?
I love film scores, so I listen to a lot of Jerry Goldsmith’s work. The writing just brings out a lot of emotions; plus, it’s some of the only modern orchestral music that is truly familiar to the general public. I think film scores are the first place that a lot of people hear an orchestra’s sound.
From where do you draw the most inspiration when you’re playing?
I love to listen to opera for inspiration. Right now, Pavarotti is my favorite. I also love Cecilia Bartoli. Their vibrato is spot on for how I’d like my playing to sound.
If you had to play an instrument besides cello, what would you pick and why? I would pick either horn or trumpet. They both have such heroic sounds while sharing an emotional depth and brilliance. Many of my favorite composers write the best lines for them!
n PROGRAM NOTES
Wynton Marsalis: Blues Symphony: Southwestern Shakedown
n Composed: 2009
n Premiere: Movement 4: January 14, 2021 by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Spano conducting; complete Blues Symphony: February 4, 2015 by the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, Jan Wagner conducting. Cristian Măcelaru led The Philadelphia Orchestra in the first recording of the work, released in 2021.
n Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes (incl. English horn), 3 clarinets (incl. bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (incl. contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, anvil, concert bass drum, cabasa, high hat, low tom-tom, ride cymbal, small bass drum, snare drum, suspended cymbals, temple blocks, tubular bells, xylophone, strings n Duration: approx. 8 minutes
Wynton Marsalis, a world-renowned trumpeter, bandleader and composer, and a leading advocate of American culture, wrote of his Blues Symphony (for these performances, the Orchestra will play only the work’s fourth movement):
The Blues Symphony is a seven-movement work that gives a symphonic identity to the form and feeling of the blues. It utilizes the language and form of the blues across regions and genres regionally to convey the basic attitude of the blues as music: “Tragic circumstances accepted, better times should be pursued and can always be found.”
This piece is intended to further the legacy of Gershwin, James P. Johnson, Bernstein, John Lewis, and others who were determined to add the innovations of jazz to the vocabulary of the symphonic orchestra. I believe there is an organic and real connection between all Western traditions regardless of instrumentation and that the symphonic orchestra can and will swing, play the blues, and feature melodic improvisation.…
The fourth movement [“Southwestern Shakedown”] begins with the free call and response of the Devotional opening of the Afro-American Baptist Church. It features instruments high and low in a Sunday morning pastoral moan. This turns into Saturday night with the straight-up dance shuffle.… We then demonstrate E pluribus unum [which also is represented in the symphony’s first movement] in reverse by investigating different regional takes on this single rhythmic constant from “cowboy” to “train” to “sanctified” to “boogie-woogie” and once again visit the holiness of the American Negro Spiritual briefly before returning to that old locomotive motive. We end with the Charleston rhythm over modern 4/4 swing and, when present, improvising soloists.
Ernest Chausson: Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25
n Composed: 1896
n Premiere: December 1896 in Nancy, Eugène Ysaÿe, violin
The Poème for Violin and Orchestra is one of Chausson’s most successful works, and the touching story of its publication is worth recounting. Isaac Albéniz, the Spanish composer, had been unhappy and bewildered during his student days in Paris. Chausson befriended, encouraged and supported him at the time, and Albéniz was determined to repay the favor. After Chausson finished Poème in 1896, he had some difficulty in having it accepted for publication. While touring Germany in the spring of the following year, Albéniz presented himself, with the manuscript of the still un-issued Poème tucked under his arm, to a representative of the eminent music publishing firm of Breitkopf und Härtel in Leipzig. Breitkopf refused to publish the score unless Albéniz offered to underwrite the cost of the venture, which he gladly did. In addition, Albéniz provided 300 marks that Breitkopf was to pass on to his mentor as a royalty. Chausson never discovered the scheme. Chausson, who had never been treated kindly by publishers, was overwhelmed when Albéniz informed him of his good fortune.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Born: 1961, New Orleans, Louisiana
Born: January 20, 1855, Paris, France
Died: Jun 10, 1899, Limay, France
courtesy of the Japan Art Association
Born: April 9, 1888, Little Rock, Arkansas Died: June 3, 1953, Chicago, Illinois
Florence Price: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra
Composed: 1952
Premiere: 1953, in recital in Chicago, by its dedicatee Minnie Cedargreen Jernberg, violin
Of the two violin concertos composed by Florence Price, it is her Violin Concerto No. 2 that we know the most about. We know it was cocommissioned by the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, the Chicago Club of Women Musicians, the Lake View Musical Society and Mu Phi Epsilon. We know it was completed in 1952 and performed several times by its dedicatee, Minnie Cedargreen Jernberg: first in 1953, then in 1955 as part of a Musicians Club of Women recital in Chicago’s Fine Arts Building, room 833. The third time was in 1964, as part of the ceremony to dedicate Florence B. Price Elementary, an addition to the Chicago Public School system that shuttered in 2011.
But from 1964 until 2009, the Violin Concerto No. 2 and its older counterpart languished. The scores and parts were MIA; scholars considered both works to be lost. Then Vicki and Darrell Gatwood purchased Price’s former summer home in 2009, recognized the importance of the water-damaged materials in the damaged house and contacted archivists at the University of ArkansasFayetteville. From that collection, the archivists recovered Price’s violin concertos. And nine years later, Fayetteville university professor Er-Gene Kahng released the debut recording of Price’s violin concertos with the Janáček Philharmonic, thrusting the works back into the public sphere. Melissa White, Randall Goosby, Rachel Barton Pine and others have since incorporated these
Connecting
World, Celebrating
Arts!
works into their repertoire, providing more opportunities to hear a range of interpretations, the beginning of a performance practice.
Price’s Concerto No. 2 is not in the typical three or four movements, or sections. While Price is not the first composer to do this, the form she uses— double variation—indicates her integration of Black music practices. The work is divided into two large sections with two subsections and a coda, each subsection connected by an interlude. The concerto features three main themes: a martial theme, a primary theme and a secondary theme, each of which reappears in the four subsections and coda. Price re-introduces the themes in different keys, instrumentations and textures, procedures common in styles like Negro spirituals, jazz, gospel and blues. The martial theme, introduced by the orchestra, serves as the signal of the start of a new section.
—Dr. A. Kori Hill
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, From the New World
n Composed: 1892–93
n Premiere: December 16, 1893 at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic, Anton Seidl conducting
There would not have been a “New World” Symphony without Mrs. Jeanette Thurber, one of America’s most ardent and effective supporters of the arts during the decades around the turn of the 20th century. Aided by the fortune of her husband, Francis Beatty Thurber, a wealthy grocery wholesaler, she obtained a state charter in 1885 to establish a National Conservatory of Music in New York City, which she intended not just as a school for training the country’s most talented musicians but also as a radically progressive social institution, admitting women, Blacks, Native Americans and even handicapped students on an equal basis. In 1891, the school was incorporated by a special act of Congress and authorized to grant diplomas and confer honorary degrees.
To direct the National Conservatory, Mrs. Thurber turned in 1892 to a composer and educator of international renown—Antonín Dvořák, who was already well known in New York through his chamber and piano compositions (the Slavonic Dances of 1878 and 1886 were an international hit) as well as the symphonies and shorter orchestral works that the New York Philharmonic had programmed a dozen times during the previous decade.
It was precisely Mrs. Thurber’s liberal admission policies that motivated the “New World” Symphony in the person of Henry Thacker Burleigh, a gifted Black singer, pianist and songwriter from Erie, Pennsylvania who won a scholarship to the National Conservatory in 1892 and became a student of Dvořák’s. Burleigh sang many of the traditional melodies for his teacher, who recognized in them some similarities in expression and construction to the folk music of his Czech homeland.
Inspired by Henry Burleigh’s songs, heritage and personality, Dvořák began the Symphony “From the New World” in December 1892 and completed it in May (its sobriquet may have been suggested by Mrs. Thurber). “I should never have written the Symphony as I have,” he said, “if I hadn’t seen America.” The work triumphed at its premiere, and immediately earned a place in the orchestral repertory that has never diminished.
—Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Born: September 8, 1841, Nelahozeves, Czechia
Died: May 1, 1904, Prague, Czechia
We don’t make the music you’ll hear on stage, but for nearly 100 years, we’ve been the primary way Cincy’s arts are funded. Your gift to ArtsWave ripples out across our communities to create a more vibrant future for everyone. With tens of thousands of gifts from people like you, ArtsWave is proud to support the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, plus over a hundred other arts organizations and artists that make our region stronger.
Make your gift today at artswave.org
TUE FEB 11, 7:30 PM Music Hall
STEVE HACKMAN conductor
BRAYLA COOK vocalist
MALIA CIVETZ vocalist
KAYLAH SHARVE’ vocalist
TaRON LOCKETT drums
MAX TOWNSLEY guitar/keyboard
NICK CLARK electric bass
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 7 (1812)
Movement I, Poco sostenuto—Vivace
Interlude I
Movement II, Allegretto
Interlude II
BEYONCÉ
Various Works (2003–2024)
Run the World (Girls) Cuff It
Break My Soul
Déjà Vu
Halo
Daddy Lessons
INTERMISSION
Movement III, Presto—Assai meno presto
Movement IV, Allegro con brio
Hold Up Love On Top
Single Ladies
Texas Hold ‘Em Love Drought
Formation
Sorry Crazy in Love
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is grateful to Pops Season Presenter PNC
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
For exclusive content, such as full-length artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
*By texting to this number, you may receive messages that pertain to the organization and its performances; msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP to help, STOP to cancel.
Victoria POLEVÁ
GIL SHAHAM PLAYS DVOŘÁK | 2024–25
FRI FEB 14, 11 AM SAT FEB 15, 7:30 PM Music Hall
JOHN STORGÅRDS conductor
GIL SHAHAM violin
Symphony No. 3, White Interment (b. 1962)
Antonín DVOŘÁK
Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 53 (1841–1904)
Allegro ma non troppo—
Adagio ma non troppo
Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo
INTERMISSION
Johannes BRAHMS
Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (1833–1897)
Allegro non troppo
Andante moderato
Allegro giocoso
Allegro energico e passionato
For exclusive content, such as full-length program notes and artist biographies, please text PROGRAM to 513.845.3024*.
*By texting to this number, you may receive messages that pertain to the organization and its performances; msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP to help, STOP to cancel.
These performances are approximately 125 minutes long, including intermission.
The CSO is grateful to CSO Season Sponsor Western & Southern Financial Group
The appearance of Gil Shaham is made possible by an endowed gift to the Fund for Great Artists by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Stern, Jr.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts
Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson
WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust
Listen to this program on 90.9 WGUC May 4, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.
n ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
n ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
John Storgårds, conductor
John Storgårds, conductor
Chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa, John Storgårds has a dual career as a conductor and violin virtuoso and is widely recognized for his creative flair for programming, as well as his rousing yet refined performances. As artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, a title he has held for more than 25 years, Storgårds earns global critical acclaim for the ensemble’s adventurous performances and award-winning recordings.
Chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa, John Storgårds has a dual career as a conductor and violin virtuoso and is widely recognized for his creative flair for programming, as well as his rousing yet refined performances. As artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, a title he has held for more than 25 years, Storgårds earns global critical acclaim for the ensemble’s adventurous performances and award-winning recordings.
Highlights of Storgårds’ 2024–25 season include two appearances at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic and return engagements with, among others, Bamberger Symphoniker and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, and in North America with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. In May 2025, Storgårds serves as jury chair for the XIII International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki. johnstorgards.com
Highlights of Storgårds’ 2024–25 season include two appearances at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic and return engagements with, among others, Bamberger Symphoniker and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, and in North America with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. In May 2025, Storgårds serves as jury chair for the XIII International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki. johnstorgards.com
Gil Shaham, violin
Gil Shaham, violin
Gil Shaham is one of the foremost violinists of our time; his flawless technique combined with his inimitable warmth and generosity of spirit have solidified his renown as an American master. The Grammy Award and Avery Fisher Prize winner, also named Musical America’s “Instrumentalist of the Year,” is sought after throughout the world for concerto appearances with leading orchestras and conductors, and he regularly gives recitals and appears with ensembles on the world’s great concert stages and at the most prestigious festivals.
Gil Shaham is one of the foremost violinists of our time; his flawless technique combined with his inimitable warmth and generosity of spirit have solidified his renown as an American master. The Grammy Award and Avery Fisher Prize winner, also named Musical America’s “Instrumentalist of the Year,” is sought after throughout the world for concerto appearances with leading orchestras and conductors, and he regularly gives recitals and appears with ensembles on the world’s great concert stages and at the most prestigious festivals.
Highlights of recent years include the acclaimed recording and performances of J.S. Bach’s complete sonatas and partitas for solo violin. In the coming seasons, in addition to championing these solo works, he will join his long-time duo partner pianist Akira Eguchi in recitals throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Highlights of recent years include the acclaimed recording and performances of J.S. Bach’s complete sonatas and partitas for solo violin. In the coming seasons, in addition to championing these solo works, he will join his long-time duo partner pianist Akira Eguchi in recitals throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Appearances with orchestra regularly include the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and Francisco Symphony, as well as multi-year residencies with the orchestras of Montreal, Stuttgart and Singapore. With orchestra, Shaham continues his exploration of “Violin Concertos of the 1930s,” including the works of Barber, Bartók, Berg, Korngold and Prokofiev, among many others.
Appearances with orchestra regularly include the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and San Francisco Symphony, as well as multi-year residencies with the orchestras of Montreal, Stuttgart and Singapore. With orchestra, Shaham continues his exploration of “Violin Concertos of the 1930s,” including the works of Barber, Bartók, Berg, Korngold and Prokofiev, among many others.
Gil Shaham plays the 1699 “Countess Polignac” Stradivarius and performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin, Cremona c. 1719, with the assistance of Rare Violins in Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative. gilshaham.com
Gil Shaham plays the 1699 “Countess Polignac” Stradivarius and performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin, Cremona c. 1719, with the assistance of Rare Violins in Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative. gilshaham.com
n PROGRAM NOTES
n PROGRAM NOTES
Victoria Polevá: Symphony No. 3, White Interment
Victoria Polevá: Symphony No. 3, White Interment
n Composed: 2002 for oboe and strings; revised for orchestra in 2003 as Symphony No. 3
n Composed: 2002 for oboe and strings; revised for orchestra in 2003 as Symphony No. 3
n Premiere: 2009 by the Rivne [Ukraine] Chamber Orchestra, Petro Tovstukha conducting
n Premiere: 2009 by the Rivne [Ukraine] Chamber Orchestra, Petro Tovstukha conducting
Viktoria Polevá, one of the most prominent of Ukraine’s many gifted contemporary composers, was born in Kyiv in 1962 and received her early training in music from her father, himself a composer. Polevá continued her education at the Shchedryk Children’s Choir Studio, Glière Kyiv State Higher Music School and Kyiv State Conservatory, where her principal composition
Viktoria Polevá, one of the most prominent of Ukraine’s many gifted contemporary composers, was born in Kyiv in 1962 and received her early training in music from her father, himself a composer. Polevá continued her education at the Shchedryk Children’s Choir Studio, Glière Kyiv State Higher Music School and Kyiv State Conservatory, where her principal composition
teacher was Ivan Karabyts. She taught at the Conservatory following her graduation in 1989, and when it was reorganized in 1995 as the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music Poleva was awarded a graduate teaching fellowship, teaching composition at the school until 1998, when she took over the school’s Music Information Technologies Department. Polevá left academia in 2005 to devote herself to composing. Since then, she has created an extensive catalog encompassing operas; ballets; accompanied and a cappella choral and vocal works set to folk, classical and sacred texts; and pieces for orchestra, chamber ensembles and piano with referential aspects, many in a so-called “sacred minimalist” style that has also found wide acceptance in the works of Arvo Pärt, Henryk Górecki, John Tavener and others. Polevá’s works have been performed internationally by leading conductors, soloists, chamber ensembles and orchestras and recognized with numerous honors, including the Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, Kyiv Art Prize, Boris Lyatoshinsky Prize and Levko Revutsky Prize, first prizes in the International Spherical Music Competition and All-Ukrainian Composers’ Competition, and residencies at new music festivals in Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, United Arab Emirates, Peru and Chile.
The title, character and form of Polevá’s White Interment are indebted to the grim poem “Teper’ Vsegda Snega” (“Now Always Snow”) by Russian avantgardist Gennady Aygi (1934–2006), which opens “Like snow the Lord is all there is/When all there is is snow/When the soul is all there is/The snows the soul and light/But still just this/That there are those/Like death is all there is…” —Dr. Richard E. Rodda
Antonín Dvořák: Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 53
n Composed: 1879
n Premiere: October 14, 1883 by violinist František Ondříček
n Instrumentation: solo violin, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings
n Duration: approx. 32 minutes
Dvořák’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 53 is both melodic and adventurous, filled with folk-like tunes and strong rhythms. Its structure departs from the norm: the first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, is cut short, which led early critics to criticize its lack of symmetry. But sacrificing form in favor of substance is a worthwhile trade-off: the concerto grabs the ear from its first notes and holds the listener captive throughout. Furthermore, Dvořák’s insistence on eliding the first movement into the second was a brilliant choice: without the release of tension that a decisive ending would have provided, it is the audience, not the soloist, who does the work of carrying the emotional intensity of the first movement over into the second.
The themes of the first movement establish the work’s Bohemian pedigree from the opening fanfare by means of strong dance rhythms. Dvořák tempers those with occasional touches that invoke the spirit of Brahms, such as the displaced ties across bar lines. The transition into the middle movement, Adagio ma non troppo, is accomplished through gentle motion as the flute and oboe settle down into a major key.
This middle movement again summons Brahms in its calm motion and its heightened expressivity. Long, lyrical countermelodies in the woodwinds complement the soloist as the harmonies shift in unexpected ways, sprinkled with exquisite touches of contrapuntal filigree. The movement builds to a full, rich, soaring string tune in parallel thirds—Brahms again!—before closing with another image from the Bohemian countryside.
The finale, Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo, represents Dvořák at his finest. He opens with a furiant, a quick Bohemian dance with sharp, shifting syncopations that trick the ear into hearing 2/4 time, even though the music is truly in triple meter. Three longer episodes interrupt the main theme, and here, too, Dvořák invokes his homeland with drums and bagpipe drones. The centerpiece of the movement, however, is the sudden lapse into a dumka, a plaintive Slavic lament in moderate 2/4 that eventually returns to the main theme and leads to a rousing finish.
Dvořák’s concerto was championed by generations of violinists, including Josef Suk, Salvatore Accardo and David Oistrakh and has become one of the cornerstones of the violin repertoire. As for Joseph Joachim (who was to give the premiere of the concerto but rejected the work after several revisions), he soon came to appreciate the artistry of the work, but he never did get to perform it in public. Yet, to this day, it is Joachim’s own fingerings and bowings that grace the Urtext edition of the work, a testament to his high regard for its charm and beauty.
—Dr. Scot Buzza
Johannes Brahms: Symphony
n Composed: 1884–85
No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
n Premiere: October 17, 1885, Meiningen, Germany, Johannes Brahms conducting n Instrumentation: 2 flutes (incl. piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, triangle, strings n Duration: approx. 39 minutes
Johannes Brahms wrote his fourth and final symphony during the summers of 1884 and 1885. The work was premiered by one of Europe’s leading orchestras in Meiningen, Germany in October 1885, and numerous performances throughout Europe, as well as in Boston and New York, quickly followed. Brahms’ friends, music critics and, later, historians warmly praised the richness of the work, particularly the continuous development of the main motives in the powerful first movement. The stunning beauty of the melodies in the second movement, particularly the second main melody introduced by the cellos, attracted even warmer praise. Elisabeth von Herzogenberg, one of Brahms’ closest friends and an extremely astute musician, described this theme as a “long drawn-out song breathing of summer!” and congratulated Brahms on the “delicious” harmonies. The lyricism of this movement, which is tinged by a gentle nostalgia, contrasts with the bristling energy of the third movement, which resembles a raucous carnival. Brahms himself described it as “fairly noisy” because it included noise makers such as three timpani, a triangle and piccolo. The fourth movement, however, is one of Brahms’ greatest technical accomplishments. Drawing on the compositional techniques of Bach and Beethoven, it features one main theme that is varied and transformed 30 times. Despite the recurring theme, the movement never becomes boring because Brahms combined the theme with new ideas and harmonies, and created contrasting orchestral colors. Quiet passages, including a gently wafting flute solo and solemn, chorale-like phrases intoned by the trombones and bassoon, contrast with the orchestra’s dramatic and, at times, anguished phrases. This spectacular finale has been accorded many accolades, with Max Kalbeck, a leading Viennese music critic, labeling it as “the crown of all Brahms variation movements.”
—Heather Platt, Sursa Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts and Professor of Music
Born: May 7, 1833, Hamburg, Germany Died: April 3, 1897, Vienna, Austria
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GIFT OF MUSIC: August 28–October 21, 2024
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The following people provided gifts to the Gift of Music Fund to celebrate an occasion, to mark a life of service to the Orchestra, or to commemorate a special date. Their contributions are added to the Orchestra’s endowment. For more information on how to contribute to this fund, please call 513.744.3271.
In memory of Jan Denton Eleanor McCombe
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HONOR ROLL OF CONTRIBUTORS
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops are grateful to the following individuals that support our efforts by making a gift to the Orchestra Fund. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one and pay tribute to them here. You can join our family of donors online at cincinnatisymphony.org/donate or by contacting the Philanthropy Department at 513.744.3271.
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Robert Johnson
Mrs. Marilyn P. Johnston
Jay and Shirley Joyce
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Judd §
Christopher and Felecia Kanney
Dr. James Kaya and Debra Grauel
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Kerstine
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Kitzmiller
In Memory of Jeff Knoop
Paul and Carita Kollman
Carol and Scott Kosarko §
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Kregor
Kathleen B. and Michael C. Krug Fund*
Pat and Randy Krumm §
Mrs. John H. Kuhn §
Pinky Laffoon
Asher Lanier
Janet R. Schultz
Mrs. Julie Laskey
Joe Law and Phil Wise
Mrs. James R. Leo
Dr. Carol P. Leslie
Mr. and Mrs. Lance A. Lewis
Mrs. Maxine F. Lewis
Mr. Arthur Lindsay
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Link
Mitchel and Carol Livingston
Mrs. Marianne Locke
Steven Kent Loveless
JP and Footie Lund
Larry and Mary Geren Lutz
Mrs. Mary Reed Lyon
Marshall and Nancy Macks
Mr. and Mrs. Julian A. Magnus
Jenea Malarik
Ms. Cheryl Manning
Andrew and Jean Martin
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Matz
Ms. Mary Jane Mayer
Dr. Janet P. McDaniel
Tim and Trish McDonald
Mark McKillip and Amira Beer
Stephanie & Arthur McMahon
Art and Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McNeill
Charles and JoAnn Mead
Ms. Nancy Menne
Lee Meyer
Michael V. Middleton
Midland Company
Laura Milburn
Rachel and Charlie Miller
Sonia R. Milrod
Ms. Laura Mitchell
Mr. Steven Monder
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Moore
Regeana and Al Morgan
Mr. Scott Muhlhauser
Alan Flaherty and Patti Myers §
Hochwalt Naumann Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Neal
Mrs. Sara Nemeth
Amy Paul and Jerry Newfarmer
Susan E. Noelcke
Jane Oberschmidt §
Mr. Gerardo Orta
Mr. Joseph A. Pauley
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Piazza
Anne M. Pohl §
Dr. Robert and Jackie Prichard
Mrs. Stewart Proctor
Mr. Robert Przygoda
Jerry Rape
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Reed
Dr. Robert Rhoad and Kitsa Tassian Rhoad
Stephanie Richardson
Mr. David Robertson
Laurie and Dan Roche
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Rodner
Dr. Anna Roetker
Pops Conductor John Morris Russel and guest artist Rick Steves with donors Nancy and Patty Wagner. Credit: CSO Staff
Board members Charla Weiss (Board Chair Elect and ViceChair of Institutional Advancement) and Kori Hill (Chair of the Multicultural Awareness Council) at the Cocktails with Cristi & Cheryl event. Credit: Claudia Hershner
Ms. Jeanne C. Rolfes
Dr. and Mrs. Gary Roselle
Amy and John Rosenberg
Ellen and Louis Ross
Mr. and Mrs. G. Roger Ross
Dr. Deborah K. Rufner
J. Gregory and Judith B. Rust
Mr. Christian J. Schaefer
Cindy Scheets
Ms. Carol Schleker
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Schleker
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Schmerler
George Palmer Schober
Glenda C. Schorr Fund*
Carol J. Schroeder §
James P. Schubert
Mary D. Schweitzer
Dr. Joseph Segal and Ms. Debbie Friedman
Elaine Semancik
Mick and Nancy Shaughnessy
The Shepherd Chemical Company
Alfred and Carol Shikany
Jacqueline M. Mack and Dr. Edward B. Silberstein
Ms. Joycee Simendinger
Doug and Laura Skidmore
In Honor of Kenneth Skirtz
Ms. Martha Slager
Susan and David Smith
Mark M. Smith (In memory of Terri C. Smith)
Phillip and Karen Sparkes
In Honor of
Melody Sawyer Richardson
Marian P. Stapleton
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Stautberg
Ms. Ruth M. Stechschulte
Mr. John Stein
Mary M. Stein
Christopher and Meghan Stevens
Mr. Jason V. Stitt
Stephanie and Joseph Stitt
Nancy and Gary Strassel
Ms. Susan R. Strick
Mr. George Stricker, Jr.
Mr. Mark Stroud
Kathryn Sullivan
Thomas and Keri Tami
Dr. Alan and Shelley Tarshis
Maureen Taylor
Mr. Fred Tegarden
Carlos and Roberta Teran
Rich and Nancy Tereba
Emily Terwilliger
Linda and Nate Tetrick
Greg Tiao and Lisa Kuan
Marcia and Bob Togneri
Dr. Nicolette van der Klaauw
Mr. D. R. Van Lokeren
Jim and Rachel Votaw §
Ms. Barbara Wagner
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Wainscott
Jane A. Walker
Sarella Walton
Ping Wang
Chad and Betsy Warwick
Herman & Margaret
Wasserman Music Fund*
Mary Webster
Michael and Terry Welch
Maryhelen West
Elizabeth White
Angela and Jack Willard
Ms. Diana Willen §
Marsha Williams
Mr. Dean Windgassen and Ms. Susan Stanton Windgassen
Craig and Barbara Wolf
Donald and Karen Wolnik
Rebecca Seeman and David Wood
Judith R Workman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wylly III
Mr. John M. Yacher
David and Sharon Youmans
Mrs. Darleen Young
Judy and Martin Young
Mr. David Youngblood and Ms. Ellen Rosenman
THE THOMAS SCHIPPERS LEGACY SOCIETY
Mr. & Mrs. James R. Adams
Jeff & Keiko Alexander
Mrs. Robert H. Allen
Dr. Toni Alterman
Paul R. Anderson
Carole J. Arend
Donald C. Auberger, Jr.
Cheryl Zalzal
Dr. and Mrs. Daryl Zeigler
Mr. and Mrs. John Zeller
Moritz and Barbara Ziegler
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Zierolf
Mr. Richard K. Zinicola and Ms. Linda R. Holthaus
Mrs. Beth Zwergel
Anonymous (22)
List as of October 28, 2024
GIFTS IN-KIND
Mr. Michael Culligan
Jones Day
David and Carol Dunevant
Paul and Anna Isaacs
List as of October 30, 2024
* Denotes a fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
§ Denotes members of The Thomas Schippers Legacy Society.
Individuals who have made a planned gift to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops Orchestra are eligible for membership in the Society. For more information, please contact Kate Farinacci at 513.744.3202.
Thomas Schippers was Music Director from 1970 to 1977. He left not only wonderful musical memories, but also a financial legacy with a personal bequest to the Orchestra. The Thomas Schippers Legacy Society recognizes those who contribute to the Orchestra with a planned gift. We thank these members for their foresight and generosity. For more information on leaving your own legacy, contact Kate Farinacci at 513.744.3202.
Dr. Diane Schwemlein Babcock
Henrietta Barlag
Peggy Barrett
Jane* & Ed Bavaria
David & Elaine Billmire
Walter Blair
Lucille* & Dutro Blocksom
Dr. John & Suzanne Bossert
Dr. Mollie H. Bowers-Hollon
Ronald Bozicevich
Thomas A. Braun, III
Joseph Brinkmeyer
Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Bryan, III
Harold & Dorothy Byers
Deborah Campbell & Eunice M. Wolf
Catharine W. Chapman
Michael L. Cioffi & Rachael Rowe
Mrs. Jackson L. Clagett III
Lois & Phil* Cohen
Leland M.* & Carol C. Cole
Sheila & Christopher Cole
Grace A. Cook*
Jack & Janice Cook
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cordes
Ms. Andrea Costa
Peter G. Courlas & Nick Tsimaras*
Mr. & Mrs. Charles E Curran III
Amy & Scott Darrah, Meredith & Will Darrah & children
Caroline H. Davidson
Harrison R.T. Davis
Ms. Kelly M. Dehan
Janice Denton*
Amy & Trey Devey
Robert W. Dorsey
Jon & Susan Doucleff
Ms. Judith A. Doyle
Mr. & Mrs. John Earls
Mr. & Mrs. Barry C. Evans
Linda & Harry Fath
Alan Flaherty
Mrs. Richard A. Forberg
Ashley & Barbara Ford
Guy & Marilyn Frederick
Rich Freshwater & Family
Mr. Nicholas L. Fry
Linda P. Fulton
H. Jane Gavin
Edward J. & Barbara C.* Givens
Kenneth A. Goode
Clifford J. Goosmann &
Andrea M. Wilson
Mrs. Madeleine H. Gordon
J. Frederick & Cynthia Gossman
Kathy Grote
Esther B. Grubbs, Marci Bein & Mindi Hamby
William Hackman
Vincent C. Hand & Ann E. Hagerman
Tom & Jan Hardy
William L. Harmon
Mary J. Healy
Frank G. Heitker
Anne P. Heldman*
Betty & John* Heldman
Karlee L. Hilliard
Michael H. Hirsch
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn
Daniel J. Hoffheimer
Kenneth L. Holford
George R. Hood
Mr. & Mrs. Terence L. Horan
Mrs. Benjamin C. Hubbard
Susan & Tom Hughes
Dr. Lesley Gilbertson & Dr. William Hurford
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Isaacs
Julia M. F. B. Jackson
Michael & Kathleen Janson
Andrew MacAoidh Jergens
Jean C. Jett
Anne C. & Robert P. Judd
Margaret H. Jung
Mace C. Justice
Karen Kapella
Dr. & Mrs.* Steven Katkin
Rachel Kirley & Joseph Jaquette
Carolyn Koehl
Marvin Kolodzik & Linda Gallaher
Carol & Scott Kosarko
Marilyn & Michael Kremzar
Randolph & Patricia Krumm
Theresa M. Kuhn
Warren & Patricia Lambeck
Peter E. Landgren & Judith Schonbach Landgren
Owen & Cici Lee
Steve Lee
Mrs. Jean E. Lemon
Mr. Peter F. Levin
George & Barbara Lott
Janice W.* & Gary R. Lubin
Mr.* & Mrs. Ronald Lyons
Marilyn J. Maag
Margot Marples
David L. Martin
Allen* & Judy Martin
David Mason
Barbara & Kim McCracken
Laura Kimble McLellan
Dr. Stanley R. Milstein
Mrs. William K. Minor
Mr. & Mrs. D. E. Moccia
Mary Lou Motl
Kristin & Stephen Mullin
Christopher & Susan Muth
Patti Myers
Susan & Kenneth Newmark
Dr. & Mrs. Theodore Nicholas
Jane Oberschmidt
Marja-Liisa Ogden
Julie & Dick* Okenfuss
Dr. & Mrs. Richard E. Park, MD
Charlie & Tara Pease
Poul D. & JoAnne Pedersen
Sandy & Larry* Pike
Mrs. Harold F. Poe
Anne M. Pohl
Irene & Daniel Randolph
James W. Rauth
Barbara S. Reckseit
Melody Sawyer Richardson
Ellen Rieveschl
Elizabeth & Karl Ronn
Moe & Jack Rouse
Marianne Rowe
Ann & Harry Santen
Rosemary & Mark Schlachter
Carol J. Schroeder
Mrs. William R. Seaman
Dr. Brian Sebastian
Mrs. Robert B. Shott
Sue & Glenn Showers
Irwin & Melinda Simon
Betsy & Paul* Sittenfeld
Sarah Garrison Skidmore*
Adrienne A. Smith
David & Sonja* Snyder
Marie Speziale
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher L. Sprenkle
Barry & Sharlyn Stare
Bill & Lee Steenken
Tom and Dee Stegman
Barry Steinberg
Nancy M. Steman
John & Helen Stevenson
Mary* & Bob Stewart
Brett Stover
Dr. Robert & Jill Strub
Patricia M. Strunk
Ralph & Brenda* Taylor
Conrad F. Thiede
Minda F. Thompson
Carrie & Peter Throm
Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Todd
Nydia Tranter
Dick & Jane Tuten
Thomas Vanden Eynden & Judith Beiting
Mr. & Mrs. James K. Votaw
Mr. & Mrs.* Randolph L. Wadsworth Jr.
Nancy C. Wagner
Patricia M. Wagner
Mr.* & Mrs. Paul Ward
Jo Anne & Fred Warren
Mr. Scott Weiss & Dr. Charla Weiss
Anne M. Werner
Gary & Diane West
Charles A. Wilkinson
Ms. Diana Willen
Joan R. Wilson
Susan Stanton Windgassen
Mrs. Joan R. Wood
Alison & Jim Zimmerman
* Deceased
New Schippers members are in bold
Opus
50 & 25
We APPLAUD Our Loyal CSO and Pops Subscribers
We thank every subscriber whose investment in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops makes these concerts possible. We would not be on stage without you! Thank you especially to the following subscribers whose loyalty and support has extended 25–50 years or more.*
List as of November 14, 2024
*If we have inadvertently left your name o this subscribers-only list or if we need to make corrections to your listed name, please call us at 513.381.3800 or email us at hello@cincinnatisymphony.org.
We are also grateful to those who have been loyal subscribers for 10–24 years, whose names we are unable to include here due to space limitations.
Subscribers of 50 years or more:
Mr. and Mrs. Richard N. Adams
Mr. Gordon Allen
Nancy J. Apfel
Mrs. Marvin Arono
Kathy and Ken Baier
Mr. and Mrs. Franchot Ballinger
Michael A. Battersby
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert J. Beigel
Glenda and Malcolm Bernstein
Hon. Marianna Brown Bettman
Mr. Walter B. Blair
Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Bloch
Bill and Mary Bonansinga
Eleanor A. Botts
Mr. Thomas H. Brown
Mr. and Mrs. R. Richard Broxon
William Bryan
Chris and Tom Buchert
Donald L. and Kathleen Field Burns
Jim and Nina Campbell
Mr. Timothy Clarke
Carol C. Cole
Mr. David S. Collins and Ms. Sandra M. Gans
Dr. C. J. and Carolyn Condorodis
Sally and Rick Coomes
Robin T. Cotton and Cynthia Fitton
Peter G. Courlas
Nancy Creaghead
Lynne Curtiss
Mrs. Jacqueline L. Cutshall
Mrs. Lilian Estevez. de Pagani
Sally H. Dessauer
Mrs. Rupert A. Doan
Mrs. Mel B. Dreyfoos
Mr. and Mrs. C. Thomas Dupuis
Mr. John Eddingfield
Mr. and Mrs. James T. Fitzgerald
Dr. David Flaspohler and Dr. Cynthia Crown
Mr. and Mrs. Ashley L. Ford
Marlena and Walter Frank
Harriet A. and William M. Freedman
Carol S. Friel
Mrs. Nancy Gard
Dr. and Mrs. Wayne E. Gardiner
Mr. and Mrs. James K. Gehring
Dr. and Mrs. Charles J. Glueck
Sharon L. Goodcase
Cli ord J. Goosmann & Andrea M. Wilson
Mr. David Greulich
Esther Grubbs and Karen Dennis
Dr. Janet C. Haartz
William P. Hackman
Mary and Phil Hagner
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Hake
Ham and Ellie Hamilton
Mrs. Joan D. Hauser
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Hedeen
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Hinaman
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn
Mrs. Robert S. Holzman
Mrs. Benjamin C. Hubbard
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall C. Hunt, Jr.
Charles and Doris Jackson
Rev. & Mrs. Andrew MacAoidh Jergens
Ruth and Frederick Jo e
Dr. J. O’Neal Johnston
Dr. and Mrs. Earl Kisker
Paul and Carita Kollman
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Krieg
Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Kuhnell
Susan La oon
Mr. Gus Lewin
Mr. and Mrs. H. Spencer Liles
Mrs. Linda Linker
Judy and Donald Lomax
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip C. Long
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Luttmer
Peter and Angela Madden
Mr. Carl G. Marquette, Jr.
Tom and Nancy Matthew
Mr. Howard Mayers
Barbara and Kim McCracken
Mr. and Mrs. John S. McCullough
Ted and Barb Mechley
Mr. and Mrs. G. Franklin Miller
Ms. Lynn Miller
Mrs. Murray S. Monroe
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Motch
Mrs. Mary Lou Mueller
Michael and Linda Myers
Janet J. Nailor
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond D. Neusch
Mr. and Mrs. John Niehaus
Dr. and Mrs. Melvyn M. Nizny
Dr. Cora Ogle
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Osborn, III
Alice Perlman
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Piazza
Mrs. Stewart Proctor
Mr. Joseph W. Raterman
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Rohling
Joseph N. Ross
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Schaumlo el
Lee and Martha Schimberg
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick R. Schneider
Mrs. William Schwerin
Dr. and Mrs. Rees W. Sheppard
Alfred and Carol Shikany
Jacqueline M. Mack and Dr. Edward B. Silberstein
John and Janet Simpkinson
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Skirtz
Mr. and Mrs. David Lee Smith
Mr. and Mrs. John Spiess
Mrs. Henry R. Stefanik
Tom and Dee Stegman
Dr. Jean and Mrs. Anne Steichen
Nancy Steman Dierckes
Mr. and Mrs. Laurence G. Stillpass
Mrs. Lowella M. Stoerker
Elizabeth A. Stone
Mrs. Joan C. Stou er
Mrs. Theodore Striker
Dr. and Mrs. Suranyi
Mrs. George Tassian
Susan and John Tew
Dorothy and Lowell Orr, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Dwight Thompson
Dr. and Mrs. Samuel P. Todd, Jr.
Mrs. Henry P. Trounstine
Mr. Robert Lindner, Sr.
Dr. Ilse M. van der Bent
Mr. Randolph L. Wadsworth Jr.
Paul and Jo Ann Ward
Dr. and Mrs. Galen R. Warren
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wayman
Mrs. William N. Weed
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel L. Weinstein
Maryhelen West
Shirley Gershuny-Korelitz
Dr. and Mrs. James B. Willis
Louise Wolf
William and Ellen Wyler
Carol J. Yungbluth
Ms. Anita L. Ziegelmeyer
John and Jean Zoller
Subscribers of
25 to 49 years:
Terri and Tom Abare
Ms. Carol A. Abbott
Mrs. Christine O. Adams
Mr. David Adams
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Adams
Mrs. Patricia Adams
Richard and Mary Aft
Dr. and Mrs. Khosrow Alamin
Mr. and Mrs. John G. Anderson
Ms. Lynn R. Anderson
R. Bruce and Patricia A. Anderson
Paul and Dolores Anderson
Theresa M. Anderson
Ms. Christine M. Andrew
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Anthony
Mr. Jimmy E. Antia and Ms. Pheruza P. Tarapore
Brent and Kim Arter
Mr. Thomas P. Atkins
Ms. Laura E. Atkinson
Mr. and Mrs. Philippe Audax
Mrs. Connie Ault
Dr. Cindy J. Bachurski
Mrs. Mary M. Baer
Beth and Bob Baer
Mr. Joseph Baker
Mr. and Mrs. Jack W. Baldwin
Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Ball
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Bardes
Ms. Henrietta Barlag
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Barnes
Mr. Je Barnes
Mr. Je Miller
Mrs. Polly M. Bassett
Mr. M. Bates and Ms. L. Bowen
Michael and Amy Battoclette
Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Becker
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Beimesch
Dr. and Mrs Thomas E. Bell
Ms. Peggy Bell-Lohr
Mr. John A. Belperio
Ms. Jean M. Bens
Mr. William S. Bentley and Mrs. Susan Bentley
Mr. Bill Berger and Ms. Janet Landen
Mr. Robert D. Bergstein
Rev. Milton T. Berner
Mrs. Karen M. Berno
Mr. and Mrs. Hal Bernstein
Nancy Bertaux and Kaleel Skeirik
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Bever
Henryka Nagy
Mr. and Mrs. David R. Biddle
Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Biedenbach
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Bierer
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Bierman
David and Elaine Billmire
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Birkenhauer
Glen W. and Linda C. Bischof
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Bishop
Dr. Stuart Blersch
Ann Blocksom
Dr. Je rey B. Bloomer
Ms. Mary Lou Blount
Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Blum
Mr. and Mrs. William Boardman
Ms. Beverly Bodin
Dr. Christiane Boehr
Ms. Traci L. Boeing
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Bohne
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Bolduc
Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Bonhaus
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Borgmann
Mr. Neil K Bortz
Mr. and Mrs. Gaetano T. Bosco
Glenn and Donna Boutilier
Dr. and Mrs. Kevin E. Bove
Bruce Bowdon & Robin Bratt
Ann Boylan
Mr. and Mrs. George R. Bradley III
Ms. Linda F. Brainard
Dr. and Mrs. William Bramlage
Thomas A. Braun, III
Ms. Mary Breighner
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Breitenstein
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D. Bretz
Mr. and Ms. Tony Brewer
Virginia Brezinski
Ms. Elizabeth Brice
Mr. and Mrs. Mark O. Bricker
Mrs. Kathy J. Bright
Ms. Maria Britto
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brodbeck
Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Broersma
Ms. Kathryn L. Brokaw
Mr. Don H. Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Brown
Ms. Marinell Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Bart A. Brown , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael O. Brown
Dr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Brown
Mrs. Roger E. Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Brown
Mr. and Mrs. James P. Bruckmann
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph F. Brueggemann
Mr. and Mrs. Larry J. Brueshaber
Mr. and Mrs. William T. Brungs
Mrs. Hermine Brunner
Ms. Rachelle Bruno and Mr. Stephen Bondurant
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Bryan, III
Mr. and Mrs. Otto M. Budig, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Wagner , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Bullock
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Burdin
Mrs. Faye P. Nobis
Mr. James Burger
Ms. Barbara B. Burke
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Burleigh
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burnett
Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Burns
Daniel Burr
Mr. and Ms. John Busam
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Busche
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Busse
Mrs. Bruce L. Byrnes
Mr. James Cadigan
Mr. Alan B. Cady
Mr. and Mrs. Cary R. Cain
Ms. Susan E. Cannon
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent N. Capasso
Mr. and Mrs. Peter E. Carels
Mr. R. P. Carey
Mr. William Carey
Ms. Susan Carlson and Mr. Philip Berne
Dr. and Mrs. Gary G. Carothers
Stephen and Karen Carr
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Carroll
Mrs. Maria I. Carver
Ms. Sandra Case
Mr. and Mrs. Peter L. Cassady
Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Chaiken
Ms. Rosalind Chaiken
Mr. Edward Chamberlin and Ms. Coletta Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chavez
Mr. Eric J. Cheney
Ms. Karen C. Cheyne
Mr. David P. Cho
Mr. Edmund M. Choi
Gordon and Favienne Christenson
Ms. Karen T. Cianciolo
Cincinnati Financial Corporation
Michael L. Cioffi & Rachael Rowe
Mrs. and Mr. Ruth Claypoole
Ms. Susan Cline
Mr. Edward Cloughessy and Ms. Beverly Kinney
Mr. and Mrs. James Coates
Dr. and Mrs. John S. Cohen
Sheila and Christopher Cole
Marc & Julie Colegrove
Mrs. Lucille F. Collins
Ms. Ricki L. Collins
William J. Hahn
Mr. F. W. Colucci
Mrs. Thomas Cones
Mrs. Jacqueline L. Conner
Mr. and Mrs. William V. Coombs
Mr. and Mrs. Randy K. Cooper II
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Copanas
Mr. and Mrs. James Cox
Ms. Melissa Cox
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis P. Coyne
Mr. and Mrs. David D. Crane
Kim and Jeff Crawford
Mr. Timothy Crowley
Mrs. Carol A. Schradin
James and Susan Crumpler
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Culp
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Cuni
Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Dabek, Jr.
Donald and Victoria Daiker
Mrs. Micha Daoud
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Darby
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Darner
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Daun
Mr. Louis M. Dauner
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Dauwe
April and Harry Davidow
Mr. Frank B. Davis
Mr. Jeff Davis
Ms. Linda Sue Davis
Ms. Yvonne M. Davis
Ms. Margaret R. Dawson
Dr. and Mrs. Rank O. Dawson, Jr.
Dr. George S. Deepe
Mr. and Mrs. Alan P. DeJarnette
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dell
Bedouin and Randall Dennison
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis W. Dern
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Desatnik
Mr. Noel J. Dickson
Ms. Mary C. Diersing
Ms. Marion DiFalco
Ms. Linda J. Diller
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Dillon
The David J. Joseph Co.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Doll
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Donlan
Dr. Robert Donovan
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen P. Donovan, Jr.
Mr. Robert W. Dorsey
Jon and Susan Doucleff
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Doughty
Mr. Claude Drouet
Tom and Leslie Ducey
Anne Dulle
Mrs. Doris A. Dunathan
Mr. and Mrs. William L. Dunavant
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Dunevant
Mrs. Dianne Dunkelman
Mr. and Mrs. Corwin R. Dunn
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Dunn
Mr. Craig Duston
Mrs. Diana T. Dwight
Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Eagen
Mr. and Mrs. John Earls
Mrs. Victoria Eaton
Mr. and Mrs. Harold K. Eberenz
Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Ebersole
Mrs. J. Kay Eby
Dave and Kathy Eby
Mr. David G. Edmundson
Mr. and Ms. Edward R. Ratterman
Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Edwards
Mr. Dale B. Elliott
Mr. John Ellmore
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ernst
Eric and Catherine Estill
Ms. Cathy C. Eubanks
Mr. and Mrs. Allan W. Evans
Mr. and Mrs. Barry C. Evans
Ms. Judith A. Evans
Ms. Jane Eyler
Mrs. Mary Ann Fagel
Ms. Julie W. Fairbanks
Dr. Douglas K. Fairobent and Dr. Paulette M. Gillig
Dr. and Mrs. Horacio Falciglia
Dr. and Mrs. William J. Faulkner
Ms. Carol H. Fencl
John and Barbara Fillion
Ms. Gwendoline M. Finegan
Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. FinkeIV
Mr. and Mrs. Milton C. Finkes
Dr. and Mrs. Carl G. Fischer
Ms. Carol M. Fisher
Ms. Elizabeth C. Fisher-Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Barry A. Fittes
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Fitzpatrick , Jr.
Mr. David B. Fleming
Mr. and Mrs. Russell D. Flick
Mr. and Mrs. Winston E. Folkers
Ms. Judy Foreman
Mrs. Amy Forte
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Forte
Mr. Byron Fowler
Ms. Marjorie Fox
Dr. Alan Frager
Dr. Charles E. Frank and Ms. Jan Goldstein
Mr. and Mrs. Guy Frederick
Mr. and Mrs. John Freeman
Mr. Michael Friedman
Mrs. Peggy Frondorf
Dr. and Mrs. Harry F. Fry
Mr. Kelly Fulmer
Mrs. John M. Gallagher
Frank and Tara Gardner
Ms. Martha J. Gardner
Ms. Madeleine Garvin
Mr. Joseph Gaudio
Mark S. Gay
GE Aviation
Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Gehrig
Dr. Sheila Gelman and Dr. David Greenblatt
Ms. Annette v. Georgin
Ms. Shelly Shor Gerson
Dr. and Mrs. Freidoon Ghazi
Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Giannella
Mr. L. Timothy Giglio
Mr. and Mrs. Fred E. Gilliam
Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Ginocchio, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Gist
Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Givens
Dr. and Mrs. Seymour I. Glick
Dr. Jerome Glinka and Dr. Kathleen Blieszner
Mark and Renee Glogowski
Ms. Karen L. Glover
Mr. and Mrs. Haynes Goddard
Mr. Paul Godfrey
Ms. Edna M. Godsey
Mr. Donn J. Goebel
Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Goering
Mr. and Mrs. Elden Dale Golden
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Goldman
Steven and Shelley Goldstein
Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Good
David and Mary Beth Goodale
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gotoff
Mr. and Mrs. Karl R. Graham
Ms. Moira Grainger
Mr. Tom W. Graler
Mrs. Carolyn Grant
Mrs. Mary E. Gray
Robert and Cynthia Gray
Dr. & Mrs. Samuel Greengus
Mr. Gary Gregory
Dr. Sandra M. Grether
Jack and Linda Griffin
Ms. Joan Griggs
Ms. Margaret Groeber
Mary Grooms
Ms. Kathleen M. Grote
Dr. and Mrs. John E. Grover
Mr. Richard L. Gruber
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Gruber
Mrs. Andi Guess
Mrs. Leo A. Haas
Ms. Wendy C. Haas
Dr. and Mrs. Jack A. Hahn
Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Hall
Mr. and Mrs. David E. Haller
Mr. and Mrs. David E. Halstead
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Hamilton
Mr. Vincent C. Hand
Dr. and Mrs. Stuart Handwerger
Ms. Julie H. Hanley
Ms. Jane F. Hansley
Mrs. Roslyn Harkavy
Mary Pat Key and Wayne Harner
Mr. Edward G. Harness , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Harper
Mr. and Mrs. James Harper
Mr. David Harpring
Ms. Betty J. Harris
Ms. Ellen A. Harrison
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hartle
Mr. and Mrs. William Hartmann
Mr. and Mrs. William Harvey
Dr. Deborah Hauger
Mr. Gene Hawkins and Mrs. Margaret Tuxford-Hawkins
Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Haynes
Mr. John A. Headley
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Heidenreich
Diane M. Heilmann
Mr. and Mrs. Eric W. Heineke
Mr. Stephen W. Heinzman and Ms. Sharon Bergman
Mrs. Nadine Hellings
Mr. & Mrs. David G. Hemminger
Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Henson
Mr. and Mrs. John Hepfinger
Ms. Lynn M. Hericks
Mrs. Cheryl Hern-Janovic
Mr. Bruce Herren
Sister Carren Herring
Mr. and Mrs. William Herring
Dr. and Mrs. Edward B. Herzig
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Herzog
Mrs. Jane A. Heskamp
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Hibbard
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Hicks
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Hill
Mr. George M. Hillenbrand, II
Ms. Karlee L. Hilliard
Mr. Michael H. Hirsch
Mr. and Mrs. Randy C. Hirtzel
Laura A. Hobson
Mrs. Wilma Hochstrasser
Emily M. Hodges
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy L. Hoerst
Daniel J. Hoffheimer
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Hoffheimer
Mr. Ronald J. Hoffman and Ms. Barbara Gomes
Mr. and Mrs. Don Hoffmann
Irene A. Hofmann
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy A. Holmen
Ms. Ruth C. Holthaus
Mr. William Hopple
The HORAN Family
Mr. and Mrs. Donald B. Hordes
Mr. Douglas A. Horn
Mr. and Mrs. Orson Hornsby
Bonnie and Carl Hosea
Mr. Thomas Hotek
Mr. and Ms. Robert H. Howard
William and Ruth Hoyt
Mr. Henry Huber
Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Humphrey
Ms. Judythe A. Huston
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Imfeld
Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Inderhees
Ms. Sue T. Ingraham
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Jackson
Skip and Joan Jackson
Mrs. Mary B. Jasany
John M. Jeep and Lynda Hoffman-Jeep
Mrs. Marcia Jelus
Ms. Laura Jenkins
Ms. Louise K. Jenks
Mrs. Barbara A. Jennings
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Joffe
John & Thomas Schiff & Co.
Mr. and Mrs. James G. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Randy Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Johnston
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Jones
Mr. Robert P. Judd
Ms. Susan L. Judis
Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Junker
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kalota
Mr. Larry Kavanagh and Ms. Kelly Kusch
Dr. and Mrs. James Kaya
Ms. Holly Keeler
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Keenan
Mrs. Karen G. Keller
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Kelley
Dr. and Mrs. Richard S. Kerstine
Ms. Carol Kessler and Mr. Lawrence R. Becker
Ms. Susan S. Kies
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Kimble
Bill and Penny Kincaid
Mr. and Mrs. John Kindel
Mr. and Mrs. Donald W. King
Dr. Harry R. Kinlaw
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce A. Kintner
Mr. James Klein
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kleiser
Jay and Diana Klenk
Ms. Andrea and Mr. David Knarr
Mrs. Carol A. Grasha and Mr. Christopher B. Knoop
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey L. Knoop
Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. Knox
Mr. and Dr. Randy Lee Kobman
Mr. and Mrs. William Koch
Mrs. Carolyn W. Koehl
Mrs. Pamela Koester-Hackman
Marvin P. Kolodzik and Linda S. Gallaher
Mrs. Arlene Koon
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kovarsky
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Kraimer
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Kramer
Mr. Stephen Kramrech
Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Krauss
Mr. & Mrs. M. H. Kremzar
Mrs. Kathleen Krug
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph L. Krumm
Carol Louise Kruse
Mrs. Phyllis M. Kugler
Mrs. Theresa M. Kuhn
Mr. David M. Kundrat
Ms. Marianne Kunnen-Jones
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Kuy
Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. LaChance
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Laemmle
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lamb
Ms. Robin G. Lambert
Mrs. Barbara G. Landen
Diane McKay Landi
Ms. Margaret A. Landwehr
Ms. Kathryn S. Lang
Teresa T. Lange
Mr. Walter E. Langsam
Ms. Karen E. Larsen
Ms. Sally L. Larson
Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Lauterbach
Mr. Joe K. Law and Mr. Phil Wise
The Lazarus Family
Mrs. Deborah L. Lease
Ms. Elaine B. Lee
Mr. and Mrs. Terry W. Lee
Dr. Donald W. Leedy
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Leftwich
Mr. Michael Lenz
Mrs. Diane M. Collins and Mr. Jack W. Levi
Ms. Jane Lewin
Mr. Robert E. Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Lieberman
Dr. and Mrs. Calvin C. Linnemann
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Lippert
Mrs. Robert R. Lippert
Mr. Steven J. Lippert
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan R. Lippincott
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Listermann
Mr. Earl Litton
Ms. Ellen A. Litton
Mrs. Betty L. Long
Bill and Julie Lonneman
Dr. G. Franklin Lowe
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Lubin
Mr. and Mrs. David S. Lucas
Ms. Mary W. Lund
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Lundgren
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Lyons
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas MacCurdy
Ms. Carol A. MacGregor
Dr. and Mrs. Bryan L. Madison
Mr. Scott Maier
Mr. and Mrs. George S. Maley
Mr. and Mrs. Barry C. Malinowski
Kathy and Brad Mank
Donn and Pamela Manker
Dr. and Mrs. Brian A. Mannion
Mrs. Morita Marmo
Ms. Dianne H. Marn
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Marquardt
Mr. and Mrs. Donald I. Marshall
Mr. David L. Martin
Mrs. Judith Martin
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Martin
Mr. and Mrs. Warren L. Mason
Mrs. Mary E. Mathers
Mr. John A. Matulaitis and Dr. Siga M. Lenkauskas
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mayer
Mr. and Mrs. John Mays
Mr. and Mrs. Merrick F. McCarthy III
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. McClurg
Mr. Martin P. McConnell and Ms. Patricia Stockman
Ms. Tawny McCormick
David and Leslie McCracken
Dr. Janet P. McDaniel
Ms. Janet McGrath
Mr. Mark E. McKillip and Ms. Amira Beer
Mr. Douglas J. McKimm
Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. McKinney
Mr. and Mrs. Terry McMillen
Ms. Nancy McNeal
Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. McOsker
Mr. Paul Medin and Ms. Carol Ray
Lynn Meloy and Lyle Cain
Lon Mendelsohn
Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Metzger
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis J. Meyer
Lee Meyer
Mrs. Nancy L. Meyers
James and Sarah Michael
Mrs. Ann Michaels
Ms. Darlene Miller
Dr. and Mrs. E. Huxley Miller
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Miller
Mr. James M. Miller
Ms. Sue Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Richard T. Miller
Drs. Robert and Elaine Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Miller
Dr. and Mrs. Theodore H. Miller
Mr. and Mrs. David A. Millett
Terence G. Milligan
Mr. and Mrs. Donald D. Mills
Ms. Sonia R. Milrod
Ms. Kathy S. Molony
Ms. Susanne E. Monteith
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse F. Montgomery III
Eileen W. and James R. Moon
Mr. Michael T. Moore, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Russ Morrison
Ms. Carol T. Moses
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin R. Mosher
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Moskowitz
Mr. and Mrs. Gates Moss
Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Mottola
Ms. Joyce A. Mueller
Mrs. Kathleen Mueller
Ms. Jane Mueninghoff
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Muething
Kevin and Lane Muth
Ms. Phyllis A. Myers
Mr. and Mrs. James S. Nash
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Nawalaniec
Larry Neuman
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Newcomer
Mr. Gerald Newfarmer and Ms. Amy Paul
Mr. and Mrs. George W. Newman
Mr. Robert B. Newman and Ms. Mary Asbury
Mrs. Christine E. Neyer
Mr. John C. Noelcke
Ms. Kathleen E. Noonan
Ms. Barbara Norris
Ms. Julie B. Northrop
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph G. Nunn , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce F. Nutley
Ms. Sylvia Imes O’Bannon
Mrs. Deborah Oberlag
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. O’Brien
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. O’Brien
Bill and Mary Carol O’Brien
Mr. Edward A. O’Connell and Ms. Susan Dreibelbis
Ms. Katherine O’Connor
Dr. and Mrs. Alan E. Oestreich
Ms. Erna Olafson
Mr. R. Lee Oliver
Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Olson
Mr. Gary S. Oppito
Mr. Fred C. Orth III and Ms. Marlene Miner
Dr. Nan L. Oscherwitz
Mr. and Mrs. James Osterburg
Prof. and Mrs. Daniel E. Otero
Mrs. Carol A. O’Toole
Dr. and Mrs. Carl L. Parrott , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Partridge
Mr. and Mrs. Graham Paxton
Charlie and Tara Pease
Poul D. and JoAnne Pedersen
Dr. and Mrs. Alter Peerless
Mrs. Sue C. Pepple
Mr. James S. Petera and Ms. Lora S. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Peterson
Rev. Dr. David V. Schwab
Mr. and Mrs. Ken P. Petrus
Carol A. and Edwin A. Pfetzing
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Phillips
Mr. Stephen L. Phillips
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Pichler
Mr. Harley V. Piltingsrud
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Pinales
Anne M. Pohl
Dr. and Mrs. Timothy L. Pohlman
Mark and Kim Pomeroy
Dr. and Mrs. Martin Popp
Chef Bill Porter
Michael Potticary and Tellervo Juula-Potticary
Dr. and Mrs. Peter S. Poulos
Ms. Nancy M. Powell
Mr. and Mrs. Richard K. Powers
Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Pratt
Drs. Marcia Kaplan and Michael Privitera
Ms. Priscilla J. Prouty
Mr. and Mrs. Art Provenzano
Gordon and Diana Queen
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Rainey
Ms. Mary Lou Rakel
Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Rapien
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Raptis
Ms. Constance S. Rave
Mr. and Mrs. J. Kent Rawlings
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Reckman
Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Reed
Mr. and Mrs. Allan T. Reeves
Mr. William D. Reid and Mrs. Anne Cushing-Reid
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Reigle
Mrs. Hera Reines
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. Reis
Mr. Michael Rench
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Revelson
Ken Rex and Patricia Wade
Mr. Frank Reynolds
Vicky and Rick Reynolds
William and Linda Rhoads
Mr. Jerry Rice
Ms. Pamela S. Rice
Becky and Ted Richards
Mrs. Kathy F. Richardson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Riesenbeck
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Riga
Mr. and Mrs. J. Timothy Riker
Ms. Janice Ring
Karen and Mark RingswaldEgan
Ms. Sandra Rivers
Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Robertshaw
Mr. Douglas Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Robinson
Ms. Susan Robinson
Suzanne and Craig Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Rodner
Mr. Tom Rolfes
Ms. Maria Romagnoli
Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Rosborough
Mr. and Mrs. J. David Rosenberg
Mrs. Bettina Ross
Mrs. Monique Rothschild
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rouse
James Rubenstein and Bernadette Unger
Ms. Judy Ruehl
Dr. Deborah K. Rufner
Ms. Lois Runden
Mr. Nick Ruotolo
Ms. Lisa Russell
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Rybolt
Mr. Gregory R. Saelens
Mrs. Iris M. Sageser
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Sakalas
Ms. Cheryl A. Sallwasser
Ms. Nancy L. Sanchez
Mr. and Mrs. Charles K. Sanders
Mrs. Germaine L. Santos
Dr. Richard S. Sarason and Anne S. Arenstein
Ms. Jill H. Sauter
Mr. and Mrs. David J. Savage , Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. E. Don Nelson
Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Scharfenberger
Mr. and Mrs. David Schieve
Mark S. and Rosemary K. Schlachter
Mr. Wayne S. Schleutker
David and Nancy Schlothauer
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Schmerler
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Schmidt
Mrs. and Mr. Philip Schmidt
Ms. Kate M. Schmitt
Mr. C. Robert Schmuelling and Ms. Susan Cohen
Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Schneider
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schneider
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Schnell
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy H. Schoonover
Ms. Carol J. Schroeder
Dr.and Mrs. Fritz L. Schuermeyer
Mr. Arthur K. Schuler
Kenneth Schonberg and Deborah Schultz
Mr. Steven R. Schultz
Ms. Christine Schumacher
Mr. Mark Silbersack
Mr. Alan Schwartz
Dr. and Mrs. David B. Schwartz
Ms. Carol J. Schweitzer
Mr. and Mrs. David Schwieterman
Ms. Julia Scofield
Ms. L. Susan Pace
Mrs. Thomas P. Semancik
Ms. Jean Sens
Ms. Stephanie Sepate
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Settell
Ms. Janice F. Seymour
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Sha er
Ms. Martha Sharts
Drs. Mick and Nancy Shaughnessy
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shaw
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce M. Sherwood
Mr. and Mrs. Laurence A. Shiplett
Sue and Glenn Showers
Stanley and Jane Shulman
Mr. Eli E. Shupe, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Siebenhar
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sien
Lise and Kevin Sigward
Deborah Silverman, M.D.
Dr. and Mrs. Barry J. Simon
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin B. Simon
Ms. Kathleen Simon
Mrs. Linda Simon
Mr. Tim Sisson
Mr. and Mrs. Doug S. Skidmore
Mrs. Heidi M. Smakula
Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Smith
J. K. and Vicki Smith
Ms. Michele A. Smith
Dr. Jennifer S. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Smith , Jr.
Mr. Richard K. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Specter
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew P. Speno
Mr. Matthew J. Spiro
Ms. Paula A. Spitzmiller
Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Sprigg
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Staneck
Mr. James D. Stapleton and Ms. Elizabeth Shaughnessy
Mr. and Mrs. William G. Steenken
Ms. Rose Ann Ste en
Mrs. Trista K. Stegman
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob K. Stein
Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Stenken
Ms. Julia C. Stephen
Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Stephenson
Ms. Marjorie A. Stephenson
Mr. Richard Sternberg
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Stevens
Mr. and Mrs. Francis H. Stewart
Miss Judy Stockmeier and Mr. Raymond Dick
Mr. and Mrs. Gary E. Stoelting
Ms. Margaret M. Story
Mr. Victor Sha er
Mr. Brett A. Stover
Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Stradling
Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Strassel
Dr. Joseph Stratman
Mrs. Gerri Strauss
Ms. Judith A. Stubenrauch
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sugerman
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew E. Sweeny, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Szecskay
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tami
Ms. Reiko Tanaka
Mr. Ralph C. Taylor , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Tegarden
Kathy Teipen
Mr. and Mrs. Peter W. Teitelman
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Tensing
Tom and Sue Terwilliger
Mr. Michael Ramundo and Ms. Beverly Thomas
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Thomas
James L. Thompson
Mr. and Mrs. William P. Thurman
Dr. Gregory Tiao
Mrs. Helga Tillinghast
Mr. and Mrs. William Tipkemper
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Tobin
Mr. Michael R. Toensmeyer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Togneri
Gloria and Peter Toot
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Topmiller
Mr. Dennis Trchka
Paul and Diana Trenkamp
Mr. Timothy E. Troendle
Ms. Debbie Bogenschutz and Mr. Harold Tucker
Mr. and Ms. Robert H. Turner , Jr.
Mr. and Ms. Cli ord J. Turrell
Ms. Mary M. Uhlenbrock
Mr. and Mrs. Alan J. Ullman
Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie W. Vance
Mr. and Mrs. David VanSice
Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Veid
Mr. and Mrs. Todd W. Veigel
Ms. Mary U. Vicario
Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Villalba
Mrs. Mary Ellen H. Villalobos
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher F. Virgulak
Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Vollbracht
Ms. Molly A. Vollmer
Mr. and Mrs. James K. Votaw
Nancy Wagner and Patricia Wagner
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Waldfogle
Robert and Joan Wallace
Dr. and Dr. Mark Wallingford
Dr. Ingrid M. Wallner-Ritschel
Mr. and Mrs. Denis F. Walsh
Ms. Lesly Sue H. Walters
Mr. Michael L. Walton
Ms. Sarella M. Walton
Dr. Robert J. Warden
Mr. and Mrs. Michael W. Ware
Mr. and Mrs. Howard P. Warner
Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Warner
Claude and Camilla Warren
Frederick and Jo Anne Warren
Mr. and Mrs. Chad Warwick
Mrs. Louise Watts
Dr. and Mrs. Barry W. Webb
Ms. Karen Webb
Mr. and Mrs. Terry N. Webb
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Webster
Dr. and Mrs. Warren A. Webster
Ms. Marilyn J. Wehri
Mr. Gerald Weigle, Jr.
Ms. Anne M. Werner
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Wesner
DeeDee and Gary West
Mr. and Mrs. John David West
Mr. John H. Westenkirchner
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Wetzler
Mrs. Margaret L. Whalen
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen P. Whitlatch
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Whittenburg
Mrs. Ann Wicks
Mrs. Constance C. Widmer
Glay and Nancy Wiegand
Janice T. Wieland
Mr. and Mrs. Garth Wiley
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Wilhelm
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Williams
Dr. Je rey C. Williams
Ms. Catherine S. Willis
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Willis
Mrs. James W. Wilson, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Winter
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Wintz
Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Wissel
Ms. Barbara J. Witte
Mr. and Mrs. Craig V. Wolf
Gary and Cindy
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wolnik
Steve and Katie Wolnitzek
Regina and Joseph Wolterman
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wood
Mr. and Mrs. David H. Wood
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Woodrow
Mr. Tom Woodru
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Workman
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wortman
Charles Wright
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Wuestefeld
Mr. Alvin Wulfekuhl
Ms. Susan Mineer-Wulsin
Mr. and Mrs. Geo rey Wyght
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne C. Wyko
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Wylly
John M. Yacher
Emel Yakali
Mr. Won-Bin Yim
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Youmans
Mr. Jim Young
Mr. Richard Young
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Zeller
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Ziek , Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Zierolf
Mrs. Irene Zigoris
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Zimmerman
Ms. Sue Zimmerman
Dr. and Mrs. David C. Zink
Ms. Judith P. Zinsser
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Zipperstein
Ms. Mary L. Zubelik
WELCOME TO JAN–FEB GROUPS!
(as of November 13, 2024)
Pops Music of Harry Potter: Jan 3–5
Ann Henrich and Friends & Family
Connie Powers and Friends & Family
Alicia Beever and Friends & Family
Nathan Gilbert and Friends & Family
CSO Rachmanino & Copland: Jan. 11 & 12
AMHEA Home School
Seasons Retirement Community
Pops Simply the Best: Jan. 17–19
ArtsWave
Avonworth High School
DePaul Cristo Rey High School
Bayley at Green Township
Berkeley Square
Maple Knoll Village
Seasons Retirement Community
CSO The Magic Cello: Jan. 24 & 25
Barrington of Oakley
Christian Village at Mason
Maple Knoll Village
Otterbein Retirement Community
Twin Lakes at Montgomery
The Kenwood
Seasons Retirement Community
Findlay High School
The Knolls of Oxford
Lollipops Lost in Space: Feb. 1
Kathie Turner and Friends & Family
CSO Dvořák New World Symphony: Feb. 8 & 9
Norwood Middle School
Seasons Retirement Community
Pops Beethoven X Beyoncé: Feb. 11
Batavia High School
Kayla Ritter and Friends & Family
DePaul Cristo Rey High School
CSO Gil Shaham Plays Dvořák: Feb. 14 & 15
Barrington of Oakley
Bellevue High School
Christian Village of Mason
Maple Knoll Village
Otterbein Retirement Community
Twin Lakes at Montgomery
The Kenwood
Seasons Retirement Community
Creekside Middle School
The Knolls of Oxford
ENJOY THE MUSIC, TOGETHER!
• Groups of 10+ save 20% on most concerts and seniors and students save even more!
• Curate your own event with a private reception, guided tour or meet and greet—the possibilities are endless.
Contact CSO Group Sales: 513.744.3252 or wmarshall@cincinnatisymphony.org cincinnatisymphony.org/groups
ADMINISTRATION
SHARED SERVICES & SUBSIDIARIES. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s business model is unique within the orchestral industry because it provides administrative services for other nonprofits and operates two subsidiary companies—Music & Event Management, Inc. and EVT Management LLC. With the consolidation of resources and expertise, sharing administrative services allows for all organizations within the model to thrive. Under this arrangement, the CSO produces hundreds of events in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton regions and employs hundreds of people annually.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Jonathan Martin
President & CEO
Robert McGrath
Acting President & CEO
Harold Brown
The Honorable Nathaniel R.
Jones Chief Diversity & Inclusion O cer
John Clapp
Vice President of Orchestra & Production
Rich Freshwater
Vice President & Chief Financial O cer
Felecia Tchen Kanney
Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Digital Media
Mary McFadden Lawson
Chief Philanthropy O cer
Anthony Paggett
Vice President of Artistic Planning
Kyle Wynk-Sivashankar
Vice President of Human Resources
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Shannon Faith
Assistant to the Chief Operating O cer
Laura Ruple
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
ARTISTIC PLANNING
Maddie Choi
Artistic Planning Intern
Theresa Lansberry
Artist Liaison
Shuta Maeno
Assistant to the Music Director & Artistic Planning
Sam Strater
Senior Advisor for Cincinnati Pops Planning
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Key Crooms
Director of Community Engagement
Vee Gibson
Classical Roots Coordinator
Pamela Jayne
Volunteer & Community Engagement Manager
Tiago Nunez
Community Engagement Intern
Molly Rains
Community Engagement Events Manager
FINANCE, IT & DATA SERVICES
Deborah Benjamin
Accounting Clerk
Julian Cann Accounting Clerk
Kathleen Curry
Data Entry Clerk
Elizabeth Engwall
Accounting Manager
Matt Grady Accounting Manager
Sharon Grayton Data Services Manager
Marijane Klug Accounting Manager
Shannon May Accounting Clerk
Kristina Pfei er Director of Finance
Elizabeth Salmons
Accounting Clerk
Judy Simpson Director of Finance
Tara Williams
Data Services Manager
HUMAN RESOURCES & PAYROLL
Megan Inderbitzin-Tsai Director of Payroll Services
Natalia Lerzundi
Human Resources & Payroll Coordinator
Jenny Ryan
Human Resources Manager
LEARNING
Carol Dary Dunevant Director of Learning
Hollie Greenwood Learning Coordinator
Kyle Lamb
Learning Programs Manager
Anja Ormiston
Education Programs Intern
MARKETING
JoVahn Allen
Marketing Intern
Jon Dellinger
Growth Marketing Manager
Drew Dolan Box O ce Manager
Stephanie Lazorchak
Graphic Designer
Daniel Lees
Assistant Box O ce Manager
Michelle Lewandowski Director of Marketing
Tina Marshall Director of Ticketing & Audience Services
Wendy Marshall Group Sales Manager
Madelyn McArthur Audience Engagement Manager
Amber Ostaszewski Director of Audience Engagement
Alexis Shambley Audience Development Marketing Manager
Patron Services
Representatives
Ellisen Blair, Lead
Hannah Blanchette, Lead
Talor Marren, Lead
Lucas Maurer, Lead
Marian Mayen, Lead
Matthew Wallenhorst, Lead
Malone Blaich
Andy Demczuk
Craig Doolin
Mary Duplantier
Summer Feldt
Ebony Jackson
Monica Lange
Gregory Patterson
Kathleen Riemenschneider
Cathryn Schehr
COMMUNICATIONS
Charlie Balcom
Social Media Manager
Leon Barton
Website Manager
Mya Gibson Communications Intern
Tyler Secor
Director of Communications & Content Development
DIGITAL MEDIA
KC Commander
Director of Digital Content & Innovation
Maria Cordes
Digital Media Coordinator
Kaitlyn Driesen
Digital Media & Label Services Manager
Noah Moore
Digital Content Intern
Lee Snow
Digital Content Technology Manager
PHILANTHROPY
Sean Baker
Director of Institutional Giving
Bhavya Nayna Channan Corporate Giving Manager
Ashley Co ey Foundation & Grants Manager
Kate Farinacci
Director of Special Campaigns & Legacy Giving
Catherine Hann Assistant Director of Individual Giving