2024.03.23 | Parnassus Opera: Grandi Voci Program

Parnassus Society Proudly Presents

Grandi Voci

Saturday, March 23, 2024 | 3 PM

Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America

Milena Kitic Mezzo-Soprano

Featured Artists

Bruce Sledge Tenor

Nmon Ford Baritone

The All-American Boys Chorus conducted by Wesley Martin

Cheryl Lin Fielding, Pianist

The All-American Boys Chorus Roster

Wesley Martin, Conductor

Austin Banzali-Marks

Parker Brueggeman

Evan Burke

Ryan Burke

Gabe Eltiti

Edbert Feng

Charlie Firlik

Eric Han

Petro Hanna

Matthew Harrer

Erik Hermansen

Jayden Hermstad

Cruz Johnson

Preston Kubota

Mingyou Liang

Antonio Lin

Andy Liu

Edan Liu

Van Mai

Harry Papayannis

Julian Parsons

Max Parsons

Luke Pearson

Liam Pham

Devin Posos

Oliver Stewart

Jason Wang

Marcus Wu

Philip Yum

CONCERT

No Puede Ser “It Cannot Be”

From La Tabernera del Puerto

Pablo Sorozábal (1897-1988)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

La Rosa y el Sauce “The Rose and the Willow tree”

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Granada

Agustín Lara (1897-1970)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

The All-American Boys Chorus and Wesley Martin, Director

Morgen! “Tomorrow!”

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Zueignung “Dedication”

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Ne Poy Krasavitsa “Do not sing to me, Fair Maiden”

Sergei Rachmaninov (1863-1943)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

ODolga Budu ja “In the silence of the mysterious night”

Sergei Rachmaninov (1863-1943)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Ah! Lève-Toi, Soleil! “Ah, Wake-up, Sunshine!”

Romeo’s aria from Romeo et Juliette

Charles Gounod (1818-1893)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Grandi Voci:

En Vain Pour Éviter “In Vain to Avoid”

Card aria from Carmen

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Au Fond du Temple Saint “In the Depth of the Saintly Temple”

Duet from Les pêcheurs de perles “The Pearl Fishers”

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Acerba Voluttà “Bitter Desire”

From Adriana Lecouvreur

Francesco Cilea (1866-1950)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Nemico della Patria “Enemy of the Fatherland”

From Andrea Chénie

Umberto Giordano (1867-1948)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

- INTERMISSION -

Vision Fugitive “Fleeting Vision”

From Hérodiade

Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Va! Laisser Couler Mes Larmes “Go, Let My Tears Flow”

Pourquoi Me Réveiller “Why Wake Me?”

N’achevez Pas! Hélas! “Don’t finish, Alas!”

From Werther

Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Humming Chorus

From Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

The All-American Boys Chorus

In Un Coupe “In a Coupé”

From La Bohème

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Trio: Povera Butterfly ... lo So Che alle Sue Pene

“Poor Butterfly ... I know that to all his pains”

From Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Recondita Armonia “Hidden Harmony”

From Tosca

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

Te Deum

From Tosca

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

The All-American Boys Chorus

La Vie en Rose “Life in Rosy Hues”

Édith Piaf (1915-1963)

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Dein ist Mein Ganzes Herz “All of My Heart is Yours”

From the Land of Smiles

Franz Lehár (1870-1948)

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

All the Things You Are

Jerome Kern (1885-1945)

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Harold Arlen (1905-1986)

All

Grandi Voci: Splendor of the Human Voice

Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano

Milena Kitic, a renowned mezzosoprano, has performed numerous roles with opera companies around the world throughout the last three decades.

Perhaps best known for her signature role of Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, Kitic has headlined in major performance venues across the United States and Europe such as the National Theater in Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia), Aalto Theater Essen in Germany, Washington D.C. Opera, Baltimore Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, and Metropolitan Opera.

She received numerous accolades for her performances, including the German Music Critic’s Award for Performer of the Season in 1998 and the Opera Pacific Guild’s Diva of the Year in 2005. The International Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Belgrade, Serbia, has established a special prize for “the best young mezzo-soprano” in Kitic’s name.

Her talent and incredible career in music earned her the inaugural Artist-in-Residence Award given by Chapman University in Orange, California, where she is an adjunct professor and master class instructor. She also works closely with the Orange County High School of the Arts and many universities and music organizations in southern California.

Kitic currently serves as chair of artistic excellence at LA Opera with whom she most recently performed the role of Carmen, Albine in Thais (with Placido Domingo), Mrs. Noah in Noah’s Flood, and Suzuki in Madame Butterfly (both conducted by J. Conlon). Among other recent performances are her roles in Carmen and Amneris in Aida with the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa, CA, the grand opening concert of Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts, the role of The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with the Symphonic Society of Orange County, and the Alto part in Mahler’s 8th Symphony with the Madison Symphony and Pacific Symphony Orchestras.

In the past year, Kitic has joined the Board of the Parnassus Society, which is committed to the growth of cultural advancement in Orange County, has established The Milena Kitic Outstanding Mezzo-Soprano Award at The Mentoris Vocal Competition in Pasadena, started mentoring students from Newport Harbor High School in opera and music, and was recognized by the Loren L. Zachary Society for the

Bruce Sledge, Tenor

“The clarion-voiced, impressive” (New York Times) Lirico Spinto tenor Bruce Sledge has been praised for his “bright, attractive sound and superb technical skills” that he has shared with audiences at major opera houses around the world over his career spanning more than two decades.

So far this season Sledge has been involved in projects at the Metropolitan opera including covering the title role in Wagner’s Lohengrin and the role of Sergei in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mzinsk

Last season Mr. Sledge’s engagements included performing as tenor soloist in the Verdi Requiem with the Seattle Symphony, a reprisal of the role of Paolo Erisso in Rossini’s Maometto Secondo with the Washington Concert Opera, and his role debut as Don José in Opera Colorado’s Carmen. He also returned to the Metropolitan Opera covering the title role in Die

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Performing Arts in Los Angeles for her work as a professional Opera Singer, Educator, and Contributor to the opera community.

Kitic presently resides in Newport Beach, California and runs her private vocal studio.

Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos. He was the tenor soloist in The Parnassus Society’s annual operatic concert at Soka University.

In the 2019-20 season, Sledge made his role debut as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in a

Grandi Voci: Splendor of the Human Voice

Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD” transmission seen live by over 350,000 viewers in over 70 countries worldwide. He was also seen at UCLA’s Royce Hall as a tenor soloist in Rachel Fuller’s Animal Requiem.

In recent seasons, Sledge returned to the Deutsche Oper Berlin for performances of Jean in Le Prophète and to the Welsh National Opera as Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice and Macduff in Macbeth. He was praised by Opera Wire for his “dramatic versatility” for his portrayal of Bacchus in the Santa Fe Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos, and Opera Canada raved that his “radiant, voluminous tenor and ease with language” as Lord Riccardo Percy in Anna Bolena with the Canadian Opera Company was “spot-on.” A regular roster member of the Metropolitan Opera, Sledge made his debut as Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, followed by performances as Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and King of Naples in Thomas Adès’s The Tempest

Sledge counts among his career highlights singing the role of the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto with companies including Vancouver Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera and in Avenches, Switzerland; Paolo Erisso in Rossini’s Maometto Secondo with the Canadian Opera Company and Santa Fe Opera; Leicester in Maria Stuarda with the Minnesota Opera,

Welsh National Opera and Swedish National Opera; Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Hamburgische Staatsoper and Tulsa Opera; Leicester in Elisabetta, regina d’Inghilterra with the Rossini Opera Festival; and Ernesto in Don Pasquale at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro Comunale di Bologna and New York City Opera. He performed the role of the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Léopold in La Juive at La Fenice; Alfredo in La Traviata at the Royal Danish Opera; Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte at the Pittsburgh Opera; and as Tonio in La Fille du Régiment on the Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s tour to Savonlinna. As Vladimir Vladimirescu and the Fisherman in the double-bill of Mozart’s The Impresario and Stravinsky’s Rossignol at Santa Fe, Sledge “sang with appealing lyricism” and “performed to glorious poetic effect” (Opera News).

As a concert soloist, Sledge has performed in The Defiant Requiem in Asheville, NC and Vienna, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with the Spoleto USA Festival and the Radio Television Ireland Orchestra in Dublin, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the National Symphony, Schubert’s Mass No. 6 with the San Diego Symphony, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Berkeley Symphony, and he has sung with the Risca Male Choir in Wales and Opera Companies of Tampa, Atlanta and Hong Kong. Several appearances with the San Fran-

Francisco Symphony have included Mozart’s Requiem, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, and singing as the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex and soloist in Schubert’s Mass No. 6 under Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas. With the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, he has performed concerts of Bartok’s Cantata Profana and Kodaly’s Psalmus Hungaricus, and sang Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer with the New York City Ballet. Sledge appeared in recital at Carnegie’s Weill Hall in celebration of Marilyn Horne’s 75th Birthday.

Bruce Sledge recorded the role of the Fox in Spanish and Catalan versions of Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen for the BBC with Kent Nagano, has been seen on the NBC sitcom Scrubs, and can be heard on the soundtrack of the motion picture The Sum of All Fears.

Nmon Ford, Baritone

Panamanian-American baritone Nmon Ford begins a new artistic chapter as the composer, librettist, and title-role performer of House of Orfeus (previously Orfeus, A House Music Opera), which was scheduled for its world premiere at London’s Young Vic Theatre (postponed due to Covid-19). The show will be presented in 2024 as a co-production with Lincoln Center and Opera Carolina. Nmon has enjoyed success in increasingly challenging and dramatic repertoire, most recently in concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in excerpts from Aïda

Sledge was a finalist in the 2002 World Voice Masters Competition in Monte Carlo, a finalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia 2000 World Opera Contest, and a national finalist in the 2000 Loren L. Zachary Vocal Competition. In 1998, he was a Western Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and was awarded first place in the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition. Bruce Sledge received his master’s degree in vocal arts from the University of Southern California.

“In 2024 Mr. Sledge returns to the Metropolitan Opera roster for Madam Butterfly, and the Chicago Lyric roster for Fidelio. In 2025 Mr. Sledge will sing the title role in Verdi’s Don Carlo with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.”

(Amonasro). He made his role and company debut as Crown in the English National Opera/ Metropolitan Opera co-production of Porgy and Bess, preceded by his role and festival debut at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival as The Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein’s MASS, Iago (Otello) with the Atlanta Symphony, Jochanaan (Salome) at Pittsburgh Opera, and the Celebrant (MASS) at Salzburg’s Grosses Festspielhaus with the Salzburg Mozarteumorchester. He appeared with the Dallas Symphony in Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony, Chicago Opera Theater in the title role of a new production of Ernest Bloch’s

Macbeth, Atlanta Symphony at Carnegie Hall (Brahms’ Requiem), St. Louis Symphony (Carmina Burana), and Milwaukee Symphony (Brahms’ Requiem). After performing Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire (ONPL) conducted by John Axelrod, Nmon was immediately re-engaged by the ONPL for Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder and Fauré’s Requiem

Nmon made his Italian debut at Teatro delle Muse in Ancona in the title role of a new production of The Emperor Jones directed by Henning Brockhaus and conducted by Bruno Bartoletti (for which he received the Premio Franco Corelli for the outstanding debut of the season), his company debut with Cincinnati Opera as Riolobo in Francesca Zambello’s production of Florencia en el Amazonas, and his role debut as The Traveler in a new production of Death In Venice at Hamburg State Opera. He appeared with Michigan Opera Theater as Zurga in Zandra Rhodes’ production of Les pêcheurs de perles, Teatro Comunale di Bologna in the title role of Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production of Don Giovanni, and the Szeged Open-Air Festival in Hungary as Escamillo (Carmen). Nmon gave his first performances at Italy’s Sferisterio Festival in new productions of Attila and Juditha Triumphans, preceded by Don Giovanni in Ancona. He debuted the roles of di Luna (Il trovatore) with Virginia Opera and Thoas

(Iphigénie en Tauride) with Hamburg State Opera, and bowed as Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Washington National Cathedral with the Cathedral Choral Society conducted by J. Reilly Lewis.

In previous seasons Nmon sang both Scarpia (Tosca) and the title role in a new production of Billy Budd with Hamburg Opera; with the Atlanta Symphony conducted by Robert Spano he recorded Jennifer Higdon’s Dooryard Bloom (written for him) and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music for Telarc. He made his Ravinia Festival debut with James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony in Shostakovich’s Symphony #13 (“Babi Yar”), which he also performed with Maestro Conlon and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Additional engagements include Carmina Burana with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and covering the role of Amfortas with Los Angeles Opera in Robert Wilson’s production of Parsifal starring Plácido Domingo and conducted by Kent Nagano. He received critical acclaim at Spoleto Festival USA as the title role in Don Giovanni, in a production by Günter Krämer conducted by Emmanuel Villaume.

Having begun his musical training in piano at age three, Nmon has since appeared with--in addition to the previously mentioned companies--San Francisco Opera, Teatro Sociale di Rovigo,

Grandi Voci: Splendor of the Human Voice

Utah Opera, Portland Opera, and Opera Memphis in roles such as Iago (Otello), Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde), Renato (Un ballo in maschera), Amonasro (Aïda), Germont (La traviata), and the High Priest (Samson et Dalila). Other roles include Telramund (Lohengrin), Posa (Don Carlo), and Carlo (Ernani).

Nmon has worked with conductors Louis Langrée, James Conlon, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, Bruno Bartoletti, Kent Nagano, Marin Alsop, Emmanuel Villaume, John Wilson, John Adams, and Simone Young. His concert appearances include the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony, BBC Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society (Boston, MA), and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. He made his New York recital debut under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation.

In addition to his Grammy-winning Naxos and Telarc releases, Nmon has recorded for Universal Music Group/Decca (Vai DaCapo - Songs of Delight, Billboard Top 20 Classical and Classical Crossover) and Koch International (Villa-Lobos’ Symphony #10, “Amerindia”). His awards include First Place in the Wagner Division of the Liederkranz Foundation of New York

Competition, as well as major prizes from the Gerda Lissner Foundation and the George London Foundation. He earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in music from the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors for both degrees.

The All-American Boys Chorus

THE ALL-AMERICAN BOYS CHORUS (AABC) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Santa Ana, CA. The Chorus is open to boys of all races, faiths and socioeconomic backgrounds. Beginning as a small church choir in Anaheim, CA in 1970, and has grown to become an internationally-touring non-denominational chorus that fosters the creative and leadership development of over one hundred boys each year. Over the years since our founding, the Chorus has continued to grow, both in size and scope, in order to provide more boys with the unique creative and leadership development opportunities the AABC offers. We have expanded our programming to include annual summer camps as well as programs for high school students who are outside of the 8-15 age range for our Chorus Program. In the 1970s, we began touring in the United States and Canada, and in 1988 booked our first overseas international tour to Romania, Austria and Russia, giving our choir international recognition. Since then we have continued to tour each year, increasing our international acclaim and providing hundreds of boys with the opportunity to travel and perform to a range of audiences throughout the world.

Subsequent tours have seen our boys perform to standing ovations

all across the globe, including in Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan. The Chorus’ most recent concert tour saw them performing in 2018 in eleven cities across China. Factor in 59 other concert tours to Asia, Australia, Canada, and throughout the U.S., and it’s clear that members of The All-American Boys Chorus are true musical ambassadors.

Concert tours take place at various times throughout the year. The Touring Chorus is selected from Concert Chorus members and usually number 30-36 choristers.

Candidates for the Touring Chorus must attend at least one of the Chorus’s annual, weeklong, musictraining camps, exhibit a high level of self-discipline and personal organization, and demonstrate a strong ability to interact positively with other Chorus members.

Among the Chorus’s TV credits are commercials for Mazda, Cartoon Network, Toshiba and KFC. The AABC has appeared with entertainers and artists such as Pentatonix, Sarah McLachlan, David Benoit, Josh Groban, John Williams, Tony Bennett, Taylor Hicks, Paul Anka, Bob Hope, Victor Borge, and Della Reese. It also has shared the stage with noted statesmen and celebrities, among them U.S. presidents George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Richard Nixon.

Grandi Voci: Splendor of the Human Voice

The Chorus has produced six full-length albums: the first is titled A Little Christmas Magic; the second, On the Sunny Side of the Street; the third, another holiday album named The Best Gift of All; the fourth, featuring audience favorites, called By Request!; On Tour!, which features highlights from AABC tours, and the latest, California Dreamin’, songs that speak to America’s greatness, diversity, creativity, travails, hope and optimism.

The All-American Boys Chorus celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2020 – a testament to its remarkable growth and significant achievements. The AABC’s program is acclaimed for its musical excellence, and for

instilling and fostering leadership skills and characteristics through its renowned peer-mentoring program in its current membership of 110 boys and 1,200+ alumni. Artistic collaborations with the Pacific Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Pacific Chorale have given the Chorus a notable stature while Community Engagement performances in schools have reached more than 100,000 children.

This commitment to excellence led to the AABC being named an Outstanding Arts Organization by Arts Orange County for 2011. Today, we remain committed to our vision to make a positive difference in our community and to transform the lives of our boys through the unparalleled power of music.

Wesley Martin

Artistic Director/Conductor All-American Boys Chorus

Wes Martin, conductor, arranger, educator. Born and raised in Australia, Wes has been living in Southern California since 2002 when he became the Artistic Director for the All-American Boys Chorus.

After graduating from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Wes was awarded the prized Hungarian State Scholarship and went on to study at the esteemed Kodály Interzet, Hungary. This unique experience impressed upon him the beauty and joy of choral singing and its potential to transform the lives of both performer and audience. Classically trained as a singer and music educator, Wes’ diverse musical interests cover many different styles and genres, his principal interest being popular music styles. With expertise in building choral tone and a special interest in developing choral ensemble with the child’s voice and over twenty years’ experience with many different choral ensembles, Wes believes in the life enriching experiences that can be had through music and especially choral singing.

Under Wes’ musical direction the All-American Boys Chorus has been delighting audiences with its engaging, fun performances and has emerged as a favorite of event

organizers and concert presenters regionally and nationally, as well as becoming one of America’s premier boys’ choirs. Under his leadership, the All-American Boys Chorus received the coveted Outstanding Arts Organization Award for 2011.

Over the years, along with the AABC, Wes’ collaborations have included; John Williams, Josh Groban, The Vienna Boys Choir, The Disney Company, Jerry Lewis, Cartoon Network, The Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pacific, The Canadian Brass, The Philadelphia Boys Choir, The Masters of Harmony and the Tournament of Roses. He has led the AABC in numerous TV appearances including; CHRISTMAS IN L.A., CARTOON NETWORK, JERRY’S KID’S and SCRUBS, as well as being recognized for his work with GOOD NEWS FOR KID’S, one of the region’s major charitable events. Wes has led numerous acclaimed international tours and performances in world-class venues such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, London; Carnegie Hall, New York and The Sydney Opera House.

Wes particularly enjoys crafting arrangements especially suited for the AABC, or a specific event. His arrangements have featured in many AABC performances.

As an educator with more than

twenty years’ experience Wes has developed a specialized Kodálybased curriculum focusing on both music literacy and ear training, all the while believing that it’s never too late to apply this leading method of music education. As a clinician, Wes’ style is relaxed, fun and engaging as he builds skills, ability and confidence in his students. His highly acclaimed education outreach performances, presented as part of his regular touring schedule with the AllAmerican Boys Chorus, have reached thousands of students, further enhancing the reputation of the AABC and making it highly sought after as a touring ensemble bringing music education to many regions across the United States.

Wes’ wife, and best friend, Sue, does her best to keep him grounded while their two sons, Harry & Thomas, keep him in the

Cheryl Lin Fielding, Piano

“Warm, grand and rich”, Cheryl Lin Fielding’s pianism has taken her to some of the finest stages in the world, including major venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Recital Hall, Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Juilliard Theater, the Mark Morris Dance Group, Musco Center for the Arts, and Soka Performing Arts Center. A sought-after recital

‘here and now’ and daily make him a better teacher.

partner and vocal coach, Fielding has been honored with the Grace B. Jackson Prize in Excellence by the Tanglewood Music Festival, recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and received the distinguished Gwendolyn Koldofsky Award in Keyboard Collaborative Arts. Cheryl’s musical training includes three degrees from the Juilliard School.

Fielding has had the honor of working alongside luminaries such as Christian Badea, John DeMain, Luana Devol, Enrique Arturo Diemecke,

Grandi Voci: Splendor of the Human Voice

James Levine, Timothy Lindberg, Angela Meade, George Mester, Carol Neblett, Linda Watson, and Dolora Zajick, and has served as music director, vocal coach, pianist, adjudicator for organizations including Dolora Zajick’s Institute of Young Dramatic Voices, the Philadelphia Virtuosi, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, Operafestival di Roma, Opera Laguna, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera San Jose, OperaWorks, Pacific Symphony, Opera Chapman, California State University at Northridge, Azusa Pacific University, the Juilliard School, and the USC Thornton Opera. Dr. Fielding is passionate about keeping the arts thriving in the communities and has recently help produce several concerts with Parnassus Society at Soka Performing Arts Center. She is presently the Artistic Director of Parnassus Society, and coaches at Opera UCLA and Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices.

THE PARNASSUS SOCIETY

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Tokita, founders of The Parnassus Society, are longtime patrons of the arts and dedicated cultural leaders in Orange County, California. The Tokitas’ passion for the arts encompasses everything from classical to jazz music, to contemporary and Eastern art. Dr. and Mrs. Tokita have traveled the globe experiencing the art of numerous cultures, and have amassed an exceptional private collection of works by internationally and locally renowned artists including over 150 paintings, drawings and prints by Los Angeles-based American artist, Ed Moses.

Dr. and Mrs. Tokita have contributed their time and resources as board members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, founders of Chamber Music Orange County, and founders and directors of the Medici Foundation. Additionally, the Tokitas open their home to host solo and chamber music concerts performed by musical luminaries and young emerging artists alike.

With the support of respected members of the local arts and academic community, Dr. and Mrs. Tokita continue their commitment to the growing cultural advancement of Orange County through The Parnassus Society, which was created to nurture the development and professional careers of promising young artists and musicians.

Founder and President:

Kenneth Tokita, M.D.

Administrative Director:

Diane Oshiro

Artistic Director: Cheryl Lin Fielding

Technical Director: Miles Shishido

Supertitles:

Olivia Bullock

Leif Ove Andsnes with Dover Quartet

PROGRAM:

BRAHMS Selections from Fantasies, op. 116

DOHNÁNYI Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Minor, op. 26

INTERMISSION

BRAHMS Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34

FRIDAY, APR 26, 2024, 8 PM

SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Our mission is to Engage, Educate, and Elevate the Human Spirit

Soka Performing Arts Center strives to elevate humanity through transcendent experiences. Come experience our exquisite acoustics. Come to expand your understanding and appreciation of music. Come to forge community and emotional connections through the shared experience of live music.

Soka Performing Arts Center is located on the beautiful hilltop campus of Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo. Our facility includes the 1,032seat Concert Hall featuring world-class acoustics designed by master acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others. We also have an intimate 350-seat Black Box Theatre that allows for multiple seating configurations including club seating with bistro tables.

More than 750 performances have taken place since the center’s dedication on May 27, 2011. The 2023-24 season marks our twelfth season presenting first-class programming in our world-class concert hall. We are continuing to expand our programming and outreach with the addition of a Children’s Concert Series, Blues Festival, and the only Great Pianists Series on the West Coast. From classical and jazz to world and contemporary music, the Soka Performing Arts Center has become a prized space for artists and audiences alike.

We are proud to be the home of the Pacific Symphony Chamber Orchestra. Our Sundays @ Soka Series with Pacific Symphony continues to be one of our most popular series year after year. Our presentations with other Orange County arts organizations have enabled us to reach further into our community to offer arts education and programming. Our partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County includes our PSOC Series, which brings superlative artists to our stage. We also partner with PSOC for our Outreach Program, bringing over 7,000 school children to Soka Performing Arts Center to experience live performances with outstanding musicians.

With its world-class acoustics and first-class performances, Soka Performing Arts Center is quickly becoming one of the cultural jewels of Orange County.

SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DONORS

OUR SUPPORTERS

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($75,000+)

Dr. Kenneth & Sandra Tokita

Sam & Lyndie Ersan

CONCERTMASTER ($10,000+)

Ms. Emi Maeda

STAGE CHAMPION ($5000+)

Anonymous

STAGE BENEFACTOR ($1000+)

John and Sue Prange

Terumi Saito

Jochen Schumacher

Scott A Shuping

GOLD CLEF ($500+)

Jeffrey Hendrix

Jane A. Lynch

Alex & Sandy Scott

SILVER CLEF ($200+)

Lorraine Leiser

Anson and Marilyn Wong

BRONZE CLEF ($25+)

Raquel Bruno

Sammy Chang

Judy Kaufman

Jeannette Pease

Thomas Prigorac

Jonia Suri

Naomi Uchiyama

Joseph Whitaker

Joyce M Wrice

Taro Yamanashi

List current as of 02/14/2024

The Soka Performing Arts Center deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact Renee Bodie, General Manager at (949) 480-4821 to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.

CREATE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE

This season, we have made exciting updates to our subscription and renewal program, providing you with even more flexibility in our season packages*. With our enhanced program, you now have the power to curate your very own unique experience.

• 15% Discount for a 3 performance package

• 18% Discount for a 4 performance package

• 20% Discount for a 5+ performance package

*full details online at soka.edu/pac

OUR PARTNERS

• Blueport Jazz

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• Pacific Symphony

• San Diego Symphony

• Parnassus Society

SOKA PAC MANAGEMENT TEAM

Renée Bodie

General Manager & Artistic Director

John Morgan

Box Office Manager

Jarmil Maupin

Technical Services Manager

Jenski Nguyen

Stage Manager

Madeline Webb

Lighting Technician

Hiroyuki Connor Miki

Internal Events Manager

Jaime Spataro

Marketing & Communications Manager

Joe Nicholls

Marketing & Communications Assistant

Steve Baker

Interim Production/House Manager

SokaPAC

@SokaPAC

SokaPerformingArtsCenter

@SokaPAC

Website soka.edu/pac

SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Soka Performing Arts Center resides on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America. We thank the SUA Board of Trustees and the SUA Leadership Council for all of their support.

SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Steve Dunham, JD

Chair Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland

Tariq Hasan, PhD

Vice Chair Chief Executive Officer, SGIUSA | New York, New York

Andrea Bartoli, PhD

President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York

Matilda Buck

Benefactor | Los Angeles, California

Lawrence E. Carter, Sr, PhD, DD, DH, DRS

Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia

Andy Firoved

CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California

Jason Goulah, PhD

Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois

Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD

Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California

Lawrence A. Hickman, PhD

Director Emeritus, The Center for Dewey Studies and Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Carbondale, Illinois

Kris Knudsen, JD

Attorney | Wilsonville, Oregon

Karen Lewis, PhD

Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Luis Nieves

Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California

Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS

Health Care Consultant, Associate

Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing | Corte Madera, California

Adin Strauss

General Director, Soka Gakkai International-USA | Santa Monica, California

Yoshiki Tanigawa

Benefactor, Soka Gakkai | Tokyo, Japan

Edward M. Feasel, PhD

President, Soka University of America (ex-officio member) | Aliso Viejo, California

SUA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

SUA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Edward M. Feasel, PhD

President

Chief Academic Officer Professor of Economics

Archibald E. Asawa

Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Chief Financial Officer Chief Investment Officer

Katherine M. King, PHR

Executive Vice President of University Community

Chief Human Resources Officer

Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator for Faculty, Staff and Others

Michael Weiner, PhD

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Professor of East Asian History & International Studies

Kevin Moncrief, PhD

Vice President for Mission Integration

Bryan E. Penprase, PhD

Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations

Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Tomoko Takahashi, PhD, EdD, LHD

Vice President for Institutional Research and Assessment

Dean of the Graduate School

Professor of Linguistics and Education

David Welch, JD

Vice President University Counsel

M. Robert Hamersley, PhD Dean of Faculty Professor of Environmental Biogeochemistry

Hyon J. Moon, EdD Dean of Students

Title IX and Section 504 Deputy Coordinator for Students

Michelle Hobby-Mears, MBA

Associate Dean of Students Director of Student Activities

Andrew Woolsey, EdD Dean of Enrollment Services

Martin Beck, MA

Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications

Concessions

A wide variety of wine, beer, soft drinks and freshly prepared snacks will be available before the concert and during intermission in the lobby.

Artist Drink Pick

Flor De Passion

A note from Nmon Ford, Baritone: Every ingredient in this beverage reminds me of the Bocas del Toro region of Panama where my father was born. Since he passed away a few years ago, these tastes and scents are even more special to me. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Try with some rum for an extra kick!

Pre-order your concessions and skip the line at intermission!