NSO, Noseda: Mozart & Bach, April 2026 by Encore Magazine

Noseda: Mozart & Bach

THE DONALD J. TRUMP AND JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

APRIL 15 & 16, 2026 AT 7 P.M.; APRIL 17, 2026 AT 8 P.M. | CONCERT HALL

Gianandrea Noseda, conductor

Marissa Regni, violin Ω

Robert McEwan, tabla

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)

Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046 (circa 1713–1721)

ii. Adagio

iii. Allegro

iv. Menuetto

JACQUES LOUSSIER (1934–2019)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)

Ω NSO Principal Musician

Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Tabla (2006)

i. ii. iii.

INTERMISSION

Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter,” in C major, K. 551 (1788)

i. Allegro vivace

ii. Andante cantabile

iii. Menuetto: Allegretto

iv. Molto allegro

THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON SPONSORS

The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Noseda Era Fund Supporters The Amici di Gianandrea

THANK YOU TO OUR PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation Fund for the National Symphony Orchestra Stage flowers for Thursday’s performance are presented in loving memory of Bessie Huidekoper Fay

Patrons are requested to turn off cell phones and other electronic devices during the performance. Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

From the Music Director

Cari amici,

It is with immense joy and anticipation that I welcome you to the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th anniversary season. This moment is more than a milestone—it is a celebration of our deep musical legacy and a renewed commitment to bringing powerful, moving performances to our community and beyond. This is only the beginning. The 95th season is filled with musical discovery, celebrated artists, and unforgettable experiences.

This season features iconic works that have stood the test of time, from classic masterpieces to thrilling contemporary music. The NSO also has the opportunity to share the stage with an exceptional lineup of guest artists and conductors—beloved icons and rising stars alike. Performing new music is something the NSO truly believes in. Make history with us as we present innovative new works, including five world premieres.

I am deeply grateful to share this journey with you. Your presence in the Concert Hall is what brings our music fully to life. Thank you for being a part of the NSO family—for your passion, your applause, and your unwavering support.

Con tutto il cuore,

Gianandrea Noseda Music

Gianandrea Noseda

Director, National Symphony Orchestra

Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra

Che la musica vi porti gioia e ispirazione—may music bring you joy and inspiration.

Notes on the Program

Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Born March 21, 1685, in Thuringia, Germany

Died July 28, 1750, in Leipzig, Germany

In early 18th-century Berlin—the seat of power for the Kingdom of Prussia— artistic fortunes rose and fell with the preferences of the court. Under King Friedrich I, music flourished; under his successor, the “Soldier King” Friedrich Wilhelm I, court patronage diminished, and musicians were dismissed. Yet even in this climate of austerity, Christian Ludwig, Margrave of BrandenburgSchwedt, sustained a smaller musical establishment of his own within the broader Prussian realm. It was within this political and cultural landscape that Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated a collection of six concertos to the Margrave— works that posterity would come to know as the Brandenburg Concertos.

Although the six works were assembled into a presentation manuscript dated March 24, 1721, portions of the music may reach back as far as Bach’s Weimar years, around 1713 or earlier. Bach likely encountered the Margrave in 1719 while visiting Berlin to inspect a new harpsichord on behalf of his employer, Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen. Two years earlier, Leopold had appointed him Kapellmeister, drawing him away from Weimar after relations with his patron there had deteriorated sharply. When Bach requested release from his Weimar position, the ruler had him jailed for several weeks before finally permitting his departure—a reminder of the degree to which musicians were subject to the rigid hierarchies of court life.

At Köthen, however, Bach entered one of the most productive instrumental periods of his career. Prince Leopold valued music deeply and maintained a superb ensemble. Because the court observed Calvinist practices that favored simplicity in church worship, Bach was largely freed from composing elaborate sacred works and turned instead to instrumental music for secular occasions. Many of his most celebrated non-sacred compositions date from these years, written for virtuoso players capable of meeting his exacting demands.

Circumstances shifted again in 1720 with the sudden death of Bach’s first wife. In the following year, Prince Leopold married, and the new princess showed little enthusiasm for sustaining an ambitious musical establishment. By 1721, Bach was exploring alternatives. The manuscript sent to Christian Ludwig may have responded to earlier contact, as Bach’s French dedication implies, or functioned as a carefully assembled portfolio.

In either case, the gesture did not result in an appointment at the Margrave’s court. Indeed, there is no record that the works were even performed there. By 1723, Bach had turned elsewhere, accepting the post of Thomaskantor in Leipzig, where he would remain for the rest of his life.

Bach frequently organized works into sets of six, as in the Cello Suites and several keyboard collections. The Brandenburg Concertos likewise draw on diverse origins: the First Concerto, for example, is connected to instrumental material that appears in the earlier secular “hunting” cantata Was mir behagt, ist nur die

Notes on the Program

muntre Jagd (BWV 208). In his dedicatory letter, Bach described the collection, with characteristic understatement, as adapted to “several instruments.” Each concerto indeed calls for a distinct instrumental palette, reflecting international European currents of the time: Italian brilliance and melodic clarity, French dance style, and German contrapuntal craft. Taken together, they form less a cycle than a compendium—a survey of what the baroque concerto could encompass.

Most of the set follows the three-movement pattern popularized by Italian composers such as Antonio Vivaldi, whose concertos Bach admired and arranged during his Weimar years. The First Concerto, however, stands apart. It is the only one in the set to be cast in four movements, concluding with a French-style minuet.

The First Concerto is also the most expansive and deliciously varied in scoring, calling for two hunting horns, three oboes, bassoon, violino piccolo (an instrument that is smaller and tuned higher than the modern violin), strings, and continuo. No other Brandenburg deploys such a varied wind complement; the violino piccolo adds a bright, high edge to the texture, and its pairing with solo oboe in the Adagio highlights the composer’s gift for long-breathed melody. Bach relishes the full spectrum of the group’s color, weaving the textures into buoyant, intricately coordinated patterns.

Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Tabla JACQUES LOUSSIER

Born October 26, 1934, in Angers, France

Died March 5, 2019, in Blois, France

“Bach is not a brook but an ocean,” Beethoven is said to have remarked—a play on the German meaning of the composer’s name that has endured for good reason. For the French pianist and composer Jacques Loussier (1934–2019), that ocean proved formative. He later recalled that, as a child, while practicing a Bach piece and “playing around with it,” he discovered that he could interpolate ideas of his own; the experience helped set him on his musical path.

Trained at the Paris Conservatoire under the distinguished pianist Yves Nat, Loussier brought formidable classical credentials to his later ventures. In 1959, he formed the Jacques Loussier Trio. The ensemble gained international attention through its Play Bach recordings, which reworked music by Bach in an improvisatory context—including a widely known version of the Goldberg Variations. In the late 1950s, sustained jazz improvisation on Bach was hardly common practice; Loussier made it central to his artistic identity.

Beyond his Bach-centered projects, Loussier collaborated with such rock royalty as Elton John and Sting and composed extensively for film and television. He also wrote a number of works for the concert hall, including two violin concertos. The violin writing in these pieces has been compared to the style

associated with Stéphane Grappelli, the fellow French jazz violinist whose supple phrasing and rhythmic buoyancy helped define the instrument’s modern jazz voice.

The second of these concertos, the Concerto for Violin and Tabla, was composed in 2006 on a commission from the Menuhin Festival. Established by the legendary American-born British violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), the festival reflects its founder’s wide-ranging curiosity and deep engagement with musical traditions beyond the Western canon, including Indian classical music.

Scoring for a texturally transparent orchestra of strings, Loussier places the violin alongside the tabla, the pair of hand drums central to Hindustani classical practice. The tabla consists of two drums played using intricate finger and palm techniques that make it capable of remarkable nuance and complex rhythmic articulation. In Hindustani music, the tabla serves both as a rhythmic foundation and as an expressive partner, shaping and responding to melodic improvisation.

The concerto opens with a brisk, determined march-like pattern—over this pulse, the solo violin traces spiraling, jazz-inflected lines, while the tabla lends subtle rhythmic coloration. The second movement begins with atmospheric harmonies in the string ensemble that function like an establishing shot: from this, the solo violin emerges with a sustained, soulful melody that is then set against a lightly etched accompaniment from tabla and strings.

A violin cadenza blending classical virtuosity with the spontaneity of improvisation bridges the way to the finale. Here, the two soloists emerge as contrapuntal partners, recasting counterpoint as a dialogue between the violin’s fiery, agile lines and the tabla’s incisive rhythms. The movement drives to its close with a whirling, dance-like vitality.

Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter,” in C major, K. 551 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria

Died December 5, 1791, in Vienna, Austria

The final symphony that Mozart completed grew out of an extraordinary burst of creativity in the summer of 1788. In roughly six weeks, he wrote his last three symphonies, a pace impressive under any circumstances. That he achieved this during a period marked by financial strain, the death of an infant daughter, and mounting concern over his wife Constanze’s health only deepens the sense of wonder. From that fraught stretch emerged a trilogy of works, each distinct in voice and ambition, each expansive in its own way.

Exactly why Mozart composed these three symphonies remains unclear. No commission survives, and earlier generations imagined him writing them simply for his own artistic satisfaction. Modern scholarship is more circumspect.

Notes on the Program

Mozart typically composed with performance in mind, even if documentation has disappeared. Whatever the original circumstances, the “Jupiter” stands as the work of a composer operating at full power—thinking on a grand scale and shaping his material with unforced authority.

The Symphony in C major, K. 551, later acquired the “Jupiter” nickname—a posthumous addition motivated by marketing, but one that feels curiously a propos. This music, with its commanding, larger-than-life presence, projects a confidence that seems almost elemental. For all its status as a summit of High Classical style, “Jupiter” also takes from Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings and endings, looking simultaneously backward and forward. Mozart draws on the interwoven vitality of baroque counterpoint while anticipating the muscular symphonic rhetoric Beethoven would soon expand. The synthesis feels effortless.

The “Jupiter” declares its attitude from the outset. Trumpets and drums punctuate the opening measures, casting C major in bright, ceremonial light. The music strides forward with purpose before yielding to a more agile idea whose playful trills introduce a quicksilver wit. Throughout the first movement, Mozart relishes the interplay between majesty and mischief, balancing broad gestures with conversational nuance.

The Andante cantabile presents a more reflective mood. Muted strings create a soft halo around the woodwinds, suspending the sound in shadow, while chromatic inflections and accents complicate the serenity. Beneath the surface calm and melodic grace, Mozart introduces unexpected tension. The movement breathes with vocal poise, its phrases shaped with an almost operatic sense of contour and release.

In the Menuet, a sinuous descending line lends a flicker of unease to the dance’s stately profile. The trio relaxes the texture, thinning the orchestration and allowing a pastoral ease to emerge before the return of the firmer, more sculpted opening material.

Then comes the finale, the portion of the symphony that has long commanded particular admiration. Mozart begins with an unassuming four-note motive in a simple rhythmic pattern—one listeners of his time would have recognized from “Amen” cadences sung in church, or rung by bells. From this modest figure, Mozart builds an intricate contrapuntal tapestry, weaving independent lines into a unified whole—techniques he had explored with particular intensity in the early 1780s through his encounter with J.S. Bach’s music.

In the final pages, Mozart stacks and interlocks his various musical strands so naturally as to suggest a sudden, exhilarating revelation. This brilliant concluding section goes beyond a display of craftsmanship to revel in the high spirits of creativity itself, a reminder of this composer’s ability to make complexity sound natural and joyful.

Meet the Artists

Gianandrea Noseda, conductor

Gianandrea

Noseda is one of the world’s most soughtafter conductors, equally recognized for his artistry in both the concert hall and opera house. Noseda is in his ninth season as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., where his leadership has inspired and reinvigorated the ensemble. The renewed artistic recognition and critical acclaim have led to invitations to Carnegie Hall and international concert halls, as well as digital streaming and a record label distributed by LSO Live, for which Noseda also records as principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Noseda became general music director of the Zurich Opera House in September 2021 and reached an important milestone in May 2024, conducting two highly praised complete Ring Cycles. He was recognized as Best Conductor by the jury of the German Oper! Awards, specifically for his Wagner interpretations. Noseda and the Zurich Opera will make history in March 2027 when Carnegie Hall presents them in the legendary hall’s first-ever Ring cycle.

Noseda’s discography of over 80 recordings includes dozens of critically acclaimed albums with a wide range of orchestras and repertoire for various labels, including Deutsche Grammophon and Chandos.

Noseda has conducted the most important international orchestras, opera houses, and festivals, and had significant roles at the BBC Philharmonic (chief conductor), Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (principal guest conductor), Mariinsky Theatre

(principal guest conductor), Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI (principal guest conductor), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Victor de Sabata Chair), Rotterdam Philharmonic (principal guest conductor), and Stresa Festival (artistic director). From 2007 to 2018, Noseda served as music director of the Teatro Regio Torino, where his leadership marked the opera house’s golden era.

Working with the next generation of musicians is important to Noseda. In the summer of 2025, he led a tour of major concert halls in China, Korea, and Japan with Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the USA. In 2019, he was appointed the founding music director of the Tsinandali Festival and Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra in the village of Tsinandali, Georgia.

In autumn 2025, The Noseda Effect, a documentary about Noseda’s life and artistry, was released and is available on streaming services, including Carnegie Hall+, medici.tv, and Mezzo.

A native of Milan, Noseda is Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, marking his contribution to the artistic life of Italy. He has been honored as Conductor of the Year by both Musical America and the International Opera Awards. He is also a recipient of the Puccini Award, whose past recipients include legendary opera stars Maria Callas, Birgit Nilsson, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Meet the Artists

Marissa Regni, violin

Marissa Regni is principal second violin of the National Symphony Orchestra, a position she assumed in September of 1996. Before coming to Washington, D.C., she was a member of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, where she served as assistant principal second violin. Regni is a member of the critically acclaimed Manchester String Quartet and is a founding member of the Kennedy Center Chamber Players. With the Chamber Players, she performed concerts on a transatlantic crossing of the Queen Mary 2 and at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. From May 2020 to 2021, she was the co-creator and host of the 53-week web series NSO @ Home Live. Regni has made solo and chamber music appearances throughout the United States, Germany, and Mexico. She has collaborated with such artists as Christoph Eschenbach, Joseph Silverstein, Julius Baker, the Angeles Quartet, Arturo Delmoni, the Walden Chamber Players, and 20th Century Consort. Solo appearances with orchestras include the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Chamber Orchestra, Livingston Symphony (New Jersey), and Ridgewood Symphony (New Jersey). She has been a featured artist on NPR and The MacNeil/Lehrer Report.

In addition to her orchestral, chamber, and solo work, Regni has a strong passion for educational concerts. She developed a popular series of children’s programs, which she performs at the Kennedy Center, around greater

Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States. She has been the co-creator and host of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts since 2014.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Regni received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was awarded the school’s prestigious Performer’s Certificate in Violin. She also has a diploma from the Juilliard School, where she was a student in the PreCollege Division.

Robert McEwan, tabla

Percussionist

Robert McEwan is principal percussionist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, and section percussionist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. He is Assistant Professor in Residence of Percussion at the University of Connecticut, and formerly served for twenty years as principal percussionist and timpanist of the United States Coast Guard Band— one of the nation’s premier service ensembles performing for presidential, congressional, and public events nationwide.

McEwan’s performances span the orchestral, chamber, and contemporary music worlds. He has appeared frequently with the New York Philharmonic, performed on Broadway, recorded for film and popular artists, and served as a member of the Talujon Percussion Quartet. His festival appearances include Tanglewood, the National Repertory Orchestra, and two seasons as a contemporary music fellow at the Aspen Music Festival.

McEwan has studied Hindustani tabla since 1988 with Bob Becker, Pandit Sharda Sahai, Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and Sandeep Das.

National Symphony Orchestra

The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Gianandrea Noseda serves as the orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders: Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Antal Doráti, Howard Mitchell, and Hans Kindler. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke.

Since its founding in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has performed since the Center opened in 1971. The 96-member NSO participates in events of national and international importance, including the annual nationally televised concerts on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, livestreamed performances on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA Classical 90.9 FM.

Since launching its eponymous recording label in 2020, the NSO has embarked on ambitious recording projects, including its first complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the release of the first-ever cycle of George Walker’s Sinfonias, both led by Noseda. Recent projects include Four Symphonic Works by Kennedy Center Composerin-Residence Carlos Simon conducted by Noseda, and William Shatner’s So Fragile, So Blue, recorded live in the Concert Hall with the NSO under

Steven Reineke. Forthcoming releases with Gianandrea Noseda include music by Gustav Mahler and William Grant Still, as well as Samuel Barber’s opera Vanessa.

The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, and career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuition-free Summer Music Institute.

Symphony

Loud and Clear

Terms to know in the Concert Hall, loosely defined.

An extended work with multiple sections—typically four movements.

A “symphonic” piece is a long piece with multiple interpretations of a musical idea. A repeated, transformed musical idea is called a theme.

Orchestra

A group of musicians who play together.

In the Western European tradition, an orchestra often includes the four major instrument families—brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. An especially large orchestra is called a symphony orchestra. A smaller orchestra is called a chamber orchestra

Movement

A section of a musical work. Movements are often separated by silences, and they typically differ in tempo—speed.

Opera

A musical play with singers who perform a staged version of the dramatic text—the libretto.

Sonata

Originally, a musical composition played on instruments. In modern usage, “sonata” can mean a piece for a soloist or an ensemble, often with two to four movements.

If a work or a movement is written in sonata form, it is structured in three sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation.

Concerto

A piece pairing a technically advanced soloist with the support of an orchestra, usually in three movements. Though there may be multiple soloists, the contrast between a larger ensemble and a soloing group defines a concerto.

Tone poem

An orchestral piece meant to convey a non-musical subject such as an art piece, landscape, story, or mood.

Rhapsody

A one-movement composition without a strict formal structure. Rhapsodies often include improvisation and evocative contrasts.

Counterpoint

The interaction of multiple melodies to create a larger musical product.

Tempo Markings

Adagio - slow, at ease

Andante - moderately slow, walking pace

Moderato - moderate

Allegretto - slightly slower than allegro

Allegro - fast, bright

Vivace - fast, lively

Additional Markings

Non tanto - not as much

Ma non troppo - but not too much

Molto - very

Con delicatezza - with delicacy

Cantabile - in a singing style

Scherzo - a fast, playful section

National Symphony Orchestra

GIANANDREA NOSEDA , MUSIC DIRECTOR

The Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Chair

STEVEN REINEKE , PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC ADVISOR

VIOLINS

Nurit Bar-Josef, Concertmaster

Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster, The Jeanne Weaver Ruesch Chair

Ricardo Cyncynates, Assistant Concertmaster

Xiaoxuan Shi, Second Assistant Concertmaster

Jane Bowyer Stewart

Heather LeDoux Green

Lisa-Beth Lambert

Jing Qiao

Marina Aikawa

Peiming Lin

Derek Powell

Regino Madrid**

Meredith Riley**

Marissa Regni, Principal

Dayna Hepler, Assistant Principal

Cynthia R. Finks

Deanna Lee Bien

Glenn Donnellan

Natasha Bogachek

Carole Tafoya Evans

Jae-Yeon Kim

Wanzhen Li

Hanna Lee

Benjamin Scott

Malorie Blake Shin

Angelia Cho

Kei Sugiyama**

VIOLAS

Daniel Foster, Principal, The Mrs. John Dimick Chair

Dana Kelley, Assistant Principal

Denise Wilkinson

Nancy Thomas

Jennifer Mondie

Tsuna Sakamoto

Ruth Wicker

Mahoko Eguchi

Abigail Evans Kreuzer

Rebecca Epperson

Jacob Shack

Chiara Dieguez**

CELLOS

David Hardy, Principal, The Hans Kindler Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Raymond Tsai, Assistant Principal

David Teie

Rachel Young

Mark Evans

Eugena Chang Riley

Loewi Lin

Britton Riley

Noah Krauss

BASSES

Robert Oppelt, Principal

Richard Barber, Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Weisner

Ira Gold

Paul DeNola

Charles Nilles

Alexander Jacobsen

Michael Marks

HARP

Adriana Horne, Principal

FLUTES

Aaron Goldman, Principal

Leah Arsenault Barrick, Assistant Principal

Matthew Ross

Carole Bean, Piccolo

OBOES

Nicholas Stovall, Principal, The Volunteer Council Chair

Jamie Roberts, Assistant Principal

Harrison Linsey***

Kathryn Meany Wilson***, English Horn

CLARINETS

Lin Ma, Principal

Eugene Mondie, Assistant Principal

Paul Cigan

Peter Cain, Bass Clarinet

BASSOONS

Sue Heineman, Principal

David Young, Assistant Principal

Steven Wilson

Sean Gordon, Contrabassoon

HORNS

Abel Pereira, Principal, The National Trustees’ Chair

James Nickel, Acting Associate Principal

Markus Osterlund***

Scott Fearing

Robert Rearden

Geoffrey Pilkington**

TRUMPETS

William Gerlach, Principal, The Howard Mitchell Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Michael Harper, Assistant Principal

Michail Thompson

Tom Cupples

TROMBONES

Craig Mulcahy, Principal

Evan Williams, Assistant Principal

David Murray

Matthew Guilford, Bass Trombone

TUBA

Seth Cook**, Acting Principal

TIMPANI

Jauvon Gilliam, Principal, The Marion E. Glover Chair

Scott Christian, Assistant Principal

PERCUSSION

Eric Shin, Principal, The Hechinger Foundation Chair

Erin Dowrey, Assistant Principal

Scott Christian

Jason Niehoff*

KEYBOARD

Lisa Emenheiser*

ORGAN

William Neil*

LIBRARIANS

Elizabeth Cusato Schnobrick, Principal

Zen Stokdyk, Associate

Karen Lee, Assistant

PERSONNEL

Karyn Garvin, Director

Brooke Bartolome, Manager

Sufyan Naaman**, Coordinator

STAGE MANAGERS

David Langrell, Manager

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Manager

The National Symphony Orchestra uses a system of revolving strings. In each string section, untitled members are listed in order of length of service.

*Regularly Engaged Extra Musician

** Temporary Position

***Leave of Absence

National Symphony Orchestra Staff

ADMINISTRATION

Sabryn McDonald, Executive Assistant

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Kasama Apfelbaum, Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis

Nigel Boon, Vice President, Artistic Planning & Co-interim Executive Director

John Roloff, Vice President, Operations & Co-interim Executive Director

ARTISTIC PLANNING

Justin Ellis, Senior Producing Director

Ana Vashakmadze, Assistant Artistic Administrator

DEVELOPMENT

Laney Pleasanton, Manager of Individual Giving

Pamela Wardell, Senior Director of Development

EDUCATION

Vanessa Thomas, Director of Education Activation & Engagements

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Eric Rubio, Director of Finance & Administration

HUMAN RESOURCES

Tony Amato, Director, Total Rewards

Chanel Kemp, Talent Acquisition Manager

Patrice McNeill, Director, HR Operations

Lisa Motti, HRIS Coordinator

Ericka Parham, Benefits Analyst

John Sanford, Senior Business Partner

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Michael Granados, Marketing Manager, NSO, Fortas & New Music

Lily Maroni, Senior Manager, Advertising Communications

Chris Bonnell, Senior Manager, Advertising Design

Derek Younger, Director, Sales & Ticketing Service

ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS & CONCERT PRODUCTION

Brooke Bartolome, Orchestra Personnel and Operations Manager

Joseph Benitez, Media & OPAS Support Coordinator

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Stage Manager

Cayley Carroll, Director, Production & Orchestra Operations

Karyn Garvin, Director of Orchestra Personnel

David Langrell, Stage Manager

Sufyan Naaman, Personnel and Auditions Coordinator

Ava Yap, Operations Assistant

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Amanda Fischer, Deputy Director of Public Relations

Kennedy Center Staff

Trump Kennedy Center Staff

KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing

Ambassador Richard Grenell

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Chief

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Chief

Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer

Ambassador Richard Grenell Financial Officer

Donna Arduin

Donna Arduin General Counsel

General Counsel

General

Berke

Donna Arduin General Counsel

Berke

Senior Vice President, Development

Vice

Dale

Senior Vice President,

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Osborne

Senior Vice President,

Senior

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Osborne

Senior Vice President, Special

Senior Vice President, Special Events

Vice

Senior Vice President, Special Events

Donlon

Vice President, Human

Vice President, Human Ta’Sha Bowens

Senior

Vice President, Human

Vice President, Operations

Vice President,

Vice President, Operations

Vice

Vice President, Operations

Vice President,

Vice President, Education

Chief

Vice President,

Vice President, Public Relations

Vice President,

Vice President, Public Relations

Chief

Chief Information

Chief Information Officer

Chief

Executive Director, National

Executive Director,

Executive Director, National

Executive

General Director, Washington

General Director,

Concert Hall Staff

Theater Manager

Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Theater Manager

Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Box Office Treasurer

Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Box Office Treasurer

Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover

Head Usher

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Head Usher

Cathy Crocker

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Cathy Crocker

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Stage Crew

Stage Crew Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Stage Crew Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Stage Crew Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

Steinway Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Trump Kennedy Center.

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The box office at the Trump Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.

The technicians at the Trump Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.

AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E. AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.

The American Guild Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington,

Thank You to Our Supporters

National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors

Officers

Joan Bialek, Chair

Ashley Davis, Vice Chair

Stanley Pierre-Louis, Treasurer

Brian Boyle, Secretary

Executive Committee

Carl Bergeron, Chair, Pension Committee

Brian Boyle, Co-Chair, Development Committee

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Shannon McCormick Davis, Co-Chair, Development Committee

Ronald D. Abramson

Anne K. Altman

Michael F. Brewer

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Barbara H. Franklin

Directors

Ernest Abbott

Andrita J. Andreas

Katherine Armstrong

Jane Lipton Cafritz

Ronya Corey

Pierre de Lucy

Debbie Driesman

Larry Driver

William Finnerty

Brian L. Gevry

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Cindy Green

Thomas C. Green

Kathryn Jones

Christina Co Mather

Michael Mayton

Richard Moxley

Stephanie Guyett

Dana Hearn

Daniel Heider

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Jan M. Lodal

Timothy R. Lowery

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Heidi Narang

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Roger W. Sant

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Sarah Mills

Jeanne Weaver Ruesch

Sheryl Schwartz

Jeffrey M. Senger

Jeff Shockey

Raghu Srinivasan

Courtney Straus

Meaghan VerGow

Stuart Winston

National Symphony Orchestra National Trustees

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Members of the Rostropovich Legacy Guild have designated future gifts to support the National Symphony Orchestra’s artistic, educational, and community programs. The Guild honors cellist and former Music Director Mstislav Rostropovich, whose legacy continues to inspire the NSO.

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Orchestrated Lives

Each month, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) spotlights a different musician. For this program, section percussionist and Assistant Principal Timpani Scott Christian discusses onstage awe, the importance of an audience, and the special relationship between bassists and percussionists.

Name: Scott Christian

Hometown: Red Wing, Minnesota

Instrument: Timpani and percussion

Years with the NSO: 7

What most distinguishes percussion from other instrument groups?

One of the things that I like about playing percussion is that it’s the only instrument group where you are supposed to know the whole family of instruments. If I were stuck practicing one instrument, I don’t know if my attention span would last that long. Yet it’s really difficult to keep all those instruments up at a high level, because there are only so many hours in a day. There are weeks when I might not be able to play a certain instrument, and I have to go through some basic exercises to get back to a performing level.

Are there any percussion instruments for which you wish composers would write more?

Not necessarily. I think that composers could learn the instruments better to be able to use them to their fullest potential. For example, Béla Bartók wrote for the timpani in incredible ways—challenging but completely doable. Sometimes we’ll get a timpani part that isn’t super thought out, or that could be doing a lot more. But, for composers, it’s a lot to learn what is and isn’t idiomatic to an instrument. Ultimately, if the music is less idiomatic but quite gripping, I would much rather work around those problems than play something that is technically virtuosic but lacking in connection.

In the February “Orchestrated Lives,” bassist Charles Nilles mentioned how the percussion section and the bass section have a special relationship, a real rapport. What do you think makes that relationship so special?

Charlie wishes that our relationship was special! No, no… I’ll just put it this way: the percussion section is not the meat and potatoes of the orchestra. We’re not always playing the melody, but we’re the spice. When we get a piece of music, it just says “triangle,” or it just says “cymbal;” it doesn’t tell us which cymbal we’re supposed to use. It’s a lot of fun for us to find the correct sound for that moment, and if the sound is wrong, it's like adding too much spice to a dish. If we go unnoticed, we’re doing our job, and I think it’s similar for the bass section. They’re so pivotal in creating that bass tone that everybody else can tune off of in their intonation.

Do you have a favorite onstage memory from your time at the NSO?

Generally speaking, when I look around and watch my colleagues play at such a high level, I just feel so lucky to be on stage with them. I also like to take moments to look out into the audience. I’m always amazed that all of us practice, come to rehearsals, and work on these small details, waiting for the finished product—and that product requires an audience to be there. I like to think about all the stuff that the audience has had to do to get to the concert. They’ve had to buy their ticket, pay for parking, or maybe change their outfit. All that preparation comes together. You say that the audience has to be there for the final product. What role would you say the audience plays in a live performance?

With an audience, there’s communication happening. Otherwise, it’s like an actor practicing their lines in front of a wall. Every concert is a little different. You might have somebody in the audience who’s known this piece since they were a kid, or somebody who’s hearing it for the first time. There might be somebody who really needs this moment—somebody who wanted to come to the concert, but it’s been a really tough week, and they’re barely able to stay awake. You have so many different people sitting next to each other, all focused on this one thing, and I think that that’s such a special moment. That’s what’s so interesting about music, versus a book where you can keep reading a passage over and over again, or an artwork that you can stand in front of as long as you want. It’s very ephemeral; it’s there, and then it’s gone.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Support your ORCHESTRA

The mission of the National Symphony Orchestra is to engage audiences locally, across the country, and around the world through excellence in performance and education. Each year, the NSO offers approximately 150 concerts as well as some of the country’s most extensive community and educational programming. It regularly participates in events of national and international importance, including performances for state occasions, highlevel government events, and regularly televised holiday appearances for Capitol Concerts and local radio broadcasts on WETA, making the NSO one of the most-heard orchestras in the country.

Give your support in this 95th season by becoming a Member, joining the NSO Circles, or pledging a Legacy Gift. Visit tkc.co/SupportNSO or scan the QR code.

Thank You to Our Supporters

The Trump Kennedy Center Board of Trustees

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Building the Future Campaign Donors

Visit tkc.co/Support for a full listing of donors and to learn how you can join us by becoming a Member.

Andrew Geraci

More Concerts this Season!

Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili, “a rock star in the classical music world” (New York Post), performs works by Schubert and Liszt ranging from intimate poetry to high-voltage power.

April 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Puccini: 3 One-Act Operas Il Trittico

Step into a world of passion, tragedy, and deception with Puccini’s trio of one-act operas led by Gianandrea Noseda. Il tabarro unveils a shadowy tale of love and betrayal along the Seine. Suor Angelica explores sacrifice behind convent walls. Gianni Schicchi turns deception into delight in a sharp-witted comedy.

April 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.

May 1, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Hisaishi conducts Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi, renowned for his sensitive compositions including Hayao Miyazaki’s fantastical Studio Ghibli animations, conducts the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra—an NSO commission, music from The Boy and the Heron, and more!

Please note: this concert is presented without film.

May 14, 2026 at 8 p.m.

May 15, 2026 at 8 p.m.

May 16, 2026 at 8 p.m.

2025–2026 CLASSICAL SEASON PERFORMANCE CALENDAR

NSO Presents*

Khatia Buniatishvili

Fri., Apr. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Opera in Concert

Puccini: 3 One-Act

Operas – Il Trittico

Wed., Apr. 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., May 1, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Appalachian Spring

Fri., May 29, 2026 at 8 p.m. Sat., May 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Porgy and Bess & Coleman Piano Concerto Fri., June 5, 2026 at 8 p.m. Sat., June 6, 2026 at 8 p.m.

An American in Paris & Barber Violin Concerto Fri., June 12, 2026 at 8 p.m. Sat., June 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.

*Please note: The National Symphony Orchestra does not perform in these concerts.

For 250 years, America’s story has been told through the voices of its artists, the rhythm of its music, the words of its writers, and the movement of its dancers. It is a story of resilience and reinvention, of dreams daring enough to redefine what was possible, and of creativity that has not only shaped a nation, but the world.

As the nation marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Center invites Americans everywhere to take part in 250 Years of US, a yearlong exploration of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. Through music, theater, dance, and visual art, 250 Years of US celebrates the boundless imagination of a people united by creativity.

SHARE THE JOY of the ARTS

A toast before the show. A meal with a view. A selfie in the foyer. At the Trump Kennedy Center, it’s not just about the performance, it’s the moments you share before and after the curtain rises. Here, you’ll find joy and awe, surprise and wonder. When you come for a performance, you’ll leave with something more. Because what you feel—and who you feel it with— becomes the memory you both carry.

Take home... a musical memory.

Mozart Magic Flute Earrings

These exquisite earrings bring Mozart’s masterpiece to life with fluteinspired details that create a visual symphony. $42

NSO Cap and T-shirt

Our new National Symphony Orchestra cap and tee let you show your pride in our world-class symphony. $30 each

Make Your Own Music Mug

No better way to start your day than with a coffee mug imprinted with blank sheet music and sticker notes so you can compose your own melody. $20

Visit our two gift shops on Level A and in the Hall of States. Shop online 24/7 at tkc.co/shop

CURTAIN UP

Patrons share their first experiences at the Center.

Louisa and Savanah

My daughter Louisa went to her first Center performance in January 2024 at age five. It was a mother-daughter date with her friend Eliza and Eliza’s mom Joy. The girls both dressed as Elsa, and it happened to be a snowy day in D.C. The magic of Frozen, along with the wonder created by the atmosphere made for an unforgettable first experience!

Maka

I remember the first time I saw the Center. It was a tapestry of rainbow lights, holding its own in the vast D.C. skyline. I gaped as my mom drove us right up next to it. It was big, but somehow more welcoming than intimidating.

The grand hall led into yet another equally grand one, where I felt as if I were walking the red carpet, with imported

Louisa and friend Eliza, both dressed as Elsa, wait outside the Opera House to see Frozen.

crystal chandeliers far overhead. I thought that this in and of itself was magical, but the real magic was inside the theater. I whipped out my phone to take a picture of the illuminated ceiling, but as soon as the lights dimmed and the show started, I forgot phones existed. My mom and I were there to see & Juliet, and we were blown away by the acting, music, and lights that went into the production. At the end, my face hurt from smiling and my hands hurt from clapping, and it was worth it.

Diann

My family and I came to see The Princess Bride in Concert with the National Symphony Orchestra. Both of our boys play viola, and The Princess Bride is a very loved movie in our family so it was meant to be…

The best thing is, I have a service dog, Eugene, and we were welcomed without issue. The kindness started when I first emailed to see what seating was like to make sure that Eugene would fit under the chair. In the response to my email, I received kindness, dimensions, photos, and was asked to reach out to book my seats if I needed any assistance.

Overall, I was highly impressed with the hospitality of this venue. 10/10 will be attending another event!

Benjamin

As I watched the curtain rise on the opening night of the Stuttgart Ballet’s performance of Onegin, I felt a great sense of excitement swell within me. The sheer beauty of the dancers, sets, and costumes was almost overwhelming and reminded me that beauty truly is something objective, because that is the best way to describe this ballet: beautiful.

Following the bows, I could not get Onegin out of my head; something about it was so magnetic and hypnotic that I ended up returning twice more to witness the spectacle. Each night I sat in a different location around the Opera House, giving me a unique experience each performance, and each night, I picked up on new details and nuances that I had not been keen enough to see before.

While it would be impossible to name one scene as my favorite, the finale was so gut-wrenching and emotional that I will never forget what true passion looks like.

Diann’s children pose by the riverfront before The Princess Bride in Concert.

Create an experience... that will last a lifetime.

WEDDINGS AT THE REACH

REACH wedding rentals offer a variety of indoor and outdoor venues to create an unforgettable celebration of love. Situated on the south end of the Trump Kennedy Center Campus, the REACH is a premier Washington, D.C. event venue. With stunning views of the Potomac River, the largest green roof in D.C., and multifunctional event spaces, the REACH provides new elegance with a modern aesthetic.

Visit tkc.co/weddings or scan the QR code for more information.

NSO Presents: Khatia Buniatishvili

Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili, “a rock star in the classical music world” (New York Post), performs works by Schubert and Liszt ranging from intimate poetry to high-voltage power

Please note: the NSO does not perform on this program

April 24, 2026 | Concert Hall

The Keys give you a show above and below the surface. From art galleries to museums and live music, no place inspires more freedom of expression. In The Keys, you’re part of the performance.