THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC Presents
THE UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Alexander Jiménez, Music Director and Conductor Misaki Hall, Graduate Associate Conductor
“Celebrating 100 Years of Orchestras at FSU”
Friday, September 18, 2026 Seven-thirty in the Evening Ruby Diamond Concert Hall
ng i t r o p p u S e Arts th
850-894-8700
www.beethovenandcompany.com 719 North Calhoun Street, Suite E Tallahassee, Florida 32303
Claire owner TomWilliamson, Buchanan, owner
GREETINGS FROM THE DIRECTOR Welcome to this evening’s concert of the University Symphony Orchestra. This season, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of orchestral music at Florida State University with performances by the University Symphony Orchestra, University Philharmonia, and our non-major ensemble, University Sinfonia. I hope you will have the opportunity to attend many of these special concerts throughout the year. I am honored to begin my 27th year as the fifth Director of Orchestras since the program’s founding in 1926. I stand on the shoulders of Ethel Maude Tripp (1926-1930), Walter Ruel Cowles (1930-1945), Robert Sedore (1947-1970), and Philip Spurgeon (19722003). Each of these remarkable leaders elevated the program and prepared it for the next stage of growth. Tripp established a curricular orchestral program. Cowles expanded the orchestra while also creating the composition degree program, which has remained an invaluable artistic partner. Sedore arrived as FSU became coeducational, and during his tenure the State Orchestra of Florida was created on our campus, bringing professional-level orchestral music to audiences throughout the region. Under my dear mentor, Philip Spurgeon, the orchestra evolved into an ensemble composed entirely of students, no longer relying on faculty or community volunteers to supplement its membership. That growth ultimately led to the creation of University Philharmonia, the ensemble I was hired to conduct in 2000. On behalf of everyone in the University Orchestras, thank you for your support. Our students take great pride not only in performing in these ensembles, but also in performing for you. From the beginning of each academic year, they are reminded that their responsibility is to share with our community the gift of orchestral music. We are grateful to celebrate this milestone with you and look forward to sharing many wonderful performances throughout this centennial season. Sincerely,
Alexander Jiménez, DM Director of Orchestras Professor of Conducting
PROGRAM Celebrating 100 and 250! Fanfare: Reminiscence and Celebration
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939)
New England Triptych Be Glad Then, America When Jesus Wept Chester!
William Schuman (1910–1992)
INTERMISSION Festive Overture
An American in Paris
Misaki Hall, conductor
William Grant Still (1895–1978)
George Gershwin (1898–1937)
Please refrain from talking, entering, or exiting while performers are playing. Food and drink are prohibited in all concert halls. Please turn off cell phones and all other electronic devices. Please refrain from putting feet on seats and seat backs. Children who become disruptive should be taken out of the performance hall so they do not disturb the musicians and other audience members.
ABOUT THE MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR Alexander Jiménez serves as Professor of Conducting, Director of Orchestral Activities, and String Area Coordinator at the Florida State University College of Music. Prior to his appointment at FSU in 2000, Jiménez served on the faculties of San Francisco State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University. Under his direction, the FSU orchestral studies program has expanded and been recognized as one of the leading orchestral studies programs in the country. Jiménez has recorded on the Naxos, Neos, Canadian Broadcasting Ovation, and Mark labels. Deeply committed to music by living composers, Jiménez has had fruitful and long-term collaborations with such eminent composers as Ellen Taafe Zwilich and the late Ladisalv Kubík, as well as working with Anthony Iannaccone, Krzysztof Penderecki, Martin Bresnick, Zhou Long, Chen Yi, Harold Schiffman, Louis Andriessen, and Georg Friedrich Haas. The University Symphony Orchestra has appeared as a featured orchestra for the College Orchestra Directors National Conference and the American String Teachers Association National Conference, and the University Philharmonia has performed at the Southeast Conference of the Music Educators National Conference (now the National Association for Music Education). The national PBS broadcast of Zwilich’s Peanuts’ Gallery® featuring the University Symphony Orchestra was named outstanding performance of 2007 by the National Educational Television Association. Active as a guest conductor and clinician, Jiménez has conducted extensively in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, including with the Brno Philharmonic (Czech Republic) and the Israel Netanya Chamber Orchestra. In 2022, Jiménez led the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a recording of works by Anthony Iannaccone. Deeply devoted to music education, he serves as international ambassador for the European Festival of Music for Young People in Belgium, is a conductor of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in Massachusetts and serves as Festival Orchestra Director and artistic director of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. Jiménez has been the recipient of University Teaching Awards in 2006 and 2018, The Transformation Through Teaching Award, and the Guardian of the Flame Award which is given to an outstanding faculty mentor. Jiménez is a past president of the College Orchestra Directors Association and served as music director of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras from 2000-2017.
NOTES ON THE PROGRAM Zwilich: Fanfare: Reminiscence and Celebration (2010) Fanfare: Reminiscence and Celebration was commissioned by the Florida State University College of Music to mark the reopening of Ruby Diamond Concert Hall following its landmark renovation. Premiered by the University Symphony Orchestra on October 8, 2010, the work commemorated both the restoration of one of FSU’s most treasured cultural spaces and the beginning of a new chapter in its musical life. Few composers are more closely connected to Florida State University than Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. As a student, she performed as both a violinist in the University Symphony Orchestra and a trumpeter in the Marching Chiefs. She later returned to the College of Music as a distinguished professor of composition, inspiring generations of young musicians. Over the past quarter century, the University Symphony Orchestra and Zwilich have shared an especially rich artistic partnership, including recordings, broadcasts, and numerous performances of her music. Scored for large orchestra, four saxophones, and three off-stage brass choirs, Fanfare: Reminiscence and Celebration unfolds as a reflection on memory, tradition, and renewal. Brilliant antiphonal fanfares echo throughout the hall as on-stage and off-stage musicians engage in a dramatic musical dialogue. A more introspective middle section suggests recollections of times past, before yielding to energetic rhythms and jazz-influenced colors that propel the work toward a jubilant conclusion. Throughout the piece, Zwilich balances grandeur with nostalgia, creating a musical portrait of celebration enriched by remembrance. – Alexander Jiménez Schuman: New England Triptych It’s hard to decide if William Schuman made a greater impact upon American musical life as a composer or as a music administrator, for he enjoyed a most distinguished career as both. Born in the Bronx, his early musical life revolved around popular music; he composed a tango as his first effort and formed his own dance band. As a very young man he collaborated with the great Frank Loesser and Edward B. Marks. But his career in publishing popular songs gradually was brought to an end when he went to his first symphony concert at the age of twenty, hearing Toscanini and the New York Philharmonic. He thereupon dropped out of business school and started music studies at the Juilliard School and the Salzburg Mozarteum, and ultimately earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia. His early mentor was Roy Harris, and the latter remained an important musical influence upon him. His compositions—especially his second symphony—came to the notice of such luminaries as Copland and Koussevitzky,
and by the early nineteen forties, the commissions and honors came rolling in. In 1945, after teaching at Sarah Lawrence for ten years, he became president of the Juilliard School. During his tenure there he made a profound impact upon the organization of the school, initiating too many changes to list. In 1962 he became president of Lincoln Center in New York City, locating the Juilliard School as part of the complex, and founding such programs as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Film Society. After he retired from Lincoln Center he went on to other distinguished positions in musical leadership. No wonder that in 1962 he was the first guest on the CBS game show, “What’s My Line?”! While he composed in many genres, his nine symphonies, other orchestral works, and his vocal music are his most significant. New England Triptych is a setting of three hymns by the important New England composer of the time of the American Revolution, William Billings (1846-1800). Schuman wrote: “His works capture the spirit of sinewy ruggedness, deep religiosity, and patriotic fervor that we associate with the Revolutionary period in American history.” The first movement skillfully weaves together different parts of Billings’ hymn, showing Schuman’s preference for clear separation of orchestral colors. The second movement features solo bassoon, and then accompanying oboe, in a kind of round, following Billings’ original. The last movement is a spirited evocation of the hymn that became the Colonial Army’s marching song: Let tyrants shake their iron rod, And slavery clank her galling chains, We fear them not, we trust in God, New England’s God forever reigns. – William E. Runyan Still: Festive Overture Among the most notable 20th-century premieres is William Grant Still’s Festive Overture. In December of 1944, Still won the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Jubilee Prize and a $1,000 War Bond for “Best Overture” in a nationwide competition in celebration of the Orchestra’s 50th anniversary. More than 39 American composers submitted works, but the judges—Eugene Goossens, then-Music Director of the CSO; Pierre Monteux, San Francisco Symphony conductor; and Deems Taylor, noted New York composer, critic and writer—voted unanimously for Still, often referred to as “the Dean” of African-American composers. Unaware of the contestants’ identities until after the prize-winning work was selected, the judges were thrilled that the winner happened to be one of the most distinguished American composers of the time.
Still, born in Woodville, Mississippi, in May 1895, was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and composed orchestral and chamber music as well as operas and ballets. His most notable work at the time of winning the Jubilee Prize, Afro-American Symphony, was performed across Europe and the United States. Among his other achievements, he was the first African American to receive European recognition through performance of his music (on a tour organized by Howard Hanson, director of the Eastman School of Music); his Symphony in G Minor was presented in New York (1937) and conducted by Leopold Stokowski, who had been Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1907 to 1909; and he was commissioned to write a symphony for the New York World’s Fair in 1938. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of Festive Overture a month after naming Still the winner, and the composition was received warmly. “The prizewinning composition…which was written and scored in the space of a few weeks, has a definite American flavor,” Goossens said in the program notes. “It bespeaks the pride of the composer in his native land, the warmth of the American people, and the grandeur of Scenic America.” – RaeNosa Onwumelu Gershwin: An American in Paris After the rousing success of Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin’s financial security was assured; he moved his family to a spacious apartment in a fashionable section of the Upper West Side, and began to not only collect art, but began to paint, himself. He established his place in the smart set of New York society—no party was complete without George at the piano surrounded by his admirers, as well as the usual social butterflies. Oh, to have been a “fly on the wall” for those affairs! He continued to compose for the musical theatre, but began in earnest serious composition lessons, as well—and with some distinguished composers, including Wallingford Riegger and Henry Cowell. In the early Spring of 1928 through the month of June, he and his family traveled to Europe, where he met many of the most distinguished composers of the time: Ravel, Berg, Prokofiev, Milhaud, Poulenc, and others. By then he had composed his Concerto in F, which he heard, along with the Rhapsody in Blue, at a concert given in his honor. He evidently was anticipating details of the composition of a tone poem about Paris, for he dug around in Parisian garages and brought home with him used taxi horns that were used in the première performance. That took place on 13 December 1928, with Walter Damrosch conducting the New York Philharmonic. The eminent music critic and composer, Deems Taylor, and Gershwin had been in Paris at the same time, and had met at several parties in the city. Later, in the fall, they went over the completed score and collaborated to create a detailed program or story for Gershwin’s inspiration.
The program is too long to repeat here in its entirety, but it may be paraphrased somewhat like this: In early summer an American is walking down the Champs-Elysées, enjoying the sounds of the city, including taxi horns, passing by a café and hearing a tune from the old century in the trombones. He continues walking with a new theme in the clarinet. Yet a new walking theme takes him across the Seine to the Left Bank, where perhaps a whiff of anise muddles him a bit (accompanied by the little cadenza in the solo violin—the attentive listener here may think of Debussy, and the composer more or less acknowledged it). Our hero becomes a bit homesick, and we hear the blues, but as he sinks lower he is rescued by the Charleston, announced by a pair of trumpets. Various previous tunes are recapped, as the American obviously decides to enjoy Paris, and the orchestra, in a riotous finale decides to make a night of it. – Wm. E. Runyan
University Symphony Orchestra Personnel Alexander Jiménez, Music Director and Conductor | Misaki Hall, Graduate Associate Conductor Violin I Cello Eb Clarinet Off-Stage Brass Masayoshi Arakawa‡ Mitchell George* Harper Golden Christopher Pate Abigail Jennings Addison Miller Sharavan Duvvuri Ioana Popescu Turner Sperry Bass Clarinet Jeremiah Gonzalez Amanda Marcy Jake Reisinger Steven Higbee Grason Peterson Emily Palmer Natalie Taunton Tyler Bennett Will Purser Daniel Jimenez-Gaona Bassoon Kate Moncada Jean-Luc Cataquet Connor Peterson Georgia Clement* Max McLaughlin Elizabeth Milan Jason Tejada Jordan Vestal Katie Brinkman Francesca Puro Sydney Spencer Emmalee Odom* Angelo Del Oro Keren Garcia Maria Ruiz Susanna Campbell Dylan White Javaxa Flores Hunter Scott Mariana Reyes Parra Bass Contrabassoon Julia Antmann Ilayda Ilbas Jarobi Watts* Jordan Vestal Aryn Nester Klaus Bryant Charlotte Wooldridge Connor Casey Caleb Duden Saxophone Jacob Zussy Violin II Emma Waidner Caleb Wolf Allen Wroten Rachel Lawton* Connor Oneacre Steven Waterston Daniel Munnisi Christina Leach Paris Lallis Kaiden Klinger Caden Ragsdale Alexa Dinges Christopher McDuffie Ashton Stewart Mulunesh Creaghan Percussion Sobin Son Flute Horn Matthew Korloch* Samuel Ovalle Claire Park* Allison Hoffman* Gabrielle Overholt Hayden Green Kathryn Lang* Wyatt Gibson* Nicholas Bah Sarita Thosteson Emily Speight Andrew Keller Jessica Weinberg Rose Ossi Alexandra Kotsonis Sarah Schwenke Caitlin Magennis Irsia Ruiz Guzman Moriah Garcia Davis Craddock Josh Santana Noah Johnson Larah Pereira Piccolo Trumpet Harp Katherine Ng Moriah Garcia Johniel Nájera* Keirstin Li Quinn French Avery Hoerman* Peter Fennema Oboe William Rich* Celesta Steven Stamer* Erick Santiago-Jimenez Viola Andrew Swift Trombone Jeremy Hill* Rebecca Keith* Elijah Van Camp-Goh* Orchestra Manager Nathan Oyler Zoe Gurwitz Connor Altagen Tori Young Noel Medford Maya Johnson English Horn Bass Trombone Orchestra Stage Yey Mulero Andrew Swift Ryan Meyaard Manager Joseph Villagomez Rebecca Keith Connor Oneacre Benjamin Suarez Tuba Emelia Ulrich Clarinet Yonathan Zegeye Orchestra Librarians Hannah Jordan Jenna Eschner* Misaki Hall Abigayle Benoit Charlotte MacDonald* Shaka Lwaki Angeleena Jackson Madison Jansons Library Bowing Jonathan Taylor Assistant ‡ Concertmaster Keren Garcia Rodriguez * Principal / Co-Principal
Tickets & Information January 10:
February 13:
Trinity Episcopal Church
Holy Family Senior Center
Dina Kasman
Will Fulkerson & Friends
4PM
Classical Pianist
January 22:
6PM
Soul Blues/Jazz
6PM
March 10:
Singer-Songwriter
Trinity Episcopal Church
February 7:
Stephen Mattingly Tantalus Quartet
Trinity Episcopal Church
March 19:
Leon Anderson & Jazz Ensemble
Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church
Jeff Black 4PM Jazz
6PM
Classical Guitar
6PM
Bluegrass
Echo Valley
Trinity Episcopal Church, 79 6th Street, Apalachicola Holy Family Senior Center, 203 7th St, Apalachicola
www.inconcertapalachicola.org
ZUKERMAN PLAYS ELGAR Yaniv Dinur, Conductor Pinchas Zukerman, Violin
BEN-HAIM Symphony No. 1
ELGAR
Violin Concerto in B minor
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UNIVERSITY MUSICAL ASSOCIATES 2026-2027 Dean’s Circle Les and Ruth Ruggles Akers Dr. Pamela T. Brannon Richard Dusenbury and Kathi Jaschke Albert and Darlene Oosterhof
Bob Parker Paula and Bill Smith Margaret Van Every
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Donna Legare James J. Logue Dr. Lynne Y. Lummel Patrick Malone Victoria Martinez Stephen Mattingly Ann and Don Morrow Doug Pawling Edward Reid Jill Sandler Scott Scearce Annette Schwabe Jeannette Sickel Judy and Mike Stone George Sweat Anne Swerlick Marjorie Turnbull Ed Valla Sylvia B. Walford Diana Wang Geoffrey and Simone Watts Jeff Wright
Associate Patricia C. Applegate Grace Atkins Bonnie Bailey Michael and Megan Bakan Marty Beech John and Sarah Bender Susan Berube Beverley Booth The Boyette Family Hillman and Lin Brannon David and Carol Brittain Michael Buchler and Nancy Rogers Brian and Judy Buckner Kasia Bugaj and J. Renato Pinto Robby and Brooke Bukovic Joe Calhoun Cherie Came Darren and Peyton Cassels Marian Christ Chuan Dr. and Mr. Clevenger Renee Coburn and Austin Stilson Sarah Hess Cohen Linda D. Davey David and Julie Detweiler Daniel and Katie Elliott Sarah Eyerly GRC ARCHITECTS Miriam Gurniak Gene and Deborah Glotzbach Donna Heald Carla Connors and Timothy Hoekman Matt and Holly Hohmeister Jane A. Hudson Louise B. Jones
William E. and Dee Jones Felecia Jordan Jackson Steve Kelly John Mac Kilgore Paige McKay Kubik Keith and Mary Ledford Jane LeGette Eric Lewis Charlotte Malone Arunima Mandal Patricia Martin Jeanmarie Perri Morton Lealand and Kathleen McCharen Landon and Amber O’Connell Dr. Jeanne O’Kon Drs. L. O’Neil and S. Alston Rod Oldenburg Thomas Parrish Becky Parsons Michelle Peaceman Jeff Poole Maria Rodas Anamika Roy Sanford A. Safron Kim and Randy Shively Sue Sokoll Sudarat Songsiridej and Mary Schaad Susan P. Stephens Anne Stevenson Fernando Roberto Teson C. Richard and Phrieda L. Tuten Steve Urse Janie W. Weis Karen Wensing
Lifetime Members Willa Almlof Florence Helen Ashby Mrs. Reubin Askew Tom and Cathy Bishop Nancy Bivins Ramona D. Bowman André and Eleanor Connan Russell and Janis Courson J.W. Richard Davis Ginny Densmore Carole Fiore Patricia J. Flowers Hilda Hunter Julio Jiménez Kirby W. and Margaret-Ray Kemper Patsy Kickliter
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The University Musical Associates is the community support organization for the FSU College of Music. The primary purposes of the group are to develop audiences for College of Music performances, to assist outstanding students in enriching their musical education and careers, and to support quality education and cultural activities for the Tallahassee community. If you would like information about joining the University Musical Associates, please contact Kim Shively, Director of Special Programs, at kshively@fsu.edu or 850-645-5453.
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