Crescendo Newsletter: Vol 3 Issue 2

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VOL. 3 ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2018 AISSLINN NOSKY EXCLUSIVE: THE PERIOD INSTRUMENT DIFFERENCE One of the brightest stars in H+H’s crown is our dynamic concertmaster, Aisslinn Nosky. Aisslinn’s performances embody H+H’s artistic vision of historically informed performances, masterfully performed and passionately shared with our audiences. We caught up with Aisslinn to talk about her unique insight into what makes our exhilarating performances so special:

My instrument gives me an enormous amount of confidence in what we can do as a group on stage. The strong musical bond among the Orchestra and Chorus brings an exciting urgency and energy to each concert, driven by our shared

commitment to artistic excellence. In every aspect of what we do, we strive to move forward, improve, and create an experience that is ever more encompassing and emotional for you, our beloved audience.”

H+H PARTNERS WITH WGBH FOR HOLIDAY TELEVISION SPECIAL

On Saturday, November 3, and Sunday, November 4, 27 students, grades 3-5, from the Concert Choir performed alongside members of our professional chorus at H+H’s annual Every Voice program, held at First Church in Roxbury and Union United Methodist Church in the South End. Focusing on the voices of the LGBTQIA+, Latinx, and veteran communities, this year’s program featured repertoire composed by members of those communities interspersed with thematic poetry readings.

The students sang selections in several languages and joined together with the H+H Chorus members to sing the closing movement of Heinrich Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien. The performance culminated with the audience joining together with the performers to sing J. R. Johnson’s Lift Every Voice and Sing.

PHOTO: MEREDITH NIEMAN

PHOTO: ALEX AVERY

VOCAL ARTS PROGRAM CONCERT CHOIR SINGS AT EVERY VOICE

PHOTO: STU ROSNER

“One of the many things that makes H+H unique is our use of period instruments. My violin was made in Barcelona in 1746, and from the very first time I played it, I felt very strongly that this instrument would always have something to teach me.

The attachment I feel to it helps me delve deeply into the creative experience. There is no break between myself and the instrument; we are one.

H+H is thrilled to partner with WGBH this holiday season for a special televised performance, ‘Tis The Night With Ben Folds & Friends TV Special. The performance, which features H+H musicians and concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky, will first air on WGBH on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 8 PM, repeating throughout the month of December. To view the entire airing schedule, please visit wgbh.org/ schedule-grid.

A special thank you to sponsors Deborah and Robert First, Karen Levy, and David and Dorothy Weaver for their support of this project!

HIGH SCHOOL SOLOISTS TO BE FEATURED IN JANUARY CONCERT the United States exactly 100 years ago in 1918. It was an honor to perform and remember them in that way. [The Young Women’s] Choir has expanded my views of music greatly; in fact, I am planning to I pursue a career in music education in college.”

PHOTO: KAT WATERMAN

Neal, in his fifth year with the Vocal Arts Program, spoke to us about how the program has shaped him as a singer, and helped him grow as a person: “The Soloists program has allowed me to bloom as a singer and a person. I have become even more confident, not only in my voice but in my ability to break through mental barriers and explore new opportunities.”

Each year, the H+H High School Soloists program gives highly talented students the opportunity to showcase the repertoire they have been working on throughout the school year in public performances. One of these students, Molly, is no stranger to performing with H+H, having done so numerous times during her three years with the program. However, her favorite H+H performance was at a Naturalization Ceremony that took place at Faneuil Hall in August of this year.

“Looking out at so many different people from so many different countries and performing for them was such an incredible experience,” she said. “It was even more special for me as my great-grandparents immigrated to

We thank the many donors who support this program and the many other initiatives in the George D. and Karen Levy Education Program which makes experiences like this possible for hundreds of students each year. Neal shared his own words of thanks, saying, “Without your unending support and unfaltering confidence in our abilities, I would not have discovered such a crucial part of my identity, formed such close bonds, or utilized such unique and spectacular opportunities.”

On January 9, 2019, Molly, Neal, and their fellow H+H High School Soloists will present their annual winter recital. The performance, which will take place at New England Conservatory’s Williams Hall, is open to the public. For more information, please contact the Vocal Arts Program team at 617.262.1815.

WHY WE SUPPORT H+H RECORDING PROJECTS

BY PETER MANSON AND PETER DURFEE

Recordings have played a significant role in the early music movement. As H+H Principal Cellist Guy Fishman recently indicated to us, “The Early Music movement exists because of recordings.” By preserving H+H’s powerful performances, we help to ensure continuing engagement with the repertoire which is so central to the Handel and Haydn Society’s mission.

PHOTO: STU ROSNER

These CDs preserve, in state-of-the-art sound, the unique excitement of H+H’s live performances of Baroque and Classical masterpieces, which can be enjoyed by current and future audiences alike. We strongly believe CDs are one of the best ways to reach audiences in Greater Boston and beyond. We encourage everyone to join us in support of the recording projects.

We strongly believe the current outstanding, critically acclaimed performances by the Handel and Haydn Society’s Orchestra and Chorus under Harry Christophers’s direction will stand as a model and standard against which other performances of these great masterpieces will be judged.

Listening to H+H CD recordings creates the sensation that the music is actually playing in the space you occupy. We sincerely believe that H+H and its world-famous artistic director consistently perform at a world-class level. It is important to us that these performances be preserved for current and future generations to enjoy.

MOZART + HAYDN VOL 2 is available at the H+H shop during our concerts, or online at handelandhadn.org/ CDS.

CHALLENGE FOR EXCELLENCE: A WORD FROM WILLMA DAVIS Last winter, H+H kicked off the Challenge for Excellence, a campaign to support H+H’s new strategic plan and propel H+H’s upcoming artistic and education initiatives forward.

Now, nearly a year later, a pool of passionate H+H Board members has raised more than $750,000 in support of this challenge.

USING YOUR IRA TO DONATE

PHOTO: KAT WATERMAN

PHOTO: STU RSONER

MESSIAH WORKING REHEARSAL

PHOTO: KAT WATERMAN

One of those donors, Willma Davis, spoke about her passion for H+H and why she made a contribution to the Challenge for Excellence. “I am pleased to be a Challenge donor, with the objective of ensuring the future viability of this wonderful and historic organization. I am strongly committed to our goals of maintaining our artistic excellence and increasing diversity and inclusion through our educational and community outreach efforts.” Thank you, Willma, and the many others who helped to support this important initiative.

With December 31 and the end of the tax year quickly approaching, many people are thinking about the best way to fulfill their charitable goals while still taking best advantage of the charitable tax deduction. If you are aged 701/2 or older, there is a special tax-advantaged way you can support the music you love.

On Wednesday, November 28, H+H musicians gathered with guest conductor Bernard Labadie at Reflection Hall in Boston for one of their final rehearsals before the annual performances of Handel Messiah. The musicians were joined by a select group of H+H donors who were able to experience this intimate look at Messiah and mingle with the musicians and conductor afterward. To learn more about how to receive invitations to exclusive opportunities like this, please contact Brook Holladay at 617.262.1815, or brook@handelandhaydn.org.

By rolling over the required minimum distribution from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you can make a gift of any amount, up to $100,000, directly to H+H and bypass the income tax on that withdrawal. With this simple process, you can reduce or eliminate the amount mandated by the IRS to be withdrawn from your IRA. To make your charitable rollover gift today, ask your IRA administrator to send a gift directly to the Handel and Haydn Society (our tax ID number is 04-2126598). Your gift will help to bring classical music to audiences young and old for many years to come-thank you!

FROM THE ARCHIVES: JUBILEE DAY CONCERT, THEN AND NOW

K.E. Duffin and Melissa (Penny) Chase have been avid supporters at H+H for many years, attending our subscription concerts and open rehearsals, often with their wellworn librettos in hand.

On January 1, 1863, Boston anticipated the long-awaited news that the monumental Emancipation Proclamation had been signed into law. That day, the Handel and Haydn Society participated in the Grand Jubilee Concert given at Boston Music Hall, performing works by Handel and Mendelssohn under the baton of H+H conductor Carl Zerrahn.

During the 2016-17 season, we invited both Penny and K.E. to serve as jurors for the MassArt Illustration project surrounding our performance of Handel’s Semele. K.E. is a drawing and printmaking artist herself, and we had a hunch they both would appreciate the efforts of these talented art students.

At our student reception they encouraged the students to speak about their work and how it relates it to Handel’s inspiring music. It did not take long for Penny and K.E. to step up to support the MassArt partnership as well.

It is no wonder then that Penny and K.E. have continued to strengthen their relationship with H+H and enthusiastically joined our 1815 Society to provide a legacy gift. When asked why, they responded: “As long-time subscribers of H+H, we have enjoyed so many sublime performances by musicians who, in giving their all to the music, make every work sound new, revealing the inexhaustible depths of a composer’s creation. What they achieve, again and again, is remarkable and thrilling. This is what makes H+H so special. It’s an artistic treasure that has greatly enriched our lives, and we want it to be there to delight, transport, and inspire future generations.”

Thank you, K.E. Duffin and Melissa Chase, for your gifts today, and your foresight for tomorrow.

The concert was arranged with little time to prepare, and a winter storm the night before nearly snowed in the orchestra 100 miles away in Springfield.

In spite of the fact that there was no official advertising, a crowd of 3,000 packed the hall with many famous figures in attendance, including abolitionist leader William Lloyd Garrison, authors Harriet Beecher Stowe and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and even Julia Ward Howe, who sang as a member of the H+H chorus. During intermission, it was announced that President Lincoln’s proclamation was coming over the wires. The audience erupted in cheers and applause, throwing hats and handkerchiefs in the air.

In partnership with the Museum of African American History, H+H commemorates this historic moment and the power of music to create unity with an annual Jubilee Day Concert, a joyous celebration of liberty and freedom. Join us this New Year’s Eve at Trinity Church in Copley Square to take part in the tradition over 150 years in the making.

AUDIENCE PRAISE FOR BEETHOVEN EMPEROR CONCERTO

AUDIENCE PRAISE FOR MESSIAH 2019

“This has been my favorite Beethoven piece for years and experiencing the live performance brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.”

“The warmth of the period instruments, the connection and passion between conductor and performers, and outstanding soloists all combine to show the proper love and respect for this masterpiece!”

“The horns at the opening of the Schubert were flawless. I have never heard unison playing so exquisitely executed by any instrument!”

“It was transcendent and transformative.”

“The period instruments added a new dimension to the performance and made it much more interesting.”

PHOTO: HOUGHTON LIBRARY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY

1815 SOCIETY MEMBER HIGHLIGHT: K.E. DUFFIN AND MELISSA CHASE

“I was moved to tears multiple times. The soloists were mind-blowingly incredible, the conductor charismatic, all the musicians and chorus members giving their all. Just incredible.”

“The best performance I have heard in sixty seasons of attending Messiah.”

DON’T FORGET YOUR TICKETS TO OUR NEXT CONCERT, MOZART + HAYDN WITH HARRY CHRISTOPHERS, CONDUCTOR, JAN 25 + 27.