Lansing Symphony Orchestra 94th Season Program Book

THE NINETY-FOURTH ANNUAL SEASON

LANSING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

2023-2024

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Member of the League of American Orchestras

NINETY-FOURTH SEASON

CONTACT US

104 S. Washington Sq., Ste 300

Lansing, MI 48933

517-487-5001

lansingsymphony.org

OUR MISSION

Enriching lives through excellence in music and in educational outreach.

OUR VISION

To be the premier choice for people who appreciate and enjoy the power of music.

Seasonal concept & design by

FROM OUR PRESIDENT KATIE THORNTON

Welcome to the Lansing Symphony Orchestra’s 94th Season! Thank you for supporting this year’s incredible season, which includes classical and pops concerts, chamber music, and more!

I’m especially proud of the LSO for developing our Composer-InResidence program, which partners a composer with the Orchestra in development of outstanding and unique new works, even a world premiere performance. We are proud to welcome Jared Miller as our Composer-In-Residence for the next three years. I look forward to hearing what Jared will create for us.

This season also provides surprisingly intimate performances at The Robin Theatre, where our musicians collaborate, create, and perform unique contemporary chamber music. This is an unbelievable opportunity to engage with the LSO in a new way in Lansing’s REO Town.

Thank you for joining us for tonight’s performance. Our success depends on your support since your ticket price only covers a fraction of the total concert cost. I invite you to consider contributing to the LSO in any way that you can. Your contribution will help us continue to bring you the best performances, musicians, and opportunity for our youth and community to experience the magic of music, all under the direction of Maestro Timothy Muffitt.

Lastly, I want to thank our dedicated and hard-working team at the LSO, who ensure that each performance is flawless.

Katie Thornton Board Chair, Lansing Symphony Association, Inc. Partner, Plante Moran

FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COURTNEY MILLBROOK

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 94th Season of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, I am so pleased you have chosen to spend your time with us. I hope your experience here is the highlight of your week!

I am very excited about this season. There are pieces of music that you already know and love as well as brand new works for you to experience. As we planned and reflected on the season program, many descriptions came to mind: colorful, textured, beautiful, independent yet connected. It felt a lot like a favorite quilt - something comfortable but intricate, familiar yet exquisite.

I think of quilts as an American folkart tradition, but I am sure many techniques have originated from cultures across the globe. That also reminds me of our season program and orchestra. The Lansing

Symphony Orchestra strives to be very much a reflection of our community’s time and place but also reflective of many influences that have come before us. As an audience member, you are an important part of our identity. Thank you.

As you enjoy the music this season - whether it is in a grand hall or cozy theatre or on a lawn outside - I hope you find your place among the comfort and beauty that is your Lansing Symphony Orchestra.

Sincerely,

Courtney Millbrook Executive Director

TIMOTHY MUFFITT

This season marks Timothy Muffitt’s 18th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his work in Lansing, he continues to appear with other prominent orchestras around the country. Recent seasons have included concerts with the St. Louis, Flint, Tulsa, Atlanta, and Ann Arbor Symphonies. Prior years have included return engagements with the San Francisco, Houston, Long Beach, Phoenix and Virginia Symphonies as well as the Buffalo Philharmonic. Muffitt recently

MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR

concluded a 21-year tenure as Music Director of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra for which he was honored with the title Music Director Laureate.

Other guest appearances have taken Muffitt to the podiums of The Hollywood Bowl, Edmonton, and Spokane Symphonies, Columbus Ohio’s Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, the Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra in Chicago and the Harrisburg (PA) Symphony among others.

Muffitt is also Artistic Director of the School of Music for the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York where he conducts the Music School Festival Orchestra, one of the country’s premiere training ensembles for conservatory and university students aspiring for careers in music.

Along with the continued artistic growth of his orchestras, Muffitt’s work has been noted for its innovative and imaginative programming, broadly diverse repertoire, and fresh, engaging, audience experiences. A strong proponent of community arts education, Muffitt has been very active in musical outreach through the venues of radio, lecture, and social media, presenting arts-enrichment programs through a variety of formats for diverse audiences.

Formerly Associate Conductor with the Austin Symphony, Muffitt was also Artistic Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic’s Casual Classics Series in New Orleans for over a decade. It was for his work in that position, that Mr. Muffitt was awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service from the American Federation of Musicians.

Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Andre Watts, Alicia de Larrocha, Pinchas Zukerman, Van Cliburn, Lynn Harrell, Itzhak Perlman, and composers John Cage, Joseph Schwantner, Ellen Taffe Zwilich, John Harbison, Joan Tower and Bernard Rands among many others.

Prominent performers and composers with whom Mr. Muffitt has worked include Lang Lang, Yo

JARED MILLER COMPOSER-INRESIDENCE

Described as a “rising star” by MusicWorks magazine, JUNONominated composer Jared Miller has collaborated with the American Composers Orchestra, the Victoria and Nashville Symphonies, the symphony orchestras of Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit and New Jersey, The Attacca Quartet, Latitude 49, the New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute, Exponential Ensemble, the Emily Carr String Quartet and Standing Wave. His music has been featured and recognized in the New York

Philharmonic’s Biennial (2014), the ISCM World Music Days (2017 & 2019), Vancouver’s Queer Arts Festival (2010, 2015 & 2019), and the Festival Internacional de Jóvenes Orquestas (2019).

Recent accolades include SOCAN’s Jan V. Matejcek Award, young composer prizes from the SOCAN and ASCAP Foundations, and a nomination for the 2020 JUNO Award for Classical Composition of the Year. He has also held residencies at the Banff Centre,

I-Park’s International Artist-InResidence Program, and with the Victoria Symphony from 2014-2017.

An advocate for musical education and outreach, Miller has taught and performed in several initiatives including The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Connects Program, BC’s Health Arts Society, Vancouver’s Opera in the Schools, and New York’s Opportunity Music Project.

Miller holds Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Juilliard School where he studied with Samuel Adler and John Corigliano. He has also studied at the University of British Columbia with Stephen Chatman, Dorothy Chang, Sara Davis Buechner, and Corey Hamm. He is currently Assistant Professor of Music Composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Visit jaredmillermusic.wordpress.com

THE LSO’S COMPOSER-INRESIDENCE PROGRAM

is made possible with a lead gift from the Sam & Mary Austin Fund for New Music at the Lansing Symphony.

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

VIOLIN

VACANT

CONCERTMASTER

Tom And Wendy Hofman‡

Michael Bechtel

ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER

April Clobes And Glen Brough‡

Florina Petrescu

PRINCIPAL VIOLIN II

Richard & Lorayne Otto‡

VACANT

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL VIOLIN II

Emelyn Bashour**

Allyson Cohen

Susanne Garber

Lauren Hansen

Emily Hauer

Stefan Hubenov

Ji Hyun Kim**

Yuanmaio Li

Yung-Hsuan Lo

Ying-Li Pan

Meg Rohrer

Tigran Shiganyan

William Thain

Chase Ward

Hsin-Ju Yu

VIOLA VACANT PRINCIPAL

Cliff & Sue Haka‡

Elinore Morin

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Ron & Carol Dooley‡

Christine Bastian

Hannah Breyer

Linda Gregorian

David Schultz

Madeline Warner

Kristina Zeinstra

CELLO

Jinhyun Kim

PRINCIPAL

Jenny Bond‡

VACANT

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Sam & Mary Austin‡

Imjeong Choi

Willis Koa

Stefan Koch

Dooeun Lee

Tom Sullivan**

BASS

Edward Fedewa

PRINCIPAL

John & Fran Loose‡

Matthew Boothe

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Albert Daschle

Adam Har-zvi

Wen Peng

Aaron Tenney

FLUTE

Richard Sherman

PRINCIPAL

Virginia P. & the Late

Bruce T. Allen‡

Bryan Guarnuccio

Kathryne Salo

THIRD FLUTE/PICCOLO

OBOE

Stephanie Shapiro

PRINCIPAL

David & Patricia Brogan‡

Gretchen Morse

SECOND OBOE/ENGLISH HORN

Hari Kern‡

CLARINET

Guy Yehuda

PRINCIPAL

Don & Jan Hines‡

BASSOON

Michael Kroth

PRINCIPAL

Eileen Ellis‡

Christian Green

HORN

Corbin Wagner

PRINCIPAL

Joe & Beth Anthony‡

Stephen Foster

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell

TRUMPET

Neil Mueller

PRINCIPAL

Lyn Donaldson Zynda‡

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

TROMBONE

Ava Ordman

PRINCIPAL

Bill & Shirley Paxton‡

John Robinson

BASS TROMBONE

Bryan Pokorney

TUBA

Philip Sinder

PRINCIPAL

Sue Davis‡

TIMPANI

Vacant

PRINCIPAL

PERCUSSION

Matthew Beck

PRINCIPAL

Catherine Claypool & the Late Allan Claypool‡

Andrew Fritz

Andrew Cierny

HARP

Brittany DeYoung

PRINCIPAL

Jonathan & Amy Riekse‡

KEYBOARD

Patrick Johnson

PRINCIPAL

Sam & Jean Holland‡

**On Leave

‡ Chair Sponsors

94TH SEASON

Section string players are listed alphabetically. The Lansing Symphony incorporates a rotational seating policy in the string sections.

LANSING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION, INC.

PAST PRESIDENTS

1933-34 Dr. LeMoyne Snyder

1934-35 Mrs. John Brisbin

1935-37 Mrs. L. G. Bailey

1937-38 Mrs. C. L. Brody

1938-40 Mrs. Malcolm Denise

1940-41 Mrs. Grover O. Truxell

1941-42 Mr. O. W. Mourer

1942-44 Mrs. George Kieppe

1944-46 Mrs. E. A. Mackey

1946-48 Miss Pauline Austin

1948-49 Mrs. William King, Jr.

1949-51 Mrs. Harold S. Cole

1951-53 Dr. Peter Treleaven

1953-55 Mrs. Gilbert Burrell

1955-56 Mrs. Leonard Mayhew

1956-57 Mrs. B. Newlon Barber

1957-59 Dr. Sydney R. Govons

1959-61 Mr. C. Vincent Wright

1961-63 Mr. Lee H. Witter

1963-65 Mr. Donavan A. Eastin

1965-67 Dr. William Lazer

1967-69 Mr. Raymond Joseph

1969-71 Mr. Max C. Ploughman

1971-72 Mr. C. Vincent Wright

1972-74 Mr. George G. Clemeson

1974-76 Judge Michael G. Harrison

1976-77 Mr. William Straub

1977-79 Mr. Max C. Ploughman

1979-82 Mrs. David Kahn

1982-84 Mr. H. Perry Driggs

1984-86 Mr. Gerald M. Finch

1986-88 Mrs. Richard Byerrum

1988-89 Mr. R. Kenneth Gruber

1989-91 Mr. Edward B. McRee

1991-92 Mr. Craig Ruff

1992-93 Mr. Ronald Pentecost

1993-94 Mr. James Miller

1994-95 Mr. Thomas Fraser

1995-99 Mr. Craig Ruff

1999-01 Mr. James Savage

2001-06 Mrs. Virginia P. Allen

2006-07 Mr. William MacLeod

2007-08 Mr. Christopher Day

2008-09 Mr. James F. Anderton, IV

2009-11 Mr. Charles R. Hillary

2011-13 Dr. R. Samuel Holland

2013-15 Mr. Brian J. Lefler

2015-17 Mr. Michael Rhodes

2017-19 Mr. Jonathan Riekse

2019-21 Ms. April Clobes

2021-23 Ms. Darcy Kerr

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Katie Thornton PRESIDENT

Tom Hofman

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Darcy Kerr

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Karlis Austrins

TREASURER

Randy Rasch

SECRETARY

Bill Jaconette

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Ryan Opel

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jake Przybyla

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Kevin Roragen

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SYMPHONY ADMINISTRATION

Courtney Millbrook

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Karen Dichoza

FINANCE & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Olivia Beebe

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Christine Bastian

Jenny Bond

Chris Buck

Bruce Caltrider

Carol Dooley

Kris Drake

Jim Engelkes

Nancy Johnson

Catrice Lane

John Loose

Betty Moore

Jamie Paisley

Steve Robinson

Renee Roth

Jeff Theuer

Bob Thomas

Bethany Verble

Jane Vieth

Richard Witter

Ashleigh Lore

EDUCATION & OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Nicholas Buonanni

MUSIC LIBRARIAN / BOX-OFFICE & OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

Vince Muffitt

STAGE MANAGER

Vacant

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

01 MASTERWORKS SERIES

DVORÁK NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

MILLER, RAVEL, DVORÁK

Timothy Muffitt, conductor

Claire Huangci, piano

09.14.23

MASTERWORKS SERIES

Jared Miller (Composer-In-Residence)

Surge and Swell (US Premiere)

Maurice Ravel Piano Concerto in G Allegramente Adagio assai Presto

INTERMISSION

Antonín Dvorák Symphony No. 9, op. 95, E minor “From the New World”

Adagio – Allegro molto Largo Molto vivace Allegro con fuoco

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

PROVIDED BY

PRESENTED BY Don & Jan Hines

John & Fran Loose Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices, PLLC Michigan Arts and Culture Council National Endowment for the Arts

CLAIRE HUANGCI PIANO

Renowned American pianist Claire Huangci, winner of the 2018 Geza Anda Competition, mesmerizes audiences with her radiant virtuosity, artistic sensitivity, and diverse repertoire. From Bach to Bernstein, her performances reflect versatility and curiosity. In the 2022/23 season, Claire debuts at Alte Oper and performs globally with orchestras like the Nordic Chamber Orchestra and Pacific Symphony.

Huangci’s solo recitals and orchestral collaborations grace prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, and Vienna Konzerthaus. She’s a festival favorite at Lucerne, Rheingau, and Klavier Festival Ruhr. Collaborations with eminent conductors and orchestras showcase her musical prowess.

Claire’s journey began at nine, achieving acclaim in competitions and making her mark as a Chopin interpreter. Studying under eminent mentors, she expanded her horizons. Her diverse discography, including Scarlatti sonatas and complete works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff, garners praise. Mozart concertos with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg will soon join her acclaimed recordings.

Notably, she’s a Henle Verlag ambassador, further reflecting her musical dedication. Claire Huangci’s remarkable career continues to shine through her captivating performances and remarkable recordings.

With an irrepressible curiosity and penchant for unusual repertoire, Claire Huangci proves her versatility with a wide range of repertoire.

SURGE AND SWELL (US PREMIERE)

Jared Miller (1988-)

WRITTEN / 2017

MOVEMENTS / One

STYLE / Post-Minimalist

DURATION / Seven Minutes

Written as a tribute to Canadian conductor Tania Miller (no relation), Surge and Swell was composed just as I had handed in the final copy of my doctoral dissertation on the expressive and thorny music of Alfred Schnittke. While I will always love Schnittke’s work, after intensively analyzing his music for the better part of a year and a half, I needed a change, so I started to explore different nightclubs in NYC and celebrate this milestone in my education. I was particularly captivated by the reverb, stereo, and polyrhythmic effects found in some of the electronic dance music I heard at these venues and so I sought to reimagine these elements in my acoustic language through a series of orchestral works. The first of these, Surge and Swell is a quirky, heroic, occasionally dark, and ultimately reflective overture that I hope brings a smile to the face of anyone who listens to it.

©2023 Jared Miller

PIANO CONCERTO IN G MAJOR

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)

WRITTEN / 1929–31

MOVEMENTS / Three

STYLE / Post-Impressionist

DURATION / Twenty-Three Minutes

One of the complaints leveled against Ravel’s music is that it lacks “sentiment.” In spite of all the brilliant writing, the sensuous tone color, the exotic melodies, the music misses heartfelt emotion. “I am Basque,” he admitted, “and while the Basques feel deeply they seldom show it, and then only to a very few.” Here is his forthright confession about what he felt his Piano Concerto should really be about:

“The music of a concerto should, in my opinion, be lighthearted and brilliant, and not aim at profundity or at dramatic effects. It has been said of certain classics that their concertos were written not “for” but “against” the piano. I heartily agree. I had intended to title this concerto ‘Divertissement.’ Then it occurred to me that there was no need to do so because the title ‘Concerto’ should be sufficiently clear.”

MASTERWORKS SERIES

Ravel started work on a piano concerto for himself in preparation for a tour to the United States. Paul Wittgenstein, the great pianist who lost his right arm during the ‘Great War,’ interrupted him with a request to write a concerto for the left hand only. Ravel was intrigued by the idea and so he set to work on both concertos. “It was an interesting experiment to conceive and to realize simultaneously the two concertos,” Ravel conceded. He finished the Left Hand Concerto first and the two-hand concerto about a year later. But by then Ravel was too ill to perform it, “The concerto is nearly finished and I am not far from being so myself.”

The Piano Concerto in G Major premiered with Marguerite Long performing and Ravel conducting.

Ravel claimed that this piano concerto “is a concerto in the most exact sense of the term and is written in the spirit of Mozart and Saint-Saëns . . . It includes some elements borrowed from jazz, but only in moderation.” The three movements of the concerto do follow the standard templates that Mozart helped develop. The first and third movements both have contrasting themes with a central development section. There is the

requisite solo cadenza for the piano in the first movement. The second movement is a beautiful thing (full of sentiment) that Ravel admits was composed with the “help” of Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. In terms of highlighting brilliant and facile piano technique, this concerto does resemble those of Mozart and SaintSaëns. But there the resemblance end. Mozart probably would not have started his concertos with a whip-crack! The smears of the trombone and the shrieks of the tiny piccolo clarinet belong to the nightclub, not the salons of SaintSaëns. All of the “blue-notes” and jazzy rhythms seem more a tip of the hat to George Gershwin than to Mozart. The raucous good time that everybody has is just plain fun.

©2023 John P. Varineau

SYMPHONY NO. 9 IN E

MINOR, OP. 95 “FROM THE NEW WORLD”

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) WRITTEN / 1893

MOVEMENTS / Four STYLE / Romantic DURATION / Forty Minutes

When Mrs. Jeannette Thurber, founder of the National Conservatory of Music in America (later known as the Juilliard School) needed a director for her new school, she went straight to the top. She wanted a figurehead rather than an administrator for her conservatory, and the world famous Czech composer Antonin Dvořák would do very nicely. She offered the position to him at a salary of $15,000 a year. (Wow!) Dvořák picked his family up and plopped them into the heart of New York City for three years, from 1892 to 1895.

The first work that Dvořák wrote while in America was his Ninth Symphony. He claimed that the title simply signified “Impressions and greetings from the New World” but that the work is not really “American” in character. He also

said that he based the symphony on plantation, Creole, or southern tunes, and that he infused the symphony with “characteristics that are distinctly American.” Henry Burleigh, an African-American student at the National Conservatory often sang for Dvořák. He said that “one song in particular, ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,’ greatly pleased him, and part of this old spiritual will be found in the second theme of the first movement of the symphony.” Dvořák also said that Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha and even Native American music inspired the second and third movements.

The audience was well prepared for the premiere of the symphony. All of the leading daily newspapers in New York carried preliminary articles and analyses complete with musical quotations! Following the first performance a debate raged in the papers about what aspects of the Symphony were American. In what was hopefully an attempt at humor, James Huneker wrote in the Musical Courier, “Its extremely Celtic character was patent to numerous people, and the general opinion seemed to be that Dvořák had not been long in discovering what a paramount factor the Irish were in the political life of the country.”

Reading the various reviews, Dvořák commented, “It seems that I have got them all confused.”

A common theme or “motto” connects the four movements of the symphony. The violas and cellos play it first in the slow introduction of the first movement. Later the horns play it in the faster section. It is the primary theme of the first movement, contrasted with a more dance-like tune played by oboes and flutes. The second movement was inspired by Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha, specifically the “Funeral Scene in the Forest.” Somber brass chords start and end this movement. (Incidentally, these chords reappear at the very end of the symphony.)

The English horn plays the justifiably famous melody, and then the strings take over. The orchestra plays a more lively and jaunty middle section before the return of the English horn melody. The third movement is also based upon Longfellow, this time “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast,” in which the Indians dance. It has three main themes.

The first melody, played by the woodwinds, always seems to come after the beat. The second melody is more sustained and flowing, and the third is a rollicking dance tune with its emphasis on the strong

beat of each measure. Then comes the robust finale, full of martial flare that dissolves into a tender melody played by the clarinet. The final moments bring back the motto theme, played by the horns at the same time the trumpets play the fourth movement’s main theme.

More than a century after the premiere, scholars still debate the “American-ness” of this symphony written by a Czech. Dvořák’s explanation was: “I should never have written the symphony like I have if I hadn’t seen America.”

©2023 John P. Varineau

0 2 MASTERWORKS SERIES

CARMINA BURANA

11.10.23

MASTERWORKS SERIES

See Page 24

PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY AF Group

Michigan Arts and Culture

Council National Endowment for the Arts

Timothy Muffitt, conductor University Chorale, directed by Sandra Snow Choral Union, directed by Jonathan Reed State Singers, directed by Jonathan Reed

Penelope Shumate, soprano David Shaler, tenor

Babatunde Akinboboye, baritone

Valerie Coleman Umoja: Anthem of Unity

Carl Orff Carmina Burana (Songs of Beuren)

FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI (Fortune, Empress of the World) 1.

I. PRIMO VERE (In Springtime)

3.

4.

12.

15. Amor volat undique

nox et omnia 17.

BLANZIFLOR ET HELENA (Blanziflor and Helena)

est

Fortuna

UNIVERSITY CHORALE

DIRECTED BY SANDRA SNOW

The University Chorale is the university’s premiere choral ensemble, comprised of the best graduate and upper-level undergraduate singers in the College of Music.

One of eight choral ensembles at Michigan State University, the University Chorale is the university’s premiere choral ensemble, comprised of the best graduate and upper-level undergraduate singers in the College of Music. Under the baton of David Rayl, the Chorale sang for the 2007 American Choral Directors Association National Conference, 2006 ACDA Central Division Conference, the 2002 National Meeting of the College Music Society, and on the Tuesday Matinee Series at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall in 2015. The Chorale has performed with the Detroit Symphony

Orchestra in performances of Handel’s Messiah (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015), Bach’s Mass in B-Minor (2001), Mozart’s Requiem (2003) and Holst’s The Planets (2013).

Under the baton of Charles K. Smith, the Chorale appeared at the ACDA National Conferences of 1983 and 1989, at Lincoln Center for the Mozart Bicentennial Masses-In-Concert Series in 1992 and at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, for the CBS Radio Network’s Cavalcade of Christmas Music, and at the Eisteddfod (Wales) International Choral Festival.

CHORAL UNION

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN REED

The Choral Union, a large mixed chorus of 125 voices, is designed to bring the campus and community together in a joint musical effort. The repertoire focuses on the major choral and orchestral works, performed with both the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and the

MSU Symphony Orchestra. Recent master works include Bruckner Te Deum, Schubert Mass in G, Mahler Symphony No. 2, Brahms Requiem, Handel Messiah, Mozart Requiem, Verdi Requiem, Orff Carmina Burana, Bach St. John Passion, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9.

STATE SINGERS

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN REED

The MSU State Singers, an auditioned undergraduate ensemble, includes music majors and some talented non-music majors. This choir enjoys a proud heritage and is recognized as the oldest singing

organization on campus. The State Singers ensemble appears in concert throughout Michigan, frequently joining the University Chorale and University Symphony for major works and convention appearances.

PENELOPE SHUMATE SOPRANO

and in Opera News magazine, “the mellifluous soprano Penelope Shumate puts her lines across with sincerity and attractive lucidity,”

Penelope Shumate’s recent engagements include numerous soprano soloist appearances at Carnegie Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in New York. She can be heard on “Messiah Refreshed” (Signum Records) recorded at historic Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, performing the title role on “Kassandra” (Parma Records), and as the soprano soloist on “As the fireflies watched . . .the chamber music of James Stephenson” (Klavier Records). She has performed with opera companies and orchestras across America including Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Roanoke, Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Annapolis

Opera, Opera on the James, Opera in the Heights, Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra, Oklahoma Philharmonic, Distinguished Concerts International New York, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Rapides Symphony Orchestra, Berkshire Choral Festival, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and the Kennett Symphony Orchestra, among others. She is an award winner with the Gerda Lissner Foundation, The American Prize, the Camille Coloratura Awards, the MacAllister Awards, the Marie E. Crump Vocal Arts Competition, the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Vocal Competition, and the Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition, among others.

Praised by The New York Times for singing with “bell-like clarity and surpassing sweetness,” The New York Concert Review for “her sparkling coloratura perfection,” ...

DAVID SHALER TENOR

David Shaler has been a member of professional choral workshops and concerts at Carnegie Hall with conductors Robert Shaw, Peter Schreier, and Helmuth Rilling.

Born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, David is the full-time Director of Music at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he has served since 2001 as conductor of choral and instrumental ensembles and as a singer, pianist, and trumpet player. He has also served as a church music director in Georgia and Iowa. Since 2010, he has been the chorusmaster of the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus and currently serves as a professional evaluator for the East Baton Rouge Parish Talented Music program.

Mr. Shaler received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa and has conducted collegiate choirs at that institution as well as at Coe College in Iowa. He sang as a countertenor for five years with

the professional male ensemble, Chanticleer, touring nationally and internationally in concerts and making several recordings. As a countertenor soloist, he has sung for various collegiate and community groups. He also sang as a chorister with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus under Robert Shaw for two seasons, which included a European tour and several recordings. He has been a member of professional choral workshops and concerts at Carnegie Hall with conductors Robert Shaw, Peter Schreier, and Helmuth Rilling.

BABATUNDE AKINBOBOYE BARITONE

Babatunde Akinboboye, a Nigerian American Baritone, is renowned for his captivating stage presence and innovative fusion of genres.

He has performed on distinguished stages like the Los Angeles Opera and Portland Opera, with standout roles in the Pulitzer Prizewinning opera Central Park Five and the world premiere of Sweet Land. A passionate advocate, Babatunde promotes works by African and African American composers, merging opera with traditional African music at events like the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards.

He’s championed the diversity of classical music at platforms like the African American Art Song Alliance Conference. His accolades encompass being a Regional Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition and a finalist at the International Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in Wales.

In 2018, Babatunde’s viral “Hip Hopera” video garnered over 10 million views, spotlighting his trailblazing blend of classical opera and hip-hop. This innovation was featured on Time.com, Classic FM, and MSN.com. His acclaimed EP, Del la Citta, further established him as a social media sensation under “Babatunde_HipHopera.” As an opera influencer, Babatunde continues to enlighten and inspire with his unique take on the classical art form.

UMOJA: ANTHEM OF UNITY

Valerie Coleman (1970–) WRITTEN / 2001, 2019 MOVEMENTS / One STYLE / Contemporary American DURATION / Ten Minutes

Valerie Coleman was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. In an interview on NPR in 2006, she detailed her upbringing:

“I grew up in Muhammad Ali’s neighborhood, the west end of Louisville. And that is about as inner-city as any inner-city can get. And my mom, she raised me right, and she worked hard at it. . . . My dad died when I was nine years old, so for the most part, when he died, me and my sisters—you know, my mom became a single mom at that point and she picked up the pieces. And somehow, she sent us all to college and just pulled it together and made it possible for us to get our education. . . “

Early on Valerie developed a love for music by playing the flute. She started her formal music education in the fourth grade. By the time she was fourteen, she had already written three full-length symphonies and had won several local and state

competitions. After graduating from high school, she attended Boston University where she received her bachelor’s degrees in both theory/ composition and flute performance. She then attended the Mannes School of Music for her master’s degree in flute performance.

While she was in college she came face-to-face with the lack of diversity in “classical” music education:

“I used to be in the youth orchestra, and there were so many African Americans. But somewhere along the line, when I got to college, I was the only one in the orchestra. So I wondered what in the world happened here? It came to my mind that role models are needed.”

Valerie became that role model by forming Imani Winds, a woodwind quintet dedicated to highlighting the work of underrepresented composers and performers. Since their founding, the group has won numerous awards and commissioned many pieces.

Valerie was named as one of the “Top 35 Women Composers” by The Washington Post, and she was named Performance Today’s 2020 Classical Woman of the Year. Her

most recent compositions have been performed by orchestras all across the country; and she was recently named to the Metropolitan Opera/Lincoln Center Theater New Works dual commissioning program. Umoja, her signature work for wind quintet, was listed as one of the “Top 101 Great American Works” by Chamber Music America. The orchestral version of Umoja was commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra and premiered by them in 2019. Coleman comments:

“In its original form, Umoja, the Swahili word for “Unity” and the first principle of the African Diaspora holiday Kwanzaa, was composed as a simple song for women’s choir. It embodied a sense of ‘tribal unity’, through the feel of a drum circle, the sharing of history through traditional “call and response” form and the repetition of a memorable sing-song melody. It was rearranged into woodwind quintet form during the genesis of [the] chamber music ensemble, Imani Winds, with the intent of providing an anthem that celebrated the diverse heritages of the ensemble itself.”

Almost two decades later from the original, the orchestral version brings an expansion and sophistication

PROGRAM NOTES

to the short and sweet melody, beginning with sustained ethereal passages that float and shift from a bowed vibraphone, supporting the introduction of the melody by solo violin. Here the melody is sweetly singing in its simplest form with an earnestness reminiscent of Appalachian style music. From there, the melody dances and weaves throughout the instrument families, interrupted by dissonant viewpoints led by the brass and percussion sections, which represent the clash of injustices, racism and hate that threatens to gain a foothold in the world today. Spiky textures turn into an aggressive exchange between upper woodwinds and percussion before a return to the melody as a gentle reminder of kindness and humanity. Through the brass-led ensemble tutti, the journey ends with a bold call of unity that harkens back to the original anthem.

Umoja has seen the creation of many versions that are like siblings to one another: similar in many ways, but each with a unique voice that is informed by [my] ever evolving creativity and perspective.

This version honors the simple melody that ever was but is now a full exploration into the meaning

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of freedom and unity. Now more than ever, Umoja has to ring as a strong and beautiful anthem for the world we live in today.

©2023 John P. Varineau and Valerie Coleman

CARMINA BURANA

Carl Orff (1895–1982)

WRITTEN / 1935–1936

STYLE / Contemporary DURATION / Fifty-Eight Minutes

The Latin title of tonight’s major work, translated literally as “Songs of Beuren,” comes from the Abby of Benediktbeuren where a book of poems was discovered in 1803. The Abbey is located about 30 miles south of Munich, where the composer Carl Orff was born, educated, and spent most of his life.

The 13th century book contains roughly 200 secular poems that describe medieval times. The poems, written by wandering scholars and clerics known as Goliards, attack and satirize the hypocrisy of the Church while praising the selfindulgent virtues of love, food, and drink. Their language and form often parody liturgical phrases and conventions. Similarly, Orff often uses the styles and conventions of

13th century church music, most notably plainchant, to give an air of seriousness and reverence to the texts that their actual meaning could hardly demand. In addition to plainchant, however, the eclectic music material relies upon all kinds of historical antecedents— from flamenco rhythms (no. 17, “Stetit puella”) to operatic arias (no. 21, “Intrutina”) to chorale texture (no. 24, “Ave formosissima”).

The 24 poems that compose Carmina Burana are divided into three large sections— “Springtime,” “In the Tavern,” and “Court of Love”—plus a prologue and epilogue. The work begins with the chorus “Fortuna imperatrix mundi” (“Fortune, Empress of the World”), which bemoans humankind’s helplessness in the face of the fickle wheel of fate. “Rising first, then declining, hateful life treats us badly, then with kindness, making sport of our desires.” After a brief morality tale, “Fortune plango vunera,” the “Springtime” section begins. As one would expect of springtime, the choruses and dances are spritely and optimistic. “Behold the welcome, long-awaited spring, which brings back pleasure and with crimson flowers adorns the fields.”

Only men sing the second part, “In the Tavern.” It begins and ends with a lusty drinking song, between which two stories are told, including the famously difficult “Olim lacus colueram,” a wailing tenor song, sung from the perspective of a swan being roasted, served, and eaten at a feast!

The third part, “Cour d’amours,” celebrates sensual, erotic pleasures. “If a boy and girl linger together, happy is their union. Increasing love leaves tedious good sense far behind, and inexpressible pleasure fills their limbs, their arms, their limbs.” The music for this section is more gentle and seductive. The soprano sings stories of love, while the baritone soloist offers himself as a solution to her longings. Eventually she submits, singing the rapturous “Dulcissime.” The work ends as it began: with an awareness of the intervening and ever-present wheel of fate.

The drama of Carmina Burana comes not from the novelty of its characters or plot, but rather from the listener’s own understanding of the human condition. As Karl Schumann wrote, “No individual destiny is touched upon—there are no dramatic personae in the

normal sense of the term. Instead, primeval forces are invoked, such as the ever-turning wheel of fortune, the reviving power of spring, the intoxicating effect of love, and those elements in man that prompt him to the enjoyment of earthly and all-too-earthly pleasures.”

©2023 John P. Varineau

plantemoran.com

MOZART AND BIZET

MOZART, BIEDENBENDER,

Timothy Muffitt, conductor Neil Mueller, trumpet

BIZET

MASTERWORKS SERIES

W.A. Mozart Symphony No. 35 “Haffner” in D major, K. 385

Allegro con spirito Andante Menuetto Presto

PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

David Biedenbender River of Time (World Premiere)

Becoming Flowing Crossing

INTERMISSION

Georges Bizet Symphony No. 1 in C major

Allegro vivo Adagio

Allegro vivace

Allegro vivace

PROVIDED BY Darcy & Hudson Kerr Clark Schaefer & Hackett

Michigan Arts and Culture Council National Endowment for the Arts

NEIL MUELLER TRUMPET

Neil Mueller enjoys a career performing and teaching music, currently as Professor of Trumpet at Central Michigan University and Principal Trumpet of the LSO.

Prior to his position with Lansing Symphony Orchestra, he spent four years as a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra trumpet section. He has previously held Principal Trumpet chairs in Cleveland’s BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, ensembles that also featured Mueller as concerto soloist. He also performed concerti with the Boston Pops and the Boston University Symphony Orchestra, while completing doctoral studies.

Mueller has collaborated with groups including the Berkshire Bach Ensemble, the Brass Ring Quintet, Burning River Brass, and the River Raisin Ragtime Revue. He has made numerous recordings of chamber music, including Call and Response

in 2015 from White Pine Recording, featuring new music for trumpet and piano, and for two trumpets.

The education of the next generation of trumpeters and educators shares equal importance with performing for Mueller. His students have been finalists for competitions at both the International Trumpet Guild as well as the National Trumpet Competition. Prior teaching includes stints at North Dakota State, Case Western, and Cleveland State Universities, Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, and high schools in Ohio and Minnesota.

Neil’s greatest accomplishment is the continued forbearance of his family, including his wife Shawnthea Monroe and three adult children, Walter, Clara, and Renold. They can sing most trumpet excerpts on command.

SYMPHONY NO. 35 IN D MAJOR, K. 385

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

WRITTEN / 1782

MOVEMENTS / Four

STYLE / Classical

DURATION / Nineteen Minutes

When Mozart was just nineteen, he endeared himself to the mayor of Salzburg by writing the delightful “Haffner” Serenade (K. 250) for the wedding of Haffner’s daughter Elizabeth. Several years later, after Mozart had moved to Vienna, Haffner found out that he was to be elevated to the nobility. Mozart’s father asked Wolfgang to provide a new “symphony” to mark the occasion. Mozart understood the importance of such a commission but was worried that he didn’t have the time. After all, he was getting married in just a few weeks, was in the midst of finishing his new opera (The Abduction from the Seraglio) and wasn’t on particularly good terms with his dad. He accepted reluctantly, and in less than two weeks churned out a six-movement serenade, which he called his “Haffner Symphony.”

In March of the following year, Mozart was preparing a concert of his works and needed a new symphony to fill out the program. He wrote to his father and asked him to send a copy of the Haffner Symphony. “[It] has positively amazed me,” he wrote, “for I had forgotten every single note of it. It must surely produce a good effect…” He reworked it into his Symphony No. 35- now subtitled “Haffner”first by trimming off the opening march and the second minuet to reduce the symphony to the conventional four movements, and then reworking the orchestration to include flutes and clarinets. The result was a great success. At the premiere, the Emperor himself was in attendance. Delighted by the symphony, “[he] applauded me loudly.” Mozart’s immediate future in Vienna was secure.

No doubt owing to the occasion of its inception, the symphony has a festive character. The first movement offers a single theme that is “spun out” rather than developed. Its boisterous treatment resembles Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. In contrast, the tender second movement is elegant and dance-like. The third movement captures the spirit, elegance, and

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courtly grace that pervades the music of Mozart’s era. For the last movement, Mozart returns to the vigor and energy of the first movement, even indicating that it should be played “as fast as possible.”

© 2023 John P. Varineau

RIVER OF TIME

David Biedenbender (1984–)

WRITTEN / 2023

MOVEMENTS / Three STYLE / Contemporary DURATION / Sixteen Minutes

David Biedenbender’s work is often influenced by his diverse musical experiences in rock and jazz bands as an electric bassist; in wind, jazz, and New Orleans-style brass bands as a euphonium, bass trombone, and tuba player; and by his study of Indian Carnatic music. His present creative interests include working with everyone from classically trained musicians to improvisers, composing for acoustic chamber music to large ensembles, and experimenting with interactive electronic interfaces to live brain data.

College of Music at Michigan State University. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in composition from the University of Michigan and the Bachelor of Music degree in composition and theory from Central Michigan University. He has also studied at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study in Uppsala, Sweden, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and in Mysore, India where he studied South Indian Carnatic music. He provides the following comments about tonight’s world premiere of his trumpet concerto:

“River of Time was commissioned by and written for my friend Neil Mueller and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. I was at a conducting workshop working with my friend Kevin Noe when I heard him use the phrase “river of time.” I found it to be an incredibly rich and interesting metaphor, and I also happened to be reading Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations around the same time, when this line from Book Five jumped right off the page:

Mr. Biedenbender is Associate Professor of Composition in the

Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone—those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river: the “what” is in constant flux, the

“why” has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what’s right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us—a chasm whose depths we cannot see…

(translation by Gregory

Hays)

The first movement is called Becoming. I imagine a kind of primordial clock from which time flows—swirling—becoming an infinity of matter and moments. The second movement, Flowing, is a meditation on being part of the river of time—being present. Imagine a beautiful moment that you simply don’t want to end. For me, I imagine something like holding my infant son, listening to his slow, relaxed breathing as he sleeps peacefully on my chest. Of course, these moments are often shaded with just a tinge of melancholy, as my thoughts slip toward the past or the future, thinking about whether a moment just like this might ever occur again. And the third movement is called Crossing. Our perception of time is often linear, but what if it was circular or it could be bent?

What if we could exist outside of it?

What if we could traverse time?”

©2023 David

Biedenbender;

compiled by John P. Varineau

SYMPHONY NO. 1 IN C MAJOR

George Bizet (1838–1875)

WRITTEN / 1855

MOVEMENTS / Four STYLE / Romantic DURATION / Twenty-Seven Minutes

Music history seems to be full of composers who started out as c hild prodigies, began composing at an early age, and then died tragically young. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is the most famous example. The French composer Georges Bizet is another. However, Bizet wrote far fewer works than Mozart, and when he died, he was not nearly as famous.

Bizet’s parents were musicians themselves and wanted George to follow in their footsteps. His father enrolled him at the Paris Conservatory when he was just nine and, six months later, Georges won a premier prix—first prize—in sight singing. He won three more first prizes—in piano, organ, and fugue— by the time he was fifteen. He won the most coveted prize of all, the Prix de Rome, at the ripe old age of nineteen.

MASTERWORKS SERIES PROGRAM NOTES

Bizet’s real musical love was opera: “I am not made for the symphony; I need the theatre, I can do nothing without it.” None of his operas received any real audience or critical acclaim, but perhaps Bizet’s greatest disappointment came with his final opera, Carmen. The audience was shocked at its premier, and the critics were universal in their derision. One described it as “This inferno of ridiculous and uninteresting corruption.” Another wrote, “If it were possible to imagine His Satanic Majesty writing an opera, Carmen would be the sort of work he might be expected to turn out.” Exactly three months after the premier, Bizet suffered a fatal heart attack, never realizing that Carmen would become one of the most popular operas of all time.

In 1933, the French composer Reynaldo Hahn—who was a close friend of Bizet’s son—gave some of Bizet’s manuscripts to the Paris Conservatory. Hidden in the manuscripts was tonight’s Symphony in C Major that Bizet wrote when he was just seventeen. Audiences heard it for the first time eighty years after he wrote it. It shares the same sort of youthful ebullience and clarity found in the works by the young Mozart and Mendelssohn, clearly Bizet’s role

models. The three fast movements, full of sparkle and lots of frenzied finger-work for the violins, frame a beautiful slow movement that contains one of the most famous of symphonic oboe solos.

©2023 John P. Varineau

2023-2024

For more information, please visit: masonorchestras org

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BEETHOVEN, WAGER, STRAUSS

BEETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO GIBSON,

Timothy Muffitt, conductor

Bella Hristova, violin

Sarah Gibson to make this mountain taller (Michigan Premiere)

L.V. Beethoven

Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61

INTERMISSION

Richard Wagner

Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90: Prelude & Liebestod

Richard Strauss

Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, op. 28

Commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation

Allegro ma non troppo Larghetto

Rondo: Allegro

MASTERWORKS SERIES

PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

PROVIDED BY Loomis Law

Michigan Arts and Culture

Council National Endowment for the Arts

BELLA HRISTOVA VIOLIN

Internationally acclaimed violinist Bella Hristova is known for her passionate and powerful performances, beautiful sound, and compelling command of her instrument.

Her numerous prizes include a 2013 Avery Fisher Career Grant, First Prize in the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, and First Prize in the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. She has performed extensively as a soloist with orchestras including the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York String Orchestra, and the Forth Worth, Kansas City, and Milwaukee symphony orchestras. She has performed recitals at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and regularly appears with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In 2017, she and renowned pianist Michael Houstoun toured New Zealand performing and recording the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano on the Rattle label. A committed proponent of new music, she has commissioned

composers Joan Tower and Nokuthula Ngwenyama to write unaccompanied violin pieces, which she premiered and performs in recitals throughout the United States and abroad. She further collaborated with her husband David Serkin Ludwig on a violin concerto written for her through a consortium of eight major orchestras across the country. Hristova began violin studies at the age of six in her native Bulgaria, studied with Ida Kavafian at the Curtis Institute of Music, and received her Artist Diploma under the tutelage of Jaime Laredo at Indiana University. She performs on a 1655 Nicolò Amati violin.

MASTERWORKS SERIES

to make this mountain taller

Sarah Gibson (1987–)

WRITTEN / 2023

MOVEMENTS / One STYLE / Contemporary DURATION / Nine Minutes

If composing music isn’t hard enough already, there is the problem of getting people to play your works more than once. Most new orchestral music is written on commission, so the first performance of a work is almost a given. But after that, then what? It really takes multiple performances of a new work by different orchestras in order to create the “buzz” needed to create demand. (Audience response is critical in this story: If audiences really like a work, orchestras will program it!) The League of American Orchestras’ Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program seeks to ensure that new works by women composers, each commissioned by the League, will be infused into orchestra seasons to come, with multiple performances throughout the country. In 2022, the League commissioned works from six different women composers. Each will be performed by five

different orchestras (thirty in all, drawn from nineteen US states and Canada). One of those composers is Sarah Gibson. Her to make this mountain taller was premiered by the Sarasota Orchestra in March of 2023. The four other orchestras that will perform the work include the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Knoxville Symphony, the Idaho State Civic Symphony and the Lansing Symphony.

Sarah Gibson is a Los Angeles based composer and pianist whose works draw on her breadth of experience as a collaborative performer. Her compositions reflect her deep interest in the creative process across various artistic mediums—especially from the female perspective. She is co-founder of the new music piano duo, HOCKET, and is a core artist for the inimitable Los Angeles Series, Piano Spheres. Sarah received degrees in Piano and Composition from Indiana University and the University of Southern California. She is Assistant Director for the esteemed Los Angeles Philharmonic Composer Fellowship Program and Assistant Professor in Composition/Theory at the California State University, Long Beach Bob Cole Conservatory of Music where she also directs

the New Music Ensemble. She provided these comments about to make this mountain taller:

“On the day Roe v. Wade was overturned in the U.S., I went to the Norton Simon Museum where I came upon Aristide Maillol’s La Montagne: an immense statue of a sitting woman with hair blowing in the wind. Struck initially by the monumental size of the work, I was then attracted to the contrast between the statue’s angular features against her windswept hair and concerned expression. Historically, it seemed to me uncommon to relate a woman to a mountain—normally such a large and bold figure would be given masculine characteristics. I saw this woman as being strong, capable, and feminine all at once. Figuratively, I also pondered the number of mountains that women and nonmale identifying people have had to climb simply to access the most basic rights. While it was painful to realize that each generation may have to fight the same fights all over again, I was comforted by the trailblazers who have shown us what can be achieved. Later that day, I found a poem by Rupi Kaur which summarized my feelings about this experience:

CONCERTO IN D MAJOR FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA, OP. 61

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

WRITTEN / 1806

MOVEMENTS / Three STYLE / Classical and Romantic DURATION / Forty-Two Minutes

Many of us share a personality flaw with Beethoven. In spite of his greatness, Ludwig van Beethoven was a procrastinator, especially when somebody was paying for his work. Consider poor Franz Clement and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto

Franz Clement was a virtuoso violinist who made his fame as a child prodigy. Later he became the concertmaster and conductor of the prestigious Theater an der Wien.

I stand on the sacrifices of one million women before me thinking what can I do to make this mountain taller so the women after me can see farther

©2023 John P. Varineau and Sarah Gibson

Clement conducted the premiere of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony and was the concertmaster at the premiere of his only opera, Fidelio. His “ear” was legendary; there are tales of Clement’s ability to play back almost any piece of music after only a single hearing. Unlike many violinists of the day who were known for “bold, robust, powerful playing,” Clement was known for an “indescribable delicacy, neatness, and elegance, and extremely delightful tenderness and purity.” He was “indisputably . . . among the most perfect violinists.”

One way to make money as a musician during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was to hold a benefit concert—for yourself. Clement held his benefit concert on December 23, 1806. In spite of his “delicacy and neatness,” he wasn’t above mere showmanship; he ended the concert playing a piece while holding the instrument upside down and using only one of the violin’s strings! For that same concert, he asked Beethoven to write a concerto. Beethoven barely finished it in time. Legend has it that Clement’s first time through the concerto was when he sight-read it at the concert, in front of the paying audience! Pity the poor orchestra players who were

also sight-reading. One might feel some pity for the conductor, except that it was Beethoven himself!

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto reflects the qualities of Clement’s playing, making it “among the most perfect” violin concertos. Nevertheless, it is not a typical concerto: (i.e., a technical show-off piece for a soloist). Performing it is difficult but, even in the more robust sections, it has a sweet, serene character. Beginning with the timpani—which play a central role throughout the first movement—the orchestra plays for an extended period and gets to introduce all of the melodies before the violinist even enters. After he finally comes in with a short cadenza, he embellishes everything that has come before. Even the cadenza at the end of this movement finishes without the typical soloist flourish. Instead, it gently melts into the final orchestral utterance.

The second movement is a series of variations on a simple little theme resembling a chorale. A short cadenza at the end leads directly into the finale. Like the beginning of the concerto itself, it begins delicately. This time, however, it builds into a vigorous and virtuosic showpiece.

©2023 John P. Varineau

PRELUDE AND LIEBESTOD FROM “TRISTAN UND ISOLDE”

Richard Wagner (1813–1883)

WRITTEN / 1857–59

MOVEMENTS / One

STYLE / Romantic DURATION / Seventeen Minutes

The legend of Tristan and Isolde—that tale of intense romantic yearning—is probably of Celtic origin, but it was the decidedly Teutonic composer Richard Wagner who re-invented it for the world of opera. He was in the midst of writing his monumental four-opera The Ring of the Niebelung when he first read the legend of Tristan. He was also in the midst of an intense relationship with the verymuch-married Mathilde Wesendonk. Soon he was taking a sabbatical from The Ring and working on a new opera: Tristan und Isolde.

It is difficult to encapsulate all of the psychological sub-texts of the opera, but the basic plot is this: Tristan goes on a journey to bring Isolde back to wed his master, King Marke. Of course, Tristan falls in love with Isolde, and somehow the two drink a love potion that

was meant for the King and Isolde. Their eyes are opened and, in the words of Wagner’s own synopsis:

“For the future they only belong to each other. . . . The World, power, fame, splendor, honor, knighthood, fidelity, friendship, all are dissipated like an empty dream. One thing remains: longing, longing, insatiable longing; forever springing up anew, pining and thirsting. Death, which means passing away, perishing, never awakening, is their only deliverance.”

That longing is what the Prelude is all about. In a long, slow crescendo, the tension builds to a tremendous climax and then slowly subsides. The never-resolving harmonies of the Prelude themselves imply that insatiable longing. As the Prelude subsides, the Liebstod (Love-death) begins. It contains melodic material from the famous second act duet between Tristan and Isolde. That duet is the longest in all of opera, lasting nearly 40 minutes—with nearly no action. The gist of those 40 minutes? “Thus we died, undivided, one forever, without end, never waking, never fearing, embraced namelessly, in love, given entirely to each other, living only in our love!”

Wagner’s affair with Mathilde Wesendonk didn’t last. She couldn’t leave her husband. But Wagner was soon at it again, this time wooing and eventually marrying Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Franz Liszt and the wife of the man who conducted the premiere of Tristan und Isolde. While Cosima was still married to Hans von Bülow, she and Wagner had two daughters. One of them was named Isolde.

©2023 John P. Varineau

TILL EULENSPIEGELS LUSTIGE STREICHE, OP.

28 ( TILL EULENSPIEGEL’S MERRY PRANKS )

Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

WRITTEN / 1895

MOVEMENTS / One

STYLE / Romantic DURATION / Fifteen Minutes

A short spin through the collected tales of the medieval prankster Till Eulenspiegel demonstrates that teenage bathroom humor has a long and “colorful” history. The “real” Till is said to have been born in Kneitlingen, Germany and to have

died in 1350 C.E. in the province of Schleswig-Holstein where the locals still point out his gravestone. Folk and literary tales associated with Till and his pranks appeared in German, Dutch, French, Latin and English starting in about 1500. Most of these tales are about the practical jokes Till plays, and they depend upon the sort of slapstick violence still found in today’s children’s cartoons. And in the unexpurgated versions of the tales, there is a good dose of obscene and scatological humor. Fortunately for us, Richard Strauss’s version of Till’s merry pranks is “G” rated. It is a hilarious musical romp.

Throughout the nineteenth century, composers and critics debated whether music could or even should portray such concrete characters as Till and his tricks. On the one hand there were the “absolute” composers, like Johannes Brahms, who felt that although music was a profound emotional language, its purpose was not to portray such things. Then there were those composers of “program” music. Franz Liszt invented the symphonic tone poem— complete symphonic works that could musically detail specific people, places, things and ideas. As a young man, Strauss wrote a series of brilliant tone

poems: Don Juan; A Hero’s Life; Don Quixote; Death and Transfiguration. These works are not just descriptive. They are also brilliant showcases for orchestras. Every player must rise to the level of a virtuoso.

Strauss was careful not to print (in words) exactly what was going on in his Till Eulenspiegel. He explained,

“It is impossible for me to furnish a program to Eulenspiegel. . . Let me leave it, therefore, to my hearers to crack the hard nut which the Rogue has prepared for them. By way of helping them to a better understanding, it seems sufficient to point out the two “Eulenspiegel” motives, which, in the most manifold disguises, moods and situations, pervade the whole up to the catastrophe, when, after he has been condemned to death, Till is strung to the gibbet. For the rest, let them guess at the musical joke which a Rogue has offered them.”

You’ll hear those two motives immediately after a short introduction by the orchestra which seems to say, “Once upon a time . . .”. The first is a roguish tune played by the horn. It gets all twisted up in the rhythm. Other instruments come in with the tune and soon the

whole orchestra is a-tumble. Out of the chaos comes the little piccolo clarinet with the second motive, a sneering little giggle. Those two motives form the backbone for the entire work. As soon as they are introduced, we are off on our merry way. For most of us who aren’t familiar with the list of all of Till’s pranks, here are a few hints: Till rides his horse through a busy marketplace upsetting everything in his wake; he dons the robes of a priest and poses as a preacher of morals; Till becomes a lady’s man but storms away in a rage when his advances are spurned; he makes fun of professors—here by a fugue which goes awry. Finally Till goes too far with his jesting and is hauled before the court. To the ominous condemnation from the low brass, the piccolo clarinet pleads for mercy. Till is strung up (unmistakable in the music). The orchestra ends the piece as it began as if to say, “It is really only a story.”

©2023 John P. Varineau

RACHMANINOFF SYMPHONY NO.

MILLER, MOZART, RACHMANINOFF

Timothy Muffitt, conductor

3

Harmony Zhu, piano, 2024 Gilmore Young Artist

05.10.24

MASTERWORKS SERIES

Jared Miller (Composer-In-Residence)

Luster

W.A. Mozart

Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467

INTERMISSION

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, op. 44

Allegro Andante

Allegro vivace assai

PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

PROVIDED BY Ken & Mary West Michigan Arts and Culture

Lento – Allegro Moderato

Adagio ma non troppo

Allegro

Council National Endowment for the Arts

HARMONY ZHU PIANO

Harmony Zhu has performed at prestigious festivals such as the Ravinia Festival and Aspen Music Festival, and made her debut at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium at age 14.

Hailed as “a deeply musical soul and nimble technician [with] probing sensitivity” (Chicago Tribune), having “airtight technique [and] coruscating brilliance” (Chicago Classical Review), and “an impressive soloist, a sparkling and happy presence... unflappable” (Times Union), pianist and composer Harmony Zhu won the 2021 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, becoming the youngest artist on the YCA roster. Recognized as a Young Steinway Artist since age 10, Harmony has appeared as soloist with esteemed orchestras worldwide, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, and more, under renowned conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Harmony has also been featured on NBC’s The Ellen DeGeneres

Show, NPR’s From the Top, CBS, and ABC. Last season, Harmony jumped in at 24-hour notice for the late maestro Alexander Toradze, performing Prokofiev Concerto No. 3 with the Illinois Philharmonic to great acclaim, praised by the Chicago Classical Review as having the “stellar technique and musical insight to have a major professional career”. Studying at Juilliard since age eight with Emanuel Ax and Veda Kaplinsky, Harmony is also a versatile composer and an accomplished improviser. In the realm of chess, she was awarded the title of Woman Candidate Master at the tender age of 7 and holds the title of World Champion of her age group after winning the World Youth Chess Championships. She attends the prestigious Brearley School in NYC.

MASTERWORKS SERIES

LUSTER

Jared Miller (1988-)

WRITTEN / 2018

MOVEMENTS / One STYLE / Contemporary

DURATION / Seven Minutes

When I received this commission to write for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, I immediately knew that I wanted to pay homage to the city’s vibrant musical past. After all, in addition to the DSO’s worldclass music making under Leonard Slatkin over the past decade, Detroit is known for its invention and/or cultivation of many popular music genres including Motown, rap, and rock music. Upon reading more on the musical history of Detroit, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that one of my favorite musical genres – techno music – was also invented in Detroit. The soundworld of Luster is inspired by the thumping bass, instrumental colors, reverberation effects and multilayered rhythmic texture that is found in techno, house and EDM music from the past 35 years.

©2023 Jared Miller

CONCERTO IN C MAJOR FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA, K. 467

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

WRITTEN / 1785

MOVEMENTS / Three STYLE / Classical

DURATION / Twenty-Nine Minutes

When Mozart finally escaped from the oppressive clutches of his father and the stifling atmosphere of Salzburg and settled in Vienna, he had one major problem. He didn’t have a job. So, Mozart set out to do what few, if any, composers in the eighteenth century could do: make a living as a freelance performer and composer. He filled his mornings teaching piano lessons to the children of the upper class and aristocracy. Then he would play piano in the salons of the hoi-poloi To make even more money he would present an “academy”—a benefit concert for himself in one of the large halls in the city. Competition for such a space was fierce. The only time he could get into one of these halls was during Advent or Lent (when staged productions like operas were prohibited), so he could

normally give only one or two a year. He made a lot of money at these concerts; but to make more, Mozart presented a series of concerts in smaller locations, like inns or ballrooms, and sold subscriptions for the whole group in advance— much like your season ticket subscriptions. He recounted his life in Vienna in a letter to his father:

“You must forgive me if I don’t write very much, but it is impossible to find time to do so, as I am giving three subscription concerts in Trattner’s room on the last three Wednesdays of Lent, beginning on March 17. I have a hundred subscribers already and shall easily get another thirty. The price for the three concerts is six florins. I shall probably give two concerts in the theater this year. Well, as you may imagine, I must play some new works—and therefore I must compose. The whole morning is taken up with pupils and almost every evening I have to play. . . . Well, haven’t I enough to do? I don’t think that in this way I can possibly get out of practice.”

piano concerto. He described his early attempts at the concerto to his father. The same paragraph explains why he remains so popular:

“They are a happy medium, between too hard and too easy—very brilliant, pleasing to the ear, natural, without lapsing into vapidity. There are passages here and there from which connoisseurs alone can derive satisfaction, but they are written so that the non-connoisseurs cannot fail to be pleased even if they don’t know why.”

Mozart wrote the Piano Concerto in C Major for his academy in the Burgtheater on March 10, 1785. It is a festive one, using trumpets and timpani. The first movement has its surprises. It begins quietly and in spite of the overall major quality, there are a few poignant twists in minor. After the big orchestral fanfare, the solo piano has to delay its entrance because the woodwinds keep going!

Mozart had to deal with the problem of playing something that would draw an audience. He hit on a brilliant solution: He invented the

The slow middle movement has one of Mozart’s greatest melodies. The noted musicologist Alfred Einstein (and brother of the famous physicist) says that this movement, “with its muted strings, its quivering triplets and its pizzicato accompaniment

against the broad arch of the soloist’s cantilena [song], is like an ideal aria freed of all the limitations of the human voice.” No voice could sing the large jumps Mozart writes for the piano. (Incidentally, the title Elvira Madigan is often appended to this concerto, only because this slow movement was used in the 1967 movie by that name. Mozart had nothing to do with it!) The last movement, again beginning softly, is a sprightly rondo full of witty and light-hearted brilliance.

©2023 John P. Varineau

SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN A MINOR, OP. 44

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)

WRITTEN / 1936–38

MOVEMENTS / Three

STYLE / Romantic

DURATION / Forty Minutes

“Some people achieve a kind of immortality just by the totality with which they do or do not possess some quality or characteristic. Rachmaninoff’s immortalizing totality was his scowl. He was a six-and-ahalf-foot-tall scowl.” That was Igor Stravinsky’s summation of his fellow Russian. He had a contradictory

compliment as well: “He was the only pianist I have ever seen who did not grimace. This is a great deal.”

In spite of his demeanor, Sergei Rachmaninoff was a commanding presence in the music world as a virtuoso pianist, conductor, and composer. As the first half of the twentieth century grappled with modernism in all of its forms, Rachmaninoff remained an unrepentant romantic. “I feel like a ghost wandering in a world grown alien. I cannot cast out the old way of writing, and I cannot acquire the new,” he said. “I have made intense efforts to feel the musical manner of today, but it will not come to me.”

Rachmaninoff began his Third Symphony in the summer of 1935. It was not easy going. He wrote to his friend Vladimir Wilshaw:

“My health has been wretched. I’m breaking up rapidly! When I had health – I possessed extraordinary laziness; as that begins to disappear— all I can think of is work. . . . Rebirth can’t be expected in old age! Thus, to increase the total of my activity is now difficult. This means that in my lifetime I have not done all I could have done, and this realization will not make my remaining days happy.”

MASTERWORKS SERIES

Another year of concertizing interrupted his work on the symphony. Still, he managed to complete it the following summer. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra premiered it in November 1936. Critics were not encouraging: “No, the critics are not helpful. When my first symphony was played, they said that it was so-so. Then when my second was played they said the first was good, but that the second was so-so. Now that my third has been played – just this fall – they say my first and second are good but that my – oh, well, you see how it is.” Rachmaninoff was discouraged. He wrote to his secretary, “Since I began a record of those who love this work, I have turned down three fingers. Its second lover is the violinist Busch, and the third –excuse me – is I! When I run out of fingers on both hands, I’ll give up counting! Only – when will this be?”

The symphony is in three movements. The first begins very quietly and then suddenly explodes as the orchestra plays an extended theme starting like an Orthodox chant and ending with flash and dash. It gives way to a second melody, first played by the cellos, full of ache and nostalgia. The rest of the movement explores

and develops both themes. The second movement is actually two combined. The slower outer sections are pure, constant melody. The music expands and eventually weaves its way into a faster central section that starts as a scherzo and ends as a march. The melodic material for the last movement comes from the first movement, again with a contrast between a driving dancelike rhythm and soaring melody. Ever the pessimist, Rachmaninoff injects a snippet of the Dies Irae, a sung prayer from the Mass for the Dead (and something of a signature tune for him) into the proceedings. It turns out it has been hiding in the main theme all along.

Committed to helping businesses and individuals be in tune with a stronger financial future. We are proud to support the Lansing Symphony Orchestra as they present their 94th Annual Season.

608 South Washington Ave. Suite 200

Lansing, Michigan 48933

D: 517.485.9350

©2023 John P. Varineau

Proud to Support the

ORCHESTRATING A GREATER UNDERSTANDING.

Inspired minds uplift themselves and the world around them. Through communications, we’re broadening horizons, one community at a time.

LANSING TOWN HALL CELEBRITY SERIES

Eagle Eye Banquet Center

Hear ye! Hear ye!

October 9, 2023

“On the Road”

He brings to audiences some of the uplifting and inspirational segments he has produced for CBS as part of his ”On the Road” series.

November 6, 2023

Motivational Speaker

As President of CSE, a sports and entertainment agency, she has negotiated millions in contracts and represented many of sports’ biggest names.

April 15, 2024

Cartoonist

A cartoonist and author who has  published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker, co-authored several books and contributed to many publications.

May 6, 2024

American Jurist

Who are the most powerful people in the world? As professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania, an international lawyer and political scientist, he has the answer.

William Burke-White

Molly Fletcher

Steve Hartman

More than a job. A purpose.

When you go to work, you want more than a job to do. You want a purpose you can believe in—and confidence that what’s meaningful to you is meaningful to your employer. That’s why we take extra care to invest in our communities with help from our associates who represent them. Join our team and discover how, together, we can make a difference that resonates beyond the office.

Explore career opportunities at Jackson.com/careers

CMC26842 02/23

SUPPORTING THE ARTS

As a long-time supporter of the arts, Honigman’s Lansing Office celebrates the work of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.

Kevin M. Blair

Lauren Babbage

Andrea Hansen

Andrea Hansen

Dennis Muchmore

Ryan B. Opel

Kevin M. Blair

Kenneth T. Brooks

Mark A. Hilpert

Mark A. Hilpert

Peter B. Ruddell

Ryan B. Opel

Kenneth T. Brooks

Li Gao

Joseph A. Garcia

Mark A. Burton

Brian A. Kandler

Brian A. Kandler

Douglas E. Mains

Douglas E. Mains

Angela Epolito Sprecher

Peter B. Ruddell

Daniel L. Stanley

Daniel L. Stanley

Li Gao, Ph.D

June Summers Haas

Dennis Muchmore

Melissa Malerman

www.lansingartgallery.org

Exhibiting and selling the work of Michigan artists for over 50 years!

A WELL ORCHESTRATED HEALTH PLAN... FOR YOU.

Composed of 78,000 providers and 143 hospitals. The Right Plan for Right Now.

With McLaren Health Plan, you have talented people dedicated to helping your family stay healthy - including providers in major health systems all over Michigan.

Learn more at McLarenHealthPlan.org.

2023–2024 CONCERT SEASON

MSU MUSIC

Choose from a variety of classical and jazz performance series featuring top musicians, ensembles, and guest artists.

ORCHESTRA // CHOIR // BAND // OPERA // JAZZ

CHAMBER MUSIC // EARLY MUSIC // NEW MUSIC

October 13 & 14, 2023

The Abduction from the Seraglio

W.A. Mozart

February 9 & 10, 2024

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Ricky Ian Gordon

April 19 & 20, 2024

La Bohème

Giacomo Puccini operagr.org

Amplifying our impact

The Sparrow partnership with the nationally-recognized University of Michigan Health System expands local services, increases access to the highest level of care, and accelerates innovation. Our unique abilities and combined strengths come together in perfect harmony for our people, our patients and our region. For you.

Learn more at:

SPARROW.ORG/NEWCHAPTER

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L a n s i n g , M I 4 8 9 1 2

w w w . w i l l i a m s h y u n d a i . c o m

P h o n e 5 1 7 - 4 8 4 - 1 3 4 1

Jody Knol

Linda Kernohan Jamie Paisley

WE’RE PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY’S CULTURE DESTINATION #FlyLansing

BRD AD

12.17.23 0 1 POPS SERIES

HOLIDAY POPS!

Timothy Muffitt, conductor Teri Hansen, vocalist

Feel the joy of the season with your favorite holiday tunes and traditional carols. The afternoon features Broadway Star and Michigan Native, Teri Hansen, singing festive classics and popular songs. Bring your friends and family to be a part of this community tradition.

POPS SERIES PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY Plas-Labs, Inc. Michigan.com

TERI HANSEN VOCALIST

Teri Hansen has received international recognition for her crossover abilities as a singing actress from Opera to Broadway and concert stages around the world.

Miss Hansen made her Broadway debut in The Boys From Syracuse and starred in London’s West End as ‘Magnolia’ in Hal Prince’s Tony award winning production of Show Boat. Most recently she starred in the National Tours of The Sound Of Music (Elsa) and the Tony Award winning An American In Paris. Miss Hansen starred in tours of The Music Man as ‘Marian Paroo’, ‘Guenevere’ in Camelot and as ‘Magnolia’ in Show Boat. Internationally recognized as an interpreter of Weill, Miss Hansen starred as “Rose” in the film version of Kurt Weill’s Street

Scene. Miss Hansen also toured for years with Marvin Hamlisch, appeared at the Lincoln Center singing Rodgers and Hammerstein, as well as regular appearances there as a part of the prestigious “Meet the Artist” series. Her solo CD “Into Your Arms…Love Songs of Richard Rodger’s” is available worldwide.

THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES

Timothy Muffitt, conductor

James Owen Presents: Classical Mystery Tour

Jim Owen

Rhythm guitar, piano, vocals

Robbie Berg

Lead guitar, vocals

Paul Curatolo

Bass guitar, piano, vocals

Chris McBurney

Drums, vocals

Selections from the following:

A Day In the Life

A Hard Day’s Night

All You Need is Love

Come Together

Eleanor Rigby

Golden Slumbers

Good Night

Got to Get You Into My Life

Here Comes the Sun

I Am the Walrus

I Saw Her Standing There

Imagine

Lady Madonna

Let it Be

Magical Mystery Tour

Ob-la-di, ob-la-da

Penny Lane

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely

Hearts Club Band

The Long and Winding Road

While My Guiltar

Gently Weeps

With a Little Help

From My Friends

Yellow Submarine

Yesterday

*Program subject to change*

POPS SERIES PRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY Neogen

Traction

CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR

Imagine The Beatles playing in concert with a symphony orchestra. What would that have sounded like? Find out for yourself when Classical Mystery Tour performs live in concert.

A tribute to The Beatles, backed by a Symphony Orchestra.

The four musicians in Classical Mystery Tour look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The full show presents some two dozen Beatles tunes sung, played, and performed exactly as they were written. Hear “Penny Lane” with a live trumpet section; experience the beauty of “Yesterday” with an acoustic guitar and string quartet; enjoy the rock/classical blend on the hard edged “I Am the Walrus.” From early Beatles music on through the solo years, Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you’ve never heard them: totally live.

Classical Mystery Tour features Jim Owen on rhythm guitar, piano, and vocals; Paul Curatolo on bass guitar,

piano, and vocals; Robbie Berg on lead guitar and vocals; and Chris McBurney on drums and vocals. Martin Herman, who transcribed the musical scores note for note from Beatles recordings, conducts many of the Classical Mystery Tour concerts.

Classical Mystery Tour has been delighting pops audiences for more than 22 years, performing concerts with more than 100 orchestras in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The group played sold out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, and has performed with America’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, The Boston Pops, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The San Francisco Symphony, and many more.

Visit

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU:

THE MUSIC OF STAR WARS

Stuart Chafetz, conductor

A New Hope

20 Century Fox Fanfare

Main Title

Princess Leia’s Theme

Cantina Band

05.04.24

POPS SERIES

PRESENTED BY

The Empire Strikes Back

Yoda’s Theme

Imperial March

Return of the Jedi Parade of Ewoks

The Forest Battle

The Phantom Menace Anakin’s Theme Adventures of Jar Jar

Duel of the Fates

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

PROVIDED BY Güd Marketing

Honigman

Michigan Radio

Plante Moran

INTERMISSION

Theme From 2001

Attack of the Clones Across the Stars

Revenge Of The Sith Battle of the Heroes

The Force Awakens

The March of the Resistance

Rey’s Theme

Scherzo for X-Wings

Rogue One

The Imperial Suite

The Last Jedi The Rebellion is Born

A New Hope Throne Room/End Title

STUART CHAFETZ CONDUCTOR

Stuart Chafetz is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Columbus Symphony and Principal Pops Conductor of the Chautauqua and Marin Symphonies.

Celebrated for his vibrant podium presence, Chafetz is sought after by orchestras nationwide, conducting this season in cities including Detroit, Naples, and Seattle. He shares a unique bond with The Phoenix Symphony, leading multiple programs each year.

Chafetz has collaborated with luminaries like Leslie Odom, Jr., Kenny G, David Foster, The O’Jays, Chris Botti, Michael Bolton, and Bernadette Peters. His previous roles include resident conductor for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and associate conductor for the Louisville Orchestra. As the Honolulu Symphony’s principal timpanist for two decades, he conducted the annual Nutcracker performances featuring Ballet Hawaii and American Ballet Theatre principals. Moreover, Chafetz has

directed various Spring Ballet productions at Indiana University’s prestigious Jacobs School of Music.

Off the podium, Chafetz resides near San Francisco with his wife, Ann Krinitsky. He earned his bachelor’s from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and a master’s from the Eastman School of Music.

CHAMBER SERIES

The Chamber Series is designed to showcase the artistry of Lansing Symphony musicians in a special setting and to introduce audiences to talented artists and classical programming. All Chamber Series concerts are performed at Molly Grove Chapel at First Presbyterian Church of Lansing.

CHAMBER 01 09.24.23

STRING QUARTET

Michael Bechtel, violin

William Thain, violin

Elinore Morin, viola

Jinhyun Kim, cello CHAMBER 02 10.15.23

BRASS QUINTET

Neil Mueller, trumpet

Heather Zweifel, trumpet

Corbin Wagner, horn

John Gruber, trombone

Phil Sinder, tuba

CHAMBER 03 11.19.23

FLUTE, VIOLA, & HARP TRIO

Bryan Guarnuccio, flute

Hannah Breyer, viola

Brittany DeYoung, harp

CHAMBER 04 01.21.24

PIANO QUARTET

Ji Hyun Kim, violin

CHAMBER SERIES

SPONSORED BY

Virginia Allen and the late Bruce T. Allen

LANSING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Christine Bastian, viola

David Peshlakai, cello

Patrick Johnson, piano

TIMOTHY MUFFITT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

TIMOTHY MUFFITT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Join musicians from the Lansing Symphony for an afternoon of glorious brass ensemble and organ music. The concert will feature both large brass ensemble music and solo brass and organ works, all in the stunning sanctuary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

WINTERLUDE LSO AT THE ROBIN THEATRE

TIMOTHY MUFFITT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Join musicians of the Lansing Symphony for unique, intimate concerts of contemporary chamber music. All composers and works selected for this series have distinct compositional voices that will connect with audience members in new and unexpected ways. Performances take place in the Robin Theatre in Lansing’s REO Town.

WINTERLUDE CONCERT

02.04.24

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

PROVIDED BY Tom & Jean Shawver

Memorial Fund at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Concert 01 01.25.24

Concert 02 02.22.24

Concert 03 03.28.24

Concert 04 04.25.24

SPONSORED BY Karen Lewis

A HOME FOR MUSIC & COMMUNITY

Lansing Symphony Orchestra is honored to have been part of the community’s rich cultural fabric for more than 90 years. We are pleased to offer music that extends beyond the concert hall and comes to our neighborhoods.

The LSO is committed to taking an active role in the development of music education programming for Greater Lansing area youth. By bringing music into the lives and classrooms of young audiences,

we hope students will acquire an interest in and appreciation for orchestral music and their community’s symphony.

Visit lansingsymphony.org for more information

CONCERTS ON THE LAWN

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy a wonderful casual concert of chamber music outside. Picnic baskets are encouraged! Concerts take place at MSUFCU Headquarters in East Lansing.

Summer 2024 Dates: TBA

FAMILY SERIES

LSO partners with community organizations to present an interactive series that connects families and their children with music, art, and literature. Performances are held on Sunday afternoons throughout the Lansing area.

October 22, December 3, February 11, April 14

SIDE BY SIDE PERFORMANCE

This program provides an opportunity for student instrumentalists to perform alongside LSO musicians. Students participate in an audition process similar to that of a professional orchestra, and those chosen join the LSO in a rehearsal and the Holiday Pops concert. Students gain the invaluable experience of being part of a professional orchestra. The Side by Side Auditions are held in November.

STUDENT ACCESS PROGRAM

The StudentAccess Program offers $15 tickets to MasterWorks Series performances and $10 tickets to Chamber Series performances. Students must possess a valid student ID. Fees not included.

YOUNG PEOPLE’S

CONCERT: LINK UP

Conductor Timothy Muffitt and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra present a complete, interactive orchestra concert on the Wharton Center stage. Link Up is a partnership with Carnegie Hall and has become a model for implementing high-quality arts education in schools nationwide. Schools are provided with student workbooks, teacher guides, and a professional development course for in-class lessons on the Link Up materials for a small per-student fee. For an additional fee, teachers receive recorders that students can play during the concert. Students perform what they have learned from their teachers in the classroom in an exciting performance with the LSO.

FAMILY FUN CARD

The Family Fun Card offers $15 MasterWorks and $10 Chamber tickets for the entire family with a $25 yearly membership fee. Limited availability. Fees not included.

VOLUNTEERING FOR THE LSO

If you are interested in volunteering, please call the office at 517-487-5001 or fill out the form on lansingsymphony.org and let us know your interests. The tasks can be yearlong or for one event only. Why not become an active part of the LSO family?

GENERAL OFFICE SUPPORT

Our staff often needs help with general office tasks such as filing, mailings, and answering phones.

PUBLIC RELATIONS/MARKETING

We need volunteers to help distribute posters and brochures throughout the Lansing area to advertise our performances.

CONCERT/PROGRAM ASSISTANCE

We need ushers and general assistance for our Chamber, Jazz Band, and Young People’s Concerts.

EDUCATION

Our staff appreciates any assistance for educational programs throughout the season.

LANSING TOWN HALL

Carol Dooley, PRESIDENT

Ruth Ann Brunet, VICE PRESIDENT

Cooley, SECRETARY

Mara Lud, TREASURER

Through its Celebrity Lecture Series, Lansing Town Hall has supported the Symphony’s annual operations since 1953. Patrons meet at the Eagle Eye Golf and Banquet Center in Bath, Michigan, for a one-hour lecture, an optional luncheon, and an opportunity to ask the guest speaker questions. Subscriptions are $230 for the Lecture and Luncheon Series (including Q & A with the speaker) and $125 for lectures only. Individual tickets can be purchased at the door, subject to availability.

The 2023-2024 70th season features CBS’s “On the Road” host Steve Hartman (October 9, 2023), motivational speaker Molly Fletcher (November 6, 2023), cartoonist Tom Toro (April 15, 2024), and American jurist William Burke-White (May 6, 2024).

Additional information about Sue the series is available at lansingsymphony.org or by contacting Ticket Chair Margaret Hedlund at (517) 323-1045, Lansing Town Hall President Carol Dooley at (517) 256-8542, or the Lansing Symphony office at (517) 487-5001.

PRO SYMPHONY

The Pro Symphony organization was founded in 1947. Over the years, our members have been loyal supporters of the Lansing Symphony, raising and contributing substantial monies from fundraising projects and serving in various capacities. For fundraising, we have an annual Geranium Sale in May and a Poinsettia Sale in November. We invite new members to join this group who enjoy working together for a common cause. Pro Symphony is an excellent opportunity to invest in the Orchestra in satisfying ways.

MSU COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL, 4930 S. HAGADORN RD., EAST LANSING, MI CMS is the outreach arm of the MSU College of Music.

Community Music School offers music education and music therapy for all ages and abilities. Programs

CORPORATE LEADERS FOR THE ARTS

AF GROUP

LISA

CORLESS, PRESIDENT & CEO

“The Greater Lansing area is a dynamic business and cultural hub for mid-Michigan, and AF Group is proud to partner with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra to help make our community an exceptional place to live, work and play. By promoting the arts, we are strengthening our community for generations to come.”

AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE

JAMIE WHISNANT, CEO

“Auto-Owners is proud to support local arts and culture through our continued commitment to the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. As a Lansing-based company, we are fortunate to have a top notch musical organization so close to home.”

CHALGIAN & TRIPP

LAW OFFICES, PLLC

DOUGLAS G. CHALGIAN, PARTNER

“Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices is pleased to support the Symphony.”

G Ü D MARKETING

DEBBIE HORAK, PARTNER

“The Lansing Symphony Orchestra reminds us all that when we gather as a community, we compose a melody far greater than the sum of its parts.”

HONIGMAN

RYAN B. OPEL, PARTNER, HONIGMAN LLP

“As Michigan’s largest law firm, Honigman has been investing time, resources, and experience in the communities where we live, work, and serve for over 75 years. We are pleased to support the Lansing Symphony Orchestra in its efforts to enrich lives through excellence in music and educational outreach.”

JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE

FAM OLOWOLAFE, ASST. VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCIAL PLANNING & ANALYSIS, JACKSON®

“As a mid-Michigan resident, I am glad Lansing Symphony Orchestra exists to contribute to our community’s vibrant arts and culture scene. I am grateful to work for an employer, that also supports LSO, especially their outreach and education programs, increasing access to the arts in Lansing.”

CORPORATE LEADERS FOR THE ARTS

LOOMIS LAW FIRM

JEFFREY S. THEUER, SHAREHOLDER

“Congratulations to the LSO and Maestro Muffitt on an exciting upcoming season! We are fortunate to have such an outstanding orchestra and musicians in our community, and we look forward to many more successful seasons in the future.”

MSU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

APRIL CLOBES, PRESIDENT/CEO

“For 85 years, MSUFCU has believed that access to the arts is the cornerstone of a vibrant community. We are pleased to support the MasterWorks Series this season, and look forward to another inspiring year of LSO performances.”

NEOGEN CORPORATION

JOHN ADENT, PRESIDENT/CEO

“Neogen is proud to call Lansing our home, and to support our talented friends and neighbors at the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.”

PLANTE MORAN

“Plante Moran and Plante Moran Financial Advisors are proud to be a sponsor of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. Together, we’re creating a legacy that’s unstoppable!”

PLAS-LABS, INC.

DAVE REGAN, PRESIDENT

“Plas-Labs believes that the arts play a critical role in enriching a community, bringing music education and culture to residents. We are proud to support the LSO as they carry out their mission.”

TRACTION

CAMRON GNASS, FOUNDER/PRINCIPAL

“LSO is one of the most important and impactful players in Lansing’s cultural landscape. Traction is proud to help them deliver their transformative experiences to our community.”

CORPORATE LEADERS FOR THE ARTS WKAR

SHAWN TURNER, GENERAL MANAGER & DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING

“Keeping art and culture accessible to our community is a passion and priority for WKAR Public Media. WKAR is proud to support the 2023-2024 season of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra as we continue our longstanding partnership serving the dynamic and culturally vibrant community of mid-Michigan.”

PREVIEW CONVERSATIONS WITH JODY

KNOL

6:45 PM |

JACKSON LOUNGE

Jody Knol blends insightful information about the featured composers, music, and guest artists. PreView Conversations give you a chance to hear selected passages of music, learn some of the histories of the music, and listen to the artists performing. PreViews are an excellent opportunity to feel more connected to the evening’s program and the musicians performing it.

Jody Knol began announcing classical music on 90.5 WKAR while a student at MSU in 1982. After receiving his degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities-music, theater, and political scienceJody worked as chief announcer for WMUK in Kalamazoo for two years before returning to WKAR in 1986. He currently hosts the morning classical program from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on weekdays. Jody’s association with the Lansing

Symphony Orchestra began in 1986 when he hosted LSO broadcasts on 90.5 Classical. Lansing Symphony recordings are now part of Great Lakes Concerts which Jody produces and hosts. Great Lakes Concerts air Saturdays at 12:00 pm on 90.5 FM and WKAR.org, Sundays at 10:00 am on WRCJ, Detroit, and Mondays at 6 pm on Classical IPR, Interlochen. This is Jody’s fifteenth year hosting Lansing Symphony PreView Conversations.

PREVIEW CONVERSATIONS

PRESENTED BY

SYMPHONY SUPPORTERS

MAESTRO SOCIETY

GOLDEN BATON CIRCLE

$25,000+

Auto-Owners Insurance

The Estate of Jerome & Joanne McCarthy

MSU Federal Credit Union

CONCERTMASTER CIRCLE

$10,000 TO $24,999

Virginia P. and the Late Bruce T. Allen

Joseph & Beth Anthony*

Arts Council of Greater Lansing

Sam & Mary Austin*

Mary Ann Beekhuis

David Brogan

City of Lansing

Cathy & the Late Allan Claypool

April Clobes & Glen Brough*

Donald & Jan Hines

Thomas & Wendy Hofman

Ingham County

Jackson

Hari Kern

Darcy & Hudson Kerr

Lansing Town Hall Series, Inc.

Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs

Traction

Lyn Donaldson Zynda*

PRINCIPAL PLAYER CIRCLE

$5,000 TO $9,999

AF Group

Jenny Bond*

Sue Davis & the Late Jack C. Davis

Ronald & Carol Dooley

Eileen Ellis

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Granger Foundation

Cliff & Sue Haka

Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis & Gotting

John & Fran Loose

Richard & Lorayne Otto*

Bill & Shirley Paxton

Joe D. Pentecost Foundation

Plante Moran

PNC Foundation

Randy Rasch

R.E. Olds Foundation

Jonathan & Amy Riekse

Anonymous

MUSICIAN CIRCLE

$3,500 TO $4,999

Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices PLLC

James Engelkes

Güd Marketing

Charles & Nadean Hillary

R. Samuel & Jean Holland

Michael & Betty Moore

Timothy & Elise Muffitt

Neogen

David & Marilyn Nussdorfer

Plas-Labs, Inc.

Katie Thornton

Richard Witter*

COMPOSER CIRCLE

$2,500 TO $3,499

Karlis & Mariana Austrins

Charles Ballard & June Youatt

Daniel & Leona Bronstein

Don Leduc & Sue Coley*

Don & Christine Cooley

John & Martha Couretas

Dewpoint Inc.

Donald Dickmann & Kathleen McKevitt

Sam & Liz Febba*

Travis & Courtney Millbrook

Robert & Shelagh Miller

George & Marilyn Nugent

Fam & Theresa Olowolafe

Richard & Susan Patterson

Ronald & Helen Priest

Steve & Kathryn Robinson

Zoe Slagle

Tri-Star Trust Bank

Jane Vieth

John & Susan Wallace

Clarence Weiss

Wells Fargo - Kahl, Kahl, Caltrider

Joan Wright

CONDUCTOR CIRCLE

$1,250 TO $2,499

Pat Barnes-McConnell

Edgar & Darlene Brown

Bruce & Suzanne Caltrider

Sulin Campbell

Maria Costa-Fox

Karen Dichoza

Conrad & Judith Donakowski

Kristopher Drake

Tim & Susi Elkins

Financial Technology, Inc.

Hiram & Dolores Fitsgerald

John & Gretchen Forsyth

Dave & Kathryn Gillison

John & Tammie Gingas

Charles Gliozzo

Roger & Marilyn Grove

Richard Johnson

Ron & Mary Junttonen

Jody Knol

Michael & Paula Koppisch

Catrice Lane

Karen Lewis

Mary Liechty*

Sarah Maldonado

David & Mandi Meyen

James & Sue Miller

Elinore Morin & Norman Birge

Dawn & Ryan Opel

George Orban & Rae Ramsdell

Michael Kamrin & Katherine O’Sullivan See

Janet Patrick

James Phillips

Mark Reckase

Kevin & Jill Roragen

Brian & Renee Roth

Judith & Bud Shulman

Jeffrey Theuer & Sally Sproat

SYMPHONY SUPPORTERS

Otto & Marcia Stockmeyer

Jeff & Angela Straus

Greg & Joan Uitvlugt

Ralph & Albertine Votapek

Bill & Paula Weiner*

Rose & Jim Zacks

Joel & Linda Zylstra

Anonymous

NOTEWORTHY SOCIETY

WHOLE NOTE SOCIETY

$600 TO $1,249

Carol Beals-Kruger

Tom McCulloch & Jeff Benoit

John & Susan Brewster

Suzanne Brouse

Anita Calcagno

Renate Carey

Thomas & Denise Carr

Gary & Terri Climes

Manya Constant

Mary Jo Corbett

Ed Fedewa

Sharon Feldman

Christina & Mike Ferland

Clyde & Karen Flory

Linda & Leon Gregorian

Jeff & Sally Harrold

Chris Buck & Martha Hentz

Ralph & Pat Hepp

Mark & Marcia Hooper

Bill & Valerie Jaconette*

John & Margaret Jones

Marilyn S. Kesler Manoochehr & Laurie Koochesfahani

Lyle S Mindlin & Julie LaFramboise

Clare Mackey

David & Catherine Marr

Michelle Massey

Jim & Sally McCoy

Richard & Sue Mermelstein

Irv Nichols

Richard & Katie Norton

Edgar & Mary Ploor

Jake Przybyla

Phyllis & Jamie Riley

Robert & Rosemary Schaffer

Dotti Shonkwiler

J. Clyde & Marcia Spencer

Robert Thomas

Ilene Tomber

Robert & Joan Trezise, Sr.

Rick Wendorf

Robert & Charlotte Wilks

HALF NOTE SOCIETY

$300 TO $599

N.L. Abramson

Jill Andringa

Kenneth C. Beachler*

Thomas & David Block-Easterday

Emmett & Karen Braselton

Charles & Barbara Breneman

Ruth Ann Brunet

Sandy & Carol Bryson

Tom Burchman

Paul Pratt & Denise Chrysler

Robert & Connie Cullum

Bryce & Judith Forester

Betty Francis

Diane Gartung

Ken & Karen Glickman

Thea Glicksman

Norman & Karen Grannemann

James & Tina Grant

Jack & Laurie Harkema

Deborah Harrison*

Ronald & Carol Horowitz

Anne House

Nancy Johnson

Kaleb Kimerer

Boyd Kinzley

Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau

Erik Lindquist

Gus & Katie Lo

David & Laurie Lockman

Drs. John & Diane MacDonald

Bill & Sue MacLeod

Peggy Malovrh

Mary McCulloch

Roger & Kay Millbrook

Brandon & Summer Minnick

Harry & Susie Moore

Jamie Paisley

Jeffrey Wooldridge & Leslie Papke

Karen Jurgensen & Robert Parks

Vicki Paski

Jacqueline Payne

David & Kathleen Peters

Bill Potter

John Roberts

Roy Saper & Nell Kuhnmuench

James & Mary Savage

Andrew & Erin Schor

David & Bette Shattler

David & Sharon Sinclair

Linda L. Smith

David & Michelle Solorio

Robert Walter & Madeline Trimby

Randall Fotiu & Josie Wojtowicz

Kevin & Jennifer Zielke

Ellen Zienert

Anonymous

QUARTER NOTE SOCIETY

$100 TO $299

Gerald & Jean Aben

Robert Dewaal & Christine Aiello

Arlene Allan

William & Jane Allen

Bonnie Allmen

Sara Allswede

Kevin & Lea Ammerman

William Archer

Michael Arrieta & Amy Worges

Rachel Asbury

Melissa Aste

Girts & Arija Austrins

Philip & Jacqie Babcock

Walter & Marilyn Baird

Patty & John Barnas

Robert & Laurie Barnhart

Dale Bartlett

Susan Woods & Johannes Bauer

Christopher Behrens

Robin Bessette

Susan MacKenzie & David Betts

Donald & Pam Bishop

Ronald Bishop

SYMPHONY SUPPORTERS

Gerald & Linda Blair

Basil & Coralene Bloss

Douglas Moffat & Cara Boeff

Charles & Kathleen Bonneau

Howard & Susy Bradshaw

Carol Bray

Lynn Brissette

David Brower

Alex & Mary J. Brown

Dr. Phillip Brown

Karl & Brigitta Bruning

Jan Calkins

Karla Campbell

Claudia Carter

Michael & Camillia Cavanaugh

Mary F. Chaliman

Debra Chamerlain

Eric Chatfield

Dominic Cochran

Daniel & Geralyn Cogan

Nick & Karen Colovos

Brian & Renee Conklin

Rebecca Bahar-Cook & Todd Cook

George A. Grof & Ann Cool

Lisa Corless

Jane Crowner

Barb Cutshaw

Ken & Elly David

Gary Dawson

Tony Dean

C. B. & Jill Dehlin

Nicholas & Greta Dewolf

Sara Dolan

Tiffany Dowling

Erik Drake

Dennis & Suzanne Dudley

Darrell F. Duffield

John & Lori Durling

Sal Durso

Tim Durso

Timothy Eaton

James Eisele

Jeffrey & Susan Ellsworth

Jamie Essenmacher

Nancy Eyde

Suzanne S. Fabian

Joe Findlater

Nicola & Steve Findley

Maureen Fitzsimmons

Mary Anne Ford & Scott Schrager

Linda Foster

Stephen & Shelby Foster

Barbara Free

Sam Ghannam

Gary & Elaine Gillespie

Joseph P Gillotte Jr.

Camron & Lisa Gnass

Doris Goad

D. J. & Leontine Goff

Diana Gover

Susan Grettenberger & Nicole Springer

Margaret Ann Griffith

Stephen & Joanne Guertin

Leta Guild

Sara Haase

Cindy Hales

Kenneth & Linda Hanson

Tom & Linda Hardenbergh

Judith Harlin

Lauren Julius Harris

Stephen & Karen Harsh

Steve & Pam Hawkins

J.R. & Molly Haywood

David & Margaret Hedlund

Mary & Larry Hennessey

Mike Hicks

Richard & Susan Hill

Rene Hinjosa

Ronit Hoffman

Thomas & Lynne Hoffmeyer

Meegan Holland

David & Christine Hollister

Mae Holmes

Chris & Deb Horak

Allison & Daniel Horn

Daniel A. Horn

Julie Horn Alexander

Beth Hubbell

Kathy Humphrys

James & Krista Hunsanger

Ami Iceman

Meredith Jagutis

Jeffrey Johnson

Paul Jurczak

Donna Kachmarchik - Kregelka

Doug & Alison Kahl

William & Janice Kahl

Tim & Melissa Kaltenbach

David Kaufman

Don & Liz Kaufman

Paul Kearney

Jim & Michelle Kelly

Keri Kittmann

Christine Knapp

Ron & Suzanne Kregel

J.D. & Linda Krehbiel

Jeff Kressler

Mary Ellen Lane

Stephen & Nancy Lange

Jay Lannin

Beth & John Lawrence

Steven & Maria Leiby

Kenneth Zielinski & Catherine Lein

Richard & Madeleine Lenski

Carl & Margaret Liedholm

Andrea Lindemeyer

Ann Lipkowitz

Ralph Long

Willie Longshore & Margaret

Fankhauser

Chris & Krista Loose

Sherry Lothschutz

Mary Elizabeth Low

Gary & Carol Lundquist

Lois Lynch

Wayne Lynn

Robert & Melany Mack

Todd Maneval

Wally & Linda Markham

Maija Martin

Lisa Martino-Cook

Chris Massey

Barb McLean

Pat McPharlin

John Meara, Jr.

Cheryl Medler

Paul & Bettie Menchik

Grace Menzel & J.B. McCombs

Bob & Nancy Metzger

SYMPHONY SUPPORTERS

Tim Miclak

Tim & Tracy Mielak

Stephanie Miller

James Miller

Gary Mitchell

Neil Mueller & Shawnthea Monroe

James Forger & Deborah Moriarty

Kenneth Morrison

William & Sharon Myers

Maggie Narayan

Nancy Nay

Robert & Carol Nelson

Kevin & Barbara Nilsen

Elaine Noffze

Gregory & Anne Nolan

Anthony Nolosco

Marion Norwood

Maureen O’Higgins

James & Joanne Olin

Bruce K. & Lois Omundson

Jeffrey & Mary O’Neill

John & June Osmer

Steve Owen

Emily Pantera

Lois Park

Steven & Janet Peters

Tony Phillips

Mike Pike

Julie Pingston

Jason Pisarik

Howard & Nell Pizzo

Ellen Pollak & Nigel Paneth

Chloe Polzin

Michael & Maria Presocki

Joyce Preston

Catherine Purdum

Elaine Putvin

Siri Rainone

David Rayl

Ted Reinbold

Earl & Jane Reisdorff

Thomas & Martie Repaskey

Michelle & Andy Reynaert

Michael & Kathleen Rhodes

Karen Risch

Lolo Robison

Roberta Roden

JoEllyn Roe

Dennis & Gretchen Rosenbrook

William Saul

William & Mary Savage

Jane Schoneman

Kevin Schumacher

Rachel Schumann

Ben Schwendener

Leo & Amy Scoby

Mary Shankland

Mary Sharp

Robert Hughes & Dianne Sheppard

Richard Sherman

James Sinadinos

Philip & Carolyn Sinder

John Dale Smith

Noah & Jennifer Smith

Inverve Marketing

Tom & Kay Sparks

Marc & Mary Speiser

Mary Jo Stacks

Deborah Starnes

Patty Sterba

94TH SEASON

Dr. Karen Hinkle & Thomas Sullivan

Emily Sutton-Smith & John Lepard

Emily Tabuteau

Bill Tansil

Judy Tant

Bob Thomas

Julie Thomasma

Amy & Dave Tratt

Peter & Sherry Trezise

Stacey Trzeciak

George & Georgia Valaoras

Charlene Vanacker

John Varilek

Walter & Elsa Verdehr

William & Virginia Vincent

Marion Walsh

Darryl Warncke

Jane Waun

Jane Wei

Victor Weipert

Judy Green & Ron Welch

Jamie Whisnant

Carolyn White

Barb & Jon Whitney

Jeff Williams & Joy Whitten

David M. & Beverly Wiener

Donald & Sally Wilcox

Eric Wildfang

Marilyn Wiley

Ron Newman & Sunny Wilkinson

Bill & Carol Ann Wilkinson

Denise Williams

Karen & Elizabeth Willis

Amy Winans

Gary & Frances Wolfe

Catherine Zell

Susan Zimmerman

Diane Zoellner

Vivian & Anson Zwick

Anonymous

*Donors who are also members of the Gustav Meier Legacy Society.

The donor listing includes gifts received between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022

THE GUSTAV MEIER LEGACY SOCIETY

GIFTS IN MEMORY

The Lansing Symphony Orchestra received gifts in memory and in honor of the following individuals.

IN MEMORY OF

MR. & MRS. JOSEPH LEZAK

Josephine Michelakis

CHARLES & BARBARA DE GOLIA

Cheree De Golia

PAT BROGAN

Robert & Barbara Newman

Alliance Bernstein

Mrs. John Dietrich

Rachel Sampson

Hari Kern

George & Marilyn Nugent

Stephen & Mary Jo Scofes

Amy Jarrad-Wibert

Suzanne Mills

Charles & Nadean Hillary

Travis & Courtney Millbrook

Donald & Jan Hines

Duane & Maureen Mayhew

Small Business Association

Michael & Betty Moore

James Engelkes

John & Anne Dillon

GEORGE & JANE ANDERSON

Jeffrey Anderson & Jason Joostberns

JAN MCREE

Deborah Harrison

LAURALEE CAMPBELL

Leon & Linda Gregorian

Tom & Lorraine Kitts

Gail Levinsky

Bill & Mary Ann Tortolano

SHIRLEY SLIKER

Pamela Baker

KEN BEACHLER

Travis & Courtney Millbrook

Karen Dichoza

- Victor Hugo