The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Winter Concert
Concert February 16, 2025
YOUTH ORCHESTRA
YOUTH CHORUS
Winter Concert
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 3 PM
Daniel Reith, conductor
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA (C. 1525–1594)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)
FRANCIS POULENC (1899–1963)
Adoramus te Christe (arr. Leopold Stokowski)
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897)
IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882–1971)
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott from Cantata No. 80 (arr. Leopold Stokowski)
Gloria
I. Gloria in excelsis Deo II. Laudamus te III. Domine Deus — IV. Domine Fili unigenite V. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei VI. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris
Lindsey Reynolds , soprano
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
INTERMISSION
Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), Op. 54
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)
Introduction and Dance of the Firebird — Dance of the Princesses — Infernal Dance of King Kashchei — Berceuse — Finale
This program is about 1 hour 30 minutes in length.
Major support for The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is provided by The Geoffrey and Sarah Gund Endowment.
This evening’s concert will be broadcast on Ideastream/ WCLV Classical 90.3 FM on Sunday, April 6, at 4 PM.
ADORAMUS TE CHRISTE (ARR. LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI)
Composed: c. 1570; arranged c. 1934
Duration: about 3 minutes
BY Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
BORN
c. February 3, 1525, in Palestrina, Italy
DIED
February 2, 1594, in Rome
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was a 16th-century Italian composer who worked for the Catholic Church during a period of great transition and turmoil. After decisions made at the Council of Trent — held in response to the Protestant Reformation — many church composers struggled to write compelling and beautiful music in which the sacred text was clearly audible to listeners. Palestrina quickly emerged as a shining example of the kind of balanced beauty that was possible in this new musical landscape.
The layered voices and sweet harmonies of Palestrina’s works have found timeless appeal. This was certainly on the mind of conductor Leopold Stokowski (1882–1977) when he arranged Palestrina’s Adoramus te Christe for orchestra. Known for his commitment to modern music (and for his association with The Philadelphia Orchestra), Stokowski also introduced audiences to Renaissance and Baroque music through his own orchestral arrangements. Walt Disney ’s Fantasia (1940) featured what is perhaps his most famous orchestral arrangement — J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor — conducted by Stokowski himself.
Stokowski’s arrangement of Adoramus te Christe adds depth and color to Palestrina’s four-voice vocal work by using the full range of instrumental timbres available in the modern orchestra. Stokowski begins with a warm string sound before adding further richness with woodwinds and brass. Once the full orchestra has entered, the arrangement walks back through the sections of the ensemble to end with predominantly string sounds, mimicking the ritual movement through the Stations of the Cross, for which Palestrina’s text was originally intended.
— Ellen Sauer Tanyeri
Ellen Sauer Tanyeri is the 2024–25 Cleveland Orchestra Archives research fellow and is working towards a PhD in musicology at Case Western Reserve University.
EIN FESTE BURG IST UNSER GOTT FROM CANTATA NO. 80 (ARR. LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI)
Composed: c. 1728; arranged c. 1939
Duration: about 3 minutes
BY Johann Sebastian Bach
BORN
March 31, 1685, in Eisenach, Germany
DIED
July 28, 1750, in Leipzig
Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most celebrated composers today, but this was not always the case. While Bach was recognized among composers in his own time, his compositions did not travel much further than Germany. It was largely thanks to a later composer, Felix Mendelssohn , that Bach began his journey to fame. Throughout his career, Mendelssohn made it his mission to give this forgotten composer his proper due. These efforts culminated in a production of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in 1829, which is often credited with sparking the modern revival of Bach’s music.
Most of Bach’s professional duties in Leipzig — where he spent the last 27 years of his life — comprised composing weekly music for services at the St. Thomas Church and rehearsing it with the students at the affiliated boarding school. These weekly works were known as cantatas (Italian for “sung work”) and were set to texts based on the day’s scripture readings. Bach often built his cantatas around chorale melodies that would have been familiar to his congregants. (In contrast to Catholic practice, in which most of the music was set in Latin, most chorales were written in German to encourage congregational singing.)
The tune of Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God) was originally composed by Martin Luther, one of the key figures of the Protestant Reformation. Bach created at least four different settings of Ein feste Burg during his career, one of which was his Cantata No. 80. This orchestral arrangement of the opening choral movement — by Leopold Stokowski (see page 4) — is typical of Bach’s orchestration style, with active runs jubilantly dancing around a slow and triumphant version of the original chorale melody.
— Ellen Sauer Tanyeri
GLORIA
Composed: 1959–60
Duration: about 30 minutes
BY Francis Poulenc
BORN
January 7, 1899, in Paris
DIED
January 30, 1963, in Paris
Francis Poulenc undeniably had a certain irreverent streak he had to curb when writing sacred music. Even so, his two sides — the devout and the irreverent — are well in evidence in his Gloria . The opening movement (Gloria in excelsis Deo) sets the tone with a jubilant glorification of God. It is followed by the Laudamus te (We praise you), of which the composer admitted that it had caused a scandal. “I wonder why?” Poulenc wrote. “I was simply thinking … of the [ Benozzo] Gozzoli frescoes in which the angels stick out their tongues; I was thinking also of the serious Benedictines whom I saw playing soccer one day.”
Indeed, there are many moments in the second movement that might have been inspired by misbehaving angels or soccer-playing monks. The isolated trombone notes at the beginning, the almost childish simplicity of some of the vocal parts, and the bouncy staccatos (extremely short notes) in the orchestra all convey a feeling of playfulness that only reinforces the joyful enthusiasm of the text.
It is in the third movement, Domine Deus (Lord God), that we first hear the soprano soloist. Her melodic line, seconded by expressive woodwind solos, projects piety and introspection.
Following without break, Domine Fili unigenite (Lord, only begotten Son) has short and crisp musical motifs — like the earlier Laudamus te — expressing an exuberant affirmation of faith.
The fifth movement, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (Lord God, Lamb of God), again belongs to the soloist, with the chorus acting as an aural backdrop. For a single measure, the soprano is joined by one tenor voice from the chorus, resulting in an expressive, mini “love duet.”
The last movement, Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (You who sits at the right hand of the Father), opens with a motive sung by the unaccompanied chorus in unison, punctuated by orchestral restatements of the theme that opened the first movement.
— Peter Laki
Peter Laki is a musicologist and frequent lecturer on classical music. He is a visiting associate professor of music at Bard College.
SUNG TEXTS
I. Gloria in excelsis Deo (chorus)
Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
II. Laudamus te (chorus)
Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
III. Domine Deus (soprano and chorus)
Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.
IV. Domine Fili unigenite (chorus)
Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
Glory to God in the highest, And peace on earth to people of good will.
We praise you. We bless you. We adore you. We glorify you. We give thanks to you for your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
Lord, only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
V. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (soprano and chorus)
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Rex coelestis, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
VI. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (chorus)
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Heavenly King, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, receive our prayer.
You who sits at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. For you alone are holy, you alone are the Lord. you alone are the most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
SCHICKSALSLIED (SONG OF DESTINY), OP. 54
Composed: 1868–71
Duration: about 15 minutes
BY Johannes Brahms
BORN
May 7, 1833, in Hamburg
DIED
April 3, 1897, in Vienna
A number of choral works came from Johannes Brahms ’s pen in the wake of his great German Requiem . One of these was the Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), which took a gloomy view of human existence drawn from the world of Greek tragedy.
Brahms’s choice of poem was from Friedrich Hölderlin (1770–1843), whose work was very little known at the time, although he has since been recognized as a major voice in German Romanticism. An indication of Hölderlin’s radicalism is the fact that the poem Brahms set, Hyperion’s Schicksalslied , taken from the novel Hyperion published in 1799, is not rhymed.
As one of the many sons of Heaven and Earth, Hyperion was himself an obscure figure in Greek mythology, who here craves the celestial bliss he is denied. Hölderlin’s sympathy with the Greek idea of tragic destiny must have resonated with one of Brahms’s morose and fatalistic moods.
Without comment or reflection, the poem paints a stark contrast between the celestial bliss enjoyed by the gods and the grim eternal torment suffered by humanity. The music faithfully follows this stark path with an opening in E-flat major, bathed in calm contemplation of bliss, changing abruptly to a violent depiction of pain and suffering.
Brahms then tames the wildness of his hell-like music and leads the chorus muttering “ins Ungewisse hinab” (into unfathomable depths) over a pattering drum figure into a return of the heavenly music of the opening, this time without the chorus. It might be assumed that Brahms believed the pessimism of the poem to be an illusion and that peace and light can be attained. An alternative interpretation sees the ending as a return to the heavenly abode of the gods who remain indifferent to humankind and our wretched condition. The listener is free to choose.
— Hugh Macdonald
Hugh Macdonald is Avis H. Blewett Professor Emeritus of Music at Washington University in St. Louis. He has written books on Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, and Scriabin, as well as Music in 1853: The Biography of a Year.
SUNG TEXTS
Ihr wandelt droben im Licht
Auf weichem Boden, selige Genien!
Glänzende Götterlüfte
Rühren Euch leicht, Wie die Finger der Künstlerin
Heilige Saiten.
Schicksallos, wie der schlafende Säugling, Atmen die Himmlischen; Keusch bewahrt
In bescheidener Knospe, Blühet ewig Ihnen der Geist, Und die seligen Augen
Blicken in stiller Ewiger Klarheit.
Doch uns ist gegeben,
Auf keiner Stätte zu ruhn; Es schwinden, es fallen
Die leidenden Menschen Blindlings von einer Stunde zur andern, Wie Wasser von Klippe Zu Klippe geworfen, Jahrlang ins Ungewisse hinab.
— Text
by
Friedrich Hölderlin
You wander on high in the light on gentle paths, blessed spirits! Blazing, divine breezes caress you as lightly as the fingers of the harpist on her sacred lyre.
Untouched by fate, like sleeping babies, the divine beings breathe, chastely protected in modest buds, blooming forever to their spirits, and their blissful eyes gaze in mute, eternal clarity.
Yet we are given no place to rest; we fade, we fail suffering humanity, blind from one hour to the next, like water tossed from cliff to cliff, for years into unfathomable depths.
SUITE FROM THE FIREBIRD (1919 VERSION)
Composed: ballet, 1909–10; suite, 1919
Duration: about 20 minutes
BY Igor Stravinsky
BORN
June 17, 1882, in Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), Russia
DIED
April 6, 1971, in New York City
Sergei Diaghilev ’s Paris-based Ballets Russes was one of the greatest dance companies in history. Diaghilev, the director, combined the soul of a brilliant artist with the mind and skills of a shrewd businessman. He was committed to creating exciting and innovative productions and discovered or worked with many of the most creative artists in the city — dancers, choreographers, painters, and composers.
Musically, Diaghilev never made a more sensational nor more fruitful discovery than when he engaged the 27-yearold Igor Stravinsky in 1909 to write music for Michel Fokine ’s new ballet for the next season, The Firebird . It was the start of a long collaboration that was to give the world a series of groundbreaking scores — Pétrouchka , The Rite of Spring, Les noces, Mavra , and Apollon musagète — which ended only with Diaghilev’s death in 1929.
Fokine used several Russian fairytales within the scenario of The Firebird . The stories of the beneficent Firebird and the evil ogre Kashchei were combined in an ingenious plot, which scholar Eric Walter White summarized in his book on Stravinsky as follows:
A young Prince, Ivan Tsarevich, wanders into Kashchei’s magic garden at night in pursuit of the Firebird, whom he finds fluttering round a tree bearing golden apples. He captures it and extracts a feather as forfeit before agreeing to let it go. He then meets a group of 13 maidens and falls in love with one of them, only to find that she and the other 12 maidens are princesses under the spell of Kashchei. When dawn comes and the princesses have to return to Kashchei’s palace, Ivan breaks open the gates to follow them inside; but he is captured by Kashchei’s guardian monsters and is about to suffer the usual penalty of petrifaction, when he remembers the magic feather. He waves it; and at his summons the Firebird appears and reveals to him the secret of Kashchei’s immortality (his soul, in the form of an egg, is preserved in a casket). Opening the casket, Ivan smashes the vital egg, and the ogre immediately expires. His enchantments dissolve, all the captives are freed, and Ivan and his Tsarevna are betrothed with due solemnity.
For all its Russian influences, Stravinsky’s first ballet also shows a remarkable degree of individuality. In fact, the orchestration reveals the hand of a true young master — for Stravinsky knew how to draw the most spectacular effects from his enormous orchestra.
It is little wonder, then, that The Firebird remained Stravinsky’s most popular work throughout his long life. The ballet was a resounding success at the Paris premiere in 1910, and Stravinsky himself conducted more than a hundred performances — mostly in the form of three suites he drew from the complete score, one in 1911, another in 1919, and a third in 1945.
The 1919 suite heard in this performance is in five movements. The mysterious Introduction leads into the glittering Dance of the Firebird, followed by a slow and solemn Khorovod (round dance) of the captive princesses, based on a melancholy Russian folk song first played by the oboe.
The Infernal Dance of King Kashchei is next, started by a fast timpani roll and dominated by a syncopated motif that arises from the lower registers (bassoons, horn, tuba) and is gradually taken over by the entire orchestra.
As a total contrast, the Firebird’s Berceuse (Lullaby) is a delicate song for solo bassoon. The lullaby leads directly into the Finale (the wedding of Ivan Tsarevich and the Princess), where the first horn introduces what is probably the most famous Russian folk song in the ballet. This beautiful melody grows in volume and orchestration, bringing the music to its final culmination point.
— Peter Laki
THE CASE OF A CELLIST
I still recall the precise sentiments I felt when I found out I was accepted into The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. A nervousness that I was not competent enough, juxtaposed with an unutterable excitement for the season ahead. As I walked into the imposing and glorious Severance Music Center for the inaugural rehearsal, the cello case on my back felt substantial and significant. Its reflective surface mirrors a distorted but true representation of what abounds around and inside me. The cello inside, abraded from one hundred years of use, weighs little, sheltered by its carbon fiber companion, a wall of security from the world outside. Holding more than just my cello, the case serves as a salient symbol of my identity.
But I also know I am not the only person who carries a cello with me. Every weekend, I find myself surrounded by other cellists who are far more advanced than I am. During rehearsals, in the gilded grandeur of Severance, our cellos resonate together as our cases stand meekly to the side of the hall, glad to be relieved of their load. As I play with the others, I find myself foraging for something greater than myself in every note that I hear.
My introduction into high-level, pre-professional musical experiences has brought upon me various weights, each of various magnitudes. Pressure and tension harmonize with artistry and assiduity inside the case’s ample space. For when I place my cello in its case, part of myself penetrates through the walls as well. As I lift the case, slowly balancing the weight of the cello on my shoulders, I balance the weight of what else lies inside: my passion for life, the ebullience I find in the everyday. And I can only wonder what lies in the cases of other cellists.
— Cate Dzero
Cate Dzero is a cellist in her first year of playing in COYO. She is a junior at Western Reserve Academy, where she is co-president of her school’s Music Network, a member of the DEI committee, and a leader of the mock trial team.
IVAN AND THE FIREBIRD
— Elena Ziegler
Elena Ziegler is a cellist in her fourth year of playing in COYO. She is currently a senior at Copley High School. Her artwork is a gouache painting of Prince Ivan and the Firebird, the main characters in the Russian fairytale “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird, and the Grey Wolf.”
FIRST VIOLINS
Carol Huang
CONCERTMASTER
Hathaway Brown
Avaneesh Polaconda
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Strongsville High School
Harris Wang
Solon High School
Lydia Andres
Homeschooled
Elizabeth Liu
Beachwood High School
Peter Dzero
Stanton Middle School
Andrew Heinzen
Cleveland Heights High School
Alice Han
Beachwood High School
Mason Zhang
Shaker Heights High School
Aaron Wei
Solon High School
Julia Astorga
Homeschooled
Cailyn Hua
Western Reserve Academy
Hannah Lee
Hudson High School
Alex Jin
Aurora High School
Sophia Jiang
Solon Middle School
Brayden Qi
Hawken School
SECOND VIOLINS
Cyprus Foster
PRINCIPAL
Homeschooled
Aika Birch
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Jackson High School
Chengyu Jiang
Solon High School
YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Cole Krajewski
Twinsburg High School
Kailani Farivar
Solon High School
William Boyd
Ursuline High School
Sujin Kim
Menlo Park Academy
Anika Westerbeke
Mastery School of Hawken
Jerry Du
Hudson High School
Roan Westerbeke
Hawken School
Abigail Loeffler
Homeschooled
Esther Hayashi
Hudson High School
Abby Hahnenberg
Shaker Heights High School
Arthur Zhao
Avon High School
VIOLAS
Lindsey Jones
PRINCIPAL
Homeschooled
Jason Wei
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Solon High School
Jason Yi-Kun Zhao
University School
Preston Duncan
Aurora High School
Lydia Huff
Langston Middle School
Elizabeth Pineda
Hawken School
Gabi Levy
Oberlin High School
Olivia Hays
Avon High School
Jonah Paponetti
Shaker Heights High School
Milo Page**
Oberlin College & Conservatory
CELLOS
Louis X. Wang
PRINCIPAL
Solon High School
Nick Jacques
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Hawken School
Claire Hua
Western Reserve Academy
Michael Zhu
University School
Kaiden Honaker
Twinsburg High School
Aiden Tian
Hawken School
Seraphina Huang
Menlo Park Academy
Chengyu Li
Beachwood High School
Belinda Zhu
Olentangy Liberty Middle School
Cate Dzero
Western Reserve Academy
Oliver Krishnaney
University School
BASSES
Travis Phillips
PRINCIPAL
University School
Sullivan Wiggins
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Shaker Heights High School
Luca Brusco
Brunswick High School
Bobby Johnston
Brecksville-Broadview
Heights High School
Kate Davis
Firestone CLC
Abigail Kovach
Lakewood High School
Giada Pulig
Avon High School
FLUTES
Ashley Beall Po
Green High School
Cole Flores Br, S
Strongsville High School
Zachary Moskowitz Pa, Ba
Shaker Heights High School
Sreehita Mudiraj
Strongsville High School
PICCOLO
Cole Flores Po
Ashley Beall S
Sreehita Mudiraj Po
OBOES
Eliana Fittante Br
Ontario High School
Andrew Kelly Po, S Bay High School
Isabel Martin
Walsh Jesuit High School
Christopher Wang Pa, Ba
Solon High School
ENGLISH HORN
Isabel Martin Pa, Ba, Po
CLARINETS
Nicholas Garrett Po, S
Cleveland School of the Arts
Willa Kenny Pa, Ba
Saint Joseph Academy
Evan Lee
Hudson High School
Leia Schnell Br
Strongsville High School
BASS CLARINET
Willa Kenny Po
Leia Schnell Pa, Ba
BASSOONS
Alessio Matera Pa, Ba Lakewood High School
Bernadette Slattery Po, S Westlake High School
Angie Stump Br
Copley High School
CONTRABASSOON
Meghan Janke Pa, Ba, Po
Green High School
HORNS
Kenneth Arter
Western Reserve Academy
Jack Berendt Po, Br, S
Aurora High School
Olivia Simpson Pa, Ba
Strongsville High School
Elena Miller**
Cleveland Institute of Music
TRUMPETS
Micah Docuyanan Br Strongsville High School
Carter Free
Avon High School
Sam Haskell Pa, Ba Brunswick High School
Owen Rinaldo Po, S
Stow-Munroe Falls High School
TROMBONES
Noah Adkins Pa, Ba
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Grace Berendt Po, Br, S
Aurora High School
Lucas Marques
Westlake High School
Brennon Mitchell
Canfield High School
TUBA
Henry Foster Pa, Ba, Po, S
Copley High School
The following eight endowed Youth Orchestra chairs have been created in recognition of generous gifts to The Cleveland Orchestra’s endowment:
Concertmaster, Daniel Majeske Memorial Chair
Principal Cello, Barbara P. and Alan S. Geismer Chair
Principal Viola, Anthony T. and Patricia A. Lauria Chair
TIMPANI
Nathaniel Pino Br, S
Solon High School
Justin Reimschisel Po
Solon High School
Kelsey Rogers Ba
Shaker Heights High School
PERCUSSION
Matthew Arnold
Orange High School
Nathaniel Pino
Justin Reimschisel
Kelsey Rogers
HARP
Lina Tian Pa, Po, S
Hathaway Brown
KEYBOARD
Saya Uejima S Green High School
MANAGER
Kennedy McKain
LIBRARIAN
Nick Taylor
DIRECTOR OF INSTRUMENTAL PATHWAYS
Lauren Generette
Performers are listed alphabetically within each woodwind, brass, and percussion section. Superscripts indicate principal player according to the following key:
Pa Palestrina
Ba Bach
Po Poulenc
Br Brahms
S Stravinsky
** Extra/substitute musician
Principal Bass, Anthony F. Knight Memorial Chair
Principal Flute, Virginia S. Jones Memorial Chair Piccolo, Patience Cameron Hoskins Chair
Principal Harp, Norma Battes Chair
Principal Keyboard, Victor C. Laughlin M.D.
Memorial Chair
DANIEL REITH
Music Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Associate Conductor, The Cleveland Orchestra, Sidney and Doris Dworkin Chair
Daniel Reith was appointed assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and music director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) starting in the 2022–23 season, being promoted to associate conductor in June 2024. As COYO’s music director, Reith oversees the ensemble’s artistic planning, selects personnel for the ensemble, and leads rehearsals and performances of the Youth Orchestra. He’s also actively involved with the Orchestra’s education programs and community performances, and provides assistance for the Orchestra’s Classical and Blossom Music Festival seasons.
Reith was the 2019 winner of Opptakt, Talent Norway’s program for fostering young conductors, and has since performed with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, and the Norwegian Armed Forces. In 2022, Reith made his debuts with the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. He also served as assistant conductor for the Norwegian Opera production of Orpheus in the Underworld .
In addition to his conducting work, Reith is a talented pianist and chamber musician, having performed in concerts and competitions throughout Germany, Norway, and other countries. Reith has been awarded several scholarships in Germany, where he’s worked with orchestras such as the Hamburg Philharmonic and Neubrandenburg Philharmonic.
Reith grew up in Bühl, Germany, and studied music in his home country as well as Norway. He received bachelor’s degrees in piano from Freiburg’s Academy of Music and the Norwegian Academy of Music. He also received a bachelor’s degree in music theory at Freiburg’s Academy of Music, followed by a bachelor’s degree in conducting at Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. In 2021, he received his master’s degree in conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
LINDSEY REYNOLDS
Soprano
American soprano Lindsey Reynolds is quickly gaining recognition for her captivating performances across both traditional and contemporary opera. This season, she debuts with Opera Philadelphia as Ashley Devon in the US premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners and with Chicago Opera Theater in the world premiere of Jasmine Barnes ’s She Who Dared . She also appears with New Orleans Opera as Adina in L’elisir d’amore
Reynolds recently completed her tenure as a Ryan Opera Center Ensemble member at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she performed roles such as Barena in Jenůfa and covered Sadie in Terence Blanchard’s Champion . During the 2022–23 season, she appeared in productions of Le comte Ory, Don Carlos, and the world premiere of the triptych Proximity
An active recitalist, Reynolds recently appeared in performances at the Aldeburgh Festival in England and in Nice, France, where she participated in a concert commemorating the Liberation of Nice during World War II. Additionally, she has performed as the soprano soloist in Poulenc ’s Stabat Mater and Gloria with the Grant Park Music Festival.
Reynolds’s artistry has been honored with distinctions, such as a Luminarts Fellowship, the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation, and an Emerging Artist Award from Opera Index. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music.
Antoinette Akins
Bedford High School
Emily Allen
Laurel School
Sujith Aring
Westlake High School
Cam Armstrong
Mentor High School
Anonabelle Arndt
Mentor High School
Matilda Averre
Independence High School
Penelope Averre
Independence High School
Brady Bell
Mayfield High School
Eden Benz
Claggett Middle School
Katherine Bohlen
Mastery School of Hawken
Addison Borders
Mastery School of Hawken
Ian Broihier
University School
Brooke Carlson
Kenston High School
Marin Carlson
Kenston High School
Caris Carmean
Indepndence High School
Zelie Cerda-Malicdem
Aurora High School
Ligaya Coolbear
Aurora High School
Alice Corcoran
Avon High School
Nadia Corso
Hawken School
Mayvis Darby
Riverside High School
Clementine Diamond-Ortiz
Lakewood High School
Natasha Dudick
Padua Franciscan High School
Bryn Gordon
Hawken School
YOUTH CHORUS
Eva Gross
Laurel School
Mary Kate Hever
Lake Catholic High School
Makayla Howard
Mentor High School
May Hunsaker
Shaker Heights High School
Parla Ilaslan
Hawken School
Sam Jacobs
Hawken Middle School
Vishwum Kapadia
University School
Gregory Karulin
Solon High School
Haven Kinsley
Lake Catholic High School
Kelly Kirchner
Laurel School
Rhea Kumar
Hathaway Brown
Yoony Kwon
Orange High School
Eden Lake
Eastlake North High School
Jacob LaMantia
Stow-Munroe Falls High School
Kingsten Lin
University School
River Longmoon
Hawken School
Chandler Mailhot
Mentor High School
Ashlyn Mannion
Mentor High School
Evie Marquart
Hudson High School
Yannely Marquez
Riverside High School
Peyton Martin
Mentor High School
Logan McCarthy
Riverside High School
Aurora McCloud
Aurora High School
Noah Montgomery
Riverside High School
Brooklyn Mora
Mentor High School
Adelyn Nicholson
Case Western Reserve University
Maggie Nicholson
Mayfield High School
Joey Pokrywka
St. Edward High School
Sophie Polter
Independence High School
Milo Quintin
Chagrin Falls High School
Westley Quintin
Chagrin Falls High School
Will Radefeld
Kenston High School
Shaan Rao
Orange High School
Savannah Roggy
Albert Einstein Academy of Ohio
Ayla Rottman
Mentor High School
Ellie Rottman
Mentor High School
Roger Sabry
Solon High School
Lina Schilling
Mastery School of Hawken
Maren Scott
Hawken School
Penina Seed
Hathaway Brown
Rhianna Siscu
Hawken School
Olivia Skillman
Mentor High School
Alan Slankard
Rocky River High School
Creek Smith
Brecksville-Broadview
Heights High School
Karmin Smith
Bedford High School
Stephanie Speck
Strongsville High School
Skylar Square
Mentor High School
Cameron Studly
Mayfield High School
August Sumlin
Laurel School
Gabrielle Tan
Mayfield High School
Marcos Watson
Mentor High School
Ollie Weatherlow-Rand
Nordonia High School
De’Ari Williams
Mentor High School
Sophia Williams
Lakewood High School
Rian Xiong
Orange High School
Kadence Young
Beaumont School
Sophia Young
Berkshire High School
Stephanie Zucker
Rocky River High School
COLLABORATIVE PIANIST
Daniel Overly MANAGER
Taylor Logan Mills
Support for COYC is provided by Iris and Tom Harvie, Kenneth and Kathleen Outcalt , The Wesley Family Foundation, and The Edward and Ruth Wilkof Foundation.
VOICE
in The Cleveland Orchestra Choruses
Students in grades 4–12 and adult singers are invited to join our vibrant community of singers.
DANIEL SINGER
Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Assistant Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
Daniel Singer joined the choral conducting staff of The Cleveland Orchestra in 2012 as assistant director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. He was promoted to assistant director of choruses and director of the Youth Chorus with the start of the 2018–19 season.
In addition to his responsibilities in Cleveland, Singer is the Robert Page Music Director for The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, known as the “chorus of choice” for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. From 2011 to 2022, he served as director of music at University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio. He is an active guest conductor and has worked with honor choirs and student ensembles in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and North Carolina. Singer has performed with Quire Cleveland and Apollo’s Fire and has sung as baritone soloist with ensembles throughout Northeast Ohio.
Previously, Singer worked as a performer, music director, and teacher in the Chicago area. He taught high school choral music in the cities of Lincolnshire and Cary and participated in music engagement in Chicago Public Schools.
DEVON STEVE
Assistant Director, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus
Devon Steve is in his third season as assistant director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, of which he is an alumnus. He currently serves as director of music at University School and is a regular guest conductor and clinician across the Midwest. Previously, he was assistant director of vocal music and theater arts at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. Steve received a bachelor’s degree in music education from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in choral conducting from Simpson College. An active choral singer, he is currently a baritone in The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus.
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH CHORUS
The 2024–25 season marks The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus’s 34th season. Founded in spring 1991, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was established to help raise awareness of choral music-making in the schools of Northeast Ohio and encourage students to continue their choral singing activities through college and into adulthood. The Youth Chorus provides professional guidance for talented singers in grades 9 through 12 beyond their high school experience and to perform works from the standard choral-orchestral repertoire in collaboration with both The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.
This season, the members represent more than 30 schools and communities from five counties across Northeast Ohio. The Youth Chorus participates in several performances each season, including a joint concert at Severance Music Center with The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Choristers who participate in the Youth Chorus Chamber Ensemble have additional opportunities to perform in the Holiday Concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra. It's
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is a full symphonic ensemble composed of 93 young musicians drawn from 36 communities in 8 counties across Northern Ohio. Founded in 1986 by Jahja Ling (then resident conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra), The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) provides serious young music students of middle and high school age with a unique pre-professional orchestral training experience. The 2024–25 season marks COYO’s 39th season and the third under the direction of Daniel Reith .
Among the acclaimed artists to work with COYO are Marin Alsop, Pierre Boulez , Stéphane Denève, Christoph von Dohnányi , Giancarlo Guerrero, Witold Lutosławski , Yo-Yo Ma , Gil Shaham , Michael Tilson Thomas , Antoni Wit , and Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst . The ensemble has been featured on three international tours.
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is part of a suite of Cleveland Orchestra programs designed to nurture aspiring young musicians, which also includes The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus and Preparatory Chorus, and the Crescendo and Music Mentors pathways initiatives for students in Cleveland schools. In addition, with the support of many generous individual, foundation, corporate, and governmental funding partners, the Orchestra’s full range of education and community programs reach more than 100,000 young people and adults annually, helping to foster a lifelong relationship with music by removing barriers to participation, advocating for and helping to facilitate equitable access to comprehensive music education in schools, and harnessing the life-changing power of music in service to the community.
COYO 2025–26 Auditions
Auditions for The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra’s 2025–26 season will take place in May, and are open to middle and high school-aged instrumentalists.
The application deadline is Friday, March 21 .
To learn more about requirements and how to apply, scan the QR code or visit clevelandorchestrayouthorchestra.com .
For questions, call 216-456-8410 or email coyo@clevelandorchestra.com .
YOUTH ORCHESTRA COACHING STAFF
The following members of The Cleveland Orchestra have served as section coaches for the Youth Orchestra in preparation for this concert:
VIOLINS
Stephen Tavani Assistant Concertmaster
Kathleen Collins
Kim Gomez
Vladimir Deninzon Emeritus
VIOLAS
Stanley Konopka Assistant Principal
Lynne Ramsey Emeritus
CELLOS
David Alan Harrell
Catharina Meints Caldwell Emeritus
BASSES
Mark Atherton
Scott Haigh Emeritus
FLUTE
Mary Kay Fink Principal Piccolo | Flute
OBOE
Frank Rosenwein Principal
CLARINET
Robert Woolfrey
BASSOON
Phil Austin Emeritus
HORNS
Meghan Guegold Hege
Alan DeMattia Emeritus
TRUMPET & TROMBONE
Shachar Israel
Assistant Principal Trombone
TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama
PERCUSSION
Donald Miller Emeritus
HARP
Trina Struble Principal
KEYBOARD
Joela Jones Emeritus
WITH SPECIAL THANKS
Michael Ferraguto Librarian
Cleveland Orchestra musician Hans Clebsch coaches COYO horn students in Reinberger Chamber Hall.
SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHERS
The members of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra express gratitude to their school music directors for the role they play on a daily basis in developing musical skills:
Jason Burdett
Aurora High School
Mason Smith
Aurora High School
Ethan Eraybar
Avon High School
Jesse Martin
Avon High School
Devon Gess
Bay High School
David Luddington
Beachwood High School
Allison Siekmann
Beachwood High School
Steven Cocchiola
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Sam Portzer
Brunswick High School
Valerie Roman
Brunswick High School
Kyle O’Donnell
Canfield High School
Daniel Heim
Cleveland Heights High School
Robert Davis
Cleveland School of the Arts
Michael Foster
Copley High School
Dustin Harris
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Sloan Stakleff
Firestone CLC
Amy Rach
Green High School
Curtis Prichard
Hathaway Brown
Kyra Mihalski
Hawken School
Roberto Iriarte
Hudson High School
John Rodesh
Hudson High School
Scott Eversdyke
Jackson High School
Elizabeth Hankins
Lakewood High School
Clinton Steinbrunner
Lakewood High School
Emily Cromwell
Langston Middle School
Adonai Henderson
Menlo Park Academy
Erik Kalish
North Olmsted High School
Emily Cromwell
Oberlin High School
Amy Ruff
Olentangy Liberty
Middle School
Elijah Henkel
Ontario High School
Brandon DuVall
Orange High School
Brian Patton
Saint Joseph Academy
Bill Hughes
Shaker Heights High School
Donna Jelen
Shaker Heights High School
Robert Luce
Solon High School
Mark Mauldin
Solon High School
Gerald MacDougall
Solon Middle & High School
Garrett Doty
Stanton Middle School
Greg Newman
Stow-Munroe Falls High School
Andrew Hire
Strongsville High School
Brian King
Strongsville High School
Damon Conn
Twinsburg High School
David Kay
University School
Devon Steve
University School
Nicholas Ratay
Walsh Jesuit High School
Margaret Karam
Western Reserve Academy
Hilary Patriok
Westlake High School
PRIVATE MUSIC TEACHERS
The members of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra express gratitude to their private teachers for their support, insight, and expertise:
VIOLIN TEACHERS
Masha Andreini
Gina Bagnoli
Sibbi Bernhardsson
Katherine Bormann*
Wei-Shu Co
Heather Crawford
Vladimir Deninzon
Francesca dePasquale
Wei-Fang Gu*
Liesl Hook-Langmack
Micheal Houff
Amy Lee*
Kimberly Meier-Sims
David Mendieta
Marlene Moses
Elona Pappas
Eugenia Poustyreva
James Rhodes
Sam Rotberg
Carol Ruzicka
Zhan Shu*
Laura Shuster
Yu Yuan*
VIOLA TEACHERS
Abbie Foster
Laura Kuennan-Poper
Ellen Murphy
James Rhodes
Carol Ross
Luke Wardell
Ann Yu
Louise Zeitlin
CELLO TEACHERS
Kellan Degnan
Abbey Hansen
David Alan Harrell*
Dmitry Kouzov
Paul Kushious*
Ida Mercer
Daniel Pereira
Nora Willauer
BASS TEACHERS
Steven Brija
Patricia Johnston
Tracy Rowell
Gavin VanWinkle-Bright
Susan Yelanjian
FLUTE TEACHERS
Lisa Aglioti
Linda Miller
Dawn Schwartz
Jackie Wood
OBOE TEACHERS
Carol Bernhardt
Stephanie Cohn Minter
Corbin Stair*
Danna Sundet
CLARINET TEACHERS
Meghan Colbert
Stanislav Golovin
Dick Ingersoll
Sally Kish
BASSOON TEACHERS
Lydia Byndas
Mark DeMio
Tom English
Judith Guegold
HORN TEACHERS
Alan DeMattia
Melinda Kellerstrass
TRUMPET TEACHERS
Jerry Kleman
Scott Kline
Michael Miller*
Rich Pokrywka
TROMBONE TEACHERS
Thomas Brucoli
Ty Deane
Eric Richmond
Lauren Rudzinskas
TUBA TEACHER
Kenneth Heinlein
PERCUSSION TEACHERS
Thomas Freer
Katy La Favre
Matt Larson
Jennalee Quillen
HARP TEACHER
Jody Guinn
KEYBOARD TEACHER
Haewon Song
* Member of The Cleveland Orchestra
LATE SEATING
As a courtesy to the audience members and musicians in the hall, late-arriving patrons are asked to wait quietly until the first convenient break in the program, when ushers will help you to your seats. These seating breaks are at the discretion of the House Manager in consultation with the performing artists.
CELL PHONES, WATCHES & OTHER DEVICES
Please silence any noise-making devices, including cell phones and watches, prior to the start of the concert.
PHOTOGRAPHY,
VIDEOGRAPHY & RECORDING
Audio recording, photography, and videography are prohibited during performances at Severance. Photographs of the hall and selfies can be taken when the performance is not in progress.
FREE MOBILE APP
Get instant access to your tickets for Cleveland Orchestra concerts at Severance and Blossom Music Center by using the Ticket Wallet App. More information is at clevelandorchestra.com/ticketwallet
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY
Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.
HEARING AIDS & OTHER HEALTH-ASSISTIVE DEVICES
For the comfort of those around you, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other devices that may produce a noise that would detract from the program. Infrared Assistive-Listening Devices are available. Please see the House Manager or Head Usher for more details.
AGE RESTRICTIONS
Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical Season subscription concerts are not recommended for children under the age of 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (for 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).
Editorial: Kevin McBrien, Publications Manager (kmcbrien@clevelandorchestra.com)
Design: Melissa Leone (melissa@melissaleone.com)
Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members. The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.
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