greg zelek & thomas mesa

After our first performance together back in 2019 and a solo performance of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the MSO, Thomas Mesa returns as we collaborate once again in a program of organ and cello music. Mr. Mesa and I will both perform works by women composers, such as Nadia Boulanger’s gorgeous Trois Pièces , as well as a solo cello work written for him by Spanish composer Andrea Casarrubios. We will close this exciting evening with a commissioned work written for the two of us, Daniel Ficarri’s Sonata in C minor for Organ and Cello , which was inspired by our first performance at Overture Hall. You won’t want to miss the world premiere of this incredible piece! — Greg Zelek

Greg Zelek, Organ

Thomas Mesa, Cello PROGRAM

PRESENTING SPONSOR

William Steffenhagen

MAJOR SPONSOR

Jane Hamblen and Robert F. Lemanske

ALL TICKETS $25

Jules Massenet, Méditation from Thaïs

J.S. Bach, Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007

J.S. Bach, Fugue in D major, BWV 532

Nadia Boulanger, Trois Pièces

Alfred Lefébure-Wély, Boléro de Concert, Op. 166

Andrea Casarrubios, Seven

Daniel Ficarri, Sonata for Organ and Cello (world premiere)

Curator Notes

Thank you to everyone who has joined us throughout the 2022–2023 Overture Concert Organ season! It was exciting to release my debut MSO CD at the opening concert of the season, and Christopher Houlihan delighted our audience with his personable stage presence and command of the instrument. It has been wonderful to share these experiences with you.

As always, the Carol Sing in December was a joyous morning with a large attendance of our very own Madison audience members as our chorus. My mom would have been very impressed by how many clapped at just the right time during the “whip-crack” sound of the organ arrangement of Sleigh Ride

There was a change in program and artist for our February concert. Alcée Chriss, who was originally scheduled to appear, was unable to join us. We’re looking ahead to a future date when he can showcase our Klais with his incredible technique and artistry.

The concert that many of you experienced on the same date featured a new guest artist and an entirely different kind of program. I had the pleasure of playing alongside the great trombonist, Mark Hetzler, who last performed with me in the successful Organ and Diapason Brass concert that closed our last season. A former member of the Empire Brass, and now professor at UW–Madison, Mark has toured the world as both a soloist and ensemble member, playing a wide range of repertoire. The program featured a New Orleans-style version of When the Saints Go Marching In , classical arrangements of Bach and Mendelssohn, and original compositions by Mark himself.

I was able to catch up with my friend and cellist Thomas Mesa in December while staying in NYC for performances at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and we talked about our excitement to perform again together at Overture in April. I am just trying to figure out a way I can play one of Tommy’s cello strings like I did at our last performance in Madison!

As part of our concert in April, the MSO and I have commissioned Daniel Ficarri to write an organ and cello sonata specifically for us and our incredible Overture Concert Organ. We are grateful for a generous gift from Fernando and Carla Alvarado which made this commission possible! When Tommy and I last performed together here in 2019, I had to re-arrange works for cello and either orchestra or piano simply because there are so few pieces written for both of our instruments. Dan, a former classmate of mine in Juilliard’s organ program, is one of the organists at St. John the Divine in NYC and is also a very talented composer. Having grown up as a violinist before switching over to the organ, Dan understands the complexities and nuances of writing for both the pipe organ and stringed instruments. I wanted to make sure that the work showcased both instruments equally, and his piece strikes this challenging balance perfectly. There is even a virtuosic section in the last movement where the cello and organ are in conversation with one another, with Tommy playing one measure and me playing in response with only my feet. We are thrilled to finally premiere the work in April and we are even more excited for you all to hear it!

I look forward to seeing you at our final performance of the season, and I know that we are going to have a great time together, as always!

– Greg Zelek Principal Organist and Elaine and Nicholas Mischler Curator of the Overture Concert Organ