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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016-2017

The

Score

Noteworthy news from the Madison Symphony Orchestra

Paired to Perfection Christina & Michelle Naughton, Piano Duo

“Their playing is as close to perfection as one gets…”

—John DeMain, MSO Music Director

If you haven’t experienced the Naughton twins, you don’t know what you’re missing! These internationally-acclaimed pianists have roots here in Madison and grew up with the Madison Symphony, winning our youth concerto competitions in 2004 and 2005. Their playing is as close to perfection as one gets, and their vivid personalities soar from the stage. They will perform Mozart’s enchanting Concerto for Two Pianos, a piece that he wrote for himself and his sister. This will be our first performance of the work. We will then coax our piano duo to regale us, as they did the last time, with a stunning encore piece from their two-piano repertoire.

John DeMain

Major funding provided by

Additional funding provided by

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Nathan F. Brand and Regina Millner Scott and Janet Cabot

Photo by Bill Fritsch/ HarperFritsch Studios

But the concert doesn’t stop there. We will also perform, for the first time, Debussy’s evocative Le Printemps, with all of its impressionistic colors. The concert concludes with Shostakovich’s lyrical and powerful Symphony No. 5, a particular favorite of our symphonic repertoire. Those who first heard this piece while living under Soviet repression understood the pain and suffering that it portrays deeply beneath its surface. It is a fascinating and astounding work of art.

3 Easy Ways to Buy Tickets: Online at madisonsymphony.org

Fred and Mary Mohs

Dr. Stanley and Shirley Inhorn

(608) 258-4141

NOVEMBER 11, 12, 13 Claude Debussy Le Printemps Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5* John DeMain, Conductor Christina & Michelle Naughton, Piano Duo Prelude Discussion Pre-concert talk beginning one hour before each concert in Overture Hall

Speaker: Anders Yocom Wisconsin Public Radio Host *See page 7 for information about a special post-concert poetry reading on Sun., Nov. 13, inspired by Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5!

Marvin J. Levy

Martha and Charles Casey

PROGRAM

Tom and Nancy Mohs

Peggy and Tom Pyle

with funds from the State of Wisconsin and with funds from the the State National of Wisconsin Endowment the Arts and the Nationalfor Endowment for the Arts

In person at the Overture Center Box Office (201 State St.)* *save the service fees when buying in person

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STARRING SYLVIA McNAIR

A few seasons back, we invited Sylvia McNair to be the special guest artist for our Christmas concert. She proved to be so delightful and utterly charming, not to mention her wonderful singing and the sensational arrangements she brought with her, that I wanted from the get-go to invite her back! She will bring us some new arrangements of your favorite Christmas music, as only she can do.

PROGRAM DECEMBER 2, 3, 4 John DeMain, Conductor Sylvia McNair, Soprano Madison Symphony Chorus, Beverly Taylor, Director Madison Youth Choirs, Michael Ross, Artistic Director

Joining her, as always, will be the Madison Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Beverly Taylor; the Madison Youth Choirs, under the direction of Michael Ross; and the Mount Zion Gospel Choir, under the direction of Tamera and Leotha Stanley. Sylvia McNair

Mount Zion Gospel Choir, Tamera and Leotha Stanley, Directors

An additional highlight of this concert will be a performance of the “winter” movement from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, featuring Co-Concertmaster Suzanne Beia as soloist. This concert will come to its traditional, thrilling close as the entire audience joins the over four hundred people on stage, including the great Klais organ played by Sam Hutchison, in a glorious Christmas carol sing-along.

Young Professionals take note!

I hope you’ll join us in December for this truly beloved concert, which for me and many others inaugurates the holiday season in Madison.

Attend this concert on Sat., Dec. 3 for a reduced price and enjoy an after-party.

Tickets/more info at madisonsymphony.org/club201

John DeMain

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Major funding provided by HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

Maurice and Arlene Reese Family Foundation

Additional funding provided by

Colony Brands, Inc.

J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.

An Anonymous Friend

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

with funds from the State of Wisconsin and with funds from the the State National of Wisconsin Endowment the Arts and the Nationalfor Endowment for the Arts

Hans and Mary Lang Sollinger

3 Easy Ways to Buy Tickets: Online at madisonsymphony.org

(608) 258-4141

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Beyond the Score : Scheherazade ®

“Seldom has enlightenment proved so entertaining.”

James DeVita

—Chicago Tribune

After an overwhelmingly positive response to our inaugural offering of Beyond the Score® in 2014, we are thrilled to announce we’re continuing the series for the foreseeable future. This year, the piece that goes under a very entertaining microscope, is RimskyKorsakov’s Scheherazade.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

The purpose of Beyond the Score is to explore the various influences and life experiences that led a composer to write a particular piece of music. In the case of Scheherazade, RimskyKorsakov drew inspiration from his love affair with the sea and his fascination with Arabian tales. The great James and Brenda DeVita of American Players Theatre will contribute their acting skills, while our superb concertmaster Naha Greenholtz will depict the storyteller, Scheherazade, in sound.

Brenda DeVita

PROGRAM JANUARY 14, 15 Please note: This is not a subscription concert.

I guarantee this experience will change and greatly expand your listening of this work as never before. The cleverness of Beyond the Score is what makes it appeal to the established classical music listener, and those who are new to the art form. This is a great way for people who are curious about going to a concert, but have felt reluctant to do so, to discover the joy of a live classical music performance. I invite you to join us for this unique and enlightening experience!

John DeMain

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Beyond the Score® is a production of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Gerard McBurney, Creative Director for Beyond the Score®

person at the Overture Center Box Office (201 State St.)*

John DeMain, Conductor James DeVita as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Brenda DeVita as the Storyteller EXCLUSIVE SPONSOR A Good Friend of the Symphony What to expect:

Beyond the Score explores what’s behind one of the most popular orchestral works ever written with: • Video and photos • Actor and narrator • Musical examples and a full performance of Scheherazade in the second half What’s the story of Scheherazade? Based on an ancient Persian legend, Scheherazade staves off her death at the hands of her cruel Sultan husband, by regaling him with stories for 1001 nights until he falls in love with her. Rimsky-Korsakov evokes the moods of her various tales with memorable and haunting melodies.

*save the service fees when buying in person

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CELEBRATING YOUR SUPPORT MSO RECEIVES GENEROUS BEQUEST The MSO has received a gift of over $1 million from the estate of Dr. Margaret C. Winston, longtime benefactress of the Symphony. Margaret touched so many lives through her career as a radiologist, world traveler and passionate supporter of the arts. The MSO is one of 14 Madison-area nonprofit organizations that Margaret remembered in her will. Her gifts to the Symphony during her lifetime included annual concert

sponsorships, a gift toward the purchase of the eventual Overture Concert Organ and a gift for the Podium Endowment Fund. While these gifts were all made for specific purposes, she did not leave any instructions with her bequest. Her gift has been added to the Symphony’s general endowment. “Margaret’s legacy is the gift-in-perpetuity of great music to Madison and beyond. Her generosity will be heard in every performance of the Symphony in concert, in the schools, in HeartStrings and in all we do in the community,” says Rick Mackie, MSO Executive Director.

Photos by Brett Stepanik.

OPENING WEEKEND CELEBRATION Donors and orchestra members celebrated the new season at a post-concert reception.

Phil Dybdahl, Audrey Dybdahl, Joyce Bromley, Dan Bromley

Chuck Snowdon, Cyrena Pondrom, Lee Pondrom

David Scholl, Principal Bass; Naha Greenholtz, Concertmaster; Josh Biere, Principal Tuba; JJ Koh, Principal Clarinet

NBC15’s John Stofflet, Tom Terry, Connie Maxwell

“Margaret’s legacy is the gift-in-perpetuity of great music to Madison and beyond. Her generosity will be heard in every performance of the Symphony in concert, in the schools, in HeartStrings and in all we do in the community.” —Rick Mackie,

MSO Executive Director ATTENTION MSO PATRONS OVER AGE 70 ½ If you have reached age 70½ and must take the required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA, did you know that you can replace some or all of your RMD with a “qualified charitable distribution” (QCD) to the Madison Symphony Orchestra? QCDs (up to $100,000 per taxpayer per year) are exempt from federal income taxes because they will not be included in your adjusted gross income for the calendar year. Depending on your financial situation, the QCD strategy could be a smart tax move for you. If you’re interested in this opportunity for 2016, don’t wait until the end of the year to act! Contact your IRA trustee or custodian to make arrangements today. For more information or to let us know your plans, contact Casey Oelkers at (608) 260-8680 x228. The

Score

The Score is published four times per concert season for members and friends of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Editor: Ellen Larson Contributing Writers: Janet Cabot Casey Oelkers John DeMain Kathryn Schwarzmann (608) 257-3734 John Sims, Valerie Kazamias, Don Sanford, Barb Sanford

Greg Smith, Bass Clarinet; Chris Dozoryst, Principal Viola; Marc Fink, Principal Oboe; Joyce Messer, Principal Trombone

info@madisonsymphony.org

Printing provided by

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EDUCATION HIGH NOTES CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2016 FALL YOUTH CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNERS! Antonio Wu, piano Jefferson Middle School, Madison, WI Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103, Mvt. I

THE PLANETS

Honorable Mention: Zehavi Rodriguez, cello Homeschool, Darlington, WI Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Mvt. I

The Madison Symphony Orchestra welcomes students in grades 4-8 to attend this year’s Fall Youth Concerts titled The Planets! The program includes movements from Gustav Holst’s The Planets and the fourth movement of Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter.”

Major funding provided by: Madison Symphony Orchestra League Additional funding provided by: American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation, Inc. | American Girl’s Fund for Children | Culver’s VIP Foundation, Inc. | The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co., Inc. | Irving and Dorothy Levy Family Foundation, Inc. | Wisconsin Arts Board | William J. and Joyce F. Wartmann Fund

MSO’s Education and Community Engagement programs are made available for free or at a low cost to participants, but they are not free for us to present! To learn how you or your company/organization can support these and other MSO programs, please contact Casey Oelkers, Director of Development, at (608) 260-8680 x228.

The public is also welcome to attend the Bolz Young Artist Competition SemiFinal Round on Mon., Jan. 9, 2017 in Overture Center’s Promenade Hall.

Jessica Jiang, piano Jefferson Middle School, Madison, WI Mozart: Piano Concerto in G Major, K. 453, No. 17, Mvt. III

Visit madisonsymphony.org/bolz for more information. MEET THE 2016-2017 UP CLOSE & MUSICAL® HUNT QUARTET! Through the Up Close & Musical® educational residency program, the Hunt Quartet brings the power and beauty of classical music into Dane County elementary school classrooms.

HEARTSTRINGSSM RHAPSODIE QUARTET RECITAL Sun., Jan. 29, 2017 | 4 p.m. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Fort Atkinson, WI The Rhapsodie Quartet includes MSO Co-Concertmaster Suzanne Beia, Principal Violist Christopher Dozoryst, Principal Cellist Karl Lavine, and Violinist Laura Burns. The Quartet makes monthly visits to our community partners, bringing a full season of activities to residents and caregivers. Learn more at madisonsymphony.org/heartstrings. Major funding for HeartStrings provided by: Madison Symphony Orchestra League | National Endowment for the Arts Additional funding for HeartStrings provided by: Rica Bruinsma, in memory of Frank Bruinsma | The Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times | Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation, Inc. | Madison Arts Commission | UW Health & Unity Health Insurance | Wisconsin Arts Board

This year’s Hunt Quartet of UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music graduate students are: Kyle Price (cello), Vinicius Sant’Ana (violin), Blakeley Menghini (viola), and Chang-En Lu (violin).

Photo by Katrin Talbot

—Attending Educator, 2015

Reservations open on Wed., Mar. 1, 2017, and can be made by calling the MSO office: (608) 257-3734.

Photo by Katrin Talbot

“My students have left these concerts with huge smiles on their faces; eager to talk about it when we return to school, as well as with their families when they go home that day.”

The culmination of the Bolz Young Artist Competition, this free event is open to the public and broadcast on Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television.

Monona Suzuki, violin Hamilton Middle School, Fitchburg, WI Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25

FALL YOUTH CONCERTS Tues., Nov. 15, 2016 9:15 a.m. | 11:15 a.m. | 1 p.m. Overture Hall John DeMain, Conductor

Fall Youth Concerto Competition winners will be featured in the concerts, and visuals will supplement the learning experience for students before and during the concert.

Wed., Mar. 29, 2017 | 6:45 p.m. Overture Hall

Major funding for Up Close & Musical provided by: Madison Symphony Orchestra League | An Anonymous Friend | John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation, Inc. Additional funding for Up Close & Musical provided by: Rica Bruinsma, in memory of Frank Bruinsma | CUNA Mutual Foundation | Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, The Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation | Marc Vitale and Darcy Kind | Wisconsin Arts Board

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Madison Symphony Orchestra League News Where Music and Friendship Meet

Photos by Amandalynn Jones.

SAVE THE DATE: HOLIDAY PARTY Wed., Dec. 7, 2016 Maple Bluff Country Club

JOIN US FOR THIS YEAR’S FINAL PARTY OF NOTE!

Join your fellow MSOL members for a festive evening of food, friendship and holiday cheer. Heavy appetizers will be provided and a cash bar will be available. Image by Eileen Potts Dawson

2016 SYMPHONY GALA: MAGICAL & MUSICAL The Symphony Gala on September 16 was a magical and musical evening to honor Jim and Marilyn Ebben, the 2016 recipients of the John DeMain Award for Outstanding Commitment to Music. The John Schaffer Trio kicked off the night and The Original Hyperion Orchestra closed the evening with dance music after dinner. The Hunt Quartet performed during the awards program. The Ebbens were joined by their children, Cheryl, Maureen and Jay, and their spouses, along with 190 other guests. More than $30,000 was raised to support the MSO’s Education and Community Engagement programs including Up Close & Musical®, the program that brings the Hunt Quartet to Dane County elementary schools to introduce K-3 students to the basic elements of music. Beth Rahko chaired this year’s Gala.

Arts Ball

Celebrating Shakespeare! Thurs., Nov. 17, 2016 | 4-7 p.m. Chazen Museum of Art and The University Club

AU T U M N LE AVE S

Celebrate William Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary with our tour of First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare, a special exhibition from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.

HAVE YOU PURCHASED YOUR TICKETS FOR ARTS BALL YET? Sat., Nov. 19, 2016 Nakoma Golf Club Bid on unique silent auction items. Buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win two Delta Air Lines tickets and $4,000; only 500 tickets are sold. Enjoy a three-course dinner and dancing to the music of Las Vegas and Chicago band, public i. Tickets are $150/person. For further information and reservations, please call (608) 257-0158 x238 or email valerie@mmoca.org.

Gala committee: Peter Rodgers, Judy Topitzes, Valerie Kazamias, Janet Cabot, Beth Rahko (chair), Katie Reuhl, Shirley Inhorn, Stan Inhorn, Casey Oelkers, Elaine Mischler. Not pictured: Pat Bernhardt, Rosemarie Blancke, Ann Lindsey, Linda Lovejoy, Rick Mackie

Andrew Stevens, Chazen Curator for Prints, Drawings and Photography, will lead an informative and entertaining showing of this first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, published in 1623. Following the tour, continue the conversation as you enjoy tea and sherry at The University Club. For more information, or to register, visit madisonsymphony.org/parties.

THE MSOL WEBPAGE GETS A MAKEOVER!

madisonsymphony.org/msol You now have a “go-to” place for all things MSOL! Visit the MSOL page on the Symphony website to: renew your membership (or join as a new member), sign up for upcoming luncheons or Parties of Note, browse volunteer opportunities and discover what events are next on the calendar. Award winners Jim and Marilyn Ebben and MSO Music Director John DeMain

Love the Symphony

…Join the League!

The Madison Symphony Orchestra League is an organization of more than 300 dedicated men and women who are committed to support the artistic, educational, financial and community engagement goals of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. For more information, visit madisonsymphony.org/msol.

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OVERTURE CONCERT ORGAN NEWS What does the future hold for Greg? “I hope to make a strong impact within the larger classical music world,” he explained. “I want others to get as excited about the organ and its repertoire as I do, and raise its significance for our society. I’m also looking forward to having a family, but that can wait for now.”

VOICES OF SPRING A Celebration of the Overture Concert Organ Sat., May 20, 2017 | 6 p.m.

ORGANIST GREG ZELEK SHARES FUTURE GOALS WITH MSO This November, 25-year-old organist Greg Zelek takes the Overture Hall stage for the first time in a solo recital. Growing up in a Cuban-American household, Greg’s initial exposure to music came from witnessing his sister’s piano lessons, and he began lessons of his own at age seven. At age 15, Greg began to study the organ seriously.

Read Greg’s full interview at madisonsymphony.org/zelek and don’t miss the opportunity to see this talented young organist perform live!

Visit madisonsymphony.org/voices for the most up to date information.

A student of Paul Jacobs at Juilliard for the past six years, Greg is growing in his profession and finding passions within the organ world, specifically surrounding new music and collaboration.

The Organ in Oratorio & Opera Organist Samuel Hutchison with tenor David Portillo and bass Kyle Ketelsen Tues., Feb. 21, 2017 | 7:30 p.m.

In an interview with the MSO, Greg shared that he desires to keep composers interested in the organ and curious about its capabilities, even though writing for such a large and complex instrument can seem daunting. “It is vital that composers continue to write for the organ,” he said. “Modern organ music keeps the repertoire fresh and explores the collaborative side of the organist with the broader classical music world.”

Organist Erik Wm. Suter in Recital Tues., Mar. 7, 2017 | 7:30 p.m.

A major way Greg sees new opportunities for the organ is through chamber collaboration. “The organ world tends to be insular, with organists operating solely within their field,” Greg explained. “Through collaborative recitals with cellists and singers, I hope to break out into the rest of the music world and enhance the organ’s relevance.” He also noted that the instrument has been primarily associated with church and not the concert scene. “This notion is evolving and audiences are increasingly recognizing its beauty and effect on them,” Greg said.

Concert Details: Organist Greg Zelek in Recital Tues., Nov. 8, 2016 | 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Walter and Karen Pridham

Other upcoming organ concerts:

Sponsored by Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation

All organ lovers are invited to this elegant evening of music and dinner on the Overture Stage.

FREE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CAROL SING Tues., Nov. 29, 2016 | 7 p.m. Bring the whole family and ring in the season with classic Christmas carols, led by MSO Principal Organist Sam Hutchison. See more upcoming free organ events at madisonsymphony.org/hymnsings. All concerts and hymn sings are in Overture Hall. Support for all Overture Concert Organ programs is provided by the Diane Endres Ballweg Fund.