THORGY THOR & THE THORCHESTRA
Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 7:30 pm
ALLEN-BRADLEY HALL
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor
Thorgy Thor, violin
Jinwoo Lee, violin
Hannah Esch, soprano
CINDY LAUPER/arr. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon, HWV 67
Thorgy Thor, violin
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Concerto in D minor for Two Violins and String Orchestra, BWV 1043 I. Vivace
Thorgy Thor, violin
Jinwoo Lee, violin
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU
Orage from Platée, RCT 53
HENRY PURCELL
When I am Laid in Earth (“Dido’s Lament”) from Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Opus 67 I. Allegro con brio
FLORENCE PRICE
Adoration for Violin and String Orchestra
Thorgy Thor, violin
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR
Suite from Hiawatha, Opus 82a V. Reunion
Continued on page 42
Guest Artist Biographies
THORGY THOR
Thorgy Thor is a New York City-based drag performance artist, entertainer, musician, and event host. Since appearing on season eight of RuPaul’s Drag Race and season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Thorgy has been traveling the world, bringing audiences her trademark wit, sense of humor, and musical charm.
In 2018, the show “Thorgy and the Thorchestra” was created in collaboration with Canadian conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, making its debut with Symphony Nova Scotia in Halifax in conjunction with Halifax Pride, with two nights of sold-out performances to rave reviews. The show blends orchestral performances of traditional and modern classical repertoire and contemporary pop songs. The creation and debut of Thorgy and the Thorchestra was featured as part of Disruptor Conductor, Sharon Lewis’s 2019 documentary film about conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, which highlighted his creative collaboration with Thorgy.
Since then, Thorgy has taken the Thorchestra program to audiences around the globe. She has performed in the U.S. with the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Charlotte, and Seattle symphonies, and in Canada with the Vancouver, Edmonton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Saskatoon, and Regina symphonies and the Calgary Philharmonic. Additionally, she has had the pleasure of playing violin with many recording artists, including New York legend Joey Arias, as well as having appeared in performance at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Le Poisson Rouge.
Thorgy studied music at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music in Connecticut before graduating from the State University of New York at Purchase with a Bachelor of Music degree in both viola and violin performance in 2006. While undertaking studies at the Hart School and Purchase Conservatory, Thorgy also earned an honorary degree in Drag Ridiculousness, performing her original works of art entitled Maitri and Pocket to Pocket. Thorgy also starred in theatrical productions such as Bad Splices and Psycho Beach Party.
Thorgy has appeared on Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, where she showcased her violin skills in drag. Thorgy has also been a repeat guest on Bravo’s Watch What Happens: Live, appearing alongside Goldie Hawn, Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda. She was also a special guest performer as part of Eliot Glazer’s Haunting Renditions in 2017. Further television credits include Dragnificent! on TLC and Hulu.
After moving to Brooklyn in 2006, Thorgy featured in nightclubs, theater projects, street performances, and photo series throughout Brooklyn and New York City. She has since been nominated for numerous awards, including the Glam Awards, Get Out Awards, Odyssey Magazine Awards, and the Brooklyn Nightlife Awards, winning the Legend award and taking home Best Group Show of the Year.
Thorgy Thor is exclusively represented by Dispeker Artists. www.dispeker.com
2024.25 SEASON
KEN-DAVID MASUR
Music Director
Polly and Bill Van Dyke
Music Director Chair
EDO DE WAART
Music Director Laureate
BYRON STRIPLING
Principal Pops Conductor
Stein Family Foundation Principal Pops Conductor Chair
RYAN TANI
Assistant Conductor
CHERYL FRAZES HILL
Chorus Director
Margaret Hawkins Chorus Director Chair
TIMOTHY J. BENSON
Assistant Chorus Director
FIRST VIOLINS
Jinwoo Lee, Concertmaster, Charles and Marie Caestecker Concertmaster Chair
Ilana Setapen, First Associate Concertmaster, Thora M. Vervoren First Associate Concertmaster Chair
Jeanyi Kim, Associate Concertmaster
Alexander Ayers
Autumn Chodorowski
Yuka Kadota
Sheena Lan**
Elliot Lee**
Dylana Leung
Kyung Ah Oh
Lijia Phang
Yuanhui Fiona Zheng
SECOND VIOLINS
Jennifer Startt, Principal, Andrea and Woodrow Leung Second Violin Chair
Ji-Yeon Lee, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
John Bian, Assistant Principal (3rd chair)*
Hyewon Kim, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Glenn Asch
Lisa Johnson Fuller
Clay Hancock
Paul Hauer
Janis Sakai**
Mary Terranova
VIOLAS
Robert Levine, Principal, Richard O. and Judith A. Wagner Family Principal Viola Chair
Samantha Rodriguez, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair), Friends of Janet F. Ruggeri Viola Chair
Alejandro Duque, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Elizabeth Breslin
Georgi Dimitrov
Nathan Hackett
Erin H. Pipal
CELLOS
Susan Babini, Principal, Dorothea C. Mayer Cello Chair
Shinae Ra, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Scott Tisdel, Associate Principal Emeritus
Madeleine Kabat
Peter Szczepanek
Peter J. Thomas
Adrien Zitoun
BASSES
Principal, Donald B. Abert Bass Chair
Andrew Raciti, Acting Principal
Nash Tomey, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Brittany Conrad Omar Haffar**
Paris Myers
HARP
Julia Coronelli, Principal, Walter Schroeder Harp Chair
FLUTES
Sonora Slocum, Principal, Margaret and Roy Butter Flute Chair
Heather Zinninger, Assistant Principal
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
PICCOLO
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
OBOES
Katherine Young Steele, Principal, Milwaukee Symphony League Oboe Chair
Kevin Pearl, Assistant Principal
Margaret Butler
ENGLISH HORN
Margaret Butler, Philip and Beatrice Blank English Horn Chair in memoriam to John Martin
CLARINETS
Todd Levy, Principal, Franklyn Esenberg Clarinet Chair
Jay Shankar, Assistant Principal, Donald and Ruth P. Taylor Assistant Principal Clarinet Chair
Besnik Abrashi
E-FLAT CLARINET
Jay Shankar
BASS CLARINET
Besnik Abrashi
BASSOONS
Catherine Van Handel, Principal, Muriel C. and John D. Silbar Family Bassoon Chair
Rudi Heinrich, Assistant Principal
Beth W. Giacobassi
CONTRABASSOON
Beth W. Giacobassi
HORNS
Matthew Annin, Principal, Krause Family French Horn Chair
Krystof Pipal, Associate Principal
Dietrich Hemann, Andy Nunemaker
French Horn Chair
Darcy Hamlin
Scott Sanders
TRUMPETS
Matthew Ernst, Principal, Walter L. Robb Family Trumpet Chair
David Cohen, Associate Principal, Martin J. Krebs Associate Principal Trumpet Chair
Tim McCarthy, Fred Fuller Trumpet Chair
TROMBONES
Megumi Kanda, Principal, Marjorie Tiefenthaler Trombone Chair
Kirk Ferguson, Assistant Principal
BASS TROMBONE
John Thevenet, Richard M. Kimball Bass Trombone Chair
TUBA
Robyn Black, Principal, John and Judith Simonitsch Tuba Chair
TIMPANI
Dean Borghesani, Principal
Chris Riggs, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
Robert Klieger, Principal
Chris Riggs
PIANO
Melitta S. Pick Endowed Piano Chair
PERSONNEL
Antonio Padilla Denis, Director of Orchestra Personnel
Paris Myers, Hiring Coordinator
LIBRARIANS
Paul Beck, Principal Librarian, James E. Van Ess Principal Librarian Chair
Matthew Geise, Assistant Librarian & Media Archivist
PRODUCTION
Tristan Wallace, Production Manager/Live Audio
Lisa Sottile, Production Stage Manager
* Leave of Absence 2024.25 Season
** Acting member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra 2024.25 Season
