NSO Sinfonia 1: Oh, Oboe!

Message from the Premier Congratulations to the esteemed Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra on their 2023-2024 season. The NSO is a cultural arts institution in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its ambitious and varied programming each year attracts regular audience members, and new fans alike. Over the last number of years, their inclusion of performances based on iconic pop culture have been met with enormous popularity and have drawn audiences of all ages. The NSO has a strong commitment to community partnerships, reaching over 10,000 students in 2022-23 with their in-school, virtual and interactive programs and providing online concerts, free of charge, to more than 80 senior’s homes. Congratulations, as well, to Marc David, now in his final full season as Music Director, on his outstanding artistic achievements during his long career with the NSO The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is a proud supporter of the NSO and values its contributions to our province’s arts and cultural sector. All the best for a successful season.

Hon. Andrew Furey, Premier

Message from the Mayor On behalf of Council, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra on its 61st Anniversary, Celebrating the year of the Arts. The City of St. John’s is a proud supporter of the arts and of this vibrant organization. With multiple performances every season, the educational experiences and entertainment provided to all ages is amazing. This season promises to entertain like no other and we are extremely fortunate to have talented musicians as the heartbeat of our musical community whom are there to share their talent and love of music with us all. The NSO board, staff, volunteers and sponsors work diligently each and every year to bring these shows to our community. Allow me to express my appreciation for your hard work and dedication and thank you for the significant contributions you make to the truly unique culture of our City. Best wishes –

Danny Breen, Mayor

Message from the Lieutenant Governor As Patron of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, I welcome you to the 2023-24 season as we celebrate the Year of the Arts. As always, the NSO collaborates with the local arts community to deliver exciting programs. NSO performances consistently provide outstanding entertainment, and showcase some of the most talented musicians and performers not only in our province but our country and beyond. Undoubtedly, people of all ages will enjoy the myriad of excellent performances which the orchestra is offering this season. As an advocate of the arts, I congratulate the NSO. It has shown itself to be a cultural tour de force in our community, rivaling the best in Canada. I have no doubt you will continue to entertain and delight your audiences.

Judy M. Foote P.C., O.N.L. Lieutenant Governor

SINFONIA 1

OH, OBOE!

2

SINFONIA 1 October 7, 2023 | D.F. Cook Recital Hall

Annie Corrigan, oboe

PROGRAMME Valse Triste - J. Sibelius (7 min.)

Concerto for Oboe - R. Vaughan Williams (19 min.)

I. Rondo Pastorale (Allegro moderato) II. Minuet and Musette (Allegro moderato) III. Finale - Scherzo (Presto - Doppio più lento - Lento - Presto)

INTERMISSION Symphony No. 40 - W.A. Mozart (35 min.)

I. Molto allegro II. Andante III. Menuetto (Allegretto) - Trio IV. Finale (Allegro assai)

Special thanks to our accommodations partner:

SINFONIA 1

OH, OBOE!

3

Annie Corrigan is the newly-appointed Principal Oboist of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and an Adjunct Professor of Oboe at Memorial University. In addition to performing and teaching, Annie serves as the Academic Program Administrator for the School of Music. She organizes the School’s annual audition cycle and coordinates its Community Outreach Programs. Prior to moving to Newfoundland in 2016, she served as Principal Oboe of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and Second Oboe in the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. She also worked as an announcer and producer for Bloomington, Indiana’s NPR affiliate WFIU, serving as the daily host of NPR’s Morning Edition and the producer/host of the weekly program Earth Eats. Annie is currently completing her Doctorate of Music (Oboe) from Indiana University.

SINFONIA 1

OH, OBOE!

4

Violin 1 Heather Kao Dominic Greene Ilyas Duissen Daniel Fuchs Whit Fitzgerald Violin 2 Nancy Case-Oates Carole Bestvater Elena Vigna Peter Gardner Viola Kate Read Chantelle Jubenville

Ema Shiroma-Chao Rosaura Aguilar

Cello Nathan Cook Amy Collyer-Holmes

Sandra Pope

Bass Frank Fusari Flute Michelle Cheramy Oboe

Annie Corrigan

Kathy Conway-Ward

Clarinet Glenn Rice Brenda Gatherall Bassoon Nicole Hand Horn

Emily Dunsmore

Charlotte Bridger Doug Vaughan

Timpani Rob Power

NSO Board NSO Staff Marc David, Music Director/Conductor Hugh Donnan, CEO Lynn Ann Pye, Patron Relations Manager Jennifer Brennan, Education & Outreach Coordinator Maria Penney, Marketing & Development Manager Dominic Greene, Personnel Manager Steve Power, Production Manager/Video Production/Editing Jenny Griffioen, Librarian Kyle McDavid, Graphic Designer

SINFONIA 1

Tom Hickey(Chair) Margaret Allan (Vice-Chair) Karen Bulmer Jessica Chapman Amy Collyer-Holmes Michelle Davis Aimee Letto Paul McDonald Heather McKinnon Ian Penney Andrea Rose Conor Stack Alana Walsh-Giovannini Douglas Wright Elizabeth Wright Jing Xia

OH, OBOE!

6

Despite being one of Jean Sibelius’ best known works, Valse Triste (1904) did not begin its life as a concert piece. Sibelius originally wrote it, alongside five other pieces, for his brother-in-law’s play Kuolema (Death) in 1903. In the play, the main character Paavali’s mother has fallen ill. As Paavali sleeps by her bedside, she dreams of figures entering her bedroom and beginning to dance. She joins in, despite her exhaustion, and dances with increasing vigour. Hearing a knock, she answers the door, and finds Death waiting for her. Even after extracting the waltz from the play, Sibelius acknowledged the dramatic origin of the piece, with the program notes for its premiere recounting the tale of the mother’s supernatural final dance.

By World War II, the BBC Proms—an eight-week summer classical music festival— was so integral to London’s social life that not even The Blitz could bring it to a halt. Nevertheless, Ralph Vaughan William’s Concerto for Oboe and Strings (1944) would not escape the calamitous times unscathed.

The threat of bombing not only delayed the premiere from July to September but also moved it from London to Liverpool, the home of the concerto’s soloist, Léon Goossens. Born to a family of musicians, Goossens was widely considered the finest oboist of his era, inspiring many composers to write for the instrument, including Benjamin Britten, Edward Elgar, and of course, Vaughan Williams. The Oboe Concerto was written on the heels of the composer’s Fifth Symphony and is built largely on its discarded Scherzo movement. While the concerto features several neoclassical elements, particularly its use of standard forms like the rondo and minuet, it eschews the showy, technical fireworks of earlier concertos for a more pastoral tone. The soloist’s music, however, is not without moments of brilliance, and demands both agility and stamina from the performer who plays almost continuously throughout the three movements.

By the end of his life, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had fallen on hard times. His orchestral music appeared less frequently on concert programs and support from his patrons diminished as they tightened their finances against looming war. Scholars have suggested that Mozart was suffering from depression during this time, an emotional state perhaps reflected in Symphony 40 (1788), one of only two surviving symphonies the composer wrote in a minor key. Despite any emotional challenges, Mozart continued to be remarkably prolific, writing his final three symphonies—39, 40, and 41—in a matter of months. These three symphonies have an unusual place in Mozart’s oeuvre. Austrian conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt argued Mozart conceived of them as a unified work, with Symphony 40 a minor middle movement. It was believed for many years that these symphonies were not performed in Mozart’s lifetime, and even suggested that Mozart wrote them deliberately for future generations to enjoy. While the circumstances surrounding symphonies 39 and 41 remain unclear, we now know that Mozart heard at least one performance of Symphony 40—albeit one so poor the composer left the room! Scholarship suggests other performances likely occurred. In any case, Mozart heard enough to revise the symphony to include clarinets, which is the version you will hear tonight.

- Notes courtesy of Dr. Annalise Smith

SINFONIA 1

OH, OBOE!

7

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE NSO You don’t have to be a musician to play your part in the NSO. NSO supporters make an investment in one of this province’s most important educational, musical, and cultural resources. The NSO performs nearly 20 times each season and reaches over 20,000 people across all demographics.

This would not be possible without the support of the community, local businesses and people like YOU! There are many different ways to support your NSO and help us continue to grow orchestral music in Newfoundland and Labrador.

10

A STANDING OVATION FOR ALL OUR SUPPORTERS

nsomusic.ca

Photo: Alick Tsui

P.O. Box 23125 St. John’s, NL A1B 4J9 709-722-4441