2024 Winter Concerts
Ambassador Auditorium
December 7, 2024
Welcome!
Welcome to the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras' winter concerts! I am so proud of the hard work each student has put in so far this school year, and I can’t wait to hear them perform. It takes discipline, courage and team work to perform on this stage, and we applaud every member of the PYSO and their families for being here.
Having just celebrated my one-year anniversary as CEO of the Pasadena Symphony Association, I couldn’t be more excited about where we are at this moment. Our new Music Director Brett Mitchell opened the symphony season this fall to packed houses with much acclaim. If you haven't had the chance to watch him conduct, we invite you to take advantage of our Student Access program, which provides no-cost tickets for more than 3,000 students and their families each year. I promise, you are in for a treat!
As part of our commitment to make music education accessible for all, we launched our tuition-free summer camp last June, open to all PUSD students in grades 4 through 8 who are enrolled in their PUSD instrumental music program. This two-week program gave over 50 students the opportunity to continue their music education over the summer. Applications will be open soon for the summer of 2025.
It’s a very busy month here at the Pasadena Symphony Association. In addition to our youth orchestra concerts today, we hope you will join us at our annual Holiday Look In Home Tour and Boutique (just around the corner at Elks Lodge), December 7-8, with all proceeds benefitting the Pasadena Symphony and POPS programs and education. Next weekend, Brett Mitchell will conduct our popular Holiday Candlelight Concerts at All Saints Pasadena. Due to overwhelming demand, we have added a third performance on Friday evening, December 13. For tickets and more information about these events, visit pasadenasymphony-pops.org.
We hope to see you at our upcoming events. As always, thank you for continuing to make music a priority in your lives.
Enjoy the show!
Andrew Brown Chief Executive Officer Pasadena Symphony Association
About the PYSO
The Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO) have been training tomorrow’s leaders since 1972. Now in its 53rd year, PYSO is considered among the finest youth orchestra programs in the country and is the centerpiece of the Pasadena Symphony Association’s education offerings. PYSO offers 11 ensembles, serving students from 29 cities throughout Los Angeles County and the San Gabriel Valley, 21 school districts and 129 schools. In addition, PYSO provides Pasadena Unified School District with teaching artists to directly support music teachers in the classroom.
PYSO students are immersed in rigorous repertoire, learn the art of ensemble playing, and explore their potential in a supportive environment. Students study a primary instrument and participate in weekly ensemble practice and instrumental sectionals.
Ensemble playing opportunities are available for all PYSO students no matter where they are in their musical studies. Following an audition, students will be placed in an appropriate ensemble based on their age and ability. Students may stay in a rising ensemble for up to 3 years, depending on their level of playing as well as their personal commitment and maturity level. Each ensemble has its pathway from section player to principal, and each student’s journey will be different.
an education program of the
Prelude Strings, String Orchestra & Overture Strings
Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 10:30am a
Prelude Strings - Kyle Smith, Conductor
Petite Tango C. B. (Casey) Kriechbaum Jr.
An Evening in Salzburg
Skaters' Waltz
Edmund J. Siennicki
Émile Waldteufel
Arr. Richard Meyer
Rise of the Bow-Bots: Richard Meyer
Megalift, The Hookinator, and Slurtron
String Orchestra - Dr. Anne Rardin, Conductor
Dragon Dances Soon Hee Newbold
Sally Goodin Traditional
Arr. Todd Parrish
Theme from Havanaise
Camille Saint-Saëns
Arr. Robert Longfield
Divertimento No. 2 in D Major, K. 131, Finale Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Arr. Sandra Dackow
Finale from Serenade for Strings
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovksy
Arr. Carrie Lane Gruselle
Overture Strings - Michael Nelson, Conductor
Concerto Grosso, Op. 6 No. 8
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
Arcangelo Corelli
Arr. Todd Parrish
River Song Richard Meyer
Swan Lake, Act II No. 10
A Joyous Sleigh Ride
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Arr. Michael Hopkins
Anthony Susi (based on "Joy to the World")
Edited by J. Cameron Law
PRELUDE
STRINGS
Kyle Smith, Conductor
Violin
Leena Babtiwale
Emily Cardoza
Grace Chan
Jocelyn Chen
Luke Chen
Tiffany Chen
Olivia Cheng
Jordan Chiang
Emi Chiu
Richie Christ
Gabrielle Cooper
Macey de Guzman
Quincy Duong
Emily Gu
Andres Gutierrez
Engedi Lam
Harrison Lin
Augustine Lowe
Alannah Leo Luhur
Scarlett Marra
Matilda McCoy
Fatima Morales
Daniel Murata
Isabella Ngo
Gianna Pak
Ian Park
Oliver Pritchard
Charlotte Romero
Sophia Schmutzer
Julianne Shum
Andre Simonian
Arpi Simonian
Kietsai Sora-Lee
Harper Streb-Quintel
London Terry
Penelope Terry
Michelle Tu
Kende Volkan-Kacso
Alexander Wang
Luke Yu
Merida Zhang
Victor Zhang
Viola
Sean Liu
Timothy Lee
Noah Seo
Bodhi Jain
Angelina Che
STRING ORCHESTRA
Dr. Anne Rardin, Conductor
Violin 1
Madlaina Bezzola
Julian Cruz
Collin Espino
Quinn Ford
Natalie Granneman
Chloe Shu**
Cash Snyder
Alex Still
Katherine Ter-Harutyunyan
Charlotte Tom
Naneh Vachents
Angela Wang
Carol Williams
Eden Williams
Toby Wong
Caleb Jeremiah Wong
Sophia Wu
Violin 2
Jacob Castaneda
Jayne Chiang
Athena Chung
Richard Feng
Austin Goodman
Jing Guo
Austin He
Jovannie Hoo
Avery Kan
Berton Lau
Ethan Li
Regan Miyabe
Lillian Park
Daisy Pfeiffer
Renee Shin*
Dashiell Stephens
Karis Yeung
Leah Yin
Viola
Corise Bates
YiAn Chen*
Dalton Chen
Joy Cui
Andrea Li
Olivia Solis
Cello
Gabriel Bard
Audrey Chang
Harry Chen
Maile Chu
Conner Espino
Cello
Julie Avakyants
Poppy Bard
Aurora Carrillo-Vincent
Miles Chuang
Cheryl Hsu
Ava Kieczykowski
Stanley Lam
Elaine Li
Finley Lin-Gracey
Paxon Nguyen Barnes
Emma Srisamang
Mia Tong
Ezra Williams
Skylar Wong
Double Bass
Kayla Srisamang
Alexander Jarvis
Henry Kittle
Sebastian Lee
Jaren Liang
Olivia Lu
Grace Ma*
Tess McCulley
Emma Paik
Gideon Ramirez
Audrey Shiue
Edwin Ting
William Tseng
Double Bass
Victoria Solomon-Loga
** Concertmaster
* Section Principal
OVERTURE STRINGS
Michael Nelson, Conductor
Violin 1
Robert Agapie
Luke Castaneda
Katherine Chen
Ariel Hernandez
Aurelia Hsu
Ryan Kam
Allison Lee
Amelie Ostray
Emma Santini
Sage Semien
Kylie Tran
Joy Tsai
Yuki Zhang
Violin 2
Aaron Chu
Hana Cole
Olivia Hsu
Camille Kallay
Noelle Kim
Graciela Lopez
Effie Streb-Quintel
Annabel Tam
Eugene Tang
Ellie Tonthat
Kyran Tran
Abigail Wang
Sophia Wan
Winni Wang
Viola
Haley Han
Jayden Jakubiak
Taylor Lin
Penelope Park
Annabelle Tseng
Maia Tshing
Lucas Yeh
Kemi Zhang
Cello
Allie Ayers
Isabelle Chen
Lily Fahimi
Ruby Farrington
Xingze Feng
Beatrice Guo
Rebecca Han
Alec Hovsepian
Audrey Hsiao
Jack Kang
Elias Lopez
Sarah Yoon
Audrey Yu
Double Bass
Jack Bransby
Quentin Sloan
an education program of the
Wind Ensemble, Symphony & Sinfonia
Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 3:30pm
Wind Ensemble - Gary Yearick, Conductor
Arctic Blast Rob Grice
Softly Speaks the Night Carol Brittin Chambers
Tanchozuru Randall D. Standridge (Song of the Red-Crowned Crane)
Dr. ROCKenstein
Arr. Steve Hodges
Symphony - Jack Taylor, Conductor
Medieval Legend Michael Story
To the Feast! Richard Meyer
Slavonic Dances, No. 8
March of the Nutcracker
Trepak
Antonín Dvořák
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Arr. Merle J. Isaac
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Arr. Merle J. Isaac
INTERMISSION
Sinfonia - Pin Chen, Conductor
Il Pirata, Sinfonia Vincenzo Bellini
Fair at Sorochinski Modest Mussorgsky Introduction Gopak
Wedding March from Felix Mendelssohn
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61, No. 4
WIND ENSEMBLE
Gary Yearick, Conductor
Flute
Archana
Ananthanarayanan
Fay Chao
Kelly Chen
Henry Cheng
Chloe Huang
Renee Li
David Moss
Dora Wu
Kassaree Yiu
Alvin Zhang
Clarinet
Patrick Jiang
Ansel Law
Kiley Lee
Benjamin Yee
Rachel Zhou
Bass Clarinet
Maximilian Shannon
Connor Tritt
Alto Saxophone
Miles de Guzman
Deverok Sanchez
Ryan Yan
SYMPHONY
Jack Taylor, Conductor
Violin 1
Ethan Castaneda
Brandon Chen
Etienne Gagne
Sophia Kim
Lily Kimura
Gina Kong
Max Lee
Victor Lee
Angela Li
Torrance Li
Caroline Lin
Mateo Okon
Ivan Pan
Rebecca Pan
Izzy Teng
Kirsi Williams
Maebh Wu
Macy Zhu
Violin 2
Nicholas Chan
Rita Chu
Richard Cui
Ella Garlett
Jessica Gu
Raiana Gutierrez
Lucas Kittle
Jeremiah Kwan
Yaeanne Lee
Kevin Li
Jasmine Liao
Nathan Leo Luhur
Elizabeth Ong
Jonathan Roesner
Stella Shen
Vivienne Wu
Viola
Daniel Huss
Conor Kaw
Naomi Kim
Aaron Liu
Will Mei
Grant Saiyasombat
Avery Thiel
Kelsey West
Abby Wu
Cello
Daisy Chen
Wei Ham
Cameron Huss
Aria Hwu
Annya Lee
Evelyn Lockerbie
Lily Peng
Anson Poon
Araceli
Prasarttongosoth
Abigail Prince
Tenor Saxophone
Carter Bradley
French Horn
Janelle Wong
Avin Zang
Trumpet
Leon Ban
Marko Strohm
Chris Villarino
Tuba
Kurtis Du
Percussion
Natalie Hernandez
Kate Patrick
Jett Quan
Kenji Ross
Tristan Santiago
Griffin Still
Alice Sun
Nicole Tu
Thomas Umutyan
Wan-Hsing Wang
Juniper Wollman
Evangeline Wong
Double Bass
Lindsey Huynh
Flute
Ava Barrios
Rachel Cho
Olivia Hyung
Jamie Wu
Niamh Wu
Joaquin Zajac
Clarinet
Ethan Chu
Jonathan Krum
Gabrielle Sheh
Oboe
Meghan Chiu
Justin Kong
Titus Park
Aden Zaidi
Alto Saxophone
Juliet Levine
Elliott Park
Levi Sulbaek
Andersen
French Horn
Elisha Cho
Angelina Lee
Trumpet
Cameron Chen
Jacob Der
Aditya Katake
Chris Villarino
Riyan Vishwanath
Tuba
Kurtis Du
Zachary Zee
Percussion
Harper Rentmeester
SINFONIA
Pin Chen, Conductor
Violin
Sophie Aguiar
Kalkidan Asseged
Beckett Bayan*
Elleina Caine
Paolo Calchi Novati
Helena Chen
Aaron Dai
Hannah Dau *
Ashley Du
Tiffany He
Kadence Hwu**
Naomi Jones**
Sophia Krum
Sean Lee
Eliana Li
Viviam Liao
Priscilla Miao
Katelyn Ng
Paisley Park
Elias Ramos
Kiyoaki Santiago
Andrew Suda
Isabella Wilson
Amelia Wu
Henry Yoo
Allison Yue
Malena Zamora
Anita Zheng
Viola
Nathan Hoe
Leon Holloway
Daniel Huss*
Sophia Iknadossian
Jolie Ji
Ryukei Morimoto
William Son**
Cello
Max Chen
Tyler Chin
Jeremiah Chun
Karalim Cruikshank
Sam Descalzi
Alyssa Guo
Derrick Lee
Julia Lin
Joseph Mandella
Sean McRobbie**
Ian Nam
Olivia Tanouye
Colette Yerrid
Skye Zhou
Double Bass
Axel Logg
Carrie Rao**
Flute
William Hsieh
Sophia Ren
Belle Whiting
Isabelle Yan
Aurora Zajac
Brianna Zhu
Clarinet
Federico Calchi
Novati
S. Ethan Kang
Justin Kim
Sierra Mercer
Noah Tandoc
Oboe
Batia Lou
Corbin Paxton
Alto Saxophone
Quinne Fang
Baritone
Saxophone
Christopher Rappaport
Luke Taylor
Bassoon
Luke Hoang
Juliette Lee
French Horn
Joshua Cooper
Eren Eisenberg
Lucia Lois
Trumpet
Willa Earnest-Blum
Albus Lu
Trombone
Joseph Cooper
Kelly Law
Theodore Zee
Percussion
Lukas Logg
Theo Wisch
** Principal
* Assistant Principal
SHAPING THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW
For over five decades, the Pasadena Symphony’s nationally recognized Youth Orchestras (PYSO) has offered outstanding musical training and personal development for students in the San Gabriel Valley. What originally started over 50 years ago as one ensemble serving 50 students has grown into 11 youth orchestra ensembles offering weekly instruction to close to 800 students in grades 4-12.
PYSO has achieved many milestones this past year. Along with the expansion of ACO to 4 school sites, our education program provided over 600 hours of Pasadena Symphony Teaching Artist residencies to support Pasadena Unified music teachers in the classroom. In June, we launched our first ever Summer Camp, a 2-week, tuition-free summer program for PUSD music students, to give kids the opportunity to continue their music education over the summer.
NO-COST ACCESS TO CONCERTS SHOULD BE IN REACH FOR EVERY STUDENT
Join us by making a gift to the PSA’s STUDENT ACCESS PROGRAM, providing no-cost tickets for our community’s students and their families.
Our Student Access program provided no-cost access to our concerts to over 3000 young people and their families in Pasadena and surrounding San Gabriel Valley communities. We not only host families from the PYSO and the PUSD, but also community organizations that serve at-risk youth. This family-friendly program offers first-time exposure to live symphonic music to families from all walks of life, creating a level playing field that honors every person’s civic right to the enriching benefits of a live symphony orchestra.
PYSO SUMMER CAMP
Our inaugural summer camp for PUSD music students was attended by over 50 students grades 5-8, tuition free. PYSO Summer Camp is made possible with generous support from the Helen and Will Webster Foundation.
Philharmonic
an education program of the
Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 8:00pm
Chris Kim, Conductor
Violin Concerto in E minor
Madeline Son, soloist a
I. Allegro molto appassionato
Nabucco: Overture
Relapse for Orchestra
Felix Mendelssohn
Giuseppe Verdi
Peter S. Shin
Maurice Ravel a
Rhapsodie Espagnol
I. Prélude à la nuit
II. Malagueña
III. Habanera
IV. Feria
PYSO performing at the Cremona Orchestra Festival in Italy this past summer.
PHILHAR MONIC
Chris Kim, Conductor
Violin 1
Nichole Breanna Aye + Lily Bingham
Sophia Buda
Olivia Chen
Jamie Lee
Audrey Lord
Cathleen Lu
Eyla Najafi
Elizabeth Pak + Julian Rife
Sashya Rucka
Mallika Sheshadri + Madeline Son +
Ian Teigen
Nora Wang
Shigeo Yoshida
Violin 2
Roy Amaral
Cadence Chan
Danica Chen
Jeremy Chen
Lucas Hong
Jayden Huang ^
Anna Hua
Lio Itaya ^
Claire Jung
Jiwoo Lee
Kayce Lee ^
Rosetta Li
Fiona Liang
Lauren Poplock
Shelby Sartor
Eluisa Schulitz ^
Arthur Sparks
Viola
Timothy Feng
Benicio Haro
Yusei Izumi
Jeremy John
Aiden Lee
Meridith Southard + William Zhang + Faith Zhou +
Cello
Phoebe Cho
Kaitlyn Hong + Chloe Hsin
Austin Kuo + Judy Ku
Phoebe Lee +
Michelle Li
Matthew Mak
Daiju Mori
Rio Navarro
Minju Oh
Connor Pak
Benjamin Redfearn
Liam Reilly
Madelin
Rentmeester
Antonio Shyu + Shannon Tsai
Zachary Tsai
Matthew Wu
Double Bass
Casey Chen
Josiah Chun
Cameron Huss *
Bradley Utomo
Flute
Claire Buda + Aidan Ko
Jolee Kuo + Chloe Lee
Clarinet
Trisha Chakraborty *
Jesse Chen
Noah Mukherjee
Eric Yang
French Horn
Nathan Cho +
Wilson Jaroch + Itusi Yoshioka
Trumpet
Jackson Kidd
William Meier **
Maxwell Shen
Sebastian Thompson *
Trombone
Ellis Kopcho
Leander Rajan *
Jarvis Zhou
Tuba
Richard Muñoz
Percussion
Katie Hong
Ethan Liu
Harp
Hart LippSmith
Keyboard
Gideon Schneider
* Principal + Co-Principal
** Assistant Principal
^ Co-Assistant Principal
PYS O CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER
Madeline Son
An 11th grader from Polytechnic School, 17 year-old Madeline Son started playing violin at the age of 6. Under the tutelage of Grace Unhae Kwon, she has won top prizes in numerous competitions, including the Young Muse International Competition, International Music and Arts Society Competition (twice), Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition, and the Charleston International Music Competition. She was also featured in the highlight videos of the Play with Ray Chen International Competition on social media.
Madeline has been a first-place winner in Southwest Youth Music Festival, Satori Strings Competition, and the Southwest Bach Festival. She won the Prodigy Award at Satori at age 11, and was a winner of the Music Teacher Association of California VOCE Competition and the Pasadena Rotary Instrumental Music Competition. Madeline performed solo at Lincoln Center at age 8, Carnegie Hall at age 10, the Kaufman Music Center at age 15, and at Walt Disney Concert Hall and Harvard University this year. She also performed for community events such as Pasadena City Hall’s Candlelight Vigil for survivors of domestic violence.
ABO UT THE COMPOSER
Peter S. Shin
Introspective, referential and observant, the music of Peter S. Shin strives in reach of others. His work investigates issues of social and national belonging, the co-opting and intermingling of disparate musical vernaculars, and the liminality between the two halves of his secondgeneration Korean-U.S. American identity. In 2018, the New York Times described him as “a composer to watch” and his music “entirely fresh and personal” following his premiere at Carnegie Hall.
Peter has received both the Charles Ives Scholarship and Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Fulbright fellowship, and commissions from the Harvard University Fromm Music Foundation, American Composers Forum, and Chamber Music America.
Peter holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (B.M.), the University of Southern California (M.M.), the Yale School of Music (M.M.A.), and the University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D.). A native of Kansas City, MO, Peter is a second-generation KoreanU.S. American. For more information, visit: peter-shin.com/about.
About Relapse for Orchestra:
In 2012, a series of lapses in psyche confronted me with the two halves of my KoreanAmerican identity, both of which—at the time—felt alien to me. Today, I am educating myself on the collective origins of Asian America and strive for a deeper understanding of my Korean ancestry.
The initial melody of Relapse is derived from the minor pentatonic scale, the major counterpart of which makes up the building blocks of the most famous Korean folk song, Arirang inscribed—for its preservation—on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Although pleasant to the ears, this tune is an anthem of abandonment and tremendous lament, highlighted by drawing out the original dance-like 3/4 meter over a more stately and solemn quasi-4/4 meter. Although the central idea of Relapse, the melody makes only one incomplete and wildlyinterrupted iteration follow- ing a series of rhythmic shifts within a rigid tempo, illustrating the grief behind the text, and the wave of doubts that for years would constantly disrupt my sense of belonging.
“My dear—who discarded me here—cannot walk ten li* before their feet burn.” (translated verse from Arirang Korean folk song, Anonymous) *Chinese unit of measurement,10 li ≈ 2.5 miles
Brett Mitchell MUSIC DIRECTOR
MOZART “JUPITER”
SYMPHONY
JANUARY 25, 2025
INON BARNATAN, piano
JESSIE MONTGOMERY
Starburst
FLORENCE PRICE
Piano Concerto in One Movement
MOZART
Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
MOZART VIOLIN CONCERTO No. 5 “TURKISH”
MARCH 22, 2025
STEFAN JACKIW, violin
ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK
Baroque Suite
MOZART
Violin Concerto No. 5 , “Turkish”
PROKOFIEV
Classical Symphony STRAVINSKY
Suite from Pulcinella
DVORÁK CELLO CONCERTO
FEBRUARY 15, 2025
MARK KOSOWER, cello
WAGNER
“Magic Fire Music” from Die Walküre
DVORÁK
Cello Concerto BARTÓK
Concerto for Orchestra
MAY 3, 2025
BEETHOVEN “PASTORAL” SYMPHONY
WILLIAM HAGEN, violin
SAMUEL JONES
Hymn to the Earth
BRUCH
Violin Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
Pasadena Symphony & POPS
Artistic Staff
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Brett Mitchell
PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR
Michael Feinstein
PYSO PHILHARMONIC CONDUCTOR
Chris Kim
PYSO SINFONIA CONDUCTOR
Pin Chen
PYSO SYMPHONY CONDUCTOR
Jack Taylor
PYSO OVERTURE STRINGS CONDUCTOR
Michael Nelson
PYSO STRING ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR
Dr. Anne Rardin
PYSO WIND ENSEMBLE CONDUCTOR
Gary Yearick
PYSO PRELUDE STRINGS CONDUCTOR
Kyle Smith
PYSO ALL CITY CONDUCTORS
April Guthrie, Nathan Stearns
Pasadena Symphony & POPS
Administrative Staff
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
Kevin Batton
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Andrew Brown
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Alex Chu
DIRECTOR OF PATRON SERVICES & TICKETING
Tim Harwick
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Christa Lorenz
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Marisa McCarthy
OFFICE MANAGER
Nina Montoya
EDUCATION MANAGER
Brian O'Donnell
MARKETING & PATRON SERVICES ASSOCIATE
Erica Sharp
GENERAL MANAGER
Bella Sunshine
PYSO Teaching Artists
VIOLIN
Nicki Chen, Jean Lee, Elizabeth Hedman, Alejandra Moreno Gonzalez, Florence Titmus, Samantha Vuong
VIOLA
Kelly Christ, Carrie Holzman-Little, Kris Rahamad
CELLO
April Guthrie, Nadine Hall, Morgan Little, Ryan Sweeney
DOUBLE BASS
Ryan Baird, Alan Wang
WOODWINDS
Gigi Brady, Marley Eder, Jordan Guzman, Natalia Kaminska-Palarcyzk, David Miller, Sierra Schmeltzer, John Winstead
BRASS
Hazael Acevedo, Richie Francisco, Tawnee Lillo, Matt Otto, Jaime Rodriguez
PERCUSSION
Quentin Purviance
PYSO Support Staff
Melissa Lai, Kristine Llanderal, Maggie Chen, Kylie Lin, Grace Yang
PYSO Student Managers
Sophia Iknadossian
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Support for the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras is provided, in part, by:
$50,000 or more per year
Ralph. M. Parsons Foundation
The Helen & Will Webster Foundation
$10,000 - $49,999
Anonymous
Ann Peppers Foundation
Cathay Bank
Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation
The Green Foundation
Innovative Skincare
Paul Rusnak
$5,000 - $9,999
John Adamick
Meghan & Monte Baier
Devrie Brennan
Gary Carr
Kimberly Winick & Lawrence Chamblee
Rob Moore
Michael Nissman
Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts
Audrey Prins
Sarita & Booker T. White
$2,500 - $4,999
Adele Binder
Gale Kohl
Linda Massey
Maricela Rodriguez-Gutierrez
Shadi & Jennifer Sanbar
Leticia Sanchez
Helga & Gary Sherman
Alyssa Van Dyk
Reginald A. Wilson & English A. Heisser
$1,000 - $2,499
Marlene R. Konnar & John D. Baldeschwieler
Cheryl & Philip Cannon
Luke Dubord
Walt Fidler
Beth Hansen
Raymond & Cinty Kepner
Gayle Levant
Eden Livingood
DeWayne Nash
Christopher & Noreen Norgaard
Debi & Stan Parkhurst
Elizabeth & Peter Popoff
Keith Renken
Julie Saper
Sara Semel
Rich & Ellyn Semler
Jamie Shaheen
Bill & Susan Shieff
Chelby Crawford & Gregg Smith
Barbara Steinwedell
Lindsay & Bill Tilney
Beatrice Usher
Julie Yang
Christine Yu
$500 - $999
Jane & Dan Armel
Dennis Awad
Chantal & Stephen Bennett
Dean & Karen Billman
John Blanchard
Carl W. Cooper & Lynn Van Dam Cooper
Michael Desplaines
Michele Doll
Dr. David Woodley & Dr. Janet Fairley
Mr. & Mrs. George Forbes
Shawn Ingram
Robert & Kimberly Michero
Anne Rardin
DeMarais & Dennis Riley
Amy Zakiewicz
$250 - $499
Heidi & Steve McLean
John Bird
Jennifer MacLean
Jens Weiden
Mr. Eliot & Dr. Jodie Ullman
Yvonne Green
Pat & Jack Beauchamp
Doug Brown
Eric W. Bell & Susanne Spangler
Irene Van Blerkom
Jack Taylor
John & Gayle Samore
$100 - $249
Donna Arcaro
Dick Asjes
Supervisor Kathryn Barger
Laurel Bossi
Juila Bradsher
Lisa Brault
Andy Brown
Cynthia Cohn
Suzanne Colmenero
Roseline Dauphin
Alec & Emma Druth
Stephen Fluharty
Brian and Elizabeth Hall
Greg Holcomb & Todd Nickey
Chris Holden
Michael & Lina Hollis
Deborah B. Lewis
Brenda Baity & Scott Long
Mary Lyons
Fred Manaster
Leslie Hockett Marble & Baird Marble
Liam McGuiness
Amanda McIntosh
Charles Minsky
Michael Nelson
Arlene & Bob Oltman
Cheryl Rigali
Rey and Vivian Rodriguez
Wallace J. Rogozinski
Melanie & Steve Summers
Ben Tam
John Tegtmeyer & Pamela Hillings Tegtmeyer
Georgia Van Cuylenburg
Aaron Walker
Eric Yang
PYSO would like to extend a special thanks to the Pasadena Unified School District, Conductors, Coaches, Staff, Volunteers, Student Managers, and parents! Your dedication, energy, and spirit allow our students to excel to new heights each season.
BRETT MITCHELL Music Director
HolidayCandlelight
ALL
DONALD BRINEGAR
LISA
SINGERS & JPL CHORUS
LOS ANGELES
CHILDREN’S CHORUS
LA BRONZE HANDBELL ENSEMBLE
PYSO Philharmonic Program Notes
Violin Concerto in E minor
Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847)
A centerpiece of the violin repertoire, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto is one of the most well known pieces for solo violin. Composed for his friend Ferdinand David in 1845, Mendelssohn opens the work with a theme in E minor that “gave him no peace” upon its conception. One of the distinguishing characteristics of this concerto is the solo violin’s early entrance, only four beats into the work. Most other concertos feature an extensive orchestral introduction before the soloists entry. However, Mendelssohn chooses to include this tutti after the initial statement of the E minor theme, which devolves chromatically into G major and the second theme of the first movement. After developments of this tune from the woodwinds and soloist, it is combined with the original E minor theme, forming the development section of this movement. The development ends with a lengthy cadenza, featuring technical challenges such as ricochet bowing and chords utilizing all four strings of the violin. The rapid arpeggios played at the end of the cadenza carry on as the orchestra joins in, playing the E minor opening theme. Both the G major and E minor themes then combine in an accelerating recapitulation section which ends the first movement on a tutti E minor chord.
Nabucco: Overture
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Completed in 1841, Verdi’s Nabucco is one of the most important romantic works of music, and the one that established Giuseppe Verdi as an operatic composer. The opera follows the Jewish people’s plight as they are conquered by the Babylonians along with their king Nebuchadnezzar II (Nabucco). Although the plot uses this history as a setting for the more traditionally romantic exploits of its characters, the libretto in the opera is largely from the Hebrew Bible.
The overture to Nabucco is essentially a compilation of themes from various moments in the full opera. It begins with a trombone/cimbasso chorale in A major representing Nebuchadnezzar’s gold. After a short minor key interlude, a warlike march is presented. Played by most of the orchestra, this theme reappears in the full opera when the Israelites are damning one of their own for allowing Nabucco to destroy the
Temple of Solomon. After this, the “gold” motif returns in the low brass, this time joined by trumpets. The next section, an Andante in F major, introduces the famous “Va, Pensiero” chorus in a clarinet/oboe duet. Once this has been sung by the entire orchestra, the music dies away into another statement of the beginning march theme. Instead of reducing into the gold theme as before, the Israelites’ march transforms into a quick, galloping theme representing King Nabucco in the opera. This theme is developed and restated before the music returns to the march again, this time in a different key and faster tempo. This fully orchestrated march theme works its way to the overture’s end, a concert D played by the entire orchestra.
Rhapsodie Espagnol
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
In 1895, Ravel wrote a work for two pianos called Habanera, a popular Spanish dance at the time. He did not publish this original work, but instead added three companion pieces to the suite 12 years later in 1907. All four works were fully orchestrated by February of 1908. This four movement orchestral suite became the Rhapsodie Espagnole, with the orchestral version of the original Habanera piano piece forming its third movement.
The first movement, Prélude à la Nuit, is a slow, quiet movement set in A major. Its basis is a four note descending motif that is played by muted strings in the very beginning of the piece, and occurs throughout the entire Rhapsodie. Its labored tempo is interspersed with woodwind cadenzas, and the music never rises above the dynamic mezzo forte.
From the fading celesta chords of the first movement, the Malagueña emerges with a quiet pizzicato bass line played in the cello and bass. An assortment of dance motifs follow, played in a nearly atonal key that wavers between A major and minor. After a collection of measures filled with extreme fluctuations in tempo, a brief accelerating passage grinds the orchestra to an abrupt halt. A slower passage ensues, featuring a clarinet solo and the first return of the four note falling motif that opened the piece. After an extension of the falling theme the movement ends after an extension of the falling theme with a short woodwind flourish.
Habanera, the third movement originally written for piano, is filled with quiet, halting music featuring mainly strings and woodwinds. Ravel intended for the piece to be played, “with a drowsy rhythm”. Its main melody is a sparse, hesitant coupling of 32nd and 8th notes played first by a group of soli violins, and later inverted by woodwinds and then horns. The music is set in the dissonant key of F#, and wavers from its major to parallel minor, ending quietly on the major chord.
The longest movement of this piece is the fourth, Feria. Ravel, who up to this movement seemed to purposely stifle the music, writing sparsely orchestrated passages and quiet endings, allows the Feria to bring out the most lively mood in the entirety of Rhapsodie Espagnole. It begins however, with as sparse writing as some previous moments, featuring an octave-falling piccolo introduction that leads to a flute playing one of the main themes of the movement. An ornamented scale, it is stated by a solo clarinet shortly after the flute. Soon a second, equally fleeting motif is passed from trumpet to woodwinds to muted horn until finally the entire orchestra erupts into this theme. This outburst establishes the movement, and a more flowing theme is heard in the violas and horns. Immediately after this much more relaxed theme finishes, another outburst combines the first two motifs, but dies away quickly into a slow section. The stretching tempo and chromatic nature of the key returns the music to the mystery of the first three movements, accompanied by another clarinet solo. Flutes play the returning descending theme from the first movement as some more familiar ideas from the Feria appear, albeit in a slower tempo. The music subtly shifts into a quicker tempo as the Feria themes begin to reappear, but is not returned to full orchestration until a new motif appears, a variation of the second theme. Every theme from before the slow section reappears, sounding increasingly frantic until a final, chaotic whirlwind of notes ends the piece.
Program notes by: Wilson Jaroch, Philharmonic