I. I pini di Villa Borghese (The Pines of the Villa Borghese)
II. Pini presso una catacomba (Pines Near a Catacomb)
III. I pini del Gianicolo (The Pines of the Janiculum)
IV. I pini della Via Appia (The Pines of the Appian Way)
* THESE CONCERTS ARE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY * Rika and Shawn Ellis & Mary Gundelach in memory of Peter Gundelach
PROGRAM NOTES
By Larry Laskowski
JESSIE MONTGOMERY, Soul Force
The American composer, violinist, and educator Jessie Montgomery (1981 -) has officially arrived as a bright new star on the American classical music stage. Numerous awards, commissions, recordings, and celebrated performances in the last decade are a testament to her growing reputation, and to the originality, quality, and accessibility of her work. She has composed numerous chamber and vocal works, and her orchestral works have been played by major
ensembles around the world. As a musician she is deeply rooted in her experience as a classical violinist and as a child of the radical New York City cultural scene of the 1980s and 90s. Her music incorporates influences from popular, folk, and improvisatory styles to create her own genre-bending works, and her sensibilities are intensely attuned in personal ways to issues surrounding diversity and social justice.
Soul Force (2015) was inspired by Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. Ms. Montgomery wrote Soul Force “to portray the notion of a voice that struggles to be heard beyond the shackles of oppression.” The title comes directly from Dr. King’s speech: “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”
The piece is characterized by a slow steady march rhythm that suggests both oppression and the seeds of resistance. The march begins softly and menacingly in the percussion section. A lone bassoon makes the first tentative melodic entrance. Various instruments enter the melodic flow with their own statements, which over time become more insistent and complex. The accompanying percussion sounds are astonishingly varied, including traditional drums, anvil, whip, heavy chain, brake drum, and cowbells. More and more melodic instruments join the conversation, each with its own voice, timbre, and accent. With improvisation in the woodwinds, boogie-woogie bass patterns, contrasting textures, and intricate syncopation, the blends and overlays become increasingly complex as the power builds. The piece ends with a single dramatic gesture, perhaps the majestic height that Dr. King described, the one place where all the players come together in unity. And the force is indeed majestic.
of carefree theatricality and requisite technical wizardry recalls the pleasures of watching the grace and ease of highly skilled street performers. Tchaikovsky wrote, “I am not sure what actual musical value this work shall have, but I am sure in advance that it will sound well, i.e. that the orchestration will be effective and brilliant.”
His hotel was next to a cavalry barracks, and in the opening we hear the reveille-like trumpet fanfare that began each morning. There’s carnival street music, there’s even a touch of sadness here and there, all expressed as if on stage in a light Italian opera. It’s colorful, joyful, varied, and most of all, it’s harmless. This is Italy! It’s almost a ‘pops’ piece, but on the highest level. It doesn’t require serious thought to appreciate it, though it does take quite a serious effort to play it. You, the audience, are encouraged to sit back and enjoy.
OTTORINO RESPIGHI, Pines of Rome
Respighi (1879-1936) was born in Bologna and moved to Rome in 1913, where he achieved great fame as a composer of instrumental and vocal works and as an important teacher. His music is accessible and traditional in many respects, but in his orchestral works he is fiercely original in striving to produce the “maximum of orchestral sonority and color.” His skill at orchestration is legendary as is his willingness to experiment with new combinations, sounds, and instruments.
His most famous composition, Pines of Rome (1924) is a tone poem in four movements that was as popular in his lifetime as it is today. Respighi depicts the history, landscape, and spirit of Rome from the eyes of a native. This is not an escape from reality, but rather a first-person account of real life in Rome. The four movements depict four different settings, four different historical times, and four different moods. What links them together is Rome itself and the famous umbrella pine trees (Pinus pinea), which are (still) widely planted in parks, along streets, and along the coast, unmistakable trees which uniquely characterize Rome’s landscape. (Should you watch the final rounds of the Italian Open tennis tournament this weekend, you’ll notice the pines planted throughout the venue.)
Pines of Rome calls for a full traditional orchestra plus piano, organ, celesta, buccine (a brass instrument from ancient Rome), harp, full percussion, and even a gramophone.
The first movement (The Pines of the Villa Borghese) opens with the lively play of children in the famous garden at the historical villa. The garden is not a formal Italian garden, but rather a lush garden in the English style, less constrained and more conducive to the rambunctious play of children in a public park. The children’s songs, nursery rhymes, boys imitating soldiers, all evoke a vivacious and colorful scene that is both chaotic and good natured.
The mood shifts suddenly and drastically to silhouetted pine trees that keep watch over the catacombs. These ancient underground burial sites inspire a reverent and majestic dirge which
MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
Maestro Klein is a winner of many prestigious awards, including the 2008 Diamond Award for Best Individual Artist, the Silver Lei Award from the 2009 Honolulu Film Festival (for the World Premiere of Giancarlo Aquilanti’s La Poverta), the 2000 ASCAP Award for Programming of American Music on Foreign Tour, the 2001 Jullie Billiart Award from the College of Notre Dame for Outstanding Community Service, a 1996 award for the year’s best television performance program in the Western States (for the one-hour PBS program about him and the Peninsula Symphony) as well as the 1993 Bravo Award for his contribution to the Bay Area’s cultural life.
Mr. Klein was born in New York City, into a musical family that included members of the Claremont and Budapest String Quartets. He began cello studies at age four with his father, Irving Klein, founder of the Claremont Quartet. His mother, Elaine Hartong Klein, danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.
Cited for his “keen judgment, tight orchestral discipline, feeling for tempo, and unerring control,” Maestro Klein has conducted many significant world, American, and West Coast premieres, including works by Bohuslav Martinu, Meyer Kupferman, Joan Tower, Hans Kox, George Barati, Benjamin Lees, Giancarlo Aquilanti, Melissa Hui, Rodion Shchedrin, Brian Holmes, Ron Miller, Lee Actor, Michael Thurber, Jonathan Russell, Alvin Brehm, and Margaret Garwood. He has appeared frequently on national and international broadcasts, including National Public Radio, the Voice of America, the WFMT Fine Arts Network, PBS Television, and KQED television. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife, violist Patricia Whaley. Their daughter, Elizabeth, lives and works in Washington D.C.
MARCH2026
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Violist Pearl de la Motte is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree at The Juilliard School where she studies with Hsin-Yun Huang and is a member of the Cabaletta Quartet. She is also the second of eleven children in a musical family. She began playing the violin at the age of two then switched to viola when she was ten. After being inspired by the viola’s deep and expressive voice, she became very passionate about music and decided that she wanted to pursue a career as a musician while honoring God with her music.
Pearl received first place in the 2021 American Viola Society National Competition, third place in the 2024 Stulberg International String Competition, and first place in the 2024 Klein International String Competition. In April 2022 she performed the Higdon viola concerto with the La Jolla Symphony.
Pearl has participated in multiple projects during her time at The Juilliard school. In 2023 she was invited to perform Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s piano quintet in “The New Series” and has regularly participated in the “If Music Be the Food...” benefit concerts.
In 2023 Pearl attended the Toronto summer music festival and collaborated with artists including Yura Lee, Daniel Ching, Matthew Zalkind, and Desmond Hoebig.
Pearl is also a proud recipient of the Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School.
- Coming May 2026 -
ADOPT-A-MUSICIAN
MUSICIAN
Frank Rahn
INSTRUMENT
Violin II
Jerry Saliman Viola
Paul Schneider Horn
Kay Saito Shafi
Flute/Piccolo
Kirsten Shallenberg Cello
Matt Springer Violin I/Timpani
Mia Stormer Contrabassoon
Judy Streger Violin I
Suesan Taylor Bass
Jshon Thomas Violin II
Nicholas Toscan Trumpet
Renée Toscan Viola
Jolynda Tresner
Viola
Jeff Wachtel Bass
Kate Wahl Violin I
Alex Wang Violin I
David Williams Violin II
Carolyn Worthington Viola
Sarah Wu Violin I
Kyoko Yamamoto Bassoon
Hanna Yoshimoto Violin II
Jane Zhang Violin II
EMERITUS MEMBERS
ADOPTED BY
Nichole Edraos & Jim Augustus
Dorothy Saxe
Sheri & Michael Frumkin
Ronald S. Miller
Jacqueline Smith
Monte Mansir & Susanne Stevens
Joel Greene
Alan & Spike Russell
Martin Chai & Gray Clossman
Sheri & Michael Frumkin
Bob & Karen Fitt
Bob & Karen Fitt
Brian Holmes, Maureen Thrush, and Roy & Victoria Sasselli
The Wachtel Pronovost Family
Sheri & Michael Frumkin
Bichen Wang
Family and Friends
Richard Izmirian
Alan & Spike Russell
John Givens
Hironari & Yoshihiro Yoshimoto
Gayle Flanagan
John Givens, Principal Bassoon, adopted by Juliet Hamak & George Yefchak
Would you like to adopt a musician? It is our goal to have the entire orchestra adopted as a special way of supporting us.
For information on this meaningful program, please reach out to Chelsea Chambers, Executive Director at chelsea@peninsulasymphony.org or (650) 941-5291.
Laura & David Francis in honor of Daniel Cher
Alexandra Gillen & Hartmut Koeppen
David Greene in honor of Monkey Greene
Yukoh Hammura in appreciation of Kay, Patti, and Kristin from Flute section
Jennifer & Tim Kardos
Mitchell Sardou Klein & Patricia Whaley
Ann & Ben Kong in honor of Linda Dunn, most dedicated volunteer
Marcia Lowell Leonhardt in honor of Judy and David Anderson
Susan Magrini
Randy & Janie Nickel
Craig & Wendy Nishizaki
Liz Nyberg in memory of Paul Nyberg
Michelle Oberman & Lawrence Marshall in honor of Maestro Mitchell Klein
Kristin Oro
Farrell May Podgorsek in memory of Ken Podgorsek
Roland Feller Violin Makers
Alison & Ken Ross in honor of Maestro Mitchell Klein
Alan & Spike Russell
John & Christine Sanguinetti
Dorothy Saxe
Ruth A. Short
Raymond Smith & Mark Beyer
Anita Stewart & Kaj Rekola
Sue Larson Family Fund
The Wachtel Pronovost Family in honor of Jeff Wachtel
Todd & Andrea Weinman
William Warren Weisenfeld
Anne Wharton
Family & Friends of David Williams
Warren R Williams in memory of Sarah Williams
Friend of PSO in honor of Hanna Yoshimoto
Friends of PSO (3)
Allegro ($250-$499)
Charlotte & David Biegelsen
Michael & Adrienne Bresler
Gary Carson & Jshon Thomas
Sylvia & Fun Pang Chau
Tom Driscoll & Nancy Quinn
Ruth Evans
Delbert & Susan Fillmore
Robert Goldware
Alice Graham in memory of Dorothy Graham Givens
Dawn Grench in honor of Herb Grench
Elke & Chris Groves
Steven Hibshman
Brian Holmes & Jolynda Tresner
Mela & Peter Hwang
Kristin Kunzelman
Susan R Lin in appreciation of Maestro Klein, Chelsea Chambers, Jim Fung, and Everyone at PSO
Kathleen Lowry
Harvey Lynch
Richard & Beverly Marconi
Linelle Marshall
Marycliff Foundation
Marcia & John Mehl
Pamela Moore in memory of Bill Moore
Vonya Morris
Noni Naughton
Mary & Neil Panton
Charles Polanski
Frank & Annette Rahn
Amy & Daniel Schiff in honor of Sheri Frumkin
Karen & John Scorsur in appreciation of Chelsea Chambers and Jacqueline Smith
Matt Springer & Wei Ai in honor of Magnificent Maestro Mitch
Suesan W. Taylor in memory of C. Barr Taylor & in honor of Michael Tong
The Trade Desk
Friend of PSO in appreciation of Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein’s 40th
Friends of PSO (3)
Dolce ($100-$249)
John & Barbara Adams
Karen Alden
Sue Alvarez
Lianne M. Araki
Michael & Merrie Asimow
AssetMark, Inc
Jo Anne Bailey in memory of June Wisecarver
Doron Bardas
Marilyn Barlow in memory of Rachel Ann Youmans
Barbara Barth
Israel & Sari Beinglass
Berger Family in honor of Jerry Saliman
Nathaniel Berman
Jill Biegenzahn
Juliette Bryson
Les & Nancy Burger in appreciation of Jeff Wachtel
Faye Chapman
Thom & Carol Chivers
Sharon Chortack
Mary Elise Clarity
Helen Cockrum
Joseph Coha
William Conlon in honor of Selma Bukstein
Judy & Philip Davis in memory of Marilyn and Harold Mindell
Bill Enloe
Michele & Andy Epstein in honor of Sheri Frumkin
Suzanne & Allan Epstein
Fredrika & Joel Felt in honor of Jeff Wachtel
David Fernandez & Lori Krauss
Ann & Stan Forman in honor of Sheri Frumkin
Ruth Freeman & David Stoner
Michael & Cindy Galisatus
Ann Guerra
Victor Ha
Hillel Hachlili
Ann & Salek Hamer in memory of Tom Perry
Joan Hebert
Nancy Heffner
Kathie Hillier & Bob Boen
Frederick Hines
Joseph & Bette Hirsch
Norma J Hoch
Deborah & Craig Hoffman in appreciation of Jerry Saliman
Marshall & Roberta Hollimon
Perry Hopkins
Intel Corporation
Kevin Jim in honor of Mitch Klein
Robert & Ana Johnson
Howard & Elizabeth Klein
Sharon Krawetz
Marianne Kruze
Ancilla Kwok in memory of Dr. Sam Chan
Joseph & Sharon Kwok in memory of Dr. Sam Chan
Sandra & Brandon Martinez-Larragoiti
Richard Leder & Cherrill Spencer
Stanley Levine
Janet Louie
Ann Marotta
Melody Marshall
Stephen Martin
Hannelore McCrumb
Judi McManigal
Joan & Ronald Miller
Joyce Monda
Beth Morris
Bruce Moyer
Carol Muller
Margaret Nalbach
Michael Nguyen
Joan Norton
Chuck & Patty Ortenberg in honor of Jeff Wachtel
Alan Pattison
Karen & Douglas Perry
Wayne Phillips
Rakuten Rewards
Cheryl & John Ritchie
Robert Roth & Cynthia Robbins-Roth
Bill & Sherrean Rundberg
Heather Sanders
Dave & Susan Sargent in honor of Brian Holmes & Jolynda Tresner
Doris Sayon
Marian Schmidt
Marvin & Ellen Schwartz
Dana Scoby
Marcyl Seidscher
Noel Shirley
Tom Silva
Lisa & Bruce Steinback
Alan Stern & Thomas Whatley
Laura Sternberg
Grant Takamoto
Maureen Thrush
Raymond & Cecilia Wong
Wilton & Cathy Wong
Friend of PSO in honor of Jerry Saliman
Friend of PSO in appreciation of the PSO bassoon section
Friend of PSO in honor of Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein
Amelia Yee , Front of House & Volunteer Coordinator
Aleena Mehdi , Intern
The mission of the Peninsula Symphony is to enrich the lives of people in our community with inspiring, innovative, high-quality musical presentations at affordable prices, and to promote music education through engaging programs for children and adults.
The Peninsula Symphony Association of Northern California is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation, Federal Tax ID 94-6106974.
Peninsula Symphony
146 Main Street, Suite 102 Los Altos, CA 94022 (650) 941-5291 / info@peninsulasymphony.org PeninsulaSymphony.org
