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Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - October 2015 Program Book

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NICHOLAS McGEGAN WAVERLEY FUND MUSIC DIRECTOR

OCTOBER 2015-2016


Enjoy a Classical

Island of Sanity


WHAT’S INSIDE 8

Messages from the President and Acting Executive Director

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Board of Directors and Staff

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About the Music Director

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About the Orchestra

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About the Chorale Director

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Pre-Concert Talks Schedule

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October 2015 Program

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Program Notes

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Guest Artist Biographies

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The Players and Their Instruments

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Campaign for the 21st Century

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With Gratitude

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Q&A with Steve John and Jason Snyder

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Student Concerts Break the Mold

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2015/2016 Education Programs 37

ON THE COVER: Nic McGegan as photographed by award-winning local photographer RJ Muna in September 2015. RJ’s work can be seen in galleries and on his website at rjmuna.com. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is grateful for his generous donation of time and talent for this shoot.

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FROM the PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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or fans of early music in historically informed performances, these are indeed “the best of times.” Until the 1970’s, most of us could only dream of attending a performance of Baroque opera in which the male roles were not transposed down an octave for tenors and baritones. As if any of us would ever have wanted to hear Mozart’s Cherubino or Strauss’s Octavian sung by a baritone! The situation for purely instrumental music was only slightly better. Despite the wealth of material available, we despaired of ever hearing performances of the music from Rameau’s operas. We are fortunate now to be able to hear music by many composers who were just names in books only a few generations ago. And we can now listen to works by such better known composers as Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven with new appreciation. Philharmonia was in the forefront in the 1980’s bringing this wonderful music to the attention of audiences, and listeners were amazed and delighted to hear some of these pieces for the first time. In addition, many familiar pieces by composers of the Baroque and Classical periods were presented in a way that made them sound more alive and vibrant after the heavy accumulated traditions of previous years had been removed. I have enjoyed many memorable performances by Philharmonia over the years. This year we are pleased to be able to offer an especially exciting number of programs during the upcoming 201516 season, in which we celebrate the orchestra’s 35th anniversary, the 30th anniversary of our music director, Nicholas McGegan, and the 20th anniversary of our chorale. These musicians have devoted their lives to their profession so that they may bring us performances whose quality cannot be matched anywhere. I want to recognize and thank them for all that they have brought to us during these past 35 seasons. I could not be more proud of the work they do. Presenting this special season has been made possible by the generous support we received from many of you during our recent successful fund raising campaign. You are all a part of what makes this orchestra so great. Thank you for your ongoing support, and enjoy the season! Ross Armstrong Board President

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t is with gratitude and pleasure that I welcome you to the 2015-16 season. Together with the incredible celebration of Nic’s 30th anniversary as music director, we are also toasting the Orchestra’s 35th season and the 20th anniversary of the Philharmonia Chorale. It is arguably the biggest season in Phiharmonia’s history! I know that many of you have been here since the Orchestra’s inception or when Nic began his tenure, and I can only imagine your pride. Under Nic’s musical leadership, Philharmonia has grown from a regional orchestra to one with a significant international reputation. Our audience is growing throughout the Bay Area and points beyond through our extensive tours, recordings, and education programs. You demonstrated how much Philharmonia means to you and shared your passion by investing in the Campaign for the 21st Century. Because of you, we conclude this effort successfully and look forward to a future that will allow Nic to carry out his vision. Beginning this season, you will notice that we’ve changed our program books and website. We hope these changes will improve your experience in the concert hall and at home, and that you will be able to share Philharmonia with your friends and family with greater ease. And I invite you to join us in February as we toast Nic, the Orchestra, and Chorale in a special Gala performance with mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and a Gala event at San Francisco’s City Hall. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank for your being a part of the Philhamonia family.

Courtney Beck Acting Executive Director


BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

Officers Ross Armstrong, President Kay Sprinkel Grace, Vice President David Low, Vice President David Gross, Secretary Donna Williams, Treasurer

Artistic Nicholas McGegan, Music Director The Waverley Fund Conductor’s Podium Bruce Lamott, Chorale Director Robert and Laura Cory Chorale Director

Members Adam Arthur Bier Courtney Beck, ex-officio Martin Cohn Marie Bertillion Collins Nicolas Elsishans Al Garren* Charlotte Gaylord Katrine Gray Peter Hibbard Steven John Brian Kincaid Martine Kraus Carlene Laughlin William Lokke Michael Marmor Fred Matteson Nicholas McGegan, ex-officio Mark Perry Sondra Schlesinger Jason Snyder Paul Sugarman Douglas Tanner Christopher Wagner *Emeritus Past Board Presidents Paul Sugarman (2008-2012) Marcin Cohn (2005-2008) Nancy Kivelson (2002-2005) Fred Matteson (2000-2002) Christine Pallatto (1999-2000) Sherry Banolucci (1997-1999) Grace Hoagland (1995-1997) Richard D. Maltzman (1993-1995) Dexter B. Dawes (1991-1993) Ann W. Yander Ende (1989-1991) Marie Bertillion Collins (1988-1989) Henry Mayer (1984-1988) Peter Strykers, MD (1982-1984)

Administrative Courtney Beck, Acting Executive Director, Robert A. Birman Executive Director Chair David Challinor, Subscription & Patron Services Manager Sally Galler, Patron Services & Office Coordinator Myles K. Glancy, Production Manager Lisa Grodin, Director of Education Noelle R. Moss, Director of Development Jeff Phillips, Artistic Administrator Dianne Provenzano, Director of Marketing & Communications Heli Roiha, Bookkeeper Elizabeth Shribman, General Manager William Skeen, Orchestra Librarian Rachel Stone, Annual Fund & Events Manager Paul Swatek, Director of Finance Concert Production J. Jeff Badger, House Manager David v.R. Bowles (Swineshead Productions), Audio Engineer Paolo Brooks, Stage Manager E. J. Chavez, Stage Equipment Coordinator Thomas Malone, Keyboard Technician Micah Standley, Supertitles Operator

CONTACT US Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra 414 Mason Street, Suite 606 San Francisco, CA 94102 (415)252-1288 info@philharmonia.org philharmonia.org facebook.com/philharmoniabaroque twitter.com/philharmoniabar

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CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

Nicholas McGegan Waverley Fund Music Director

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elebrating his 30th season at the Philharmonia podium, Nicholas McGegan — long hailed as “one of the finest baroque conductors of his generation” (London Independent) and “an expert in 18th-century style” (The New Yorker) — is increasingly recognized for his probing and revelatory explorations of music of all periods. He is Music Director of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Pasadena Symphony and, beginning in 2014, Artist in Association with Australia’s Adelaide Symphony. Through 30 years as its music director, McGegan has established the San Francisco-based Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Philharmonia Chorale as one of the world’s leading period-performance ensembles, with notable appearances at Carnegie Hall, the London Proms, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and the International Handel Festival, Göttingen where he was artistic director from 1991 to 2011. Throughout his career, McGegan has defined an approach to period style that sets the current standard: serious and intelligent, but never dogmatic. More recently, Philharmonia Baroque is branching out under his leadership. Calling the group’s recent recording of the Brahms Serenades “a truly treasurable disc,” James R. Oestreich in The New York Times made special

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note of the performance’s “energy and spirit.” The recording, said Voix des Arts, offers “evidence that ‘period’ instruments are in no way inhibited in terms of tonal amplitude and beauty. These are … exceptionally beautifully played performances.” McGegan’s ability to engage players and audiences alike has made him a pioneer in broadening the reach of historically informed practice beyond the world of period ensembles to conventional symphonic forces. His guestconducting appearances with major orchestras — including the New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong Philharmonics; the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Toronto and Sydney Symphonies; the Cleveland and the Philadelphia Orchestras; and the Northern Sinfonia and Scottish Chamber Orchestra —

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often feature Baroque repertoire alongside Classical, Romantic, 20th-century and even brandnew works: Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Britten, Bach and Handel with the Utah Symphony; Poulenc and Mozart with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Mahler and Mozart with the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra; and the premiere, in 2012, of Stephen Hough’s Missa Mirabilis with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, paired with Haydn, Brahms and Mendelssohn. His position in Pasadena, effective with the 2013-14 season, provides the opportunity to conduct a wider range of his favorite repertoire, including Dvořák, Britten, Elgar, Mahler, Brahms and Wagner. In Adelaide he will lead composerdriven Festivals, beginning with two weeks devoted to Beethoven in 2014.


Active in opera as well as the concert hall, McGegan was principal conductor of Sweden’s perfectly preserved 18th-century Drottingholm Theater from 1993 to 1996. He has also been a frequent guest conductor with opera companies including Covent Garden, San Francisco, Santa Fe and Washington. Mr. McGegan has enjoyed a long collaboration with groundbreaking choreographer Mark Morris, notably the premiere performances of Morris’s production of Rameau’s Platée at the Edinburgh Festival and L’Allegro at Ravinia and the Mostly Mozart Festival in New York. In 2014 Mr. McGegan rejoined the Mark Morris Dance Group, along with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale and renowned soloists for the premiere and touring performances of Mr. Morris’s new production of Handel’s Acis and Galatea in an arrangement by Mozart. His discography of more than 100 releases includes the world premiere recording of Handel’s Susanna, which garnered both a Gramophone Award and a GRAMMY® nomination, and recent issues of that composer’s Solomon, Samson and Acis and Galatea (the little-known version adapted by Felix Mendelssohn). He is also credited with the first performance in modern times of Handel’s masterly but mislaid Gloria. Under its own label, Philharmonia Baroque Productions (PBP), Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has recently released five acclaimed archival recordings in addition to the Brahms: Beethoven’s Symphonies 4 and 7, Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été and selected Handel arias with the late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson; Haydn Symphonies No. 88, 101 and 104, nominated for a GRAMMY® Award; Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and other concerti with Elizabeth Blumenstock as violin

soloist; and Handel’s Atalanta with soprano Dominique Labelle in the title role. Mr. McGegan is committed to the next generation of musicians, frequently conducting and coaching students in residencies and engagements at Yale University, the Juilliard School, Harvard University, the Colburn School, Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Music Academy of the West. In 2013 he delivered the commencement address and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Born in England, Nicholas McGegan was educated at Cambridge and Oxford and taught at the Royal College of Music, London. He was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2010 “for services to music overseas.” His awards also include the Halle Handel Prize; an honorary professorship at Georg-August University, Göttingen; the Order of Merit of the State of Lower Saxony (Germany); the Medal of Honour of the City of Göttingen, an honorary doctorate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and an official Nicholas McGegan Day, declared by the Mayor of San Francisco in recognition of his distinguished work with Philharmonia.

What Nic’s friends are saying on his 30th anniversary… “We’ve known Nic for more than 30 years as we had become friends when he was a visiting scholar at Washington University in St. Louis. As microbiologists we realized that his enthusiasm for music is infectious but the symptoms are pleasurable. We have been impressed and amazed by his knowledge of music and history….and we may be the only fans who have attended a concert where he sang.” — Sondra and Milton Schlesinger “We always have sat in the front row, and Nic would look at me to check my face to see how I liked it. If I was crying everything was ok. I’ve been just amazed how well he has conducted. So, I’ve always supported him.” — Peter Strykers, Founding Board President

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ABOUT PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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auded by the New York Times as “America’s leading period instrument ensemble” and celebrating it’s 35th season, Philharmonia Baroque orchestra has been dedicated to authentic performances of Baroque, Classical and early Romantic music on original instruments since its inceptions in 1981. Under the leadership of Music Director Nicholas McGegan, Philharmonia was named Ensemble of the Year by Musical America in 2004. The Orchestra performs an annual subscription season in the San Francisco Bay Area and is regularly heard on tour in the United States and around the world. The Orchestra has its own professional chorus, the Philharmonia Chorale, under the leadership of Bruce Lamott. It welcomes eminent guest artists including mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, countertenor David Daniels, fortepianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Rachel Podger, and guest conductors such as Jordi Savall, Masaaki Suzuki, and Trevor Pinnock. Philharmonia’s recent U.S. tour appearances include Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, the Tanglewood Festival, the Ravinia Festival, the Great Performers series at Lincoln Center, the International Chamber Orchestra Festival in Minnesota, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Festival del Sole in California’s Napa Valley, and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Internationally, the Orchestra has performed at the BBC Proms in London, Snape Maltings, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Philharmonia appeared as the featured orchestra at the International Handel Festival in Gottingen, Germany, in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2005. The Orchestra has had numerous successful collaborations with celebrated composers and choreographers. In November 2006, to mark its 25th season and the 20th anniversary of Nicholas

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McGegan’s tenure as music director, Philharmonia premiered its first commissioned work, a one­-act opera by Jake Heggie with a libretto by Gene Scheer entitled To Hell and Back. ln collaboration with the Mark Morris Dance Group, Philharmonia gave the U.S. premieres of the highly acclaimed productions of G.F. Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Henry Purcell’s King Arthur, and Jean-Philippe Rameau’s ballet-opera Plaée. Philharmonia has also collaborated with many Bay Area performing arts groups, such as Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, American Conservarory Theater, San Francisco Girls Chorus, and Chanticleer. In 2011, Philharmonia launched its own recording label, Philharmonia Baroque Productions. Its first release was an archival performance of mezzosoprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’ete and Handel arias. Subsequently, its recording of Haydn’s Symphonies No. 104 “London”, No. 88, and No. 101 “The Clock” was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best Orchestral Performance. Recent releases include highlights from Handel’s Teseo and three Haydn symphonies, Nos. 57, 67, and 68. Prior to the launch of Philharmonia Baroque Productions, the Orchestra made 32 highly praised recordings for harmonia mundi, Reference Recordings, and BMG. Its recording of the Handel oratorio Susanna received a GRAMMY nomination and a 1991 Gramophone Magazine Award for the best Baroque vocal recording. Classical KDFC continues to broadcast unreleased Philharmonia concert recordings the second Sunday of every month from 8 - 9 PM. KDFC is the radio home of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra was founded by harpsichordist and early music pioneer Laurette Goldberg.


ABOUT CHORALE DIRECTOR BRUCE LAMOTT

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ruce Lamott has been director of the Philharmonia Chorale since 1997 and is Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra’s current Scholar-in-Residence. He first performed with the Orchestra in 1989 as continuo harpsichordist for Handel’s Giustino. Lamott was previously the director of choruses and conductor of the Mission Candlelight Concerts at the Carmel Bach Festival, where his 30-year tenure also included performing as a harpsichordist and presenting as a lecturer and education director. In eight seasons as choral director and assistant conductor of the Sacramento Symphony, he conducted annual choral concerts of major symphonic choral works, including both Bach Passion settings, Haydn’s The Seasons, and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, as well as preparing the symphony chorus for their subscription season. Lamott received a bachelor’s degree from Lewis and Clark College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in musicology from Stanford, where he researched keyboard improvisation practices of the Baroque period. His teaching career began on the musicology faculty at UC Davis, where he also directed the Early Music Ensemble. He lives in San Francisco with his husband, Kip Cranna, dramaturg of the San Francisco Opera, and teaches music history

and conducts the choirs and chamber orchestra at San Francisco University High School. As a parttime professor of music history at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 2001, he specializes in the vocal and instrumental repertoire of the 18th century. In his opera-related activities, Lamott teaches continuo realization for San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program and lectures for the Opera’s education program and Opera Guild.

Join us on Tour! Nicholas McGegan’s 30th Anniversary Tour Dates February 12, 2016 | Mondavi Center, Davis CA February 14, 2016 | Green Music Center, Rohnert Park CA February 16, 2016 | Krannert Center, Urbana IL May 6, 2016 | Carnegie Hall, New York NY May 10, 2016 | Philharmonic Society, Orange County CA May 11, 2016 | Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles CA May 14, 2016 | Green Music Center, Rohnert Park CA May 17, 2016 | Club musical de Québec, Canada May 18, 2016 | Montreal Arte Musica, Canada If you would like to join us on tour, please contact Noelle Moss at (415) 252-1288 x 314 or nmoss@philharmonia.org PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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PRELUDES

PRE-CONCERT TALKS Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is pleased to present Pre-Concert Talks. These informal discussions take place forty-five minutes before each concert performance. They are free to all ticket-holders and are designed to enrich the concert experience with thoughtful insights from Nic McGegan, guest artists, musicians, scholars and speakers from the world of classical music. We invite ticket-holders to join us for all Pre-Concert Talks throughout the season.

SCARLATTI’S THE GLORY OF SPRING October 4, 6:45 pm

First Congregational Church, Berkeley

Musicologist and Alessandro Scarlatti scholar Benedikt Poensgen will join Philharmonia Board President Ross Armstrong on stage to discuss his discovery of The Glory of Spring and the challenges and rewards involved in presenting this masterwork today. October 7, 6:45 pm

Bing Concert Hall, Palo Alto

Rachael Myrow, KQED Silicon Valley correspondent, will chat with Nic about his 30th anniversary and the significance of performing The Glory of Spring during this milestone anniversary.

October 9, 7:15 pm

Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Bill Lueth, president of listener-supported KDFC radio, will talk with Nic McGegan about his 30 year career at the Philharmonia podium, the return to Herbst Theatre and the historic debut of The Glory of Spring. October 10, 7:15 pm

First Congregational Church, Berkeley

Bruce Lamott, Philharmonia Chorale Director and Scholar-in-Residence, will share insights about the history of Scarlatti’s lost masterpiece—why it was written and how it was forgotten—until today.

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2015-2016 · 35TH SEASON Nicholas McGegan, conductor Suzana Ograjenšek, soprano Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano Clint van der Linde, countertenor Nicholas Phan, tenor Douglas Williams, baritone Members of the Philharmonia Chorale

PROGRAM Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) La Gloria di Primavera Parte Prima INTERMISSION Seconda Parte

Sunday, October 4, 7:30 PM

First Congregational Church, Berkeley

Wednesday, October 7, 7:30 PM

Bing Concert Hall, Stanford

Friday, October 9, 8:00 PM

Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Saturday, October 10, 8:00 PM

First Congregational Church, Berkeley

These performances are made possible in part by generous support from:

The Ross E. Armstrong Baroque Vocal Works Fund Nicolas Elsishans & Christopher Hayes - October 9 Paul & Susan Sugarman - October 10 The October 4 performance is dedicated to the memory of Jim Risley. The October 10 performance is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Jonas (Jay) K. Stern. Length of performance is approximately two hours. Latecomers will be seated during suitable intervals in the program. The use of cameras or recording devices of any kind is strictly prohibited. Please turn off your digital alarm, cellular telephone or pager before the performance begins.

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PROGRAM NOTES for ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI, LA GLORIA DI PRIMAVERA

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BRUCE LAMOTT

lot was riding on the shoulders of baby Archduke Leopold at his birth on April 13, 1716. He was the male heir so fervently wished for by his father, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, to continue the Hapsburg dynasty in Austria and prevent another brutal war of succession such as that just concluded over the throne of Spain. In 1700 his unfortunate relative Charles II of Spain died heirless, and when Charles attempted to claim his kingdom, he precipitated a costly war with France, known as the War of the Spanish Succession. Although he lost Spain to Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV, Charles VI received a consolation prize in the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) consisting of a package of the regions of Milan, Sardinia, the Austrian Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Naples. It was expedient therefore, for the Neapolitan Prince Gaetano d’Aragona and his culture-loving wife, Aurora Sanseverino, to host an opulent celebration in Naples honoring the newborn heir of their newly acquired sovereign. They commissioned their court composer, Alessandro Scarlatti, already Europe’s foremost composer of Italian serious opera (opera seria), to compose a grand serenata on a text by Aurora’s private secretary, the Abbate Nicolo Giovo. Scarcely a month passed between the noble birth and the premiere of this work, La Gloria di Primavera on May 19, 1716, a remarkable feat of musical production comparable to Handel’s 28-day composition of Messiah. The cast of superstars, the complex orchestration, and the scope of this composition all confirm that the Neapolitans spared no expense in producing this sumptuous work.

While the genre of serenata (an extended multi-movement work written for one-off occasions such as marriages and birthdays) may be less familiar than opera seria, the forms are nearly identical. Secco recitatives, accompanied only by harpsichord, lutes (theorbos), and cello, introduce most of the arias. Jove, however, appropriate to his station, sings recitative accompanied by the orchestra, providing a “halo” of harmony that underscores the profundity and significance of his character (just as Bach does for Jesus in the St. Matthew Passion). The arias themselves are cast in the form known as the da capo aria. Two sentences (A and B) are sung with considerable repetition of text,

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Alessandro Scarlatti with introductions and interludes (known as ritornellos) played by the orchestra. The notation da capo (literally, “from the top”) appears at the end of sentence B, instructing the performers to repeat the A section once more, creating a symmetrical A-B-A form; this repetition also allows the performers the opportunity to improvise ornamental riffs on the original melody. La Gloria has but one duet (No. 48), but a number of cori (not choruses per se, but an ensemble of the principal characters sometimes supplemented by additional voices) articulate sections of the libretto. While the performance of some serenatas may have been stand-and-sing affairs much like oratorios, we know that the performance of La Gloria featured sumptuous sets and costumes by Christoforo Schor and probably one special effect with stage action. Jove would likely have descended from the stage rigging in a cloud machine, literally a deus ex machina. One could ask why the noble patrons—knowing that infant mortality among the inbred Hapsburgs was unusually high—might not have waited until the newborn emperor-elect was more than a month old to celebrate his birth in such an extravagant fashion. However, this work is as much a celebration of Austrian hegemony as it is


PROGRAM NOTES a birthday tribute. We may never know which of the Hapsburg nobility, if any, were in attendance at its only performances in Naples, or what dispatch the royal family may have received about it, but it seems likely that Prince Gaetano and Aurora stood to gain favor with their new rulers in Vienna.

Bellona, with the pleasures and serenity of the ensuing peace, historically known as the Peace of Utrecht. However, when Spring audaciously claims higher honors than the rest owing to the date of the royal birth, the other seasons take exception, and all agree to invoke Jove to be their judge.

Unfortunately, the life of this extraordinary work runs parallel to that of its dedicatee. Just months after the premiere, on November 4, the celebrated infant died. Eventually, upon the death of his father, this would cause his younger sister, Maria Theresa, to have to defend her right to the imperial throne against the whole of continental Europe in another bloody war, the War of the Austrian Succession.

Part Two. A solemn invocation greets the arrival of Jove, and Spring sums up for him the arguments of her rivals: of Summer for the child’s conception, Autumn for the fecundity of “the Imperial breast,” Winter for the growing strength in the womb, and Spring herself takes credit (again) for the child’s birth. Each season, in that order, then makes their claim by amplifying these themes with a recitative and aria, leaving Spring last up to win over the already biased Jove with a double play: an aria both evoking the song of a nightingale and sung in the seductive rhythm of a siciliana. The predictable outcome is accepted by the other seasons without protest. The remainder of the work consists of benedictions from each season on the newborn and his role in the Empire, a return to the textual themes of the opening scene: a continuation of the Hapsburg line, immortality, and protection from threats against the Empire (specifically Ottomans, Thracians, Asians, and Anatolian Turks). Jove gets the final word, claiming the infant as his spiritual son, and all proclaim the return of a beautiful Age of Gold ( Ò bell’età d’oro).

The first audience of La Gloria was so taken by it that after its premiere on May 19, 1716, it had to be performed twice again, a rare occurrence for such occasional works. But thereafter, the work has been neither edited nor performed until now. The individual movements may be organized thematically into a series of scenes. Part I Introduction and Nos. 1-11. Celebration of the Noble Birth Nos. 12-19. Reflections on the Past (War) and Present (Peace) No. 20-21. Proposal of the Contest and the Invocation of Jove Part II Introduction and Nos. 22-24. Further Invocation and Arrival of Jove Nos. 25-30. In Praise of Jove Nos. 31-40. The Contest of the Seasons Nos. 41-44. Resolution of the Contest Nos. 45-56. Benedictions for the Future Empire Synopsis. Part One. Receiving the joyful news of the newborn heir, each of the four seasons reflects on the significance of this noble birth to the Austrian (aka Holy Roman) Empire. Spring (Primavera), Summer (Estate), Autumn (Autunno), and Winter (Inverno) in turn sing a recitative and aria describing imperial symbols such as the eagle and the Danube, emblematic of what Spring describes as “we, the storied elect.” A second cycle of arias is introduced with recitatives on a poetic juxtaposition of “then and now” (in Italian, or and già) contrasting the horrors of the recently ended War of the Spanish Succession, personified by the Roman goddess of war

The musical richness of the piece reflects the virtuoso cast at Scarlatti’s disposal. The role of Primavera (Spring) was sung by the soprano castrato Matteo Sassano, nicknamed “the nightingale of Naples” (il rosignuolo di Napoli); whether his nightingale aria in Part Two was a response to this reputation or vice-versa remains uncertain. Estate (Summer) was sung by Margherita Durastanti, later to be known for her numerous roles as a leading lady (and leading man) in Handel’s operas at the London’s Royal Academy in the 1720’s. Whoever was cast in the bass role of Giove (Jove) must have been singer of exceptional technique and extraordinary range, exploited by Scarlatti with downward and upward leaps by as much as an octave and a half. As in opera seria, the roles are ranked in a hierarchy. The arias for the title role, Primavera (Spring), are the most numerous and multi-faceted, ranging from jaunty (No. 3) to virtuosic (No. 30) to poignant and affective (No. 52). Because this traditionally feminine role was being sung by a leading man (primo uomo), the role of Estate

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PROGRAM NOTES (Summer) is technically speaking the prima donna. Though appearing in the score as “Soprano II” in the ensembles, her lines are consistently higher than Primavera and exploit Durasanti’s expressive coloratura (No. 5) and affective range from pathos (No. 15) to delight (No. 34). Autunno (Autumn) is a more dramatic role clearly written for a alto with an agile technique (No. 36), power (No. 50), and plangent expression (No. 17). While we might expect a blustery bass to be singing Inverno (Winter), Scarlatti cast the tenor Gaetano Borghi in the role, filling his arias with dramatically powerful coloraturas (No. 9, 19) sometimes extended to exhaustive lengths (No. 46). Though he appears only in Part II, Giove (Jove) is god of considerable personality, first singing in the pompous dotted rhythms of the French overture (No. 26) and making pronouncements in accompanied recitatives. His second aria (No. 32), however, is an intimate aria di cantabile in which his voice breaks with expressive sighs (suspirans). He becomes even less god-like in his scherzo-like final aria (No. 42), conveying a mood that is, well, downright jovial. The orchestral writing is colorful and varied. The imperial significance of the noble birth is announced in the Introduzione to Part I by a pair of trumpets followed by a flurry of string fanfares and passagework, juxtaposed with a trio of two oboes and bassoon in the style of a concerto grosso. This scoring recurs in the final movement (No. 54) with the addition of tutti and solo vocal lines. The single duet (No. 48) is given a singular scoring of five-part strings set in lines for unison violins, violas, two independent cello parts—each with its own lute and figured bass, and a third continuo group of harpsichord and bass. In contrast to the complexity of these movements, a simple two-line texture of both violin and oboe parts in unison against the bass engage in a witty dialogue with Jove’s syncopated vocal line (a style known as alla zoppa) (No. 42). A particular characteristic of Scarlatti’s vocal writing often occurs in the arias. While the orchestral ritornellos are played by all of the instruments of the basso continuo section (cello, bassoon, bass, harpsichord, lute), when the voice enters the harpsichord and bass drop out, leaving the lowest sounding string part in either the cello or viola; such a passage, called a bassetto, creates a sense of string sonority floating under and around the vocal line, absent the depth of the bass and percussive harmony of the harpsichord.

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Allusions to nature abound in this musical landscape of imperial Austria. The Danube winds around the feet of the newborn archduke in Autumn’s first aria (no. 7). Leaping octaves depict rays of sunlight in Summer (No. 15), and flashes of descending scales (tiratas) and spiky arpeggios conjure Winter’s storm (No. 19). Gently cascading violins and divided violas accompany Autumn’s description of rivers set free from icy obstruction (No. 17), and Spring’s vocal acrobatics conjures the fury of a shipwreck tossed in a tempest (No. 30). Pastoral images are created by two oboes in Spring’s nightingale aria (No. 40) and the solo flute which twitters among whispering trees and grasses described by Summer (No. 54). A particularly appealing image is Scarlatti’s frequent use of a musical “topic” known as zefiro (zephyr), used to represent breezes, fountains, and streams through the undulation of parallel thirds or sixths in wavelike repetitions over a slowly moving bass (nos. 7, 11, 17, 54). This underscores the repeated theme of peace that has now come to the Empire. The opposite effect is created by bombilans, rapidly repeated notes in the trumpets and strings used for agitation, especially of military themes (No. 50). You are among the first audiences to hear the wonders of La Gloria di Primavera in nearly 300 years. Philharmonia’s subsequent recording of this work will make another significant contribution to the known Scarlatti repertoire, just as we have done with his Vespers of St. Cecilia. This is not a peripheral work by some second-tier composer, but a major masterwork by a giant of the Baroque period at the top of his game. That Scarlatti could have created such an elaborate and substantive work without visiting it again in the nine years remaining before his death in 1725 attests to the fecundity of his talent. Had he been given the opportunity to repurpose his serenata for the nativity of the archduke into an oratorio on the nativity of Christ--as Handel would surely have done--the extraordinary music of La Gloria di Primavera might not have had to wait for Philharmonia to bring it once again to the attention of the public. Bruce Lamott Author’s Note: I am indebted to the research of Prof. Benedikt Poensgen, both for his edition of the work and for his informative introduction to the details of its creation.


GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES NICHOLAS PHAN TENOR

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his season, American tenor Nicholas Phan performs the roles of Inverno in the American premiere of Alessandro Scarlatti’s La gloria di primavera with Philharmonia Baroque and Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute with Boston Baroque. He will also sing both the tenor arias and Evangelist on a tour of Bach’s St. John Passion with Apollo’s Fire and the Evangelist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Strasbourg Philharmonic. As Artistic Director of Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, he will both curate and perform in the organization’s fourth annual Collaborative Works Festival. Other highlights this season include solo recitals at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC and the Green Music Center in Sonoma; returns to the Dallas and Kansas City Symphonies; a return to Da Camera of Houston and his debut with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

HENRY DOMBEY

Mr. Phan has appeared with many of the leading orchestras in North America and Europe, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, BBC Symphony, and the English Chamber Orchestra. He toured extensively throughout the major concert halls of Europe with Il Complesso Barocco and appeared with the Edinburgh, Ravinia, Rheingau, Tanglewood and Marlboro music festivals, and at the BBC Proms. In opera, he has appeared with the LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Glyndebourne Opera, Frankfurt Opera, and the Maggio Musicale in Florence. In recital, he has been presented by Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Boston’s Celebrity Series, and Atlanta’s Spivey Hall. He is also a founder and the Artistic Director of Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, an organization devoted to promoting the art song and vocal chamber music repertoire.

Mr. Phan’s most recent solo album, A Painted Tale was released on Avie Records in February of 2015. His previous solo album, Still Falls the Rain (Avie), was named one of the best classical recordings of 2012 by The New York Times. His growing discography also includes the Grammy-nominated recording of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella with Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO Resound), his debut solo album, Winter Words (Avie), the opera L’Olimpiade with the Venice Baroque Orchestra (Naïve), and the world premiere recording of Elliott Carter’s orchestral song cycle, A Sunbeam’s Architecture (NMC).

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GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES DIANA MOORE MEZZO-SOPRANO

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nglish mezzosoprano Diana Moore is being lauded on both sides of the Atlantic for her “emotional depth” (The Guardian), “thrilling” technical bravura (Gramophone), and “rich, evocative sound” (San Francisco Chronicle). She enjoys a varied international career of opera, oratorio, and concert performances, and is a popular recitalist. Recent and upcoming engagements include Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius at Royal Albert Hall; Scarlatti’s La gloria di primavera with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; the title role in Rinaldo at the National Theatre in Prague; and Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Barbican Centre. Because of her graceful stature she is in demand for many trouser roles, including the title character in Rinaldo (Göttingen International Handel Festival, Flanders Opera, VlaamseOper, the National Theatre in Prague, and Opera de Versailles); “Sesto” in Giulio Cesare (Göttingen); “Armindo” in Partenope with the Early Opera Company; and “Medoro” in Handel’s Orlando, a role she had toured with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Nicholas McGegan to the Ravinia Festival, Lincoln Center, and the Tanglewood Festival. Other operatic roles include “Penelope” in Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse for the Aldeburgh Festival and “Dido” in Dido and Aeneas for The Early Opera Company. Ms. Moore’s vocal quality and training place her firmly within the fine tradition of English mezzo-sopranos. She is known as a leading exponent of English song. For the centennial of Kathleen Ferrier’s birth, she devised the critically acclaimed A Celebration of Kathleen Ferrier—Her Life, Letters & Music, which has been endorsed by the Kathleen Ferrier Society and presented at several major venues. Visit Diana Moore at www.dianamoore.co.uk | schwalbeandpartners.com/diana-moore-mezzosoprano

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SUZANA OGRAJENŠEK SOPRANO

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lovene soprano Suzana Ograjenšek was educated at Universities of Ljubljana and Cambridge. She currently studies singing with Diane Forlano and Joy Mammen and has worked extensively in Baroque repertoire. In 2008 she sang at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen conducted by William Christie, and in the season 2009-2010 she made her operatic debut as Angel in Handel’s Jephtha at the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg with Ivor Bolton and the Freiburger Barockorchester. In 2009-10 she was Valletto in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea with William Christie at Teatro Real in Madrid, and she reprised her role of Angel in Jephtha at the Opéra National du Bordeaux with Jane Glover. This was followed by the roles of Ninfa and Proserpina in Monteverdi’s Orfeo conducted by Ivor Bolton at Theater an der Wien in 2011-12. Other operatic roles include Romilda in Handel’s Xerxes, Messaggiera in Monteverdi’s Orfeo (both for the Fitzwilliam Chamber Opera), and the title role in Domenico Scarlatti’s La Dirindina. Concert engagements have featured work with Christopher Hogwood (Purcell odes) and Ivor Bolton (Handel’s L’Allegro at the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music) as well as appearances with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, most recently in a concert of Mozart’s operatic arias. She took part in the Maribor – European Capital of Culture 2012, in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with Simon Dvoršak and the Orchestra of the House of Culture Celje. Recent concert work also includes Bach’s B-Minor Mass, Handel’s Foundling Hospital Anthem, Ode for St Cecilia’s Day and Salve Regina, Vivaldi’s Gloria and motetto Nulla in mondo pax sincera, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music and Dona nobis pacem, and Faure’s Requiem. Ms Ograjenšek is the founder of the Baroque Ensemble La Falsirena. Their performances with the programme of Handel’s Arcadian continuo cantatas at the Brežice Festival in 2007 were highly acclaimed. This concert tour also took them ►


GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES ◄ the Handel House in London and other UK venues. In 2008, the Ensemble took part in the ‘Handel and the Divas’ exhibition at the Handel House in London with the programme of arias written for Handel’s diva Francesca Cuzzoni. In 2009 the trio performed at the London Handel Festival. Ms Ograjenšek’s chamber repertoire also features collaboration with the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, with whom she has performed both classical and contemporary repertoire. Notable is their appearance at the Brežice Festival in 2009 with a programme of Haydn’s English songs and Lieder in arrangements for soprano and string quartet. Discography includes the DVD of the Madrid production of Monteverdi’s Poppea with Les Arts Florissants on Virgin Classics, J.K. Dolar’s Miserere with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra on the RTV Slovenia record label, and Festival Brežice 2009 Highlights with The Fitzwilliam String Quartet featuring their live performance. Recording credits further include Arte TV France (Strasbourg Jephtha), Radio France (Aix The Fairy Queen, Poppea with Les Arts Florissants at Salle Pleyel), Radio Spain (Madrid Poppea); Radio Slovenia (concerts with the Radio Slovenia Symphony Orchestra), Television Slovenia (concerts with the Radio Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and Handel’s Italian cantatas with La Falsirena). In addition, she recently recorded a repertoire of Slovene songs and German Lieder by Slovene composer Risto Savin for the Radio Slovenia Archive. Ms Ograjenšek is a winner of the Williamson Prize for Musical Performance in Cambridge. She is editing Il pastor fido for the Hallische Händel-Ausgabe. Forthcoming engagements include Gluck’s Armide at the Nederlandse Opera under the baton of Ivor Bolton, and Monteverdi’s Il combattimento di Tancredi et Clorinda with Empyrean Ensemble at Mondavi Center and Montalvo Arts Center in California.

DOUGLAS WILLIAMS BASS-BARITONE

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he gifted young bass-baritone Douglas Williams” (The New York Times) combines a “formidable stage presence” (Seattle Times) with “a bass voice of splendid solidity” (Music Web International), making him one of the most appealing singing actors of his generation. He has collaborated with leading conductors including Nicholas McGegan, Helmut Rilling, Sir Neville Marriner, John Nelson, and Christoph Rousset, in such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Stuttgart’s Mozart-Saal, and the Frankfurt Alte Oper.

Douglas was highly acclaimed as “Polyphemus” in the world premiere Mark Morris Dance Group production of Handel’s Acis and Galatea, and he performs the role this fall with Boston Early Music Festival. A recording with the group will be released in 2015. Other recent appearances include “Laurence” in Grétry’s Le Magnifique with Opera Lafayette (recorded for Naxos) and “Aeneas” in Dido and Aeneas with the Boston Early Music Festival. His recording of Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers with BEMF won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Mr. Williams’ “superb sense of drama” (The New York Times) is as apparent on the concert stage as it is in opera. Concert highlights include a performance at Carnegie Hall with James Levine and the MET Chamber Ensemble of Charles Wuorinen’s It Happens Like This; Handel’s Messiah with the Detroit and Houston Symphony Orchestras; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Cathedral Choral Society; Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with New Haven Symphony, and Bach’s St. John Passion with Les Talens Lyriques. His 2015-2016 season features performances and a new recording of Scarlatti’s La Gloria di primavera with conductor Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and a reprisal of his role of “Caronte” in Monteverdi’s Orfeo with the dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests in Berlin, Bergen, and Baden-Baden and Opera Lille in France.

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GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES CLINT VAN DER LINDE COUNTER TENOR

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orn in South Africa, Clint van der Linde started singing at the Drakensburg Boys’ Choir School at age ten. As a boy soprano soloist he performed with most of the major orchestras in South Africa. In 1996 he was offered an International Scholarship to spend a year at Eton College, during which time he was also offered the Queen Mother Scholarship for a four-year degree at London’s Royal College of Music. In 1998 Clint won first prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers. After completing his degree in 2001, he was offered a Martin Harris Scholarship to complete his post-graduate diploma course. During his studies, Clint had master classes with Roger Vignoles, Sarah Walker, Michael Chance, James Bowman, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson. He has worked as soloist with major orchestras throughout the world, including Il Fondamento, the Hanover Band, the Israel Camerata, the King’s Consort, the London Handel Orchestra, Le Musiche Nove, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Salzburg Camerata, and the Stuttgart Baroque Orchestra. Conductors with whom he

has appeared include Frieder Bernius, Gerard Korsten, Nicholas Kraemer, Sir Roger Norrington, Claudio Osele, Peter Schreier, and Jan Willem de Vriend. He has appeared in recital at the Kissinger Sommer Festspiel and sung Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with Christiane Oelze in Bad Reichenhall. At the RCM, Clint van der Linde's repertoire included Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and such Handel roles as the title characters in Flavio, Lotario, and Ottone, and Judas in Brockes Passion. He has repeated the role of Oberon at the Royal Danish Opera, and his operatic repertoire also included Fernando in Conti's Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena with Musikwerkstatt Wien, Dardanus in Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula with Berlin’s Der Lautten Compageney, Narciso in Agrippina with the Combattimento Consort, and the Guardian of the Threshold in Die Frau ohne Schatten at La Monnaie. Clint made his Edinburgh International Festival debut singing the title role in Rinaldo with Bach Collegium Japan under the direction of Masaaki Suzuki. Other recent engagements include the title roles in Flavio and Tolomeo for English Touring Opera, Andronico in Tamerlano at the Gottingen Festival, a recording of Bach’s B Minor Mass with the Rodolfus Choir, the St. John Passion with Polyphony and the Academy of Ancient Music, and Bach cantatas with Le Concert Michel in Luxembourg, Messiah with the Bach Collegium Japan conducted by Masaaki Suzuki, and with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Orchestra conducted by Stephen Layton.

Pick up our latest CD tonight HAYDN Symphonies Nos. 57, 67 and 68 Nicholas McGegan, conductor Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Also available at www.philharmonia.org, iTunes, Amazon, and HDTracks

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Two Magnificent Oratorios Two Magnificent Venues Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” in Saint Ignatius Church Saturday December 12 2015 7:30 pm

Handel’s Messiah in Grace Cathedral

Wednesday December 16 2015 7:30 pm Thursday December 17 2015 7:30 pm Friday December 18 2015 7:30 pm Hélène Brunet soprano ~ Agnes Vojtko alto Kyle Stegall tenor ~ Jesse Blumberg bass American Bach Soloists & Choir Jeffrey Thomas conductor

americanbach.org (415) 621-7900 PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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THE PLAYERS and THEIR INSTRUMENTS OCTOBER 2015 Philharmonia’s musicians perform on historically accurate instruments. Below each player’s name is information about his or her instrument’s maker and origin.

VIOLIN

VIOLA

Lisa Weiss, concertmaster Anonymous, London; after Testore Egon & Joan von Kaschnitz Concertmaster Chair

David Daniel Bowes * Richard Duke, London, c. 1780

Elizabeth Blumenstock Andrea Guarneri, Cremona, 1660; on loan from Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Period Instrument Trust, Susan B. Levy Violin Chair Jolianne von Einem Rowland Ross, Guildford, England, 1979; after A. Stradivari Lisa Grodin Paulo Antonio Testore, Contrada, Larga di Milano, Italy, 1736 Katherine Kyme † Carlo Antonio Testore, Milan, Italy, 1720 Tyler Lewis Timothy Johnson, Hewitt, Texas, 2009; after A. Stradivari Carla Moore Johann Georg Thir, Vienna, Austria, 1754 Maxine Nemerovski Timothy Johnson, Bloomington, Indiana, 1999; after A. Stradivari Sandra Schwarz Rowland Ross, Portsmouth, England, 1987; after A. Stradivari Noah Strick Celia Bridges, Cologne, Germany, 1988 Gabrielle Wunsch Lorenzo Carcassi, Florence, Italy; 1765 Alicia Yang Richard Duke, London, 1762

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Maria Ionia Caswell Anonymous, Mittenwald, c. 1800 Ellie Nishi Anonymous, Germany, 18th Century Aaron Westman Dmitry Badiarov, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

VIOLONCELLO William Skeen * Anonymous, Northern Italy, c. 1680 Phoebe Carrai Anonymous, Italy, c. 1690 Zheng Cao Memorial Cello Chair Paul Hale Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert, Petaluma, 1988; after A. Stradivari Osher Cello Chair Endowment Robert Howard Anonymous, Venice, 1750

DOUBLE BASS Kristin Zoernig * Joseph Wrent, Rotterdam, Holland, 1648 Timothy Spears Anonymous, Germany

FLUTE Stephen Schultz * Martin Wenner, Singen, Germany, 2012; after C, Palanca, c. 1750


THE PLAYERS and THEIR INSTRUMENTS OCTOBER 2015

OBOE

TRUMPET

Marc Schachman * H.A. Vas Dias, Decatur, Georgia, 2001; after T. Stanesby, England, c. 1710 Claire Frieman Kivelson and Irene Valente Angstadt Memorial Principal Oboe Chair

John Thiessen * Rainer Egger, Basel, Switzerland, 2003; after Ehe, 1746

Gonzalo Ruiz Joel Robinson, New York, 1990; after Saxon models, c. 1720 Michael DuPree H. A. Vas Dias, Decatur, Georgia, 1995; after T. Stanesby, England, c. 1700 Stephen Bard Joel Robinson, New York, 2003; after Saxon models, c. 1720

BASSOON Andrew Schwartz * Guntram Wolf, Kronach, Germany, 2008 Kate van Orden Peter de Koningh, Hall, Holland, 1978; after Prudent, Paris, France, c. 1760

Fred Holmgren Fred Holmgren, Massachusetts, 2005; after J. L. Ehe III, 1746

LUTE David Tayler * Andreas von Holst, Munich, Germany, 2004; after Magno Tieffenbrucker, Venice, Italy, 1610 Daniel Zuluaga Lars Jönsson, Dalarö, Sweden, 2003

HARPSICHORD Hanneke van Proosdij * John Phillips, Berkeley, 1993; Italian harpsichord after 18th century Florentine prototypes; generously lent by John Phillips Nicholas McGegan John Phillips, Berkeley, 1996; after Giusti, Italy, 17th century * Principal

† Principal 2nd Violin

PERFORMING MEMBERS of the PHILHARMONIA CHORALE Heidi Waterman, soprano Jennifer Ashworth, soprano Katherine McKee, alto David Kurtenbach, tenor John Bischoff, bass

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CAMPAIGN for the 21ST CENTURY

PAVING THE WAY FOR A STRONG & INNOVATIVE FUTURE Dear Friends, I am delighted to let you know that, thanks to the exceptional generosity of subscribers and friends like you, Philharmonia has successfully completed its $8 million Campaign for the 21st Century. Thank you so much for making Philharmonia a priority in your life. It is an important priority in mine, too. As a member of the Philharmonia family for more than 30 years, I’ve been watching with joy as it has grown and become what it is today. Nic, Bruce, the Orchestra and the Chorale deliver incredible performances that move and delight us. Their unique combination of artistry, passion, innovation and creativity has resulted in our being named America’s leading period music ensemble. But that national reputation and our growing international recognition have only happened because we knew how fortunate we were to have Philharmonia here in the Bay Area, and we invested in its future. This campaign has been, and will continue to be, transformative. The past five years have been remarkable ones that saw, among our other accomplishments: • Eight highly-acclaimed recordings on our record label, • Partnerships with some of the world’s most sought-after artists, • Incredible collaborations with the Mark Morris Dance Group, Cal Performances and San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellows, and • Major tours to Lincoln Center, Tanglewood and the Norfolk Chamber Festival, among others. While the Campaign is now over, it has launched the beginning of an amazing future. Your contributions and passion for Philharmonia made a difference in allowing for those artistic successes and will continue to shape and support the Orchestra for years to come. As I’ve said before, no other musical or arts experience quite matches what Philharmonia has to offer – a connectedness to Nic and the musicians, and to the wonderful people who sit with us in the concert halls or come to our intimate events. This year, as we commemorate Nic’s three decades masterfully leading the Orchestra, please know that we are also celebrating you – our loyal friends – and the love and commitment you show to Philharmonia. Thank you again for joining me on this journey. We did this together. With my deep gratitude,

Kay Sprinkel Grace Chair, Campaign for the 21st Century Campaign Committee: Ross Armstrong, Al Garren (emeritus), Peter Hibbard, Paul Sugarman

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CAMPAIGN for the 21st CENTURY DONORS

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the lead contributors listed below whose extraordinary and generous commitments will pave the way for a strong and innovative future.

$1,000,000+ The Waverley Fund Nicholas McGegan Conductor’s Podium $500,000 - $999,999 Anonymous (1) Ross Armstrong, Ross E. Armstrong Baroque Vocal Works Fund $250,000 - $499,999 Zheng Cao Memorial Cello Chair Dr. Al Garren, Dr. Al Garren Violin Chair $100,000 - $249,999

$25,000 - $49,999

Kay Sprinkel Grace, Education & Innovation Circle

Quincy Bragg & Sarah Fitzgerald

David Low & Dominique Lahaussois, Touring Circle

The Estate of Philip J. Eisenberg

Drs. Jane & Michael Marmor, Michael F. and Jane B. Marmor Principal Clarinet Chair Elizabeth Anderson Mayer Chris McCrum & Elizabeth Velarde, Chorale Circle Mark Perry & Melanie Peña/Bill & Lee Perry, Education & Innovation Circle

The Estate of Donald E. Casey Susan LeRoy & Michael Stewart Fred Matteson & Anne Davidson Barr Sondra & Milton Schlesinger Linda & Paul Swatek Donna M. Williams, Touring Circle $10,000 - $24,999 Bonnie & Jim Bell

Susan & Paul Sugarman Family Philanthropic Fund, Guest Artists Circle

Carol & Peter Berkenkotter

Egon & Joan von Kaschnitz, Egon and Joan von Kaschnitz Concertmaster Chair

Marie Bertillion Collins & Leonard Collins

$50,000 - $99,999 Linda Brewer Kathleen & Martin Cohn, Touring Circle Kate & David Gross Mrs. Jonathan B. Gifford Norman T. Larson Roy Levin & Jan Thomson Carol & Doug Tanner, Touring Circle

Elizabeth, Kay & Mike Buckley The Gray Family Foundation Nancy & Richard Heath

The Grace and Laurance Hoagland Fund Margaret & Edmond Kavounas, Recording & Media Circle Martine Kraus

Kit & Hayne Leland William Lokke

Betty & Jack Schafer

William Quackenbush

The Estate of Shirley Sarvis Paul Wilson

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CAMPAIGN for the 21st CENTURY DONORS

$5,000 - $9,999

Charlotte Gaylord & Barrie Cowan

Brian M. Kincaid & Elizabeth C. Theil Carlene Laughlin

Ellen & Barry Levine

Katherine & Bridger Mitchell Janet & Bill Nicholls

Judith & Stuart Offer

Barbara & Lawrence Cahn

Jeanne & Frederick Gabali

Dr. & Mrs. Stanley Davis

Betty Gerard

Annelle Clute

Jeanette & Peter Dunckel Mary & Jurgen Exner Julie & Jim Fulford

Ms. Dorothy D. Gregor

Roberta & James Hadley

Ann & Roy G. Hammonds, Jr.

Margaret Garms

Carol B. Glanville

Elizabeth Greenberg

Nancy & Nicholas Haritatos Robert Hartman Naphtali Knox Phyllis Koch

Donna Heinle

Elaine Fischer-Kohn & James Kohn

Marguerite & Marc Kaufman

David Lieberman & Carol Brownstein

Anonymous (2)

Susan Klee & David Stolhoff

Angela Little

Frank Adams & Susan Bryan

Carol Lokke

Margaret & Winton McKibben

Nancy & Clayton Bavor

Kurt Mueller-Vollmer

Barbara Morgan

Fritzi & Edgar Schoen

Kathleen Much & Stanley Peters

Elinor & Bruce Wilner

Roseanne & Ray Perman

$1 - $999

Helen & Dan Quinn

Mary & David Phillips

John & Carol Tregenza

Margaret Hegg

Ian Hinchliffe & Marjorie Shapiro

Susan Lea & Michael Lampton

$2,500 - $4,999

Nancy Hunt Kiesling

Claire & Herbert Lindenberger

Adam Bier & Rachel Lem

Kathy & Bill Korbholz

Donald Lorents

Mary & Roger Ashley

Francis Lundy

Robert Messick

Glyde Cooper

John Phillips & Susanne Hering

Mia & Robert Morrill

Melanie & Ronald Wilensky

Kirk Patterson

Ellen & Mike Turbow Chris Wagner

Jacqueline Desoer

Viola & Jerald Evans Edith Gladstone

Susan & David Hudges

Emily Kenyon & David Lipsky C.R. Gus Manning & Rena Kirkpatrick Rod McChesney Anne Oliver

Heather Preston

Robert Thompson in honor of Ross Armstrong Mason and Wendy Willrich

Robert Alter & Carol Cosman Luz Argyriou

Eric J. Keller & Janice E. Bohman Fraser Bonnell

Norman Brand

Dr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Collins L. William Countryman

$1,000 - $2,499

Janet Dafoe & Ronald Davis

Shirley Armitano

Jean & Dexter Dawes

Barbara Barkovich

J.P. Richards Dillingham

Donald Buhman & Wray Humphrey

Susan K. Fisher

Anonymous (1)

Mr. & Mrs. Walter Davies

Troy Barbee

James Dean

Janet & Chris Bensick

Kathleen Dugan & Greg Bell

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Diane & Charles Frankel

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Lynn Pieron

Carole & Talbot Richardson Pam & Jim Robson

Carol & Joseph Salais

George Sensabaugh, Jr. Martha Smith

John Sommer

Carol & Noel Stevens Claire Taylor

Thomas Tellefsen & Myrna Walton

Louise & Daniel Weiler Peter Winkelstein

Mr. & Mrs. John Wooldridge

Gifts recognized above represent commitments to the Campaign for the 21st Century from August 1, 2010 through August 1, 2015.


BUILDING PHILHARMONIA’S FUTURE ENDOWED FUNDS AND NAMED CHAIRS

Contributing to the Endowment Fund or naming a chair creates a legacy that will preserve the unique sound of Philharmonia for generations to come. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra gratefully recognizes the following named chairs and donors to the endowment.

NAMED CHAIRS The Waverley Fund Conductor’s Podium* Egon & Joan von Kaschnitz Concertmaster Chair*

Michael F. and Jane B. Marmor Principal Clarinet Chair*

Clare Frieman Kivelson and Irene Valente Angstadt Memorial Principal Oboe Chair Susan B. Levy Violin Chair

Zheng Cao Memorial Cello Chair

Osher Cello Chair Endowment*

THE PHILHARMONIA CHORALE ENDOWMENT FUND* Anonymous ENDOWMENT SUPPORTERS Susan & Paul Sugarman* Donna Williams* * Denotes endowed chairs or funds, or donors to the general endowment, with commitments between August 1, 2010 and August 1, 2015 through the Campaign for the 21st Century.

LIFETIME BENEFACTORS

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra thanks the following visionary supporters whose cumulative giving to the Orchestra totals $100,000 or more. Anonymous (2)

Kate & David Gross

Elizabeth Anderson Mayer

Ross Armstrong

Christine & Kenneth Hecht

Nicholas Baz

The Grace & Laurence Hoagland Fund

Chris McCrumb & Elizabeth Velarde

Kathleen & Martin Cohn Richard Colburn Marie Bertillion Collins & Leonard Collins Laura & Robert Cory Al Garren Mona Geller Mrs. Jonathan B. Gifford Joan & John Goddard, The Goddard Foundation Kay Sprinkel Grace

Gladyne K. Mitchell

Marie & Palmer Hotz

Holbrook T. Mitchell

The Kivelstadt Family Trust

Mary Perry & Melanie Peña

David Low & Dominique Lahaussois

Sondra & Milton Schlesinger

Norman T. Larson Kit & Hayne Leland John B. Levy The Estate of Susan B. Levy, in honor of Fred Sondheimer Frederick Matteson & Anne Davidson Barr

Jane & Jack Stuppin Susan & Paul Sugarman Linda & Paul Swatek Carol & Douglas Tanner Egon & Joan von Kaschnitz The Waverley Fund

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BUILDING PHILHARMONIA’S FUTURE LAURETTE GOLDBERG SOCIETY

The Laurette Goldberg Society, named after the founder of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, honors those individuals who have named the Orchestra in their estate plans. Anonymous Ross Armstrong The Robert A. Birman Executive Director Chair Norman Bookstein & Gillian Kuchner Don Buhman Linda Brewer

William Bush David Challinor Kathleen & Martin Cohn Steven A. R. Edwards Kay Sprinkel Grace Margaret Hegg Norman T. Larson Clifford Leventhal

William Lokke Barbara & Nigel Renton Maxine & James Risley Adrienne & Ted Savetnick Sondra & Milton Schlesinger Claudine Torfs

Philharmonia would also like to recognize the following estate gifts that have supported our work: The Estate of Donald E. Casey

The Estate of Mrs. A. P. Morse

The Estate of Marie Mendenhall Cleasby

The Estate of Shirley Sarvis

The Estate of Eva & James Goodwin

The Estate of Carol Seitz

The Phillip M. Eisenberg Trust

The Estate of Michael J. Weller

The Estate of Susan B. Levy

30 at 30

Join the Laurette Goldberg Society HONOR NIC’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH YOUR GIFT FOR THE FUTURE Help celebrate Music Director Nicholas McGegan’s 30th anniversary by leaving a gift to support Philharmonia for years to come. To honor Nic’s wonderful legacy, our goal is to add to our distinguished group of the Laurette Goldberg Society, 30 new members. Let’s make the future as bright as the present by naming Philharmonia in your estate plans. New members of the Laurette Goldberg Society this season will receive: •

Prominent recognition in our concert program book (or remain anonymous)

•

An invitation to Philharmonia’s exclusive, intimate Conductor’s Concert at Swedenborgian Church in San Francisco on March 3, 2016. Evening includes supper and a candlelit performance.

Your support today will play a crucial role in sustaining Philharmonia’s high level of artistry and innovative programming for generations to come, while underscoring Nic’s artistic stamp on the Orchestra. For more information on leaving a legacy, or to be included in the Laurette Goldberg Society if you’ve already named Philharmonia in your estate plan, please contact Noelle R. Moss, Director of Development at (415) 226-0995.

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PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA


GIFTS TO THE ANNUAL FUND Phiharmonia expresses its warmest thanks to those individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies whose loyal support of the Annual Fund makes possible our extensive artistic and educational programs. Thank you for providing the Orchestra with the resources to bring its music to concert halls, classrooms and communities throughout the Bay Area and beyond. We are very grateful to the following donors whose gifts were received between June 1, 2014 and August 15, 2015.

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT GRANTS $75,000 & Above Bloomberg Philanthropies

Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation The Wallis Foundation $25,000 - $74,999 Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation

Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation

The Bernard Osher Foundation $10,000 - $24,999 The E. Nakamichi Foundation National Endowment for the Arts

Jewish Community Foundation of the East Bay

The Wells Fargo Foundation $2,500 - $4,999 Jewish Community Endowment Fund

The Bob Ross Foundation

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund Jewish Communal Fund

IBM Corporation

Microsoft Matching Gift Program

Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program

Schwab Charitable Fund

GIFTS IN KIND

Up to $2,500

St. Regis Hotel

Chicago Community Foundation

Classic Malts

First Republic Bank

The San Francisco Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation

CORPORATE PARTNERS Bailard, Inc.

Bell Investment Advisors

$5,000 - $9,999

Chevron Humankind Matching Gift Program

MATCHING GIFTS Adobe Systems Incorporated

Boisset Family Estates DLA Piper

Ebby St. Pierre Graphic Design Goodby, Silverstein & Partners KDFC

Nancy Mims, Deliberate Whispers Norman Bookstein

Panoramic Interests

San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ted Savetnick

AT&T Foundation

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

We gratefully acknowledge the support we receive from:

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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WITH GRATITUDE CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE ($50,000+)

Marie Bertillion Collins & Leonard Collins

Anonymous (1)

Olga Conrad

Ross E. Armstrong Gladyne K. Mitchell

Kay Sprinkel Grace The Gray Family

Betty & Jack Schafer Linda & Paul Swatek Robert Thompson Paul Wilson

The Waverley Fund

Brian M. Kincaid & Elizabeth C. Theil

$1,500 - $2,999

STRADIVARI ($25,000 - $49,999)

Martine Kraus

Kristin & Ari Baron

Dominique Lahaussois & David Low

William Lokke

CHRISTOFORI ($15,000 - $24,999)

Frederick Matteson & Anne Davidson Barr

Norman T. Larson Mark Perry & Melanie Peña Claudine Torfs

GUARNERI ($10,000 - $14,999) Bonnie & Jim Bell Nicolas Elsishans & Christopher Hayes Al Garren Mrs. Jonathan B. Gifford John & Joan Goddard, The Goddard Foundation The Grace & Laurance Hoagland Fund Marie & Palmer Hotz Eric Leve Elizabeth Anderson Mayer Nicholas McGegan & David Bowles Sondra & Milton Schlesinger

ARCANGELI ($5,500 - $9,999) Anonymous (2) Kathleen & Martin Cohn

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Carlene Laughlin The Marmor Foundation; Drs. Michael & Jane Marmor

David Morandi Kathryn & Donley Parmentier Leonilla & William Perry Jean Shuler Jade & Chris Simonson Susan LeRoy Stewart & Michael Stewart Paul & Susan Sugarman Family Philanthropic Fund Carol & Douglas Tanner The TL Trust Donna Williams

Anonymous (2) Nancy & Clayton Bavor Joan & Don Beerline Phyllis & Andrew Berwick Adam Bier & Rachel Lem Donald Buhman & Wray Humphrey Richard Caplin, M.D. Kyra & Ken Carson Annelle Clute Corinne Derringer John Drago Jacqueline & Christian P. Erdman Fabian 1974 Irrevocable Trust Marta Falicov Lucy & Leroy Ferguson The Estate of James Goodwin Lynn Gotchall

COGNOSCENTI ($3,000 - $5,499)

Ellen & Barry Levine

Corey & Tim Benjamin

Janet & Joseph Grodin, in honor of Lisa Grodin

Carol & Peter Berkenkotter Elizabeth, Kay & Mike Buckley Charlotte Gaylord & Barrie Cowan Christina & Kenneth Hecht Anne & Jeffrey Katz Richard & Paola Kulp

Susie & Peter Lynn

Margaret Hegg Ian Hinchliffe & Marjorie Shapiro Marguerite & Marc Kaufman Margaret & Edmond Kavounas Emily Kenyon & David Lipsky

James & Maxine Risley

Kathy & Bill Korbholz

Howard Schachman, in memory of Ethel L. Schachman

Charlotte & Larry Langdon

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Sheila & Michael Lagios


WITH GRATITUDE Adair & William Langston

Allen & Jacqueline Bertillion

Joan Mansour

Kit & Hayne Leland

Marlene Bollhoffer

Beverly & Fritz Maytag

Angela Little

Gillian Kuehner & Norman Bookstein

Rod McChesney

Joan & Roger Mann C.R. Gus Manning & Rena Kirkpatrick

Ann & Winslow Briggs Barbara & Lawrence Cahn

Josephine Maxon

Lynne Carr

Barbara Morgan

Dr. Bruce & Susan Carter, in honor of Paul & Susan Sugarman

Tom Lee & Ida Jean Newton Phillip Phythian & Ann Hardam Commissioner Dennis Richards & Andrew Connors Maxine Rosston Louise Adler Sampson Adrienne & Theodore Savetnick Barbara & Reed Schmidt Burnie Sparks Sylvia J. Spengler, in memory of Alan J. Bearden

Elizabeth & Park Chamberlain Michael Colbruno

The Ruth Crosby Fund Jayne & Peter Davis Patricia Eastwood Viola & Jerald Evans Shirley & William George

Jane & Warren Zuckert

CAMERATA ($650 - $1,499) Anonymous (2) Herbert Abrams Robert & Elaine Allen Family Foundation

Neanna & Allan Miles M.A. Miller Evan Moore Betty & Gordon Moore Rebecca Moyle & Tyler Lange

Judith & Stuart Offer

Charles Crane

Dr. David L. White & Martha Truett

Elinor & Bruce Wilner

Barbara & Thomas Metcalf

Brenda & James Nirenstein

Glyde Cooper

Mary & Jurgen Exner

Wendy & Mason Willrich

Lisa & Theo Melas-Kyriazi

Janet & Bill Nicholls

Edward Conger

Chris Wagner

Mr. Theodore Weber, Jr.

Willinda & Peter McCrea

Joyce & Douglas Hamilton Nancy & Nicholas Haritatos Robert Hartman Nancy & Richard Heath Nina Hemenway & Chesley Herbert Susan & David Hodges Susan & Ernst Hoyer Robert Jarman Chrystal & James Kafka Maureen & David Kennedy

R. Tyler Andersen & Diane Green

Barbara Koepsell

Mary & Roger Ashley

Maribelle & Stephen Leavitt

Barbara Barkovich

Clifford Leventhal

Darla & Richard Bastoni

Claire & Herbert Lindenberger

Mrs. Mary Baxter

Harvey Lynch

Robert Larson

Anne Oliver Peter Pastreich & Jamie Whittington Stephen Pegors & Trista Berkovitz William Quackenbush Angèle & Michael Rice Catherine & Raymond Roberts Michael Sack Julie & Preston Sargent Linda & William Schieber Fritzi & Edgar Schoen Sara & John Schram Susanna & Dave Singer Ross Smith Steve John & Jason Snyder Scott Sochar Gayle & George Staehle Jonathan Stebbins & Jessica Donovan David Stein & Bill Stewart Sarah & Stephen Taber Barbara & Gregory Tanaka Claire Taylor

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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WITH GRATITUDE Ellen & Mike Turbow

J.P. Richards Dillingham

Martha & Arthur Luehrmann

Melanie & Ronald Wilensky

Jeanette & Peter Dunckel

Francis Lundy

Doris & Joseph Willingham

Steven A.R. Edwards

Stanley Mantell

Cathe & Gavin Wright

Sue Emmons

Kathleen McGreevy

Mary Ellen Fine

Margaret McKinnon

Jessena Finn

Steven Menzel

Cami & Ed Forhan

Helen & John Meyer

Lynette Francis

Julius Moshinsky & Suzanne Renne

$350 - $649 Anonymous (2) Frank Adams & Susan Bryan Carol & Robert Alter Freye Anderson John Anderson Shirley Armitano Mary Austin Troy Barbee Janice & William Belmont Janet & Chris Bensick Christel Bieri Robin L. Brasso Prudence & Henry Breitrose Jennifer Finger Connie & John Buchanan Mary Belle Bulwinkle & Michael Dukes Dorothy & William Clemens, in memory of Ed White Patricia Clemo & Robert Cooley Sheri & George Clyde Patricia & Peter Coffin Carol J. Cohen Michael Condie Margaret Conkey Robert Cook & Blanca Haendler Jane Coulter Don Cuffel & Dennis Crawford Homer Dalbey Diane de Forest Susan & Harry Dennis Jacqueline Desoer

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Perry Fry Julie & Jim Fulford Jeanne & Frederick Gabali Jici Gao Margaret Garms Beatrice & Paul Gomory Raymond Graf & Ann Kenfield-Graf Bernice Greene Mrs. Robert M. Greenhood Andrew Griffin Ann & R. Glenn Hammonds Carol Handelman John Harbaugh Marcia & Howard Herman Nona Hungate Leila & David Javitch Patrick & Julie Kennedy Nancy Hunt Kiesling Mary Kimball Dr. & Mrs. Kiraly Susan Klee & David Stoloff Iris & Hal Korol Barbara Kosnar & Tom Goldman Sharon & Ron Krauss Richard & Alice Kulka Carol Lokke Carol & Hal Louchheim Carolyn & David Lougee

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Alice Nadler Jeanne Newman Karen Nicholls Victor Ninov Anders Norlin Joan Norton, in memory of William Forkin Grace M. Parr Kirk Patterson Roseanne & Ray Perman Sandra & George Petty Naomi & David Pockell Linda & Nelson Polsby Rick Potter Helen & Dan Quinn Joan & Marty Ragno Anne Paxton Rains Catherine & Raymond Roberts Nancy Chappell Roberts Kenneth Robin Gerald Rosenstein Donald Sanford Paul J. Schmidt Kathy Canfield Shepard & John Shepard Dr. Dolores Shoback Allene Sieling John Sommer Linda & Fred Sondheimer


WITH GRATITUDE Mr. Richard M. Stanley

Noriko Tojo

Judy & Bill Botsford Warren

Ms. Francoise Stone

Martha Doerr Toppin

Ann & Thomas Watrous

Alison JF Teeman & G. Michael Yovino-Young

Megan Johnson & Dy Tran

Mary Wilson

Gayle & James Tunnell

Kelly Woodward

Elizabeth & Norman van Patten

John Zimmermann & Diana Graham

Thomas Tellefsen & Myrna Walton

Loekie & Johan Van Proosdij

Lava Thomas & Peter Danzig Alan & Ruth Tobey, Tobey Fund

Maura FitzGerald & Tom Walsh

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

BECOME A GUEST ARTIST HOST Do You….. …ever think about volunteering with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra? ….want to make a significant contribution to our organization? …wish to connect personally with world-renowned guest artists and out-of-town orchestra members, perhaps over a home-cooked meal or coffee in the morning? …live in the east bay and have a spare bedroom? Then you might make a wonderful

Guest Artist Host! During each concert set, we ask local PBO supporters to graciously open their homes for a few days to host our visiting musicians who will share the stage with our Orchestra. This unique opportunity offers a chance to both connect with our visiting musicians in a personal way and positively impact our bottom line. If you’d like to open your home and host our guest artists during the 2015/2016 season, please contact Myles K. Glancy at mglancy@philharmonia.org.

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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IN CONVERSATION

WITH STEVE JOHN AND JASON SNYDER Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is its own unique family. Musicians and board, subscribers, donors and everyone who’s ever attended a concert, all become passionate advocates of the orchestra’s mission. Because of this shared passion, we thought we’d take this opportunity to get to know each other better. We sat down with long-time friends Steve John and Jason Snyder and here’s what we learned.

Q&A

Q: Tell me a little about yourselves. Steve: I grew up in a small town in Idaho.

Educational pursuits led me to Utah where I met Jason and then we moved to San Francisco 20 years ago. I am a Principal at Korn/ Ferry International where I specialize in legal recruiting. Jason and I also share a passion for great food and drink that inspired our writing partnership and the launch of our food blog www.yourfoodchoices.com.

Jason: I started working quite young at

my grandfather’s bakery in Utah. I put myself through the University of Utah (studying film and English) working at another bakery and bartending. After graduation Jason and I moved to San Francisco where I realized my true passion for food, wine, and eventually whiskey. We became brand ambassadors for the Classic Malts of Scotland in the early 2000’s and have been learning about, pouring, and discussing whiskey for the last fifteen years.

Q: What was your first experience with classical music?

Steve:

My first real exposure to classical music came in the form of choral music in high school. While my choir years are decidedly behind me, I’m awestruck by the extraordinary work of Philharmonia’s Choral Director, Bruce Lamott, and the talented musicians of the Chorale.

Jason: Like most children of my generation,

I spent countless hours watching Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes. I’ll never forget the ‘The Rabbit (Barber) of Seville’ and ‘What’s Opera, Doc?’ Even though I had no idea I was actually listening to classical music or any idea who the composers were, Chuck Jones and Mel Blanc introduced me, along with millions of other children, to these classical scores.

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PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Steve John and Jason Snyder

Q: How did you discover Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra?

Steve & Jason: We came to Philharmonia

rather unusually in our roles as Brand Ambassadors for Diageo’s Single Malt Scotch portfolio. Diageo has been a long-time supporter of Philharmonia’s annual gala and we were asked to conduct a scotch tasting following the gala dinner several years ago. We had an opportunity to listen to the gala performances, and later attend a performance in Berkeley, and loved what we heard. It was sort of “love at first sight.” We’ve returned every year since.

Q: What is your favorite period instrument and why?

Steve: While it’s hard to pick a single favorite instrument given the rich variety of sounds produced by these magnificent pieces, I’m partial to the lute and, in particular, the ethereal sounds of the theorbo. Philharmonia’s David Taylor is a master and we’re so lucky to have him. It’s obvious to anyone who has watched and heard him perform that he loves what he does. ►


IN CONVERSATION

WITH STEVE JOHN AND JASON SNYDER ◄

Jason: The violin would be my favorite in-

strument. I played in grade school and enjoyed rehearsing but my parents and brothers found my off-tuned playing annoying and I eventually caved into family pressures and stopped playing in middle school. During performances I’m usually watching the string section and marvel at the skills of the wonderful musicians.

Q: Can you tell me your favorite memory of Nic over the years?

Steve: We first met Nic at the Philharmonia Gala where we were pouring whiskey. He was typically warm and welcoming. What we’ve seen

SAV E THE DATE! Nicholas McGegan 30th Anniversary Gala & Concert

over the years is a man who connects with people quickly and easily. Someone who cares about his audience and his musicians and finds joy in whimsy. My favorite memories of Nic are all those little moments of connection where he catches someone’s eye and gives them a big smile. When I think of Nic, I think of playfulness.

Jason: Over the years watching Nic conduct

the orchestra has been an inspiration. I’m overwhelmed by his joyfulness with the musicians. He seems to be having the time of his life on the stage. My favorite concert was the final performance of the 2013-2014 season. The extraordinary female voices in that performance of Vivaldi’s Juditha triumphans was an inspiration.

Don’t miss out on Philharmonia’s most exciting and important fundraising event of the year! On Thursday, February 11, 2016, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Waverley Fund Music Director Nicholas MeGegan with a special gala dinner at City Hall in San Francisco, followed by a special showcase concert with internationallyrecognized mezzo-soprano Susan Graham. The evening includes: • Cocktail party and delectable, seated dinner at City Hall • Silent & live auction showcasing one-of-a-kind items • Full concert at Herbst Theater featuring mezzo-soprano Susan Graham • A special Afterparty and dessert reception at City Hall All funds raised support the continued success of the orchestra’s artistic and education programs. For information about the Gala, including tickets, please contact Annual Fund and Events Manager Rachel Stone at rstone@philharmonia.org or (415) 252-1288 x307.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

5:00 p.m. – midnight City Hall, 1 Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, CA PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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Student Concerts

Break the Mold A

s a new concert season begins, Philharmonia’s 2015-16 Education Programs will also burst onto the scene. A gloriously rich suite of presentations will serve over four thousand adults and young people in communities throughout the Bay Area this year, and guess what? All of our programs are FREE to participating schools—making them a hot deal that is accessible to all students, regardless of their circumstances. The word is out, and applications to all of our free programs are available on the Orchestra’s website. The Student Concert and Matinee is our first offering this year. A full Orchestra performance with lively projected images, this event is designed as a field trip for children in grades 5-12. (The Student Concert is also popular among university, conservatory, and adult learning program students, and occasionally a kindergarten class will steal the show.) Philharmonia has presented Student Concerts to school groups over many years, but our presentations are a far cry from some of the ho-hum, standard affairs that students must sometimes endure. There will be no “dead wood” or placidity in our Orchestra—no way! Anyone who has heard Philharmonia knows that the musician’s passion is palpable in every performance. That’s a given. Not everyone realizes that most of our Orchestra’s musicians began their playing career in their school music program, and that our players are eager to “give back” to schools by performing for students. Philharmonia musicians love to show off the remarkable capabilities of our period instruments, impart the vivid history behind the music, and ensure that the audience has a rip-roaring good time in the process. That’s how we grow our “fan base,” and inspire students to follow our example.

Natural horn player RJ Kelley hits the high notes for a rapt Student Concert audience.

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PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Guest Artists Andreas Scholl (left) and Julian Wachner (right) explain some of the differences between operatic countertenors and castrati for a rapt audience during the 2014 Student Concert. Hopefully the next generation of Philharmonia musicians and their student audiences will experience as much excitement about Philharmonia’s music as the Orchestra does today!

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra’s 2015/2016 Education Programs Student Concert and Matinee for students Bach and Egarr: Brainiacs and Brandenburgs November 12 & 13, 2015 Join us for two free Student Concerts for students in grades 5-12 (older and younger students welcome.) The brilliant harpsichordist Richard Egarr will lead the Orchestra in an exhilarating exploration of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerts 3 and 5. The concert will illuminate for students the incredible genius behind these awesome compositions. This is a rare opportunity to learn


about the symbolism and unique tonal colors that once flooded Bach’s brain. Dates: November 12, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco and November 13, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the First Unitarian Methodist Church in Palo Alto.

Four In-School Programs for student groups of all ages Period Instrumentalists Play Historic Pop, November 16-20, 2015 Students will thrill to the sounds of crooks, slides, tubing, reeds, and gut strings when a sextet of original instruments (oboe, violin, horn, viola, bassoon, and bass) performs tunes that have remained popular for over two centuries. Through historic anecdotes, instrument demonstrations, and through their passion for their work, Philharmonia’s internationally respected teachers and performers will connect audiences to the colorful history behind the music.

Jammin’ Baroque Style: Melody and the Continuo Team, January 19-22, 2016 Students will discover how continuo players (cello and harpsichord) work together to shape a harmonic and rhythmic foundation for the melody (violin) in a baroque ensemble—in much the same way that a bass and rhythm instruments function in rock, jazz, fusion, and electronic music. Ornamentation and improvisation will be highlighted as creative stylistic elements, and students will have an opportunity to handle baroque style musical artifacts.

The Three Cellists: Leaders and Followers, February 3-5, 2016 Unlike many orchestras, Philharmonia’s players serve in various roles as soloists, principal players, or section players--contributing to the Orchestra’s famously lively, agile group dynamic. Through both solo and ensemble demonstrations, the Orchestra’s three principal cellists (Phoebe Carrai, William Skeen, and Tanya Tompkins) will help students to identify (and ultimately to develop) skills that are essential to fabulous ensemble playing and teamwork.

learn how the “inner voices” fill out a classical ensemble’s sound, how the instruments “converse,” and how classical composers have imaginatively built upon short motifs to create full-length masterpieces.

Family Concert: McGegan’s Musical Tour of Baroque Europe Saturday, March 5, 2015 Philharmonia’s Music Director Nicholas McGegan and the full Orchestra will delight families with a cruise through Baroque Europe’s masterworks, culminating in the “Grand Finale” when the audience can sing or play their own instruments with the Orchestra. The fun will continue with a “Musical Mingling” of Philharmonia musicians with the audience; experienced young players will have an opportunity to play a baroque keyboard, wind, or stringed instrument! Concert takes place at First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

Mobile Mentors Program In collaboration with teachers, specialists from Philharmonia’s Orchestra or Chorale coach school ensembles on repertoire in progress. A Mentor might offer stylistic suggestions, provide historical context about the composers and compositions, demonstrate important elements of performance practice, give practical advice about ensemble performance, and offer a perspective about careers in the field of music. Public Masterclasses led by Philharmonia’s Visiting Artists or Orchestra Members will be presented in collaboration with local universities and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Adult Lecture Series Philharmonia musicians give lecture demonstrations at institutions of higher learning, adult ESL programs, and in senior living facilities throughout the Bay Area by special arrangement. Philharmonia’s Student Access Initiative provides complimentary subscription concert tickets for students enrolled in participating Bay Area schools. A responsible adult (for whom a ticket will be provided) must accompany students under the age of 18.

Period Strings and Classical Genius, April 18-22, 2016

The Concert Access Partnership provides complimentary subscription concert tickets for students enrolled in participating charitable organizations.

Celebrating the creative genius of diverse composers (born in Europe, Africa, Brazil, and the West Indies), a string quartet from Philharmonia will introduce students to some of the historic innovations in ensemble and orchestra music that continue to excite today’s audiences. Students will

For more information about Philharmonia’s Education Programs, please e-mail Director of Education Lisa Grodin at lgrodin@philharmonia.org, or phone her at (415) 252-1288, x 916.

Pre-Concert Lectures by preeminent musicologists are free of charge.

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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This is the Messiah of the

season— as only Philharmonia Baroque can illuminate it.

HANDEL’S

essiah M with McGEGAN

December 19, 2015 at 7 pm

%

First Congregational Church, Berkeley

Nicholas McGegan, conductor % Amanda Forsythe, soprano % Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano Isaiah Bell, tenor % Tyler Duncan, baritone % Philharmonia Chorale - Bruce Lamott, director

Tickets start at $25 | Philharmonia.org | (415) 392-4400 Presented in partnership with Listener Supported KDFC Radio


PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

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9

Season

2015-2016

CONCERTS IN

BERKELEY SAN FRANCISCO PALO ALTO

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