OKC PHIL program for the 20-21 season, May 8, 2021, Classics Concert "American Stories- 'Tis a Gift"

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BRENT HART, President Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. Welcome to the (re)IMAGINE(d) 2020-21 season. It has been a long journey to get here and, on behalf of the OKC Phil family, we are so happy to have you join us. Music has the power to heal, to inspire and to unite in unmatched ways and I hope that you have enjoyed connecting with us through social media since last season. None of us could have imagined how much we would long for the opportunity to be together for this concert.

The OKC Phil plays a leading cultural role in Oklahoma City, providing Classics, Pops and Discovery concerts. Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate along with Executive Director Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev and her team have worked tirelessly to bring music to the stage, and your screens, this season. New this year, we are adding smaller ensemble performances in community settings to connect with new audiences. In addition to these performances, our community engagement and music education programs reach music lovers of all ages.

We are grateful to our patrons, donors and volunteers for your ongoing support. We also thank the Orchestra League and the Associate Board for their volunteer and fundraising efforts that make these programs possible. Now sit back, leave the world outside and enjoy the story that unfolds through each note.

KRISTEN BRANDT FERATE, President Oklahoma City Orchestra League This Season the Oklahoma City Philharmonic embarks on a (re)IMAGINE(d) adventure.

The Oklahoma City Orchestra League is honored to support this historic undertaking. The orchestral experiences offered this season will change the collective perspective.

The Orchestra League, founded in 1948, will move forward with our great and celebrated legacy. We will support music education and fundraising efforts of the Philharmonic. We will share in the knowledge gained from new forms of musical education, volunteerism and appreciation.

The Orchestra League membership offers a chance to witness history and help shape the future of symphonic music in our great city. I invite you to join us!

More information can be found at www.okcphil.org/about-us/orchestra-league

DAVID WHITE, President Associate Board On behalf of the Associate Board, welcome to the 2020-21 (re)IMAGINE(d) season. While the offerings may look a little different than in previous years you can always expect the same excellent entertainment and artistry from our Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

From Beethoven to Broadway, we have something in store for everyone.

The Associate Board brings together civic-minded young professionals to support and fulfill the mission of the PHIL. There’s more to the Philharmonic than concerts.

From classrooms to community outreach, the OKCPHIL is working to spread the joy of orchestral music across our state--and the Associate Board is proud to be a part of that work.

Thank you for supporting the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, we look forward to seeing you again soon. Enjoy the show!

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AGNIESZKA RAKHMATULLAEV Welcome to the OKCPHIL’s (re)IMAGINE(d) Season.

After a long pause, we are thrilled to be back and thank you for joining us on this journey!

While the majority of concert stages across the country remain silent, we wanted to find a way to continue our mission and bring live orchestral music to you and our community. With everyone’s safety and well-being as our top priority, we had to reimagine nearly every single aspect of our operations: from programming choices for each concert, to accommodating the needs of our patrons, continuing our partnership with area schools, and many more. Orchestrating the plan for each individual area required creative thinking, out-of-the-box approaches, collaboration, and a lot of hard work. We are pleased to present to you this unique season, shaped around the challenges of the unprecedented times we live in.

While this season might look and feel different, many of its components will remain the same, perhaps with a few twists.

The OKCPHIL’s Classics and Pops series will continue to bring high-caliber performances, presented in smaller settings to create a more intimate experience. The programming will

continue to be shaped by Maestro Mickelthwate’s artistic vision and desire to combine traditional repertoire with today’s music. And, of course, you will continue to be blown away by the talented musicians of our orchestra, some of whom will be featured as guest soloists. As part of this unique season, you will also notice a few new and exciting initiatives. Our concerts will be digitally available for those patrons who are not able to join us in the hall. Additionally, our musicians will frequently be performing in smaller settings in venues across the city, as part of our expanded Education and Community Engagement programs. We are excited about these new opportunities, as we broaden our reach, serve more people, and become more accessible in a different way.

Of course, none of this would be possible without YOU, our loyal patrons! We are sincerely grateful for your ongoing support, generosity, flexibility, and understanding that allow us to keep the music playing on our main stage, on your screen, or in your neighborhood. While we continue to navigate these turbulent waters, the OKCPHIL is committed to serving our mission as we strive to bring healing, unity, and hope to our entire community.

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ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE Beginning his third season as Music Director of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Conductor Alexander Mickelthwate’ s exciting musical programming has created a buzz across the city, drawing people from all walks of life to the concert hall. Originally from Germany Mickelthwate is also Music Director Emeritus of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada.

Since starting his Winnipeg tenure in 2006 he played a pivotal role in the rejuvenation and turnaround of the Winnipeg Symphony which culminated in a highly successful and critically acclaimed performance at Carnegie Hall in May 2014. The New York Times noted the performance was “conducted expertly,” and the New York Classical review stated “under music director Alexander Mickelthwate, they play with excellent intonation and such a fine overall blend and balance of sound that, on their own terms, they may be the best orchestra to appear in the week’s worth of concerts.”

Deeply rooted in his German heritage, Norman Lebrecht wrote about Mickelthwate’s interpretation of Mahler’s 10th Symphony with the Winnipeg Symphony: “Both Mahler 10 performances were intense and engaging. Every twist and turn in the score was fresh and surprising to my ears.”

And his interpretation of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 prompted the pianist Anton Kuerti to write a letter to the newspaper saying, “I would like to call attention to the stunning performance heard after the intermission. To play Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 with the passion, profundity, emotional intensity, subtlety and degree of perfection achieved by conductor Alexander Mickelthwate and the Winnipeg Symphony can only be called miraculous.”

In North America Alexander has guest conducted the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Saint Luke’s, Milwaukee Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and Toronto Symphony, among others.

His European debut was with the Hamburg Symphony. He also conducted the BBC London, Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Royal Scottish, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and NDR Hannover. Other notable performances include the Sao Paulo Symphony and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra in Venezuela. He made his Australia debut with the Adelaide Symphony and the Tasmania Orchestra where he recorded the Mozart piano concerti Nos. 7 and 10 with the Silber Garburg Duo. Alexander Mickelthwate has worked several times with Dame Evelyn Glennie conducting the world premiere of two new

percussion concerti by Vincent Ho. He also worked with Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Yuja Wang, Dawn Upshaw, Plácido Domingo, Ben Heppner, Horatio Gutiérrez, Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Sarah Chang, among many others, and he worked very closely with a wide range of composers including Phil Glass, Steve Reich, Sofia Gubaidulina, Kaija Saariaho, John Adams, John Luther Adams and Mason Bates.

After guest conducting the Simon Bolivar Orchestra and experiencing the life-changing power of the El Sistema program in Venezuela for underprivileged children, Alexander played an instrumental part in creating Sistema Winnipeg.

For three years Alexander created a critically acclaimed Indigenous Festival in Winnipeg. Passionate to connect with all cultures, he created artistic collaborations between First Nations and western cultures that culminated in the performances of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Revueltas’ Les Noches de loss Mayas with new choreographies of contemporary and First Nations dance.

The Winnipeg New Music Festival is an international institution.

Alexander broadened the repertoire and created many new collaborations connecting with different audiences. Because of the programming of the festival the WSO was chosen to perform at the Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall in 2014.

A few of the most creative projects of the festival for Alexander were the performance of movie director Guy Maddin’s Brand Upon a Brain with narration by actress Isabella Rossellini, the workshopping of a new opera Tesla by movie director Jim Jarmusch and composer Phil Klein, and a production of Gavin Bryar’s The Sinking of the Titanic at PanAm Pool.

Alexander has conducted for President Jimmy Carter and the Queen of England, and he received the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Key to the City of Winnipeg.

Born and raised in Frankfurt Germany to a musical family, Alexander received his degree from the Peabody Institute of Music.

He studied conducting under Fredric Prausnitz and Gustav Meier as well as with Seiji Ozawa, Andre Previn, Daniel Barenboim and Robert Spano at Tanglewood. Following his tenure as Assistant Conductor with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, which he completed in 2004, Alexander was Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for three years, under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen.

He is married to fashion designer Abigail Mickelthwate and has two sons.

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OKLAHOMA PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, INC.

P R O V I D I N G

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lifetime Directors

Officers

Debra Kos Kristian Kos David McLaughlin Margaret Freede Owens Donald Rowlett Kelly Sachs Jennifer Schultz Michael Sweeney Glenna Tanenbaum J. Mark Taylor Tony Welch Cheryl Brashear White David White Renate Wiggin Nick Wu

Jane B. Harlow Patrick Alexander

Brent Hart President

Directors

Jane Jayroe Gamble President Elect

Steve Agee Robyn Birdwell Lori Dickinson Black Phil Busey Robert Clements Lawrence H. Davis Veronica Pastel Egelston Kristen Ferate Joy Hammons Dean Jackson Michael E. Joseph Kathy Kerr Wesley Knight

Melissa Scaramucci Vice President Kevin Dunnington Treasurer Jerrod Shouse Secretary Jeff Starling Immediate Past President

Honorary Directors Richard Sias

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Tara Burnett Associate Director of Development

Daryl Jones Box Office Operations Manager

Chris Stinchcomb Concert Operations & Guest Artist Liaison

Jeana Gering Education Manager

Chris Merkle General Manager

Corbin Taggart Customer Service Representative

Daniel Hardt Finance Director

Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev Executive Director

Susan Webb Marketing & P.R. Director

Judy Hill Administrative Assistant

Whitney Redding Development and Volunteer Coordinator

Stephen Howard Development Operations Manager

Ulises Serrano Digital Strategies Coordinator

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Classical KUCO 90.1 Garman Productions

Morningstar Properties Oklahoma City Police Association

George Ryan Stubble Creative, Inc.

The Skirvin Hotel Titan AVL

Photographers: Michael Anderson, David Bricquet, Rick Buchanan, Heather Hanson, Mutz Photography, Shevaun Williams and Associates, Ulises Serrano

THE OKLAHOMA PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, INC. 424 Colcord Drive, Ste. B • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 Tickets: 405-842-5387 • Administration: 405-232-7575 • Fax: 405-232-4353 • www.okcphil.org

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AFFLIATED PARTNERS

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation was established to provide leadership and endowment expertise to help ensure a stable financial base for orchestral music and musical excellence in Oklahoma City for generations to come. Distributions from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation provide a meaningful and secure source of annual income for the Philharmonic’s operations, continually confirming the importance of endowment in an organization’s longrange planning and overall success.

Current officers and directors of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation are: OFFICERS Douglas J. Stussi President Charles E. Wiggin Vice President Louise Cleary Cannon Treasurer Penny M. McCaleb Secretary DIRECTORS Steven C. Agee Patrick B. Alexander J. Edward Barth L. Joe Bradley Teresa Cooper T.A. Dearmon Paul Dudman Thomas J. Enis Mischa Gorkuscha Jane B. Harlow Brent Hart Michael E. Joseph Harrison Levy, Jr. Duke R. Ligon Jessica Martinez-Brooks Michael J. Milligan Alice Pippin Jeff Starling Richard Tanenbaum

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Kristen Ferate President Debra Kos President-Elect Julia Hunt Secretary Newt Brown Treasurer Meredith Blecha-Wells Development VP Marion Burcham Membership VP Sherry Rowan Education VP Joan Bryant Communications VP Wendi Wilson Past President, Ex-Officio Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev Executive Director Oklahoma City Philharmonic (Ex-Officio, Advisory) BOARD OF DIRECTORS Helen Chiou Jeannie Drake Yvette Fleckinger Sue Francis Jane Krizer Patsy Lucas Geetika Verma Heather Walter Dwayne Webb Orchestra League Office 424 Colcord Dr., Ste. B Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 Phone: 405.232.7575 Fax: 405.232.4353 e-mail: league@okcphil.org website: www.okcorchestraleague.org

OFFICERS David White President Christa Bentley President-Elect Jay Scrambler Secretary Sam Rainbolt Membership Chair Kelsey Karper Marketing Chair Tyler Larson Events Chair DIRECTORS J. Cruise Berry John Cannon Peter Harlin Patrick E. Randall, II Kara Simpson Desiree Singer Jennifer Stadler Collin Walke Jabee Jackie Zamarippa

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ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, Music Director and Conductor JOEL LEVINE, Founder and Music Director Emeritus AGNIESZKA RAKHMATULLAEV, Executive Director

FIRST VIOLIN

Gregory Lee, Concertmaster Gertrude Kennedy Chair Marat Gabdullin, Associate Concertmaster Densi Rushing, Assistant Concertmaster Sam Formicola Hong Zhu Beth Sievers James Thomson Benjamin Shute Deborah McDonald Janet Gorton Lu Deng Ai-Wei Chang*

SECOND VIOLIN

Katrin Stamatis, Principal McCasland Foundation Chair Catherine Reaves Sophia Ro Brenda Wagner Sarah Sanford-Brown Corbin Mace Angelica Pereira Cindy Zhang Laura Young* Ashley Cooper*

VIOLA

Royce McLarry, Principal Mark Neumann Joseph Guevara Kelli Ingels Steve Waddell Donna Cain Brian Frew Shaohong Yuan* Lacie Savage* Julie Dodge*

CELLO

Jonathan Ruck, Principal Orchestra League Chair Tomasz Zieba, Associate Principal Meredith Blecha-Wells

Valorie Tatge Emily Stoops Jim Shelley Angelika Machnik-Jones Jean Statham Rob Bradshaw* Ann Wilson*

BASS

Anthony Stoops, Principal Larry Moore Parvin Smith Mark Osborn Jesus Villarreal* Christine Craddock* Kara Koehn*

FLUTE

Valerie Watts, Principal Parthena Owens Nancy Stizza-Ortega

PICCOLO

Nancy Stizza-Ortega

OBOE

Lisa Harvey-Reed, Principal Dan Schwartz Katherine McLemore

CONTRABASSOON Barre Griffith

HORN

Kate Pritchett, Principal G. Rainey Williams Chair James Rester Mirella Gable Matthew Reynolds

TRUMPET

Karl Sievers, Principal Jay Wilkinson Michael Anderson

TROMBONE

John Allen, Acting Principal Philip Martinson

TUBA

Ted Cox, Principal

TIMPANI

Jamie Whitmarsh, Principal

PERCUSSION

Patrick Womack, Acting Principal Roger Owens

ENGLISH HORN

HARP

Dan Schwartz

Gaye LeBlanc Germain, Principal

CLARINET

PIANO

Bradford Behn, Principal Tara Heitz James Meiller

BASS/E-FLAT CLARINET James Meiller

BASSOON

Rod Ackmann, Principal James Brewer Barre Griffith Larry Reed*

Peggy Payne, Principal

PERSONNEL MANAGER John P. Allen

MUSIC LIBRARIAN Jose Batty

STAGE MANAGER Leroy Newman

*Denotes Substitute and Extra Musicians Please Note: The seating positions of all string sections change on a regular basis.

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PLANNED GIVING

O F T H E O K L A H O M A P H I L H A R M O N I C S O C I E T Y, I N C .

The Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. is honored to recognize its Encore Society members — visionary thinkers who have provided for the future of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic through their estate plans.

Anonymous (3)

Joel Levine and Don Clothier

Steven C. Agee, Ph.D.

John and Caroline Linehan

Patrick and Linda Alexander

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin C. Lunde, Jr.

Gary and Jan Allison

Mrs. Jackie Marron

Dr. Jay Jacquelyn Bass

Mr. and Mrs. John McCaleb

Louise Cleary Cannon

Jean and David McLaughlin

Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Clements

W. Cheryl Moore

Thomas and Rita Dearmon

Carl Andrew Rath

Dr. and Mrs. James D. Dixson

Mrs. Catherine Reaves

Hugh Gibson

Mr. and Mrs. William J. Ross

Pam and Gary Glyckherr

Drs. Lois and John Salmeron

Carey and Gayle Goad

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Shdeed

Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Gowman

Richard L. Sias

Carol M. Hall

Doug and Susie Stussi

Ms. Olivia Hanson

Larry and Leah Westmoreland

Jane B. Harlow

Mr. John S. Williams

Dr. and Mrs. James Hartsuck

Mr. and Mrs. Don T. Zachritz

Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Joseph

THANK YOU The Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. is grateful for the support of caring patrons who want to pass on a legacy of extraordinary music to future generations. You can join this special group of music enthusiasts by including a gift for the OKC Philharmonic’s future in your own will or estate plan. For more information on how to become an Encore Society member, contact Tara Burnett at (405) 232-7575 or tara@okcphil.org.

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MEET THE MUSICIANS

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC

DR. SOPHIA RO Dr. Sophia Ro plays in the second violin section with the OKCPHIL. She is an active recitalist, chamber and orchestral musician, and a passionate educator. Born in Seoul, Korea, she moved to NYC to study at Manhattan School of Music in 1999. Subsequently she has received her Masters from Boston University and her Doctorate from the University of North Texas. Additionally she serves as concert master for the Oklahoma Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Ro performs and teaches around the world, including such locations as New York, Boston, Dallas, San Francisco, Sacramento, Taiwan and Korea.

What would you like the OKCPHIL patrons to know about you?

I can be bold and adventurous, and have endless passion for learning about myself and the world.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love cooking and experimenting with recipes and creating my own. Recently I started cooking with vegan recipes but alternating with Korean seasonings.

JAMES RESTER James Rester is currently the Second Horn with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. His musical career began in the Army Field Band near Washington DC. In addition, James was the Principal Horn with the Annapolis and Reading Symphonies — as well as Third Horn in the Delaware Symphony. Prior to moving to Oklahoma City, James frequently performed and recorded with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, and the National Football League.

What inspired you to choose horn?

I originally planned to play drums but my mother insisted I try horn first. After two weeks in beginner band, I came home and informed my mother I’d play horn the rest of my life and vowed to make a living doing it.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I recently began homesteading in Hughes County with my better half, our third hornist (Mirella Gable)! It’s exhausting work but great exercise.

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GIFTS TO THE PHILHARMONIC The Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra gratefully acknowledge the commitment and generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies that support our mission. To help us provide inspiration and joy to the community through live orchestral performances and a variety of education and community engagement programs, please contact the Philharmonic’s Development Office at (405) 232-7575.

This Annual Fund recognition reflects contributions made in the 2020-2021 season. Contributions of $250 and above are listed through April 26, 2021.

If your name has been misspelled or omitted, please accept our apologies and inform us of the error by calling the phone number listed above. Thank you for your generous support!

CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT Express their generous commitment to the community.

UNDERWRITER $40,000 & Above Allied Arts Foundation Delaware Resource Group of Oklahoma, LLC E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation Inasmuch Foundation Kirkpatrick Foundation Inc. Oklahoma Arts Council Oklahoma City Orchestra League, Inc. The Oklahoman The Skirvin Hilton Hotel

OGE Energy Corp.

Tyler Media Co./Magic 104.1FM and KOMA W&W Steel, LLC

GOLD SPONSORS $5,000 - $9,999 Bank of Oklahoma Clements Foods Foundation Garman Productions Mekusukey Oil Company, LLC The Metro Restaurant

PLATINUM SPONSORS $10,000 - $39,999

SILVER SPONSORS $3,000 - $4,999

405 Magazine Ad Astra Foundation American Fidelity Foundation Devon Energy Corporation Express Employment International HSPG and Associates, PC I Heart Media Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Mathis Brothers Furniture Co., Inc. MidFirst Bank

The Friday Intrinsic Health OK Gazette

BRONZE SPONSORS $2,250 - $2,999 The Black Chronicle Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES AND FOUNDATIONS Double the impact of an individual’s gift.

American Fidelity Foundation Bank of America Matching Gifts Program

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The Boeing Company Inasmuch Foundation

GOLD PARTNERS $1,500 - $2,249 Charlesson Foundation Morningstar Properties, LLC

SILVER PARTNERS $1,000 - $1,499 Trade Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

BRONZE PARTNERS $500 - $999 Hatton Enterprises Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers Tom Johnson Investment Management LLC

BUSINESS MEMBERS $250 - $499 The Kerr Foundation, Inc.

GIFTS TO THE PHILHARMONIC MAESTRO SOCIETY Providing leadership support.

Underwriter $25,000 and above

Guarantor $10,000 and above

Benefactor $5,000 - $9,999

Phil G. and Cathy Busey Freede Family Foundation Joel Levine and Don Clothier Jean and David McLaughlin George Records Mr. Richard L. Sias and Alice and Phil Pippin Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum

Steven C. Agee, Ph.D. Linda and Patrick Alexander Marilyn and Bill Boettger Lawrence H. and Ronna C. Davis Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Evans, II Mr. and Mrs. John A. Frost Jane B. Harlow Andria and Paul Heafy Mary Ann Holdrege Mr. and Mrs. J. Clifford Hudson Mr. Albert Lang Larry and Polly Nichols Doug and Susie Stussi Renate and Chuck Wiggin

Mark and Julie Beffort Mrs. Betty D. Bellis-Mankin Mr. and Mrs. John Biggs Dr. and Mrs. L. Joe Bradley Louise Cleary Cannon and Gerry Cannon Mrs. Teresa Cooper James B. Crawley Mr. and Mrs. David C. DeLana Gerald and Jane Jayroe Gamble John and Claudia Holliman Donald Rowlett Ruth Mershon Fund

INDIVIDUALS Providing essential support for the Annual Fund.

Patron ($3,500 - $4,999) Mike and Dawn Borelli Mrs. Bonnie B. Hefner Michael J. Sweeney, Jr.

Sustainer ($2,250 - $3,499) Dr. and Mrs. Dewayne Andrews Dr. and Mrs. John C. Andrus Larry and Sarah Blackledge Mrs. Carole S. Broughton Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Browne Bruce Campbell Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Clements Mr. and Mrs. Sidney G. Dunagan David and Druanne Durrett Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Fleckinger Frank Goforth and Nancy Halliday Sam and Joy Hammons Brent Hart and Matt Thomas Dr. and Mrs. James Hartsuck Tom and Cindy Janssen

Kim and Michael Joseph Kathy and Terry Kerr Debra and Kristian Kos Dr. and Mrs. Patrick McKee Todd and Mary Margaret Miller Annie Moreau, MD Ms. Veronica Pastel Egelston Mr. William G. Paul Mrs. Ruby C. Petty Mr. and Mrs. Jerry W. Plant Drs. Gary and Mary Porter Mr. H.E. Rainbolt Drs. Lois and John Salmeron Dr. and Mrs. Hal Scofield Jerrod and Jamie Shouse John and Katherine Spaid Jim and Debbie Stelter Mr. and Mrs. John E. Stonecipher Mrs. Billie Thrash Donna Kennedy Vogel Mrs. Janet Walker

Ron and Janie Walker John and Lou Waller Dr. James and Elizabeth Wise Mrs. Anne Workman Jeanise Wynn

Associate ($1,500 - $2,249) Mrs. Mary Louise Adams Virginia and Albert Aguilar Mr. and Mrs. Louis Almaraz Ms. Zonia Armstrong Sterling and Cheryl Baker Dr. and Mrs. William L. Beasley William and Melissa Beck Nick and Betsy Berry Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Bethea Dr. and Mrs. Philip C. Bird Robyn Birdwell and Mark Fixley Ms. Pamela Bloustine Mr. and Mrs. Del Boyles Mrs. Phyllis Brawley CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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SPECIAL EVENT GIFTS

Thank you to the following who believed in our mission by supporting the 2020 Symphony Show House!

Headlining Show House Patron

Benefactor

Mrs. Josephine Freede Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum

Mr. and Mrs. John Biggs John and Sue Francis Dick and Julia Hunt Margaret and Drake Keith John and Anna McMillin Angela Miller Drs. John and Lois Salmeron Benjamin Williams

Silver Patron Lance and Cindy Ruffel Jean and David McLaughlin

Bronze Patron Teresa Cooper Dr. and Mrs. William L. Parry Mrs. June Tucker Dr. Don and Eleanor Whitsett The Meinders Foundation

Friend Ms. Janice B. Carmack Carole Doerner Mrs. Lou Kerr/The Kerr Foundation, Inc. Cinda Lafferty

Larry and Deanna Pendleton Meg Salyer Judith Clouse Steelman

Supporter Joe and Kerry Bocock Alix Darden Karen Delaney Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider Linda Mason Pamela Parker Kate Pritchett and Neal Kellogg Myrna Ranney Michael Winters Bev Wood

Thank you to the Talented Designers who made the 2020 Symphony Show House a Reality!

Elizabeth Richardson, Adorn Rosinna Gies, Amini’s Galleria Rachael Gruntmeir, The Black Scintilla Tuesday Fay and Halah Songer, Bob Mills Furniture Abbie Wilkerson, Aleks Payne, Victor Goetz and Doris Medrano, Calvert’s Plant Interiors Crystal Carte, Carte’s Interiors Shara Castillo, Castle Rock Granite Cindy Raby, Cindy Raby Interiors Patti Williams, The Enchanted Cottage Nora Johnson, Johnson Manor Interior Design Katelynn Henry, Steve Calonkey and Steve Simpson, Henry Home Interiors Patty Tippit, Home Dazzle Jeff Muse and Beth Ketchum, K&N Interior Fabrics Lezley Lynch, Lezley Lynch Designs Dr. Kari Lopez, Renae Brady and Tracy Knoche, LOREC Ranch Home Furnishings

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Lynda Savage, Lynda Savage Art Nathan R. Hughes and Maria Magana, Mathis Design Studio Keven Calonkey Carl, ASID, NCIDQ, Cassidy Brunsteter, Allied ASID, and Lance Whitlow, Mister Robert Fine Furniture & Design Cindy Curley and Ryan Johnson, Norwalk Design Ronette Wallace, OTW Interiors and Suburban Contemporary Furniture Deb Johnson, Paint Inspirations, Inc. Duff Jack, Suburban Furniture Julie Miller, Tin Lizzie’s J. Mark Taylor, RID, Assoc. ASID, Traditions Fine Furniture & Design Pam Smart, Vintage Gypsy Steve Winters and Lisa Smallwood, Winter House Interiors

THANK YOU

Endowment Campaign Donors In celebration and in honor of Maestro Joel Levine and the founders of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

Louise Cleary Cannon In Memory of Bill Cleary Lawrence H. and Ronna C. Davis The Estate of Lois Marie Fees The Kirkpatrick Family Fund Joel Levine and Don Clothier Michael and Catherine Reaves Susan Robinson Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Clements Ms. Barbara Crabtree The Payne Family Mrs. Josephine Freede Pam and Gary Glyckherr In Memory of Jackson Cash Lamb Jane B. Harlow Kim and Michael Joseph Doug and Susie Stussi Dr. and Mrs. Dewayne Andrews Anonymous In Honor of June H. Parry Mr. J. Edward Barth Valerie and Joe Couch Molly and Jim Crawley David and Jan DeLana Annie Moreau, M.D. Mr. William G. Paul Presbyterian Health Foundation Leah and Larry Westmoreland Anne W. Workman Mr. and Mrs. Don T. Zachritz Karen Beckman Linda and Morris Blumenthal Jo Carol Cameron Ms. Janice B. Carmack Shirley E. Dearborn, M.D.

Gwen Decassios Charles and Dorothy Ellis John and Sue Francis Stephen P. and Nancy R. Friot Ms. Joan Gilmore Jerry H. and Judy Johnson L. M. Johnston, Ph.D. The Kerr Foundation, Inc. Gerry Mayes Ronald T. and Linda Rosser McDaniel Mr. and Mrs. Michael R. Perri Dr. and Mrs. Marvin D. Peyton Gary and Carol Sander John W. and Rose Steele Mrs. Dorothy J. Turk Dr. Don and Eleanor Whitsett Anonymous Dr. and Mrs. John C. Andrus Norwood Beveridge Carla Borgersen In Honor of Maestro Joel Levine Mr. and Mrs. Bob G. Bunce Dr. and Mrs. Don R. Carter Ms. Martha A. Custer Mr. and Mrs. Sam Decker Sarah Jane Gillett In Memory of Ken McKinney Julia and Dick Hunt Colonel (ret.) Dean and Mrs. Jeanne Jackson Patricia Matthews Ms. Carol McCoy Cheryl Moore Judy and Wes Morrison Michael and Ginger Penn Ms. Margaret L. Price Tommie and Gary Rankin Dean Rinehart Janice and Lee Segell Cindy Solomon Tom and Venita Springfield K. Kay Stewart Paula and Carl Stover Dorothy and Udho Thadani

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AMERICAN STORIES – ‘TIS A GIFT May 8, 2021 8:00 P.M.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC

CLASSICS

“DOLLARS AND DAN”

VALERIE WATTS FLUTE

GAYE LEBLANC GERMAIN HARP

BARBER .................... Adagio for Strings

In the late 1970’s, I relocated from Austin to Oklahoma leaving behind a career in academia, and spent the next 25 years developing the Schlotzsky’s franchise in the metro area. Then after the sale of the business, ready for another career change, I was fortunate to be able to apply my experience in finance to agencies in the non-profit sector whose missions were close to my heart. And 13 years ago, I was able to indulge one of those passions when I was hired as the Finance Director of the OKC Phil.

For me, this opportunity was the “dream job” I had always hoped for, as for many seasons, I had been a subscriber and donor to the Phil’s Classics Series, and to this day I feel so fortunate to be able to continue to enjoy the high standard of classical music performance the Phil provides to our community.

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE CONDUCTOR

KILPATRICK .............. Concerto for Flute and Strings, Op. 137*

Valerie Watts, flute

LASH, H .................... Concerto No. 1 for Harp and Chamber Orchestra*

Gaye LeBlanc Germain, harp

COPLAND ................. Appalachian Spring: Suite

*First Performance on this series

THIS CONCERT IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

Daniel Hardt Finance Director Text CLASSICS to 95577 to stay up to date on the latest Philharmonic info.

Listen to a broadcast of this performance on KUCO 90.1 FM on Wednesday, June 2 at 8 pm and Saturday, June 5 at 8 am on “Performance Oklahoma”. Simultaneous internet streaming is also available during the broadcast.

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VALERIE WATTS Valerie Watts is principal flute with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and professor of flute at the University of Oklahoma, School of Music. Her appointment at the University of Oklahoma includes membership of its resident faculty quintet, The Oklahoma Woodwind Quintet. During the summers, Dr. Watts has taught at the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute (1995-2006) and continues to perform as principal flute with the with the New Hampshire Music Festival orchestra since 1998. A finalist for the 1993 Festivales Internacionales de Flautistas Enterprises, Dr. Watts has been the featured performer at festivals abroad (Classic Music Seminar, Eisentstadt, Austria; Natal, Brazil; Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada and American Music Festival, Geneva, Switzerland) and performed solo and chamber music engagements as well in the United States (California, New Hampshire, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and South Carolina). She was the artist-in-residence at Xu Beihong, School of the Arts, Renmin University in Beijing, China (October 2006). In 2001, she was featured on a concert promoting music by Oklahoman composers performing Michael Hennagin’s Sonata for Flute and Piano at the National Flute Association convention in Dallas, Texas. In 2012 and 2020, she was invited again to the NFA conventions in Las Vegas, Nevada and Dallas, Texas to honor her mentors Bonita Boyd (recipient of the NFA Lifetime Achievement Award) and Walfrid Kujala.

An enthusiastic student of early music performance practice, Dr. Watts was granted a fellowship to attend the 1994 Bach Aria Festival and Institute at Stony Brook, NY. She has recorded with CBS Masterworks, Integra and W.W. Norton labels. Dr. Watts received her Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Music and MM and DMA degrees, including the Performer’s Certificate, from the Eastman School of Music.

GAYE LEBLANC GERMAIN “Known for her passionate interpretations, Gaye LeBlanc Germain is a ‘very dynamic and solid musician.’” She has been principal harpist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic since 1996, Fort Smith Symphony, (AR) from 2002 - 2015 and was part of the All-Star Orchestra at Arizona Musicfest from 2009 - 2018. She also has been principal harpist with the Amici New York orchestra at OK Mozart festival since 2005.

As well as performing, her passion is also teaching. Ms. LeBlanc is currently the Visiting Assistant Harp Professor at the University of Oklahoma since 1998 where she teaches harp, harp ensemble, harp orchestral literature, harp pedagogy and two classes of Understanding Music. She also held a one-year position as the harp faculty at the University of North Texas in 2005 – 2006. Additionally, she has been on the harp faculty at Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Before making Norman, Oklahoma her home, Ms. LeBlanc was principal harpist in several ensembles in the Dallas regional area: Richardson Symphony, Irving Symphony, Plano Chamber Orchestra, Abilene Philharmonic, Abilene Opera, Turtle Creek Chorale, Dallas Orpheus Chamber Singers, Shreveport (LA) Symphony and Pine Bluff (AR) Symphony. She was also chosen to travel Europe for six weeks as principal harpist with the North Carolina School of the Arts. Ms. LeBlanc has recorded with the Orpheus Chamber Singers, Octavia Harp Ensemble, and recently finished her second Naxos recording of the William Grant Still Symphonies with the Fort Smith Symphony.

She received a patent for the construction of a Harp Stand to take the weight off the harpists’ shoulder in 2011.

Ms. LeBlanc received her Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance at the University of North Texas with Ellen Ritscher where she began her harp studies at the age of 20 after many years of piano, organ and flute. She also received her Masters of Music in Harp Performance at Southern Methodist University with Susan Pejovich. More extensive training consisted of two summers at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and five summers at the Salzedo School with Alice Chalifoux.

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Adagio for Strings Samuel Barber First Performance: 10/29/1944 Conductor: Victor Alessandro Last Performance: 5/11/2013 Conductor: Joel Levine Born: March 9, 1910, in West Chester, Pennsylvania Died: January 23, 1981, in New York City Work composed: Summer 1936 Work premiered: in its original string-quartet setting on December 14, 1936, by the Pro Arte Quartet at the Villa Aurelia in Rome; in its orchestral version on November 5, 1938, in a radio broadcast by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Instrumentation: String orchestra, including double basses, with sections sometimes divided

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sustained chords that change with note-by-note reluctance, all of it building into a powerful climax at the high end of the instruments’ range and then quickly receding to the contemplative quietude that ultimately defines this musical expanse. As the subject of an analysis, this movement reveals little that qualifies as really remarkable—nothing, surely, that easily explains the emotional wallop it packs. It is indeed “a knock-out,” as Barber reported, and it rose to superstardom when Barber arranged it as his standalone Adagio for Strings, scaled up for sections of two violins, viola, two cellos, and double bass. That version was first heard on November 5, 1938, in a radio broadcast by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony. “Imagine!” Barber recalled in 1960. “[Walter] Primrose was the first violist then, and Alfred Wallenstein was the principal cellist.

Wallenstein has always said to me that he felt this was one of Toscanini’s greatest performances. What luck for a young composer to have such a first performance!”

Making Arrangements

Although Samuel Barber’s chamber music occupies a small chapter in his catalogue, it contains one of the most beloved compositions in all of American music, the slow movement that stands at the heart of his String Quartet, Op. 11, composed in 1936 and recast two years later as his Adagio for Strings. As its opus number suggests, the String Quartet was an early work; he wrote it as an emerging composer while he was traveling in Italy and Austria. Before he arrived in Austria, Barber alerted Orlando Cole, the cellist of the Curtis String Quartet, that he might have a new piece for the group to include in its upcoming European tour. It was not ready in time, but at least some of it moved ahead.

On September 19, he wrote to Cole: “I have just finished the slow movement of my quartet today—it is a knock-out! Now for a Finale.”

Barber continued to re-write that finale for several years until the quartet was finally published in 1943, but the slow movement seemed perfectly crafted right from the start.

It is unquestionably the heart of the work even though its materials are slight: a very slow and extended melody built from step-wise intervals, slightly varied through numerous repetitions, uncoiling over (or in the midst of)

After transcribing the Adagio of his String Quartet into the orchestral Adagio for Strings, Barber would go on to adapt it also for chorus, in 1967, as a setting of the Agnus Dei text. Beyond that he bestowed his nihil obstat on arrangements made for organ by William Strickland, for clarinet choir by Lucien Cailliet, for woodwind ensemble by John O’Reilly, and for solo piano by Larry Rosen. Still, it is as a string quartet that this remarkable movement was conceived, and the string-orchestra version is the one that listeners are most likely to encounter.

—JMK

Toscanini soon included the Adagio for Strings in his European and South American tour programs, and this sparked a debate among esthetes over the merits of modernist vs. retrograde musical style, with Barber being deemed to represent the latter. Though interesting, the argument was moot, and the Adagio for Strings promptly became an icon of American music. Particularly associated with grief-laden situations, it was aired in memorial concerts and broadcasts following the deaths of at least two American presidents—Franklin D. Roosevelt (in 1945) and John F. Kennedy (in 1963). It was excerpted for the soundtracks of films including The Elephant Man (1980) and El norte (1983), as well Oliver Stone’s 1986 Platoon, where it made heartrending impact. Even composers who would be cited as more forward-looking presences in American music had no trouble applauding the special qualities of Barber’s Adagio. In a 1982 BBC broadcast, Aaron Copland declared: “It’s really well felt, it’s believable, you see, it’s not phoney.

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… It comes straight from the heart, to use old-fashioned terms. The sense of continuity, the steadiness of the flow, the satisfaction of the arch that it creates from beginning to end. They’re all very gratifying, satisfying, and it makes you believe in the sincerity which he obviously put into it.”

And William Schuman, not only a distinguished composer but also for many years the president of The Juilliard School and the first president of Lincoln Center, said in the same broadcast: “It’s so precise emotionally. The emotional climate is never left in doubt. It begins, it reaches its climax, it makes its point, and it goes away. For me it’s never a warhorse; when I hear it played I’m always moved by it.”

Concerto for Flute and Strings, Op. 137 (1953) Jack Frederick Kilpatrick First Performance on this Series Self-identified Cherokee Native Jack Frederick Kilpatrick

Throughout his career, J. Kilpatrick taught at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the Navy School of Music in Washington D.C., and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, eventually becoming the chairman of the Department of Music there; he was also the music critic for the Dallas Times Herald and a program writer for the Dallas Symphony. In addition to his teaching and professional career, he worked as the composer and arranger for the WPA Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra and had several premiers from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the San Antonio Symphony, and Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra (now the Oklahoma City Philharmonic). His works were performed by an illustrious list of incredible conductors, including Leopold Stokowski, Hans Kindler, Thor Johnson, José Iturbi, Efrem Kurtz, Vladimir Golschmann, Walter Hendl, Victor Kolar, and Fabien Sevitzky. He also worked closely with Victor Alessandro, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s music director from 1938-1951, and Guy Fraser Harrison, the ensemble’s music director from 1951-1973.

Concerto for Flute and Strings, Op. 137, was completed on January 5, 1952 in Dallas, Texas. Throughout his career, J. Kilpatrick would combine late romantic orchestration techniques with his own personal knowledge of American Indian folksongs, melodies, and musical histories. The concerto begins with a lyrical opening movement filled with an effervescent and yearning beauty, where the influence of French impressionists like Debussy and Ravel combines with open harmonies reminiscent of the American Plains to create the unique sound of J. Kilpatrick’s compositions.

The second movement draws more from Oklahoma and the American heartland, with a sophisticated and unabashedly pretty melody that effortlessly unfurls. The second movement then leads us into the innocent and playful dance-like third movement that showcases Kilpatrick’s penchant for showcasing American Indian and American melodies through classical structures and orchestration.

The music of Jack Frederick Kilpatrick is truly a creation of Oklahoma.

Self-identified Cherokee Native Jack Frederick Kilpatrick was born and raised in Stilwell Oklahoma (1915 - 1967).

He composed 188 major works, including symphonies, concertos, and choral music, and additionally composed extensively for the screen and stage. Anna Gritts Kilpatrick and her husband Jack Frederick Kilpatrick are well known for their academic writing and work on preserving Cherokee performance traditions, histories, religion, and medicine.

However, unknown to most, J. Kilpatrick is also believed to be one of the first professional American Indian classical composers. In a recent discovery, J. Kilpatrick’s personal manuscript collection and hand-written notes were found at the University of Oklahoma. This discovery opened a window into the mediated intercultural and musical experiences of J. Kilpatrick and the Oklahoma Cherokee during the midtwentieth century.

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Notes written by Dr. Christina Giacona

Concerto No. 1 for Harp and Chamber Orchestra Hannah Lash First Performance on this Series Born: November 22, 1981, in Alfred, New York Work composed: 2015 Work premiered: October 23, 2015, at Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall, New York, with George Manahan conducting the American Composers Orchestra and the composer as soloist Instrumentation: Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, timpani, bass drum, and strings, in addition to the solo harp

PROGRAM NOTES dramatic chamber pieces), which have been mounted by organizations including New York City Opera’s VOX incentive and Guerilla Opera in Boston. It comes as no surprise that she has written a number of pieces spotlighted her own instrument. In addition to her Concerto No. 1 for Harp and Chamber Orchestra (2015, played here), her catalogue now includes her Harp Concerto No. 2 (2016, with full orchestra), her Peril of Dreams for Two Harps and Orchestra (2019, commissioned by the Seattle Symphony), and her Double Concerto for Piano, Harp, and Orchestra (2019), plus numerous solo and chamber pieces. This is a boon for concert harpists, since the instrument’s somewhat arcane technique can prove elusive to composers hoping to treat the harp effectively and idiomatically.

From the Composer

Hannah Lash enjoys a double musical career as a composer and a harp virtuoso. She earned degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music (in harp) and the Eastman School of Music (in composition), a Ph.D. in composition from Harvard University, and an artist diploma (in composition) from the Yale School of Music, where she now teaches on the composition faculty. She has received many honors and prizes, including a Charles Ives Scholarship and Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant, a fellowship from Yaddo Artist Colony, an Aaron Copland House Residency Award, and the Naumburg Prize in Composition.

In 2016, she was the focus of a Composer Portrait Concert at the Miller Theatre of Columbia University, and that same year two of her compositions were featured in programs of the New York Philharmonic Biennial.

She has served as composer-in-residence with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and New Haven Symphony, and as Sound Investment Composer with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. In addition to those orchestras, her music has performed by such notable ensembles as the Boston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Orchestra of the Swan (Great Britain), Mainz Philharmonic (Germany), Talujon Percussion, Arditti Quartet, Calidore String Quartet, and Da Capo Chamber Players, among many others. She has performed widely as a harpist, playing classic harp concertos, chamber works, and solo repertoire, but especially championing modern works.

Lash has produced compositions in many genres, with a growing oeuvre of orchestral pieces, concertos (including one for piano and one for flute), and much chamber music.

She has also written five theatrical vocal works (operas or

Hannah Lash has provided this comment about her Concerto No. 1 for Harp and Chamber Orchestra, which unrolls in an uninterrupted 15-minute span: Concerto for Harp and Chamber Orchestra is a piece that takes an intimate look at the harp, an instrument we often associate with beauty, otherness, ephemera. For me, these descriptors spawn associations with loneliness and isolation.

And from these arise other more pointed emotions: anger, fear. I wanted to make a concerto for the harp that could take on all the ramifications of our perception of this instrument’s character. I wanted to create a music that was mysterious and beautiful and at the same time fearful, aggressive, lonely.

The harp’s role as soloist is a strong one, it does not shrink from being foregrounded. But I do not intend to fight the harp’s strengths and resonances nor do I want to turn it into something it is not.

—JMK

She had produced a flurry of symphonic works in the years directly preceding her Harp Concerto No. 1. At the time of its premiere, she observed in an interview published by the American Composers Orchestra: With each piece I write for orchestra, I learn something about how to orchestrate effectively, and what my relationship is to writing for orchestra. I find certain preferences persisting throughout many pieces for me; for example, I love creating sounds that have a “sheen” to them. I achieve this “sheen” with things like harp blended with string pizzicati and certain percussion, and the way I like to use the flute. I think of orchestral color as a structural element, so that I can go through a musical journey with my materials by shifting colors CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

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and illuminating ideas differently by orchestrating them in various ways.

Writing a harp concerto is tricky because the harp is so easily covered by the orchestra. So you have to be particularly delicate in the way you use the orchestra when you want the harp to be highlighted within a texture. I am very aware of this as a harpist with a lot of experience playing in orchestra and realizing that something I’ve worked really hard on to play beautifully cannot be heard above the rest of the orchestra. So when I’m writing something where I want the harp to be the main character, I tend to be incredibly aware of where the orchestra will have energy, and making sure that the harp has energy where the orchestra does not have as much, so the harp can really come out.

Appalachian Spring: Suite Aaron Copland First Performance: 1/17/1954 Conductor: Guy Fraser Harrison

commissioned the ballet, and Dr. Harold Spivacke, head of the Music Division of the Library of Congress, who patiently prodded the masterpiece through its extended labor.

Copland and Graham had flirted with collaborating as early as 1941, when Graham was envisioning a ballet that might be described as Medea set in New England. When Copland didn’t show much enthusiasm, Graham’s thoughts turned instead to something imbued with the gentle spirit that had made such an impact in Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play Our Town. This would be the emotional heart of Appalachian Spring. Copland reported that the first script he received from Graham began: “This is a legend of American living.

It is like the bone structure, the inner frame that holds together a people.” Such a vague approach was not atypical of Graham’s method, and, although it vexed many of the composers with whom she worked, it appears not to have rattled Copland, who diplomatically called his score-inprogress simply Ballet for Martha and wisely allowed the project to develop in Graham’s imagination before he invested much time in committing notes to the page.

Last Performance: 11/18/2017 Conductor: Michelle Merrill Born: November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York Died: December 2, 1990, in Peekskill, New York Work composed: Spring 1943 through early August 1944, with the suite being arranged in 1945 Work dedicated: To Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Work premiered: October 30, 1944, at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., as a staged ballet, with Louis Horst conducting; the orchestral suite was premiered October 4, 1945 at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the New York Philharmonic, Artur Rodzinski conducting.

Instrumentation: Two flutes (second doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, timpani, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tabor (long drum), wood block, claves, triangle, glockenspiel, piano, harp, and strings.

Few nights in the history of the arts in America can rival October 30, 1944, when the ballet Appalachian Spring was premiered at the Library of Congress. That the music was

by Aaron Copland and the choreography was by Martha Graham speaks for the level of creativity that was put before the audience. By the time Appalachian Spring appeared, Copland had won his place in the hearts of dance aficionados through his “Wild West” ballets Billy the Kid (1938) and Rodeo (1942), and Graham’s name had become synonymous with the new direction of modern choreography. But other eminent figures were also involved in the project. Erick Hawkins and Merce Cunningham, both of whom would go on to lead their own dance companies to prominence, shared the stage with Graham in the performance, and the artist Isamu Noguchi designed the sets. The “nuts and bolts” side of the production was starry, too, involving principally Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, the doyenne of Washington’s cultural patrons, who

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As it developed, Graham’s scenario conflated many strands of American social history, all intersecting around the time of the Civil War in some generalized place in the American

PROGRAM NOTES heartland. Eventually the setting coalesced on rural western Pennsylvania, a region well known to Graham, who had spent her childhood in the town of Allegheny, not far from Pittsburgh.

In the end, the ballet’s plot was straightforward. A bride and bridegroom become acquainted, shyly and nervously, and members of their community, including a revivalist preacher, express their sentiments. The couple grows more comfortable with the ritual of daily life that lies ahead, their humility underscored by Copland’s use of the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts,” and they greet the future with a sense of serenity. The “Simple Gifts” section of Appalachian Spring is the part that has lodged most insistently in the popular memory, and Copland’s variations on that melody are indeed remarkable. Nonetheless, it is a curious inclusion in the context of the final scenario. Copland later remarked, “My research evidently was not very thorough, since I did not realize that there have never been Shaker settlements in rural Pennsylvania!”

Although the general musical flavor of Appalachian Spring can be found elsewhere in Copland’s works of this period, this is the score that established its vocabulary as representing the quintessential “American sound.” Rich in wide-open, disjunct intervals, it’s a style that became much imitated by American composers—including very often

by Copland himself. That it seemed to evoke something inherently American made it irresistible to composers of strictly commercial music, and in a sentimentalized form it thrives to this day as the inspiration for countless soundtracks of movies with a “period” setting. Copland himself was aware of the pitfalls of empty nostalgia that might torpedo his score, and some years later, after he had conducted it frequently, he would write, “I have often admonished orchestras, professional and otherwise, not to get too sweet or too sentimental with it.”

JAMES M. KELLER James M. Keller recently completed 25 years as Program Annotator of the New York Philharmonic and is in his 21st as Program Annotator of the San Francisco Symphony.

He is the author of Chamber Music: A Listener’s Guide (Oxford University Press).

From Ballet to Orchestral Suite In 1945, Copland extracted eight sections of his Appalachian Spring ballet score, connected them without interruption, and expanded the instrumentation for full orchestra (from the original setting for 13 instruments). For the Suite’s premiere, Copland provided an outline to help the audience imagine the action that the music was meant to portray: 1. Very slowly—Introduction of the characters, one by one, in a suffused light.

2. Fast—Sudden burst of unison strings in A major arpeggios starts the action. A sentiment both elated and religious gives the keynote to this scene.

3. Moderate—Duo for the Bride and her Intended—scene of tenderness and passion.

4. Quite fast—The Revivalist and his flock. Folksy feelings—suggestions of square dances and country fiddlers.

5. Still faster—Solo dance of the Bride— Presentiment of motherhood. Extremes of joy and fear and wonder.

6. Very slowly (as at first)—Transition scene to music reminiscent of the introduction.

7. Calm and flowing—Scenes of daily activity for the Bride and her Farmer-husband. There are five variations on a Shaker theme. The theme, sung by a solo clarinet, was taken from a collection of Shaker melodies compiled by Edward D. Andrews, and published under the title The Gift to Be Simple. The melody I borrowed and used almost literally is called “Simple Gifts.”

8. Moderate–Coda—The Bride takes her place among her neighbors. At the end the couple are left “quiet and strong in their new house.”

Muted strings intone a hushed, prayer-like passage. The close is reminiscent of the opening music.

—JMK

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Anonymous Hugh G. and Sharon Adams Steven C. Agee, Ph.D. Linda and Patrick Alexander Joan Allmaras Ms. Beth M. Alonso Dr. and Mrs. Dewayne Andrews Dr. and Mrs. John C. Andrus Anne Barker John and Ethelyn Barnett Mr. J. Edward Barth Eloise Bentley James Blank Marilyn and Bill Boettger Rev. Thomas Boyer Mike Brake Mrs. Carole S. Broughton Ryan Bunyan Mr. and Mrs. Fred M. Buxton Ms. Kathryn Carey Margaret Clyne Ken Coffey Deborah Collins Ms. Julie Collins Dr. Thomas Coniglione

Barbara Cooper Clay Cooprider William and Mary Ann Corum Mr. John Crain Albie Dale Mr. David Daugherty Dr. Harold Davidson Dr. Nancy Dawson Kathryn Dean Mark Deaton Gary and Fran Derrick Linda Dines Mr. Joel Dixon Ann Dow Doug Dowler Daniel J. DuBray and Kayleen M. Jones David and Druanne Durrett Dennis Echard Ron Eden Richard and Marilyn Ehlers Nancy Payne Ellis Dr. and Mrs. Royice B. Everett Dr. Thurma J. Fiegel Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Fleckinger

Mrs. Betty Foster Stephen P. and Nancy R. Friot Mr. and Mrs. John A. Frost Gerald and Jane Jayroe Gamble Nina Gaugler Brenda Godwin Janet Gruel Earle Haggard Kirk Hammons Dr. and Mrs. James Hartsuck Karen Hasenbeck Karen Hennes Kenneth and Linda Howell Diane Hutchinson Dudley and Sue Ann Hyde Tom and Cindy Janssen Lauren and Rich Johnson Doneen and Glenn Jones Mrs. Lou Kerr Ms. Claren Kidd Doris King Kevin and Tina Kint Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Koehn Kathy Leithner Kareen Man

Ms. Vickie McIlvoy John and Anna McMillin Alice Meek Annette Munson Don Nieser Margaret Freede-Owens and Daniel Owens Ms. Veronica Pastel Egelston Mr. William G. Paul Mrs. Barbara Pirrong Drs. Gary and Mary Porter Richard Pralle Ms. Elizabeth Raymond Valerie Reimers James Schmaelzle John Schwind Jerrod and Jamie Shouse Mr. Richard L. Sias Michele Simon Cecil Smith John and Katherine Spaid Jymmie Stanton Judith Clouse Steelman Dennis and Marianne Stover John Stuemky and James Brand

Mrs. Marilyn Summers Michael J. Sweeney, Jr. Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum Curtis and Shellie Thornton Billie Thrash Sammy and Janet Todd Mona Mae Waymire Donna Weaver-McGinty Elaine Weise Robert and Tammy Weiss Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth K. Wert Philip and Ashton Whaley David Williams Mrs. Anne Workman

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE PHILHARMONIC

EDMOND

BETHANY

OKC MIDWEST CITY

NORMAN

24/7 SECURE ACCESS | FREE MOVING TRUCKS | 9 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

WWW.MORNINGSTAROKC.COM

HOUSE NOTES

CIVIC CENTER COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS INCLUDE:

• Masks will be required over nose and mouth for all patrons upon entry and throughout the performance

• 6 foot social distancing will be required

• Temperature checks will be performed upon entry

• Hand sanitizing stations will be readily available throughout the building

• As you exit the theater please allow the rows closest to the exit to rise and exit first, then the next row and the next…

think of it like a wedding.

RESTROOMS are conveniently located on all levels of the theater. Please ask your usher for guidance.

LATECOMERS and those who exit the theater during the performance may be seated during the first convenient pause, as determined by the management, and as is possible while maintaining safe social distancing.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES must be turned off and put away during the performance (no calling, texting, photo or video use please).

BEVERAGES: Bottled water is permitted in the theater at the Classics Series concerts. Beverages are permitted in the theater at the Pops Series concerts; however, bringing coffee into the theater is discouraged due to the aroma. Beverage stations will be located on floors 1-4.

SMOKING in the Civic Center Music Hall is prohibited. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic promotes a fragrance-free environment for the convenience of our patrons.

FIRE EXITS are located on all levels and marked accordingly. Please note the nearest exit for use in case of an emergency.

ELEVATORS are located at the south end of the atrium of the Civic Center Music Hall.

CHILDREN of all ages are welcome at the Philharmonic Discovery Family Series and Holiday Pops performances; however, in consideration of the patrons, musicians and artists, those under five years of age will not be admitted to evening Classics and Pops concerts unless otherwise noted.

BOOSTER SEATS for children are available in the Civic Center lobby. Please inquire at the Box Office.

VIDEO MONITORS are located in the lobby for your convenience.

WHEELCHAIR AVAILABLE SEATING – Persons using wheelchairs or with walking and climbing difficulties will be accommodated when possible. Those wishing to use the designated wheelchair sections may purchase the wheelchair space and a companion seat. Please inform the Philharmonic or Civic Center Box Office staff of your need when ordering tickets so that you may be served promptly and appropriately. Please request the assistance of hall ushers to access wheelchair seating.

HEARING LOOPS have been installed. Ask your audiologist to activate the telecoil in your hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Due to the mechanics of the stage, the hearing loops do not reach the pit section but are available at concession stands, the Box Office and the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre. The copper wire in the floor and telecoil work together to connect the hearing device to the theater’s sound system using a magnetic field which dramatically improves sound clarity for patrons using hearing devices.

LOST & FOUND is located in the Civic Center office (405-594-8300) weekdays 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

PHILHARMONIC TICKET OFFICE may be contacted by calling 405-TIC-KETS (405-842-5387) or you can visit the Philharmonic Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Arts District Garage at 424 Colcord Drive in Suite B. The Philharmonic Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and by phone on concert Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

CIVIC CENTER BOX OFFICE hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance. (405-594-8300) Programming has been kept to a one hour format with no intermission as a Covid-19 safety measure for Staff and Audience alike.

Artists and Programming Subject to Change.

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