2024 Laguna Beach Music Festival by Philharmonic Society of Orange County

PRESENTED BY THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY & LAGUNA BEACH LIVE!

22ND ANNUAL

FEB

12-18

2024

2024 Festival Artistic Director

Anne Akiko Meyers violin

WELCOME

It is my pleasure as board chair of the 2024 Laguna Beach Music Festival to welcome you to our 22nd Festival. We are all looking forward to these several days of concerts, special events, engagement and discovery sessions. Many thanks to our presenting organizations, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Laguna Beach Live!, for enabling us to make the Laguna Beach Music Festival the dynamic and enriching event for all of us to enjoy. We are extremely grateful to the staff of these organizations, to the Laguna Playhouse, and to our festival artists for their hard work and commitment. Thank you also to our generous donors, sponsors, and our hardworking Board of Trustees. Finally, we are grateful to Anne Akiko Meyers, the artistic director for this year’s festival. She has programmed three exciting concerts that each reflect her approach to different facets of music, and her collaborations with outstanding artists. We trust that you will enjoy and be inspired by her efforts.

HUNG FAN 2024 Laguna Beach Music Festival Chair Welcome to the 2024 Laguna Beach Music Festival. For this 22nd season, we couldn’t be luckier to have Anne Akiko Meyers as our Festival Artistic Director—with her beautifully crafted programs and showcasing of other superlative artists, this year’s festival brings something for everyone. Anne’s adventurous programs weave together multiple genres, styles, and mediums, from classical violin masterpieces performed with harp, to adventurous orchestral duo presentations, along with live dance, world premieres by luminary composers, and new arrangements of time-old favorites. A multi-Grammy nominee, and advocate for the proliferation of the music of our time, Anne is redefining what it is to be a multi-versed musician in this 21st post-pandemic century. The Laguna Beach Music Festival is a true gem in the Southern California music world, and we are proud to present these extraordinary musicians year after year. Both the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Laguna Beach Live! remain dedicated to creating a festival each year that sparks imagination with an extraordinary and adventurous mix of programs and musicians. It is indeed our collective pleasure to welcome these world-class artists to Laguna Beach and to present them in our intimate settings. We wish to thank all our friends and supporters who make the music possible—from our donors and Board of Trustees to our wonderful community partners. Thank you all for supporting world-class music in our community. We look forward to joining you at this year’s Festival under the artistic direction of Anne Akiko Meyers.

TOMMY PHILLIPS LUCINDA PREWITT President and Artistic Director President and Executive Director Philharmonic Society of Orange County Laguna Beach Live!

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR I am excited to present and perform in the 2024 Laguna Beach Music Festival and to feature world-class musicians Bogang Hwang, Emmanuel Ceysson, Nathan Harrington, Matthew Howard, Aubree Oliverson and the Colburn Academy Virtuosi in a variety of programs. During the festival, we will take a musical journey and explore a diverse range of composers and musical styles, including world premiere performances. Metamorphoses, the opening concert on February 16th will feature Haru No Umi (Sea in Spring) by Michio Miyagi, Wreck of the Umbria, for violin/electronics, about a deep-sea dive the composer Jakub Ciupiński took in the Red Sea, pairing with the beautiful spectacular ocean waters of Laguna. Additional works include Spiegel im Spiegel by the iconic Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt, the world premiere of New Chaconne by legendary American composer, Philip Glass, and his haunting Metamorphosis II, with LA Phil Principal Harpist, Emmanuel Ceysson. On February 17th, Doubles will feature the young superstar, Aubree Oliverson, and begin with Kevin Puts’ Arches. The concert also includes the Bach Double Concerto and Philip Glass’s Echorus, showcasing the conductor-less Colburn Academy Virtuosi. The Virtuosi will also perform a piece by Fanny Mendelssohn, a rarely heard 19th-century composer who was the sister of the famous Felix Mendelssohn.

8VA Music Consultancy

On February 18th, we conclude with Carnaval! This amazing program is inspired by the carnivals celebrated in South America, particularly in Rio de Janiero and Argentina, featuring Saint-Saëns’s epic Carnival of the Animals, newly imagined in a samba style by Gene Pritsker. The program opens with Astor Piazzolla’s History of the Tango, arranged for marimba and violin, which LA Phil Principal Percussionist, Matthew Howard and I will perform. Next, Nathan Harrington and Bogang Hwang perform Chopin and Saint-Saëns, and then we all join forces for the grand finale—the world premiere of Animals Carnaval. I am grateful to Tommy Phillips, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Laguna Beach Live!, and the Laguna Beach community for making this festival possible. A million thanks to the musicians for sharing this maiden voyage together on this musical quest.

ANNE AKIKO MEYERS 2024 Festival Artistic Director

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 PRELUDE SOIRÉE 6:00pm @ Laguna Art Museum

307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Celebrate love and music at the Laguna Art Museum during an exclusive evening with Anne Akiko Meyers. Indulge in heavy hors dʼoeuvres, wine, and champagne followed by an intimate performance from Artistic Director, Anne Akiko Meyers. FOR AUCTION: ONE-OF-A-KIND ART PIECE A painting of Festival Artistic Director Anne Akiko Meyers will be unveiled and sold at auction during the Prelude. This art piece is a framed 16” x 12” oil on canvas painting featuring a portrait of Anne Akiko Meyers gracefully playing on her violin. The painting will be done by Michael Obermeyer, who recently won “Best in Show” in the 25th annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational (October 2023).

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17 PLEIN AIR ART AND MUSIC

IN COLLABORATION WITH LPAPA AND LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL

9:00am-12:00pm @ Heisler Park 375 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association painters and local musicians gather along the iconic Laguna Beach cliffs for a morning of art, music, and ocean views. Open to the public.

DOUBLES 8:00pm @ Laguna Playhouse

606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651

EDUCATION ENGAGEMENTS Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School

Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Aubree Oliverson, violin Colburn Academy Virtuosi

Violinist Aubree Oliverson makes school visits to Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School. This event is closed to the public.

Kevin PUTS Arches BACH Double Concerto in D minor Philip GLASS Echorus Fanny MENDELSSOHN String Quartet (arr. for strings)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 MUSIC AT SUSI Q SENIOR CENTER 10:00am @ Susi Q Senior Center 380 Third Street, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Solo performance with Festival artist and harpist Emmanuel Ceysson. This event is closed to the public.

OPENING NIGHT: METAMORPHOSES 8:00pm @ Laguna Playhouse

606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651 7:00pm Pre-concert lecture with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen

Michio MIYAGI Haru no Umi (The Sea in Spring) Jakub CIUPIŃSKI Wreck of the Umbria SMETANA Má vlast: The Moldau, Op. 43 Philip GLASS Metamorphosis II Arvo PÄRT Spiegel im Spiegel SAINT-SAËNS The Swan (Choreography by Jodie Gates) VILLA-LOBOS Song of the Black Swan Philip GLASS New Chaconne (world premiere)

Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, electronics Emmanuel Ceysson, harp Megan Goldstein and Davon Rashawn, dancers

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 CARNAVAL! 3:00pm @ Laguna Playhouse

606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Bogang Hwang, piano Matthew Howard, drums, marimba Nathan Farrington, double bass PIAZZOLLA Histoire du Tango CHOPIN Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 ALKAN Le Festin d’Esope (Aesop’s Feast) Op. 39, No. 12 SAINT-SAËNS The Swan VILLA-LOBOS Song of the Black Swan SAINT-SAËNS (reimagined by Gene Pritsker) Animals Carnaval based on Carnival of the Animals All dates, times, artists, programs and prices are subject to change.

THE 23RD ANNUAL

SAVE THE DATE CAROLINE SHAW 2025 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

February 10–16, 2025 Concerts at Laguna Playhouse

Caroline Shaw is a musician who moves among roles, genres, and mediums, trying to imagine a world of sound that has never been heard before but has always existed. She works often in collaboration with others, as producer, composer, violinist, and vocalist, which won her the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in Music and three Grammy Awards. Caroline has written over 100 works in the last decade including for Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming, and Dawn Upshaw, and has contributed to films and podcasts such as Beyonce’s Homecoming, Tár, and Dolly Parton’s America, among others.

CAROLINE SHAW & FRIENDS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025 AT 8PM The Festival’s opening concert features Caroline Shaw joined by a string quartet and chorus.

CAROLINE SHAW & GABRIEL KAHANE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2025 AT 3PM Composer-performers Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane collaborate on a new song cycle inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ story, “The Library of Babel.”

CAROLINE SHAW & SŌ PERCUSSION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025 AT 8PM Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion dissolve the boundaries between classical and pop, drawing inspiration from sources as varied as James Joyce, ABBA, American roots music, and Christian hymns.

Co-presented with Laguna Beach Live!

lagunabeachmusicfestival.com

TICKETS GO ON SALE IN AUGUST 5

MIYAGI: HARU NO UMI (THE SEA IN SPRING)

Friday | February 16, 2024 | 8pm | Laguna Playhouse Pre-concert lecture at 7pm with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen and Anne Akiko Meyers

OPENING NIGHT: METAMORPHOSES Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, electronics Emmanuel Ceysson, harp Megan Goldstein and Davon Rashawn, dancers Jodie Gates, choreographer, Laguna Dance Festival

MICHIO MIYAGI (1894-1956) Haru no Umi (The Sea in Spring) Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

JAKUB CIUPIŃSKI (b. 1981) Wreck of the Umbria Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, electronics

BEDRICH SMETANA (1824-1884) Má vlast: The Moldau, Op. 43 Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

PHILIP GLASS (arr. Michael Riesman) (b. 1937) Metamorphosis II Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

INTERMISSION

Michio Miyagi became blind at the age of eight, but as a boy he learned to play the koto, a wooden instrument about six feet long and strung with 18 strings. Miyagi quickly became a master of that instrument: he taught at the Tokyo College of Music and became a famed scholar as well as a performer. His most famous work is Haru no Umi, scored originally for koto and shakuhachi, a Japanese wooden flute blown from the end rather than across a mouthpiece. Composed in 1929 and subtitled The Sea in Spring, Haru no Umi is said to have been inspired by the composer’s memory of seeing the ocean during the brief years while he still had sight. In 1932, only three years after the composition of Haru no Umi, the French violinist Renée Chemet toured Japan, and while there she heard and was charmed by this music. Working with Miyagi, she arranged the shakuhachi part for violin and recorded it with the composer (those interested in this music should know that the two of them recorded it in 1932, and that performance is available on YouTube). Haru no Umi is heard on this concert in an arrangement for violin and harp.

CIUPIŃSKI: WRECK OF THE UMBRIA

A Polish composer now based in New York City, Jakub Ciupiński studied with Witold Lutosławskii at the Krakow Academy of Music and with Christopher Rouse at Juilliard. He has written for orchestra and for dance ensembles, and he has been drawn particularly to electronic music—he is co-founder of Blind Ear Music, an improvisational electronic ensemble. His Wreck of the Umbria, scored for violin and electronics (or violin and orchestra) was commissioned by Anne Akiko Meyers.

Video of Interview about Arvo Pärt

The composer has supplied a program note:

ARVO PÄRT (b. 1935)

Wreck of the Umbria is 10-minute long piece for violin and electronics. It was commissioned in 2009 by Anne Akiko Meyers. In 2005, while scuba diving in Sudan, I had a chance to explore the wreck of the Italian ship Umbria. I felt deeply inspired by what I saw, so I decided to share this experience through music. The Umbria, built in 1911, was 153 meters long and 18 meters wide. On the 9th of June 1940, loaded with 360,000 bombs, she was stopped near Port Sudan by

Spiegel im Spiegel Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) The Swan Megan Goldstein and Davon Rashawn, dancers Choreography by Jodie Gates in collaboration with the dancers

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Song of the Black Swan Anne Akiko Meyers, violin

PHILIP GLASS (b. 1937) New Chaconne (world premiere) Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

Although rare, all dates, times, artists, programs and prices are subject to change. Photoraphing or recording this performance without permission is prohibited. Kindly disable all electronic devices.

FESTIVAL UNDERWRITERS Hung Fan and Michael Feldman Joan Halvajian Howard Jelinek and Jelinek Family Trust Dr. and Mrs. Gary T. Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kohl Richard and Lauren Packard City of Laguna Beach ANNE AKIKO MEYERS REPRESENTED BY Colbert Artists Management, Inc. | colbertartists.com LAGUNA DANCE FESTIVAL lagunadancefestival.org

While exploring the wreck I videotaped everything, but I never watched the footage afterwards. Instead, I kept a few images and impressions in my memory. I remember abandoned dark corridors and rooms lightened only by my searchlight. From time to time I could recognize more concrete shapes. Piles of bombs, bottles of wine, an old-fashioned car somewhere in the cargo bay and pizza ovens in the kitchen. Outside, Umbria, covered by multiple forms of sea life and surrounded by blue light, looked like a surreal castle from a very vivid dream. (Jakub Ciupiński)

SMETANA: MÁ VLAST: THE MOLDAU, OP. 43

Between 1872 and 1879, Smetana composed a cycle of six symphonic poems on Czech subjects — its landscape, heroic past, and legends—and collected them under the title Má Vlast: “My Fatherland.” Smetana completed The Moldau, the second movement of that cycle, on November 18, 1874, and the first performance took place in Prague on April 4, 1876. The Moldau is a portrait of the great river that begins in the Bohemian forests southwest of Prague, runs north through that city, and eventually joins the Elbe and flows to the sea at Hamburg. The Czech name for this river is the Vltava (pronounced as three even syllables: “Vol-tavah”), and the irony of course is that a piece of music written expressly to help encourage the cause of Czech independence from Germany is best known under the German name for that river, Moldau. Smetana left a detailed program note that explains what each of the eight sections of The Moldau depicts, and these events can be easily followed. Legend has it that the Moldau begins deep in the forest as two rivulets— one cold, one warm—flow together to form the headwaters of the mighty river. The rivulets combine, and now Smetana gives us the theme of the river itself, a great soaring melody in E minor for the violins that will become the backbone of this music. As the river flows toward Prague, it passes different scenes, and Smetana describes these in detail: a hunt in the woods is followed by a peasant wedding with its charming folk-dance. The opening rivulets return to introduce a quiet episode as nymphs play on the moonlit waters of the Moldau. Next, the river smashes its way through the St. John’s Rapids and proceeds grandly out on the plain toward Prague, with the Moldau theme now transformed into E major. The music reaches a climax as the river flows past Vyšehrad, the site of a fortress established in the ninth century and regarded as the birthplace of Prague. Its heroic journey complete, the river flows on, and it is worth quoting Smetana on the ending: “Welcomed by the time-honored fortress,

Vyšehrad, it sweeps past the quais and under the bridges of the city, to vanish in the dim distance where the poet’s gaze can no longer follow.” The Moldau is heard at this concert in an arrangement for harp.

GLASS: METAMORPHOSIS II

Philip Glass learned to play the piano and organ as a boy and continued his studies at Juilliard. While on tour with the Philip Glass Ensemble, he played keyboard instruments, but his increasing success as a composer meant that he devoted more time to composing and less to playing, and eventually he gave up playing in public. But by the late 1980s, shortly after his fiftieth birthday, Glass felt that loss, and he resumed playing the piano. Inevitably this meant that he resuming writing for the instrument as well, and in 1988 Glass wrote a set of five individual pieces that he published under the title Metamorphosis. He took that title— and inspiration—from Franz Kafka’s surreal story The Metamorphosis, and the third and fourth movements from Glass’ piece have been used as incidental music for a staged production of Kafka’s tale. The first two movements have achieved fame in quite a different way, for they are based on themes from the soundtrack Glass composed for Errol Morris’ The Thin Blue Line, a 1988 film about a man wrongly convicted and imprisoned for the murder of a police officer in Dallas. Metamorphosis II was also used as part of the soundtrack to the film The Hours. It is in a general ternary form. The opening section, marked simply Flowing, offers a serene melodic line that unfolds above murmuring accompaniment. In the middle section, that melody continues, but now it is heard as part of busy arpeggios. The opening material returns to bring the work to its calm conclusion.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

the Royal Navy. Italy was technically still neutral so the British could only search the vessel using an excuse of contraband control. They boarded the ship and stayed overnight. The next day Umbria’s captain heard on the radio that Italy entered the Second World War so he gave the secret order to sink the ship. Bombs and other valuable cargo never got into British hands and until today remain intact on the bottom of the Red Sea.

Metamorphosis II, which has been arranged for a variety of instruments, is heard at this concert in an arrangement for violin and harp by Michael Riesman. Riesman was for many years a keyboardist in the Philip Glass Ensemble and eventually its music director.

PÄRT: SPIEGEL IM SPIEGEL

Composed in 1978, Spiegel im Spiegel was one of the final works Arvo Pärt wrote before he emigrated from Estonia to Berlin. That title, which translates “Mirror in the Mirror,” refers to the visual effect that results when two facing mirrors are slightly out of alignment, creating an endless pattern of visual repetitions that fade into the distance. The music is simplicity itself. The piano has a steady progression of quarternotes (the meter is 6/4), and over this the violin has long, sustained notes, melodic lines that slowly move upward or downward. The effect of this music, with its steadily-repeating quarter-notes, is hypnotic, very much like that created by the opening of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata. There is no dynamic marking in this music, but the atmosphere is subdued and calm. The cumulative effect of the held notes above a repeating pattern is not simply soothing, but quietly reassuring, and it comes as no surprise to learn that Spiegel im

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Spiegel has been used as part of the soundtrack of numerous films. The slow progression of quarter-notes continues throughout, and at the end—as if in the most distant of mirrors—the music fades into silence. From a technical standpoint, Spiegel im Spiegel is extraordinarily “easy:” the violin part, which can be played entirely in first position, is within the capability of any first-year student, and the piano part simply requires a steady progression of quarter-notes and widely-spaced octaves. Playing the notes is not the challenge in this music. The challenge is to take these seemingly simple materials and turn them into music of expressive power.

SAINT-SAËNS: THE SWAN FROM CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Saint-Saëns wrote Carnival of the Animals as a private amusement for himself and friends while on a brief holiday in 1886. He did not, however, publish the work (it has no opus number) and forbade all public performances during his lifetime—apparently he was afraid that the publication of what he called his “grand fantaisie zoologique” would damage his reputation as a serious composer. Only in his will did he lift the ban on public performance, and Carnival of the Animals was first heard in public on February 25, 1922. The irony—one which Saint-Saëns would not have appreciated—is that Carnival has become by far his best-known composition. One movement of the suite, however, did become famous during the composer’s lifetime. Saint-Saëns lifted his ban on performances of the next-to-last movement, The Swan, and it immediately became popular on its own. Music this famous requires no introduction. Saint-Saëns beautifully captures the grace and dignity of the swan, and the noble sound of the cello is the perfect instrument for this musical portrait. — Notes by Eric Bromberger

GLASS: NEW CHACONNE (WORLD PREMIERE)

In summer 2023 Anne Akiko Meyers visited Philip Glass at his home in Manhattan. The encounter was in advance of Meyers’ upcoming performance at the Hollywood Bowl of Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. That concerto remains one of the composer’s most personal creations and it provoked one of those first meetings that can happen through music, a new friendship which felt like an old one.

In September 2023, at age 86, Glass made the pilgrimage to hear Meyers’ performance and it became a moment for the artist to reflect on his life in music. “That concerto was written for my father even though he was no longer alive. I wanted to write a piece that he would have liked. On the other side, my first audience was my mother. I would run into the kitchen with my flute to play for her.” For a composer whose

music almost always drives forward, there’s not a lot of looking back. So when the encounter with Meyers happened, so did the possibility to compose something new for her within the context of his entire lifetime of music behind him. With the idea of new friends and old forms, Glass set about writing a chaconne. The resulting piece, “New Chaconne” for violin and piano (or other bass instrument) was written in late 2023, and is a play on this idea of old and new. The form of a chaconne, hundreds of years old, is a repeated harmonic progression over which variations can occur. For Glass, whose formation took him to Paris for years of intensive study of these forms with Nadia Boulanger, the form itself became fodder for reinvention. The question was not so much what can be done with a chaconne, but rather how such a form might work within his own musical language. In fact, the chaconne and its cousin, the passacaglia, appear more frequently in Glass’s music than any other old form. The second movement of that first violin concerto is a chaconne; the third movement of his Third Symphony is one as well. Song V of Songs & Poems for Solo Cello, as well as a huge chaconne in two parts in his Partita for Solo Violin, are the heart of those works, the “main event.” However, this “New Chaconne” is new. Unlike the established form which Glass more or less adhered to in the past, in sitting down to compose a new piece, as is his pattern, he was simply unable to write a piece as he had done in the past. For example, chaconnes are supposed to be slow. This piece is fast. Chaconnes are supposed to be in triple meter. This new piece was in common time. Chaconnes are generally somber. Glass’s new piece speaks more of a new friendship and the simple joy of making music together than it does any “reconciling with tradition.” Even at age 86, Glass was making new friends and reexamining the common definitions of what things are, have been, and what they might become. And in his hands, these accepted definitions take on new meaning. In this new work for Anne Akiko Meyers, the impression of the work is inescapable. It’s about joy. — Notes by Richard Guérin

DOUBLES Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Aubree Oliverson, violin Colburn Academy Virtuosi

KEVIN PUTS (b. 1972) Arches Caprice Aria Caprice/Intermezzo Aria Caprice Aubree Oliverson, violin

J.S. BACH (1685-1750) Double Concerto in D minor Vivace Largo, ma non tanto Allegro Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Aubree Oliverson, violin Colburn Academy Virtuosi

PHILIP GLASS (b. 1937) Echorus Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Aubree Oliverson, violin Colburn Academy Virtuosi

INTERMISSION FANNY MENDELSSOHN (1805-1847) String Quartet (arr. for strings) Adagio ma non troppo Allegretto Romanze Allegro molto vivace Colburn Academy Virtuosi Although rare, all dates, times, artists, programs and prices are subject to change. Photoraphing or recording this performance without permission is prohibited. Kindly disable all electronic devices.

I. Caprice. This movement, whose influences are both Baroque and Appalachian in nature, begins innocently enough and continually accelerates to a very fast tempo. It was inspired by a scene from the film The Red Violin (scored by John Corigliano) in which a young prodigy is pushed by his teacher to play an etude faster and faster until he is pressed to the absolute limit. II. Aria. As a means of contrast to the busy first movement, this one begins very high and soft. It uses a melody to which I later added piano to create and encore (Air for violin). III. Caprice/Intermezzo. This movement’s scherzando quality contrasts the heaviness of the two surrounding arias. It features effects like glissandi, pizzicato chords, and even left-hand pizzicato.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2024

Saturday | February 17, 2024 | 8pm | Laguna Playhouse

PUTS: ARCHES Commissioned by Chee-Yun and Spoleto USA, Arches was premiered by Chee-Yun at Seoul Arts Center, Seoul Korea in October 2000. In its alternation between “caprices” and “arias”, the work moves between the poles of virtuosity and lyricism throughout. The title was suggested by the symmetrical form of the piece (Caprice—Aria—Caprice—Aria—Caprice) and by the key scheme which supports this symmetry and the many arch-like figures that arise. The only pause in the work occurs after the first Caprice.

IV. Aria. An abbreviated return of the melody from the second movement. V. Caprice. The first music I came up with, this movement features the arpeggiando technique which involves the violinist moving the bow quickly up and down over all four strings of the instrument. This leads to a return of the material from the first movement and a very virtuosic end to the piece. −Kevin Puts FESTIVAL UNDERWRITERS Hung Fan and Michael Feldman Joan Halvajian Howard Jelinek and Jelinek Family Trust Dr. and Mrs. Gary T. Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kohl Richard and Lauren Packard City of Laguna Beach ANNE AKIKO MEYERS REPRESENTED BY Colbert Artists Management, Inc. | colbertartists.com AUBREE OLIVERSON REPRESENTED BY Askonas Holt | askonasholt.com COLBURN ACADEMY VIRTUOSI Colburn School | colburnschool.edu

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BACH: CONCERTO IN D MINOR FOR TWO VIOLINS AND STRINGS, BWV 1043 This ever-popular concerto dates from about 1720, or from the middle of Bach’s six years as music director to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. The Double Concerto is a favorite of all violinists, from the greatest virtuosos to the humblest amateurs, and it is easy to understand why: this concerto offers pleasing melodies, an even distribution of duties between the soloists, and one of Bach’s greatest slow movements. The opening movement is significantly marked Vivace rather than the usual Allegro—Bach’s marking stresses that he wants a lively performance, vivacious rather than simply fast. A long orchestral introduction presents the main theme, and soon the solo violins enter, gracefully trading phrases. Though it moves smoothly and easily, this music is much more difficult than it sounds, requiring wide melodic skips and awkward string-crossings. The solo exchanges are interrupted by orchestral tuttis in a manner reminiscent of the concerto grosso (to which the concerto bears a strong resemblance), and at the end the orchestra brings the movement to a powerful close. The real glory of this concerto comes in the slow movement—Largo, ma non tanto–which is nearly as long as the outer movements combined. The second violin sings the noble melody that will dominate this movement, then accompanies the first violin as it enters with the theme. This balanced partnership extends throughout the movement, each violin spinning out Bach’s gloriously poised melodic lines one moment, turning to accompany the other the next. By contrast, the concluding Allegro bristles with energy, hurtling along on a steady flow of sixteenth-notes. This movement is more varied rhythmically than the first— the soloists have sudden bursts of triplets and break out of the orchestral texture to launch their own soaring melodies. Again, the orchestra’s tuttis punctuate the movement and bring it to a vigorous close.

GLASS: ECHORUS Composed in 1995, Echorus is scored for a string orchestra of two violin parts, viola, cello and double bass. The composer has provided a program note:

Echorus (derived from the word echo), was composed in the winter of 1994-95 for Edna Michell and Yehudi Menuhin. The piece is in A-B-A form and appears as a chaconne. The soloists either play the chaconne or melodic parts suggested by the harmonic structure.

The music is inspired by thoughts of compassion and is meant to evoke feelings of serenity and peace. (Philip Glass)

MENDELSSOHN: STRING QUARTET IN E-FLAT MAJOR (ARRANGED FOR STRINGS) There is general agreement that the two most prodigiously talented young composers in history were Mozart and Mendelssohn, and there were many parallels between the two. Both were born into families perfectly suited to nurture their talents. Both showed phenomenal talent as young boys. Both began composing as boys, and from the earliest age both had their music performed by professional musicians. Both became virtuoso keyboard performers. In addition, both played the violin and viola and took part in chamber music performances. Both composed voluminously in every genre. Both drove themselves very hard. Both died in their thirties. But there is uncanny further parallel between the two: both Mozart and Mendelssohn had an older sister whose musical talents rivaled their own. Mozart’s sister Maria Anna, five years his senior, performed as a child with her brother in all the capitals of Europe, where they were put on display by their ambitious father. She also composed (none of her music has survived), but a serious career in music was out of the question for a woman at the end of the eighteenth century: she married in 1784 and grew estranged from her brother– they did not see each other over the final years of his life. Fanny Mendelssohn, four years older than Felix, had a much closer relation with her brother. Like Felix, she began composing at an early age, and some of her songs were published under her brother’s name. She, too, was discouraged from making a career in music, and at age 24 she married the painter Wilhelm Hensel and had a son. But music remained a passion for her, and she composed an orchestral overture, chamber music, works for piano, and a great deal of vocal music. (By the end of her life several of these works had been published). Fanny remained extremely close to her brother throughout her life, and her sudden death from a stroke at age 41 so devastated Felix that he collapsed on hearing the news and never really recovered–his own death six months later at age 38 was triggered at least in part by that shock. Fanny began her String Quartet in E-flat major during the summer of 1834 and completed it on October 23 of that year, just a few weeks before her 29th birthday. The work was probably performed during the Mendelssohn family’s Sunday musicales in Berlin but was not published. When the manuscript was finally

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discovered many years later, small parts of it were missing, and editors were able to reconstruct those sections by using music from other parts of the score. The Quartet in E-flat major was not published until 1986, over a century and a half after its composition. The quartet is in the expected four movements, though its structure is unusual: it begins with a lyric, understated movement at a slow tempo and concludes with a very fast movement, so the quartet seems to gather force as it proceeds. The Adagio ma non troppo offers smooth, flowing lines at the beginning and a more animated middle section before coming to a quiet close on the return of the opening theme. The Allegretto dances easily along its 6/8 meter—there are some nice touches along the way here, including the rapid alternation of pizzicato and bowed notes and a fugal episode in the development. Gradually the movement’s energy subsides, and it winks out on two quiet pizzicato strokes. The third movement is titled Romanze, an indication of a gentle atmosphere rather than a specific form. First violin leads the way, both at the opening (marked molto cantabile) and in the active central episode. The last movement is quite fast (the marking is Allegro molto vivace), and it has an unusual meter, 12/16, though for practical

purposes the music is stressed in 6/8. There is some brilliant writing for all four instruments here, and the first violin soars high above the others voices in the breathless rush to the close. Fanny Mendelssohn’s Quartet is heard at this concert in an arrangement for string orchestra. — Program notes by Eric Bromberger

Sunday | February 18, 2024 | 3pm | Laguna Playhouse

CARNAVAL! Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Bogang Hwang, piano Matthew Howard, drums, marimba Nathan Farrington, double bass

ASTOR PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Histoire du Tango Bordel 1900 Café 1930 Nightclub 1960 Concert d’aujourd’hui Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Matthew Howard, drums, marimba

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849) Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 Nathan Farrington, double bass | Bogang Hwang, piano

CHARLES-VALENTIN ALKAN (1813-1888) Le Festin d’Esope (Aesop’s Feast) Op. 39, No. 12 Bogang Hwang, piano

INTERMISSION CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) The Swan from Carnival of the Animals Nathan Farrington, double bass | Bogang Hwang, piano

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1835-1921) Song of the Black Swan Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Bogang Hwang, piano

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1805-1847) Reimagined by GENE PRITSKER (b. 1971) Animals Carnaval Based on Carnival of the Animals Anne Akiko Meyers, violin | Bogang Hwang, piano Matthew Howard, drums, marimba Nathan Farrington, double bass Although rare, all dates, times, artists, programs and prices are subject to change. Photoraphing or recording this performance without permission is prohibited. Kindly disable all electronic devices.

PIAZZOLLA: HISTOIRE DU TANGO As a young man, Astor Piazzolla learned to play the bandoneon, the Argentinian accordion-like instrument that uses buttons rather than a keyboard, and he became a virtuoso on it. But his musical path was not at first clear: he gave concerts, made a film soundtrack, and created his own bands before a desire for wider expression drove him to the study of classical music. He received a grant to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, and it was that great teacher who advised him to follow his passion for the Argentinian tango as the source for his own music. Piazzolla returned to Argentina and gradually evolved his own style, one that combines the tango, jazz, and classical music. In his hands, the tango—which had deteriorated into a soft, popular form—was revitalized. Piazzolla transformed this old Argentinian dance into music capable of a variety of expression and fusing sharply contrasted moods: his tangos are by turn fiery, melancholic, passionate, tense, violent, lyric, and always driven by an endless supply of rhythmic energy. In the mid-1980s Piazzolla published what has become one of his most popular works, Histoire du tango, a survey of how that form had evolved in four different decades across the twentieth century. Piazzolla originally scored his “History of the Tango” for flute and guitar as a way of evoking the tango’s origins, but this music has been heard in countless arrangements. The opening movement, Bordel 1900, reminds us of some of the seamier origins of the form, but the music itself is extroverted and fun—Piazzolla’s performance instruction is Molto giocoso: “very happy.” Café 1930 shows us the tango as it had become domesticated after several decades—here it functions as comfortable background music while people eat. Nightclub 1960 brings us the tango in transition toward something livelier, as contemporary Latin dance forms began to reinvigorate it. The finale, Concert d’aujourd’hui, offers a sense of what the tango had become by the end of the twentieth century, assimilating all manner of influences, be they popular dances or classical music. The music is heard at this concert in an arrangement for violin and marimba.

While some have heard echoes of Bach in the preludes, this is very much the music of Chopin. And while these preludes do proceed through all the major and minor keys, Chopin does not write accompanying fugues, as Bach did: these are not preludes to anything larger, but are complete works in themselves. The entire set of 24 preludes lasts about 45 minutes, so these are concise essays in all the keys, and they encompass an enormous variety of technique, ranging from very easy preludes (played by every amateur pianist on the planet) to numbingly difficult ones, playable by only the most gifted performers. The Prelude No. 4 in E minor, however over-familiar it has become, remains some of the most expressive music ever written. It is heard at this concert in an arrangement for doublebass and piano.

ALKAN: LE FESTIN D’ESOPE (AESOP’S FEAST) OP. 39, NO. 12 Charles-Valentin Morhange (1813-1888), a French composer of Jewish ancestry, who had taken his father’s name as his own (Alkan) was a contemporary of Chopin, Schumann and Liszt, and a piano virtuoso second to none, except to the great Liszt himself. His fiendishly difficult scores was often regarded as too long and complex, too much effort for too little gain, and just too obscure. His music was little known until the second half of the 20th century, when championed by the likes of Ogdon, Raymond Lewenthal, Ronald Smith, and later by Marc-André Hamelin. The fantastical set of variations that closes the Op. 39, Etude Op. 39, No. 12 Le festin d’Esope (Aesop’s Feast), is based on all the technical difficulties of the studies that preceded it and consists of 25 variations based on an original theme. From the formidable technical skills it requires to master this piece, the massive keyboard challenges presented have made this a rarely performed work. Alkan was a mysterious, reclusive figure who chose the children’s “counting” nursery song “Ten Green Bottles” seemingly to travel through every permutation and variation possible. Antoine François Marmontel, Alkan’s rival—excerpt from “Les Pianistes Célèbres” (1878):

The lofty circle of writers that made up Chopin’s retinue admitted Valentin Alkan as a brother poet. This coterie, whose mutual admiration was somehow instinctive, exercised great and direct influence on the literary and artistic taste of the time. The names Hugo, Lamennais, Dumas, Jules Sandeau, George Sand, Ary Scheffer and Delacroix show that this illustrious group belonged to the Romantic school, seeking a new path and a break with traditional patterns. Alkan’s passion for original forms and unusual procedures reflected these trends and must have made him welcome to this school. Chopin, who did not spread his affections widely and who granted few artists the favor of being able to call themselves his friends, held Alkan in high esteem as both virtuoso and composer.

SAINT-SAËNS: THE SWAN FROM CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS Saint-Saëns wrote Carnival of the Animals as a private amusement for himself and friends while on a brief holiday in 1886. He did not, however, publish the work (it has no opus number) and forbade all public performances during his lifetime—apparently he was afraid that the publication of what he called his “grand fantaisie zoologique” would damage his reputation as a serious composer. Only in his will did he lift the ban on public performance, and Carnival of the Animals was first heard in public on February 25, 1922. The irony—one which Saint-Saëns would not have appreciated—is that Carnival has become by far his best-known composition.

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CHOPIN: PRELUDE IN E MINOR, OP. 28, NO. 4 As a young boy in Poland, Chopin fell in love with the keyboard music of Bach. Like Beethoven before him (and Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich after him), Chopin was particularly drawn to The WellTempered Clavier, Bach’s two sets of 24 preludes and fugues in all the major and minor keys of the chromatic scale. Haunted by Bach’s achievement, Chopin wished to try something similar, and in 1836, shortly after completing his Etudes, Op. 25, he began to compose a series of short preludes, but it would take him three years to complete the entire set of 24.

One movement of the suite, however, did become famous during the composer’s lifetime. Saint-Saëns lifted his ban on performances of the next-to-last movement, which beautifully captures the grace and dignity of the swan. Saint-Saëns originally conceived The Swan for cello, but it is heard here in an arrangement for doublebass and piano.

VILLA-LOBOS: SONG OF THE BLACK SWAN The Song of the Black Swan has been called Heitor VillaLobos’ response to Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Swan, but the reality is more complex than that. At the outbreak of World War I, Villa-Lobos returned from Paris to his native Brazil, and one of the first works he composed in Rio de Janeiro was a symphonic poem titled Naufrágio de Kleônicos: “The Shipwreck of Kleonics.” That piece told of Kleonics, a voyager, who confronts a black swan, the symbol of fate. Kleonics’ ship sinks, and in the water he struggles with the swan, then drowns as the dying bird sings a mournful song. Villa-Lobos’ symphonic poem has virtually disappeared, but its final section, in which a cello solo sings the lament of the dying swan, took on a life of its own when Villa-Lobos arranged it for cello (his own instrument) and piano. Under the title Song of the Black Swan, this piece has become very popular with cellists, and it has been arranged for many other instruments.

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It is easy to understand how some might think that the Song of the Black Swan was composed as a response to Saint-Saëns’ The Swan: both feature a subdued (and very beautiful) melodic line that sings gravely over an arpeggiated piano accompaniment. But the Song of the Black Swan was originally conceived as music that brought a tragic tale to its somber conclusion. It is heard at this concert in Villa-Lobos’ own arrangement for violin and piano.

SAINT-SAËNS, REIMAGINED BY GENE PRITSKER: ANIMALS CARNAVAL BASED ON CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS This performance is not of Saint-Saëns’ original chamber version of Carnival of the Animals or of the more familiar version for full symphony orchestra. Instead, this year’s Laguna Beach Music Festival concludes with the premiere performance of a re-imagining of this favorite score by composer Gene Pritsker.

classical music, jazz, rock, electronic music, video, film scores, and combinations of all of these. Pritsker is a vastly prolific composer: his 900+ compositions include seven chamber operas and numerous works for smaller ensembles, the stage, and voice. His creativity has been driven by energy, imagination, and an iconoclastic approach to music, and he has said: “My music is extremely eclectic, for me music has no bounds—I view the world of music as one big genre. My motto for my art is ‘ending the segregation of sound vibration.’” — Program notes by Eric Bromberger

Born in Russia, Pritsker studied at the Manhattan School of Music and has since made an incredibly creative career that seems to be going (successfully) in many different directions at once. He is by turn a composer, guitarist, and arranger, and his interests span

Joshua Bell violin

Voice THE &Violin

Larisa Martinez soprano

An evening of romantic arias, ballades, and classics including Chopin’s famous Nocturne and music from Bernstein’s West Side Story.

May 5 | 3pm Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

949.553.2422 philharmonicsociety.org

ANNE AKIKO MEYERS, VIOLIN 2024 FESTIVAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Anne Akiko Meyers, one of the world’s most esteemed violinists, has been called “the Wonder Woman of commissioning” by The Strad. A trailblazer in her field, Anne has collaborated with today’s most important composers, conductors, orchestras and presenters, creating a remarkable collection of new violin repertoire for future generations. Since her teens, Anne has performed around the world as soloist with leading orchestras and in recital. Anne received a 2024 GRAMMY Award nomination for her live recording with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic of Arturo Márquez’s Fandango, a concerto for violin and orchestra written for her in 2021, which has already been performed more than 25 times. The recording is the latest of more than 40 releases, which have become staples of classical music radio and streaming platforms. Highlights from Anne’s 2023-24 season include performances of the Philip Glass Concerto No. 1 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and with the Prague Philharmonia; Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on its U.S. tour; the world premiere of Billy Childs’s requiem In The Arms of the Beloved, with the Los Angeles Master Chorale; an appearance on NPR’s popular Tiny Desk series; and a residency at the Laguna Beach Music Festival, where she is the 2024 artistic director. Upcoming commissions include a work for violin and orchestra by Eric Whitacre, and New Chaconne by Philip Glass. Last season’s highlights included appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel in Los Angeles, at Carnegie Hall—marking the LA Phil’s return to Carnegie Hall in over 32 years—and at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. Anne premiered Blue Electra, a new violin concerto by Michael Daugherty, which she debuted to massive critical acclaim at The Kennedy Center with Gianandrea Noseda and the National

Anne has worked closely with some of the most important composers of the last half century, including Arvo Pärt (Estonian Lullaby), Einojuhani Rautavaara (Fantasia, his final complete work), John Corigliano (cadenzas for the Beethoven Violin Concerto; Lullaby for Natalie), Arturo Márquez (Fandango), Michael Daugherty (Blue Electra), Mason Bates and Adam Schoenberg (violin concertos), Jakub Ciupiński, Jennifer Higdon, Samuel Jones, Morten Lauridsen, Wynton Marsalis, Akira Miyoshi, Gene Pritsker, Somei Satoh, and Joseph Schwantner, performing world premieres with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle, Washington D.C., Helsinki, Hyogo, Leipzig, London, Lyon, and New Zealand.

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Symphony Orchestra, a performance which can be streamed on Medici.TV. She also released Mysterium, a recording of newly imagined violin/choral music by Bach and Morten Lauridsen, with Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Shining Night, which features world premieres and new arrangements of music by Bach, Brouwer, Corelli, Ellington, Piazzolla, Ponce, and Lauridsen, with pianist Fabio Bidini and guitarist Jason Vieaux.

Anne’s first national television appearances were on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the age 11, followed by performances that include Evening At Pops with John Williams, CBS Sunday Morning, Great Performances, Countdown with Keith Olbermann (in a segment that was the third most popular story of that year), The Emmy Awards, and The View. John Williams personally chose Anne to perform Schindler’s List for a Great Performances PBS telecast and Arvo Pärt invited her to be his guest soloist at the opening ceremony concerts of his new center and concert hall in Estonia. Krzysztof Penderecki selected Anne to perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto at the 40th Pablo Casals Festival with the Montreal Symphony which was broadcast on A&E. Anne also premiered Samuel Jones’s Violin Concerto with the All-Star Orchestra led by Gerard Schwarz in a nationwide PBS broadcast special and a Naxos DVD release. Her recording of Somei Satoh’s Birds in Warped Time II was used by architect Michael Arad for his award-winning design submission, which today has become the World Trade Center Memorial in lower Manhattan. Career highlights include a performance of the Barber Violin Concerto at the Australian Bicentennial Concert for an audience of 750,000 in Sydney Harbour; performances for the Emperor and Empress Akihito of Japan; for Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, in a Museumplein Concert with the Royal Concertgebouw

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Orchestra; and the national anthem at T-Mobile Park in Seattle and Dodger Stadium. She was profiled on NPR’s Morning Edition with Linda Wertheimer and All Things Considered with Robert Siegel, and she curated “Living American” on Sirius XM Radio’s Symphony Hall. Anne has been featured in commercials and advertising campaigns including Anne Klein, shot by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz; J.Jill; Northwest Airlines; DDI Japan; and TDK; and was the inspiration for the main character’s career path in the novel, The Engagements, by the popular author, J. Courtney Sullivan. She collaborated with children’s book author and illustrator, Kristine Papillon, on Crumpet the Trumpet, appearing as the character Violetta the violinist, and featured in a documentary about legendary radio personality, Jim Svejda. Outside of traditional classical, Anne has collaborated with a diverse array of artists including jazz icons Chris Botti and Wynton Marsalis; avant-garde musician, Ryuichi Sakamoto; electronic music pioneer, Isao Tomita; pop-era act, Il Divo; and singer, Michael Bolton. Anne was born in San Diego and grew up in Southern California where she and her mother would travel eight hours round trip from the Mojave Desert to Pasadena for lessons with Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld at the predecessor to the Colburn School of Performing Arts. Anne moved to New York at the age of 14 to study at The Juilliard School with legendary teacher, Dorothy DeLay, and with Masao Kawasaki and Felix Galimir; she signed with management at 16; and recorded her debut album of the Barber and Bruch Violin Concertos with the RPO at Abbey Road Studios at 18. She has received the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Distinguished Alumna Award and an Honorary Doctorate from The Colburn School. She serves on the Board of Trustees of The Juilliard School. Anne performs on Larsen Strings with the Ex-Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesù, dated 1741, considered by many to be the finest sounding violin in existence.

Emmanuel Ceysson, harp

Emmanuel Ceysson is one of the world’s leading harpists. He recently took up the position as Principal harp at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, after a successful career at Opera de Paris lasting nine years. Since 2005 he has been a presence in such leading venues on the international musical scene as the Wigmore Hall, the Salle Gaveau, Carnegie Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and the Berlin Philharmonie, where his appearances in recital, concerto repertoire

and chamber music regularly win high praise from the press. His unfailing commitment to his instrument has earned him the highest international distinctions. In rapid succession, he won the Gold Medal and a special performance prize at the USA International Harp Competition (Bloomington) in 2004, First Prize and six special prizes at the New York Young Concert Artist Auditions in 2006, and First Prize at the prestigious ARD Competition in Munich in September 2009, thus becoming the first harpist to obtain awards at thee major international events. Recent concert highlights include the Glière Concerto for Harp with the Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester at the Stefaniensaal of Graz and with the Prague Radio Symphony at the Gstaad Festival. Upcoming chamber music engagements include performances at the Hong Kong Chamber Music Festival, a recital at the Frick Collection, New York, with Quatuor Voce, his debut with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in the Summer of 2019, solo recitals at the Teatro del Lago, Chile, performances at the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Fauré Impromptu for Harp Op. 86 in Hong Kong, Mozart Concerto for Harp and Flute K. 299 with the Vivaldi Orchestra (Italy) and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (Canada). Recent and upcoming appearances include performances at Classical Tahoe, the Gliere Concerto for Harp with the Tapiola Sinfonietta, Finland, the Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp with the Cincinatti Symphony Orchestra and the Springfield Symphony, and a recital with Joyce DiDonato at Carnegie Hall. He was Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 2005 to 2009 and has taught at the International Summer Academy in Nice since 2010. He also gives regular masterclasses in France and in the course of his foreign tours and appearances. In 2010, Emmanuel Ceysson was nominated in the category ‘Solo Instrumental Discovery’ at the Victoires de la Musique Classique. In November 2011 he received a Prix d’Encouragement from the Académie des BeauxArts de l’Institut de France (Fondation Simone Del Duca) in recognition of his distinguished early career. Mr. Ceysson is a Naïve recording artist since January 2012 when he released Opéra Fantaisie, a solo album based upon famous operatic arias. He has given recitals and educational residencies at countless international venues including the Wolf Trap Foundation in Virginia, North Orange County Community Concerts Association in California, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Michigan, Mary Baldwin College in Virginia, the Washington Center for the Performing Arts (WA), and Emporia Arts Council in Kansas.

Jodie Gates, choreographer Founder & Artistic Director, Laguna Dance Festival

Gates represents William Forsythe Productions as a stager, and has taught and coached productions at The Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Prague National Theater, Zurich Opera Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Houston Ballet, Scottish Ballet and Teatro La Scala, among others. She is an American Ballet Theater/Altria Choreography Fellow and a recipient of the Jerome Robbins Foundation New Essential Works Program and the American Association of University Women. Currently, she is Artistic Director of the Laguna Dance Festival and is the Founding Director of the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California, where she is also a Professor of Dance. She received a Psychology of Leadership Certificate from Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business and studied at the Higher Education Leadership Program for Women at Bryn Mawr College.

Aubree Oliverson, violin

Praised for her evocative lyricism and joyful, genuine approach, young American violinist Aubree Oliverson is proving to be one of the most compelling artists of her generation, distinguishing herself with clear, honest, and colourful performances, which have been described as “powerful… brimming with confidence and joy” by the Miami New Times.

FESTIVAL ARTISTS

Jodie Gates has established a longstanding career as an artistic director, arts educator, choreographer, stager, curator and dancer. In January 2022, Ms. Gates was appointed Artistic Director of Cincinnati Ballet, where she will officially begin her new position in the summer of 2022. Her recent work has been as facilitator for the “Artistic Directors Coalition for Ballet in America,” a group of directors and educators who are addressing systemic racism and inequities within the culture of ballet. She is formerly a principal ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Complexions. She has choreographed over sixty original dance works for stage and screen, with commissions performed at the Kennedy Center, New York’s City Center Theater, Staatsballett Berlin, and the Vail International Dance Festival, among others. She has also choreographed for companies including Ballet West, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Complexions, Kansas City Ballet, and BalletX.

Acclaimed as a “masterful” soloist (San Diego Story), Aubree’s most recent solo appearances in 2023 include season openings of the Chamber Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall (di Vittorio), Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall (Morlot), Peace Orchestra Project (Mengoli), and Ridgefield Symphony with a pairing of the Barber and Esmail violin concertos. Other season highlights include performances with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (Teychenné), Columbus Symphony (Miller), Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra (Hoving), North Carolina Symphony (Prieto), Pacific Symphony (St.Clair), Des Moines Symphony (St.Clair), Amarillo Symphony (Jackson), Moldavian Philharmonic (Macek), Excelentia Madrid (Braunstein), Slovak Sinfonietta (Foron), Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra (Sachedina), New Haven Symphony (So), Puerto Rico Symphony (Valdés), and the Kontrapunktus Baroque Ensemble; in works by Brahms, Dvořák, Barber, Bruch, Korngold, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Weinberg, Haydn, Saint-Saëns, Esmail, and Bach. Passionate about and at ease with all periods of classical repertoire, Ms. Oliverson is committed both to performing the beloved standard to a range of audiences, as well as bringing lesser-known pieces into their rightful spotlight: “I play music that speaks to me regardless of how often it’s already being played, rediscovering lost masterpieces and composers who deserve more attention, paired with my own fresh take on the classics. It’s my hope that if I love a piece, someone in the audience will too.” Among the works she has championed over the years are the Pergolesi B-flat major concerto, Julius Conus concerto (1896), Weinberg concertino (1948), Reena Esmail “The Blue Room” concerto (2007), Salvatore di Vittorio “Voyages of Aeneas” concerto (2022), and more, alongside her favorite standard repertoire. A dynamic recitalist and sensitive chamber musician, Aubree recently toured Europe with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Clive Greensmith, and Tatjana Masurenko and collaborates this season with Anne Akiko Meyers and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County in duo works of Bach, Philip Glass, and Handel-Halvorsen. Other engagements include festivals such as the Aixen-Provence Easter Festival with Gil Shaham, the Rome Chamber Music Festival, Oropa Music Festival, Moab Music Festival, ChamberFest West, and recitals at the Grand Teton Music Festival and Soka Performing Arts Center, among many others. Ms. Oliverson has collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Robert McDuffie in Harris Hall at the Aspen Music Festival, Gil Shaham on tour in Mexico, Renaud Capuçon in France, Joseph Silverstein in Salt Lake City, and Lynn Harrell, Orli Shaham, Robert Chen, and Andrew Marriner in Los Angeles.

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Dedicated to reaching a broader audience and the importance of music education from a young age, Aubree has travelled to over 100 schools throughout the Western United States and spoken at national education conventions, encouraging thousands of children to work hard and participate in music. Recently, Aubree presented digital master classes for organizations including the Orchestra of the Americas, Music to Save Humanity, and Kontrapunktus Baroque, and she participated in a masterclass and side-by-side performance with the Esperanza Azteca Youth Orchestra in Mexico.

training, as well as enrichment studies in career development and personal presentation skills. Students enjoy a multitude of performance opportunities, both on campus and throughout Los Angeles, and participate in master classes. Alumni have gone on to study at top music schools, including the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Conservatory of Music at the Colburn School.

Aubree won the ‘Special Prize of Merit’ for violin at the prestigious Verbier Festival Academy, the Aspen Music Festival Dorothy Delay competition, a National YoungArts Foundation award, was honored as a United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and most recently named the 2023 Francis Rosen Prize recipient at the Colburn Conservatory, where she also obtained her Bachelor’s Degree and Artist Diploma. A former student of Debbie Moench, Eugene Watanabe, Danielle Belen, and Boris Kuschnir at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien, Aubree graduated from the Colburn Music Academy in 2016 and from the Colburn Conservatory in 2023, studying with the Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair, Mr. Robert Lipsett, for nine years.

Margaret Batjer, Director

Aubree plays a very fine Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin, kindly loaned to her by Irene R. Miller through the Beare’s International Violin Society, and a Jean “Grand” Adam bow on loan from the Metzler Violin Shop.

Colburn Academy Virtuosi

The Academy Virtuosi is an elite conductorless chamber orchestra comprised of talented young musicians from the Colburn School’s Music Academy. The ensemble has performed with renowned violin soloist Ray Chen; was featured on Unite for Ukraine, a benefit concert presented by North America’s top music programs and conservatories; and has received side-by-side coachings with the Sphinx Virtuosi. The Academy Virtuosi is directed by Margaret Batjer, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

About the Colburn Academy Established in 2010, the Colburn School Music Academy is a pre-college program designed to prepare gifted young artists for conservatory study and careers as wellrounded professional musicians. The comprehensive curriculum includes private instruction, studio classes, chamber music, music theory and history, and ear

Academy Virtuosi Orchestra Personnel

VIOLIN I James Birch Yxing Guo Esme Arias-Kim Yejoon Kwon Sophie Leung * Kailey Yun * VIOLIN II Muyang Wu Chieh-Jung (Stephanie) Ho Jiayi (Angela) Wang Tianjun Shen Xi-Wen (Nini) Chen * VIOLA Samuel Tatsuki Henry Woodruff Evangeline Lien Diana Nazarenko □ CELLO Mira Kardan Eiline Tai Nathaniel Yue Angela Rose Padula DOUBLE BASS Angela Leeper □ Maya Letherer □ HARPSICHORD Lindsey Yang * Mendelssohn only □ Colburn Conservatory of Music student

Bogang Hwang, piano

She earned her bachelor’s degree at Seoul National University under the tutelage of Ick-choo Moon. She is a prizewinner in many competitions in Korea such as the Eumag Chunchu Competition, Eumyoun Piano Competition, The Korean Liszt Competition, and The Seoul Orchestra Competition. Recently, she was a prizewinner of the 71st Wideman International Piano Competition in Louisiana, USA. She has also participated in several festivals, including Aspen Music Festival, SNU International Piano Academy, SNU International Chamber Music Festival and Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival. She has appeared as a soloist with the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Nicholas McGegan. In 2023, she performed as a soloist with the Colburn Orchestra. As a chamber musician, she is one of the founders of Sonarsix, which was appointed as Colburn Artist and prize winner from Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. In addition, she is a member of Kontrapunktus Baroque Ensemble, playing harpsichord. She has participated in master classes with pianists such as Christopher Harding, Yoshikazu Nagai, Ian Hobson, Ralf Gothoni, Eduardus Halim, Jeno Jando, Jeux Thibaudet, Orli Shaham, and Pedja Muzijevic. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree with Fabio Bidini at Colburn Conservatory of Music, where she also earned an Artist Diploma degree.

Nathan Farrington, double bass

Nathan Farrington has been the principal bassist for LA Opera since 2016. He regularly appears in the bass sections of many of America’s top orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony.

FESTIVAL ARTISTS

Pianist Bogang Hwang, born in South Korea, began playing piano at the age of six. She graduated from Sunhwa Arts High School, where she had won the excellence performance award for three consecutive years. Also, she was a recipient of the Sunhwa Piano Society Scholarship.

has performed on-stage at the Oscars, played on the soundtrack for West Side Story, performed “The StarSpangled Banner” for Vin Scully’s last home game at Dodger Stadium under the baton of John Williams, played and collaborated with artists such as Snarky Puppy, Katy Perry, Chris Martin, Herbie Hancock, Alex Acuna, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chic and Nile Rodgers, The GoGo’s, and Kobe Bryant.

He also pursues chamber music and solo opportunities avidly. He has appeared at the Marlboro Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Olympic Music Festival, ChamberFest Cleveland, and at the Da Camera Society. Wherever he is performing, Nathan makes sure to take along his trusty guitar and pairs singing and playing operatic arias and folk songs alongside his bass playing. In addition to his performance interests, Nathan is deeply interested in cinema. His LA-based audio company, Hazard Audio, connects top classical minds, with the artistic minds in movie and TV production. His life in each of these fields has helped him engage in new and interesting projects highlighting the natural strengths of each of the two worlds.

Matthew Howard, drums, marimba

Matthew Howard is the current Principal Percussionist with the LA Phil. Matthew is a Los Angeles native who graduated with his Masters in Music at the New England Conservatory studying with Will Hudgins of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has also received his Bachelor of Music at the University of Southern California studying under Joseph Pereira and Jim Babor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has performed with such groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, New World Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, and Boston Ballet. He also has been a fellow at the National Repertory Orchestra, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. During his time in the orchestra, he

BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Festival Chairman Hung Fan Board of Trustees Diane Arnold John (Chimo) Arnold Harvey Eisenberg Jean Felder John Flemming Anita Halton Joan Halvajian Ron Harris Betsy Jenkins Patricia Morgan Lauren Packard Tommy Phillips, President and Artistic Director, Philharmonic Society of Orange County Lucinda Prewitt, President and Executive Director, Laguna Beach Live!

LAGUNA BEACH LIVE! BOARD OF TRUSTEES President Lucinda Prewitt Secretary Joe Hanauer Treasurer Rick Malcolm Board of Trustees Susan Davis Joe Hanauer Dan Haspert, M.D. Valerie Imhof Betsy Jenkins Rick Malcolm Danny Melita Elizabeth Pearson Lucinda Prewitt Rob Schlesinger Steve Wood

LAGUNA BEACH LIVE! ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Ava Burton, Associate Producer

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Officers John Flemming*, Chair/CEO Donna L. Kendall*, Deputy Board Chair Sabra Bordas*, Vice Chair Stephen Amendt*, Secretary / Treasurer

President And Artistic Director Tommy Phillips

Board of Directors John W. Benecke, Development Chair Sabra Bordas, Nominating and Governance Chair * Jim Brophy Lauren Claus Hung Fan, Laguna Beach Music Festival Chair Jean Felder, Artistic and Marketing Chair Margaret M. Gates Kari Kerr, President, The Committees * Douglas H. Smith, Member at Large * Steven M. Sorenson, MD Kathryn Wopschall Sandi Wright-Cordes, Orange County Youth Symphony Chair In Memoriam Douglas T. Burch, Jr. Jane Grier Wesley Kruse

* Executive Committee

Artistic Operations Emily Persinko, Artistic Operations Manager Julia Tan, Production Coordinator Kathy Smith, Piano Technician Development Mark Saville, Vice President of Development Halim Kim, Senior Director of Development Fatima Rizvi-Flores, Individual Giving Manager & Board Liaison Nicole Gonzales, Special Events Manager Paige Frank, Development Coordinator Education Katherine Yang, Vice President of Education & Community Engagement Courtney McKinnon, Manager of Volunteer & Education Services Jennifer Niedringhaus, Education & Engagement Operations Manager Chloe Hopper, Education Associate & OCYS Coordinator Penny Arroyo, Huntington Harbour Office Manager & Finance Coordinator

BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Finance Roan Alombro, Vice President of Finance Fay Hu, Finance & HR Associate Marketing and Public Relations Jean Hsu, COO / Vice President of Communications Daniel Acosta, Director of Marketing Marie Songco-Torres, Senior Marketing & PR Manager Adaora Onyebeke, Marketing & PR Associate Patron Services Jonathan Mariott, Director of Patron Services Angelica Nicolas, Marketing & Patron Services Manager Randy Polevoi, Musical Concierge Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble Johannes Müller Stosch, Music Director & OCYS Conductor Lucy Lu, OCYSE Conductor & OCYS Strings Coach Danielle Culhane, Operations & Personnel Manager Hana Kurihara, Operations & Personnel Manager

FESTIVAL DONORS & THANKS

Laguna Beach Music Festival thanks the following individuals and organizations without whom this week would have been impossible! We are deeply grateful for your generous support.

LAGUNA

PARTNERS

FESTIVAL UNDERWRITERS ($10,000+) Hung Fan and Michael Feldman Joan Halvajian Howard Jelinek and Jelinek Family Trust Dr. and Mrs. Gary T. Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kohl Richard and Lauren Packard City of Laguna Beach PRODUCER’S CIRCLE ($3,000+) Joe and Jane Hanauer Ellen Pickler Harris and Ron Harris Christopher Quilter FESTIVAL PATRON ($1,500+) Chimo and Diane Arnold Crevier Family Foundation Harvey Eisenberg Deborah and Cody Engle Jean Felder Mr. John D. Flemming and Mr. Mark Powell Dr. Daniel E. Haspert and Mr. Gerard Curtin Cathy and David Krinsky Mr. and Mrs. Greg MacGillivray Mr. and Mrs. Richard Malcolm Danny and Kristy Melita Patricia Morgan Michael and Meili Pinto Deborah and Robert Schlesinger Diane Silber Edie Tonkon

List as of 2/6/2024. For more information, visit LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com

SPECIAL THANKS ARTIST HOSTS Ellen Pickler Harris and Ron Harris Gary and Betsy Jenkins Patricia Morgan

LIVE!

FESTIVAL FRIEND ($600+) John W. Benecke and Lee Marino Margaret M. Gates Ms. Barbara Hamkalo Karen McCulley Les Redpath Mr. and Mrs. Arkady Serebryannik Dr. and Mrs. Harvey S. Triebwasser CONTRIBUTOR ($300+) Lori and Harley Bassman Don and Karen Evarts Mr. and Mrs. Eric M. Kadison Dr. Nancy L. Kidder Dr. Elliott T. Kornhauser and Dr. Joe Baker Robbie and Steve Prepas Lucinda Prewitt SUPPORTER ($100+) Brien Amspoker and Ellen Breitman Mr. Richard Erickson Mr. Robert J. Harris Tricia Nichols

Funds for this program are provided by the lodging establishments and the City of Laguna Beach. Laguna Art Museum Laguna Dance Festival Laguna Playhouse Laguna Beach Seniors at the Susi Q Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) Laguna Beach Unified School District

ABOUT THE FFESTIVAL

Support Laguna Beach Music Festival

2023 Jeremy Denk

Since its inception, the exploration of music in its many forms and the diverse and fascinating ways music intersects with art, dance, and culture has been at the heart of the Laguna Beach Music Festival. For the past 21 years, the Festival has curated incredible, intimate experiences bringing audiences closer to artists through salons, open rehearsals, meet-the-artist events, and lively discussions, as well as engaging, educational activities with local schools and students.

2022 Chris Thile

2021 Conrad Tao

2014 Jeffrey Kahane 2020 Ray Chen

The generosity of patrons like you is vital to our success! We invite you to consider a tax-deductible gift in support of this year’s festival and help us continue to bring world-renowned artists to our stage and to our community. Together, we can ensure the festival will continue to flourish and cultivate a profound appreciation for music in Laguna Beach. For questions or to make a donation, please contact our Development Department at 949.553.2422 ext. 233, or scan the QR code below.

2013 Pablo Ziegler

LAGUNA

2019 Joyce Yang

2012 Joshua Bell

LIVE!

lagunabeachmusicfestival.com

2018 Nicholas Phan

2008 Turtle Island String Quartet 2011 Brooklyn Rider 2017 Johannes Moser

2007 Ahn Trio 2005 Christopher OʼRiley

2010 Paul Chihara 2016 Jennifer Koh and Shai Wosner

2003 Claude Frank

2006 Edgar Meyer 2004 Bruno Canino 2009 Lynn Harrell 2015 LA Guitar Quartet

O O

Featuring

Wh e re Lucy Fitz Gibbon, soprano Alexi Kenney, violin m us i c i s Jay Campbell, cello the ad ve nt ure Brentano String Quartet Mahler Chamber Orchestra

2024 Tickets on Sale | OjaiFestival.org | 805 646 2053

A Thousand Thoughts A Live Documentary With Kronos Quartet And Sam Green

FESTIVAL DONORS

Sat, Mar. 9 | 8 PM

“Pensive, rewarding, touching”

“a moving, sensurround experience”

“overflowing with joy and gratitude”

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Sam Green collaborates with Emmy Award®-winning writer Joe Bini to present a “live documentary” with the Kronos Quartet chronicling the group’s groundbreaking career.

Also Upcoming:

Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America

Sun, Feb. 25 | 3 PM

Marc-André Hamelin plays Beethoven, Schumann & Ravel

1 University Dr, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | soka.edu/pac | 949-416-4115 | FREE PARKING

sounds about town

colburn orchestra Lionel Bringuier, Conductor Bogang Hwang, Piano

Walt Disney Concert Hall Sunday, March 24 at 7 pm Tickets start at $17 ESA-PEKKA SALONEN Helix PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 2 SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5

get tickets

colburnschool.edu/disney

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE 22ND ANNUAL

LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL

A co-presentation of Laguna Beach Live! and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, the Laguna Beach Music Festival is a multi-day series of classical and contemporary concerts, community engagement and residency.

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M AC G ILLIVRAY F REEMAN F ILMS AND THE O NE W ORLD O NE O CEAN E DUCATIONAL C AMPAIGN SALUTE

WE AIM TO INSPIRE INFORM AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WITH GIANT-SCREEN MOTION PICTURE EXPERIENCES. THESE POWERFUL IMAGES MERGE WITH EDUCATIONAL MESSAGES TO ENHANCE AUDIENCES’ AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR NATURAL WONDERS.

Being part of the community means caring EDWARD JONES CELEBRATES THE LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL For more information, contact your Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones cannot accept gift cards, cash or checks as donations.

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Now Playing

Coming Soon

EVENTS Bluegrass & BBQ Jazz Music Festival

CONCERTS Chamber Music Community Engagement

EDUCATION

LAGUNABEACHLIVE.ORG

MARCH

APRIL

ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Nathalie Stutzmann, conductor Haochen Zhang, piano Wednesday, March 7, 2024, 8pm

20 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor Lisa Batiashvili, violin Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 8pm

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County celebrates 70 years of cultivating our community’s love and passion for music through presentations of internationally acclaimed orchestras, artists, and ensembles and dynamic education and community engagement programming.

MAY

JOSHUA BELL & ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS Joshua Bell, violin/leader Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 8pm

DANISH STRING QUARTET Thursday, April 11, 2024, 8pm

ENCORE: DANISH STRING QUARTET Friday, April 12, 2024, 8pm

GEORGE HINCHLIFFE’S UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN Saturday, April 13, 2024, 8pm

PRESENTING AT

VÍKINGUR ÓLAFSSON, PIANO Thursday, May 2, 2024, 8pm

VOICE & THE VIOLIN: JOSHUA BELL, VIOLIN & LARISA MARTINEZ, SOPRANO Paul Dugan, piano Sunday, May 5, 2024, 3pm

BACH MEETS BLUEGRASS: TESSA LARK, VIOLIN & MICHAEL THURBER, BASS Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 8pm

LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Jaime Martín, music director Gabriela Montero, piano Friday, May 24, 2024, 8pm

949.553.2422 | PHILHARMONICSOCIETY.ORG

All dates, times, artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.

2024 2025

JOIN OUR FA MILY!

S E A S O N

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RAY CHEN

CONRAD TAO

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER

EMANUEL AX & ANTHONY MCGILL

VIENNA PHILHARMONIC & YEFIM BRONFMAN DANISH STRING QUARTET YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN

LA PHIL

ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AVI AVITAL

CAROLINE SHAW