San Juan Symphony | Season 38 | Spring Program

SEASON 38: SPRING 2024 PROGRAM

PASSIONATE Saturday, February 10, 7:30pm Community Concert Hall Durango

Sunday, February 11, 1:00pm Henderson Performance Hall Farmington

ENIGMATIC Saturday, April 20, 7:30pm Community Concert Hall Durango

Sunday, April 21, 3:00pm Henderson Performance Hall Farmington

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Message from the Board President My father started playing the piano when he was a little boy and had a life long love of most music, but classical was his favorite.

Though classical music often played in our house there wasn’t money for concerts when I was growing up so it was a real treat to go with my dad as an adult. On the way home from the venue he’d tell me stories about the lives of the composers and remind me of their other well known works. To illustrate, sometimes he would sing. He had a lovely voice that sweetened with age. I savored our musical adventures.

During almost every performance there would come a time I would tell myself that closing my eyes would help me hear more deeply. It was true and once I reached a certain depth I would drift into another realm. Some might call it sleep. I preferred to think of it as soul spelunking. To my knowledge no snoring disturbed my neighbors.

My father never closed his eyes while listening, even when he was near his end. It was like he was visiting with a very dear old friend whose presence brought him comfort and happiness.

And now I find my eyes stay open too. I believe I’m listening for instructions.

To what, I’m not sure. How to live, how to die, how to feel, how to cry? Not sure, but every concert I learn a little more.

There’s no right or wrong way to listen to this music. We show up. That’s enough. I’m really glad you’re here.

Nancy Stoffer President San Juan Symphony, Board of Directors

Greetings from the Music Director.... 6 Music Director Biography.................... 7 Welcome from the Executive Director..................................................... 9 February Concert: PASSIONATE....... 11

April Concert: ENIGMATIC.................. 15 Beyond the Concert Hall.................... 22 Donors....................................................... 32 Sponsors and Partners........................ 37 Board and Staff......................................38

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Greetings from our Music Director Dear Symphony Audiences, Welcome to the San Juan Symphony!

On behalf of our entire organization, thank you for being part of the experience.

We would not be who we are without our community of audiences, supporters, musicians, students, and staff. Every day, I marvel at the many ways the SJS brings us all together: as two communities, Durango and Farmington, united in one mission; as musicians gathering on the same stage, playing the same notes in harmony. Audiences from all ages and walks of life gather to hear these concerts and share the same applause, and we are buoyed by the optimism of it all. As your Music Director, I am humbled and grateful, every day.

The four subscription concerts of the San Juan Symphony orchestra will be truly phenomenal. Each program is designed to impress and inspire, with a blend of the familiar and the very new. The first half of our season is marked by the SJS debut of the wonderful pianist Kara Huber; music by the beloved Russian masters Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff’s birth; plus the first SJS performances of rarely-performed works by Amy Beach, Elizabeth Maconchy, and Maurice Ravel. With every rehearsal and concert, the orchestra gains momentum, and you won’t want to miss a moment of the action!

Now that our offerings have expanded “Beyond the Concert Hall,” there are opportunities to hear both the full Symphony orchestra as well as chamber music, solo recitals, Festival events, and holiday programs, plus the ethereal voices of the SJS Chamber Singers. Taken all together, we are offering more music than ever before, and as we embark on these New Horizons, we hope you will join us and invite your friends to be part of the extraordinary experience.

Thank you so much, and enjoy every minute of music at the San Juan Symphony!

See you soon,

Dr. Thomas Heuser Music Director, San Juan Symphony

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Dr. Thomas Heuser Music Director American conductor Thomas Heuser has been widely recognized for his stirring leadership and energetic presence both onstage and in the community. Now entering his 13th season as Music Director of the Idaho Falls Symphony, his tenure continues to build momentum for the Symphony and the Idaho Falls community. Since 2016, he has also served as Music Director of the San Juan Symphony, a regional professional orchestra that serves the Four Corners in Durango, Colorado and Farmington, New Mexico. Thomas lives in Durango with his wife, violinist Lauren Avery, and their son Theodore.

Dr. Heuser was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for Orchestral Conducting in Germany while serving as a Conducting Fellow with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. His Fulbright residency at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München included orchestral performances in Munich and Berlin and his European operatic debut with Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland. Moving from Munich to San Francisco, Thomas enjoyed three seasons as the Principal Guest Conductor of the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, working alongside members of the San Francisco Symphony.

He recently enjoyed debut performances with the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, performing Handel’s Messiah with vocal soloists from the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program. He has appeared as a Guest Conductor and Cover Conductor with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, and with Durango’s Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra.

Among a variety of diverse engagements, Thomas has given subscription concert performances with the Lexington Philharmonic, Symphony New Hampshire, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, as well as the Winston-Salem, Illinois, Wyoming, Bozeman, Missoula, Flagstaff, Vallejo, Grand Junction, and Portsmouth Symphony Orchestras, among others. He was the conductor of the 2020 All-State Festival Orchestras in New Mexico and Alabama.

The son of two molecular biologists at Washington University in St. Louis, Thomas began violin lessons at an early age and studied piano at the St. Louis Symphony Music School. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College as a piano performance major and earned his Masters in Instrumental Conducting (MM) from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. In 2013 he completed his Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting (DMA) from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. His primary conducting mentors include Paavo Järvi, Bruno Weil, Mark Gibson, Thomas Baldner, David Effron, Marin Alsop, David Robertson, Gustav Meier, and Larry Rachleff.

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Message from the Executive Director Dear Friends of the San Juan Symphony, With great excitement and anticipation, I welcome you to Season 38 of the San Juan Symphony – “New Horizons.” As we embark on this new musical journey, I am filled with gratitude for your support and enthusiasm that have made the San Juan Symphony a beacon of artistic excellence in our community. This season promises to be a captivating blend of classical masterpieces, innovative contemporary works, and collaborative ventures that will ignite your imagination and stir your soul.

Throughout the years, the San Juan Symphony has been a testament to the power of music to connect, inspire, and uplift. Our orchestra, comprised of talented musicians from diverse backgrounds, brings together a wealth of experience and passion to create performances that leave an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. But our journey would not be complete without you – our cherished patrons, donors, volunteers, and music enthusiasts.

Your presence in the concert hall, generous contributions, and unwavering dedication fuel our artistic endeavors and enable us to bring worldclass music to our region. I am excited to see our community continue to come together to celebrate the beauty of sound and the joy of shared experiences.

In addition to our captivating concerts, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians and music lovers. Our Youth Orchestras, educational outreach programs, workshops, and camps, ensure that the magic of music reaches young minds, igniting their passion and shaping their futures.

I invite you to join us for a season of discovery, inspiration, and artistic exploration. Let us journey together as we set sail toward “New Horizons.”

Thank you for being an integral part of the San Juan Symphony family. I eagerly anticipate the moments we will share and the memories we will create in the coming months.

With warmest regards,

Chandra Stubbs Executive Director, San Juan Symphony

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Sponsored by

Susan Reese

PASSIONATE Saturday, February 10, 7:30pm Community Concert Hall Durango

Sunday, February 11, 1:00pm Henderson Performance Hall Farmington

Side-By-Side with Student Musicians Thomas Heuser, conductor

PROGRAM Ballade in A minor, Op. 33 (1898)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)

Chokfi’ (Rabbit): Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion (2018)

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (b. 1968)

VIOLIN 1 Aubrey Harmon Eden Van Dusen Rei Rasmussen Alex Chasse Ayumi Lambert

VIOLIN 2 Joel Newman Helen Robison Alondra South

CELLO Aidan Everson Johanna Shaffer Devin Deale

VIOLA Weiming Lambert

BASS Lily Muir

INTERMISSION (20 minutes) Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70, B. 141 Antonín Dvořák (1885) (1841-1904) I. Allegro maestoso II. Poco adagio III. Scherzo: Vivace IV. Finale: Allegro Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

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Passionate: Program Notes Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was born in London to mixed-race parents. His mother was English, and his father was a Creole man who studied medicine in London before returning to Sierra Leone in West Africa without ever knowing he would have a son. Samuel’s maternal grandfather taught him violin, and at age 15, he entered the Royal College of Music and began the study of composition with the venerated pedagogue Charles Villiers Stanford.

Coleridge-Taylor had many champions, notably Sir Edward Elgar, who recommended him as “far and away the cleverest fellow going amongst the younger men,” resulting in a commission with the Three Choirs Festival in 1896 for the Ballade in A minor, Op. 33 (1898). The Ballade was a breakout success, and he became a national musical figure almost overnight, making several visits to the U.S. in the early 20th century that included an invitation to the White House as a guest of Theodore Rosevelt. His greatest success was the three-part cantata, Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, which today is still considered one of the crowning achievements of British oratorio.

Since the 18th century, the Ballade has been popular as both a poetic and musical form. As a single-movement instrumental work, a Ballade is typically a short work with cyclical themes and an emphasis on dramatic, lyrical, and sentimental expression. Here, Coleridge-Taylor finds ample room to express fervent musical passions, and we can hear the influence of the archRomantic Johannes Brahms, whose style and aesthetic was championed by Stanford in London. The highly energized, even militaristic opening music gives way to a romantic middle section that features a sweeping, heartfelt melody high in the strings. The music shifts between those two contrasting moods and ultimately reaches an impassioned conclusion. Coleridge-Taylor died young at age 37 and left behind two children, a son named Hiawatha, and a daughter, Avril Coleridge-Taylor, who became a notable composerconductor in her own right. Surprisingly, these many generations later, his music is still being discovered and printed for the first time.

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (b. 1968) describes himself as a classical composer and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, dedicated to the development of American Indian classical composition. His musical background includes the study of piano and composition at major U.S. conservatories, a career as a keyboard player (including on tour with the Broadway production of Les Miserables), and now a steady stream of commissions from top musical organizations

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Program Notes by Music Director Thomas Heuser around the country and the world. His dedication to Indigenous cultures and their integration into classical composition has made him a critical ambassador. Like many scholars of world music before him, he has studied the music and language of multiple tribes, including the Choctaw, Navajo, Cherokee, Comanche, Lakota, Hopi, Ute, Shoshone, and several others. His musical output belongs alongside great ethnomusicologists like Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály.

About Chokfi’ (Rabbit): Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion (2018), Tate offers the following background: “Chokfi’ (choke-fee) is the Chickasaw word for rabbit, who is an important trickster legend within Southeast American Indian cultures. Inspired by a commission [from the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras], I decided to create a character sketch that would be both fun and challenging for the kids. Different string and percussion techniques and colors represent the complicated and diabolical personality of this rabbit person. In honor of my Muscogee Creek friends, I have incorporated a popular tribal church hymn as the melodic and musical base.” The short but impactful work is divided into distinct sections, starting with a highly rhythmical opening, a transition to a beautifully lyrical second part, and closing with a return of the opening percussive motion. Often, the strings are featured like percussion instruments, participating in the rhythmic drive and “diabolical” syncopations that seem to suggest the unexpected movements and quick step of the trickster rabbit of legend.

When František Dvořák gave his blessing for his 16-year-old son to become a musician, it was on the condition that he become an organist. And so, Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) set about his organ studies at the Prague Organ School, working freelance as a viola player and studying the German language to increase his competitiveness in European musical circles. He played under Richard Wagner and the father of Czech music, Bedřich Smetana, but only in his 30s, when he twice received the Austrian State Prize for composition and gained the attention of Johannes Brahms and his publishers, was Dvořák able to pursue a viable career as a composer.

He had written a great deal of music up to that point, but he was unknown outside of Prague. That all changed with a steady stream of financial successes, starting with the Slavonic Dances in 1878, and culminating with his appointment as Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City From 1892 to 1895, where he was paid a then-staggering $15,000 annual salary by the Conservatory’s founder, the wealthy philanthropist Jeannette Thurber.

Dvořák became a master of many idioms, notably the String Quartet and the Symphony, but equally enchanting are his works for solo piano, piano four hands, and his output of songs. The influence of the Czech language shapes his melodic outlines, and his rich harmonies are firmly rooted in Wagner, Brahms, and the Romantics. Although his American-inspired Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” remains arguably the most popular of any

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Symphony ever written, the impassioned Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70, B. 141 (1885) deserves every opportunity to take center stage. Written on a commission from the London Philharmonic Society, Dvořák was inspired to emulate the Symphony No. 3 by Brahms, a new work that had debuted the previous season. The pathos of seriousness reflects the angst of the time; the Czech nation was reeling from political struggles, and the composer wrote to a friend in the early days of writing this music: “God grant that this Czech music will move the world!!”

The first movement begins ominously and is marked by intensely rhythmical motives, shrouded in a deep, dark harmonic vocabulary. Dvořák’s tunefulness is evident straight away; there is passion in every phrase and even in the moments of silence that punctuate the massive sonata form. The second movement is pure Brahms, setting aloft a simple yet irresistible folklike melody, with a distinctly Bohemian accent. The tune offers breathtaking solos for the clarinet, horn, and cello section. The third movement “Scherzo” is built around a syncopated dance rhythm, against which a series of intense melodies are passed somewhat aggressively between the different sections of the orchestra. The fourth movement “Finale” continues in the dramatic vein, with the continued rhythmic syncopation and dark harmonies of the previous movements. The culminating mood of the Finale is triumphant, ending in a blaze of forward momentum and a massive brass chorale that leaves us breathless after witnessing orchestral playing at this level.

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

Sponsored by

ENIGMATIC Saturday, April 20, 7:30pm

Sunday, April 21, 3:00pm

Community Concert Hall Durango

Henderson Performance Hall Farmington

Inna Faliks, piano soloist Thomas Heuser, conductor

PROGRAM Tragic Overture, Op. 81 (1880)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Lilith: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Clarice Assad (b. 1978) Western U.S. Premiere (2024) Inna Faliks, piano INTERMISSION (20 minutes) Enigma Variations (Variations on an Original Theme), Op. 36 (1899) Theme: Andante I. (C.A.E.) L’istesso tempo II. (H.D.S.P.) Allegro III. (R.B.T.) Allegretto IV. (W.M.B.) Allegro di molto V. (R.P.A.) Moderato VI. (Ysobel) Andantino VII. (Troyte) Presto VIII. (W.N.) Allegretto

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

IX. (Nimrod) Moderato X. (Dorabella) Intermezzo: Allegretto XI. (G.R.S.) Allegro di molto XII. (B.G.N.) Andante XIII. (***) Romanza: Moderato XIV. (E.D.U.) Finale

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Musician Spotlight: Kathryn Shaffer Entering her 18th season with the San Juan Symphony, flutist Kathryn Shaffer puts living as a classical musician in Durango, Colorado at the top of her gratitude list.

Growing up in San Jose, California, I attended a primary school where all students learned music theory from kindergarten, sang in the choir, and studied a musical instrument. Piano lessons commenced in second grade, but it was the flute which captured my attention.

I still vividly remember the thrill of seeing this sparkling instrument nestled in its case with purple plush lining at the music store when I was nine years old. I took my flute home, never doubting that it would be something I would play for the rest of my life. Doubly propelled by the motivation of my twin sister on piano, we eagerly ate up music lessons and performed together from the beginning. My weekends were spent rehearsing with youth orchestras and listening to cassette tapes of flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, happily isolated from peers who had more social pursuits.

Remaining in California for college studies, I was grateful for my fabulous mentors, Isabelle Chapuis at San Jose State University and Maria Tamburrino of the San Jose Symphony, whose dedication to my development led me to study with Robert Willoughby at The Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, resulting in a master’s degree in Flute Performance. While residing in the Boston area, I enjoyed everything a big city had to offer, rubbing shoulders with performers and working with composers on their own music, grateful for these opportunities.

Eventually deciding to escape the big-city lifestyle, I arrived in Durango in 2002 with my husband, my music degree, and a newborn baby. Eager to explore opportunities for classical music, I gradually met the generous Durango musical community and was soon welcomed with open arms to perform at 3rd Avenue Arts’ Bach Festival, the Durango Chamber Music Festival, Music in the Mountains, and various recital venues. I auditioned for the San Juan Symphony while 6 months pregnant with my third child. Despite her fetal presence adversely affecting my lung capacity, I received a phone call with an invitation to join SJS on the day she was born in June 2006. A year later, my additional dream to instruct in a university music setting was realized when I began teaching flute at Fort Lewis College in 2007.

Outside of music, I enjoy life in Durango with my husband of 27 years, together raising and homeschooling our four children (my proudest accomplishment). In my spare time, I enjoy unwinding by running on the plentiful mountain trails surrounding Durango.

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About the Guest Artist “Adventurous and passionate” (The New Yorker) Ukrainian-born American pianist Inna Faliks has made a name for herself through her commanding performances of standard piano repertoire, as well genre-bending interdisciplinary projects, and inquisitive work with contemporary composers. After her acclaimed teenage debuts at the Gilmore Festival and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, she has appeared on many of the world’s great stages in recital and with many major orchestras, performing with conductors Leonard Slatkin, Keith Lockhart and many others. Her recent seasons include performances at Ravinia Festival in Chicago, National Gallery in Washington DC, Chigiana Academy in Italy, as soloist with U.S. orchestras nation-wide, and repeated tours of all the major venues in China.

Ms. Faliks collaborates with and premieres music by some of today’s most significant composers, including Billy Childs, Richard Danielpour, Timo Andres and Clarice Assad. She founded the award-winning poetry-music series Music/Words in 2008, with dozens of performances in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, both on stage and on WFMT radio. She regularly tours her monologue-recital Polonaise-Fantasie, the Story of a Pianist, which tells the story of her immigration to the United States from Odessa with music by Bach, Chopin, Gershwin and Carter (recorded on Delos).

Inna Faliks’ discography includes Reimagine: Beethoven & Ravel (Navona, 2021), for which she commissioned nine composers to respond to Beethoven’s Bagatelles op 126 and Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit. Also released in 2021 (MSR Classics) is The Schumann Project, Volume 1, which includes Clara Schumann’s G minor sonata and Robert Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes opus 13. Other releases include all-Beethoven and Rachmaninoff/ Ravel/Pasternak discs for MSR Classics, and The Master and Margarita project, featuring three world premieres on Sono Luminus (2022).

Ms. Faliks is professor and head of Piano Studies at UCLA, and in demand world-wide as a masterclass artist and adjudicator. She is also a published writer, with articles and essays appearing in Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, among other media outlets. A musical memoir, titled Weight in the Fingertips, will be published in 2023 by Globe Pequot. Inna Faliks is a Yamaha Artist.

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Enigmatic: Program Notes We love to look for mysteries beneath the surface of artistic masterpieces. In the 19th century, composers of symphonic music placed a great emphasis on the titles of their works, and how those titles related to the themes suggested by the music. Audiences came to expect that music would tell a story, and that there might even be a written program to follow. The debate over whether or not to write music “programmatically” was central in German circles, and at the core of the debate was Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).

Brahms spent much of his early career trying to meet the standards of a public reputation that was essentially thrust upon him. Thanks to the endorsement of Robert and Clara Schumann, Brahms was declared a world-class symphonist even before he had tried his hand at more than a piano sonata. His music is soulful and emotional, dramatic and harmonically rich, and when writing for the orchestra, he is known as a master of symphonic structure. But unlike many of his counterparts, Brahms avoided programmatic music, his symphonies do not have suggestive titles or historic implications, they are purely “music for music’s sake.”

The exception to that rule are two overtures he wrote as a pair, in honor of having been awarded an honorary doctorate degree to the University of Breslau in 1880: the Academic Festival Overture (Op. 80), and the Tragic Overture (Op. 81). In the words of the composer, “one is laughing, the other crying,” and of course it is the Tragic Overture where darkness and mystery are the prevailing moods. Even without the title, listeners would feel the turbulence and tragedy, making the title more of a description than a literal program. We are carried along by the driving force of the music to a heavy and emotional conclusion, along the way reveling in the melodic gifts and warm harmonic sequences of this brilliant musical mind.

We are distinctly honored to present the music of Clarice Assad (b. 1978) for the first time at the San Juan Symphony, and especially excited to be working on new music that is having only its second run of performances this weekend! Assad was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was exposed to music throughout her childhood. She represents a generation 18

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Program Notes by Music Director Thomas Heuser of composers whose output spans multiple styles and genres, from classical guitar to electronic music and beyond. Assad has won multiple awards for her music, and commissions from many of the world’s leading musical organizations, conductors, and performers.

Assad’s newest piece is called Lilith: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2024), which she wrote for our beloved guest artist, Inna Faliks. In extensive notes, she describes the impetus for the music, the current artistic collaboration, and the multi-layered, mystical personality at its core: “Lilith is considered among the best-known female archetypes, described as both a demon and a goddess: portrayed in different cultures as a vicious killer or a powerful female force. The plurality of forms she has taken in various cultures across time and space further mystifies her character in my imagination. This is the reason I was inspired to write a piece dedicated to this fascinating life force.

“In this piece, I strive to acknowledge many of these roles ascribed to Lilith in myths and legends ranging from the 3rd millennium BCE to the present day. In ancient Sumerian folklore, she appears as an untamed sexual force; in medieval tales, she appears as the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. In European folklore, we meet her as the Witch’s Sabbat’s supervising goddess, as the Wild Hunt female leader. She is identified as Medusa, who kills men with a deadly gaze; she is Lamia who devours her lovers. In feminist ideology, Lilith is the symbol of a liberated woman. Circling back to the Archetypes idea, in Jungian psychology, she represents the Anima. The dark, cunconscious part of the Self.

“Musically, there is a vast universe to be explored. It has been an incredible journey reading, learning, and portraying my impressions of this character in this piano concerto. The piece is written and dedicated for my friend Inna Faliks, and commissioned by a longtime friend and supporter of my work, Tom Baron.” Clarice Assad (2020) Perhaps the greatest piece of music to explore human psychologies through musical means is the Enigma Variations (Variations on an Original Theme), Op. 36 (1899) by English composer Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934). The suggestive title, Enigma Variations, refers to a melody that the composer apparently improvised Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

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at the piano after a busy day of teaching. The final version of the orchestral music opens with that slow, ponderous melody, which is followed by 14 variations, each one depicting a different character in the composer’s life. In a program note by the composer for a performance in 1911, Elgar himself provided some insights: “This work, commenced in a spirit of humor and continued in deep seriousness, contains sketches of the composer’s friends. It may be understood that these personages comment or reflect on the original theme and each one attempts a solution of the Enigma, for so the theme is called. The sketches are not ‘portraits’ but each variation contains a distinct idea founded on some particular personality or perhaps on some incident known only to two people.” -EE And so, the mystery remains to this day! Much ink has been spilled trying to “solve” the musical Enigma, but perhaps it is most satisfying to see these variations as though we are hearing the germinal melody filtered through the lens of different personalities.

Whether graceful or gruff, introspective or religious, stubborn or downright mean, the characters were part of Elgar’s psyche, and he ingeniously captures their essence in the mood of each section.

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SAN JUAN SYMPHONY

BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL

Friday, January 19 | 7:00pm

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church | 910 E. 3rd Ave., Durango

Saturday, January 20 | 2:00pm Connie Gotsch Theater, Farmington

Lauren Avery, Concertmaster Tennille Taylor, Principal Second Violin Karl Winkler, Principal Viola Katherine Jetter, Principal Cello Eliza Aria

PROGRAM

Pisachi (Reveal) for String Quartet (2013)

Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (b. 1968)

SHORT BREAK String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3

I. Andante con moto - Allegro vivace II. Andante con moto quasi Allegretto III. Menuetto grazioso IV. Allegro molto

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Please join us for a reception with the artists immediately following both performances.

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SAN JUAN SYMPHONY

BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL

DURANGO BACH FESTIVAL: BACH’S LUNCH CONCERTS

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Durango, Catered Lunch by Manna

Monday, March 4 | 12:00pm J.S. Bach, Partita for Keyboard No. 1 in B-flat Major: Prelude Dr. Thomas Heuser, harpsichord

J.S. Bach, Partita for Violin No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1002 Dr. Brandon Christensen, violin

Tuesday, March 5 | 12:00pm J.S. Bach, Toccata for Organ in F Major, BWV 540 Kyle Osborne, organ

C.P.E. Bach, “Hamburg” Sonata in G Major, Wq. 133, H.564

Dr. Andreas Tischhauser, flute, Dr. Wesley Dunnagan, harpsichord

J.S. Bach, Partita for Keyboard No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827 Dr. Holly Quist, piano

Wednesday, March 6 | 12:00pm J.S. Bach, Selections for Handbell Choir

St. Paul’s Lutheran Handbell Choir, Jo Ann Beegles, Director

Wilhelm Friedman Bach, Duetto a 2 Flauti Dr. Rochelle Mann & Kathryn Shaffer, flutes

J.S. Bach, Five Sinfonias for Solo Harpsichord Marilyn Garst, harpsichord

Thursday, March 7 | 12:00pm “Bach Organ Showcase”

Dr. Grant Gebhard and Dr. Jim Gebhard, organ

Prelude in G Major, BWV 557, Prelude & Fugue in F Major, BWV 556 Passacaglia & Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582 Arias with organ, featuring Helen Gebhard, soprano Sheep May Safely Graze, Bist du bei Mir, and more

Friday, March 8 | 12:00pm J.S. Bach, Selections from Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012 Karl Winkler, viola

George Philippe Telemann, Tafelmusik-Quartetto in G Major TWV 43:G2 Rebecca Ray, oboe, Rochelle Mann, flute, Lauren Avery, violin, Katherine Jetter, cello, Mika Inouye, harpsichord

J.S. Bach, Lyrical Selections featuring Friends of the Bach Festival POST-LUNCH LECTURES: THE STATIONS OF BACH Daniel Morgenstern & Kyle Osborne (Tuesday & Thursday, Parish Hall) 24

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DURANGO BACH FESTIVAL:

OPENING NIGHT: 20MOONS COLLABORATION Saturday, March 2 | 7:00pm

The Light Box Theater at Stillwater Music | 1316 Main Ave., Ste. C, Durango “Facets: a life reflected” is an interactive work featuring 20Moons dancers, San Juan Symphony musicians, and 13 pieces by J.S. Bach.

Additional performances and tickets available at www.20moons.com/facets.html

BACH FESTIVAL STUDENT RECITALS Sunday, March 3 | 2:00pm & 4:00pm Summit Church | 2917 Aspen Dr., Durango Enjoy free concerts by local students.

FESTIVAL FINALE CONCERT Saturday, March 9 | 7:00pm

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church | 910 E. 3rd Ave., Durango Durango Bach Festival Orchestra San Juan Symphony Chamber Singers Elizabeth Crawford, Music Director Christine Richards, soprano Drea Pressley, mezzo-soprano

Wesley Dunnagan, tenor Santiago Alfonzo Mesa, bass-baritone Kyle Osborne, organ and harpsichord Rebecca Ray, oboe soloist Thomas Heuser, conductor

PROGRAM Concerto for Oboe d’amore in A Major, Johann Sebastian Bach BWV 1055 (1730) (1685-1750) I. Allegro II. Larghetto III. Allegro ma non tanto Rebecca Ray, Oboe d’amore INTERMISSION Missa in G Major (Lutheran Mass), BWV 236 (1738) I. Kyrie II. Gloria III. Gratias IV. Domine Deus V. Quoniam VI. Cum Sancto Spiritu

Johann Sebastian Bach Festival Pass $130, limit 50; includes Bach’s Lunches and 7 concerts Single tickets $5 Student $24 adult sanjuansymphony.org durangoconcerts.com

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SAN JUAN SYMPHONY

BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL

3RD AVENUE CONCERT SERIES Exploring the Life and Music of Antonín Dvorák Friday, April 5 | 7:00pm St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 910 E. 3rd Ave., Durango

SJS Music Director Dr. Thomas Heuser leads a unique Lecture Recital that illuminates the life and musical personality of Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. Several musicians will perform excerpts from a variety of works that showcase the brilliance, authenticity, and lyricism of the great composer. Bohemian stylistic influences, and Dvořák’s embrace of diverse cultures will be explored, and with his Seventh Symphony still ringing in our ears after recent SJS performances, the music of Antonín Dvořák will be brought into a new light. Limited seating available!

SELECTIONS WILL BE DRAWN FROM THE FOLLOWING WORKS: Music for Piano: Lístek do památníku (Album Leaf), Otázka (Question), Dvě perličky (2 Little Pearls) Selections from the Slavonic Dances and Legends for Piano Four Hands Music for Voice and Piano: “Song of the Moon” from Rusalka, Op. 114 “Songs My Mother Taught Me” from Gypsy Songs, Op. 55 Selections from Cypresses for Voice and Piano, B. 11 Selections from the Moravian Duets, B. 32 Music for String Quartet: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 51, “Slavonic” String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, “American” A detailed program insert will be provided at the performance with complete historical notes and musician information.

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

SAN JUAN SYMPHONY

BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL

Sunday, May 12 | 3:00pm St. Mark’s Episcopal Church | 910 E. 3rd Ave., Durango

SUNRISE: SONGS OF HOPE Now Is the Month of Maying, Thomas Morley (1558-1602) Lux Aeterna, Edward Elgar (1857-1934) I Can See Clearly Now, Johnny Nash (1940-2020), arr. Larry Nickel Danny Boy, trad. Irish, arr. Joshua Pacey (b. 1995) Sunrise Mass, Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) The Spheres Sunrise The City Identity & The Ground Mother’s Day Encore: Music in My Mother’s House, Stuart Stott’s (b. 1957), arr. Elizabeth Crawford

Save the Date:

DURANGO CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL June 10-14, 2024

Enjoy a week-long celebration of small ensembles and chamber music performances, featuring the faculty of the Durango Chamber Music Academy and the Piano Academy at FLC. Afternoon concerts are affordably priced and open to all ages.

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Sponsored by

FAMILY CONCERT

Lemony Snicket: The Composer is Dead!

Saturday, May 18, 4:00pm Community Concert Hall Durango

Sunday, May 19, 2:00pm Henderson Performance Hall Farmington

Everyone is invited to enjoy a free Instrument Petting Zoo starting one hour before each performance!

Meredith Mapel, narrator Thomas Heuser, conductor

PROGRAM Golliwog’s Cakewalk

Claude Debussy

Jeux d’enfants (“Children’s Games”) Le bal - galop

Georges Bizet

Lemony Snicket: The Composer is Dead!

Nathaniel Stookey

Kids of all ages are invited to attend the 2024 Family Concert of the San Juan Symphony! Maestro Heuser and the full orchestra will be there, and the silly, wacky “who-dunnit” story by Lemony Snicket will have everyone entertained and enchanted by the magic of the Symphony!

ALL TICKETS ARE JUST $5 THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

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SUMMER MUSIC CAMPS 2024!

Presented by: The San Juan Symphony Four Corners Music Teachers Association (4CMTA) The Four Corners Orff Chapter The San Juan Symphony, Four Corners Music Teachers Association (4CMTA), and the Four Corners Orff Chapter are pleased to provide a series of popular Summer Music Camps! These camps are designed to impact students from ages 6-18, with a range of programs and instructional levels that are catered to meet a wide range of needs.

The Summer Music Camps are scheduled for June 10-14, 2024, and include the return of the Young Musicians Camp, the Piano Academy at Fort Lewis College, and the Durango Chamber Music Academy.

Need-based scholarships are available in the form of tuition discounts on an individual basis. Tuition to all camps includes daily student ticket to the Durango Chamber Music Festival concerts from 12:15-12:45pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Young Musicians Camp, “Discovering Music” Faculty: Mika Inouye & Sarah Inouye Mano Monday-Friday, June 10-14 9:00-11:00am Tuition: $200/student Location: Jones Hall at Fort Lewis College, Durango Students ages 6-11 enjoy an energetic experience in Orff Schulwerk, an internationally recognized model for integrating music, movement, speech, and drama.

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

Musician Makers Scholarship Awards: 27 students served with $8,575 distributed to 12 Teachers.

Durango Chamber Music Academy

Faculty: Lauren Avery, Amy Barrett, Molly Jensen, Katherine Jetter Monday-Friday, June 10-14 | 9:00am-12:45pm Tuition: $325/student Location: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Durango Registration Deadline: Friday, April 26 Students of string instruments ages 9-18, who read music proficiently and have reached Suzuki Book 2 (or equivalent) are invited to enroll.

Beginning, intermediate, and advanced chamber music groups will be created according to the levels of the students. Each day will be divided into ensemble playing with coaches, group work by instrument, and general music, and a final recital will be performed for family and friends. Music will be provided and should be learned in advance. Each day culminates with a Durango Chamber Music Festival concert at 12:15pm. Parents are encouraged to purchase Parent Tickets and attend with their student.

Piano Academy at Fort Lewis College

Faculty: Kristen Folden, Mika Inouye, Holly Quist, Lisa Campi Walters Monday-Friday, June 10-14 | 1:00-4:00pm Tuition: $325/student Location: Jones Hall at Fort Lewis College, Durango Audition deadline (see below): Saturday, March 30 The Piano Academy at Fort Lewis College provides an exceptional opportunity for intermediate to advanced piano students to study piano technique and collaborative music. Auditions are required. Daily private and group lessons will cover the skills of sight-reading, technique, ensemble playing, and more. Students will perform a final recital for family and friends on Friday, and have the opportunity to attend Chamber Music Festival performances. Parents are encouraged to purchase Parent Tickets and attend with their student, and are required to provide daily transportation between St. Mark’s and Fort Lewis College.

Audition videos to the Piano Academy are due by Saturday, March 30.

Please perform one short piece with a camera angle that ensures both hands are visible, and provide a link to an unlisted video on YouTube.

For details and online registration, visit sanjuansymphony.org/music-camps/

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As a non-profit dedicated to the performing arts, we are grateful for contributions in any amount. This list reflects annual donations made to the San Juan Symphony between January 1-December 31, 2023.

Our list of donations will again be updated in the Fall 2024 Program.

Please contact our office with any amendments; we appreciate the opportunity to correct our records. Thank you for your enduring support of our programs!

Maestro’s Circle PRESENTER

($10,000-$19,999) Community Foundation Serving SW Colorado Connie Gotsch Arts Foundation Walter Dear Jim Foster Steve & Marti Kiely Levy Family Fund New Mexico Arts San Juan Regional Medical Center Ziems Ford Corners

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

SPONSOR

($5,000-$9,999) Alpine Bank Douglas Brew & Dorothy Peacock City of Durango City of Farmington Elizabeth Crawford Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad LPEA Round-Up Foundation Tom & Mary Orsini San Juan County Commissioners Susan Reese TBK Bank

BENEFACTOR

($2,500-$4,999) Ballantine Family Fund Norman Broad & Carol Salomon Coca-Cola Durango Bottling Company Durango Friends of The Arts Ruth Guarino Larry & Elizabeth Crawford Family Foundation

Jimmy & Meredith Mapel Karen McIntire & Mike Nettles McLaughlin Family Charitable Fund Dick & Georgeann Reitz Tom & Bev Taylor Gordon & Dene Kay Thomas Bowen Tzeng & Erin Schifeling

PATRON

($1,000-$2,499) Anonymous D’Ann Artis B & C Team Fund James & Buddie Bertrand Stephen Bowers & Wendy Grant Ginny Brown Judy Bundy Bryan & Jacquelyn Dear Jennie Dear & Tom Bartles Julia Dodd Eugenia Dorminy Duke Family Fund Mark Everson & Sara Michaels

Foundation Source Anonymous William Gundlach Gerald Harris Edward & Maria Kompare Rochelle Mann Don & Sandra Mapel Michael Moravan Mary Nowotny Jim Ottman Ross Park James Peters Elizabeth Petersen Carla Pinahs Joe & Cathy Pope Janice Sheftel LeMaire Family Fund

Paul & Jigger Staby Payroll Department Nancy Stoffer Karen Soltes Raymond & Carol Schmudde David & Mary Stengel Gwyneth Stites Pete & Tish Varney Ilga K Vise Max Vogt Nan & Brian Wagner Family Fund Florian & Shelley Walchak Susan Washburn

Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

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Symphony Circle SUSTAINER

($500-$999) 1st Southwest Bank Richard & Mary Lynn Ballantine Terry Bacon & Debra Parmenter Richard & Beverly Benford Blackbaud Giving Fund Wynn & Linda Berven Beatrice Byrd John Byrom Anita Cohen Nanc Cole Community Foundation Serving SW CO Ernie & Margo Cotton

Andie & Rudy Davison Margy Dudley Catharine Eppinger Robert Evans Tyler Fouss Charles Freuden Sheryl & Stephen Guy Eben Harrell Gerald & Linda Harris Ethan Hong Jason & Heather Hooten Robin Jakino Ruth Katzin Drs. Keith & Susan Kujawski Tina Lemaster

Steve & Susan Nelson Marcey Olajos Jim Peters Pinon Family Practice John Romine Gary Rottman Peggy Sharp Robert & Emily Therrell Karen Thompson & Larry Eads Cynthia Williams Steven Zwick

Community Foundation Serving SW CO Alden Foster Dawn Krause Larry & Barbara Kronick Deborah Lycan The Thane Malison Charitable Fund Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel, LLP Patrick Murphy

Jeff & Janet Parks Betsy Petersen John Schuenemeyer Michael & Jane Schultz Gloria & Dave Smiley Geney Stan Kenneth & Joyce Stevenson Chris & Chandra Stubbs Cecilia & Monica Taulbee-Leaming

ASSOCIATE

($250-$499) Ace Hardware of Farmington Sue Agranoff Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. Bonnie Avery Paul Bandy & Mary Catherine Curry David & Sally Bramhall Robert Bricca Callie Blackmer Bobbie Carll

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

FRIEND

($10 - $249)

Jim Adkins & Lynn Eustance Guy & Sandy Alexander Gary & Beanie Archie Chris & Laura Argotsinger Bonnie Avery Linda Barnes Katherine Barr Victor & Sally Bellerue Emma Bodine Abby Bowen Susan Brightman Nancy Brown Mary Sue Burnham Jim Byrd Tom Campbell Ron & Hyla Calcote Wayne & Susan Caplan Luana Castellano Jeanie Child David & Terry Clark James & Cheryl Clay Matthew & Amanda Clugston Jon & Kathy Cohen Charles Connolly Bonnie Cowell Erin Cuthbertson Steven Danko Robert & Nancy Dolphin Paul Duggan Deb Duncan Roberta Eickman Ellingson Condie Family Trust Ann Flower Martha Flynn Mike Foster Hans Freuden Ron & Marilyn Garst Marion Gilmore Leslie Gleason Evan Gonzales Brooke Goulding Maude Grantham-Richards Alfred Greeley

Cheryl Green David & Carol Grenoble Richard & Gail Grossman Billy & Maria Gutierrez Gerald & Linda Harris Hollis Hassenstein & Richard Quinn Heather Hawk Thomas Heuser & Lauren Avery Geoffery A. Hirt Don & Vicki Allen Holmsten Lee & Elsa Horowitz Steve & Connie Jacobs Robin Jakino Katherine Jetter Patricia & Jay Joy Lucy Johnson Tom & Shirley Jones Steve & Kathy Kellenares Candace Kendrick Steve Krest Theresa Krolak-Owens Gail Lauter Les Leach Robert & Gloria Lehmer Laurie Lidstrom Steven & Christi Livingston Benjamin Loyd Richard & Florence Mason Nicki Massieon Michael Mays Justin & Anna McBrayer Lucy McGuffey Carole McWilliams Karen & Karl Mesikapp Tim & Carolyn Miller Martha Minot Isabelle Montoya Mary Moorehead Mary O’Donnell Jessica Obleton Cherry Odelberg

Janet Oliver Clark & Melanie Palmer Jeff & Janet Parkes John Patton Luke & Charlotte Pfeil Pledgeling Foundation James Porter Susan Robertson Sheri Rochford-Figgs Bruce & Suzanne Rodman Alicia Romero Jonathan Rudolf June Russell Stanley Rynkiewicz Michael Schultz Stephen & Linda Sency Kathryn & Brian Shaffer Aline & John Schwob Kent & Florence Short Steve Short Nancy Sheftel-Gomes Steve Short Michael Silver Gloria & Dave Smiley Geney Stan Michael & Pam Stillman Kent Stottlemyer Charles Squire Hope Vail Mike Van Dusen Jean Van Sickle Sean Varley Benita Vassallo John Watson Stephanie Weber Dick & Beth Wheeler Richard White Gail & Jim Williams Rosemary Winkler Susan & Scott Wortman Dieter Wulfhorst Kimberlee Yeargin

MEMORIAL DONATIONS

HONORARY DONATIONS

In Memory of Walt Dear Robert W Baird & Co., Jennie Dear & Tom Bartles, Mary Sue Burnham, Bryan & Jacquelyn Dear, Carol & David Grenoble, Jim Peters, Dick & Georgeann Reitz

In Honor of Dan & Polly Morgenstern Larry & Barbara Kronick

In Memory of Mary Jane Clark Daniel & Sheri Rochford-Figgs

In Honor of Rochelle Mann Candace Kendrick

In Memory of Jean Ryder Marian Gilmore, Dick & Beth Wheeler, Susan Kujawski, Daniel & Sheri Rochford-Figgs Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

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IN-KIND DONORS

Alison Ragsdale Photography Alpine Bank Chris & Laura Argotsinger Artifacts 302 ASAP Accounting & Payroll Be FRANK Foundation Stephen Bowers & Wendy Grant Bread Ginny Brown Jim Bob Byrd Coca-Cola Bottling Company Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College Paul Duggan Durango Herald Durango Land & Homes Durango Magazine Econo Lodge Inn and Suites Florian and Shelley Walchak Kristen Folden Fort Lewis College Music Department Elizabeth Crawford Al & Janice Curry Ruth Guarino Billy & Maria Gutierrez Sheryl & Stephen Guy Carter & Sue Hampton Cindy Hillmer Pip Howard Mika Inouye Molly Jensen Katherine Jetter Steve & Marti Kiely

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24

KSJE Radio Local News Network Gisela Lott Allen and Karen Lyon Rochelle Mann Kim Martin Sara Michaels Scott Michlin Mill Street Bistro Karen Morrison Patrick Murphy Karen Johnson John O’Neal Dick & Georgeann Reitz Alicia Romero San Juan Savings Guide Cynthia Rapp Sandhu Linda Sency Don & Sandra Maple Carol Schmudde Janice Sheftel Rev. Debbie Metzgar Shew Star Liquors Mary Stengel Nancy Stoffer Chris & Chandra Stubbs Bev & Tom Taylor Dene & Gordon Thomas Pete and Tish Varney Brian Wagner Shelley Walchak Chuck & Janet Williams Wines of the San Juan

Sponsors & Partners 1st Southwest Bank Alex Benally’s Hogan Alpine Bank Artifacts 302 Artist In Residence Program at Fort Lewis College ASAP Accounting & Payroll Ascent Digital Ballantine Communications Ballantine Family Fund Be Frank Foundation City of Durango City of Farmington Clancy’s Irish Cantina Coca-Cola Bottling Company Colorado Gives Foundation Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College Community Foundation Serving SW Colorado Connie Gotsch Arts Foundation Duck Girl Art Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Durango Botanic Gardens Durango City Lifestyle Magazine Durango Friends of the Arts Durango Independent Film Festival Durango Land and Homes

Durango Magazine Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Fort Lewis College Music Department Four Corners Broadcasting Gotcha Covered of Durango and Farmington Jimmy’s Music & Supply Kroegers Ace Hardware KSJE Radio Levy Family Foundation LPEA Local News Network Manna Soup Kitchen Mill Street Bistro Music In The Mountains New Mexico Arts Powerhouse Science Center/Tinker Lab Psyche Digital San Juan County Commissioners San Juan Regional Medical Center St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Summit Church TBK Bank Visit Durango Wells Group Real Estate Wines of the San Juan Ziems Ford

Help Support your Symphony, Become a Donor Today

Season 38 Spring Program | sanjuansymphony.org

37

SAN JUAN SYMPHONY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2023-24

Nancy Stoffer, President Sara Michaels, Vice President Janice Sheftel, Treasurer Wendy Grant, Secretary Steve Kiely Monica Leaming Allen Lyon Scott Michlin Karen Morrison Cynthia Rapp Sandhu Alicia Romero Carol Schmudde Tom Taylor Brian Wagner Shelley Walchak

MUSICIANS’ REPRESENTATIVES John O’Neal Tennille Taylor

STAFF

Chandra Stubbs | Executive Director Thomas Heuser | Music Director Laura Argotsinger | Operations Manager Sayra Siverson | Youth Orchestra Director Molly Jensen | Junior Orchestra Director Lauren Avery | Librarian Steve Blaylock | Stage Manager Arthur Post | Music Director Laureate Jan Roshong | Music Director Laureate

PHOTOGRAPHY Illuminarts,

Allison Ragsdale Photography

GRAPHIC DESIGN Duck Girl Art WEBSITE DESIGN Psyche Digital

MISSION STATEMENT:

The San Juan Symphony is dedicated to bringing musical excellence and educational enrichment to the diverse communities of the Four Corners region.

P. O. Box 1073 Durango, CO 81302 www.sanjuansymphony.org 970.382.9753

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San Juan Symphony 2023-24