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August
Arbor Wind Trio
Zimmerli Series (page 41)
Espresso Series (page 27)
Bluegrass Spartanburg (page 25) Event
Youth Orchestra (page 67)
Music Sandwiched In (page 23)
Wed 8/28 Spartanburg County Downtown Library
September
John Concklin and Ismail Akbar
Wed 9/11 Spartanburg County Downtown Library
Symphonie Fantastique Sat 9/14 Twichell Auditorium
Nathan Shirley: Silent Films & Live Accompaniment
Wed 9/25 Spartanburg County Downtown Library
Chatham County Line Fri 9/27 Chapman Cultural Center
October
Espresso no. 1: Nosferatu
The Bluegrass Spartanburg Commitee Band
Converse Woodwinds
Fri 10/4 Chapman Cultural Center
Wed 10/9 Spartanburg County Downtown Library
Wed 10/23 Spartanburg County Downtown Library
Game Knight Sat 10/26 Twichell Auditorium
SPYO: Fall Concert
November
Orion's Belt
Sun 10/27 Twichell Auditorium
Wed 11/6 Spartanburg Cyrill-Westside Library
Espresso no. 2: Jonathan Scales Fourchestra Fri 11/15 Chapman Cultural Center
Wirewood
Wed 11/20 Spartanburg Cyrill-Westside Library
Town Mountain Sat 11/23 Chapman Cultural Center
December
TBA
Wed 12/4 Spartanburg Cyrill-Westside Library
Hub-City Holiday Sat 12/7 Twichell Auditorium
The Nutcracker Fri 12/13 Twichell Auditorium
The Nutcracker Sat 12/14 Twichell Auditorium
The Nutcracker Sun 12/15 Twichell Auditorium
Philharmonic Brass
Wed 12/18 Spartanburg Cyrill-Westside Library
SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/ Events
SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/ box-office-venues
Twichell Auditorium at Converse University
Box Office Hours
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, M-Th
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, F
(864) 596-9018
580 East Main Street Spartanburg, SC 29302
Zimmerli Series & Youth Orchestra
Individual Tickets
Chapman Cultural Center
Box Office Hours
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, T-Th
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, F Closed Mon
(864) 583-2776
200 East Saint John St. Spartanburg, SC 29306
Espresso & Bluegrass Series
Individual Tickets
Restrooms: Restrooms in Twichell Auditorium are located off of the first floor lobby and next to the handicap accessible entrance in the auditorium. Restrooms at the Chapman Cultural Center are located to the left and right of the main entrance lobby.
Seating: Twichell Auditorium uses a reserved seating system for our Zimmerli Series concerts, so please keep your ticket with you at all times to verify section and seat specifics should there be any confusion. Chapman Cultural Center also uses a reserved ticket system for Bluegrass Spartanburg. For our Espresso Series, Chapman uses a General Admission system and does not reserve seating.
Late seating: For the listening pleasure of our audiences, late arriving patrons will not be seated while music is being performed. Latecomers will be seated at the first appropriate pause in the program (typically during applause). Additionally, we ask that patrons who must leave prior to the end of a performance exit only between selections if at all possible.
Ticket donation: We are unable to issue refunds for unused tickets. However, if you are unable to attend a concert, we encourage you to donate your tickets back or give them to a friend. When you donate your tickets to the Spartanburg Philharmonic, you not only receive a donation tax receipt, but you also share your seat with another music lover. If you would like to give in this way, please notify our ticket office at least 24 hours prior to the performance.
If a concert is canceled or rescheduled due to inclement weather, a tax letter will be provided for any ticket returned within 24 hours after the original concert date.
Spartanburg Philharmonic Administrative Offices
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F
(864) 948-9020
200 East Saint John St. Spartanburg, SC 29306
Season Tickets
YOUR VISIT TO THE PHIL
Accessibility: The Spartanburg Philharmonic is committed to providing an environment that is welcoming and inclusive to all patrons. Persons requiring assistance are encouraged to call the respective box offices for direct assistance in purchasing the appropriate tickets.
Please note that Twichell Auditorium does not currently have an elevator for balcony seats. Wheelchair accessibility is located at the side entrance of the auditorium. The Chapman Cultural Center is fully ADA compliant, and the theater has state-of-the-art hearing assistance technology. In addition to traditional amplification devices, such as headphones, the theater is equipped with “The Loop” technology.
Food/Beverage: No food or drink, other than bottled water, is allowed in Twichell Auditorium.
Cameras, cell phones, recording devices, watch alarms, and similar devices: To ensure a quality experience for everyone, the use of flash-photography or video/audio recording equipment is strictly prohibited. Patrons are asked to turn off or mute (not just turn to vibrate) all personal electronic devices prior to the performance.
In Case of Emergency:
Prior to the performance, we request that you familiarize yourself with the locations of all exits in case of an emergency. If the power to the building should be interrupted for any reason, generators will begin within 10 seconds for lighting.
The Mission of the Spartanburg Philharmonic is to enrich, inspire, and educate through live performances of high-quality music.
Welcome to the Spartanburg Philharmonic! We are delighted to have you with us for what promises to be an unforgettable 96th Season of music. Our staff and musicians have been preparing diligently to bring you a program filled with exceptional artistry and emotional depth. Whether you are a longtime supporter or a first-time attendee, we are thrilled to share this musical journey with you. Your presence in the hall not only supports the artists on stage but also contributes to the vibrant cultural tapestry of our community.
As you settle into your seats, we invite you to immerse yourself in the rich sounds and captivating melodies that will unfold before you. This Season’s concerts are a celebration of the timeless beauty and power of music, and we hope it resonates with you in a profound way. We are grateful for your support and enthusiasm, which inspire us to continue our mission of bringing world-class music to this stage. Thank you for joining us, and enjoy the performance!
Dr. Cabe Loring President of the Board of Directors
Kathryn H. Boucher Executive Director
Karen Parrott Past President
Dr. Cabe Loring President
David Smart Treasurer
Chris Strickland Secretary
Dr. Chandra Hopkins Vice President
Dr. Mark Ferguson Vice President
Samantha Larkins Vice President
Dr. Barry Bodie
Dr. Curt Laird
Bob Ireland
John Cribb
Rachel Chalmers
Sharon Doyle
Kay Maddox Greg Murphy
Amy Oakes
Myrella Samuels Dr. Bill Scott
Diana Maley Berti Orchestra Committee Chair
Switi Thakkar
Dr. Sidney Fulmer Lifetime Board Member
Sarah Tignor Kathy Zimmerli Wofford
Francisca Yanez
Perrin Dent Patterson
Peter Grzan
Sadé Henderson
Alex Hunt North
Ross Hammond
Dr. Rick Orr
Spotlight: New Board Members
We are thrilled to welcome the Philharmonic’s twelve new Board members to our team. Their expertise, passion for music, and commitment to our mission will be invaluable as we work together to enrich our community through the power of music. Our board plays a crucial role in guiding the organization’s vision, supporting our musicians, and ensuring the sustainability of our artistic endeavors. We are confident that their unique perspectives and skills will contribute significantly to our ongoing success and help us achieve new heights in our programming, outreach, and engagement efforts.
Rachel Chalmers
Sadé Henderson
Bob Ireland
Greg Murphy
Amy Oakes
Perrin Dent Patterson
Standing Board Committees
Cabe Loring
Prseident of the Board of Directors
As they join our dedicated team, we look forward to the fresh ideas and energy they will bring. Our orchestra thrives on collaboration and innovation, and their involvement will be key to navigating the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. We encourage Board members to share insights, ask questions, and actively participate in discussions and initiatives. Together, we will continue to create transformative musical experiences for our audiences, foster a vibrant cultural community, and inspire the next generation of musicians and music lovers.
Welcome aboard!
Myrella Samuels
Bill Scott Switi Thakkar
Sarah Tignor
Kathy Zimmerli Wofford
Francisca Yanez
Below are the Standing Committees of the Spartanburg Philharmonic. Members of the committees can be board members or others from the community interested in contributing to the success of the Philharmonic and with expertise in the function of a specific committee.
Audience Development Committee
This committee is responsible for audience growth. This committee will provide the staff overall direction and oversight in marketing, branding, and audience engagement with the goal of expanding existing audiences and attracting new audiences or new sources of income. The committee may recommend programming options to the Music Director with the goal of attracting new audiences or new sources of income.
Education Committee
This committee is the primary liaison for the Philharmonic to the Spartanburg education community. They will initiate and oversee engagement efforts with Spartanburg County public and private schools.
Finance Committee
Chaired by the Treasurer, this committee is responsible for recommending financial policies, goals, and budgets that support the mission, values, and strategic goals of the organization. The committee also reviews the organization’s financial performance against its goals and proposes major transactions and programs to the board.
Fund Development Committee
This committee is responsible for the overall planning and oversight of fundraising activities including Annual Fund, donor development, and galas.
Leadership and Governance Committee
This committee is responsible for Board member recruitment and assuring high standards of governance for the Philharmonic.
Bluegrass Committee
This committee is responsible for recommending artists for each Bluegrass Spartanburg season as well as planning and oversight of fundraising activities specific to Bluegrass music.
Music Trail Committee
This committee is responsible for organizing, planning, and implementing activities and initiatives related to the Spartanburg Music Trail. Responsibilities include developing policies and procedures; recommending artists to be inducted; developing and maintaining the Music Trail web site; developing an education component of the Music Trail; and planning occasional events such as Music Trail concerts and performances.
Proud to support the arts in our community with a standing ovation.
At The Johnson Group, we believe in the power of partnership and the transformative energy of the arts. That’s why we’re proud to support the Spartanburg Philharmonic.
Katherine Henderson Poss Development Manager
Hannah Simpson Education Manager
Robert G. Borden Orchestra Librarian
Susan Wines Symphony Conductor Youth Orchestra
Dr. Joshua Miller Prelude Conductor Youth Orchestra
Kathryn H. Boucher Executive Director
Dr. Peter B. Kay General Manager & Composer in Residence
The goal of the Spartanburg Philharmonic’s Orchestra Committee is to amplify our musicians’ voices throughout the organization and ensure that communication runs smoothly among musicians, staff, and board. Committee members provide a musician’s insights on operational issues as well as artistic policies like outlining a new process for how to select the next concertmaster. We also mediate complaints and conflicts among musicians and staff. Some members serve on multiple committees – we had two members serve on the recent Music Director search committee – to facilitate communication among groups. At least one member of the orchestra committee attends each board meeting to convey the considerations and concerns that are unique to the world of working musicians. This participation ensures that musicians are a part of the decision making at the highest level of the organization.
Orchestra Committee members are elected from among the core musicians of the orchestra, those members who
have won their spot in the orchestra through audition. We represent most of the instrument families – strings, brass, and woodwinds with current members – and have experience playing in more than a dozen orchestras across the region which helps us stay current with best practices from the field. Our day jobs range from college professor to middle school orchestra director to financial advisor to work-from-home mom, and these varied experiences bring diverse perspectives to our decision making. We are proud to represent the musicians of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and are deeply grateful for the tremendous support from the community, the board of directors, and the staff who have kept the organization financially and operationally sound. We look forward to continuing to support our fellow musicians as we make fantastic music this season and for many, many seasons to come.
Ian Bracchitta Principal Bass
Alvoy Bryan Jr. Principal Viola
Andrew Merideth Associate Principal Horn
Theresa Jenkins Russ Violin Section Kelly Vaneman Associate Principal Oboe
When arts and businesses partner, everyone profits. With corporate partnerships, our concerts and events provide invaluable exposure to prospective and current clients, educate the public about your business initiatives, offer networking opportunities with clients, and provide benefits for employees.
For full details regarding our Corporate Partnership packages, please contact: Kathryn Boucher, Executive Director kathryn@spartanburgphilharmonic.org
Donations given to Chapman Cultural Center’s Annual United Arts Fund supports Spartanburg Philharmonic through a General Operating Support Grant.
Chapman Cultural Center is a proud supporter of Spartanburg Philharmonic and their mission.
We gratefully acknowledge the following donors who made generous commitments to the Spartanburg Philharmonic. This list reflects gifts received July 2023 through June 2024.
Benefactor ($25,000+)
The Balmer Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. William Barnet III
Mr. and Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr.
Mrs. Nelly Zimmerli
Maestro ($10,000-$24,999)
Dr. Barry Bodie and Ms. Laurel D. Johnson
The Alfred Moore Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen P. Parrott
Virtuoso & Podium ($5,000-$9,999)
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Babb
Mrs. Joan B. Gibson
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Habisreutinger In Memory of CRI, M.D.
Mr. and Mrs. John S. McBride, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Rick Orr
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Warner
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Weisman
Mrs. Mac Cates, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John Cribb
Dr. Curt Laird
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lehner
Baton ($2,500-$4,999)
Don and Mary Miles
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Nederostek
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley North
Ms. Switi Thakkar and Mr. Ravi Vuppala
Dr. and Mrs. Caleb Loring IV
Mr. and Mrs. V. C. McLeod III
Mr. and Mrs. H. Peter Theiler
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson
Principal ($1,000-$2,499)
Anonymous
Dr. Joel Atance and Ms. Kara Bui
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Baker
Mrs. Susan H. Baker
Ms. Kathryn H. Boucher
Ms. JoAnn Bristow
Mr. Jason Bynum
Mr. Mark Carlson
Mr. James Cheek
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Close
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Cogan
Mrs. Celia Cogdell
Mr. and Mrs. Halsey Cook
Mr. Reed Cunningham
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick B. Dent, Jr.
Allen and Sharon Doyle
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dunleavy
Mr. and Mrs. David Ellis
Ms. Wallace Eppes Johnson
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Ferguson
Phyllis and Robert Frank
Mr. Peter Grzan
Mrs. Libby Hammond
Ms. Laura Henthorn
Drs. Chandra and Boone Hopkins
Dr. Leslie W. Howard Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Chip Johnson
Mr. Kim Keith "Keith-Evans Real Estate, LLC”
Cindy and Keith Kelly
Dr. and Mrs. Louis Knoepp, Jr.
Clint and Samantha Larkins
Mr. Lawrence Butka and Mr. Greg Murphy
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Little
Col. and Mrs. Robert N. Maddox
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Mayrose
Ms. Judy McCravy
Mr. and Mrs. Mack McKeithan
Mr. E.T. McLean
Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Montgomery
Mrs. Paula Morgan
Mrs. PJ Morrow
Mrs. Corry W. Oakes III
Ms. Mary Ann Claud and Dr. Olin Sansbury, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. G. Garrett Scott
Dr. and Mrs. Peter Sereque
David and Jennifer Smart
MG(R) Edwin E. Spain III and Mary B. Spain
Mr. and Mrs. E. Donald Stevens
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Strickland
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sunderlin
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall T. Walsh
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor White
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wildman
Suzanne and Jon Zoole
Fellow Musician ($500-$999)
Laura Allen and Roger Sullivan
Mrs. Ruta Allen
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barnet
Ms. Karen E. Bjelland
Mr. Robert Borden
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reed Brown
Mr. and Mrs. James Burchfield
Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Camp III
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cheatham
Dr and Mrs. Robert Cochran
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley Cooper
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cote
Mrs. Angelina Eschauzier
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fitch
Mr. Lawrence Flynn III
Mr. Randy Foster
Mrs. Elaine T. Freeman
Dr. J. Sidney Fulmer
Mr. and Mrs. James Glenn
Mr. and Mrs. Brandt Goodwin
Mr. and Mrs. Ross Hammond
Mr. and Mrs. Gaston C Harris, Jr.
Mr. J. Mark Hayes II
Dr. and Mrs. David A. Holt
Harriet and David Ike
Mr. and Mrs. David Johnson
Steve and Lori Josefski
Mrs. Dorothy C. Josey
Dr. and Mrs. Charles D. Kay
Mrs. Nancy Zoole Kenney
Michael & Claire Klatchak
Dr. Ohmar Land
Dr. and Mrs. Gene Lassiter
Ms. Betty M. Luce
Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. McClure
Bob and Karen Mitchell
Mrs. Walter Montgomery, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Murphy
Mr. Jeffrey Nye
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Oates
Ms. Erin Ouzts
Ms. Joy Shackelford
Ms. Johanna Lewis and Mr. Richard Spiers
Helen and John Tipton
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph B. Traywick II
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Troup
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Van Geison
Patron ($250-$499)
Mrs. Dianne Bagnal
Mr. and Mrs. James Bagwell
Diana and Alden Berti
Martha and Clarke Blackman
Ms. Harriet Bolen and Mr. Jim Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Jan Caldwell
Dr. Andrew Taber and Ms. Alyson Campbell
Mr. and Mrs. William V. Cummings
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Barre
Dr. Jean Dunbar
W.R. & E.H. Floyd Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Greenberg
Members
( $100-$149)
Ms. Kathy J. Allen
Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell Hurst Allen
Patty and C. Mack Amick
Mr. David Anderson
Ms. Pat Wilks Battle
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Baxter
Beth and Orin Beach
Cyndi and David Beacham
Mr. and Mrs. Louie W. Blanton
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Brannon
Mrs. Susan Britanisky
Mr. Jack Bucher
Dr. John Burchfield
Dr. and Mrs. William W. Burns
Mr. and Mrs. W. Waller Caldwell, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Claggett
Mr. Charles Clementson and Dr. Blair Clementson
Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Cleveland
Ms. Barbara Colvin
Mr. Bill and Mr. Martin Cooper-Meek
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Curry
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dangelewicz
Ms. Susan Dempsey
Ms. Mary Ann Hipp
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Houston
Mrs. Lucy Hummers
Ms. Jane Johnson
Rear Admiral and Mrs. Stephen Johnson
Dr. Peter B. Kay and Ms. Jennifer Bonner
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. King
Mr. and Mrs. Horace C. Littlejohn, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lyle
Mr. and Mrs. Boyce Miller
Ms. Cabell Mitchell
Kam and Emily Neely
Ms. Alice M. Eberhardt
Dr. and Dr. Daniel Falcon
Ms. Elizabeth B Fleming
Dr. and Mrs. Charles M. Fogarty
Mrs. Abby Fowler
Mrs. Sharon Free
Mr. Heiner Gallmann
Col. (Ret.) James D. and Jackie George
Gerald and Hanh-Trang Ginocchio
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gowan
Ms. Linda Hays
Nancy and John Holmes
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Hyatt
Dr. and Mrs. William A. James
Warren Jenkins & Theresa and Leon Russ
Ms. Kathleen Jones
Dr. Wilton Kanode
Ms. Robin Krajnik
Mr. and Mrs. George Loudon, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Martin
Thorne and Harrison Martin
Dr. Cavert K. McCorkle and Mr. Charlie Burns
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel O’Connell
Jan Parmenter
Ms. Katherine Poss
Dr. and Mrs. Jan H. Postma, Jr.
Dr. Bill Scott
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Strasburger
Mr. and Mrs. William Walsh
Mr. and Mrs. Paul D. Weaver
Douglas and Rita Weeks
Ms. Libbo Wise
Dr. and Mrs. Auburn Woods
Mr. and Mrs. Paul McKee
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Montgomery
Dr. and Mrs. Tom Moore
Ms. Pamela Nienhuis
Dr. and Mrs. W. Harold Nixon
Ms. Jean W Ogden
Mr. Gerald Palmer
Mr. Dwight F. Patterson, Jr.
Dr. Terry O. Pruitt
Ms. Naomi Richardson
Betsy Neely Sikma and Jason Sikma
Mr. and Mrs. Warwick Spencer
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Stoll
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sturm
Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Tesseneer
Ms. Sarah Tignor and Dr. Kevin DeLapp
Mrs. Sarah Todd
Ms. Sandra G. Turner
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Wade
Mrs. Margit Wagner
Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence N. Warren, Jr.
Ms. Linda Sangster West
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wynn
LEGACY SOCIETY FUNDS
Many donors feel strongly about preserving the legacy of classical music in the community. They are able to do so by remembering the Spartanburg Philharmonic in their wills, or by creating a planned gift to benefit the Philharmonic. These gifts can be un-restricted, or designated for a special purpose such as the endowment of the Philharmonic.
The array of giving options and the ways you can incorporate them into your planning are as varied as the circumstances they serve. We are always available to provide you with further information and suggestions on gifts that fit your lifestyle and philanthropic goals.
THE UTLEY LEGACY SOCIETY
We have created the Utley Legacy Society to provide a fund through which friends can make bequests in a number of different ways. The easiest method is an instruction in a Will to leave a specific dollar amount to Spartanburg Philharmonic. It is a simple matter to add a codicil to an existing Will, giving the direction to make a gift from your estate to the Society. Gifts may also be made by giving appreciated securities or other assets, by way of charitable trust, through gift of life insurance, or by gifts of retirement account assets.
If you have chosen to remember the Philharmonic in this manner, we would like to hear from you and to include you either by name or anonymously (your choice) as a member of the Legacy Society. Members will enjoy a variety of Spartanburg Philharmonic activities as major donors.
THE JERRIE LUCKTENBERG CONCERTMASTER CHAIR ENDOWMENT
Dr. Jerrie Lucktenberg - former Concertmaster of the Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic (now the Spartanburg Philharmonic), artist, pedagogue, and author - retired from her position during the Philharmonic’s 2002-2003 season. To help ensure the presentation of Spartanburg’s professional orchestra in our community, Dr. Lucktenberg made a generous gift of $50,000 towards the endowment of the Concertmaster Chair. With your help, the Philharmonic has matched this gift, fully endowing the chair as the Jerrie Lucktenberg Concertmaster Chair. We hope you will be inspired to follow Dr. Lucktenberg’s generous lead.
For information about supporting a Legacy Society Fund, contact Kathryn Boucher, Executive Director: kathryn@spartanburgphilharmonic.org | 864.948.9020
Dr. Joe Roy Utley & Dr. Joella Utley
Utley Foundation
Joe and Joella’s Legacy Lives
On In Spartanburg
If you ask around Spartanburg about Joe and Joella Utley, you’ll likely hear one word: music. The couple dedicated much of their lives to nurturing music in Spartanburg, and are still remembered today for their involvement in the Spartanburg Philharmonic. It is with great pleasure that the Spartanburg Philharmonic announces a donation from the Utley Foundation that will enable acclaimed guest artists to perform with the orchestra.
Joe Roy Utley and Joella Faye Utley (née Jordan) were both born and raised in small Oklahoma farming towns in 1935. Despite growing up near each other, they didn’t meet until their final year of high school, when a shared love for music brought them together. They would retain and enhance that affinity for music throughout a lifetime of partnership.
The couple began dating and attended Oklahoma City University together. Though Joe chose a more scientific discipline over music—enrolling in pre-medical courses— he played the trumpet throughout college. Joella studied music education and piano, an interest she had formed in early childhood through piano lessons.
Joe and Joella tied the knot when they graduated in 1956. They would spend the next several years job-hopping and state-hopping, starting with a stay in St. Louis while Joe finished medical school at Washington University. After graduating in 1960, Joe joined the US Air Force, and Joella left teaching to pursue her own medical education.
The Utleys lived in San Francisco, San Diego, and Lexington,
Kentucky before finally settling down in Spartanburg in 1983. Joella was a radiation oncologist, and Joe became a cardiothoracic surgeon. Both doctors built reputations for a strong involvement in the Spartanburg community, inside and out of the medical field.
While the couple was dedicated to their careers and patients, they were also still very much in love with the musical world. After moving to Spartanburg, Joe joined the Spartanburg Symphony as a trumpet player, served on the Spartanburg Music Foundation’s Board of Directors, and eventually became the foundation’s president. He also served as a board member of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and Chairman of the Board of the Brevard Music Center. Joella continued to study music, completing a master’s degree in musicology at Converse College in 2007. She also filled in as a substitute organist at Trinity Methodist Church.
The Spartanburg Philharmonic owes much of its success to the Utleys. Joe was an indispensable board member. In the late 1990’s, he helped transform the symphony into the professionally paid orchestra you hear today.
Joe’s trumpet-playing hobby grew into a life-long fascination with the instrument, and he eventually became a serious collector of brass instruments. Joe and Joella were known around town for their impressive trumpet collection, which they housed in a dedicated room in their Converse Heights home. Out-of-town musicians and celebrities sometimes traveled to Spartanburg to get a look at the famous collection.
Molly Cribb Contributing Author
When the couple retired, they realized they would need a much larger storage space for their horns. They designed a new home, expanding their collection into every aspect of the house. By this time, the Utleys’ collection had grown to include 700 instruments, each one unique and valuable, many of them antiques.
The collection was too valuable to maintain as a hobby, so the couple hired Dr. Sabine Klaus—an expert musicologist and instrument cataloguer—to organize it. Sabine produced a 5-volume series on the collection, titled Trumpets and Other High Brass, to present “a narrative of the major steps in the development of high brass instruments.” She wrote that the Utley collection “provides insight into the evolution of High Brass Instruments from the late seventeenth century until present day.”
Joe and Joella remained active within the musical community after retirement. Joe continued to give lectures on his collection and hosted trumpet performances. Joella continued her studies in musicology at Converse College, and the couple wrote program notes for the Spartanburg Philharmonic.
In 1999, the couple announced the donation of their brass collection to the National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Together, the Utleys served on the Museum’s board, and they founded the Utley Institute for Brass Studies within the National Music Museum “to serve as an international center for brass scholarship.”
The Utley Foundation was created in the 90’s with the intention of giving back to the Spartanburg community and fostering its strong musical programs. Joe passed away in 2001, and Joella in 2019, but the couple’s love for Spartanburg continues through the work of the Foundation, which is run by their daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Frank Phillips.
“The Utley Foundation’s recent donation to Spartanburg Philharmonic focuses on bringing renowned guest artists to perform with the orchestra,” says Sarah Gunn, liaison for the Foundation and former board member of the Spartanburg Philharmonic. “The Foundation is ready to diversify their beneficiaries and is interested in non-music related global missions. However, they wanted to ensure that Joe and Joella’s legacy will live on in Spartanburg.”
There is no doubt that the legacy of the Utleys, who were so admired and loved in Spartanburg, will live on. Their belief in the connection between music and community will endure through their wonderful gift to the Spartanburg Philharmonic and all of its concerts to come.
Music Trail: Unveiled A Fresh Look for the Music Trail
On Thursday, June 13, crowds gathered outside of Rockers Brewing Co. to celebrate the unveiling of three new signposts on the Spartanburg Music Trail. Under a bright summer sun, emcee and Philharmonic Board V.P. Mark Ferguson welcomed the audience and introduced each of the three new inductees: Fayssoux Starling McLean, James Reese, and the late Peter Cooper. McLean and Reese also spoke breifly, sharing their gratitude and special connection to our hometown, and Baker Malstby offered heartfelt words in memory of his friend Peter Cooper while Cooper’s family looked on.
In 2024, thanks to money raised by ticket sales from the “Music Trail LIVE!” concert (Fall 2023) and several generous sponsors, all of the Music Trail’s signs have been replaced with an updated look and a protective layer that should prevent fading and weather damage. Several signs were relocated to make the Music Trail more walkable in the downtown area. In addition, the Philharmonic is revamping the Music Trail’s website - an ongoing processdeveloping educational components for students and teachers so they can learn about Spartanburg’s inspiring hometown musicians.
The Music Trail spans Spartanburg’s downtown as a self-guided walking tour, with eleven signposts providing photographs and information about twenty-two artists, as well as song samples via QR codes linked to the new website. Thousands of residents and visitors have followed the Music Trail, and now it has finally gotten the update it deserves.
SpartanburgMusicTrail.com
Before & After
Many of the signs had fallen into disrepair and were damaged by the sun. The new versions have been designed to withstand the South Carolina summers as well as being easier to replace, fix, or update as needed.
Hit the Right Note at AC Hotel Spartanburg
Experience a symphony of comfort and elegance at AC Hotel Spartanburg. With our modern accommodations and sophisticated amenities, your stay will be perfectly orchestrated for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether you're in town for the Philharmonic or exploring the local scene, let us provide the perfect backdrop for your stay. Reserve your suite today and compose a memorable stay with us!
WEDNESDAYS
12:15 - 1:00 PM
Note: Due to construction at the downtown library, MSI will be held in the Westside location beginning Nov. 6
Music Sandwiched In
Celebrating over 25 years of Music Sandwiched In, Spartanburg Philharmonic is proud to present an exciting line up of performers for its popular series at the Spartanburg County Public Library Headquarters! MSI is on-going throughout our season, and all concerts are free and open to the public All are welcome!
Fall
BARRET ROOM
Spartanburg County Public Library, Headquarters 151 South Church Street
28
11
Read
CYRILL-WESTSIDE
Spartanburg County Library 525 Oak Grove Rd
6
Presented by Spartanburg Philharmonic
Bluegrass Jams!
Bluegrass music evolved from the front porch picking of neighbors getting together and playing the tunes that evolved from the traditional tunes of Ireland, Scotland and England. In the fall of 2023, Bluegrass Spartanburg identified a community interest in recreating these front -porch picking sessions. Musicians and listeners of all ages are invited to come and have a toe-tapping good time for an evening of music with deep roots in our region of the country. Playing acoustic music and singing songs together strengthens relationships and builds community. You do not have to be a great picker to play in the jam, but playing in the jam makes you a better picker.
As musicians and listeners of all ages come to the jam space, a circle is formed where the music will be performed. Musicians and listeners sit next to each other creating an intimate and unique setting in which to enjoy the music. The boundary between performer and listener is broken down as they sit next to each other sharing the joy of playing and singing together.
As the session starts, the jam facilitator becomes a songwrangler who then calls on the participants to lead the assembly in a song of their choosing. After identifying the song and the key of the song, the singer commences to start the song. The ensemble of musicians is all on board to support and bolster the singer. During that performance of the song, the singer identifies individual musicians to take solos or breaks. As the ensemble play softens to enable the notes of the soloist to soar above the crowd, improvisations delight the audience and the pickers
Michael Ferguson
Contributing Author
to a rendition of the tune that is unique to that time and space.
As one song ends, another picker in the circle is called on to “give us a tune.” The process repeats itself with each picker choosing to either leading a tune or pass to the next person in the circle. Each picker gets several opportunities to lead a tune within the evening jam. With each tune, the ensemble of pickers falls into a more lively and tighter rendition of the songs. As the evening comes to an end, the room says good-bye to each other with a rousing rendition of the classic “Will the Circle be Unbroken.”
In a unique collaboration with the Spartanburg County Library system, these jams are scheduled to take place in the Barrett Room at the Spartanburg Library Headquarters. However, during the library’s construction of the planetarium, the jams will be hosted at other library sites and, with the support of the local business community, at the Piedmont Club, The Country Club of Spartanburg and USC-Upstate. The scheduled jams are:
• September 16th in the Barrett Room @ 6:00 PM
Downtown Spartanburg County Library
• October 21st in the Barrett Room @ 6:00 PM
Downtown Spartanburg County Library
• November 18th @ 7:30 PM Inman Library
• December 16th @ 7:30 PM Inman Library
• January 13th @ 7:30 PM Inman Library
Bluegrass Spartanburg
Bluegrass Spartanburg welcomes a variety of bluegrass bands that span from traditional to contemporary, bringing their downhome roots mixed with rock-infused jams for all to enjoy. Hear award winning talent and the hottest bands in the industry right here in your own backyard!
Info & Tickets Online:
Chatham County Line
FRIDAY
Sept. 27, 2024
8:00 PM @ the Chapman Cultural Center
Established over twenty years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, Chatham County Line has built a devoted following with their genre-blending live shows and a string of critically acclaimed albums. While ‘Hiyo’ signifies a new chapter for the band, it’s worth noting that 2020’s ‘Strange Fascination’ was their last album with banjo player Chandler Holt.
Info & Tickets Online:
Town Mountain
SATURDAY
Nov. 23, 2024
8:00 PM @ the Chapman Cultural Center
Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Town Mountain is the sum of all its vast and intricate influences — this bastion of alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude pushed through the hardscrabble Southern Appalachian lens of its origin.
Bluegrass Spartanburg is proudly supported by:
Andrew and Kitsy Babb
Jason Bynum
Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Scott
Mr. and Mrs. Gaston C. Harris, Jr.
Laura and Scott Montgomery
Kim and Aaron Toler
Intern Spotlight: Lottie
Katherine Poss Development Manager
Charlotte “Lottie” Hutson is a first-year graduate student at Winthrop University pursuing a master’s degree in Arts Administration. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Converse University with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and a minor in Art History.
Lottie was born and raised in Spartanburg, SC, and has served and worked for several nonprofit organizations in various capacities within Spartanburg. Currently serving as the MAAA Graduate Assistant for Winthrop University’s Arts Administration program, Lottie works closely with the program director to support students and enhance their experience. During her time at Converse, Lottie completed 100 clinical hours in public schools, collaborating with art teachers and learning how to engage K-12 students through visual art as a means of connection, expression, learning, and exploration. She is passionate about the arts, serving others, and education.
When she isn’t interning in the office, you can find her teaching at First Presbyterian Weekday School, painting in her studio, or tap dancing! Lottie is looking forward to working closely with the Spartanburg Philharmonic staff and witnessing their magic behind the scenes!
Espresso Series
Kick-start your weekend with a short shot of music! Join us for complimentary light appetizers, wine, and craft brews during our pre-concert social-hour. Then enjoy our Friday evening, one-hour Espresso concerts with programs that span genres and sounds. From the beautiful and enduring music of the past to popular hits from today—there is something for everyone!
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
FRIDAY
Oct. 4, 2024
5:30 PM Happy Hour
6:30 PM One-hour Screening @ the Chapman Cultural Center
& Tickets Online: Info & Tickets Online:
“Blood! Your precious blood!” Take it easy, Orlok. First screened in 2016 and then again in 2018, fan favorite “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (yes, that’s the real title) makes its return to the Espresso stage with the Spartanburg Philharmonic chamber string ensemble. The group will perform a live score along with the classic movie! (see page 28 for more)
Jazz Night: Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
FRIDAY
Nov. 15, 2024
5:30 PM Happy Hour 6:30 PM One-hour Concert @ the Chapman Cultural Center
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra defies description, blending jazz, classical, and progressive rock with Latin rhythms and funk. With electric bass, drums, and steel pans, they create captivating soundscapes, mesmerizing audiences worldwide. Evolving from a fluid lineup to a tight-knit trio, they’re now fully embracing their identity as a band, with Jonathan composing specifically for the group.
Nosferatu: The Original Vampire Movie Reliving the Undead
The film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” is campy and fun by today’s standards, but when it debuted in 1922, it was a groundbreaking work of fear and suspense. In fact, Nosferatu was banned in Sweden due to "excessive horror" - a ban that was finally lifted in 1972! Heavily based on Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, this is the film that set the stage for all horror movies to come.
Despite the description, silent films weren’t silent at all. Though the audience couldn’t hear the voices of the actors, they were always shown with some kind of live musical accompaniment. When visual arts and music are combined, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and we at the Philharmonic are excited to recreate the experience of seeing the movie for the first time!
In 2016, I took on the task of re-creating that original experience, writing a new musical score to be performed live - along with a screening of Nosferatu - on our brandnew Espresso series (see page 27).
With the Espresso concerts being capped to one hour, the first thing that needed attention was the movie itself. When Nosferatu first hit theaters, the film ran for approximately 94 minutes. Today several versions exist of varying lengths, but they are almost all in the 80-90 minute range. So to adapt the film for our Espresso series, I carefully edited the film down to 59 minutes. The whole process took roughly two months to complete: trimming the edges of almost every shot; cutting and re-editing a few scenes here and there; and reworking each of the title cards to be more legible, thus needing less time on screen.
Nosferatu is a well-known film with a strong cult following, but since it is now in the public domain, many edited versions exist as I mentioned earlier. Still, I was nervous about taking “the cutting knife” to the award-winning classic. To help settle my nerves, I reminded myself that modern audiences are far more versed in movie tropes (some of which were introduced in Nosferatu) than they were in the 1920s.
Peter B. Kay Composer in Residence
Actually, it’s a lot like a modern performance of Haydn or Mozart. Just as the conductor is fairly free to interpret the tempo markings (how fast is “Allegro” really?), movie-going audiences have different expectations and tastes than they used to.
For example, Mozart’s audience listened to music in a very different way than we do today thanks to our easy access to recordings. During the 18th century, it became common practice to repeat the exposition of a piece, offering the listener a second chance to hear (and become familiar with) a melody before the composer developed and toyed with it. Today, a conductor or ensemble may elect to skip repeats in the music, acknowledging that the audience may already know the tune well enough to proceed to the next section of the piece.
There are several scenes in Nosferatu that are pretty long by today’s standards, perhaps to give the viewer time to form connections, expectations, reactions, etc. But that was then. Now, regular moviegoers know how to read a scene quickly. Long, lugubrious shots become tedious. So, by trimming a few moments here and there, I was able to truncate the film to fit the Espresso time-frame and pacing.
At the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to craft a musical score that was a compilation of older classics and original, incidental music. This is a pretty broad idea, and it left me feeling a little overwhelmed with the possibilities. As anyone who has ever been tasked with writing a paper in school can attest: a blank page is one of the most daunting challenges to overcome.
Experience has taught me to start with a few parameters – a few “restrictions” – to help focus the creative juices. Because the story of Nosferatu is set in the mid to late 1800s, I started by focusing on the music of composers of that period – particularly their chamber music for stringed instruments. Music is quite different in the context of a film, and the movie takes on a whole new character depending on its musical accompaniment. I studied countless scores and recordings, searching for just the right combination. I must have watched the movie, piece by piece, a thousand times!
There was a wonderful “eureka” moment when I heard the second movement of Brahms’s first String Sextet. I instinctively knew it had to be the driving theme of the movie. The haunting melody, the beautiful innocence in the denouement, and the tragic ending… it was (almost) perfect. But then – the moment very nearly vanished when
Nosferatu was the only film produced by the Prana-Film company. After the movie’s release, they declared bankruptcy to avoid copyright infringement for copying Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Max Schreck’s eerie performance as Count Orlok (i.e. Count Dracula) was heighten by the fact that, through the magic of editing, the character never blinks throughout the entire movie!
Hutter, played by Gustav von Wangenheim.
Ellen, played by Greta Schröder
I heard the opening of Brahms’s second String Sextet. “No, wait!” my ears screamed, “This is the perfect piece for Nosferatu!” Compromise: thankfully, with almost an hour to fill, I was able to incorporate both pieces throughout the movie. And in that moment, I made the decision to focus solely on the music of Brahms, ridding myself of the “blank page syndrome” that had threatened to overwhelm me.
So much of Brahms’s music is dark, mysterious, brooding, sophisticated, and extraordinarily cinematic - it’s music you can really sink your teeth into. Ultimately, I incorporated excerpts from 14 of his chamber works, arranging them for 2 violins, 2 violas, cello, bass, and piano. In between, I wrote several original passages of music loosely based on the Brahms excerpts, creating a common thread of harmonic and melodic ideas. The ensemble is lead by a conductor who keeps an eye on both the music and the film, lining them up using cues in the score.
This season will be the third time the Spartanburg Philharmonic has included Nosferatu on the Espresso Series (the second being in 2018), and each time, the score has been slightly different. In fact, for the very first performance, there were several pages of music where the
Five Moments to Listen for...
Much like movies today, there are several pieces/themes that are associated with certain characters, moods, or ideas.
1.
As mentioned in the article above, the movie opens with Brahms’s Sextet for Strings no. 1, movement 2. This piece shows up two other times in the movie - once in the middle and once at the end. Rather than being associated with a specific character, this music is more or less associated with the idea of "DEATH."
2. An excerpt from Brahms’s Piano Trio no. 2, movement 3 is the next piece to appear in the film. It acts as the "LOVE" Theme between Hutter and Ellen. The music begins as a duet between violin and viola with piano accompaniment. Later, when Hutter writes to his beloved, the theme reappears, but because they are apart from one another, the piano doesn't play, creating a rift between the two musical voices. The music returns in full when the two are reunited after Hutter’s arduous journey.
“ink was still wet” - the musicians having received a handful of scenes at the dress rehearsal the night before the premiere. All of those last-minute scenes were rewritten for the 2nd performance, but this year there are only a few subtle tweaks to make it run a little more smoothly. Over the years, the score & film have been performed by other ensembles across North America; in 2022, the Saskatoon Symphony took it on tour, visiting several of their neighboring cities in Canada, in celebration of the film’s 100th anniversary.
Because every musical performance is unique, every screening of a silent movie with live accompaniment is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Yes, the visual element is essentially the same, but the music makes an emormous impact on the way we feel and react to what we see. And, of course, watching a movie with your friends is always a special time. So, if you haven’t seen Nosferatu yet, join us on October 4th to see the vampire movie that never dies! And, if you have seen it before, join us on October 4th to relive this undead masterpiece!
Nosferatu has been remade several times; the most famous to-date is Werner Herzog's 1979 film "Nosferatu the Vampyre." However, a new, star-studded version is set to hit theaters in Dec. 2024!
4.
3.
From the moment Hutter tells Ellen that he is leaving until his return, Ellen is distraught. Throughout this part of the film, in every scene showing Ellen pining for Hutter the melody from Brahms’s Sonata for Violin no. 3, movement 2 plays mournfully in the background.
At the beginning of Act V, the reign of terror has reached a fevered pitch. The deathtoll from the mysterious "plague" (i.e. the vampire's victims) is at an all-time high. We see a group of men carrying a coffin out of a home as the piano plays the famous Dies Irae melody that can also be heard in the Rachmaninoff and Berlioz at the September 14 Zimmerli concert (see page 39).
5.
Neither the Sextet for Strings no. 2, movement 1 nor the Piano Quintet, op. 34, movement 4 appear until the final act of the film. However, melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic bits from these two pieces serve as the basis for almost all of the incidental music throughout the movie. In particular, the opening melody from Sextet no. 2 is the most prominent piece in the film and could be considered the Main Theme, connecting all the various aspects of the story.
Spotlight:
Jordan Owen
Conducting
Fellow
A year ago, as the orchestra was starting its first rehearsal the week of our opening concert, I noticed a young man attentively seated in the audience at the beginning. Far enough away to provide a courteous distance, but close enough to take in the intricacies of an orchestra actually working. At first, I thought he may have been there for a class or perhaps related to someone in the orchestra. But then, he kept coming back each night, sticking around to the very end. Eventually, after the third rehearsal wrapped, I saw him approach the stage in only the way someone who had a burning question would. Inviting him on stage as the musicians cleared, he told me he was interested in conducting and had a few insightful questions about what was in the score. These weren’t the normal questions I usually receive - these were ones from someone who was searching for something. From there, we started a series of conversations; and over time, it became very clear that Jordan was someone who has a unique gift for conducting. Over time, I also learned that he works a near full-time job along with his studies, and still finds time to show up to rehearsals and think about big questions. It should come as no surprise that I’m very happy to introduce Jordan Owen as a Conducting Fellow for the 24/25 season.
John Young Shik Concklin Music Director
Q. What’s your first memory of wanting to be a conductor?
A. My first memory of wanting to be a conductor was during my sophomore year of high school at the FSU summer music camp. I was fascinated by how the conductors brought so much music out of the orchestra and me. I knew then that I wanted to inspire musicians to create great musical experiences.
Q. As well as being an aspiring conductor, you’re a composer as well. How does this impact your conducting, and how does conducting impact your compositions?
A. I’ve noticed a strong connection between my roles as composer and conductor, especially when studying scores. With my composer hat on, I analyze the compositional techniques to understand how the music is created. When I switch to my conductor hat, I use this understanding to bring the piece to life, guiding the orchestra to interpret and perform the music as intended. These roles complement each other, enhancing my approach to both creating and interpreting music.
Q. What are the types of things you enjoy outside of music?
A. Outside of music, I enjoy working out and running. I also love grilling and hosting barbecues for my close friends.
Q. What plans do you have once you graduate?
A. I plan to pursue a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting and continue to build my career as a conductor and entrepreneur.
Q. Do you have a favorite composer?
A. Brahms
Q. What’s your favorite thing about the Spartanburg Philharmonic?
A. My favorite thing about the Spartanburg Philharmonic is the sense of community. Everyone is always welcoming, eager to teach, and ready to offer help and tips.
Q. What piece or pieces are you most looking forward to this season?
A. “Symphonie Fantastique” and “The Nutcracker” are truly exceptional works. This was my first encounter with “Symphonie Fantastique,” and it blew me away from the
start. The music of “The Nutcracker” is so beautiful and thematic that I don’t think I could ever tire of it.
Jordan Owen, 22, currently in his fourth year at the Petrie School of Music at Converse University, is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition with a concentration in Music History and a Performance Certificate. Jordan currently studies composition with Dr. Scott Robbins and Dr. David Berry, and cello with Kathleen Foster.
Jordan’s musical journey began in the church youth choir in Flagler County, Florida, where he discovered the power of music through gospel and negro spirituals. Before attending Converse University, he began his formal musical training with the Jacksonville Youth Symphony and the Flagler Youth Orchestra.
Jordan’s journey into conducting has been marked by his relentless pursuit of learning the orchestral repertoire and commitment to lifelong growth. He continues to seek mentorship and private study with John Young Shik Concklin, participating in prestigious workshops including the Maestri Series with Gary Lewis, The Art of Conducting Workshop with David Rudge, and the International Conductors Workshop. Jordan aims to further refine his conducting skills by clarity and a profound connection to the music.
Music Lovers' Luncheon
Hosted by The Piedmont Club of Spartanburg
Did you know that during the week preceding a Zimmerli Concert, the Spartanburg Philharmonic hosts a delicious lunch at the Piedmont Club? You are invited to join us for a delectable meal and learn more about the fantastic pieces you will hear at Saturday evening’s performance.
The icing on the cake (and yes, you do get to visit the fan-favorite Piedmont Club dessert bar), is hearing directly from Music Director John Young Shik Concklin about the pieces which will be performed on Saturday night at the Zimmerli Series Concert. In addition to having lunch, this event is a wonderful way to become educated about and familiar with the pieces being performed at the upcoming concert.
“Learning about the composers’ lives and what they were experiencing at the time they wrote the pieces is so interesting. I find when I attend the Zimmerli Concert after attending a Music Lovers’ Luncheon, I gain much more from my experience at Twichell. I find myself listening to hear certain themes and messages from the composers while the pieces are performed,” said Charlene Lyle, a Music Lovers’ Luncheon regular. “I like meeting
the conductor and getting to know him personally. After chatting with him, I feel like I’m watching a friend on stage and feel so proud to see him delivering a wonderful concert!”
Oftentimes, in addition to our Music Director John Young Shik Concklin attending Music Lovers’ Luncheon, the featured soloists will also attend and offer an excerpt of their performance. The intimate size of this audience offers attendees an opportunity to ask questions of the conductor and of the soloists. It’s a truly special offering, and one we urge you to attend.
Fall Dates:
• Friday, September 13
• Friday, Oct. 25
Piedmont Club members should RSVP to the Club. Non-Piedmont Club members should RSVP to:
The highest, clearest sounding instruments in the woodwind family, the flutes and piccolos are seated in the middle of the stage, directly in front of the conductor.
HORNS
The heroic sound of the horns is instantly recognizable. The bell (or opening) of the horn faces away from the audience, and they are usually seated toward the back of the stage.
VIOLINS
OBOES & ENGLISH HORNS
The oboe and its larger sibling the english horn are seated next to the flutes. The oboe is the first thing you hear when the full symphony tunes at the beginning of a concert.
TRUMPETS
Brilliant and brassy, the trumpets power over the orchestra. They are usually seated toward the rear or side of the orchestra, facing the conductor.
The highest instruments in the strings family, the violins are the largest group on stage. They are typically divided into first and second violins and are seated immediately to the conductor's left.
CLARINETS
Clarinets come in a variety of sizes, from the small and highpitched E-flat, to the middle range B-flat, all the way down to the Bass Clarinet. They sit behind the flutes in the middle of the stage.
TROMBONES
Trombones are the only family of brass instruments that use a slide to change pitch instead of valves. Like the trumpets, they are usually seated behind the rest of the orchestra.
TIMPANI & PERCUSSION
Percussion is anything that you can strike or shake to make sound. The timpani (also called kettle drums) has been in the symphony for centuries. They are usually located behind or to the side of the rest of the orchestra. Other percussion instruments have slowly joined over the years as composers look for more colorful sounds.
VIOLAS
The violas are slightly larger and deeper sounding than the violins, and they blend well with most other instruments. They sit either in the middle of the stage in front of the oboes or to the conductor's immediate right.
BASSOONS
The bass instrument of the woodwind family, the reedy, almost growling nature of the bassoon is very recognizable. They sit next to the clarinets and behind the oboes.
TUBA
The tuba is the largest and deepest brass instrument. The bell faces upward toward the ceiling. You can usually spot the tuba near the trombones and low stringed instruments.
CELLOS
The cellos have an enormous range, sometimes playing the bass line and sometimes the high melody. Like the violas, the cello section is in the middle or to the conductor's right.
HARP
Although not always a part of the symphony, the harp adds beautiful, sweeping colors to the orchestral sound. The harp is usually seated near (or even in) the violin sections.
BASSES
The largest and lowest instrument in the string family, the basses are so big that musicians typically stand to play them. They are usually positioned near the cellos and the tuba.
Meet: Joanna Mulfinger Concertmaster
Joanna Mulfinger is a native of Greenville, SC. She graduated from Bob Jones University and continued her education at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD, receiving a Masters Degree under the tutelage of renowned Russian pedagogue Victor Danchenko. While at Peabody, she was awarded the J.C. van Hulsteyn Prize for Outstanding Musical and Academic Contributions. She has pursued additional summer music studies at the Juilliard School in New York, the Hanns Eisler Hochschule Fur Musik in Berlin, Germany, and other festivals in France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada. Since returning to Greenville she has developed a large studio of private students, and has been on the faculty of several local universities.
Joanna appreciates learning about all kinds of music. In 2016 she learned and performed a new work for erhu, a stringed instrument of Chinese origin. And, in 2017, as a result of her interest in Baroque violin playing, she started a Baroque String Ensemble at Anderson University, which she led for four years. Professionally, she has performed with Baroque ensembles, including The Sebastians in New York and New Jersey, and is currently a member of Early Music New York.
Joanna is active at the Peace Center in Greenville, where she enjoys playing with National Tours of Broadway shows
such as Disney’s Lion King, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady, White Christmas, Something Rotten, Motown, Newsies, Porgy and Bess, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Evita, West Side Story, and Wizard of Oz, among others. She is also in demand to accompany local performances of popular touring artists such as Smokey Robinson, Celtic Woman, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Josh Groban, Mannheim Steamroller, Anne Murray, Wayne Newton, and Johnny Mathis.
As a chamber musician, Joanna is a member of several local ensembles including the Mulfinger String Quartet, Trio Tapestry (guitar, cello, violin), Tryptich Musica (piano, horn, violin), and Steve Eager and Friends, a band that covers pop and Broadway tunes.
She is an active orchestral musician. From 2007-2019 she was Assistant Concertmaster and then Concertmaster of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and returned in 2022, first as Interim Concertmaster and then on a permanent basis after the new Music Director was announced in 2023. She has been Principal Second Violin of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra since 2003.
Joanna performs on a 1653 Nicolo Amati violin, a violin she inherited from her mother.
Spartanburg Philarhmonic
Orchestra Members & Chair Sponsors as of August 2024
Violin I
Joanna Mulfinger, Concertmaster
Endowed by the Dr. Jerrie Lucktenberg
Concertmaster Endowment
Courtney LeBauer, Associate Concertmaster
Mr. and Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr.
Mary Irwin
Dr. Barry Bodie and Ms. Laurel D. Johnson
Robin Hague Els
Ms. JoAnn Bristow
Debra Anthony
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson
Carla Bilger
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dunleavy
Randolyn Emerson
Mr. and Mrs. John Cribb
Abigail Inafuku
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Strickland
Nyamka Odsuren
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Weisman
Kathleen Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. David Ellis
Jonathan Urizar
Mr. and Mrs. Halsey Cook
Cello
Ismail Akbar, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Baker
Kathy Foster, Assistant Principal
Dr. and Mrs. Rick Orr
Jordan Bartow
Phyllis and Robert Frank
Violin II
Julia Jacobsen, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Habisreutinger
Simone Beach, Co-Assistant Principal
Ms. Laura Henthorn
Mariya Potapova, Co-Assistant Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Close
Ann Buttimer
Allen and Sharon Doyle
Michele Tate Cockram
Mr. E.T. McLean, in memory of Henry Janiec
Theresa Jenkins-Russ*
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley North
Allison Key
Ms. Kathryn H. Boucher
Jeanette Kuhn
Cindy and Keith Kelly
Jessica Martin
In Memory of CRI, M.D.
March Moody
Col. and Mrs. Robert N. Maddox
Emily Riesser
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sunderlin
Stacey Wiley
Meredith Keen
MG(R) Edwin E. Spain III and Mary B. Spain
Eric Scheider
Dr. and Mrs. Peter Sereque
Benjamin Smith
Viola
Alvoy Bryan Jr.*, Principal Endowed by friends and family in honor of Wallace Eppes Johnson
Arthur Ross, Assistant Principal
Mr. James Cheek
Daphne Bickley
Mr. and Mrs. Chip Johnson
Amber Autry
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Mayrose
Scott Garrett
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall T. Walsh
Diana Maley Berti*
Mr. Peter Grzan
Katy Martin
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor White
Emily Poole
Drs. Chandra and Boone Hopkins ,
Ms. Switi Thakkar and Mr. Ravi Vuppala
Emma Smoker
Don and Mary Miles
Michael Weaver
Mr. Kim Keith
Keith-Evans Real Estate, LLC
Bass
Ian Bracchitta*, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Cogan
Matthew Waid, Assistant Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lehner
Brian Gencarelli
Clint and Samantha Larkins
Rich Harbison
Ms. Mary Ann Claud and Dr. Olin Sansbury, Jr.
Flute & Piccolo
Rhea Jacobus, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. John S. McBride, Jr.
Caroline Ulrich
Mrs. Susan H. Baker
Jessica Sherer
Mr. Lawrence Butka and Mr. Greg Murphy
Jennifer Dior
Dr. Curt Laird
Oboe & English Horn
Ginny Metzger, Principal
Mrs. Mac Cates, Jr.
Kelly Vaneman*, Associate Principal
David and Jennifer Smart
Mary AllyeB Purtle
Suzanne and Jon Zoole
Chelsea Russell
Clarinet
Karen Hill, Principal
Dr. and Mrs. Louis Knoepp Jr.
Harry Hill‚ Jr.
Mrs. Libby Hammond
Kyra Zhang
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick B. Dent Jr.
Anastasia Christofakis
Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Montgomery
Bassoon
Frank Watson, Principal
Dr. & Mrs. Caleb Loring IV
Rosalind Buda
Ms. Judy McCravy
Stephanie Lipka Rhyne
Mr. Mark Carlson
Horn
Andrew Merideth*, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wildman
Chris George
Mr. and Mrs. Mack McKeithan
Darian Washington
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Ferguson
Jordan Chase
Mr. Jason Bynum
Ericka Grodrian
Mrs. Paula Morgan
Jeanette Schlimgen
Dr. Joel Atance and Ms. Kara Bui
Trumpet
Tyler Jones, Principal
Karen & Stephen Parrott
Kenneth Frick
Mr. and Mrs. Mack McKeithan
Bruce Cox
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Nederostek
Buddy Deshler
Mr. and Mrs. G. Garrett Scott
Trombone
Mark Britt, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. V. C. McLeod III
Rienette Davis
Mr. and Mrs. H. Peter Theiler
Eric Henson
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Warner
SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/our-musicians
Clayton ConstruCtion Company,
Tuba
John Holloway, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. William Barnet III
Mike Taylor
Mrs. Joan B. Gibson
Timpani
Patrick Lowery, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. E. Donald Stevens
Percussion
Adena McDaniel, Co-principal
Mr. Reed Cunningham
Matt McDaniel, Co-principal
Dr. Leslie W. Howard Jr.
Del Burton
Mrs. Celia Cogdell
Piano/Organ
Brennan Szafron, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Little
Harp
Emily Waggoner, Principal
Mrs. Nelly Zimmerli
John Wickey
Mrs. Corry W. Oakes III
Jessica Schaeffer
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Babb
From the Conductor
John Young Shik Concklin Music Director
I am often asked to identify my favorite piece, or composer, or period, or genre of music. It is always true when I respond that my favorite is whatever I happen to be working on at the time. As I’m writing this, it’s Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Reena Esmail’s RE | Member. Next week it will be a new(ish) piece by Jessie Montgomery and a Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto, and a Mozart Symphony. Though, as I made my way through the 23/24 season and as we planned for this 24/25 season and beyond, I began to embrace how important narrative is to us in Spartanburg.
We like a story, an intriguing situation, something at stake. It’s not just a new planetarium, it’s the excitement it brings for children, families, and space nerds (like myself). It’s not just a new baseball team, it’s the experiences we’ll share together as a result of it and what having a team says about us. It’s not just an orchestra, it’s our Spartanburg Philharmonic and there’s a story there, a history, an unique identity, and a bright future.
To that end, our opening concert speaks to narrative. Our first work is by a composer whose narrative transcends genre. Indian-American composer Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. She’s neither one nor the other - her unique voice was
formed by her unique experience. Her narrative is fresh, it’s new, and it questions what our future may hold.
Next up is Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. For Rachmaninoff, something was at stake with this piece, but we’re unclear exactly what it is other than we can simply sense it. He wrote 3 Piano Concertos in the early stage of his career, not to return to the genre until this piece some 25 years later. Was he avoiding the genre and if so, why? What are we to make of this piece which we have to categorize as a concerto (because of a lack of a better word) but in truth is actually something completely different? He uses a ancient Roman Catholic Dies Irae, Day of Wrath/Death, chant. Is this coincidence, or is he trying to say something? When we listen do we hear longing in the piece? Nostalgia? Excitement? All of the above?
Finally, there’s Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Within the genre of symphonies, the work sits alone on an island. Clearly, Berlioz uses the symphonies of Beethoven as a model; but it’s so much more than that, and as a result very few have tried to expand on what Berlioz built. The piece is a reflection of French culture just after Napoleon, the revolution, Napoleon again, a war, and another revolution. They were grew accustomed to an almost nihilist darkness, death, and even histrionics - all daily life occurrences. The art from that period is shows us this attitude. To that end, Berlioz has written us a piece about a fantastical opioidinduced dream in which he, the main character, becomes dangerously obsessed with the idea of a woman. Not in love with a woman, obsessed with the idea of one.
Through the first two movements, he imagines her but can’t quite catch her attention. It’s exciting, as the beginning of an obsession always is. In the third movement though, he dreams they are in the countryside, finally together - but are they? How did we get here? He beings to question reality. The dream begins to fall apart. The word smitten means to be taken with something; its root, smite, means to kill. And at the end of the third movement, he does just that - he smites the smitten, his beloved, or at least the idea of her.
The fourth movement is uniquely French. On the surface, it’s him being marched to the guillotine; but to Parisian audiences at the time, it struck at the very heart of their experience over the past few decades. Finally, the last movement is some kind of mini-requiem. The Dies Irae returns (same one as in the Rachmaninoff) and is then juxtaposed over a witch dance, in which the beloved is a transfigured demon leading evil spirits in a bacchanale. The main character finally realizes none of it is real, and he begins to take part in his own lucid dream, reveling in the sheer fantasy of the entire thing.
Symphonie Fantastique
September 14, 2024
7:00 PM
Program Online:
Reena Esmail
RE|Member 7 min
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, op. 43 22 min Terrence Wilson, piano
INTERMISSION
Hector Berlioz
Symphonie Fantastique, op. 14 50 min
I. Rêveries, Passions
II. Un bal (A Ball)
III. Scène aux champs (Scene in the Country)
IV. Marche au supplice (March to the Scaffold)
V. Songe d'une nuit du sabbat (Dream of a Witches' Sabbath)
Programs subject to change. All timings are approximate.
Whatever else might be said about the state of our nation in 2024, it is a little-known but definite fact that the art of American music composition (as opposed, granted, to the business of music composition) is thriving. 21st Century composition teaching has shed the modernist orthodoxy that swallowed it in previous decades, and music communities from Spartanburg to New York and everywhere in between host young or mid-career composers who write with verve, appeal, and in an enormous diversity of musical voices.
Reena Esmail is one of the brightest young stars in this new galaxy of musical pluralism. Composer-in-residence at Tanglewood and Spoleto, respectively, in the last two summers, she has recently become hugely popular with American orchestras, choirs, and chamber groups. Her academic credentials are impeccable (one degree from Juilliard, three from Yale), but what makes her music distinctive is its fluent and expressive incorporation of North Indian influences into the Western idiom she knows so well. Having grown up in an Indian-American household in Los Angeles, she comes by her influences honestly, but also spent two years in India on a Fulbright, mastering Hindustani music theory.
Chris Vaneman
For Reena Esmail, RE|Member was a chance to explore what the world has gone through:
“When I first spoke to Maestro Dausgaard (Seattle Symphony) about this piece, we thought it would be opening their 2020 season. We spoke about that feeling of returning to the concert hall after the summer – a change of season, a yearly ritual. But as the pandemic unraveled life as we knew it, the ‘return’ suddenly took on much more weight.
Now the piece charts the return to a world forever changed… writing the musicians back
onto a stage that they left in completely uncertain circumstances, and that they are re-entering from such a wide variety of personal experiences of this time.
I wanted this piece to feel like an overture, and my guides were two favorites: Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Bernstein’s Candide. Each is breathless and energetic, with pockets of intimacy and tenderness. Each contains many parallel universes that unfold quickly. Each has beautiful, memorable melodies that speak and beckon to one another. I strove for all of this in RE|Member.”
It is a multifaceted title, and by happy coincidence also allowed Esmail to ‘sign’ the work with her initials, RE:
“I only noticed that after the fact! This piece connects two meanings of the word ‘remember’. Firstly, the sense that something is being brought back together. The orchestra is re-membering, coalescing again after being apart. The pandemic will have been transformative: the orchestra is made up of individuals who had a wide variety of experiences in this time. And they are bringing those individual experiences back into the collective group. There might be people who committed more deeply to their musical practice, people who were drawn into new artistic facets, people who had to leave their creative practice entirely, people who came to new realizations about their art, career, life. All these new perspectives, all these strands of thought and exploration are being brought back together.
And the second meaning of the word: that we don’t want to forget the perspectives which each of these individuals gained during this time, simply because we are back in a familiar situation. I wanted this piece to honor the experience of coming back together, infused with the wisdom of the time apart.”
Raff Wilson
Leon Fleisher, who was the most respected American piano teacher of the last part of the 20th Century, used to tell a story. Fleisher would have been around six when Rachmaninoff, who had been a wildly famous pianist for decades, made his last concert tour. Somehow Fleisher’s mother managed to get him backstage at a concert, and, between the fourth and fifth encore, pushed the frightened Fleisher forward to meet the great man. Rachmaninoff gazed down at the six-year old, and asked in his heavily accented basso profundo, “So, my young friend, you also are pianist?” Fleisher nodded timidly, and Rachmaninoff shook his head and said dolefully – but with the hint of a smile on his lips – “It is a baaaad business!” then turned and walked back onstage to receive the cheers of an adoring audience.
Not only does this brief moment seem to perfectly capture that characteristically Russian sense of humor, it’s a window into Rachmaninoff's unique career and artistic legacy. Possibly the most famous virtuoso in an era when instrumental virtuosos were celebrities nearly on par with movie stars, he was known for his impossibly difficult piano music, which of course was what he played as he toured the world and recorded. But, while the audience appeal of his lush, Romantic melodies and technical demands were undeniable, critics of his day were deaf to the emotional depth of Rachmaninoff's music. Beneath the thunderous waves of Rachmaninoff's pianism and the sentimental tug of his melodies is an undercurrent of complexity and even sadness – but beneath them, even, is another layer, one of joy and recurring playfulness.
Rachmaninoff's genius as both pianist and composer had been recognized and cultivated at the Moscow Conservatory, and by the
time of the 1917 Russian Revolution he had for many years spent more time living and touring outside his native country than within it. So when he and his family fled on an open sled across the Finnish frontier one night that December, a life in exile was in a certain sense an obvious choice. Within a few years he had a villa in Switzerland to complement his main residence in New York, and he was celebrated throughout Europe and America; but his compositional output, which to that point had been considerable, slowed to a trickle.
The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, one of just six pieces Rachmaninoff completed in his 25 years in exile, dates to 1934. By form a series of 24 connected variations on a single theme, by audience experience it amounts to a singlemovement piano concerto. Paganini, of course, was the 19th Century’s greatest violin virtuoso, and this theme is the one from his famous 24th Caprice for violin. But whereas Paganini’s own variations of his theme in that Caprice can fairly be called thrilling and exhilarating, Rachmaninoff pulls something much deeper out of the tune as well.
Rachmaninoff's variations are played without pause, but they can be experienced much the way we’d experience the standard three movements of a concerto: the first ten variations, which hew closely to the home key of A minor, feel like an opening fast movement; the next eight, which explore other keys and culminate in the famously yearning 18th variation (familiar from frequent use in movie and TV soundtracks), amount to a slow movement; and the remaining six to a fast conclusion. Surprisingly -- and tellingly -- the Rhapsody begins not with the theme but with Variation I, only after the variation revealing Paganini’s melody. Just like the yearning homesickness and nostalgia at its core, the melody at the piece’s heart is revealed only after that first glance.
Chris Vaneman
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Some of our readers – let’s call them “the luckier readers” – still have a beach vacation ahead of them this fall or winter. Many more have hopes of one next spring or summer, and either way, almost all of us find ourselves in need of a Beach Read now and then. Most academic curriculums don’t seem to address the Beach Read as such, but, whether or not it merits designation as a literary genre, every reader knows what I’m talking about. A Beach Read is a book that might be a little cheesy, might be a little unbelievable, but is addictively jam-packed with romance, danger, and shocking plot twists.
Well, you could do much worse for your next Beach Read than Hector Berlioz’s Memoirs. Compiled by the composer near the end of his life, printed at his own expense and distributed to 1200 of his friends in 1865, and broadly published after his death four years later, the Memoirs are as colorful, as scandalous, and as hard to believe as anything Danielle Steele had to offer. Featuring romance, heartbreak, scandal, obsession, attempted murder, crossdressing, and drug use, in addition to some stuff about music, the Memoirs are riveting and probably mostly true.
In them we read of Berlioz the young French medical student, who in the 1820’s encounters the music of the still-living Beethoven, resolves to be a composer, and, despite no performing skill or musical training to speak of, talks his way into the Paris Conservatory. We read of Berlioz the unrequited lover, who, after seeing the Irish actress Harriet Smithson in a production of Hamlet in 1827, becomes obsessed by unrequited love to the extent of renting an apartment opposite the stage door of the theatre where she’s appearing, so he can see her coming and going. Like Charlie Brown with his Little Red-Haired Girl, he can never bring himself to actually meet Harriet,
instead using her (along with a hefty dose of opium, hallucinogen of choice in the 19th Century) as Muse for his first great work, the Symphonie Fantastique, in 1830. And we read of the triumphant 1832 Paris performance of the Symphonie, to which a mutual acquaintance has invited Harriet – who falls in love with and marries the composer, despite neither of them actually speaking the other’s language.
And those are some of the parts that we know are actually true, unlike, for instance, the episode where Berlioz has a maid’s costume tailored so that he can wear it as a disguise so he can shoot another woman who jilted him. But Berlioz was utterly committed to the Romantic idea that the greatest art is that born directly from and directly reflecting the most passionate and dramatic life circumstances.
Whatever its inspiration, in the Symphonie Berlioz definitively established the genre of “program music,” instrumental music that depicts explicitly a particular story or idea. Unlike, say Beethoven, who had explored the idea in some of his pieces, Berlioz went so far as to have the story printed and distributed to each audience member, and Berlioz’s program is printed verbatim (though translated) on the following pages.
It would take pages to detail the Symphonie Fantastique’s other musical innovations, but innovations as such are of very limited value if they aren’t in the service of powerful art. The Symphonie could hardly be more powerful, and every listener, novice and expert alike, can feel Berlioz’s story as he paints it in sound. And –even to a music lover like me – musical analysis can never be a Beach Read like Berlioz’s story can.
Chris Vaneman Contributing Author
The composer’s intention has been to develop various episodes in the life of an artist, in so far as they lend themselves to musical treatment. As the work cannot rely on the assistance of speech, the plan of the instrumental drama needs to be set out in advance. The following programme* must therefore be considered as the spoken text of an opera, which serves to introduce musical movements and to motivate their character and expression.
PART ONE
“Daydreams, Passions”
The author imagines that a young musician, afflicted by the sickness of spirit which a famous writer has called the vagueness of passions (le vague des passions), sees for the first time a woman who unites all the charms of the ideal person his imagination was dreaming of, and falls desperately in love with her. By a strange anomaly, the beloved image never presents itself to the artist’s mind without being associated with a musical idea, in which he recognizes a certain quality of passion, but endowed with the nobility and shyness which he credits to the object of his love.
This melodic image and its model keep haunting him ceaselessly like a double idée fixe. This explains the constant recurrence in all the movements of the symphony of the melody which launches the first allegro. The transitions from this state of dreamy melancholy, interrupted by occasional upsurges of aimless joy, to delirious passion, with its outbursts of fury and jealousy, its returns of tenderness, its tears, its religious consolations – all this forms the subject of the first movement.
PART TWO “A Ball”
The artist finds himself in the most diverse situations in life, in the tumult of a festive party, in the peaceful contemplation of the beautiful sights of nature, yet everywhere, whether in town or in the countryside, the beloved image keeps haunting him and throws his spirit into confusion.
PART THREE
“Scene in the Countryside”
One evening in the countryside he hears two shepherds in the distance dialoguing with their ‘ranz des vaches’; this pastoral duet, the setting, the gentle rustling of the trees in the wind, some causes for hope that he has recently conceived, all conspire to restore to his heart an unaccustomed feeling of calm and to give to his thoughts a happier colouring. He broods on his loneliness, and hopes that soon he will no longer be on his own… But what if she betrayed him!….. This mingled hope and fear, these ideas of happiness, disturbed by dark premonitions, form the subject of the adagio. At the end one of the shepherds resumes his ‘ranz des vaches’; the other one no longer answers. Distant sound of thunder….. solitude….. silence…..
*This programme should be distributed to the audience at concerts where this symphony is included, as it is indispensable for a complete understanding of the dramatic plan of the work. [HB]
PART FOUR
“March to the Scaffold”
Convinced that his love is spurned, the artist poisons himself with opium. The dose of narcotic, while too weak to cause his death, plunges him into a heavy sleep accompanied by the strangest of visions. He dreams that he has killed his beloved, that he is condemned, led to the scaffold and is witnessing his own execution. The procession advances to the sound of a march that is sometimes sombre and wild, and sometimes brilliant and solemn, in which a dull sound of heavy footsteps follows without transition the loudest outbursts. At the end of the march, the first four bars of the idée fixe reappear like a final thought of love interrupted by the fatal blow.
PART FIVE
“Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath”
He sees himself at a witches’ sabbath, in the midst of a hideous gathering of shades, sorcerers and monsters of every kind who have come together for his funeral. Strange sounds, groans, outbursts of laughter; distant shouts which seem to be answered by more shouts. The beloved melody appears once more, but has now lost its noble and shy character; it is now no more than a vulgar dance tune, trivial and grotesque: it is she who is coming to the sabbath….. Roar of delight at her arrival….. She joins the diabolical orgy..… The funeral knell tolls, burlesque parody of the Dies irae, ** the dance of the witches. The dance of the witches combined with the Dies irae.
**A hymn sung in funeral ceremonies in the Catholic Church. [HB]
Hector Berlioz 1845 Version
Symphonie
Terrence Wilson
GUEST ARTIST, PIANO
Acclaimed by the Baltimore Sun as “one of the biggest pianistic talents to have emerged in this country in the last 25 years” pianist Terrence Wilson has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Washington, DC (National Symphony), San Francisco, St. Louis, and with the orchestras of Cleveland, Minnesota, and Philadelphia and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Abroad, Terrence Wilson has played concerti with such ensembles as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He has toured with orchestras in the US and abroad, including a tour of the US with the Sofia Festival Orchestra (Bulgaria) and in Europe with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov.
An active recitalist, Terrence Wilson made his New York City recital debut at the 92nd Street Y, and his Washington, DC recital debut at the Kennedy Center. In Europe he has given recitals at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, the Lourvre in Paris, and countless other major venues. In the
US he has given recitals at Lincoln Center in New York City (both Alice Tully Hall and Avery Fisher Hall), the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, and for the La Jolla Chamber Music Society. An avid chamber musician, he performs regularly with the Ritz Chamber Players. Festival appearances include the Blossom Festival, Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, with the San Francisco Symphony at Stern Grove Park, and an appearance with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra on July 4, 2015 before an audience of over fifteen thousand.
During the 2021-2022 season Wilson returned as soloist with the Alabama and Nashville Symphony Orchestras. He also made his debut with the Roanoke Symphony and returned to the Boulder Philharmonic. In the fall, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit presented Wilson with the Escher Quartet performing Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor. He also appeared at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in April 2022 performing music by Julius Eastman and Clarence Barlow.
In the summer of 2022, Wilson appeared as a guest of the Aspen Music Festival, performing with the Aspen Chamber Symphony and Robert Spano. He returned for chamber music performances at the St. Augustine Music Festival in August, and made his debut on the Maverick Concert Series in Woodstock, NY. Wilson also returned as piano faculty at the Brevard Music Center in Western North Carolina, and had a teaching residency at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute.
Terrence Wilson has received numerous awards and prizes, including the SONY ES Award for Musical Excellence, an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and the Juilliard Petschek Award. He has also been featured on several radio and television broadcasts, including NPR’s “Performance Today,” WQXR radio in New York, and programs on the BRAVO Network, the Arts & Entertainment Network, public television, and as a guest on late night network television. In 2011, Wilson was nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Instrumental Soloist With an Orchestra” for his (world premiere) recording with the Nashville Symphony conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero of Michael Daugherty’s Deus ex Machina for piano and orchestra - written for Wilson in 2007.
Terrence Wilson is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he studied with Yoheved Kaplinsky. He has also enjoyed the invaluable mentorship of the Romanian pianist and teacher Zitta Zohar. A native of the Bronx, he resides in Montclair, New Jersey. In March 2021, Wilson was appointed to the piano faculty at Bard College Conservatory of Music.
TerrenceWilsonPiano.com
October 26, 2024
7:00 PM
Program Online:
Suite from Video Games Live Halo, Civilization IV, Bounty Hunter, Kingdom Hearts
Various, arr. Ralph Ford
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Harry Gregson-Williams, arr. Stephen Bulla
Super Mario Bros: Main Theme
Koji Kondo/Alan Silvestri, arr. E.P.
The Legend of Zelda
Saban Haim and Shuki Levy, arr. Gabriele Delfino
Tetris (Korobeiniki)
Traditional, arr. Ben Vining
The Dark Knight Rises
Hans Zimmer, arr. Ralph Ford
Music from Spider-Man
Danny Elfman, arr. John Wasson
INTERMISSION
The Avengers Theme
Alan Silvestri, arr. César Madeira
Symphonic Suite from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Howard Shore, arr. John Whitney
Breaking through the South Gate from Final Fantasy IX
Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Arnold Morrison
World of Warcraft
Various, arr. Jerry Brubaker
Reign of the Septims from Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Jeremy Soule, arr. Andrés Soto
Under the Black Flag from Assassin's Creed IV
Brian Tyler, arr. Andrés Soto
Suite from Jedi: Survivor
Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab,
Programs subject to change. All timings are approximate.
The Phil s Picks
OUR FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES
My favorite video game is Uncharted. It's a mixture of a fun story, some laughs, action game play, puzzles, twists in the plot, and of course great music by Greg Edmonson. It's a different take on an Indiana Jones style story, but not as serious in tone as the latest Tomb Raider trilogy.
When the game Cruisin' World came out, there was a demo set up in Walmart. Race on one track and win a prize. I don't remember what I would have gotten if I set a new record, but I do remember I placed third and was gifted a Nintendo themed watch.
- Andrew Merideth Principal Horn & Orchestra Committee Member
I loved Super Mario Brothers the original and once won a bet that I could beat the entire game in under ten minutes! I did!
- Katherine Poss Development Manager
One of my favorite video games to play back in the day was Double Dragon 2 on NES. I love martial arts and it was fun to do martial arts and pick up and use weapons with a partner. A current game I love to play is Star Wars Battle Front II. I like playing with friends online.
- Alvoy Bryan, Jr. Principal Viola & Orchestra Committee Member
I have a ton of fond memories playing video games growing up. My brothers and I played Pokémon endlessly, all of us fighting over who got to play the Pokémon blue version the longest, and I can still sing the theme song by heart (I actually did this recently at a staff meeting when we were planning this concert). I remember epic Mario Kart races with my friends late at night in someone’s garage while we screamed at the controller to go faster. I loved games that allowed me to build worlds and empires.
Do you remember when Pokémon Go first hit the scene? And how everyone was suddenly outside playing just because it was fun? Thats it! We connected. We built memories together. Laughing, shouting, winning, and losing together. I hope this concert transports you back to a friend’s living room, or you hear a beautiful score that is the backdrop to an entirely different world. Current favorite video game? Crash Bandicoot Racing. Let’s goooooooooo!!
- Hannah Simpson Education Manager
My favorite video game depends on the era. Mario 3 for Nintendo (though I loved how trippy Mario 2 was). In the 90s, NHL 94 felt like the go to. After that I was into the various iterations of Smash Bros followed by a small dabbling with Halo before giving into conducting orchestras...
- John Concklin Music Director
My enjoyment of video games started in the 1980s and 90s with games like Myst, Mario Bros., Castles II, and Ms. Pac Man, but it wasn't until I started playing the Elder Scrolls series that I really fell in love with the genre - from Morrowind to Oblivion, and with Skyrim at the top (my #1)the gorgeous music, stellar graphics, and fantastic storylines have always had their hooks in my imagination. These days, I don't have as much time to play, but I still enjoy Skyrim as well as more modern hits like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor which is an incredible game!
When I was in 4th grade, I went to a Spartanburg Phillies baseball game. It was their last season in town, so they were doing a bit of “house keeping.” They had a Ms. Pac Man competition, and whoever had the highest score got to keep the arcade-sized game cabinet. I won. It was huge, and it lived in our garage!
- Peter B. Kay General Manager & Composer in Residence
I've played a lot of video games. As a 33 year old who grew up in the 90's and early 2000's, it feels like I was able to experience a golden era of game development. I've owned four generations of the Playstation console (waiting to get the 5th), and there have been so many good game franchises that have been released over the years. Most recently, my favorite franchise has been "The Last of Us" and more specifically "The Last of Us Part II." The series, played in the 3rd person, follows the survival story of Joel and Ellie as they navigate a chaotic postapocalyptic North American landscape in search of a cure for a mysterious and deadly fungal infection that has ravaged the world. What makes these games so special is the cinematic storytelling and character development reminiscent of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. The score and gameplay are also top notch. However, if I'd have to pick a game series that is my forever favorite, I'd go with Ratchet & Clank by Insomniac Games. R&C just has that classic fun and quirky arcade vibe that just holds up so well over time. My favorite out of the series is "Up Your Arsenal."
My favorite video game is Super Mario Brothers! I remember playing with my sister on the original NES system and now play a version of it on my youngest son’s Nintendo Switch. We had cartridges and wired controllers versus today’s download on a handheld system but playing brings back many fun memories!
- Kathryn Boucher Executive Director
December 7, 2024
7:00 PM
Program Online:
Christmas Festival
Leroy Anderson, 7 min
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Bill Holcombe, 9 min
Stille Nacht
Traditional, arr. Chip Davis & Calvin Custer 4 min
Hallelujah Chorus
George Frederich Handel, 4 min
Somewhere in my Memory from Home Alone
John Williams, 4 min
The Little Drummer Boy
Traditional, arr. Nathan Hofheins 4 min
Polar Express Suite
Alan Silvestri, arr. Jerry Brubaker
INTERMISSION
December 13-15, 2024
3:00 PM & 7:00 PM
In Partnership with:
Program Online:
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arr. Golan
Nutcracker, op. 71 86 min
Overture
ACT 1
Tableau I:
I. Lighting and Decorating the Christmas Tree
II. March of the Toy Soldiers
III. Little Gallop of the Children & Entrance of the Parents
IV. Dance Scene (Arrival of Drosselmeyer)
V. Grandfather’s Dance
VI. Clara and the Nutcracker
VII. The Battle
Tableau II:
VIII. A Pine Forest in Winter
IX. Waltz of the Snowflakes
INTERMISSION
ACT 2
Tableau III:
X. The Magic Castle in the Land of Sweets
XI. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince
XII. Divertissment
a. Chocolate
b. Coffee
c. Trepak
d. Dance of the Reed-Pipes
e. Tea
f. Neapolitan Dance
g. Mother Ginger and the Polichinelles
XIII. Dance of the Flowers
XIV. Pas de deux
a. Sugar Plum Fairy and Her Cavalier
b. Variation I: Tarantella
c. Variation II: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
d. Coda
XV. Final Waltz and Apotheosis
Programs subject to change. All timings are approximate.
It has been 130 years since the first premiere of The Nutcracker, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic music has remained a staple for every holiday season across the globe. However, surprisingly, when the ballet was originally conceived, the reviews were lackluster. Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 fairy tale, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the story was adapted for the ballet by Marius Petipa and Ivan Vsecolozhsky in St. Petersburg. Tchaikovsky and Petipa had seen great success from their previous ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, and hoped their luck would continue. Unfortunately, however, Petipa fell ill and much of the choreography had to be completed by his assistant. Although the audience loved Tchaikovsky’s music, some of which he had premiered earlier in the year (The Nutcracker Suite), critics were annoyed by the prominence of children in the ballet and the lack of plot in the second half. It wasn’t until George Balanchine choreographed The Nutcracker for the New York City Ballet in 1954 that it really gained popularity. Since then, choreographers across the world have interpreted Tchaikovsky’s music to create a spectacular collaboration between the visual and the audial. This production features the beautiful choreography of Artistic Director Carlos Aguedelo, who says:
After thirty years of working on our Nutcracker productions, I continue to be inspired to improve my choreography every time I listen to Tchaikovsky’s amazing score. I discover musical nuances I never noticed before and I naturally want to echo those subtleties in the movement that carry the story forward. I am a traditionalist, and passionate about maintaining the purity of the story line. However, I also enjoy the process of fleshing out the mystery, the darker and scariest parts of the narrative that evolve into a passionate and romantic resolution in Act I. I do not strive to reimagine the ballet in order to be different. I am more interested in making the dancing more brilliant and as nuanced as the musical score. I follow the lead of the music, moving performers and the audience from reality, the Christmas Eve party, to the fantasy, giant mice and toy soldiers coming to life, after which the story finally transitions into the
sweeping and enchanting Land of Snow. In the end we all surrender to the magic spell of The Nutcracker!
Together, with a long history of choreographic innovation and Tchaikovsky’s enduring music, The Nutcracker really is a quintessentially Christmassy success.
MUSIC LISTENING GUIDE
While you’re watching, here are just a few wonderful moments to listen for. The magical combination of Tchaikovsky’s music and the visuals on stage contributes to The Nutcracker’s holiday wonder.
ACT I
Overture:
Listen for the high and light instruments playing their fast and bouncy rhythm. You can imagine these as the scurrying feet of excited children–the pitter-patter of eager holiday anticipation. The harp arpeggios and tremolo in the strings mimics the tree’s illumination with Christmas magic.
March of the Toy Soldiers:
The horns play a fanfare, signaling that it is time to dance! Listen for the children’s
instruments you might remember receiving as a Christmas present like toy trumpets, toy drums, cuckoos, and cymbals!
Arrival of Drosselmeyer:
“Who is this mysterious man?” the tubas, trombones, horns, and violas ask. The key shifts from B-flat to E to echo the ambiguity of Herr Drosselmeyer. (This key change foreshadows a larger, thematic key change, from B-flat in Act I to E major in Act II. The entrance of Drosselmeyer, and thus, his magical presents, are the first glimpse into this magical world!) Drosselmeyer’s ominous entrance is short-lived, however, and the mood lightens as he unboxes his toys; his melody turns into a waltz!
Clara and the Nutcracker:
The guests leave and the children are sent to bed, but Clara wishes to see her broken nutcracker once more. Listen for the emerging horns, forewarning something sinister will occur. The sound of the triangle is a chiming clock: it is midnight. Soon after, the bass clarinet, bassoon, and piccolo “squeak” to indicate the soon-arriving mice. The strings play an ascending motif, going up and up, and the orchestration becomes louder and fuller, like the rising, growing Christmas tree.
The Battle:
A battle occuring onstage is mirrored in the orchestra. The toy soldiers are characterized by high-pitched brass fanfares and drum rolls, whilst the woodwinds, especially the piccolo “squeak” to highlight the ominous mice.
Waltz of the Snowflakes:
As Clara and the Prince enter the wintry forest, the music suggests the swirling blizzard – perhaps the end of a storm and the beginning of a beautiful winter wonderland. Harp arpeggios cascade like the falling snow, and then the waltz begins. The rhythm is
slightly modified, by spreading each “oompah-pah” across two bars of music instead of one. A few minutes in, a new color is introduced, made to sound like a children’s chorus. The ending horns declare not only triumph, but the ultimate feeling of holiday hope!
INTERMISSION
ACT II
The Magic Castle:
As we enter the second act, a barcarole is played. This traditional folk song, originally sung by Venetian gondoliers, often indicates a transition between worlds in ballet. In this case, Clara is transported to the fantastical Kingdom of Sweets. The flutes’ use frullato, a flutter-tonguing technique, swirling sweetly up and down with the harp, like a cascading chocolate waterfall.
Clara and the Nutcracker Prince:
The Prince recounts his battle with the Mouse King, and musical themes from Act I reemerge. The bass strings play a low battle rhythm while the piccolo squeaks its mousy music.
Chocolate:
Sweet treats from all around the world now arrive! This dance features a trumpeting solo and castanets, trying to replicate the sounds of flamenco music.
Coffee:
Aiming to sound “oriental,” the Arabian Dance is actually based on a Georgian lullaby. The clarinets and strings play smooth, low and simple harmonies, and the higher violins play their modal, snake-like melody.
The Nutcracker continued Trepak:
BAM! Here come the Russians! The entire orchestra is now in use, growing in intensity, and the turbulent tambourine accelerates until culminating in a raucous final chord!
Dance of the Reed-Pipes:
The Dance of the Reed Flutes is graceful, light, and playful! The flutes replicate the sound of a mirliton, which is both a reedy musical instrument and a sweet French cake.
Tea:
The flutes and piccolos twirl melodically in the Chinese Dance, while the bassoon bounces in the base and the strings use pizzicato for a complementary color. Later, the clarinets begin their arpeggiated accompaniment while some jingling bells chime, like the twinkling of Christmas tree lights.
Mother Ginger and the Polichinelles:
This fan favorite is based on a French folk song. Listen for the festive and fun tambourine.
Dance of the Flowers:
Nearing the end, the graceful melody of the waltz begins with a mystical and enchanting harp cadenza. The french horns and clarinet enter, leading the “oom-pah-pah” rhythm of the waltz. Finally, the strings play their iconic, luscious and sweeping melody! Watch the flowers “grow” on stage as the orchestra becomes fuller in the pit.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy:
Now enters the Sugar-Plum Fairy, accompanied by the iconic celesta, which Tchaikovsky specifically ordered for this ballet. He described it as “something between a small piano and a Glockenspiel.” Listen to its delicate, colorful, and lyrical ringing which perfectly mirrors the sweetness of the dancer herself. Both the music and dance bring twinkly fairy-dust to life.
The Final Waltz and Apotheosis:
This is the celebratory ending to the most magical night! Listen for that same bararolle as we are escorted from the Kingdom of Sweets back into reality. Luckily, however, the magic of the Kingdom of Sweets endures; it is rediscovered through the joy of a beautiful Christmas morning.
Julia Smart Philharmonic Intern
Hear Life’s Symphony
DID YOU KNOW?
• Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the U.S.1
• Untreated hearing loss increases the risk of dementia.2
• 89% of hearing device users report improvements in their quality of life.3
For more information or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today!
1 CDC. (2018). Loud noise can cause hearing loss. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html
“Best Allergy Clinic,” “Best Audiology Clinic” and “Best Hearing Aid/Hearing Specialist Center” in Spartanburg for eight years running!
2 Johns Hopkins. (2023). New study links hearing loss with dementia in older adults. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/new-study-links-hearing-loss-with-dementia-in-older-adults#:~:
3 Picou, E. (2022). Hearing aid benefit and satisfaction results from the MarkeTrak 2022 survey: Importance of features and hearing care professionals. Seminars in Hearing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9715311/#:~:text=
Spotlight: The Warner Family
Musicians and Music Lovers
At the Spartanburg Philharmonic, we love our supporters! And, we are always excited when we have the opportunity to create a special experience for them.
Last spring, we received a specific request from Nancy and Glen Warner. They wanted to sponsor their grandson’s (Ben Warner) trombone teacher, and member of the Spartanburg Philharmonic, Eric Henson. We were delighted to have them sponsor Eric and went about planning a special dinner for several members of the Warner family, including Nancy and Glen, their grandson (Ben), their granddaughter (Emma), their son and daughter-in-law (Heather and Garth Warner) and Eric Henson to meet John Young Shik Concklin. As one might imagine, trying to coordinate that many schedules at the end of the school year proved a bit difficult. So, we got creative!
In lieu of dinner, we planned a special luncheon in Converse University’s Lawson Recital Hall where all the
Katherine Poss Development Manager
Warners would get to watch as their grandson, Ben, have a special Master Class with Music Director, John Young Shik Concklin following the dress rehearsal of the Season Finale, Shostakovich Symphony No. 5. It was sensational!
Ben, being the talented and bright young man that he is, selected the very prominent bass trombone line from Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, to play for John. John pulled out his mini-score from his jacket pocket and began to give him praise and professional feedback on his performance. Ben did an excellent job and I am sure his onlooking parents and grandparents were extremely proud of him in this special moment!
Ben Warner’s trombone teacher, Eric Henson, was not able to attend the luncheon but he heard all about the Master Class with John from his student. Eric was delighted to submit a photo of teacher and student together (see below) and a few words about Ben’s journey:
The Warner Family in Lawson Recital Hall following a master class with Concklin.
From left: Heather Warner, Nancy Warner, John Young Shik Concklin, Ben Warner, and Garth Warner.
“I met the Warners in the Summer of 2018 when Ben started taking lessons shortly before starting band in 5th grade. What a great family! Occasionally, that fall, Ben’s grandpa, Glen, would bring him to lessons. It wasn’t long before I found out that Glen played trombone in high school, and it wasn’t too long after that, when Glen found his old trombone in the attic. The next thing I knew, Ben AND Glen were both taking lessons with me! Glen continued taking lessons with Ben for several months, through most of the pandemic. What I didn’t learn until much later was that while the schools were virtual, Ben nearly quit playing trombone. I’m convinced that he stuck with it because Glen was taking lessons along with him. And, what I don’t think either of them knew, was that I lost my grandfather in the Summer of 2018. It was very touching to see Glen’s involvement with Ben’s trombone lessons. That was absolutely the kind of thing my grandfather would have done, certainly a moving and impactful personal experience for me, as a teacher! I’m so glad that we happened to cross paths! I look forward to visiting with Glen and Nancy at Spartanburg Philharmonic concerts and continuing watching Ben excel as musician.”
Nancy Warner (Ben’s Grandmother): John took Ben very seriously. Ben had worked very hard for weeks to prepare his piece for this event and John worked so brilliantly with him. It was amazing!
Glen Warner (Ben’s Grandfather): Ben and I enjoyed lessons together before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having this shared experience with him was a real echo of happiness from our family’s tradition of being
trombone players. In fact, we have a 100 year old Griese “Pathfinder” trombone tradition – this particular trombone was passed down from my oldest brother, through my middle brother and then to me. In lessons with Ben, it was clear that he easily, far surpassed any of our family’s previous skill levels! We are all so delighted with his excellent and elegant music-making. Many smiles
Heather and Garth Warner (Ben’s parents): What a cool experience for Ben! Music has been an important part of his life and development – we’re very proud of him and his musical accomplishments. Our thanks to John Concklin and the Spartanburg Philharmonic for being so supportive of the next generation of musicians.
Ben Warner (trombone player): I had a great time! It was awesome learning the real thing with SPO’s conductor, Mr. Concklin!
John Young Shik Conckin: Working with Ben was such a wonderful full circle moment. It showed how the Spartanburg Philharmonic is an institution that spans multiple generations. Sharing that space with Ben and his family reminded me of what a rich musical culture we have in Spartanburg, and how much of a responsibility I have as Music Director to carry it forward. And to boot, it was incredible to know that such a talented young trombonist in our community.
Accolades: Ben was selected to be first chair bass trombone in the All State Clinic Band this year (‘24). He was first chair trombone in the All State Junior Band in ‘22 and ‘23.
Ben Warner with his trombone teacher and Philharmonic bass trombonist, Eric Henson
Spring Concert
Oct. 27, 2024
3:00 PM
Conductors
Susan Wines & Joshua Miller
Traditional, arr. Deborah Baker Monday For the Star of County Down
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arr. C. Paul Herfurth Marche Slave in B-flat, op. 31
Whitacre
Sibelius
Program Online:
Susan Wines
SYMPHONY CONDUCTOR
Introducing the SPYO's new Symphony Ensemble conductor: Susan Wines!
As a native of Spartanburg, Susan Wines’ enthusiasm for music and teaching began as a double bass player at Boiling Springs Middle School. Her eagerness and excitement for music continued to develop through teacher encouragement as well as participation in several honor orchestra opportunities throughout the state.
With nearly two decades of youth orchestra experience, it is with excitement that she joins the Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra community as the Symphony Conductor at her alma mater - Converse University. Susan Wines holds a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education from Converse University, two Master of Education degrees from the American College of Education, and is pursuing a Doctorate of Music Education from Liberty University.
In addition to being the Director of Orchestras at Byrnes Freshman Academy, she enjoys being an adjudicator for performance assessments, a mentor for pre-service teachers, and a guest clinician across the nation. She was instrumental in creating many student-centered music activities such as Greenville County’s All-County Honor Orchestras, SC ASTA Double Bass Workshop, as well as the annual SC ASTA Orchestra. Ms. Wines serves as the Executive Director of the SCMEA Orchestra Division and past president of the South Carolina Chapter of SC ASTA.
She has been recognized as a WYFF Golden Apple Teacher Award Recipient, Teacher of the Year, Music Club of Greenville’s Golden Note Award Recipient, South Carolina High School League’s “Heart of the Arts Award,” and most recently, the recipient of the Yamaha “40 under 40” national music educator recognition.
272 Cedar Springs Rd Spartanburg, SC (864) 583-4962 CedarSpringFamilyDentistry.com
Joshua Miller
PRELUDE CONDUCTOR
Although he didn’t originally set out to become a teacher, he received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University. While in college, his plan was to become a dentist until he finally listened to the encouragement of those around him to consider teaching. The choice to become an orchestra teacher turned out to be one of the greatest decisions of his life. After graduation, Dr. Miller began his career in Anderson School District One teaching orchestra for grades 5-12.
In 2016, he moved back to his hometown and joined the faculty at Spartanburg School District Two. As a music educator, he holds two main philosophies: kids who trust you can learn anything, and fundamentals are key to musical success. He currently teaches at Boiling Springs Middle School where his program, his students, and his teaching have continued to grow each year.
In 2021, he was selected by his peers and administration to serve as Teacher of the Year. And this past year, he received the honor of being the WYFF News 4 Teacher of the Year. During his years as an orchestra teacher, his performance groups have earned numerous awards. Dr. Miller and his wife (Raven) currently reside in Inman, SC, with their son (Asher) and daughter (Ayla). He enjoys watching as much Netflix as possible and spending time with his family.
WE ARE WUSIC EDUCATION
SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/msi
The "Music Sandwiched In" program features 22 free concerts each year held in the Barrett Room of the Spartanburg County Downtown Library. This 25+ year partnership enriches the lives of the intergenerational population of attendees. Over its span, thousands of individuals have enjoyed many genres of music including jazz, bluegrass, classical, and rock. During "Music Sandwiched In" the doors of the Barrett Room are left open, and the 105,000 square foot library is filled with music, laughter, and applause. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch to enjoy the concert or to purchase a lunch on site. All are welcome!
(see page 23 for more details)
SpartanburgMusicTrail.com
Some cities celebrate their war heroes, others their sports stars, but in Spartanburg, it’s all about our musicians. Head out on the Spartanburg Music Trail, a 30-minute outdoor walking tour of the city’s incredibly robust music history. With your GPS enabled smartphone, you’ll be directed to each colorful marker to learn about the artists and hear the music that lifted them onto the national stage. You’ll also discover opportunities for side trips to further explore our musical heritage.
The Spartanburg Music Trail honors musicians from Spartanburg who have made a national or international impact in the world of music. The stops highlight artists in such genres as country, gospel, soul, rock ‘n’ roll and more. Ultimately, the trail will circle the downtown as new inductees are added.
SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/linkup
For more than 15 years, the Spartanburg Philharmonic has partnered with Carnegie Hall's Weil Institute to present Link Up, a program that works with local communities to explore orchestral repertoire and fundamental musical skills, including creative work and composition, through a hands-on music curriculum.
Link Up addresses the urgent need for music instruction and resources by providing a free, high-quality, yearlong curriculum that teachers can implement, along with classroom materials, online video and audio resources, and the professional development and support necessary to make the program an engaging experience for youth.
The Spartanburg Philharmonic utilizes Link Up to provide a music curriculum to all 4th graders in Spartanburg County. This means over 4,000 youth join the Philharmonic in Twichell Auditorium each Spring for a participatory concert like no other!
SpartanburgYouthOrchestra.org
The Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra was founded in 2019 to bring together the best young players from across the Upstate as a core education program of the Spartanburg Philharmonic. Now composed of two high performing ensembles, the SPYO serves over 150 students in grades 6th - 12th each year.
The Youth Orchestra provides a place where musicallyinclined students learn to master their instruments and collaborate with others to produce three highquality performances each year. Working with the SPYO challenges talented young musicians to grasp difficult repertoires and perform at a higher level than what is possible in their school orchestras.
(see page 67 for more details)
Education: My First Link Up
When I first heard that the Spartanburg Philharmonic facilitated the Link Up concert, I thought, “you mean the 4th grade recorder concert?? Oh bless,” and steeled myself to hear about 1,000 students screech along with the orchestra. Link Up day arrived and as students poured through the doors of Twichell, one by one they kept saying “WOAH. Look at THIS!” with pure excitement. Over and over again, they were absolutely blown away by the sheer size and space of the concert hall. I wish we could have bottled the energy in the hall and saved it for a rainy day as the students waited for the concert to begin. The hush right before the concert began remained the same as any concert - that suspended moment of anticipation where you feel anything could happen. John took the stage, the music started, and then, the students started to sing.
It was joy that I heard. The absolute joy of music echoing throughout Twichell. I was standing at the back of the auditorium, there to catch any stragglers or give directions, and the sound of the students singing stopped me in my tracks. You could feel that joy traveling through the sound waves, created by the voices of 1,000 students. As a former choral director, there was something truly
Hannah Simpson Education Manager
special to me getting to hear that many student voices lifted in song. Throughout the 45-minute performance, students clapped, stomped, sang, and yes, played the recorder (sometimes with a screech or two). But they also laughed, danced, pointed excitedly, smiled, and for many of them, experienced their first live orchestral performance. As the first concert wrapped up, the students shouted their favorite parts of the show frantically at each other as teachers gently reminded them to stay together. The second wave of students arrived, and we began again. This time I was prepared for the opening song, and it was just as joyous the second time around.
So, parents, if your 4th grade student is at home driving you crazy with that pesky recorder, know they are preparing for something unique. Each student practices for the performance for a little over a month, with curriculum provided by Carnegie Hall. Sometimes the joy of music can be lost in the day-to-day practice, the rut and routine. Link Up is about the whole ensemble of Spartanburg students creating music together and giving students a beautiful first classical music experience.
I can’t wait for the next one!
ORCHESTRATE YOUR FUTURE AT
Since 1911, students have composed their success stories here.
First-time freshmen and returning adult students may choose from on-campus or online two-year and four-year degree programs in a small, highly supportive environment. Our unique career-focused approach to a liberal arts education blends general professional development skills with specialized academic skills to maximize success after graduation.
Education: John Visits Schools!
Hannah Simpson Education Manager
Did you know Music Director John Concklin visits our Spartanburg County School classrooms? When John is in town for concerts, he and I visit high school orchestra programs throughout Spartanburg County. Every visit is tailored to the individual needs of each ensemble and is usually centered around an upcoming competition or concert. Communication, collaboration, and ownership were the three unifying themes from John’s lessons.
What does it mean to take ownership of the music? During the Byrnes High School Orchestra visit, John asked the students - how do YOU want the music to sound? After some initial hesitation, students took turns giving the ensemble different ways to play the same passage. John went on to explain that the way in which you play causes the audience to hear and feel the music differently. Every conductor should have an awareness of how they are asking the musicians to perform, as it will affect the way the listener understands the music. Other lessons focused on knowing their musical role in the ensemble. Who has the melody? Who has the rhythm? John is phenomenal at encouraging young musicians to listen across the room and communicate with one another. He guides them to not only understand the music at a deeper level, but themselves as a musician.
Our Spartanburg music students are incredible. Students are truly young professionals in the music classrooms. Over and over, they rise to each challenge and new way of thinking. They are creative, kind, and passionate musicians led by knowledgeable teachers. We are blessed in Spartanburg County to have so many thriving orchestra programs in our schools.
This past season John visited: Spartanburg High School, Dorman High School, Chapman High School, Landrum High School, Boiling Springs High School, and Byrnes High School.
Above: John guest conducting at Dorman HS; Left, top to bottom: John at Dorman, Spartanburg High School, and Byrnes High School.
THE CARLOS MOSELEY CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
Bank of America recognizes the Spartanburg Philharmonic for its success in bringing the arts to performers and audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience.
