WOVEN STORIES | WORTHINGTON CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SEASON 2023-2024 | Spring

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2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

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WELCOME FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR On behalf of the WCO Board and Staff, welcome to the second official season of the Worthington Chamber Orchestra! We are delighted and grateful that you have decided to spend your time with us today. Last season was a rousing success by all measures and we are building upon that success to provide even more performances this season. Love, respect, and community are the pervading themes that guide our music making process and relationship building with the music lovers of Worthington. The dedication and passion this community has shown to preserving and nurturing the WCO is astounding and we are working hard to deepen the bonds and reach of the orchestra. I encourage you to dream big about the future of the WCO and enjoy as many performances as you can throughout the year. Thank you for being a part of this exciting journey.

Board of Trustees

Michael Ball, President Darnell Perkins, Treasurer Frank Shepherd, Secretary Beth Ann Ball Ben Cooper Benedicta Enrile Jennifer Hambrick Bronwynn Hopton Lori Overmeyer Ellen Stukenberg Charlie Warner

Staff

Evan Lynch, Executive Director Antoine T. Clark, Music/Artistic Director Rachel Tweedy, Orchestra Manager Daniel Hange, Production Manager Megan Wetzel, Marketing Manager Tyler Norin, Conducting Apprentice

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Worthington Chamber Orchestra (WCO) is to support local artists while providing diverse and dynamic programming that entertains, inspires, and fosters music education. WCO cultivates relationships between artists and the Worthington community.

LETTER FROM THE MUSIC/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Greetings, Friends!

“It takes a village to raise an orchestra!” As we embark on our second season, the 11th in Worthington’s chamber orchestra’s history, I fondly recount that declaration by a conducting mentor. Truer words have never been spoken! A small group of community members who value art, music, and education came together to support the chamber orchestra during its transition from being a nine-season project of the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington to becoming the WCO. Through tireless efforts, these individuals helped launch the chamber orchestra into a new era. Their enthusiasm for the work of the chamber orchestra, along with your support, has helped the chamber orchestra continue to produce inspirational programming. Our village is strong, and it is raising a worthwhile organization that is impacting so many lives.

This season is pivotal for the chamber orchestra as it further cultivates meaningful relationships between artists and the Worthington community.

Our programming illustrates my belief that an arts organization should reflect its community and work to bring its diverse elements together. WCO’s 2023-2024 season, Woven Stories, brings to life the rich tapestry of cultures that define our community. I sincerely hope the chamber orchestra and you, our village of supporters, become closer as the WCO highlights the diverse stories of groups and individuals in Worthington and Central Ohio.

I look forward to working with the WCO Board, staff, and musicians to deliver an expanded season featuring an inspiring Benedicta Enrile Masterworks Series, entertaining educational and family programming, beautiful chamber music, and exhilarating collaborations with local artists and organizations. I am grateful to you, our patrons, who have supported the chamber orchestra for a decade. I am excited to embark on an unforgettable musical journey with you!

Sincerely, Music and Artistic Director

2023-2024 SEASON

WOVEN STORIES Worthington Chamber Orchestra (WCO) is thrilled to announce the 2023-2024 season under the direction of its founding music and artistic director, Antoine T. Clark.

This season promises a captivating blend of masterworks from both renowned and underrepresented composers, three highly anticipated world premieres, expanded educational and family-friendly programming, a new chamber music series, and exhilarating collaborations.

The overarching theme of this season, Woven Stories, is a vibrant fusion of music with the artistry of local and nationally acclaimed fiber artists – a tribute to the diverse cultures of Worthington and Central Ohio. From Asian to African American to Balkan/ Central European influences, these cultural tapestries become the heart of this season, exemplifying WCO’s commitment to fostering an inclusive community within and around the chamber orchestra. The Benedicta Enrile Masterworks Series: Woven Stories comprises three inspiring concerts: Stories from the East, American Stories of Hope, and Stories from Worlds Old and New. In addition to the eagerly awaited premieres by distinguished composers Dr. Ching-chu Hu, Dr. Mark Lomax II, and Dr. Vera Stanojevic, audiences will hear classics such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite, and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor. Local guest artists include violinist Alicia Hui, UCelli: The Columbus Cello Quartet, the New World Singers of the Columbus Children’s Choir under the artistic direction of Jeanne Wohlgamuth, and fiber artists Celeste Malvar-Stewart, Cynthia Lockhart, and Scott Hanratty.

Expanding its commitment to education and families, the WCO introduces additions to its Education and Family Series, WorthingTunes, and a collaboration with The Ohio State University Opera Theatre program. The Halloween-themed young people’s concert, Danse Macabre, returns to the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center (MAC) and Worthington elementary schools. Embracing a new partnership with the Worthington Libraries, WorthingTunes offers an engaging musical experience for preschoolers and early elementary-aged children. Among the highlights is a musical rendition of the beloved tale Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf, with music composed by Matthew Naughtin. WCO joins forces with The Ohio State University Opera Theatre program for a production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s timeless opera, Hansel and Gretel, taking the stage at the MAC.

SPRING EVENTS Benedicta Enrile Masterworks Series: Woven Stories American Stories of Hope........................................................................................ 9 Sunday, February 4, 2024, 5 pm Worthington United Methodist Church

Stories from Worlds Old and New....................................................................... 14 Sunday, May 5, 2024, 5 pm Worthington United Methodist Church

Chamber Music Series An Evening with Beethoven: Septet in E-flat major, op. 20.......................... 19 Thursday, February 22, 2024, 7 pm McConnell Arts Center

An Evening with Schubert: Octet in F major, D. 803....................................... 20 Thursday, April 18, 2024, 7 pm McConnell Arts Center

Education and Family Series Hansel and Gretel..................................................................................................... 22 WCO/The Ohio State University Opera Theatre Friday, March 15, 2024, 7:30 pm Saturday, March 16, 2024, 2 pm & 7:30 pm McConnell Arts Center

The new WCO Chamber Music Series is a trio of Thursday evening chamber music concerts in the Bronwynn Theatre at the MAC, designed to offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the mastery of three eminent chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. The concerts include An Evening with Mozart: Gran Partita; An Evening with Beethoven: Septet in E-flat major, and An Evening with Schubert: Octet in F major. Mozart’s Gran Partita will receive an additional performance at St. Mary Catholic Church, nestled in the heart of German Village, as part of the St. Mary Concert Series.

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable musical journey with the Worthington Chamber Orchestra’s 2023-2024 season: Woven Stories, where melodies interweave with fiber art, bringing to life the rich tapestry of cultures that define our community.

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

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“Clark, who led from the podium with balletic poise.”

WCO MUSIC AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Compelling interpretations, inventive performances, and an energetic stage presence are the hallmarks of American conductor Antoine T. Clark.

The founding Artistic and Music Director of the Worthington Chamber Orchestra in Ohio (formerly McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra, established in 2013), Mr. Clark served as Assistant Conductor of West Virginia’s Wheeling Symphony Orchestra from fall 2021 to spring 2023. He has been appointed as Associate Conductor for the 2023-2024 season.

A passionate advocate of arts education, in 2022, he served as Cincinnati Symphony’s MAC Music Innovator. The program, which highlights leading African American classical musicians who embody artistry, innovation, and commitment to education and community engagement, saw Clark leading chamber music and orchestral performances in schools and throughout the community during his residency.

This past summer, Clark guest conducted Kamratōn Ensemble in performances in Pittsburgh and Brooklyn and with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Fall 2023 highlights include engagements with the South Carolina Philharmonic, a two-city New York tour with Gateways Music Festival, Walla Walla Symphony, and leading Lima Symphony’s (Ohio) New Year’s Eve concert.

2022-2023 season highlights included a collaboration with Hixon Dance in a performance of Peter and the Wolf with the Worthington Chamber Orchestra and guest engagements with Dayton Philharmonic, Wheeling Symphony

- Chicago Tribune

Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Symphony Tacoma, Elgin Symphony, Orchestra, and New Jersey Symphony.

Recent season engagements include Lancaster Festival Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Columbus. He also served as a panelist with Harold Brown, Chief Diversity Officer of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, at the 2022 International Conductors Guild Conference’s panel discussion on diversity on the podium.

Guest engagements include Chicago Sinfonietta, the Chamber Orchestra of New York, the Colour of Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, and the Gateways Music Festival. For his work with Chicago Sinfonietta leading the premiere of Joel Thompson’s “breathe/burn: an elegy” for cello and orchestra, the Chicago Tribune praised “Clark, who led from the podium with balletic poise.” With McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra, he led a collaboration with musicians from the Columbus Jazz Orchestra in a concert tribute to John Coltrane. A staunch supporter of DEI, Mr. Clark also participated in Chicago Sinfonietta’s 15th Annual Diversity Reception and the 2021 Youth Orchestras Online DEI panel, a collaboration between Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, and the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras.

With a focus on building strong relationships in communities, Mr. Clark creates bold programs that often include innovative collaborations with artists from various artistic disciplines. A passionate supporter of new music, Mr. Clark regularly commissions works for the symphonic and chamber music canon.

Among the composers he has worked with are Mark Lomax II, Jacob Reed, Matthew Saunders, Michael Rene Torres,

Christopher Weait, Tony Zilincik, Chingchu Hu, and Vera Stanojevic.

Committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of musicians, Mr. Clark has taught students ranging from young beginners to college music majors. He has served as the assistant conductor at the Gateways Music Festival in association with the Eastman School of Music since 2017.

Prior posts include serving as assistant conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta, music director of the Ohio Wesleyan University Chamber Orchestra, music director of the Ohio Northern University Symphony, music director of the Ohio Northern University Wind Orchestra, music director of the Wayne State College Orchestra, and assistant conductor of The Ohio State University Orchestra.

Antoine T. Clark holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in clarinet performance from The Ohio State University, a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. A winner in the 2017 International Conductor’s Workshop and Competition, he has participated in the Cabrillo Contemporary Festival of Music, the Monteux School and Music Festival, the International Conductors Guild Conference conducting masterclass, the New York Conducting Workshop, the Smoky Mountain International Conducting Institute, and as a Project Inclusion Conducting Freeman Fellow with the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Among his mentors are conductors MeiAnn Chen, Michael Morgan, Markand Thakar, the late Michael Jinbo, and Marshall Haddock.

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

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2023-2024 BENEDICTA ENRILE MASTERWORKS SERIES: WOVEN STORIES

AMERICAN STORIES OF HOPE Sunday, February 4, 2024, 5 pm Worthington United Methodist Church

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Violin

Devin Copfer, concertmaster

Benedicta Enrile Chair

Ella Pittsford, principal second ancy Elkington and N Ted Dziemianowicz Chair

Lane Champa Emily Chen Yi Chieh Anita Chiu Nia Dewberry Nora Dukart Liz Fisher Joyce Green Maureen Hickey Laura Gauntner Koh Sheila Santa Anne Zavaglia

Viola

Deborah Barret Price, principal

ancy Elkington and N Ted Dziemianowicz Chair

Meagan Cramm

eth and Steve Sommer B Chair

Norman Cardwell Murri Ann Schnapp Rachel Tweedy

Cello

Jane van Voorhis, principal Dan Comiskey

Ellen Stukenberg Chair

Double Bass

Aidan Terry, principal Mick and Beth Ann Ball Chair

Merideth Eshelman

Flute

Erin Helgeson Torres, principal Julie Dawson Chair

Katie Kuvin

Julie Dawson Chair

Piccolo

Katie Kuvin

Oboe

Brad Walsh, principal

Robert Owen Vegeler Chair

Axl Pons

English Horn Axl Pons

Clarinet

Nancy Gamso, principal harlie and Betsy Warner C Chair

Robert Pfeifer

avid and Bronwynn D Hopton Chair

Bassoon

Scott Hanratty, principal Frank and Connie Shepherd Chair

Emily Klepinger

Amadeus Twu

French Horn Mitchell McCrady, principal William Holderby

Antoine T. Clark, conductor UCelli: The Columbus Cello Quartet Mark Lomax II, composer Cynthia Lockhart, fiber artist

The Pauline Family Chair

Kaylyn Mallory Jennifer Moncrief Tiffany Damicone

PROGRAM Soul Force (2015)

Trumpet

– Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)

Dale Nawroci, principal Sarah Grosse Becky Bloomer Matthew Zelnik

Freedom’s Train (2023)

– Mark Lomax, II (b. 1979) (world premiere)

Trombone

UCelli: The Columbus Cello Quartet

Tony Weikel, principal Doug Moran Zachary Zerkle

INTERMISSION

Tuba

Darker America (1924)

Tony Zilincik, principal

– William Grant Still (1895-1978)

Percussion

Ben Shaheen, principal

Appalachian Spring Suite (1945)

Daniel Bruce Yaffe Chair

– Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Sam Sherer

Linda Royalty Chair

James Lindroth Scott Wedell

Harp

Shayla Werner, principal

Piano

Suzanne Newcomb, principal

William Louis Yaffe Chair

Michelle Geissbuhler Chair A huge thank you to our Chair Sponsors who have made this season possible. If you are interested in sponsoring a chair, please contact us at worthingtonchamberorchestra@gmail.com.

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

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I. Very slowly II. Allegro III. Moderato (The Bride & Her Intended) IV. Fast (The Revivalist & His Flock) V. Subito Allegro (Solo Dance of the Bride) VI. As at first (Slowly) VII. Doppio movimento (Variations on Simple Gifts) VIII. Moderato - Coda

LARRY AND ARLENE DUNN

PROGRAM NOTES American Stories of Hope highlights themes in the African American experience and the power of hope in overcoming oppression and challenges. Underrepresented in the classical music canon, Black composers often articulate themes of struggle, hope, triumph over racism, and the fight for civil rights. Worthington’s historical connection to the African American experience and openness to Blacks in the 1800s is a source of inspiration for this program. Despite Ohio’s Black Laws discouraging Black people from settling in the early 1800s, Worthington still embraced Blacks in its community.

Soul Force Jessie Montgomery is an acclaimed violinist, educator, and composer whose works explore life in modern-day America. Her pieces mix the conventions of Western classical music with the traditions of vernacular music, acts of improvisation, spoken language, and themes of social justice, making her a powerful interpreter of our contemporary world. As Montgomery wrote in her program notes from 2015: “Soul Force is a one-movement symphonic work which attempts to portray the notion of a voice that struggles to be heard beyond the shackles of oppression. The music takes on the form of a march which begins with a single voice and gains mass as it rises to a triumphant goal. Drawing on elements of popular African-American musical styles such as big-band jazz, funk, hip-hop and R+B, the piece pays homage to the cultural contributions, the many voices, which have risen against aggressive forces to create an indispensable cultural place. I have drawn the work’s title from Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in which he states: ‘We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.’”

Freedom’s Train Worthington was a welcoming place for escaped and formerly enslaved Afrikans in the 19th century, many of whom arrived via the Freedom Train/Underground Railroad. In light of everything happening in the world today, we need to continue “riding”/moving and working toward all free to live out their most authentic expressions of humanity.

Across the 20-minute work, UCelli will function as the conductor on Freedom’s Train and engage in robust musical dialogue with WCO on the themes of Freedom, Justice, Inclusivity, and Democracy.

The piece begins on a plantation with a work song. As the enslaved Afrikans (woodwinds) labor, conductors of the underground railroad (UCelli) can be heard singing their freedom songs in the distance. These Negro Spirituals were encoded with messages that instructed the enslaved on the best way to escape. Wade in the Water taught escapees to use the waterways to avoid detection by search dogs. Go Down Moses informed those who would go that the train was coming to the station to pick up passengers. Freedom and Didn’t My Lawd Deliver Daniel were used to reassure those hopeful for a life of freedom. The overseers (brass) do their best to quell the growing enthusiasm and fail to recapture the escapees.

The journey is fraught with danger, and there are times when the passengers sing the Spirituals with the conductors in a call & response style to bolster their courage. At times, the conductors must instill courage in their passengers and themselves. This is reflected in the two cadenzas. A new melody emerges and evolves as the Afrikans make their way north. At the same time, an ostinato in the marimba and harp reflects the incessant anxiety of being “on the run” and the continued anxiety present in Ohio 2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

associated with the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which required that “slaves” be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state. As a result, the safety of even Afrikans who were born free in America was precarious. Elements of a contemporary form of Hip Hop called Trap Music are used as a metaphor for the various ways in which slave patrols are the precursor to modern-day police officers, per the NAACP and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

On the eve of the Civil War, the idea of the enslaved person dies in the minds of the enslaved. The event is marked by the percussion, brass, and flutes playing a fife and drum-styled melody with a melody that one might find in an Afrikan Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the first Black denomination to be recognized by Christian denominations in America. A duet ensues between the third and fourth cellos, leading the ensemble to a hopeful ending. America has come a long way but still has so far to go. We can only get there together.

- Mark Lomax, II Darker America The symphonic poem Darker America, William Grant Still’s first extended orchestral work, was composed in 1924 and combines vibrant themes based on traditional African-American songs with the sophisticated harmonic language and expressive freedom he learned in his private lessons with modernist composer Edgard Varèse.

The composer described the piece in this way: “Darker America, as its title suggests, is representative of the American Negro. His serious side is presented and is intended to suggest the triumph of a people over their sorrows through fervent prayer. At the beginning the theme of the American Negro is announced by the strings in unison.

Following a short development of this, the English horn announces the sorrow theme which is followed immediately by the theme of hope, given to muted brass accompanied by strings and woodwinds…the people seem about to rise above their troubles. But sorrow triumphs. Then the prayer is heard; the prayer of numbed rather than anguished souls. Strongly contrasted moods follow, leading up to the triumph of the people near the end, at which point the three principal themes are combined.”

Appalachian Spring Aaron Copland composed his ballet Appalachian Spring in the mid-1940s for the famous choreographer and dancer Martha Graham. Graham wanted a piece with a distinctly American theme and suggested a story celebrating the frontier spirit of nineteenth-century American pioneers living in a small town in rural Pennsylvania.

Copland was deeply inspired by this scenario and was determined to bring it to life musically. Appalachian Spring had its premiere on October 30, 1944, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with Graham dancing the lead role. It was a huge success, earning Copland a Pulitzer Prize in 1945, and the composer subsequently arranged the music as a suite for full orchestra. The suite opens with a slow introduction leading to the elated sentiments of the newlyweds. A tender duet for the bride and groom is followed by the preacher’s dance and music reminiscent of folk fiddling. The bride’s solo dance expresses her nervous anticipation for married life, followed by a set of variations on the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts.” The ballet ends with a hymn-like stillness as the newly married couple reflects on their future.

- Program notes by Heike Hoffer

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PROGRAM NOTES AUTHOR | HEIKE HOFFER Heike Hoffer completed a Master’s degree in Oboe Performance at the University of Minnesota in 2002 and then accepted a full-time position in the Music Department at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she taught music history and oboe for five years. She resumed her graduate studies in 2009, receiving a Master’s degree in Musicology from the University of Arizona and then entered The Ohio State University to pursue a Ph.D. in Musicology.

After moving to Japan in 2015 to conduct dissertation research, she completed her Ph.D. at OSU in 2022 with a thesis on the use of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” melody as part of anime’s musical score and possible interpretations of this music by Japanese viewers. Her research interests focus primarily on the relationship between Western classical music and anime in terms of the cultural landscape of modern Japan, and she has published articles on the subject in both major international presses and prominent academic journals. Today, Heike lives in Tokyo with her husband, where they watch all of the latest anime and work together on various academic projects.

GUEST SOLOIST | UCELLI: THE COLUMBUS CELLO QUARTET

Described by WOSU Classical 101 as “breathing new life into music,” UCelli is a quartet of virtuoso cellists whose individual artistry and combined chemistry result in a unique and vibrant concert experience.

Each artist is a soloist and chamber musician in her own right, bringing strong musical philosophies and relationships to cello repertoire and pedagogy. Also, members of the Columbus Symphony and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, the experiences and collaborations held among these four cellists allow for exciting explorations of new and unconventional intersections between music and life. UCelli has been chosen by the Johnstone Fund for New Music for “Ten Score.” Ten new composition commissions involving ten composers have been written for UCelli and premiered on Oct 10, 2023.

UCelli is Pei-An Chao, Mary Davis, Cora Kuyvenhoven, and Wendy Morton. For more information, please go to: UCelli.net

COMPOSER | MARK LOMAX, II

Dr. Mark Lomax, II, is a critically acclaimed composer, recording artist, drummer, activist, and educator. In one of the timeliest and unprecedented pieces of work of our history, Lomax released 400: An Afrikan Epic in January 2019. This magnum opus consists of a 12-album cycle, a curriculum, and a documentary that ambitiously tells the story of the Afrikan diaspora. Divided into thirds, the Epic explores thousands of years of the history that is pre-colonial Afrika, the Ma’afa (400 years between 1619 and 2019), and Afro-futurism expressing a vision of what Blacks in America will heal toward in the next 400 years. Largely self-funded, the 400 was supported by a residency at The Wexner Center for the Arts. Quoted in Columbus Monthly, Lane Czaplinski, Wexner’s performing arts director, says, “Mark is an absolute experimentalist ... and this huge, deep project will look at the legacy of jazz from the past all the way to the future.” Lomax also calls 400: An Afrikan Epic an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, brilliance, strength, genius, and creativity of a people who continue to endure while offering a transformative view of the future.

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

A highly sought-after lecturer, Lomax specializes in the socio-political and spiritual aspects of African-American art music, race, and using the arts to build community.

These ideas are documented in his TED Talk, Activating The Transformative Power Of Trust, and his weekly COVID-inspired YouTube show, Drumversations. Lomax adamantly declares that “there has never been a time in his life that music was not a part of me.” Heavily influenced by his father, a pastor, and mother, a composer of gospel music, Lomax was introduced to gospel and jazz at an early age. He continued his study of gospel music with Dr. Raymond Wise, founder of the Center for the Gospel Arts.

Lomax has toured with the Delfeayo Marsalis Sextet and worked with notable artists such as ClarkTerry, Marlon Jordan, Azar Lawrence, Bennie Maupin, Billy Harper, Nicholas Payton, Ellis Marsalis, and Wessel Anderson, among others. Jazz Times says Lomax’s “forceful drumming would have made Elvin Jones proud.” He has also been a resident artist with the Cincinnati Symphony (2019) and Denison University (2017) and has presented the 400 across the country at various colleges, universities, and art and community organizations.

Dr. Lomax’s myriad experiences have allowed him to create a unique blend of styles in his music. Whether he’s interpreting the Negro Spiritual through jazz, arranging gospel music for a symphony orchestra, or performing his original works, his music is relevant, probing, and inspiring.

FIBER ARTIST | CYNTHIA LOCKHART

Professor Emerita at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, Cynthia Lockhart’s fiber art quilts are infused with a kaleidoscope of diverse influences such as nature, fashion, music, dance, travel, African and cultural arts. Lockhart’s textiles are distinguished by their pulsating colors, which simulate the vivaciousness of her African ancestry, and by their irregular, organic shapes and circles. The artist’s textile creations push the boundaries of the traditional quilt form.

They are composed of colorful fabrics arranged in dynamic patterns. Her fashion and accessories design background provides the perfect platform for creating exquisite three-dimensional artwork. Lockhart’s fiber art tells a story that encourages people to understand the diversity of people, cultures, and beauty in the world around them.

In 2022, Cynthia Lockhart’s Created to Be Me quilt was accepted into the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in D.C. In 2021, Lockhart received the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award, and her art was featured at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus, Ohio. Her work is included in the collections of the University of Cincinnati, Michigan State University, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Lockhart’s work has been featured in The Artist Magazine and numerous publications and private collections. Cynthia was a Summerfair Grant recipient in 2020. She is a member of the Women of Color Quilters Network, led by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi. Noteworthy is her inclusion in the Encyclopedia of African American Artists. Her artwork was featured on the cover of the iconic fashion magazine Women’s Wear Daily. cynthialockhartartist.com

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2023-2024 BENEDICTA ENRILE MASTERWORKS SERIES: WOVEN STORIES

STORIES FROM WORLDS OLD AND NEW Sunday, May 5, 2024, 5 pm Worthington United Methodist Church

Antoine T. Clark, conductor New World Singers-Columbus Children’s Choir Jeanne Wohlgemuth, artistic director Vera Stanojevic, composer Scott Hanratty, fiber artist

PROGRAM Music for Orchestra (1932) – Ljubica Marić (1909-2003)

The Moldau (1874)

– Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

Echoes from Childhood (2023) – Vera Stanojevic (world premiere) I. Ringe, Ringe, Raya II. Remembrance III. Eci, Peci, Pec New World Singers-Columbus Children’s Choir

INTERMISSION Symphony No. 9 in E minor, op.95 (“From the New World”) (1893) – Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

I. Adagio – Allegro molto II. Largo III. Molto vivace IV. Allegro con fuoco

PROGRAM NOTES Stories from Worlds Old and New is the final program in the Woven Stories series. It illustrates the influence of American and Balkan/Central European folk music traditions and culture on classical music. It also features the music of groundbreaking Serbianborn women composers written during the early 20 th and early 21 st centuries. This program’s juxtaposition of the old and new illustrates how folk music of different cultures can inspire and offer a fresh perspective on traditional classical music forms and color modern works. The music of Czech composers Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák, as well as Serbian-born composers Ljubica Marić and Vera Stanojevic, highlight how historical eras, geographical locations, and a composer’s life experiences intertwine to craft sonic narratives that deeply resonate with listeners.

Music for Orchestra Ljubica Marić remains one of the most important Serbian composers of the twentieth century and is known for her highly original works. Driven by her strong inner compulsion for creativity, she was freely experimental in her pieces and drew on aspects from both traditional and avant-garde techniques, including adopting features of Byzantine church music. Music for Orchestra was written in 1932 during Marić’s final year as a student at the Prague Conservatory, where she encountered a wide range of musical influences in her composition lessons with the teachers Josef Suk, a student of the more-traditional Antonín Dvořák, and Alois Hába, the inventor of an experimental microtonal system built on quarter-tone intervals derived from folk music. Non-tonal structures are prominent in Music for Orchestra, which the composer envisioned as a single movement built on an endless line of spontaneously developing ideas. The piece met with great success when it was performed, with the composer conducting, in Strasbourg in 1933 as part of a contemporary music symposium organized by influential conductor Hermann Scherchen.

The Moldau In response to the news that he would soon be completely deaf, Bedřich Smetana immediately set to work on a set of six pieces that glorified Bohemia’s long history, its beloved legends, and the natural beauty of the countryside. Vltava – known in English as The Moldau – was the second piece composed, occupying Smetana from November 20 to December 18, 1874. The main tune would become Smetana’s most famous melody, with a swift step-wise rise and gentle descent that gives the impression of sweeping waters or a passionate folk tune. Smetana included a vibrant description of The Moldau in the printed score, writing: “The composition depicts the course of the Vltava, from its beginning where two brooks, one cold, the other warm, join a stream, running through forests and meadows and a lovely countryside where a farmer’s wedding is celebrated. Water-sprites dance in the moonlight; on nearby rocks can be seen the outline of ruined castles, proudly soaring into the sky. Vltava swirls through the Saint John Rapids, then it widens and flows in a broad stream toward Prague. It passes Vyšehrad Castle and disappears majestically into the distance, where it joins the Elbe.”

Echoes from Childhood Echoes from Childhood is commissioned by the Worthington Chamber Orchestra in collaboration with the Columbus Children’s Choir for the orchestra’s Masterworks Series called Woven Stories. The series has involved composers of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds residing in Central Ohio. The theme gave me an opportunity to reflect on my roots and express myself as a Serbian American composer.

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Having the Columbus Children’s Choir as a part of the project immediately brought back memories of my early childhood and the games and songs we played and sang as children. There are two children’s songs I use in this piece: Ringe, Ringe, Raya in the first movement and Eci, Peci, Pec in the third. Due to the difficulty of pronunciation, I used only a few lines from each song in Serbian and then extended the texts using my own words that carry a similar spirit and rhythm as the original. To me, it also symbolizes the likeness of all the children in the world, no matter what language they speak. I have purposely intertwined the Serbian and English phrases together: eci, peci (pronounced: etsy, petsy) and itsy, bitsy. They are worlds apart and yet so similar!

Children of this world not only share times of playing and singing but also of tragedy.

The second movement, Remembrance, is dedicated to children who tragically lost their lives in school shootings and wars.

I decided to end the composition on a positive note, emphasizing the resilience of youth and the continuation of life.

- Vera Stanojevic Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Opus 95 “From the New World” In 1892, Antonín Dvořák traveled from Prague to New York City to become the director of the newly founded National Conservatory of Music, where he was tasked with nurturing a distinctly American musical style. Guiding the development of American music was a great honor that the composer took seriously, prompting him to do a great deal of research into American folk music traditions. When he discovered the natural beauty of African-American spirituals, he was convinced that these tunes “must be the real foundation of any serious and original school of composition to be developed in the United States...” Dvořák had no time to compose during the school year, so he devoted his summer holiday to composition while staying in the tiny town of Spillville, Iowa, where there was a thriving community of Czech immigrants like himself. He completed the New World Symphony, his first American work, in this idyllic setting on May 24, 1893, with themes based on the distinctive sound of the traditional American melodies he had grown to love. The premiere of the piece on December 16, 1893, in Carnegie Hall was one of the greatest triumphs of his career.

- Program notes by Heike Hoffer

GUEST SOLOIST | NEW WORLD SINGERS OF COLUMBUS CHILDREN’S CHOIR (NWS/CCC) Praised as “rare, radiant, and beautiful” by composer Nick Page, the New World Singers of Columbus Children’s Choir are no strangers to the public arena. Led by artistic director Jeanne Wohlgamuth and comprising students in sixth through twelfth grade, the choir recently took top honors at the Rimini International Choral Festival, the International Youth Music Competition, and the American Prize competitions. As the longest-standing youth and children’s choral program in Central Ohio, the New World Singers possess the technique and artistry to perform with world-class ensembles such as the Vienna Boys’ Choir, Columbus Symphony, and Worthington Chamber Orchestra. Lovingly known as the Voice of the City, Columbus Children’s Choir proudly appears in local traditions such as the Columbus Symphony Holiday Pops and the world’s largest Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Breakfast.

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GUEST ARTIST | NWS/CCC DIRECTOR JEANNE WOHLGAMUTH

Jeanne has dedicated forty-three years to advocating for choral music education at all levels. After retiring from Dublin Jerome High School, she now serves as the artistic director of Columbus Children’s Choir, leading the New World Singers and overseeing the organization’s artistic vision.

Jeanne’s school choirs have consistently achieved straight superior ratings at the Ohio Music Educators Adjudicated Events. The New World Singers have been privileged to perform at events such as the Ohio Music Educators State Conference, the Organization of American Kodály Educators National Conference, and the Ohio Choral Directors Conference. They have delighted audiences throughout Central and western Europe. Notably, they have sung alongside the Vienna Boys’ Choir and were featured at renowned festivals in Granada, Spain, and Kecskemét, Hungary.

Jeanne remains active in her profession, holding leadership positions in the Ohio Choral Directors Association and the Ohio Music Education Association. She shares her expertise as a guest clinician for various honor choirs, including the Indiana Elementary All-State Honor Choir and numerous Ohio honor choirs. This year, Jeanne will lead a choral festival/residency at Carnegie Hall and serve as a guest conductor for the Organization of American Kodály Educators National Women’s Concert Choir.

Additionally, she will conduct the Georgia All-State Middle School Treble Choir.

Jeanne has received prestigious awards, including the 2021 Professor Veneta Vicheva International Conductor’s Mastery Award and the 2021 Best Conductor Award from the Rimini International Choral Competition. She was recognized as the 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Organization of American Kodály Music Educators. Her dedication to education has been acknowledged with Teacher of the Year awards from multiple schools, the Golden Shamrock Award for Excellence in Education, and the Dublin Community Champion Award. In 2021, she was inducted into the Dublin Jerome High School Hall of Fame.

COMPOSER | VERA STANOJEVIC

Dr. Vera Stanojevic was born in Serbia (former Yugoslavia), where she studied piano, theory, and composition at the Mokranjac School of Music in Belgrade. Here is where her compositional talent was first recognized, and at the age of eighteen, Ms. Stanojevic received the most prestigious award of the city of Belgrade, the October Prize, for her early works.

She received her graduate and post-graduate degrees in music composition from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow, Russia) and earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University.

Vera Stanojevic has won numerous awards for her compositions, including the Individual Excellence Award of the State of Ohio Arts Council, the American Composers Forum Composers’ Commissioning Project Grant, the Dale Warland Choral Competition prize, as well as the Vienna Modern Masters Millennium Commissioning Competition prize.

Representative performances of her works include the premiere of Chamber Music (Essen, Germany); Notturno, for orchestra (Czech Republic); Dance: to the End of the 17

Circle (Columbus ProMusica Chamber Orchestra); Voyages, for piano and fixed media (Munich, Orléans, Glasgow, New York, Dallas, Columbus); In Memoriam for piano and percussion (Glasgow and Tallinn); Tree of Glory (London); Droplets Of Dew for four pianos and fixed media (Glasgow and Vancouver), and Story of a Woman for voice and fixed media (Tallinn, Estonia).

Some of her most recently premiered works are In… for Violin and Piano (Rodin Duo, Columbus Performing Arts Center), Japanese Collection for Flute, Viola and Harp (Dejan Gavric, flute; Philipp Nickel, viola; Silke Aichhorn, harp; Maintz, Germany), Dedication for piano and wind symphony (Fali Pavri, piano; Russel Mikkelson, conductor; The Ohio State Wind Symphony), and the string quartet Triptych (MIVOS Quartet; Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, Ohio).

Ms. Stanojevic’s works have been recorded and broadcast on European and American radio and television.

FIBER ARTIST | SCOTT HANRATTY

Bassoonist and Fiber Artist Scott Hanratty is in his eleventh season as principal bassoonist with Worthington Chamber Orchestra. He performs with orchestras throughout Central Ohio, which include Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Central Ohio Symphony, Westerville Symphony,and New Albany Symphony.

Weaving has become a new addition to Mr. Hanratty’s artistic expression. He studied linen weaving with some of the most notable linen weavers in the field at the Marshfield School of Weaving in Marshfield,Vermont.

Mr. Hanratty has written articles for weaving magazines and weaving journals and specializes in historical and useful items for the home. Sharing his passion for the craft has been a fulfilling part of his weaving life, and he has recently taken up teaching the craft. Mr. Hanratty is inspired by the legacy of the textiles he weaves and wants them to have a long life after he weaves them. He was invited to participate in a gallery show curated by Char Norman this past winter.

CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

AN EVENING WITH BEETHOVEN: SEPTET IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 20 MCCONNELL ARTS CENTER

Thursday, February 22, 2024, 7 pm Antoine T. Clark, conductor

PROGRAM

Septet in E-flat major, op. 20, (1799) – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) I. Adagio – Allegro con brio II. Adagio cantabile III. Tempo di Menuetto IV. Tema con variazioni V. Scherzo: Allegro molto e vivace VI. Andante con moto alla Marcia – Presto

PROGRAM NOTES

Out of all of Ludwig van Beethoven’s works, the Septet in E-flat Major proved to be one of his biggest hits, enjoying enduring popularity. According to legend, people whistled the main themes from the piece in the streets, a sure sign of public acceptance, and Beethoven was delighted with his success, writing enthusiastically to his publisher: “This Septet has pleased me greatly!” But, as the years passed, the composer slowly changed his mind as he watched the Septet overshadow works that Beethoven considered to be of much higher musical quality, particularly his symphonies. Following a much-acclaimed performance in London in 1815, Beethoven complained: “That damn work; I wish it could be burned!” And he unsuccessfully tried to put off an enthusiastic admirer by claiming angrily that: “The Septet was written by Mozart!” To the end of Beethoven’s life, critical reviews and musical commentaries often held up the Septet as an ideal that the composer should strive to repeat, unfairly using it to measure the worth of his later, more complex works and fueling Beethoven’s frustration.

The Septet was first heard at private concerts held in the palace of Prince Schwartzenberg and the concert hall in Jahn’s restaurant in late 1799 before being presented to the public for the first time on April 2, 1800, at the Burgtheater in Vienna.

In addition to the Septet, the program consisted of the premiere of Beethoven’s Symphony No.1, a piano concerto featuring the composer as soloist, a symphony by Mozart, and excerpts from Haydn’s oratorio The Creation. The pieces by Haydn and Mozart acted as a musical safety net of sorts, guaranteed to please the audience and make the concert more likely to turn a profit. In addition, by placing his music next to works by well-established musical masters, Beethoven hoped to reinforce his place in the lineage of great Viennese composers. The Septet was dedicated to Empress Maria Theresa, who was known to have a special fondness for septets and had gathered quite a few of them in her music library, so it was only natural that Beethoven wanted his score to be included in her treasured collection.

This classic piece of chamber music captures audiences with graceful themes that spin out in colorful dialogues and symphonic-style thematic development, showing off the best of Beethoven’s compositional skills. The ensemble of clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, cello, and double bass was an uncommon combination, but more

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unconventional was the prominent role of the clarinet as an equal to the first violin.

After a stately slow introduction, the first movement skips along through animated passages with a Mozartean flair. The second movement is a welcome contrast with an unhurried calm and quiet dignity throughout. The third movement is a polished courtly minuet born of upper class refinement that leads to the theme-and-variations fourth movement based on the Rhenish folk tune “Ach Schiffer, lieber Schiffer.” The song is presented in various ensemble combinations during which every instrument has a chance to shine with solos and virtuosic passages. The Scherzo fifth movement is brief, but its high-spirited nature and acrobatic melodies more than make up for any lack of length. The sixth and final movement opens with a foreboding first chord and solemn march that give way to the cheerful main section. Every musician gets an opportunity to impress in the fast-paced material, but the violin steals the show with frequent flourishes, a short cadenza, and the extended passagework that drives the ensemble forward for the exciting finish.

- Program notes by Heike Hoffer

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Clarinet

Violin

Cello

Bassoon

Viola

Bass

Robert Pfeifer Scott Hanratty

Jana Ross Ann Schnapp

Jane Van Voorhis Aidan Terry

Horn

Mitchell McCrady

AN EVENING WITH SCHUBERT: OCTET IN F MAJOR, D. 803 MCCONNELL ARTS CENTER

Thursday, April 18, 2024, 7 pm Antoine T. Clark, conductor

PROGRAM

Octet in F major, D. 803 (1824) – Franz Schubert (1797-1828) I. Adagio – Allegro II. Andante un poco mosso III. Allegro vivace IV. Andante and Variations V. Menuetto and Trio VI. Andante molto – Allegro

PROGRAM NOTES

Chamber music was a major part of Franz Schubert’s compositional output and he excelled at writing both string quartets and piano trios, many of which still rank as top favorites in the chamber repertoire today. Though less common, he also produced a handful of chamber pieces for wind instruments, most notably his Wind Octet, Wind Nonet, and the piece on today’s program, the Octet in F major D.803. The Octet was commissioned by Count Ferdinand Troyer, who worked as chief steward at the home of the music-loving nobleman Archduke Rudolph of Austria, the youngest son of 2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

Emperor Leopold II and long-time friend to Beethoven. Troyer was a talented amateur clarinetist known for his excellent technical and expressive abilities, and the Octet reflects his skill with a demanding clarinet part that regularly challenges the supremacy of the first violin as the leader of the ensemble.

Troyer especially loved Beethoven’s Septet, Opus 20, for strings and winds and, in late 1823, asked Schubert to write a copy-cat piece mimicking Beethoven’s model.

Schubert agreed and worked on the Octet between February and March of 1824, completing his A-minor string quartets “Rosamunde” and “Death and the Maiden” in the same time frame. According to reports, the composer was especially dedicated to working on the Octet, with his friend Moritz von Schwind reporting: “Schubert has now long been at work on an Octet, with the greatest enthusiasm. If you go and see him during the day he says ‘Hello. How are you?’ and carries on working, whereupon you leave.” The premiere was held in April during a private performance at the Archduke’s home in Vienna with Troyer serving as clarinetist. The other members of the ensemble were primarily professionals, most notably the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh, whose string quartet had played in the premiere of the Septet as well as given the first performance of many of Beethoven’s late string quartets. Despite a seemingly highprofile premiere, the Octet did not attract the attention of any publishers and was not printed in Schubert’s lifetime, only becoming available well after his death when Johannes Brahms insisted that the work be published during the 1880s.

Though the Octet shares many features with Beethoven’s Septet, Schubert makes sure to demonstrate his individuality throughout the piece as well. While Beethoven used seven players – clarinet, French horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, double bass – Schubert adds an additional violin to the mix for a total of eight musicians. The piece is unpretentious and amusing but finely woven and carefully considered at the same time, leaving space for both light-hearted entertainment and high drama to coexist.

The first movement is symphonic in scope, with a slow introduction leading to the lively main section that is impassioned one moment and entirely playful the next. The singing melody of the second movement is passed from hand to hand throughout the ensemble, mainly coming to rest in the first violin and clarinet. Next comes the first of two dance-inspired movements, starting with a jaunty scherzo with hints of the pastoral as the third movement followed by an elegant, well-mannered minuet as the fifth. The dance movements are separated by a delightful set of theme and variations based on a melody from Schubert’s singspiel Die Freunde von Salamanka, which lends the movement its catchy tune. The sixth movement begins with an intense rumbling tremolo in the strings and a deeply serious atmosphere, but the mood soon turns jovial once again for the boisterous race to the finish.

- Program notes by Heike Hoffer

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Clarinet

Violin I

Cello

Bassoon

Violin II

Bass

Horn

Viola

Nancy Gamso Scott Hanratty Mitchell McCrady

Devin Copfer Liz Fisher

Jay Holloway Aidan Terry

Meagan Cramm

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EDUCATION AND FAMILY SERIES

WCO/THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY OPERA THEATRE McCONNELL ARTS CENTER

It met with great enthusiasm from audiences and critics alike, and Strauss lauded it as “a masterpiece of the highest quality…all of it original, new, and so authentically German.”

It was in Hansel and Gretel that Humperdinck finally found his own voice as a composer in his skillful interweaving of folk-music elements and Wagnerian sophistication. He had worked closely with Wagner on the elder composer’s opera Parsifal, and Hansel and Gretel is clearly influenced by Wagner’s visionary musical ideas. This inspiration is most obvious in Humperdinck’s use of leitmotif, where short melodic phrases represent ideas and characters such as the ominous music of the Witch, the serenity of the act of prayer, and the Father’s care-free “Ra-la-la-la.” At the same time, the opera remains singable and concise with quotations from famous folk tunes and a fast-moving storyline that keeps audiences engaged. This combination of refined construction and tuneful accessibility has allowed Hansel and Gretel to flourish into the present day as Humperdinck’s best-known and most-cherished work.

Friday, March 15, 2024, 7:30 pm Saturday, March 16, 2024, 2 pm Saturday, March 16, 2024, 7:30 pm Antoine T. Clark, conductor Eric Gibson, stage director

PROGRAM

Hansel and Gretel (1892) – Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) Synopsis Act I – At Home & In the Forest Hansel and Gretel decide to play instead of doing chores. Their Mother scolds them angrily and accidentally breaks the jug of milk that was the family’s only dinner.

Infuriated, she sends Hansel and Gretel into the forest to gather strawberries. When their Father arrives home, he is immediately concerned that the children might be captured by the evil witch that lives deep in the forest.

Meanwhile, Hansel and Gretel are playing among the trees and get lost. They realize that night has fallen and are frightened by their voices echoing in the dark. The Sandman appears and soothes the children with a song. They say their evening prayers and fall asleep, watched over by angels and safe from harm.

INTERMISSION Act II – The Little Gingerbread House The Dew Fairy wakes Hansel and Gretel at dawn and they discover a house made of gingerbread. Having had no dinner the previous night, they eat parts of the wall. The Witch finds them and invites them inside, trapping them with a magic spell. Gretel is to be the witch’s servant and Hansel will be her dinner, but the children escape and push the Witch into the fiery oven. With the Witch destroyed, Hansel and Gretel are reunited with their parents.

PROGRAM NOTES

Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved opera Hansel and Gretel was born from simple circumstances, starting out as a modest request from his sister Adelheid Wette.

Wette often prepared plays for her children to perform and had decided to put on a puppet show for Christmas of 1889 based on the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel from the Brothers Grimm. She prepared the text herself, but wanted four special songs for the performance and naturally appealed to her composer brother for help. The resulting pieces turned out so well that Humperdinck expanded the music into a singspiel (a play with both spoken dialogue and musical numbers) and eventually converted Hansel and Gretel into a full-length opera using his sister’s text as the libretto. The opera was composed and orchestrated in Frankfurt between 1891 and 1892 and had its premiere in Weimar at the Hoftheater on December 23, 1893, with Richard Strauss conducting.

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

Since it was for meant for a children’s Christmas play, Wette’s libretto softens the scariest and most violent elements of the original fairy tale. She has added two magical characters – Sandman and Dew Fairy – to act as the children’s protectors, but hardships still remain for young Hansel and Gretel as they endure poverty, starvation, and parental abuse.

- Program notes by Heike Hoffer

STAGE DIRECTOR | ERIC GIBSON Eric Gibson is a stage director equally comfortable with opera and musical theatre. Gibson has directed productions of Die Fledermaus, Madame Butterfly and The Pirates of Penzance, Hansel and Gretel, Trouble in Tahiti, Bastien and Bastienne, and The Barber of Seville for Fargo-Moorhead Opera. Other engagements include The Barber of Seville for Opera Tampa, The Mikado and HMS Pinafore for Union Avenue Opera in St. Louis, Rigoletto for MidAtlantic Opera Company, and The Barber of Seville, The Mikado, Sweeney Todd and The Light in the Piazza for Mobile Opera. Recently Gibson staged La Rondine for Winter Opera in St. Louis after staging The Italian Girl in Algiers for the company.

Gibson was artistic director of LOOK Musical Theatre (Tulsa), directing nearly fifty original productions, including Die Fledermaus, Naughty Marietta, The Merry Widow, Sweeney Todd, Guys & Dolls, South Pacific, Candide, and multiple productions of nearly the entire Gilbert & Sullivan canon.

Gibson has taught acting at AIMS in Graz, Austria and the Kashu-do Opera Studios in Harnosand, Sweden. He directed Cosi fan tutte for Varna International in Bulgaria and is the current acting teacher and stage director for the International Performing Arts Institute in Kiefersfelden, Germany.

As Director of Lyric Theatre at Northern Arizona University from 2015-2020, Gibson staged original productions of Signor Deluso, Il Campanello, Beethoven’s Slippers, Dido & Aeneas, Kiss Me, Kate, Trouble in Tahiti, The Pirates of Penzance, The Magic Flute, The Light in the Piazza, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi.

Gibson is currently the opera stage director and acting teacher at The Ohio State University and resides in Columbus, Ohio.

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EDUCATION AND FAMILY SERIES

2023 - 2024 SEASON DONORS* CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE

CAST Hansel, a boy

Gertrude, their mother

The Witch

Gretel, his sister

Peter, their father, a broom maker

The Sandman

Anabella Petronsi

Dana Carlson-Kottke

Samantha Sayar

Joshua Crooks

Roman Wentzel

The Dew Fairy

Violin I

($5,000-$9,999)

Violin II

($2,500-$4,999) The Columbus Foundation Julie Dawson Larry and Arlene Dunn Nancy Elkington and Ted Dziemianowicz Lincoln Financial Foundation Darnell and Carmen Perkins Joyce and William Roberts Charlie and Betsy Warner City of Worthington

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Horn

Erin Torres

Oboe/English horn Axl Pons

MAESTRO

Aaron Yarmel

Billy Holderby

Trumpet/Flugelhorn Ben Guegold

Ella Pittsford

Clarinet/Bass Clarinet

Percussion

Viola

Bassoon

Harp/Percussion

Cello

Nancy Gamso

Scott Hanratty

Vince Huzicka

Sam Sherer

Shayla Werner

Jay Holloway

Bass

Aidan Terry

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Ohio State University School of Music Voice Faculty Helen Allen C. Andrew Blosser Lara Brooks Laura Portune Katherine Rohrer

IMPRESSARIO

($10,000 and up) Benedicta Enrile Johnstone Fund for New Music Ohio Arts Council

Jordan Padilla Xiao Liu

Flute/Piccolo

($40,000 and up) Anonymous

Vocal Coaches Robert Bode Beth Parker Lee Thompson

SYMPHONY

CONCERTO

($1,000-$2,499) Mick and Beth Ann Ball Linda and Eric Burden Cleverley + Associates Michelle Geissbuhler Bronwynn Hopton Lori and Don Overmyer Park National Bank Linda Royalty Frank and Connie Shepherd Beth and Steve Sommer Ellen Stukenburg Worthington Libraries

SUITE

($500-$999) Antoine Clark and Caleb Hutslar Art and Judy Hecker Jiechun Liu

OVERTURE

PRELUDE

($50-$249) Maria Andersen Jennifer Best Carolyn Carter Kat Cooper John DeLucia Rachael Dorothy Mark Geary Richard and Linda Gunther Daniel and Samantha Hange Jane Karras Brian Leist Evan Lynch Bev and Ed Manzione Jane Marland Mitchell and Laura McCrady Robert and Ann Oakley Lorraine and David Robinson Paul Watkins

($250-$499) Nadine Block Tsu Chang Ann Olszewski Miriam Uttman

*Names listed are those who have made contributions between March 30, 2023 to January, 25 2024

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Eric Gibson, Opera Stage Director Ed Bak, Vocal Coach and Accompanist Miriam Burns, Director of Orchestras Michael G. Ibrahim – Director of the School of Music David Hedgecoth – Associate Director and Chair, Undergraduate Studies Eugenia Costa-Giomi – Associate Director and Chair, Graduate Studies

2023 - 2024 SEASON | worthingonchamberorchestra.com

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worthingtonchamberorchestra@gmail.com | 614-992-3378 PO Box 597, Worthington, OH 43085