M DINA GILBERT USIC DIRECTOR & C ONDUCTO R
ROOTS & HORIZONS
Welcome to the 118th season of the Walla Walla Symphony!
Dear Music Lovers,
As the Walla Walla Symphony’s newly appointed Music Director & Conductor, I am honored to invite you to our 118th season, Roots and Horizons. Creating this season has been a deeply inspiring journey, drawing from the rich heritage and vibrant community that makes the Walla Walla Symphony truly exceptional.
I am profoundly moved by the legacy and character of our orchestra, known for “punching above its weight” with innovative programming and world-class guest artists. I am equally inspired by our commitment to nurturing future musicians and music-lovers through extensive free music programs like the Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra and the SPARK! Composition Course.
“Blue Mountains”, led by guest conductor Nadège Foofat, we’ll celebrate the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Stephen Beus and feature Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain Suite, a Walla Walla Symphony co-commission. In February, you’ll experience moving works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Elgar, along with a premiere of Ryan M. Hare’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone featuring Dr. Otis Murphy and guest conductor Julien Benichou.
A central theme this season is deepening our connection with the Walla Walla community and its stunning landscapes.
We’re excited to premiere works by Beatrice Luongo (age 10) and Teresa Wheeler (age 16), alongside rising stars Sam Wu and Anna Clyne in our opening concert. We’re also thrilled to welcome artists such as Time for Three, the Canadian Brass, and tabla player Sandeep Das. These artists will not only perform on stage at Cordiner Hall but will engage with our community, providing invaluable learning and collaboration opportunities, including welcoming young musicians at our familyfriendly holiday concert.
A central theme this season is deepening our connection with the Walla Walla community and its stunning landscapes. The theme “Place of Many Waters” inspired me to pair new works on water with Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful Scheherazade in our first concert, “Tides & Tales.” In
We will finish off the season by offering unique perspectives on symphonic music. “Alma & Gustav” in March will transport you into a graphic novel with 800 projected illustrations that illuminate Alma Mahler’s life, paired with two of her lieder and a new reduction of her husband Gustav’s Symphony No. 5. Our season finale “Earth, Water, Wind, & Fire” will culminate in a crescendo of works representing the elements, ending with Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.
I look forward to joining the WWS musicians on stage to present these timeless works alongside new favorites and can’t wait to share it all with you.
Small note ☺
If you hear a French-Canadian accent or see me with my partner David and baby Clara, please say hello! I’d love to hear your favorite coffee spot, debate hockey vs. baseball, and chat about your impressions of our new symphonic adventures.
Dina Gilbert Music Director & Conductor
Dina Gilbert is a FrenchCanadian conductor passionate about communicating with audiences of all ages to broaden their appreciation of orchestral music through innovative collaborations. This commitment, combined with her extensive knowledge of repertoire, has shaped both her career and the orchestras she has worked with. Regularly invited to conduct in Canada and overseas, she attracts critical acclaim for her energy, presence on the podium, and expressive music-making.
Dina Gilbert was previously Principal Conductor of the Grands Ballets Canadiens and Music Director of the Kamloops Symphony, where she is known for her contagious dynamism and bold programming. Over the years, Dina has conducted many major Canadian orchestras as well as orchestras in the United States, Colombia, Spain, France, and Japan.
Her innate curiosity about non-classical musical genres and her willingness to make classical music more accessible to everyone have sparked collaborations with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Orchestre national de Lyon in several Hip-Hop Symphonic programs featuring renowned artists I AM, MC Solaar, Youssoupha, and Bigflo & Oli. She has also conducted the world premiere of the film The Red Violin with orchestra and soloist Lara St John, as well as the North American premiere of the film The Artist.
As the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Arkea, a Montrealbased chamber orchestra, Dina has premiered over thirty works by emerging Canadian composers. Committed to music education, she has engaged thousands of children with her interactive Conducting 101 workshops. From 2013 to 2016, Dina Gilbert was the assistant conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Maestro Kent Nagano, also assisting notable guest conductors, including Zubin Mehta and Sir Roger Norrington.
Recent highlights include debuts with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire, a tour with the Orchestre national de Metz, and several concerts with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec.
In the 2024-2025 season, she takes the helm of the Walla Walla Symphony as their newly appointed Music Director & Conductor, and will debut with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and the Cape Symphony, along with concerts and recordings with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.
Dina Gilbert earned her doctorate from the Université de Montréal and polished her skills in masterclasses with Kenneth Kiesler, Pinchas Zukerman, Neeme Järvi, and the musicians of the Kritische Orchester in Berlin. Awarded the Opus Prize for ‘Découverte de l’année’ (Discovery of the Year) in 2017, she has received support from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Père-Lindsay Foundation.
Dina Gilbert’s inaugural season is supported in part by the Katherine and Walter Weingart Guest Artist Endowment.
Walla Walla Symphony Endowed
Chairs
Maestro Chair
Richard, Helene, Jay and Bryan Jaffe
Robert, Carol, Jonathon and Eric Jaffe
Violin I
Concertmaster: Henrietta Baker Kennedy
Memorial Chair
Mary Ann Ringgold Memorial Chair
Carroll N. Baker Memorial Chair
Dayl B. Graves Memorial Chair
Frances E. Casper Memorial Chair
Beulah K. Scheece Memorial Chair
Violin II
Principal: Robert C. and Iris Myers and Agnes V. Little Memorial Chair
Viola
Principal: Walter and Elizabeth Egg Memorial Chair
Dorothy and James Swayne Memorial Chair
Cello
Principal: Grace Lazerson Memorial Chair
Harold E. Crawford Family Chair
Mary Hooper Meeker Memorial Chair
Bass
Principal: Don and Claudia Tucker Chair
Flute
Principal: Louis B. Perry Family Chair
Oboe
Principal: Emma Jane Brattain Memorial Chair
Clarinet
Principal: William Tugman Memorial Chair
Bassoon
Principal: Helen Shepherd Trust Memorial Chair
French Horn
Principal: Coffey Communications Chair
Trumpet
Principal: Father Joseph Da Lio Memorial Chair
Trombone
Principal: Dr. Philip and Leona Siegel Memorial Chair
Timpani
Principal: Jack Williams Memorial Chair
Percussion
Principal: Mike and Sue Gillespie Chair
Piano
Perla Hill Simon Chair
Harp
Principal: Edward Foster Memorial Chair
2023-2024 Walla Walla Symphony Board of Directors
Jackie Wood, President
Tricia Rice, Vice-President
Cynthia Westerbeck, Secretary
Kim Heidenrich, Treasurer
Mark Brucks
Andrew Dankel-Ibañez
Alex DeMambro
Jack Iverson
Helen Kim
Jamey Lamar
Albert Marshall
Pedrito Maynard-Reid
Richard Middleton-Kaplan
Michelle Morales
Chris Otis
George Perez
Lacey Perry
Lucia Ramirez
Kathryn Unbehaun
Leah Wilson-Velasco, Executive Director (ex-officio)
Dina Gilbert, Music Director & Conductor (ex-officio)
William Berry, Musician Liaison (ex-officio)
2023-2024 Walla Walla Symphony Staff
CEO
Leah Wilson-Velasco
General Manager
Leah Davis
Patron Relations Manager
Rachel Condie
Program Coordinator
Emily James
Bookkeeper
Sheila Fergusson
Music Director & Conductor
Dina Gilbert
Youth Orchestra Conductor
Bruce Walker
Teaching Artists
Stefanie Crumpacker-Flerchinger
Jay Liao-Troth
Lori Parnicky
Chris Schulz
Kristin Vining
Walla Walla Symphony Personnel 2023-2024
Dina Gilbert, Music Director & Conductor
Violin
Vanessa Moss, concertmaster+
Việt Block, assistant concertmaster+
Amy Dodds, principal second+
Jemima Bauer
Holly BlackwelderCarpenter+
Luba Brunton+
Caleb Condie+
Tara Cross
Abby Herrick
Dalene Johnson+
Amanda Kitto
Chantell Lopez+
Craig Nelsen+
Anna Okada+
Grace Palmer Dostal
Reynaldo Patiño+
Tricia Rice+
Samuel Schafer+
Amanda Simmons
Alyssa Stremcha+
Maya Takemoto+
Sam Thackston
Becky Wiessner+
Ken Wright
Viola
Lucia Orr, principal+
Caleb King+
Hans Klein+
Emily Kurlinski Haun+
Lyn Ritz+
Angie Schauer+
Dan Wing
Cello
Ed Dixon, principal+
Leah Davis+
Melva Lou Drury+
Lauren Edmondson+
Ben Gish+
Olga Grigoryan
Seidy Morales
Sally Singer Tuttle
Bruce Walker+
Bass
Josh Skinner, principal+
Alan Feves+
Jack Koncel
Dianna Lysgaard
Marella McGreal+
Leslie Stone
Julie Woods+
Flute
Leonard Garrison, principal+
René Miska
Lori Parnicky+
Sophia Tegart
Oboe
Pablo Izquierdo, principal+
Karen Strand
Ryan Zwahlen
Clarinet
Shannon Scott, principal+
David Bergmann
Jennifer Crockett
Katsuya Yuasa
Bassoon
Ryan M. Hare, principal+
Kirsten Boldt-Neurohr+
Mark Eubanks
+ indicates members of the core orchestra
Horn
Martin King, acting principal+
Burke Anderson
Cassidy Fairchild
Dean Kravig
Rebekah Schaub+
Kim Snow+
Kyli White
Trumpet
William Berry, principal+
Kate Jackson
James Smock+
Trombone
Dave Glenn, principal+
David Bryan
Dick Counsell+
Bill Gilbert+
Doug Scarborough
Tuba
Torrey Lawrence, principal+
Timpani
Christopher Wilson, principal+
Warren Murray
Piano
Jackie Wood, principal+
Karlyn Bond
Harp
Chelsea Spence-Crane, principal+
Percussion
Josh Gianola, principal+
Marybeth Norby+
Rebekah Jillson
Warren Murray
Andrew Spencer
Ready
ABOUT THE WALLA WALLA SYMPHONY
Our Mission
The Walla Walla Symphony delights and challenges our community by providing live orchestral performances and opportunities for learning about music.
Our Vision
We will cultivate a growing appreciation for symphonic music in Walla Walla by attracting enthusiastic audiences to programs of the highest artistic quality and by providing wonderful experiences and deep and rich education programs for the benefit of the Walla Walla community.
We strive for inclusion, diversity, and equity as we support and promote orchestral music, artistry, and music education in our community. We bring these values into our planning, dialogue, decision-making, programming, outreach, staffing, assessments, and study of emerging new practices.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
The Walla Walla Symphony is committed to centering relationships with our communities as we work to build connections through music. We envision creating welcoming spaces that offer a sense of belonging where all are valued regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability, economic status, political affiliation, or education.
We believe that orchestral music is more relevant and alive when it honors tradition while embracing new ideas. We strive to work towards unraveling a history of exclusivity prevalent in classical music and we will continue our pursuit of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through learning, listening, and engaging.
We recognize that, at present, neither the musicians, the audience, the board, nor the staff of the Walla Walla Symphony fully reflect the diversity that is present in our valley. We want to transform our relevance to the diverse communities we serve.
Tides & Tales
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 7 p.m. at Cordiner Hall
• Anna Clyne – Restless Oceans
• SPARK! Premieres
Beatrice Luongo – Horses
Teresa Wheeler – The Serpent’s Delight
• Sam Wu – Hydrosphere
• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov –Scheherazade
ANNA CLYNE
Born March 9, 1980, in London, England
Restless Oceans (2018)
Last WWS performance: First performance at tonight’s concert
Approximate length: 3 minutes
This work was premiered on January 22, 2019, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by the Taki Concordia Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop. It is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, percussion, and strings.
Described as a “composer of uncommon gifts and unusual methods” in a New York Times profile and as “fearless” by NPR, GRAMMY-nominated Anna Clyne is one of the most in-demand composers today, working with orchestras, choreographers, filmmakers, and visual artists around the world. Clyne was named by Bachtrack as one of the top ten most performed contemporary composers in the world and the most performed living female British composer in both 2022 and 2023.
Clyne has been commissioned and presented by the world’s most dynamic and revered arts institutions, including the Barbican, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Los Angeles Philharmonic, MoMA, Philharmonie de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet, and the Sydney Opera House; and her music has opened such events as the Edinburgh International Festival, The Last Night of the Proms, and the New York Philharmonic’s season.
Clyne often collaborates on creative projects across the music industry,
including Between the Rooms, a film with choreographer Kim Brandstrup and LA Opera, as well as the Nico Project at the Manchester International Festival, a stage work about pop icon Nico’s life that featured Clyne’s reimagining of The Marble Index for orchestra and voices. Clyne has also reimagined tracks from Thievery Corporation’s The Cosmic Game for the electronica duo with orchestra, and her music has been programmed by such artists as Björk. Other recent collaborators include such notable musicians as Jess Gillam, Jeremy Denk, Martin Fröst, Pekka Kuusisto, and Yo-Yo Ma.
Clyne’s works are frequently choreographed for dance, with recent projects including the world premiere of choreographer Pam Tanowitz’s dance set to Breathing Statues for the Royal Ballet in London and performances of DANCE by the San Francisco Ballet with choreography by Nicolas Blanc. Her fascination with visual art has inspired several projects including ATLAS, inspired by a portfolio of work by Gerhard Richter; Color Field, inspired by the artwork of Mark Rothko; and Abstractions, inspired by five
contemporary paintings. In addition, Clyne seeks innovation through new technology, developing the Augmented Orchestra with sound designer Jody Elff; the technology expands the sound-world of the orchestra through computer-controlled processes, and was premiered in Wild Geese at the 2023 Cabrillo Festival.
In 2023-2024, Clyne serves as Composer-inResidence with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their Artistic Team; as Composer-in-Residence at the BBC Philharmonic, and as Artist-in-Residence with Symphony Orchestra of Castilla y León. Past residencies include the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, L’Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, Philharmonia Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. Clyne’s music is represented on several labels and her works Prince of Clouds and Night Ferry were nominated for 2015 GRAMMY Awards. Her cello concerto DANCE, recorded by soloist Inbal Segev, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Marin Alsop, has garnered 10 million plays on Spotify. Clyne is deeply committed to music education and to supporting and mentoring the next generation of composers. She has taught master classes and workshops throughout the US and internationally and was the founding mentor for the Orchestra of St
A Woman Speaks
by Audre Lorde
Moon marked and touched by sun my magic is unwritten but when the sea turns back it will leave my shape behind. I seek no favor untouched by blood unrelenting as the curse of love permanent as my errors or my pride I do not mix love with pity nor hate with scorn and if you would know me look into the entrails of Uranus where the restless oceans pound.
Luke’s Degaetano Composition Institute, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s New Stories program and the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra’s Emerging Composers Program.
Clyne’s music is published exclusively by Boosey & Hawkes.
Her orchestral work Restless Oceans has an interesting history. Clyne explains:
“I composed Restless Oceans for Marin Alsop and the Taki Concordia Orchestra for performance at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. The piece received its world premiere at the opening ceremony in 2019 where Marin Alsop was presented with the Forum’s prestigious Crystal Award in recognition of her championship of diversity in music. This work draws inspiration and its title from A Woman Speaks – a poem by Audre Lorde and was composed with this particular all-women orchestra in mind. In addition to playing their instruments, the musicians are also called to use their voices in song and strong vocalizations, and their feet to stomp and to bring them to stand united at the end. My intention was to write a defiant piece that embraces the power of women. Restless Oceans is dedicated with thanks to Marin Alsop.”
Reprinted by kind permission of Boosey & Hawkes
I do not dwell within my birth nor my divinities who am ageless and half-grown and still seeking my sisters witches in Dahomey wear me inside their coiled cloths as our mother did mourning. I have been woman for a long time beware my smile I am treacherous with old magic and the noon’s new fury with all your wide futures promised I am woman and not white.
BEATRICE LUONGO
Horses (2024) – World Premiere
Last WWS performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 2 minutes
Inspiration: My inspiration was that I like riding horses and having fun with them, so I wrote a piece about them. I thought a lot about the movement of horses at different speeds, and I tried to show that in the music.
Bio: Beatrice Luongo is in the fifth grade at Edison Elementary School. She enjoys riding horses, sketching, writing stories, and playing the violin.
TERESA WHEELER
The Serpent’s Delight (2024) –World Premiere
Last WWS Performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 5 minutes
Inspiration: I’ve composed a number of pieces that have a jungle theme and found
I was missing one element: the darkness and slyness of the jungle. And so my inspiration for this piece came from what I think the quieter parts of the jungle sound like. Other artists that have inspired me in this piece include Thelonious Monk, Esperanza Spalding, Silk Sonic, Michael Mayo, Laufey, and Dave Brubeck.”
Bio: Teresa Wheeler believes in living every day to its fullest no matter where she is. This energy is reflected in her passion and drive for music, in particular jazz composition and jazz piano, which has compelled her to pursue advanced study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. She has attended Berklee’s 5-week Aspire Program two summers now and is hoping to go there for college. Another fun fact: The Serpent’s Delight is part of a series of jungle-themed pieces Teresa has composed; a big band piece in this series will be performed by Mill Creek Jazz Band on October 20th. Teresa is immensely grateful for all of the support she’s received from the Walla Walla Symphony through the Youth Symphony Orchestra and SPARK!, and wishes to extend a special thank you to Prof. Kristin Vining, whom she loves working with!
About SPARK! Composition Course
SPARK! Composition Course is a free, online program offered by the Walla Walla Symphony for beginning to advanced young composers in grades 3-12. It is designed to help students discover their own creative voice through music composition while providing a supportive space to explore their ideas.
Throughout the program, students receive private lessons with professional composer Kristin Vining and participate in group sessions where they learn about improvisation and composition techniques. By the end of the course, each student has at least one original piece of music to share.
Launched during the pandemic, SPARK! has grown over the past four years, connecting students’ compositions with the Symphony’s performances. SPARK! Premieres, held each fall, showcases the work of these young composers, allowing their music to be performed by Symphony musicians. To learn more, visit www.wwsymphony.org/education-community or scan the QR code.
Department of Music
Love what you do. Share what you love.
Fall 2024 Calendar of Events
Faculty Recital: Kraig Scott, organ
October 12, 2024, 6:30 PM
Walla Walla University Church
Music Faculty Showcase
October 15, 2024, 7 PM
Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center Auditorium
Symphony Orchestra Concert
November 2, 2024, 5 PM
Walla Walla University Church
Steel Band Concert
December 11, 2024, 7 PM
Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center Auditorium
Christmas Concert: We Have Seen a Great Light
December 13, 2024, 6 & 8 PM
Walla Walla University Church
SAM WU
Born 1995 in Melbourne, Australia
Hydrosphere (2022)
Last WWS performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 8 minutes
This work was premiered in 2022 in Hobart, Australia by the Tasmanian Symphony conducted by Benjamin Northey. It is scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
Sam Wu's music deals with the beauty in blurred boundaries. Many of his works center around extra-musical themes: architecture and urban planning, climate science, and the search for exoplanets that harbor life.
Selected for the American Composers Orchestra's EarShot readings and the Tasmanian Symphony’s Australian Composers’ School, winner of an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award and First Prize at the Washington International Competition, Sam Wu also received Harvard's Robert Levin Prize and Juilliard's Palmer Dixon Prize.
Sam’s collaborations span five continents, most notably with the orchestras of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Minnesota, Sarasota, Melbourne, Tasmania, and Shanghai, the New York City Ballet, The Kennedy Center, National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Sydney International Piano Competition, the Lontano, Parker, Argus, ETHEL, and icarus Quartets, conductors Osmo Vänskä, Case Scaglione, Ming Luke, and Benjamin
Northey, violinist Johan Dalene, and sheng virtuoso Wu Wei.
Sam has been featured on the National Geographic Channel, Business Insider, Harvard Crimson, Sydney Morning Herald, Asahi Shimbun, People's Daily, CCTV, among others.
From Melbourne, Australia, Sam holds an AB in Music and East Asian Studies from Harvard University, a MM in Composition from The Juilliard School, and a DMA in Composition from Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. This fall, he joins the faculty at Whitman College as their Visiting Assistant Professor in Theory and Composition. Sam’s teachers include Tan Dun, Anthony Brandt, Pierre Jalbert, Chaya Czernowin, and Richard Beaudoin.
The composer has strong beliefs about our interconnected world:
“The interconnectedness of our world is a major theme in my music. In an age where a night’s sleep is all it takes to travel halfway around the world, and where Bach and Mongolian throat singing can occupy adjacent YouTube tabs, I explore and seek inspiration in non-Western musical traditions, even as I write and perform works within the classical lineage. I am interested in
bridging apparent differences between cultures and musicians, and in doing so, seeking the subcutaneous common ground that we share as human beings.
“The globalization of culture makes it impossible for artists to exist in a vacuum. In fact, we have an obligation to be socially responsible. We produce works as citizen-artists, where we address and invite reflection upon the realities that confront us today. My recent pieces feature dialogues between instruments, and in extension, musical traditions, both foreign and familiar to me. In addition to orchestras, choruses, and chamber ensembles, I work with didgeridoo, shakuhachi, sho, pipa, erhu, yangqin / Chinese dulcimer virtuosi, as well as Mongolian throat singers. In doing so, I first highlight the differences among these instruments, before considering how I may interact with their cultural contexts.
“Ultimately, I try to transcend the assumed identities of the instruments
509.525.4160
I write for, be it a cello, soprano singer, or morin khuur (Mongolian horsehead fiddle). By drawing on their rich pasts and distinct identities, I hope to synthesize a contemporary understanding of how we relate to one another in the ways we experience art. In geopolitics, borders are absolute; in music, the blurring, or even the abolishment, of boundaries can be the most beautiful.”
His work Hydrosphere reflects on water in our world.
“Hydrosphere is inspired by the water cycle: a macroscopic, planetary process that shapes oceans and continents. Water is the source of life as we know it; its eternal cycle accompanies generations across the aeons. Despite its ubiquity, water is precious; we must protect Gaia’s lifeblood.”
Biography and program notes graciously provided by the composer
NIKOLAI RIMSKYKORSAKOV
Born March 18, 1844, near Novgorod, Russia Died June 21, 1908, near St. Petersburg, Russia
Scheherazade, Op. 35 (1888)
I. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship
II. The Story of the Kalendar Prince
III. The Young Prince and the Young Princess
IV. The Festival in Baghdad; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock Surmounted by a Bronze Warrior.
Last WWS Performance: March 29, 2014
Approximate length: 42 minutes
The work was premiered on November 12, 1888, by the Russian Musical Society, in St. Petersburg, with the composer conducting. It is scored for piccolo, three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
European musical fashion was slow in its eastward exodus into Russian culture. After Napoleon’s failure to conquer the Russian lands in 1812, the arts in the Motherland focused on folk culture. It was not until Mikhail Glinka’s works combined Russian themes and Germanic musical forms in the mid 19th century that European musical fashion took hold in Russia.
Perhaps it was this delayed acceptance that explains why nearly all of Glinka’s most noted disciples came from non-musical professions. Called moguchaya kuchka (the “Mighty Handful”), this group of
talented armchair composers was comprised of Alexander Borodin (a chemist), Cesar Cui (an engineer), Modest Mussorgsky (a government clerk), Mily Balakirev (the leader and only professional musician), and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (a naval officer). This Nationalist group emphasized Russian subjects in their music, often incorporating folk melodies or stylized melodies meant to Russian imagery.
Upon Balakirev’s urging in 1861, the untrained Rimsky-Korsakov taught himself composition and orchestration and produced some of the most advanced orchestrations of his day – Capriccio Espagnol, Russian Easter Overture, and Scheherazade. The most successful of the “Mighty Handful,” Rimsky-Korsakov mastered every aspect of the musical arts so completely that he was awarded a position as Professor of Composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory just ten years after he began composing. Strangely, he also began formal study for the first time, attending classes at the Conservatory while teaching a studio of young composers, including Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. By the time of Rimsky-Korsakov’s death in 1908, he had mentored many important composers who shaped the musical landscape of the following century, among them Alexander Glazunov, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky.
Lawson Knight
509-524-8277
206 S 3rd Ave
Walla Walla, WA
Carolyn Stiver
509-525-2360
30 W Main St, Ste 102
Walla Walla, WA
Hank Worden
509-529-9900
109 S 2nd Ave
Walla Walla, WA
Scheherazade (1888) celebrates the exotic locale of Arabia. The tales of the 1001 Arabian Nights date to as early as the 10th Century and give us the stories of Sinbad, Ali Baba, and Aladdin. In order to link several of these together into one unified symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov prefaced the published score as follows:
“The Sultan Shakriar, convinced of the falsehood and inconstancy of all women, had sworn an oath to put to death each of his wives after the first night. However, the Sultana Scheherazade saved her life by arousing his interest in the tales which she told during the 1001 nights. Driven by curiosity the Sultan postponed her execution from day to day and at last abandoned his sanguinary design.”
“Scheherazade told miraculous stories to the Sultan. For her tales she borrowed verses from the poets and words from folksongs combining fairy tales with adventure.”
Insisting that listeners form their own unique narrative, Rimsky-Korsakov provided only fragmentary titles for the four exotic and evocative movements.
I. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship
II. The Story of the Kalendar Prince
III. The Young Prince and the Young Princess
IV. The Festival in Baghdad; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock Surmounted by a Bronze Warrior.
Individual demands on each player are extreme. Excerpts from this work are regularly requested on orchestra auditions. The score is filled with strikingly original orchestration using creative and subtle combinations of instruments. It has been noted that Scheherazade sounds amazingly Eastern – no mean feat for an ensemble comprising only Western instruments.
© 2024 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin, www.orpheusnotes.com
Blue Mountains
Nadège Foofat, Guest Conductor Stephen Beus, Piano
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 | 7 p.m. at Cordiner Hall
• Jennifer Higdon – Cold Mountain Suite, WWS Co-commission
• Aaron Copland - Appalachian Spring Suite
• George Gershwin Lullaby Rhapsody in Blue
WWS Co-commission of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain Suite is made possible by the WW Symphony Guest Composer/Artist Fund - Underrepresented
JENNIFER HIGDON
Born December 31, 1962, in Brooklyn, New York
Cold Mountain Suite
Last WWS Performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 4 minutes
This work was premiered on October 7, 2023, by the Tuscon Symphony Orchestra conducted by José Luis Gomez. It is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani and strings.
Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers. She is a major figure in contemporary Classical music, receiving the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, a 2010
Grammy for her Percussion Concerto, a 2018 Grammy for her Viola Concerto, and a 2020 Grammy for her Harp Concerto Most recently, Higdon received the Nemmers Prize from Northwestern University, given to contemporary classical composers of exceptional achievement who have significantly influenced the field of composition. Higdon enjoys several hundred performances a year of her works, and blue cathedral is today’s most performed contemporary orchestral works, with more than 650 performances worldwide. Her works have been recorded on more than sixty CDs, and her Percussion Concerto recording was recently inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Higdon’s first opera, Cold Mountain, won the prestigious International Opera Award for Best World Premiere. Dr. Higdon holds the Rock Chair in Composition at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
Music to Her Ears
Set during the American Civil War, Higdon’s 2015 opera Cold Mountain, tells the story of a soldier changed by the war. He worries that he cannot love anyone because of what he has seen during battles. Likewise, the opera shows how this affects those around him.
The composer, like many others throughout history, created a suite of the opera’s music, which turned out to be a completely different exercise in composition. She wrote:
“I realized that the opera’s order makes sense for the story I’m telling but that doesn’t mean it’s the most interesting order of music if you’re listening without knowing the story. So, I had to figure out a different order. My brain got very used to the way that the music unfolded and suddenly I had to rethink it with orchestra and try to figure out transitions, writing some new music to kind of get us from place to place in the suite. Instruments were going to be singing the melodies where normally
there had been a person and what order should this new arrangement go in to keep it the most interesting for the audience and for the orchestra too. To keep it engaging. So, it was very hard.”
“Very hard,” perhaps, but the music is engaging and powerful. It is a wonderful example of a new breed of concert music that is meaningful, but approachable to a wide section of any audience.
©2024 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin, www.orpheusnotes.com
Windermere Real Estate / Walla Walla
202 S. 1st Ave, Walla Walla, WA windermerewallawalla.com | 509-525-2151
To view upcoming events and to learn about our artists, visit www.combineartcollective.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram
130 E. Rose St., Walla Walla, 99362
Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 11am - 5pm E: combineartcollective130@gmail.com P: 509-516-8113
Nadège Foofat
Nadège Foofat is a conductor, violinist, violist, and advocate for innovation in thought, action, music and culture. She is the Founder and Director of Classical at the MSV, a classical chamber music series in Winchester, Virginia, and also serves as Choral Director at Brambleton Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Nadège grew up in an artistic family filled with music, dance and art. Drawn at a very young age to classical music and dance, her musical talents flourished through exposure to exceptional teachers and the great fortune of working with internationally renowned artists in concert. An accomplished musician at a young age, she performed regularly on the national stage, served as principal viola of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada at age 14, and was invited at the age of 16 to attend the Juilliard School for an undergraduate degree in viola performance with Karen Tuttle.
Over the past decade, Nadège has guest conducted American orchestras including the Nashville Symphony, the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Choir, the Spartanburg Philharmonic, the South Bend Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and the Lima Symphony Orchestra, Canadian orchestras such as the Kamloops Symphony, l’Orchestre Symphonique de l’Estuaire, Symphony New Brunswick, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Vancouver Island Symphony, and European orchestras including the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera, and the Lithuanian State Orchestra.
As the former Assistant Conductor to Kent Nagano at the Hamburg State Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, Nadège helped produce historical opera productions of Wozzeck, Lulu, Walküre, Madama Butterfly, Zauberflöte, and Stilles Meer, new productions of Fidelio and Parsifal,
as well as Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra concerts at the Elbphilharmonie, including performances with Hamburg’s renowned St. Michaelis Choir, for the International Musikfest Hamburg.
Alongside the great masterworks of the classical canon, Nadège’s concerts have included works by Amy Beach, Christine Donkin, Vivian Fung, Jennifer Higdon, Mary Howe, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Missy Mazzoli, Florence Price, Joan Tower, and Gwyneth Walker. She is considered a leading expert on the early romantic French composer, Louise Farrenc. A passionate champion for new music, Nadège’s collaborations include conducting a recording for the New Focus Recordings label of a new song cycle by Jonathan Newman for Fotina Naumenko, as well as writing and conducting arrangements for pop star Natalie Merchant.
Nadège was recognized in 2018 by the League of American Orchestras for her “experience, talent, leadership potential, and commitment to a career in service to American orchestras” with a Bruno Walter National Conductor Award and debut with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. She holds a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Montreal, an Artist Diploma in contemporary orchestral conducting from the Università della Svizzera Italiana, a Master’s degree in viola performance from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree in viola performance from The Juilliard School.
WE HELP OUR CLIENTS BE FAMILY HEROES
After trying to fit in a lot of music vocabulary into a catchy advertisement, I decided to call it quits I realized that no one likes an overly clever attorney.
But after trying to fit in the word jazzy into legal services, I thought maybe I was trying to hard
It’s sometimes the simple approach that wins the day.
We’ve been helping families like yours for decades to get great results. We work to find quick and peaceful solutions to long and difficult problems that bring life back to families
So that you can improve the lives of your loved ones for the next generation and future generations
We specialize in helping families through divorce, adoption, estate planning, probate and a host of other issues families face.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done and plan to be here for the community for years to come.
Find us at www.pnwfamilylaw.com, on YouTube, on Facebook, or visit our office and see what we can do for you.
AARON COPLAND
Born November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York
Appalachian
Died December 2, 1990, in North Tarrytown, New York
Spring Suite (Ballet for Martha) (1943-1944)
Last WWS Performance: April 15, 2014
Approximate length: 25 minutes
The first performance of this work, in its original version for thirteen instruments, took place on October 30, 1944, at the Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Copland’s suite for full orchestra was first performed on October 4, 1945, by the New York Philharmonic, with Artur Rodzinski conducting. This larger version is scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, and trumpets, with timpani, percussion, piano, harp, and strings.
Described by Leonard Bernstein as the “Dean of American Music,” Aaron Copland delighted in his role as its elder statesman in the later years of his life. Perhaps this is
due to the seventy years he was involved in various musical endeavors. Before launching his compositional career with his resounding Organ Symphony in a 1925 New York concert, he had studied at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau in Paris since 1921. Among the distinguished faculty, noted pedagogue Nadia Boulanger’s reputation stood above all others, teaching generations of American composers from Copland to Philip Glass. Barely in his twenties, Copland’s reputation rested as a renegade among composers, using harmonies that were often dissonant and abrasive.
In the late 1930s, the composer began to face the reality of shrinking audiences at orchestral concerts. He knew there must be
a way to draw people back into the concert hall and to energize orchestral music. Copland’s new “simple” style, which often quoted folk music, used an approachable musical language in an effort to remedy the problem. He often incorporated jazzinspired rhythms and elements of popular music to express his ideas, while drawing listeners closer to his music.
Having composed several works for the stage and screen in the 1930s, among them his captivating scores for the film versions of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, and Wilder’s Our Town, Copland became well established in those circles. In 1939 Copland composed the incidental music for Irwin Shaw’s Quiet City. Four years later in 1943, he was in Hollywood writing the music for his fourth film, The North Star –an irresistible piece of wartime propaganda with a stellar cast and a screenplay by Lillian Hellman, created to build a sense of trust among the American people for our Soviet allies – when Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge contacted him with a commission for a new ballet for the renowned dancerchoreographer Martha Graham. Copland agreed to compose what would be his fourth ballet.
Once Coolidge, Copland, and Graham agreed on the terms, all that remained to be determined was the subject. In time, the two collaborators settled on the story, as told by a program note in the published score.
“…a pioneer celebration in spring around a newly-build farmhouse in the Pennsylvania hills in the early part of the last century. The bride-to-be and the young farmer-husband enact the emotions, joyful and apprehensive, their new domestic partnership invites. An older neighbor suggests now and then the rocky confidence of experience. A revivalist and his followers remind the new householders of the strange and terrible aspects of human fate. At the end the couple [is] left quiet and strong in their new house.”
Beginning work on the score while still in Hollywood, Copland continued during a subsequent vacation in Mexico. He finished the work the following summer during
a teaching stint at Harvard University. Copland was aware of the small stage and pit in the Coolidge Auditorium at Washington’s Library of Congress. Because of these limitations, the work was scored for a compact chamber ensemble of just thirteen instruments. The version most often performed today is the suite that Copland arranged a few months later to be played by full orchestra. For this version, the composer removed just one ten-minute block of music from a single location in the score, resulting in a sense of continuity seldom found in such suites.
Despite the rural atmosphere often attributed to this music, Copland used only one pre-existing melody – the familiar “Simple Gifts,” heard near the end of the ballet. Perhaps most interesting of all is that the title of the work did not come about until the day before the performance. Martha Graham stumbled across the exhortation “O Appalachian Spring!” in Hart Crane’s epic poem “The Bridge,” and it seemed to fit perfectly. The official title of the score remains “Ballet for Martha.” Copland wrote,
"I have been amused that people so often have come up to me to say, ‘When I listen to that ballet of yours, I can just feel spring and see the Appalachians,’ But when I wrote the music, I had no idea what Martha was going to call it! Even after people learn that I didn’t know the ballet title when I wrote the music, they still tell me they see the Appalachians and feel spring. Well, I’m willing if they are!"
©2024 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin, www.orpheusnotes.com
GEORGE GERSHWIN
Born (Jacob Gershovitz) on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York
Died on July 11, 1937, in Hollywood, California
George Gershwin was a first generation American of Russian-Jewish parents. By his late teens, he had learned the piano and became a “song-plugger’ in New York’s Tin Pan Alley – the area where the popular music publishing trade was centered. Gershwin would sit at the piano in the Remick showroom playing the latest sheet music for customers. From this experience, he became keenly aware of popular musical styles and began to compose his own songs, often with his younger brother, Ira, as lyricist. Over the course of only eight years, the Gershwins became established as the leading creative team on Broadway. Later Broadway successes produced many jazz standards, but it is his concert music that has endeared him to attendees of orchestra concerts.
Lullaby (1919)
Last WWS Performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 9 minutes
This work was premiered in 1967 by the Juilliard String Quartet.
At 21 Gershwin wrote a short piece at the piano that was intended to be played at the parties where he was a regular fixture. Simply called Lullaby, this work eventually appeared for string quartet and, finally, for orchestra. It also appears in his opera Blue Monday. It wasn’t until 1967 that the
original string quartet received its first public performance. There is not much to say about this work beyond what Ira Gershwin remarked in 1968 upon the work’s publication, “It may not be the Gershwin of Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, and his other concert works, but I find it charming and kind.”
Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
Last WWS Performance: First performance at tonight’s concert Approximate length: 18 minutes
This work received its premiere on February 12, 1924, by the Palais Royal Orchestra under the baton of Paul Whiteman. Gershwin was the soloist. The convoluted 1924 Ferde Grofé orchestration calls for flute, oboe, four types of clarinets, heckelphone [tenor oboe], five types of saxophones, pairs of horns, trumpets, flugelhorns, and trombones, with added euphonium, bass trombone, and tuba, two pianos, celesta, banjo, timpani, percussion, drum set, violins, basses, and accordion. The more streamlined 1942 revision on this program is scored for solo piano, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two alto saxophones, tenor saxophone, two bassoons, three horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, banjo, and strings.
It was his background as a song plugger that George Gershwin brought with him when he decided to write works for the concert hall, beginning with a grand experiment in 1924 that brought the world the Rhapsody in Blue as a work in the jazz idiom that changed the course of American music. Scholars often equate its impact to that of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring eleven years earlier. Gershwin showed that many popular musicians are talented in many ways – in response to the accusation that has been hurled by an elitist musical establishment since vernacular music was first marketed in this country in the eighteenth century. The Rhapsody is refined and structured and pays allegiance more to the piano showpieces of Liszt and Tchaikovsky than to more popular forms, such as Joplin’s ragtime and W. C. Handy’s blues.
The popular story behind the composition of the Rhapsody is that the famous bandleader Paul Whiteman approached Gershwin in 1924 about composing a jazzflavored work for the composer to play with
Whiteman’s band. The bandleader believed that jazz music had made great progress since its beginnings and wanted to show that its influence was a positive addition to America’s multi-hued musical palette. Gershwin agreed, but became too busy to act on the idea and eventually forgot the conversation. When Whiteman discovered that a rival bandleader was planning a concert featuring symphonic works in the jazz idiom, he booked his band in New York’s Aeolian Hall and planned a similar concert of his own – at an earlier date. Most versions of the story have Gershwin hearing of the upcoming premiere from a newspaper advertisement before he had written a single note of the work. In a letter to a friend a few years later, Gershwin details a much more plausible version.
“I was summoned to Boston [on December 23, 1923] for the promotion of Sweet Little Devil. I had already done some work on the rhapsody. It was on that train, with its steely rhythms, its rattlety bang that is so often stimulating to a composer – I frequently hear music
in the very heart of noise – I suddenly heard – and even saw on paper – the complete construction of the rhapsody, from beginning to end. No new themes came to me, but I worked on the thematic material already in my mind, and tried to conceive of the composition as a whole. I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness. By the time I reached Boston, I had a definite plot of the piece, as distinguished from its actual substance.”
The composer most likely wrote the work in the 110th Street apartment in Manhattan that he shared with his parents and siblings. He left for the final rehearsals of Sweet Little Devil in Boston on January 25, 1924, so it is likely that the work was completed by that time.
Ferde Grofé, Whiteman’s arranger, had been a regular fixture at the apartment, stopping by daily to collect finished pages so he could create the arrangement for the premiere. It was not until Gershwin’s Concerto in F in late 1925 that the composer would feel comfortable with his own orchestrations.
The premiere on February 12, 1924, was one of the most anticipated events of the New York concert season. Attendees included dignitaries from a cross-section of the music industry – from Broadway, Fred and Adele Astaire; from the classical field, violinists Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz, conductor Leopold Stokowski, composers Leopold Godowsky, Igor Stravinsky, and
Sergei Rachmaninoff; and bandmaster John Philip Sousa. Billed as “An Experiment in Modern Music,” the concert featured nearly two dozen works and lasted about three hours. Rhapsody in Blue was the next-to-last work on the program, representing a culmination of influences and serving as the musical focus.
Rhapsody in Blue opens with one of the most familiar moments in music – a sultry slide of over two octaves played by a lone clarinet. Although Gershwin wrote this as a seventeen-note scale, the clarinetist of the Whiteman band, Ross Gorman, played it as the now-famous slide. Gershwin liked Gorman’s interpretation and changed his score. The remainder of the work is segmented into many sections constructed from five major themes, most of which feature the piano in a tour-de-force of popular and romantic techniques. A difficult cadenza, improvised by Gershwin at the premiere from a blank page in his piano part, lies at the heart of the work.
For a work so new in such a variety of ways, it has always seemed appropriate that the title is also novel. After all, what does Rhapsody in Blue mean? The solution is simple. George Gershwin’s brother and lyricist, Ira, suggested the name after attending an exhibition of paintings by James McNeill Whistler. Ira found that the titles of the paintings – Nocturne in Black and Gold, Symphony in White, etc. – were overtly musical. Rhapsody in Blue seems completely appropriate.
©2024 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin, www.orpheusnotes.com
Stephen Beus
“Strikingly original... an interpretive voice all his own” (Fanfare Magazine). In the space of four months, American pianist Stephen Beus won first prize in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, first place in the Vendome Prize International Competition (Lisbon) and he was awarded the Max I. Allen Fellowship of the American Pianists Association (Indianapolis).
As a result of winning the Juilliard School Concerto Competition Mr. Beus made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Juilliard Orchestra and James DePreist, playing Prokofiev Concerto No. 3. He has also performed as guest soloist with the Gulbenkian Symphony (Lisbon), Oxford Philomusica, the Tivoli Symphony (Copenhagen), the Tbilisi National Opera Orchestra, the Northwest Sinfonietta (Seattle), the Royal Philharmonic of Morocco (Casablanca), the Vaasa Symphony Orchestra (Finland) as well as with the Hamburg, Indianapolis, Nashville, Santa Fe, Utah, Fort Worth, Tucson, Yakima, Bellevue, Salt Lake, Eastern Sierra, Corvallis, Jacksonville, Texarkana and Walla Walla Symphonies.
Equally active as a soloist, Mr. Beus has given recitals across the United States as well as in Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Georgia, China, France, Italy, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Morocco.
Born and raised on a farm in eastern
Washington, Mr. Beus began lessons at age 5 and made his orchestral debut four years later. He went on to win numerous national and international competitions throughout his youth, capturing the attention of both audiences and critics. Commenting on Mr. Beus’ competition success, Fanfare magazine writes: “In some ways Beus doesn’t fit the mold of the typical competition winner. His playing is strikingly original, and, despite his youth, he has an interpretive voice all his own… ”
Mr. Beus holds degrees from Whitman College, The Juilliard School, and Stony Brook University. Stephen Beus is a Steinway Artist and currently teaches at Brigham Young University. For more details, visit www.stephenbeuspiano.com.
Our goal is to be tuned into one thing:
Strengthening our community by helping families, individuals and businesses succeed.
A Time for Three Holiday
Friday, December 20, 2024 | 7 p.m. at Cordiner Hall
Time for Three’s appearance is supported in part by
Grammy and Emmy-winning ensemble, Time For Three (TF3), defies convention and boundaries by showcasing excellence across different genres, including classical music, Americana, and singer-songwriter. Their unique sound captivates audiences, immersing them in a musical experience that merges various eras, styles, and traditions of Western music. TF3, consisting of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), combines their instruments and voices in a remarkable sound, establishing a distinct voice of expression that resonates with listeners worldwide.
TF3's longstanding history of collaboration with contemporary classical composers continues to thrive. They have worked closely with esteemed artists such as Chris Brubeck and Pulitzer Prize winners William Bolcom and Jennifer Higdon. Their most recent commission, Contact, composed by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts, premiered with the San Francisco Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra in the summer of 2022. This extraordinary piece, alongside Jennifer Higdon's Concerto 4-3, was released on Deutsche Grammophon under the album title Letters for the Future.
Conducted by Xian Zhang, the album's exceptional quality propelled it onto the Billboard top 10 Classical Recordings charts. Additionally, it garnered a nomination for an Opus Klassik award and received a Grammy win in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category.
Renowned for their charismatic and energetic performances, TF3 has garnered praise from respected outlets including NPR, NBC, The Wall Street Journal, and the Chicago Sun-Times. They have graced illustrious stages such as Carnegie Hall, The
Kennedy Center, and The Royal Albert Hall, effortlessly adapting their inimitable and versatile style to intimate venues like Joe's Pub in New York or Yoshi's in San Francisco. TF3 was featured on the acclaimed “Night of the Proms” tour, sharing stages with renowned artists like Chaka Khan and Ronan Keating across several European countries. Their collaborations span a diverse range of artists, including Ben Folds, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Bell, Aoife O'Donovan, Natasha Bedingfield, and Arlo Guthrie.
TF3's exceptional talents have not only earned them a Grammy win but also secured them an Emmy for their concert special, “Time For Three In Concert,” produced by PBS. Their appetite for new experiences led them to collaborate with cellist and composer Ben Sollee, creating the soundtrack for Focus Features' film Land, directed by Robin Wright. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2021. TF3 has teamed up with Grammywinning songwriter Liz Rose and Grammywinning producer Femke Weidema for new recordings released through Warner Music. They have also contributed to Summer Walker's R&B hit, Constant Bullsxxt, showcasing their versatility across genres.
Time For Three's artistic achievements, fueled by their relentless pursuit of musical excellence, have solidified their status as a remarkable ensemble. Their Grammy win and extraordinary collaborations speak to their unwavering dedication to pushing creative boundaries and captivating audiences with their exceptional talent. Time for Three is managed by Park Avenue Artists. Exclusive booking by Opus 3 Artists.
Did you know?
The Walla Walla Symphony proudly welcomes youth to all our concerts and events by providing free and low-cost tickets. This initiative is made possible through the generosity of local businesses in our community, including
Thank you for your support! If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact Patron Relations Manager Rachel Condie at rachel@wwsymphony.org.
2024-2025 Season
Contributions to the Symphony’s Annual and Endowment Funds
The Walla Walla Symphony acknowledges and thanks all who have contributed to the Symphony’s Annual and Endowment Funds. Acknowledgements below reflect gifts supporting the 2023-24 Season received through September 14, 2024. If your name did not appear as it should, please accept our sincere apologies and call the Symphony office at 509-529-8020.
Platinum Circle
$20,000+
Cape Flattery Foundation
Susan Monahan and Mark Brucks
Silver Circle
$5,000-9,999
Sherwood Trust
Richard and Deberah Simon
Dick and Ruth Thomassen
Bronze Circle
$2,500-4,999
Anonymous
Washington State Arts Commission
George T. Welch Testamentary Trust
Benefactor
$1,000-2,499
Darcie Furlan
Hot Poop
Michael and Lori Parnicky
Patron
$500-999
Anonymous
Janeen Harbert
Bob and Paula Negele
Hollibert and Carmella Phillips
Friend
$200-499
Anonymous
Earl and Sandi Blackaby
Barbara Bostwick
Marilyn Burns
Charles and Jan Crouter
Heritage Society
Bob and Maryjo Fontenot
Hall Grimes and Yvonne Stader
Michael Kelcy
Joyce E. Muzzall
Jan Rolfe
Roger and Terri Trick
Donor
$75-199
Robert and Mary Betz
Greg and Linda Brown
Mary Kay Clausen
Liz Conover
Ben and Connie Gish
Deborah Holmes and Craig Gunsel
Jack Iverson and Sarah Hurlburt
Yvonne Jackson
Betty Maland/Dusty’s Ski Shop
Jayne and Jim McCarthy
The Heritage Society is a special group that honors and recognizes donors who have included the Walla Walla Symphony in their legacy plans. There is no minimum amount to be a member, as all gifts are welcome and important to us. For more information, please contact us at 509-529-8020 or leah@wwsymphony.org.
Mike and Sue Gillespie
Marian Hoare
John Jamison and Katherine Wildermuth
John T. Saul
October 8
& Tales
December 3
Tom and Margo Scribner
Richard D. and Deberah Simon
Donald and Valerie Weaver
Jill J. Zagelow
Wine Sponsors
Mountains
December 20 A Time for Three Holiday
Terence Rogers
Brad and Abby Sorensen
Chuck and Pat Templeton
Contributor
Up to $74
Rick and Mary Schaeffer Neel and Family
Jonathan and Melissa Webster
Leah Wilson-Velasco and Michael Simon
Instrument Lending Library
Hartl’s Bow Shop
Leah and Tor Sandven
Car Donations
Joshua Farrell
Memorial Gifts
In Memory of:
Peter Burns
Marilyn Burns
Jack H. Jackson
Yvonne Jackson
Ricky Allen Reed
Bob and Paula Negele
Joanne and Robert Schaeffer
Rick and Mary Schaeffer Neel and Family
Music is Power
2023-2024 Season
Contributions to the Symphony’s Annual and Endowment Funds
The Walla Walla Symphony acknowledges and thanks all who have contributed to the Symphony’s Annual and Endowment Funds. Acknowledgements below reflect gifts supporting the 2023-24 Season received through June 30, 2024. If your name did not appear as it should, please accept our sincere apologies and call the Symphony office at 509-529-8020.
*Denotes contribution to the Endowment Fund ^Denotes gifts made in part or in whole through the Blue Mountain Community Foundation’s Valley Giving Guide.
Platinum Circle
$20,000+
Blue Mountain Community Foundation’s Valley Giving Guide
Cape Flattery Foundation
League of American Orchestras - Catalyst Fund Incubator
Susan Monahan and Mark Brucks^
Gold Circle
$10,000-19,999
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation via ArtsFund
The Estate of Gregory G. Jones*^
Silver Circle
$5,000-9,999
Anonymous
John Jamison and Katherine Wildermuth^
Estate of Horace and Jeannette Lazzari
Sarah and John O’Connor
Jane Roberts
Sherwood Trust
Dick and Deb Simon
JL Stubblefield Trust^
Washington State Arts Commission
Mary Beth Wilen Estate
Bronze Circle
$2,500-4,999
Anonymous
Myles and Myrna Anderson
The Estates of Dina Baker and Peter Salagianis
Clara and Art Bald Trust^
Columbia REA
Mary Garner Esary Trust^
Mike and Sue Gillespie
The Jensen Family Fund via Blue Mountain Community Foundation^
Key Technology
Albert Marshall^
Milton-Freewater Area Foundation
Underriner Honda of Walla Walla
United Way of the Blue Mountains
Yancey P. Winans
Testamentary Trust
Benefactor
$1,000-2,499
Anonymous (3)^
Kris and Tim Barry^
Jonathan and Wendy Braid
Anitra Breit^
Cascadian Real Estate
Lou Ann Casper
Jan Kennedy Foster
Darcie Furlan
Lynn Glesne
Thomas Hogan^
Jim Johnson
Dr. David Meeker
Kari Miller^
Dr. Philip and Carol Morgan^
Dr. Kenneth and Laura Norris^
The National Orchestral Association
Susan Pickett and Robert Arnold Johnson
Doug and Malinda Saturno^
Margo and Tom Scribner
Sandra Lynn Travis
Carrie Welch Trust
Umpqua Bank
George and Ruth Winter
Robert and Jill Zagelow
Patron
$500-999
Anonymous^
Ann and Stephen Ames
Greg and Linda Brown^
Gretchen and Michael de Grasse^
Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott
Anne Haley
Bob and Linda Hanson^
Leonard and Shirley Isaacs
Sharon and Tim KaufmanOsborn^
Michael Kelcy^
Tom and Sandi Madsen^
Hans and Elizabeth Matschukat^
Pamela Mittelstadt and Karl Eckhardt^
Karen Olson
Hollibert and Carmella Phillips
Jan and Phil Rolfe
Roy and Lianne Schellenberg
Kirk and Susan Willard^
Jackie S. Wood
Friend
$200-499
Anonymous (4)^
Eric and Candace Ball
Banderas Family^
Earl and Sandi Blackaby
Mark Brown and Lara Riley
Marilyn Burns
Stuart and Sheryl Byerley
Ben Chu
Charles and Jan Crouter
Danza Classica Ballet Foundation
Bill and Jan Eyestone^
Sheila Fergusson
Michael Frommlet, M.D. and Barbara Zappas
Damon Gass
David Glenn and Laura Curtis
Janeen Harbert
Sergio and Wendy Hernandez^
Christopher and Mardra Jay
Julie Jones^
Ted and Kathi Lucia^
Michael and Erienne
Matthewson
Pedrito Maynard-Reid
Bob and Sandy McCoy
Richard and Marcia
Middleton-Kaplan
Joyce Muzzall
John Patterson
Lacey Perry
Brenda Ramirez
Kelly Reynolds
Margaret Roser
Kathleen Ruggeri
Marlene and Mark Schuck
Manford and Betty Simcock
David and Cindy Simon*
Ron and Maya Takemoto
Charles and Ellen Thiel^
Jess Thompson^
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Terri and Roger Trick
Cynthia Westerbeck and Roy Benton^
Ellen Wolf
Donor
$75-199
Anonymous
Tom and Jane Baffney*
Jack and Mary Barga
Douglas and Karen Bayne^
Alison Bell
Robert and Mary Betz^
Barbara Bostwick
Becky Burad
Krista Burt^
Douglas Carlsen and Mary Cleveland
Sandra and Heather Cannon^
Wendy Cheng^
Mary Kay Clausen
Barbara Coddington
Nina Conn
Liz Conover
Ann and Dick Counsell^
Mark and Virginia Dameron
Jay and Debbie DeWitt^
Brian A. Dohe
Deborah Doyle and John Wakeman^
Meg Eubanks
Bob and Maryjo Fontenot
Hall Grimes and Yvonne Strader
Yvonne Jackson
Jack and Kathy Jensen
Ann M. Johnson
Ben and Jennifer Leach^
Rosemary Lloyd
Tensie Lovejoy^
Jayne and Jim McCarthy
John and Jane McKern
Cheryl and Adam Miller
Janet and Bob Miller
Roger and Lana Muller
Barry Murphy
Phil and Debbie Muthersbaugh
Christopher Nelson and Karen Szall^
Wendy Rahm
Donna Raugust
Molly Reid and Greg Nelson^
Don and Anne-Marie Schwerin
Bruce and Joy Smith
Brad and Abby Sorensen
Chuck and Pat Templeton
Gloria L. Velasco
Donald and Valerie Weaver
Anita Williams^
Ryan and Darlene Wilson^
Arliss A. Yeend
Contributor
Up to $74
Anonymous (7)^
Richard Alan
Austin C Archer and Beverly Roper-Archer
Ana-Megan Babin
Elizabeth Baird^
Mike Breland
Cricket Cordova and Dale Chapman^
Clifford and Janice Dolph^
Nicholas Edge^
Alan and Amy Faden
Danielle Garbe Reser
Susan Greene and Galen Unruh^
Gregory Greenhoe
Deborah Holmes and Craig Gunsel
Susan G. Hopkins^
Les and Bonnie Johnson
Betty Maland/Dusty’s Ski Shop
Sterling McConnell
Bill and Renée McMahon
Jeanne McMenemy and Wayne Chabre^
Christine Meeker
Janie Millgard
Dottie Monahan
Nancy Moore^
Juanita Neal^
Rick and Mary Schaeffer Neel
Housing Hosts
and Family
Mary Ann Newcom
Bernard and Paulette Newman
Allison Robins
Kimberly Rolfe
Terence Rogers
Lowell and Ginny Schneider^
La Dessa and Dale Smelcer^
Karen Summers^
Danielle Swan-Froese and Walter Froese
Stephen and Suzanne Towery^
Margot S. Turner
Charlotte Watership
Lynette and Tom Williams
Paula Williams
Instrument Lending Library
Anonymous
Charles and Jan Crouter
Richard Smith
Memorial Gifts
In Memory of:
Joyce Aylward
Anonymous
William Bailey
George and Ruth Winter
Yaacov Bergman
Anonymous
Barbara Coddington
Liz Conover
Danza Classica Ballet
Foundation
Brian A. Dohe
Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott
Marcia and Richard Middleton-Kaplan
Roger and Lana Muller
Jan and Phil Rolfe
Ron and Maya Takemoto
Jeff Blum
Mark and Virginia Dameron
Donald N. Brown
Mark Brown and Lara Riley
Housing hosts provide out-of-town Symphony musicians with a place to stay while they are in Walla Walla for rehearsals and performances. If you would like to support the Symphony by becoming a housing host, contact General Manager Leah Davis at gm@wwsymphony.org or call the office, 509-529-8020.
Sandi and Earl Blackaby
Jon and Mary Campbell
Ted and Joyce Cox
Patrick Frierson
John Jamison and Katherine Wildermuth
Robert and Linnea Keatts
Mrs. Edwin Kim
Nancy Kress
Dennis and Donna Ledford
Karen Miller
Susan Monahan and Mark Brucks
Missy Newcom
Keith and Barbara Noel
Ken and Laura Norris
Susan Picket and Robert Johnson
Steve Rose
Charles and Ellen Thiel
Peter Burns
Marilyn Burns
David Casper
Lou Ann Casper
Nina Conn
Les and Bonnie Johnson
Bryan Ford
Brian A. Dohe
Edward Foster
Jan Kennedy Foster
Jim Healy
Ellen L. Wolf
Jack H. Jackson
Yvonne Jackson
Susan Johnson
Jim Johnson
Gregory G. Jones
Meredith Chevreaux
Barbara Kaplan
Richard and Marcia Middleton-Kaplan
Scott A. McPherson
Bruce and Joy Smith
Juli Reinholz
Wendy Cheng
Howard A. Roberts
Jane Roberts
Joanne and Robert Schaeffer
Rick and Mary Schaeffer
Neel and Family
Granella Ruth (Key)
Thompson
Ryan and Darlene Wilson
Mary Wilen and Lawrence Love
Mary Beth Wilen Estate
In honor of:
Sue and Mike Gillespie
Don and Anne-Marie Schwerin
Molly Reid
Greg Nelson
Help your Community Meet its Needs Forever – Your donation will receive a match –
Did you know that you can donate money to a fund that will make grants to support the most pressing needs and desires of your community forever? You don’t have to decide which nonprofits receive your donation. You can leave it to your community to decide how to best use your donations now and in the future. We call this a Forever Fund.
Generous donors have provided $4,000,000 in matching funds. So if you donate to a Forever Fund now or through your estate, your donation will receive a match. Please help us meet this match.
The dedicated community members leading this Campaign are listed here: https:// www.bluemountainfoundation.org/raise-the-blues/. To learn more, contact those leaders or contact Kol Medina, BMCF CEO at kol@bluemountainfoundation.org, 509-529-4371.
Did you know?
The Walla Walla Symphony has been offering free concerts to school children since 1953. In 2016, we expanded our collaboration with local 3rd-5th graders through Link Up, a music education initiative by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. This program allows students to explore orchestral music through hands-on learning, culminating in a live performance in the Spring where they can sing and play the recorder along with the Symphony. The Symphony also performs the program for families at a Free Family Concert & ‘Foodraiser,’ featuring a chance to try out the instruments of the orchestra.
To learn more about the Youth & Family Concerts and upcoming concerts, visit wwsymphony.org or follow the Walla Walla Symphony on Facebook or Instagram.
