Francesco Lecce-Chong, Music Director & Conductor
2020 2021 SEASON Eugene Symphony SYMPHONY SOUNDWAVES VI ORCHESTRA ROSTER & PRODUCTION TEAM MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR MUSIC LIBRARIAN Don’t miss our 2020/21 season finale! Francesco Lecce-Chong Kristen Halay
VIOLIN I CONDUCTING FELLOW & SCORE READER Jenny Estrin Daniel Cho Lisa McWhorter Nathan Lowman AUDIO ENGINEERING Rosemary Erb Bill Barnett, Gung Ho Studios Sophie Therrell Della Davies HULT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Anthony Dyer Theresa Sizemore, General Manager Alwyn Wright Jeff Weinkauf, Technical Director Nathan Cox, Assistant Technical Director VIOLIN II Kim Weiland, Event Manager Premiering at 7 p.m. on Matt Fuller Ruth Atcherson, Head Carpenter Julia Frantz Dan Charter, Electrician JUNE 3 Claudia Miller Bruce Hartnell, Sound Technician Alice Blankenship Allen Adams, Video Lead and Switcher Mitchell Drury Caroline Barnes, Camera Operator Dan Athearn Virginia Sands, Camera Operator David Burham Rachel Sarfati, Camera Operator Jannie Wei Rocky Haffner, Shader and Robotic Camera Operator
VIOLA VIDEO PRODUCTION Shauna Keyes Attic Media, Inc. Lauren Elledge Ryan Postma Kim Uwate Jessica Mitchell Anamaria Ghitea McKenzie Baldwin Dana Rokosny Arnaud Ghillebaert EDITED BY Jessica Mitchell CELLO GRAPHIC DESIGN Eric Alterman Cricket Design Works Noah Seitz JLN Design Jim Pelley Kathryn Brunhaver VIDEO PERFORMANCE DIRECTED BY Dale Bradley Nathan Cox Ann Grabe PRODUCED BY BASS Scott Freck Tyler Abbott Rick Carter Richard Meyn Kevin Brown
2 EUGENE SYMPHONY MAY 2021 3 MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
WE’VE GOT THE Francesco Lecce-Chong
Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong is the Music Director of During his successful tenures as Associate Conductor the Eugene Symphony in Oregon, and the Santa Rosa Symphony, with the Milwaukee Symphony under Edo de Waart and the SPACES YOU’LL LOVE performing at the Green Music Center in Northern California. e Pittsburgh Symphony under Manfred Honeck, Lecce-Chong press has described him as a “fast rising talent in the music world” also dedicated his time to opera, building his credentials with “the real gi ” and recognized his dynamic performances, fresh as sta conductor with the Santa Fe Opera and conducted With gorgeous apartment programming, deep commitment to commissioning and performing Madama Butter y at the Florentine Opera with the homes up to 2,700 square new music as well as to community outreach. Lecce-Chong has Milwaukee Symphony. appeared with orchestras around the world including the San Lecce-Chong is the recipient of several distinctions, feet and stunning community Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, including the prestigious Solti Foundation Award. Trained spaces, Cascade Manor offers Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, St. Louis also as a pianist and composer, he completed his studies Symphony, and Hong Kong Philharmonic and collaborated with top at the Curtis Institute of Music with Otto-Werner Mueller abundant space to do the soloists including Renée Fleming and Itzhak Perlman. a er attending the Mannes College of Music and Accademia things you love while enjoying In spring 2019, Lecce-Chong debuted in subscription concerts Musicale Chigiana in Italy. He has had the privilege of being with the San Francisco Symphony. e San Francisco Chronicle mentored and supported by celebrated conductors including a maintenance-free lifestyle. called his conducting “ rst rate” praising the “vitality and brilliance Bernard Haitink, David Zinman, Edo de Waart, Manfred Enjoy high-end finishes and of the music-making he drew from members of the San Francisco Honeck, Donald Runnicles and Michael Tilson omas. Symphony.” Other recent subscription debuts included the Colorado amenities every day. Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic and Xi’An We also bring UO Osher Symphony Orchestra. Lecce-Chong has also returned to conduct the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Milwaukee and San Diego Symphony. e Lifelong Learning Institute 19/20 season marked his debut with the New York Philharmonic as classes directly from the part of the legendary Young People’s Concert Series. In the 20/21 season, an unprecedented one for live orchestral university campus to ours. music, Lecce-Chong will conduct virtual concerts with both the Enjoy lifelong learning and Santa Rosa and the Eugene Symphony, speci cally created for online audiences. e performances will be streamed worldwide and will take healthcare peace of mind, in a unique form of a cohesive musical journey complete with interviews spaces you will love. with musicians. e programs will include music by living composers Jessie Montgomery, Gabriella Lena Frank and Chen Yi. Following the paths of renowned Music Directors of the Eugene Call today to learn about and the Santa Rosa Symphonies including Marin Alsop, Giancarlo our special incentives Guerrero and Je rey Kahane, Lecce-Chong has made his mark with the two orchestras introducing a series of new music and community and promotions. initiatives. In 2019, the orchestras announced Lecce-Chong’s “First 541-434-5411 Symphony Project” commissioning four major orchestral works by young composers—Matt Browne, Gabriella Smith, Angélica Negrón and Michael Djupstrom—to be performed over several seasons accompanied by multiple composer residencies and community events. In Eugene, he has reinitiated family concerts and presented a number of innovative projects such as an original multimedia performance of Scriabin’s compositions engaging retirement.org/cascade light and color.
EUGENE SYMPHONY MUSIC DIRECTORS Lawrence Maves, Founding Conductor (1966–1981) William McGlaughlin (1981–1985) Adrian Gnam (1985–1989) Marin Alsop, Conductor Laureate (1989–1996) Miguel Harth-Bedoya (1996–2002)
Cascade Manor is a not-for-profit, resident-centered community. Giancarlo Guerrero (2002–2009) Cascade Manor is a Pacific Retirement Services community and an equal housing opportunity. Danail Rachev (2009–2017) Francesco Lecce-Chong (2017– )
4 EUGENE SYMPHONY MAY 2021 SYMPHONY SOUNDWAVES V SOUNDWAVES V
SOUNDWAVES V Program Notes by Francesco Lecce-Chong Eugene Symphony fans already the complete score live with the lm. rough that process, I Francesco Lecce-Chong, conductor know about my love of lm music came to appreciate even more Herrmann’s virtuosic writing for Recorded live on Thursday, April 22, 2021 and, in particular, my connection with the string section through innovative techniques and embracing John Williams. At my rst concert as the full range of the string instruments. Our performance of the Silva Concert Hall, Hult Center for the Performing Arts | Eugene, Oregon Music Director & Conductor, I pulled music from Psycho was arranged by the composer and is almost out a lightsaber baton to conduct Star twice as long as the typical “pops concert” version—so I hope Wars at our summer concert, and I audiences will enjoy the chance to appreciate more fully the have a feeling that will be one of the musical genius behind the lm. lasting memories audiences will have When I hear the traditional Shaker song, “Simple Gi s,” I of my time here! immediately think of Aaron Copland’s beautiful setting of it Hildur Guðnadóttir From the Other Place at said, I have not had a in ballet Appalachian Spring. In 2009, John Williams used the (b. 1982) chance to conduct the music of lm same song as inspiration for Air and Simple Gi s, composed composers in traditional concert settings very o en, so this for the rst inauguration of President Barack Obama. While Soundwaves performance is extra special as we present the music Copland used the melody in a series of variations representing of three Academy Award-winning composers alongside a beloved the adventurous American spirit of the early pioneers, I think Bernard Herrmann Suite from Psycho classic from Antonín Dvořák. (Continued on page 8) (1911–1975) Hildur Guðnadóttir, a brilliant Icelandic performer and composer, won the Academy Award for her score to 2019’s Joker. With several other accolades to her name, Guðnadóttir is clearly one of the bright new faces of contemporary lm music. From John Williams Air and Simple Gifts the Other Place was not written speci cally for a lm, but it is (b. 1932) representative of her ethereal sounds and spontaneous music- making. Instead of traditional sheet music, musicians are asked to create music in the moment by choosing their own path through a map of colored dots representing notes. Instead of the chaos that Antonín Dvoˇrák Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 one might imagine, the result is something almost meditative. (1841–1904) I. Moderato Bernard Herrmann’s score to Psycho needs little introduction. II. Tempo di Valse Using only a string section, he conjured up one of the most thrilling and iconic scores in the history of lm. I feel particularly III. Scherzo: Vivace fortunate to have had the opportunity a few years ago to conduct IV. Larghetto V. Finale: Allegro vivace
This concert will be broadcast on KWAX-FM 91.1 on Friday, May 7, 2021 at 10 a.m. Broadcasts underwritten in part by Kernutt Stokes.
(Above right) Guðnadóttir’s From the Other Place uses colored dots to represent notes. (At le ) Psycho (1960) is an iconic American psychological horror thriller lm produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. (Above) Williams’s Air and Simple Gi s was performed at the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama by Anthony McGill, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gabriela Montero.
6 EUGENE SYMPHONY MAY 2021 7 SOUNDWAVES V
Program Notes
(Continued from page 7)
Williams attempts to HILDUR GUÐNADÓTTIR Become a Member today! bring a wider meaning. From the Other Place (2014) Your gift supports all of Eugene Symphony’s programs happening With fragments of the SCORED: For strings virtually this year, allowing us to continue fulfilling our mission melody slowly coming HISTORY: is is the rst Eugene Symphony performance. together in unity, the clash DURATION: Approximately eight minutes of enriching lives through the power of music. of struggle and triumph, Sign up for a monthly or quarterly membership (or give and the understated BERNARD HERRMANN optimism, “Simple Gi s” Suite from Psycho (1960) one annual gift) and access full benefits for your giving in Williams’s hands SCORED: For strings level right away. becomes not a work of the HISTORY: First performed by the Eugene Symphony in April past, but an aspiration for 2000 under the direction of Miguel Harth-Bedoya. the future. DURATION: Approximately 15 minutes All three of these lm MEMBER BENEFITS composers found new ways JOHN WILLIAMS to create hyper-descriptive Air and Simple Gi s (2009) and emotionally-charged SCORED: For strings CONDUCTOR’S FOUNDERS FRIEND OF THE SYMPHONY music using just the string HISTORY: is is the rst Eugene Symphony performance. CIRCLE SOCIETY section. Each of them is DURATION: Approximately six minutes Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings was also very connected with Give composed in just two weeks in May 1875. $10/mo. $25/mo. $50/mo. $100/month $2500 or more What $100/yr the intense lyricism and ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK ($120/yr) ($300/yr) ($600/yr) ($1200/yr ) annually virtuosity of the 19th-century masters like Dvořák. e Serenade Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 (1875) You Can is one of Dvořák’s greatest achievements and a tour de force for the SCORED: For strings Play a pivotal players across its ve moments. It’s also perhaps the brightest and HISTORY: First performed by the Eugene Symphony in March role in sustaining happiest work of his career. 2007 under the direction of Victor Yampolsky. Eugene Symphony’s ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ DURATION: Approximately 27 minutes mission mask, mask, sticker, mask, mask, mask, mask, mask, sticker, Receive Eugene sticker, window cling, sticker, sticker, sticker, sticker, window cling, Symphony window tote bag, window window window window tote bag, merchandise cling, Founders Society cling cling cling cling coffee mug tote bag travel mug
Elect Board of Directors at ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Annual Meeting
Access on-demand streaming ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ & archived concerts Attend virtual post-concert Q&A with Francesco ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ & musicians Concert recordings, Additional Benefits ✓ ✓ ✓ radio broadcasts, WAYS TO GIVE and more!
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8 EUGENE SYMPHONY MAY 2021 9 BEHIND THE SCENES
Creating Soundwaves
A er the nal bow of Eugene Symphony’s exhilarating What challenges did you have to overcome for these recordings? concert with Leslie Odom, Jr. on leap day of 2020, we never Pearson: Everything. It has been a roller-coaster of a year with so imagined it would be our last time on stage for a year. As the much uncertainty. It felt like every time we were able to make a COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact our community, we plan, something changed, and we had to start all over again. But knew we had to reimagine the ways we would make and deliver getting back to the hall, being around live music again, knowing music this year. In response, we created Symphony Soundwaves, a we can share free concerts with the community, and witnessing series of free streamed virtual concerts for the 2020/21 season! the talents of these wonderful musicians with whom we are In February, updated COVID-19 guidance from the State fortunate enough to work—the frustrations and heartbreaks of of Oregon allowed us to return to the Hult Center for our the last year started to melt away. Soundwaves recordings. Our return has been wonderful—and, anything but normal. With strict health and safety protocols in Cox: e challenges we continue to overcome are mostly place and new state-of-the-art technology, it has taken countless technical issues. e skill of operating professional cameras, hours and a dedicated team to learn how to produce the high- shading, switching and robotic cameras is a whole new animal de nition recordings you may have seen. that can be dicult to master. But many elements of the Conducting Fellow Daniel Cho and Hult Center Assistant Technical Director Nathan Cox direct cameras from the control room during a recording session. For a behind-the-scenes sneak peek, we asked a few of the stagehand cra are similar. I have been very impressed with our many people bringing Soundwaves to life to tell us about their camera operators using many techniques learned from years What was a moment that brought you the most joy during the What should audience members pay special attention to, or what experience: of spotlight operation. For example, when you see a spotlight rehearsals or recordings? do you hope audience members take away from these recordings? appear on an artist onstage, you see a nice glowing circle around Cho: Working closely with Nathan Cox, we found a nice rhythm Cox: e speci c goal is to tell a story with video and audio. Nathan Cox, Hult Center Assistant Technical Director the performer as they grace the stage. What you don’t see, is the Daniel Cho, Eugene Symphony Conducting Fellow when directing camera work for the recordings. e moments Audience should look for the eye contact of musicians as they giant heavy spotlight equipment that takes two hands and half that brought me the most joy were celebrating with him a er play and express the story to each other as it twists through Lindsay Pearson, Eugene Symphony General Manager of your body to manage. Our same stagehands are using skills Julia Frantz, Assistant Principal Violin II we had really nailed capturing the performance of a piece. I love, hate, passion, dread, loneliness and hope. ere is much to and tricks from spotlight operation and applying it to camera learned a lot from Nathan, not only the technical aspects, but explore seeing a symphony up close, loads of expression from the What was it like being back in the hall? operation to capture the action on stage. also in leadership—I watched him actively try to create a positive musicians and especially from maestro Francesco. I am certainly Cox: e Hult team actually never le the hall during the Frantz: e spacing distance between stands was the biggest working environment for the crew, stay calm during stressful proud to help visually publish this story. pandemic! We developed a plan to keep a small work crew that challenge. Normally, we are used to having stand partners and situations, and genuinely care about the work he was doing. I Cho: We took this opportunity of recording to try and show would keep up with maintenance and upgrade projects. We kept being quite close together as a section. is helps us play together look forward to continuing to work with and learn from him. elements of an orchestral performance that people wouldn’t the ship aoat and operational so that when we were able to and interpret things the same way. For these rehearsals and Click HERE to watch a video of Nathan and Daniel conducting normally be able experience, even in a live setting. What does allow people back, we would be in a good spot to swing open our recordings, we were each on our own stand and spaced 6 feet the cameras from backstage. Silva Concert Hall look like from the musician’s perspective? doors and welcome artists into the building. We are grateful to be apart. is made it hard to hear each other and to stay together, Pearson: All of it. e enthusiasm of the musicians and Hult What does the conductor’s face look like during this particularly in this spot today and there are not many performing arts centers both within sections and across the orchestra. Wearing masks emotional moment in the music? How does the percussionist around the country that are in this ready position like we are. while playing was also weirdly disorienting. A few times, my crew to be back in production, the adrenaline from long, ful lling days, and the energy of the music. For so much of the create that speci c sound when playing the tambourine? is Cho: It was so surreal walking back into the Hult Center; I really mask slid up almost over my eyes while I was playing, and there was something our Executive Director, Scott Freck, really were no rests in the music to pull it down. Finally, it will always year I have felt a bit lost at sea and while there have been little felt the scope of the change the world had experienced this past islands along the way, being able to return to the hall with a emphasized and once the team internalized it, the recordings year. Above all, the emotion I felt most deeply was gratitude— feel strange and stressful to play for cameras and an empty hall found an identity that I think viewers will nd really engaging instead of a lively, warm hall full of audience members. e substantial number of our musicians felt like we nally found gratitude for the music, the musicians, the Eugene Symphony land again. e rst week we were back at the Hult Center, one and exciting. team, the stage crew, the green velvet seats and the beautifully audience brings SO much energy and life. Everyone felt a little more on edge knowing we were making a recording, and at times of the crew members told me they felt human again for the rst Pearson: ese programs are just incredible and really have curved wooden panels on the mezzanine. I don’t think I’ll ever time in a year. I couldn’t agree more. something for everyone. ere is joy, love, horror, ecstasy! I’m a forget the feeling. it was hard to nd that energy that a live performance brings. I can’t wait for the day when we can play for an audience again. Frantz: Seeing my colleagues and friends, many for the rst time sucker for slow movements, so the second movements of both Frantz: It was wonderful, nerve-wracking, thrilling, and heart- in over a year, brought me so much joy. Just the experience of Grażyna Bacewicz’s Concerto for Strings and Edward Elgar’s warming! A er a year of not being able to play together, it was having a rehearsal to go to and music to prepare. ere was a Serenade I found particularly wonderful. I could get lost in those incredible to come back, see my string colleagues, and make moment back during our February set, at the very rst rehearsal, pieces for some time and be quite happy about it. On the other music together again. Playing with other musicians is something when we started playing the Mozart Divertimento. I had been end of the spectrum, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony I have missed so much during the pandemic. It was also kind of so stressed and worried for days leading up to this rehearsal— is a work that I found to be very cathartic—it so brilliantly stressful, and I think everyone felt a little rusty. I worried that, worried that I’d forgotten how to play and lead in a section, that expresses devastation and terror that so many have been feeling over the course of the last year, I had somehow forgotten how to I didn’t know what I was doing, that I would fail. As soon as we this last year. To me, one of the most powerful things about count and play in an orchestra. started playing that piece (which I love) and I felt and heard that music is that hearing the expression of someone else’s emotions, full sound, I remembered the joy of making music and playing be it joy and love or loneliness and desperation, reminds me that For all the Soundwaves concerts recorded at the with others. we’re not alone in what we may be feeling. I have always found Hult Center for the Performing Arts, we used five that to be a powerful source of hope and strength. high-definition video cameras to catch all the action!
10 MAY 2021 11 eugenesymphony.org Tel 541-687-9487, Fax 541-687-0527 Season Partners Eugene Symphony 115 West 8th Avenue, Suite 115, Eugene, OR 97401
The Eugene Symphony extends a special thanks to the individual, corporate, and foundation partners EUGENE SYMPHONY BOARD OF DIRECTORS EUGENE SYMPHONY STAFF whose generosity and commitment to the arts in our community keep the music playing. David Pottinger, President Dr. Matthew McLaughlin, Secretary Francesco Lecce-Chong, Music Director & Conductor Deborah Carver, Vice President Zachary Blalack, Treasurer Scott Freck, Executive Director 2020/21 SEASON SPONSORS and President-Elect Lindsey McCarthy, Associate Executive Director Stella Ji, Executive & Administrative Coordinator PLATINUM DIRECTORS ARTISTIC Warren Barnes omas Pettus-Czar Marc Carlson Paul Roth Lindsay Pearson, General Manager Harriet Cherry Jim Ruderman Kristen Halay, Librarian Ashlee Cribb Dr. Doneka Scott Dr. Sharon Paul, Chorus Director GOLD Dr. Raymond N. Englander Dr. Matthew Shapiro Daniel Cho, Conducting Fellow Henry Henniger Suzanne Shapiro Bill Barnett, Recording Engineer John Holmes Karalyn Walker Sprung Rick Carter, Piano Technician Corky Hughes Andrew Stiltner DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Ashley Jorgenson Elizabeth Tippett Tegan DeBolt, Development & Fundraising Manager SILVER David Kammerer Sarah Viens Kathie Hsieh, Patron Engagement Manager Sarah Maggio Michael Vergamini Jane Eyre McDonald Jack Viscardi EDUCATION & COMMUNITY Zachary A. Blalack ENGAGEMENT Financial Advisor Trieber Meador Connie Wonham Arden Olson Katy Vizdal, Education & Community Engagement Director BRONZE Maggie Windler, Education Assistant DIRECTORS EMERITUS FINANCE Phil Cass, Jr. † Mary Ann Hanson Mckenzie James, Finance & Administrative Director Carolyn S. Chambers† Betty Soreng Nancy Holloman & Caroline Manewal, David Ogden Stiers† Galina Groza and Family Volunteer Coordinators EUGENE SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION PAST BOARD PRESIDENTS 2020/21 IN-KIND SEASON SPONSORS 1965–1972 Orval Etter 1988–1991 James Forbes
Alesong Brewing & Blending King Estate Winery Silvan Ridge Winery 1972–1973 Charles Williams 1991–1993 John Watkinson Marché 1973–1975 ad Elvigion 1993–1995 Georgiann Beaudet
SPECIAL THANKS TO... 1975–1977 Nancy Coons 1995–1997 Clark Compton 1977–1978 Oscar S. Strauss 1997–1999 Gary Grinage City of Eugene/Hult Center JLN Design Amanda Smith Photography Season Design: for the Performing Arts Kesey Enterprises Technaprint 1978–1980 Nancy Coons 1999–2002 John Watkinson Cricket Design Works National Business Solutions 1980–1981 Janet Johnston 2002–2003 Gil Achterhof Program Magazine Design/Production: 1981–1982 Judy Hicks 2003–2006 David Kammerer JLN Design, Jerril Nilson FOUNDATION PARTNERS 1982–1984 Janet Johnston 2006–2012 Mary Ann Hanson 1984–1986 George “Du y” Hughes 2012–2015 Dunny Sorensen † in memoriam e Virgil and Caroline The Haugland Boekelheide Endowment Fund of the University of Oregon Foundation Family Foundation 1986–1988 Ruby Brockett 2015–2017 Dr. Matthew Shapiro
ENDOWMENT FUND OF THE EUGENE SYMPHONY TRUSTEES e Eugene Symphony is a resident company of Nils and Jewel Hult Endowment the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Support Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Silva Chambers Alicia Voorhees provided by the City of Eugene. Varner J. Johns III, Chair John Watkinson Ann Marie Mehlum e Silva Endowment Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
12 EUGENE SYMPHONY MAY 2021 13 How do we rebuild a better Oregon?
After a year of tremendous hardship, how do we rebuild a more interconnected, equitable, resilient Oregon? How do we help each other recover, rebuild, and restart our lives and businesses? How do we start listening to and considering each others’ point-of-view? How do we inject opportunity, across the state so everyone has a chance to add to the greater good? The answer — Together. Join us as we learn and share how to rebuild a better Oregon, for all Oregonians.
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