March 2015 4 from the President J.D
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March 2015 4 From the President J.D. Scott Dear Friends: As spring begins to tease us with hopefully warmer weather, we look forward to two “big events” that are coming up on our calendar. On April 1 and 4 Yannick and the Orchestra perform Bach’s groundbreaking St. Matthew Passion in a beautifully minimalist staging by James Alexander first seen by our audiences in 2013. While the work calls for large-scale forces, a divided orchestra, and a double chorus, its intimacy is extraordinary. Even though it was written to be performed in a religious setting, it is inherently theatrical and full of drama. Then, from April 30 to May 3 Yannick leads Bernstein’s MASS, a “theater piece for singers, players, and dancers.” This is one of the most original, eclectic pieces in the repertory and was far ahead of its time. Our performances will be staged in Verizon Hall by Kevin Newbury in a very surprising way, using a very large Orchestra, 16 “street singers,” multiple soloists and choirs, rock musicians, and a marching band. Bernstein not only drew upon his own unique compositional style, but added elements of blues and rock, incorporating quotations of Beethoven and outbursts of tone rows. It’s a thrilling and vibrant piece. Both of these works exemplify what we call Theater of a Concert, adding theatrical elements to help bring the composer’s vision to life. These concert presentations, in collaboration with local and national cultural and community organizations, are an important part of the Orchestra’s artistic vision, and have succeeded in reinvigorating the experience many of our audiences have in the concert hall. These presentations continue in our 2015-16 season with stagings of Handel’s Messiah and Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. From March 2-7 the Orchestra presents a Collaborative Learning Week, with events that showcase collective music-making between Yannick, our musicians, and various community partners. This concentration of many of our educational activities includes participating in the All-City Music Festival, a side-by-side rehearsal with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, a School Partnership Program Bridge Session, and Musicians in the Schools events (a complete list of activities can be found on pg. 46 of this Playbill). Our good friends at PECO sponsor additional Musicians in the Schools programs from March 9-20, as well as a lunchtime pop-up concert at Reading Terminal on the 9th. We are so grateful to PECO for its continued and longtime support of the Orchestra. From March 5-8 we welcome over 100 volunteers from across the U.S. and Canada for the 40th Association of Major Symphony Orchestra Volunteers Conference. We are thrilled that our Collaborative Learning Week and the AMSOV Conference coincide, so that these wonderful volunteers can return to their home orchestras and spread the news of the great work we are doing here, and of which we are all so justly proud. Yours in Music, Allison Vulgamore President & CEO 6 Music Director Chris Lee Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin continues his inspired leadership of The Philadelphia Orchestra, which began in the fall of 2012. His highly collaborative style, deeply rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called Nézet-Séguin “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton, “the ensemble, famous for its glowing strings and homogenous richness, has never sounded better.” He has taken the Orchestra to new musical heights. Highlights of his third season as music director include an Art of the Pipe Organ festival; the 40/40 Project, in which 40 great compositions that haven’t been heard on subscription concerts in at least 40 years will be performed; and Bernstein’s MASS, the pinnacle of the Orchestra’s five- season requiem cycle. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most exciting talents of his generation. He has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2008 and artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain since 2000. He also continues to enjoy a close relationship with the London Philharmonic, of which he was principal guest conductor. He has made wildly successful appearances with the world’s most revered ensembles, and he has conducted critically acclaimed performances at many of the leading opera houses. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Deutsche Grammophon (DG) enjoy a long-term collaboration. Under his leadership The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to recording with a CD on that label of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. He continues a fruitful recording relationship with the Rotterdam Philharmonic on DG, EMI Classics, and BIS Records; the London Philharmonic and Choir for the LPO label; and the Orchestre Métropolitain for ATMA Classique. A native of Montreal, Yannick Nézet-Séguin studied at that city’s Conservatory of Music and continued lessons with renowned conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and with Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College. Among Yannick’s honors are an appointment as Companion of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honors; a Royal Philharmonic Society Award; Canada’s National Arts Centre Award; the Prix Denise-Pelletier, the highest distinction for the arts in Quebec; and honorary doctorates from the University of Quebec in Montreal and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. To read Yannick’s full bio, please visit www.philorch.org/conductor. 8 The Philadelphia Orchestra 2014–2015 Season Yannick Nézet-Séguin Violas Flutes Music Director Choong-Jin Chang, Principal Jeffrey Khaner, Principal Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair Ruth and A. Morris Williams Chair Paul and Barbara Henkels Chair Kirsten Johnson, Associate David Cramer, Associate Principal Stéphane Denève Principal Rachelle and Ronald Kaiserman Principal Guest Conductor Kerri Ryan, Assistant Principal Chair Cristian Ma˘celaru Judy Geist Loren N. Lind Conductor-in-Residence Renard Edwards Kazuo Tokito, Piccolo Liu Kuokman Anna Marie Ahn Petersen Assistant Conductor Piasecki Family Chair Oboes Charles Dutoit David Nicastro Richard Woodhams, Principal Conductor Laureate Burchard Tang Samuel S. Fels Chair Che-Hung Chen Peter Smith, Associate Principal First Violins Rachel Ku Jonathan Blumenfeld David Kim, Concertmaster Marvin Moon* Edwin Tuttle Chair Dr. Benjamin Rush Chair Elizabeth Starr Masoudnia, English Juliette Kang, First Associate Cellos Horn Concertmaster Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Joanne T. Greenspun Chair Joseph and Marie Field Chair Albert and Mildred Switky Chair Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster Yumi Kendall, Acting Associate Clarinets Marc Rovetti, Assistant Principal Ricardo Morales, Principal Concertmaster Wendy and Derek Pew Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Herbert Light Foundation Chair Chair Larry A. Grika Chair John Koen, Acting Assistant Samuel Caviezel, Associate Barbara Govatos Principal Principal Wilson H. and Barbara B. Taylor Richard Harlow Sarah and Frank Coulson Chair Chair Gloria dePasquale Paul R. Demers, Bass Clarinet Jonathan Beiler Orton P. and Noël S. Jackson Peter M. Joseph and Susan Hirono Oka Chair Rittenhouse Joseph Chair Richard Amoroso Kathryn Picht Read Robert and Lynne Pollack Chair Winifred and Samuel Mayes Bassoons Yayoi Numazawa Chair Daniel Matsukawa, Principal Jason DePue Robert Cafaro Richard M. Klein Chair Lisa-Beth Lambert Volunteer Committees Chair Mark Gigliotti, Co-Principal Jennifer Haas Ohad Bar-David Angela Anderson Smith Miyo Curnow Catherine R. and Anthony A. Holly Blake, Contrabassoon Elina Kalendarova Clifton Chair Daniel Han Derek Barnes Horns Yiying Li Mollie and Frank Slattery Chair Jennifer Montone, Principal Alex Veltman Gray Charitable Trust Chair Second Violins Jeffrey Lang, Associate Principal Kimberly Fisher, Principal Basses Daniel Williams Peter A. Benoliel Chair Harold Robinson, Principal Jeffry Kirschen Paul Roby, Associate Principal Carole and Emilio Gravagno Denise Tryon Sandra and David Marshall Chair Chair Shelley Showers Dara Morales, Assistant Principal Michael Shahan, Associate Anne M. Buxton Chair Principal Trumpets Philip Kates Joseph Conyers, Assistant David Bilger, Principal Mitchell and Hilarie Morgan Principal Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest Family Foundation Chair John Hood Chair Booker Rowe Henry G. Scott Jeffrey Curnow, Associate Davyd Booth David Fay Principal Paul Arnold Duane Rosengard Gary and Ruthanne Schlarbaum Lorraine and David Popowich Chair Robert Kesselman Chair Yumi Ninomiya Scott Anthony Prisk Dmitri Levin Some members of the string Robert W. Earley Boris Balter sections voluntarily rotate William Polk seating on a periodic basis. Amy Oshiro-Morales ROSTER CONTINUES ON PG. 10 10 The Philadelphia Orchestra 2014–2015 Season Trombones Percussion Librarians Nitzan Haroz, Principal Christopher Deviney, Principal Robert M. Grossman, Principal Neubauer Family Foundation Mrs. Francis W. De Serio Chair Steven K. Glanzmann Chair Anthony Orlando, Associate Matthew Vaughn, Co-Principal Principal Stage Personnel Eric Carlson Ann R. and Harold A. Sorgenti Edward Barnes, Manager Blair Bollinger, Bass Trombone Chair James J. Sweeney, Jr. Drs. Bong and Mi Wha Lee Chair Angela Zator Nelson James P. Barnes Tuba Piano and Celesta Carol Jantsch, Principal Kiyoko Takeuti *On leave Lyn and George M. Ross Chair **Regularly engaged musician Keyboards Timpani Davyd Booth Don S. Liuzzi, Principal Michael Stairs, Organ** Dwight