2 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA WELCOME PAGE Welcome To The Sixteenth Annual

WHAT’S INSIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF | 4 NCMF FOUNDING MEMBERS | 5 2019 NCMF MUSICIANS | 6 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES | 7 December 26, 2019 - January 1, 2020 DECEMBER 26 THE CALIDORE QUARTET WITH Sponsored by: CLIVE GREENSMITH | 16 DECEMBER 27 BASICALLY BAROQUE | 18 SOARING STRINGS | 22 DECEMBER 28 THREE’S COMPANY | 26 CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS | 28 DECEMBER 29 A FRENCH FEAST FOR THE SENSES— DINNER & CONCERT | 30 DECEMBER 30 NCMF PRESENTS: WINDSYNC IN RECITAL | 34 CHAMBER RARITIES | 36 DECEMBER 31 NEW YEAR’S SAMPLER | 38 JANUARY 1 Renaissance Reno Hotel FESTIVAL FINALE | 42 Steinway Piano Gallery Stuart Murtland Photography Tanglewood Productions Bill Pearce Motors

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RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Amy Booth STAFF Jennifer Smith Kay Dean Thom Mayes, President William Douglass Executive Director Gail McAllister John Tozzi Jane Nichols Erica Schmitt, Vice President Lloyd Rogers Director of Administration Judith Simpson Cleta Dillard Karen Stout-Gardner Joseph Peterson, Second Vice President Holly Walton-Buchanan Artistic Planning & Operations Manager Fred Jakolat MUSICIAN REPRESENTATIVES Secretary Peter Adlish Dustin Budish, Caryn Neidhold Personnel Manager Tasha Reisz Carol Laube Treasurer Sophie Ralston, Marketing & Graphic Design Mark MacDonald Past President Korona Phelps, Bookkeeper

Stuart Murtland, Audio/Visual & Operations Support

Reno Chamber Orchestra This project is funded, in part, by a grant from 925 Riverside Drive, Suite 5 Reno, NV 89503 Phone (775) 348-9413 the Nevada Arts Council, Email: [email protected] a state agency, and www.RenoChamberOrchestra.org the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Member of the

These concerts have been made possible, in part, by the support of

The mission of the Reno Chamber Orchestra is to create intimate, inspirational musical experiences by engaging the community through vibrant music-making by the Chamber Orchestra and chamber ensembles. Superb Music. Shared Experience. Enriched Lives.

4 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA NCMF FOUNDING MEMBERS

Edna and Bruno Benna Marilyn Hadley Nancy and Jack Rose Peggy and Bruce Bossie International Game Technology St. Rose of Lima Church Yvonne and Allan Brady Jeane Jones Vera Stern Jill Brandin and Durian Pingree Walter Katai Timkin-Sturgis Foundation Madeleine Chiappero KUNR University of Nevada, Reno Davidson Institute for Talent Bobbi and Dale Lazzarone Sue and Dieter von Hennig Development The Mary Bremer Foundation Washoe Medical Center Gail and Bill Dawson Meadowood Mall Wells Fargo Nancy and Barry Downs Reno Gazette-Journal Jill M. Winter EstiponaVialpando Partners Reno Hilton Christine and John Worthington Great Basin Internet Services Heidemarie Rochlin

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 5 FESTIVAL ARTISTS & ENSEMBLES

CLIVE GREENSMITH MARTIN CHALIFOUR MARINA ROZNITOVSKY OSTER Artistic Director Concertmaster, Harp Professor UNR Former Cellist, Los Angeles Philharmonic and TMCC Tokyo String Quartet; Principle Harpist, Faculty, The Colburn School OLIVER HERBERT Reno Chamber Orchestra Internationally acclaimed Principle Harpist, DMITRI ATAPINE soloist and chamber musician Reno Philharmonic Cellist, Artistic Director, Prize winner at the Witold Ribadesella Chamber Music Lutoslawski International BLAKE POULIOT Festival and Apex Concerts Cello Competition Internationally acclaimed soloist DUSTIN BUDISH CHAD HOOPES Juno Award nominee Principal Violist, Avery Fisher Career Reno Chamber Orchestra, Grant recipient IAN PRITCHARD Reno Philharmonic 1st Prize at the Internationally renowned Competition harpsichordist and early music BRIAN (CHE-YEN) CHEN (Junior Division) specialist Violist, Faculty at the Colburn School, Founding Member of the CHIZUKO ISHIKAWA Los Angeles Formosa Quartet Soloist and Chamber Musician Los Angeles and London STEVEN VANHAUWAERT YA-FEI CHUANG Pianist, Internationally-acclaimed KRISTIN LEE Felici Piano Trio, Pianist; Avery Fisher Career Chamber Music Unbound Faculty member, Grant recipient Boston University; Prize winner at the Walter WINDSYNC Steinway Artist Naumberg Competition First Prize, Fischoff Competition SCOTT FAULKNER PETER LENZ Prize winner, Principal Bassist, Principal Cello, M Prize Competition Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic Reno Philharmonic JAMES WINN Professor and Argenta Trio CALIDORE STRING QUARTET RUTH LENZ member, UNR Avery Fischer Career Concertmaster, Former Solo Pianist, Grant recipient Reno Chamber Orchestra, New York City Ballet Quartet in Residence at Reno Philharmonic Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program Grand Prize: M-Prize Competition, Fischoff Competition

6 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2019 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES CLIVE GREENSMITH DMITRI ATAPINE (ARTISITC DIRECTOR (CELLO) AND CELLO) mitri Atapine has been rom 1999 until its final season Ddescribed as a cellist with Fin 2013, Clive Greensmith was “brilliant technical chops” a member of the world-renowned (Gramophone), whose playing is Tokyo String Quartet, with performances “highly impressive throughout” (The Strad). He has including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, appeared on some of the world’s foremost stages, London’s South Bank, Paris Chatelet, Berlin including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Philharmonie, Vienna Musikverein, and Suntory the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, the Hall in Tokyo. He has collaborated with Andras National Auditorium of Spain, and many more. Schiff, Pinchas Zukerman, Leon Fleisher, Lynn An avid chamber musician, he frequently performs Harrell, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Alicia de Larrocha, with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln and Emanuel Ax. Center and is an alum of The Bowers Program. He is an habitual guest at leading festivals, including Mr. Greensmith has given guest performances Music@Menlo, Chamber Music Northwest, La at North American festivals including Aspen, Musica Sarasota, Pacific, Aldeburgh, Aix-en- Marlboro, Music@Menlo, La Jolla SummerFest, Provence, to name but a few. His performances Santa Fe, Cleveland Chamber Fest, and Ravinia have been broadcast nationally in the U.S., Europe, and is a regular guest of the Chamber Music and Asia, including a PBS television special. His Society of Lincoln Center. Internationally he many awards include the first prize at the Carlos has appeared at the Salzburg, Edinburgh, Pacific Prieto Cello Competition, as well as top honors at and the Hong Kong Arts Festivals. As a soloist, the Premio Vittorio Gui and Plowman chamber Clive has performed with the London Symphony competitions. He has collaborated with such Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul distinguished musicians as Cho-Liang Lin, Paul Philharmonic, and the RAI Orchestra of Rome Neubauer, Ani and Ida Kavafian, Wu Han, Bruno among others. Giuranna, and David Shifrin. His recordings, among them a critically acclaimed world premiere Mr. Greensmith has built up a catalog of of Lowell Liebermann’s complete works for cello landmark recordings, most notably The Complete and piano, can be found on the Naxos, Albany, Beethoven Quartets for Harmonia Mundi and MSR, Urtext Digital, Blue Griffin, and Bridge Mozart’s ‘Prussian’ Quartets with the Tokyo String record labels. Mr. Atapine holds a doctorate from Quartet, Brahms Cello Sonatas with Boris Berman the Yale School of Music, where he was a student for Biddulph Recordings, and Clarinet Trios of Aldo Parisot. Professor of cello and Department of Beethoven and Brahms with Jon Nakamatsu of Music Chair at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Jon Manasse for Harmonia Mundi. Toccata Mr. Atapine is the artistic co-director of Apex Classics will soon release a live recording of his Concerts and Ribadesella Chamber Music Festival, world premiere performance of the Pal Hermann and the co-director of Young Performers Program Cello Concerto with Theodore Kuchar and the at Music@Menlo. Lviv International Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Atapine’s appearance is made possible Formerly the principal cellist of London’s Royal by a generous donation from Pat & Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Greensmith is a Mark MacDonald. founding member of the Montrose Trio with Jon Kimura Parker, and Martin Beaver. In 2013, Mr. DUSTIN BUDISH Greensmith joined the faculty at the Colburn (VIOLA) School. In July, he succeeded Günther Pichler as director of string chamber music at the Accademia ustin Budish is the Acting Chigiana International Festival and Summer DPrincipal Violist of the Reno Academy in Siena. Chamber Orchestra, where he Mr. Greensmith’s appearance is made possible also serves as Personnel Manager, by a generous donation from Bill Douglass. and Principal Violist of the Reno Philharmonic.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 7 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES

A native of Reno, after graduating from the combined with his passion in education, Chen’s Washoe County School District, he went on expertise in these areas has led him to embark on to study at Oberlin College and the Cleveland Formosa Quartet’s cofounding of the Formosa Institute with Jeffrey Irvine for which he received Chamber Music Festival in Taiwan. It is the first his Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance intensive chamber music training program of its and then received his MM with honors at the kind in this island country. Currently, Formosa New England Conservatory with Martha Katz. Quartet serves as the quartet-in-residence with the While in school, Mr. Budish was a founding National Youth Orchestra Canada and the newly member of the Mephisto Quartet, which worked inaugurated Taipei Music Academy and Festival. with and performed alongside members of the As a former member of Lincoln Center Chamber Cavani, Tokyo, Vermeer, and Cleveland Quartets, Music Society’s Bowers Program and a participant and received the Russell Award at the Coleman of the Marlboro Festival, Chen’s other chamber Chamber Music Competition in 2001. He has music projects include Camera Lucida and The performed at the Ravinia, Norfolk, and Cactus Myriad Trio. He has given masterclass across Pear Music Festivals, and in 2005 was invited North America and Asia and had served on the to Israel to perform with Maxim Vengerov’s faculty of the University of Southern California Mozart Project with the Verbier Festival Chamber until 2019. Chen joined UCLA Orchestra. As a member of the New World School of Music as the professor of viola in 2018 Symphony, Mr. Budish was featured as soloist as the school celebrates its formal establishment as with the orchestra as a winner of the annual UCLA’s 12th professional school. concerto competition. He is a member of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and is also a regular Mr. Chen’s appearance is made possible by a substitute with the San Francisco Symphony. generous donation from Mary & John Tozzi. Mr. Budish’s appearance is made possible by a YA-FEI CHUANG generous donation from Cecilia Lee. (PIANO)

CHE-YEN CHEN lfred Brendel has praised (VIOLA) AYa-Fei Chuang as “a pianist of extraordinary ability, ward-winning violist Che-Yen intelligence, sensitivity and AChen is a founding member command…approaching the height of her of the Formosa Quartet. Upon powers.” Commenting on her newly released winning the First-Prize in the Chopin/Liszt double CD, he stated, “If you want 2003 Primrose International Viola Competition, to listen to Chopin and Liszt with different ears, Chen and his quartet won the Grand-Prize of Ya-Fei Chuang’s ecstatic performances cannot the 2006 London International String Quartet leave you cold, and her pianism is staggering;” and Competition. San Diego Union-Tribune described Remy Franck called it “...masterful...thrilling... him as an artist who finds “not just the subtle phenomenal” (Classical Music Journal, Luxembourg). emotion, but the humanity hidden in the music.” Chen has recorded on EMI, Delos, New World Ms. Chuang has performed with orchestras in Records, and Aeolian Classics. His recording Berlin, Boston, Birmingham, Israel, Malaysia, with the Formosa Quartet, From Hungary to and Tokyo; at the Berlin Philharmonie and Taiwan, released by Bridge Records, was named Schauspielhaus, the Gewandhaus (Leipzig), “The Best Classical Releases of January 2019” by Queen Elisabeth Hall (London), Boston’s New York Public Radio WQXR. As an orchestral Symphony Hall, the National Concert Hall musician, Chen served as principal violist of the (Taipei), and Suntory Hall (Tokyo). More recent San Diego Symphony and Mainly Mozart Festival appearances include New York, San Francisco, Orchestra. He has appeared as guest principal Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Hong Kong, Taiwan, with Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and at the International Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Grieg Piano Competition in Norway. She has National Arts Centre Orchestra, and Toronto performed at the Verbier, Shannon and Oregon Symphony Orchestra. As an active performer Bach Festivals, the Mozartwoche (Salzburg), of solo, chamber and orchestral repertoire, the Mozart Festival (Romania), Beethoven Festival (Warsaw), European Music Festival

8 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES

(Stuttgart), Bach Festival (Leipzig), Schleswig- named a National Arts Associate by Sigma Alpha Holstein, Gilmore, Newport, Ravinia, Sarasota, Iota International Music Fraternity. Faulkner Tanglewood, the Taiwan Maestro Piano Festival, plays a 1735 Hornsteiner-Mittenwald bass, and and the Taipei International Music Festival. She is married to Reno musical legend Andrea Lenz. has performed in the Celebrity Series in Boston, the Fromm Foundation concerts at Harvard, the Mr. Faulkner’s appearance is made possible Harvard Musical Association, the International by a generous donation from Trudy Larson & Music Sessions in Prussia Cove, England, and with Ron Luschar and Jim & Mary Ann Kidder. the New York Philomusica. CALIDORE Ya-Fei Chuang has recorded for ECM, Harmonia Mundi, Le Palais des Dégustateurs, Naxos, and STRING QUARTET New York Philomusica Records. Fanfare Magazine hailed her live recording of the Mendelssohn First he Calidore String Concerto for its “delicacy and fluidity of touch TQuartet has been ...this version now sits at the top of the pile of praised by The New Mendelssohn Firsts, alongside Perahia, [Rudolf] York Times for its Serkin, and John Ogdon.”; and her recording of “deep reserves of virtuosity and irrepressible Hindemith chamber works was awarded a special dramatic instinct” and the Los Angeles Times prize by the International Record Review. Upcoming for its balance of “intellect and expression.” CD releases include the complete piano solo works The Washington Post has said that “Four more by Ravel for Le Palais des Dégustateurs. individual musicians are unimaginable, yet these speak, breathe, think and feel as one.” Ms. Chuang’s appearance is made possible Gramophone called the quartet “the epitome of by a generous donation from Barbara and confidence and finesse.” Robert Fox. Recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists, SCOTT FAULKNER the Calidore String Quartet are winners of the (BASS) Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, and a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist. Founded at the cott Faulkner is principal Colburn School, The quartet has won grand prizes Sbassist of the Reno in the M-Prize Chamber, Fischoff, Coleman, Philharmonic, and acting Chesapeake, and Yellow Springs competitions, and principal bassist of the Reno it captured top prizes at the ARD International Chamber Orchestra. In addition to playing in Music Competition and the International the Nevada Chamber Music Festival, he performs Chamber Music Competition Hamburg. regularly at La Musica Chamber Music Festival in Sarasota (FL) and Unbound Chamber Music Highlights have included Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Festival in Mammoth (CA). He has worked with Hall, the Kennedy Center, Konzerthaus Berlin, the likes of Bruno Giuranna, Antonio Meneses, Seoul’s Kumho Art Hall, and at the BBC Edgar Meyer, Leonard Nimoy, Luciano Pavarotti, Proms, Verbier, Ravinia, Mostly Mozart, and and Itzhak Perlman. From 2001 to 2015 he Music@Menlo festivals. Their performances was executive director of the Reno Chamber have been broadcast on NPR, BBC, CBC, Orchestra, and in that capacity, helped found Korean Broadcasting System, and German the Nevada Chamber Music Festival. Faulkner is national television. very active in the League of American Orchestras. A past League board member, he currently is They have given world premieres of by Caroline associate director of the League’s Essentials of Shaw, Anna Clyne, Hannah Lash, Mark- Orchestra Management seminar, and teaches Anthony Turnage, and Benjamin Dean Taylor. on behalf of the League around the country. Its collaborations include Jean-Yves Thibaudet, He authored the entry on Reno for the Grove Joshua Bell, David Shifrin, Inon Barnatan, David Dictionary of American Music, writes a monthly Finckel, Wu Han, Paul Neubauer, and Paul column for the Reno Gazette-Journal, and has been Watkins, Emerson Quartet and Quatuor Ébène.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 9 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES The Calidore is in Residence at the Universities OLIVER HERBERT of Delaware and Toronto and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program. (CELLO) It has conducted master classes at Princeton, ellist Oliver Herbert is quickly Stanford, the University of Michigan, Stony Brook building a reputation as an University, and UCLA. C artist with a distinct voice and (Dec 26-28) Calidore String Quartet’s individual style—“From his appearance is made possible by a generous opening notes it was immediately apparent that donation from Gail & Jack McAllister and Herbert has a very vocal approach to his playing Jennifer Smith & John Thayer. and regardless of the technical demands he makes his cello sing.” Oliver’s recent appearances include debuts with the San Francisco Symphony, Chicago MARTIN CHALIFOUR Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, (VIOLIN) Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, and the San Francisco Symphony Soundbox, among others. artin Chalifour has held the Oliver has worked with renowned conductors Mprestigious post of Principal such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Juanjo Mena, and Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Yannick Nézet-Séguin. As a chamber musician, Philharmonic since 1995. He Oliver has performed with Shmuel Ashkenasi, also is currently a professor at the University of Franklin Cohen, Pamela Frank, Miriam Fried, Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. Nobuko Imai, Meng-Chieh Liu and frequently The recipient of various grants and awards in his collaborates with pianist Xiaohui Yang. Oliver native Canada, he graduated with honors from the has been invited to participate in the Caramoor Montreal Conservatory at the age of 18, and then Festival, ChamberFest Cleveland, Krzyżowa moved to Philadelphia to pursue studies at the Music, Music in the Vineyards, and the Open Curtis Institute of Music. In 1986, Mr. Chalifour Chamber Music at IMS Prussia Cove. As a fellow received a Certificate of Honor at the Tchaikovsky at the Ravinia Festival, Oliver was also invited to Competition in Moscow and was a laureate of the perform on a tour with renowned violinist Miriam Montreal International Competition the following Fried, the festival’s director. He has also appeared year. Since then he has concertized extensively, on NPR’s From the Top. Oliver’s competition playing hundreds of concerto performances awards include a top prize and special prize in in a repertoire of more than fifty works under the XI Witold Lutoslawski International Cello conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit Competition in 2018, first prize and and Christoph Eschenbach. Mr. Chalifour is a prize in the 2015 Irving M. Klein International frequent guest at other music festivals, including String Competition, top prize in the 2015 Stulberg the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego, the International String Competition and the Prix Sarasota Music Festival, and the Orcas Island Jean-Nicolas Firmenich at the Verbier Festival. Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Chalifour began Oliver is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of his orchestral career as Associate Concertmaster Music. His teachers include Carter Brey, Peter of the Atlanta Symphony in 1984. Subsequently Wiley and Clive Greensmith. he occupied the same position for five years in The Cleveland Orchestra where he also served as Mr. Herbert’s appearance is made possible by Acting Concertmaster. a generous donation from Judith Strasser & Les Cohen. (Dec 27-28) Mr. Chalifour’s appearance is made possible by a generous donation from Lillian & Stephen Frank. CHAD HOOPES (VIOLIN)

cclaimed by critics worldwide Afor his “jaw-dropping virtuosity” and magnificent tone, American violinist Chad Hoopes remains one of the most consistent and versatile

10 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES violinists of his generation. The Washington Post CHIZUKO ISHIKAWA has praised his wide-ranging repertoire and projects as “assured and vivid [… with a] gift for (VIOLA) dramatic pacing and a distinctive, convincing hizuko Ishikawa began her sense of poetry [...] [A] sense of lyricism, gripping musical studies at the age dramatic flow and intellectual depth…” C of 3 and graduated from the As part of the Beethoven 250-year celebrations in Toho Gakuen School of Music the 2019-2020 Season, Hoopes will collaborate in Tokyo. She went on to pursue graduate studies with Carnegie Hall in a performance and lecture at the University of Massachusetts and the Royal of a Beethoven Sonata at Columbia University. College of Music in London. During her time Other highlights of the present season include a in London, Ms Ishikawa enjoyed diverse and tour of China with performances with the China successful career as a soloist, chamber musician Philharmonic and the Guangzhou Symphony and educator. She has worked with an extensive Orchestra. He will additionally make his Chinese array of orchestras and ensembles such as the recital debut in Chongqing at Philharmonic English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Hall. Other recent debuts include with The the Age of Enlightenment, the Royal Philharmonic Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, and Orchestra, the London Classical Players, the New l’Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. London Consort, and the King's Consort. He has performed with leading orchestras (Dec 27) Ms. Ishikawa’s appearance is made including the San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Houston possible by a generous donation from a friend and National Symphony, as well as Minnesota of the RCO. Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Hoopes frequently performs with the Chamber Music KRISTIN LEE Society of Lincoln Center both on their national (VIOLIN) and international tours and at Alice Tully Hall. Hooes has performed recitals at the Ravinia recipient of the 2015 Avery Festival, the Tonhalle Zürich, the Louvre, the AFisher Career Grant, as well Kennedy Center, and at Lincoln Center’s Great as a top prizewinner of the Performers series in New York City. 2012 Walter W. Naumburg Competition and the Astral Artists’ 2010 National His debut recording with the MDR Leipzig Radio Auditions, Kristin Lee is a violinist of remarkable Symphony Orchestra under Kristjan Järvi featured versatility and impeccable technique who enjoys the Mendelssohn and Adams concertos and was a vibrant career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber enthusiastically received by both press and public. musician, and educator. The Strad reports, His recording of Bernstein’s Violin Sonata with “She seems entirely comfortable with stylistic pianist Wayne Marshall was released last autumn. diversity, which is one criterion that separates the run-of-the-mill instrumentalists from true Born in Florida, Hoopes began his violin studies artists.” Lee has appeared as soloist with The at the age of three in Minneapolis, and continued Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, St. his training at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, He studied at the Kronberg Academy under the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Ural Philharmonic guidance of Professor Ana Chumachenco, who of Russia, Korean Broadcasting Symphony, remains his mentor. Hoopes is a 2017 recipient Guiyang Symphony Orchestra of China, Orquesta of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and won first Sinfonica Nacional of Dominican Republic, and prize at the Yehudi Menuhin International many others. She has performed at Carnegie Violin Competition. Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Kennedy Center, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, the Metropolitan He plays the 1991 Samuel Zygmuntowicz, ex Isaac Museum of Art, the Ravinia Festival, the Louvre Stern violin. Museum in Paris, Washington, D.C.’s Phillips Collection, and Korea’s Kumho Art Gallery. An Mr. Hoopes’ appearance is made possible by a accomplished chamber musician, Kristin Lee is a generous donation from Jill Winter and Nancy member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Rose, in memory of Jack Rose. Center, performing at Lincoln Center in New York

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 11 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES and on tour with CMS throughout each season. (Dec 31-Jan 1) Mr. Lenz’s appearance is made Lee holds a Master’s degree from The Juilliard possible by a generous donation from Cleta School. She is a member of the faculty of the Aaron Dillard and Jim Mitchell. Copland School of Music at Queens College and the co-­founder and artistic director of Emerald RUTH LENZ City Music in Seattle, Washington. For more (VIOLIN) information, visit www.violinistkristinlee.com.

Ms. Lee’s appearance is made possible by a uth Lenz is concertmaster of generous donation from Judith Simpson. Rthe Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Reno Philharmonic. She performs as recitalist, PETER LENZ chamber musician, soloist and concertmaster in (CELLO) venues throughout the United States. She has shared the stage with such notable performers as native of Reno, Nevada, Itzhak Perlman, Edgar Meyer, Luciano Pavarotti APeter Lenz began his musical and . In addition to the Nevada studies at the age of 6 with a Chamber Music Festival, Ruth has participated course in piano performance and in the Telluride Chamber Music Festival, CO; musical notation. He began playing cello at the Kammermusiktage (Germany); Mayshad Festival age of 10. Peter studied with Geoff Rutkowski, (Morocco); La Musica, FL; Sunriver, OR; Classical Louis Richmond, Bill Konney, and his brother, Tahoe, NV; Festival Napa, CA; and Spoleto John Lenz. Festival USA, SC. Ruth began her violin studies with her mother at age 2, earned her Bachelor’s Peter began his professional music career at and Master’s degrees from the University of the age of 13, when he became a member of Nevada, Reno studying with Phillip Ruder, and the cello section of the Nevada Opera Orchestra. her Doctorate from the University of Illinois He joined the Reno Chamber Orchestra in 1976, at Champaign/Urbana where she studied with and became principal cellist in 1983. He also was Sherban Lupu and Danwen Jiang. In addition to awarded the principal cello position with the Reno performing, Dr. Lenz has a passion for teaching Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982. In addition, and maintains a large studio of violin and chamber Peter has performed as principal cellist with the music students. In her free time, she is an avid Las Vegas Philharmonic, and as a soloist with equestrian and outdoor enthusiast. Ruth Lenz the Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic plays a Simone Fernando Sacconi violin. and other regional orchestras. Dr. Lenz’s appearance is made possible by a Hailing from an extensive family of musicians, generous donation from Heidemarie Rochlin. Peter frequently performs as a chamber musician in public and private with family members and MARINA ROZNITOVSKY others. He has performed with Bella Hristova, James Buswell, Phillip Ruder, Molly Carr, Dustin OSTER (HARP) Budish, Wendy Warner, and James Winn. Peter has shared the stage with Leonard Nimoy, Frank native of Ukraine and raised in Sinatra, Natalie Cole, , Loretta Lynn, AIsrael, Marina started musical The Captain and Tennille, Dean Martin, Edgar training at the age of 5. She Meyer, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Luciano focused on the harp at the age Pavarotti, and Itzhak Perlman. of 12, giving her first concerto performance just a year later. She has performed with professional In addition to his pursuit of music, Peter holds orchestras in Europe and in the U.S., and some B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mining Engineering of her performances were broadcast on national from the Mackay School of Mines, University Israeli and U.S. television and radio. She studied of Nevada - Reno, and is a Licensed Professional with several world-known harpists and received Engineer in the State of Nevada. He is senior her three degrees in Harp Performance from research consultant with US Silica. Indiana University, under distinguished professor Susann McDonald. She is currently teaching at

12 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES the University of Nevada Reno and operates Pouliot performs on the 1729 Guarneri del Gesù, a large private studio. Marina is the principal on generous loan from the Canada Council for the harpist with the Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Arts Musical Instrument Bank as First Laureate of Reno Philharmonic. both their 2018 and 2015 Competition.

(Dec 27, Jan 1) Ms. Oster’s appearance is made Mr. Pouliot’s appearance is made possible possible by a generous donation from Steve by a generous donation from Holly Walton- and Kathie Jenkins. Buchanan & Kel Buchanan. BLAKE POULIOT IAN PRITCHARD (VIOLIN) (HARPSICHORD)

iolinist Blake Pouliot has been an Pritchard is a specialist in Vpraised by the Toronto Star as, Ihistorical keyboard practices. “one of those special talents that As a continuo player he has comes along once in a lifetime.” performed with many leading Highlights of the 2019-20 season include early music ensembles, such as the Academy debuts with the Atlanta, Sarasota and Madison of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age symphonies and as soloist for the tour of the of Enlightenment, and Florilegium. He has European Union Youth Orchestra and National collaborated with leading figures in early Youth Orchestra of Canada. music, including Monica Huggett, Elizabeth Blumenstock, Christopher Hogwood, and The 2018-19 season included his debuts with Rachel Podger, among others. Ian has won prizes the Detroit, Dallas, Milwaukee, San Francisco, in the Broadwood Harpsichord Competition, and Seattle symphonies, dazzling audiences by London (first prize), the P. Bernardi Competition “[surging] onstage in rock star pants…[presenting] in Bologna, and in the Bruges Competition. Brahms as a of great passion. It was Earning his Bachelor’s in Music from the Oberlin compellingly – indeed, irresistibly – done.” (The Conservatory, Ohio in 1999, from 2000-2002 Dallas Morning News) Pouliot’s debut album he studied at the Royal Academy of Music, (Analekta Records) earned a five-star rating from London, earning the prestigious DipRam award; BBC Music Magazine and a 2019 Juno Award in 2007 he returned to Los Angeles, where he nomination. In addition, Pouliot won both the appears frequently with many of the leading local Career Development Award from the Women’s ensembles. He has also performed as a concerto Club of Toronto and the Virginia Parker Prize soloist with the L.A. Chamber Orchestra. Ian from the Canada Arts Council. recently received his PhD in musicology from USC; his interests include keyboard music of the Pouliot has twice been featured on CBC’s “30 Hot late Renaissance and early Baroque improvisation, Canadian Classical Musicians under 30.” He’s also notation, compositional process, and performance hosted CBC’s This is my Music, was featured on practice. In 2003-2004 Ian was awarded a Rob Kapilow’s What Makes it Great? series, and Fulbright Scholarship to Italy, where he conducted was the 2017-2018 NPR’s Performance Today research on early Italian keyboard music. He is a Artist-in-Residence. founding member and current music director of the ensemble Tesserae, and is a full-time faculty Pouliot has regularly performed with the member of the Colburn Conservatory of Music. orchestras of Calgary, Edmonton, Pacific, In 2015 Ian was elected an Associate of the Royal Toronto, Vancouver, National Arts Center and Academy of Music. internationally, with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestra of the Americas. He has (Dec 27) Mr. Pritchard’s appearance is made collaborated with conductors such as Sir Neville possible by a generous donation from Marilyn Marriner, Pablo Heras Casado, Nicolas McGegan, and Darrell Craig. Brett Mitchell, Vasily Petrenko, Alexander Shelley, and Hugh Wolff.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 13 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES STEVEN VANHAUWAERT WINDSYNC (PIANO) indSync is a wind ailed by the Los Angeles Times Wquintet featuring Hfor his ‘impressive clarity, young soloists from sense of structure and monster across North America. technique’, Steven Vanhauwaert The group eliminates has garnered a wide array of accolades, amongst the “fourth wall” which was the First Prize at the Los Angeles between musicians and audience by performing International Liszt Competition. Mr. Vanhauwaert from memory, creating an intimate connection. In has made his solo debut at Walt Disney Concert 2018, they were named finalists in the prestigious Hall in Los Angeles performing the world M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition, and are premiere of Fratello, by Magnus Lindberg. He recent winners of the Concert Artists Guild and appeared as a soloist at the National Center of the Fischoff national competitions. WindSync has Performing Arts in Beijing, the Shanghai Oriental appeared in recital at the Met Museum, the Library Arts Center, the Concertgebouw in Brugge, the of Congress, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, and Great Hall of the Budapest Liszt Conservatory, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. During 2019, the Forbidden City Theatre in Beijing, Segerstrom they were named to the touring roster of the Hall, and the National Philharmonic Hall in Kiev. Texas Commission on the Arts. WindSync’s 2019- He has appeared with orchestras including the 2020 season features performances at Ravinia, Pacific Symphony, the Lviv Philharmonic, the the Cliburn Sessions, and Zilkha Hall as well Sofia Sinfonietta, the Flemish Symphony and the as residencies at the University of Texas and the Kyiv Kamerata. Eastman School of Music. Their themes include space travel, Puerto Rican folklife, and indie rock, Recent albums such as Joseph Woelfl: The Paris with the world premiere of a new work by Erberk Years (Sonarti Records) and Pensées Intimes Eryılmaz leading to the creation of an ambisonic (Hortus Records) were included in the Top virtual reality performance video. 10 award on the Belgian radio and received a 5 diapasons rating in France. His album Dispersion WindSync’s educational programming includes (Hortus Records) featuring works by Hindemith, concerts for children in partnership with the Hobby Vierne, Casella, Schulhoff and a world premiere Center’s sensory friendly series and with the Rice recording by Belgian composer Raymond University Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance. Moulaert, received rave reviews in Germany, They have been featured in educational concerts France, Holland, the UK and the U.S. presented by the Seattle Symphony, Midland Symphony, and Orli Shaham’s “Baby Got Bach”. Mr. Vanhauwaert is a Steinway Artist. More info The members of WindSync have led master classes at www.stevenpiano.com. at New World Symphony, Texas Music Festival, and Northwestern University, and has also served as Mr. Vanhauwaert’s appearance is made possible ensemble-in-residence for Adelphi University, the by a generous donation from Jim and Chamber Music Festival of Lexington (KY), and Jane Nichols. the Grand Teton Music Festival.

(Dec 30-Jan 1) WindSync’s appearance is made possible by a generous donation from Ann Wood and Kay & Randall Dean.

14 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2019 NCMF MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES JAMES WINN the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Speculum, the Group for Contemporary Music, (PIANO) Cactus Pear Chamber Music Festival, La Musica International Chamber Music Festival, and ames Winn, piano and Bargemusic. Well-known as a specialist in new composition professor at the J music, he has been involved in numerous world University of Nevada, Reno premieres and premiere recordings by many since 1997, made his professional renowned , among them 13 Pulitzer debut with the Denver Symphony at the age Prize winners. He is currently a member of of thirteen, and has been performing widely in Argenta, UNR’s resident piano trio, a founding North America, Europe, and Asia ever since. member and regular participant in the Nevada With his duo-piano partner, Cameron Grant, he Chamber Music Festival, and performs regularly was a recipient of the top prize given in the two- in recital with internationally acclaimed New York piano category of the 1980 Munich Competition based violinist Rolf Schulte. An active recording (Musical America wrote about the team, “Not artist, Winn is featured in more than four dozen since Josef and Rosina Lhevinne regaled us CDs as soloist, chamber musician, and composer. in the thirties have we heard such technical He has received numerous career recognitions prowess paired with such genuine musical including an Artist Fellowship from the Nevada values”). Dr. Winn has been a solo pianist with State Council of the Arts and the Governor’s the New York City Ballet, a member of the Award for Excellence in the Arts. New York New Music Ensemble, of Hexagon (woodwind quintet plus piano), and the pianist Mr. Winn’s appearance is made possible by a and resident composer of the Telluride Chamber generous donation from Fred & Kathy Jakolat Music Festival, as well as a frequent guest with and CJ Walters.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 15 PROGRAM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019 7:00 P.M. NCMF Presents: ST. JOHN’S PRESBYTERIAN The Calidore Quartet with Clive Greensmith

SHAW Three Essays BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 4 in C min. Op. 18/4 Allegro ma non tanto Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto Menuetto: Allegretto Allegro – Prestissimo

INTERMISSION

SCHUBERT String Quintet in C maj., Op. posth. 163 Allegro ma non troppo Adagio Scherzo. Presto – Trio. Andante sostenuto Allegretto

JEFFREY MYERS, violin RYAN MEEHAN, violin JEREMY BERRY, viola ESTELLE CHOI, cello CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello

16 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES SHAW main melodic material. More scherzo-like, in fact, is the third movement, actually called Minuet, the Three Essays darkest, most brooding and intense music in the (2016/2018, 20 minutes) work. For the finale, Beethoven borrows a little of the Hungarian character of some of his teacher Franz long with being the youngest composer ever to Josef Haydn’s final movements. There is constant receive a Pulitzer Prize (at thirty, for her Partita A movement between major and minor keys, and only for 8 Voices), Caroline Shaw is a violinist and singer. toward the end does the music make a true move Her works have been performed by the American toward the major. Contemporary Music Ensemble and Roomful of Teeth (with whom she regularly performs) as well as So Percussion and the Brentano String Quartet. She SCHUBERT has collaborated with Kanye West, and appeared in String Quintet in C major, D. 956 the series Mozart in the Jungle. (1828, 50 minutes) In 2018, a number of institutions, including the BBC chubert’s final chamber work, the String Quintet, and Chamber Music Northwest, co-commissioned Swas completed just two months before his death. Shaw to write two works, Second Essay: Echo and Benjamin Britten has written that “the richest and Third Essay: Ruby. They have since been grouped with most productive eighteen months in music history” the First Essay: Nimrod she wrote two years earlier for were Schubert’s last eighteen, during which he the Calidore Quartet. The three have been described as composed, along with the Quintet, the “Great” “meditations on communication: written and spoken C major Symphony, the last three piano sonatas, language, social media and political discourse, even the songs of Die Winterreise and Schwanengesang, computer programming language.” Echo refers to the and more. Mozart and Beethoven, two of Schubert’s “echo” function in the PHP programming language, favorite composers, had also written string quintets and Ruby is named both for the gemstone and the in the key of C major. But they added, as most programming language. Nimrod began, according to composers have, a second viola to the standard string Shaw, with the voice of “one of my favorite authors, quartet. Schubert chose instead to add a second cello, Marilynne Robinson…The piece begins with a gentle giving the work a unique richness of texture. lilt, like Robinson herself speaking, but soon begins to fray as the familiar harmony unravels into tumbling Large in scale, accounting for nearly 40% of the fragments and unexpected repetitive tunnels.” work’s total length, the first movement opens with a long crescendo on a C major chord. Then, as Martin BEETHOVEN Chusig writes, Schubert “presents his harmonies— rather than a memorable, well-contoured melody— String Quartet in C minor, Op. 18/4 without a regular rhythmic pulse,” in music of great (1798-1800, 24 minutes) beauty. The music gains momentum, leading to a second theme, a duet for the two cellos. That latter aving moved to Vienna in 1792, Beethoven theme also opens the central development section, spent his first years there becoming acquainted H which moves through diverse keys and harmonies. with the city’s musical establishment. This included In a ternary ABA form, the slow second movement performing at the home of Prince Joseph František opens and closes tranquilly as the second violin, viola, Maximilian Lobkowicz, who commissioned the and first cello play a lovely, lyrical theme. In between, Op. 18 Quartets. Before starting them, Beethoven the music grows stormy. made a study of the music of Mozart and Haydn, and the six Op. 18 quartets were particularly influenced by The rollicking third movement Scherzo, almost Haydn’s works in the genre. The C minor Quartet, the orchestral in breadth, employs the low open strings last of Op. 18 to be written, possibly includes material of the instruments to create a rich sound. The from sketches Beethoven made years earlier in Bonn. energetic outer sections frame a more restrained Trio, introduced by the viola and second cello. Alternating The opening movement contains more than a hint major and minor modes, the final movement has of the tragic and dramatic qualities that the key of a lively Hungarian flavor. As James Nicholas has C minor often brought out in Beethoven’s music. written of the String Quintet, “Mystical, visionary, A restless opening theme sets the tone, even when unfathomable, it is intoxicatingly, sensuously the music turns lyrical with the related second theme. beautiful and frighteningly grim, with one foot in Oddly, the second movement, although moderate in Hades and the other in Paradise.” tempo, is marked “scherzoso” and feels like a minuet, with a polyphonic, fugue-like development of the Program Notes by Chris Morrison

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 17 PROGRAM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019 3:00 P.M. Basically Baroque TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL CORELLI Christmas Concerto (Concerto Grosso in G min.), Op. 6/8 Vivace-Grave Allegro Adagio – Allegro – Adagio Vivace Allegro Largo (Pastorale)

BACH Ich ruf’ zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ BACH Sonata for Viola da Gamba No. 2 in D maj.

INTERMISSION

HANDEL Harp Concerto in B♭ maj., Op. 4/6 Andante-Allegro Larghetto Allegro moderato

MARTIN CHALIFOUR, violin BACH RUTH LENZ, violin Violin Partita No. 3 in E maj. Preludio OLIVER HERBERT, cello Gavotte en Rondeau Menuets (I and II) IAN PRITCHARD, harpsichord Gigue CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello VIVALDI ESTELLE CHOI, cello Concerto for Four in B min., Op. 3/10 MARINA ROZNITOVSKY OSTER, harp JEFFREY MYERS, violin RYAN MEEHAN, violin DUSTIN BUDISH, viola KRISTIN LEE, violin CHAD HOOPES, violin BLAKE POULIOT, violin PROGRAM NOTES CORELLI BACH Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6/8 Viola da gamba Sonata in D major, “Christmas Concerto” BWV 1028 (c. 1740, 14 minutes) (1714, 14 minutes) lthough the date of their composition is still rcangelo Corelli was born near Bologna, in a Aargued, Bach’s three sonatas for viola da gamba, Aregion of many great instrument makers like a six-stringed instrument not unlike the modern . By 1675 he had moved to Rome, cello, were likely composed in the late 1730s or where he spent the rest of his life as a famous teacher, early 1740s, while Bach served as Cantor of the violinist, and composer of sonatas and concertos. School of St. Thomas in Leipzig. They may have His twelve Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 were published been written for performance at the concerts of in 1714, the year after his death. For the G minor the Collegium Musicum that Bach led weekly at Concerto from that set, inscribed “Fatto per la the Café Zimmermann. The D major Sonata’s slow notte di Natale” (Made for the night of Christmas), first movement opens with the viola da gamba Corelli’s starting point is the sonata da chiesa or introducing a song-like phrase that is repeated church sonata, with movements in the sequence by the harpsichord. After opening the lively slow-fast-slow-fast. After aggressive opening chords, second movement together, the two instruments the first movement proceeds solemnly. The more continue to echo one another in the later half of aggressive second movement highlights the contrast the movement. The third movement has the gentle of the concertante group, two violins and cello, and rhythm of a siciliano, and it is followed by a joyful, the orchestra. The third movement frames a more virtuoso finale in 6/8 time. energetic central section with slow music, and the fourth has a gentle lilt. To these four movements, BACH Corelli adds a fifth, opening with faster music that introduces a slow, lovely Pastorale that evokes the Partita No. 3 in E major for Solo Christmas music of the Italian pifferari, shepherds Violin, BWV 1006, mvts. 1, 3, 4, 6 who played the bagpipe and reed pipe (piffero) at (c. 1720, 12 minutes) nativity scenes. ach’s six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are Bgenerally regarded as among the greatest music BACH ever written for the instrument, exploiting a Ich ruf’ zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ dazzling range of tone colors, textures, and moods, frequently creating the illusion of two, three, even BWV 639 (1708-17, 3 minutes) four simultaneous melodic lines. As one critic his short chorale prelude, drawn from the has written, “To the violinist they are a complete TOrgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book), BWV world of beauty, and a training ground whereon his 599−644, a collection of 45 pieces composed by powers may always be proved and tested.” Perhaps Bach during his years serving as organist in the court the most famous section of the Partita No. 3 is at Weimar, shares its name with one of Bach’s church the opening Preludio, a stream of sixteenth notes cantatas (BWV 177). The title translates as “I call that provides an exciting showcase for the violinist. to You, Lord Jesus Christ,” and the text, by Johann The tuneful Gavotte en Rondeau third movement Agricola (1494-1566), is a prayer calling on Jesus alternates a folk music-like tune with other episodes. to “hear my complaint” and “let me not despair!” Although they both make use of double and triple stops (playing two or three strings at once), the two Minuets of the fourth movement are quite different: the first courtly and stately, the second, with its drone, more rustic in flavor. A sprightly Gigue brings the work to a lively conclusion.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 19 PROGRAM NOTES VIVALDI concertos for four violins, the Concerto in B minor —which also has a prominent role for solo cello— Concerto for 4 violins in B minor, opens with a lively movement setting off the soloists, RV 580, Op. 3/10 who unusually open the work, and the orchestra. In (1711, 10 minutes) the second movement, the arpeggios of the soloists contrast with chords from the orchestra. An agitated ivaldi’s first set of concertos, the twelve of central section brings to mind the “Winter” Concerto VOp. 3 titled “L’estro armonico” (The Inspiration of from Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons. A dance-like triple Harmony), were probably composed for performance meter propels the final Allegro forward, as do some in the Ospedale della Pietà, the school for orphaned virtuoso gymnastics from the soloists. and abandoned girls where Vivaldi taught. They proved to be so popular that within months of Program Notes by Chris Morrison their appearance they were published in Amsterdam and elsewhere, becoming Vivaldi’s first music to be printed outside of Italy. One of the composer’s few

20 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

PROGRAM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019 7:00 P.M. Soaring Strings TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL BIBER Battalia à 10 PROKOFIEV Sonata for Two Violins in C maj., Op. 56

CLARKE Morpheus RAVEL Violin Sonata No. 2 in G maj. Allegretto Blues: Moderato Perpetuum mobile: Allegro

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DVOŘÁK MARTIN CHALIFOUR, violin Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 81 Allegro, ma non tanto RUTH LENZ, violin Dumka: Andante con moto Scherzo (Furiant): molto vivace KRISTIN LEE, violin Finale: Allegro. BRIAN CHEN, viola DUSTIN BUDISH, viola JEREMY BERRY, viola CHIZUKO ISHIKAWA, viola CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello SCOTT FAULKNER, bass IAN PRITCHARD, harpsichord JEFFREY MYERS, violin RYAN MEEHAN, violin YAFEI CHUANG, piano CHAD HOOPES, violin JAMES WINN, piano STEVEN VANHAUWAERT, piano BLAKE POULIOT, violin PROGRAM NOTES BIBER CLARKE Battalia à 10, C. 61 Morpheus (1917, 7 minutes) (1673, 12 minutes) omposer and violist Rebecca Clarke was the first ell before famous musical depictions of warfare Cfemale member of the Queen’s Hall Orchestra, Wby Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev and one of Britain’s first female professional came Biber’s Battalia, possibly composed for a orchestral players. Subsequently she performed carnival pantomime. The opening Sonata employs as a solo violist and in chamber ensembles. pizzicati and col legno (using the wood rather Clarke gave the premiere of Morpheus in New than string side of the bow) to imitate soldiers’ York City in early 1918; self-conscious about the footsteps. In “The Lusty Society of Common sexism with which her career had been met, she Humor,” troops have gathered in their campsites. initially identified its composer as Anthony Trent. Eight different songs—Czech, German, Slovak, Clarke’s piece is ethereal and gentle, creating an Italian—are heard at once, in seven different atmosphere appropriate to Morpheus, a Greek god keys. After a short Presto comes “Mars,” where a associated with sleep and dreams. drum-like rattle from the low strings (produced by placing a piece of paper within the strings) RAVEL accompanies a violin suggestive of a military fife. The galloping Presto is followed by an Aria, a Violin Sonata in G major prayer by the soldiers before the fight. Then comes (1923-27, 18 minutes) the “Battle,” in which cannon fire is imitated by avel apparently believed that the violin and “Bartók pizzicati,” where the string is plucked Rpiano aren’t particularly compatible, and one forcefully enough to snap against the finger can sense this tension in the first movement of his board. Battalia concludes with the “Lament of Sonata: the music is mostly lyrical, but there is an the Wounded Musketeers.” edge to some of the melodies, and an independence in the paths the two instruments take. The jazz PROKOFIEV influence that underlies much of this work comes to the fore in the second movement, “Blues.” The Sonata for 2 Violins in C major, year after he completed this Sonata, Ravel visited Op. 56 (1932, 15 minutes) America, where he commented “To my mind, the ritten during a working vacation near St. ‘blues’ is one of your greatest musical assets, truly WTropez, the Sonata for 2 Violins is laid American despite earlier contributory influences out in the form of a Baroque sonata da chiesa, from Africa and Spain…While I adopted this with four movements in alternating slow-fast- popular form of your music, I venture to say that slow-fast tempos. The first movement is lyrical nevertheless it is French music, Ravel’s music, but occasionally dissonant, with one violin that I have written.” The Sonata concludes with a introducing a theme similar to the one that opens brilliant Perpetuum mobile. the composer’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The second violin picks it up, and the two develop it and a second theme contrapuntally. More angular is the second movement, in which both violins expand on an urgent theme with dramatic pizzicati. In the lyrical third movement, mutes are optional. The lively Finale has an almost frenetic edge. After a short reminiscence of the first movement’s main theme, the work ends in a blaze of virtuosity.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 23 PROGRAM NOTES DVOŘÁK key music and the darker minor key explorations continues throughout the first movement. The Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81 second movement is a Dumka, a ballad or lament (1887, 40 minutes) featuring several sections with clearly contrasting arly in his career, Dvořák composed a Piano moods. Czech folk music also provides the basis EQuintet in A major, Op. 5. Unhappy with it, for the third movement Furiant, a dance in which Dvořák didn’t bother to have it published. But by the rhythm changes quickly. Opening with a the late 1880s, when he was one of the best-known string of eighth notes over syncopation from composers of the day and there was a considerable the piano, the Finale is lively and exuberant, demand for his music, he thought about revisiting with a contrapuntal passage at its center, and a Op. 5 and getting it published. In the end, rather chorale at its end. Paul Stefan sums up: “Several than revising the old work, he set about writing an of his best friends have maintained that this entirely new Quintet in the same key, completing Quintet provides a virtually lifelike portrait of it in October 1887. Dvořák: his joy in nature and his love of melody, his feeling of communion with the world, his The cello opens the Quintet with a well-known quickly changing moods.” melody over piano arpeggios. After this, the composer moves quickly into the minor mode, Program Notes by Chris Morrison and the tension between the charming major

24 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

PROGRAM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2019 3:00 P.M. Three’s Company UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST RACHMANINOV Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G min.

SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Trio No. 2 in E min. Op. 67 I. Andante II. Allegro con brio III. Largo IV. Allegretto

BRAHMS Piano Trio No. 2 in C maj., Op. 87 Allegro moderato Andante con moto Scherzo: Presto Finale: Allegro giocoso

CHAD HOOPES, violin OLIVER HERBERT, cello YAFEI CHUANG, piano KRISTIN LEE, violin DMITRI ATAPINE, cello STEVEN VANHAUWAERT, piano MARTIN CHALIFOUR, violin CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello JAMES WINN, piano

26 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES RACHMANINOV A canon—with the cello playing harmonics at the top of its range, echoed by the violin, then the piano Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G minor in its lowest register—opens the first movement, (1892, 15 minutes) and this imitative writing continues throughout the movement. The second movement is a bitter, waltz- achmaninov wrote his Trio élégiaque No. 1 in just like episode, its humor clearly of an ironic variety. four days in January 1892—the nineteen-year-old R Chords from the piano open the third movement had just graduated in the piano class at the Moscow Largo, a lament which develops into a passacaglia, Conservatory, and was in the midst of completing the the chords acting as the basis for a set of six variations. opera Aleko that would be his graduation assignment In the dark, sometimes macabre fourth movement, and which would win him the Conservatory’s the dance-like Jewish melodic idea mentioned above Gold Medal. A second Trio élégiaque emerged the is contrasted with a march and a third, scale-like following year, Rachmaninov’s response to the death theme. The work ends with a return of the chordal of Tchaikovsky. theme from the third movement, in an only slightly n a single movement sonata form, the Trio No. 1 more comforting major key. In this work, Dmitri Ibegins with a melody played by the piano, with Rabinovich writes, “the mocking executioner and quiet, spare accompaniment from the strings. Later, the defenseless victim merge into one musical image.” the other two instruments take up the theme before the piano introduces a second subject. Like the Trio BRAHMS élégiaque No. 2, the first Trio has a connection with Tchaikovsky, particularly in its opening theme, which Piano Trio in C major, Op. 87 alludes to the famous opening of Tchaikovsky’s Piano (1880-82, 30 minutes) Concerto No. 1 (the first four notes of the theme s was the case with his first piano trio (Op. 8), are, in reverse and in minor, the same as those of ABrahms had trouble in bringing the Trio, Op. 87 Tchaikovsky’s concerto), and in its conclusion, a to final form. The first movement was done in early funeral march like the one that closes Tchaikovsky’s 1880, but the rest of the work came slowly and Trio in A minor. Rachmaninov’s funeral march is a was not completed until the summer of 1882. variation of the Trio’s opening theme, in octaves on Whatever problems he may have encountered in its the strings, leading to the piano chords that bring the composition, he was quite pleased with the result, work to a close. writing his publisher, “You have not yet had such a beautiful trio from me and very likely have not SHOSTAKOVICH published its equal in the last ten years.” His friend Clara Schumann also found Op. 87 to be “a splendid Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 work” and “a great musical treat.” (1943-44, 28 minutes) Interestingly, all four movements begin with the violin orld War II provides the context for Shostakovich’s and cello playing in octaves. The noble stride of the Trio No. 2, which the composer started in W first movement’s opening theme contrasts with the December 1943 and completed the following year. warm, lyrical second theme. Stormy, passionate music The work is in part a lament for Shostakovich’s dominates as the main themes are developed, leading musicologist friend Ivan Sollertinsky, who had been to a muscular coda. The passionate main theme of the shown many of the early sketches for the Trio and second movement, which becomes the basis of five who was killed by the Nazis in February 1944. Also variations, evinces Brahms’s great love of Hungarian mourned in the Trio are the victims of the Holocaust music. The agitation of a couple of its variations —in the fourth and final movement, Shostakovich returns in the third movement; fancifully described makes one of his many uses of the scales and sounds by one critic as representing “the troubled dreams of of Jewish music. Audience members at the Trio’s one who…has sought distraction in Grimm’s German premiere on November 14, 1944 (with the composer Mythology, and nodding asleep, is attacked by imps, at the piano, along with members of the Beethoven trolls, nixies, and all the minute genii who infest fire, Quartet, violinist Dmitri Tsyganov and cellist Sergei air, earth and water.” The work ends with a playful Shirinsky) wept openly, and the closing movement but purposeful Finale which, save for one songful had to be played a second time. interlude, maintains its momentum to the end.

Program Notes by Chris Morrison

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 27 PROGRAM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2019 7:00 P.M. Classical Connections UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST HAYDN String Quartet in F maj. Op. 50/5 “The Dream” Allegro moderato Poco adagio Tempo di Menuetto: Allegretto Finale: Vivace

BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata No. 3 in A maj., Op. 69 Allegro ma non tanto Scherzo. Allegro molto Adagio cantabile – Allegro vivace

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SCHUBERT Moments musicaux, D. 780 MOZART String Quintet No. 6 in E♭ maj. Allegro di molto Andante Menuetto: Allegretto Allegro

RUTH LENZ, violin BLAKE POULIOT, violin BRIAN CHEN, viola DMITRI ATAPINE, cello OLIVER HERBERT, cello JAMES WINN, piano YAFEI CHUANG, piano CHAD HOOPES, violin DUSTIN BUDISH, viola CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello

28 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES HAYDN SCHUBERT String Quartet in F major, Op. 50/5, Moments musicaux, D. 780 Hob. III/48 “The Dream” (1823-28, 2-7 minutes each) (1787, 22 minutes) hese six short piano pieces were designed to meet he Opus 50 Quartets were dedicated to King Tthe ever-growing need among Vienna’s musical TFrederick William II of Prussia, an amateur cellist, public for music that could be played at home. hence the set’s nickname of “Prussian” Quartets. The Schubert’s publisher gave the works their collective first movement of Op. 50/5 begins with a duet for title, misspelling it as “Momens musicals” when they the violins. Viola and cello soon join the conversation, appeared in 1828, the year of Schubert’s death. Each as all four share in the energetic passagework. First of the six is a dance. No. 1 is a minuet with harmonic violin takes the lead in the slow second movement. changes that for some calls Chopin to mind. No. 2 The music’s full textures and gentle, undulating is slower and intense, with the rolling rhythm of a motion later gave the Quartet its nickname, “Der sicilienne. The publisher titled the short, playful third Traum” or “The Dream.” In the Minuet, the same piece “Air Russe.” It shares a minor key with No. 4, basic melody is used for the outer sections and for with its moderate tempo and restless, syncopated the central trio, which moves briefly into a minor key rhythms. By contrast, No. 5 is lively and emphatic. and features all four instruments playing in unison. With No. 6, Schubert returns to the minuet rhythm Near the end, some imitative passages between the of No. 1, but this time in a minor key. two violins disrupts the dance rhythm. The jubilant Finale is in 6/8 time and employs una corda effects, MOZART sliding between notes on a single string. String Quintet in E-flat major, K. 614 BEETHOVEN (1791, 28 minutes) Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 69 s with his other five string quintets, Mozart adds Aan extra viola to the standard string quartet in (1808, 27 minutes) K. 614, his last major chamber work. The first edition he A major Cello Sonata was dedicated to Baron of K. 614, published the year after Mozart’s death TIgnaz von Gleichenstein, a cellist friend who along with its companion quintet, K. 593, was handled Beethoven’s business matters. The dedication inscribed “Composto per un Amatore Ongharese” copy of the score carries a curious motto, “Inter (Composed for a Hungarian Enthusiast). Who this Lacrimas et Luctum” (Amid Tears and Sorrow). These “Amatore” was is still an open question, although a words don’t particularly apply to the contents of the leading candidate would seem to be Johann Tost, Sonata, a lyrical but not especially melancholy work. a violinist-turned-businessman who had played in Perhaps we are getting a glimpse into Beethoven’s Franz Josef Haydn’s orchestra in Esterháza. own state of mind at the time, or perhaps there is some hidden meaning to the motto known only to The first movement opens with a hunting horn-like the composer and the Baron. phrase in the violas, answered by a descending idea in the violins. These ideas and a quiet, intimate third are The first movement opens with a thoughtful cello elaborated on in music that is mostly contrapuntal in melody that moves quickly into more assertive music. texture and extroverted in character. The slow second The second theme is structured like the first, a lyrical movement, a graceful, courtly dance, focuses on the opening that turn energetic. These ideas, broken into opening theme, which subsequently appears in four parts, are developed further as the music proceeds. In variations encompassing a variety of styles. In the the second movement, cello and piano trade parts of a Menuetto, the merry outer music frames a central syncopated melody. The music relaxes as it proceeds, section with an E-flat drone in the bass, in the manner with a songlike central section featuring a drone in of a folk dance. Lively and boisterous, the fourth the bass and some of Beethoven’s typically dramatic movement is full of humorous turns. In the middle, dynamic contrasts. What passes for the Sonata’s slow a sort of contrapuntal argument breaks out among movement is a gentle Adagio cantabile that continues the five instruments, but this is just a brief interlude for but eighteen bars before the music picks up steam. before the music flies forward to its witty conclusion. The remainder of the movement is outgoing and energetic, a workout for both instrumentalists, closing Program Notes by Chris Morrison the work on what one commentator calls “a note of noble jubilation.”

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 29 PROGRAM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019 5:00 P.M. A French Feast for the Senses— RENAISSANCE HOTEL Dinner & Concert

RAVEL Tzigane RAVEL Sonata for Violin & Cello Allegro Très vif Lent Vif

SAINT-SAËNS Piano Trio No. 1 in F maj., Op. 18 Allegro vivace Andante Scherzo Allegro

FAURÉ Piano Quartet No. 1 in C min. Op. 15 Allegro molto moderato Scherzo, Allegro vivo Adagio Allegro molto

BLAKE POULIOT, violin STEVEN VANHAUWAERT, piano CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello RUTH LENZ, violin DMITRI ATAPINE, cello JAMES WINN, piano KRISTIN LEE, violin DUSTIN BUDISH, viola OLIVER HERBERT, cello YAFEI CHUANG, piano

30 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES RAVEL was a well-traveled piano and organ virtuoso, and he took inspiration from contemporaries like Berlioz Tzigane (1922-24, 10 minutes) and Liszt and earlier composers like Mendelssohn The concert rhapsody Tzigane was inspired by the fiery and Schumann in writing symphonies and chamber playing of Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi, great- works. The lively first movement of the Trio No. 1 niece of the legendary Joseph Joachim. The name of is based on two themes: the first a dance-like idea the piece is derived from the French-European term heard first in the cello, then in the violin and piano for “gypsy,” although Ravel doesn’t incorporate any —this tune and its rhythm become the basis of the authentic gypsy melodies in his composition. Ravel central development section—and the second a later orchestrated the piano part (the latter, by the more lyrical melody. The subsequent Andante begins way, included an optional luthéal, an attachment mysteriously and moves into a more flowing theme that allowed the piano to produce unusual tone played by the strings over the restrained piano. After colors, including one reminiscent of the Hungarian the cello takes over and the music becomes more cimbalom). Tzigane opens with an extended violin animated, the piano has a short solo before a reprise solo, which incorporates a tune that becomes the of the movement’s opening. The lively, rhythmically work’s main theme. Eventually the piano enters with intricate Scherzo moves into a sparkling Finale full of its own brief solo. Some fiery phrases from the violin, virtuoso writing for all three instruments, particularly and a short transition of tremolos and trills, leads the piano. into the main body of the work. That main theme makes several further appearances. Eventually a wild FAURÉ moto perpetuo breaks out, featuring left hand pizzicato notes from the violin. The tempo speeds and slows Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 15 and speeds again for the whirlwind finale. (1876-79, 32 minutes) The creation in 1871 of the Société Nationale du RAVEL Musique (National Music Society) to perform works Sonata for Violin and Cello by young French composers encouraged Fauré to write some of his first masterpieces. These included (1920-22, 20 minutes) the First Violin Sonata, the Ballade for solo piano, At the time of this composition, Ravel had recently and the first of his two Piano Quartets, which was undergone a number of trials, including the death given its premiere at a National Music Society concert of his mother and health problems associated with on February 11, 1880. Despite its public success, his work as a truck driver during World War I. By Fauré decided that he wasn’t quite satisfied with the this time his music, much of which is known for its Quartet and revisited it in 1883, making several lushness of sound and its innovative, often modal smaller changes in scoring and entirely rewriting the harmonies, was becoming more austere. Of this final movement. Sonata, Ravel wrote that “the music is stripped down to the bone; the allure of harmony is rejected and The first movement combines robust forward increasingly there is a return of emphasis on melody.” momentum and a relaxed lyricism, with the Much of the Sonata is based on two melodies that harmonic and textural richness familiar from later appear early in the flowing first movement: the first Fauré compositions. With its swirling motion and alternates between major and minor modes, and the frequent string pizzicati, the second movement, a second, which appears even more often throughout kind of perpetuum mobile that combines elements of the work’s four movements, is based on the interval waltz and march, evokes the great eighteenth century of the seventh. Pizzicati, or plucked strings, announce French harpsichord masters like Rameau and the the short, fiery second movement. The funereal tone Couperins, François and Louis (whose music was of the Lent third movement builds to an intense starting to emerge from decades of obscurity during climax, but its dark mood is energetically dispelled this time). Many feel the slow third movement—at in the assertive finale. times solemn, at others serene, always underlain by deep emotion—to be the highlight of the Quartet. The passion that is constantly threatening to erupt SAINT-SAËNS there actually does so in the grand final movement, Trio No. 1 in F major, Op. 18 with its swells of dynamics and colors, which brings (1863, 26 minutes) the Quartet to a powerful close. Saint-Saëns wrote his Trio No. 1 at a time when opera Program Notes by Chris Morrison was the rage in France and few French composers were writing instrumental music. But Saint-Saëns

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019 3:00 P.M. NCMF Presents: Windsync in Recital UNR’S HALL RECITAL HALL BEETHOVEN Quintet in E♭ maj. Op. 4 (arr. Rechtman) MELLITS Apollo OFFENBACH Ballet of the Snowflakes from Le Voyage dans la lune

GARRETT HUDSON, flute EMILY TSAI, oboe JULIAN HERNANDEZ, clarinet KARA LAMOURE, bassoon ANNI HOCHHALTER, horn

34 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES BEETHOVEN OFFENBACH String Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 4 Ballet of the Snowflakes from (1795, 30 minutes) Le voyage dans la lune his for winds of Beethoven’s early (1875, 20 minutes) TString Quintet in E-flat major brings the work acques Offenbach was a German-French composer full circle, in that the Quintet started life as a work Jand cellist who is mostly remembered today for his for winds. Beethoven completed his Octet in E-flat nearly 100 operas and operettas, written at a rapid major, Op. 103 (for pairs of oboes, clarinets, bassoons pace from the 1850s through the 1870s. His first and French horns) in 1792, right before he moved full-length operetta, Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in to Vienna from his hometown of Bonn. A couple the Underworld), continues to be among his most of years later, Beethoven returned to the Octet and oft-heard works, but works like La belle Hélène rearranged it for string quintet—pairs of violins and (1864) and La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (1867) violas with a single cello. Pieces for wind ensemble are still performed. in those days tended to be lighthearted, designed to accompany entertainments or meals. In executing One of his stranger works is Le voyage dans la lune this new arrangement for strings, Beethoven made (A Trip to the Moon), based loosely on Jules Verne’s several changes, adding new melodies and expansions novel From the Earth to the Moon. It was a huge, of the existing ones, resulting in a somewhat more expensive stage spectacle that included a massive gun substantial composition. to send the characters to the moon and a volcanic eruption in the fourth act. At the Boston Public The first movement is in sonata form; the exposition Library’s website, Rebecca Hunt summarizes the and recapitulation of the melodies were both expanded unusual plot: “The story involves Prince Caprice, slightly when Beethoven made the move from a young man who wishes to go to the moon. The winds to strings. The same happened in the second kingdom’s greatest scholar, Microscope, devises a way movement, a slow movement in 6/8 time that plays for an artillery shell holding the prince, his father the instruments off of one another. After a Menuetto King V’lan, and Microscope to be shot from a cannon with some humorous passages and flirtations with and land on the moon. When there, the prince falls minor keys, the fast-paced Finale alternates solo in love with the Princess Fantasia, a sélénite (moon passages with some for the full ensemble. person). The princess is unable to return his love, for love does not exist on the moon except as a MELLITS disease. This all changes when Prince Fantasia tastes the apple that Prince Caprice is eating, and she falls Apollo (2019, 19 minutes) immediately in love with him. Hijinks ensue.” arc Mellits is one of the most-performed living Mcomposers in the United States. His official At the end of the opera’s fourteenth scene, winter biography describes his musical style as “an eclectic quickly descends on the Moon and the temperature combination of driving rhythms, soaring lyricism, falls to fifty below zero. This sets the stage for the and colorful orchestrations that all combine to fifteenth scene, the Ballet of the Snowflakes, which communicate directly with the listener.” His music has takes place in a snowstorm and features, along been commissioned and played by major ensembles with an Overture and dances like a Polka and around the world, and over fifty of his works have Mazurka, pieces with titles like “The Snowman” and been recorded. He is currently Associate Professor of “The Lively Snowflakes.” Music at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Program Notes by Chris Morrison His woodwind quintet Apollo was commissioned by WindSync to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing in July 1969. The work received its premiere at Ravinia in Chicago in February 2019. Apollo takes the form of a series of seven short movements, culminating in the “Moonwalk” itself. In an interview with the New Orleans Advocate, WindSync’s bassoonist Kara LaMoure described the work: “It’s minimalistic, cinematic and the tonality is very accessible. There’s even some moments that are kind of funky, kind of fun. We can’t help but dance when we play it.”

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019 7:00 P.M. Chamber Rarities UNR’S HALL RECITAL HALL MOZART Oboe Quartet in F maj. Allegro Adagio Rondeau: Allegro

BRAHMS Clarinet Trio in A min., Op. 114 Allegro Adagio Andantino grazioso — Trio Allegro

INTERMISSION

THUILLE Sextet in B♭ maj., Op. 6 Allegro moderato Larghetto (E♭ major) Gavotte. Andante, quasi Allegretto (G minor) Finale. Molto vivace

EMILY TSAI, oboe CHAD HOOPES, violin BRIAN CHEN, violin DMITRI ATAPINE, cello JULIAN HERNANDEZ, clarinet OLIVER HERBERT, cello YAFEI CHUANG, piano GARRETT HUDSON, flute KARA LAMOURE, bassoon ANNI HOCHHALTER, horn STEVEN VANHAUWAERT, piano

36 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PROGRAM NOTES MOZART of the Trio’s first movement arises out of a rising arpeggio and complementary descending scale, out Oboe Quartet in F major, K. of which some complex counterpoint develops. The 370/368b (1781, 15 minutes) feeling is largely elegiac, sometimes restless. Switching to a brighter D major, the peaceful second movement n 1780, Mozart traveled to Munich for a visit with is based on two main themes but is really a continuous Elector Karl Theodor, who had commissioned I outpouring of melody. The outer portions of the third Mozart’s opera Idomeneo. While there, Mozart movement are a nostalgic waltz, framing another renewed his friendship with Friedrich Ramm, the dance, a Ländler, which includes a clarinet line that oboist in Munich’s orchestra. Ramm was a celebrated might remind some of yodeling. The fourth movement virtuoso, and Mozart wrote his Quartet for oboe, is short and exciting, alternating 2/4 and 6/8 time violin, viola, and cello as a showpiece for him. signatures in one of Brahms’s virtuoso Hungarian- The oboe presents the main theme in the opening flavored finales. Allegro, a lovely, decorative idea that the strings soon imitate. This leads to a second melody in which the THUILLE violin takes the lead, with the oboe circling around its tune. Contrapuntal textures dominate as the music Sextet for piano and winds in B-flat progresses, focusing on the opening theme but also major, Op.6 (1886-88, 26 minutes) introducing other ideas. D minor is the key for the udwig Thuille was born in the Italian town of intense Adagio, in which the plaintive qualities of LBolzano. Showing an early talent for music, Thuille the oboe’s tone are highlighted. More lighthearted was sent to Innsbruck for further instruction. There is the concluding Rondo, in which a playful melody he met the young Richard Strauss, and the two from the oboe, in a dance-like 6/8 meter, repeats amid remained lifelong friends. Thuille later studied at other music. In a famous interlude toward the end, the Bavarian Royal Conservatory in Munich, and the oboe moves to 4/4 time while the strings carry on eventually settled in the city as a composer—largely in 6/8. Eventually, they get things straightened out, of operas and chamber music, although he also wrote and good cheer is maintained. a symphony and many songs and choral works—and teacher at the Royal Music School. Among his many BRAHMS pupils were composer Ernest Bloch and conductor Hermann Abendroth. Thuille was also known for Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114 founding what came to be known as the Munich (1891, 24 minutes) School of composing. ike Mozart before him with Anton Stadler, the Richard Strauss helped to arrange the premiere artistry of a particular clarinetist led Brahms to L performance of the Sextet for piano and wind quintet, compose some of his last masterworks. Richard and thought highly of the piece. Despite the Strauss Mühlfeld (1856-1907) was the principal clarinetist connection, one might well think more of Brahms in of the Meiningen Court Orchestra. Brahms had listening to Thuille’s work. The first movement begins known of Mühlfeld since the 1880s, when the quietly, with solo horn presenting a noble theme, Meiningen Orchestra performed several of Brahms’s accompanied gently by the piano, then echoed by works, including the premiere of the Symphony the other winds. Clarinet, followed by flute and oboe, No. 4. But by late 1890, after the completion of his take up another theme. Both are meditated on in String Quintet No. 2, Brahms felt that he had retired music that remains laid back and bucolic. The horn from composing. In March 1891, he spent a week at also opens the sober, melancholy slow movement. the Meiningen court and was moved and inspired Titled a Gavotte, the third movement is a dance, by Mühlfeld’s playing. By November Brahms had with an extroverted central section. Those high spirits completed the Clarinet Trio and the Clarinet Quintet, carry into the Finale, in which the piano leads things Op. 115, and three years later came the two Op. 120 off over repeated notes from the winds. The horn Clarinet Sonatas. introduces a new tune, and both are developed in Brahms had great affection for Mühlfeld, sometimes the work’s lively conclusion. referring to him as “Fraülein Klarinette” or “Fraülein Program Notes by Chris Morrison Nachtigall” (Nightingale). And while there is often a feeling of melancholy in the Clarinet Trio, there is also pervasive warmth: as Brahms’s friend Eusebius Mandyczewski wrote, “It is as though the instruments were in love with each other.” Practically the entirety

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019 5:00 P.M. New Year’s Sampler UNR’S HALL RECITAL HALL CONNESSON Techno-parade SCHULHOFF Five Pieces for String Quartet Piece 1: Viennese Waltz Piece 2: Serenade Piece 3: Czech folk music Piece 4: Tango Piece 5: Tarantella

PROKOFIEV Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34

INTERMISSION

ROSSINI Duo in D maj. for Cello and Bass GARRETT HUDSON, flute JULIAN HERNANDEZ, clarinet VILLA-LOBOS No. 6– (chôro) STEVEN VANHAUWAERT, piano Bachianas Brasileiras Ária BLAKE POULIOT, violin PIATTI RUTH LENZ, violin Capriccio on a Theme from Pacini’s Niobe, Op. 22 BRIAN CHEN, viola MIRANDA OLIVER HERBERT, cello Recuerdos de Borinquen (arr. WindSync) YAFEI CHUANG, piano CHAD HOOPES, violin KRISTIN LEE, violin DUSTIN BUDISH, viola PETER LENZ, cello CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello SCOTT FAULKNER, bass KARA LAMOURE, bassoon DMITRI ATAPINE, cello EMILY TSAI, oboe ANNI HOCHHALTER, horn PROGRAM NOTES CONNESSON ROSSINI Techno-parade (2002, 5 minutes) Duo in D major for cello and bass uillaume Connesson writes of his Techno-parade: (1824, 15 minutes) G“Two incisive motifs swirl and clink together giving ossini was at the height of his fame as an opera the piece a festive, but also disturbing character. The Rcomposer when he composed this Duo, one of wails of the clarinet and the obsessive patterns of the his rare forays into chamber music. Amateur cellist piano try to replicate the raw energy of techno music. Sir David Salomons commissioned the work for a In the middle of the piece, the pianist and his page- party at which he would perform with the legendary turner chase after the piano rhythms with a brush bass virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti. The Duo’s first and sheets of paper (placed on the strings inside the movement begins in a mock-dramatic fashion before piano), accompanied by the distorted sounds of the settling into a lively rhythm, with playful exchanges flute (rather like the tone of a side drum) and the between the two instruments. The cello opens the glissandi of the clarinet. After this percussive ‘pause,’ Andante with an aria-like melody that is taken up by the three instruments are pulled into a rhythmic the bass. Over a rocking rhythm, the cello opens the trance and the piece ends in a frenzied tempo.” third movement with a jaunty theme. Soon the roles are reversed, and both instruments have a chance to SCHULHOFF shine as the music proceeds on its merry way. Five Pieces for String Quartet (1923, 14 minutes) VILLA-LOBOS fter completing studies at the Prague Conservatory Ária (Chôro) from Bachianas Aand following his service in World War I, Erwin Brasileiras No. 6 (1938, 3 minutes) Schulhoff quickly absorbed most of the important eitor Villa-Lobos was the most important Brazilian musical trends of his day. He found inspiration in Hcomposer of the twentieth century, and one of the the Second Viennese School, was attracted to Dada, most prolific composers of all time, with over 2,000 and wrote a few absurd, anti-establishment works. works to his credit. He composed his nine Bachianas Then, in the early 1920s, Schulhoff encountered Brasileiras between 1930 and 1945, seeking to jazz, and the rhythms of jazz and more popular combine the style of the popular music of Brazil with dance styles started creeping into his music. In the the harmonies and counterpoint of composers like midst of this musical foment, Schulhoff composed his Bach. The sixth of the series, for flute and bassoon, Five Pieces. Opening with a faintly ironic Viennese opens with the Ária (Chôro), in which the winding Waltz, Schulhoff proceeds to a Serenata, an equally phrases are reminiscent both of traditional chôro ironic love song in quintuple meter. Then comes a (music played by Brazilian street bands) and the long wild Czech Dance, followed by a languid Tango and lines of Bach’s music. a rousing concluding Tarantella. PIATTI PROKOFIEV Capriccio on a Theme from Pacini’s Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34 Niobe, Op. 22 (1865, 9 minutes) (1919, 9 minutes) iovanni Pacini (1796-1867) wrote over seventy n 1919, while touring in the United States as a Goperas, now largely forgotten. But the aria “I tuoi Ipianist-composer, Prokofiev was asked by clarinetist frequenti palpiti” (“Your frequent flutterings”) Simeon Bellison to write a chamber work based on from his 1826 opera Niobe proved attractive to Jewish folk themes. He worked quickly, completing Franz Liszt, who wrote a piano fantasy based on an initial sketch of the Overture in a single day and the same theme in the 1830s, and to Alfredo Piatti, completing the entire work in less than two weeks. a composer and well-known virtuoso cellist who Prokofiev admitted that “I had not attached much was friends with Liszt. Piatti’s Capriccio on Pacini’s importance to the Hebrew Overture, but it was theme is a brilliant showpiece. quite a success.” Based on two main melodies—one lively and rhythmic, introduced by the clarinet, and the other more melancholy and songful, first heard in the cello—the Overture evokes the music of the Klezmorim, the itinerant Jewish musicians of Eastern Europe.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 39 PROGRAM NOTES MIRANDA century. “Recuerdos de Borinquen” was written during a period in which Miranda was stationed “Recuerdos de Borinquen” in Panama and feeling nostalgic for his homeland. (1917, 3 minutes) Borinquen is the Taino Indian name for the island of Puerto Rico. Luis Rodríguez Miranda was born in Puerto Rico, and for many years directed the U.S. Army’s 65th Infantry Program Notes by Chris Morrison Regiment Band. He composed a number of danzas, an elegant salon dance developed in the nineteenth

40 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 41 PROGRAM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020 3:00 P.M. Festival Finale TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL DEBUSSY Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp Pastorale. Lento, dolce rubato Interlude. Tempo di minuetto Final. Allegro moderato ma risoluto

MOZART Quintet for Piano and Winds in E♭ maj. Largo - Allegro moderato Larghetto Allegretto

JOHANN STRAUSS JR. Overture to Die Fledermaus for cello sextet VICTORIA, ARR. MARCKX O magnum mysterium SPOHR Nonet in F maj., Op. 31 GARRETT HUDSON, flute Allegro Scherzo: Allegro BRIAN CHEN, viola Adagio Finale: Vivace MARINA ROZNITOVSKY OSTER, harp YAFEI CHUANG, piano EMILY TSAI, oboe JULIAN HERNANDEZ, clarinet KARA LAMOURE, bassoon ANNI HOCHHALTER, horn CLIVE GREENSMITH, cello DMITRI ATAPINE, cello OLIVER HERBERT, cello PETER LENZ, cello JOHN LENZ, cello KRISTIN LEE, violin DUSTIN BUDISH, viola SCOTT FAULKNER, bass PROGRAM NOTES DEBUSSY VICTORIA (ARR. MARCKX) Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp O magnum mysterium (1915, 16 minutes) (1572, 3 minutes) s World War I was getting underway, Debussy omás Luis de Victoria was one of the most Awas already suffering from symptoms of the colon Timportant composers of the Renaissance Counter- cancer that would kill him in 1918. Despite this, in Reformation. An ordained Catholic priest, Victoria 1915 he started on a projected cycle of six sonatas composed 21 masses and 44 motets. One of his for various instruments. That year he completed the most-performed pieces is the Christmas motet Sonata for Cello and Piano and the Sonata for Flute, O magnum mysterium, which sets a serene mood as Viola, and Harp. The third work in the series, the the text describes the wonder that even the animals Sonata for Violin and Piano of 1917, was Debussy’s experienced in seeing the Messiah in his manger. last major composition.

Debussy was unsure of the emotional tenor of the SPOHR Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp, writing that the work Nonet in F major, Op. 31 was “so terribly melancholy that I can’t say whether one (1813, 35 minutes) should laugh or cry. Perhaps both at the same time?” Its opening Pastorale is based on five short melodic ouis Spohr was a violinist, conductor, and composer fragments that pass between the three instruments in Lof hundreds of works including ten operas, ten different combinations. A minuet, the Interlude second symphonies, eighteen violin concertos, and much movement includes two short passages in duple meter chamber music including thirty-six string quartets. that evoke Asian sounds. Pizzicatti from the viola, flute He was also the inventor of the violin chin-rest and argeggios, and a spun-out viola melody are the three the rehearsal letters in orchestral scores. From 1812 to main components of the Finale. Towards its end, the 1814 he served as director of Vienna’s famous Theater tempo slows to recall an idea from the first movement an der Wien. There, Johann Tost, the violinist-turned- before a quick-paced coda. entrepreneur, approached Spohr with a scheme in which Spohr would compose chamber works for a considerable sum, with Tost maintaining exclusive MOZART rights over them for three years. Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Spohr described the origins of what he called the major, K. 452 (1784, 25 minutes) Grand Nonetto: “I asked him [Tost] which art form n 1784, Mozart’s career in Vienna was at its height, he would prefer this time. My artistic patron thought Iand he was at his most prolific. It was a time of for a while and then answered a nonet, written in piano concertos: he wrote six that year, and three concertante style for four string instruments—violin, the following year. In the midst of that, the Quintet viola, cello, and double bass—and the five most noble for piano and winds was completed on March 30, wind instruments—flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and 1784, and premiered two days later. After that first bassoon—in such a way that each instrument would performance, in a letter to his father, Mozart called be heard in accordance with its essential character.” the Quintet “the best thing I have written in my life.” The Quintet inspired Beethoven to write a work for The four-note phrase that opens the first movement the same instruments and in the same key just two in the violin, then the winds, recurs throughout the years later. work, appearing in three of the four movements. In the first movement, the idea becomes the basis of a After a slow introduction, the Allegro moderato first minor key contrapuntal development. The ensuing movement is announced by a theme in the piano that Scherzo features two trio sections, one highlighting is taken up by the winds. That theme later moves the violin in a lighthearted dance, the other focusing into a minor mode. Mozart didn’t indicate the tempo on the winds. The four-note motif recurs again in the for the slow second movement. Its opening theme is warm, full-textured slow movement—which focuses initially played by the winds, and by the piano toward initially on the strings, then on the winds—and is the end. In between, there are some lovely passages hinted at a further time by the oboe in the lively, for the winds accompanied by piano arpeggios. The cheerful Finale. short third movement is a rondo (ABACA), with the A theme played first by the piano by itself and then Program Notes by Chris Morrison by the winds. After a short, cadenza-like passage for all the instruments, a flourish from the piano and wind chords bring the work to a close.

RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 43 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

his program is yours with our compliments, thanks to the businesses whose advertisements are Tincluded and whose services to the RCO are cited throughout the program. Please give our business supporters an opportunity to serve you when you next need their products or services, and be sure to tell them you saw them mentioned in the RCO program! WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR LIFE MEMBERS: THE RCO ALSO EXTENDS ITS THANKS TO: Yvonne and Allen Brady All of the RCO’s great volunteers. Lynn Bremer Tanglewood Productions for making Susan Cadena* our archival recordings. Marsha* and Les Cohen Kathy and Fred Jakolat RCO photographer Stuart Murtland. Cleta and Walter* Dillard David Lan and Focused Computing for Trudy Larson maintaining our office computers. Elizabeth and Gilbert* Lenz Barbara Long* Gary Inouye and MidTown Printing for local Nancy and Jack* Rose printing services. Vera Stern The Reno Philharmonic, for sharing its music and Daryl Dragon stands and other equipment for RCO rehearsals. Sue and Dieter von Hennig Robbi and Jim* Whipp Jill M. Winter *In memoriam

PLANNED GIVING

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44 RENO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA