The Symphony of Southeast Texas 4345 Phelan Blvd, Suite 105 Beaumont, TX 77707 (409) 892-2257

www.sost.org

VOLUME 31, NUMBER 2 October/November 2017 A Marriage of Bach & Beethoven November 11, 2017. Julie Rogers Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Inside this issue: The Symphony of We will then hear Southeast Texas Beethoven’s fiery Seventh Home for the 2 requests the honor of Symphony. Some lovers of Holidays your presence for “A classical music consider Marriage of Bach & the second movement of Maestro’s Notes 3 Beethoven.” Beethoven's Seventh This second classic Symphony to be one of the Soloists 4-5 concert in the series most beautiful pieces of brings us the classical music ever written, and era’s beloved composers was considered by Concerto Com- 6 petition Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven, and is often played as a concert Beethoven himself to be his as well as SOST’s very own piece. finest work. At its première in Pops 2 7 Mauricio Oliveros, Brian We begin with the 1813, the second movement, Shook, Jennifer Isadore, and Brandenburg Concertos, Allegretto, was the most Looking Back 8 Stanley Chyi. by Johann Sebastian popular movement and had to In tonight’s overture, The Bach, which are a collection of be encored. The instant Marriage of Figaro is a comic six instrumental works popularity of the Allegretto Meet our Board 9 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus presented by Bach to Christian resulted in its frequent Member Mozart, with an Italian libretto Luwig, Margrave of Brandenbu performance separate from the Symphony Ball 10 by , based on rg-Schwedt, in 1721. They are complete symphony. Pierre Beaumarchais' 1778 widely regarded as some of the Upcoming 11 stage comedy, Le Mariage de best orchestral compositions of Events Figaro. Beaumarchais' play the Baroque era. was at first banned in Mozart's Tonight’s Second Concerto home city of because is considered one of the most its anti-aristocratic overtones demanding works for clarion were considered dangerous in trumpet, written for a court the decade before the French trumpeter with exceptional revolution. Da Ponte's libretto high note virtuosity. Our omitted the original's political soloists tonight demonstrate the This concert is co-sponsored by references and the opera exceptional talents of our Entergy and the Beaumont became one of Mozart's most orchestra as soloists and Music Commission. The successful works and the ensemble players. artists are sponsored by overture is especially famous Christus Hospital -St. Elizabeth.

1 Start the holidays off right with a festive “This is my favorite time of the year and my tradition that is sure to get you in the holiday favorite concert as it embodies the spirit of the spirit! This Christmas, we present a great way to season, and will bring back memories of celebrate the yuletide season with family and yesteryear Christmas with family and friends at “Home for the Holidays” on Sunday, heartwarming times,” said SOST Music Director Dec. 3 at 3:00 p.m. at the Julie Rogers Theatre in Chelsea Tipton, II. Beaumont. “Home for the Holidays” will be a Immediately following the concert, guests are joyful celebration featuring popular seasonal invited to a reception in the Julie Rogers Theatre songs performed in grand style by the orchestra, Lobby featuring hot chocolate and cookies, that and the SOST welcomes back fan favorite even Santa Clause himself would be proud of! Conner O’Brien for this Christmas concert The holiday concert is not part of the SOST fanfare! season subscription package.Tickets are $25 for O’Brien, who returns to the Symphony, was the adults and $15 for seniors/students. To guest artist in last season’s pops concert “Oh purchase tickets or get more information, go to What a Night.” Conner has a special program of www.sost.org or contact the Symphony office at holiday favorites from Winter Wonderland, The (409) 892-2257. Christmas Song, and many more holiday greats. The evening will even include a holiday carol “Home for the Holidays” is co-sponsored by American Valve & Hydrant and MidSouth Bank. sing-a-long, which is always an audience favorite.

2 6:30 p.m. Pre-Concert Talk Arrive early to the concert on November 11 for a pre-concert talk with Maestro Tipton.

has been going on. It has been group of solo instruments exciting to see the enthusiasm

accompanied by an orchestra. After intermission, we will from the community for the first feature the orchestra in the two concerts of the season. The Beethoven Symphony No. 7. This city and community went through magnificent work puts the a difficult event with the precision and musicality of the hurricane and we all needed SOST on full display. It is always music more than ever for our a pleasure and joy to work with soul. To see the community my colleagues from the orchestra coming out to support our 65th in a solo capacity. season of the SOST shows why the orchestra has been able to As the holiday season nears, I’m thrive in the community so long. looking forward to spending time with friends and family in We have a number of exciting Southeast Texas and North concerts to look forward to in the Carolina. The biggest fun for me, upcoming year. Some future though, is our Home for the musical delights that we have Holidays concert on December 3. coming for our community Maestro’s This year we will be featuring include a phenomenal pianist Conner O’Brien as our vocal Tomoko Kanamaru joining us in soloist for the concert. He is February, the beautiful, lush Notes absolutely amazing to listen to Faure Requiem with our SOST and work with. When he was here chorus, and we are going to be for our Pops concert last season, grooving with the Men of

I can’t believe our second Classic he just wowed everyone, and we Motown with our second Pops concert of the series is upon us! had to have him back. This is a concert. So stay tuned and you For this concert, we will feature great concert to bring the whole can hear more about these four of SOST’s orchestra family and celebrate the sounds concerts in the coming months. members. In the first half of the of the season! This is our biggest and best concert, they will be playing the As the year draws to a close, it is season yet! Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. fun to reflect on everything that 2, which is a concerto grosso, meaning a composition for a

3 Classics Series “A Marriage of Bach & Beethoven” Featuring SOST members Mauricio Oliveros, Brian Shook, Jennifer Isadore, and Stanley Chyi

Mauricio Oliveros, violin Symphony Trumpet in the Mary Morgan Associate Concertmaster Orchestra, Moore Department of Music at Mauricio Oliveros, a native of Midland- Lamar University. Prior to his Colombia, has appeared as soloist Odessa appointment at Lamar, Mr. Shook with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Symphony served as an adjunct brass Valle and the Moores Concerto Orchestra, instructor at Towson Orchestra, and has given Opera Vista, University and American numerous recitals in Mexico, and Houston University. From 2004 to 2009, Colombia, and USA. He attained Latin Shook toured the United States his Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Philharmonic. He has attended with The King’s Brass and since Performance from the University important music festivals, 2009, he has been principal of Houston. He also holds a including the Youth Orchestra of trumpet of The Symphony of Graduate Artist Certificate in Violin the Americas (YOA), the Texas Southeast Texas, where has been Performance from the University Music Festival, and the Mimir featured with the orchestra on of North Texas, and Masters in Chamber Music Festival. As a multiple occasions. member of the YOA string quartet, both Violin Performance and Music In addition to performing, Shook is Theory from Texas Christian he performed concerts alongside involved in numerous aspects of University. famous Jazz musician Paquito the International Trumpet Guild. D’Rivera. He currently serves as the An avid lover of chamber music, he Recording Reviews Editor of the is co-founder of the Houston- He has given violin masterclasses in Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and quarterly ITG (International based Terra Nostra Ensemble, Trumpet Guild) Journal and is a which performs and promotes Uruguay. In 2014, he was also invited by the Mozarteum Salzburg regular reviewer of recordings, music written by composers from sheet music, and books. Most Latin America and the Iberian and the YOA Global Leaders program to teach undergraduate recently, he was appointed to Peninsula. He also co-founded the serve on the Conference Artist Fuzion String Quartet, which was students from the Lyceum Mozartiano and the Instituto Committee for the 2018 ITG featured in the 2010 Hot Springs Conference that will be held in Music Festival, and was quartet in Superior de Arte (ISA) in Habana, residence at the “Cali de Camara Cuba. Dr. Oliveros currently holds 2012” International Chamber an adjunct faculty position at Music Festival in Colombia, Houston Baptist University, as well performing concerts with as violin faculty positions at internationally acclaimed guitarist Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts Ricardo Cobo. and The Kinkaid School.

He has been a member of the Brian Shook, clarion trumpet

Orquesta Sinfónica del Valle, San Brian Shook is Department Chair Angelo Symphony Orchestra, Irving and Associate Professor of (Continued on page 5)

4 A Marriage (continued)

San Antonio this coming summer. Stanley Chyi, oboe Shook received a Bachelor of Art Stanley Chyi is a cum laude degree in Music from Cedarville graduate of Northwestern

University where he studied with University where he obtained a Charles Pagnard. He continued his Bachelor of Art degree in studies as a Trumpet Teaching Economics and a Bachelor of Art Assistant for David Hickman at degree of Music in Oboe Arizona State University, Performance. He then went on to completing both a Master of graduate from Rice University’s Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Shepherd School of Music, where degrees. he completed his master’s degree soloed with the Houston Civic in oboe performance. In past Shook’s doctoral research led him Symphony on two occasions. In summers he has attended the to write a biography of New York 2004, she performed J.S. Bach’s Music Academy of the West, as Philharmonic trumpet legend Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, well as the AIMS, Artosphere, William Vacchiano. Furthering his BWV 1067. In January 2011, she Aspen, Spoleto, and Texas Music research after graduation, Shook performed as winner of the First Festivals. His primary teachers went on to publish his book Last Annual Houston Civic Symphony have been Robert Atherholt and Stop, Carnegie Hall: New York Members Concerto Competition, Philharmonic Trumpeter William Scott Hostetler. playing Lowell Liebermann’s Vacchiano in May of 2011. He has Mr. Chyi is a member of the Austin Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. presented his lecture on Mr. Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Ms. Isadore was privileged enough Vacchiano’s life and career at The to be able to perform this same Christi Symphony Orchestra, and Juilliard School, Manhattan School concerto again with The The Symphony of Southeast Texas. of Music, University of North Symphony of Southeast Texas in He has also performed with the Texas, and the International October 2011. Houston Symphony Orchestra, San Trumpet Guild Conference. Antonio Symphony, River Oaks Isadore has performed twice at Brian Shook is a Vincent Bach Chamber Orchestra, Houston conventions for The National Flute Performing Artist and Clinician. Association, and both times she Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, New has been privileged to perform World Symphony, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He has Jennifer Isadore, flute alongside her husband, Michael Isadore, who plays the clarinet. In previously held positions with the Jennifer Isadore received a Albuquerque in 2007, they Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Bachelor of Music in flute premiered Portraits of Langston by Sarasota Opera, and Central City performance from DePaul Valerie Coleman, and in 2017, in Opera. University and a Master of Music Minneapolis, they played portions in flute performance from the of Barn Dances by Libby Larsen. University of Missouri -Kansas City Outside of orchestral playing, Ms. Conservatory of Music. She has Isadore maintains a small flute been the principal flute for the studio in her home. From 2008- Houston Civic Symphony since 2016, she served as an adjunct 2002 and the principal flute of The faculty member in flute at Lamar Symphony of Southeast Texas University. since 2004. Ms. Isadore has

5 6 Pops Series

“Spectrum: A Tribute to Motown and R&B Music” Saturday, March 10  7:30 p.m.  Julie Rogers Theatre Concert Sponsored by Rob Clark, Jerry Thacker and the Garth Family. Artist Sponsored by Capital One Bank.

Webster defines guests including the Today Spectrum as a "series of Show; featured appearances radiations arranged in in motion pictures; starring regular order" or a roles in equity theater; "continuous sequence or special appearances at wide range". This could professional sporting events, not be a more (National Anthem); appropriate description performing/recording with of the award-winning or opening for artists as group Spectrum, which varied as Tony Bennett, the draws upon the talent of Temptations, Blue Magic, four radiant voices and Little Richard, the late Marty diverse personalities to Robbins, the Platters, Frankie form a first class vocal Lymon’s Teenagers, Doc quartet. After spending Severenson and Fat Larry’s six stellar years recreating Band, to name a few. the sound and style of The group boasts four the Four Tops in Las incredible singers, each with the voice Vegas' multi-million dollar production succession on the Las Vegas Strip, of a solo artist, who combine their shows American Superstars and ending only when the Mirage-MGM voices and dexterity to create the Legends In Concert, the group has owned property that housed it closed angelic harmonies and deft developed the versatility to credibly its’ doors . In 2009 they were choreography that have become cover the music of groups from the selected to receive the Vegas trademarks of Spectrum. The Platters to the Temptations to Boyz 2 Entertainment Consumer’s Living members of Spectrum consist of Men. It is this versatility that has Legends Award for Excellence in master recording artist Darryl Grant of propelled them to the status of Entertainment. On April 28, 2012 Oakland, California, Chicago-born headlining their own shows in which Spectrum joined the ranks of Las musician and versatile entertainer they perform stirring renditions of the Vegas Legends Wayne Newton, Frank Pierre Jovan, David Prescott the silky- all the best cover tunes. Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Liberace, smooth, soaring-voiced first tenor In addition to regular corporate and Rich Little, Siegfried and Roy, Elvis and from Rochester, New York and lastly, private parties, Spectrum’s credits many more when they were awarded singer, actor and group founder include European and Australian the 68th Star on Las Vegas’ Walk of Cushney Roberts, from East Orange, tours, 100’s of headlining Fame. Spectrum performs in Las New Jersey, who left the life of a performances aboard Royal Vegas, throughout the nation and Princeton-educated corporate Caribbean, Princess & Norwegian around the globe. Check their website engineer and cut his teeth in the for scheduled performances. Cruise Line ships, a Doo-Wop to Soul casino lounges in route to becoming a Review at the Hollywood Palladium, as Spectrum's credentials, collectively well-respected Las Vegas showroom well as more than 100 performances and/or individually include starring in entertainer. Let's just say this is a with symphony orchestras throughout no less than six major production group of well-mannered, college- North America. Voted Best of Las shows, on the Las Vegas Strip and educated, world-traveled veterans of Vegas in 2005 and again in 2006, their internationally; appearances on the entertainment business, who will award winning show ran for 4 years in numerous television shows as special entertain you! 7 Looking Back: Festive Beginnings and The Magical, Mystical World of John Williams

8

Meet the Board Member James Black, President Elect in a timely and professional Q) What is your profession? manner. A) Lawyer. Q) As President Elect, what are you excited about in your role as Q) Other community involve- Board President for next sea- ment? son? A) Past President of the Jeffer- A) In my upcoming role next son County Bar Association; season as Board President, I am Member and former Senior looking forward to working with Warden of St. Mark’s Episcopal an outstanding group of people, Church; currently serve as a Lay including the staff and executive Reader and Eucharistic Minister; director, the music director and President of the Wilton and Effie the Board. It is a pleasure to Hebert Foundation, a charitable work with such a knowledgeable foundation which makes grants group in an organization with to charitable institutions in such talent and enthusiasm, and Southeast Texas. Q) How long have you been a the sound financial backing board member? Q) Hobbies? which make the excellent per- A) I have been a board member formances possible. A) I don’t know if it’s considered for 6 years. a hobby, but I enjoy exercising Q) What has been your favorite regularly at the Wellness Center. Q) How did you become a SOST concert? board member? A) There have been too many favorite concerts to single one A) I was asked to join the board after we moved to Beaumont out. I remember one from sev- from Port Arthur. I had long eral years ago – the Bach “Brandenburg Concerto” when been the legal advisor for the Port Arthur Community Concert the symphony began the piece Association prior to our move, all standing. Rachmaninoff is and had become familiar with also a favorite. Another was the recent “Pops” concert with the SOST through an education grant to the Symphony from the music of John Williams. Hebert Foundation. Q) Do you or did you ever play a Q) What do you enjoy about musical instrument? serving on the board? A) I played the oboe for a short A) I’m impressed by the organi- time in junior high school. I zation of the board and the have great respect for oboists. I staff. The meetings are orga- know from experience that it’s a nized and business is conducted difficult instrument to play! 9 Debs on the Town!

10

www.facebook.com/TheSOST @TheSOST

www.youtube.com/SOSETX

Upcoming Events Date, Time Event Location Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m. Pre-Concert Talk Julie Rogers Theatre 765 Pearl Street

Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. Classic Series II Julie Rogers “A Marriage of Bach & Beethoven” 765 Pearl Street

Dec. 3, 3:00 p.m. Holiday Concert Julie Rogers Theatre “Home for the Holidays” 765 Pearl Street

Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. Classic Series III Julie Rogers Theatre “The Elegance of Elgar” 765 Pearl Street

March 10, 7:30 p.m. Pops 2 Julie Rogers Theatre “Spectrum: A Tribute to Motown and 765 Pearl Street R&B Music

If your schedule prevents you from attending a concert, PLEASE consider releasing your tickets prior to the day of the concert by calling the Symphony office at (409) 892-2257.

The Symphony of Southeast Texas 4345 Phelan Blvd, Suite 105 • Beaumont, TX 77707 (409) 892-2257 • www.sost.org • Email: [email protected] 11