MAR-APR 2019

Experience the Power, Emotion and Color of President’s Message: Music with Organist Dr. Carol Williams Reflecting on LSO Season 36 Imagine a musical mixture of classical, jazz and even a little rock and roll. It is those ingredients that What a difference a year makes! contribute to the unique sounds of One year ago this month, the LSO organist Dr. Carol Williams. celebrated 35 years of beautiful Playing organ is central to Williams’ music. We revealed a brand new life. “It was just part of my genes,” logo, celebrated our proud history, she says. “I was destined to play and gave you a glimpse of what the organ.” Williams says her was to come. grandmother was an organist and her dad played organ for pleasure. In In the past year we hired addition, her mother played piano. additional office administrative help “It’s always been in the blood. Till the and welcomed part time Executive end of my days on this world I should Director, Erika Mork. We transferred be playing the organ.” all of our donor files to new CRM Given her family music history, it software, enabling us to better is not surprising that Williams began serve our patrons and donors. We her life’s adventure at a young age. Williams says she started piano at achieved organizational email and age four and could read music before in-house management of our LSO she could read words. “I was sent Dr. Carol Willams at the organ of Court Street United domain name. We added increased to dance classes, but didn’t really Methodist Church. Photo: Michael Patch wifi access and purchased a new want to dance,” she says. “I had a laptop computer for our ED. little tutu and my shoes, and I sort of differentiates the instruments. Of all Donna Whitehouse joined our glued myself to the piano.” the organs she has played, Williams staff in the role of Development She says her piano teacher wanted is especially fond of those in France. Administrator. Dr. Clark Greer has her to learn flute, but Williams had “They have a distinct sound in Paris, generously supported our efforts a passion for another instrument. in Notre Dame and Saint-Sulpice,” with outstanding graphic design, “I made up my mind I was going she says. to learn organ,” she says. Williams World travels are a regular routine digital newsletters and effective attributes her versatile abilities to her for the artist. Next year, Williams and marketing plans. Angie Hales has early exposure to music styles. “My her husband and manager Kerry Bell been invaluable as our part time dad started playing home organ for will be in London at the Royal Festival Music Coordinator. fun, so I grew up playing Hammonds Hall to perform a jazz concert on a We have presented four exciting and playing jazz organ.” classical organ. “I’m representing this programs to date with five During her career, Williams has country for playing jazz on a organ,” outstanding guest conductors. performed in more than a dozen she says. countries around the world on The April 6 concert featuring We thank generous sponsors for various organs, all of which offer Williams with the LSO strings and helping to bring Grammy Award- varied sounds. “Organs are a bit timpani will be held at Court Street winning cellist Zuill Bailey and like people, everyone is different,” United Methodist Church. Williams guest conductor David Glover, to she says. “Some of them you like was formerly Organist in Residence and some of them you don’t like. perform with the LSO March 2, at the church and has high praise for 2019. The LSO, under the direction Some you want to spend time with the church’s organ and its setting. and get to know.” Williams explains that setting and acoustics are what continued on page 2 continued on page 3

1 Organist Carol Williams continued from page 1

“The acoustics of that organ make it sing like a bell,” she says. “It’s got Creating a Canvas of Musical a lot of color, so it can play a lot of different types of music.” Williams Artistry: A Preview of the says the organ is perfect for the April 6 Concert with Poulenc Organ Concerto, which she says is a powerful piece. “It goes Conductor Dr. Randall Speer through various moods,” she says. “It has dance to it. It has some glorious melodies that are just so poignant and so beautiful that they just move me to tears. It’s just gorgeous.” A special treat at the concert will be the world premiere of a If the LSO’s April 6 concert were entire piece you will hear a rocking composition that was written by a painting, it would comprise a motion as she is holding the child. Williams for organ and orchestra, mixture of powerful, broad brush Still was heavily influenced by jazz, and that she dedicated to the LSO. strokes woven together with light, so you will hear some jazz in that The piece, Concerto for Organ and thoughtful melodies. The concert as well.” Strings, Op. 24, represents Williams’ spotlights the musical artistry After intermission Williams will varied musical background. “My love of renowned organist Dr. Carol perform her original composition of music has been jazz to classical, Williams with the LSO strings and Concerto for Organ and Strings, so it has those elements,” she says. timpani. Op. 24 that connects the Still She adds that the piece also includes “We will start off with Vivaldi, piece and Poulenc concerto. “It’s a reference to the baroque period. which is just absolutely delightful,” going to be quite a delight and “The middle section is jazz and blues, says Dr. Randall Speer, concert it will again feature organ and but it pulls out the melodies from the Mozart section.” A portion of the conductor and a music professor at strings,” Speer says. composition features a cadenza that Randolph College. Speer says the The concert concludes with Williams says allows her to create piece features a prominent violin Williams performing the Poulenc music during the performance. solo, so it is actually a concerto for Organ Concerto. “This work Williams encourages attendees of organ and violin. begins with a very dramatic the April 6 concert to listen for the Next is a series of four novelettes opening and then offers a style colors and power of the organ. “It’s by Afro-British composer Samuel that is sometimes playful,” says not just the power of volume. It’s Coleridge Taylor. Speer says the Speer. He adds that the middle the power of connecting to people, selections are much like small of the piece has a beautiful lyric connecting to their soul,” she says. novels that have distinct characters. melody, but the work ends in Williams wants the audience to enjoy “Each piece uses a different dramatic fashion. “The timpani everything they hear. “Forget the musical style to tell a little story,” are featured prominently in the worries. Forget all those credit card Poulenc bills or whatever and sit back and let he says. “Each has a particular and as well.” the music wash over you.” unique character that the audience For Speer, the concert is can identify with and just enjoy for more than entertainment. He its own sake.” For example, one of encourages audiences to let the the novelettes features a waltz that music surround them and carry sounds like something by Johann them as if they were on a wave. Strauss. “Whether it be the simple joy The concert includes a of a mother holding a child or composition by William Grant Still the power of the ending of the who was the first African-American Poulenc Organ Concerto, this composer to conduct a major music just washes over you and symphony in the United States. carries you with it,” Speer says. Speer says the piece that will be “If you get that delight and the performed in this concert focuses feeling that the music has carried Dr. Carol Williams at the world’s largest on the relationship of a mother and you, transported you somewhere, pipe organ – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall an infant child. “Throughout the we’ve done our job.” Organ. Photo: Kerry Bell

2 President’s Message continued from page 1 Highlights of Zuill Bailey’s Residency in of Dr. Kathryn Voelker, played for the Lynchburg, February 27–March 2, 2019 Charlottesville Ballet’s performances of the Nutcracker in the Historic Desserts With Zuill Reception Theatre. Hugh Ballou conducted the holiday concert to a sold-out audience. We are in the process of identifying our next permanent conductor/ music director with plans to make an announcement this summer. We are working on programming for Season 37, looking forward to residency at the Academy Center of the Arts. It has been such a busy and rewarding season 36. Of course, we still have work to do. We need additional computers for our office staff. We need your support to bring the most qualified music director we can find. We have an outstanding succession plan with Hugh Ballou as incoming interim president, June 1, 2019. Aaron Van Allen has agreed to serve a two-year term as president beginning June 1, 2020. In Concert with the LSO Please be an Ambassador – tell someone you know about the LSO! Be an Advocate – introduce us to someone you know! Be an Asker – ask someone to come to our final concert May 3, featuring Dvořák’s New World Symphony, with guest conductor Aaron Garber and Jefferson Choral Society, in the Historic Theatre! Gratefully, Linda Edwards LSO President

Photos: Property One Photography

3 May 3 Concert Preview with Conductor Aaron Garber

A flourish of instrumental and concert,” Garber says. Baritone choral music will highlight the LSO’s Philip Bouknight will be the featured final concert of the 2018-2019 season soloist. on May 3 at the Academy Center of The Choral Society will perform the Arts Historic Theater. three numbers starting with “The whole theme of the concert Homeward Bound, followed by is the idea of going home,” says the familiar folk tune Shenandoah. Aaron Garber, guest conductor for “Both pieces were arranged by Mack the concert. This will be Garber’s Wilberg who is the director of the third time conducting the LSO in Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” Garber recent years. He is presently in says. The third selection includes his twelfth year as director of the You’ll Never Walk Alone and Climb Jefferson Choral Society. Garber says Every Mountain, which is a medley he is looking forward to performing of famous pieces from two different in the Historic Theatre. “It’s a thrill musicals. of a melting pot symphony,” Garber for everybody – for performers, Antonin Dvořák’s New World says. “Classical music in 1893 was audience, and conductor alike.” Symphony will headline the second still taking root in the US, so to have The concert will begin with a piece half of the concert. “The symphony is a European composer, Dvořák from by John Williams from the movie very important because Dvořák wrote Czechoslovakia, do this was very Hook. “We will end the first half it when he was in the United States significant.” with some E.T. themes, also by John as head of the National Conservatory Garber says the audience will Williams,” Garber says. of Music in New York City,” Garber enjoy the May 3 program, because Between the two Williams pieces, says. The work was premiered in it offers a variety of selections, from the Jefferson Choral Society will 1893 in Carnegie Hall. Garber says classical to popular movie themes. join the symphony to continue the Dvořák was influenced by African- “I think people will like this, even Going Home perspective, which has American spirituals and Native- if they don’t know the New World been the theme for this season’s American music, which is evident Symphony,” says Garber. “The LSO concerts. “We’re about a in the composition. “He uses those audience will be pleasantly surprised hundred-member choir and we will themes to help him write some of just how much they like the music of probably have 75 singers for this the themes in this music, so it’s kind Dvořák.”

Dr. Carol Williams Allegro is a bi-monthly publication of INTERNATIONAL CONCERT ORGANIST Antonín Dvořák the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra NEW WORLD SYMPHONY and sent via email to subscribers.

To be added to the Allegro email May 3, 2019, 7:00 PM list, contact the LSO office through one of the means listed below. Academy Center of the Arts Historic Theatre Address: Aaron Garber, conducting 621 Court Street Lynchburg, VA 24504 Photo: Robert Harrington April 6, 2019, 7:00 p.m. Court Street United Methodist Church, Lynchburg Phone: Dr. Randall Speer, conducting (434) 845-6604

With the LSO strings and timpani performing the The Jefferson Choral Society joins the Poulenc Organ Concerto. Email: Also featuring the world premiere of LSO for this memorable evening. [email protected] Carol’s own composition, . Concerto for Organ and Strings, Op. 24 Tickets are available through: © 2019 Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra For tickets, visit the LSO’s website at lynchburgsymphony.org/events-concerts lynchburgsymphony.org/events-concerts

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