JOANA CARNEIRO Music Director DEAR FRIENDS, I am very happy to welcome you to our 2016/17 season, my eighth since given the privilege of joining the Berkeley Symphony community. One of the greatest joys in my work is deepening my relationships with composers, artists and audiences all over the world and forging new musical bonds with the voices of our time. What better way to start our new season than by premiering a new orchestral work by our dear friend Paul Dresher, whose imagination, creativity and generosity have no limits. We have much to look forward to. It has been a dream of mine to be involved in the creation of one of James MacMillan´s works and I am proud that we are co-commissioners of his Symphony No. 4, along with our friends at the Pittsburgh Symphony and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. These new works will be paired with great repertoire pieces such as Beethoven´s Symphony No. 4, Stravinsky´s Petrushka and the massive Shostakovich Symphony No. 13, enriched by the talents of bass soloist Denis Sedov and the work of our UC Berkeley colleague Marika Kuzma and an expanded Men’s Chorus. This will be an event in itself! I am delighted to announce the return of pianist Shai Wosner, who will share his artistry with us again in Beethoven´s Piano Concerto No 4. And we welcome for the first time to our community the violinist Philippe Quint, performing the beautiful Korngold Violin Concerto, and cellist Joshua Roman in the West Coast premiere of Mason Bates´ Cello Concerto. It is difficult for me to express how profoundly excited I am to be sharing all of this incredible music with our musicians and with you. Thank you for your friendship and your continued support. You are the central reason for all of this to happen. Much love, JOANA CARNEIRO MUSIC DIRECTOR 2 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY VISION 16/17 SEASON | 3 Expect the unexpected OCTOBER 13, 2016, 7pm* in Dresher’s latest JOANA CARNEIRO orchestral soundscape. MUSIC DIRECTOR PHILIPPE QUINT Erich Korngold’s VIOLIN sumptuous concerto is sure 7pm Performance to steal your heart. 9pm Opening Night Dinner * Please note early start time due to Opening Night Dinner. An exploration of love and jealousy unfold in PAUL DRESHER Stravinsky’s masterwork. World Premiere Commission ERICH KORNGOLD Violin Concerto STRAVINSKY Petrushka Russian-born, Juilliard-trained violinist PHILIPPE QUINT has carved an unconventional path with his impassioned musical desire for reimagining traditional works, rediscovering neglected repertoire and commissioning new works. He shares his Grammy-nominated interpretation of the Korngold Violin Concerto, which was premiered in 1947 by none other than Jascha Heifetz! Internationally active as a composer, PAUL DRESHER is noted for his ability to integrate diverse musical influences into his own coherent and uniquely PROGRAM I personal style. His many forms of musical expression include experimental opera, live instrumental electro-acoustic music performances ROMANCE and scores for theater, dance, and film. 4 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY 16/17 SEASON | 5 DECEMBER 8, 2016, 8pm PROGRAM II JOANA CARNEIRO MUSIC DIRECTOR SHAI WOSNER PIANO REVERENCE JAMES MACMILLAN Symphony No. 4 West Coast Premiere Co-commission with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major Pianist SHAI WOSNER has attracted international recognition for his exceptional artistry, musical integrity and creative insight. His performances of a broad range of repertoire, from Beethoven and Mozart to Schoenberg and Ligeti, as well as music MacMillan’s powerful by his contemporaries, communicate his imaginative symphony was a 60th programming and intellectual curiosity. birthday gift to the revered Scottish conductor Born in 1959, JAMES MACMILLAN Donald Runnicles. is the preeminent Scottish composer of his generation. His music combines rhythmic Written in 1806, excitement, raw emotional power Beethoven’s 4th Piano and spiritual meditation. He first Concerto was the last that attracted attention with the acclaimed BBC Proms he was able to perform premiere of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (1990). himself, silenced by his He was awarded a Knighthood in the 2015 Queen's Birthday honors. advancing deafness. 6 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY 16/17 SEASON | 7 Bates received his PhD JANUARY 26, 2017, 8pm from UC Berkeley before JOANA CARNEIRO becoming one of the most- MUSIC DIRECTOR performed composers JOSHUA ROMAN living today. CELLO Hector Berlioz was so MASON BATES enamored by the second Cello Concerto movement of Beethoven’s BEETHOVEN 4th that he claimed it Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major was the work of the Archangel Michael, not that of a human. Named principal cellist of the Seattle Symphony at age 22, JOSHUA ROMAN has since earned an international reputation as a soloist with a wide-ranging repertoire and a commitment to communicating the essence of music in visionary ways. As well as being a celebrated performer, he is recognized as an accomplished composer, curator, and programmer. MASON BATES currently serves as the first composer-in-residence PROGRAM III of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His music fuses innovative orchestral writing, imaginative narrative forms, the harmonies of jazz and the rhythms of techno, and RELEVANCE it has been the first symphonic music to receive widespread acceptance for its unique integration of electronic sounds. 8 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY 16/17 SEASON | 9 MAY 4, 2017, 8pm JOANA CARNEIRO MUSIC DIRECTOR DENIS SEDOV BASS SOLOIST SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar” MEN'S CHORUS to include: Alumni of the Chamber Chorus of the University of California Alumni of the Pacific Boychoir Academy Members of the St. John of San Francisco Russian Orthodox Chorale Set to texts by MARIKA KUZMA Yevgeny Yevtushenko, CHORUSMASTER Shostakovich's epic masterpiece offers a Equally at home in opera houses blistering denunciation and concert halls around the of anti-Semitism and world, DENIS SEDOV was born other social ills. in St. Petersburg and holds a degree from the Jerusalem Babi Yar is the ravine Academy. He was a member of the Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera outside Kiev where the and has performed with major orchestras including Nazis murdered tens of the LA Philharmonic and the Cleveland, Atlanta and thousands of Ukrainian San Francisco symphonies. Jews, yet where Soviet officials refused to MARIKA KUZMA was a professor erect a monument of music at UC Berkeley for some twenty-five years, directing its after the war. symphonic University Chorus and Chamber Chorus. Under her PROGRAM IV direction, the UC Chamber Chorus achieved critical acclaim particularly for its readings of early and contemporary music. Ms. Kuzma has a REMEMBRANCE special affinity for Slavic choral music. 10 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY 16/17 SEASON | 11 MUSIC IN THE BERKELEY SYMPHONY SCHOOLS & FRIENDS MING LUKE, EDUCATION DIRECTOR & CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES CONDUCTOR Piedmont Center for the Arts More than 4,600 schoolchildren benefit each All Tickets: $25 year from Berkeley Symphony’s Music in the Inaugurated in 2013 and curated by Executive Director Schools program: and violinist René Mandel, Berkeley Symphony & » Over 200 In-class Sessions led by Berkeley Symphony Friends is a series of chamber music concerts musicians are provided free of charge and include performed at the Piedmont Center for the Arts. Each curriculum booklets with age-appropriate lessons program features musicians from Berkeley Symphony addressing state standards for music education. joined by special guest artists. The intimate space » Over 130 Ensemble Coaching Sessions in area allows audiences to experience the music up close and middle schools. personal, the way chamber music is meant to be heard. Berkeley Symphony & Friends is a co-production of • Eleven Meet the Symphony concerts are performed Berkeley Symphony and Piedmont Center for the Arts. free of charge in elementary schools each fall. » Six I’m a Performer concerts, also free of charge, provide young musicians with an opportunity to 4 SUNDAYS @ 5 rehearse and perform with Berkeley Symphony. SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 FEBRUARY 19, 2017 » Four free Family Concerts provide an opportunity for Stuart Canin, violin Karsten Windt, violin the whole family to experience a Berkeley Symphony Eric Gaenslen, cello Angela Lee, cello concert together. Helene Anderson, piano Roman Fukshansky, » All Music in the Schools programming is provided All-Brahms program clarinet 100% free of charge for children and their families. Markus Pawlik, piano NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Works by Stanford, Rota, Sarah Wood, violin Poulenc & Hindemith FAMILY CONCERTS Emanuela Nikiforova, violin Saturday, Nov. 5, 10am & 11:30am Ilana Matfis, viola APRIL 23, 2017 Saturday, Apr. 15, 10am & 11:30am Eric Gaenslen, cello René Mandel, violin Malcolm X Elementary School Miles Graber, piano Amy Hiraga, violin Works by Sarasate, Joy Fellows, viola “Meet the Symphony” on Saturday, November 5, De Falla, Turina & Fauré Peter Wyrick, cello introduces children of all ages to the various families Britt Day, piano of instruments in an orchestra. Presented in an Works by Mozart entertaining and interactive manner, these concerts & Dvořák engage even the youngest audience members. “I’m a Performer” on Saturday, April 15, invites audience All dates, artists and members young and old to bring their own instruments repertoire subject to change. and join the Orchestra on stage. Seated beside and among the Berkeley Symphony musicians, children and adults have the opportunity to be a part of an orchestra. CHILDREN CHAMBER 12 | BERKELEY SYMPHONY 16/17 SEASON | 13 ENGAGE BECOME A “MEMBER” OF BERKELEY SYMPHONY FRIENDS CIRCLE SYMPHONY CIRCLE SPONSORSHIP CIRCLE OF MEMBERS OF MEMBERS OF MEMBERS Ticket sales cover only a portion of concert expenses. And our Music in the Schools Supporting Members: $100+ Concertmaster: $1,500+ Founding Sponsors: $5,000 + program—offered free of charge to thousands of children each year—is entirely » Advance e-newsletter notice (All of the above plus…) (All of the above plus…) Membership driven! Your Membership makes Berkeley Symphony thrive, and provides of discounts and special events.