Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Nov. 2014 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

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“ODE TO JOY” BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY NO. 9 NOV 13/15, 2014 70th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

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Encore Atlanta is the official show program for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Woodruff Arts Center, the Fox Theatre and the Atlanta Opera.

Transcript of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Nov. 2014 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

Page 1: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Nov. 2014 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

“ODE TO JOY”

BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY NO. 9NOV 13/15, 2014

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70th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

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Robert Spano

Conductor, pianist, composer and pedagogue Robert Spano is known for his unique communicative abilities. Beginning his 14th season as Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, this imaginative conductor has quietly been responsible for nurturing the careers of numerous classically-trained composers and conductors. As

Music Director of the Aspen Music Festival and School, he oversees the programming of more than 300 events and educational programs for 630 students, including Aspen’s American Academy of Conducting.

The Atlanta School of Composers reflects Spano’s commitment to American contempo-rary music. He has led ASO performances at Carnegie Hall (2014-2015 marks Spano’s ninth consecutive season as a guest of that prestigious venue), Lincoln Center, and the Ra-vinia, Ojai and Savannah Music Festivals. Guest engagements include the New York and Los Angeles philharmonics, San Francisco, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago and Philadelphia symphony orchestras, as well as Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, BBC Symphony and Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He has conducted for Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera and the 2005 and 2009 Seattle Opera productions of Wagner’s Ring cycles.

Following Britten’s War Requiem in Carnegie Hall and Verdi’s Aida in Atlanta, Spano conducted the world premiere of Steven Stucky’s The Classical Style in Ojai and will reprise the opera at Carnegie Hall in December. In addition to his hands-on leadership and eight Festival concerts at The Aspen Music Festival and School, Spano’s Hölderlin Songs premiere in August with soprano Susanna Phillips.

Maestro Spano conducts three world premieres with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and joins both the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Symphony. Guest conducting in Milwaukee, Philadel-phia, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong is woven with Spano’s passion for education with the Curtis Institute of Music’s Orchestra on tour, and the New England Conservatory Philharmonic.

Recordings for Telarc, Deutsche Grammophon and ASO Media, have received six Grammy™ Awards with an all-Vaughan Williams disc released in September. Spano is on faculty at Oberlin Conservatory and has received honorary doctorates from Bowling Green State University, the Curtis Institute of Music, Emory University and Oberlin. Maestro Spano was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2012 and is proud to live in Atlanta.

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Robert Spano Music Director The Robert Reid Topping Chair *

Donald RunniclesPrincipal Guest Conductor The Neil and Sue Williams Chair *

Michael KrajewskiPrincipal Pops Conductor

Joseph Young Assistant Conductor;Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra The Zeist Foundation Chair*

Norman MackenzieDirector of Choruses The Frannie and Bill Graves Chair

FIRST VIOLIN

David Coucheron ConcertmasterThe Mr. and Mrs. Howard R. Peevy Chair*The Mabel Dorn Reeder Honorary Chair*Associate Concertmaster - TBD The Charles McKenzie Taylor Chair*Justin BrunsAssistant ConcertmasterJun-Ching Lin Assistant ConcertmasterCarolyn Toll HancockJohn MeisnerChristopher Pulgram**Carol RamirezJuan RamirezOlga ShpitkoDenise Berginson Smith Kenn WagnerLisa Wiedman Yancich

SECTION VIOLIN ‡

Judith CoxRaymond LeungSanford Salzinger

SECOND VIOLIN

Principal - TBD The Atlanta Symphony Associates Chair*Sou-Chun Su Associate Principal The Frances Cheney Boggs Chair*Jay Christy Assistant PrincipalSharon BerensonDavid BraitbergNoriko Konno CliftDavid DillardEleanor KosekRuth Ann LittleThomas O’Donnell**Ronda RespessFrank Walton

VIOLA

Reid Harris Principal The Edus H. and Harriet H. Warren Chair*Paul Murphy Associate Principal The Mary and Lawrence Gellerstedt Chair *Catherine Lynn Assistant PrincipalMarian KentYang-Yoon KimYiyin LiLachlan McBaneJessica Oudin

AtlantaSymphonyOrchestra

ROBERT SPANO

DONALD RUNNICLES

MICHAEL KRAJEWSKI

JOSEPH YOUNG

NORMAN MACKENZIE

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CELLO

Christopher Rex Principal The Miriam and John Conant Chair*Daniel Laufer Associate Principal The Livingston Foundation Chair*Karen Freer Assistant PrincipalDona Vellek Assistant Principal EmeritusJoel DallowJennifer Humphreys**Larry LeMasterBrad RitchiePaul Warner

BASS

Principal - TBDThe Marcia and John Donnell Chair Gloria Jones Associate PrincipalJane Little Assistant Principal EmeritusMichael KenadyMichael KurthJoseph McFaddenDouglas Sommer

FLUTE

Christina Smith Principal The Jill Hertz Chair*Robert Cronin Associate Principal

C. Todd SkitchCarl David Hall

PICCOLO

Carl David Hall

OBOE

Elizabeth Koch TiscionePrincipal The George M. and Corrie Hoyt Brown Chair*Yvonne Powers Peterson Associate PrincipalSamuel Nemec Emily Brebach

ENGLISH HORN

Emily Brebach

CLARINET

Laura Ardan Principal The Robert Shaw Chair*Ted Gurch Associate PrincipalWilliam RappaportAlcides Rodriguez**

E-FLAT CLARINET

Ted Gurch

BASS CLARINET

Alcides Rodriguez**

BASSOON

Keith Buncke PrincipalElizabeth Burkhardt Associate PrincipalLaura NajarianJuan de Gomar

CONTRA- BASSOON

Juan de Gomar

HORN

Brice Andrus PrincipalSusan Welty Associate PrincipalThomas WitteRichard Deane** Jaclyn Rainey •Bruce Kenney

TRUMPET

Stuart StephensonPrincipal The Madeline and Howell Adams Chair*Michael TiscioneActing Associate Principal/SecondMichael Myers

TROMBONE

Colin Williams** Principal Nathan ZgoncActing Principal Brian Hecht

BASS TROMBONE

Brian Hecht

TUBA

Michael Moore Principal

TIMPANI

Mark Yancich Principal The Walter H. Bunzl Chair*William Wilder Assistant Principal

PERCUSSION

Thomas Sherwood Principal The Julie and Arthur Montgomery Chair*William Wilder Assistant Principal The William A. Schwartz Chair*Charles Settle

HARP

Elisabeth Remy JohnsonPrincipal The Delta Air Lines Chair

KEYBOARD

The Hugh and Jessie Hodgson Memorial Chair*Peter Marshall †Beverly Gilbert †Sharon Berenson

LIBRARY

Rebecca Beavers PrincipalNicole Jordan Assistant Principal Librarian

‡ rotate between sections

* Chair named in perpetuity

** Leave of absence

† Regularly engaged musician

• New this season

Players in string sections are listed alphabetically

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AtlantaSymphonyOrchestraRobert Spano, Music DirectorDonald Runnicles, Principal Guest Conductor

Delta Classical Series ConcertConcerts of Thursday, November 13, at 8:00pm, Saturday, November 15, at 7:30pm.

Robert Spano, ConductorDavid Coucheron, violinTwyla Robinson, sopranoNancy Maultsby, mezzo-sopranoJoseph Kaiser, tenor Stephen Powell, baritoneAtlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus Norman Mackenzie, Director of Choruses

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1775-1791)Concerto No. 5 for Violin and Orchestra in A Major, K. 219 (“Turkish”) (1775) 31 MIN I. Allegro aperto II. Adagio III. Rondo. Tempo di Menuetto David Coucheron, violin

INTERMISSION

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125, “Choral” (1824) 68 MIN I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso II. Molto vivace; Presto; Molto vivace III. Adagio molto e cantabile IV. Presto Twyla Robinson, soprano Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano Joseph Kaiser, tenor Stephen Powell, baritone Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

English Surtitles by Ken Meltzer

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The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Classical Series is presented by Delta Air Lines.

Delta is proud to celebrate over 70 years as Atlanta’s hometown airline. Delta’s community spirit worldwide continues to be a cornerstone of our organization. As a force for global good, our mission is to continuously create value through an inclusive culture by leveraging partnerships and serving communities where we live and work. It includes not only valuing individual differences of race, religion, gender, nationality and lifestyle, but also managing and valuing the diversity of work teams, intracompany teams and business partnerships.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus is presented by

The use of cameras or record-ing devices during the concert is strictly prohibited. Please be kind to those around you and silence your mobile phone and other hand-held devices.

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Concerto No. 5 for Violin and Orchestra in A Major, K. 219 (“Turkish”) (1775)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, and died in Vienna, Austria, on December 5, 1791. In addition to the solo violin, the Concerto No. 5 is scored for two oboes, two horns and strings.

First ASO Classical Subscription Performances: March 4, 5, 6 and 7, 1976, Miriam Fried, Violin, Otto Werner-Mueller, Conductor.

Most Recent ASO Classical Subscription Performances: Vilde Frang, Violin, January 31 and February 2, 2013, Gilbert Varga, Conductor.

In addition to his prowess as a keyboard artist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a

highly accomplished violinist. During his early tours of Europe, Mozart astonished audiences with his command of both instruments. Mozart’s father, Leopold, himself a fine violinist, once admonished his son: “(y)ou don’t realize yourself how well you play the violin when you are on your mettle and perform with confidence, spirit and fire.”

In 1772, the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg appointed the 16-year-old Wolfgang as con-ductor and concertmaster of the Salzburg Court Orchestra. During the year 1775, Mozart, then 19, authored his five Violin Concertos. It is not entirely certain whether Mozart originally composed these Concer-tos specifically for his own use, or for the Italian violinist, Antonio Brunetti, a promi-nent Salzburg Court musician. We do know that Mozart played his Violin Concertos at public concerts. Without question, the Con-certos were intended to display the techni-cal fluency and pure, singing tone that were hallmarks of Mozart’s impressive violin performances.

Mozart completed his Fifth and final Con-certo for Violin and Orchestra on Decem-ber 20, 1775. It is considered the richest and most innovative of Mozart’s Violin Concertos, a testament to his rapid devel-opment as a composer. The brilliance of this work makes one regret all the more that, al-though Mozart lived another sixteen years, the Fifth Violin Concerto proved to be his last.

The Concerto is in three movements. The first (Allegro aperto), while in traditional sonata form, offers many inventive touches that vary the basic structure. The opening, ascending motif, introduced by the first vio-lins, turns out not to be the main theme, but merely its accompaniment! The soloist en-ters with a reflective Adagio episode before launching into an Allegro presentation of the various themes. The brief development journeys into the minor, but the recapitu-lation and solo cadenza recapture the high spirits with which the movement began. The slow second movement (Adagio), in A—B—A form, is based upon the extend-ed, graceful melody introduced by the first violins and then repeated, to sighing accom-paniment, by the soloist. The melancholy, central “B” section provides contrast prior to the reprise of the Adagio’s opening por-tion, the soloist’s cadenza, and the ensem-ble’s final bars. The Rondo finale (Rondeau. Tempo di Menuetto) begins with the solo-ist’s presentation of the principal theme, cast in the form of an elegant minuet. The theme returns throughout, alternating with spirited, contrasting episodes. Most striking is a lengthy Allegro set in duple meter that makes use of the “Turkish” effects popular in Mozart’s day. The Rondo concludes with a return to the principal minuet theme, and the simplest but most striking of effects; a series of five ascending notes.

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KEN MELTZER, ASO Program Annotator | Ken’s In-depth program notes, detailed musical analysis, and listening samples can be found online: aso.org/encore. To contact Ken, please email [email protected].

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Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125, “Choral” (1824)

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN was baptized in Bonn, Germany, on December 17, 1770, and died in Vienna, Austria, on March 26, 1827. The first performance of the Ninth Symphony took place at the Kärnthnerthor Theater in Vienna on May 7, 1824, with Ignaz Umlauf conducting. The Ninth Symphony is scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, mixed chorus, piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, triangle and strings.

First ASO Classical Subscription Performance: October 19, 1967, Choral Guild of Atlanta, Robert Shaw, Conductor.

Most Recent ASO Classical Subscription Performances (retuschen Gustav Mahler): September 22, 23 and 25, 2011, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Robert Spano, Conductor.

ASO Recording: (Telarc CD-80603), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Donald Runnicles, Conductor

Beethoven’s Ninth and final Symphony (“Choral”) represents, on a number of

levels, a summit of the immortal composer’s artistic life. The Ninth is by far the most epic of Beethoven’s Symphonies, both in terms of length and performing forces. The revolutionary introduction of vocal soloists and chorus in the finale was a bold masterstroke that forever expanded the potential of symphonic expression.

The text of the Symphony’s finale, based upon the 1785 Ode “To Joy” by the great German writer, Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805), held a lifelong attraction for the composer. Likewise, Beethoven’s melodic

setting of Schiller’s Ode in the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth was the product of an extended genesis. A version of the melody first appears in a song Beethoven composed in the mid-1790s, entitled “Gegenliebe” (“Mutual Love”), based upon a poem by Gottfried August Bürger. An even more startling premonition of the Ninth Sym-phony may be found in Beethoven’s 1808 Fantasia in C minor for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Opus 80. And the sublime writ-ing for the vocal soloists and chorus in the final scene of Beethoven’s only opera, Fide-lio (1805, rev. 1806, 1814), looks forward to the finale of the Ninth.

Beethoven composed the Ninth Symphony during a period between the spring of 1823 and January 1824. As late as the summer of 1823, Beethoven considered ending his Symphony in traditional fashion with a purely instrumental fourth movement. Even after Beethoven made the final deci-sion to employ Schiller’s text, the question remained of how to effect the appropriate transition to this new and daring path.

And then one day (according to the com-poser’s friend and biographer, Anton Schindler) Beethoven exclaimed: “I’ve got it, I’ve got it.” Beethoven had sketched the following words: “Let us sing the song of the immortal Schiller.” This text was to be performed by the basses of the chorus, with the soprano then presenting Schiller’s Ode. Beethoven ultimately modified the above text to read: “O friends, no more of these sounds! Let us sing songs that are more cheerful and full of joy!” Both these lines, and the beginning of Schiller’s Ode, are given to the solo bass vocalist.

The premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Sym-phony took place at the Vienna Kärnth-nerthor Theater on May 7, 1824. By this stage of Beethoven’s life, the composer’s

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hearing had deteriorated to such an extent that conducting the performance was out of the question. Instead, Ignaz Umlauf led the premiere. But all the while, Beethoven was at Umlauf’s side, attempting to direct the tempos for the various movements.

At the conclusion of the performance, the audience erupted with a spirited ovation. Karoline Unger was the contralto soloist at the premiere of the Beethoven Ninth. More than four decades later, she met with the British music writer, Sir George Grove. During that meeting, Unger described what happened at the May 7, 1824 concert:

The master, though placed in the midst of this confluence of music, heard nothing of it at all and was not even sensible of the applause of the audience at the end of his great work, but continued standing with his back to the audience, and beat-ing the time, till Fräulein Unger, who had sung the contralto part, turned him, or induced him to turn round and face the people, who were still clapping their hands, and giving way to the greatest demonstrations of pleasure. His turning round, and the sudden conviction thereby forced upon everybody that he had not done so before, because he could not hear what was going on, acted like an electric shock on all present, and a volcanic explosion of sympathy and admiration followed, which was re-peated again and again, and seemed as if it would never end.

The Ninth Symphony is in four movements. The first (Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso) opens with the furtive introduc-tion of a two-note descending motif (pairs of descending notes provide the thematic nucleus for much of the Ninth Symphony),

soon thundered fortissimo by the orches-tra. The winds also hint at the immortal Ode “To Joy” theme with a dolce ascend-ing and descending theme. The movement proceeds to a fierce resolution, capped by a final statement of the opening theme. The scherzo (Molto vivace; Presto; Molto vivace) appears as the Symphony’s second (rather than the traditional third) move-ment. Once again, a descending two-note motif, introduced the outset, provides the thematic nucleus. In the central trio, the winds introduce a flowing theme that is an-other precursor to the Ode “To Joy” mel-ody. The beautiful slow movement (Ada-gio molto e cantabile) is based upon two themes, both derived from the descending two-note motif. In the finale (Presto) the principal themes from the first three move-ments return, only to be rejected in turn by the orchestra. Finally, the orchestra sings the immortal Ode “To Joy” melody. The bass heralds the entrance of the vocal solo-ists and chorus. A series of variations on the melody culminates in the orchestra’s Pres-tissimo race to the finish.

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DAVID COUCHERON, Concertmaster

David Coucheron joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster

in September 2010.

Mr. Coucheron has performed as a soloist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. He has played solo recitals at the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Olympic Winter Games, and in Beograd, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Serbia, Singapore, and Shanghai. His recordings include “David and Julie” and “Debut.” His awards include first prize at the Concorso Internazionale di Musica Competition and Princess Astrid Competition and third prize at the Manchester International Violin

Competition. He serves as Artistic Director for the Kon Tiki Chamber Music Festival.

Originally from Oslo, Norway, Mr. Coucheron began playing violin at age three and currently

plays a 1725 Stradivarius. He graduated from The Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and The Guildhall School.

TWYLA ROBINSON, Soprano

Twyla Robinson’s incisive musicianship, ravishing vocal beauty and dramatic

delivery have taken her to the leading concert halls and opera stages of Europe and North America. She has been heard in performance with the London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Staatskapelle, The Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others.

In the 2014-15 season, Ms. Robinson’s concert engagements include Messiah with the Jacksonville Symphony and a concert of Strauss lieder with the Indianapolis Symphony. On the operatic stage, she will perform the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro with New Orleans Opera and will create the role of Becky in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Morning Star” with Cincinnati Opera.

In high demand for concert performances, Ms. Robinson regularly performs with top orchestras in the United States and Europe. In the past season alone, she made appearances with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Orchestra.

As an opera singer, Ms. Robinson has won particular acclaim for her portrayal of Mozart heroines. She has sung Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for New York City Opera and Florida Grand Opera, and, during the 2006–2007 season, sang Donna Elvira for San Francisco Opera, which was later broadcast in movie theaters throughout the United States.

Her recordings include Brahms’ Requiem with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with Pierre Boulez and the Berlin Staatskappelle, Schubert’s Fierrabras with Franz Welser-Möst on DVD with EMI, and Strauss’ Elektra and Daphne with Semyon Bychkov and the West German Radio Orchestra on the Decca label.

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NANCY MAULTSBY, Mezzo-Soprano

American mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby is in demand by opera

companies and orchestras throughout the world. Her unique vocal timbre and insightful musicianship allow her to pursue a repertoire extending from the operas of Monteverdi and Handel to recent works by John Adams.

Throughout her career, Nancy Maultsby has enjoyed frequent engagements with many leading conductors. Her collaborations include performances under Zubin Mehta, Alan Gilbert, Gerard Schwarz,

Robert Spano, Leonard Slatkin and the late Robert Shaw, just to name a few. Her regular c o l l a b o r a t i o n s with America’s leading orchestras include concerts with the New York

Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony and many others. She has sung at every major U.S. Festival including Ravinia, Tanglewood, Saratoga, Aspen, Grant Park and the Cincinnati May Festival.

In addition to a recording of Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Antonio Pappano on Forlane, Odyseus and Telarc’s recording of Mozart’s Requiem, Ms. Maultsby can be also heard recordings with the Boston Baroque. She is featured on box sets honoring Christoph von Dohnányi and the Cleveland Orchestra and Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic. Her recent recordings include the Lamentation from Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 with Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony for Telarc, Richard Yardumian’s Symphony

No. 2 with the Singapore Symphony on BIS and Wagner opera excerpts on Naxos.

Nancy Maultsby, a North Carolina native, is a graduate of Westminster Choir College, where she studied with Lindsey Christiansen and was a graduate student at Indiana University School of Music, where she studied with Margaret Harshaw. She is an alumna of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Center for American Artists. Among numerous other awards, she is the winner of the Marian Anderson Award and the Martin E. Segal Award. She is on voice faculty at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.

JOSEPH KAISER, Tenor

Joseph Kaiser is recognized by audiences for his beauty of tone, intelligence of

programming and innate sense of style and elegance. He is internationally acclaimed as one of the most gifted artists of his generation and enjoys success in opera, oratorio and concert throughout North America and Europe.

The 2014-15 season includes a debut at Opernhaus Zürich as Michel in a new production of Martinů’s Juliette. Mr. Kaiser returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper as Matteo in a new production of Arabella opposite Anja Harteros conducted by Philippe Jordan and joins Opéra de Montréal as Nikolaus Sprink in Silent Night conducted by Michael Christie. On the concert stage, he performs Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s led by Principal Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado at Carnegie Hall, Mozart’s Requiem with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted

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by Music Director Jaap Van Zweden and offers a joint recital at New York City’s Pace University with soprano Julia Bullock and pianist Steven Blier.

Concert highlights include performances of Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings with André Previn and the Gewand-hausorchester, Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Vanished under the auspices of Chi-cago Opera Theater, Bruckner’s Te Deum with Daniel Barenboim and the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scala and Bruck-ner’s Mass No. 3 in F-minor conducted by Artistic Director Marek Janowski with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, among others.

His concert schedule has included per-formances of the Berlioz Requiem under Marek Janowski as well as with Donald Runnicles both with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Berliner Philharmoniker, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella with Roberto Abba-do and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

STEPHEN POWELL, Baritone

The dynamic American baritone Stephen Powell brings his “rich, lyric baritone,

commanding presence and thoughtful mu-sicianship” (Wall Street Journal) to a wide range of music, from Monteverdi and Handel through Verdi and Puccini to Sond-heim and John Adams. Opera magazine has

hailed him, writing “the big news was Stephen Powell’s gorgeously-sung Onegin: rock sol-id, with creamy legato from top to bottom and dynamics smoothly tapered but never exag-gerated.”

In season 2014-15, Stephen Powell returns to Virginia Opera to sing the title role in Sweeney Todd and to Cincinnati Opera as Count di Luna in Il trovatore. He re-prises Carmina Burana with Cleveland Or-chestra and sings Ein Fremder/Francesco in Schillings’ Mona Lisa with American Sym-phony Orchestra.

Stephen Powell’s concert career has seen him perform as soloist in Carmina Burana, Mes-siah, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mis-sa Solemnis, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, Verdi’s Requiem, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem and countless other leading roles.

Mr. Powell has sung under the distinguished batons of such noted conductors as Andrew Litton, Charles Dutoit, Leonard Slatkin, Edo de Waart and Grant Llewellyn, just to name a few. He created the role of Fe-lipe Nuñez in the world premiere of The Conquistador with San Diego Opera and performed and recorded Bach’s Magnifi-cat with Boston Baroque.

As a recitalist, Stephen Powell has appeared with New York Festival of Song and per-formed at Weill Recital Hall singing Lee Hoiby’s song cycle, I Was There: Five Po-ems of Walt Whitman, with the composer accompanying. He performs frequently with his wife, soprano Barbara Shirvis, of-fering three recital programs they created together: “Hearts Afire: Love Songs through the Ages,” “Bellissimo Broadway!” and “American Celebration,” as well as master classes at universities across the U.S. Mr. Powell is an alumnus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists.

ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHORUS

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Cho-rus (ASOC) was founded in 1970 by

former ASO Music Director Robert Shaw.

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Comprising 200 auditioned voices, the Chorus is an all-volunteer organization that performs on a regular basis with the ASO and is featured on many of the Orchestra’s recordings.

Led by ASO Director of Choruses Norman Mackenzie, the Chorus is known for its precision and expressive singing quality. Their recordings with the ASO have won multiple GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Choral Performance, Best Classical Recording,and Best Opera Recording. Those include Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony and the Berlioz Requiem.

The ASOC performs large choral-symphonic works with the full Orchestra under the batons of Music Director Robert Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles. In addition, the Chorus has been involved in the creation and shaping of numerous world-premiere commissioned choral works.

The Chorus made its debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1976 with a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In addition, the Chorus performed in Washington, D.C., for President-elect Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural Concert in 1977. The chorus has traveled to Germany three times to be a special guest of the Berlin Philharmonic in December 2003 for performances of Britten’s War Requiem, in May 2008 for the Berlioz Requiem and in December 2009 for a week of Brahms Requiem performances — all with ASO Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles.

Within the Chorus, there is an auditioned group of 60 musicians called the ASO Chamber Chorus. The Chamber Chorus, which formed before the larger Chorus in 1967, performs music of the Baroque and Classical eras, as well as works by modern masters.

NORMAN MACKENZIE, Director of Choruses

As Director of Choruses for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 2000 and

holder of its endowed Frannie and Bill Graves Chair, Norman Mackenzie was chosen to help carry forward the creative vision of legendary founding conductor Robert Shaw to a new generation of music lovers. At the ASO, he prepares the Choruses for all concerts and recordings, works closely with Robert Spano on the commissioning and realization of new choral-orchestral work, and conducts holiday concerts annually. Mr. Mackenzie also serves as Organist and Director of Music and Fine Arts for Atlanta’s Trinity Presbyterian Church and pursues an active recital and guest conducting schedule.

Mr. Mackenzie has been hailed by The New York Times as Robert Shaw’s “designated successor.” In his 14-year association with Mr. Shaw, he was keyboardist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Principal Accompanist for the ASO Choruses, and ultimately assistant choral conductor. In addition, he was musical assistant and accompanist for the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers, the Robert Shaw Institute Summer Choral Festivals in France and the United States, and the famed Shaw/Carnegie Hall Choral Workshops. He was choral clinician for the first three workshops after Mr. Shaw’s passing and partnered with Robert Spano for the 2011 Carnegie Hall Workshop featuring the Berlioz Requiem.

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ASO | 11.13/15 | guests

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Norman Mackenzie, Director of Choruses The Frannie and Bill Graves Chair

Jeffrey Baxter, Choral Administrator The Florence Kopleff Chair

Peter Marshall, Accompanist

SOPRANO 1JoAnn AlexanderAriel BarnesRachel BloemerSakinah DavisLiz DeanLaura FosterMeg GranumMichelle GriffinVictoria KoltermanArietha Lockhart **Alexis LundyMindy MargolisPatricia Nealon *Joneen PadgettLisa Rader *Olivia RutkowskiCatherine Steen LykinsStacey TannerBrianne Turgeon *Emily WhiteKara Mia WrayWanda Yang Temko *Natalie York Eaker

SOPRANO 2Sloan Atwood *Jessica BarberBarbara BrownKelly CampobassoEllen ChaseMartha CraftEllen Dukes **Katherine FoldsMary GoodwinKathleen Kelly-GeorgeEda Mathews **Rachel O’DellVickie OrmeLindsay PattenChantae PittmanDonna RossSydney Smith-RikardPaula Snelling *Anne-Marie Spalinger *Tommie StorerEmily TallantCheryl Thrash **Donna Weeks *Katie Woolf

ALTO 1Deborah Boland **Rachel BowmanMeagan BradfordDonna Carter-Wood *Laurie CroninPatricia Dinkins- Matthews *

Pamela Drummond *Catherine ElliottBeth FreemanPamela Griffin *Julia HeardNoelle HoogeBeverly HueterJanet Johnson *Virginia Little *Staria LoveladyPaige Mathis *Holly McCarren *Frances McDowell **Linda Morgan **Katherine Murray *Ashley PerryMeesook SonuRachel Stewart **Diana StrommenNancy York

ALTO 2Nancy Adams *Michelle AustinAna BaidaStephanie BizardiMarcia ChandlerMeaghan CurrySally KannNicole Khoury *Katherine MacKenzieLynda MartinBrenda Pruitt *Laura RappoldAndrea SchmidtSharon SimonsAlexandra TanicoCheryl VantureSarah WardJune WebbKiki Wilson **Diane Woodard **

TENOR 1Jeffrey Baxter **David Blalock **John Brandt *Jack Caldwell *Daniel Cameron *Joseph CortesClifford Edge **Steven Farrow **Wayne GammonLeif Gilbert-HansenJames JarrellKeith LangstonJeffrey LeCrawAriel MerivilClinton MillerChristopher PattonJohn PerryStephen Reed #Nathan Schreer

TENOR 2Mark BarnesCurtis BisgesJustin CorneliusCharles Cottingham #Phillip Crumbly *Jeffrey DanielJoseph Few *Hamilton FongKeith Jeffords *Steven Johnstone *David LambJonathan MarvelMichael ParkerMarshall Peterson *Brent RunnelsClifton RussellWesley StonerCaleb WatersRobert WilkinsonMark Zekoff

BASS 1Michael Arens *Richard Brock *Russell Cason *Trey CleggSteven Darst *Leroy Fetters

Jon Gunnemann *James HonnNick Jones #Jameson LinvillePeter MacKenzieJoshua MartinJason MaynardJohn NewsomeAndrew RiechelMark RussellKendric Smith #Owen TalleyIke Van MeterAaron VillalobosEdward Watkins **

BASS 2Philip BarrecaCharles BooneBrian Brown *Joseph ChampionJohn Cooledge #Rick Copeland *Joel Craft **Paul FletcherAndrew Gee *Timothy Gunter *Marcus HillEric Litsey **Evan MaukEckhart Richter *John Ruff *Jonathan SmithTimothy Solomon **Benjamin TemkoSeth WhitecottonGregory Whitmire *Keith Wyatt *

* 20+ years of service** 30+ years of service# Charter member (1970)

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Page 15: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Nov. 2014 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

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Page 16: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Nov. 2014 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

JACK EVERLY, conductor

KRISTIN PLUMLEY,soprano

GEORGE TAKEI, narrator

POPS!NOV 28/29

BEETHOVEN Symphony No.

5DUBUSSEY: Première Rhapsodie

RICHARD PRIOR: Symphony No. 3

ROBERT SPANOconductor

LAURA ARDAN,clarinet

NOV 20/22/23

aso.org

Woodruff Arts Center Box Office 404.733.5000

Make it a group! 404.733.4848

THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES!

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