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SymphonyNotes HomeArchive for category Announcements
Lexington Symphony Wins NEA Grant!
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced today that Lexington Symphony will receive an NEA Art Works grant. Lexington Symphony has been awarded $10,000 to support its celebrated educational program, Orchestrating Kids Through Classics. There were only 96 music grants awarded nationwide, making this an extremely competitive category.
Congressman Ed Markey congratulated the Lexington Symphony, writing in a letter that “Orchestrating Kids Through Classics introduces children to the power of music at a young age and greatly enhances their educational experience.”
Orchestrating Kids Through ClassicsTM (OKTC) began in 2009. Created collaboratively by Lexington Symphony Music Director Jonathan McPhee and a group of Lexington Symphony musicians, the program was supported by a grant from the Lexington Education Foundation. That first year, OKTC was presented only to Lexington students. Four years later, the program now serves nearly 3,000 students each year from towns from all around the Boston area and the state, including Lawrence, Dorchester, Framingham, Wilmington, Burlington, Arlington, and many more. This grant from the National Endowment from the Arts will help Lexington Symphony expand the program even further and reach more children.
The grant supports “public engagement with artistic excellence” and projects that provide “Americans with new opportunities to have profound and meaningful arts experiences.” We at Lexington Symphony are pleased and proud that NEA recognized our OKTC program as an innovative project that meets their high standards.
OKTC is part of the symphony’s commitment to music education. It begins with a group of four Lexington Symphony musiciansvisiting each elementary school, where the musicians engage the students in small groups and prepare them for the concert. Click here to read about some of the questions students ask the musicians!
Then comes the big concert! Click here to see a Lexington Patch video of the OKTC concert. At the concert, the orchestra, led by Music Director Jonathan McPhee, winner of the Gabriel Award for his work with kids, takes the audience on a tour of the orchestra from its very beginnings 500 years ago through present-day Star Wars, with many creative flourishes along the way, including ringing cell phones, chanting monks, a virtuosic child performer, and an appearance by Darth Vader.
The children often come in with no preconceived ideas about or experience of classical music and love it. One student wrote after the concert this year, “It was amazing! Someday I hope I’ll be able to play in an orchestra like you.” Another wrote, “The music was awesome, I wish I could go again…You guys convinced me to play an instrument.”
Parents love the program, too. Jennifer Lawrence, a Lexington paren, recently wrote, “A few years ago, I chaperoned the Orchestrating for Kids [sic] program for all Lexington third graders and was absolutely amazed by the program’s ability to introduce kids to the history of music in such a compelling way. My daughter was completely entranced!”
Cindy Fong’s Inspired Program Notes
You may not know this, but Lexington Symphony’s program notes are written by second violinist Cindy Fong. Cindy is a playing member of the orchestra, which she joined in 1996. A double-major in music and English at Stanford University, she is now making use of both as a professor of Piano and English as a Second Language at Bunker Hill Community College.
Her other violin activities include regular participation in the Manhattan String Quartet’s workshops abroad and an occasional orchestral gig. She also continues to be active as a pianist and has performed in piano chamber music concerts in the New England area and as orchestral pianist for the Longwood, Newton, and Brockton Symphonies.
And, most importantly for our purposes today, she has been writing the program notes for Lexington Symphony since 2007. We asked Cindy to talk a little bit about her experience with writing these notes…and we got her to share a sneak peek at the program notes for our March 24 concert!
LS: Can you describe your writing process?
CF: The preparation part has developed over the years – now it usually involves collecting as many notes on-line as I can and then also reading a few relevant chapters in one or (preferably) two books, when I can find books. Sometimes, I detour into ancillary research, too, like reading the short Wikipedia bio on Oluf Hartmann, the artist for whom Nielsen’s “Artist’s Bier” was written. When I’ve finally reached a critical mass of information – it’s like dating a composer for a few weeks, until I have a sense of him (Brahms was basically my “boyfriend”for several weeks the summer I wrote up his First Symphony) — I listen to the piece a couple of times. Sometimes I have to listen MORE than a couple times, all while reading descriptions of the work, to have a
real understanding of it. I’ll also come up with my own reactions while listening, like the touches of Gershwin I detected in the Nielsen clarinet concerto, which was not mentioned in anything I read.
Then comes the writing part, at LONG last, usually after at least one or two weeks of gathering info. I almost always fear I don’t have anymore notes in me (thus relating a little to the writer’s block some composers experience), and always start with a Brainstorm page where, to loosen up, I just type random things about the piece until suddenly, I find a starting line (whew!). Sometimes, it takes a long time to find it, while other times, I have the shadow of it in my head even before starting (it sometimes comes to me during laps at the pool), which always makes life easier. When I finally get the first paragraph out, I relax and can start to enjoy the whole writing process.
Along the way, I’m always wondering how I’ll end the thing. I’ve been lucky many times, though, that a cool final line somehow ju
st comes to me almost automatically. But I never stop worrying that that may be the last cool ending line that will ever come my way. And then, even after the last sentence is written, I usually let the thing sit around for a week (often on my dining room table), just to “age” a bit and allow for some compulsive tweaking.
LS: What do you enjoy about writing the notes?
Cindy: I enjoy the challenge of putting a lot of disparate information together into a coherent tale. (Sometimes, it feels like things go into ahopper and then just come out, all put together.) I enjoy adding my personal spin on a piece (as long as it seems accurate). Sometimes, I can’t resist being droll, too, which is fun. And I feel that knowing more about each piece we’re playing gives me an edge in playing even my lowly second violin parts.
And I love doing notes for a group like the Lexington Symphony, which is truly a unique group, full of excellent, precise musicians who care about music-making (and not just check-collecting). It’s like contributing to a family effort in a family I’m proud to belong to. The players (oh, and Jonathan too) are also awesome people, which helps.
And now, a sneak peek at the program notes for March 24:
Perhaps not since that rock star Franz Joseph Haydn in the 1790s had a composer so captivated the London public like Antonín Dvořák, the shy, stocky butcher’s son with the endearingly fractured English, whose impressive Symphony No. 6 in D, Slavonic Dances, and, especially, Stabat Mater – one of the first modern Czech oratorios – had led to his first visit in the spring of 1884. Arriving in London on March 8 as an honored guest of the Philharmonic Society, the 42-year-old composer would spend the next two and a half weeks conducting three concerts of his own music. “I cannot tell you how great is the honour and respect the English people here show me,” he exulted in a letter to his father. “Everywhere they write and talk about me and say that I am the lion of this year’s musical season in London!”
It was a welcome shift to international stature for Dvořák, who, after spending eleven years as a violist in Prague’s National Theater Orchestra, plus three more as a church organist, had finally won enough attention – largely through his bona fide hit, the Slavonic Dances — to retire such positions for the life of full-time composer. Stuffed with banquets, trailed by autograph-seeking fans, he returned home from that first trip to London with, unsurprisingly, several new projects in hand, including a promise to write a new symphony for the Philharmonic Society.
This work, which would become tonight’s Symphony No. 7 in D minor, was one that had actually preoccupied Dvořák since the fall of 1883, when his friend and distinguished supporter, Johannes Brahms, played through bits of his own new Symphony No. 3 in F for him in Vienna; a few months later Dvorak would hear the work in Berlin, with Brahms himself conducting. Brahms’ work nagged at Dvořák: could he ever reach such stratospheric heights himself? After finally setting to work on his Philharmonic Society commission in December 1884, he soon wrote to a friend, “…wherever I go I think of nothing but my work, which must be capable of stirring the world….” Brahms himself was urging the younger composer to outdo himself, telling him, “I imagine your symphony quite different from [the 6th symphony].” In three months, in a state of driven aspiration, Dvorak had completed his new symphony.
It was, in the end, quite different from his Symphony No. 6 in D…
To learn more about Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, come hear the concert on March 24!
Meet the Lexington Symphony – William Kirkley, Clarinet
This week, Lexington Symphony is proud to feature one of it’s own, founding member and principal clarinetist Bill Kirkley. In between practicing, teaching and rehearsing with the Symphony this week, Bill sat down with us for a little chat.
LS – Tell us a little about yourself; where are you from?
Bill – I grew up all around the country, but eventually settled in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas for Middle School/High School.
LS – When did you start playing your instrument and was the clarinet your first choice?
Bill – I started playing clarinet in the 7th grade, but I originally started on trumpet in 6th to be like my brother. I switched to clarinet in 7th because I didn’t want be like him anymore! My older brother is a Texas band director, and my younger sister has been an oboist. My mother had been a concert pianist, and my father a tubist before he went to engineering school.
LS – What about you? Where did you go to school?
Bill – All three of us went to the University of Arkansas on music scholarships, I then went on to Northwestern University to study with Robert Marcellus.
LS – How long have you been playing with Lexington Symphony?
Bill – I have been playing with the Lexington Symphony from the first concert, 17 years ago. Wow, has it really been that long?!
LS – Besides performing with the Lexington Symphony, how else do you spend your time, musically speaking?
Bill – I am a full time musician, but try to divide up my time in three areas, I perform, I teach all ages on clarinet, and I also have a small WW instrument repair studio.
LS – What do you like to do when you are NOT playing music?
Bill – I love bicycling a lot! I got back into it after 25 years, and while I am not very good at it, I like it a lot! I also enjoy reading and spending time with family. I do have a soft spot for home improvement projects, as long as they are not of the emergency kind!
LS – What is so special about this weekend’s program and why should people attend?
Bill – This is another great program of music that is not often programmed together. All of the works are interesting and important, and speaking of the clarinet concerto, it is one of the most important, if not the most important clarinet work in the last 100 years. It stands with the Copland Concerto as a great example of the compositional influences of the twentieth century. It is a work that we as clarinetists approach with some aspect of dread because it is so hard, but also so beautiful. I hope people will want to attend to hear this great work, enjoy the other works on the program, and to hear and support the Lexington Symphony! And I hope people will come celebrate with us at Lexx Restaurant afterwards!
OKTC: Kids Say the Darndest Things Edition
As part of the Orchestrating Kids through ClassicsTM (OKTC) program, a quartet of musicians from Lexington Symphony visits each participating school in the weeks prior to the main concert at Cary Hall in Lexington Center. These are exciting visits; the musicians get to share their love of music with 2nd to 4th graders while educating them and creating anticipation for their upcoming field trip to Cary Hall, where they will experience the whole orchestra.
Each school has a distinct character and finds a unique venue for the visiting musicians. The “concert halls” include a school cafeteria with noisy fans and the inviting aroma of warming pizza, a classroom crammed full with several classes, and a beautiful space in a converted farm building in rural Beverly – all in a day’s work. Sometimes the musicians have an opportunity to reflect on a particular school visit over a cup of coffee, or if they’re lucky, amidst an array of egg dishes at a local diner. (Check out the Sunnyside Cafe if you’re ever in Ashland.) Remembering the questions that the kids asked during the Q&A portion of the presentation brings a dose of laughter to the tired musicians.
Here’s a light-hearted look at some of the questions you might hear were you a fly on the wall at one of these school visits, along with (some of) our answers.
“Why did you choose to play the ….(fill in the blank)?” reveals that some of us were following in the footsteps of older siblings, others were responding to an instrument demo in school, and that trying out different instruments is definitely a must!
Jobey and "Baby Bear"
“How heavy is the tuba?” not only allows Jobey to show off his upper body strength but also to issue a warning that “Mama Bear” is coming to Cary Hall, and that what the kids are seeing and hearing is only “Baby Bear.” They love that.
“Can you play your clarinet without a reed?” “Let’s see.” Bill removes said reed from mouthpiece, blows with all his might, turning a deep shade of crimson, and there is silence, except for the giggles of a room full of kids.
“Have you ever had a hamster in your tuba?” Jobey is quick with the answer to this one: “Of course not, silly. I take it into the shower with me to keep it squeaky clean”. Never a truer word spoken – Jobey does indeed hose down his tuba once in a while. Hands off the string instruments!
The violin vs. the viola
“Why do you all wear black?” Our resident lawyer comes in handy here. Rebecca explains how we want the music to take front seat and don’t want to draw attention to ourselves as individuals.
“What’s your favorite chocolate?” This question was in response to an inspired moment when Liz tried to explain what “Theme and Variations” are and used chocolate as the theme. (Cadbury is correct answer.)
“Can you play…..?” Fill in whatever is the latest popular kid’s movie. Bill is quick to note that this sounds more like a request than a question. But every now and then Jobey will acquiesce with a quick excerpt from Super Mario Bros.
“How much do you earn?” has to be the question that floored us all this time round. Bill, the MC, quickly looked around for someone else who was willing to answer the question. After the obligatory “not enough”, we went on to extol the joys of life as a performer and the fulfillment of teaching youngsters and steered clear of all the uncertainty associated with life as a free-lance musician.
“What does the conductor ACTUALLY do?” We’ll let the maestro answer that one!!
Bill Kirkley, Liz Whitfield, Jobey Wilson, and Rebecca Hawkins
New Year’s Eve Auction Preview!
This year’s live auction at the New Year’s Eve gala is going to be bigger and better than ever! You can win trips to everywhere from the Big Apple to wine country, tickets to the hottest sports events in town, a private concert for you and your friends, a hot air balloon ride, and the chance to conduct the Lexington Symphony Big Band right there at the Gala!
Still haven’t bought your tickets? To reserve your place, download and print the reservation form, call 781-523-9009, or purchase the tickets online.
Can’t attend this year’s gala but still want a chance to bid on the auction? Check out the items below and send your proxy bidder to the gala on your behalf. For questions on how to send in your proxy bid, contact General Manager Vanessa Gardner at vanessa@lexingtonsymphony.org or call us at 781-523-9009.
The auction, which benefits our youth and community outreach, features unique experiences for everyone. Here are some of the highlights:
Napa Valley Wine Country Experience 
Escape to the beautiful countryside of Napa Valley! This package features a three-night stay at the Meritage Resort & Spa, airfare for two, chauffeur service, and a thirty-six mile round-trip Wine Train excursion including a gourmet meal. Suggested Value: $5,676
A Mozart and Brahms Soiree presented by the Lexington Symphony Chamber Players
Turn your living room into a concert hall! Enjoy an intimate evening with the Lexington Symphony Chamber Players, featuring Bill Kirkley, and Maestro Jonathan McPhee as they give a delightful performance of the Mozart and the Brahms Clarinet quintets. Hear beautiful music and interact with the musicians in the comfort of your own home. Suggested Value: $2,000
Premium Seats for a Red Sox Game of Your Choice
Courtesy of Cranberry Hill Associates. Win two seats in the State Street Pavilion Club for a Red Sox game (date TBD) plus two $50 buffet credits. Perched only 110 feet away from home plate on the first base line, you’ll enjoy commanding views of Fenway Park and be in the middle of the action! Bring your gloves! In 25 years these seats’ owners have caught 210 foul balls! Suggested Value: $800
Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks
Rivalry on ice! See the 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins play the Vancouver Canucks on January 7 at 1pm in this sold out epic rematch! One pair of tickets is available which includes a Fan Experience Package for a child under 12 to serve as a Bench Assistant, a chance to sit on the bench with the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions! These privately owned seats are located Loge 5, row 11 right above the ice! Suggested Value: $800 for tickets only. Fan Experience Package: PRICELESS!
Weekend Apartment in New York
Enjoy a three day, two night getaway to the Upper East Side of New York. Once known as the ‘Silk Stocking District’, the Upper East Side still retains its position as the most affluent area of New York City. No matter where you go, mention this neighborhood and it usually arouses images of luxury and extravagance. It’s convenience to Central Park, multi-cultural museums & every high-end designer in a stones throw makes this area very desirable. Parking included! Suggested Value: $1,000
Hot Air Balloon Excursion for two!
Enjoy a hot air balloon ride with High 5 Ballooning, New England’s premier hot air balloon ride company, just 40 minutes from Boston! Float through the sky on an aerial adventure and see breathtaking views of the White Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Boston’s skyline and the beautiful Merrimack River Valley. Flights are available year round and vouchers are good for up to one year. Fly any time! Weather permitting, a picnic lunch is served after all sunrise flights and enjoy a champagne toast after all sunset flights. Suggested Value: $400
Boston Weekend Staycation at the Custom House
Spend three days and two nights at one of Boston’s most recognized landmarks, Marriott Custom House, located in the heart of downtown Boston. Spacious, elegantly appointed one-bedroom suites accommodate up to four guests. The resort near Boston Garden, Faneuil Hall & Boston Harbor offers easy access to the sights. Discover all the splendors of downtown Boston awaiting you from your spacious suite at Marriott’s Custom House in Historic Boston! Available between June 1 and November 18, 2012. Suggested Value: $1,000
Guest Conduct the Lexington Symphony Big Band – Fancy yourself a Big Band leader? Reminisce the good ol days and ring in the New Year with the Lexington Symphony Big Band by having the great honor of conducting Auld Lang Syne at Midnight! This New Year’s Eve is certain to be more most memorable yet as you Swing in the New Year in Style! (No conducting experience necessary!) Suggested Value: PRICELESS!
What are YOU doing New Year’s Eve?
While it may seem like there is a lull in the action here at the Lexington Symphony, I dare say that is not the case! The Lexington Symphony Gala Planning Committee is as busy as Santa’s elves getting ready for this year’s New Year’s Eve Gala! (And if you attended the Holiday Pops Concerts, you might have an idea of just how busy elves can be this time of year!)
Epp Sonin, Dominique Vo, and Barbara Ciampa enjoy the Gala
On New Year’s Eve from 8:30pm to 12:30am at Cary Hall in Lexington Center, Lexington Symphony is throwing a gala party to “Swing in the New Year!” After the great success of last year’s event, we are excited to present an even more festive and lavish affair this year to benefit the orchestra and it’s youth and community outreach.
This year’s entertainment will be provided by the Lexington Symphony Big Band. “This is really a concert you can dance to”, says Lexington Symphony president, Fred Johnson. “Guests are invited to dance the night away to classics of Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie and more!”
Maureen Sullivan and delicious food!
Midway through the party, our Music Director Jonathan McPhee will arrive directly from conducting Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker. After welcoming guests and presenting a live auction of exciting experiences and adventures, he will lead the second half the program telling the story of the Great American Songbook, a tribute to the great Glenn Miller. Maestro McPhee says “I grew up with the Glenn Miller sound and concerts in the US Air Force. These tunes are so iconic to American music history and it’s really fun for me to be up on stage with these guys.”
Bradford Gleim
Lexington Symphony is excited to welcome vocalist Bradford Gleim in renditions of these American classics. Although primarily classical vocalist, Gleim has extensive experience singing jazz, rock and blues having sung in a wide variety of bands and ensembles priorto his decision to focus his career in opera, oratorio and art song. In fact, he recently joined the faculty at Berklee College of Music where he is teaching the next generation of vocal artists the skills necessary to excel in various musical styles and genres. Jonathan McPhee says of Bradford, “He has a great pop/jazz voice and an equally fabulous classical sound. He will certainly engage our audience and will just be terrific!”
Guests dancing the night away at the Gala
Throughout the night, guests will enjoy the flavors of Via Lago as well as a beer/wine cash bar, late night dessert and coffee, and complimentary champagne at midnight!
This year there will be two ticket options. Guests will be invited to come to a special “mix and mingle” piano reception at 8:30pm, before the dancing begins, and to enjoy a table on the floor, hors d’oeuvres and two complimentary drink tickets for $125 a person. For $75 a person, guests can enjoy the big band and dancing starting at 9:30.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Sleigh bells were jingling last night at Cary Hall as the Lexington Symphony rehearsed for our annual Holiday Pops Concerts! I don’t know about you, but when the holidays roll around, there’s nothing that puts a smile on my face more than the sound of classic holiday favorites. I never tire of playing “Sleigh Ride” and I can be caught bopping my head to “The Nutcracker” on more than one occasion. And while I was somewhat in denial of December’s impending arrival, as soon as I heard that first jingle I lit up like…well, a Christmas tree!
In conjunction with the Lexington Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Festival Night, tomorrow we have two fun-filled Holiday Pops Concerts with something for everyone to enjoy. The 4pm concert is designed especially for the little ones in your life. Come hear the familiar favorite, Frosty the Snowman, and await the arrival of the Polar Express! Beloved high school teacher George Mechem will narrate The Nutcracker and the Mouse King which tells the story of Clara and her Nutcracker set to the music from Tchaikovsky’s most famous ballet. George joined us last night in rehearsal and, as you might imagine, our Maestro is just a taaaad picky about how this goes!
The afternoon program wraps up with a lively medley of holiday favorites and I’m told the big man himself (that would Santa!) will be making a special appearance! He might even bring an elf or two!
At 8 o’clock, we are joined by even more special guests! The evening’s performance will feature the Lexington High School Madrigals as well as Accent A Cappella from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. And don’t worry! George will be narrating The Nutcracker and Mouse King in the evening performance too!
Remember that classic holiday movie Home Alone? Well, we’re about to jog your memory. The MIT Concert Choir will sing three gorgeous songs from Home Alone. Here’s a taste of one of the opening fanfares!
Lastly, we’ll invite all the choruses and all of YOU to join us in a rousing performance of the Hallelujah Chorus and other holiday carols. You’re sure to have goose bumps and a twinkle in your eye! (Pssst! Santa heard that 800 people were singing the Hallelujah Chorus in Cary Hall tomorrow night so be on the look out for him too!)
Tickets for both concerts are selling quickly so if you haven’t gotten tickets for you and your family, get them right now!
Tickets are also available at Brookline Bank, 1793 Mass. Ave. and The Crafty Yankee, 1838 Mass. Ave. in Lexington Center until Noon on Friday!
Tickets available at the door starting at 3pm on Friday.
Doors will open 30 minutes before each performance.
Lexington Symphony receives MetLife Governance Grant!
What makes a Symphony run? Do all the players just show up, magically at the same time and place? Miraculously, with the same music in hand? How do you, our beloved audience members, know when to show up to Cary Hall to hear this musical magic?!
There are many moving parts when it comes to running a symphony.
Our Personnel Manager and Concertmaster Liz Whitfield makes sure the players show up at the same place at the same time with the same music. Maestro McPhee doesn’t just show up and wave his baton around and hope for the best! There are months of planning and studying and then coming together in rehearsal with the players, who have no doubt spent many hours practicing themselves!
As General Manager, it’s my job to tie everything together and to make sure that you are all aware of what’s happening here at the Symphony. Of course I wouldn’t be able to do that without help from my Communications side-kick Claudia Stumpf or without our dream team – the Board of Directors! And our Board of Directors was just honored by a national organization.
I am so pleased to announce that The Lexington Symphony has been chosen as one of five orchestras to receive the 2011-2012 MetLife Governance Grant for Board Development from the League of American Orchestras! The grant provides financial support to strengthen board governance practice. The orchestras are selected through a competitive applications process that assesses their plan for board development, its long- and short-term impact, and the measurement of results.
After spending a year getting used to having some staff, I knew that our board was ready for this next big step. So we spent some time completing a board self assessment survey that helped guide us through the application process and come up with plan for how to strengthen our organization from the inside out. The MetLife Governance Grant couldn’t have come at a better time in the life of our organization.
In the coming months, our board will divide into two task forces that will focus on development and governance. The task forces will work independently, examining our survey responses and creating suggestions to present to the rest of the board on how best to build governance and development resources and integrate them into our organizational structure. We will then bring our task forces together in a two-part retreat during which we will be able to use the MetLife Governance Grant to engage professional consultants in the areas of board governance and development.
In the short term, board members will know more clearly where they fit within the organization and how to best direct their energy and skills. They will have a better understanding of the Lexington Symphony’s mission and have a process for checking our progress against that mission.
In the long term, an effective governance team will recruit and orient a larger board – more representative both ethnically and economically of our community – and put in place a succession plan both for leadership and membership.
An effective development team will bring increased economic resources sufficient to permit the building of the infrastructure necessary to assure not only the sustainability, but also the continued growth, of the Lexington Symphony.
The fruits of these efforts will be passed on to you, our patrons and supporters, as well as your children and grandchildren. You’ve made Lexington Symphony an integral part of our closely-knit community. And we are committed to making sure that we continue to deliver the highest level of musical performance and to meet the needs of the community at large. Our goal is to keep being here for you.
Thank you all for your continued support. If you’d like to read the full press release, click here. Want to get more involved? Email Vanessa@lexingtonsymphony.org
Welcome to SymphonyNotes!
Welcome to Symphony Notes!, the official blog of the Lexington Symphony! We kicked the season off to a great start on September 17, 2011 and now we’re launching into the blogosphere! We’ll be posting weekly editions of what’s happening at the Symphony; we’ll give you an inside look at what’s going on behind the scenes including some up close and personal chats with our musicians, music director, guest artists, board members, and other members of our community ! So bookmark Symphony Notes and check back regularly for the latest Symphony news.
Here’s a look at what’s going on at the Lexington Symphony now!
After a successful opening night concert we’re gearing up for our November 5 concert ! We’re pleased to welcome back guest conductor Bruce Hangen, music director of the Orchestra of Indian Hill and director of Orchestral Activities at the Boston Conservatory. Maestro Hangen brings experience and passion to his role as conductor, and the symphony musicians are excited to be working with him.
The program begins with The Birds by Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. This audience favorite is in five movements, each inspired by a particular birdsong and the music of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century composers. Each movement is named after a particular bird – the dove, the hen, the nightingale, and the cuckoo.
Not ready for fall just yet? In addition to music inspired by birdsong, the symphony also presents Les Nuits d’Été (Summer Nights), a setting of six French love poems by Hector Berlioz. Lexington Symphony’s performance will feature countertenor Matthew Truss. Praised for his “mellifluous voice and ebullient manner,” Mr. Truss is making his mark as a young countertenor whose “precocious” voice “boasts both beauty and volume.” Mr. Truss received his Bachelor of Music degree from Boston Conservatory with an emphasis in opera performance. Stay tuned for an up close and personal discussion with Mr. Truss next week here at Symphony Notes!
Finally in a turn towards winter landscapes, Maestro Hangen will be leading the orchestra in Sibelius’ breathtaking Symphony No. 1. First performed in 1899 by the young Jean Sibelius, this symphony was influenced by Tchaikovsky and Borodin, but is clearly the work of a young composer who had already developed a distinct musical voice. Sibelius went on to be a prolific and popular symphonic composer – writing a total of seven stunning symphonies. He was inspired by the bleak landscape of Finland, and said of one of his symphonies that it reminded him of “the scent of the first snow.”
For information about the Nov. 5 performance, or to buy tickets, go here. Have questions? Email Lexington Symphony General Manager Vanessa Gardner at vanessa@lexingtonsymphony.org.