The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Puerto Rican flutist Josué Casillas looks forward to "adventure" of playing with the ASO

2010-05-13T14:00:00.003-04:00

Puerto Rican flutist Josué Casillas will be performing a solo with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra on May 22-23 that he has never heard performed before. And he likes it that way.

“It’s one of those adventures, but I’m good at that,” he said. “In the years I played in Houston, Texas, I played with a group that presented new music at recitals – music that hasn’t been recorded. That’s art in its crudest and most valuable sense. It’s like a painter creating colors from scratch. It’s a privilege to create something fresh and new and make it alive.”

Casillas, 45, will be soloing during “Atmosphere as a Fluid System,” a composition by Minneapolis composer Libby Larsen. While Larsen is a popular and prolific composer, orchestras rarely perform pieces that audiences are unfamiliar with.

“It is usually the 20th Century (and earlier) composers that they are sure are marketable, such as Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart,” he said. “But there is something to be said for new music. It challenges our souls and our hearts. It makes us better human beings and better servants to society. Libby Larsen is an amazing composer. (“Atmosphere as a Fluid System”) is all about fluidity and the flow of the orchestra sounds into the flow of the flute sounds. It’s very modern in that way --- we live in a dynamic, ever-changing world.”

Despite flying in just a week before the concert from Puerto Rico, where Casillas is the principal flutist of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico and the flute professor at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, he said he will be prepared to play the piece with musicians and a conductor that he has never worked with before.

“Oh, it’s nerve-wracking, but thanks to tradition and discipline, we all have the same language – music,” he said. “The human spirit is the same, whether you’re from Puerto Rico, China or America – musicians are all just human. That’s how the collaboration can occur.”

Casillas said he also has pressure to perform for his sponsor, Suzanne Brock, who brought him to Alexandria after seeing him perform with The Orchestra and Community Choral Artists of the Tahoe Area in Incline Village, Nevada, over the course of four summers; and for former students – who he calls “my peoples” -- who will be flying in from all over the country to see his performance with the ASO. “I want to do a good job for them,” he said.

Casillas will also be performing with another flutist, Sara Stern, during Telemann’s “Double Flute Concerto.”

“It’s a privilege because we are not going to meet at a bus stop, or at the library or any other way people normally meet. Telemann has brought us together,” he said. “I have a college friend I met at the Cleveland Institute of Music, who is Chinese. English was her second language and English is my second language, but we had music.”

In addition to his duties rehearsing with the ASO the week of the concert, Casillas will take one day to fly to Winston-Salem to teach a master class at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

“Being Hispanic, we are famous for being laid-back,” he said. “I had to change my way of thinking. Orchestras are very competitive. I have to be prepared.”

-- You can read more about Josué Casillas here: http://www.miyazawa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1869&Itemid=3100
-- Or listen to his performances on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/josueflute

GET TICKETS HERE: www.alexsym.org

Maestro Musings: 'Carmina Burana' still contemporary and exciting

2010-05-10T17:14:00.004-04:00

O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty
and power,
it melts them like ice.
-- Carmina Burana

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra's popular 2009-2010 season, entitled "Inspired by Nature" comes to an ecstatic conclusion in it's Grand Finale concerts on May 22-23. The centerpiece will be Carl Orff's timeless masterpiece, "Carmina Burana," which has reached far into popular culture, making it into the soundtracks for the films "Excalibur," "The Hunt for Red October," and "The General's Daughter." It has also been used by many pop musicians, including Michael Jackson.

Just what is the appeal of "Carmina Burana"? The poetry deals with timeless subjects of life, love and loss. Although written in thirteenth century Latin it has a surprisingly modern sensibility. The Latin language gives the poetry an extra punch and is ultra-expressive and descriptive ... sometimes shockingly so.

But it is the music -- the unforgettable rhythms, pounding and hypnotic -- that gets under your skin and makes your hairs stand on end. The music sounds contemporary and relevant. Even hip-hop music seems to pale in comparison to the primitive and expressive power of Orff's music.

So it's the combination of compelling and graphic poetry with this hyper-propulsive music that give "Carmina Burana" it's unique appeal—to both classical music lovers and popular culture.

So electrifying is "Carmina Burana" that is practically impossible for me to sleep after performances! Sharing the stage with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will be The Metropolitan Chorus, Heritage Signature Chorale, NOVA Chorus and Alexandria Choral Society.

Also on the program are guest flute soloists Josue Casillas and Sara Stern playing music by Telemann and a fascinating work by Libby Larsen, entitled "Atmosphere of a Fluid System."

Our "Inspired by Nature" theme this season was so popular that we are extending it into an exciting new direction for our 2010-2011 season, entitled "Symphonic Vistas!" Headliners will be Garrick Ohlsson, Jenny Oaks Baker and Steffen Horn in a season featuring many of music’s greatest evocations of nature…and of man’s endless fascination and love of nature.

See you at the concert!

Kim Allen Kluge
Music Director
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Composer is inspired by nature

2010-04-28T15:09:00.003-04:00

I think of all music as existing in the substance of the air itself. — Libby Larsen

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra presents “Atmosphere as a Fluid System,” by American composer Libby Larsen

By Merrie Leininger

Libby Larsen is one of only 20-30 people in the country who make their living purely from composing music for orchestras and operas.

Most people, of course, hold down a second job -- most as a teacher at a university -- but Larsen is one of the most frequently commissioned American composers, and also is in demand as a speaker. She has written more than 400 works, including operas, songs, orchestra and chamber music, and has more than 50 recordings of her music.

“I like to keep busy. There are so many ideas to pursue — and life is short,” she said.

The Larsen work that will be performed by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra on May 22-23 is “Atmosphere as a Fluid System.” Maestro and Music Director Kim Allen Kluge picked the piece because it fits so well into the season’s theme: “Inspired by Nature.”

Larsen described how a plane ride led to the music:

“One day, years and years ago, I was flying somewhere, plastered up against the window watching light on the clouds, and I saw a rainbow cone in the clouds, and although we were moving, the rainbow was moving with us, and I could see right down the center of the cone,” she said. “I was fascinated by it, because I had never seen anything like it, and I began to study, I wanted to find out what it was. Turns out it was something called Ulloa’s Ring.”

Larsen said “Atmosphere” is meant to transport the listener into a cloud.

“Along the edges and in the middle of clouds, this fluidity is dynamic and we get tornados and hurricanes from this kind of thing. I wanted to write a piece from the inside of a cloud, and that’s what this piece is — it moves all the time, it is very fluid and moving and full of shifting colors, so it’s as if you as an audience member were inside the cloud, moving with the atmosphere.”

Nature is where she most often turns to for inspiration. She described the piece for two violas that she is currently working on:

“It’s really about the moment of quiet in the night where the stars are bright. It’s a suspended moment in eternity.”

Despite working in an industry that values the voices of dead European men over productive women who work and live among us, Larsen said that she feels like there is certainly room for growth and ground-breaking music on American stages.

“It’s an industry that has become a repackaging industry, and those of us who can add to that — contribute to the cannon — are vital,” Larsen said. “It’s less than from the public, that perception of boards of directors and marketing departments that an audience will not come to a performance of something they don’t know. It’s not the accepted thinking in any other form of art — not music, movies, art — but really only the classical music world who have bought that mythology hook, line and sinker.”

However, Larsen says she understands the restrictions that orchestras are often under, and how little time musicians have to learn a new piece of music.

“I like to challenge myself to make music that is interesting and idiomatic for the performers and resonates with the audience, in the way the notes are arranged. I don’t try to write music people simply ‘like,’ but are engaged with.”

She said being a woman in this demanding — and sometimes isolating — profession can be difficult, but she maintains contact with other women composers such as Jennifer Higdon, who just won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for composition.

“We have a wonderful community network, where we all e-mail. There is a league of women composers and wonderful trade associations. I support them where I can, but best of all is to be in communication, so we support each other,” Larsen said.

Larsen said she respects other composers and musicians and is pleased when they enjoy her work, but she said she is thrilled when her work inspires audience members to reach out to her.

“I’m always delighted when someone who has heard my work goes out of their way to be engaged — sends an e-mail or says something to me in the grocery store. Because composition is when you make a shape out of sound and time, in order to communicate what it’s like to be alive. When someone communicates with me about my music, it’s because I made this sound, and I feel like the work I do — which is an odd way to spend your life — has meaning.”

Larsen, who lives in Minneapolis, said she took up long-distance running a couple of years ago in order to get out of the head space where she often loses time to music.

“The sound is in my head, I hear everything in my head, and work in a different kind of time when I’m writing. Two or three days can go by, and suddenly, I realize I really need to get out of the house and talk to people who are living in flat time.”

Larsen said that keeping her life well-rounded only enhances her music.

“One can live an artful life, and the products of that artful life can be food, music, a perfect run, a fine interview, (art doesn’t imitate life), they are one in the same. If your life is an artful life, you live a mindful life, where mind and emotion are in balance.”

Learn more about Libby Larsen at her website.

Get tickets and more information about the May 22-23 concert, go to www.alexsym.org

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!

2009-11-30T17:37:00.004-05:00

Happy holidays, music lovers! I'm so excited about Saturday's concert at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre. Not only is "The Nutcracker" one of my favorites, but we get the original and a special treat -- the Duke Ellington version! To get more information, go to the Website.

I'm having trouble finding Duke YouTube videos, but here's a version of the Duke Ellington band doing "Jingle Bells:"

Here's Duke and his band doing "Don't Mean a Thing:"

And, finally, Ellington's version of "The Nutcracker," as performed by the U.S. Army Blues Band:

Violin soloist prepares for the variety and fun of the Nov. 14 concert with the ASO

2009-11-09T15:25:00.005-05:00

Violinist Olivia Haijoff says preparing for the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra's Nov. 14 performance at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall has been both challenging and comforting.

The playlist includes one of her favorite pieces to play – Arnold's "Concerto for Two Violins," and something she’d never even heard before, Piazzolla's "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires."

"I think this is a particularly good program; there is so much variety, the pieces are really fun, and there's nothing to be scared by -- everyone is familiar with the Vivaldi; the Piazzolla is really fun; the Arnold is short, and has a rhythmic quirkiness, when we've played it to audiences before, they really love it and find it interesting … the middle movement is very sensual, slinky and special…. And the Brahms is really warm. It's not the usual thing."

Haijoff will be performing, as always, with her husband, Marc Ramirez. The couple have been married since 1997. They live and teach violin in Vienna, Va., and met while studying violin at the University of Maryland. She came to the U.S. from England on a Fulbright Scholarship.

"We met in the violin class," she said. "He was nice to me after I played."
Haijoff said both she and her husband grew up with musicians in the family and came to the violin early on. She was 4 when her mother, a harpsichordist, took her to a concert, and Ramirez was 7 when a violinist performed for a small party at his parents' home. Both his parents, Connie and Abad Ramirez, had at one time served as president of the Arlington Symphony.

Both Ramirez and Haijoff are also past winners of the Lasley Scholarship program -- co-sponsored by the Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria and the ASO -- that helps support and teach young musicians.

Haijoff said the competition really helped her develop into a professional musician.

"Just having to get ready for something like that, preparing a concerto, a major concert, makes you work hard, gives you a goal. And you know it's going to be taken seriously. Marc judged it a few years ago. The judges are people the students really respect, so it really stays with them."

Since then, the couple both taught at Shenandoah University, and now teach out of their home and perform all over the country and the world as Marcolivia violin duo. She said it's not difficult to both work and live together.

"Before we got married, we started doing duos in school, so we'd already been working together," she said. "I think we agree on quite a lot of things musically. We both try hard not to argue or bring other things into it, from our daily life. There's never been a piece that we disagree on. We like the same things. We are technically similar, we went to school together and learned from the same people, and teach the same way."

Haijoff said she loves to teach violin to people, whether they have a future as a professional musician or not.

"I just want them to always have music they can come back to later in life, whether they play in an orchestra, or just are able to go to orchestras and really love it. I've never been one of those teachers who say, 'You have to do it this way,'as long as they want to learn and show respect for the music, then I'm happy."
She said the beauty of teaching the violin is that amateurs and professionals are both always working on the basics -- it's not as simple as reading a note and then playing that note.

"It's like solving a puzzle -- there are always things to work out. I like to bring that out of them," she said. "The violin is really hard, it's much harder than anything they will do in school, or even anything they will do in life, but if I can help them to enjoy the puzzle solving, then they will know it's not something you're supposed to know how to do, and that's why they should love it."

"Lots of people come up to me and say, 'I played the violin once, I wish I hadn't given it up,' But no one ever says I wish I didn't play the violin."

The Marcolivia duo will bring that love of music and the violin to the stage on Nov. 14 with the ASO -- the only problem was deciding who would get to play what.

"I think I really wanted to play the Piazzolla, and I'm the more pushy one," she laughed. "This Piazzolla is unlike anything I've played before. I think the quirkiness really appealed to me; it's different, so it's always going to bring something new out. It's something like playing jazz -- there’s that freedom you get that you have on stage, there's a little bit of that."

Listen to Marcolivia at http://marcolivia.com/cd.htm

ASO chosen for 2009-10 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington

2009-10-14T16:48:00.002-04:00

The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is proud to announce that Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has been selected to be featured in the 2009-10 Catalogue. A panel of 90 experts from area foundations, corporate giving programs, larger non-profit organizations, and the DC government evaluated nearly 240 applications; the ASO is one of 68 outstanding nonprofits to be featured this year.

About the ASO, from the Catalogue:

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra combines a commitment to artistic excellence with a dedication to entertaining and educating a wide range of audience members -- from the seasoned subscribers to the 8-year-old attending a concert for the first time. Generous discounts for seniors, students, families, and youth organizations (Girl Scouts can earn a participation patch!); a free-ticket program for at-risk youth; select free concerts; a main location near four large retirement communities; and popular daytime events make ASO concerts accessible to committed music lovers and tentative music explorers alike. And the programming is fresh and innovative: recent seasons have included collaborations with visual artists, theater, choral, dance, and opera companies. In addition to its evening and matinee concert series, ASO offers an annual children's holiday concert; school-day concerts for Alexandria City's third- through sixth-graders that conclude a collaborative, year-long music and art curriculum; and a serious mentoring program for high school musicians.

ASO and you: beautiful music together.

About the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington:
Now in its seventh year, the Catalogue has become a trusted intermediary connecting smaller, community-based organizations with individual and foundation donors. According to Barbara Harman, President and Editor of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington, "We know that nonprofits have had a very difficult year. For most, contributions are flat or down, and the decrease or loss of foundation and government funding has created significant budgetary challenges. Individual donors can make a real difference this year, keeping great organizations afloat during these tough times.” The Catalogue enables smaller non-profits to tell their stories to individuals who would otherwise never hear them, and to encourage those individuals to give. It also provides charities with a stamp of approval that tells donors they can invest with confidence because the Catalogue vets its family of nonprofits with great care.

20,000 individuals and hundreds of family foundations will receive copies of the catalogue this year, and the new catalogue website (cfp-dc.org), which launches on November 1, includes a gift registry and gift cards, and a section especially for kids.

Since its inception in 2003, the catalogue has helped raise over $9.5 million dollars for deserving, local, non-profit organizations. "Charities were selected for excellence, cost-effectiveness, and impact" Harman said. “These are certainly among the best community-based nonprofits in the Washington region.”

First concert of the season a great success

2009-10-09T15:53:00.006-04:00

The positive response to our first concert of the 09-10 season has been overwhelming!

Thanks to amazing solo performances by pianist Carlos Rodriguez, (pictured, at left, with ASO Executive Director Adrien Finlay) violinist Leonid Sushansky, and the whole ASO orchestra, the Sept. 26 concert was a smashing success. (Despite a driving rain and one musician who couldn't make it because of a car accident on the way!)

The audience was brought to its feet at the end of Rodriguez's rousing performance of Gershwin's "Piano Concerto in F" and then, as an encore, he performed Debussy's lovely "Clair de Lune."

We have not stopped taking calls from raving audience members since.

Thank yous must be made to Music Director Kim Allen Kluge, all the musicians, SOLA volunteers, Tara Conte, and Key Club volunteers from T.C. Williams High School (pictured at left). And, thank you to Susan Cavanaugh for the great photos!

The next one is coming up on us soon! See you Nov. 14 with marcolivia!

--Merrie

Leonid Sushansky: Born to make music

2009-09-15T16:31:00.004-04:00

Leonid Sushansky was born to make music.

The violinist will be a solo guest performer on the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s opening night performance of Vivaldi’s “Summer” and “Autumn” from The Four Seasons on Sat., Sept. 26. He is the son of violinist Rimma Sushanskaya, who was already a successful solo violinist in the Soviet Union when Sushansky was born. She was one of the last students of the famous violinist David Oistrakh, a prize-winner, conservatory teacher and internationally acclaimed touring musician.

“My first memory of the violin is imaginary,” Sushansky said. “My mother played before I was born, and when she was pregnant with me, so I had music piped in from the very start. When I was a baby, I had music all around me. When I was a little kid, I used to pick up sticks and imagine I was playing.”

However, violin lessons didn’t come naturally to the mother-son pair right away, and eventually, at age 7, little Leonid started classes at a local school.
“They tried to start me at 6, but I didn’t have the attention span. I guess I wasn’t careful, or paying attention, and broke a couple of violins.”

Practicing never came easy for him, he said, but once he took the stage, his fate as a performing violinist was sealed.

“When I go on stage, it’s almost like being transformed into a different person,” he said. “In fact, when I was in the fourth grade -- 7 or 8 (years old) -- I was in a competition and one of my teachers was in the audience and didn’t recognize me.”
It was about that time that his mother began attempting to get permission to leave St. Petersburg and move to New York City. It was a long and difficult process.

“We were trying to leave Russia, and for a number of years we were refused. When people were denied the right to leave Russia, you were fired from your job, and the Soviet government said, ‘Survive how you can.’ My mother lost her job at the conservatory. All her concert tours were cancelled and all her music was taken off the radio. The only way we survived was private students would come in secret, and packages sent from relatives. In fact, when I won first competition, right before leaving Russia, the people were afraid to let me perform at the awards concert, for fear of repercussion.”

In 1977, the family members who were already in the United States, were able to win the family’s right to immigrate by campaigning politicians.

He was raised in New York City and attended the Julliard School of Music. He has never been back to Russia, although his mother, who splits her time now between New York and England, has returned on concert tours.

Leonid has lived in the D.C. area for a decade. He is in his third year as director of the National Chamber Ensemble. He said his mother sometimes comes to see him perform.

“I think she’s proud. Most of the time,” he said. “When she’s in town, I’m very appreciative to play for her. She’s a great artist. Her input is very valuable.”
Sushansky said he is looking forward to starting the season with the ASO and Vivaldi.
“I try the most to make whatever I’m performing at the moment my favorite work. Whatever you’re performing, you have to be fully invested in it. I’ve never had a concert where said, ‘I don’t really like this.’ So, yes, Vivaldi is my favorite. This week. And next week,” he said with a laugh. “This is very exciting to do Vivaldi, because I’m starting the season with Vivaldi with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and ending the season with Vivaldi. In June, I’m performing the entire “Four Seasons” with the National Chamber Ensemble.”

“One of the things we do the most is talking to the audience during a performance. I try to make it interesting by telling stories, telling jokes – I try to make it a fun, interactive experience. Music is about sharing. When you share music, you’re also sharing yourself, it’s communicating.”

Sushansky said he likes to bridge the gap between the listener and the composer by giving out “the dirt” on the composers.

“Everybody has problems. It brings the composer to life. Most people, when they hear a composer’s name, think of some bust in a lobby, but I try to make the composer human. It helps to connect them to the music.”

But, Leonid said, Vivaldi is one of the few composers who almost doesn’t need any explanation – his music is so full of imagery and so accessible.

“ ‘The Four Seasons’ is probably the greatest or earliest examples of program music — music that tells a story. It’s amazing how accurately each piece portrays the poem without losing the musical quality,” Sushansky said. “In “Autumn,” in the first movement, the peasants are celebrating the harvest, and in the music it says they drink and they become drunk. I do not imagine a drunk person being able to play metronomically, so I make it a little free and unpredictable. Also, he brilliantly demonstrates when they fall asleep, the music demonstrates how they sleep and breathe. … In the first movement, they are dying from the heat, and then in the last movement, have a storm, and you hear the hail beating down the crop.”

Sushansky said while every concert has a great moment and memory for him, his most memorable moment onstage came when he was under the influence.

“It was last May, I had a performance two days after having surprise oral surgery. Doing a performance on Vicodin was interesting. For years I’ve always thought, ‘Hard work, hard work, practice hard,’ and Vicodin makes you think you can do anything. It went really well. I should have discovered Vicodin years ago. All these years, could have just taken a pill. And the concert was called ‘The Russians are Coming,’ so it was appropriate.”

Who: Alexandria Symphony Orchestra & Maestro Kim Allen Kluge
What: Vivaldi “Summer” and “Autumn” from The Four Seasons
Respighi Pines of Rome
Gershwin Piano Concerto in F
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center
NOVA Community College, Alexandria Campus
3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311
Price: $20-$80. Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org for tickets

"Inspired by Nature" opens on Sept. 26

2009-09-14T17:05:00.002-04:00

09-10 season begins at 8 p.m. Sept. 26

Featuring Carlos Rodriguez on piano and Leonid Sushansky on violin

Performing works by Vivaldi, Gershwin, and Respighi

The ASO heats up its 66^th season, with pieces that evoke warm afternoon thunderstorms and colorful leaves softly floating to the ground. The season is Inspired by Nature, and during the scorching Sept. 26 concert, violinist Leonid Sushansky will perform Vivaldi's bright and playful “Summer” and “Autumn,” selections from The Four Seasons. These two well-known pieces were part of the ground-breaking work by the composer whose melodies bring to mind flowing creeks, singing birds and buzzing mosquitoes.

Check out this amazing sand painting, by Ferenc Cako set to "Summer."

Guest Musicians

Leonid Sushansky is a virtuoso musician who is in his third season as the National Chamber Ensemble’s violinist and music director. The New York Times has called him “extraordinarily gifted,” and NPR’s Nina Totenberg has said, “He plays with so much heart, it makes you want to cry.”

ASO is happy to welcome back pianist Carlos Rodriguez. Rodriguez was one of the ASO’s most popular guests of the 07-08 season. Rodriguez is a member of the faculty at the Levine School of Music and guest artist and coach for the Domingo/Cafritz Young Artist Program with The Washington Opera.

Information

Check out part of the Gershwin, as performed in the film "Rhapsody in Blue." Be forewarned, it's a little disconcerting that the concert is interrupted by an announcement of the composer's death.

For more information, to contact the guest musicians, or for photos or review tickets, call Marketing and Box Office Manager Merrie Leininger at 703-548-0885 or e-mail her at alex@alexsym.org.

Go here to see the "Fantasia 2000" version of our third piece of the night: Respighi's "Pines of Rome"

Who: Alexandria Symphony Orchestra & Maestro Kim Allen Kluge

What: Vivaldi “Summer” and “Autumn” from The Four Seasons

Respighi Pines of Rome

Gershwin Piano Concerto in F

When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

Where: Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center

NOVA Community College, Alexandria Campus

3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311

Price: $20-$80. Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org for tickets

More ASO photos in local paper

2009-07-21T14:13:00.003-04:00

The Alexandria Packett Gazette this week published photos from the July 11 City of Alexandria birthday celebration at Oronoco Park.

As you can see, if you weren't there this year, you're going to want to make sure you don't miss it in July 2010!

Below is special guest conductor Adron Krekeler with his wife Becky Mahood and ASO board member Donnie Wintermute. Krekeler won the honor to conduct the symphony at the annual SOLA Ball that was held in March.

Music was in the air at community birthday celebration

2009-07-14T14:04:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the thousands who came out to Oronoco Bay Park to listen to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra during Saturday's fireworks celebrating the nation's and the city's birthdays.

The amount of people there alone was exciting, but the sense of community was amazing! The musicians and Maestro Kim Allen Kluge did a great job on the big-band era hits, the patriotic numbers and even the themes from the Harry Potter movies! We all loved it when the whole crowd clapped along during Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," and when people sang along with soloist Millicent Scarlett.

See some great photos of the crowd, the musicians and the fireworks by Alexandria News photographer Regan Kireilis, and a story by Carla Branch and Rebecca Newsham here.

Children's Festival was a huge success!

2009-06-08T12:55:00.009-04:00

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s annual Children’s Arts Festival sold out on Sunday, June 7, with the more than 900 children and parents coming along for Adventures in Music.

For the hour before the concert began, the children were able to play with instruments ranging from hand bells to cellos in the instrument petting zoo, creating an amazing cacophony of sound in the lobby of the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Art Center. Outside, kids crowded the art tents -- creating their own guitars and drums out of balloons, rubber bands and cardboard boxes. Children and their parents also got help from the Del Ray Artisans, The Art League and the Torpedo Factory with drawings, paintings and screen
printings.

The concert was packed as Maestro Kim Allen Kluge, dressed as the Hobbit Frodo, told the crowd that “Little people can do big things,” and led the orchestra through selections from “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” and Bugs Bunny’s “What’s Opera, Doc?” Student artwork created a splash of color projected in the darkened hall. Kluge also walked the children through a mini music class – singling out each type of instrument and describing a little about each so students would understand a bit more about what they were hearing.

For upcoming events, and information about the ’09-’10 season $5 youth matinee tickets, go to www.alexsym.org.

Photos by Susan Kinghton Cavanaugh

Gather the kids -- it's time for the Children's Arts Festival

2009-05-13T10:39:00.001-04:00

Kill the Wabbit!

What's Opera, Doc? - The most amazing videos are a click away

What: Annual Children’s Arts Festival: “Adventures in Music,”
Featuring selections from soundtracks to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Fellowship of the Ring and Bugs Bunny’s What’s Opera, Doc?(Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries & Tannhäuser Overture)

When: Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 2 p.m. – activities at 2 p.m., concert at 3 p.m.

Where: Schlesinger Concert Hall, NOVA Community College, Alexandria campus, 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA

Price: $5 general admission

Info: Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org for tickets

This year's Children's Art Festival promises to be a great family day full of arts and crafts, exploration, and music. Art created by Alexandria school children will be displayed. Children will be able to play with orchestra instruments and make their own instruments to take home using paper towel rolls and rubber bands.

Kids -- no matter if they are piano prodigies or just wear a hole in "Kidz Bop" -- will benefit from the experience of listening to a live orchestra. They will hear music from Bugs Bunny, The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

The whole family can listen to powerful live music, dance, create and play all day for only $5 per person!

Help pass Obama's amazing arts budget

2009-05-11T13:46:00.006-04:00

Last week, President Obama released his plans for funding the arts, and well, it's pretty fantastic news for those of us who love music and art.

As Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, "The president's proposed funding of $161 million would take the NEA to its highest funding level in 15 years and will help continue the upward trend of budgetary growth that Congress established several years ago. In contrast to the previous administration, this year's budget includes funding for the Arts in Education program at the Department of Education at $38.16 million."

Of course, this isn't the end. Please send a message to your senator and representatives to urge them to support the president's budget. Let's keep art in our public schools!

Maestro musings: Singing out the '08-'09 season and looking forward to next season

2009-04-07T10:08:00.009-04:00

Younger than springtime, are you
Softer than starlight, are you,
Warmer than winds of June,
Are the gentle lips you gave me

South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein

"O Passionate Voice," the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra's 2008-2009 Season Grand Finale concert on May 2 features three soul-stirring, transcendent and unforgettably melodic masterpieces: Symphonic Suite from South Pacific; Wagner's Tannhauser Overture; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony #5. This irresistibly "singable" program is the climactic conclusion to our popular Inspired by the Voice season.

South Pacific's heart-warming music could just as easily been included on next season's program, Inspired by Nature. This celebration of nature and it's intrinsic connection to music includes an all-Beethoven concert, Carmina Burana, and Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

In our 2009-2010 Inspired by Nature season you will hear some of our favorite guest artists who are returning by popular demand. Tenor Ta'u Pupu'a will be singing Mahler's Songs of the Earth and Carlos Rodriguez will dazzle you with Gershwin's toe-tapping Piano Concerto. The ASO also welcomes Washington National Opera's Elizabeth Bishop, violinist Leonid Sushansky, flutist Josue Casillas, and the husband-wife violin duo MarcOlivia,

I am also very excited to announce a dynamic new ASO series that will begin next season. Our popular Sunday afternoon concerts will include interactive demonstrations given by the musicians as well as exciting visuals and inter-arts collaborations. The style of these concerts will be more relaxed but the music-making will be as red-hot as ever.

Our natural world certainly continues to inspire contemporary composers like myself. My Haiku Suite: Three Nature Poems for Sakuhachi and Orchestra will premiere on March 14, 2010 in our “Songs of the Earth” Sunday concert. I wrote it after journeying through Asia and having been inspired by the overwhelming beauty of the countryside, mountains and seas.

See you at the concert!

Kim Allen Kluge
Music Director, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Maestro Musings from Kim Allen Kluge

2009-02-23T09:55:00.002-05:00

Hosanna

Hey Sanna Sanna Sanna Hosanna

Hey Sanna Hosanna

Hey JC, JC won't you smile at me?

Sanna Hosanna

Hey Superstar

~ Rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord.

~ Requiem, Andrew Lloyd Webber

The Two Superstars

What do Andrew Lloyd Webber and superstar saxophonist Branford Marsalis have in common? They are both legendary “cross-over” artists. Webber’s inimitable style is evident in such disparate genres as his rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar and his liturgically-inspired Requiem. You can hear Webber’s Requiem on the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s March 8th O Lyric Voice program.

The ASO is excited to welcome back Branford Marsalis as the headliner for this special concert in our vocally inspired season. When you look at the program, you will see my name listed amongst the composers— I will be conducting, and the ASO will be performing my original composition, Vocalise for Branford Marsalis. I have long been inspired by Marsalis’ extraordinary versatility as an artist, and with Vocalise, I wanted to embody Marsalis’ natural and seamless blending of classical and jazz styles. This piece also strives to express Branford’s sophistication that is always accessible through his intensely melodic style. I wrote Vocalise as a tribute to Marsalis’ highly-charged mastery, sensitivity, and vocality. Upon receiving the score, Branford commented, “It really does sound like me! Way cool.”

Mr. Marsalis will also be performing vocally inspired works by Bach, Ibert and others. Ibert began studying the dramatic arts before turning to music. He believed that music was closely linked to the other arts, and it was simply part of a larger emotional response to all aspects of experience. He was a true “cross-over” artist long before the term was conceived!

The Metropolitan Chorus, the Heritage Signature Chorale, and soloists will be joining the ASO on March 8^th for our O Lyric Voice performance, and I will be sharing the podium with acclaimed conductors Barry Hemphill and Stanley Thurston.

With the talents of Branford Marsalis and the voices of our choral partners, O Lyric Voice is a true celebration of the power of lyricism—whether it be sax, symphony… or the voice itself.

See you at the concert!

Kim Allen Kluge

Music Director, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Maestro Musings from Kim Allen Kluge

2009-01-31T07:55:00.008-05:00

In order to be a really good singer, you have to be an athlete. The way one breathes, the positions of standing, how the air flows in and out of the body. When you sing, you have to sing with your body. ~ Ta’u Pupu’a, former Baltimore Ravens pro football player
(Read the full ASO interview in the next post)

Ta’u Pupu’a, former Baltimore Raven pro football player and current acclaimed lyric tenor, will demonstrate his NFL-trained operatic singing apparatus on the upcoming Valentine’s Day Concerts of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, entitled O’Lovers’ Voice.

I have had the privilege of working with world-class singers and am awed by them. I am awed by the power of their voices and their ability to project them into vast spaces---and to do this without amplification! I am awed by the absolute command over their vocal and breathing apparatus and the arduous physical training that is necessary to achieve such super-human things. So the training that Ta’u Pupu’a received as a pro football player has prepared him well for the physical rigors and demands of his burgeoning career as an opera singer.

Pupu’a’s golden tenor voice is perfectly suited to the ASO’s upcoming Valentine’s Day Concerts. He will be joined by soprano Julie Rowling in two of the most beloved operatic love scenes--the love music from La Boheme and from Madama Butterfly.

See the stars!
Ah, lovely night!
Thy perfect calm is breathing love
near and far!

Madama Butterfly

The two Puccini operas span different continents and cultures but share the composer’s unsurpassed ability to write ravishingly beautiful vocal and orchestral music that comes directly from the heart.

The first half of the concert is in collaboration with the Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia and will be conducted by John Niles. Pupu’a and Rowling will be joined by mezzo Leslie Mutchler and tenor Peter Burroughts in a historic regional premiere of Ravel’s The Spanish Hours. This masterful romantic comedy, paired with the soaring sentiment of the Puccini love scenes will take an alternately humorous and moving look at love and romance.

I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day! See you at the concert!

Kim Allen Kluge
Music Director-Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
www.alexsym.org

An Interview with Ta'u Pupu'a by Tara Conte, ASO Marketing and Box Office Manager

2009-01-23T10:01:00.028-05:00

This weekend, I watched a play end in tragedy.

In fact, I saw a few plays that would have some diehards trying to hold back tears. My hometown Philadelphia Eagles lost the chance to go to the Super Bowl. Again. While certainly not as tragic as the plots of Shakespeare's Othello or Puccini's Madama Butterfly, there is something quite similar between sports and the performing arts. The drama, the emotional connection to the players, the standing ovations, the awe as the voice or football climbs, descends, and lands in the cradle of the music or the receiver's hands.

For former Baltimore Ravens player and current lyric tenor Ta’u Pupu’a, the connection between football and opera is immediate. “They’re really similar,” he tells me in phone interview. “In order to be a really good singer, you have to be an athlete. The way one breathes, the positions of standing, how the air flows in and out of the body. When you sing, you have to sing with your body. Being an athlete I was able to call upon my experience of playing football…Once I got into music, I knew exactly what to do, how to study, how to prepare myself. You prepare the role you’re going to sing before you tackle it.”

However, Pupu'a, whose favorite opera is Tosca, wasn't always a lover of the genre. In fact, he says, "opera didn't come into my life until two and half years ago." Born on the small Polynesian island of Tonga, Pupu'a had a passion for football (Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins) and music (R&B, rock). As the youngest of nine, his preferences were shaped by his brothers and sisters who listened to Kiss and Abba. His first introduction to classical music was in the church where his father was a preacher.

At an early age, Pupu'a moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and later attended Weber State University in Ogden. It was here that he was able to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree while on a football scholarship. The scholarship necessitated that football take center stage and Pupu'a kept his singing a secret from the other players. But when word got out about one of his performances, his fellow teammates attended and showed their support with a standing ovation.

It wasn’t only his voice that was showstopper. Pupu’a impressed Coach Bill Belichick (then with the Cleveland Browns) with his speed and strength. According to Pupu’a “Bill is known to pick underdogs…He’s a wonderful guy who takes care of his draft choices.” After stints with the Browns and the Baltimore Ravens, an injury made Pupu’a reconsider his career. He arrived in New York four years ago searching for a vocal teacher. When one took him in, “all of sudden,” Pupu’a says, “it just came. It was my calling.”

"Born to travel," Pupu'a now tours the country perfecting his craft. His recent roles include the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto for the Gateway Classical Music Society in Riverside, Connecticut; Cassio in Otello for Espresso Opera in New York City; and Maurizio in Adriania Lecouvreur for Opera in the Heights in Houston, Texas.

Now three years after his major role debut, what does Pupu'a think are the trends in opera? Movie theaters. He thinks organizations like the Metropolitan Opera that simulcast their performances at movie theaters across the country are "wonderful." Opening up price and geographic barriers, these presentations are "great because you pay 25 bucks, you have the front row, and you can sit there with your bag of popcorn." Does it get any better than friends, beautiful singers as tall as your house, and Milk Duds? (Want to experience the Met in your backyard? Theaters in Fairfax Town Center and Tysons Corner show live performances with one coming up Feb. 7).

This season will clearly be much brighter for Pupu’a than my Eagles. Falstaff at Julliard (he was accepted on a full scholarship), traveling to Italy for a month-long music festival in Tuscany, and performing at the prestigious Chautauqua Music Festival of Fine and Performing Arts in New York.

Touchdown.

Links of Interest

The Met at the Movies
Purchase tickets to "O' Lovers' Voice" featuring Ta'u Pupu'a

Do you hear what I hear....

2008-12-10T14:01:00.005-05:00

...silver bells, the sighs of relief after realizing ALL the holiday lights work, the sloshing of warm apple cider in your favorite mug. We love the sounds of the holidays and hope you will join us for a few more this Sunday, December 14 at 3:30pm as the ASO presents its annual Children's Holiday Concert at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. The program includes favorite holiday sing-a-longs as well as Duke Ellington's jazz-band arrangement of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite. Afterward, receive your fill of holiday cheer and treats with a delicious reception. Tickets are $25 general admission and can be purchased online or via phone at 703-548-0885. This is one afternoon of holiday fun you won't have to travel over the river and through the woods for!

3 Composers, Two Soloists, 1 Great Night!

2008-11-06T09:40:00.007-05:00

Well, the excitement of election season has officially come to an end. Looking for something to fill the void? Join us for an evening of Mozart, Dvorak, and Wilder featuring two guaranteed winners: pianist Yuliya Gorenman and French hornist Amy Horn.

Heralded as a “pianist without fear,” Russian-born, American pianist Yuliya Gorenman brings her artistic fire and extraordinary virtuosity to the ASO for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto #21. Now firmly established in her performing career, Gorenman first achieved international acclaim in 1995 as a prizewinner of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium. She has performed and recorded with the Bavarian Chamber Orchestra, the Hugo Wolf String Quartet, the St. Louis Philharmonic, the Liege Philharmonic, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic of Flanders, and many other orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Currently, Gorenman is performing and recording the complete cycle of the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas in a series of eight solo recitals at The American University in Washington, DC where she is also a Professor of Piano and Musician in Residence.

Joining Gorenman as a featured soloist is ASO’s own Principal Horn, Amy Horn. She will be spotlighted on Alec Wilder’s Suite for Horn and Strings which ASO Concert Lecturer Colleen Fay calls “vintage Wilder” as it “combines elements of Jazz and popular song, but just enough of each to give the piece a distinctive musical edge.” In addition to her position with the ASO, Horn is also a Master Sergeant in “The President’s Own" United States Marine Band in Washington, DC and a doctoral candidate in Music at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Rounding out the program is Antonín Dvořák’s popular Serenade for Strings. Composed in 1875 in a mere 12 days, the Serenade remains a perennial audience favorite and came from a period of composition that also witnessed Dvořák being well-funded by a grant award and creating his Fifth Symphony. The five, varied movements of the Serenade showcase Dvořák’s rhythmic ingenuity and his now well-known ability to stretch long melodic lines across sections of the orchestra.

Details:
"O' Thankful Voice"
Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 8:00pm
Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
Tickets are $20-$80 and can be purchased online or via phone at 703-548-0885.

08-09 Season Opener!

2008-09-24T15:36:00.004-04:00

It's good to be back! Though we love the slightly more laid back pace of summer, we can't wait to begin our 08-09 season. On Saturday, October 4 at 8:00pm and Sunday, October 5 at 3:00pm, join us as we present "O' Inner Voice" featuring Bowen McCauley Dance at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (Alexandria). The first program in a season inspired by the voice, "O' Inner Voice" includes Massenet's Meditation from Thais, Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Greensleeves and Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis and Brahms' Variation on a Theme of Joseph Haydn and Piano Concerto No. 1 (Movement 1) with Jeffery Watson, piano.

Ticket prices are $20-80 with special Sunday matinee youth tickets (ages 8-18) only $5! For tickets or more info, call us at 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org.

Hope to see you on opening night!

Yo, ho, ho! Children's Fest is huge success!

2008-06-23T09:31:00.007-04:00

On Sunday, June 8, the ASO held its annual Children's Fest at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center. Outside the venue, hundreds of pirate lads and lasses made treasure maps and pirate hats, heard stories, competed in a limbo contest, and learned new dances. Inside, all those pirates made sure they were heard across the Potomac at the instrument petting zoo. Who knows? Some might even leave behind life on a ship for life on a stage with an orchestra!

After the activities were finished, everyone headed inside the auditorium. You could almost feel the waves pounding as the ASO played selections from the "Pirates of the Carribbean" movies. Maestro Kim Allen Kluge, or as he was known that day, Captain Jack Sparrow, took us on a symphonic adventure. Swords became batons as we played along with the music and mimiced the instruments with our hands.

Adding to the experience was an impressive, and often funny, videography that played behind the orchestra. Interspered with artwork created by area students involved in the Children's Fest curriculum was a narrative about a school janitor. While cleaning at night, he discovers the children's artwork has come to life. Although we all know the arts can be magical, this videography gave that notion a fantastical twist.

After all the activity, excitment, and inspiration (not to mention a beating hot sun), we were all ready to retire to our own quarters and start dreaming up ideas for next year...

(Of course, we couldn't end this post without thanking everyone who attended and volunteered at the event. A very, very, very special thanks goes to Melissa Luby, the amazing ASO Special Project Coordinator who organized the event and made it an amazing success.)

Garden Party 2008

2008-06-02T09:39:00.014-04:00

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, the ASO held its annual Garden Party which featured a live auction. Despite some drizzly weather at the start of the evening, the event was a huge success raising over $41,000! This money will support the ASO's efforts to bring the symphonic experience to the entire community. Examples of these iniatives include the upcoming Children's Arts Festival and our $5 Sunday matinee youth tickets.

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated or bid at the auction, or helped make the event an amazing night! Of course, a special thanks goes to our Board whose hard work makes this all possible!

Picture 1: Elizabeth McCrae, Kate Patterson, Harriet Lankford
Picture 2: Cassie McLaughlin, Nick and Gincy Carosi
Picture 3: Frank and Betty Quirk, Jim and Molly Singerling

Musician Spotlight: Doug Wallace

2008-05-14T12:20:00.007-04:00

For our second edition of ASO Musician Spotlight, we interviewed principal timpanist, Doug Wallace. The New Haven, Conneticut native talked about all things music (from Frank Zappa to Stravinsky) in an email interview conducted in early May.

Are you originally from the area?

I Moved to Virginia at age 10. I attended Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax for Middle School and High School. I received a Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School. I moved back to the DC area in 1996.

What’s your musical background?

I began playing percussion at 8 yrs. old, mostly because I wanted to play drums in a rock band. My parents never really listened to classical music, so I didn’t have much exposure to it until I started playing in youth orchestra and school orchestra. I also played in the George Mason Orchestra while I was in high school. This really helped turned me on to classical music. I have performed with many orchestras and chamber ensembles including the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Theater Chamber Players, Battery Four Percussion Group, and The Oblivion Ensemble.

I also have many other interests within the music field. I do a great deal of teaching, I compose and have my own publishing company. I also run a percussion web site, DougWallacePercussion.com.

Why did you choose percussion?

My father had played drums in high school and college, so there was a beautiful Gretsch drum set sitting in my basement from the time I was born. I still have that set today!

When did you join the ASO? What’s your most memorable ASO performance?

I have been performing with ASO for about 10 years and was appointed Principal Timpanist in 2000. My most memorable performances have been the emotional debut at Schlesinger Hall (less than two weeks after Sept. 11, 2001), The “Percussion Blast" concert in 2002, Stravinsky’s "Rite of Spring" in 2003, and Milhaud’s "Creation of the World" with Branford Marsalis in 2004.

What or who influences you?

My influences change as I change. At the present time, my family is my greatest influence. I marvel at the things my two year old son can do, and he inspires me to improve in all areas of my life.

Are there any “movers and shakers,” up-and-comers, or exciting trends you see happening in symphonic music?

I think that we have reached a time when Symphony Orchestras must embrace technology in performance, education, and marketing or else they will fail to exist. I have felt for a while that most of the notes, chords, rhythms, color combinations, and orchestration have already been explored in classical music.

The next frontier, in my mind, is the implementation of technology coupled with a transformed art form that requires use of all the senses – sight and sound, of course, but also touch, taste and smell. I guess that I can envision an experience for the audience along the lines of a highly sophisticated live IMAX movie with the orchestra as the featured entity.

Obviously, anything that is cutting edge and that uses sophisticated technology presents two very real problems: 1. It can be extremely expensive to produce. 2. The classical music purists will argue that it goes against a very old orchestral tradition. I respect that point of view very much (and I am not suggesting that we do away with the elegant tradition of a night out dressed up with a glass of wine listening to Mozart's "Symphony #39"). However; orchestras need to reach young audiences in order to keep the tradition of symphony orchestra alive. What about a 24 hour classical music cable channel with news, performances, audience interaction? What about “Classical Music Idol” or “Audition Survivor”? Some people will cringe at the thought of this, but exposure is a good thing if you keep the artistic integrity and quality of the music high. That is the challenge.

Side note - Including popular artists on certain concerts is a way that many orchestras have attempted to attract young audiences, but I think that more needs to be done.

As far as education and marketing go, every orchestra should have an interactive web site, blogs, articles with RSS feeds, a MySpace page, a Facebook page, etc. This is how young people communicate these days, and any business or non-profit organization that doesn’t get with the program is going to be left behind. I am also a firm believer in program notes and speaking briefly to the audience before pieces.

Favorite thing to do when not playing?

Sports – I love to play and watch sports. All sports, but especially the big team sports (basketball, football, hockey, baseball). I feel that playing an instrument and playing a sport are very similar because mental focus, endurance, and agility are essential in both activities.

Favorite band or popular artist?

I can’t say that I have one favorite band or popular artist, but the following have all had a strong influence on me…

Band/Artists: Frank Zappa, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Ben Folds, Jonatha Brooke, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Jason Faulkner, The Police, Vinx, Kieth Jarrett

Drummers: Steve Gadd, Elvin Jones, John Bonham

What’s the best part of living in the DC metro area?

Traffic – I love having to leave 2 hours early to make sure I am on time for a gig 5 miles away. Just kidding!

Seriously – The DC area in one of the most culturally diverse areas in the world. There is opportunity to experience so much if you take the time to look around. It gets difficult with the

hectic lifestyle many people live in the area, but if you can fight the traffic, there’s plenty to do!

Ahoy all parents, children, swashbucklers, and wannabe pirates!

2008-05-07T09:43:00.013-04:00

Just because the subscription season is over, doesn't mean the fun is!

Set your course for the ASO's annual Children’s Festival on Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 2pm!

Not simply a concert, the Children’s Festival is the culmination of a cross-curricular educational initiative that brings music into area classrooms through a specially designed music and arts curriculum. The fun begins at 2pm with interactive art stations, limbo and pirate costume contests and dance activities. Children can also play real symphonic instruments at the instrument petting zoo. At 3pm, the ASO, with a special appearance by Dancensations Dance Center, will present selections from the first two Pirates of the Caribbean movies: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man’s Chest.

Both movies have set box office records with Dead Man’s Chest earning the title of third highest grossing movie of all time. Audiences will delight in hearing the score from a movie loved worldwide brought to life by a live symphonic performance. A backdrop to the orchestra features a videography comprised of artwork created by Alexandria students participating in the curriculum project.

The event will be held at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (3001 N. Beauregard St, Alexandria). Tickets are only $5 general admission and can be puchased online at http://www.alexsym.org/ or by calling 703-548-0885.

Hope to see you there in your best pirate gear!

(Scenes from last year's festival)

All good things must come to an end...

2008-04-07T09:43:00.004-04:00

...but not for long!

This past weekend (April 5/6), the ASO performed its last concert in the 2007-2008 subscription series. Entitled "Bliss" and presented in partnership with Heritage Signature Chorale and The Metropolitan Chorus, the program featured Smetana's The Bartered Bride Overture, Hailstork's Earthrise, and Dvorak's Cello Concerto. Of course, we were especially excited to have world renowned cellist Lynn Harrell as the soloist for the Dvorak piece. It was an amazing way to end a season of special collaborations and memorable performances. To everyone who came out despite the drizzly weather, thank you!

While our subscription series may be over, you don't have to leave the symphony for next year but just set a different course! We invite you to set sail with us on June 8 at 2pm as we present our annual Children's Festival featuring music from Pirates of the Caribbean, dance and art activities, a costume contest, and even an instrument petting zoo! It's sure to be a swashbuckling adventure and with tickets only $5, you won't have to forfeit any precious gold doubloons to have fun!

As usual, the concert will be held at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (NOVA campus, Alexandria). Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.alexsym.org/ or via phone at 703-548-0885.

Hope to see you there!

Spring Forward to Rapture!

2008-03-03T09:53:00.006-05:00

The weather is absolutely lovely today, and we can't help but hope March will be more lamb than lion. This Sunday, March 9, we turn the clocks forward and though we'll miss that extra hour of sleep, the extra hour of sunshine will make it totally worth it.

This weekend you can also spring forward to ASO's next performance, "Rapture," on Saturday March 8 at 8:00pm and Sunday, March 9 at 3:00pm (Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, Alexandria). The program is a collaboration with the Alexandria Choral Society and Bowen McCauley Dance and will feature Mendelssohn’s Symphony #4 “Italian,” Fauré’s Pavane, Beethoven’s Elegischer Gesang, Opus 118, Handel’s Zadok the Priest, and Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances #1. Ticket prices are $20-$80 with special youth tickets (ages 8-18) offered on Sunday performance for only $5. Tickets can be purchased online at www.alexsym.org or via telephone at 703-548-0885.

Ccurrently a member of the Alexandria Arts Forum, the Alexandria Choral Society will add a mesmerizing voice to the stage with its chorus. The nationally recognized group has performed with Rosemary Clooney and the National Symphony Pops, and its high quality performances and programming have garnered it numerous awards. In 1992, ACS won the first American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) award ever presented to a chorus for Adventuresome Programming. Locally, it has twice received the coveted ALEX Award from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. Particularly unique to ACS is its commitment to regular performances of American choral music. Most seasons include a program of American works, with ACS premiering a new choral work approximately every two years since 1984.

Lucy Bowen McCauley’s dances will provide a stimulating visual journey that exposes something new about each musical selection. Beginning with the stately, elegant Pavane for orchestra and chorus by Fauré that builds on the court dance tradition inherent in the music, the Company will move to Beethoven’s Elegischer Gesang, Opus 118, a buoyant, intimate work for five dancers, and culminate in a high-octane, celebratory dance for the full seven-member company set to the sounds of Handel’s Zadok the Priest. In addition to her choreography for Rapture, founder Lucy Bowen McCauley has created over forty works since the company began in 1996. In 2003, Lucy Bowen McCauley was awarded the Alumni Path of Inspiration Award from the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Arlington Commission for the Arts STAR Award for Artistic Excellence.

Inside Look: Euphoria

2008-01-15T12:46:00.000-05:00

We know it's a little overdue, but Happy New Year! While we had a great break, we're excited to be back in the swing of things with all things blog and ASO.

The final countdown has begun for "Euphoria" being presented in partnership with BosmaDance and Alexandria Performing Arts Asssociation. On Saturday, February 9 at 8pm and Sunday, February 10 at 3pm, indulge in the lushness of interwoven strings and dancers at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (Alexandria).

But what exactly is "Euphoria?" The program is one which traverses both time and place.

The music will take concertgoers full circle from the Renaissance to the Baroque to the Contemporary, which reflects back on these earlier influences. The program begins with one of J.S. Bach’s masterpieces, the Double Violin Concerto, featuring ASO Concertmaster Claudia Chudacoff and 2006 Mary Graham Lasley Scholarship winner, Najin Kim. The concert then progresses into the lighthearted dance of Johann Strauss’ Pizzicato Polka and takes a step back to the Renaissance with Giovanni Gabrieli’s Canzona.

"Euphoria” is rounded out by two contemporary composers, each of whom was invariably influenced by the Baroque. Fantasia concertante on a theme of Corelli by Michael Tippet was written in 1953 for the tercentenary of the birth of Arcangelo Corelli, a Baroque composer. Drawing influence from another master, Villa-Lobos wrote the Bachianas brasilieras #5, Aria to pay homage to Bach and to the music of his native Brazil.

As for the choreography, it will take you around the world as Artistic Director Meisha Bosma was inspired by a recent trip to India to create dances that "delicately thread intimate gestures, sweeping movements and evocative imagery, penetrating the startling extremes of India."

According to BosmaDance:

"'Euphoria' captures the emotions of a stranger in a foreign land. Traveling between India’s densely populated cities to the haunting reality of native village life and refugee camps, Bosma explores how this life-changing journey tested her patience and strengthened her will to cope with life-threatening situations; a severe case of malaria, an uncertain run-in with the Naxalite rebels, emotional days spent with refugees, and the forbidden act of forgetting toilet paper on a long bus ride. “When people ask ‘How was India?’ – I cannot answer with words, instead I tell people to attend the performance of 'Euphoria,' because India is best explained using vibrant color, dance, and music in its most expressive form,” Bosma says.

While working in the studio to create 'Euphoria,' Bosma reaches beyond her all-female company to include the masculine energy of male dancers for the first time. “It is impossible to imagine 'Euphoria' without the inclusion of male dancers because the dynamic among men and women plays a powerful role in defining what India was in the past and what it is today.” 'Euphoria' explores the balance between fantasy and reality, male and female, life and death, chaos and calm and invites the audience to fill in the gaps with their own experiences, emotions and interpretations."

That's it for our inside look at "Euphoria!" We hope to see you in February.

Don't forget our $5 youth tickets (ages 8-18) at our Sunday matinees!

To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.alexsym.org/ or call 703-548-0885.

Musician Spotlight: Richard Parnas

2007-12-17T13:11:00.000-05:00

Let’s face it: musicians tend to live pretty cool lives.The recent success of video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band proves that people love the thrill of creating something to be heard by others (even if it only means hitting four multicolored buttons in a sometimes uncoordinated fashion.).

Richard Parnas, Principal Viola player for the ASO, is no exception. Parnas grew up in Saint Louis, MO eventually moving to Philadelphia to attend the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Although he entered on a violin scholarship, the draw of the viola made him switch instruments the first week of school. Indeed, he believes that a “person always knows whether he prefers violin or viola.” After spending four years in the Navy and one season with the Saint Louis Symphony, Parnas began a 35 year career at the National Symphony Orchestra as Principal Violist in 1955. In 1992, he became Principal Violist for the ASO and has held the post for the last 15 years.

Throughout the years, Parnas has seen his share of memorable performances including playing William Walton’s Viola Concerto with the ASO, soloing at Carnegie Hall and performing at the Library of Congress with the Julliard Quartet. Perhaps most incredibly, he was part of the National Symphony’s string quartet that performed 3 concerts a year at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in return for the use of its Stradivari instruments. According to Encyclopedia Smithsonian,

“Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644, and established his shop in Cremona, Italy, where he remained active until his death in 1737. His interpretation of geometry and design for the violin has served as a conceptual model for violin makers for more than 250 years.

Stradivari also made harps, guitars, violas, and cellos--more than 1,100 instruments in all, by current estimate. About 650 of these instruments survive today.”

These concerts continued for 10 years and not surprisingly, Parnas favorite piece he has played was Harold in Italy by Hector Berloiz who composed it specifically for the Stradivari viola.
Parnas has played a spectrum of music under conductors who favored the classics to those that preferred the contemporary. However, in the future, he believes orchestras will have to “mix up the seasons with some modern pieces along with the Beethovens and the Mozarts” in order to be successful. To this end, Parnas is looking forward to playing Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis with the ASO in 2008. Written by modern English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams, the piece features “really nice parts for the violin and viola.”

Thus, Parnas’ musical career, rich with rare experiences, has passed both state lines and time lines. And while you may not see a situation like this play out on the next Guitar Hero, we still think it’s pretty rock and roll.

Post Holiday Concert Update

2007-12-12T07:24:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who made our annual Holiday concert a success on Sunday. A special thanks goes out to our Co-Chairs, Angels, Santa's Helpers and businesses that helped make this a night filled with lots of singing and eating! The Orchestra combined with the Trinity United Methodist Choir, Emmanuel Choirs, and Alexandria Choral Society's Children's Choir, truly made these radio favorites come to life in an intimate setting.

Santa even tore himself away from the workshop to make a special appearance! We're flattered that he would come all the way from the North Pole just to see us perform and make the event extra special for all the children.

The tunes spanned from old to new with a standout being "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Though we all know Charlie and his dog, Snoopy, do you need a refresher on Sallie, Marcy, or Franklin? Check out The Official Peanuts Website to relive childhood memories or learn something new.

Can you guess who our favorite character is?

Hint: His favorite composer is Beethoven.

Holiday History

2007-12-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

This first snowfall is making us even more excited for our annual Holiday concert this Sunday, Dec. 9 at Trinity United Methodist Church at 3pm. You might not realize it, but some carols have lengthy and interesting histories.

For example, did you know that "Greensleeves" is an old English ballad that can be traced back to at least 1580 and may be about Anne Boleyn? Moreover, this classic has been referenced everywhere from William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor to a recent episode of The Office. (Wikipedia)

Or that "Jingle Bells" originally began as a Thanksgiving song? (About.com)

Or that, according to EW.com, the popularized version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is quite different from the original? (this song will not be featured at the ASO concert)

Check out the links below to buy tickets and learn more about some favorite holiday carols!

Links of Interest

Buy Tickets

Greensleeves

Jingle Bells

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The Blustery Day

2007-12-04T11:45:00.000-05:00

There's no other word besides blustery for today. Of course, that word is probably most associated with beloved children's book character Winnie the Pooh. While Pooh may not be Whitman or Dickenson, A.A. Milne imbued him with a lot of wisdom. One of the best is his explanation that:

"Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you."

At the ASO, we hope that our art is something that grabs you, that pulls you in, and leaves you fufilled but still wanting more. Though "hums" may find you while listening to a jazz cd in your car or reading about Impressionists at your local book store, we hope that you'll come out to the Schlesinger Concert Hall. Let the arts find you in the atmosphere, the music, the educational lectures, and the company of people who share the same passions you do.

If your passion is holiday music, please don't forget about our holiday concert this Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3pm at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at http://www.alexsym.org/ or via phone at 703-548-0885.

Post-Thanksgiving Thanks

2007-11-26T09:48:00.000-05:00

First of all, we hope everyone had an amazing, family-filled, and stress-free, Thanksgiving! The supermarkets were packed and parking spaces were few, but it was definitely worth the turkeycranberrysaucestuffingmashedpotatoes mix on our plates. Though Tara the intern was getting visions of that smoking dry meatless turkey from Christmas Vacation, her first Thanksgiving on her own was pretty darn good.

Did you know that Ben Franklin wanted the national bird to be the turkey? It must be a much more regal bird than we give it credit for.

Finally, even though it's past the holiday, we want you to know how thankful we are for all of our patrons, volunteers, donors, and supporters. We're so lucky to have you all year, not just around the holidays!

Links of Interest

Tickets for ASO Holiday Concert

Turkey History and Lore

A Hazy Shade of Winter

2007-11-14T09:24:00.000-05:00

We hope everyone was careful driving into work today with all that fog. Does anyone really know what fog is? The definiton is just at hazy as the thing itself. According to Wikipedia, fog is:

"a cloud in contact with the ground. Fog differs from other clouds only in that fog touches the surface of the Earth. The same cloud that is not fog on lower ground may be fog where it contacts higher ground such as hilltops or mountain ridges. Fog is distinct from mist only in its density. Fog is defined as cloud which reduces visibility to less than 1 km, where as mist is that which reduces visibility to less than 2 km."

Even though there's fog on the roads, we don't want you to be foggy about ASO's upcoming concerts. On Sunday, December 9 at 3pm, ASO will be presenting its annual holiday concert (Trinity United Methodist Church, Alexandria). Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or via phone at 703-548-0885. The ASO will be playing all the seasonal favorites and we encourage you to sing along. As ususal, the more the merrier!

Looking ahead, the new year will bring us three more concerts (Euphoria, Rapture, and Bliss) each being presented on a Saturday night and a Sunday Matinee. We'll also be hosting our annual Children's Festival in June.

We've got lots of great things coming and hope you'll all be here to join us!

Beethoven and Brahms success!

2007-11-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

To everyone who came out to our November 3 performance, THANK YOU! We had great attendance and an enthusiastic response. A special thanks also goes out to all our wonderful volunteers (including those from SOLA and T.C. Williams) who helped ensure the night ran smoothly.

Keep warm with the thoughts of mulled apple cider, piping hot cornbread stuffing, and the fuzzy feeling you'll get attending the upcoming holiday concert.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T10:57:00.000-04:00

We hope you're enjoying a great excuse to eat lots of candy (it is a holiday, after all). Around the office, we plan to enjoy our favorites: Heath Bars (Adrien), Reece's Peanut Butter Cups (Melissa) and Milk Duds (Tara the Intern). Tonight is also a great night to watch scary movies such as Dracula and Halloween or maybe some not-so-scary like Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder. Speaking of Wilder, he also played the title role in the 70s' classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory which would also be an appropriate movie for tonight. ("Who can take tomorrow/Dip it in a dream/Separate the sorrow/And collect up all the cream?/The candyman.")

But maybe in you're in the mood for something so good its scary? Be sure to get tickets for ASO's "Exuberance" happening this Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8PM (Schlesinger Concert Hall, NOVA Community College, Alexandria). You'll hear Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 and German Dance No 12 as well as Brahms' Symphony No. 4. We promise you're in for a treat, not a trick!

Links of Interest:
Buy Tickets
The History of Halloween
The World's Best Candy Bars?

You like me, you really like me

2007-10-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

We confess. Though everyone wants their name in lights, we rather like having ours in small black newsprint. In case you missed it, Mark J. Estren of the Washington Post reviewed ASO's opening night performance featuring Carlos Cesar Rodriguez! Halloween came a little early as we received linguistic treats like "thrilling performance," "thunderous applause" and "sheer sonic splendor." Read the whole article here.

P.S. : Only the first section is about us but feel free to read about another ASO, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, below it.

October already?

2007-10-29T10:21:00.000-04:00

During our last posting back in May, we were just starting to reap the benefits of Daylight Savings Time with increasingly longer days. Can you believe it's now almost time to turn the clocks back? On Sunday, Nov. 4, give a shout out to Ben Franklin (who first conceived the idea) as you blearily get out of bed. Since, it is a Sunday though, don't get too angry with him. He did have a hand in that whole electricity thing which powers your home, and more specifically that very alarm clock. Hm. On the other hand, maybe you should grumble. Loudly.

But! All is not lost for that weekend. On Saturday, Nov. 3, you can leave the country without all the annoying jet lag, lost time, and pesky conversion rates by attending ASO's second performance of the season, "Exuberance." Transport yourself to Old World Germany and Austria, as the ASO performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 and German Dance No. 12 along with Brahms' Symphony No. 4 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall (NOVA Campus, Alexandria).

What exactly makes these pieces special? According to Peter Fay, WETA "Around Town" panelist and ASO concert lecturer, Beethoven's German Dance No. 12 showcases a "lightness and airiness" that the composer takes to "new musical heights." In addition, Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 is a hidden jewel nestled between his better known Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5 and has been called by Robert Schumann "a slender Greek maiden between two Norse gods." It's like seeing your favorite band play something from their back catalogue that you rarely get to hear live. You might not hear it again for a while, but it doesn't matter, because you always have it in the back of your head.

Not to be outdone, Brahms' Symphony No. 4 is a grandly sweeping piece now considered to be one of Brahms' undoubted masterpieces. It would be that last symphony Brahms' would write before his death in 1897.

Tickets are $20-$80 with special discounts for students, seniors, and group sales. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.alexsym.org/ or call 703-548-0885.

Links of Interest:

Buy Tickets

Daylight Savings Time

The Electric Franklin

ASO Music Director wins Best Conductor Wammie!

2007-05-18T16:44:00.000-04:00

The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s own Music Director, Kim Allen Kluge, was recently decorated as the 2006 Best Conductor at the annual Washington Area Music Awards (the Wammies). Maestro Kluge, as the well-known champion of the ASO’s inter-disciplinary programming and community engagement, was selected from a pool of DC area conductors and music directors.

photo: Carol Pratt

Congrats, Kim!

The ASO was also nominated in the best orchestra category.

For more on the Wammies, visit www.wamadc.com.

A few pictures...

2007-04-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

Dear All,

Thought I would include a few pictures from our last concert - all taken by Carol Pratt.
It was certainly a spectacular concert with attendance figures we hope we can match in May.

Some pictures of our musicians, some to show just how busy we were with patrons re-subscribing for our 2007-2008 season during intermission and after the concert.

2007-2008 season just announced!!!

2007-03-15T14:17:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

With a fabulous brochure trumpeting our increased marketing efforts, the ASO just announced the 2007-2008 season. Full into can be found on our website, http://www.alexsym.org/ (click on the 2007-2008 link). But here's a sneak peak:

The Joy of Music and Motion

Subscriber savings through May 5, 2007. Call 703-548-0885 for more information or tickets.

Celebrating our collaboration with several area dance companies, programs during The Joy of Music and Motion season span the orchestral repertoire. Highlights include: Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Dvorak's Cello Concerto (with Lynn Harrell, above), Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, Debussy's La mer, Bach's Double Violin Concerto, Liszt's Totentanz (with Carlos Rodriguez), and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 (Italian). Partners include BosmaDance, Bowen McCauley Dance, Heritage Signature Chorale, Alexandria Choral Society, the Metropolitan Chorus, and the Alexandria Performing Arts Association.

A WHIRLWIND STORY - our Music Librarian the superhero

2007-02-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

While we often here of crazy stories involving performers or conductors (running off of a plane directly onto a concert stage, flying batons, forgotten music or instruments, strings breaking during a performance...), it's not often orchestras get to thank their music librarians for their diligence and perseverance.

Our Librarian, Joe Tersero, jumped through major hoops recently to secure the ASO with the parts for Korngold's Midsummer Night's Dream at our last concert. He captured his thoughts on paper:

Due to numerous high hurdles to jump, this story was one of the best examples of the question “To Be or Not To Be” for one very exhausted music librarian.

When I did my preliminary search for the sheet music, I found that the music to Korngold’s arrangement of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was not readily available from any of the major publishers. In addition, I was surprised to find out that none of my major symphony orchestra colleagues knew anything about this work or how to get the sheet music.

An internet search revealed a recording from 1999 by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchestra in Berlin, with Gerd Albrecht conducting. I thought for sure this would reveal the source of the sheet music; but unfortunately, I received no response from either Gerd Albrecht or the Berlin Orchestra. I found out later that there have been several orchestras in Berlin with the name “Deutsches Symphonie-Orchestra” and several of those have gone bankrupt.

Further research also revealed that Eric Korngold re-orchestrated Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the 1935 Max Reinhardt film on the same story staring James Cagney and Michey Rooney. Part of the difficulty in finding this work is due in part because Korngold really didn’t want to take credit for his contributions to this endeavor, instead leaving most of the credit to the original source composer, Felix Mendelssohn. Knowing that the music was taken from a motion picture limited the possible sources. I thought for sure I had my sheet music. A call to the most knowledgeable individual of motion picture sheet music, John Waxman, son of the great composer Franz Waxman, revealed JoAnne Kane Music Service, in Culver City, CA, as a possibility. Unfortunately, they did not have the music but were able to refer me to the correct studio, Warner Brothers.

I was first met with a negative response and was informed that the sheet music was no longer in the Warner Brothers Library and that it had been donated to the University of Southern California (USC) library. Sadly, I was told that the odds of my getting the sheet music were next to zero.

However, an encounter with Mr. Keith Zajic at Warner Bros., Executive Vice President, Business Affairs (Music) was extremely positive. In my faxed request, I had mentioned that we wanted to perform this work as part of the “Shakespeare in Washington” event beginning in January 2007 (lasting for six-months) to honor the works and influence of William Shakespeare. Apparently, these were the magic word - I received a faxed & signed letter of permission, as follows: “This will confirm that Warner Bros. Picture (“WB”) grants permission for the use of the orchestral sheet music including score and parts to the above mentioned film for the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra concert as specified in your October 25th correspondence…”.

Wonderful! October 25th 2006 - I thought for sure we were done! Unfortunately, the fax also came with the following note, “you will coordinate the copying details of such sheet music, score and parts with Noelle Carter at the USC Film Archives Library. It is my understanding that Noel works on a part-time basis.” Part time basis was correct, Noelle only worked on Tuesdays and Thursdays and was about to go on vacation.

She was able to copy all 532 pages of the old, over-sized manuscript score. Unfortunately, by the time she finished, December was here and we both went on our respective vacations. By January, I was very concerned as the concert was on February 3 and there were no parts to be had! Conductors are absolutely phenomenal when it comes to interpreting music and keeping 70+ musicians together. Unfortunately, when they wave a stick and the musicians don’t have music nothing happens! To wit, the librarian suffers.

Upon Noelle’s return, my next step was to tell her exactly which sections we wanted to perform and have the pages of the performance parts copied. The Korngold score was one of the most meticulous manuscripts I’ve ever seen, extremely easy to read and understand. I thought the individual parts for the musicians would be the same way. Wrong! Unfortunately, Noelle is not a music librarian and could not understand all of the road maps found in sheet music. As a librarian used to getting music to the musicians in plenty of time to practice, I was starting to question my abilities and really began to wonder whether this concert was going “to be or not to be.” Fortunately, Noelle was able to recommend someone who had done previous music research in the USC archives, Gary Dov Gertzweig, a wonderful composer and violinist.

With his help we were able to identify all of the pages we needed to make this performance happen. First, we received the string parts. Except for a few missing pages, I thought we were really almost done this time. The missing pages were copied and sent along with the winds, brass and percussion parts. The string books were now complete and ready to be sent to the Concertmaster, Claudia Chudacoff, to start the bowing process.

Much to my dismay, the winds, brass and percussion parts were not so complete. The USC Archives was missing these parts for two of the 19 sections we wanted to perform. In addition, Noelle had been offered and accepted a new job with the LA Times. She would no longer be available to help. With the first rehearsal less than a week away, I put on my Super Librarian outfit and used the music engraving software program Finale™ to extract the rest of the parts. I finished a day before the first rehearsal. Despite not having the practice time normally provided to musicians, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Kim Allen Kluge, gave an absolutely brilliant performance of this historic work on February 3, 2007.

Other information about the motion picture:
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0026714/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night

March 3rd Maestro Musing!

2007-02-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

This just in from our Music Director, Kim Allen Kluge...

There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're half way there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Someday,
Somewhere!
"Somewhere" Music by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

I'll never forget the first time I saw the film version of Bernstein's West Side Story. It was shown to a bunch of stunned adolescents in my seventh grade English class. The collective searing sobs of my classmates still resonate in my memory. That dramatic encounter with West Side Story inspired me to seek out other composers' renditions of Romeo & Juliet, which I have relished through the years. I am looking forward to sharing four of these versions with you at the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra's March 3rd concert entitled "Glorious Love, Tragic Love".

This event, inspired by the Shakespeare in Washington Festival, will feature two singers from Signature Theatre – Erin Driscoll and Tim Tourbin. The ASO's "Glorious Love, Tragic Love" showcases four composers' intensely felt and deeply personal renditions of Romeo & Juliet: from the wild-eyed Berlioz and quintessential romantic, Tchaikovsky, to the contemporary sounds of Bernstein and the popular film score of Rota/Mancini.

I never cease to be thrilled by the variety of musical approaches to this immortal tale. How does each composer treat the futility and hopelessness of the longstanding feud between the two families? The first heart-pounding encounter between Romeo and Juliet that shatters their worlds? The red-hot passions of their ensuing love scenes? Most telling, how do they communicate the overarching theme of a love so intense that it transcends even death? I never fail to be moved by this music. Even though we know the outcome, the journey puts us in touch with the most idealistic, the most "pure" part of ourselves.

Someday!
Somewhere.
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere.

$, $, and more $

2007-02-13T10:32:00.000-05:00

Big news here in the ASO offices since last week! One of our supporting groups, the Concerto Foundation, successfully raised a core $200,000 endowment to help the ASO continue bringing major guest artists to the Alexandria community.

Led by a gift of $100,000 from Frank and Betty Quirk, long-time patrons of the ASO, 20 $5,000 matching gifts brought the total endowment fund to its current level. The Quirk's quite wisely stipulated that their gift had to be matched and urged fellow ASO supporters to contribute.

We all hope the Concerto Fund, or the Heart of the Symphony Fund (as we're calling it now), will only continue to grow. Earnings on the endowment's principle will be used to help underwrite the annual appearance of a major soloist with our own orchestra here in Alexandria. While past seasons have featured Midori, Peter Serkin, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Lynn Harrell will join the ASO in April of 2008!

Many, many thanks to the Quirks for leading this campaign for the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra!

Meet the ASO - an interview with Joan Singer

2007-01-31T16:09:00.000-05:00

From time to time we hope to bring you interviews from across the ASO - volunteers, musicians, board members, and staff. Here is our first one - a conversation with Joan Singer, longtime violinist with the ASO.

At a glance:
Performs regularly with the Baltimore Opera and Fairfax Symphony
Founder and Director of QuinTango – http://www.quintango.com/ – a quintet dedicated to musical performances of the tango
She has been playing with the ASO on and off since moving to Alexandria 30 years ago

What was your most memorable performance with the ASO?
"One of the concerts I remember vividly was a performance of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. All of us were so nervous before the concert and warming up on stage. It certainly turned out to be a great concert, but I’ve hardly ever been that nervous before playing such a difficult a work."

What would you say defines the ASO and separates from our colleagues?
“One of the great things about the ASO has been to see the way it’s brought the arts community together in Alexandria. It’s a very supportive, caring community. The original concerts at TC Williams really were a catalyst for that. So many people I know in the area are so proud of the ASO.”

You also direct another performing arts groups in the area – QuinTango. You must share Kim’s passion for exploring new repertoire and presenting classical music in different ways, no?
“Absolutely. The programming Kim brings to each season is always interesting. I actually helped him find the bandoneón player the other season since I’ve been so involved in tango performances lately and knew about the instrument. The ASO is all about accessibility but expanding the repertoire too – similar to QuinTango branching out and bringing our concerts into classrooms in addition to appearances with orchestras.”

Maestro Musings - for Feb. 3, 2007 - Triple Treat!

2007-01-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

Before each concert our Music Director Kim Allen Kluge shares his thoughts with readers. Here is his first Musing for 2007, detailing just how unique our next concert is:

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra & The Shakespeare in Washington Festival present “Where Dreams Dwell”

What do a Classical Master, Hollywood Composer, and Rock Music Icon have in common? Their musical interpretations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will appear together on the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s February 3rd Shakespeare in Washington concert. The international list of participants for the festival includes The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Kirov Opera, American Ballet Theatre and…The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra.

Elvis Costello and The Shakespeare in Washington Festival? Yes, rock icon Elvis Costello has composed a classical rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And guess what, it’s an astonishingly good symphonic score. It’s fresh, imaginative, and really makes the orchestra sing. I was so amazed when I received the conductor’s score that I contacted the publisher and learned that Mr. Costello had written over two hundred compositions for classical music ensembles. It really shows! Costello fan, or not, one can’t help but be beguiled by this music that is jazzy in feel and full of romantic lyricism and color.

I will give a short “tutorial” immediately preceding the performance. In the great Wagnerian tradition, Costello uses leitmotifs, or specific musical themes, to represent the “Dream”, or the magical realm of the forest, or Puck’s mischievousness, etc. Each musical theme is easily recognizable and will produce the “Ah Ha!” effect on the listener when they least expect it.

Two other musical portrayals of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will round out the program. Benjamin Britten’s widely acclaimed masterpiece will be excerpted. We will also include music from Erich Korngold’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1935 film score. (Yes, he is the composer for the Robin Hood movie starring Errol Flynn).

It is eye-opening to compare different composer’s interpretations to the same inspiration. On this program we have a Classical Master, a Hollywood Composer and a Rock Music Icon. And the results? Some startling similarities and some equally fresh and delightful differences.

Join the Alexandria Symphony’s Shakespeare in Washington concert on February 3rd for a triple treat.

ASO RE-INVENTED

2007-01-26T15:37:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the newly created Alexandria Symphony Orchestra blog!

We hope to take a few steps in the upcoming months to re-position the ASO and use some recent technology to increase our visibility in the greater Washington, DC area. While we are indeed starting with a blog, podcasts and e-newsletters are hopefully right around the corner.

The goal of this blog is to bring the views and opinions of the ASO community to the public. In order to reach that goal, postings from our staff and Music Director will appear alongside thoughts from our volunteers, musicians, Board members, and audience members.

Do not hesitate to write or comment on other ways the ASO might better engage loyal supporters and potential attendees. We exist to serve the greater Alexandria community and hope you will find this blog informative, inspiring, and above all, entertaining!