Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra Peter Wilson, Music Director

G“The American Spirit”

Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 3:00 PMWaynesboro, VA

Via LIVESTREAM

Contributions Gratefully Acceptedat

www.wsomusic.org

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A Note from the Music DirectorIt is my great pleasure to welcome you to this first chamber concert of 2021 brought to you by the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season. This is my 14th season as WSO Music Director, and since stepping on the podium in 2007, I have had the pleasure of witnessing a remarkable evolution in this wonderful organization, artistically,

administratively, and in its audience. I am so very proud of all we have accomplished together as an ensemble and equally motivated about our future. It is such a privilege to be part of this community that has such giving musicians as well as patrons who are so dedicated and appreciative of the arts. Since 1996, the WSO has had a rich history of serving the Waynesboro, Staunton, and greater Shenandoah Valley communities and providing opportunities for local musicians to collaborate while adding cultural vitality to the region.

In this surreal time of a pandemic, we all have had our lifestyles turned upside down. As musicians, we long to perform together again as a full symphony orchestra, but we must act responsibly to protect each other as well as our patrons. We mourn the loss of life and empathize with the hardships so many have faced during this challenging time. Still, in the spirit of music being a powerful tool for comforting and healing, we felt it important to try and provide a musical offering of some kind. First, we

came together for a virtual performance of the Allegretto from Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, which is available to experience on the WSO YouTube Channel. In lieu of our orchestral season opener for 2020-21, we presented our very first concert as “A Chamber Music Offering,” featuring several of the leaders from within your Waynesboro Symphony. Little did we know that our concert on March 1, 2020 would be our final orchestral performance of last season combined with an unknown future. It was a fantastic “Beethoven’s 250th Birthday Bash” featuring the symphonic master’s “Triple” Concerto performed by violinist Ertan Torgul, cellist Jennifer Kloetzel, and pianist Robert Koenig. It was thrilling to be able to reunite with those soloists over a livestreaming zoom chat during the week of Beethoven’s birthday in December, complete with a replay of the “Triple” performance and Q&A with the artists and viewers. Now that we are in a new calendar year, we will continue to bring you chamber music until we are all able to join together as an orchestra. This program is entitled “The American Spirit” and features music composed by Americans or inspired by the American experience.

We are uncertain as to how this 25th season will conclude or what lies ahead for next season; however, we appreciate your patience and ask that you continue to visit our website at wsomusic.org for updates. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our program today, offered via Livestreaming on our YouTube Channel. We also invite you to join us again via Livestreaming on YouTube for “A Concert Celebrating Black Lives” on February 27, 2021. As always, I would like to extend a hearty thank you to the WSO musicians, staff, board of directors, and all of you for your continued support and the opportunity to join with you in another great season of music making – albeit presented a bit differently! Best wishes to each of you, and we look forward to seeing you in person, hopefully very soon! – PW

APPALACHIA WALTZ Mark O’Connor (b. 1960)

Lianne Campbell, violin Stanley Beckwith, violaElizabeth Cantrell, cello

DUO for Flute and Piano Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

I. FlowingII. Poetic; somewhat mournfulIII. Lively, with bounce

Laura Jean Brand, fluteLinda Blondel, piano

STRING QUARTET No. 12 in F, Op. 96 “American” Antonín Dvořák(1841-1904)

I. Allegro ma non troppoII. LentoIII. Molto vivaceIV. FINALE: vivace ma non troppo

Jacob Roege and Karl Durland, violins (movements I & II);Lianne Campbell and Lisa McDermott, violins (movements III & IV);

Stanley Beckwith, violaBrian Helmke, cello

HYPNOSIS Ian Clarke(b. 1964)

Laura Jean Brand, fluteLinda Blondel, piano

GOIN’ HOME - based on Largo from Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” -arranged for String Quartet by Peter Wilson

(b. 1968)

Karl Durland and Sharon Miller, violinsDani Abbott, viola

Elizabeth Cantrell, cello

TRIO for Trumpet, Violin, and Piano Eric Ewazen(b. 1954)

I. AndanteII. Allegro moltoIII. AdagioIV. Allegro molto

Nick Harvey, trumpetJacob Roege, violin

Linda Blondel, piano

Program“The American Spirit”

Program NotesO’CONNOR: Appalachia Waltz

Mark O’Connor (b. 1960) began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddling legend Benny Thomasson, and the iconic French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Today, he has melded these influences into what he calls a new American classical music and is perpetuating his vision of an American School of String Playing. O’Connor has won three Grammys and seven CMA awards. His career includes representing the United States Information Agency in cultural diplomacy to six continents and performing in front of several U.S. Presidents including being invited to The White House by President Ronald Reagan to perform as a teen. After recording a series of albums for Rounder and Warner Bros including his multiple Grammy-winning New Nashville Cats, his recordings for Sony Classical with Yo-Yo Ma, Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey sold a million CDs and gained O’Connor worldwide recognition as a leading proponent of a new American musical idiom.

O’Connor’s classical compositions have been influenced by the American roots music he has performed throughout his career. He won national championships in fiddle, mandolin, and flat-pick guitar while still in his teens. Named Country Music Association musician of the year for six years in a row, he was frequently heard on recordings by Nashville artists in the 1990s. O’Connor has played not only country music and bluegrass, but also jazz with the David Grisman Quintet and rock-jazz fusion with The Dregs. He recently founded the O’Connor Band with members of his family. Its 2016 recording, Coming Home, received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. O’Connor has also become known as a pedagogue, infusing string education with American styles through his method books.

Appalachia Waltz was composed by O’Connor for violin in 1993 and arranged for string trio on the 1995 album that he recorded with Yo-Yo Ma and bassist Edgar Meyer. The composer later used the nostalgic melody in his Americana Symphony. Influenced by Scandinavian and Appalachian fiddling, the piece is representative of both the composer’s

and the cellist’s willingness to cross musical boundaries. O’Connor has stated, “If I play ‘Appalachia Waltz’ for any fiddler, they’ll say it sounds classical. If I play it for any classical violinist, they’ll say it sounds like a fiddle or folk tune.” More delicate in character than fiddling, Appalachia Waltz is, according to O’Connor, “supposed to sound simple and innocent,” though this belies the virtuosity required to perform it. Ma hears the work’s double stops and contrapuntal textures as related to “a Baroque sound... that openness of sound but incredibly expressive.”

COPLAND: Duo for Flute and Piano

Breaking free from Europe and creating concert music that is characteristically “American” is the pioneering achievement of Aaron Copland (1900-1990), known as the “Dean of American Composers.” Additionally, he developed a compositional personality so vivid as to transcend stylistic boundaries, making every work undoubtedly identifiable as his alone. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1900, and in 1920 set out for Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. He returned to America in 1924, and his career was launched when Serge Koussevitzky agreed to conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Copland’s Organ Symphony. Copland became an emissary and advocate of new music not only by composing himself but also by lecturing and writing on new music and by organizing the Copland-Sessions concerts in New York, which brought many works of the European avant-garde to U.S. audiences for the first time. In 1951 he became the first American composer to hold the Norton Professor of Poetics at Harvard University, and for 25 years he was a leading member of the faculty at the Berkshire Music Center (Tanglewood). Throughout his career he nurtured the careers of others, including Leonard Bernstein and Carlos Chavez. He took up conducting in his fifties and continued to conduct concerts until he was 83. He is one of the most honored cultural figures in the history of the United States, and in 1982 the Aaron Copland School of Music was established at Queens College of the City University of New York.

The Duo for Flute and Piano was commissioned by 70 pupils and friends of William Kincaid, principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1921 to 1960, and the piece is dedicated in his memory

(Kincaid died in 1967.). The piece is in three movements, with the following indications: Flowing, Poetic, somewhat mournful; Lively, with bounce. It is a lyrical piece in a somewhat pastoral style, which is perfectly suited for an instrument such as the flute. Copland used material from earlier sketches in his notebooks, which may have influenced the style of the piece. The beginning of the first movement, for example, which opens with a solo passage for flute, recalls the first movement of Copland’s Third Symphony. The second movement uses harmonic and melodic language more akin to Copland’s later works; the principal idea in the flute projects a whole-tone sound similar to the opening of the Piano Quartet. It is rather sad and wistful. The last movement is lively with a triadic theme in a free form of comparatively simple harmonic and melodic outline, direct in expression. The world premiere of this piece took place in Philadelphia in 1971.

DVOŘÁK: String Quartet No. 12 “American”

When Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) took a vacation from his post as the director of the National Conservatory in New York to the small town of Spillville, Iowa in the summer of 1893, it is perhaps unsurprising that the result was the composition of some of his most-loved works. Dvořák had already built a career for himself in Europe by writing music heavily influenced by Bohemian, Czech, Polish, and other Slavic traditional folk dances, and he was quite open about his intent to find and incorporate Native American and Black American folk music in his own compositions. A countryside stay offered an opportunity for Dvořák to get away from city life and write. Along with this personal mission came a professional one: the New York Philharmonic had commissioned him that summer to compose what would become his ninth symphony, Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”)—an immediate smash hit that is likely both Dvořák’s best-known and most influential composition. Immediately following the completion of this majestic symphony, Dvořák set to writing more intimate chamber works.

The String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, untitled by the composer but commonly known in the modern era as the “American” Quartet, was in some ways the result of a happy confluence of circumstances. Dvořák’s travels to Spillville were far from a random

event; his secretary, Czech violinist Josef Jan Kovařík, made his American home there, and the area was home to quite a few other Czech immigrants. Thrilled by the chance to spend the summer among familiar folk, Dvořák invited his wife and children to travel to Iowa from Europe. Among family and friends, Dvořák found composing both fast and rewarding. The “American” was outlined over just three days and completely composed in under two weeks. The work was first played in June of 1893 by Dvořák himself on first violin, with Josef Jan Kovařík on cello, his father Jan Josef Kovařík on second, and his sister Cecilie Kovaříková on viola. Official premieres came at the beginning of 1894 by the Kneisel Quartet in Boston and New York.

Although much was made initially of its (largely nebulous) American folk influences, the “American” Quartet is formally very much a string quartet in the European tradition featuring four movements in a classical style. The work represents for Dvořák a culmination of years of chamber music craft. By simplifying the structure of the piece and toning down the accompanying parts, Dvořák allows his melodic prowess to feature more prominently. The first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, showcases this style with featured solos from each instrument interwoven throughout over top of a sometimes tranquil, sometimes boisterous accompaniment. The next movement, Lento, exchanges an ever-changing landscape for an unrelentingly constant one, with the inner voices passing around a 16th-note framework that serves to underline a steady build of melody. Molto Vivace nearly follows the traditional scherzo form, and brings a light, energetic rhythmic motive that is repeatedly interrupted not just by a slower iteration of the theme but also of Dvořák’s interpretation of a bird call that tormented him during his time in Iowa. Finale: vivace ma non troppo, a rondo, ends the work with a flourish, with a tonal style borrowed from the first movement and an energy to match and exceed the third.

CLARKE: Hypnosis

Ian Clarke (b. 1964) is acknowledged as one of the leading players/composers in the flute world. His compositions are performed across the world, and these wide-ranging published works have established themselves as some of the most exciting flute repertoire of today. Born

in the UK in 1964, Clarke studied flute part-time with Simon Hunt, Averil Williams and Kate Lukas of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, while concurrently studying mathematics at Imperial College, London. He is now professor of flute at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has performed as featured guest soloist, taught master classes and has released CD recordings of his music worldwide.

Hypnosis, a short work for flute and piano accompaniment, is quite dreamy and lyrical in style, with powerful and expressive climaxes to the first and second halves of the work. Originally co-written by Ian Clarke with David Hicks and Simon Painter when they worked together both in the studio and as a performing rock group, Clarke developed it into a piano and flute piece in 1994. It originally evolved as a structured improvisation over numerous performances the rock group had between 1986 and 1988.

DVOŘÁK (arr. WILSON): Goin’ Home

Dvořák’s iconic Ninth Symphony “From the New World” has been described as one of the most popular of all symphonies. It was composed while Dvořák was director of the National Conservatory of Music of America from 1892 to 1895, and many have associated this Czech composer’s final symphony with the American experience, believing it even possesses an American sound. This is in part due to the Black American and Negro Spiritual elements that are so prominently displayed throughout the work. The second movement Largo in particular features a most famous main theme that would later be adapted into the spiritual-like song “Goin’ Home,” which is often mistakenly attributed to a folk song or actual traditional spiritual. It was Dvořák’s pupil William Arms Fisher who wrote the lyrics to “Goin’ Home” in 1922. Instrumental arrangements of this famous theme emerged over the years, particularly in military bands, most notably in the Washington, DC premiere bands, which perform the song on the tarmac at Dover Air Force Base as a musical memorial when military caskets of our Nation’s fallen service men and women return home.

While serving as a violinist in “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, WSO music director Peter Wilson wrote many arrangements

for string quartet during his 30-year career. After the second Gulf War that followed 9-11, several Marines who had been assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC were either killed in action or took their own lives in the years that followed their return to the Barracks. Wilson was assigned to lead string quartets for the memorial services of these fallen Marines, and he committed himself to compiling and arranging music for a String Quartet Funeral/Memorial Book. The arrangement on this program was the result of the need for music to be added to that book, which went on to be used for other memorial services of prominent Marine Generals and public figures who had once served in the Marine Corps. In February 2020, Wilson led Marine String Quartets for the funeral services of former Marine Commandant, General P.X. Kelley as well as legendary PBS News Anchor and Marine Veteran Jim Lehrer. At both services, this “Goin’ Home” arrangement was performed in their honor.

EWAZEN: Trio for Trumpet, Violin, and Piano

Eric Ewazen (b. 1954) was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He studied composition with Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Warren Benson, Gunther Schuller, and Joseph Schwantner at the Eastman School of Music, Tanglewood and the Juilliard School, where he received his DMA. He has been a member of the faculty at Juilliard since 1980, composer-in-residence with the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble (NYC) and vice-president of the League of Composers-ISCM. He is a recipient of numerous composition awards and prizes, and his works have been commissioned and performed by many soloists, chamber ensembles and orchestras worldwide. He has also released several CD recordings of his works.

Ewazen’s Trio for trumpet, violin and piano was commissioned by Chris Gekker, who first performed it at the Juilliard School in 1994. This work has identifiably strong rhythm and harmonic character, and the outer two movements serve as “bookends” to the middle two. The muted “marimba-like” violin shimmer at the start of the third movement, doubled and echoed at the octave by the piano, is just one of the several finely calculated sonorities heard in this work.

The work opens very peacefully and elegiacally; there are moments

of dramatic tension throughout, but they melt away into serenity. The second movement is dynamic and intense, with agitated gestures and repeated rhythmic patterns, abrupt shifts in rhythm, sudden silences and a general feeling of excitement. The third movement is much quieter, like an introspective ballade. The trumpet sings a melancholy song as the violin and piano primarily provide a background of contrasting harmonic textures, even while sometimes inserting their own intimate melodies. The trumpet line comes back in variations of its own quiet soliloquy. The finale is a joyous dance, once again filled with lively gestures and rhythms. A brief reprise of the first movement segues to a joyous and rousing close.

Eric Ewazen wrote the following: “Using the Brahms Horn Trio as a model, with its rich combination of a string instrument, a brass instrument and piano, my Trio alternates melodic material between the two solo instruments with the piano providing a resonant accompaniment. Traditionally, the trumpet has provided composers with bright brilliant sonorities, often used heroically or dramatically. In this work, the expressive lyrical qualities of the instrument are also emphasized, helping to display its full range of coloristic possibilities.”

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The MusiciansDani Abbott (WSO Violist) has been a member of the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra since 2016. Originally from Long Island, New York, she began playing viola at the age of nine and has performed with the Long Island Youth Orchestra and NY State Summer School of the Arts Orchestral Studies program. She also played with the James Madison University orchestra during her college years. Dani is an Associate Director of Program Management at S&P Global. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, staying active through Crossfit, and performing with the WSO.

Stanley Beckwith (WSO Principal Viola) is a full-time violist and teacher in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has worked with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles including the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Greater Washington, the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Chamber Orchestra, and the Ars Nova Chamber Orchestra. He is also the violist of the Triforce Quartet, a string quartet that performs video game music for audiences both nationally and internationally. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Stanley studied with George Taylor and Helen Fall.

Linda Blondel (WSO Pianist) grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Peabody Preparatory in piano and music theory. She graduated from Bennington College, having majored in music and dance. Linda and her husband have lived for 40 years in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they raised two sons. She performs chamber music regularly, teaches piano privately, and is the pianist at Cove Presbyterian Church. Linda has worked with many university student and faculty musicians since 1982, including violinist Svend Ronning and cellist Paige Riggs.

Laura Jean Brand (WSO State Manager & 2nd Flute) has been a flutist since childhood and was Principal Flute in the Cornell University Wind Ensemble. Choosing to study medicine, her life took a decades-long diversion from music. Although initially having joined the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra in 1997, she took a hiatus while

working as a physician and raising young children. She again began playing flute for the WSO approximately 4 years ago. Laura Jean also enjoys playing piccolo, bass flute, and piano. When she’s not immersed in music, she volunteers for various non-profits in the greater Waynesboro area and enjoys spending time with her family.

Lianne Campbell (WSO Principal 2nd Violin) studied with Estella Frankel, Sylvia Ahramjian, Barbara Westphal and Dr. Benson Headley at Wichita State University. A native of Delaware, she was on the faculty of the Wilmington Music School for ten years along with having her own studio. She moved to the Charlottesville area in 1997, and in addition to soloing with a number of orchestras, Ms. Campbell possesses extensive orchestral and chamber music experience and performs with the Virginia Consort, the Oratorio Society and other local orchestras. A strings teacher at the Field School of Charlottesville, she is also a certified Suzuki teacher, having taught for over 33 years through a violin studio within her home in Crozet, Virginia.

Elizabeth Cantrell (WSO Principal Cello) teaches children and adults at Suzuki Institutes and workshops in the United States and the United Kingdom. A registered teacher trainer, she currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Board of the Suzuki Association of the Americas and is a member of its Cello Committee. She maintains an active private studio at Crozet Arts in Crozet, Virginia. In addition to teaching, Dr. Beth has performed with many groups in Central Virginia including the Afton String Quartet, the Richmond Symphony, and Wintergreen Festival. Prior to moving to Virginia with her family in 2001, she was principal cellist for the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, on the faculty of Kennesaw State University, and active in the Atlanta area as a teacher, chamber and orchestral performer, adjudicator, and recording studio musician. She can be heard as soloist on the best-selling album Orinoco Flow by The Taliesin Orchestra. Dr. Beth earned degrees in cello performance and music history from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, and the University of Georgia.

Karl Durland, (WSO 1st Violinist) joined the Waynesboro Symphony in the Fall of 2008 following a move to Virginia earlier that year from Eugene, Oregon. At age 5, Karl began his violin studies in the Suzuki program under Dr. Barbara Barber in Lubbock, Texas. At age 11 he

started piano and at age 16 began studies in music composition and electronic music. Karl attended the Brevard Music Festival for three seasons and was a winner in the concerto competition on piano. The following year he started his college studies at the University of North Texas as a music composition major with a concentration of violin performance, and Texas Tech with music education. After college, Karl was a member and performed with several orchestras between Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington State, including the Lubbock Symphony, Abilene Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Eugene Opera, Oregon Mozart Players, Corvallis Symphony, and Bellevue Philharmonic. Some of the many artists he has performed with are Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade, Vladimir Feltsman, Lara St. John, Andy Williams, Louise Mandrell, Jose Feliciano, John Denver, and the Moody Blues. Karl currently teaches piano and violin privately and is also a piano technician with both Charlottesville Piano and David Weiss Piano Service.

Nick Harvey (WSO Principal Trumpet) completed his master’s degree in trumpet performance at the University of North Texas in 2007 under the instruction of Keith Johnson, and a bachelor’s in music industry in 2003 at James Madison University, where he studied with James Kluesner. While in Texas, Harvey performed with the Las Colinas Symphony and the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, as well as an onstage performance with the Dallas Opera. More recently, Harvey has performed with the Waynesboro Symphony and Charlottesville Opera and is an active freelancer in the Shenandoah Valley and beyond. He has been active on baroque trumpet since 2000 and cornetto since 2001, having played with the Orchestra of New Spain, Mountainside Baroque, Shenandoah Valley Collegium, Lexington Early Music Ensemble, and the Washington Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. Harvey also has an affinity for technology and data, and he currently works in analytics at UVA Medical Center.

Brian Helmke (WSO Assistant Principal Cello) is Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia. Recently, he has performed with the Heritage Theater Festival and UVA Drama productions. He is the former Principal Cellist of the University of Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Northbrook (IL) Symphony Orchestra, the Racine (WI)

Symphony Orchestra, and the Kenosha (WI) Symphony Orchestra. Brian studied cello with Harry Sturm and was a winner of the Kenosha Music Teachers Association Chopin Piano Competition.

Dr. Lisa McDermott (WSO Librarian & 1st Violinist) grew up in Buffalo, New York and then Austin, Texas. She started violin in the 4th grade and played in the University of Texas Strings Project through her youth. She went to pharmacy school at UT Austin and worked as a Pharmacist at Parkland Hospital in Dallas for five years before returning to medical school there at UT Southwestern and then doing Internal Medicine residency at Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. She moved to Charlottesville in 2003 to work at Martha Jefferson Hospital as a Hospitalist and has been there ever since. She picked the violin up again as an adult and has played with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra since 2003. Playing with the Symphony has been a wonderful but challenging experience and she is grateful for the encouragement and support of the organization and opportunity to learn and grow as a musician. She serves as Orchestra Librarian and is on the WSO Board of Directors. She also plays with the Crozet Community Orchestra.

Sharon Miller (WSO 1st Violinist) lives and teaches in the Harrisonburg, Virginia area. She teaches violin and viola to children and adults in Eastern Mennonite University’s Preparatory Music Program where she was the Program’s Director for nearly 30 years. During that time, she helped to forge a partnership with Harrisonburg City Public Schools in order to provide string education in curricular and extra-curricular classes. In addition, she teaches at Suzuki summer camps and Institutes. A registered Suzuki Violin Teacher Trainer, she has led teacher workshops throughout the United States and last year had the privilege of working with Latin American teachers at the Suzuki Festival in Lima, Peru. Mentoring young teachers is one of Sharon’s passions. When not teaching or performing, Sharon enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with nieces and nephews, and volunteering with church and community groups.

J. Michael Priester (WSO Principal Bass) has been a member of the Waynesboro Symphony bass section since 2013 and was appointed principal bass at the start of the 2014/15 season. A native of Cincinnati,

Ohio, he began playing bass at age ten and went on to earn a Doctor of Music from Indiana University, subspecializing in early music and music theory. Michael has been an active performer, teacher, and clinician throughout the United States and abroad. Although not pursuing music full-time, Michael enjoys playing with the Waynesboro and Roanoke Symphonies and in the Pittsburgh Opera pit orchestra while also teaching at Eastern Mennonite University and Bridgewater College. When not playing his bass, Michael serves as a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Briana and baby daughter, Brigid as well as refereeing soccer and wrestling and engaging in all manner of aviation geekery.

Jacob Roege (WSO Associate Concertmaster) has built a versatile career as a performer, teacher, and administrator in the arts. He has worked in a wide variety of genres from Baroque and Classical to contemporary video game music, as well as musicals, opera, and rock shows. In addition to his work with the WSO, Jake has performed with the Roanoke, Lansing, Jackson, Fairfax, and UNISA Orchestras. As a violinist with the Triforce Quartet, he has performed internationally to sold out crowds, recorded three albums, and collaborated with Japanese composer, Saori Kobayashi. Jake teaches violin at James Madison University as well as Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He was honored to join the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival in 2018, continuing this year as Principal 2nd Violin. Jake received a Bachelor of Music in Music Industry from James Madison University, where he studied violin with Dr. Wanchi Huang and a Master of Music in Violin Performance from Michigan State University, studying with violinist I-Fu Wang. Additionally, he has worked with violinists Elisabeth Adkins and Ilya Kaler, as well as the Cypress and Shanghai String Quartets.

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Music DirectorPeter Wilson is an engaging and multifaceted violinist, conductor, arranger, composer, and ambassador of music whose artistry has been noted as “first-class” by The Washington Post. He serves as Music Director of the Waynesboro Symphony and Richmond Philharmonic Orchestras in Virginia and Concertmaster of the American Festival Pops Orchestra in the National Capital Region. Peter is the former senior enlisted musical advisor to The White House, where he performed for three decades as a violinist in support of countless dignitaries, heads of state, senior military leaders, and celebrities during five Presidential administrations. He served as Master Gunnery Sergeant and String Section Commander of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and upon retiring in 2020 was awarded the Legion of Merit. Peter has conducted the National Symphony and National Gallery Orchestras and is a faculty member at George Mason University. He holds music degrees from Northwestern University and The Catholic University of America, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts.

A musician in demand for his high energy and versatility, Peter commands respect in a variety of musical genres and is active as a guest conductor, soloist, recording artist, and performance clinician throughout the United States. He began his career as Concertmaster of the Walt Disney World Orchestra and has soloed in many unique venues including the American Embassy in Paris, the Presidential Retreat at Camp David, and the private chambers of the Vatican before Pope John Paul II. Peter made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015 and has appeared as violin soloist with such legends as Rosemary Clooney, Renée Fleming, Bernadette Peters, Randy Travis, and Trisha Yearwood. In addition, he has performed chamber music in concert with Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, and Peter Wiley. He is cofounder of the acclaimed string duo “Bridging the Gap” (with bassist Aaron Clay), which has been hailed by The Washington Post for “superior arrangements and uncommon musicianship.” Both were honored in their home state with the Music Award from the Arts and Humanities Commission of Fairmont, West Virginia in recognition of their “outstanding leadership and devotion to the enhancement of the arts.”

Among the international magazines in which Peter has appeared, The Strad stated, “Wilson’s performance stressed the warmth and romanticism of the music… [His] technical skills brought a sparkle to the [concerto] and overall, [Wilson] made music that had the stamp of quality.” The Washington Post has further observed his “pristine melodic lines” and “showering virtuosity.” He has performed such acclaimed works as John Corigliano’s “The Red Violin: Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra,” after which he was praised by the award-winning composer: “[Peter Wilson’s] beautiful performance of my Chaconne…how gorgeous it was…and so true to the piece.” He performed the Theme from “Schindler’s List” at The Kennedy Center under the baton of Academy Award-winning film composer John Williams, who wrote of the occasion, “[Peter’s] poignant, tender and highly personal reading of the music made clear to all that we were in the presence of a brilliant musical artist.” The Washington Post additionally singled out Peter for his “impassioned violin solo.”

Peter is frequently invited to perform his moving violin solo arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner for high-profile events including Major League Baseball games. In 2000, he was invited to Beverly Hills, where he performed violin solos in tribute to Bob Hope and Jack Valenti as part of a USO celebration hosted by then Defense Secretary William Cohen. Secretary Cohen would later call on his “favorite fiddler” to perform as solo violinist for a private book-signing event honoring Quincy Jones and the release of his autobiography “Q.” Peter has performed regularly with the National Symphony and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestras and also appeared in concert with orchestras backing up such iconic performers as Beyoncé, Ray Charles, The Empire Brass, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Johnny Mathis, and Joni Mitchell, as well as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in their “Zeppelin UnLEDed World Tour.” He performed at the Library of Congress with Gershwin Prize recipient Stevie Wonder as part of a 21-piece orchestra in the world premiere of Mr. Wonder’s “Sketches of a Life.”

A native of Cleveland, Peter began his musical training at age two as a violin student of his mother while beginning piano studies at age five with his grandmother. He later moved to Morgantown, West Virginia where he became the first musician ever to receive the Governor’s

Award for Exceptional Achievement in the Arts. His violin teachers included Linda Cerone, Jody Gatwood, Robert Gerle, Dorothy Mauney, Blair Milton, and Donald Portnoy. Peter studied conducting with Victor Yampolsky and trained with Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier. In 2008, Peter was one of nine conductors selected to work with Leonard Slatkin at the acclaimed National Conducting Institute, an intensive leadership training program for rising music directors. ClevelandClassical.com reviewed a live concert recording at the National Gallery of Art, stating it was “…beautifully performed by the National Gallery Chamber Players under the direction of conductor Peter Wilson.” As Music Director of the Waynesboro Symphony, Peter has led the organization to national recognition as an award-winning orchestra by The American Prize.

For 12 years Peter was a lecturer at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at Catholic University, where he taught courses in conducting and string techniques while serving as Resident Conductor of the University Symphony. He served as Music Director of The Youth Orchestras of Fairfax in Virginia (2010-2013), where he conducted its flagship ensemble, the United Youth Symphony Orchestra, and he served as a violin instructor on the faculty at James Madison University (2014-2017). Peter maintains his commitment to working with young musicians as a frequent guest conductor and adjudicator for various district and regional middle and high school honors orchestras nationwide. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia national music fraternity honored Peter with the prestigious “Signature Sinfonian” award for his “outstanding commitment and dedication to the performing arts while serving as a successful role model, helping others realize their potential and exhibiting high standards of excellence.”

R. David Anderson in memory of Joan Elizabeth Balla Kiser Anderson

Dr Gil Ayres

Ms. Cherry Bourque in Memory of Daniel Bourque

Monica and Richard Bronski

Judith Erickson

Dick and Donna Goodling

Jim Hall in Memory of Alma Hall

Sam and Melissa Hostetter

Karen and John Hudson

Carol and Bill Jennings

Dr. And Mrs. Robert E Keeton

Jake and Deborah Kleinschuster in memory of Gene Wood

John Lanham in honor of Lisa McDermott and Mark Riggle

Jean Morgan in Memory of Robert Morgan

Linda Parker and Michael Hartford

David and Rosalyn Preston

Frank and Beverly Purstell

Charles and Mary Queen

Lainie and Joe Rainwater in Honor of Mark and Karen Catron

Marylin M. Riggan

Marv and Annette Schaff

Fred and Alison Schultz in Honor of Drs Laura Jean and Asher Brand

Carolyn Sellers

Robert and Pamela Simpson

Jennifer Sulzberger and Bob Ducharme

Joyce Tipton

Ann Weiland

Mr. Benjamin Wells

Don Whiteman

Dave and Lynn Wirth

Emma Jean Wise

Nina and Alexander Yagupsky in memory of Jamie N. Yagupsky

Rudolph Yobs

Anonymous donor

Music in this concert is sponsored by:

Waynesboro Symphony Donors 2020-2021

Star >5,000 Atlantic Union BankLaura Jean and Asher BrandJeane CustinGib and Lynn StevensonMary and C. B. Wilson Maestro > 2,500 Brig. General and Mrs. William AlexanderMrs. Beverly Brown Community Foundation Central Blue RidgeBetty and Ed Dinwiddie Dominion Energy Charitable FoundationMr. Rudolph Yobs

Director > 1,000+ Bobbie and Mark BonarThe Carr Family Foundation Joe and Susan DavisPete and Beverly Frank John Frazee Jr Linnea Grim Jake and Deborah Kleinschuster In memory of Gene WoodDavid and Rosalyn PrestonDick and Judy SchillingFred and Alison Schultz To honor Drs Laura Jean and Asher BrandDrs. Mary J Wahlstrom & John Casey Ms. Ann Weiland

Concertmaster > 500+ Anonymous

Gregory and Jacquelyn Bednarz Dr. and Mrs. Michael CunninghamThe Event Center at Turk Mountain Patricia Hunt Peggy and Steve King Frank and Betty Lucente Thomas McKenzieAnn McPherson Curtis Mischler Frank and Beverly PurstellDr. Mitch and Marion SamsGary and Linda ScroghamSheetz Inc Bob and Bonnie WeberHarvey and Leslie Wilcox

Artist > 250+ Byrd and Jim Abbott Joyce Allen AnonymousJon and Bonnie BarlowStu and Nina CrowShirley and Paul Dana Jennifer Sulzberger and Bob DuCharmeMrs. Suzanne Ferguson In memory of RADM James B Ferguson IIIWalter Flora In memory of Alice Von Seldneck FloraDrs. Melissa and Samuel HostetterKaren and John HudsonAnnie Laurie and Mason Hulen Mrs. Claire Ober COL Melissa Patrick USA (Ret)Lynda Sawyer

Robert Jochen and Christopher SmithGail MannLainie and Joe Rainwater Jim and Mary Ellen WeaverDon Whiteman

Benefactor >125 +Albert and Vivian Attermeyer Ms. Cherry Bourque In memory of Daniel BourqueMonica and Richard BronskiChad BrownStu and Nina Crow Sarah and Virginia Francisco Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Howlett Ann Mische Merrie Ott Fred and Bonnie PowellNancy and Wes Ross Velma and Kevin Ryan Robert and Pamela SimpsonSusan WalkerMr. Benjamin WellsStephen and Lynanne Wilson Anne Wood Patron > 50+ Peter and Linda AagaardR. David Anderson Dr. Gil AyersVirginia Barber Wendy and John Beiler Linda Blondel Ruth Cameron Karen ChambleeRoxanne ChandlerDale and Janice Coffey Barbara Colson Nancy and Dan Cook Charles Culbertson and Janet Hamilton Jim Condon and Sherry Westfall Mrs. Frances CraigBarbara Creasy Lynn Davis and Rich Evans In honor of Laura Jean Brand for her talent and hard workSara and Steve Doherty

Mary Alice and Charlie DownsPatricia DruryJulie and Joel DwyerSusan Elder Judith Erickson Jean Flaherty Connie Friend Donald and Lynda Futtrell Sandy Greene Susan GreeneMichael Hartford and Linda ParkerSarah Hauschka Kyle HausrathMark and Sandra Henderson Lucy Ivey Paula and Philip Klann Carol and Bill JenningsAlice Justice Dr. and Mrs. Robert KeetonDale and Chantal Kennedy Laura Kirkpatrick Dr. John Lanham In Honor of Lisa McDermott and Mark Riggle Susan and Patrick Long Sue and Doug MacTavish Rosemary Maddocks Charles and Jill Martorana Barbara Matysek and David Snyder Jean Morgan In memory of Robert MorganAnn Musselman Betty NatoliSharon and Bill Posey Charles and Mary QueenJune and Howard RatcliffeMarylin RigganKaren Rosasco Lucille Salatin Annette Schaff Darrell Schwalm Carolyn Sellers Ed Shepherd Jr Andy and Andi Shifflett Jane and Denny Sigloh In honor of Bob Michael Sams and his contributions to the orchestra

Legacy Society WSO patrons who have remembered the Symphony in their Estate Planning

Mary Louise LeakeMollie McCurdy

Mrs. Virginia H. Ross

Michael and Anne Skrutskie Lillian C Sloan Judy SmithHouston and Laura Sorenson Thursday Morning Music ClubJoyce TiptonGary and Marcia Tyeryar Bob and Judy von BernuthEmma Jean WiseDrs. Douglas and Victoria WeissTrinaLisa Welsheimer Ruth Williams Nina and Alexander Yagupsky

DonorNancy Boyer-Rechlin Terri Danneels Janice Gentry R. E. HarrisFaye and Worley King Judith A Kloetzel

Emilie Myers Ruth Ann Noblette Ann and Robert Oakes Karen PoosJan Reid Kevin and Marylin Ryan Cliff and Lynn Scott Charlotte Shnaider Dave and Lynn WirthDan and Sue Woodworth

Booksbound2please.com is a small business located in Orange, VA. We sell new books as well as gently used. Book club orders receive a discount and we ship within 48 hours of your order. Shop small, shop local and support this independent business in your home state.

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22222222WSO Principal Chair SponsorsMusic Director, Peter WilsonConcertmaster, Wanchi

Jeane CustinAssoc. Concertmaster, Jacob Roege

Mrs. Beverly BrownSecond Violin, Lianne Campbell

Bill and Anne AlexanderViola, Stanley Beckwith

Rudy YobsCello, Beth Cantrell

Anna M. Day FoundationAsst. Principal Cello, Brian Helmke

AnonymousDouble Bass, J. Michael Priester

Dr. and Mrs. Michael CunninghamAsst. Principal Bass, Lindsay Lam

Mitch Sams and Kelly GodseyFlute, Debbi Stephenson

Gib and Lynn StephensonClarinet, James Tobin

Drs. Asher and Laura Jean BrandOboe, Gabriela Dech

Joe and Susan DavisBassoon, Suzanne Pattison

Mary and C.B. WilsonHorn, Catherine Creasy

Drs. Mary Whalstrom and John CaseyTrumpet, Nick Harvery

Mary McDermott and Bill JongewardTrombone, Andrew Lankford

Jeane CustinTuba, Barry Slayton

AnonymousPercussion, Charlie Nesmith

Anne and Charles Salembier

22222222WSO Board of Directors

Charles Salembier, PresidentDanny Leech, Treasurer

Peter Wilson, Music DirectorCarrie Blake, Secretary

Laura Jean Brand, Stage ManagerGabriela Dech, Orchestra & Personnel Manager

Lisa McDermott, LibrarianAnne Seaton, Development Director

Mark Catron, DevelopmentRobert Harris, Development

Mary Louise Leake, DevelopmentDr. Lise Keiter, MBU Representative

Elizabeth Gatewood, AdvisorDavid Preston, Advisor

Richard Schilling, AdvisorMary Wahlstrom, Advisor

Richard Guy Wilson, Advisor

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Dominion Energy is dedicated to supporting a wide range of cultural activities that enrich the spirit and

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Power has many sources, but perhaps none energizes our lives and communities quite like the arts. At Dominion Energy, we applaud them all by providing our support. Whether it’s a rousing symphony, delicate ballet, engaging theater performance, or inspiring museum or art opening, we’re proud to play our part. To learn more about how we’re putting our energy to work for the arts, visit DominionEnergy.com/Foundation.

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General InformationMembership in the WSO is open to student, amateur and professional

musicians, at the discretion of the Music Director. The orchestra rehearses on Tuesdays from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. in Waynesboro.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Waynesboro Symphony should visit the WSO web page: www.wsomusic.org or contact

Charles Salembier, Board President, email: wcs@ntelos.net, phone: (540) 942-3828.

Waynesboro Symphony OrchestraP.O. Box 671 • Waynesboro, VA 22980

The Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization.This allows the orchestra to accept tax-deductible contributions.

Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra

Upcoming EvEnts

“A Concert Celebrating Black Lives”Sunday, February 27, 2021

at 3:00 PMVIA LIVE STREAM ONLY

Featuring members of the WSOas well as

Music Director Peter Wilson, violin, Aaron Clay, double bass,

and Russell Wilson, piano

We’re proud to support the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra

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Thank you for bringing beautiful music to our community.