Audition Concert #2

Tales of Travelers Maestro Carolyn Watson

~ Program ~

Moon Feather Magic Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957 - Voyage John Paul Corigliano (b .1938 - Danzas de Panama William Grant Still (1895 - 1978) Adios Nonino Astor Piazzola (1921 - 1992) Ruritanian Dances George Palmer (b. 1947 -

The Saint Joseph Symphony Strings

Violin 1 Chun-Chien Chuang (Concert Master) Andrew Holmes Teresa Edgar Katie Benyo Victor Diaz Violin 2 Rob Patterson (Principal) Mitchell Reilly Marthe Cox Avery Parkhurst Connie Elting

Saint Joseph Symphony Orchestra Program Introduction and Notes

There were a number of factors influencing repertoire selection and the design of this program. First and foremost, I wanted to present a program I felt would appeal to both musicians and audience, as well as give a broad indication of my approach to programming were I to have the honor of being appointed Music Director of the Saint Joseph Symphony Orchestra. I enjoy variety in all forms, particularly as it relates to orchestral music. As such, this evening’s program fea-tures a unique combination of works including some with which SJS audiences may be unfamiliar, alongside more well-known composers, genres and styles, all connected via a common theme.

Tonight’s program is titled Tales of Travelers and is centered around the concept of journeying and travel, with its inher-ent cultural experiences and enrichment. As we emerge from a devastating pandemic which has seen most of us home-bound for more than a year, a future when we can again travel safely and freely is likely something to which we all as-pire. I also wanted to share with the SJS community something of myself and my own journey, namely my passion for travel, and my experience as an immigrant to the United States. As such, the program is bookended by works from my country of origin, Australia. Set between the two Australian works are three from the Americas, one each from North, Central and South America.

The concert opens with Moon Feather Magic, a simple but beautiful work by Elena Kats-Chernin. This work was commis-sioned by the Hush Foundation, an organization whose aim is to reduce stress and anxiety for patients and families in hospitals across Australia, particularly those obtaining treatment for long term illnesses. As such it seemed a fitting selec-tion with which to begin this evening’s concert for indeed, many of us have no doubt relied on the healing power of mu-sic to help us through the challenges of the past year. Following this we hear Pulitzer-Prize winner John Corigliano’s poignant string orchestra setting of Voyage, a work originally written as an a capella vocal work. A quietly reflective and meditative work, it is based around a recurring theme first introduced by a pair of violins.

Crossing the southern border we head to Central America for inspiration for the third work on the program, Danzas de Panama by William Grant Still, the ‘Dean’ of African American composers. A set of four Panamanian dances based on folk tunes, Still first conceived this work as a string quartet, only to orchestrate it the following year. An energetic set of danc-es representing various aspects of everyday life, these fun movements incorporate instructions for players to tap and clap, thereby adding various percussive elements to the overall string color. Heading further south on our journey we find ourselves in Argentina, home of the undisputed master of tango, Astor Piazzolla. Adiós Nonino (Goodbye, Grandad-dy) was written in memory of the composer’s father shortly after his passing. This arrangement features beautiful solos for both viola and cello, mellifluous sonorities well-chosen to replicate the timbre of the bandoneon.

The final work on the program takes us to the fictional European land of Ruritania. The Ruritanian Dances are a set of three dances by George Palmer, an Australian composer who has enjoyed a dual career in music and the law, having served as a judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court. Obvious influences in this work are everything from country and bluegrass fiddle tunes, to Eastern European folk dances a la Bartók, Kodály and Enescu. Not wanting to give too much away, but this rousing finale may just call for a degree of audience participation….

Thank you very much for your time and attention this evening – it has been my privilege and pleasure to perform for you, and to conduct your Saint Joseph Symphony.

Carolyn Watson, May 2, 2021

Viola Monty Carter (Principal) Michalis Koutsoupides Alyssa Bell Noel Good Nicolas Arguello Joseph Chan Cello Sascha Groschang (Principal) Amy Harris James Alexander Daniel Yung Janelle Clark Bass Matthew McGrory (Principal) Andrew Book

Carolyn Watson, Conductor Australian conductor Carolyn Watson has been based in the United States since 2013 during which time she has led performances with the Austin Symphony, Catskill Symphony, Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and World Youth Symphony Orchestra. With the 21-22 season she will commence her tenure as Music Director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra in Indiana. Recruited internationally as Music Director of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, she won the 2015 American Prize for Orches-tral Performance with this ensemble, also collaborating with soloists including Mark O’Connor and Alexandre Tharaud during her tenure. Carolyn continues to enjoy an ongoing association with Interlochen as conducting faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp and for Interlochen Online. An experienced conductor of opera, 2021 sees Carolyn lead Hansel and Gretel for Amarillo Opera and Fellow Travelers at Des Moines Metro Opera, along with a production of As One. Most recently she conducted ‘And Still we Dream’ for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, her third engagement for the Lyric in as many years. This production was featured in the Emmy-Award winning PBS documentary, Higher Octaves: Leading Women in the Arts. She was engaged to conduct the world premiere of Gordon Getty’s opera at Festival Napa Valley, and in 2017 Carolyn was one of six conductors selected for the Hart Institute for Women Conductors, where she led the Dallas Opera Orches-tra in two public performances. A committed music educator, Carolyn currently serves as Director of Orchestral Studies at The University of Kan-sas whilst continuing to enjoy an active freelance career throughout the US, Europe and Australia. She has conducted or-chestras internationally including the Brandenburg Symphony, BBC Concert Orchestra, Budapest Operetta Theatre, Bul-garian State Opera Bourgas North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Kodály Philharmonic, Savaria Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and in Russia, the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic. Other notable European credits include Musical Assistant at the Staatsoper Berlin for Infektion!, a festival of modern theatre celebrating the works of John Cage, resident at the Israeli National Opera, and assistant to Sir Charles Mackerras on his final two productions at The Royal Opera, Covent Garden and Glyndebourne. She has participated in master classes with Marin Alsop, Peter Eöt-vös, Yoel Levi, Martyn Brabbins and Alex Polishchuk and conducted musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic in Interaktion. A major prizewinner at the 2012 Emmerich Kálmán International Operetta Conducting Competition in Budapest, Carolyn Watson was a Fellow of the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival where she studied with David Zinman. Carolyn is the recipient of a number of prestigious national and international awards for young con-ductors including the Brian Stacey Award for emerging Australian conductors, Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Prize awarded via the Australian Music Foundation in London, Opera Foundation Australia’s Bayreuth Opera Award and Berlin New Music Opera Award and the Nelly Apt Conducting Scholarship. She is the beneficiary of support from the American Australian Association's Dame Joan Sutherland Fund and a Sheila Pryor Study Grant from the Australian Opera Auditions Committee. She is also a Churchill Fellow, and was the recipient of a Creative Fellowship from the State Library of Victo-ria. Carolyn holds a PhD in Performance (Conducting) from the University of Sydney where she studied under Imre Palló. The subject of her doctoral thesis was Gesture as Communication: The Art of Carlos Kleiber.

www.carolyn-watson.com

Audition Series

Concert #2

Featuring

Maestro Carolyn Watson

Saturday, May 8, 2021

The Missouri Theater

St Joseph, MO

Mark your calendars now!

A Free Community Concert presented by the Saint Joseph Symphony and

The David H Morton Memorial Fund for the Arts Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm

First Christian Church / 927 Faraon St / St Joseph, MO 64501 Featuring Flautist, Lory Lacy / Pianist, Charles Badami

Cellist Sascha Groschang