10 • Pacific Symphony

pacific symphony santiago stringsMAY 6

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) Simple Symphony Boisterous Bourrée Playful Pizzicato Sentimental Saraband Frolicsome Finale Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) “Rhosymedre” (Orch. Arnold Foster) (Prelude on a Welsh Hymn Tune)

Brendan McBrien “Fields of Gold, Days of Sun”

Jonathan Spilman (1812–1896) “Sweet Afton” (Arr. John Leavitt)

Bob Lipton “Tudo Bem” Brian Balmages (b. 1975) Summer Dances Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble

SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTSRENÉE AND HENRY SEGERSTROM CONCERT HALL

presents

This afternoon’s concert has been generously sponsored by Elaine Sarkaria.

This afternoon’s Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble guest appearance has been generously sponsored by Janice Smith, Karen Carlson and David & Suzanne Chonette.

withPACIFIC SYMPHONY SANTIAGO STRINGS

IRENE KROESEN • MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR

featuringPACIFIC SYMPHONY YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE

DR. GREGORY X. WHITMORE • MUSIC DIRECTOR

The concert begins at 1 p.m.

2017-18 PACIFIC SYMPHONY SANTIAGO STRINGS CONCERT SERIES

Summer Dances

Pacific Symphony • 11

NOTES by joshua grayson

The second movement uses music from the piano scherzo (1924) and the song “The Road Song of the Bandar-Log” (1924). For the third movement, Britten used parts of the prelude from Suite No. 3 in F-sharp minor (1923) and Waltz for Piano (1923), while the fourth movement uses parts of the finale of piano sonata No. 9 (1926) and an untitled song from 1925. The piece premiered under the composer’s baton on March 6, 1934 in Norwich; it was published in 1935.

The piece reflects the beginnings of Britten’s fascination with childhood and youth. Already apparent at this point when he was barely more than a child himself, this preoccupation would continue throughout Britten’s long career. More than mere nostalgia, Britten’s interest in childhood carried philosophical weight. As Britten scholar Philip Brett has explained, “Britten was captured at many levels by the notion of return to a perfect state symbolized by childhood ... impossible to recapture, and much of Britten’s music is about the difficulty and pain of separation from it, but it is arguably his principal fount of non-verbal inspiration.” To Britten, music evoking childhood and particularly infancy was “a way of accessing powerful messages from beyond the pre-verbal barrier, even perhaps occasionally of breaking that barrier, at a time when musical modernism was setting up barbed wire fences everywhere and driving ‘art’ music increasingly into the cold unfeeling camps of masculine intellect and order.” Music evoking childhood came to represent for Britten a longing for lost innocence tarnished by dehumanizing influences in adult society. Begun in the Simple Symphony, similar themes can be found in many of his later works.

The Simple Symphony represents the beginning of an illustrious career in music. Britten continued composing after leaving the conservatory; his first job in 1935 was with the General Post Office Film Unit working on the music for a documentary film. In 1939 he left Europe for a variety of reasons, primarily the war, which threatened to break out any day. Britten remained in the United States until 1942, staying with friends on Long Island and here in Southern California in Escondido (northern San Diego County). He returned to Britain in 1942; after facing a tribunal for his pacifism, he was allowed to go free and soon began working with the BBC. By the 1950s Britten had become the preeminent composer of Britain, was active in the performing scene and had composed 11 operas. Britten also helped build classical music institutions, started an important classical music festival, and sought to further the aim of musical literacy in Britain through outreach to children.

B orn to an affluent family in a small English village, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) studied piano, violin, viola, and organ. He pursued his musical studies at Royal College

of Music, graduated from Cambridge University with a bachelor’s degree in history, and supplemented his formal musical education by studying privately with Max Bruch in Berlin and with Ravel in Paris. A highly versatile musician, he was also active as a conductor, writer, lecturer, teacher, editor and folksong collector. To his lasting credit, Vaughan Williams actively assisted in efforts to help integrate Jewish refugees from Hitler’s Germany into British society during the Second World War.

Composed in 1920, Rhosymedre reveals several important aspects of Vaughan Williams’s musical outlook. The second of three preludes, the work was originally written for organ, reflecting the composer’s lengthy experience with that instrument. More to the point, its basis on a Welsh hymn tune indicates the composer’s lifelong fascination with indigenous British music. Moreover, its small scale, relative

B enjamin Britten (1913-1976) stands as one of the predominant English composers of the mid-20th century. Unlike many classical composers of the 20th century, Britten cultivated a

style of music that remains accessible to non-specialists. Although his music is often described as conservative, he was highly innovative for his use of music to criticize the past and to offer a utopian vision of the future in which all are included and none are oppressed.

Britten came from an affluent family in the northeast of England, the son of a kind and supporting (but not musically inclined) dentist and an amateur pianist and singer. He studied piano and viola as a child and began composing before age 10; by the time he reached age 14 he had already composed over 100 works. He began studying composition privately with Frank Bridge in London at age 14. At the same time, he attended public high school, where the music teacher frequently disparaged his compositions. Britten’s experiences witnessing school bullying of other boys left a lasting impression on him and endowed him with a lifelong sense of justice and fairness. After graduating from high school, Britten attended college at Royal College of Music in London. Although he was disappointed by the lack of discipline among his fellow students and disapproved of his teacher there, he was introduced to the music of Schoenberg, Stravinsky and Mahler.

In 1932, the 19-year-old composer was awarded a £100 travel grant (a princely sum in Depression-era Europe, roughly equivalent to $8500 in today’s U.S. dollars). Britten originally intended to use the grant to study with Alban Berg, one of the leaders of the Second Viennese School of composers, but RCM faculty convinced his parents that Berg was “immoral” and “not a good influence.” Distraught, Britten decided to stay at home with his parents. While there, he leafed through some of his early childhood compositions and ultimately used them to create his Simple Symphony.

Britten composed Simple Symphony in winter 1933–1934, basing it on materials he had written between 1923 and 1926 (ages 10–13). The symphony’s main themes are developed from specific pieces. The first movement uses material from the second movement of Suite No. 1 in E for piano (1925) and from the song “A Country Dance” (1923).

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This afternoon’s concert has been generously sponsored by Elaine Sarkaria.

This afternoon’s Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble guest appearance has been generously sponsored by Janice Smith, Karen Carlson and David & Suzanne Chonette.

12 • Pacific Symphony

NOTESThou stockdove whose echo resounds thro’ the glen, Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den, Thou green-crested lapwing thy screaming forbear, I charge you, disturb not my slumbering Fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills, Far mark’d with the courses of clear, winding rills; There daily I wander as noon rises high, My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below, Where, wild in the woodlands, the primroses blow; There oft, as mild Ev’ning weeps over the lea, The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides, And winds by the cot where my Mary resides; How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave, As, gathering sweet flowerets, she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, amang thy green braes, Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays; My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

A New Jersey native, Bob Lipton received his bachelor of arts in music education from San Francisco State University. A tuba player, he taught middle school orchestra and band in Silicon

Valley until 2015. His composition “Tudo Bem” refers to a traditional greeting in Brazil, roughly translated as “everything’s cool.” The piece is an evocation of Brazilian rhythms and harmonies.

B rian Balmages (b. 1975) has enjoyed a prolific career. In addition to composing, he is also a conductor, performer, and producer. He received his bachelor’s degree from James

Madison University, and a master’s degree from the University of Miami. Currently, he is serving as professor of instrumental conducting and as band director at Towson University, near Baltimore. In 2013, Balmages had the high honor of composing music for the inaugural prayer service at President Barack Obama’s second term. His “Summer Dances,” originally written for wind band, was composed for an outdoor summer concert by the Columbia Concert Band in Columbia, Maryland.

Joshua Grayson, Ph.D., is an historical musicologist and graduate of the USC ThorntonSchool of Music.

simplicity, and surface beauty speak to the importance the composer placed on accessibility and community throughout his career. The piece is a reworking of a hymn originally written in mid-19th century by the Welsh Anglican priest John David Edwards (1805-1885); the name Rhosymedre refers to a small village in the northeast of Wales, where Edwards was stationed from 1843 until his death.

A native of Sunnyvale, California, Brendan McBrien teaches music at Venado Middle School in Irvine. A talented horn player as well as composer, he received his bachelor’s and

master’s degrees in composition from CSULB. Active in several areas of music, McBrien’s career spans performing, composing, arranging and writing. Many of McBrien’s works were written for his students. His piece “Fields of Gold, Days of Sun” is such a work, a beautiful evocation of a late summer harvest.

A lthough often thought of as a traditional folk tune, “Sweet Afton” was actually written by a composer, Kentucky-born Jonathan Spilman (1812–1896). Born in Greenville, a

small town in western Kentucky, Spilman attended Illinois College. After graduating, he enjoyed a nearly 20-year career as a lawyer before becoming a Presbyterian minister in 1858. His most famous composition, “Sweet Afton” was written in 1837 while Spilman was studying at Transylvania Law School in Lexington, Kentucky. The work is a setting of the 1791 poem Sweet Afton by the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns; its text describes the Afton, a small river in southwestern Scotland:

Flow gently, sweet Afton! amang thy green braes, Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise; My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

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Pacific Symphony • 13

I rene Kroesen received her bachelor’s degree in music education and teaching credential from Chapman University in Orange, California. Currently, Kroesen is a retired string specialist for the Irvine Unified School District. From 1988 to 2011, Kroesen was as adjunct instructor at

Chapman University, where she taught the String Methods course for music education majors.

Kroesen has also served as a mentor teacher for Irvine Unified School District as well as a designated Master Teacher for Chapman University, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton. She has also given curriculum workshops for county and state workshops as well as shared and distributed her teaching materials to Placentia-Yorba Linda USD and Garden Grove USD.

Kroesen has appeared as conductor of the Irvine Elementary and Middle School Honor Orchestras and guest conductor of the Middle School Honor Orchestras for Las Vegas Unified (Nevada), Capistrano Unified, Placentia-Yorba Linda School District, Long Beach Unified, Fresno-Madeira County and the SCSBOA All-Southern Middle School Honor String Orchestra. Kroesen served as the guest conductor for the Inaugural Year 2015 SCSBOA Elementary Honor Orchestra. She has also served as manager and assistant conductor of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra and is currently the conductor of Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings. In March 2016, Santiago Strings was a selected participant in the National School Orchestra Festival in Tampa, Florida. After receiving “Unanimous Superiors” at the American String Teachers Conference, Santiago Strings returned to celebrate its 25th Anniversary Season.

Kroesen is listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers and is a past recipient of the Alumni of the Year Award from the School of Music at Chapman University. In 2003, she received the Orange County Outstanding Arts Educator Award for Elementary Instrumental Music. In 2006, Kroesen was selected as the Irvine Unified School District Elementary Teacher of the Year.

As a string educator and clinician, Kroesen has given numerous workshops at both county and state music conferences as well as working with individual school orchestras from Nevada, Arizona and the country of Norway. She has also served as an adjudicator for the Disney Creative Challenge and has auditioned violinists and violists for both the All-Southern California Middle School and High School Honor Orchestras in California. In 2015, Kroesen served as program advisor for Pacific Symphony’s Strings for Generations Program, and has served as its music director for the past two seasons.

Kroesen is a member of the American String Teachers Association, Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, Music Educators National Conference and California Music Educators Association. She is also a member of the Los Angeles Musicians Union and is active as a professional violist.

IRENE about the psss music director

IRENE KROESENPACIFIC SYMPHONY SANTIAGO STRINGS MUSIC DIRECTOR

14 • Pacific Symphony

MEETPACIFIC SYMPHONY SANTIAGO STRINGS

IRENE KROESEN • MUSIC DIRECTOR

2017-18 SeasonSections listed alphabetically

the santiago strings ensemble

VIOLIN IJoanna BaiLianne ChaEvan ChanBrian ChangRichard FengJack GuoAngela HuangEllie KennedyRachel KimAdam LinRebecca LiuSarah LiuGloria ParkAniyah ShenAaron YanJayden YeungSein YunChunyi Zhou

VIOLIN IIChristian ByunDevon ChangLillian ChenBenjamin FanIsabel HahnAnnie HuangNathan HwangGrace JinBrandon KeungCookie KimLauren KimShaun Koumans

Amy LeeLyndsey LipscombXiaorui LiuLawrence MiSarah ParigelaJoyce ShiAngela TangEdison TsengKaley WongKatherine Wu

VIOLAZara AmendtAlison CaoSol ChoiAntonio GalisteoDean KoEthan LaiBrandon LeeAudrey LimMichael MoonNirmay NanjappaTalia NguyenLawrence Song June SuMelody SunMax WangAmanda Zhu

CELLOEric ChenEthan ChenJoon Choi

Adam GodinaEric KimMadeleine KimNatalie KwokTiana LinRyan LiuAmelia PalmGiulia RoyChloe TjangnakaIan TsengAndrea WangJiwoo YouJiin Yun

DOUBLE BASSCarly BunimErin CalderTara NguyenRaymond Tsukada

STAFFBridget Bow, Strings CoachAmanda Sansonetti, Santiago

Strings Manager

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLSAlderwood Elementary

SchoolArnold O. Beckman High

SchoolBeacon Park SchoolBrywood Elementary SchoolDana Hills High School

Deerfield ElementaryEastshore Elementary SchoolHeritage Oak Private

EducationJeffrey Trail Middle School Kraemer Middle SchoolLakeside Middle SchoolNorthwood High SchoolOrange County Academy of

Sciences and ArtsOrange County School of the

ArtsOrchard Hills SchoolOxford AcademyPacific AcademyPlaza Vista SchoolPortola High SchoolRancho San Joaquin Middle

SchoolSaint Jeanne De Lestonnac

SchoolSantiago Hills Elementary Sierra Vista Middle School South Lake Middle School Springbrook Elementary

SchoolStonegate Elementary School Tustin High SchoolUniversity High SchoolVan Damme Academy

FLUTEClaire Li, principalJaden Fogel*Yuri ChoiJustine LinAmber WangJieun (Genie) Yae

OBOE Aaron Jin, co-principalAllison Huang††

CLARINET JaeKyung Shin, principalJose Luis Becerra

Sam Ghahremani Matthew Linzey

BASSOON Emily O’Donnell, principalZoe Giblin

HORN Zachary Foltz, principalHongcheol (Nick) AnMichelle Yang

TRUMPET Ethan Kim, principalNina Larsen

Caitlin McIntyreJennifer McIntyreGillian OkinJustine Sato

TROMBONE Riley Borklund, principalBennett Monuki

BASS TROMBONE Matthew Zaky

TUBAKeegan Randeen

PERCUSSION Mitchell Rogers, principalKyle GrahamAdriana HarrisonCash LangiAinslie MatthewViraj Sonawala

STAFFNicole Kroesen, Youth Wind

Ensemble Manager

*piccolo††English horn

Joining PSSS on Summer Dances, by Brian Balmages:

MEMBERS OF PACIFIC SYMPHONY YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLEDR. GREGORY X. WHITMORE • MUSIC DIRECTOR

Sections listed alphabetically under principal