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Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. NSO floats on the 'Sea Symphony'
By Jeffrey Johnson
Special Correspondent March 11, 2006 The Stamford Advocate I freely admit I have been looking forward to this program of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since I first heard about it almost a year ago. And what initially intrigued me was that "The Sea Symphony" by Ralph Vaughan Williams was being programmed by itself. Many conventions of programming would seem to work against the idea: At a little longer than 60 minutes, the timing is on the short side with no opportunity for an intermission; and most programs include a concerto and a variety of composers and historical styles. But the decision to program the work alone paid off at the Feb. 25 performance of the NSO, which was joined by the Mendelssohn Choir. Programming the work alone allowed for both performers and audience to focus on one message. Before the music began, a collection of photographs by local artists depicting aspects of the sea were projected on two large screens on either side of the stage. This collaboration with the Silvermine Guild Arts Center set an atmosphere not only of water and the environment of coastal Connecticut, but more importantly of meditation. Essential to the Vaughn Williams design is that the sea is not only vibrancy and motion but also a symbol of the mystical unknown. The atmosphere created by the photographs viewed in a surrounding darkness that encompassed the entire stage set the perfect groundwork for this idea. When the lights came up on the first movement, it was a sharp contrast. Conductor Diane Wittry chose a brisk tempo and drew vigor and volume from textures woven from music by soloists, choral polyphony and orchestral interplay. The orchestra sounded great throughout the evening. The strings in particular produced a continually rich and full sound that provided the support essential to this piece. The second movement featured the carefully balanced surfaces of great chamber music -- energy generated among friends. It is a critical place in the overall symphony that must count if we are to believe the final movement. From there it was all about soloist Douglas Webster. He highlighted the narrative quality and chant-like characteristics of the lines, allowing unexpected flourishes to stand apart strongly. Soprano soloist Jeanine Thames brought an operatic power to her part. Although much-needed at times, she could have more frequently explored the lieder qualities of the part even at the cost of balances. Nonetheless, her line in the first movement, "Token of all brave captains, and all intrepid sailors and mates," was delivered over the course of a controlled shift in supported color changes and diminuendo that startled the hall. But make no mistake -- this is a choral work. Its success will ride upon the preparation and ultimate endurance of the chorus. The Mendelssohn choir came ready to sing and was superbly prepared by its artistic director and conductor, Carole Ann Maxwell. The third movement is something of a concerto for chorus; if the winter Olympics had a vocal/choral event, this is the kind of repertoire it would contain. The chorus delivered and articulated the ferocious text at breakneck speed and glided with the hemiolas and other rhythmic slides and amusements contained in the movement. The chorus seemed very aware of how individual parts contributed not only to the immediate texture but also to the overall design of the movement and the work as a whole. The Mendelssohn Choir interacted with the soloists and the orchestra exceptionally well. Very subtle balances in the second and fourth movements made the singers seem like part of the orchestra. There were many other wonderful moments: the ghostly offstage choir singing, "Wherefore unsatisfied soul? Whither O mocking life?" The voices picked up a gorgeous reverberating color well worth the effort of having those poor folks wait around three movements to create it. The great surprise of this symphony is that it turns away from an obvious grand smashing ending to a contemplative mystical place. "O my brave soul! O farther, farther sail!" It is no simple matter to maximize this quality, but the audience was prepared for it even before the beginning with those photographs, and it came across as clearly as I have ever heard it done live. It helped that Wittry connected the second and third movements attaca, and chose very little space between the third and fourth movements. This brought a sense of building momentum into the finale. The silence at the close was extended until it was collapsed by applause -- not only dramatic but also a way of trying to hold on to the meditation. I would have only wished for the complete text to be printed in the program. The reason is that one needs to use it like a map to guide one actively through the complexities on the surface. Michael Fink's program notes also made useful observations dependent upon text clues that would have made for a more active listening with a printed text in addition to the projected text. The use of the projected text was quite clever, particularly the alterations of the original Whitman indicated in italics. This was a great event that showed a structural and inventive collection of collaborations that is becoming distinctive of the Norwalk Symphony. It is within this collaborative framework a very unique cultural experience. Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. This article originally appeared at: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/features/scn-sa-nso5mar11,0,2996265.story Visit the Advocate online at http://www.stamfordadvocate.com The Advocate & Greenwich Time Sunday, October 9, 2005 Impressive Program Kicks Off
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RELEASES
Brilliant Young Musicians Join
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Soprano Kathleen Ann Theisen was trained as a classical and jazz pianist before pursuing an operatic career. Her recent performances include Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni" with Taconic Opera, Vitellia in "La Clemenza di Tito" with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, Cleopatra in "Giulio Cesare" with One World Symphony, Daphne in the New York premiere of Robert Ward’s "Claudia Legare" at Dicapo Opera - for which Opera News wrote that she was “vocally solid and impassioned” and The New York Times said she “effectively conveyed a sense of desperation,” In 2003, she made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera as an extra chorister in "Benvenuto Cellini."
Tenor Scott Murphree, hailed by the New York Times as “radiant and expressive: is a distinguished singer of the concert, recital and opera stage. His recent appearances have included a debut with the Utah Opera as Tamino in Die Zauberfloete, Bach Cantatas with the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble and Haydn’s Die Schoepfung with the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space Series. Among many other roles, he was participated in productions of Paul Bunyan with Glimmerglass Opera and in Jonathan Miller’s staged version of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is a member of the faculty of the Steinhardt School of Music at New York University.
American Baritone Thomas Woodman’s versatility in opera, orchestra and recital repertoire has helped him enjoy a varied and successful 25-year career throughout North America and Europe. He has appeared on stage at the Metropolitan Opera (Valentin in Faust and Wolfram in Tannhauser); die Bayerische Staatsoper (Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos), New York City Opera, and the Staatstheater Darmstadt . He has performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Nashville, Waterbury (CT), Cape Cod Symphonies as well as the Rochester Philharmonic. Most recently, he sang the role of Jesus in the Greenwich Choral Society’s performance of the Bach St. Matthew Passion.
Soloist Stephanie Jeong was one of the youngest students accepted to the famed Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. She was nine. Stephanie was a featured at the White House at the when she was seven, and performs annually in Chicago's Orchestra Hall. In 1999, Stephanie won both the Philadelphia Orchestra's Albert M. Greenfield and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Feinburg competitions, which led to performances with both orchestras in their 1999-2000 season. She won the Greenfield Student Competition again in 2002, in the junior division, and was invited to be the guest soloist for their New Year's Eve Gala concert. Among many other awards, she won the National YAMAHA Young Performing Artists competition in the string division, and, in 2006, won the Philadelphia Orchestra's Albert M. Greenfield competition for the third time, this time in the senior division. This lead to two solo performances with the orchestra in its 2006-2007 season.
Seventeen-year-old prodigy Danielle Merlis of Westport, an honors student in her junior year at Staples High School, has studied cello for seven years. She is Principal Cellist of the Norwalk Youth Symphony, and also plays with the Staples Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestras. Danielle spent last summer at NYU studying chamber music and cello performance with Marion Feldman. A student of Lois Errante, Danielle also teaches cello to beginning cellists in Westport. In addition to the cello, Danielle also plays the piano and composes music.
Twelve-year-old Tristan Zeman, also from Westport, began his formal violin training before his 3rd birthday and has been studying with Patinka Kopec, a professor at Manhattan School of Music, since 2004. In 2005, he began attending the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division. In the spring of 2007, Tristan was invited to play a solo at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as a winner of the American Fine Arts Festival 2007 Competition. In addition to being a classically trained violinist, Tristan enjoys fiddling and has studied with Mark O'Connor at his Tennessee Fiddle Camp. Last year, Tristan was the youngest member of Pinchas Zuckerman's "Young Artists' Programme" at the National Arts Centre of Canada in Ottawa.
Twelve-year-old Allison Giebisch is a 7th-grade honors student at Amity Middle School in Bethany, CT. She has studied cello for seven years with Miriam Eckelhoefer at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven and she has received additional coaching from renowned cellists Colin Carr and Irene Sharp. In 2006, Allison won the first prize in the Junior Division Performance Prize Competition at NMS. When not practicing cello, Allison studies German and Chinese, enjoys running and biking.
Seventeen-year-old Nicole Kilroy is a senior at Poughkeepsie Day School and began studying violin at the age of 5. She attended the Manhattan School of Music Pre-college division for six years. This past summer she was concertmaster in the Guilford Festival Orchestra at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina. She recently won the student concerto competition with the Danbury Symphony Orchestra and will be performing with them in February. Nicole studies with Anna Ostrofsky, plans on pursuing a double major in music performance and biology, and eventually wants to become a veterinarian.
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Danielle Talamantes
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Holly Sorenson
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Michael Denham
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Dennis Blackwell
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The concert will be held in the Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Avenue at 8:00 p.m. “Podium Perspectives”, a pre-concert talk with NSO Music Director Diane Wittry and Dr. Carole Ann Maxwell, Artistic Director of the MCC will take place at 7:00 p.m., open to concert ticket holders. A reception at the Concert Hall will be held following the performance.
Concert ticket prices start at $20 with special student tickets priced at $10. For ticket reservations, please call 203-847-8844 or visit online at www.norwalksymphony.org.
NSO Presents Peer Gynt as Musical Theatre
On Saturday, May 5th at 8 pm, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra ends an audience-pleasing season with a Scandinavian Night at the Symphony, featuring the intriguing orchestral/musical theater mix Peer Gynt: Grieg Meets Ibsen. The evening combines the evocative music of Edvard Grieg with text from Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece, the fantasy play Peer Gynt. In this truly collaborative production, the talents of the NSO will be augmented by those of soprano Marjorie McGovern, actors Ezra Barnes and Kathryn Marchand, The Mendelsohnn Choir of Connecticut, and dancers from the New Canaan Dance Academy.
The production pays tribute to the talent of two great Norwegian artists, giving local audiences a chance, not only to hear Grieg’s wonderful music, but also to relish a taste of Ibsen’s rarely performed play. The multi-arts production was the brainchild of NSO’s always-innovative music director Diane Wittry.“I like to have a grand ending to our season,” Wittry says, “so I was looking for something that would be more than just a symphonic concert. After the success of our Shakespeare program last year, I thought another theatrically based production was something the audience would enjoy. As for the choice of Peer Gynt, I’ve always wanted to do it and this was the perfect opportunity. The orchestra size fits well, and I knew we’d have the perfect collaborators in the Mendelsohnn Choir and the others who’ve helped make this huge program a reality.”One writer said of Grieg that, “He painted with notes. He painted the people, the scenery, and the moods of Norway.” Much of his Peer Gynt music, including pieces such as “Morning” and “In the Hall of the Mountain King” will be very familiar to the audience, whether or not the source would have been immediately identifiable as Grieg. The Ibsen play, which is seldom performed in the United States will be less familiar.
To prepare the spoken portion of this production, Wittry took the five-hour play and condensed it, culling the moments she thought were essential to the plot. “I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what scenes are most critical to move us forward between musical numbers, so the audience understands what’s going on,” she explains. “Then I worked with Ezra Barnes who added back some scenes he felt were necessary from an actor’s standpoint. It’s really been a collaborative project. Combining the two art forms has created interesting challenges, but also interesting ways of making the piece more effective and emotionally impactful.”
Barnes, Founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare On the Sound, will bring his vast experience as both actor and director to bear giving voice to Ibsen’s various male roles including Peer Gynt. His acting partner will be Kathryn Marchand, who has a long list of stage and screen credits and is known locally for her appearance in last summer’s SOS production of Macbeth, as well as for her work with Theatre Artists Workshop.
Soprano soloist Marjorie McGovern will perform both the lines and the singing of Peer’s great love, Solveig. McGovern, who grew up in Darien, worked at regional theatres across the country and is now Cantor at St. Mary Church in Greenwich.
The Mendelsohnn Choir of Connecticut, with Carole Ann Maxwell at the helm, has partnered with the NSO on numerous occasions, will handle Grieg’s splendid choral compositions, while the evening’s three major dances will be performed by members of the New Canaan Dance Academy’s Performance Company.This momentous collaboration will allow the audience to spend an evening exploring the story of Peer Gynt and its focus on the problems of choice and of identity. Asked why this particular music appeals to her, Wittry answered, “Because it’s simple and it’s pure. But it’s also quite interesting. Grieg does some wonderful things harmonically. Ironically, it’s a piece he didn’t want to write, that he struggled with, yet it’s easily his most well known work.
“Grieg’s gift is that he able to use miniature moments—no one movement is more than about four minutes long— to absolutely capture the essence of the story with music that goes right to the heart. Solveig’s music, for example, is so lovely that you hear it and you are just overwhelmed.“So to me,” she continues, “it’s really just having an evening of absolutely beautiful music and then having a little bit of the play, which deals with life and the choices we make and with redemption.”For those not familiar with the Ibsen masterpiece, it is based on Norwegian folktales and tells of the adventures of Peer Gynt. Peer travels the world for some 50 years, selfishly pursuing his dreams and ambitions. He is torn between Solveig, who awaits him at home, and a series of exotic temptresses he meets along the way: the naive Ingrid, the Troll Princess, and the exotic and devious Anitra. Not until the end of his journey, confronted by death and held in the arms of the long-suffering Solveig, does he recognize the true meaning of existence.
The performance of Peer Gynt by the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is made possible by the support of Statoil, Inc., The Maurice Goodman Foundation and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
Tickets for Peer Gynt are available by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844. In addition, The Symphony has implemented a state-of-the-art system for online ticket sales. Available through www.NorwalkSymphony.org , tickets for specific seats can be purchased using a secure interface. As with phone, fax and mail-in orders, tickets can be delivered via mail if ordered at least two weeks in advance of the concert date, or can be held at will-call for pick-up at the event. The online box-office can be reached by clicking TICKETS on the main navigation bar from anywhere within the NSO site. Maestro Wittry’s Podium Perspectives talk for ticket holders will take place at 7:00 pm, preceding the concert. A second performance of Peer Gynt will be given Friday May 4 at Fairfield University's Quick Center. Information about that performance can be obtained at the University’s website www.fairfield.edu.
The Norwalk Symphony performs in the famed WPA-era Norwalk Concert Hall, which, in addition to its excellent acoustics, boasts the advantages of being easy to reach from I95 exit 16. The Concert Hall offers ample free parking.
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To arrange for interviews and request additional photos, please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971.
Saturday, March 31 the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra continues its exceptionally innovative season with a concert entitled Renaissance Remix. The concert, one Conductor/Music Director Wittry characterizes as "very unusual," is a tribute to music of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. The evening will feature two early pieces, Purcell's suite from the opera "King Arthur," (1691) and Vivaldi's "Il Gardelino" Concerto (c. 1730). The orchestra will also offer two more modern compositions, each with a period theme: Alexander Glazunov's "Suite From the Middle Ages" and Lukas Foss's "Renaissance Concerto." In addition to showcasing the skills of the critically acclaimed NSO, both "Il Gardelino" and the "Renaissance Concerto" will also afford the audience the rare privilege of hearing recorder virtuoso Horacio Franco.
One of Mexico's best-known young artists, Franco has been impressing audiences around the world with his unique blend of old and new music.
"Horacio is the most amazing recorder player I've ever heard," Wittry says. "He's a leading soloist in Mexico who has brought recorder playing to almost rock band status. He plays recorder like it's jazz. It's very exciting, very emotional, complete with improvisation."
Franco has broken the stereotype of the traditional classical soloist through his electrifying performances of a vast repertoire that ranges from Renaissance, Baroque and contemporary works to those drawn from the folk and popular music of many nations. His international appearances often fill venues with young listeners attending their first concert performances. A frequent soloist with virtually every Mexican orchestra, Franco also appears with distinguished ensembles around the globe, among them: Dallas Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Montréal Chamber Orchestra, London's Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Germany's Kammerorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Berliner Symphoniker, Hungary's Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Israel's Kibbutzim Chamber Orchestra, and Tokyo Solisten. Of special note are Mr. Franco's appearances over seven consecutive seasons with the famed Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. He has appeared as soloist or conductor on 22 CDs and has, to date, performed the premieres of over 50 works written specifically for him by composers from around the world.
Franco will be perform with the NSO in a concert that, in typically innovative Wittry style, will offer a broad and interesting range of music, an intriguing combination of old and new.
"We open with a Suite from Purcell's opera King Arthur, which is in the style of Handel's "Water Music," Wittry explains. "It's beautiful music, but it's a piece that's not well known because Purcell's operas are seldom heard these days. Nevertheless, it's gorgeous music and that's why I wanted to do it.
"The second piece is Lucas Foss's "Renaissance Concerto," which was originally written for flute soloist. Horacio will be playing the solo part on recorder instead. In fact, in order to play the piece properly, he will actually be using two different recorders. The piece is based upon Renaissance dances, but is set in a more contemporary style. I included the Concerto in our program because it is a wonderful piece for Horacio, but also because I feel that Foss, who is now 85 years old, is one of the great American composers with whose work people should be familiar-and I know everyone will love what they hear.
"After intermission we're doing the Vivaldi concerto. It's a popular composition that, believe it or not, can even be downloaded as a ring tone. We're doing it because it's Horacio's favorite and because his playing on it is just astounding. I guarantee it is going to be very, very exciting for everyone in the house.
"Finally, the last piece on the program, tying our theme together, is the "Suite from the Middle Ages" by Alexander Glazunov. He's a familiar name, but I think this will be an unfamiliar selection. Composed in 1902, the Suite is a large work in four movements, each with a programmatic story. The first, for example, is set in a castle. A storm is brewing and waves are crashing, but inside two lovers are completely content because they're so in love with each other. Of course, you have these gorgeous Russian love melodies. The Finale paints a scene at the start of a Crusade. At the end, the soldiers march off to glory as their music fades into the distance, and the people offer a final acclamation for the noble adventure-as I hope our audience will for our entire concert."
In place of Maestro Wittry's usual Podium Perspectives talk, ticket holders are invited to attend a very special pre-concert event. At 7:00 pm, the New Canaan High School Madrigals will set the mood for the evening with a pre-concert performance in the Mary McCarthy Room in Norwalk City Hall. The Madrigals perform under the direction of Art Sjogren, Choral Director for New Canaan High. Over nearly 20 years, Mr. Sjogren has led his Madrigal students on concert tours around the world including appearances in France, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, India, Denmark, Sweden, England, Finland, Estonia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, South America, and, most recently, Australia. He is also founder and Artistic Director of the Stamford-based Pro Arte Singers.
Tickets, priced at $20, $30, $40, $50 and $10 for students, for Renaissance Remix are available by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844. In addition, The Symphony has just implemented a state-of-the-art system for online ticket sales. Available through www.NorwalkSymphony.org , tickets for specific seats can be purchased using a secure interface. As with phone, fax and mail-in orders, tickets can be delivered via mail if ordered at least two weeks in advance of the concert date, or can be held at will-call for pick-up at the event. The online box-office can be reached by clicking TICKETS on the main navigation bar from anywhere within the NSO site.
The Norwalk Symphony performs in the famed WPA-era Norwalk Concert Hall, which, in addition to its excellent acoustics, boasts the advantages of being easy to reach from I-95 exit 16. The Concert Hall offers ample free parking.
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Internationally acclaimed, The Swingle Singers, will appear in a concert to benefit the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, March 10th at 8 pm. The Swingle Singers, envy of singers worldwide, do not use accompanying musical instruments. The group's eight, talented, young vocalists perform fabulous, virtuoso a cappella arrangements that dazzle audiences with stunning costumes, dynamic choreography and atmospheric lighting. The Los Angeles Times raved, "Everything about The Swingle Singers is flawless." Their program will span four centuries of best-known music, "Bach to Beatles" with their voices a magnificent match for the acoustics of the Norwalk Concert Hall, home of the NSO.
The octet won a Best New Artist Grammy in 1963 - followed by four more in rapid succession - and became the defining voices of a cappella. However, that was only the beginning. The Swingle Singers have been on a mission to surprise and innovate ever since their first concert in Paris in 1963. Ward Swingle formed the group with a repertoire of jazz vocals and Bach fugues, but The Swingle Singers have never stopped bringing a fresh and original approach; and a new audience - to every kind of music imaginable. Touring throughout the world and performing at Carnegie Hall, Wolftrap, La Scala and the Neue Philharmonie, the group has collaborated with other highly respected artists and composers, such as Luciano Berio, premiering his Sinfonia with the New York Philharmonic. They have released dozens of records, often commissioning new choral works, a tradition that continues to this day.
Audiences will recognize the "Swingle Sound" in such well-hummed tunes from movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Thick as Thieves. More recently, The Swingle Singers vocalize with Little Organ Fugue in "Thank You For Smoking," and Horn Concerto No. 4 in E Flat Minor in the comedy "Wedding Crashers". In past years, these "thritysomething" singers have lent their sound to commercials for Betty Crocker, Chevrolet and Alcoa Aluminum. To hear a clip of their a capella brand, visit www.swinglesingers.com or www.norwalksymphony.org.
The concert is a benefit for the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, now in its 67th season of exceptional symphonic music for Norwalk and the region. Proceeds will strengthen the Orchestra's programming now and in years to come. Advance tickets are available at $35, $55 and $75. Premium seats at $150 will include a light supper and wine bar at the Concert Hall just prior to the evening's performance. For tickets, call the box office at 203-847-8844.
Three Prodigies, who have emerged during a six month search and auditions by the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Diane Wittry, will perform with the Orchestra at 8:00 pm on Saturday, February 24th.
Carlyn Kessler, from nearby Westport, was selected and will be joined by Jenny Liu of Orange, Connecticut and Ann-Frances Rokosa of Hope Valley, Rhode Island.
"Submissions were accepted from young people up to age 18 who were at a super-talented level; in other words, a prodigy level," explains Maestro Wittry. "They will participate as part of the orchestra during this concert. The young musicians will play with the orchestra as equals. There are only a few young players that meet that level of excellence. But it will be thrilling to hear them. Imagine if you’d been lucky enough to hear a fifteen year old Mozart. That’s what we will offer."
Built around pieces in the concert grosso style, the NSO’s third concert of the season will offer Handel’s "Concerto Grosso Op. 3, No. 2, Ernst Bloch’s "Concerto Grosso No. 1, and Stravinsky’s "Pulcinella Suite." Concerto grosso style is an ensemble of soloists who play as an orchestra without solo pieces.
But this concert has another truly exciting facet. Together, the three prodigies will perform the first movement of the "Trio Sonata in G Major" composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, which is the piece of music upon which Stravinsky based his "Pulcinella Suite".
Now a sophomore at Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut, Carlyn Kessler is an ardent student of the cello. As recently as 2005, she was awarded the Stamford Symphony Orchestra Roger Nierenberg Young Musician Commendation Award. From 2001 to the present, Carlyn has been a member of the Norwalk Youth Symphony and served as the principal cellist of the Concert Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. At Staples High School, she has performed as part of the Staples High School Symphonic Orchestra. Chamber music performances have included her participation with the Trio Esprit, coached by Millette Alexander. In the summer, Carlyn attends the Interlochen Arts Camp, California Summer Music, Kinhaven Music School, Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians and Chamber Music Central. Ms. Kessler studies the cello under Lois Errante of Wilton, Connecticut.
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enny Liu, 13 years old, is an eighth grade honors student at Amity Middle School in Orange, Connecticut. She excels on the violin. In 2005, Jenny won the Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition and was featured as a soloist with the orchestra last winter. She has served as the Concertmaster of the Greater New Haven Concert Orchestra and will be Concertmaster for the Southern Connecticut Regional Festival for 2007. During 2006, she was a member of the 1st violin section in the Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra and the Greater New Haven Chamber Orchestra. In addition to playing in youth orchestra, Jenny plays in a piano trio at the Neighborhood Music School, coached by Erika Schroth, Fiona Murray, and was recently guest-coached by cellist Jeff Lastrapes. Jenny is also a member of the Trinity Choir of Men and Girls and will tour England with them in the summer of 2007. Jenny studies the violin with Fiona Murray at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, Connecticut.
The youngest of the prodigies is Ann-Frances Rokosa of Hope Valley, Rhode Island is only 10 years old. She attends Chariho Middle School at Wood River Junction in Richmond, Rhode Island. Her musical interest began with the piano which she started playing at the age of four. At the age of five, she began to play the violin and currently studies and practices both instruments. Orchestra participation is not new to Ann-Frances. She played with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Orchestra at the age of six and two years later, joined the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. At age nine, she performed with the Ocean State Symphony Orchestra in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2002, Ann-Frances was selected as the first place winner in piano at the New England Festival of Music. In 2005, this young virtuoso graduated from the New England Conservatory (elementary school division) in Boston, Massachusetts with honors. She studies at the Conservatory with Dubravka Sajfar Moshfegh.
Two other young musicians who shined during the NSO’s auditions are Dmitri Friedenberg of Old Greenwich, Connecticut and Abigail Soloway of Weston, Connecticut, and will be honored at the concert.
The NSO’s Three Prodigies Concert will be performed Saturday, February 24th at 8 pm at the Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk. The Concert Hall is convenient to Exit 16 off I-95, and offers ample free, on-site parking. Tickets are $30, $40 and $50, and may be reserved through the Symphony office at 203-847-8844 or for the first time, purchased online at the symphony website: www.norwalksymphony.org. Student tickets are also available for $15.
The concert will be preceded by one of Maestro Wittry’s Podium Perspectives talks (included in the ticket price) at 7 pm and will include the talented young musicians. The Three Prodigies concert is proudly sponsored by the Holde Foundation, the Renee B. Fisher Foundation, and The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
For more information, or for information on season subscriptions, please call the NSO office at 203 847-8844
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To arrange for interviews and request additional photos,
please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971.
President of American Symphony League
to Address Norwalk Community
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra will host Henry Fogel, President and CEO of the American Symphony Orchestra League on Tuesday, January 16th from 7 pm to 9 pm at Norwalk City Hall, 124 East Avnue, in the Community Room. The evening will kickoff the Norwalk Symphony Community Coalition 2007, presented to introduce and explain the symphony’s mission to the greater Norwalk community. The program is open to the public at no cost.
Ken Werner, President of the Norwalk Symphony will welcome the attendees and Diane Wittry, Music Director/Conductor will narrate a power point presentation of Norwalk Symphony: Exciting, Engaging, Entertaining. Mr. Fogel will speak to the audience about the importance of the orchestra to the community and the state of orchestras across the country.
Henry Fogel was the former President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association before joining the American Symphony League which provides leadership and service to American orchestras while communicating to the public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League serves nearly 1,000 member symphony, chamber, youth, and collegiate orchestras of all sizes. The League links a national network of thousands of musicians, conductors, managers, board members, volunteers, staff members, and business partners, providing a wealth of services, information, and educational opportunities to its members.
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, over 66 years old, has blossomed into a professional orchestra offering a collaboration of trained classical musicians led by the charismatic Diane Wittry, the current Music Director and Conductor. During its long run, the Norwalk Symphony has hosted emerging talents such as Van Cliburn, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, Emanuel Ax and Dave Brubeck. In addition, the leadership at the helm has included Pulitzer Prize winner Quinto Maganini, Dennis Russell Davies, James Conlon, Gilbert and Jesse Levine.
For information on the NSO’s upcoming concerts and events, please visit online at www.norwalksymphony.org or call the symphony office at 203-847-8844.
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Mendelssohn Choir Joins Norwalk Symphony for
Unforgettable Performance of Handel’s Messiah
Those who think they know Messiah are in for a few surprises when the Diane Wittry, conducting the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut, with Dr. Carole Ann Maxwell, Founder and Director, join forces for Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, December 16th at 8:00 pm at the acoustically superior Norwalk Concert Hall.
This performance will be an encore collaboration of the 2004 sold out event, again featuring the award-winning Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut. As she did two years ago, Wittry has chosen a number of lesser heard arias from the many different versions of Messiah Handel composed over several years. Many have said that hearing this unforgettable performance of this popular yuletide classic helps make their holiday season complete.
"Messiah was written for the theater, as pure entertainment to show off solo voices and chorus," says NSO Conductor and Music Director Diane Wittry. "It should be joyful. It should be exciting! Certainly Messiah is done frequently. But if you bring a new concept to it, then it can be fun. It becomes the living theater piece it was meant to be."
Creating that new, joyous concept meant going back to the score, which Handel wrote and rewrote and rewrote again depending on performance conditions and on the musicians and singers available to him. Today’s conductor can pick and choose from various scores and arias.
"Though I am starting with a specific score, I’ve inserted arias from others," Wittry explains. "There are many versions of Messiah and an individual aria may be available in several keys and tempos, as a duet or a solo, written for one voice part or another. Even people who know the score well are going to discover a freshness to it."
Working with Dr. Carole Ann Maxwell, Founder and Director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut, Ms. Wittry made the final selections and engaged the superior cast of soloists.
Hailed by the Connecticut Post as "an absolutely sparkling soprano," Catherine Viscardi has performed in venues across the US. Ms. Viscardi has been featured as soloist in the Mozart Requiem with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony in Connecticut, conducted by Gustav Meier, as well as the Bach Magnificat with the Bozeman Symphony in Montana, conducted by Matthew Savery, and the Handel Messiah and Bach St. Matthew’s Passion in New Jersey. As the winner of the 2002 Jenny Lind Competition, she completed a singing tour of Sweden that August. Ms. Viscardi was also a finalist in the 2006 David Adams Song Competition in New York and the 2004 Eleanor Lieber Competition in Portland, Oregon. Ms. Viscardi holds music degrees from Vassar College (NY) and Mannes College of Music (NY).
Tenor David Finley, made his Carnegie Hall debut as conductor and soloist of the world famous Yale Russian Chorus. He is well known in the region for his performances of music of baroque composers, especially the music of J. S. Bach and has extensive credits in opera, operetta, and concert work.
Baritone Dennis Blackwell, a versatile artist who has received critical acclaim for his work in opera, concert, recital, and musical theater, singing. As a concert soloist, Mr. Blackwell has collaborated with the American University Symphony Orchestra (Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs), Stonewall Chorale (Messiah), Musica Antiqua New York (Mozart Missæ breves), Bach Works (Handel's Israel in Egypt), and an acclaimed guest artist recital as part of the Concert Series at St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Citicorp Center with pianist Elizabeth Hastings.
Countertenor Jeffrey Mandelbaum is a 2003 winner of the Metropolitan Opera NY district competition. He has sung at New York City Opera, with Opera Pacific, at the Spoleto Festival USA and at BAM, and has performed many of Handel’s works including Messiah with Amor Artis. Mr. Mandelbaum will be conducting master classes in the New Canaan High School prior to his performance.
HANDEL’S MESSIAH will be performed Saturday, December 16th at 8 pm at the Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk. The Concert Hall is convenient to Exit 16 off I-95, and offers ample free, on-site parking. Tickets are $30, $40 and $50, and may be reserved through the Symphony office at 203-847-8844. Student tickets are also available for $15. Wittry and Maxwell will offer a pre-concert talk, Podium Perspectives, free to ticket holders, at 7 pm in the Concert Hall. For more information, or for information on season subscriptions, please call the office or visit www.norwalksymphony.org.
Norwalk Symphony Orchestra Benefit to Honor Dr. Richard Epstein and Ina Chadwick
Auction Features Rare Sale of Musical Score
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra invites Fairfield County residents to join its friends, supporters and board members in honoring Dr. Richard Epstein and Ina Chadwick, of Westport, at a benefit event for the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. The Champagne Brunch and Auction will be held on Sunday, October 22nd beginning at 11:30 am at the Birchwood Country Club, 25 Kings Highway, South in Westport. As an exclusive offer, the first 40 guests to respond can experience a SoNo Stroll with Ralph Bloom, the former Norwalk City Historian at the Norwalk Museum, 41 North Main Street in Norwalk beginning at 10:15 am.
Dr. Richard Epstein has been playing bassoon with the Norwalk Symphony since he was 16 years old. His participation between 1966 until 2006 was interrupted for his college education and dental school study. His roles in the symphony have included working closely with Maestro Jesse Levine and Maestro Diane Wittry. He has served as chair of the program committee, member of the board of governors as well as twice serving as the president of the board. He has chaired multiple gala fundraisers, including the NSO Fiftieth Anniversary with his wife, Ina Chadwick, a writer, editor and creative director. Together, Richard and Ina have been deeply committed to the Symphony.
A major highlight of the Auction with David Smith acting as auctioneer will be the offering of a musical score, Overture Concertante by Douglas Townsend. The winning bidder of the musical score will retain the right to dedicate the Overture Concertante to whomever he wants in perpetuity. In addition, the purchase of this score will allow the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra the right to premiere the piece for the first time ever (without any performance fee). Finally, the highest bidder will own in perpetuity a penciled copy in the composer’s hand of the full orchestral score or the fair copy of the autograph score. This rare opportunity has a value exceeding $20,000.
Douglas Townsend, an American composer and musicologist became interested in composition while a student at the High School of Music and Art in New York City. He taught himself composition, counterpoint and orchestration and moved on to study with Tibor Serly, Stefan Wolpe, Aaron Copeland, Otto Luening and Felix Greissle, among others. He has written an opera, orchestral and chamber music, a ballet and piano pieces. He is known for Four Fantasies on American Folk Songs. He currently teaches at the University of Bridgeport and lives in New York City.
"It is so rare to have a living composer offer a musical score for sale to benefit a working professional orchestra," commented Diane Wittry, Music Director and Conductor of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. The proceeds of the auction of this piece will benefit the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and the minimum bid will be $3,500 and accepted by telephone at the NSO office (203-847-8844 and secured by a valid credit card) in addition to the day of the Benefit event on Sunday, October 22nd. Mr. Townsend, the composer of this orchestral composition will attend the benefit event at the Birchwood Country Club.
Eva Jason Toft, Chairman of the Benefit Event added, "If you are looking for an enjoyable afternoon and to help support the orchestra, the auction will offer more conventional items for the highest bidder such as a weekend on Block Island, a spa treatment and a redecorating package among others."
Contributions begin at $125 per person. Music will be provided by LaVorgna/Marino Duo. Reservations can be made through the Symphony office at 203-847-8844.
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Founded in 1939, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra has been providing the greater Norwalk Community with high quality orchestral music performances for 67 years. Born out of a love for music shared by a small group of dedicated amateurs, the Symphony has evolved into an ensemble of professional musicians of outstanding quality. Today, the NSO is directed by the talented and charismatic Diane Wittry.
For media interviews, photos or any questions, please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971 or LSaltz@bisintl.com
NSO Presents Melodic Exuberance on October 7th
Applauded by the New York Times for the energy they bring to the concert hall, the Claremont Trio joins the Norwalk Symphony to open the Orchestra’s 67th year season on Saturday evening, October 7 at
The Orchestra is to be heard in Overture to the Marriage of Figaro from the pen of Mozart and Frank Martin’s "Ouverture en homage a Mozart." The Claremont Trio will return to perform a surprise work with the Orchestra, as well. In combination, they offer a Melodic Exuberance.
Music Director Diane Wittry, acclaimed for the creativity she has brought to the Orchestra, begins her fifth year on the
"What this concert explores," Wittry explains, "is musical inspiration and expression. Why does a composer compose a piece? What inspires it? What is he trying to communicate? This concert delves into that question because each of these three compositions was inspired by something totally different—and the inspiration is very clear."
Mozart’s famous overture to the Marriage of Figaro, opens the evening with a delightfully energetic piece full of the spontaneity and humor of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at his finest; a fitting tribute to the 200th year celebration of his birth.
"The second piece by the Swiss composer Frank Martin was inspired by Mozart, and composed for the 200th anniversary of his birth. As we are now celebrating the 250th anniversary it seemed fitting to pay him homage," Wittry continues. "I know Martin is not a well-known composer, but one of my philosophies of programming is that I always try to mix the new and unfamiliar with the familiar. I like to bring to the fore pieces I think people will enjoy knowing about that are not part of the standard repertoire. This is one of those pieces."
Rumored to have been written for the Archduke Rudolf, the youngest brother of the Austrian emperor as well as a student and friend of Beethoven, Beethoven’s dramatic Triple Concerto will close the evening’s presentation. The solo group in the Triple Concerto is comprised of piano, violin, and cello, and for our performance we will feature The Claremont Trio. Hailed by the New York Times, the soloist group is comprised of identical twin sisters on cello and violin and a Juilliard friend on piano.
"I think there’s something in the essence of music making with identical twins that is very special. I’ve worked with the Trio on this piece before. They did such a fabulous job that I wanted to do it again! They are getting a lot of attention right now and we’re fortunate to have them here."
Melodic Exuberance is made possible through the generosity of the Kossak Foundation Contribution which will support the performance of The Claremont Trio. Other supporters of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra include The Norwalk Inn and
The Norwalk Symphony performs in the famed WPA-era Norwalk Concert Hall, known for its warm acoustics and easy to reach from I-95 exit 16. The Concert Hall offers ample free parking. The performance will be preceded by Conductor Wittry’s Podium Perspectives talk (included in the ticket price) at
Tickets for Melodic Exuberance are available through the Norwalk Symphony box office by calling 203-847-8844. Seats are available for $30 to $50 with student tickets available at $10.
For media interviews, photos or any questions, please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971 or LSaltz@bisintl.com
Norwalk Symphony String Trio and
Saint Tropez Restaurant Pair Up
for NSO Season Kick-off
Evening Scheduled for September 17th in Fairfield
On Sunday, September 17th , the upcoming 67th season of the critically acclaimed Norwalk Symphony Orchestra will be celebrated with an evening beginning with fine French wine and hors d’ouevres, followed by a concert of light chamber music. Share a bite with fine French wine with friends at Saint Tropez Restaurant, located adjacent to the Fairfield Theater Company, prior to the performance of the Norwalk Symphony String Trio there. The String Trio will be presented as a part of the Chamber Music for Connecticut series at the Fairfield Theatre Company in Fairfield, Connecticut. The social hour will begin at 5:30 pm in the bistro with the concert beginning at 7:00 pm.
"We are playing three excellent works, which we love very much," commented Gunnar Sahlin, principal cellist. Formed in 2003 by concert master, JudithYanchus, principal violist, Suzanne Corey-Sahlin and principal cellist, Gunnar Sahlin, the Norwalk Symphony String Trio will present the works Beethoven's Trio in c-minor op. 9 no. 3, String Trio by Jean Francaix, and after intermission an entertaining, partly very light-hearted piece by Erno Dohnanyi. The Norwalk Symphony String Trio performs in and around the Norwalk area for public and private audiences.
We're pleased to announce that the pre-concert celebration at Saint Tropez Restaurant is SOLD OUT! You can still purchase tickets for the concert, however, by contacting the Fairfield Theatre Company directly at www.FairfieldTheatre.org or the Fairfield Theatre Company box office at 203-259-1036.
For Norwalk Symphony Orchestra ticket information and 2006-2006 season details, please visit www.norwalksymphony.org
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Along with the exciting inventive concert going experience, the NSO 2006-2007 concert season plans incorporates Ms
"We are facing double the shortfall we have normally experienced in the last few years," added
The NSO Appeal Committee, in addition, has created innovative "giving" opportunities including special business partnerships, elite reserved concert parking, orchestra chair sponsorships and several fundraising events and is vigorously working on these initiatives
In a show of solidarity and confidence, all of the current members of the Norwalk Symphony Board of Directors have pledged their yearly financial commitment at this time
"The dedication of the staff is clearly evident as the Music Director and the symphony staff is working without pay
Ms
"It is in the interest of everyone in
Organizations and individuals interested in providing support, please contact the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra at 203-847-8844 for more information and details
Now in its 66th year, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is a professional regional orchestra comprised of
Our soloists have included many of the world’s best known performers (Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, and many others) as well as scores of young, as yet less-heralded talent
Under the music direction of Diane Wittry, each program provides a unique experience in concert-going, combining the excitement of live music with inventive and entertaining programming
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For media interviews, photographs or other information, please contact Lynn Saltz, 203-222-8971
Norwalk Symphony Orchestra Honors Volunteers
Norwalk, Connecticut: June 12, 2006: At the Norwalk Inn in Norwalk, the Volunteers and friends of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra gathered for dinner on Thursday, June 8th. The Friends of the Norwalk Symphony (FONS) assist the symphony with ushering duties, ticket sales, office work and mailing responsibilities as well as hospitality. Pictured above are (left to right) Eileen Ast, Executive Director of the NSO; Norman Coltin, Volunteer; Diane Wittry, Music Director and Conductor; Anita Behnken, Board Liaison to Friends of the NSO. Anyone interested in becoming a member of FONS is welcome to call 847-8844 to speak with the Executive Director.
Season tickets for the five Norwalk Symphony concerts are now on sale. The subscription season begins October 7, 2006 with "The Claremont Trio," a concert featuring music by Elgar, Beethoven and Frank Martin. On December 16th, Music Director Diane Wittry and the musicians present "Handel’s Messiah" featuring a performance with the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut. On February 24th, 2007, Connecticut’s finest will be showcased in a "Prodigy" concert with selections from Handel, Bloch and Stravinsky. A fresh approach will thrill the audience on March 31, 2007 at the "Renaissance Remix", with the appearance of Horacio Franco, a recorder artist. In its final concert on May 5, 2007, the Orchestra presents "Peer Gynt: Musical Theater" an Ibsen play with music acted out. Subscription prices range from $50 to $215, and can be purchased by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844.
Norwalk Symphony Announces Board Members for 2006-2007
The Board of Governors of the Norwalk Symphony Society gathers at the Silvermine Tavern in Norwalk. Standing from left to right, Irwin Karassik (Norwalk), Eric Zielinski-Treasurer (Westport), Georgia Von Schmidt (Darien), Jerome Klein (Norwalk), Anita Behnken (Norwalk), Eva J:son-Toft (Westport), Louis Broudy (Weston). Stephen Nevas, Esq. (Weston). Sitting, left to right, Eileen Roper Ast-former President and Executive Director (New Canaan), Ken Werner-President (Norwalk) Dr. Richard Epstein (Westport) and Anthony Marra-Secretary (Shelton). Missing from photo: Nancy Romberg (Westport), Carl Serbell (Westport), Stephen Nevas (Weston)
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra announced changes in the administrative staff as well. After two years in the position, Devin Thomas, the former Executive Director of the symphony, has left his position as of May 15th to join the Los Angeles Chamber Music organization. Eileen Roper Ast will be filling his position as Executive Director and working in conjunction with Jane Shelly, Education and Operations Manager. In an effort to end the year with a balanced budget, a request for contributions to lower the operating budget costs would be greatly appreciated. Contact the symphony office with donations. Reached at his office in Norwalk, Society President Ken Werner observed: "We’re determined to build on the energy and excitement generated by the wonderful collaborative programs created by Music Director Diane Wittry this season. A Norwalk Symphony concert has become a place to experience a feast for the ears and emotions. The upcoming 2004-2005 season will be extend our collaboration with "Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut", "Shakespeare on the Sound", and the "Norwalk Youth Symphony".
Season tickets for the five Norwalk Symphony concerts are now on sale. The subscription season begins October 7, 2006 with "The Claremont Trio," a concert featuring music by Elgar, Beethoven and Frank Martin. On December 16th, Music Director Diane Wittry and the musicians present "Handel’s Messiah" featuring a performance with the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut. On February 24th, 2007, Connecticut’s finest will be showcased in a "Prodigy" concert with selection from Handel, Bloch and Stravinsky. A fresh approach will thrill the audience on March 31, 2007 at the "Renaissance Remix", with the appearance of Horacio Franco, a recorder artist. In its final concert on May 5, 2007, the Orchestra presents "Peer Gynt: Musical Theater" an Ibsen play with music acted out. Subscription prices range from $50 to $215, and can be purchased by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844.
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To arrange for interviews and request additional photos,
please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971.
Lynn Saltz
Business Innovative Strategies International
8 Tower Drive
Weston, CT 06883
Telephone: 203-222-8971
Fax: 203-222-0186
E-Mail: LSaltz@BISINTL.com
Have a Dream?
Professional Musicians Wanted for
Norwalk Symphony Orchestra
Auditions on June 14, 2006
Norwalk, CT: May 16, 2006: The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is preparing for its 67th season of continuously presenting quality classical music and innovative programming under the direction of music director and conductor, Diane Wittry. The quest for the finest professional orchestra will continue with the NSO holding auditions for instrumental talent on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 beginning at 7:30 pm at the Norwalk Concert Hall at the Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk."The Norwalk Symphony is specifically looking to fill the following positions: Principal Second Violin, Section Violins-First and Second and a Section Cello," announces John Harley, Personnel Manager of the NSO.
To reserve an audition time, please contact Mr. Harley at 201-384-1316 or JHH2392@CS.COM. To learn more about the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and its upcoming season, please visit www.norwalksymphony.org. # # # The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is a per service orchestra and an equal opportunity employer. For more information, please contact Lynn Saltz, 203-222-8971 or LSaltz@bisintl.com
NSO Will "Czeck It Out"
The Norwalk Symphony will present its final concert of the 2005-2006 season on Saturday, April 29 at 8pm in the Norwalk Concert Hall. Entitled "Marimba Mania" after Tomas Svoboda’s Marimba Concerto, it is an all-Czech program that will also feature Smetana’s beloved Moldau and Dvorak’s rarely performed Symphony No. 6.The program for the concert is yet another example of NSO Music Director Diane Wittry’s determination to bring exciting and unusual programming to Norwalk and the surrounding communities. "I wanted to do a concert of Czech music," Wittry explains with her usual enthusiasm. "In researching what was available, I found Svoboda’s Marimba Concerto, written in 1993. With every program, you want some spice and newness, a surprise. Beyond question, this is it!"
Svoboda was born in 1939 in Paris to Czech parents, and spent his early childhood in Boston. After World War II, he and his family returned to Czechoslovakia, where he was the youngest person ever accepted to the Prague Conservatory. Although the composer has lived in Oregon for many years, he writes with a distinctly Czech voice, as this exciting piece will demonstrate.
The Concerto will showcase the talent of marimba soloist Naoko Takada. "Naoko is a dazzling virtuoso who has played with orchestras all over the world," says Wittry. "I know everyone will enjoy this somewhat unusual concerto— and there is no question that everyone will enjoy watching her play! It’s just a riveting experience."Ms. Takada is a native of Tokyo who now resides in Los Angeles. Last season, among other appearances, she played at Paul Newman's Benefit Event for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp where she shared the stage with Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep, and Danny Glover. She has been a soloist with many orchestras including Houston Symphony; China National Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony
Orchestra; Tokyo Chamber Orchestra; and Xalapa Symphony (Mexico). In addition, she has been heard on WQXR, WGBH Boston, L.A. Japanese radio, and radio RTHK in Hong Kong.
Takada has studied marimba since she was eight years old. Her instrument is a modern orchestral marimba, a member of the xylophone family. Although the marimba was originally a folk instrument, the soloist explains that a good orchestral marimba will typically cost between ten and twenty thousand dollars, as much as a grand piano.
Why so expensive? First, the bars on the better instruments are usually made of rosewood, one of the most expensive woods in the world. Second, despite their apparent simplicity, a great deal of work goes into the making of each bar, which is cut by hand to produce the correct pitch. Third, the resonator tubes are also expensive, and on the better instruments each of them is individually tuned by hand.
The marimba has two rows of bars set in the same pattern as the piano keyboard. Each bar is a different length and strung through with cord at both ends, so that it can be suspended over the frame. Underneath the bars are the resonators, which add volume.
Bars are struck with a mallets with heads made of rubber, plastic, or wood, usuallywrapped with yarn or cord. Individual players will experiment to find the mallet design and composition they prefer.
Of course, the Marimba Concerto is not the only piece the NSO audience will hear. While the inclusion of Dvorak seems like a given for a concert of Czech music, it was in fact a matter of personal preference for Wittry. "I just like his music and the sounds he creates with the orchestra," she confesses. "Although it’s not played as often as some of his other works, his 6th Symphony was the first of his symphonies that really excited him. I chose it both because of his enthusiasm for it, and because it is less familiar than, for example, the 9th (New World) Symphony. The 6th has a lovely lush, pastoral feel, and it incorporates music from a Czech dance called a furiant, which Dvorak was the first to use in a symphonic piece."
Smetana’s The Moldau, on the other hand, was included to give the audience a chance to hear music that, says Wittry, "they know and love." Smetana is noted as being the first composer to write music that was specifically Czech in character. Many of his operas are on Czech themes, the best known being the comedy, The Bartered Bride (1866). He used many Czech dance rhythms and his melodies sometimes resemble folk songs.
The programmatic music in The Moldau traces the course of that river from its formation as two small brooks to its majestic sweep through Prague, depicting in music the hunting parties, weddings, and other events it passes along the way.
Tickets for "Marimba Mania" may be purchased by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844. Ticket prices start at $20. "Marimba Mania" will take place on Saturday, April 29, at 8:00 p.m. in the Norwalk Concert Hall. Conductor Diane Wittry will give a pre-concert talk prior to the performance, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Presentation of the NSO "Marimba Mania" concert is sponsored by Jaffe Holden Acoustics.
NSO & Norwalk Youth Symphony Team Up for
You Can’t Have Enough Mozart
Norwalk, CT: February 22, 2006: The Norwalk Symphony’s second annual Side by Side concert, "You Can’t Have Enough Mozart," will find the professional musicians of the NSO sharing the stage with the Norwalk Youth Symphony and other talented young musicians from the area. The concert will be performed on Sunday, March 19, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
The joint orchestras will treat audiences to an all-Mozart program in honor of the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. The concert will include Mozart’s "Impresario Overture," the "Piano Concerto No. 20," featuring 13-year-old pianist Peng Peng, and the "D minor Symphony No. 32."
While many orchestras are playing Mozart this year, the music is particularly appropriate for this Side By Side program, notes NSO Music Director Diane Wittry. "Mozart started composing simple melodies at three, and was on the road giving concerts by the time he was six," she says. "How better to honor this prodigy than by having his music played by our own young musicians, including our amazing 13-year-old piano soloist? I hope that families will come to our concert, and that parents and grandparents will share both Mozart’s music and his story with their children. And I know kids will be thrilled by the playing of our young pianist Peng Peng, a prodigy in his own right."
Although making his debut with the NSO, Peng Peng is no stranger to the concert stage. He began piano lessons at the age of five. At six, he won the Jiang-Su Youth Piano Competition's Piano Prodigy Prize;" at eight he gave his first public recital in Nanjing. Peng Peng took first prize in the 2002 China National Youth Piano Competition of Ziamen, and that same year made his concerto debut with the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra playing Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1. He has won numerous competitions including the Junior Category of the 2005 New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra Competition and the Juilliard School's 2003/04 Pre-college Mozart Piano Concerto Competition. Peng Peng recently performed Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Big Spring Symphony of Texas. Upcoming engagements include performances with the Orlando Philharmonic, and with the Corpus Christi and Midland-Odessa Symphonies. He will make his European debut at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.
The young pianist is currently studying with Yoheved Kaplinksy in the Juilliard Pre-College Division. An avid composer, he also studies composition at Juilliard, with Andrew Thomas. Thus far, Peng Peng has written 18 works for piano, eight chamber pieces and two works for orchestra. His "Scherzo For Orchestra" won the 2004-2005 Juilliard Pre-College Division Composition Competition.
As a perfect introductory concert, "You Can't Have Enough Mozart" is sure to inspire music lovers of any age or musical sophistication. Tickets are $10 for students and $15, $25, and $35 for adults, and may be reserved by calling the Box Office: 203-847-8844. More information about the NSO is available at www.norwalksymphony.org.
The Norwalk Symphony performs at the Norwalk Concert Hall, which, in addition to its excellent acoustics, boasts the advantages of being both easy to reach and offering ample free parking.
This concert is sponsored by Sterling Glen of Darien.
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To arrange for interviews and request additional photos, please contact Lynn Saltz at 203-222-8971.
Norwalk Symphony Society Appoints New Board Member
Norwalk Symphony Society, the governing body of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, appointed Nancy S. Romberg of Westport to the board of governors at their January 2006 meeting. Eileen Roper Ast, President of the Board of Governors, commented, "Nancy will be a very bright, thoughtful and enthusiastic contributor to the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. Her ties to the business and cultural community will be effective in our fundraising efforts." Ms. Romberg, a Westport resident, received her Associate of Arts degree from Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts.
Currently, Ms. Romberg is the Rowayton Branch Manager of the Fairfield County Bank Corporation since 2004. Prior to the bank position, Ms. Romberg was the Marketing Manager at Leasing Technologies International, Inc. in Wilton, Connecticut. Her involvement in the community extends to her membership in the Norwalk and Darien Chamber of Commerce and the Rowayton Business Exchange and an organizer of The Heart Gallery, a national photo exhibit that promotes awareness in Connecticut for the need for homes for children in state care.
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, in its 66th season, consisting of professional musicians, performs at the Norwalk Concert Hall. The next concert, a side by side all Mozart program with the Norwalk Youth Symphony, "You Can’t Have Enough Mozart", will be presented on Sunday, March 19th at 3 pm and will feature young pianist, Peng Peng.
Epic "Sea Symphony"
to be Performed by
The NorwalkSymphony
on February 25, 2006
On Saturday, February 25th at 8:00 pm, the Norwalk Symphony will join forces with the celebrated Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut to present Ralph Vaughan Williams’ masterpiece, his Symphony No. 1. Dubbed "The Sea Symphony" by Vaughan Williams himself, the work is based on texts from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and is scored for a large orchestra, full chorus, and two vocal soloists. 
Joining the orchestra as soloists will be soprano Jeanine Thames and baritone Douglas Webster.
In partnership with the Silvermine Guild Arts Center, the Symphony will also present the work of local photographers as part of the performance. Images of the Long Island Sound as portrayed by local artists will be projected above the orchestra as accompaniment to Vaughan Williams epic music, as well as on exhibit.
The concert will be held in the Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Avenue at 8:00 p.m. "Podium Perspectives", a pre-concert talk with Music Director Diane Wittry will take place at 7:00 p.m., open to concert ticket holders. A dessert reception at the Concert Hall will be held following the performance, sponsored by SoNo Baking Company and Café and UST, Inc.
Concert ticket prices start at $20 with special student tickets priced at $15. For ticket reservations, please call 203-847-8844
"The Joy of Youth", NSO Concert, Celebrates Winter Season
Sunday, December 18th
The second half of the concert features the exceptional talent of the Fairfield County Children’s Choir. Accompanied by the musicians of the NSO, the Choir will perform the "Gloria" and "Laudamus Te" from Vivaldi’s Gloria; the "Angels Carol" and "For the Beauty of the Earth," both by John Rutter; and "It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Eddie Pola and George Wyle.The Fairfield County Children's Choir, under the direction of John Noyes, has performed at Carnegie Hall, at Lincoln Center, at West Point, in Hawaii and at several other U.S. and Canadian venues. Their varied repertoire and original programming include everything from Bach to gospel to jazz.
Another in the panoply of rising stars Maestro Wittry has brought to the Norwalk Concert Hall, featured violinist Karen Gomyo won the 1997 Young Concert Artists International Auditions just one week after her fifteenth birthday. The following year she became the youngest artist ever to be presented in the Young Concert Artists Series in New York. The current season marked her New York Philharmonic debut, as well as her Detroit Symphony debut. The season will also find her playing with the St. Louis Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the Honolulu Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, and many others. Born in Tokyo in 1982, Ms. Gomyo moved to Montreal in 1984. She began to perform in public at the age of five. At ten, she played for the noted teacher Dorothy DeLay in a master class in Chicago and was awarded a full scholarship at The Juilliard School. Ms. Gomyo continued her studies at the University of Indiana/Bloomington, and is now part of the studio of Donald Weilerstein at the New England Conservatory of Music. Inviting the community to celebrate the season at this joyous concert, NSO Music Director Diane Wittry says, "I am excited to work with both the Fairfield County Children's Choir and with violin soloist Karen Gomyo. This collaboration is truly a classic way to bring in the holiday season!"
The Norwalk Symphony performs at the Norwalk Concert Hall, which, in addition to its excellent acoustics, boasts the advantages of being both easy to reach and offering ample free parking.
Tickets for Joy of Youth start at $15 for adults, with a special student price of $10, and may be reserved by calling the Symphony office at 203-847-8844. Information about NSO concerts is also available at www.norwalksymphony.org.
NSO Receives Grant from Paul Newman
Gift to Acclaimed Music Organization
The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the receipt of a generous $20,000 holiday gift from Mr. Paul Newman. The grant was awarded in support of the Symphony’s education and outreach programming, which seeks to extend the organization’s reach beyond the concert hall and into local communities through partnerships with music teachers, school music programs, allied arts organizations and libraries. As an important supporter of respected arts and cultural institutions in and around his home in Fairfield County, Mr. Newman’s gift expresses his personal appreciation for the Norwalk Symphony and its mission.
Devin Thomas, the Symphony’s Executive Director said, "The Norwalk Symphony recognizes its future depends upon reaching the next generation of music lovers, and our education and outreach programs address this need. We’re very gratified to have our work recognized with such a generous gift from Mr. Newman. The cost of maintaining an acclaimed orchestra like the NSO requires the support of individuals throughout our community. We’re glad to have Mr. Newman leading the way in our year-end fundraising efforts."
Now in its 66th year, the fully professional Norwalk Symphony Orchestra provides the greater Norwalk community with high quality professional orchestral music performances five times a year at the Norwalk Concert Hall, a WPA-era auditorium renowned for its acoustic splendor. In addition to its concert season, the Symphony produces a series of chamber music performances for families in partnership with local libraries, and its musicians can regularly be found performing at events throughout the region. Now in her fourth season, Music Director Diane Wittry continues to inspire audiences through her innovative programming and keen eye for emerging talent.
The Norwalk Symphony will perform its second concert of the 2005-2006 season on December 18th, at 3:00 p.m. with a concert celebrating "The Joy of Youth." The Fairfield County Children’s Choir will lend vocal accompaniment to the seasonal selections. The young violin soloist, Karen Gomyo, will join the orchestra for a performance of Vivaldi’s "Winter" and "Autumn" movements from the Four Seasons. For tickets and more information, please call the Symphony office at 203-847-8844
Norwalk Symphony Society Appoints New Board Member
November 15, 2005, Norwalk, CT:Norwalk Symphony Society, the governing body of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, appointed Georgia von Schmidt of Darien to the board of directors at their meeting on November 8, 2005, replacing former board member, Douglas McPheters. Mr. McPheters has stepped down to pursue business interests. Eileen Roper Ast, President of the Board of Governors, commented, "Georgia will be a very bright, thoughtful and energetic contributor to the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra."
Ms. Von Schmidt, a Darien native, received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She subsequently earned her J.D. degree from New York Law School in New York City. Currently, Ms. Von Schmidt practices law in Darien, Connecticut and is a Connecticut Justice of the Peace. She lives there with her husband and four children. The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, in its 66th season, performs at the Norwalk Concert Hall