Whole Note

CornellUniversityOrchestraNewsletterFall 2011 This has been quite the year so far for both the Cornell Symphony Orchestra and the Cornell

Chamber Orchestra. The most remarkable news, of course, is of our long-anticipated tour to Dublin this January, 2012. Originally, the combined orchestra was planning on traveling to Chile, but due to financial and logistical reasons, it appeared that this would be impossible. However, Chris Kim did not let us down, proposing a tour to Dublin instead.

When the idea was well received by both orchestras, the board immediately went to work. Over the past months, Chris Kim has been working endlessly with the board in planning this tour, from setting up instrument rentals to planning sightseeing options. There has indeed been a noticeable boost in morale throughout the orchestra in anticipation to travel together. We have been working on our tour pieces to make sure they are in their best condition to perform with the students of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. As another added benefit of the tour, for the past few weeks, the CSO has been working with members of the CCO who are going on tour, fostering a great amount of camaraderie between the two orchestras who rarely have the opportunity to socialize.

Aside from the excitement of the tour, the two orchestras have had a prolific semester, musically. The CCO had the great pleasure of working with the Rochester Symphony’s concertmistress, Juliana Athayde, on the Bach Violin Concerto No. 1. That same concert, the CSO performed Mahler’s great Symphony No. 4 with soprano Leah Summers. Later in the semester, the CCO played the Bach Double violin concerto with Nicholas DiEugnio and Susan Waterbury while the CSO worked with Johannes Schlaefli on Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. I can say for myself that this was an extremely educative experience; the orchestra flourished under Schlaefi’s baton. With his help, our tour repertoire is well on its way to being perfected for performance.

In this edition of Whole Note, we are glad to hear of the first semester experience of freshman, Mallory Stellato. Another article features Jeffrey Lau, a clarinetist who has much to say about the new rotation system of the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. Then, we will hear from violinist Jonathan Park about the Symphony’s experience with guest conductor Johannes Schlafli. To close, we will hear a senior perspective from Elaine Higashi. Also included is an overview of the tour and concert schedules for the upcoming semester.

Enjoy, and thank you for reading, Martha Wydysh, Violin, CSO English ‘14

A Note from the Editor,

CSO Websitewww.arts.cornell.edu/orchestra

CCO Websitewww.arts.cornell.edu/orchestra/

Chris Kim with Nicholas DiEugnio and Susan Waterbury

“Perhaps playing in an orchestra again

acted as a source of continuity that eased

the transition to college life.”

Whole Note, Fall ‘11Page 2

The transition from high school to college brings plenty of changes to get used to. Everything from the classes to the food requires some adjustment for most people. In addition to this anxiety as an incoming freshman, I did not know what to expect when I auditioned for the Cornell orchestras, and more importantly, what the first rehearsal would be like. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I felt on the first day. Perhaps playing in an orchestra again acted as a source of continuity that eased the transition to college life. After several years of playing in various ensembles, I had found a place at Cornell relatively early where I felt comfortable, confident, and capable. It was not just my past experience, however, that gave me a sense of belonging in CCO; conductor Chris Kim’s innovative teaching style, enthusiasm, and passion, matched by that of the players, have had a major influence of the orchestra’s success this semester.

From the very beginning, Chris made it clear that he expected us, the orchestra members, to actively participate in rehearsal, not only by playing, but also by giving constructive feedback that would aid in establishing and working toward collective goals. In this way, the orchestra is very much like a chamber ensemble. Many of the rehearsal spots are initiated by our comments both in rehearsal and on our blog, which is another unique characteristic of the orchestra. Each

Noteworthy: A Freshman PerspectiveMallory Stellato ‘15

Viola, CCOweek, students take turns sitting in the audience to take notes on the positive aspects of our playing, as well as the areas in need of improvement. The observations are then posted online for further reflection. This approach has allowed us to gain a different perspective on the overall sound of the group, the one that really matters! It has also fostered the essential musicianship skill of attentive listening and effective communication. A third distinctive trait of our orchestra is the fact that seating alternates for every piece we play. This alone has been extremely valuable for the entire orchestra. For one thing, it eliminates the unnecessary competition that is underlying in too many student groups and allows us to interact with our peers. What is more, it gives each of us a chance to experience more of a leadership role while simultaneously instilling a feeling of equality and unity throughout sections. As a result of this interaction, the orchestra members got to know each other very quickly, and regularly meet outside of rehearsal. This camaraderie undoubtedly benefits our productivity during rehearsal and, ultimately, the performances we give. In just twelve short weeks, my playing has improved tremendously, and I could not be happier or more grateful to be part of such an inspiring group.

Leah Summers with the CSO

Conducting Masterclass with the CCO

Sunday, October 2nd CSO and CCO joint concertJ.S. Bach Violin Concerto No. 1, with Juliana Athayde J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 4 in G Major with Leah Summers

Nov 14-20 Johannes Schlaefli residency at Cornell

Saturday, November 19th Cornell Chamber Orchestra Edward Elgar Introduction and Allegro J.S. Bach Double Violin Concerto in D minor with Nicholas DiEugnio and Susan WaterburyJosef Haydn Symphony No. 47

Sunday, November 20th Cornell Symphony OrchestraMarcus Karl Maroney The Ever-Fixed Mark Johannes Brahms Academic Festival OvertureP.I. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 with Johannes Schlaefli

December 11th 8th Annual Concerto Competition (finals round)

Looking Back on this Semester…

Page 3 Whole Note. Fall ‘11

After years of playing high school band music, I was dying to join the CSO in my freshman year. For me, the CSO opens up a whole new repertoire: orchestral music has been around for at least 400 years, while band music has only been conceived as a serious musical genre for the past 50 years. And indeed, the CSO did not let me down. As a member, I have had the chance to play classical masterpieces such as the tone poem “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Strauss, and Beethoven’s piano concertos. It was certainly a huge leap from band music (don’t get me wrong, there are some great band pieces, too), but in my opinion, the band repertoire is still relatively young, and has yet to come up with something as sophisticated and inspiring. My only complaint was that we did not play a symphony, a genre that I consider to be the most grandiose in all of Western music.

When I first browsed through this year’s concert program this summer, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of familiar pieces: Mahler Symphony no.4, Tchaikovsky Symphony no.5, Saint-Saens Organ Symphony, and Prokofiev Symphony no.5. It was as if Chris Kim read my mind, heard my complaint, then selected four pieces from my list of favorite symphonies and put them into the program. With much enthusiasm, I went to the auditions page to sign up. Everything was familiar: I first checked the available positions for clarinet, then noted down the audition date, and completed the sign up form in one minute. Just as I thought everything was set, I suddenly noticed something unfamiliar on the page. Under the audition schedule, there was a note that said, “Callbacks for winds and brass will be held…”

After talking with my fellow

The Rotation SystemJeffrey Lau ‘12

Clarinet, CSO/Wind Ensembleclarinetists, I finally realized what was going on. The CSO and the Wind Ensemble are doing a rotation system together this year, so that both groups share the top wind and brass players. This system works by dividing the top players into two groups, one in orchestra and the other in Wind Ensemble for the first concert. The two groups are then rotated for the next concert. The callback auditions were used to select the players who are going to be in the rotation groups.

The immediate consequence of this rotation system was that competition to get into the CSO became much more intense, because wind ensemble players who previously had not auditioned for CSO would be automatically competing for a spot in the CSO too. But something worried me more: even if I made it into one of the rotation groups, I would inevitably miss some of the CSO’s program because I had to be in Wind Ensemble for half the time! To me, performing something like a Mahler symphony is a once in a lifetime experience, and I would be really sad if I saw this opportunity slip away right in front of me.

To my relief, I was in the rotation that performed Mahler fourth. And it gets even better: I also get to play Tchaikovsky fifth, a piece which the CSO performed while I was in the Wind Ensemble rotation, in the upcoming CSO tour to Dublin! While I am really excited for the tour right now, I have to admit I will miss playing in the wind ensemble. The rotation into Wind Ensemble provided me with a band experience unlike anything I had expected.

Page 4 Whole Note, Fall ‘11

Other than meeting new people and making new friends, I was exposed to a lot of “new music” by the Wind Ensemble. The music was “new” to me in a sense that they are not common in the mainstream band repertoire. Some of them are so uncommon that I could not even find recordings of them online. We played “March” by Prokofiev, “Carnival of Venice”, “Toccata and Fugue” by Bach and arranged by Hunsberger, and “Symphony no.1” by William Bolcom. They are also “new” in the literal sense because some of them are composed or arranged by living musicians: Hunsberger is currently a professor of conducting at Eastman, and Bolcom, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1988, actually came to our performance.

Hunsberger’s decision to arrange Toccata and Fugue for a wind band was both unconventional and bold, to say the least. The original piece was written for an organ, with both hands and legs playing four to five voices simultaneously; the band arrangement then has to extract individual instrumental parts from these interweaving lines, while being cautious about blending different colors in the band so that the overall effect sounds like one organ.

Arranging a keyboard piece for band has always been challenging because what works for the fingering of a keyboard player might not work at all for wind players. In fact, this piece is very technically demanding (at least for me!) because of the many passages and runs that were originally not intended for clarinet. But I have to say, this arrangement provided a valuable opportunity for non-

Continued…keyboard players to play a fugue. A fugue is only playable on polyphonic instruments, so for a long time only keyboard players could enjoy the ingenious counterpoint that is the structure of a fugue. Hunsberger’s arrangement has made this experience accessible to wind players.

Bolcom’s first symphony for band was written in 2008, and like most “modern” music, the composer put much more emphasis on rhythmic drive than on harmonic progression. To put it more accurately, composers like Bolcom has abandoned the traditional tonal system and ventured into the lands of striking and unusual harmonies. Pieces such as this would be extremely difficult to understand upon initial listen because our ears are trained to listen for tonal harmonies, and anything else will sound “incorrect” to us. Bolcom compensated for the lack of tonal structure by having witty orchestration, adding a few surprisingly catchy melodies, juxtaposing contrasting styles in a single movement, and incorporating some jazzy rhythm in his symphony. The result is a bunch of seemingly incompatible musical elements creatively merged together, and playing it was definitely a unique experience.

As you can probably tell, I have mixed feelings towards the rotation system. On the one hand it prevents me from playing the pieces I love, but on the other it provides me with new experiences and opportunities. But one thing is for sure: I am much more willing to be playing in a wind band now than I was last year.

CSO, October 2011

Page 5 Whole Note, Fall ‘11

January 11-18Tour to Dublin

with members of CSO and CCO

Symphony Orchestra Saturday, March 10th

8:00 PMBailey HallJesse Jones: New work for orchestra (world premier)8th Annual Concerto Competition WinnerCamille Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony no. 3 with guest artist Daniel Kim, organ

Saturday, April 28Ford Hall, Ithaca CollegeInternational Conducting Masterclass with Larry RachleffSergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in Bb major

Sunday, May 6th

3:00 PMBailey Hall Kevin Ernste: New Work for Orchestra and electronic (world premier)John Luther Adams: Dark WavesSergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in Bb major

Juliana Athayde with the CCO

Chamber Orchestra Saturday, April 21st

8:00 PMBarnes HallCarter Pann Three Secrets in Main (World Premier)Gustav Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony No. 5Pavel Haas: String Quartet No. 2 realized for String Orchestra

Sunday, March 11th 3:00 PMBailey HallLes Petites Violins, NYS Baroque Dance Company and Chamber Singers Rameau: Les Sauvages

Concerts for the Spring 2012 SemesterSee you there!

Special Thanks to Our Newsletter Contributors:

Elaine Higashi ‘12Jonathan Park ‘14

Jeffrey Lau ‘14Mallory Stellato ‘15

Martha Wydysh ‘14, editor

Tour to Dublin 2012: ItineraryDay 1 – Wednesday, January 11, 2012         

Fly from JFK to DUBLIN

Day 2 - Thursday, January 12, 2012 Check into to Trinity Hotel 2-5 PM afternoon rehearsal in Katherine Brennan Hall with Royal Irish Academy of Music students 6:30-8:30 PM evening rehearsal in Katherine Brennan Hall with students at RIAM

Day 3 – Friday, January 13, 2012    10-12:30 PM observe morning dress rehearsal of National Symphony of Ireland 2-3:30 PM Afternoon conducting master class at Katherine Brennan Hall with RIAM students 4-5:30 PM Rehearsal in Katherine Brennan Hall with RIAM students 7 PM Attend the pre-concert lecture with RIAM students 8 PM Attend National Symphony of Ireland Concert

Program: “Forest Murmurs” at the National Concert HallWEBER Der Freischütz Overture BRAHMS Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op. 102 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 'Pastoral'

Tasmin Little, violinThomas Carroll, celloGerhard Markson, conductor

Day 4 – Saturday, January 14, 2012                Free time to explore Ireland on own 2:30 PM - DRESS REHEARSAL at St. Andrews Church Westland Row 8 PM PERFORMANCE at St. Andrews Church Westland Row with RIAM students

Program: BRAHMS Academic Festival Overture conducted by James CavanaughTCHAIKOVSKYSymphony No. 5 conducted by Chris Kim

Day 5 –Sunday, January 15, 2012          12 PM check out of Trinity Capital hotel Charter bus takes us over to Generator Youth Hostel 2 PM check in at Generator Youth hostel Free Afternoon

Day 6 – Monday, January 16, 2012    Sightseeing possibilities: Trip to Rock of Castle, Cahir Castle Glendalough/Wicklow Mountains Abbey Ruins at Athassel and Hoare around Cashel Stop at Kilkenny Castle on the way back to Dublin

Day 7 – Tuesday, January 17, 2012      Sightseeing possibilities: Ailwee Cave, The Burren National Park, Moher Cliffs, and Bunratty Clastle

Day 8 – Wednesday, January 18, 2012           Travel Back to JFK Ithaca

Page 6 Whole Note, Fall ‘11

Being under the baton of a complete stranger is nothing new to the Cornell Symphony Orchestra. Last semester, during Maestro Chris Kim’s sabbatical, the Orchestra found itself under the direction of several conductors, including the Detroit Symphony’s Rachel Lauber, several graduate students of conducting, and even world-renown pianist Leon Fleischer. For its most recent November 20th concert, the Cornell Symphony Orchestra once again found itself under the direction of an unfamiliar face, though not unfamiliar to all at Cornell.

“It was humbling to see my mentor working with our orchestra,” said Kim, on conductor Johannes Schlaefli’s recent visit to Cornell. On his recent sabbatical, Maestro Chris Kim studied with Mr. Schlaefli at the Zurich School of the Arts, and in the Czech Republic in past summers. Schlaefli is currently on his own sabbatical surveying various conducting programs across the country. Before his stay in Ithaca, he previously visited the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School of Music. “Thanks to the Cornell Council for Arts, the Music department concert committee, and Alice Cook House we were able to host him for his week long residency activity,” said Kim.

Mr. Schlaefli arrived in Ithaca in the second week of November to work with both Cornell orchestras, in addition to hosting conducting master classes and a Fireside Chat at Alice Cook House. “The fireside chat was very well received,” said Kim. Jason Wang, a sophomore in the CSO who attended the event said, “I really enjoyed it. He talked about his experiences and how he wasn’t formally trained to be a conductor; it

Page 7 Whole Note, Fall ‘11A Week With Johannes SchlaefliJonathan Park ‘14,

Violin, CSO

“It was humbling to see my mentor

working with our orchestra.” –Chris Kim

was really interesting.” Conducting master classes held throughout the week were also similarly well received. “I had a wonderful time and learned a great deal,” said Samuel McCoy, a participant in the master classes. “Maestro Schlaefli was so wonderful to work with. I was continually impressed with his ability to see many individual issues, find the one solution that would solve several, and communicate that solution in a positive, nurturing way.”

For its November 20th concert, the CSO worked all week with Schlaefli on Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, and was led by him in concert. Though this is Kim’s first semester back at Cornell after returning from his own sabbatical last year, he was more than happy to see his mentor on the podium with the orchestras. “He pointed out things we have rehearsed in rehearsal, but he also went much further giving key details and advice that made the CSO perform at an even higher level.” Cornell Chamber Orchestra found itself working with multiple conductors, advised by Schlaefli, as the four master class participants conducted various works in its November 19th concert in Barnes Hall. Senior Elaine Higashi, a member of CCO, said, “I think the most interesting aspect of Johannes' master classes was his ability to point out so much detail from the conductor's movements given only a few minutes of observing.”

Johannes Schlaefli with the CSO

After a busy, music-filled week ending in performances of large works, such as Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, it was back to rehearsals for orchestra members preparing for the upcoming tour to Ireland. However, the reunion of mentor and student was not soon forgotten. Schlaefli thanked the orchestras and Kim, noting, “[Kim] You are doing such good and essential work over there, I am really deeply impressed!” In the first rehearsal after concert weekend, Maestro Kim also expressed his gratitude for both Schlaefli’s and the orchestra’s efforts. “It made me redouble my efforts to be a better teacher and conductor for the orchestras at Cornell. Also, it made me realize how lucky I am to be able to work with such talented group of musicians. My responsibility is big one.”

Page 8 Whole Note, Fall ‘11A Senior’s Perspective

Elaine Higashi, ‘12Violin, CCO

For some incoming freshmen, the choice between symphony and chamber orchestra is easy. Others just leave it up to fate or hope they even make the cut. As an incoming freshman, I was already excited to be attending a university like Cornell. I had never dreamed I would have joined and participated in a musical ensemble to the extent I have today. Despite being an active member of the Cornell Chamber Orchestra for the past four years, I think I can speak for graduating seniors from any ensemble regarding the enjoyment of having music integrated into their college experience.

In fall 2008, I walked into my first chamber orchestra rehearsal with many doubts as to whether or not I chose the right ensemble. The idea of essentially joining a giant string quartet seemed to appeal less each second as I remembered my youth symphony experiences from high school. Despite any prior thoughts, I clearly remember leaving the first rehearsal with two things on my mind. First, that everyone there was so talented and all seemed to be passionate about this ensemble. Second, I had never seen a happier conductor during a group’s first rehearsal. Normally, first rehearsals are catastrophic; Chris Kim’s patience revealed that he really must love his job. This dedicated and talented group of mostly non-music majors led by an overly enthusiastic conductor perplexed me enough to stay. Best decision ever.

Chamber orchestra was responsible for exposing me to a broad range of new repertoire. My first piece in CCO, Barber’s Summer of Knoxville 1915, was my first experience working with a soprano soloist and is still to this day, one of the most beautiful works I have ever played. In the same concert, Evan Chambers worked with us on his fiddle concerto with violinist Susan Waterbury as soloist. It was so fascinating to play pieces and get instant feedback from the composer on the spot. We also experienced working with composition students and collaborating with countless Cornell and Ithaca College staff. I was fortunate to perform works such as Saint-Saens’ animated Carnival of the Animals with Miri Yampolsky and Blaise Bryski, the hip Grease Fantasy written and performed by Nicholas Walker, the dark Shostakovich Chamber Symphony, and Jesse Jones’ heart-felt For a Faded Mind performed with Joseph Lin. Moreover, the opportunities to collaborate with the renowned Leon Fleisher in the Beethoven Project and Cornell’s chorale with Mozart’s famous Requiem are definitely treasured experiences that I will never forget.

When I was a freshman, a senior musician at the time had informed me to cherish my first year of college, since my musical skills will only decrease with the onset of grueling Cornell academic student life. Looking back, there were definitely busy semesters where I could not invest as much into the CCO. Regardless, I still gained experience and musical skills just from being a part of the ensemble. As a soon-to-be graduate of the Cornell Chamber Orchestra, various aspects of my musical capabilities have improved. Four years of rehearsal and concert reflections have improved my ability to analyze and critique music played by peers or even other ensembles. Playing in conducting master classes has helped me understand how differently people conduct and realize how much impact even the smallest physical detail can have on an ensemble. Listening across to different sections for the pulse or moving melodic line has become so much easier to do. I have learned about different musical styles and feel comfortable testing musical ideas as an ensemble. It is obvious that one’s musical skills transcend the basic technical aspect of playing. I am more convinced that it is impossible for an individual to participate in Cornell’s chamber orchestra and not improve musically at all. I can easily comment on the musical benefits of the CCO and highlight the things I have personally learned; however, I cannot express in writing all of the joy that the members of the ensemble have brought to my life. Everyone I have met through the CCO has in some way helped me grow as a musician. I am so thankful for the graduated seniors and upper classmen who encouraged me during my first few years to never stop playing. The current underclassmen continue to inspire me with their love for music and their peers. My only wish is that they continue to play and incorporate music into their lives, even when times at school get tough. Parting from this group will be one of the more painful experiences I anticipate with graduating, but I am confident in knowing that I am leaving a great group of talented musicians who together will continue to bring wonderful music to the Cornell community. “And at the same time, you are of course a performer, but it’s very important that you understand that your role as a performer is to get the best performance from those wonderful colleagues that you have the chance to work with.”

– Michael Tilson Thomas

Mallory MatsumotoCo-President

Greg FarberCo-President

Jonathan ParkSecretary

Jaime LeeTreasurer

Martha WydyshNewsletter Editor

Governing Board 2011-2012 The Cornell Symphony Orchestra is one of

the largest musical groups on the Cornell campus. The group's members are drawn from all circles of Cornell life, including undergraduate students, graduate students, Cornell faculty, and members of the Ithaca community. Under the direction of Chris Younghoon Kim, the Cornell Symphony Orchestra has continuously strived to present

About Our Organizations…

the best works of contemporary composers as well as compositions by established musical figures. The Cornell Chamber Orchestra is an orchestra of about 30 players, comprising students from all of the colleges on campus. Acceptance into the orchestra is by audition only. The Chamber Orchestra performs a wide range of works from the 18th century to present time, written

Sang Hoon SoonAlumni Liaison

Rachel ComunaleHistorian

Jenny XiaCommunity Outreach Chair

Andie LiaoPublicity Chair

Daniel RothenbergWebmaster

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‘11