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The Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia 

present 

The Symphony Orchestra 

Seventh Season, 1997-1998 
Mr. Duane DeVoe, Orchestra Manager 

Concerto at The Pavilion Theater, Virginia Beach, Virginia 
 

Hungarian Fantasie Pastorale Albert Franz Doppler 
 

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by Fred Granlund 

During most of the 18th Century, Paris was the center of European musical culture, an honor ceded to Vienna only during the final years of the century, when Mozart, Haydn and soon the young Beethoven brought unprecedented glory to the Austrian capitol. But a lasting French influence had been established throughout Europe, even in such isolated places as Spain and Russia. 

Russia had adopted French as its official diplomatic language during the reign of Catherine the Great, and children of the nobility were taught French in school. Everything French, from cuisine to music and art, was seen as the ideal, while native Russian equivalents were deemed primitive and outdated. 

The great nationalist backlash began slowly in the mid-19th Century, its musical component developed first by Glinka and Dargomizhky in seeking to establish a Russian national opera and reaching its highest expression in the work of "The Five" [Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Cui]. Here, Russian folklore and the music of both the countryside and the Orthodox church became the bedrock of a new musical language. 

The extent of this transformation is hard to grasp even today. There wasn't a single music school in the country; Russian children learned music from French tutors. Rimsky and his colleagues were largely self-taught, and came from other professions [Mussorgsky was a government clerk, Borodin a chemist, and Rimsky a naval officer]. Nonetheless, Rimsky helped establish the first Russian music conservatory in St. Petersburg, becoming a professor and going on to develop a whole generation of Russian composers, including Stravinsky, Rachmaninov, Glazunov and many others. Astonishingly, the once-amateur Rimsky wrote a textbook on orchestration that is still highly respected today [one has visions of the young professor madly studying away, to keep a day ahead of his students]. 

One early project in the work of "The Five" was to be the opera Mlada, in which Rimsky, Borodin, Mussorgsky and Cui were to collaborate, each writing one act. It was the idea of the local theater director, who unfortunately left his post before the opera was finished [one assumes Mussorgsky, the great procrastinator, never even began his part, but Borodin's surviving contributions are quite spectacular]. Some 20 years later, after a visit to St. Petersburg of a traveling production of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Rimsky revisited the project himself and produced a huge, exotic spectacle [the plot involves demonology, pagan rites and intrigue in a fictional 9th-Century Baltic kingdom] presenting Russian pageantry on a Wagnerian scale. The familiar "Procession of the Nobles" introduced the second act, its pealing trumpet fanfares and brilliant solos for the newly invented chromatic kettledrums showing once again the composer's gift for colorful orchestration. Curiously, it insists on sounding like a march, even though written in three-quarter time. 

The musical connection between France and Spain is even closer than that with Russia. Separated from the rest of Europe by nearly impassable mountains, Spain developed about a generation behind in its musical progress, with the result that composers like Antonio Soler were still writing Baroque keyboard sonatas a la Scarlatti in the mid-18th Century. With closer political ties following the lengthy wars of the period, Spanish composers began to travel to France to study, and the cross-influences were strong and beneficial. Some of the best "Spanish" music of the time came from French composers [Bizet's Carmen being the best example], and the likes of Albeniz and Falla were able to develop their potential to the full through the great French music conservatories. 

Edward Lalo, while considered a French composer, was actually of Spanish heritage, his family having settled in Lille before his birth. He was trained as a violinist and cellist, and later toured as a member of a well-known string quartet. These facts help explain the effectiveness of his most familiar work, the Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra, and both the technical assurance and Iberian flavor of his Cello Concerto. Written in a forceful, dramatic style, the latter work showcases its soloist in opposition to an unusually full orchestra, creating a musical contest from which the cello emerges only by dint of ardent struggle and consummate virtuosity. 

When we think of the touring virtuoso of the 19th Century, we think of Liszt and Paganini, the great showmen of the piano and violin. While these were the most common instruments of choice among their colleagues, guitarists, cellists, horn players and others flourished, as well. The era's greatest flute virtuosi were probably the brothers Doppler, Franz and Karl [or Francois and Charles, as they were known in the fashionable French of the day]. Born in Poland, raised in Hungary, and first schooled by their oboist father, the brothers toured together and jointly composed brilliant flute duos for their performances. Eventually going their separate ways, each took up a succession of teaching and performing posts, with Franz eventually ending up professor of flute at the Vienna Conservatory and chief conductor of the Court Opera ballet. His own six operas and 15 ballets are now forgotten, but his numerous virtuoso flute pieces, often as fantasias on popular operatic tunes of the day, never fail to amaze audiences and challenge flautists to this day. The Fantasie pastorale hongroise is an attempt to duplicate the success of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies on his own instrument, and its combination of technical dexterity and Gypsy swagger is right on the mark. 

Rimsky's St. Petersburg Conservatory, beyond its mission of preparing numerous young Russian composers for their work, also formed a cultural bridge between the Imperial and Soviet eras. His colleagues and successors laid the musical foundations for the first generation of Soviet composers, including Dmitri Shostakovich, who entered the Conservatory at age ten and graduated with honors in both piano and composition. His First Symphony was introduced to great acclaim while he was still a teenager, and it established his international reputation with performances all over the world including the US [where Stokowski and Toscanini conducted it regularly]. This early success encouraged the young composer to embark on some musical experimentalism, which eventually landed him in trouble with the Soviet authorities--cultural neophytes who viewed the complexities and abrasive power of his music as somehow subversive. We in the West find it inexplicable that music could be considered a threat to a political regime; but in the dark days of the greatly paranoid Stalin, nearly anything could be a considered a threat, and many Soviet citizens kept a suitcase packed and near the door for that dreaded moment when they would be taken away in the night, perhaps never to return. 

Realizing that his career, and perhaps his life, was in jeopardy, Shostakovich sought to salvage the situation with a courageous gesture: not a humble apology or a recantation of his "errors," but with a bold, dramatic new work, strongly in the Russian symphonic tradition but unmistakably and uncompromisingly his own--the Fifth Symphony. While the score is prefaced "A Soviet artist's reply to just criticism" and much has been made of his purported stylistic reversal with this work, it pays to recognize that Shostakovich had long demonstrated his love for communicating with the masses in his film and theater scores, and here he simply proves that no matter what was happening in the outside world, it was still possible to be symphonically relevant while writing in a style neither impenetrable nor commonplace. 

Late in his life, in a series of memoirs related to [and, some critics maintain, partially fabricated by] Solomon Volkov, Shostakovich revealed that his intentions were far from what his official critics assumed. The symphony's superficially triumphant finale, he tells us, is to be heard as forced rejoicing, created under threat, with the repeated A's in the final section representing stabs of pain as the composer imagines being beaten and ordered to feign exaltation. If this interpretation never caught on in the West [where, in any case, a traditional misreading of the composer's tempo lends the work a far more brilliant conclusion than intended], it was apparently not lost on the opening night audience, whose extended applause welcomed the work as an expression of their own frustrations, and not at all a cowardly capitulation to brutal authority. Much of the strength of Shostakovich's music is in this ambiguity and range of interpretation--it richly repays renewed study and repeated hearings with new insights into the composer and his world. 

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Leslie Stewart, Guest Conductor 

Leslie Stewart is Director of Orchestral Studies and Adjunct Professor of Violin at Christopher Newport University. She is on the faculty of the Governor’s School of the Arts where she is Assistant Conductor of the school orchestra, teaches private violin lessons as well as classes in string repertoire, conducting, chamber music, and audition preparation. In addition, she teaches violin and viola through the Community Music Academy at Old Dominion University and maintains a home studio. 

Prior to coming to Virginia, Ms. Stewart served for six years as Conductor of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra and Director of the Marine Symphony’s Youth Programs. Since that time she has become increasingly busy as a guest conductor and clinician. Last season’s engagements include the Women’s Philharmonic (in a new music reading session) in San Francisco, the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra in Birmingham, the Norfolk All-City Middle School Orchestra, and adjudicating for Norfolk’s District IV School Orchestra Festival. This season she will guest conduct the Chesapeake All-City Middle School Orchestra as well as the Newport News All-City High School Orchestra. 

A professional violinist, Ms. Stewart performs frequently with the Virginia Symphony and is a former member of the Puerto Rico Symphony, Alabama Symphony, and numerous orchestras in Northern California. She has also participated in several summer music festivals, including Aspen, Britt, Cabrillo, Piccolo Spoleto and Music in the Mountains. 

A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music from the University of Southern California, and studied conducting at the Blomstedt Institute and the Conductors Institute. 

A Board member of the Conductors Guild since 1995, she chaired last month’s National Conference in Washington, DC and co-hosted the 1994 National Conference in San Francisco with her husband, Wes Kenney. In the summers, Ms. Stewart teaches a course on "Women In Music" at Dominican College in San Rafael, California. This spring the course will be offered through the Continuing Education Division at Virginia Wesleyan College. 

Robert Swanson, Cello Soloist 

Robert Swanson, a sophomore at Maury High School, plays with the Maury Chamber Orchestra and is a member of the Excelsior Trio. In the past two years Rob has been selected as a member of the all-regional orchestra of Virginia while placing second in the Bland-Optimist Club competition of Norfolk. Rob also excels in both academics and athletics. He is a member of Maury's varsity soccer squad, has wrestled at the state level, and is an avid squash player. Rob maintains high honors in academics and is a member of the national Latin honor society. Inspired by his four older sisters, Rob hopes to pursue a career in medicine or youth ministry. He studies cello with Leslie Frittelli. 

Melanie J. Morgan, Flute Soloist  

Melanie Josephine Morgan is currently a senior at Frank W. Cox High School. She has studied flute privately with Debra Cross of the Virginia Symphony for the past five years. She has been part of the Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra for the past two years. She attended the William Montgomery Flute Masterclass at the University of Maryland (1997), Flute Faire Solo Competition (1995-98), Virginia Commonwealth University High School Honors Music Institute (1996), District Band (1996-98), Regional Orchestra (1997), and competed in the Bland Music Scholarship Competition (1997). Melanie also performs with the Our Savior Lutheran Church Music Program. She plans to purse music in college, but has not yet chosen a school. 

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April 7, 1998 Chesapeake Convention Center, Chesapeake, Virginia 
Bay Youth Concert Orchestra and Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra 

May 13, 1998 Harrison Opera House, Norfolk, Virginia 
Bay Youth Strings, Bay Youth Concert Orchestra and Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra 

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Violin I  

Shawn Singh*** Hickory HS 
Yuki Ishibashi*** Norfolk Christian HS 
Alexandra DuBois*** Home School 
Allen Lai Great Bridge HS 
Walker Muncy Norfolk Academy 
Christine Ravago Oscar Smith HS 
Josh Kalishman Hickory HS/Gov. School for the Arts 
Marilyn Yang Cox HS 
Rachel Sanfield Maury HS 
Frank Scully Maury HS 
Min Soo Yi Indian River HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Jonathan Kelly Great Bridge HS 
Matthew Huddle Indian River HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Laura Leichtman Cox HS

Holly Corbin Great Bridge HS 
Natasha Burke Deep Creek HS 
Betsey Lin Tallwood HS 
Anne Huang Kempsville HS 
Jaime Mead Western Branch HS 
Beth Donahue Princess Anne HS 
Mariaelle Millendez Tallwood HS 
Jonathan Pierce Brandon MS 
Henry Kim Cox HS 
Angela Baird Kellam HS/Gov. School for the Arts 
Gregory Johnson Princess Anne HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Henry Chong Cox HS 
Michael Tsai First Colonial HS 
Eunjee Kim Kempsville MS 
Tori Chase Home School 
Irene St. George Indian River HS 
Marie Carmen Bayside HS 
Korngiebel-Rosique

Tina Wagner* Great Bridge HS 
Heather Tillman Great Bridge HS 
Glenn Hecker Western Branch HS 
Lena Kurth First Colonial HS 
Sarah Williams Hickory HS 
Lasha Winn Ocean Lakes HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Chris Schlegel Cox HS 
David Robbins Western Branch HS

Dionne Wright** Deep Creek HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Robert Swanson** Maury HS 
Tim Briggs Hickory HS/Gov. School for the Arts] 
Brandon Liburd Princess Anne HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Jennifer Ashley Cox HS/Gov. School for the Arts 
Curtis Spencer Oscar Smith HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Jessica Ritchie Ocean Lakes HS 
Milton Richardson Booker T. Washington HS

Jesse Cuthrell* First Colonial HS 
David Gioedano Home School 
Chavon Vanson Cox HS 
Patrick Ontore Lynnhaven MS

Melanie Morgan* Cox HS 
Marcie Anderson Kempsville HS 
Elizabeth Magness Norfolk Academy 
Vanessa Wilhelmi Cox HS/Gov. School for the Arts 
Kirkland Jackson Woodside HS

Phil Kock* Virginia Symphony 
Alyssa Stewart Gloucester HS 
Ian Bierman Kempsville HS

Megan McCroskey* Kempsville HS 
Karen Holden Hickory HS 
Katie McKeon Cox HS 
Kelvin Jackson Woodside HS

John Lichtenstein**** Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts

Karen Lewis* Tallwood HS 
Joshua Whiteside Green Run HS

Matt Harvell**** Professional musician

Randy Lenhart* Kempsville HS

Paul Curtis* Tallwood HS 
Maria Diaz Tallwood HS 
Lcpl. Chris Travis**** Armed Forces School of Music 
Lcpl. Kevin Schutte**** Armed Forces School of Music

Chris Moore* Great Bridge HS/Gov. Sch. for the Arts 
Lcpl. Travis Henry**** Armed Forces School of Music 
Ari Lazier Ocean Lakes HS

Nathan Dick**** Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts 
Andre Garris**** Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts 
Nick Fox**** Armed Forces School of Music

Scott Moore** Ocean Lakes HS 
Frank Steadman** Kempsville HS

John Wyndham* Kempsville HS 
Christian Huynh Home School 
Andrew Hummer Kempsville HS

Barbara Chapman**** Virginia Symphony

Stephen Manrique

Steven Gibson 
Thomas Gibson

* Principal 
** Co-Principal 
*** Concertmaster 
**** Guest Artist

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BYO gratefully acknowledges these contributors for their gifts: 

Silver Circle ($2,500 – $4,999)  

Government: 

Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission 
The Norfolk Commission for the Arts 
Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission

Corporate: 

Busch Gardens 
NationsBank 
Virginia Power 
Business Consortium for the Arts 
Atlantic Dominion Distributors 
Birdsong Corporation 
Broudy-Kantor Company 
The Camp Foundations 
Central Fidelity National Bank 
The Colonial Auto Group 
Crestar Bank 
Empire Machinery & Supply Co. 
First Union National Bank of VA 
Flagship Group Ltd. 
Foundation (Anonymous) 
Goodman & Company, CPAs 
Kaufman & Canoles 
Life Savings Bank 
The Norfolk Foundation 
Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Corporation 
Norfolk Southern Foundation 
Resource Bank 
Seaboard Investment Advisers, Inc. 
Signet Bank 
Union Camp Corp. 
Vandeventer, Black, Meredith & Martin 
Virginia Investment Counselors, Inc. 
Virginia Natural Gas 
Wilcox & Savage, P.C.
  
Foundation 
The Thistle Foundation 
Government 
Norfolk Commission for the Arts & Humanities

Foundation 
The H. C. Hofhemier II Family Foundation
Gifts in Kind 
James Hollomon (Program Art & Word Processing)

Ron & Debbie McKeon

Alfred Magness & Dace Auzins 
Francis & Emily Cozzens 
Dr. & Mrs Mangala Belakrishna 
Ernest & Ida Cross

James & Man-Fen Ku Lai 
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Wagner 
Alex & Mona Tillman 
Kevin & Amy Petersen 
Jyoti & Mahrookh Mukerji 
Harvey & Donna Bryant 
J.H. Miles & Co., Inc.

 Terry & Luncinda Lewis 
James & Yorey Jackson 
Timothy & Judith Cook 
Bruce & Debra Anderson 
David & Carol Hatfield 
Joseph & Sandra Coccaro 
Thomas & Victoria Goodrich 
Graham & Pamela Fox 
Dennis & Myong Dorshimer 
Mrs Leon Peoples 
Patrick & Brenda Corbin 
Mr. & Mrs. Jarvis 
Craig & Vickie Weil 
Donald & Phyllis Johnson 
Cheng & Shui Lin 
Michael & Beverly Imperial 
Mark & June Hecker 
Duo & Hang Nguyen 
Cynthia Collins Ricks Cdr. 
Edward & Linda Whealton 
Nicholas & Tracy Holman 
John & Debra McLaughlin

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