M A N K AT O S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A 2015–2016 SEASON

FALL IN

LOVE WITH THE SYMPHONY

Dear Friends, Welcome to another exciting and dare I say breathtaking musical season. Here at the Mankato Symphony our goal is to make time stand still, and through the power of great music to connect you to your own heart beat and thus to the cosmos at large. You are going to fall in love with the Symphony all over again because music, all music, moves you like nothing else. You don’t need a PhD to love music, you just need an open heart and a curious spirit.

M A N K AT O S Y M P H O N Y O RC H E S T R A

2015–2016 SEASON Full Symphony Concerts

Chamber Music

Jazz and Pops

All performances Sundays 3 pm Mankato West HS Auditorium $15 and up, students $5

All performances Sundays 2 pm Good Counsel Chapel $12 and up

All performances Saturdays Kato Ballroom $23.50 and up, students $13.50

OCTOBER 11, 2015 Passion & Romance

NOVEMBER 8, 2015 Russian Masterworks

OCTOBER 31, 2015, 8:00 PM* Wolverines Big Band

DECEMBER 6, 2015 Big Band Candy Cane Christmas

JANUARY 10, 2016 Minnesota Roots

FEBRUARY 27, 2016, 7:00 PM Charles Lazarus and Friends

MARCH 6, 2016 Jerusalem

APRIL 30, 2016, 7:00 PM Bruce Henry & Adi Yeshaya’s All Star Big Band

SYMPHONIC SERIES

FEBRUARY 14, 2016 My Funny Valentine APRIL 17, 2016 Firebird MAY 15, 2016 Paris in the Spring

MUSIC ON THE HILL

MAY 1, 2016 To My Nation

POPS AT THE KATO

*later start time

Family Series

Mankato Symphony Orchestra

HANDEL WITH CARE

SPECIAL EVENTS

All performances Saturdays 11 am Mankato YMCA Aerobics Studio Free

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015, 2-4 PM Patron Appreciation Recital Emy Frentz Building

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 Handel Grows Up NOVEMBER 14, 2015 Handel Goes to England JANUARY 16, 2016 Handel Goes to Italy MARCH 19, 2016 Handel Goes to Ireland

NOVEMBER 15, 2015, 6:00 PM Triplet Symphony Benefit Mankato Golf Club JULY 4, 2016 Rockin’ Fourth of July, Riverfront Park, Free

This year we will be featuring post concert talks after each show, and I invite you to stay, to ask questions of myself and our artists, and to learn about what makes the music work. The great composers, while perhaps frail human beings, were full of emotional intelligence, which they leveraged to reveal new paths towards catharsis. We have some marvelous repertoire to share with you, chosen to make you relax, laugh, love, dance, and dream. I want to thank all of the musicians, soloists, staff, board, volunteers, and community partners that have brought us to this point. Most of all, I want to thank you for being our guest and supporter this season and for listening to our music with an open heart. Some of you are lifelong fans, and some of you are about to discover the Symphony for VJGƂTUVVKOG+COQXGTLQ[GFVQDGCDNGVQ share the music I love with you.

Sincerely,

Ken

Kenneth Freed Music Director and Conductor

SYMPHONIC SERIES-FULL SYMPHONY CONCERTS

SYMPHONIC SERIES-FULL SYMPHONY CONCERTS

Passion & Romance

Big Band Candy Cane Christmas

OCTOBER 1 1 , 2015, 3:00 PM

D EC E MBE R 6 , 2015, 3:00 PM

MANKATO WEST HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

MANKATO WEST HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

a rich, romantic sound

swinging christmas favorites

Brahms and Dvorak’s music sings and celebrates the heart’s song of love and longing. This delightful program features the MSO’s wind section in Dvorak’s charming serenade before turning the full orchestra loose for Brahms’s mighty First Symphony.

Brad Shermock (Doc Severinsen’s and our MSO lead trumpet) steps out front to heat up and sweeten up your holiday cheer, accompanied by jazz vocalist extraordinaire Judi Donaghy Vinar and a group of Big Band All-Stars from Pops at the Kato. Jazz legend Duke Ellington’s swingin’ take on the Nutcracker Suite and some brand new jazzy arrangements of Christmas songs will make you fall in love with the music all over again.

music Serenade for Winds in d minor, Opus 44, Dvorak Symphony No. 1 in c minor, Opus 68, Brahms

music Johannes Brahms

Nutcracker Suite, Tchaikovsky/Ellington/ Strayhorn Sleigh Ride O Holy Night Do You Hear What I Hear and many more

Brad Shermock

guest artists Brad Shermock, Trumpet Judi Donaghy Vinar, Vocalist

Judi Donaghy Vinar

SYMPHONIC SERIES-FULL SYMPHONY CONCERTS

SYMPHONIC SERIES-FULL SYMPHONY CONCERTS

My Funny .Valentine

Firebird APRIL 17

, 2016, 3:00 PM MANKATO WEST HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

FEBRUARY 1 4 , 2016, 3:00 PM MANKATO WEST HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

russian fairy tale music Travel to exotic lands in a concert of Russian fairy tales, featuring Minnesota Orchestra virtuosity.

love songs by rodgers & hart

music Sinfonia Concertante, Haydn Firebird, Stravinsky

Tongue in cheek romance from $TQCFYC[oUƂPGUV6GPQT$TCF Benoit returns with rising stars from the Minnesota Opera.

guest artists Tony Ross, Cello Céline Leathead, Violin Julie Gramolini Williams, Oboe J. Christopher Marshall, Bassoon

music My Romance My Funny Valentine This Can’t Be Love Bewitched With A Song In My Heart and many more

guest artists Brad Benoit, tenor Bergen Baker, soprano Rodolfo Nieto, baritone Victoria Vargas, mezzo soprano

Brad Benoit, Bergen Baker, Rodolfo Nieto, Victoria Vargas

Julie Gramolini Williams, J. Christopher Marshall, Tony Ross, Céline Leathead

SYMPHONIC SERIES-FULL SYMPHONY CONCERTS

Paris in the Spring

M A RC H 6 , 2 0 1 6

Jerusalem

Karen Kim, Lydia Miller Choorapuzha, Johanna Torbenson, Thomas Rosenberg

N OV E M B E R 8 , 2015

Russian Masterworks

MAY 15

, 2016, 3:00 PM MANKATO WEST HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

The Bakken Trio Rachmaninoff Piano Trio #1 2TQMQƂGX Sonata for Solo Violin Shostakovich Piano Trio #2

passion, charm and elegance

The Twin Cities’ award winning chamber ensemble, the Bakken Trio, presents ̅iwÀÃÌVœ˜ViÀÌœvÕÈVœ˜̅iˆ½Ã -ˆÝ̅-i>ܘ°,iÛiˆ˜̅i`i«Ì…Ãœv “ÕÈV>iÝ«ÀiÃȜ˜܈̅V…>“LiÀܜÀŽÃ LÞ,ÕÃÈ>˜“>ÃÌiÀÃ\vÀœ“̅i…>՘̈˜} œ«i˜ˆ˜}œv̅i-…œÃÌ>ŽœÛˆV…̜̅i v՘iÀ>“>ÀV…ˆ˜̅i,>V…“>˜ˆ˜œvv̜̅i …œi`œÜ˜ˆ˜̅i*ÀœŽœwiÛ]ޜÕ܈i>Ûi this concert with a new appreciation œv“ÕÈV½Ã«œÜiÀvՏivviVÌœ˜…Õ“>˜ emotions.

Gallic passion, charm and elegance featuring MSO’s Concertmaster Emily Saathoff in her Mankato debut. Enjoy Saint-Saens’s poetic and compelling violin concerto, Debussy’s evocative and sensual Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, and the emotional range of Franck’s Symphony which is at moments energetic, warm, and luminous.

music Violin Concerto No. 3 in b minor, Saint-Saens Symphony in d minor, Franck Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Debussy

J A N UA RY 1 0 , 2 0 1 6

Minnesota Roots Mary Jo Gothmann, Scott Lykins, Lydia Miller Choorapuzha

guest artist Emily Saathoff, Violin Emily Saathoff

Franck Chorale in A minor for Organ PDQ Bach Toot Suite for Organ, four hands 5EJQGPƂGNF Café Music Schubert 2KCPQ6TKQ0QKP$ƃCV Major, Op. 99 /…iÃiVœ˜`Vœ˜ViÀÌœv̅iÃi>ܘ vi>ÌÕÀiÃÌܜܜÀŽÃvœÀœÀ}>˜>˜`Ìܜ «ˆ>˜œÌÀˆœÃ°>ÀÞœœÌ…“>˜˜«iÀvœÀ“à Franck’s poetic masterwork, his Chorale ˆ˜Ƃ“ˆ˜œÀvœÀœÀ}>˜°ÕÈVœ˜̅iˆ Ài}Տ>À-VœÌÌގˆ˜Ãœˆ˜ÃœÌ…“>˜˜ ˆ˜̅iVœ˜ÌÀ>Ã̈˜}Vœ“i`ˆV/œœÌ-ՈÌi LÞ* + >V…°*>Տ-V…œi˜wi`½Ã >vj ÕÈVvœÀ*ˆ>˜œ/ÀˆœˆÃ>ˆ}…̇…i>ÀÌi` work, commissioned by the Saint *>Տ …>“LiÀ"ÀV…iÃÌÀ>ˆ˜£™nÇ]>˜` inspired by the composer’s stint as the …œÕÃi«ˆ>˜ˆÃÌ>ÌÕÀÀ>Þ½Ã,iÃÌ>ÕÀ>˜Ìˆ˜ ˆ˜˜i>«œˆÃ°/…i«Àœ}À>“Vœ˜VÕ`ià ܈̅-V…ÕLiÀ̽Óœ˜Õ“i˜Ì> ‡y>Ì/Àˆœ°

Haydn String Quartet Op. 33, No. 2 “Joke” Kodaly Duo for violin and cello Golijov Tenebrae Beethoven String Quartet Op. 95 /…ˆÃ>‡ÃÌÀˆ˜}ëÀœ}À>“vi>ÌÕÀiÃœ`>Þ½Ã `ˆvwVՏÌ]}Þ«ÃއˆŽi`՜vœÀۈœˆ˜>˜` cello, and Argentinian composer "ÃÛ>`œœˆœÛ½Ã/i˜iLÀ>i]>À>ÀiܜÀŽ ̅>ÌLœÌ…iۜŽiëÀˆÃ̈˜iLi>ÕÌÞ>˜` Àiܘ>ÌiÃœv`ii««>ˆ˜]`i«i˜`ˆ˜} Õ«œ˜̅iˆÃÌi˜iÀ½Ã«iÀëiV̈Ûi° Bookending these gems are pillars œv̅iÃÌÀˆ˜}µÕ>ÀÌiÌÀi«iÀ̜ˆÀi] >Þ`˜½Ã`iˆ}…ÌvՏºœŽi»µÕ>ÀÌiÌ>˜` ii̅œÛi˜½Ã`ˆÃÌÕÀLˆ˜}º-iÀˆœÃœ°»

M AY 1 , 2 0 1 6

To My Nation Jill Olson Moser, Lydia Miller Choorapuzha, Gareth Zehngut, Eugena Chang, Matt Frischman Rossini Duo for cello and double bass Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia for violin and viola Corigliano Black November Turkey Corigliano Snapshot circa 1909 Dvorak String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 /…i>``ˆÌˆœ˜œv̅iÃÌÀˆ˜}L>ÃÃ̜̅i ÃÌ>˜`>À`ÃÌÀˆ˜}µÕ>ÀÌï˜VÀi>ÃiÃ̅i ˆÃÌi˜iÀ½ÃÃi˜Ãiœv̜˜>ë>Vi]>œÜˆ˜} ۜÀ>Ž̜Üi>ÛiÃÌ՘˜ˆ˜}“iœ`ˆià ̅ÀœÕ}…œÕÌ…ˆÃLœ`ÞÞÀˆV>-ÌÀˆ˜} +Ո˜Ìï˜>œÀ°6ˆÀÌ՜ÈÌÞÌ>Žià Vi˜ÌiÀÃÌ>}iˆ˜,œÃȘˆ½Ã ՜vœÀViœ >˜``œÕLiL>ÃÃ]>˜`>ÛœÀÃi˜½ÃÌÀ>˜Ã‡ vœÀ“>̈œ˜œv>̅i“iLÞ>˜`iˆ˜Ìœ> ÃiÌœvÛ>Àˆ>̈œ˜ÃvœÀۈœˆ˜>˜`ۈœ>°/ܜ ŜÀ̵Õ>ÀÌiÌÃLÞƂ“iÀˆV>˜Vœ“«œÃiÀ œ…˜ œÀˆ}ˆ>˜œ]Ž˜œÜ˜vœÀ…ˆÃ“ÕÈVvœÀ ̅iw“/…i,i`6ˆœˆ˜]Vœ“«iÌi̅i program.

ALL PERFORMANCES ON SUNDAYS AT 2:00 PM AT GOOD COUNSEL CHAPEL.

FA M I L Y C O N C E R T S E R I E S — L A U G H T E R & L E A R N I N G

Handel with Care Come along on my madcap adventures as I teach you about my journeys to England, Ireland, and Italy in the Handel with Care Family Concert Series starring me, George Frederick Handel, and the MSO String Quartet. 'PLQ[HQWTJKNCTKQWUCPFHWPƂNNGFRGTHQTOCPEGU based on the life and travels of famous German composer George Frederick Handel, featuring an actor and the MSO String Quartet. Each child takes home a snack at the end of every show. Performances last approximately 45 minutes, and feature live classical music and KPVGTCEVKXGOWUKEGFWECVKQP6JGRGTHGEVƂTUV concert experience for babies, toddlers, and younger elementary ages. It’s OK for the kids to sing and dance along!

ALL PERFORMANCES SATURDAYS AT 11 AM MANKATO YMCA AEROBICS STUDIO

Handel Grows Up SEPTE M B E R 19 , 2015

Handel Goes to England NOV E M B E R 1 4 , 2015

Handel Goes to Italy JANUARY 16 , 2016

Handel Goes to Ireland MARC H 19 , 2016

Free!

JA Z Z & P O P S S E R I E S -A C A BA R E T S T Y L E E X P E R I E N C E Pops at the Kato returns with three thrilling cabaret style concerts. Eat, drink, and dance while you listen. Purchase individual general admission tickets, season tickets, or buy a sponsorship table with friends. Tables of 4, 6 ,8, and 10 are available and include some treats, keepsakes, and are nearest the stage. Proceeds go to support the Symphony.

Wolverines Big Band

O C TO B ER 31 , 2015, 8:00 PM KATO BALLROOM

The Wolverines bring their distinctive retro hot jazz orchestra sound to the Kato Ballroom for an evening of entertainment so good it’s UECT[&TGUUWRKP[QWT,C\\'TCƂPGUVCPFUKRUQOGQHQWTXKPVCIG cocktails for a grown up Halloween. Please note the later start time.

Charles Lazarus and Friends FEBRUARY 27 , 2016, 7:00 PM KATO BALLROOM 6JGKPETGFKDNGLC\\VTWORGVGT%JCTNGU.C\CTWUTGVWTPUVQ/CPMCVQYKVJCƂTUV TCVGLC\\EQODQHQTCEQPEGTVQHNQWPIGGZQVKECCPFHWPMƂTGFLC\\

Bruce Henry & Adi Yeshaya’s All Star Big Band A PRI L 30 , 2016, 7:00 PM KATO BALLROOM Bruce Henry is back! Bruce, Adi, and the phenomenal All Star Big Band brought FQYPVJGJQWUGCVQWTƂTUV2QRUCVVJG-CVQRGTHQTOCPEG$TWEGKUCPGENGEVKE performer with a three octave range. Pianist/arranger Adi Yeshaya, best known for his work with Whitney Houston and on The Voice, leads the band.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Patron Appreciation Recital

––––––––––––––– D IAM O ND SP O NSO R S ––––––––––––––– $12,000+

SEPTE M B E R 20 , 2015, 2-4 PM EMY FRENTZ BUILDING, 523 S. SECOND STREET A special treat for everyone who has supported us by purchasing tickets, making a donation, or volunteering. Orchestra musicians will perform their favorites in the intimate setting of the Emy Frentz Art Gallery. Drop in for a few moments or stay for the whole afternoon. Get to know the orchestra’s musicians, board members, and administration. We hope you are able to join us.

/…ˆÃ>V̈ۈÌވÓ>`i«œÃÈLiLÞ̅iۜÌiÀÃœvˆ˜˜iÜÌ>̅ÀœÕ}… >ˆ˜˜iÜÌ>-Ì>ÌiƂÀÌà œ>À`"«iÀ>̈˜}-Õ««œÀÌ}À>˜Ì]̅>˜ŽÃ̜ >i}ˆÃ>̈Ûi>««Àœ«Àˆ>̈œ˜vÀœ“̅i>ÀÌÃ>˜`VՏÌÕÀ>…iÀˆÌ>}iv՘`°

Free! LYLE & KAY JACOBSON AND THE JONES PAGE JACOBSON FAMILY FOUNDATION

––––––––––––––– P L ATINU M SP O NSO R S ––––––––––––––– $7,500-11,999

Triplet

/…ˆÃ>V̈ۈÌވÓ>`i«œÃÈLiLÞ̅i6œÌiÀÃœvˆ˜˜iÜÌ>̅ÀœÕ}… >}À>˜ÌvÀœ“̅i*À>ˆÀˆi>ŽiÃ,i}ˆœ˜>ƂÀÌà œÕ˜Vˆ]̅>˜ŽÃ̜> i}ˆÃ>̈Ûi>««Àœ«Àˆ>̈œ˜vÀœ“̅iƂÀÌÃ>˜` ՏÌÕÀ>iÀˆÌ>}i՘`°

ANNE HERLIHY

M A N K AT O S Y M P H O N Y B E N E F I T

NOV E M B E R 1 5 , 2015, 6:00 PM MANKATO GOLF CLUB Feast all of your senses with wonderful music performed by MSO’s conductor Kenneth Freed and a string quartet, a delicious meal prepared D[%JGH/CVV