RHAPSODY IN BLUE
100TH ANNIVERSARY
THE PAUL AND LINNEA BERT CLASSIC ACCENTS SERIES
Friday, February 2, 2024 · 6:30pm ·
Crosstown Theater
Sunday, February 4, 2024 · 2:30pm ·
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center
Kyle Dickson, conductor
Zhu Wang, piano
WILLIAM GRANT STILL
(1803 - 1869)
Wood Notes
Singing River
Autumn Night
Moon Dusk
Whippoorwill's Shoes
KURT WEILL
(1900 - 1950)
Suite from Threepenny Opera
Overture
The Moritat of Mack the Knife
The Instead-of Song
The Ballad of the Easy Life
Polly’s Song
Tango Ballad
Cannon Song
Threepenny Finale
INTERMISSION
GEORGE GERSHWIN
(1898 - 1937)
(ORCH. FERDE GROFÉ)
Rhapsody in Blue
Zhu Wang, piano
by Michelley Pellay- Walker
Program Notes
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William Grant Still (1895-1978): Wood Notes: A Pastoral Scene
First Performance: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski (conductor): Chicago, 1948The poetry of Joseph Mitchell Pilcher inspired this lovely composition, which was composed in 1947. Still dedicated this orchestral suite to F.J. Lehmann, his composition instructor whilst a student at Oberlin College. The work occurs in four movements, and features woodwinds in pairs, a modest brass section, numerous percussion, harp, piano, celesta, and strings. Still makes the following observation about the piece (from the 1948 CSO program, as quoted on the Hollywood Bowl webpage) : “Wood Notes has a social significance because it is a collaboration between a Southern white man and a Southern-born Negro composer, in which both of the participants were enthused over the project.” The impressionistic and jazz influences on Still’s writing can be clearly heard throughout the work, which alternately features lyricism (Singing River), lightness of texture (Autumn Night), placid stillness (Moon Dusk), and humorous playfulness (Whippoorwill’s Shoes).
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Kurt Weill (1900-1950): Suite from The Threepenny Opera
First Performance: Preussisches Staatskapelle, Otto Klemperer (conductor): Berlin, 1929
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Music) is a selection of tunes from Kurt Weill’s popular Threepenny Opera. Commissioned by Otto Klemperer, it is scored for woodwinds (no oboes), brass (no horns), percussion, and piano, and was created by by Weill in 1929. The instrumentation recalls German dance hall music as well as the influence of American jazz: Saxophones, guitar, banjo, and accordion especially enhance the latter, and create unusual timbres when paired with the more traditional forces. The opera proper is based on Elisabeth Hauptmann’s translation of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (an 18th century English ballad opera), as well as four songs by Francois Villon, a late Medieval era French poet. Eight selections are included in this suite, the most famous being The Ballad of Mack The Knife (Mackie Messer is the opera’s protagonist). This song was widely recorded throughout the 1950s, with Bobby Darin’s Grammy-winning interpretation being the most famous (other artists who recorded it include Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald).
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George Gershwin (1898-1937): Rhapsody in Blue
First Performance: Palais Royal Orchestra, Paul Whiteman (conductor): New York City, 1924
Rhapsody in Blue is probably George Gershwin’s best known and most loved work. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, its composition began in January of 1924, with its premiere taking place five weeks later. Gershwin was the featured piano soloist appearing with Whiteman’s Palais Royal Orchestra, in New York City’s Aeolian Hall. The first successful fusion of formal classical and jazz elements, the Rhapsody begins with the most recognisable clarinet solo in the repertoire. Originally scored for piano and jazz band, Ferde Grofé, Whiteman’s chief arranger, made an alternate version for conventional symphonic forces in 1942; this is the version being performed for this concert set. The work is divided into several sections, with the piano a prominent presence throughout, including several extended solos. Used as background music for United Airlines advertisements since the mid-80s, if any work can be said to musically define America from its very first note, it is surely this one.
On Stage
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American conductor Kyle Dickson is quickly building a reputation as an inspiring and compelling presence on the podium. Recipient of the 2021 Grant Park Music Festival Advocate for Arts Award and the Concert Artists Guild's (CAG) Robert S. Weinart Award, Dickson is a Salonen Conducting Fellow with the San Francisco Symphony and the Colburn School under the guidance of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Highlights of this season included debuts with San Francisco Symphony’s SoundBox and concerts with the Detroit, Oakland, Wichita and National Symphony Orchestras. In 2023-2024, he will appear as a Guest Conductor with the Louisville Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and the Pasadena, Portland (ME), and Marin Symphony Orchestras.
Appointed Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta from 2021-2022, Dickson has served as Assistant/Cover Conductor for the Orchestre de Paris, NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, New York Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, St. Louis, Minnesota, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, and the National Symphony (Washington, DC). He has assisted Esa-Pekka Salonen, Fabio Biondi, Stéphane Denève, Andrew Manze, James Conlon, Carlos Prieto, Osmo Vänskä, Raphael Payare and Kevin John Edusei among others.
His passion for music education has led to many collaborations with youth ensembles around the country. Dickson has served as Conductor of the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra and the South Side Chicago Youth Symphony. He’s been Assistant Conductor for Carnegie Hall’s 2022 NYO USA/NYO2 Tour and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Additionally, he was named 2017 Hyde Park Youth Symphony Artist-In-Residence and has worked with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, National Symphony Orchestra's 2021 Summer Music Institute, Ravinia’s El Sistema program, Colburn Academy Virtuosi and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Dickson was a Guest Conductor at 2023 Chicago Youth In Music Festival Orchestra and this season will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition.
Dickson was selected as a Conducting Fellow at the 2021 National Orchestral Institute’s Conducting Academy directed by Marin Alsop and as a Paul Freeman Conducting Fellow under the mentorship of Mei-Ann Chen from 2019-2022. Dickson was also trained as a violinist and a prizewinner at the 2010 NANM National Concerto Competition. He’s held residencies at Indiana University-South Bend, the United World College of South East Asia, and served on the violin and chamber music faculty at the New Music School (Chicago). He has performed with the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, Quad City Symphony, and was Concertmaster of the Chicago Composers Orchestra. Additionally, his playing can be heard on albums by recording artists such as John Legend, Chance the Rapper, and Jessie J as a member of the Matt Jones/Recollective Orchestra.
Dickson studied conducting at the Colburn School and Northwestern University. His principal conducting teachers include Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mei-Ann Chen, Kevin Noe, and Victor Yampolsky. He received degrees in violin performance and music education from DePaul University and Michigan State University studying with Walter Verdehr, Laura Roelofs, and Olga Kaler.
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Praised for his “technical mastery and deep sense of lyricism,” (The Durango Herald), pianist Zhu Wang is the first prize winner of the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, Hilton Head Young Artist Piano Competition, Music Academy of the West Solo Piano Competition and Juilliard Gina Bachauer International Scholarship Piano Competition. He is also the recipient of Juilliard Munz Scholarship. Zhu has been a featured soloist on WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase and WFMT’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts. The World-renowned Chinese pianist Fou T’song recognized Zhu as an “excellent pianist with natural sense of harmony and imagination,” whose sensitive and engaging performances exhibit a remarkable depth of musicianship and poise beyond his age.
Highlights of the 2019-20 season include solo recital in Shanghai Conservatory of Music and a recital tour with violinist Randall Goosby in Kennedy Center (Washington, D. C), Merkin Hall (New York), and Huston. Zhu has performed across the US and internationally in China, Italy, Poland, and Japan at prestigious venues such as the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, Chicago Cultural Center and The Morgan Library. Since his orchestral debut at age 14 with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, where he performed Mozart Piano Concerto No.21, he has soloed with Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Brunensis Virtuosi Orchestra, San Juan Symphony, Xiamen Philharmonic and Mongolian Symphony Orchestra.
Zhu is also an active chamber musician and new music promoter. He had world premiered American composer Timo Andres’s “Moving Etúdes” in his national tour. He has appears in many festivals, including the Music Academy of the West, Four Seasons Winter Workshop, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, International Piano Academy Lake Como, Shanghai International Music Festival, Music Fest Perugia, and Amalfi Coast Music and Arts Festival in Italy.
Zhu has had the honor to study with and perform for many influential pianists, including Gary Graffman, Fou T’song, Stephen Hough, Murray Perahia, Jerome Lowenthal, Robert Levin, Matti Raekallio, Julian Martin, William Grant Nabore, Jeremy Denk, Eva Poblocka, Edward Auer, Douglas Humpherys, Nelita True, and Boris Slutsky. He is also the recipient of Juilliard Mieczyslaw Munz Scholarship, special prizes for the best Waltz, preludes, and Mazurka in the 5th International Chopin Young artist Piano Competition and the 16th Asian Chopin International Piano Competition in Japan.
Zhu started learning piano at the age of five. He is a graduate from Music Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Zhe Tang. Zhu is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music Degree at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Robert McDonald.
Memphis Symphony Orchestra
Violin I
Barrie Cooper, Concertmaster
The Joy Brown Wiener Chair
Marisa Polesky, Assistant Concertmaster
Diane Zelickman Cohen, Assistant Principal
Wen-Yih Yu, Assistant Principal
Jessica Munson
Violin II
Gaylon McKay Patterson, Principal
The Dunbar and Constance Abston Chair
Erin Kaste, Assistant Principal
Yennifer Correia, Assistant Principal
Janaina Fernandes*
The Rebecca Webb Wilson Fellow
Rebeca Rathlef*
The Judith and Sheldon Korones Memorial Fellow
Viola
Jennifer Puckett, Principal
The Corinne Falls Murrah Chair
Michelle Pellay-Walker, Assistant Principal
Aaron Tubergen, Assistant Principal
Beth Luscombe
Cello
Ruth Valente Burgess, Principal
The Vincent de Frank Chair
Iren Zombor, Assistant Principal
Jonathan Kirkscey, Assistant Principal
Bass
Scott Best, Principal
Chris Butler, Assistant Principal
Flute
Shantanique Moore, Principal
The Marion Dugdale McClure Chair
Delara Hashemi
Oboe
Saundra D’Amato, Acting Principal
The Paul and Linnea Bert Chair
Shelly Sublett, Assistant Principal
Lani Kelly, Visiting Oboe
English Horn
Shelly Sublett, Principal
Clarinet
Andre Dyachenko, Principal
The Gayle S. Rose Chair
Rena Feller
Soxophone
Carl Wolfe
Chris Piecuch
Jim Spake
Bassoon
Susanna Whitney, Principal
Michael Scott
Horn
Caroline Kinsey, Principal
The Morrie A. Moss Chair
Robert Patterson, Assistant Principal
Trumpet
Scott Moore, Principal
The Smith & Nephew Chair
Susan Enger
J. Michael McKenzie
Trombone
Greg Luscombe, Principal
Wes Lebo
Tuba
Charles Schulz, Principal
The Charles and Sharen Schulz Chair
Timpani
Ed Murray, Principal
Percussion
David Carlisle, Principal
Harp
Alaina Graiser, Principal
The Ruth Marie Moore Cobb Chair
Banjo
Elden Kelly
*Circle of Friends Fellow
DONORS
THANK YOU! Individuals, corporations, foundations, ArtsMemphis, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and others make annual contributions to support the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The following community members have expressed their support for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for 2022 and 2023.
$25,000+
AutoZone, Inc.
Paul and Linnea Bert
City of Memphis
The Estate of Adrienne D. Davis
FedEx Corporation
First Horizon Foundation
Dr. Suzanne Gronemeyer
Carolyn and Scott Heppel
Hyde Family Foundation
International Paper Foundation
Plough Foundation
The Estate of Mary Alice Quinn
Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick W. Smith
J. Richard and Carole M. Briscoe
John and Marsha Evans
Masanori and Seiko Igarashi
Frank and Jeanne Jemison
Dorothy Kirsch
Ann L. Powell
$10,000+
John and Ashley Remmers
Shelby County Government
The Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams
Charitable Foundation
Nancy Walker
The Estate of Patricia Walker
Joy Wiener
Rebecca and Spence Wilson
$5,000+
Bert and Carol Barnett
Jack and Kathleen Blair
Maria and Michael Douglass
James and Susan Edelman
David and Susan Ellison
Pam and Steve Guinn
Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation
Korones Family Foundation
Edwin Koshland
Robert and Mary Nell Kuhlo
Nathaniel Landau
Eva Lang and Scott LeMay
Dinah and Gary Makowsky
Elisa and Ramon Marus
Amy and Tony Milam
Rick and Carey Moore
Henry and Snowden Morgan
Linda and Ron Sklar
Paul Thomas
$2,500+
Fran and Peter Addicott
Louise and Will Barden
Stanley and Dot Bilsky
Judith Bookman
Paul Brezina
Arthur and Michelle Buring
Elizabeth and Charles Carter, Jr.
Copland Foundation
Farrell Calhoun, Inc.
Juan Fuentes
Jere Gerard
Lowry and Laura Howell
Donna Jefcoat
Dr. Carol Johnson-Dean
Christopher Knott-Craig
Ann and Dudley Langston
Elizabeth and Jerry Marshall
Montgomery and Laura Martin
Alan and Zoe Nadel
Robert Patterson and Patricia Gray
Laretha R. Sargent
Nick Sarraf
Stephen and Deborah Schadt
Jane and Bruce Smedley
John and Cristina Speer
Richard Tanner
Deborah Dunklin Tipton Charitable Fund
Otis and Marilane Warr
Betty and Jules Weiss
Barry and Cynthia A. White
Evelyn Wofford
$1,000+
Stephen Agar
Kay and Keith Anderson
Henry and Janet Bartosch
Reed Baskin and Alice Nishiwaki
Joey and Neal Beckford
Fiona and Lance Binder
Betty Blaylock
Peggy Bodine
Robert and Sheryl Bowen
Ray Brandon
Rose Merry Brown
Mary Beth and Tom Bryce
Paul and Suzanne Burgar
Alice Rawlins and Phil Burnett
Canale Foundation
Carol Lee and Joe Royer
Daniel Case
Irvine and Gloria Cherry
Karen Clawson
Charles and Nancy Coe
Carol Cummings
Gay Daughdrill Boyd
Mike and Blanche Deaderick
Dr. Margaret Debon
Dillard Door
Jim Dorman
JT Elliott
Eyleen Farmer
Jim and Susan Fletcher
Fred and Mary Lawrence Flinn
David Forell
Susan Frazee
Katherine and Jimmy Gould
Jerrold and Martha Graber
Kathy Hammond
Carolyn Chism Hardy
Larry Hardy
Page Henrion
Marisa and Paul Hess
Honeybird Foundation
Walter and Nancy Howell
Joanna Hwang
J. R. and Barbara Hyde
Eric and Cynthia Johnson
Rose and Thomas Johnston
Edith Kelly-Green
Ellen Klyce
Bruce and Susanne Landau
Barbara Lapides
Lucy and Tom Lee
Lauriann Lines
Al and Janet Lyons
Barbara McConville
John and Michelle McKissack
Lisa & Maurice Mendel
Rodgers Menzies
Irma W. Merrill
Rozlyn Nichols
William and Barbara Nixon
Cecile and Frederick Nowak
Nancy Otto
Marianne Parrs
Rushton Patterson
John Pickens
Kenneth Prince
Eileen and Joel Prout
Linda Rhea
Neil and Judy Ringel
Betty Robinson
Rose Montgomery Johnston Family Foundation
Gayle Rose
Diane Rudner
Beverly and Ken Sakauye
Craig and Andrea Sander
Dale Schaefer
Samuel and Leanne Scull
Mary Seratt
Patricia Seubert
Jerry Sharp
Cynthia Spangler and Charles Askew
Richard and Trish Spore
Mary Anne K. Sullivan
Irvin Tankersley
Lura and Steve Turner
Michael and Andie Uiberall
Susan Van Dyck and James Newcomb
Bill and Carmine Vaughan
Dr. Lee and Mary Linda Wardlaw
Graham and Megan Warr
Benton Wheeler and Aimee M. Christian
Alvin and Myra Whitney
Linda Wible
Camilla Wilson
Mary Wurtzburger
Susan Yount
Lyn and Gordon Yukon
Dennis Zolper
This list recognizes philanthropic contributors to the MSO made between July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 . While compiling this list every effort has been made to reflect the accuracy of our donors. If your name has been misspelled, omitted, or misrepresented please contact us at 901-537-2500 and will correct our records. We appreciate your generosity and understanding.
