PROKOFIEV: ROMEO AND JULIET SUITE NO. 2, OP. 64

MOZART: CONCERTO FOR FLUTE AND HARP
Ms. Yaney and Ms. Mazza

KHACHATURIAN: “ADAGIO” from SPARTACUS

HORNER: TITANIC

BERNSTEIN: WEST SIDE STORY SELECTIONS

TCHAIKOVSKY: ROMEO AND JULIETTE FANTASY OVERTURE

If you attended the concert on February 12, please leave a comment. How did you like it?

I personally thought it was fabulous, and I heard from several people that they enjoyed the selection of music, the quality of the orchestra , and especially, the comments from Maestro as he introduced the music.

Rigoletto Quartet

Post Workshop Activity:
Please write your impressions or comments about the workshop experience on Sept 15 at Richland HS.

Adia Dobbins, Jazz Singer.

About Adia…
Adia maintains a Bachelor of Music Education degree in Jazz Voice/General Music from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Adia also holds an MBA with an emphasis in Non-Profit Arts Management. Following her postgraduate education, Adia worked professionally in the areas of marketing, diversity, HR, and corporate law. She currently keeps an active schedule as a business professional within Somerset Trust Company’s commercial lending department, and as a freelance vocalist.

Brittany Sandan and Max Fedor

[Program notes below are by Melissa Howard]
Handel’s Messiah is a story of resurrection. It is both the biblical story of Christ’s life and resurrection on earth, and the story of Handel’s return from oblivion.

Like many of the great composers, Handel was a child prodigy. He began composing operas at young age and by his twenties he was the best paid composer on earth with people fighting for seats whenever he performed. However, fame is fleeting and Handel’s music soon became old-fashioned. No matter what Handel tried, his compositions failed. Bankruptcy and depression followed. Handel had a stroke and developed a palsy that crippled his fingers.

It seemed that Handel’s career was over. Frederick the Great wrote that “Handel’s great days are over, his inspiration is exhausted.” Yet the very situations that seemed to destroy Handel changed him and gave his compositions more depth and feeling.

The Inspiration for the Oratorio

Handel’s friend and patron Charles Jennens sent him a libretto created from a collection of Bible texts about the life of Christ. The words “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people” from Isaiah 40 inspired Handel. Handel agreed to write the music. He thought it would take a year to complete. However, when a charitable organization from Dublin gave Handel a generous commission to compose a piece for a benefit, he got busy.

On August 22, 1741, Handel started composing music for the texts that Jennens had sent him. Handel was inspired. When he finished less than a month later he had written one of his most famous and successful compositions ever, The Messiah.

Why Stand for the Hallelujah Chorus?

The tradition of standing during the Hallelujah Chorus began during a performance on March 23, 1743. King George II was attending the performance. When the Hallelujah Chorus began King George rose. It is unclear why he stood up, he may have been stretching his legs, it is possible that King George, who was partially deaf, mistook the opening notes for the national anthem, or he may have risen to his feet out of respect.

No one knows why King George stood but we do know that people around the world still rise to their feet whenever they hear first notes of the Hallelujah Chorus.

Originally, Handel wrote The Messiah to be performed at Lent or Easter. Today, however, the Hallelujah Chorus is most popular as a piece of Christmas music.

[Above text written by Melissa Howard]
http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/mhoward36

More evidence that our community loves us is illustrated in how the banks join together in support of the July 4 Concert. The following was published in PA Bankers Association Magazine…

The Traditional July 4 Performance of the
Johnstown Symphony Orchestra Continued
Thanks to the Collective Efforts of Nine Local
Financial Institutions.

AmeriServ Financial launched an initiative and challenged
other local banks to show community commitment and spirit
by stepping up to provide funds needed for the Johnstown
Symphony Orchestra (JSO) to present the traditional free July
4 concert. At a time when the financial industry as a whole
has been faced with challenges, the banks wanted to
demonstrate their strength and commitment to the
community.

Overall, nine banks pledged their support, a testament to
their soundness and goodwill: Somerset Trust Company, 1st
Summit Bank, First Commonwealth Bank, First National
Bank of Pennsylvania and Northwest Savings quickly joined
the challenge. Slovenian Savings and Loan Association, CNB
Bank and Mainline Bank also pledged funds to the free
concert. The final pieces of the funding puzzle came from the
Community Foundation of the Alleghenies and UPMC and
UPMC Health Plan. Collectively, over $20,000 was
contributed to the traditional July 4 concert.

Another major strength is our annual Opera Festival, a legacy of two great JSO supporters, Frank Pasquerilla and Jack Murtha. Thanks to their support and the extraordinary talent of our Maestro we have hosted numerous opera stars. In the opera world these names are recognized as among the best:

2011
Kristine Biller Mattson, soprano
Charlotte Daw Paulsen, mezzo soprano
Dominic Armstrong, tenor
Nathan Berg, bass-baritone

2010
Juliana DiGiacomo, Soprano
Diba Alvi, Soprano
Florencia Machado, Mezzo-soprano
Raquel Winnica-Young, Mezzo-soprano
Andrew Nemzer, Countertenor
Scott Piper, Tenor
Oren Gradus, Bass

2009
Meredith Hansen, Soprano
Paula Rasmussen, Mezzo-soprano
John Daniecki, Tenor
Eric Jordan, Bass

2008
Jane Jennings, Soprano
MaryAnn McCormick, Mezzo-soprano
Bruce Reed, TenorAnton Belov, Baritone

2007
Joanna Mongiardo, Soprano
Annamaria Popescu, Mezzo-soprano
Daniel Weeks, Tenor
Kevin Deas, Bass

2006
Jeanine Thames, Soprano
Allan Glassman, Tenor
Richard Zeller, Baritone

2005
Kallen Esperian, Soprano
Richard Leech, Tenor

2004
Eglise Gutierrez, Soprano
Barbara Dever, Mezzo Soprano
Michael Sommese, Tenor
Daniel Sutin, Baritone

2003
Dinah Bryant, Soprano
Randolph Locke, Tenor
Marc Embree, Bass-Baritone

2002
Maureen O’Flynn, Soprano
Giuseppe Sabbatini, Tenor

2001
Greer Grimsley, Bass-Baritone
William Joyner, Tenor
Risa Harman, Soprano

2000
Olivia Gorra, Soprano
Carlo Scibelli, Tenor
Giovanni Furlanetto, Bass

1999
Salvatore Fisichella, Tenor (2)
Valeria Esposito, Soprano

1998
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone (2)
Paula Almerares, Soprano

1997
Salvatore Fisichella, Tenor (1)
Frances Ginsberg, Soprano (2)

1996
Justino Diaz, Baritone
Marquita Lister, Soprano

1995
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone
Ann Panagulias, Soprano

1994
Ermanno Mauro, Tenor (2)
Leslie Richards-Pellegrini, Mezzo-Soprano

1993
Ermanno Mauro, Tenor (1)
Frances Ginsberg, Soprano

We are extremely lucky to have such a wonderful cultural asset as the JSO, which makes the Youth Orchestra possible. Classical music has never been the passion of the young. It is an acquired taste that requires encouragement and education. Actually, more young people today are playing classical instruments than ever before and classical music has never been healthier according to the League American Orchestras. There are currently nearly 400 professional orchestras in America, while 30 years ago there were 203. There are 500 youth orchestras, up from 63 and 1990. The number of orchestra concerts performed annually in the US has risen 24% in the past decade. Ticket-sale income from orchestral performances is growing.

We need the JSO for OUR community to keep pace with the rest of the nation and the world. We are in the midst of a global classical music renaissance. Now we can fear that China will surpass us in the arts, also…  Read more here –> WSJ.

Everyone in the organization is working hard to balance the budget. Maestro has kept expenses down and yet maintained high quality performances. The auxiliary is working very hard (see the previous post).

Youth Orchestra percussionist David Carney.

The Opera Festival was the best ever. Attendance at concerts has been good. So what is the problem?

In these harsh economic times we’ve lost concert sponsorships from businesses, and grant money has been slashed substantially.

We have to turn to the community at large, approaching everyone who’s lives have been touched by the JSO. With our huge outreach, most people know about us. We need at least a small donation to the Sustaining Fund from everyone.

The office will be mailing the Sustaining Fund brochure to solicit funds in late January. Everyone who receives a brochure will also receive a courteous reminder by phone to contribute.

Bach’s Lunch made a profit of $3600. Thank you Dorothy Maravalli.

The Fashion Show made $5917. Thank you Mary Battaline, Mary Borkow, and Barbara Laslo.

The Garden Tour was a huge event involving a lot of people. It was extremely successful bringing in over $5000. Thank you Carol Shrum and Joan Moss.

Wow! The Opera Festival Auction under the leadership of Dorothy Maravalli earned over $30,000. Another big project!

The Johnstown and Somerset Auxiliaries joined to bring us the first annual “Bag Lady Luncheon” at Green Gables. They bagged $5000!  This will happen again next year on Saturday, Oct 22, 2011.

Getting friendly with Boscov’s generated over $500.

The Hungarian Dinner and Dance held in partnership with Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center was a lot of fun and made a decent profit even after splitting it with Bottle Works.

The Somerset branch made some generous contributions under the leadership of Eleanor Schrock. Their Cookbook sales have passed $1000. DaCapo Benefit and the Mother’s Day Concert continue to work well for the Somerseters.

Christmas flower sales and deliveries are still ongoing, and Somerset has a big Christmas event on Dec 18 at Somerset C. C.

AND Auxiliary members serve as ushers and do diverse odd jobs whenever asked. When I asked for help with the 2011 Sustaining Fund Drive twelve (12) Auxiliary members signed up to help without hesitation. I love you ladies.

Let me know if there are errors or additions needed on this page.

Your comments are welcome here.