UMS Concert Program, Wednesday Mar. 18 To 29: University Musical Society: Winter 2009 - Wednesday Mar. 18 To 29 --

Parent ID

UMS Concert Programs, Season CXXX (2008-2009)

Day

18

Month

March

Year

2009

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programs_20090318b.pdf

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Creative Commons (Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-alike)

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University Musical Society

OCR Text

Season: Winter 09
University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor

WINTER 2009 SEASON UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR
university musical society
Winter 09 University of Michigan Ann Arbor
P2 Letters from the Presidents
5 Letter from the Chair
UMSLeadership 7 UMS Corporate and Foundation Leaders
14 UMS Board of DirectorsNational Council
SenateAdvisory Committee
15 UMS StaffCorporate Council
Teacher Advisory Committee
UMSlnfo 17 General Information
19 UMS Tickets
UMSAnnals 21 UMS History
22 UMS Venues and Burton Memorial Tower
Event Program 24 Your Event Program Book follows page 24
UMSExperience 27 UMS Education and Community
Engagement Programs
34 UMS Student Programs
UMSSupport 37 Corporate Sponsorship and Advertising
37 Individual Donations
39 UMS Volunteers
41 Annual Fund Support
45 Endowment Fund Support
48 UMS AdvertisersMember Organizations
Cover: (R-L) Compagnie Marie Chouinard (photo: Michael Slobodian), Lorin Maazel and
the New York Philharmonic (Chris Lee). Wynton Marsalis (Clay McBride), Batsheva Dance
Company, Julia Fischer, Hill Auditorium audience (Spencer & Wycoff)

FROM THE U-M PRESIDENT
Welcome to this University Musical Society (UMS) performance. We at the University of Michigan are proud of UMS and of the world-class artists and ensembles that it brings each season to the University and southeast Michigan. As UMS marks its 130th continuous season, making it the oldest university-related presenter in the United States, we are also cele?brating the outstanding educational programs it offers to people of all ages and the new works in dance, theater, and music it commissions.
When I consider which UMS events best exemplify the melding of artistic performance and education, I point to the three-week residencies of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) that we have enjoyed in 2001, 2003, and 2006, two of which were US exclusive presentations attracting audiences from 39 states and five countries.
I am pleased UMS has chosen to celebrate the partnership between the RSC, UMS, and U-M at this year's 14th Ford Honors Program. At the heart of this unique partnership has been the extraordinary artist-scholar relation?ship between the RSC's Olivier Award-winning Artistic Director Michael Boyd and U-M's beloved Professor Ralph Williams, both of whom will be honored at the program. This year's Ford Honors Program, usually held in May, will take place Saturday, January 24, 2009, so that students who have participated in the RSC residencies or who have had Professor Williams in class will be able to attend. Professor Williams will retire from U-M at the end of this academic year, and I hope you will join me at this very special event.
This UMS winter season also brings us multi-day performances combined with numerous educational opportunities when the New York Philharmonic visits on March 7 and 8, and when Yo-Yo Ma brings his Silk Road Project to campus March 13 and 14.
Audience members also have a chance to delve into the rich diversity of cultural expressions from the Arab world, as UMS completes its Performing Arts of the Arab World series this term. I encourage you to attend Gilgamesh in January, Aswat: Celebrating the Golden Age of Arab Music in March, and Mohammed Bennis and the Hmadcha Ensemble in April along with the educational programs surrounding them.
There are many other UMS events as well as performances, exhibitions, and cultural activities offered by our faculty and students in U-M's many other units. To learn more about arts and culture at Michigan, including the March 21 performance commemorating the 25th anniversary of U-M's acclaimed musical theater program and the March 28 grand re-opening of the restored and expanded U-M Museum of Art, please visit the University's website at www.umich.edu.
Sincerely,
Mary Sue Coleman
President, University of Michigan
FROM THE UMS PRESIDENT
Welcome to this UMS performance. Thank you for supporting UMS through your attendance, especially during these challenging times. The entire UMS family of Board, Senate, and Advisory Committee members; staff colleagues; Choral Union members; ushers; and hundreds of other volunteers are grateful that you're here and hope that you'll enjoy the experience and attend more UMS events during this second half of our 130th season. You'll find all of our remaining performances listed on page 2 of your program insert.
At UMS, we try to make sure that our events offer a chance to learn something new, to look at the world through a different lens, or even to change lives. You'll find much to choose from as solo artists and ensembles from all over the world visit our community and engage with our audiences in many ways. Artists can lift the spirit, challenge perceptions, provide comfort, and deepen understanding. So whether it's the Guarneri Quartet's Farewell Tour concert; the New York Philharmonic's residency; Simon Shaheen's Aswat production; Yo-Yo Ma's two Silk Road events; Chick Corea and John McLaughlin s reunion; or our 2009 Ford Honors Program celebrating the Royal Shakespeare Company, its Artistic Director Michael Boyd, and U-M Professor Ralph Williams, we hope you'll find meaning and value as we connect you with our artists for uncommon and engaging experiences.
I have had the pleasure over the past two years of working in partnership with UMS Board Chair Carl Herstein, who has provided outstanding lay leader?ship to UMS. His term comes to an end in June. Be sure to read his letter on P5 of this program book, and you'll get a sense of how we've benefited from his knowledge of our history, his understanding of the power of the arts, and his deep appreciation of each member of the UMS family who attends our per?formances, donates to our organization, or volunteers their services. Thanks for your dedicated service, Carl.
Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions, comments, or problems. If you don't see me in the lobby, send me an e-mail message at kenfisch@umich.edu or call me at 734.647.1174.
And thanks again for coming to this event.
Very best wishes,
Kenneth C. Fischer UMS President
FROM UMS CHAIRMAN, CARL HERSTEIN
In these times of economic uncertainty and unease about the future, the power of the arts reminds us of enduring values. In its 130 years, UMS and its numerous generations of patrons and audiences have seen many times of anxiety and turmoil, each of which was unprecedented in its day. Throughout that time, great artists performing important works helped the UMS community come to grips with the world. In some cases this occurred because the perform?ance of a classic work brought a sense of reassurance, harmony, and peace. In others, a modern work challenged the audience to come to terms with unsettling new realities. The best of these performances were transformative events, helping to shape the emotional and intellectual response of each audience member to contemporary events.
We are immensely fortunate that an appreciation of this powerful legacy led these audiences to steward UMS safely through the vicissitudes of world wars, global depression, demographic and cultural changes, and intellectual and sci?entific revolutions. The arts which UMS has presented and fostered have remained an indispensable part of our common ability to make sense of a world that never ceases to amaze, surprise, and sometimes frighten us. Succeeding generations have bequeathed to us a legacy of involvement and support so that we too are able to enjoy the sustenance and inspiration that is the gift of great art.
It is, therefore, critically important that we do our part to cherish and preserve the legacy that our community is so fortunate to enjoy. By bringing friends to performances, becoming involved with the UMS Advisory Committee, partici?pating in educational events, supporting youth performances, and providing the ever-critical financial support that makes the work of UMS possible, you are continuing the work of bringing the power of the arts to us all at a time when it is very much needed. We want to thank all of you who have participated in this work with your support of the UMS Difference Campaign, which has been a success due to the commitment not merely of a few, but of 4,279 of you who believe that what UMS does makes a real difference in the life of our community. If you are one of those 4,279, you have our deepest thanks and our encourage?ment to continue to be a vital part of the UMS family; if you have not yet con?tributed, please consider deepening your engagement with us. We think you will find, as so many others have before you, that it will make your UMS experience more meaningful, more personal, and will have the added benefit of making it more accessible to others who have not yet enjoyed the experiences that have been so important to you and to us.
Thank you for coming to this performance. Whether you have come a hun?dred times before or for the first time today, please know that you are always welcome in the UMS family; a group which gathers strength from its diversity, honors its extraordinary past, and works for a future of excellence no matter what transient challenges we may face.
Sincerely,
Carl W. Herstein
Chair, UMS Board of Directors
Leadership
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION LEADERS
James G. Vella
President, Ford Motor Company Fund ( and Community Services 'Through music and the arts, we are inspired to broaden our horizons, bridge differences among cultures, and set our spirits free. We are proud to support the University Musical Society and acknowledge the important role it plays in our community."
Douglas L. LaFleur Managing Director, Global Power Group "We at TAQA New World, Inc. are proud to lend our support to UMS, and are extremely honored to be involved with the performing arts community. Truly, human potential is the most valuable commodity on earth. In joining with other Corporate and Foundation leaders supporting UMS, we find ourselves renewed and inspired."
Robert P. Kelch
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Michigan Health System "The arts are an important part of the University of Michigan Health System. Whether it's through perform?ances for patients, families, and visitors sponsored by our Gifts of Art program, or therapies such as harmonica classes for pulmonary patients or music relaxation classes for cancer patients, we've seen firsthand the power of music and performance. That's why we are proud to support the University Musical Society's ongoing effort to bring inspiration and entertainment to our communities."
Douglass R. Fox
President, Ann Arbor Automotive "We at Ann Arbor Automotive are pleased to support the artistic variety and program excellence given to us by the University Musical Society."
Laurel R. Champion
Publisher, The Ann Arbor News "The people at The Ann Arbor News are honored and pleased to partner with and be supportive of the University Musical Society, which adds so much depth, color, excite?ment, and enjoyment to this incredible community."
Hoda Succar
President, American Syrian Arab Cultural Association
"ASACA is a proud sponsor of the UMS 0809 season.
We applaud UMS's effort to diversify and globalize its
programs to reach different communities in the US."
Timothy G. Marshall
President and CEO, Bank of Ann Arbor "A commitment to the community can be expressed in many ways, each different and all appropriate. Bank of Ann Arbor is pleased to continue its long term support of the University Musical Society by our sponsorship of the 0809 season."
Habte Dadi
Manager, Blue Nile Restaurant "At the Blue Nile, we believe in giving back to the community that sustains our business. We are proud to support an organization that provides such an important service to Ann Arbor."
George Jones
President and CEO, Borders Group, Inc. 'Borders embraces its role as a vital, contributing member of the community that reaches out to connect with people. We know that what our customers read, listen to, and watch is an integral part of who they are and who they aspire to be. Borders shares our community's passion for the arts and we are proud to continue our support of the University Musical Society."
Claes Fornell
Chairman, CFI Croup, Inc.
"The University Musical Society is a marvelous magnet for attracting the world's finest in the performing arts. There are many good things in Ann Arbor, but UMS is a jewel. We are all richer because of it, and CFI is proud to lend its support."
Bruce Duncan
Ann Arbor Regional Bank President, Comerica Bank 'Comerica is proud to support the University Musical Society and to sponsor the presentation of the world-renowned Tokyo String Quartet. UMS continues to enrich the local community by bringing the finest performing arts to Ann Arbor, and we're pleased to continue to support this long?standing tradition."
Fred Shell
Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs, DTE Energy
"The DTE Energy Foundation is pleased to support exemplary organizations like UMS that inspire the soul, instruct the mind, and enrich the community."
Edward Surovell
President, Edward Surovell Realtors
"Edward Surovell Realtors and its 300 employees and sales asso?ciates are proud of our 20-year relationship with the University Musical Society. We honor its tradition of bringing the world's leading performers to the people of Michigan and setting a standard of artistic leadership recognized internationally."
Leo Legatski
President, Elastizell Corporation of America "Elastizell is pleased to be involved with UMS. UMS's strengths are its programming--innovative, experimental, and pioneering--and its education and outreach programs in the schools and the community."
Kingsley P. Wootton
Plant Manager, GM Powertrain Ypsilanti Site "Congratulations on your 130th season! Our community is, indeed, fortunate to have an internationally renowned musical society. The extraordinary array of artists; the variety, breadth, and depth of each season's program; and the education and community component are exceptional and are key ingredients in the quality of life for our community, region, and state. It is an honor to contribute to UMS!"
Carl W. Herstein
Partner, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Conn IIP --
Honigman is proud to support non-profit organizations in the communities where our partners and employees live and work. We are thrilled to support the University Musical Society and commend UMS for its extraordinary programming, com?missioning of new work, and educational outreach programs."
Mark A. Davis
President and CEO, Howard & Howard '
"At Howard & Howard, we are as committed to enriching the communities in which we live and work as we are to providing sophisticated legal services to businesses in the Ann Arbor area. The performing arts benefit us all, and we are proud that our employees have chosen to support the cultural enrichment provided by the University Musical Society."
Mohamad Issa
Director, Issa Foundation
"The Issa Foundation is sponsored by the Issa family, which has been established in Ann Arbor for the last 30 years, and is involved in local property management as well as area pub?lic schools. The Issa Foundation is devoted to the sharing and acceptance of culture in an effort to change stereotypes and promote peace. UMS has done an outstanding job bringing diversity into the music and talent of its performers."
Bill Koehler
District President, KeyBank
"KeyBank remains a committed supporter of the performing arts in Ann Arbor and we commend the University Musical Society for its contribution to the community. Thank you, UMS. Keep up the great work!"
Dennis Serras
Owner, Mainstreet Ventures, Inc. "As restaurant and catering service owners, we consider ourselves fortunate that our business provides so many opportunities for supporting the University Musical Society and its continuing success in bringing internationally acclaimed talent to the Ann Arbor community."
Sharon J. Rothwell
Wee President, Corporate Affairs and Chair,
Masco Corporation Foundation
'Masco recognizes and appreciates the value the
performing arts bring to the region and to our young
people. We applaud the efforts of the University Musical
Society for its diverse learning opportunities and the
impact its programs have on our communities and the
cultural leaders of tomorrow."
Scott Merz
CEO, Michigan Critical Care Consultants, Inc. (MC3) 'MC3 is proud to support UMS in recognition of its success in creating a center of cultural richness in Michigan."
Erik H. Serr
Principal, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C. "Miller Canfield proudly supports the University Musical Society for bringing internationally-recognized artists from a broad spectrum of the performing arts to our community, and applauds UMS for offering another year of music, dance, and theater to inspire and enrich our lives."
Michael B. Staebler
Senior Partner, Pepper Hamilton LLP 'The University Musical Society is an essential part of the great quality of life in southeastern Michigan. We at Pepper Hamilton support UMS with enthusiasm."
Joe Sesi
President, Sesi Lincoln Mercury Volvo Mazda "The University Musical Society is an important cultural asset for our community. The Sesi Lincoln Mercury Volvo Mazda team is delighted to sponsor such a fine organization."
Thomas B. McMullen
President, Thomas B. McMullen Co., Inc.
"I used to feel that a U-M-Ohio State football ticket was
the best ticket in Ann Arbor. Not anymore. UMS provides
the best in educational and artistic entertainment."
Robert R. Tisch
President, Tisch Investment Advisory "Thank you, Ann Arbor, for being a wonderful community in which to live, raise a family, and build a successful business."
Tom Thompson
Owner, Tom Thompson Flowers
"Judy and I are enthusiastic participants in the UMS family. We appreciate how our lives have been elevated by this relationship."
Shigeki Terashi
President, Toyota Technical Center "Toyota Technical Center is proud to support UMS, an organization with a long and rich history of serving diverse audiences through a wide variety of arts programming."
Jeff Trapp
President, University of Michigan Credit Union "Thank you to the University Musical Society for enriching our lives. The University of Michigan Credit Union is proud to be a part of another great season of performing arts."
FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
UMS gratefully acknowledges the support of the following foundations and government agencies:
$100,000 or more
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
The Power Foundation
$50,000-$99,999
Anonymous
Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art DTE Energy Foundation Esperance Family Foundation National Endowment for the Arts
$20,000-S49,999
Cairn Foundation
Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation Charles H. Gershenson Trust The Mosaic Foundation, Washington DC National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts
$10,000-519,999
Bustan al-Funun Foundation for Arab Arts Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Eugene and Emily Grant Family Foundation Martin Family Foundation THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION (of R. & P. Heydon) Performing Arts Fund
$1,000-59,999
Consulate General of The Netherlands in New York Mohamed and Hayat Issalssa Foundation Sarns Ann Arbor Fund Target
5250-5999
Thomas and Joann Adler Family Foundation
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY of the University of Michigan
UMS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carl W. Herstein,
Chair James C. Stanley,
Vice Chair Kathleen Benton,
Secretary Michael C. Allemang,
Treasurer Wadad Abed Carol L. Amster Lynda W. Berg
D.J. Boehm Charles W. Borgsdorf Robert Buckler Mary Sue Coleman Martha Darling Junia Doan Al Dodds Aaron P. Dworkin Maxine J. Frankel Patricia M. Garcia Chris Genteel
Anne Glendon David J. Herzig Christopher Kendall Melvin A. Lester Robert C. Macek Joetta Mial Lester P. Monts Roger Newton Todd Roberts A. Douglas Rothwell Edward R. Schulak
John J. H. Schwarz Ellie Serras Joseph A. Sesi Anthony L. Smith Cheryl L. Soper Michael D. VanHemert Masayo Arakawa,
Board Fellow Marcus Collins,
Board Fellow
UMS NATIONAL COUNCIL
Clayton E. Wilhite, Chair Marylene Delbourg-
Delphis John Edman
Janet Eilber Eugene Grant Charles Hamlen David Heleniak
Toni Hoover Judith Istock Wallis Klein Zarin Mehta
Herbert Ruben Russell Willis Taylor
UMS SENATE (former members of the UMS Board of Directors)
Robert G. Aldrich Herbert S. Amster Gail Davis Barnes Richard S. Berger Maurice S. Binkow Lee C. Bollinger Janice Stevens
Botsford Paul C. Boylan Carl A. Brauer William M. Broucek Barbara Everitt Bryant Letitia J. Byrd Kathleen G. Charla Leon S. Cohan Jill A. Corr Peter B. Corr Ronald M. Cresswell
Hal Davis
Sally Stegeman DiCarlo Robert F. DiRomualdo Cynthia Dodd James J. Duderstadt David Featherman Robben W. Fleming David J. Flowers George V. Fornero Beverley B. Geltner William S. Hann Randy J. Harris Walter L. Harrison Deborah S. Herbert Norman G. Herbert Peter N. Heydon Toni Hoover Kay Hunt
Alice Davis Irani Stuart A. Isaac Thomas E. Kauper David B. Kennedy Gloria James Kerry Thomas C. Kinnear Marvin Krislov F. Bruce Kulp Leo A. Legatski Earl Lewis Patrick B. Long Helen B. Love Judythe H. Maugh Paul W. McCracken Rebecca McGowan Barbara Meadows Alberto Nacif Shirley C. Neuman
Jan Barney Newman Len Niehoff Gilbert S. Omenn Joe E. O'Neal John D. Paul Randall Pittman Philip H. Power John Psarouthakis Rossi Ray-Taylor John W. Reed Richard H. Rogel Prudence L. Rosenthal Judy Dow Rumelhart Maya Savarino Ann Schriber Erik H. Serr Harold T. Shapiro George I. Shirley
John 0. Simpson Herbert Sloan Timothy P. Slottow Carol Shalita Smokier Jorge A. Solis Peter Sparling Lois U. Stegeman Edward D. Surovell James L. Telfer Susan B. Ullrich Eileen Lappin Weiser B. Joseph White Marina v.N. Whitman Clayton E. Wilhite Iva M. Wilson Karen Wolff
UMS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Phyllis Herzig, Chair Janet Callaway, Wee Chair Elizabeth Palms, Secretary Sarah Nicoli, Treasurer
Ricky Agranoff MariAnn Apley Lone Arbour Barbara Bach Rula Kort Bawardi Francine Bomar Luctana Borbely Mary Breakey Mary Brown Betty Byrne
Heather Byrne Laura Caplan Cheryt Cassidy Patricia Chapman Cheryl Clarkson Wendy Comstock Norma Davis Mary Dempsey Mary Ann Faeth Michaelene Farrell Sara Fink Susan A. Fisher Susan R. Fisher Kathy Goldberg Walter Graves
Joe Grimley Susan Gross Susan Gutow Lynn Hamilton Charlene Hancock Alice Hart Rafe Juarez Jeri Kelch
Meg Kennedy Shaw Pam Krogness Mary LeDuc Joan Levttsky Eleanor Lord Jane Maehr Jennifer J Maisch
Joanna McNamara Liz Messiter Robin Miesel Natalie Mobley Kay Ness Thomas Ogar Allison Poggi Lisa Psarouthakis Swanna Saltiel Agnes Moy Sams Penny Schreiber Bev Seiford Aliza Shevrin Alida Silverman Loretta Skewes
Andrea Smith Becki Spangler Nancy Stanley Carlin C. Stockson Karen Stutz Eileen Thacker Janet Torno Louise Townley Amanda Uhle Dody Viola Enid Wasserman Ellen Woodman Mary Kate Zelenock
UMS STAFF
AdministrationFinance
Kenneth C. Fischer, President Luciana Borbely,
Assistant to the President John B. Kennard, Jr.,
Director of Administration Beth Gilliland,
Gift ProcessorIT Assistant Patricia Hayes, Senior Accountant John Peckham,
Information Systems Manager
Choral Union
Jerry Blackstone,
Conductor and Music Director Jason Harris, Assistant Conductor Kathleen Operhall, Chorus Manager Nancy K. Paul, Librarian Jean Schneider, Accompanist Scott VanOrnum, Accompanist Donald Bryant, Conductor Emeritus
Development
Susan McClanahan, Director Susan Bozell, Manager of
Corporate Partnerships Rachelle Lesko,
Development Assistant Lisa Michiko Murray,
Manager of Foundation and
Government Grants M. Joanne Navarre, Manager of
Annual Giving Marnie Reid, Manager of
Individual Support
Lisa Rozek, Assistant to the Director of Development
Cynthia Straub, Advisory Committee and Events Coordinator
EducationAudience Development
Claire C. Rice, Interim Director Bree Juarez, Education and
Audience Development Manager Mary Roeder,
Residency Coordinator Omari Rush, Education Manager
MarketingPublic Relations
Sara Billmann, Director James P. Leija, Public Relations
Manager
Mia Milton, Marketing Manager Stephanie Normann, Marketing
Coordinator
Production
Douglas C. Witney, Director Emily Avers, Production
Operations Director Jeffrey Beyersdorf,
Technical Manager
Programming
Michael J. Kondziolka, Director Mark Jacobson,
Programming Manager Carlos Palomares,
Artist Services Coordinator Liz Stover, Programming
Coordinator
Ticket Services
Jennifer Graf, Ticket Services
Manager
Sally A. Cushing, Ticket Offke Associate Suzanne Davidson, Assistant Ticket
Services Manager Adrienne Escamilla,
Ticket Office Associate Sara Sanders, Front-of-House
Coordinator
Karen Zobel, Group Sales Coordinator Dennis Carter, Bruce Oshaben,
Brian Roddy, Head Ushers
Students
Catherine Allan Gabriel Bilen Greg Briley Tyler Brunsman Allison Carron Shannon Deasy Vinal Desai Rebecca Dragonetti Kelsy Durkin Daniel Erben Carrie Fisk Natalie Freilich Charlie Hack Dana Harlan Jennifer Howard Andy Jones Bryan Langlitz Francesca Lollini Brooke Lundin Alejandro Manso Mary Martin Michael Matlock Bryan McGivern
Ashley McNees Michael Michelon Grace Morgan Paula Muldoon Leonard Navarro Jack O'Connell Stephanie Overton Andrew Smith Cahill Smith Trevor Sponseller Catherine Tippman Julie Wallace Sarah Wilbur Sophia Zhuo
UMS CORPORATE COUNCIL
Doug Rothwell,
Chair Albert Berriz
Bruce Brownlee Bob Buckler Jim Garavaglia
Rob Gruen Steve Hamp Carl Herstein
Bob Kelch Mary Kramer Sharon Rothwell
Mike Staebler Jim Vella
UMS TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Abby Alwin Fran Ampey Robin Bailey Greta Barfield Joey Barker Alana Barter Judy Barthwell Rob Bauman Bnta Beitier Eli Bleiler Ann Marie Borders
David Borgsdorf Sigrid Bower Marie Brooks Susan Buchan Deb Clancy Carl Clark Ben Cohen Julie Cohen Leslie Cnscenti Orelia Dann Saundra Dunn
Johanna Epstein Susan Filipiak Katy Fillion Delores Flagg Joey Fukuchi Jeff Gaynor Joyce Gerber Barb Grabbe Joan Grissing Linda Jones Jeff Kass
Rosalie Koenig Sue Kohfeldt Laura Machida Fran Marroquin Jose Mejia Kim Mobley Eunice Moore Michelle Peet Anne Perigo Rebeca Pietrzak Cathy Reischl
Jessica Rizor Vicki Shields Sandra Smith Gretchen Suhre Julie Taylor Cayla Tchalo Dan Tolly Alex Wagner Barbara Wallgren Kimberley Wright Kathryn Young
UMSlnfo
GENERAL INFORMATION
Barrier-Free Entrances
For persons with disabilities, all venues have barrier-free entrances. Wheelchair locations vary by venue; visit www.ums.orgtickets or call 734.764.2538 for details. Ushers are available for assistance.
Listening Systems
For hearing-impaired persons, Hill Auditorium, Power Center, and Rackham Auditorium are equipped with assistive listening devices. Earphones may be obtained upon arrival. Please ask an usher for assistance.
Lost and Found
For items lost at Hill Auditorium, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Power Center, or Rackham Auditorium, please call University Productions at 734.763.5213. For the Michigan Theater, call 734.668.8397. For St. Francis of Assisi, call 734.821.2111.
Parking
Please allow plenty of time for parking as the campus area may be congested. Parking is available in the Church Street, Maynard Street, Thayer Street, Fletcher Street, and Fourth Avenue structures for a minimal fee. Limited street parking is also available. Please allow enough time to park before the performance begins. UMS donors at the Patron level and above ($1,000) receive 10 complimentary park?ing passes for use at the Thayer Street or Fletcher Street structures in Ann Arbor.
UMS offers valet parking service for Hill Auditorium performances in the 0809 Choral Union series. Cars may be dropped off in front of Hill Auditorium beginning one hour before
each performance. There is a $20 fee for this service. UMS members at the Concertmaster level ($7,500) and above are invited to use this service at no charge.
Other recommended parking that may not be as crowded as on-campus structures: Liberty Square structure (formerly Tally Hall), entrance off of Washington Street between Division and State; about a two-block walk from most per?formance venues, $2 after 3 pm weekdays and all day SaturdaySunday. Maynard Street struc?ture, entrances off Maynard and Thompson between Willliam and Liberty, $.80hr, free on Sunday.
For up-to-date parking information, please visit www.ums.orgparking.
Refreshments
Refreshments are available in the lobby during intermissions at events in the Power Center, in the lower lobby of Hill Auditorium (beginning 75 minutes prior to concerts--enter through the west lobby doors), and in the Michigan Theater. Refreshments are not allowed in the seating areas.
Smoking Areas
University of Michigan policy forbids smoking in any public area, including the lobbies and restrooms.
Start Time
UMS makes every effort to begin concerts at the published time. Most of our events take place in the heart of central campus, which does have limited parking and may have several events occurring simultaneously in different theaters. Please allow plenty of extra time to park and find your seats.
Latecomers
Latecomers will be asked to wait in the lobby until seated by ushers. Most lobbies have been outfitted with monitors andor speakers so that latecomers will not miss the performance.
The late-seating break is determined by the artist and will generally occur during a suitable repertory break in the program (e.g., after the first entire piece, not after individual movements of classical works). There may be occasions where latecomers are not seated until intermis?sion, as determined by the artist. UMS makes every effort to alert patrons in advance when we know that there will be no late seating.
UMS tries to work with the artists to allow a flexible late-seating policy for family perform?ances.
UMS TICKETS
Group Tickets
Treat 10 or more friends, co-workers, or family members to an unforgettable performance of live music, dance, or theater. Whether you have a group of students, a business gathering, a college reunion, or just you and a group of friends, the UMS Group Sales Office can help you plan the perfect outing. You can make it formal or casual, a special celebration, or just friends enjoying each other's company. The many advantages to booking as a group include:
Reserving tickets before tickets go on sale to the general public
Discounts of 15-25 for most performances
Accessibility accommodations
No-risk reservations that are fully refundable up to 14 days before the performance
1-3 complimentary tickets for the group organizer (depending on size of group). Complimentary tickets are not offered for performances without a group discount.
For more information, please contact 734.763.3100 or e-mail umsgroupsales@umich.edu.
Classical Kids Club
Parents can introduce their children to world-renowned classical music artists through the Classical Kids Club. For more information please see page P33.
NETWORK Tickets
Members of the UMS African American Arts Advocacy Committee receive discounted tickets to certain performances. For more information please see page P29.
Student Tickets
Discounted tickets are available for University students and teenagers. Information on all UMS University Student Ticketing programs can be found on page P34. Teen Ticket infor?mation can be found on page P33.
Gift Certificates
Available in any amount and redeemable for any of more than 60 events throughout our season, delivered with your personal message, the UMS Gift Certificate is ideal for weddings, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother's and Father's Days, or even as a housewarming pres?ent when new friends move to town.
UMS Gift Certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. For more information, please visit www.ums.org.
Retums
If you are unable to attend a concert for which you have purchased tickets, you may turn in your tickets up to 15 minutes before curtain time by calling the Ticket Office. Refunds are not available; however, you will be given a receipt for an income tax deduction.
Ticket Exchanges
Subscribers may exchange tickets free of charge. Non-subscribers may exchange tickets for a $6 per ticket exchange fee. Exchanged tickets must be received by the Ticket Office (by mail or in person) at least 48 hours prior to the performance. The value of the tickets
may be applied to another performance or will be held as UMS Credit until the end of the season. You may also fax a copy of your torn tickets to 734.647.1171. Lost or misplaced tickets cannot be exchanged. UMS Credit for this season must be redeemed by April 26, 2009.
HOW DO I BUY TICKETS
In Person:
League Ticket Office
911 North University Ave.
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat: 10am-1pm
By Phone:
734.764.2538
Outside the 734 area code, call toll-free 800.221.1229
By Internet:
www.ums.org
By Fax: 734.647.1171
By Mail:
UMS Ticket Office Burton Memorial Tower 881 North University Ave. Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1011
On-site ticket offices at performance venues open 90 minutes before each performance.
UMSAnnals
UMS HISTORY
Through a commitment to presentation, education, and the creation of new work, the University Musical Society (UMS) serves Michigan audiences by bringing to our community an ongo?ing series of world-class artists, who represent the diverse spectrum of today's vigorous and exciting live performing arts world. Over the past 130 years, strong leadership coupled with a devoted community has placed UMS in a league of internationally recognized performing arts presenters. Today, the UMS seasonal program is a reflection of a thoughtful respect for this rich and varied history, balanced by a commit?ment to dynamic and creative visions of where the performing arts will take us in this new millennium. Every day UMS seeks to cultivate, nurture, and stimulate public interest and participation in every facet of the live arts.
UMS grew from a group of local university and townspeople who gathered together for the study of Handel's Messiah. Led by Professor Henry Simmons Frieze and conducted by Professor Calvin Cady, the group assumed the name The Choral Union. Their first perform?ance of Handel's Messiah was in December of 1879 and this glorious oratorio has since been performed by the UMS Choral Union annually.
As many Choral Union members also belonged to the University, the University Musical Society was established in December, 1880. UMS included the Choral Union and University Orchestra, and throughout the year presented a series of concerts featuring local and visiting artists and ensembles.
Since that first season in 1880, UMS has expanded greatly and now presents the very best from the full spectrum of the performing arts--internationally renowned recitalists and orchestras, dance and chamber ensembles, jazz and world music performers, and opera and theater. Through educational endeavors, commissioning of new works, youth programs, artist residencies, and other collaborative projects, UMS has maintained its reputation for quality, artistic distinction, and innovation. UMS now hosts over 50 performances and more than 125 educational events each sea?son. UMS has flourished with the support of a generous community that this year gathers in eight different Ann Arbor venues.
The UMS Choral Union has likewise expanded its charge over its 130-year history. Recent collaborations have included the Grammy Award-winning recording of William Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and of Experience (2004), John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (2007), and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar") with the Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg (2006).
While proudly affiliated with the University of Michigan, housed on the Ann Arbor campus, and a regular collaborator with many University units, UMS is a separate not-for-profit organi?zation that supports itself from ticket sales, corporate and individual contributions, founda?tion and government grants, special project support from U-M, and endowment income.
UMS VENUES AND BURTON MEMORIAL TOWER
Hill Auditorium
After an 18-month $38.6-million dollar renova?tion overseen by Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. and historic preservation architects Quinn EvansArchitects, Hill Auditorium re-opened to the public in January 2004. Originally built in 1913, renovations have updated Hill's infra?structure and restored much of the interior to its original splendor. Exterior renovations include the reworking of brick paving and stone retaining wall areas, restoration of the south entrance plaza, reworking of the west barrier-free ramp and loading dock, and improvements to landscaping.
Interior renovations included the creation of additional restrooms, the improvement of barrier-free circulation by providing elevators and an addition with ramps, new seats to
increase patron comfort, introduction of barrier-free seating and stage access, the replacement of theatrical performance and audio-visual systems, and the complete replacement of mechanical and electrical infrastructure systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Hill Auditorium seats 3,575.
Michigan Theater
The historic Michigan Theater opened January 5, 1928 at the peak of the vaudevillemovie palace era. Designed by Maurice Finkel, the 1,710-seat theater cost around $600,000 when it was first built. As was the custom of the day, the theater was equipped to host both film and live stage events, with a full-size stage, dressing rooms, an orchestra pit, and the Barton Theater Organ. At its opening, the theater was acclaimed as the best of its kind in the country. Since 1979, the theater has been operated by the not-for-profit Michigan Theater Foundation. With broad community support, the Foundation has raised over $8 million to restore and improve the Michigan Theater. The beautiful interior of the theater was restored in 1986.
In the fall of 1999, the Michigan Theater opened a new 200-seat screening room addi?tion, which also included expanded restroom facilities for the historic theater. The gracious facade and entry vestibule was restored in 2000.
Power Center
The Power Center for the Performing Arts grew out of a realization that the University of Michigan had no adequate proscenium-stage theater for the performing arts. Hill Auditorium was too massive and technically limited for most productions, and the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre was too small. The Power Center was built to supply this missing link in design and seating capacity.
In 1963, Eugene and Sadye Power, together with their son Philip, wished to make a major gift to the University, and amidst a list of University priorities "a new theater" was
mentioned. The Powers were immediately inter?ested, realizing that state and federal govern?ments were unlikely to provide financial support for the construction of a new theater.
Opening in 1971 with the world premiere of The Grass Harp (based on the novel by Truman Capote), the Power Center achieved the seemingly contradictory combination of providing a soaring interior space with a unique level of intimacy. Architectural features include two large spiral staircases leading from the orchestra level to the balcony and the well-known mirrored glass panels on the exterior. The lobby of the Power Center presently "eatures two hand-woven tapestries: Modern Tapestry by Roy Lichtenstein and Volutes Arabesque) by Pablo Picasso.
The Power Center seats approximately 1,400 people.
Arbor Springs Water Company is generously providing :omplimentary water to UMS artists backstage at the Dower Center throughout the 0809 season.
iackham Auditorium Sixty years ago, chamber music concerts in Ann Arbor were a relative rarity, presented in an assortment of venues including University Hall (the precursor to Hill Auditorium), Hill Auditorium, and Newberry Hall, the current iome of the Kelsey Museum. When Horace H. Rackham, a Detroit lawyer who believed strongly in the importance of the study of numan history and human thought, died in 1933, his will awarded the University of Michigan the funds not only to build the Horace H. Rackham Graduate School, which nouses Rackham Auditorium, but also to estab-ish a $4 million endowment to further the development of graduate studies. Even more 'emarkable than the size of the gift is the fact :hat neither he nor his wife ever attended the Jniversity of Michigan.
Designed by architect William Kapp and architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci, Rackham Auditorium was quickly recognized
as the ideal venue for chamber music. In 1941, UMS presented its first chamber music festival with the Musical Art Quartet of New York per?forming three concerts in as many days, and the current Chamber Arts Series was born in 1963. Chamber music audiences and artists alike appreciate the intimacy, beauty, and fine acoustics of the 1,129-seat auditorium, which has been the location for hundreds of chamber music concerts throughout the years.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Dedicated in 1969, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church has grown from 248 families when it first started to more than 2,800 today. The present church seats 1,000 people and has ample free parking. In 1994, St. Francis pur?chased a splendid three manual "mechanical action" organ with 34 stops and 45 ranks, built and installed by Orgues Letourneau from Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec. Through dedication, a commitment to superb liturgical music, and a vision to the future, the parish improved the acoustics of the church building, and the reverberant sanctuary has made the church a gathering place for the enjoyment and con?templation of sacred a cappella choral music and early music ensembles.
Burton Memorial Tower
Seen from miles away, Burton Memorial Tower is one of the most well-known University of Michigan and Ann Arbor landmarks. Designed by Albert Kahn in 1935 as a memorial to U-M President Marion Leroy Burton, the 10-story tower is built of Indiana limestone with a height of 212 feet. The carillon, one of only 23 in the world, is the world's fourth heaviest containing 55 bells and weighing a total of 43 tons. UMS has occupied administrative offices in this building since its opening, with a brief pause in the year 2000 for significant renovations.
ums
Winter 2009 Season 130th Annual Season
General Information
On-site ticket offices at performance venues open 90 minutes before each performance.
Children of all ages are welcome at UMS Family and Youth Performances. Parents are encouraged not to bring children under the age of 3 to regular, full-length UMS performances. All children should be able to sit quietly in their own seats throughout any UMS performance. Children unable to do so, along with the adult accompany?ing them, will be asked by an usher to leave the auditorium. Please use discre?tion in choosing to bring a child.
Remember, everyone must have a ticket, regardless of age.
While in the Auditorium
Starting Time Every attempt is made to begin concerts on time. Latecomers are asked to wait in the lobby until seated by ushers at a predetermined time in the program.
Cameras and recording equipment are prohibited in the auditorium.
If you have a question, ask your usher. They are here to help
Please turn off your cellular phones and other digital devices so that everyone may enjoy this UMS event disturbance-free. In case of emergency, advise your paging service of auditorium and seat location in Ann Arbor venues, and ask them to call University Security at 734.763.1131.
In the interests of saving both dollars and the environment, please either retain this program book and return with it when you attend other UMS performances included in this edition or return it to your usher when leaving the venue.
Event Program Book
Wednesday, March 18 through Sunday, March 29, 2009
Altenberg Trio Vienna 3
Wednesday, March 18, 8:00 pm Rackham Auditorium
Ustad Zakir Hussain 7
Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Sunday, March 22, 7:00 pm Rackham Auditorium
The Romeros 11
Thursday, March 26, 8:00 pm Rackham Auditorium
Dan Zanes & Friends 17
Sunday, March 29, 1:00 pm Sunday, March 29, 4:00 pm (Family Performances) Rackham Auditorium
UMS Educational Events
through Sunday, March 29, 2009
All UMS educational activities are free, open to the public, and take place in Ann Arbor unless otherwise noted. For complete details and updates, please visit www.ums.org or contact the UMS education department at 734.647.6712 or umsed@umich.edu.
Please find a complete listing of the remaining performances of the 130th UMS season on page 20 of this program insert.
The Romeros
PREP: Classical Guitar
Thursday, March 26, 7:00 pm 202 South Thayer Building, Room 2022, 915 East Washington (the corner of Thayer and Washington)
Classical guitar performer and teacher Matthew Ardizzone conducts a lecturedemonstration focusing on The Romeros, their history, sound, and legacy in the world of classical guitar. Mr. Ardizzone has performed and led master classes throughout the country. The first guitarist to receive a doctorate in performance from the Eastman School of Music, his other accolades include First Prize in the 1995 Rantucci Guitar Competition and fifth place in the 1997 Stotsenberg International Guitar Competition.
presents
Altenberg Trio Vienna
Claus-Christian Schuster, Piano Amiram Ganz, Violin Alexander Gebert, Cello
Wednesday Evening, March 18, 2009 at 8:00 Rackham Auditorium Ann Arbor
Tom Takemitsu Between Tides...
Franz Joseph Haydn Trio in C Major, Op. 71, No. 1 (Hob. XV:21) Adagio pastorale--Vivace assai Molto andante Finale (Presto)
INTERMISSION
Antonin Dvorak Piano Trio No. 3 in f minor, Op. 65 (B. 130) Allegro ma non troppo Allegretto grazioso Poco adagio Finale (Allegro con brio)

49th Performance of the 130th Annual Season
46th Annual Chamber Arts Series
The photographing or sound and video recording of this concert or possession of any device for such recording is prohibited.
Media partnership provided by WGTE 91.3 FM and Observers Eccentric Newspapers.
Altenberg Trio Vienna appears by arrangement with California Artists Management in association with Mariedi Anders Artists Management.
Large print programs are available upon request.
Now that you're in your seat...
Unlike the string quartet, the piano trio is not a conversation among equals but rather a contest between two fundamentally different sides: the piano, with its rich polyphonic possibilities, is opposed by two string instruments that are designed primarily to play single melodic lines. Nor do the sound colors achieve that complete blend which four members of the string family can produce. Yet this is precisely the main attraction of the piano trio as a genre: the piano, which tends to dominate proceedings, is constantly challenged by the two string instruments; their harmony is not a given but is arrived at through a laborious process, like an agreement among three totally dissimilar characters who always preserve their individuality. The three works on tonight's program come from three different centuries and three different countries, and illustrate the extraordinary versatility of this beloved chamber formation.
Between Tides... (1993) Toru Takemitsu
Born October 8, 1930 in Tokyo, Japan Died February 20, 1996 in Tokyo
Snapshot of History... In 1993:
Bill Clinton becomes the US President
War in Bosnia
The first bombing of the World Trade Center
Steven Spielberg releases both Jurassic Park and Schindler's List
Death of Takemitsu's friend, novelist Kobo Abe, author of A Woman in the Dunes, whose film version had a score by Takemitsu
"I have a preference for peaceful music"--Toru Takemitsu once wrote, and his entire voluminous output bears witness to that statement. At the time this work was written as a commission for the Berlin Festival, Takemitsu had long enjoyed great prestige as the first Japanese composer fully accepted in the West. His unique, peaceful voice brought the Oriental influences of Debussy and Messiaen back to their home of origin; his love of nature--water, trees, and flowers--inspired work after work of gentle, sensuous sounds and a profoundly meditative character.
Between Tides..., a 15-minute work written for Pamela Frank, Yo-Yo Ma, and Peter Serkin, is a succession of mighty crescendo and decrescendo curves, where the volume in turn increases and decreases, imitating the ebb and flow of the sea. There are several powerful dramatic eruptions (a relatively rare occurrence with this composer),
but the music moves mostly in long, expressive melodic lines and dreamy sonorities left hanging in the air. In his harmonies, Takemitsu is noticeably more conventionally tonal than he had been earlier in his career. Critic Malcolm MacDonald has called Between Tides... "perhaps one of [Takemitsu's] greatest works. It certainly has a lot of competition in the composer's extensive catalog, but it is definitely a major addition to the contemporary piano-trio repertoire."
Trio in C Major, Op. 71, No. 1 (Hob. XV:21)
(1795)
Franz Joseph Haydn
Born March 31, 1732 in Rohrau, Lower Austria Died May 31, 1809 in Vienna
Snapshot of History... In 1795:
The French Revolution enters a period of consolida?tion with the establishment of the Directory
Poland is partitioned for the third time between Russia, Prussia, and Austria
Goethe publishes Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship
Kamehameha I founds the Kingdom of Hawaii
William Blake creates his celebrated print Nebuchadnezzar
Beethoven publishes his three piano trios. Op. 1
In the first printed edition, the present work and its companions were not called "trios" but rather pianoforte sonatas with violin and cello accompaniment. Although the violinist does
frequently share the limelight with the keyboard player, the cello part basically doubles the left hand of the piano, providing a harmonic foundation but doing little else. From the vantage point of 19th-century chamber music, in which all the players are equal, this may seem like a deficiency. Yet, instead of trying to apply anachronistic ideas to Haydn, we should take him on his own terms and accept this imbalance as an important characteristic of his instrumentation. In fact, this state of affairs tums out to be the source of a unique sound world in the Haydn trios--glorified piano sonatas with a kind of string "halo," as it were.
Haydn wrote such trios throughout his long career, producing about 40 of them over the years. As with the symphonies and string quartets, his art reached its apex in the 1790s, at the time of his two extended sojoums in London. Tonight's selection is one of the London trios, published as part of a set of three in 1795, just before Haydn left England for good. It is a particularly sunny work in three movements which begins in an unusual way, with a brief adagio introduction, marked, significantly, "Adagio pastorale." Yet the mood doesn't remain "pastoral" (that is, quiet and peaceful) for very long; a lively sonata form soon gets underway with its attendant thematic contrasts, exciting motivic transformations, and dramatic surprises. Even the second movement is not too slow but maintains a steady walking speed throughout. The last movement, finally, is a playful romp that, in a typically Haydnesque way, reserves some major surprises for the audience. An extended trill in the piano prepares a powerful dramatic outburst with an exceptional series of diminished chords (the strongest dissonance possible in classical music), and it is a while before the music may resume its initial light-hearted mood which now prevails to the end.
Piano Trio No. 3 in f minor. Op. 65 (B. 130)
(1883)
Antonin Dvorak
Bom September8, 1841 in Nelahozeves, Bohemia Died May 1, 1904 in Prague
Snapshot of History... In 1883:
Richard Wagner dies
The Brooklyn Bridge opens
The Orient Express runs from Paris to Constantinople
Nietzsche publishes Thus Spake Zarathustra
The Metropolitan Opera opens
Gaudi begins work on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Dvorak wrote a total of six piano trios, but the first two are lost. The present work, in the " dark" key of f minor, is one of the most dramatic works written by this usually cheerful and optimistic master. The years 1883-85 marked a crisis in Dvorak's life. His mother had recently died, and he was facing major dilemmas in his professional career. The invitation from Vienna to write an opera in German pitted his desire for advancement against his Czech national feelings. (He finally declined the offer.) His feelings at the time found expression in the f-minor trio and, soon afterwards, in Symphony No. 7.
The trio opens with a soft melody played by the violin and the cello in unison; the melody ends with the musical equivalent of a question mark. The hesitant question is answered by an energetic, march-like theme that gathers more and more momentum but eventually yields to a lyrical second idea first introduced by the cello. The initial "question" and the two opposing "answers" dominate the movement. At one point, the "question" is repeated with great insistence in a stormy fortissimo, but even after the recapitulation of both "answers," the doubts are not dispelled: the question is repeated in the movement's coda in its original tentative form, only to be abruptly cut off by a few energetic chords.
The second movement is a scherzo in the rhythms of a Czech folk dance with a middle section that is romantic, brooding, and agitated all at the same time. The mood lightens up a bit, yet the tonality remains predominantly minor, which gives the movement a subtle touch of wistfulness despite the playful dance rhythms. Even the middle section, which modulates to the major, borrows
many of its harmonies from the "sad" minor mode.
The slow movement, which is in third place, is-most of the time--an emotional duet between the two string instruments with an exquisitely sensitive piano accompaniment, "restoring calm but not peace" according to an earlier commentator. There are some agitated moments with abrupt, dreamy modulations; yet the ending of the movement (the only one in the trio to be unequivocally in the major mode) is quiet and delicate.
Rhythmically, the last movement was inspired by the well-known Czech dance, the furiant. Yet it is hardly one of Dvorak's happy "Slavonic Dances." It is tense and exciting movement in f minor (with no major-mode relief at the end) that keeps the listener constantly on the edge of his or her seat.
Program notes by Peter Laki.
Since its "official" debut during the Salzburg MozartWeek in January 1994, the Altenberg Trio Vienna--one of the few full-time piano trios in the world of chamber music--has, in over 1,000 performances, earned a reputation as one of the most daring and consistent ensembles of its kind.
The Altenberg Trio enjoys a splendid reputation among international chamber music ensembles and has been enthusiastically received in the US, Canada, and throughout Europe. Repertoire encompasses no fewer than 200 piano trios, including works which were composed for and premiered by the ensemble.
At the time it was formed, the ensemble became Trio-in-residence of Vienna's Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, the renowned Musikverein, where it gives an annual series of concerts in the Brahms Saal. They are also Trio-in-residence of the Vienna Conservatory, where the ensemble gives master classes and seminars.
The instrumentalists have impressive individual reputations in chamber music, taking great pride in remaining faithful to the style and tradition of the "Viennese sound" so often admired. They chose their name in honor of the revered Viennese poet Peter Altenberg, who was a contemporary and compatriot of several renowned Viennese composers and artists at the turn of the century: Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Gustav Mahler, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, and Gustav Klimt.
The Altenberg Trio currently has 10 recordings on the Challenge label in repertoire ranging from German and French classics to American music. Their recording of trios of Ives, Copland, and Bernstein won the Edison Award in Amsterdam in 2000.
The Altenberg Trio's last live performance cycles were particularly highly acclaimed, including 10 concerts of the series "Strolling through the Rediscovered Europe," which explored the music of the European Union's 10 new member states.
Amiram Ganz plays a violin by Goffredo Cappa (Saluzzo, 1686), Alexander Gebert, a cello by Nicolas Vuillaume (1800-1871).
This evening's performance marks the Altenberg Trio Vienna's UMS debut.
Altenberg Trio Vienna
presents
Ustad Zakir Hussain
Tabla
Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Santoor
Program
Sunday Evening, March 22, 2009 at 7:00 Rackham Auditorium Ann Arbor
Tonight's program will be announced by the artists from the stage and will be performed with one intermission.
50th Performance of the 130th Annual Season
The photographing or sound and video recording of this concert or possession of any device for such recording is prohibited.
Media partnership provided by WEMU 89.1 FM.
The Oriental rug used in this evening's performance is made possible by Ali A. Amiri and Persian House of Imports, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shivkumar Sharma appear by arrangement with IMG Artists, New York, NY.
Large print programs are available upon request.
Any performance of North Indian classical music depends considerably on the mood and inspiration of the artists and their rapport with the audience. Therefore, the selection of ragas and talas will be chosen according to the mood of the evening and announced just prior to the performance by the artist. Moods from solemn and sad, to romantic and restless are said to be embodied like personalities in the thousands of ragas in classical literature.
Indian classical music is a highly developed musical language which expresses itself entirely through melodic tone rows called raga. Whereas in Western music a major key may be said to symbolize happiness and a minor key sadness, different ragas express or symbolize a whole variety of emotions as well as the various times of day and seasons of the year. In Indian music there is no harmony, so all musical meaning must rest with the interrelation of the notes in each particular raga. The octave is divided into the same number of semitones as the Western chromatic scale, but the intervals are not tempered. Furthermore, most musicians deviate from these intervals in certain ragas by sharpening or flattening specified notes micro-tonally. In North Indian music, such as will be heard in tonight's program, microtonal inflections are used as a means of emotional expression on certain predetermined notes.
The most important note in any raga is the tonic, around which the development of the raga evolves. It must be pointed out that in Indian music, once the instrument has been tuned, the tonic never changes, as opposed to Western music where the tonic may change frequently during a work by way of modulation and harmonic development. Indian music is entirely melodic, firmly rooted in its tonic, and any apparent harmony is a matter of coincidence rather than intention.
Instruments
The santoor was known in India as the "Shata Tantri Veena" or the 100-stringed lute. Unlike other string instruments which are usually plucked, the santoor is played by striking the strings with two curved hammers made of walnut. The santoor was first presented on the classical stage by Shivkumar Sharma in Bombay in 1955, when the maestro was only 17 years old. Used in the early decades of the 20th century to accompany a style of singing known as Sufiana Mausiqi, the santoor is thought
to have been spread around the world by itinerant Gypsies.
The tabla, the premiere North Indian classical percussion instrument, consists of a pair of single-headed tuned kettledrums. The left-hand drum, banya, is made of an alloy of copper and silver with a goatskin membrane and provides a bass note of indefinite pitch. The right-hand drum, tabla, has a hardwood body and the membrane is stretched by a number of thongs and eight wooden blocks which are used for tuning the drum to the keynote Sa. In the center of the membrane there is a small black circular area composed of a dried paste made from flour, iron, manganese filings, and other ingredients. This increases the resonance of the drum considerably. Each drum stroke has its own particular name: Aa, Ta, Dha, Dhin, Trik, and so forth, and the rhythmic patterns are transmitted orally through these onomatopoeic names.
A true master will tell you he is only a good student. A student of Indian classical music, where the term master is codified ("Ustad" for musicians of Muslim descent, "Pandit" for Hindu), will tell you quite confidently that Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Ustad Zakir Hussain are true masters.
Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, one of India's most popular and revered classical musicians, is India's greatest living santoor player. He has single-handedly brought about a revolution in the development and history of his instrument, both re-designing and re-defining it. If the santoor today needs no introduction, it is due to his work and genius, since he has brought this little-known Kashmiri folk instrument to the classical concert halls of India and the world.
Born in 1938 in Jammu, Kashmir, he studied vocals, tabla, and santoor with his father, the late Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, a prominent exponent of Indian classical music. In order to achieve the subtleties of Indian classical music, Shivji, early in his career, made important modifications to his instrument: he refined the santoor to 86 strings, increased the range to cover a full three octaves, and created a new technique to masterfully sustain notes and maintain sound continuity. He has made popular and innovative recordings, including Call of the Valley, Feelings, and Mountains. He made the sound of the santoor indispensable to Indian film music, composing music for such films as
Silsila, Lamhe, Chandni, and Dan. He is also a dedicated teacher, imparting his knowledge in the Guru Shishya tradition to the next generation of musicians and training students from all over the world. His son and disciple Rahul Sharma has already made a name for himself as a formidable talent and performer.
Since making his first public performance in 1955, Shivji has traveled throughout the world and has garnered prestigious awards and titles, including Padma Vibhushan (2001), the Ustad Hafiz AN Khan Award (1998), Padma Shri (1991), an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Jammu (1991), and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1986).
Ustad Zakir Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but earned him worldwide fame. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded in formidable knowledge and study. The favorite accompanist for many of India's greatest classical musicians and dancers, he has not let his genius rest there.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir's contribution to world music has been unique, with many historic collaborations including Shakti (which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar in the early 1970s), the Diga Rhythm Band, Making Music, Planet Drum (with drummer Mickey Hart), Tabla Beat Science, Sangam (with saxophonist Charles Lloyd and drummer Eric Harland), and recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto Moreira, Giovanni Hidalgo, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Rennie Harris, and the Kodo drummers of Japan.
A child prodigy, Zakir was touring by the age of 12, the gifted son of his great father, tabla legend Ustad Allarakha. Zakir came to the US in 1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year. Zakir received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In 2002, his commissioned work for choreographer Mark Morris's Kolam premiered as part of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project. In 2006,
UMS Archives
Tonight's performance marks Ustad Zakir Hussain's second appearance under UMS auspices. He made his UMS debut in concert with Ali Akbar Khan in March 2000.
Tonight's performance marks Pandit Shivkumar Sharma's UMS debut.
Triple Concerto for Banjo, Bass, and Tabla, a piece co-composed by Zakir, Edgar Meyer, and Bela Fleck, was performed by the trio with the Nashville Symphony at the gala opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall in Nashville.
In 1992, Planet Drum, an album co-created and produced by Zakir and Mickey Hart, was awarded the first Grammy Award for "Best World Music Album." In the same year, Zakir founded Moment! Records, which features original collaborations in the field of contemporary world music, as well as live concert performances by great masters of the classical music of India.
Zakir is the recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the US's most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts, presented by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the US Senate in 1999.
and
Michigan Critical Care
Consultants
and
Edward Surovell
Realtors
present
The Romeros
Celin Romero, Guitar Pepe Romero, Guitar Lito Romero, Guitar Celino Romero, Guitar
Thursday Evening, March 26, 2009 at 8:00 Rackham Auditorium Ann Arbor
Ruperto Chapi y Lorente, Arr. Lorenzo Palomo La Revoltosa (excerpt) Preludio
The Romeros
Gaspar Sanz, Arr. C. Romero Suite Espanola Celino Romero
Joaquin Rodrigo Tonadilla Allegro ma non troppo Minueto pomposo Allegro vivace
Pepe and Celino Romero
Pepe Romero Farrucas Lito Romero
Luigi Boccherini, Trans. Romeros Quintet No. 4 in D Major for Guitar and Strings, G. 448 (excerpts) Introduction Fandango
The Romeros
INTERMISSION