CULVER CITY SYMPHONY ENSEMBLE
Sunday, December 8, 2024
PROGRAM
Mykola Leontovych (1877-1921): Carol of the Bells
# George Frederick Handel (1685-1749): Joy to the World
# James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893): Jingle Bells
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Sonata al Santo Sepolcro (RV 130)
* Antonio Vivaldi: Piccolo Concerto in C (RV 443)
1) Allegro, 2) Largo, 3) Allegro molto
Traditional Hebrew Hymn: Tikkun Olam
Traditional African Hymn: Kumbaya
Zanaida Stewart Robles (b. 1980): Psalm 61 “Hear My Cry”
# Leonard Cohen (1934-2016): Hallelujah
George Berres (1912-1975): Pony Trot
Brooke DeRosa (b. 1984): Christmas All Year
* Various, arr Charles Callahan: A Christmas Prelude
* William Grant Still (1895-1978): Serenade
Christopher Tyler Nickel (b. 1978): The Peace Beyond
# Franz Gruber (1787-1863): Silent Night
*Sarah Jackson, Flute and Piccolo # Audience Sing-Along
Sunday, December 8, 2024
PROGRAM
Mykola Leontovych (1877-1921): Carol of the Bells
# George Frederick Handel (1685-1749): Joy to the World
# James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893): Jingle Bells
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Sonata al Santo Sepolcro (RV 130)
* Antonio Vivaldi: Piccolo Concerto in C (RV 443)
1) Allegro, 2) Largo, 3) Allegro molto
Traditional Hebrew Hymn: Tikkun Olam
Traditional African Hymn: Kumbaya
Zanaida Stewart Robles (b. 1980): Psalm 61 “Hear My Cry”
# Leonard Cohen (1934-2016): Hallelujah
George Berres (1912-1975): Pony Trot
Brooke DeRosa (b. 1984): Christmas All Year
* Various, arr Charles Callahan: A Christmas Prelude
* William Grant Still (1895-1978): Serenade
Christopher Tyler Nickel (b. 1978): The Peace Beyond
# Franz Gruber (1787-1863): Silent Night
*Sarah Jackson, Flute and Piccolo # Audience Sing-Along
Maestro’s Musings for December 8, 2024
Good evening and a warm winter welcome to one and all! We are delighted you are sharing a part of your precious time with us and are sure you will be glad you are here.
From the joyful and brilliant sounds of bells to the sounds of a silent night, we have prepared an evening of music for everyone. More than just a lovely “Christmas Concert,” tonight we invite you to also celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Jodo-e, and the Winter Solstice.
The famous Ukrainian Carol of the Bells will warm us with the familiar repeated bell motif. Please join us in singing Joy to the World (did you know this carol is based on a melody from Handel’s Messiah?) and that old favorite Jingle Bells, that describes the jingling of sleigh bells as we go dashing through the snow!
Antonio Vivaldi was the most famous Italian composer of the Baroque era, where the music and arts were filled with awe-inspiring colors, ornaments, and fun surprises. Vivaldi was also a priest, but was rather unhealthy during his life, so he served his ministry with music teaching and composing. His “Sonata al Santo Sepolcro” is unusual with its two short movements, a melancholy Largo and a gentle Fugue. Il Prete Rosso (yes, Father Antonio had red hair!) loved composing for strings, but also had an affinity for woodwinds, composing dozens of 3 movement Concertos for recorder (forerunner of the flute and piccolo) and other wind instruments. We are fortunate to hear the sweet sounds of this little flute as played by Sarah Jackson from the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
A series of tributes to various spiritual ideas follows. Tikkun Olam is a Jewish ideal meaning “to repair the world.” Kumbaya is a traditional African prayer asking God to “come by here.” Zanaida Robles shares with her listeners, as well as her voice and composition students at CSUN about the prayers and pleadings from the Old Testament of the Bible, with Psalm 61 beginning “Hear My Cry, Lord.” The famous Canadian troubadour Leonard Cohen believed in the many teachings of Zen Buddhism, and his “Hallelujah” is a sort of secular praise to life, as he, a Jewish pop star was ordained as a Monk at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center here in L.A.
Children love this time of year, and the CCSO founder, conductor, and composer George Berres and our current composer extraordinaire Brooke deRosa gave musical gifts kids will enjoy. Berres’ cute little Pony Trot was written for his own children and grandchildren, and Brooke’s Christmas All Year has been heard on stage and screen.
Our brilliant Piccolo soloist started her musical studies on Flute, so she will bring that bigger instrument out for two wonderful pieces. What’s Christmas without a Christmas Medley of well-known Carols? A musical work you will NOT recognize is the beautifully melodic Serenade by William Grant Still (known as the “Dean of African American composers”). Still was close friends with our founder, George Berres, and they worked together to bring music to our community. Interestingly, this piece was written by Still for piano and strings, but he added a solo flute part for a performance by our Orchestra in December 1966!
A dear friend of mine in Vancouver, my Composer-in-Residence for my Canadian orchestra, is a deeply religious fellow who is as concerned about humankind as anyone. Christopher Tyler Nickel (who just composed a Concerto for Piccolo for you-know-who!) makes a living as a TV and film composer, but his greatest joy is expressing through music his thoughts and reflections about life. The Peace Beyond is a prayer for the future.
Franz Gruber was preparing the music at his church near Salzburg for Christmas Eve, 1818. The church organ was damaged, and he had to compose something new on the spot that he could play on guitar! His priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had written a poem, Stille Nacht, a year before, and offered that for the service. Gruber quickly wrote what has become the world’s most popular Christmas song, Silent Night. Please sing along!
We so greatly appreciate your presence with us tonight. The Culver City Symphony Ensemble is our gift to you. We play the music you want to hear, and in places you like to go! Please help us continue these free family-friendly events with a donation.
Blessings to you and all your family and loved ones. We look forward to seeing you in the new year at the Frost Auditorium for our free Symphony Orchestra concerts on Sundays January 26, April 6, and June 22.
From the joyful and brilliant sounds of bells to the sounds of a silent night, we have prepared an evening of music for everyone. More than just a lovely “Christmas Concert,” tonight we invite you to also celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Jodo-e, and the Winter Solstice.
The famous Ukrainian Carol of the Bells will warm us with the familiar repeated bell motif. Please join us in singing Joy to the World (did you know this carol is based on a melody from Handel’s Messiah?) and that old favorite Jingle Bells, that describes the jingling of sleigh bells as we go dashing through the snow!
Antonio Vivaldi was the most famous Italian composer of the Baroque era, where the music and arts were filled with awe-inspiring colors, ornaments, and fun surprises. Vivaldi was also a priest, but was rather unhealthy during his life, so he served his ministry with music teaching and composing. His “Sonata al Santo Sepolcro” is unusual with its two short movements, a melancholy Largo and a gentle Fugue. Il Prete Rosso (yes, Father Antonio had red hair!) loved composing for strings, but also had an affinity for woodwinds, composing dozens of 3 movement Concertos for recorder (forerunner of the flute and piccolo) and other wind instruments. We are fortunate to hear the sweet sounds of this little flute as played by Sarah Jackson from the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
A series of tributes to various spiritual ideas follows. Tikkun Olam is a Jewish ideal meaning “to repair the world.” Kumbaya is a traditional African prayer asking God to “come by here.” Zanaida Robles shares with her listeners, as well as her voice and composition students at CSUN about the prayers and pleadings from the Old Testament of the Bible, with Psalm 61 beginning “Hear My Cry, Lord.” The famous Canadian troubadour Leonard Cohen believed in the many teachings of Zen Buddhism, and his “Hallelujah” is a sort of secular praise to life, as he, a Jewish pop star was ordained as a Monk at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center here in L.A.
Children love this time of year, and the CCSO founder, conductor, and composer George Berres and our current composer extraordinaire Brooke deRosa gave musical gifts kids will enjoy. Berres’ cute little Pony Trot was written for his own children and grandchildren, and Brooke’s Christmas All Year has been heard on stage and screen.
Our brilliant Piccolo soloist started her musical studies on Flute, so she will bring that bigger instrument out for two wonderful pieces. What’s Christmas without a Christmas Medley of well-known Carols? A musical work you will NOT recognize is the beautifully melodic Serenade by William Grant Still (known as the “Dean of African American composers”). Still was close friends with our founder, George Berres, and they worked together to bring music to our community. Interestingly, this piece was written by Still for piano and strings, but he added a solo flute part for a performance by our Orchestra in December 1966!
A dear friend of mine in Vancouver, my Composer-in-Residence for my Canadian orchestra, is a deeply religious fellow who is as concerned about humankind as anyone. Christopher Tyler Nickel (who just composed a Concerto for Piccolo for you-know-who!) makes a living as a TV and film composer, but his greatest joy is expressing through music his thoughts and reflections about life. The Peace Beyond is a prayer for the future.
Franz Gruber was preparing the music at his church near Salzburg for Christmas Eve, 1818. The church organ was damaged, and he had to compose something new on the spot that he could play on guitar! His priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had written a poem, Stille Nacht, a year before, and offered that for the service. Gruber quickly wrote what has become the world’s most popular Christmas song, Silent Night. Please sing along!
We so greatly appreciate your presence with us tonight. The Culver City Symphony Ensemble is our gift to you. We play the music you want to hear, and in places you like to go! Please help us continue these free family-friendly events with a donation.
Blessings to you and all your family and loved ones. We look forward to seeing you in the new year at the Frost Auditorium for our free Symphony Orchestra concerts on Sundays January 26, April 6, and June 22.