2014 Newsletter - Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra

 Performing diverse music for chamber orchestra, featuring masterworks and new compositions. Collaborating with local performers, composers, and artists from other disciplines for twenty-­‐eight years. Dear LSCO Supporter,
We are extremely excited to bring you four unique performances during our 2014 season. As always, we
strive to reach out to both new and seasoned listeners. Through engaging performances, and our youth
string camp, The Quartet Project, we continue our tradition of orchestral music into our 28th season.
New to the LSCO this year is online ticketing. Concert-goers are now able to purchase tickets via our
website, www.lakesuperiorchamberorchestra.org. Also on our website, find The Quartet Project
schedule, and a complete schedule of our upcoming summer concert series, including guest artist
biographies, and general orchestra information.
On behalf of our Board of Directors and General Manager, we would like to GIVE THANKS to all of our
contributors. By supporting what we do, you sustain the arts that make the Northland rich with culture and
diversity in music. It is a work of love for us. Supported by a tireless volunteer Board of Directors, we
work to continue this great tradition of orchestral music. We would like to give thanks to our 2013 retiring
board members: Nancy Melander, Julie Knuths, and Sheryl Van Scoy. We cannot express how thankful
and lucky we are to have had you as a part of our team. Thank you for all of your hard work, time, and
dedication to the LSCO. Good does not begin to describe each and every one of you!
Some words about this season from our Conductor, Warren Friesen…
Four Concerts, five soloists, 20 different works, I can hardly wait for July! It's going to be a great season.
If you glance at the repertoire, you'll find a lot of composer names new to you. For almost 30 years, the
LSCO has built a reputation for “Adventuresome Programming,” in fact we have three national awards to
prove it. I've always enjoyed finding interesting and compelling works that are a bit off the beaten path. It
seems to me that 95% of conductors draw 95% of their repertoire from the same 5% of composers.
Meaning, I like Beethoven and Bach and Mozart and Brahms too, but there are so many other voices out
there that really deserve to be heard.
Here are a few special finds: a very energetic, rhythmic Dance for percussion, piano and strings by New
Zealand composer Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal; a virtuosic display for two horns (and strings) by Kerry
Turner entitled "Twas a Dark and Stormy Night; a scintillating work by Iranian Hooshyar Khayam inspired
by the stained glass of the Pink Mosque of Shiraz, Iran; a cello concerto by Chinese composer Tan Dun
drawn from his soundtrack to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; an absolutely brilliant new viola concerto
by Bulgarian-British composer Dobrinka Tabakova; One piece worth special mention is an unpublished
gem by Sibelius, The Wood Nymph for horns, piano, strings and narrator that receives its US premiere on
our first concert. It's going to be fun!
LSCO Newsletter Spring 2014 - Page 1
The Featured Soloists for Our 28th Season
Husband and wife soloists Jim & Jill Pospisil met at Wichita State University as music students. Before
landing in Kansas, Jill spent a year in Denmark where she studied horn at Viborg Musikskole. Both Jim
and Jill attended Indiana University together as graduate students. They decided to audition for any
orchestras with two horn openings, as they are few and far between. Jill stated that, “When the DSSO
offered us two positions simultaneously in 1996, we figured it was our destiny!” In addition to playing
Principal and Third horns in the DSSO, Jim is on faculty at UMD and serves as Music Director of
Peace UCC. Jill teaches a studio of horn students and offer tax prep and accounting services at Curran
Tax Service. They have two children, ages 7 and 4, who keep them laughing and on their toes.
Betsy Husby earned her DMA, MM, and BA degrees from the State University of
New York at Stony Brook, where she studied with Bernard Greenhouse, cellist of
the internationally renowned Beaux Arts Trio, and Timothy Eddy, cellist of the Orion
String Quartet, and faculty at Julliard School of Music. Husby has been Principal
Cellist with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra for 25 years. She was a
founding member of the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra and has performed on
Minnesota Public Radio with the Highland String Quartet. Husby has been a
featured artist with the DSSO, LSCO, Itasca Symphony Orchestra, PetrozavodskRussia Symphony Orchestra, Ashland Chequamegon Symphonette, and the UMD
Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Husby is currently an Assistant Professor of Cello at the
University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Jonas Benson brings energy & diversity of experience to a wide range of
music. He is a member of the LSCO, the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra,
42nd Parallel, and recently finished his term as Principal Violist of the Civic
Orchestra of Chicago. He obtained a Master of Music degree from
Northwestern University in Viola Performance. Benson also teaches viola for
the LSCO’s summer string camp for students, The Quartet Project.
Hailed for his dramatic diversity, baritone Jeffrey Madison has performed a varied repertoire
from grand opera, operetta, to musical comedy. Mr. Madison is pleased to return to the Lake
Superior Chamber Orchestra having previously sung Mahler's, Lieder eines fahrenden
Gesellen in 2012. Nationally, Madison recently made his Carnegie Hall debut as the baritone
soloist in Neilson's, Symphony No. 3 with the Minnesota Orchestra. He performed the roles
of Father in Hansel and Gretel with the Colorado Symphony, Schaunard in La Bohème with
the Minnesota Opera, and Marcello in West Virginia Symphony's production of La Bohème.
A resident of Duluth, Madison most recently appeared with Lyric Opera of the North as
Malatesta in Don Pasquale and Javert in the Duluth Playhouse’s production of Les
Misérables. He earned his BA from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and his MM and
DMA from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where he continues to study with John
DeHaan. He also serves on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
LSCO Newsletter Spring 2014 – Page 2
2014 Concert Season
All concerts will be performed at WEBER MUSIC HALL
Campus of the University of Minnesota, Duluth
Thursday, July 3, 7:30 pm
The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra begins its 28th season joined by musicians Jim and Jill Pospisil (horns) to
perform G.F.Telemann, Concerto in D Major, Sibelius, The Wood Nymph melodrama, and Kerry Turner, 'Twas a
Dark and Stormy Night.
THE
Thursday July 10, 7:30 pm
Cellist Betsy Husby performs Tan Dun, Crouching Tiger Concerto.
Thursday July 24, 7:30 pm
Violist Jonas Benson will perform Dobrinka Tabakova, Suite in Old Style. This concert will feature the Quartet
Project students performing, Wojciach Kilar, Orawa and Thomas Canning, Fantasy on a Hymn Tune of Justin
Morgan.
Thursday July 31, 7:30 pm
Baritone Jeffery Madison will perform Ibert, Four Songs of Don Quixote, and Copland, Old American Songs.
Buy Your LSCO Tickets!
Buy tickets online via our website, www.lakesuperiorchamberorchestra.org, at the door on
concert night beginning at 6:30 pm, or by calling 218-525-4076 (Cash, check, Visa, Master Card, or
Discover are accepted.) Pre-purchased tickets can be held at the ticket counter. Please call the
General Manager (Lori Hanson at 218-525-4076 or by e-mail at [email protected]) with any
questions.
Adult Season Ticket: $80.00
Adult Concert Ticket: $22.00
Senior Season Ticket: $70.00
Senior Concert Ticket: $20.00
Student Concert Ticket (with ID): $12.00
Children 12 and Under Ticket: $5.00
Show Your Support by Giving to the LSCO
The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra has been bringing superb chamber orchestra music to the Twin Ports area
for 28 years, but we are unable to do this without the generous contributions of our patrons. We hope that you will
consider making a donation to the LSCO (a non-profit organization). All donations will be listed in our program. We
encourage you to make a donation at a level that can work in your own personal budget. Checks for this taxdeductible gift may be made to:
LSCO * P.O. Box 434 * Duluth, MN 55801
Name ________________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address _________________________________________________________________________________
City _____________________________________________ State ___________ Zip ________________________
Phone______________________________ E-mail Address______________________________________________
$25
$50
$75
$100
Other amount $________________
$150
$200
$250
$500
$1000
Gift of endowment or stock
LSCO Newsletter Spring 2014 – Page 3
T H E
L A K E
S U P E R I O R
LSCO Board of Directors
Ann Hodge, President
Aaron Bransky, Vice President
Tom Eling, Treasurer
Brenda Schrader-Johnson, Secretary
Pamela Benson
Anne Cotter
John Fochs
Ted Harwood
Geoff Popham
C H A M B E R
O R C H E S T R A
Artistic Director / Conductor:
Warren Friesen
General Manager:
Lori K Hanson
Concertmaster:
Steve Highland
Personnel Manager:
Ron Kari
Orchestra Librarian:
Bradley Bombardier
The LSCO gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following organizations:
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation
Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra
P.O. Box 434
Duluth MN 55801
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