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The Perseverance of Florence Price

about the composer

The Perseverance of Florence Price

Florence Price, composer

Florence Beatrice Smith was born on April 9, 1887, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her father was the only African American dentist in the city and her mother was a music teacher, who provided Florence with her earliest musical training. Florence proved to be highly talented, giving her first piano performance at the age of four, and publishing her first composition at the age of 11. In 1902, at the age of 15, she enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the only one of 2,000 students to pursue a double major in organ and piano. She graduated with honors four years later with a teaching certificate and an artist diploma in organ performance.

Maude Roberts George, arts administrator

1910 marked the beginning of a new chapter for Florence where she began her teaching career in Atlanta, Georgia before eventually settling in Little Rock after marrying Thomas J. Price and having two children. Increasing racial tensions in the South led the Prices to leave Little Rock and settle north in Chicago. It was here that Florence’s composition career began to take off. In 1928, she published four compositions for piano while studying with Chicago’s leading composition and organ teachers. In 1933, Maude Roberts George, an advocate for the Arts, especially for those underrepresented, paid $250 (the modern-day equivalent of $5,093 ) for Price’s Symphony No. 1 to be performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as a part of the Chicago World’s Fair. This made Florence Price the first Black woman to have her music performed by a major U.S. orchestra. Price’s unique style began to appear in 1938 with the completion of her third symphony. In traditional Romantic fashion, Price’s Symphony No. 3 has four movements. From the beginning of the piece, Price’s modernism shines through with a slow introduction that leads into a turbulent main theme. As the second movement starts, the influence of Black music comes front and center as jazz and blues themes take over in the solo trombone. The third movement continues to celebrate the blues, while introducing a Juba, an African American dance style created by those who were enslaved in the Deep South with specific origins being linked to Charleston, South Carolina. It’s a dance involving stomps and claps and eventually influenced future styles of music and dance in popular culture, such as modern tap dancing, and rhythm and blues singers which eventually influenced rock musicians. In the symphony’s final movement, the African American styles and classical music influences collide, providing joyous energy.  

Over her lifetime, Florence Price composed over 300 works in a variety of genres, including symphonies, choral works, pieces for piano and organ, and many others. She passed away in 1953 at the age of 66. In a time when classical music was largely based on European traditional practices, Price’s compositions were distinctly American and celebrations of her heritage that incorporated Black spirituals and folk traditions. Florence Price was a pioneer in classical music not only for her gender but also for her race. Her legacy brought a new narrative and voice forward that was largely overlooked.

Join us as the MSO performs Florence Price’s Symphony No. on May 12 & 13 alongside the monumental Mozart Requiem.


Listen to Price’s Legacy Live!

Come hear Florence Price’s Symphony No. 3 alongside Mozart’s Requiem, conducted by Anthony Parnther, this May 12th & 13th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!


Learn more about Price (Reference):

Music Education is Fundamental

Support music education and support the future of our community!

Now through the February, the MSO is celebrating our music education programs that provide the fundamentals of fostering the next generation of community leaders and builders. You can help support our community’s youth by giving today!

Meet the Musician: Gabriela Martinez, piano

Oct. 21 & 22: Rhapsody in Blue

Q&A with Gabriela Martinez

Upcoming this October 21 & 22, internationally recognized pianist, Gabriela Martinez returns to Modesto to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue alongside your Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Excited to have her back on the Gallo Center stage with us, we were able to catch up with what she has been up to since last performing with the MSO in 2018.


MSO: We’re so excited to have you back in Modesto performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue! Are there any specific emotions you feel while performing Rhapsody in Blue? What sort of imagery comes to mind?

Gabriela Martinez: Rhapsody in Blue is one of my favorite concertos to perform.  It’s a truly magical piece where we see a world of “classical” music infused with unique jazz flavors.  It is really an exciting piece to play as we get to experience a world of incredible contrasts – musical, texture, style, and color. We live through a wide range of emotions.  There are amazing rhythmic solos, as well as lush inspired melodic orchestral sections.  

MSO: Last time you visited us was in April 2018, performing Manuel de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain. What are you most excited about performing with the Modesto Symphony again?

GM: I am so looking forward to being back in Modesto!  I loved my time in Modesto and really enjoyed playing with such an amazing orchestra! I am excited to play with them again and to meet with Maestro Dragon – his reputation precedes him.  He is wonderful, and I am thrilled to work with him!

One unforgettable story about my last visit to Modesto -- while playing the last lyrical solo piano passage of the Falla… THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE GALLO CENTER!!! The whole concert hall was pitch black.  (The power went out in the whole block, and the generator kicked in what must have been seconds, but felt like minutes on stage…) I have been performing concertos since I was 5 years old, and that was a first for me.  Instinctively, I just kept going… and it’s a moment I will cherish forever! The comradery in those moments between audience, conductor, orchestra while navigating uncharted territory together before the power returned is something I will never forget.

MSO: Will you have any leisure time while in Northern California? Do you have any fun plans while being here?

GM: California is one of my favorite places on the planet.  There’s never enough time to explore! It’s been a few years since I was in Modesto though.  Would love to hear any recommendations of places to see, places to eat, have coffee… find me on Instagram @gabrielapiano

MSO: Any upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to?

GM: I am really excited about my project, a recital program called RESONANCES which I am performing this season. RESONANCES is a journey that invites us to explore the echoes within us; to explore the search and inspiration that happens beneath the surface. It explores music from Brazil, Venezuela as well as new pieces by Caroline Shaw, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Viet Cuong and Missy Mazzoli.


Meet Gabriela in Modesto!

Come watch Gabriela perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue this October 21 & 22 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Artist Biography


Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert By the Numbers

June 3 & 4: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

“Never Tell Me the Odds!”


The Force is Strong with the MSO

Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Behind the Podium / Star Wars in Concert with Conductor Ryan Murray

Behind the Podium / June 3 & 4: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

Conductor Ryan Murray Takes the MSO to a Galaxy Far, Far Away!

This June 3rd & 4th, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra travels to a galaxy far, far away when we perform Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, live to film!

Previously MSO Associate Conductor Ryan Murray has conducted our past two film concerts: Pirates of the Caribbean in 2019, and Pixar in Concert in 2020. This time, he will be leading 81 musicians in perfect time as Star Wars: A New Hope plays on a 26’ x 16’ screen (the equivalent of 36 60” TVs!) at the Gallo Center for the Arts. An impressive feat that is a result of only 5 total hours of rehearsal time together!

Read on as we interview Ryan for an exclusive look behind the stage to see what goes into preparing for a unique concert like this.

MSO: How long does it take for you to prepare for a movie concert and is there any difference compared to preparing for a standard classics or other pops concerts?

Ryan Murray, conductor: It takes anywhere between four to six months to prepare for a movie concert and there are some major differences in how you prepare for these concerts compared to a standard classics or pops concert. The major difference in getting ready for one of these concerts is memorizing and internalizing the tempos of the original movie. Unlike in a traditional concert where the interpretation can vary from orchestra to orchestra and conductor to conductor, in the movie concerts you must play exactly in time with the film! And while I have a special screen in front of me with something called punches and streamers on it to help me line up with the film, the orchestra does not have that information, so it’s my job to really know the score inside and out so that we can make sure everything lines up just right!

Conductor Ryan Murray at the podium, with screen that provides film information in real-time.

MSO: Could you explain the how you use the screen in front of you to help line the orchestra up with what is on the big screen?
RM: Sure, while I’m conducting I have a click track and a special screen in front of me that I use to line everything up with the film. The orchestra does not have that information, so it is really the conductor’s job to make sure that all the tempos line up exactly with the film. Once the movie starts there is no margin for error, and we all must work very hard to make everything match! It is actually a very fun challenge and keeps you on your toes as a conductor!

MSO: Movie concerts are popular among audiences not only because hearing the music live is thrilling, but because the movies tend to be nostalgic for most of us. Does the nostalgia or being a fan of the movie, have an impact on you when you’re prepping or when rehearsing?

RM: There is a big nostalgia element when it comes to preparing a movie concert—especially Star Wars. I can’t think of any music that is more iconic than those opening few minutes of the score. I think we are all really excited about this music and for so many musicians we grew up loving this score—so to put it all together with the live movie and our fantastic audience it’s very exciting!

Conductor Ryan Murray leading the MSO in Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of The Black Pearl, March 2019

MSO: What do you think makes this John Williams’ score is so iconic?

RM: To me John Williams’ music is so dramatic and the way he writes for the orchestra is absolutely brilliant. The score is full of wonderful melodies and much like an opera, each main character has their own theme. These themes are then developed and transformed throughout the film to help us understand the emotions and the drama of the scene and this element of the movie becomes even more powerful with a live orchestra on stage!

MSO: Are you a Star Wars fan and if so, what is your favorite Star Wars movie?

RM: Yes, definitely a Star Wars fan! I would say my favorite Star Wars movie is either A New Hope—which we are performing, or the Return of the Jedi. Although I didn’t know it at the time, because I didn’t start studying music until high school, I’m sure the symphonic score was one of the major things that made me such a fan of these movies!  


The Force is Strong with the MSO

Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Meet the Musician: Sandeep Das, tabla

May 6 & 7: Haas conducts Wijeratne & Tchaikovsky

Talking About Tabla with Sandeep Das!

Upcoming this May 6 & 7, Grammy-winner tabla master, Sandeep Das will be performing Dinuk Wijeratne’s Concerto for Tabla alongside your Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Fresh from a tour of London, Sandeep took the time to sit down with us to tell us more about this exciting concerto and his instrument, the tabla.


MSO: This is the first time most of our audiences will see this piece performed live, however you have performed this many times before. What is your history with this piece, when was the last time you performed it?

Sandeep Das: I am actually coming in to Modesto right after a tour of this very concerto with the National Youth Orchestra of the United Nations in London, U.K. I feel Dinuk Wijeratne’s Tabla Concerto is one of the finest Western compositions written for my instrument, and I am looking forward to sharing it with everyone in the audience!

MSO: The tabla is an instrument not often highlighted in Western Classical music. Can you tell us more about this instrument, how you got into it, and how it had led you to where you are today?

SD: The Tabla are one of the most popular drums in the North Indian Classical tradition, a complex and highly refined music system that has been passed down orally for more than 4,000 years. There is a fun story about how I got into this instrument: 

One day, when I was about 8 years old, I was sent home from school with a note from my teacher. I had been disturbing the class by tapping on my desk, and when asked to stop, I started tapping my feet! They suggested that I be taken to a doctor. 

Luckily, I had a smart father, and instead of taking me to a doctor, he gifted me my first pair of Tabla, and my lessons began that very night. 

My Guru, Pt. Kishan Maharaj, was a legend of North Indian Classical Music in the same way Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart are revered as legends of Western Classical Music. I learned Tabla in the traditional Indian Guru-Shishya Parampara, a system where the Shishya, or student, lives with their Guru (teacher) as a member of the household while they are learning. 

For 12 years, I lived with my Guru in Banaras, an ancient Indian city known as a historical and contemporary center for intellectual, spiritual, and artistic learning. Music was taught to me not just as an art form, but as a way of life. Guruji would teach when and however he pleased. I was even taught while sitting in the garden, riding horses, and performing on stage with him at a concert!  

MSO: Music education is something that is very important to you, which is evident through your programs like Harmony and Universality through Music (HUM) and Das Tabla School (DTS). Can you elaborate more about these programs you founded and how they help enrich the lives of your students?

SD: I strongly believe that the youth are our future, and we should do everything we can to open the windows of their hearts and minds to what is beyond the places, people, cultures, and ways of life that they know. Harmony and Universality through Music is an Indian nonprofit organization that I founded in 2009, which strives to promote global understanding through performance and education by the HUM Ensemble and provides learning opportunities and scholarships for visually-impaired children with potential in any genre of art to empower them to lead self-reliant lives. Since its inception, HUM has grown in size and now supports nine children through a National Scholarship. 

MSO: Will you have any leisure time while in Northern California? Do you have any fun plans while being here? (Sights to see, places to you have to eat at, etc.)

SD: I am a golf addict and will definitely spend some time golfing!!!

MSO: Any upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to?

SD: I recently launched a project called Transcending Borders One Note at a Time, which aims to harness the transformative power of music to spread a message of love and compassion, and to inspire positive social change through a variety of media including performances, residencies, community engagement activities, and talks/presentations. As part of that initiative, the HUM Ensemble recently released its debut album, “Delhi to Damascus”, which features a collaboration between Indian Classical and Syrian music. This project is currently touring live performances alongside “Delhi to Shiraz”, a musical celebration of the shared heritage between India and Persia. 


Meet Sandeep in Modesto!

Come watch Sandeep perform Wijeratne’s Concerto for Tabla this May 6th & 7th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Meet the Conductor: Akiko Fujimoto

March 4 & 5: Korngold & Dvorak

A Conversation with Akiko Fujimoto!

Having just had her San Francisco Symphony debut on February 17th, conductor Akiko Fujimoto will lead the MSO in March as they perform works by Walker, Korngold, and Dvorak. The MSO is very excited to invite Akiko Fujimoto to meet our audiences in here Modesto!


MSO: Can you tell us a bit about George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, and why you chose to program it into this concert?

Akiko Fujimoto: I thought the lush lyricism of this work would be a good match for the Dvorak, yet they were different enough from each other in the styles, time periods they were composed in and the instrumentation (the Walker is strings only) that they provided contrast. I also felt what they “hugged” the Korngold in the middle very well.

MSO: This is the first time the MSO will be performing a piece by George Walker and we’re excited to introduce his music to the community. Is diversity important to you when programming a concert?

George T. Walker, composer

AF: Of course! Every program needs contrast and diversity unless it is comprised of one long work. Each composition is unique in its language, background and characteristics, and the challenge is in grouping them together in a way that they create the best experience for the audience. I am thrilled to be able to introduce to the MSO audience this important American composer, performer and educator who straddled the 20th and 21st centuries. I think our worlds expand when we add a new composer to our repertoire of listening and performing. It is like meeting a new person – you are stimulated by what they bring to your life that is new and at the same time comforted by what you have in common as people. Some people compare this piece to Samuel Barger’s Adagio for Strings. If you love the Barber, perhaps you will have that experience when you “meet” the Walker.

I think our worlds expand when we add a new composer to our repertoire of listening and performing. It is like meeting a new person – you are stimulated by what they bring to your life that is new and at the same time comforted by what you have in common as people.

MSO: Korngold, best known for being one of the most influential founders of Hollywood film music, brings a sense of imagery and imagination to all of his work, especially his Violin Concerto. When you listen to this concerto, what sort of imagery plays in your mind?

AF: I see this piece as a great piece of absolute music (as opposed to “program music” which is meant to tell a story) because it is very classical in its structure, just masterfully crafted and extremely virtuosic. If Korngold’s music sounds visual and imaginative to us, that is absolutely because he was one of the forefathers of the Hollywood sound, so he was responsible for much of what we associate today with film music. In this concerto he did use themes from his own soundtracks to movies such as the Prince and the Pauper (1937), Juarez (1939) and Anthony Adverse (1936). They are incredibly evocative of all the actions we love in movies, especially romance and swash-buckling adventures.

MSO: You’ve recently worked with our guest artist, Charles Yang back in October 2021, what was that experience like and how excited are you to be working with him again for this concert?

AF: Charles Yang is simply a magician and the perfect person to play this concerto because he, like Korngold, can straddle different worlds and create something extraordinary out of them. I am extremely excited to work with Charles again.

MSO: Can you tell us a bit about Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, and how it ties together with the Walker & Korngold?

AF: As I said earlier, I felt that the lush lyricism is a common denominator to these 3 pieces, yet they are all different. Dvorak’s 8th Symphony is a work that is very close to my heart. If his 9th Symphony “New World” is his American symphony, the 8th is his Bohemian symphony. He was from Bohemia, and this symphony is his ode to Bohemia, with references to sounds of its nature and dances, as he was a firm believer that a cornerstone of any culture’s music was that of its native folk music. This symphony also has all the hallmarks of great Czech repertoire: rhythmic energy, a little bit of exoticism, and a touch of melancholy and longing. It is probably one of the most exciting and lovable symphonies of all times, and I am excited to perform it with the MSO.

This symphony also has all the hallmarks of great Czech repertoire: rhythmic energy, a little bit of exoticism, and a touch of melancholy and longing.
— about Dvorak's Symphony No. 8

MSO: Congratulations on your debut with SF Symphony (conducting Price’s Symphony No. 3, Feb. 17-19), and you’ve conducted in Virginia, Minnesota, and now being the music director of Mid-Texas Symphony! What has your experience been like working with orchestras all over the country? Are there any cultural or regional differences that are amusing or interesting to you?

AF: Each orchestra absolutely is unique and reflects that region and the people in it. While all orchestras share in our love for the traditional symphonic repertoire, the way we present them is different depending on where we play, and who is playing in the orchestra, and who is listening in the audience. As a conductor, it is a fun challenge to try to be the best matchmaker possible between the vast symphonic repertoire and each organization.  Of course, I do not know Modesto or the MSO…yet. So, for this concert, I did my best by doing a search on what else was being played this season, which tells you quite a bit about an organization, and gave it my best stab, so to speak, keeping the Korngold in mind.

Akiko Fujimoto conducts the San Francisco Symphony in Florence Price’s Symphony No. 3. Photo: Stefan Cohen, SF Chronicle, Feb. 2022

MSO: You studied at Stanford University for your Bachelors, and now just performing with SF Symphony, what is it like being back in California? Do you have any fond memories of being in California?

AF: I just came back from the week in San Francisco and am so excited that I get to go back to Northern California so soon again. When I was a college student, I didn’t venture out of campus too much. As an adult, I am so much more curious and have a lot more appreciation for the characteristics of each different state and region, so I feel I am rediscovering it all over again. I have missed the openness of the Californians and feel very comfortable being back in the state.

MSO: Do you have any fun plans outside of work while being in Northern California? (Sights to see, places to you have to eat at, etc.)

AF: I did a lot of walking around the city last week and took in as much landscape, architecture, and cuisines I could, but I know there is so much more, and of course each corner of the region is very different. I look forward to visiting Modesto in a few weeks and getting to know it.

MSO: What upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to in the near future?

AF: One of the projects I am looking forward to is conducting the world premiere of a new work by composer Tania Leon in my debut concerts with the Arkansas Symphony. As a bonus, I am very excited to conduct in my new home state – I now live about 40 minutes away from Little Rock, which will be the shortest commute by far this season!

MSO: Why do you believe the Symphony or live performances are still relevant and important to attend?

AF: Because the symphonic music offers the widest, broadest, and deepest range of expression for the human experience, and we need to share in that today, perhaps more than ever.


Meet Akiko in Modesto!

Come watch Akiko conduct your MSO this March 4th & 5th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Korngold’s Hollywood Legacy: From the Sherwood Forest to Tatooine

Listen to the following video, does anything sound familiar?

You may hear similarities between Korngold’s Main Theme from the movie Kings Row (1942) to the very recognizable main theme from the Star Wars franchise, composed by John Williams in 1977. In fact, Williams has cited Korngold as his main inspiration when composing for Star Wars. While Korngold did not start his career with Hollywood in mind, his legacy has left a lasting impact on film and classical music history.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold, composer

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born in 1897 to a Jewish family in Austria-Hungary, his father was a prominent music critic of the time. A child prodigy, he began writing his own music by age seven, and by the age of 11 wrote his first ballet Der Schneemann (The Snowman). He had a very active composing career from then into his 20s, writing music for operas, ballets, orchestral scores, and more.

In 1934, producer and director Max Reinhardt invited Korngold to Hollywood to adapt Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) incidental music for film. Korngold would then continue to establish himself in Hollywood, even winning his first Academy Award for his work on Anthony Adverse (1936).

Before he began composing for The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938, Austria was invaded by Germany, and his home was confiscated by the Nazis. Korngold had the fortuitous opportunity to stay in America to help support his family until the end of World War II. He noted that the opportunity to compose for The Adventures of Robin Hood and stay in America likely saved his life. Korngold would go on to win his second Academy Award for that movie score and would ultimately establish the symphonic style that would be later used in action films during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

For The Adventures of Robin Hood, a movie that launched actor Errol Flynn’s career, Korngold used a technique from his opera background, of incorporating leitmotifs, or short recurring musical phrases, for specific characters as they show up on screen. Korngold wanted the music to be sophisticated but still accessible to the public and he achieved so by incorporating leitmotifs. He realized that if there were recurring themes throughout the film, this would help the audience better understand what’s going on in the film by creating synergy between the narrative and the score. He would slightly alter the motifs in “thematic transformation” to fit whatever is going on screen. A similar technique can be found in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, for example, where in the final movement, Beethoven restates and reinterprets the previous themes introduced in the first three movements.

Korngold had vowed to give up composing anything other than film music until Hitler had been defeated. At the end of World War II, he retired from films to concentrate on music for the concert hall. Facing previous criticisms that assumed he was only successful as a film composer, who sold himself to Hollywood, he was determined to prove himself by producing a work that displayed his virtuosity. His Violin Concerto was the first work that he penned after the end of World War II in 1945. He was deeply affected by the criticism of being a “Hollywood sell-out,” and sought to validate his life’s work. Korngold borrows his own themes from his movie scores. The first movement features themes from Another Dawn (1937) and Juarez (1939), the second quotes Anthony Adverse (1936), and the final movement has themes based on the main motif from The Prince and the Pauper.

His Violin Concerto in D Major was dedicated to Alma Mahler, the widow of his childhood mentor, Gustav Mahler. It premiered on February 15, 1947 by Jascha Heifetz and the St. Louis Symphony, under the baton of Vladimir Golschmann. Heifetz’s performance secured Korngold’s place in standard repertoire and continues to be a popular piece performed to this day.

Be transported back to the Golden Age of Hollywood on March 4 & 5 with the MSO in Korngold & Dvorak, featuring Korngold’s Violin Concerto performed by Charles Yang!


Listen to Korngold’s Legacy Live!

Come watch Charles Yang perform Korngold’s Concerto in D Major for Violin, conducted by Akiko Fujimoto this March 4th & 5th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!


Learn more about Korngold (Reference):

Meet the Musician: Charles Yang, violin

March 4 & 5: Korngold & Dvorak

It’s Time for Charles Yang!

Upcoming this March 4th & 5th, Charles Yang will be performing Korngold’s Concerto in D Major for Violin alongside your Modesto Symphony Orchestra. We caught up with Charles, who last visited Modesto in 2017 with his string trio, Time for Three, to see what he’s been up to since then and to learn more about Korngold’s Violin Concerto.


MSO: We heard in a previous interview that this was one of your favorite pieces to perform, why is Korngold’s Violin Concerto one of your favorite pieces to listen to and perform?

Charles Yang: I remember hearing this concerto for the first time when I was about 14 years old. I had already learned many of the major violin concertos at that point (Brahms, Beethoven, Mendelssohn etc.) but was not familiar with the Korngold. It completely took my breath away. I was hypnotized by the fresh harmonies and its memorable themes. Without knowing Korngold was the “godfather” of Hollywood film music at the time, I remember feeling like I was within a movie when hearing it. I later realized his impact on film music, and it just made so much sense. For some reason unknown to me still, it took me 10 years from the time I first heard this concerto to when I first started to learn it and man…I didn’t eat or sleep for a few days because I was OBSESSED! I’m still obsessed every time I pick it up and I’m so glad I get to do this with your orchestra.

MSO: Korngold, best known for being one of the most influential founders of Hollywood film music, brings a sense of imagery and imagination to all his work, especially his Violin Concerto. When you listen to this concerto, what sort of imagery plays in your mind?

Erich Wolfgang Korngold, composer

CY: There is the sense of awe within this concerto. Everything about it is grand and vast. I envision space whenever I hear this piece, with its expansive harmonies and orchestration. Many of the themes are actually taken from his film scores with the first movement drawing from “Another Dawn” and “Juarez”, the second movement quoting “Anthony Adverse”, and the third movement based on “The Prince and the Pauper”. His music has so much color and texture that every listener can paint their own picture.

There is the sense of awe within this concerto. Everything about it is grand and vast. I envision space whenever I hear this piece, with its expansive harmonies and orchestration.

MSO: You’ve recently worked with our conductor, Akiko Fujimoto back in October 2021, what was that experience like and how excited are you to be working with her again for this concert?

CY: I am so happy to be reunited with Akiko on this concerto. It was an absolute joy working with her the last time we did it and I know it will be magical again. When we first were working on this concerto, I remember us talking about the imagery of the music and we both shared the same feeling of space and the greater beyond. It’s always great to be on the same wavelength when collaborating on a piece and I’m excited to paint this picture yet again with her!

MSO: What our audience may not know is that you’ve grown up in the world of Classical Music, with your mother being a violinist for the Austin Symphony. What is it like growing up surrounded by classical music and musicians?

CY: I used to always think it was tough growing up with my mother as my violin teacher. She gave me a violin at the age of 3 and I was actively going to her concerts not long after that. In fact, I was born the day after one of her shows and she remembers me kicking during the Bruch Violin Concerto when I was still in her belly. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have music in my life, and I definitely took that for granted as a child. Looking back now, I am so grateful for all the hours she put in teaching me how to play and all the concerts I got to attend. At the time it just felt like the norm, but now I see how lucky I am to have gotten so much attention towards my musical upbringing.  

MSO: What is it like crossing over the different genres of music that you’ve performed in? Is it challenging switching back and forth?

CY: Learning a new genre in music is like learning a new dialect or language. For me, I have always been curious about learning new “dialects” and how I could tie that into my own voice. Having been exposed to so many great blues, country and rock artists in Austin, Texas (where I grew up), I became fluent in a lot of those genres because I was constantly thrown into situations where I had to collaborate with them. But just like any language, it took trial after trial before I actually was fluent. Because I’ve been lucky enough to play with so many great artists from different genres, I’ve collected so many “tools” to put in my musical “toolbox”. Just like within classical music, learning how to play Bach is stylistically very different from learning how to play Bartok, so with this in mind, I don’t find playing the blues to be that far off from playing the vast canon of “classical music”. Sure, the brain works in a different way when improvising, but just like in anything, it can be trained to feel natural.

Time for Three with the MSO, April 2017

MSO: You’ve performed before here with the Modesto Symphony but with your group, Time for Three back in 2017. What’s the biggest difference when preparing for a solo performance versus your string trio?

CY: When preparing for a solo concerto, I strive to do as the composer intended while lending my own unique interpretation to it. With Time for Three, we often times play music written by us or written for us in collaboration, so our voices were already implemented within the composition. The biggest difference I find is that when working with Time for Three, the “soloist” is actually the combination of Nick, Ranaan and myself. We work as one unit and sound so there is a lot of interplay among us while also trying to blend with the orchestra. When I am a soloist with a concerto, it’s just me and the orchestra so its solely up to me to interpret and blend with the orchestra.

MSO: Do you have any fun plans outside of work while being in Northern California? (Sights to see, places to you have to eat at, etc.)

CY: I might visit my grandma who lives in San Francisco so I’m pretty excited about that but other than that, please let me know where I should go!!!

MSO: What upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to?

CY: There are some really exciting projects that I am super stoked about! Time for Three just recorded two concertos written for us by Kevin Puts and Jennifer Higdon with the Philadelphia Orchestra which should come out soon! I’m also about to record a concerto written for me by Kris Bowers with the American Youth Symphony which we got to premiere at Disney Hall two years ago right before the pandemic so that one is special to me! Maybe I’ll get to bring these pieces to Modesto one day!

MSO: Why do you believe the Symphony or live performances are still relevant and important to attend?

CY: There is nothing like live music. After almost 2 years of concerts being cancelled because of the pandemic, I can tell how much people thirsted to hear a live orchestra in a concert hall. To be at an acoustic venue with live musicians playing in front of you where you can feel the sonic vibrations hit your soul is unexplainable and transcends any other listening experience. While the medium of how we listen to music has changed so much over the years from LPs to cassettes to CDs and now streaming, the concert hall or live music venue has stayed relevant and steady for a good reason. With so much music written over so many years, going to the symphony is the closest thing to time travel in my opinion.

To be at an acoustic venue with live musicians playing in front of you where you can feel the sonic vibrations hit your soul is unexplainable and transcends any other listening experience.

Meet Charles in Modesto!

Come watch Charles perform Korngold’s Concerto in D Major for Violin this March 4th & 5th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

What is a Music Director?

What is a Music Director?

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra has selected the final four candidates to be the next music director. But what is the music director’s role in an orchestra and how does it affect the MSO’s future?

Most audience members will recognize the music director as being the conductor of the orchestra. The one on the podium, masterfully wielding the baton creating waves of sound from more than 70 musicians in perfect time. However, a music director’s role spans far past the podium. The music director is the artistic leader of the orchestra, who works closely with the administrative staff to produce concerts and act as the face of the organization. Music directors are a unique blend of charismatic and passionate artists, with strong leadership and communication skills.

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The MSO’s search began in 2018 and has since narrowed down to our impressive final four candidates:

delta David Gier

Delta David Gier, currently the music director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, where he is recognized for his commitment to new music, and dedication to community engagement. He aims to bring this philosophy to the MSO

Jan. 7 & 8, 2022: Gier conducts Márquez & Shostakovich →

Keitaro Harada

Keitaro Harada, currently the music director of the Savannah Philharmonic, has a growing international presence and an interest in exploring a broad scope of works including symphonic, opera, chamber, pops, educational, as well as pursuing projects that lead to diverse programs.

March 3 & 4, 2022: Harada conducts Korngold & Yoshimatsu →

Dirk Meyer

Dirk Meyer, currently the music director of the Augusta Symphony, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, and the Lyric Opera of the North, is a champion for orchestral music being performed in innovative ways, including multimedia formats as well as collaborations of all kinds.

April 1 & 2, 2022: Meyer conducts Prokofiev & Brahms →

Paul Haas

Paul Haas, currently the music director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, sees the beauty in classical music and with his strong artistic vision, invites audiences see the orchestra in a brand-new way.

May 6 & 7, 2022: Haas conducts Wijeratne & Tchaikovsky →

One of these four will be the next music director of the Modesto Symphony and will help mold and shape the symphony for the future. They will not only reflect our musicians, but be a representative of our MSO family. As an audience member of their coming concerts, you will be able to provide your feedback on each candidate. Your feedback will help us find a dynamic and captivating conductor who will bring the music to life and lead the MSO into a new era.

Learn more about our music director candidates!

Celebrating 90 Years of Enriching Lives Through Music

Celebrating 90 Years of Enriching Lives Through Music

On April 17, 1931 the Modesto Symphony Orchestra held its first concert to an audience of more than 1,200 at the First Presbyterian Church Auditorium which stood at the corner of 14th and I Street.

The program opened with Glinka’s lively Russlan and Ludmilla Overture and closed with Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz. Also on the program was Haydn’s Surprise Symphony and selections from Rossini’s William Tell and Wagner’s Tannhauser. Soloists on that auspicious evening were orchestra members Leonardo Fristrom and Homer Fair, violinists, who performed the L’Arlesienne Suite by Bizet. 

The orchestra numbered 74 on opening night and included many local students. 20 of the charter members were still playing with the organization two decades later. 33 years after its founding, when Mancini directed his final concert, the names of two original members appeared on the program: cellists Malin Langstroth and Blythe Slaughter.  

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Orchestra Personnel, April 1931 

(original listing) 

First Violin: Leonardo Fristrom, Homer Fair, Harold Hilton, Helen Beard, Archie Dixon, Hilma Gerard, Bethyl Wiens, Margaret Stevens, Marguerite Graham, Ruth Ekholm, Donna Reeves, Wilson Schuler, Ruth Riddle, Jane Rydbom, Doris McCormick 

Second Violin: Bill Clinkenbeard, Isadore Brachman, Larry Morey, Florence Ney, Dorothy Brooks, Earl Ekholm, Linden Moore, Lola Truman, Emma Helmick 

Viola: Clarissa Green, Virginia Laird, Eugenia Fitzgerald, Albert Lotspeich 

Cello: Malin Langstroth, Leonard Johnson, Loi Gushe, Mary Kiersch, Ina Bradley, Francis Riell, Blythe Slaughter, Marjorie Saveker, Thayer Jones, Zelda Cox, Wilma Secrest 

Charter members, back row: Thayer Jones, Don Tingle, Malin Langstroth, Harold Bartlett; front row: Blythe Slaughter, Hilma Gerard, Margaret Bartlett

Charter members, back row: Thayer Jones, Don Tingle, Malin Langstroth, Harold Bartlett; front row: Blythe Slaughter, Hilma Gerard, Margaret Bartlett

Rehearsal at Mancini Hall

Rehearsal at Mancini Hall

Oboe: Charles Thompson, Mary Hough, Harold Blakeley 

English Horn: Charles Thompson 

Flute: John Wing, Edwin Taylor, Jack Cressey, Bruch Bomberger 

Bassoon: Marie Jensen 

Clarinet: Harold Bartlett, Max Denny, Richard Anderson, Burdean Thompson 

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Blass Clarinet: Margaret Redman, Tommy Clinkenbeard 

Bass Viol: Norman Smith, Joe Holder, Edwin Taylor, Sam Dreizen, Margaret Campbell, Marietta Green, Raymond Goodman 

Tuba: Edward Bright 

This image from 1973 is of original orchestra members, Blythe Slaughter and Hilma Gerard playing in the ruins of the First Presbyterian Church, location of the first MSO concert

This image from 1973 is of original orchestra members, Blythe Slaughter and Hilma Gerard playing in the ruins of the First Presbyterian Church, location of the first MSO concert

Trumpet: Kenneth Morris, Gordon Pearl, Galen Ebie 

Horn: Murray Schrock, Robert Bell 

Trombone: Morris Schrock, James Hogin, Donald Tingle 

Timpani: Dale Area 

Percussion: Billie Myers, Roland Hunt, Henry Grundrecker 

Piano: Dorothy Zimmerman 

Librarian: Gordon Pearl, Kenneth Morris, assistant 

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This Month in MSO History: Marian Anderson

Did you know... 

That Marian Anderson, the celebrated African American contralto, was invited to Modesto by the Modesto Symphony to perform a recital on February 15, 1956? A “living legend” as described by journalist Pat Morrison of the Modesto Bee, Marian Anderson is famously known for her 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert, performed in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 people, after being denied Constitution Hall as a venue due to racial segregation. 

Marian Anderson in New York Philharmonic Stadium Concerts program, August 26, 1925.

Marian Anderson in New York Philharmonic Stadium Concerts program, August 26, 1925.

Program page from Anderson's August 26, 1925  concert.

Program page from Anderson's August 26, 1925 concert.

Born in 1897 in Philadelphia, Anderson was quickly recognized for her talent as a singer. Her church choir raised money for her to study with Giuseppe Boghetti. In 1925, she won First Prize in a singing contest sponsored by the New York Philharmonic. This contest won her the opportunity to perform at Lewisohn Stadium with the orchestra, which was an immediate success with audience and critics. In 1928, she gave a recital in Carnegie Hall and in 1933 she made her debut in London, launching her tour throughout Europe. Anderson was most well received in Scandinavia, where she also befriended composer, Jean Sibelius who composed songs just for her. She returned to New York to great acclaim and performed another successful concert at Carnegie Hall. 

In 1939, she received national attention when the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to let her perform at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. She was invited to sing in Washington by Howard University however, the D.A.R-run Constitution Hall, was the only venue that could accommodate the large crowds that Anderson attracted. She was “filling the largest concert halls in the nation, sometimes five or six thousand people.” according to Dr. Ray Arsenault, author of The Sound of Freedom. Constitution Hall at the time was racially segregated and Black people were not allowed to attend shows nor perform in the hall.  

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt upon hearing this news was outraged and immediately resigned from the D.A.R. She wrote in her weekly column, “My Day,” “They have taken an action which has been widely criticized in the press... to remain as a member implies approval of that action, and therefore I am resigning.” Her reaction garnered a lot of attention and helped catalyze what would become an iconic concert held at the Lincoln Memorial. 

Upon the suggestion of NAACP executive secretary, Walter White, it was arranged by Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939. She performed before an integrated crowd of more than 75,000 people and a radio audience in the millions.  

Anderson became a symbol of the long battle of the Civil Rights Movement, decades before Martin Luther King Jr made his famous “I Have A Dream” speech in front of the same monument she performed in front of. However, this attention and fame on Anderson’s end was not intentional as she saw herself as first and foremost a classical singer. 

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By 1956, despite her legendary status, she remained humble and focused on her craft. She came to Modesto in February 1956 under the sponsorship of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra to perform in the Strand Theater (where Brenden Theaters now resides downtown). The audience was at full capacity and according to Morrison of the Modesto Bee, “Her direct and reverent style, deep in feeling and calm in confidence lends a spiritual tone to her voice. To hear Marian Anderson is more than a musical experience.”  

And when asked by Morrison “if it is difficult to be a living legend,” Anderson graciously responded, “That is difficult to say. We have never been one.” 


Meet the MSO: A Brand New Series

Meet the MSO!

The Modesto Symphony is switching things up for February by introducing a brand-new YouTube series called “Meet the MSO!” This will be a series of short videos highlighting various members of our orchestra as they perform a solo at home just for you! This month, we’re kicking off this series with Katy Juneau, viola; Denis Harper, principal oboe; and Adam Wolf, horn. Stay tuned and make sure to follow us on YouTube & social media to receive notifications of when we post our videos!

Katy Juneau, viola 

Katy Juneau is a long-time member of the MSO and is also the principal viola of the Fremont Symphony, Lamplighter’s Theater Orchestra, and West Edge Opera Festival. In addition to performing regularly with orchestras and chamber ensembles across Northern California, Katy has been in backup groups accompanying all sorts from Wynton Marsalis, Peidmont Community Church, KISS, Bonnie Raitt, Synchronicity Strings, Storm Large, and Josh Groban to playing in the World Classic Baseball Orchestra on the field at AT&T Park. 

This month, she will be sharing two pieces honoring women composers, Ave generosa by Hildegard von Bingen and Deserted Garden by Florence Price where she will be accompanied by her son, Andrew Green on piano. 

Adam Wolf, horn 

Adam Wolf is one of the MSO’s newer members, having won his seat in 2019. He’s an accomplished horn player and composer and has performed with the LA Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, as well as being the Principal Horn for the Redlands Symphony. Adam has also recorded and performed with many music artists and composers including Miley Cyrus, Will.I.Am, Pete Townsend, Billy Idol, John Debney, Arturo Sandoval, Mark Isham, Jeff Russo, Pinar Toprak, and many more. 

This month, he will be performing Tango Etude No. 3 by Astor Piazzolla. 

Denis Harper,
principal oboe 

As our principal oboe, Denis Harper has been consistently praised for his performances a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. In 2014, we featured Denis as a Soloist in the Boccherini & Bach concert where he performed Concerto for Oboe in E minor by Georg Philipp Telemann. 

This month, he will be performing Telemann’s Fantasia No. 2 in A Minor. 


This series is free to all and supported in part by Jeff & Margaret Reed, The Reed Companies and the Reed Foundation. Dates, program, and artists subject to change. E&OE.

If you are experiencing any issues viewing our videos, please visit our FAQ page here or download our FAQ PDF.

45 Years of Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra

In 1976, a junior orchestra was formed by a dedicated core of string teachers in Stanislaus County to support school music programs, and to give student musicians a full orchestra experience. By 1980, the Stanislaus Youth Symphony (SYS) was formed, sponsored by the Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO). 

By the late 80’s, SYS was renamed the Modesto Symphony Stanislaus Youth Orchestra (MSSYO) as a joint effort between the MSO and music teachers from the public schools. The MSSYO was organized under the leadership of Dr. James Klein as their music director and Senior Division conductor, with Will Aprile as their Junior Division conductor. The orchestra has evolved over the years and provides young musicians with an advanced level of musical literature in a challenging environment.

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By the 1990s, the now named Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) started to gain national attention. In 1993, after passing a rigorous selection process and raising a large amount of funds, the Senior Orchestra was off on an experience of a lifetime--performing at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Playing a program of music by Schuber, Copeland, and Beethoven, the orchestra was rewarded with a standing ovation. Although three orchestras were on the evening program, including one professional orchestra, only the MSYO received such a response. Since then, the MSYO has toured in Europe, Canada, Japan, as well as many performances throughout California. They also returned to Carnegie Hall in 2002 and 2014.

Andrew Norman, giving a talk before concert in 2015.

Andrew Norman, giving a talk before concert in 2015.

The MSYO recorded its first CD in 1997, which includes a performance of Metamorphosis, a composition by then MSYO principal violist, Andrew Norman. Norman, now a Grammy-nominated composer, has returned to his home symphony throughout his career. The MSO has also featured a few of Norman’s pieces in their programs including Gran Turismo for Violin Octet, performed in 2012, Poem for Orchestra in 1998, and Drip Blip Sparkle Spin Glint Glide Glow Float Flop Chop Pop Shatter Splash! performed in 2015. The LA Phil also won a grammy in 2019 for their recorded performance of his piece, Sustain. Sustain was also one of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalists in Music.

In 2019, the MSO invited four MSYO alumni back as featured soloists: Matthew Ennis, saxophone, Jonathan Altman, violin, Madeline Olson, harp, and Andrew Grishaw, violin. These young performers studied at some of the nation’s best academic institutions including the San Francisco Conservatory, Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, and The Juilliard School.

Now in it’s 45th Season, the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra continues to serve young musicians and their families from more than 40 public and private schools in the Central Valley. This season will open with a virtual Fall Concert on November 18th live on the MSO YouTube channel. The MSYO students and staff have been rehearsing digitally and are excited to share their music with friends and family all over the world.

This Month in MSO History: October

October 2 & 3, 2015:

Gershwin & Bernstein concert

Our 85th Season started off with audience favorites, Gershwin & Bernstein! The program included Gershwin’s Concerto for Piano in F Major featuring soloist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, Bernstein’s West Side Story: Symphonic Dances, and also a MSO Premiere of MSYO alum Andrew Norman’s Drip Blip Sparkle Spin Glint Glide Glow Float Flop Chop Pop Shatter Splash!

Since then, the LA Philharmonic commissioned Norman to compose Sustain for their 100th season. Norman received a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Sustain and the LA Philharmonic won the Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance for their performance. Sustain was also one of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalists in Music.

October 5 & 6, 2007

Our first concert in the Gallo Center!

While the MSO’s rich history stretches back to 1931, our first Subscription concert in the Gallo Center for the Arts was in October 2007. This season opening concert featured Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris and was conducted by Erich Kunzel with Leon Bates on piano. The MSO previously had performed on stage with Patti LuPone back in September 2007 for the Gallo Center’s very first concert.

Before the Gallo Center was built, the MSO would perform in a variety of spaces including the Modesto High School Auditorium, the Strand Theater (where Brendon Theater on 10th Street currently sits), and Modesto Junior College. However, since its establishment in 2007, the MSO has been a proud resident company of the Gallo Center for the Arts and has been performing there ever since.

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October 13 & 14, 2017

Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert in 2017 was wildly successful and attracted families from all over the state hoping to see something strange at the Gallo Center.

Absolutely phenomenal performance! We saw the Nightmare Before Christmas. We will definitely see this next time they do this... Great job to all of you who made this possible for us to see!! BRAVO
— Jeanette Molina, Oct. 15, 2017

October 23, 1962

Frank Mancini announces retirement

On October 23, 1962, founder Frank “Proof” Mancini announced his retirement as Music Director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and conducted his final concert after 32 years at the helm.

According to Margaret Painter, a longtime Modesto resident and MSO subscriber since its inception in 1931, “Mancini’s final concert program featured the violinist Andre Toth and closed with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). After the orchestra’s last note, musicians and audience joined in paying tribute to their beloved “Proof.” Applause continued so long that for the first time in the history of the orchestra, claims a musician, the director returned to the podium a second time to acknowledge the tribute.”

Frank Mancini’s handwritten final note in the concert program.

Starting our 31th [sic] season, which may be my last as its conductor, I hope and pray that the M.S.O. will never cease to exist, on the century it will get better and better.
— Frank "Proof" Mancini
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October 24, 2004

Spooktacular!

The first Symphonic Spooktacular was held at the Modesto High auditorium on Oct. 24, 2004. Conducted by Music Director Darryl One, this interactive musical “who-dunnit” was a part of the MSO’s Family & Friends concert series, with concerts for the surrounding schools and the public alike! There were also many activities for all ages to enjoy including a costume contest, pumpkin painting, and more!

MSO’s 90th Season Reimagined Through Virtual Programming

MSO’S 90TH SEASON REIMAGINED THROUGH VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING

This season marks the Modesto Symphony Orchestra’s 90th season. Back in March, we were preparing to announce a full slate of concerts including our 26th annual Picnic at the Pops, another thrilling live movie concert, and our five Music Director candidates that would help lead us into a new era. With the reality of not being able to have in-person concerts through March 2021, a new era is certainly upon us, though not the way we anticipated. 

Our reimagined 2020-21 Season will include free virtual events once a month to stay connected with the community. In July we started our MSO at Home series with a live recital featuring MSO pianist John Hillebrandt as he performed from his living room. John impressed viewers as he performed pieces by Ravel, Chopin, and one of his own compositions. We then featured our Concertmaster Dan Flanagan in August. Dan showed off his versatility when he performed two newly composed pieces inspired by paintings from his extensive collection, he displayed his technical mastery with a Bach sonata, and topped it off with a variety of fiddle tunes! Recordings of both recitals are still available on our website if you missed the live performances or want to relive the fun. Future programs will feature other MSO musicians and guest artists in recital, as well as the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Our virtual events, as well as our education programs, are made possible by the generosity of our dedicated supporters. 

Though, like most cultural organizations across the country, the MSO has not been immune to the financial repercussions due to the pandemic. In light of our concert cancellations, we had to make some cost-saving measures that include the furlough of musicians and the restructuring of staff and duties. 

Through these trying changes, the MSO Board of Directors remain focused on long term viability while continuing to fulfill our mission of enriching lives through music and music education. We have rescheduled our Music Director finalists’ debuts for the 2021-22 season. Though we wish they could have conducted this year, they all remain excited about the opportunity to perform in Modesto and to meet the community. 

The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) will continue to meet and have virtual rehearsals and concerts. We have already received over 60 audition videos for the upcoming 2020-21 MSYO Season. Additionally, we are continuing to work with local schools and offer support for music education including engaging MSO musicians to perform and work with students. However, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Youth Chorus are suspended until it is safe to meet and sing together in-person. 

The MSO believes in the power of music to bring people together and to create a sense of community and these are two things we need more than ever. Stay tuned–further announcements about our new virtual offerings are coming soon. This year will be our most innovative season yet and we can’t wait to experience it with you.

Congratulations MSO Associate Conductor Ryan Murray, American Prize Finalist!

Our MSO Associate Conductor Ryan Murray recently has been awarded Second Place in the 2019-20 American Prize in Conducting (Professional Orchestra Division)! Murray was awarded for his amazing performance conducting our Sibelius & Tchaikovsky concerts on April 12 & 13, 2019.

On behalf of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, congrats to Ryan!

The American Prize is a series of non-profit national competitions in the performing arts for the best recorded performances by ensembles and individuals each year in the United States. To learn more visit www.theamericanprize.org.

Ryan Murray conducting Sibelius Concerto in D Minor, featuring violinist Angelo Xiang Yu

Ryan Murray conducting Sibelius Concerto in D Minor, featuring violinist Angelo Xiang Yu

Meet the Musician: John Hillebrandt

Our first virtual recital will be with MSO pianist John Hillebrandt on July 22nd. We connected with John to get a bit of insight on the program he’s put together for his recital and to see how he’s been since we last saw him on stage!

MSO: Thank you for doing this interview with us, we’re all excited for your upcoming virtual recital! Let’s start with your background with the MSO. You’ve been with us for 24 years. During that time, we’ve performed a couple of your compositions. Are there any specific performances that are particularly memorable or stand out?

John Hillebrandt: One memory that stands out is from just two years ago when the MSO commissioned my piece, Valley Fever, as part of the Graffiti Festival celebration. It’s always amazing to experience something that starts as a mental idea grow into an organized, written score, and then become realized by a live orchestra and dancers for a live audience. The whole process, including the marketing and collaborating, was tremendous.

MSO: That was a truly unique performance. A concert that featured three commissions focused around the Graffiti Festival and a collaboration with Central West Ballet – all to celebrate Modesto!

What led you to choose the piano as your instrument?

JH: Fate, perhaps. I did play clarinet for a while in elementary school, and I do play organ for church services, but the piano and its repertoire just clicked with my sensibilities and personality, and I’ve never looked back.

MSO: What do you enjoy most about making music with an orchestra?

JH: Pianists typically spend much more time in isolation practicing and working on their solo repertoire, or perhaps small chamber-sized pieces. So to be immersed in the rich and massive textures and sounds of an orchestra is like a whole different world. The professional musicians that I get to work with are amazing and inspiring, and I never get tired of being a part of that incredible experience.

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MSO: We certainly miss hearing you and the rest of the orchestra perform. What have you been doing to pass the time while sheltering in place?

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JH: My wife, Ramona, and I have a daughter who will be four years old in August. Since the shelter in place went into effect, we’ve all been home together most of the time. Having a young child at home 24/7 is a never-ending adventure and journey of imagination and discovery. We do a lot of playing, gardening, swimming, and learning. Thankfully, I was already teaching online through Modesto Junior College, and my church work also migrated to the virtual world, so we’re able to keep the lights on.

MSO: Thinking about your recital now, can you tell us about the Ravel and Chopin pieces you’ve programmed?

JH: Ravel’s Jeux d’eau, which means “Fountains”, is a great image for a hot summer season. It’s a beautiful, sparkling masterpiece by the great French composer—fun to perform and fun to listen to! Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52, is one of Chopin’s mature masterpieces. It has everything one associates with Chopin—haunting, lyrical melodies, lush harmonies, and breathtaking pianistic writing.

MSO: You’ve programmed your composition, Nocturne, to end the program. Are there any ties from the Ravel and the Chopin to your Nocturne?

JH: My Nocturne was written in 1990 and is very much in the vein of Chopin, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Scriabin—all great Romantic or Impressionist composers whose music can be both poetic, yet often deep and melancholy. This Nocturne explores a twilight world, somewhere between major and minor keys, and is a kind of venture into dreamworlds.

We hope you’ll join us on July 22nd to hear more from John and enjoy our first virtual recital!