Audition Concert #3 Maestro Christopher Kelts

~ Program ~

Siegfried Idyll, WWV 103 Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883) Serenade for Winds, Cello and Double Bass Antonin Dvořák In D minor, Op. 44 (1841 – 1904) Moderato, quasi marcia Minuetto, tempo di minuetto Andante con moto Finale: Allegro molto

The Saint Joseph Symphony Mixed Ensemble

STRINGS Violin 1 Keith Stanfield Violin 2 Teresa Edgar Viola En-Ting Hsu Cello Eman Gallehdari-Chalshotori Bass Matthew McGrory WOODWINDS Flute 1 Lory Lacy Oboe 1 Meribeth Risebig Oboe 2 Mark Cohick Clarinet 1 Randall Cunningham Clarinet 2 Chris Gibson

Saint Joseph Symphony Orchestra Program Notes

This has been, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most challenging 16 months for arts organizations around the world. First came the waiting game. Then the cancelations. Now, the hope – the excitement of reopening live music for all musicians and audiences. When asked to program for this concert, I had the choice of string orchestra or mixed en-semble. Choosing the mixed chamber winds and strings seemed the ideal choice to bring to Saint Joseph’s audience. All the while, giving a greater diverse opportunity to our musi-cians. This evening’s program is a reflection of the balances taken to ensure a responsible symphonic comeback as well as an evening of beautiful sounds from the musicians of the Saint Joseph Symphony. The concert will open with Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll. This work was first dedicated to his wife, Cosima, on the birth of their son – Siegfried. The work had originally been in-tended to be a private and intimate gift, however, under pressure to make a living wage from composing, Wagner gave permission for its publication through the company, Schott. Performed tonight in its original orchestration (13 players), this musical poem offers beau-tiful melodies and themes passed from the strings to winds. These themes did, eventually, make it into Wagner’s large operas. What I love about this work is the intimate nature of the sounds that begin the work. Wagner then cultivates – pulls and pushes the tempo – giving way to the many colors that a chamber orchestra can produce. While inspired by the music of Wagner, Antonin Dvořák used his influences from Prague and the traditions of Vienna to compose his Serenade for Winds, Cello and Double Bass. This four movement collection is a musical tour of Dvořák’s capacity to write for mixed winds with string compliments. One of the aspects that drew me to this work is what is missing, and the sound discoveries. There are no violins or viola. He also doesn’t write for the flute in this Serenade. What does this mean for the listener? I believe the audible ex-periences can range from dark colors in the sounds of low strings and winds, and the beautiful bright timbres of the oboe and clarinet lines. Composed with four movements; each one has its own characteristics from marches and dances to the lyrical. The Saint Joseph Symphony has embarked on the important task of choosing its next mu-sic director. Should I have the honor of serving the orchestra in this capacity, I plan to bring diverse and inspired performances to the community; a desire to share in an experi-ence only live music can provide! I would share in the hard work of the Board of Directors in their mission to sustain and develop this important cultural institution of live music. Thank you for attending tonight’s performance – in person or virtually. I am excited to share this musical experience with you.

Christopher Kelts, May 14. 2021

WOODWINDS Bassoon 1 Claudia Risebig Bassoon 2 Andrew West Contra Bassoon Joshua Draves-Kellerman BRASS Horn 1 Pete Jilka Horn 2 Sara Giovanelli Horn 3 Jan Cohick Trumpet 1 Wlliam Richardson

Christopher Kelts, Conductor Dr. Christopher Kelts is the Director of Orchestral Studies and Associate Professor of Music at Missouri State University. Concur-rently, Chris is the music director and co-founder of the Kinnor Phil-harmonic Orchestra, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and co-founder and conductor of the ensemble Project Musica. A native of St. Louis, Dr. Kelts has been the recipient of the “Arts for Life” Award for his musical direction in local theatre, served as guest conductor for the St. Louis Suburban Honors Orchestra and clinician to many St. Louis School Districts. He continues to be an active guest conductor and clinician for many districts and honor orchestra program throughout the United States. Conducting en-gagements have taken Chris throughout the region and the world. Most recently, Project Musica gave a performance at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea in May of 2016. Other conducting engagements have included: assistant conductor of the Kansas City Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of the Ozarks, Topeka Symphony Orchestra and the Urban Cultural Project (Kansas City). Dr. Kelts completed his advanced conducting training at Illinois State University and University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. His teachers have included Glenn Block, Robert Olson and Paul Vermel. While at UMKC and in Kansas City, Chris maintained an active opera conducting schedule that included productions of; Le nozze di Figaro, Il Ritorno di Ulisses in Patria, Susannah, Pirates of Penzance, Hansel und Gretel, Guilio Cesare, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi and as well as the world premiere of Tonatzin. Chris has worked with stage directors, Linda Ade Brand, the late Marciem Bazell, Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins and Richard Gammon. Not limited to his studies in orchestral conducting, Dr. Kelts formally trained as a violist where he studied at Missouri State University and Illinois State University. Dr. Kelts has ample symphonic ex-perience as a violist. Recent positions have included; Springfield (MO) Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony, Opera of Illinois Orchestra and the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra. His teachers have included Amy Muchnick, Kate Hamilton and the late Karen Tuttle. Chris Kelts continues to perform in various chamber and orchestral ensembles. Dr. Kelts teaches at Missouri State University Department of Music’s summer string festival, String Fling, coaching participating high and middle school students in the art of chamber music and orches-tral performance Christopher Kelts is a member of the Conductors’ Guild, College Orchestra Direc-tors’ Association, NAfME and is faculty advisor for Mu Phi Epsilon.

Audition Series

Concert #3

Featuring

Maestro Christopher Kelts

Saturday, May 22, 2021

The Missouri Theater

St Joseph, MO

Mark your calendars now!

A Free Community Concert presented by the Saint Joseph Symphony and

The David H Morton Memorial Fund for the Arts Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm

First Christian Church / 927 Faraon St / St Joseph, MO 64501 Featuring Flautist, Lory Lacy / Pianist, Charles Badami

Cellist Sascha Groschang