2011-2012 Season News

The SSO kicked off the Holidays with its annual Christmas and Holiday concert entitled Holiday Melodies and Peanuts. Opening the show was local composer and music icon Theldon Myers work Music for a Special Season. Myer’s holiday mood setting work was followed by the introduction of guest pianist Joseph Satava and the performance of William Grant Still’s Christmas in the Western World. As the larger than usual audience applauded, the orchestra prepared for the final piece of the first half, Ellen Taaffe Zwiilich’s five movement work Peanuts Gallery. This wonderful work, again featuring pianist Joseph Satava, described Schroeder , Linus, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, and Marcy and Peppermint Patty through music: Schroeder echoing strains of Beethoven, a lullaby for Linus, a lament for Charlie Brown, Snoopy doing the samba, Lucy freaking out and Marcy and Peppermint Patty leading a parade.

After rousing applause from the audience, the orchestra took a short break before conducting a live auction to raise funds for SSO operations. Many thanks to Harford County Councilman Capt’n Jim McMahan are in order for serving as the auctioneer, as well as thanks to SSO violist Noreen Hiltz for her hilarious support of Capt’n Jim.

The orchestra followed the auction with Jessel’s Parade of the Wooden Soldiers—arranged by SSO member Don Raff—which delighted the audience with its bouncy melody and theatrics. Jessel’s work was followed by Sir Malcolm Arnold’s The Holly and The Ivy and then the world premiere of Jesse Ayer’s Fire of the Living God. Ayer’s work saw the SSO horn section move out into the audience space for the performance. Ayer’s work was a major change up from traditional holiday fare and the almost other worldly rhythms and tones- complete with Harford County music students playing whirlies—had the desired effect on the audience: a standing ovation in the middle of the concert!

The concert concluded with Maestro Bair’s arrangement of sing-along classics (BTW, the singing was great again this year) as well as a visit from Santa and his elves while the SSO played Anderson’s Sleigh Ride. This year again, Maestro Bair put the SSO on autopilot as he jumped on the drums to add some additional rhythm to Sleigh Ride. Not to be outdone by last year, principle percussionist Mary Eilerman enlisted the aid of SSO member and percussionist Alan Andreycak as they dueled for the best whip snap at the end of piece.

Please join us for our next concert on March 17 as the SSO performs works by Mussorgsky, Beethoven, Dvorak and Wagner.

The SSO opened its 35th concert season with a proclamation from Harford County Councilman “Capt’n Jim McMahan recognizing the vision and efforts of Maestro Sheldon Bair for his 35 years of dedicated leadership to the SSO. The proclamation briefly recounted the history and milestones the orchestra and Sheldon Bair had reached over the last 35 years. When “Capt’n Jim” completed his reading of the proclamation and announced that the proclamation had been signed by the entire County Council, the audience seconded his motion with rousing applause.

As is the custom of the orchestra, the very first music played by the SSO in the season is the National Anthem. This year was no different. With both the audience and the orchestra standing, honors were rendered to the nation and the 35th season was officially underway. With only a slight pause after the Star Spangled Banner, Maestro Bair called for the opening notes of Franz Shubert’s spirited overture Alfonso und Estrella. Following Schubert’s work, the orchestra reconfigured for Haydn’s Symphony #35 in B-flat Major. This melodic work in four movements was also warmly received by the audience.

When Maestro Bair jokes with the audience for the concluding work of the first half of the concert; he had always been “A sucker for a good waltz” and that Richard Strauss had written some of the best. However, Strauss’s waltzes are not easy to play. At dress rehearsal, the musicians were urged to get into a “Viennese mood” by thinking of “whipped cream and coffee”. What the audience didn’t hear was the Maestro’s stage whispered instructions to the orchestra of “Give them plenty of whipped cream and coffee” as he summoned up the opening bars of Der Rosenkavalier. The exhortations apparently worked: the waltz was performed quite well to the delight of the audience.

Opening the second half of the concert was Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man under the baton of Brian Folus. This very popular brass and percussion piece is always a crowd pleaser and it certainly worked its magic on the audience once again.

The highlight of the evening was Tchaikovsky’s March Slav. This ever popular work progressed from melody to melody, moved slowly and then with determination, and culminated in a thunderous finale which evoked vigorous applause from the audience.

The concluding work of the concert was three selections from Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. The Ronde des princesses flowed seamlessly into the Berceuse, which then charged into the Finale. After the work was completed and as Maestro Bair recognized the contributions of the soloists, the audience also recognized the contributions of the orchestra with a standing ovation.

All-in-all, the SSO inaugurated its 35th season in an outstanding manner. The SSO’s next concert, the Holiday Concert, is December 3, 2011 at the Bel Air High School Auditorium. This is the SSO’s most popular concert, so get your tickets early and visit the SSO’s website to learn more.