Dayton Philharmonic offers special ‘Bernstein Songfest’ at DAI

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra continues its celebration of the 100th anniversary of influential composer Leonard Bernstein’s birth with a Chamber Series concert fittingly titled “Bernstein Songfest” Sunday, Jan. 28, at the Dayton Art Institute.

Under the direction of DPO Associate Conductor Patrick Reynolds, the program will encompass various selections from Bernstein's illustrious repertoire, which spanned the realms of Broadway and opera to symphony halls around the world. In addition to the Prologue from "West Side Story," slated works include compositions such as "Two Love Songs" ("Extinguish My Eyes" and "When My Soul Touches Yours") and "La Bonne Cuisine: Four Recipes for Voice and Piano" in addition to selections from "On the Town," "MASS," "Trouble in Tahiti" and "Candide."

“I will be forever grateful to have grown up in the ‘Bernstein Era,’” said Reynolds. “For me, he was an inspiration, a hero and role model. He was an almost unimaginable genius. I admired him so much. I didn’t have any rock stars as a kid, so for me, he was my rock star. He was a lot of people’s rock star.

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"I met him once, after a concert he conducted with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1987. We spoke briefly and he signed my program. I have never ever seen eyes that shined more brightly than his. There's been no one like him since."

Reynolds is excited about the programming as a whole but anticipates two numbers in particular.

“I am thrilled to be conducting three excerpts from his timeless one-act opera ‘Trouble in Tahiti,’ and the beautiful ‘Candide’ finale “Make Our Garden Grow.’”

Accenting the concert will be the Dayton Opera's Artists-in-Residence consisting of soprano Olivia Yokers, mezzo-soprano Noragh Devlin, tenor Michael Anderson, and bass-baritone Alexander Harper.

“This is the fourth year of participation in this Chamber Series by the talented singers of Dayton Opera’s Artists-in-Residence program,” said Dayton Opera Artistic Director Thomas Bankston. “It is truly one of the most fulfilling and enriching parts of their residency to be featured in this concert and to be able to perform in collaboration with the musicians of the Dayton Philharmonic.”

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The quartet will be accompanied by musicians including Joshua Nemith on piano, Rebecca Tryon Andres on flute, John Kurokawa on clarinet, Deborah Taylor on double bass, Timothy Anderson on trombone, Donald Donnett on timpani, and percussionists Michael LaMattina, Jeffrey Luft and Gerald Noble. Joining the Philharmonic musicians will be pianist Carol Walker, Dayton Opera Music Director of the Artists-in-Residence Program.

Also, the first half of the concert will briefly focus on brass with selections from Bernstein’s “Brass Music” performed by the Dayton Philharmonic Brass Quintet, commonly known as Carillon Brass. The troupe consists of Charles Pagnard and Alan Siebert on trumpet, Chad Arnow on trombone, Aaron Brant on horn, and Timothy Northcut on tuba.

“In the last three of these (Chamber Series) concerts we have turned to more traditional composers of the chamber music repertoire,” Bankston reminded. “This year, however, we focus on one composer, and what better one could that be than Leonard Bernstein, as we honor his life and works in the 100th anniversary year of his birth.”


WANT TO GO?

WHAT: "Bernstein Songfest"

WHERE: Renaissance Auditorium of the Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton

WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday

COST: $14-$22; Seating is general admission

TICKETS: Call Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or visit www.daytonperformingarts.org

FYI: Larry Coressel from Discover Classical WDPR 88.1 will give a pre-concert talk beginning at 2:30 p.m.

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