Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Irvine Barclay Theatre Presents

FRAGMENTS 1
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 3pm

Part of the Eclectic Orange Series
sponsored by the Jelinek Family Trust

This performance is presented without an intermission.

Alisa Weilerstein: Project Creator
Elkhanah Pulitzer: Director
Seth Reiser: Scenic and Lighting Designer
Carlos J. Soto: Costume Designer
Hanako Yamaguchi: Artistic Producer/Advisor

Will Knapp: Production Manager
Seth Reiser: Lighting Supervisor

Leadership support for FRAGMENTS is generously provided by Joan and Irwin Jacobs. Patron support for FRAGMENTS is provided by Judy and Tony Evnin, Clara Wu Tsai and Paul Sekhri. FRAGMENTS has been made possible with commissioning support from Alphadyne Foundation, The San Diego Symphony, UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures, Carnegie Hall, Celebrity Series of Boston, and The Royal Conservatory of Music for the 21C Festival.

Special thanks to Martha Gilmer for her leadership and counsel, and to Celebrity Series of Boston and Aspen Music Festival and School for their in-kind contributions.

FEATURED FRAGMENTS COMPOSERS:

Today's performance weaves together 18 short movements from works by Allison Loggins-Hull, Chen Yi, Gili Schwarzman, Joan Tower, Johann Sebastian Bach, and  Reinaldo Moya.

With the exception of the works of J.S. Bach, all of the music in this program has been commissioned by Alisa Weilerstein and FRAGMENTS.

In early December of 2020, during yet another of what seemed to be endless lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I started scribbling ideas down on paper, anticipating a time when we would be able to reconvene with one another in the concert hall.  I knew I wanted to create a visceral, emotional, and personal concert experience that would embrace the world we live in without sacrificing the intellectual aesthetic qualities that make our artform—concert music—such a singular mode of human expression and communication.  I also was searching for a way to strip away our own natural instincts to categorize and contextualize everything we hear and see.  I thought, what would our experience of music be like if we could be given the chance to simply listen first?

The entire FRAGMENTS project integrates all of Bach’s cello suites with 27 new commissions in original multi sensory productions, to make six programs, each an hour long for solo cello.  Every program, or Fragment, is played without pauses and the printed program is distributed after the performance. 

The composers who have been commissioned to write for FRAGMENTS are diverse with respect to compositional approach, race, gender, age, nationality and ethnic background. There is also an even mix of well-known voices and young composers or composers whose work has heretofore not been adequately appreciated by the wider public.  I asked all the composers to write multi-movement pieces for solo cello and to kindly grant me permission to insert the movements at different points throughout the program.  That being said, FRAGMENTS is not a project about people who write music but rather about the music they write.  The context and narrative in the sense that we are used to in our artform is far less important than listening to how these disparate voices interact with one another and create an entirely original, unified whole. 

Although FRAGMENTS began as a flickering of thoughts and images, it has become something much greater. The remarkable group of artists with whom I am collaborating on this project and their joyful and thoughtful enthusiasm has been nothing short of inspirational to me. At its core, FRAGMENTS is about deep connection; links between disparate compositional voices, between concert music and theater, and most importantly, between audience and performer.  I invite you to embark upon this adventure with us.

by Elkhanah Pulitzer              

FRAGMENTS suggests various stages in life, emotional landscapes, drifts into memory, structural interplay between musical colors and their associative powers, and much more. Music by twenty-seven living composers woven with Bach’s cello suites merge old and new to create infinite possibilities.  This approach of combining unique voices into a tapestry is what lies at the heart of this multi-year project.  The ability to hear each voice while also seeing how it connects and responds to others is what shifts FRAGMENTS from a series of distinct solo works to one of musical voices in community, creating a continuum from the past to our present moment to effect new meaning.

The design of FRAGMENTS elevates the senses to provide an opportunity to go deeper into the music.  Each FRAGMENT is framed within a unique installation borne of an emotional and architectural response to the musical arc Alisa curates and performs.  The lighting within each FRAGMENT amplifies the music, while the scenic elements frame Alisa to awaken a new space within the familiar hall.   The overall effect is that Alisa in performance and the hall itself take on an enlivened hue enhancing our overall experience and exciting our senses towards deeper listening to her extraordinary playing.

This invitation to embark on a musical journey of old and new is intentionally without hierarchy or narrative.  History, biography, a sense of place and timeline fall away to celebrate the primacy of varying musical voices in dialogue.  Sound paints on our soul a picture that conveys human truths beyond words, and our aim with each FRAGMENT is to illuminate and embrace the music Alisa performs towards more profound connection.

Askonas Holt Limited
15 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1BW, United Kingdom
askonasholt.com

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County gratefully acknowledges the following donors for their generous support of the Fund for Music during the past twelve months. These contributions make up the difference between the income generated from ticket sales and the actual cost of bringing the world’s finest orchestras, soloists and chamber ensembles to Orange County and inspiring 160,000 K-12 students each year with quality music programs. Gifts range from $60 to more than $100,000, and each member of the Philharmonic Society plays a valuable role in furthering the mission of this organization.

Youth Music Education Program Sponsors
The Crean Foundation
Chapman University
The Davisson Family Fund for Youth Music Education
The William Gillespie Foundation
Hearst Foundation
Thomas J. Madracki Memorial Endowment
Orange County Community Foundation
Pacific Life Foundation
U.S. Bank
Wells Fargo
Anonymous

Season Sponsors
Donna L. Kendall and the Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Judith and Howard Jelinek/Jelinek Family Trust
Anonymous

Series Sponsors
Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Jelinek/Jelinek Family Trust, Eclectic Orange Series
Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation

Philharmonic Circle ($100,000+)
The Committees of the Philharmonic Society
Donna L. Kendall and the Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Dr. Howard Jelinek/Jelinek Family Trust
Philharmonic Foundation
Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation
The Segerstrom Foundation

Maestro Circle ($50,000+)
Colburn Foundation
Hearst Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kohl
Mr. and Mrs. William F. Podlich
Gail and Robert Sebring
Dr. Bob and Mao Shillman
Ms. Dea Stanuszek

Chairman's Circle ($25,000+)
Bluebird Legacy, Inc.
The Crean Foundation
Sam B. and Lyndie Ersan
Moti and Idit Ferder, Lugano Diamonds
Mr. John D. Flemming and Mr. Mark Powell
Valerie and Hans Imhof
The Isidore and Penny Myers Foundation
Carolyn and Bill Klein
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas H. Smith
Steven M. Sorenson MD and the IBEX Foundation
Al Spector and Tatjana Soli

President's Circle ($10,000+)
Sabra and Peter Bordas
Mr. Gary Capata
City of Laguna Beach
Richard Cullen and Robert Finnerty
Marjorie and Roger Davisson
The Dirk Family
Karen and Don Evarts
Hung Fan and Michael Feldman
Margaret M. Gates- in memory of family
Mr. Richard A. Goodman
Ms. Joan Halvajian
Maralou and Jerry M. Harrington
Carole Innes-Owens
Helen and Fritz Lin
National Endowment for the Arts
Elaine and Carl Neuss
Cheryl Hill Oakes
Pacific Life Foundation
Lauren and Richard Packard
Mr. Patrick Paddon
U.S. Bank
    Mr. Stephen Amendt

Gayle Widyolar

Platinum Baton ($6,000+)
Dr. Richard D. and France Campbell
Suzanne and David Chonette
Frome Family Foundation
Gary and Betsy Jenkins
Marcia Kay and Ron Radelet
Diane and Michael Stephens

Golden Baton ($3,000+)
Mr. and Mrs. James Alexiou
John W. Benecke and Lee Marino
Mr. Warren G. Coy
Marjorie Davis
Deborah and Cody Engle
Gluck Bradley Foundation
Carl and Kathy Greenwood
Jane and Joe Hanauer
Ellen Pickler Harris and Ron Harris
Dr. Daniel E. Haspert and Mr. Gerard Curtin
Sigrid Hecht
Milli Hill
Ms. Elizabeth Jones
Vicki and Richard Lee
Mrs. Michael McNalley
Richard and Dot Nelson
David and Frances Nitta Barnes
Mr. John Nootbaar
Tommy and Julie Phillips
Richard and Deborah Polonsky
Christopher Quilter
Mr. and Mrs. James G. Reynolds
Mr. and Mrs. Philip E. Ridout
Ms. Harriet Roop
Mr. and Mrs. David Seigle
Dr. Emmanuel Sharef
Dr. and Mrs. Henry Sobel
Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence S. Spitz
Ms. Barbara Tanner

Silver Baton ($1,200+)
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel L. Abbott
Diane and John Chimo Arnold
Nancy Arnold
Robert and Barbara Boies
Ms. Michelle Brenner
Dr. and Mrs. David Casey
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart A. Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clemmer
Crevier Family Foundation
Susan and Kevin Daly
Dr. Harvey Eisenberg
Mrs. John Felder
Dr. and Mrs. Sidney A. Field
Mr. and Mrs. Donald French
Petrina Friede
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fuerbringer
David Gartley
Dr. Anna Gonosova
Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Gordon
Ms. Barbara Hamkalo
Stephanie and Don Harrell
The Bryant Henry Family
Barbara and Don Howland
LaDonna Kienitz
Cathy and David Krinsky
Hank and Bonnie Landsberg
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Malcolm
Mrs. Linda Lipman Mandelbaum
Peggy and Alex Maradudin
Vahe and Armine Meghrouni
Daniel and Kristy Melita
Pat Morgan
Mr. Carl Neisser
Marlene and Chris Nielsen
PIMCO Foundation
Michael and Meili Pinto
Lucinda Prewitt
Sandra Price
Susan Qaqundah
Michael Ray
Mr. and Mrs. Glen L. Reeves
Deborah and Robert Schlesinger
Eva and Fred Schneider
Dr. Ellis Schwied
Igal and Diane Silber
Walter and Masami Stahr
Edith Tonkon
Dr. and Mrs. Fritz C. Westerhout
Ms. Sally Westrom
Edward and Anna Yeung

Concerto ($600+)
Janet Lee Aengst
Beard Family Foundation
Sandi Campbell-McClain and Fran McClain
Helen Dell-Imagine
Michael DeVries
Walter C. Fidler
Dr. Alan L. Goldin
Dr. and Mrs. Mark W. Gow
Terry Hanna
Kevin Huoh
Dr. and Mrs. Kevin Ivey
Ms. Sumie Jossi
Dr. Nancy L. Kidder
Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Kriz
Mr. Greg Kwan
Dr. and Mrs. Gary C. Lawrence
Ms. Barbara Macgillivray
Katsuhiko and Meiko Maeshige
Kelly and Susan McClellan
Karen McCulley
Elizabeth Morse
Mrs. Gordon Niedringhaus
Linda Owen
Mr. Craig Poindexter
David and Helen Porter
Mr. and Mrs. John Prange
Deborah and Tom Rapport
Karyn Rashoff
Les Redpath
Chris Reed and Pat O'Brien
Suzanne Sandmeyer and Wes Hatfield
Christa Schar
James and Karen Schultz
Carol Schwab
Dr. Agnes Szekeres
John and Mary Karyl Thorne
Janice Wallace
Kathryn and David Wopschall
Ivy Yan

Sonata ($300+)
Brien Amspoker and Ellen Breitman
Dr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Bauer
Richard Bigelow
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Boice
Howard and Denise Brink
Mr. Scott Brinkerhoff
Evelyn Brownstone
Mr. and Mrs. Tyke Camaras
Luisa Cano
Mary E. Chelius
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Compton
Peter Conlon and Deborah Shaw
Ross Conner and Emmett Carlson
Mrs. V. de Reynal
Mrs. Lynda Folsom
Dr. and Mrs. Glenn Fowler
Mrs. Frank Gibson
Marvin Goecks, Jr.
Howard and Carol Hay
Marlene Hewitt
Ms. Grace Holdaway
Mr. Paul A. Schmidhauser and Ms. Cindy R. Hughes
Mary and Stanley Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Eric M. Kadison
Kari Kerr
Mr. and Mrs. Venelin Khristov
Dr. and Mrs. William P. Klein
Professor and Mrs. John Koshak
Dr. William Langstaff
Bruce Larson and Dinny Beringer
Dr. and Mrs. Craig Leonard
Sijie Ling
Elsie M. Little
Dr. Lani and Mr. David Martin
Dr. Kevin O'Grady and Mrs. Nella Webster O'Grady
Leslie and Gus Ordonez
Sidney and Nancy Petersen
Mr. Keith Polakoff
Coralie Prince
Mrs. Margaret Richley
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen G. Romansky
Deborah and Frank Rugani
Mrs. Kathleen Sangster
Pamela Sefton
Dr. James Shelburne
Ms. Dorothy J. Solinger
Ann D. Stephens
Dr. Sergio C. Stone
Diane Stovall
Marva Thomas
Dr. and Mrs. Harvey S. Triebwasser
Ms. Carole Uhlaner and Mr. D Brownstone
Mike Tompkins and Lynn Weiser
Cory Winter
Bob and Ellie Yates
Mrs. Alice Zamboni

ESTERHAZY PATRONS
The Philharmonic Society is proud to recognize our dedicated patrons who have made a multi-year Esterhazy Patron pledge. We are grateful for their support, which has been largely responsible for enabling us to present the world’s most acclaimed symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and soloists.

Esterhazy Patrons

Mr. and Mrs. James Alexiou

Mr. and Mrs. Darrel Anderson

A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation

Mr. Gary N. Babick

Ms. Tricia Babick

Mrs. Alan Beimfohr

Mr. and Mrs. John Carson

Cheng Family Foundation

Mrs. William P. Conlin

Mr. Warren G. Coy

Marjorie and Roger Davisson

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Delman

The Dirk Family

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Duma

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Emery

Catherine Emmi

Sam and Lyndie Ersan

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Freedland

Margaret M. Gates—In memory of family

Mr. and Mrs. Milton S. Grier, Jr.

Maralou Harrington

Dr. Howard J. Jelinek

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Chapin Johnson

Dr. Siret Jurison

Donna L. Kendall Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Venelin Khristov

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Kirwan

Capt. Steve Lutz and Shala Shashani Lutz

Professor Robert and Dr. Adeline Yen Mah

Mrs. Michael McNalley

Drs. Vahe and Armine Meghrouni

Mrs. Michael D. Nadler

Elaine and Carl Neuss

Mr. Thomas Nielsen

Milena and Milan Panic

Helen Reinsch

Barbara Roberts

Mrs. Michelle Rohé

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Salyer

Elizabeth Segerstrom

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas H. Smith

Mrs. Elaine Weinberg

Mr. and Mrs. George Wentworth

Bobbitt and Bill Williams

Anonymous

LEGACY CIRCLE MEMBERS

Mr. and Mrs. James Alexiou

Dr. and Mrs. Julio Aljure

Diane and John Chimo Arnold

Estate of Edra E. Brophy*

Mr. James J. Brophy

Mr. Douglas T. Burch, Jr.*

Mr. William P. Conlin* and

   Mrs. Laila Conlin

Pamela Courtial*

Mr. Warren G. Coy

Richard Cullen and Robert Finnerty

Mr. Ben Dolson*

Camille and Eric Durand Trust*

Karen and Don Evarts

Erika E. Faust*

James and Judy Freimuth

Ms. Carol Frobish*

The William Gillespie Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Milton S. Grier, Jr.

Mr. Edward Halvajian*

Ms. Joan Halvajian

Ms. Marie Hiebsch*

Mildred and James* Hill

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Hull

Mr. Leonard Jaffe

Judith* and Howard Jelinek

Dr. Burton L. Karson

Donna L. Kendall

Hank and Bonnie Landsberg

Mrs. Carla Liggett

Dr. William Lycette

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Michel

Mr. and Mrs. Bart Morrow

Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Nadler

Eva Cebulski Olivier

Mrs. Frank M. Posch*

Marcia Kay Radelet

Marjorie Rawlins*

Mrs. Ladislaw Reday*

Elaine M. Redfield*

Mr. Richard M. Reinsch*

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Salyer

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sebring

Mr. H. Russell Smith*

Ms. Dea Stanuszek

Diane and Michael Stephens

Vas Nunes Family Trust*

Betty M. Williams*

Anonymous

*Deceased

Bold type indicates gifts of $50,000 or more.

Please call the Philharmonic Society Development Department if you have included either the Philharmonic Society or the separate Philharmonic Foundation in your will or trust so that we may honor you as a member of the Legacy Circle. For more information, call (949) 553-2422, ext. 202 or visit: www.PhilharmonicSociety.org/SupportUs and click on Planned Giving.

SECURING THE FUTURE
The Philharmonic Society’s campaign is the first of its kind in the organization’s history. It will grow the Society’s endowment—providing greater opportunities for the presentation of the world’s leading orchestras and other musical performances while expanding our educational and community outreach—and also establish a current needs fund for organizational sustainability and flexibility. We are proud to recognize those who are helping secure the Society’s future with a gift to the Philharmonic Forward Campaign. We are grateful for their support, which will help fuel the Society’s growth and provide a legacy of incomparable music and superb music education programs in perpetuity.

Donna L. Kendall and Douglas H. Smith

Co-Chairs

DONORS TO THE PHILHARMONIC FORWARD CAMPAIGN

$1,000,000+

Mr. James J. Brophy

Donna L. Kendall and the Donna L. Kendall Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sebring

Anonymous

$500,000+

Richard Cullen and Robert Finnerty

James and Judy Freimuth

$250,000+

The Davisson Family Fund for

   Youth Music Education

Margaret M. Gates—In memory

   of family

Mr. and Mrs. Milton S. Grier, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas H. Smith

$100,000+

Pete and Sabra Bordas

David and Suzanne Chonette

Karen and Don Evarts

Milli and Jim Hill

Marlene and Chris Nielsen

Richard and Deborah Polonsky

Diane and Michael Stephens

Anonymous

$50,000+

Mr. Douglas T. Burch, Jr.*

Dr. Richard D. and France Campbell

Erika E. Faust*

Mrs. Joanne C. Fernbach

Joan Halvajian

Elaine and Carl Neuss

Marcia Kay Radelet

Mr. and Mrs. Philip E. Ridout

Ms. Dea Stanuszek

Dr. Daniel and Jeule Stein

$25,000+

Douglas Burch Classical Programs Fund

Mr. William P. Conlin* and Mrs. Laila Conlin

Mr. and Mrs. Donald French 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fuerbringer

Mr. and Mrs. Noel Hamilton

Dr. and Mrs. Chase Roh

Up to $24,999

Eleanor and Jim Anderson

John W. Benecke

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Burra

Ana and Ron Dufault

Hung Fan and Michael Feldman

First American Trust

   Kimberly Dwan Bernatz

Mr. John D. Flemming and Mr. Mark Powell

Duke Funderburke

Carolyn and John Garrett

Karin Easter Gurwell

Maralou and Jerry M. Harrington*

Mrs. Alice E. Hood

Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee - Marina Windjammer Group

Judith and Kevin Ivey

Ms. Lula Belle Jenkins

Doris and Jim Kollias

Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kramer

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lewis

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Madracki

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Mastrangelo

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Michel

Charles Mosmann

Carl Neisser

Joan Rehnborg

Dr. and Mrs. Henry Sobel

Dr. and Mrs. Julio Taleisnik

Marti and Walter Unger

Gayle Widyolar, M.D.

Sandi Wright-Cordes

U.S. Bank

Anonymous

*Deceased

Founded in 1954 as Orange County’s first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.                   

For more than 65 years the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county’s changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances. Its celebrated family concerts introduce children to classical music with creative and inspiring performances, instilling music appreciation for future generations.    

The Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 100,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by the Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised of 700 volunteer members who provide more than 90,000 hours of in-kind service each year.   

As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning by connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.

 949.553.2422  |  PHILHARMONICSOCIETY.ORG

OFFICERS
John Flemming, Chair/CEO
Sabra Bordas, Vice Chair
Donna L. Kendall, Deputy Board Chair
Stephen Amendt, Secretary / Treasurer

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
John W. Benecke, Development
Sabra Bordas, Nominating and Governance
Hung Fan, Laguna Beach Music Festival
Douglas H. Smith, Member at Large
Kathryn Wopschall, President, The Committees
Sandi Wright-Cordes, Orange County Youth Symphony

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jim Brophy
Gary Capata
Jean Felder
Margaret M. Gates
Kari Kerr
Barbara Roberts
Steven M. Sorenson, MD

PRESIDENT AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Tommy Phillips

IN MEMORIAM
Douglas T. Burch, Jr.
Wesley Kruse

LIFETIME BOARD MEMBER
Jane Grier

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Drew Cady, Production Coordinator
Emily Persinko, Artistic Operations Manager
Kathy Smith, Piano Technician

DEVELOPMENT
Mark Saville, Vice President of Development
Halim Kim, Senior Director of Development
Fatima Rizvi-Flores, Patron Stewardship Manager / Board Liaison
Paige Frank, Development Associate

EDUCATION
Courtney McKinnon, Manager of Volunteer and Education Services
Chloe Hopper, Education Associate

FINANCE
Roan Alombro, Vice President of Finance
Jessica Cho, Finance Associate / HR Administrator

MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Jean Hsu, COO / Vice President of Communications
Marie Songco-Torres, Senior Marketing and Public Relations Manager

PATRON SERVICES
Jonathan Mariott, Director of Patron Services
Angelica Nicolas, Marketing and Patron Services Associate
Randy Polevoi, Musical Concierge

Season Sponsor

Venue Sponsor

Corporate Sponsors