BERNSTEIN AT HEART
When we pass on knowledge, we empower future generations.
Just one year after the Broadway debut of Bernstein's iconic musical West Side Story, he was appointed Music Director for the New York Philharmonic. Within months of his appointment, Bernstein launched the New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts on television.
In the first televised Young People's Concert, Bernstein posed a question that was simultaneously simple, rhetorical, provoking, and unifying. It set the course for his mission to democratize music education and make it accessible for all.
"What does music mean?"
That simple question illustrates so much of our relationship to music, how it makes us feel, how it sparks change within us and out in the world around us. It, in fact, speaks to the central question of MUSE/IQUE's 2023 season: MUSIC = POWER!
The influence of Bernstein's Young People's Concerts cannot be understated. His passion for teaching and spreading knowledge made the dreams of so many aspiring musicians feel tangible and achievable. It animated the path for our very own Artistic & Music Director Rachael Worby to study music, to become a conductor, and to imagine a brand new concert series where she could apply some of those same concepts about teaching music in bold, new ways...
On August 3 and 6, Artistic & Music Director Rachael Worby pays tribute to her musical idol Leonard Bernstein and his impact through his Young People's Concerts series.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Anna Schubert Described as "luminously expressive" with a "silvery voice" that "moves from innocence to devastation with an actor's ease," Anna is passionate about bringing new voices, stories, and musical ideas to life. She enjoys an eclectic career that takes her all over the world - premiering new works, performing old favorites, and recording a wide variety of sounds for film and television.
A lover of new music and performance, Anna made her debut on the new music scene with the LA-based company, The Industry, singing the ethereal soprano role of L in scenes from Anne LeBaron's LSD: The Opera. Since then, she has performed in a stunning array of new productions and premieres, including the role of the Controller in Opera Omaha's production of Jonathan Dove's Flight, Bernstein's Mass with the LA Phil, and she created the role of Bibi in the world premiere of Ellen Reid's Pulitzer Prize-winning opera p r i s m with LA Opera and Beth Morrison Projects. Her performance in prism was described as "revelatory" (Catherine Womack), and subsequently led to a successful run at Theatro Municipal de São Paulo. Most recently, she debuted the role of Lady Reason in the world premiere of Kate Soper's opera The Romance of the Rose.
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Ashley Faatoalia is a versatile and inspirational singer born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Opera News calls his singing “hauntingly beautiful” crediting him with “a voice of winning purity and variety of expression” and The San Francisco Chronicle calls him “Sweet-toned” Ashley's recent engagements include performances as: Simon in the world premiere of Las Tres Mujeres de Jerusalén with LA Opera, Tenor Soloist in the world premiere of We Hold These Truths, a digital short presented by LA Opera, Antron’s Father in the world premiere of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning The Central Park Five, with Long Beach Opera, The Crab Man in Porgy & Bess, with Seattle Opera, Lyric Tenor in EUROPERAS , with LAPhil, and his debut as Marco Polo in the Emmy-Award-winning, Pulitzer-Prize-nominated, Invisible Cities with The Industry.
James Birch is currently a full-time student at the Colburn Music Academy in Los Angeles, California studying with Robert Lipsett.
He made his first orchestra solo debut at age twelve, playing Mozart Violin Concerto No.3 with the Reddam Philharmonic Orchestra, and his debut in America with The Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra in September 2022. An avid orchestral and chamber musician he performs with various orchestras and chamber music groups as Concertmaster and First Violin.
Competition accolades include the 2019 Zhuhai International Mozart competition, the First Prize at the 2020 London Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, New Talent Award at the 2021 British International Youth Music Competition & Festival, First Prize Winner at the 2022 ISA Young Musician of the Year, and the Hattori Foundation 2022 and 2023 Junior Award Winner.
The MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
Led by Rachael Worby
Michael Valerio (Principal) - Bass/Arrangements
Alan Steinberger - Keyboard/Arrangements
Jamey Tate - Arrangements
PERCUSSION
Greg Sadler
Pete Korpela
Dante Luna
Theresa Dimond (and timpani)
FLUTE
Johanna Borenstein
Damon Zick (and saxophone)
OBOE
Rong-Huey Liu
Sean Franz
CLARINET
Don Foster
Pat Posey (and tubax)
BASSOON
Damian Montano
Amber Wyman
HORNS
Allen Fogle
Melia Badalian
Preston Shepard
Kaiden Waterman
TRUMPET
Rob Schaer
Christopher Gray
Ellen Shinogle
TROMBONE
Gwang Kim
Lori Stuntz
David Goya
TUBA
P. Blake Cooper
VIOLIN
Armen Anassian - Violin I
Ashoka Thiagarajan - Violin I
Lisa Dondlinger - Violin I
Adam Millstein - VIolin I
Mina Hong - Violin I
Mona Tian - Violin I
Mira Khomik - Violin I
Gallia Kastner - Violin I
Fernando Arroyo - Violin II
Ana Landauer - Violin II
Kathleen Sloan - Violin II
Xenia Deviatkina-Loh - Violin II
Kayvon Sesar - Violin II
Gallia Kastner
VIOLA
Shawn Mann
Rodney Wirtz
Tess Scott-Suhrstedt
Kate Vincent
CELLO
Charlie Tyler
Ginger Murphy
Marshall McDaniel
Mike Kauffman
BASS
Don Ferrone
Tim Eckert
Eric Shetzen
Brady Steel - Orchestra Contractor
Caroline Boyce - Librarian
Thank you to our generous season sponsors:
Anonymous (2), Avery and Andrew Barth, Michael Casey, Nancy and Michael Harahan, The Havner Family Foundation, Ellen and Harvey Knell, The Jerry and Terri Kohl Family Foundation, Lois Madison: The Madison Foundation for Families, Debbie and Rick Powell, and Alyce de Roulet Williamson.