Sedona News – The Sedona Symphony (formerly Verde Valley Sinfonietta) presents its fourth concert of the 2023-2024 season under the direction of Artistic Director, Janna Hymes. The concert features guest artist, flutist Jeannette Hirasawa Moore, performing Telemann’s Suite in A minor, for Flute, Strings and Continuo, and Tchaikovsky’s Lensky’s Aria from the opera Eugene Onegin, on Sunday, April 7 at 2:30 PM in the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. in Sedona. Ravel’s Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) and Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D major will round out the program. As an added treat, several string players from the Sedona Community Youth Orchestra will play side-by-side with the Sedona Symphony on Fauré’s Pavane in F# minor, Op. 50.
Flutist Jeannette Hirasawa Moore has appeared as soloist with the Toronto Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Ensemble Sir Ernest MacMillan, and Hart House Orchestra. Originally from Canada, Jeannette performed as principal flute of the Toronto Pops Orchestra, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, and Toronto Philharmonic. She received her Bachelor‘s and Master of Music degrees in flute performance from the University of Toronto, studying with Douglas Stewart and Robert Aitken. In 1995 she toured the Far East with The Phantom of the Opera. Jeannette has served as principal flute of the Flagstaff Symphony since 2013, and as principal flute of the Arizona Philharmonic. She is currently principal flute of the Sedona Symphony. She also performs with the chamber groups Ponderosa Players and Duo Catalina.
The program opens with Ravel’s Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose Suite).
It has been said that Maurice Ravel saw the world through the eyes of a child. Although he had no children of his own, Ravel had a lifelong fascination with elaborate mechanical toys, and frequently read fairy tales aloud to the children of his friends. In 1908, Ravel composed Ma Mère l’Oye (“Mother Goose Suite”), a four-hand piano composition for Jean and Mimi Godebski to play together. Each movement depicts a character from the Mother Goose fairytales. Ravel commented: “My intention of awaking the poetry of childhood in these pieces naturally led me to simplify my style and thin out my writing.” After the Godebski children surrendered to stage fright, Jeanne Leleu and Geneviève Durony, who were six and ten at the time, debuted the suite in April 1910. The premiere went so well that Ravel arranged the work as a ballet and orchestral suite the following year.
Telemann’s Suite in A minor for Flute, Strings and Continuo is one of Telemann’s best-known works, in particular because it includes a solo part for the flute, which participates in all movements. Although Telemann’s suite is not technically a concerto, the flute part is virtuosic and very much in the limelight.
Lensky’s Aria is from Tchaikovsky’s opera “Eugene Onegin,” based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel in verse. The aria has been arranged for flute by Maria Yaremak. During the aria the character Lensky resigns himself to the likelihood of dying and the bitterness of never again seeing his beloved.
Haydn is often referred to as the “Father of the Symphony,” with more than 100 works to his name. In the 1790’s, Haydn spent two different stints in London, during which time he composed a dozen symphonies. These are collectively referred to as his “London” symphonies, with the last of those, Symphony No. 104 in D major, also known by the nickname “London.” Its premiere was at the King’s Theatre on May 4, 1795, in a concert featuring the composer’s works, and directed by the composer.
The Sedona Symphony is pleased to provide young musicians from the Sedona Community Youth Orchestra with the opportunity to perform with a professional orchestra. The orchestra is led by Courtney Yeates and Kristina Beachell and is funded by Chamber Music Sedona.
The April 7 concert is sponsored by Sedona resident Sue Buffum. Ticket prices are $15.00 – $65.00 (half price for children) and are available on the Sedona Symphony website: SedonaSymphony.org and at the door on the day of the concert.