In this issue
Musician Profile - Florence Ierardi
Musician Profile - William Kerrigan
FROM THE PRESIDENT
David Elderkin
The leaves may be off the trees, but the great music is still on stage. The Symphony performed an all-Mendelssohn program with pianist Daniel Song (pictured at right) at West Chester University and a holiday concert at Kennett High School.
2010 promises to be a great year of music and events with symphonic and pops programs to please your ear, plus gardens, cars and fashions events to catch your eye.
This issue's "Beyond the Music" story comes from the Kennett Area Senior Center, whose residents regularly "hop the bus" to attend Symphony concerts. We also share an update from Dr. Kristen Albert, Artistic Director of the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus.
We continue our profiles of the professional musicians in the Symphony with Florence (Flossie) Ierardi, Percussion, and William Kerrigan, Principal Percussion. And we introduce another new Board member.
From the musicians, staff and volunteers of the Kennett Symphony: Thank you for your generous support and Happy Holidays!
Mayor Spencer
DECEMBER CONCERT AT KENNETT HIGH SCHOOL
Home for the Holidays
More than 200 performers took the stage as the Kennett Symphony, accompanied by the Chester County Choral Society, the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus, soprano Toni Marie Palmertree, Mayor Leon Spencer, and trumpet soloist Luis Engelke performed holiday favorites under the direction of Conductor Salvatore Scarpa..
Ms. Palmertree, winner of the 2009 Voice Competition, dazzled the audience. As Caryl Huffaker of The Kennett Paper put it:
Toni Marie Palmertree wowed the audience. They appreciated her complete vocal mastery and technique in The Bright Seraphim from "Samson" by Handel. But when she sang the Christmas Medley by Holcomb that included the well known Christmas songs from the movies, she found her groove and had the audience in the palm of her hand. With her technical expertise, personality and powerful but effortless singing, she is a major force.
The Festive Cantata Christmas is Coming by Siegmeister was also popular, with Narrator Leon Spencer joining the adult and children's choruses. Caryl again:
The entire range of the aspects of Christmas from childish delight and religious awe to happy home gatherings, the journey through Christmas was all portrayed with Christmas music.
Thanks to the performers, staff and volunteers for a marvelous evening of entertainment.
2010 PREVIEW
Celebrate the Music
Many treats await in 2010. Starting with the concerts:
- Sunday, March 21, 2010. 2:00 PM. Emilie K. Asplundh Hall, West Chester University. Free Family Concert and Instrument Petting Zoo.
- Saturday, April 24, 2010. 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Meet the Music: Mozart Requiem with the Westminster Presbyterian Chancel Choir.
- Saturday, June 26, 2010. 7:30 PM. Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre. David Kim Plays Tchaikovsky. David Kim, the Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra and world-renowned soloist, joins the Kennett Symphony to perform his specialty, the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
- Saturday, August 21, 2010. 7:30 PM. Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre. Highland Fling! Janet Witman and the 12-member Brandywine Harp Orchestra join the Symphony to perform music from Ireland and Scotland.
- October, 2010. The Symphony opens its 70th season with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony accompanied by the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia.
And mark your calendar for these events:
- Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Our first ever Symphony Scape, a symposium on gardens and design at the Mendenhall Inn.
- Sunday, October 3, 2010. The Classics at Brantwyn, with "Brunch, Blues and Hot Cars."
Headed for the Concert! KENNETT AREA SENIOR CENTER
Seniors attend October and December concerts
One of the missions of the Kennett Symphony is to make classical music accessible for people of all ages and backgrounds in the community. As part of our outreach program, Beyond The Music, we have been offering complimentary concert tickets to members of the Kennett Area Senior Center. In October, a busload of patrons from the center came to hear Mendelssohn at West Chester University. And again this December, a group braved the snow and attended our afternoon Holiday concert at Kennett High School.
A recent survey conducted by the Senior Center indicated that many of the respondents were interested in more social & entertainment programs. Music seems to be a perennial favorite and so KASC program coordinator Andrea Durynski has been delighted to have this on-going relationship with the Kennett Symphony. Andrea has discovered that more and more members of the senior center have been taking advantage of the opportunity to attend Kennett Symphony concerts as a result of the overwhelming positive feedback. Concert sign-ups are promoted through colorful posters in the senior center and luncheon announcements. Nighttime driving is often a deterrent to seniors attending Symphony concerts. However, the Episcopal Church of the Advent provided a bus for the October evening concert and with the introduction of several additional afternoon concerts this season, we hope additional seniors will now feel encouraged to attend our programs.
The Kennett Symphony has the ability to offer these cultural opportunities to the Kennett Area Senior Center and other community organizations because of the generosity of our individual and corporate donors. We appreciate their support and look forward to further developing the Symphony’s outreach, Beyond The Music.
Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus
Dr. Kristen Albert
KENNETT SYMPHONY CHILDREN'S CHORUS
Dr. Kristen Albert, Artistic Director
The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus has a fabulous concert season in store for you. Mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss it.
This Saturday, December 19th begins the first concert of our third season in residence at West Chester University where we will introduce our newest chorus—Tyros—to the community. Tyros is made up of our youngest singers in the preparatory chorus currently made up of first and second grade singers. We welcome them to the Children’s Chorus family!
The Children’s Chorus program will open with a memorable canon of Peace, the text of which was written by the legendary Jean Ritchie, put to the music of an old English folksong, followed by our procession of “old English carolers” singing Christmas is Coming! From traditional holiday favorites, to moving and energizing repertoire from many masters including Praetorius, Palestrina, Handel, and Kodaly, this group of more than 80 young singers will be accompanied by pianists, brass, flutes, drums, and much more! It is a concert you will not want to miss!
The concert will take place in the Madeline Wing Adler Theater in the Swope Music Building located at 817 South High Street, West Chester, PA 19383. There is ample free parking available on site. Though the concert is free, donations to support the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus will be gratefully accepted. Suggested donation is $8.00 per ticket. The concert will begin at 7:30. Get a sneak preview of our program. 2010 Brings more exciting opportunities for you to hear the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus in a variety of performances. Be sure to mark your calendars and join us!
On January 9th, 2010, the four ensembles of the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus will perform a reprise of our holiday concert at 7:30 PM at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Lancaster. The performance is free and open to the public. For details, see the St. Peter's Lutheran website.
On February 14th,, 2010, at 3:00 PM, the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus will perform, along with the Immaculata Symphony, a newly commissioned work for Children’s Chorus and Orchestra of a children’s classic, Jack and the Beanstalk. Composed by Melissa Dunphy, this Youth Concert is sure to please both the young, and the young at heart. To learn more about this performance, see the Immaculata Symphony's website.
On March 14, 2010 at 4:00 PM, the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus will perform in the Seventh Annual Children’s and Youth Music Festival at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Lancaster. The KS Children’s Chorus of more than 80 children will join voices and instruments of more that 80 other children from various performing groups in Lancaster County. We are honored to be invited once again to this inspiring celebration of children and music. For more information on this performance, see the Good Shepard's website.
Join us for one or more of our upcoming performances. You will be inspired and renewed by the energy and excellence of the future generation of young musicians.
NEW BOARD MEMBER
Donna H. Melton joins Kennett Symphony Board
Donna Melton is the principal of Just In Time! Communications, a “Communications-on-Call” office, providing strategic fundraising, marketing and communications planning and complete copywriting and graphic design services for non-profits and small businesses. Previously, Donna served as Director of Development, Communications & Marketing at Upland Country Day School, where she also directed the school's International Program. She received numerous awards for her work at Upland, including the 2008 CASE Grand Gold Circle of Excellence Award in Communications and the Golden Cross Medal from the Finnish Ministry of Education in 2007. In addition, Donna was one of the founding members of the Brandywine Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), has served as Chapter President and was named 1993 Outstanding Fundraising Executive.
Donna's work with numerous area organizations on strategic planning and team building has made her a sought-after conference presenter at such venues as the AFP International Conference, CASE-NAIS Independent School Conference, the Franklin Forum and the Delaware Arts Summit. She also teaches Marketing & Public Relations at the annual Environmental Leadership Institute, sponsored by the Delaware Nature Society. Donna received a B.A. from Mary Washington University and M.Ed. from the University of Virginia. Donna resides in Cochranville with her husband, architect and musician Dennis Melton, who shares her interest in the arts and other quality of life issues related to community. They are the proud parents of Michael Melton, a recent graduate of Temple University's Fox School of Business.
We welcome Donna and thank her for her commitment.
Flossie Ierardi
MUSICIAN PROFILE
Florience Ierardi, Percussion
Percussionist Florence (Flossie) Ierardi inherited a love of music from her parents, who appreciated music of many genres, and from her grandmother, who frequently sang Neopolitan songs in their home. She began piano lessons at the age of 10, and it was not until high school that she became interested in percussion music and the range of expressive possibilities that it offered. She studied percussion at Temple University, where she received the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in percussion performance, studying with Glenn Steele and Alan Abel.
Flossie has long been fascinated by the fact that the history of percussion dates thousands of years, yet new instruments are continually being discovered and created. As a music therapist, she is able to rely on her years of diverse orchestral and chamber music experience to engage with people of many cultural backgrounds who are emotionally and/or physically compromised. Her percussion skills have been a catalyst for group drumming facilitation in mental health, educational and corporate settings.
Flossie is currently a faculty member in the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at Drexel University. Her commitment to the Kennett Symphony has developed over the years as a result of the shared dedication of all those involved and invested in the success of the orchestra and its mission.
William Kerrigan
MUSICIAN PROFILE
William Kerrigan, Percussion
Instrument: Percussion
Birthplace: Cleveland, OH
Earliest musical memory: My parents taking my twin brother (yes, I am a twin) and I to hear the Cleveland Orchestra, getting us into jazz clubs, and listening to the Beatles.
Schools: Cleveland Institute of Music, Temple University (Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music).
Noteworthy: In addition to being the Principal Percussionist of the Kennett Symphony, I am also the Principal Percussionist for the Delaware Symphony, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, Orchestra 2001, and Opera Delaware. Also, I hold the position of Timpanist at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia and am the leader of the Phil-A-Rhythm Percussion Quartet. Other noteworthy orchestras and bands that I have performed with include: The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Pittsburgh Symphony, at the Aspen Music Festival, with The Beach Boys, The Moody Blues, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Al Green, Art Garfunkel, Ben Vereen, Yes, The Opera Company of Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra. I am presently on the faculty of Eastern University, The Community College of Philadelphia, and hold a Distinguished Faculty Chair at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia.
Interests: I work with Brother David Schlatter on the Bells of Remembrance project. (These are the bells we used for the 1812 Overture this past August at Longwood Gardens.) We continue to improve and extend the collection. I play tennis and have traveled to watch 3 out of the 4 major tennis championships (Wimbledon, French Open, and US Open). Play some golf and fulfilled one of my lifetime dreams by playing the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, this past summer, with my twin.
Books at Bedside: The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton. St. Andrews Sojourn by George Peper.
Favorite thing about performing music: It is a great way to be creative and express oneself.
If you could play another instrument it would be…: Bass. I really like the rhythm section instruments.
Favorite composer: To name one composer and a favorite piece is so difficult. I will mention 3 of my favorite percussion composers: Béla Bartók, Leonard Bernstein, and Igor Stravinsky.
First performed with the Kennett Symphony: If my memory is correct, it was about 1986.
Classics at Brantwyn
- The 2009 Instrumental Competition was on November 21, 2009 in the Auditorium at Kendal-at-Longwood in Kennett Square, PA. Twenty superb young artists in grades 9-12 performed. The first place winner was Nathan Watts, cello. Mr. Watts will appear as a soloist with the Kennett Symphony at a future performance.Details
- The 2010 Voice Competition will be held at 1:00 PM on March 20, 2010 in the Auditorium at Kendal-at-Longwood in Kennett Square, PA. The public is invited to attend free of charge. Details
- See pictures of our 2009 Classics at Brantwyn and Luncheon and Fashion Show events on our website.