Program Notes
Alleluia from Exultate Jubilate, K.165 by W.A. Mozart was composed in 1773 during the production of his
opera Lucio Silla in Milan, Italy. He composed it for a singer in the opera whose technical excellence he
admired. The piece is written in the form of a motet, divided into three sections: Allegro, Andante and
Allegro. The arrangement we are performing for you today is based on the Alleluia in the closing section of
the piece.
Gisbert Steenwick, a Dutch composer, organist, and carillonneur, included the Saraband and Variations in a
collection of keyboard works published in 1674. He is most noted for his arrangements of popular songs
and dances, mostly sarabandes and allemandes, with variations. This Serband (Saraband or Sarabande) is in
the style of a chaconne, a form used for a set of variations over a short repeated harmonic progression.
Following the opening Saraband, you will hear eight variations.
Leopold Mozart is best remembered as the father of the phenomenally talented Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart; however, during his lifetime Leopold was well-respected on his own merit. Most notably, he was a
composer, conductor, violinist and pedagogue. His violin textbook, Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule,
written in 1756, is still in use today. His Sinfonia in G for a string ensemble was written in the 1750's. It is an
active, boisterous work with equal writing for all the instruments in the ensemble, exchanging lines of
sixteenth notes and driving eighth note rhythms in the first movement. The 2nd movement uses a walking
motif of triplets versus duple eighth note patterns to punctuate interesting harmonies. The lively Presto in
3/8 time is very dance-like in nature.
Pillow Dance, Summer Solstice Song and The Bag Pipe, composed by Bela Bartók, were published in the 44 Duos
for Two Violins. Erich Doflein, a German violinist and teacher, commissioned Bartók to arrange some of the
pieces from his For Children series. Bartók's lifelong dedication to folk music is evident in this series as all of the
songs and dances are based on folk music from many Eastern Europe countries. His unique harmonic and
rhythmic creativity are evident throughout the collection. Bartók also arranged six of these duos for piano,
under the title Petite Suite.
W.A. Mozart’s Twelve Duets for Violin and Viola (K.487) was originally composed in Vienna in 1786 for two
basset horns, wholly different instruments from the violin and viola. Originated in 1770, the basset horn is a
member of the clarinet family, pitched in F, which was favored by Mozart for its rich resonance and
extended lower range. He was by far the most notable composer for the basset horn, including it in his
wind serenade Gran Partita, K. 361, his Requiem, K. 626, and several of his operas. The Twelve Duos for Basset
Horns have been transcribed for several different instrument combinations.
Giuseppe Tartini was an Italian Baroque Era composer and violinist. Almost all of Tartini's works are violin
concerti (at least 135) and violin sonatas. His most famous work is the Devil's Trill Sonata, a solo violin
sonata that requires a number of technically demanding double stop trills and is difficult even by modern
standards. Tartini was the first known owner of a violin made by Antonio Stradivari in 1715. That
particular Stradivarius violin was eventually passed to Polish composer and virtuoso violinist Karol Lipinski,
ultimately becoming known as the Lipinski Stradivarius. That name may sound familiar to you for good
reason. It is the same violin that was recently stolen from Frank Almond, concertmaster of the Milwaukee
Symphony. (It was quickly recovered and returned to him.)
Born in 1861, Angel Villoldo was an Argentine musician. He was very much at home on the streets of
Buenos Aires, often entertaining audiences at street cafés. He accompanied himself on guitar, sometimes
adding a harmonica, and spontaneously told stories through singing. In 1916, he published a compilation of
songs entitled Argentine Popular Songs commemorating the centennial of the Argentine Declaration of
Independence. He was also one of the pioneers of tango. Among his most well-known tangos are La
Morocha and El Choclo because of their trail-blazing melodies and rhythms.
Simple Gifts is a Shaker song written and composed in 1848 by Elder Joseph Brackett. Though often classified
as an anonymous Shaker hymn or work song, it is better classified as a dance song. The Brackett family
farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement near Gorham, Maine, where Joseph spent the
majority of his life. His song was known only within Shaker communities until Aaron Copland used it in
1944 for the score of his ballet, Appalachian Spring. Copland used Simple Gifts a second time in 1950 in his first
set of Old American Songs for voice and piano, which was later orchestrated. Simple Gifts has been adapted or
arranged many times since by folksingers and composers.
Traverse Quartet Biographies
Steven K. Leonard is a violinist in Traverse City, Michigan. Mr. Leonard graduated with a Bachelor of Music
with Distinction in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Arts in Music
from Truman State University. His major teachers were Raphael Bronstein, Oliver Steiner, James Buswell
and Charles Castleman. Mr. Leonard studied chamber music with the Cleveland Quartet: Donald
Weilerstein, Peter Salaff, Martha Katz, and Paul Katz.
Mr. Leonard was Assistant Concertmaster of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in Birmingham before
moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1995 where he held teaching positions and served as the Director of the
String Orchestra and Chamber Music Program for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestras of
Atlanta.. His performance resumé includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Philharmonic
and the Eastman/Dryden Theater Orchestra.
Mr. Leonard moved to Traverse City in 2009 and currently performs as Associate Concertmaster in the
Traverse Symphony Orchestra, and is the Director of the TSO Civic Chamber Music Program. He also
performs as guest Assistant Concertmaster/Associate Principal of the violin sections in the West Michigan
Symphony. This year, Mr. Leonard was a guest artist at The Bridge Chamber Music Festival at St. Olaf and
Carleton Colleges in Minnesota. He maintains a busy private teaching studio in Traverse City.
Ann Schoelles, violist, retired from the Midland Public Schools in 2007, where she taught elementary strings,
middle school orchestra, and was conductor of the Midland High School orchestras. She moved to the
Traverse City area to be closer to her children and grandchildren. Her current musical activities include
playing with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra and the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. One of Ms.
Schoelles' retirement goals was to become an active performer again, which she has happily achieved
through her orchestral activities and performing with her great friends Liz, Lynn, and Steven in the
Traverse Trio.
Elizabeth Bert enjoys a distinguished career as an area performer, conductor and teacher. She holds a
Bachelor of Education, Secondary Education; Instrumental Music Education and a Master of Education;
Guidance and Counseling from the University of Toledo. Elizabeth Bert is in her 38th season as Principal
Cellist for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. She serves as Principal Cello of the Baroque on Beaver
Festival Orchestra and is also Co- Principal of the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. She frequently performs
with the Sault Symphony Orchestra, Marquette Symphony, Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra and the
Alpena Orchestra.
A native of Wauseon, Ohio, Elizabeth Bert studied piano and violin, and then began her cello studies at the
age of 10 in the Ann Arbor, Michigan public school program under the guidance of eminent string educator
Elizabeth Green. She also spent six summers at the Interlochen Arts Camp, studying with Oliver Edel and
Louis Potter. She continued those studies with Mr. Potter at Michigan State University before moving to
Toledo, Ohio. She continued her cello studies at the University of Toledo with Paul Katz, Peter Howard and
Sachiya Isomura.
She continues to be an active performer, collaborating with her TSO colleagues in a variety of ensembles,
and enjoys sharing her love of music and the cello.
Oboist, Lynn Hansen received her Bachelor and Master degrees in Music Education from the University of
Michigan. After two years as band conductor at Albion (MI) High School, she moved to Traverse City
where she served as band conductor at West Junior High School for twenty-two years. With a Master’s
degree in Education Administration from Central Michigan University, Lynn continued to share her
commitment and passion for all things kid-related as one of WJH’s principals for the next eleven years,
retiring in 2012.
Making music is what feeds her soul, and throughout her career Lynn has continued to perform on oboe,
oboe d’amore and English horn. The 2015-2016 season marks her 35th year with the Traverse Symphony
Orchestra and her third year with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. Lynn also enjoys the opportunity of
playing with good friends in the Baroque on Beaver Island summer music festival. She has also performed
with the Midland Symphony, the Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Symphony, the Marquette Symphony, and the
Jackson Symphony. Lynn is especially proud to have shared both the classroom and the stage with many of
her former students.
Coming Events
Crescendo: Music Around the World
with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
5:30 to 9 PM
Silent/Live Auction and Dinner Catered by Grey Gables
Reservations may be made by calling GLCO @ 231-487-0010
Castle Farms, Charlevoix
Concert: France & Spain
Sunday, June 12, 2016
7 PM
Highlights of Carmen
Risa Renae Harman, Soprano; Elise DesChamps, Mezzo Soprano
Jeffrey Picon, Tenor; Brian Banion, Bass-Baritone
Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Chorus, Peter D. Sims, Chorus Master
Libor Ondras, Music Director
John M. Hall Auditorium, Bay View
The Sunday Series of programs are presented free of charge by the generous support
of the Charlevoix County Community Foundation and Board Trustee, Carolyn Klender.
The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra produces live orchestral performances that provide entertainment, education and inspiration
for Northern Michigan. Support for the orchestra is provided by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs,
the National Endowment for the Arts, the Frey Foundation, the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation,
the Bay Harbor Foundation, the Charlevoix County Community Foundation,
and hundreds of individual patrons.
For more information about the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, go to www.glcorchestra.org & 231-487-0010