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SUMMARY:Free Chamber Music - HSO Wind Quintet
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n							\n						\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/free-chamber-music-hso-wind-quintet/
LOCATION:Second Reformed Church Zeeland\, 225 E. Central Avenue\, Zeeland\, MI\, 49464\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Second-Reformed-Church.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250906T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250906T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250422T201528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T151755Z
UID:12615-1757187000-1757192400@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Classics I: Orchestral Fate
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/classics-i-orchestral-fate/
LOCATION:West Ottawa Performing Arts Center\, 3685 Butternut Drive\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ryan-Darke.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250816T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250816T153000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250712T162946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250816T122840Z
UID:13092-1755352800-1755358200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Our New Home Celebration - A Free Family-Friendly Concert
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/our-new-home-celebration-a-free-family-friendly-concert/
LOCATION:West Ottawa Performing Arts Center\, 3685 Butternut Drive\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/WOPAC-Exterior-View.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250809T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250809T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250422T160212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T104321Z
UID:12594-1754766000-1754771400@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Music Unites Us 2025: Grupo Super Nova
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/music-unites-us-2025-grupo-super-nova/
LOCATION:Kollen Park Henry VanderLinde Bandshell\, 240 Kollen Park Dr.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_5469.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250809T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250809T160000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250214T172807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250730T195234Z
UID:12201-1754748000-1754755200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Welcomes Midori - Matinee Concert
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-welcomes-midori-2/
LOCATION:West Ottawa Performing Arts Center\, 3685 Butternut Drive\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Midori_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250808T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250808T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250214T154638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250730T195447Z
UID:12195-1754681400-1754686800@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Welcomes Midori
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-welcomes-midori/
LOCATION:West Ottawa Performing Arts Center\, 3685 Butternut Drive\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Midori_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250619T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250619T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250422T155008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T174330Z
UID:12591-1750359600-1750365000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Pops at the Pier 2025: The Music of Judy Garland
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/pops-at-the-pier-2025-the-music-of-judy-garland/
LOCATION:Eldean’s Boat Shed\, 2150 S. Shore Drive\, Holland\, 49423\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Judy-Garland-Cover.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250518T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250518T150000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250514T150457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T153809Z
UID:12815-1747576800-1747580400@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Brass Quintet in Saugatuck - Free Concert
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-brass-quintet-in-saugatuck-free-concert/
LOCATION:Saugatuck-Douglas Library\, 174 Center Street\, Douglas\, MI\, 49406\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Saugatuck-Douglas-District-Library.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T020000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T153000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250422T141837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T185042Z
UID:12586-1746237600-1746286200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Pop-Up Concert at Tulip Time
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-pop-up-concert-at-tulip-time-2/
LOCATION:Beechwood Church\, 895 Ottawa Beach Rd\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tulip-Time-Emersion-Garden.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T153000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250418T124756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T184923Z
UID:12581-1746194400-1746199800@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Pop-Up Concert at Tulip Time
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-pop-up-concert-at-tulip-time/
LOCATION:Beechwood Church\, 895 Ottawa Beach Rd\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tulip-Time-Emersion-Garden.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250426T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250426T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240127T012633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T102624Z
UID:10490-1745695800-1745701200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Romantic Rachmaninoff
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/romantic-rachmaninoff/
LOCATION:Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at Hope College\, 221 Columbia Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Cameron-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T063000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250228T004719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T174218Z
UID:12249-1744266600-1744313400@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Spring for Music: Mozart & Poulenc
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/spring-for-music-mozart-poulenc/
LOCATION:Harderwyk Church\, 1627 W Lakewood Blvd\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Mozart-at-piano.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250323T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250323T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250206T163804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250319T190922Z
UID:12188-1742742000-1742749200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Holland Youth Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert 2025
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-youth-ensemble-spring-concerts-2025/
LOCATION:DeWitt Auditorium\, Zeeland East High School\, 3333 96th Ave.\, Zeeland\, 49464\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PB172652-1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250322T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250322T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240321T002526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250310T160923Z
UID:10488-1742671800-1742677200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Scottish Influence
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/scottish-influence/
LOCATION:Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at Hope College\, 221 Columbia Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Jap-Headshot-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250320T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250320T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250303T203024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250303T212220Z
UID:12263-1742493600-1742499000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Holland Community Strings Symphony of Togetherness: A Friends & Family Night
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-symphony-of-togetherness-a-friends-family-night/
LOCATION:Quincy Place Senior Living\, 12300 Quincy Street\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Quincy-Place-Image-for-HSO-Comm-Strings.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250209T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250209T150000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20250131T192024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250131T192024Z
UID:12135-1739109600-1739113200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:FREE Chamber Concert: Celebrating Black History Month
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/free-chamber-concert-celebrating-black-history-month/
LOCATION:Saugatuck-Douglas Library\, 174 Center Street\, Douglas\, MI\, 49406\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coleridge-Taylor.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250208T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250208T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20241121T211641Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241121T211641Z
UID:12058-1739012400-1739016000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Family Event: Musical Adventures of Ferdinand the Bull
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/family-event-musical-adventures-of-ferdinand-the-bull/
LOCATION:Herrick North Branch Library Holland\, 155 Riley Street\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ferdinand-the-Bull-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250111T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250111T140000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20241217T174544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241219T183034Z
UID:12087-1736600400-1736604000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO 2025 Norbert Mueller Memorial Young Artist Competition
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-2025-young-artist-competition/
LOCATION:Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at Hope College\, 221 Columbia Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HSO-Young-Artist-Competition.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241214T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241214T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240321T002425Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241021T170619Z
UID:10486-1734204600-1734210000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Home for the Holidays (7:30pm)
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/home-for-the-holidays-2/
LOCATION:Dimnent Chapel\, 277 College Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Holiday-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241214T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241214T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240321T002313Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241021T170748Z
UID:10484-1734190200-1734195600@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Home for the Holidays (3:30pm)
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/home-for-the-holidays/
LOCATION:Dimnent Chapel\, 277 College Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241117T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241117T163000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20241018T153925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241108T184247Z
UID:11929-1731855600-1731861000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSYO Fall Concert
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hsyo-fall-concert-5/
LOCATION:West Ottawa Harbor Lights Middle School\, 1024 136th Ave\, Holland\, MI\, 49424\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/hsyo-combined-string-pic.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241102T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241102T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240321T002143Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241018T151916Z
UID:10482-1730575800-1730581200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Sounds of the Sea
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/sounds-of-the-sea/
LOCATION:Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at Hope College\, 221 Columbia Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240914T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240914T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240115T010507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240913T195837Z
UID:10477-1726342200-1726342200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:An American in Paris
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/an-american-in-paris/
LOCATION:Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at Hope College\, 221 Columbia Ave.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240815T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240815T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240719T211856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240719T211856Z
UID:11422-1723743000-1723752000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:HSO Brass at Cappon House
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/hso-brass-at-cappon-house/
LOCATION:Cappon House\, 228 W. 9th Street\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sounds-of-Summer_FB-Post_940x788.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240812T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240812T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240807T205630Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240807T205630Z
UID:11590-1723456800-1723464000@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Books and Blooms with HSO Brass
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/books-and-blooms-with-hso-brass/
LOCATION:Windmill Island Gardens\, 1 Lincoln Avenue\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Books-and-Blooms-8-12-24.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240810T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240810T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240321T002916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240808T155751Z
UID:10494-1723316400-1723321800@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Community Concert: Music Unites Us - Brazil!
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/community-concert-music-unites-us-brazil/
LOCATION:Kollen Park Henry VanderLinde Bandshell\, 240 Kollen Park Dr.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/choro-das-3-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240810T160000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240810T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240716T215627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240725T184522Z
UID:11373-1723305600-1723321800@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Music Unites Us: Brazil! Finale at Kollen Park
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/music-unites-us-brazil-finale-at-kollen-park/
LOCATION:Kollen Park Henry VanderLinde Bandshell\, 240 Kollen Park Dr.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/choro-das-3©-flavio-torres-scaled-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240810T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240810T110000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240716T195522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240806T164133Z
UID:11361-1723284000-1723287600@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Music Moves Us: Sensory Art & Concert at Holland Museum
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/music-moves-us-sensory-art-concert-at-holland-museum/
LOCATION:Holland Museum\, 31 W. 10 Street\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sensory-Image-1-w-text.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240809T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240809T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240716T181703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240724T161151Z
UID:11358-1723228200-1723233600@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Music Moves Us: Lakeshore Big Band Concert
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/music-moves-us-lakeshore-big-band-concert/
LOCATION:Kollen Park Henry VanderLinde Bandshell\, 240 Kollen Park Dr.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hollandsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Lake-Shore-Big-Band.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240809T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240809T183000
DTSTAMP:20260417T141716
CREATED:20240716T180508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240724T161110Z
UID:11355-1723224600-1723228200@hollandsymphony.org
SUMMARY:Music Moves Us: Swing Dance Lesson at Kollen Park
DESCRIPTION:BUY TICKETS\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n									Johannes Müller Stosch\, conductor  Mikhail Korzhev\, piano  \nWest Ottawa Performing Arts Center \nA special thank you to our guest artist hosts Ruth & David Crouch. \nArturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026) BONDS Montgomery Variations MARX Romantic Piano Concerto  \nMexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes\, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.” \nAfter studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago\, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist\, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness.  HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto\, with lush romantic melodies\, harmonies\, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.”  The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet\, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.   \nMikhail Korzhev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness\, technique\, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto.  He “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to untangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) 								\n				\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Support HSO Musicians\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n					\n		\n					\n		\n				\n						\n					\n			\n						\n						\n					\n			\n							\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n									\n					\n						\n									Tickets\n					\n					\n				\n								\n				\n				\n				\n					ProgramInformationProgram NotesArtist bioPre-Concert VideoProgramRomantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)Joseph Marx 1882-1964     1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)     2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)     3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto) Mikhail Korzhev\, piano The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)     1. Decision     2. Prayer Meeting     3. March     4. Dawn in Dixie     5. One Sunday in the South     6. Lament     7. Benediction Danzón No. 2Arturo Márquez (b. 1950)(Audience Choice 2026)  Learn more about the music…We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village\, but also Pre-Concert Talks!  Details below: Classical Chats at Freedom Village:  These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert.  (Freedom Village\, 6th Floor Auditorium\, 145 Columbia Ave.) Pre-Concert Talks:  These talks\, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse\, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.   New to the Symphony?  Check out the Frequently Asked Question page… Romantic Piano Concerto in E MajorJoseph Marx  Born: May 11\, 1882\, Graz Died: September 3\, 1964\, GrazWritten: 1919-20 Premiered: March 4\, 1926\, Vienna Approximate Duration: 41 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 3 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (tambourine\, triangle\, xylophone)\, 2 harps\, celeste\, strings  Joseph Marx was born in Graz\, Austria. His mother taught him piano at an early age\, and he taught himself how to play violin and cello. He attended Graz University. Although his father wanted him to study law\, Marx initially focused on a Ph.D. in philosophy. When he turned more fully to musical studies it led to a break with his family\, who forbade him from pursuing a career in music.  Marx became a key figure in the emerging musical languages of the early twentieth century.  As a composer\, Marx was concerned about upholding the Viennese classical tradition\, both in the forms he used\, such as waltzes\, and the use of Austrian folk music. He also included Impressionist\, Slavonic\, and Italian elements.  As a faculty member and eventual director of the Vienna Music Academy\, Marx influenced many musicians and composers\, teaching over 1300 students from around the world. He was also one of the most prominent music critics in Vienna\, particularly in the 1930s\, publishing influential books on music theory\, including an important scholarly study of tonality in which he coined the term “atonal.”  Following the rise of the Nazi regime\, Marx had to resign his posts\, instead becoming a speaker on Viennese cultural topics. However\, he found various ways to secretly help Jewish families. While Marx was regarded as a father figure for conservative\, tonal music\, his musical legacy fell mostly out of notice due to the cultural and political upheaval that disrupted his career. Neglected for many decades\, Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto is one of his most ambitious orchestral works\, and is now reemerging along with many of his other compositions.  Marx had a gift for writing both art songs and song-like music\, and his shining lyricism creates a late Romantic cinematic mood\, comparable to Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos in its character and texture.  The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction.  The movement is melodic and rhapsodic\, balancing passion and quiet reflection\, the piano and orchestra joined in dialogue as equal partners.  The pianist has many opportunities to display virtuosic fireworks\, but those moments always support the overall emotional texture–they aren’t just for display.  The second movement is quiet and intimate\, with muted strings and quiet woodwinds.  In this dreamlike environment\, the solo piano is tender and introspective.  The last movement is energetic and rhythmic\, bursting with life and hope\, culminating in an exuberant closing. This concert marks the Michigan premiere of Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto\, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra is honored to participate in this twenty-first century revival of Marx’s work. To listen to the Marx concerto\, click here. The Montgomery VariationsMargaret Bonds Born: March 3\, 1913\, Chicago\, ILDied: April 26\, 1972\, Los Angeles\, CAWritten: 1964 Published: 2020Approximate Duration: 25 minutes Instrumentation: 3 flutes (one doubling alto flute and piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, English horn\, 2 clarinets\, bass clarinet\, 2 bassoons\, contrabassoon\, 4 French horns\, 3 trumpets\, timpani\, percussion (cymbals\, log drum\, suspended cymbal\, tambourine\, triangle\, woodblock)\, harp\, strings  Margaret Bonds was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.  Her mother was a church musician and her father was a physician who was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her childhood home was often frequented by musicians and artists\, also serving as a gathering place for people striving for racial justice.  Her first music teacher was her mother.  Margaret wrote her first composition at age five.  As a teen\, she studied with Florence Price and went on to Northwestern University\, but because of her race\, she was not allowed to use the university library or many other facilities. Bonds relied on the Evanston Public Library\, where she became acquainted with the poetry of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes\, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”  She set many of his poems to music.  When they two met several years later\, she said “we were like brother and sister\, like blood relatives.”  Margaret went on to win the National Wanamaker Foundation Prize for one of her compositions and was the first Black musician to perform with the Chicago Symphony.  She eventually studied at Julliard and lived in New York City\, where she worked at a church and formed a chamber music society to feature works by black classical composers.   Bonds wrote The Montgomery Variations in 1964\, in response to the 1963 firebombings of Birmingham\, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church\, in which dozens of church members were injured and four young girls were killed.  She wrote her own program notes: “The Montgomery Variations” is a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme\, “I want Jesus to Walk with Me.” The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme\, followed by variations of the theme in the same key – major and minor. The words are as follows. I want Jesus to walk with me. / All along my pilgrim journey\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my heart is almost breaking\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I’m in trouble\, Lord\, walk with me. / When my head is bowed in sorrow\, / Lord\, I want Jesus to walk with me. Because of the personal meanings of the Negro spiritual themes\, Margaret Bonds always avoids over-development of the melodies. “The Montgomery Variations” were written after the composer’s visit to Montgomery\, Alabama\, and the surrounding area in 1963. DecisionUnder the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC\, Negroes in Montgomery decided to boycott the bus company and to fight for their rights as citizens. Prayer MeetingTrue to custom\, prayer meetings precede their action. Prayer meetings start quietly with humble petitions to God. During the course of the meeting\, members seized with religious fervor\, shout\, and dance. Oblivious to their fellow worshippers they exhibit their love of God and their Faith in Deliverance by gesticulation\, clapping and beating their feet. MarchThe Spirit of the Nazarene marching with them\, the Negroes of Montgomery walked to their work rather than be segregated on the buses. The entire world\, symbolically with them\, marches. Dawn in DixieDixie\, the home of the Camellias known as “pink perfection\,” magnolias\, jasmine and Spanish moss\, awakened to the fact that something new was happening in the South. One Sunday in the SouthChildren were in Sunday School learning about Jesus\, the Prince of Peace. Southern “die-hards” planted a bomb and several children were killed. LamentThe world was shaken by the cruelty of the Sunday School bombing. Negroes\, as usual\, leaned on their Jesus to carry them through this crisis of grief and humiliation. BenedictionA benign God\, Father and Mother to all people\, pours forth Love to His children – the good and the bad alike. To watch a video of The  Montgomery Variations\, click here Danzón No. 2Arturo MárquezBorn: December 20\, 1950\, Álamos\, Sonora\, MexicoComposed: 1994\, commissioned by the National Autonomous University of MexicoPremiered: 1994Approximate Duration: 10 minutesInstrumentation: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo)\, 2 oboes\, 2 clarinets\, 2 bassoons\, 4 French horns\, 2 trumpets\, 3 trombones\, tuba\, timpani\, bass drum\, suspended cymbals\, snare drum\, güiro\, claves\, 3 tomtoms\, piano\, strings Arturo Márquez is one of Mexico’s most prominent living composers.  He studied at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico\, at the California Institute of the Arts\, and in Paris.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and numerous grants and awards from both the Mexican and French governments\, which enabled him to visit and study many diverse places and their music.  Recently\, Márquez has dedicated himself to researching the folk traditions of nearly every region in Mexico.  He has become passionate about many traditional genres\, and uses his compositions “to pay tribute to them in the concert halls.”   Márquez has used the danzón form on numerous occasions.  This genre of dance music traces its roots to nineteenth century Cuba.  It describes a dance step involving small movements of feet and hips in a tight square of floor space.  According to Márquez\, “The danzón is today still very popular in Mexico.  In Veracruz\, there are special town squares where it is still danced two or three times a week.  It’s a very strong tradition.  In Mexico City\, there are special dance halls where only danzón is danced.”  He wrote the following description of this danzón: “The idea of writing the Danzón 2 originated in 1993 during a trip to Malinalco with the painter Andrés Fonseca and the dancer Irene Martínez\, both of whom [have] a special passion for the danzón\, which they were able to transmit to me from the beginning\, and also during later trips to Veracruz and visits to the Colonia Salon in Mexico City. From these experiences onward\, I started to learn the danzón’s rhythms\, its form\, its melodic outline\, and to listen to the old recordings by Acerina Mariano Merceron and his Danzonera Orchestra. I was fascinated and I started to understand that the apparent lightness of the danzón is only like a visiting card for a type of music full of sensuality and qualitative seriousness\, a genre which old Mexican people continue to dance with a touch of nostalgia and a jubilant escape towards their own emotional world; we can fortunately still see this in the embrace between music and dance that occurs in the State of Veracruz and in the dance parlors of Mexico City. “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance\, to its nostalgic melodies\, to its wild rhythms\, and although it violates its intimacy\, its form and its harmonic language\, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”  The explosive\, driving rhythm and melodic inventiveness of Danzón No. 2 have made it the most frequently performed contemporary Mexican work.  The piece showcases vibrant\, lively brass\, suave woodwinds and driving percussion.  Its Latin energy and character-driven dance rhythms are reminiscent of Mexican street music.  The music starts with swaying melodies\, quickens into sharp\, staccato effervescence\, calms into a slow\, easy tango\, then finishes in a dramatic climax. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was selected by HSO audiences as our 2026 Audience Choice for this concert’s program. To listen to Danzón No. 2\, click here. Mikhail Korzhev\, a pianist that “projects strength\, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist\, a performer with various chamber groups\, a soloist with orchestras\, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings\, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone\, Diapason and other publications\, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine\, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London)\, and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize\, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy). Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona\, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others\, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra\, Mladi Chamber Orchestra\, Lyris String Quartet\, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman\, Richard Stolzman\, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera\, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005\, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music\, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press. Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.   Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna\, Austria. Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California\, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.
URL:https://hollandsymphony.org/events/music-moves-us-swing-dance-lesson-at-kollen-park/
LOCATION:Kollen Park Henry VanderLinde Bandshell\, 240 Kollen Park Dr.\, Holland\, MI\, 49423\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
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