Orchestra Appreciation Luncheon

The annual Orchestra Appreciation Luncheon took place at the Landmark Center on May 10, 2017.  SPCO musicians and sstaff enjoyed a buffet luncheon with the Friends in the beautiful Landmark Center Ramsey County Courtroom.

 On May 3, 2017, THE SIXTEENTH ANNUAL CONVERSATION WITH BOOKS was held at the House of Hope Presbyterian Church.  Over 80 attendees enjoyed a lively discussion on ten books chosen by Ruth Haag Brombach, Cecilia Konchar Farr and Julie Martens Flahavan of St. Catherine University.

Fiction:
La Rose by Louise Erdich, HarperCollins, 2016
The Women’s Room by Marilyn French, Random House, 1977
Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse by Faith Sullivan, Milkweed Editions, 2015
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Doubleday, 2016

Non-Fiction:
The Last Goodnight by Howard Blum, HarperCollins, 2016
The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks by
Terry Tempest Williams, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2016
The Song Poet by Kao Kalia Yang, Henry Holt and Company, 2016
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, Alfred A. Knopf, 2016

Poetry:
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, Graywolf Press, 2014

On April 28, 2017, SPCO concertgoers enjoyed a  performance by the Donovan Quintet,  grand prize winners of the Sixth Annual SPCO Youth Chamber Music Competition.  This talented ensemble of young musicians performed in the Marzitelli Foyer of the Ordway before the evening’s SPCO concert, sponsored by the Friends.

The Concert was followed by a wine and dessert reception in the Securian Sky Lobby to celebrate the Friends, the Youth Chamber Music Competiton, and another wonderful season of music by the SPCO.

 

April, 2017:   THE PIANO CONCERTOS OF BEETHOVEN

When Beethoven arrived in Vienna in the early 1790’s, he made his mark not only as a composer, but as a brilliant pianist, the likes of which the city had never seen. This entertaining and informative 4-week lecture series was taught by Dr. Daniel Freeman at the House of Hope Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul.

 

THE SIXTH ANNUAL SPCO YOUTH CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION

Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s competition!
The Finals Recital on Sunday, March 19, 2017 was an amazing display of virtuosity and musicianship. Over 100 attendees enjoyed the concert sponsored by the Friends, with emcee Lynne Warfel of MPR. And here are the winners:

Visit our Competition photo galleries:
tinyurl.com/spcoycmc2017
tinyurl.com/spcoycmc2017preliminaries

 

MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM – 2017:  On February 27, 2017 the Friends hosted an Evening with Musicians at the Minnesota Museum of American Art. SPCO musicians Eunice Kim (violin), Hyobi Sim (viola) and Kayla Moffatt (violin) presented a beautiful program of their favorite duets and trios. A reception with the musicians followed the program.  

  

VIOLIN OR VIOLA?  THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE  ORCHESTRA:  In January, 2017, Dr Daniel Freeman taught a fun and informative  4-week lecture series on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the instruments of the orchestra.  

 

CLASSICAL NOTES: A TASTE OF EUROPE: 

On October 1, 2016, the Friends hosted a fundraiser at Sovereign Estate Winery in Waconia, MN.    Guests were treated to a European-themed menu of hearty appetizers, fine Sovereign Estate wines and a dessert buffet.  The highlight of the evening was a special performance by an ensemble of musicians from the SPCO, featuring Ruggero Allifranchini, violin;
Daria Adams, violin; Maiya Papach, viola;
Sarah Lewis, cello

THE FRIENDS OF THE SPCO ANNUAL LUNCHEON AND MEETING

On June 7, 2016  the Friends held their annual luncheon and meeting at Mendakota Country Club.  Jon Limbacher was the guest speaker.  Annette Conklin received the “Ultimate Friend Award 2016” in recognition of her dedication and hard work organizing the annual SPCO Youth Chamber Music Competition.

FRIENDS TREASURE SALE, JUNE 3 AND 4, 2016

The rainy weather was not a deterrent  to determined shoppers who came from all over the Twin Cities to help support the CONNECT program of the SPCO.  The sale netted over $6,000, thanks to the hard work of all the Friends who volunteered many hours of their time and effort.  Thank you to all!

THE SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL CONVERSATION WITH BOOKS

On May 4, 2016, approximately 85 Friends and their guests enjoyed an afternoon at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, with literary panel Ruth Haag Brombach, Cecilia Konchar Farr and Judith Martens Flahavan, in an engaging and stimulating conversation about the following noteworthy books:

• Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf (2015)
• Etta and Otto and Russell and James byEmma Hooper (2015)
• The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks (2015)
• Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald (1979)

• The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert (2014)
• Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life by Hermione Lee (2014)
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015)
• H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald (2014)

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (2014)
• We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Asichie (2014- Essay)

 

WELCOME RECEPTION FOR JON AND PATRICIA LIMBACHER AND KYU-YOUNG KIM- March 14, 2016

                                                                                 

The  2016 SPCO YOUTH CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION 

LEVEL A:
First Place & $1,000 – VESPER STRING QUARTET, coached by Tom Rosenberg. Vivian Murphy, violin; Kajsa Johansson, cello; Addison Nichols, violin and John Paul Shoemaker, viola.

Second Place & $600 (tie) – ANDRES STRING QUARTET, coached by Laura Sewell. Angel Lyn Andres, violin; Patrick Allen Hyatte, violin; Edwin P.T. Donovan, viola and Chris Jubok Kwon, cello.

Second Place & $600 (tie) – VENTO SILVA WIND QUINTET, coached by Norbert Nielubowski. Sarah Bushara, oboe; Andrea Kloehn, flute; Susan Stewart, clarinet; Rachel Lauson, horn and Beck Rusley, bassoon.                                                                                                Outstanding Wind Ensemble & $150 – VENTO SILVA WIND QUINTET

Honorable Mention – TRIO TESORO,  Sarah Bushara, oboe; Luca Tallarini, clarinet; Coleman Caron Thompson, piano.

Honorable Mention – O’SULLIVAN QUARTET – Lydia O’Sullivan, viola; Matthew Pakola, violin; Lasse Hackbarth, violin, and Frey Hackbarth, cello.

LEVEL B:
First Place & $100 – TRIO GIOVANE,  Emily Kleiber, violin; Hannah Greenstein, cello, and Joseph Caswell, piano.

VISIT THE 2016 PHOTO ALBUMS:  tinyurl.com/ycmc2016prelims     and      tinyurl.com/ycmc2016finals

MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM – February 22, 2016

Over 50 guests attended this special event at the Minnesota Museum of American Art,  featuring music and recollections bySPCO musicians Jonathan Cohen, Lynn Erickson and Carole Mason Smith.