Purchase Symphony Orchestra - Concert Program I

The Purchase Symphony Orchestra launches their 2025-2026 season with Classical sparkle and vivid Romantic color.

Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla

by Mikhail Glinka (1804–1857)

Pulcinella Suite (1949 version)

by Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)

1. 1. Sinfonie (Ouverture)
   2. Serenata
   3. Scherzino - Allegro - Andantino
   4. Tarantella
   5. Toccata
   6. Gavotta con due variazoni
   7. Vivo
   8. Minuetti - Finale

>> Intermission <<

Catching Shadows - Mallet and Percussion Sextet

by Ivan Trevino (1983–)

Directed by Professor Christopher Graham and Mina Kim

• • Marimba 1 - Nicholas Esposito
  • Marimba 2 - Christopher Atkins
  • Vibraphone 1 - Christian McCarthy
  • Vibraphone 2 - Krista DiMaggio
  • Percussion 1 - Christopher Robinson
  • Percussion 2 - Mina Kim

Symphony No.35 in D Major, K. 385, “Haffner”

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

1. 1. Allegro con Spirito
   2. Andante
   3. Menuetto e Trio
   4. Presto

Program Change Note: 

Catching Shadows by Ian Trevino replaces Poem by Charles Griffes featuring Taylor Daniels.   This was not reflected in some of our publicity and we regret the confusion.  

The Purchase Symphony Orchestra:

** Denotes Concert Master

* Denotes Principal Players

Violin

• Ye-Jin Han**
• Elsie Baldwin
• Belle Zhou
• Lenin Villano
• Carly Berndt
• Sharon Gunderson
• Yang Sun Kim
• Marti Sweet
• Sathvi Ramaseshan
• Christina Shari
• Cecelia Martin
• Emma Johnson

Viola

• Alexandra Mena-Jiménez*
• Matthew Killen
• Amy Selig
• Andrew Knebel
• Suzanne Wagor

Cello

• Scarlette Hashimoto*
• Allison Smith*
• Aidan Saltini*
• Laura Mead
• Anthony Pabellon

Bass

• Alexander Kapopoulos*
• Fabien DuChateau
• John Schroeder

Flute

• Julius Lagoa-Iacono*
• Honoko Saeki*
• Stella Kahnis
• Denilson Bowen

Oboe

• Angelina D’Souza*
• Joseph Sdao*
• Hank McPhillips
• Saige Valentino

Clarinet

• Alba Morales-Millan*
• Zexuan Liu*

Bass Clarinet

• Jasper Biski
• Gordon Connor

Bassoon

• Yuki Higashi*
• Liu Atao

Horn

• Tressa Cortright*
• Luis Montesdeoca*

Trumpet

• Benjamin Alarcón*
• Phoenix Hernández*
• George Perdomo*
• Stefan Dinkel*

Trombone

• Jacob Fesili*
• Ella Rubin*

Bass Trombone

• Bradley Armand

Timpani

• Nicholas Esposito*
• Christopher Atkins*

Percussion

• Krista DiMaggio
• Christian McCarthy
• Christopher Atkins
• Christopher Robinson

Orchestra Personnel

• Alba Morales-Millan, PSO Production Assistant
• Zexuan Liu, PSO Librarian

About the Purchase Symphony Orchestra

The Purchase Symphony Orchestra is composed of the dedicated and talented students of the Conservatory of Music. Students rehearse six hours a week as a large group and spend additional time in studio classes and sectionals. The Orchestra is proud to present the works of classical composers from the Age of Enlightenment to the present day.

Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla

by Mikhail Glinka (1804–1857)

Mikhail Glinka is often regarded as the “father of Russian classical music,” laying the foundation for a distinctly Russian style that later inspired composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, and Tchaikovsky. His second opera, Russlan and Ludmilla, premiered in 1842 and is based on a fantastical poem by Alexander Pushkin.

The overture has become far more famous than the opera itself. Bursting with energy, it is a whirlwind of sparkling strings, bold brass fanfares, and driving rhythms. From its electrifying opening to its exuberant finale, the overture captures both the wit and brilliance of Glinka’s orchestral writing. It stands as a dazzling curtain-raiser and a quintessential example of 19th-century Russian orchestral vitality.

Pulcinella Suite (1949 version)

by Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)

Igor Stravinsky, one of the towering figures of 20th-century music, continually reinvented his style throughout his long career. Pulcinella marked the beginning of his so-called neoclassical period. Originally written in 1920 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, the ballet was based on themes attributed to Giovanni Pergolesi and other 18th-century Italian composers. Stravinsky transformed this material with fresh harmonies, rhythmic vitality, and sharp orchestration, creating music that was both rooted in the past and unmistakably modern.

In 1949, Stravinsky revisited the score and produced a revised suite for full orchestra. This version streamlined the orchestration and condensed the ballet’s music into a tighter sequence, enhancing its clarity and brilliance for the concert stage. The result is music full of wit, elegance, and sparkle—an inventive dialogue between Baroque charm and 20th-century imagination.

Catching Shadows - Mallet and Percussion Sextet

by Ivan Trevino (1983–)

Catching Shadows (2013) is a mallet and percussion sextet commissioned by Michael Burritt and the Eastman School of Music percussion studio. The work’s instrumentation includes one 5.0 marimba, one 4.5 marimba (which can be substituted with a 4.3 octave marimba), two vibraphones, and two percussion parts. The middle section of the piece also includes optional vocal parts for the players to sing.

The two marimba parts of Catching Shadows can be performed as a marimba duo, as that’s how the piece was originally conceived.

Ivan Trevino’s catalogue includes music for solo marimba, chamber percussion, and mixed ensemble.

A Note from the Composer - Ian Travino:

Michael Burritt and I have become good friends and collaborators over the years, and on a recent road trip to a gig, he said, “I’m in charge of the tunes!”

Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect!

He plugged in his iPod, and the first thing to play: Radiohead, then Dave Matthews, then Earth, Wind & Fire. That’s when I discovered something cool about Mike: he’s as much rock musician as classical musician. It just so happens he plays marimba.

Sometimes, I feel the same way.

With Catching Shadows, I thought about our road trip and decided to write a rock tune inspired by Mike’s playlist.

- Ivan Trevino, Oct. 2013.

Symphony No.35 in D Major, K. 385, “Haffner”

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Mozart composed the “Haffner Symphony” in 1782 at a particularly busy moment in his life: he had just moved to Vienna, was preparing for his marriage to Constanze Weber, and was establishing himself as both performer and composer. The symphony was commissioned by the prominent Haffner family of Salzburg to celebrate a family member’s ennoblement, and Mozart later revised it for concert performance in Vienna.

The “Haffner” is a radiant example of Mozart’s symphonic genius. The opening Allegro con spirito brims with ceremonial brilliance, while the Andante offers elegance and poise. The Menuetto is both stately and graceful, and the Presto finale sparkles with exuberant energy, demanding dazzling virtuosity from the orchestra. Full of vitality, clarity, and elegance, the symphony reflects Mozart at the height of his powers, balancing festive grandeur with refined lyricism.

Mina Kim

Orchestra Director

Mina Kim, hailed as a “spirited conductor” by Brooklyn Discovery and praised for having “led the orchestra to such precision and clarity in performance” by The Overlook, is Music Director of the Purchase Symphony Orchestra and the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra. Recognized for her expressive interpretations and innovative programming, she is dedicated to expanding her orchestras’ artistic spectrum and strengthening their connection with both the campus and surrounding communities.

A versatile musician, Kim’s work spans symphonic, operatic, contemporary, and popular repertoire, with performances across the world. Her artistry has been recognized by leading musicians, including Joshua Bell, who invited her to rehearse and refine Thomas de Hartmann’s Violin Concerto, and Grammy-nominated Black Violin, whom she conducted in a symphonic collaboration at the Performing Arts Center. Recently, she was invited to conduct the Mannes Orchestra in two concerts in New York City. In Westchester, she led a landmark collaboration between the Purchase Symphony Orchestra and the Westchester Chamber Soloists, paving the way for an upcoming project: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral” with WCS, the New Choral Society, and the Purchase Chorus at the PAC in March 2026. On campus, she has also spearheaded visionary cross-genre projects, including a multimedia collaboration with Purchase College’s School of Film and Media Studies, integrating Philip Glass’s Glassworks with original films by students, and co-directing Purchase Soul Voices in PSO’s annual Black History Month Celebration.

Beyond the podium, Kim is an accomplished concert pianist, vocal coach, and chamber musician. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2007 and has since appeared as a soloist with major orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. She has also performed at leading international festivals, including the Vienna Music Seminar in Austria and the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival in Maine, and has served on the faculty of opera programs such as Si Parla, Si Canta and Classic Lyric Arts in Italy and France.

Kim holds a B.M. from Busan National University, as well as an M.M. and Artist Diploma in Piano Performance from Purchase College. She continued her studies in Vocal Collaborative Piano and Orchestral Conducting through the Professional Studies Diploma program at Mannes School of Music, where she also served as Assistant Conductor of the Mannes American Contemporary Ensemble and The Mannes Opera.

Since 2006, Kim has been a faculty member at the Purchase College Conservatory of Music, where she currently serves as Chair of Classical Studies. Alongside her work on campus, she is deeply committed to sharing the power of orchestral music with wider audiences, building partnerships with local organizations, and mentoring musicians both in the college community and throughout the region.

The Conservatory of Music

Play a part in this extraordinary musical community!

For the serious, developing musician, the Conservatory of Music in the School of the Arts at Purchase College offers a distinctive educational experience — an intensive education within the context of a lively supportive community.

Create, integrate, grow, explore, transform

Your artistry will thrive here among other remarkable musicians, all preparing for professional careers while focused on excellence.

Work closely with world-class musicians and educators

Our proximity to New York City makes it possible for you to study with many of the most respected names in music today—and to benefit from their extensive professional experience as performers, composers, and producers. Through private lessons and small-group study, our faculty will guide and mentor you in your career choice. And because the Conservatory of Music limits its enrollment to only 400 students, including undergraduate and graduate candidates, you will receive personal attention and opportunities to perform and hear your music right from the start.

Classical, Jazz, Music and Technology

No matter what program you pursue in the Conservatory of Music, you will be encouraged to play music that spans all genres and to perform in ensembles of all sizes and styles. Let us prepare you to meet the challenges of the music world in the 21st century.