Purchase Symphony Orchestra - Concert Program IV

Timeless Stories: From Verdi to Bernstein

Presented by the Purchase Symphony Orchestra, Purchase Opera Department, and the Studio Composition Program

La Traviata, Act I

by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
Featuring the Purchase Opera Company

1. Preludio

Orchestra

2. Introduzione

Coro, Violetta, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, Gastone, Alfredo

3. Brindisi: Libiamo ne’ lieti calici

Coro, Violetta, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, Gastone, Alfredo

4. Valzer: Che è ciò?

Coro, Violetta, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, Gastone, Alfredo

Duetto: Un dì felice

Alfredo, Violetta

5. Stretta dell’lntroduzione Atto 1: Si ridesta in ciel l’aurora

Flora, Gastone, Barone, Dottore, Marchese, Coro

6. Scena ed Aria Violetta - Finale Atto 1: È strano -Ah! fors’è lui

Violetta, Alfredo

>> Intermission <<

On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

by Frederick Delius (1862–1934)

Contemplating Significance

by Jacob Gerace (b.2000 )

Lost Star V.2

by Jagger Clark (b.2001 )

Pavanne from American Symphonette

by Morton Gould (1913–1996)

Selections from West Side Story

by Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
arr. Maurice Peress (1930–2017)

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.

**Denotes Concertmaster

*Denotes Principal Players

Violin

• Sarah-Anne Fried
• Jade Hattori-Hamilton*
• Mekhi Noble*
• Everett Borman*
• Nicholas Trevits*
• Christina Shari*
• Daniel Karpf
• Elsie Baldwin
• Nadim Selesnick
• Lenin Villano
• Elizabeth Tsung
• Fiona Lloyd-Aikman
• Adeline Baban
• Cecilia Martin

Viola

• Emma Musial*
• Sathvi Seshan
• Hannah Thill
• Noah Stevens

Cello

• Aidan Saltini*
• Hannah Walker*
• Frida Rahmani*
• Scarlette Hashimoto*
• Allison Smith*
• Laura Mead

Bass

• Christopher Wygonik*
• Alexander Kapopoulos
• Fabien DuChateau
• Kevin Wulf

Piccolo

• Taylor Daniels
• Bella Bausano

Flute

• Eni Karahoda*
• Julius Lagoa-Iacono*
• Honoko Saeki*
• Gabriel Rosado*
• Stella Kahnis*
• Taylor Daniels
• Sophie Jung
• Denilson Bowen
• Bella Bausano

Oboe

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

English Horn

Hank McPhillips

Clarinet

• Alba Morales-Millan*
• Zexuan Liu

Bass Clarinet / Saxophone

• Jasper Biski
• Gordon Connor

Bassoon

• DeAnna Santiago*
• Maria Palacios-Sandoval*

Horn

• Luis Montesdeoca*
• Benjamin Hommowun
• Keegan McCardell
• Engelberth Mejia

Trumpet

• Stefan Dinkel*
• Joe Sabia
• Samantha Atlas

Trombone

• Justin Schoeneck*
• Anthony Santiago

Bass Trombone

• Jake Lawless

Tuba

• Lucia Vysohlid

Timpani

• Daniel Knipscher*

Percussion

• John Porcelli
• Christian McCarthy
• Mani Jones
• Chris Atkins
• Nick Esposito
• Krista DiMaggio
• Oliverio Bosi

Harp

• Joy Plaisted 

Piano

• Naseer Ashraf

Orchestra Personnel

• Drew Sennett, PSO Manager
• DeAnna Santiago, PSO Librarian

Purchase Opera Company

Jacque Trussel, Head of Voice and Opera Studies
Hugh Murphy, Conductor of the Purchase Opera and Vocal Coach for Leading Roles

Named Cast:

Sopranos

• Nadia Alalou
• Rachel Eaton
• Jeanete Gonzalez
• Sephtis Gorcos
• Clara Jimenez
• Desara Leka
• Kiera Masci
• Sophia Orrico 
• Juliette Perlin-Pradlik
• Caitlin Ross-Botham
• Zian Taylor
• Maya Villanueva

Mezzo-Sopranos

• Brigid Mack
• Saige Valentino

Baritones

• Gregor Hocknull 
• Aidan White 
• Gabriel Wood

Tenors

• Damian Headley
• James Hernandez

Bass-Baritone

• Theodore Perrington 

La Traviata, Act I

by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)

Verdi’s La Traviata premiered at La Fenice in Venice in 1853 and remains a cornerstone of the operatic canon. The libretto, adapted from Alexandre Dumas fils’ La Dame aux Camélias, tells the tragic story of Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan who sacrifices love for honor. Act I takes place at a party where Violetta meets Alfredo Germont, who declares his love for her in the lyrical duet “Un dì, felice.” As the party fades, Violetta reflects on the fleeting nature of happiness in the aria “Ah, fors’è lui,” followed by the dazzling cabaletta “Sempre libera,” where she asserts her resolve to remain free—despite her feelings. With its emotional intensity, vocal brilliance, and lush orchestration, La Traviata embodies Verdi’s gift for drama and humanity.

On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (1912)

by Frederick Delius (1862–1934)

This impressionistic tone poem is one of Delius’s most beloved orchestral works. Inspired by the quietude of the English countryside, the piece paints a serene landscape where time seems to slow with the gentle arrival of spring. The famous two-note “cuckoo” call, passed between oboe and clarinet, becomes a central motif, supported by richly layered strings and transparent harmonies. The work also quotes a Norwegian folk tune, reflecting Delius’s interest in northern European cultures. With its languid pacing and poetic texture, the piece offers a contemplative contrast to more extroverted concert fare—inviting listeners into a world of introspective beauty.

Lost Star

by Jagger Clark

Composed in 2024-25, Lost Star takes its name from the animation it accompanies and the story told from there. While the musical score was designed to accompany the tale unfolding on-screen, Lost Star also exists as a standalone musical work that expresses its own narrative and emotional journey.

Often jumping from one motif and emotion to the next, Lost Star tells the tale of a young girl named Stella who narrowly survives a brush with death, but is saved by a mute woman called Mary that lives in the alleyways of the city where the plot takes place.

Beginning with a gentle timbre that is quick to be replaced by a heavy somber tone, the music shifts with the story as we witness Mary attempt to not only heal Stella, but break through her trauma so that both her mind and body may recuperate. Sudden, booming breaks in the calm atmosphere with the symphony orchestra showcase the flashbacks Stella endures from her fateful meeting that left her wounded. Just when all settles, another tragic event occurs when the city comes under attack by an unknown force. Desperate to have herself and Stella survive, Mary takes the young girl and attempts to flee, and with the tension rising in the piece the duo’s newly built bond is put to the ultimate test.

American Symphonette No. 2: Pavanne (1938)

by Morton Gould (1913–1996)

Morton Gould was a uniquely American composer whose music fused classical structure with jazz and popular idioms. The American Symphonette No. 2 showcases this synthesis, especially in its second movement, the “Pavanne.” Originally composed as a modern take on the Renaissance dance form, the piece became an unexpected hit on radio and in concert halls. Its sinuous melody, elegant syncopation, and suave orchestration evoke a sense of urban sophistication, blending swing-era charm with formal elegance. The Pavanne is both nostalgic and forward-looking, capturing the spirit of a country in artistic transformation.

Selections from West Side Story

by Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
Arr. Maurice Peress (1930–2017)

Few American compositions have had the cultural impact of West Side Story, the landmark 1957 musical that reimagines Romeo and Juliet amid the racial and gang tensions of New York City. Bernstein’s score is a tour de force of genre-crossing brilliance, combining jazz, Latin rhythms, classical technique, and Broadway immediacy. The selections presented tonight, arranged by longtime Bernstein collaborator Maurice Peress, highlight the work’s most iconic musical moments—each charged with rhythmic vitality, complex harmonies, and expressive melodies. From the exuberant “Mambo” to the poignant lyricism of “Somewhere,” this music remains a testament to Bernstein’s artistic legacy and his vision of a more humane world.

Mina Kim

Mina Kim, Orchestra Director. Hailed as a “spirited conductor” by Brooklyn Discovery, currently serves as the Director of the Purchase Symphony Orchestra at the Purchase College, Conservatory of Music. For this season, along with her PSO directorship, Ms. Kim performs a spectrum of symphonic works and has been invited to conduct numerous orchestras around the world.

As an active pianist, vocal coach and chamber musician, Ms. Kim’s piano highlights include a New York City debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall after receiving the Artist International’s ‘Special Presentation Award. Ms. Kim has participated in renowned music festivals including the Vienna Music Seminar in Austria and the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival in Maine. She has also been a vocal ensemble coach for summer opera programs, Si Parla Si Canta, and Classic Lyric Arts in Italy and France.

Ms. Kim earned a B.M. at Busan National University in South Korea, an M.M. and an Artist Diploma at Purchase College in Piano Performance, and a Professional Studies Diploma in Vocal Collaborative Piano from the Mannes School of Music where she was awarded the Newton Swift Award. She also studied Orchestral Conducting with David Hayes at the Mannes School of Music. Ms. Kim previously served as the Assistant Conductor of the Mannes American Contemporary Ensemble and was the Chorus Master and Opera coach of The Mannes Opera in the 2015-2018 seasons while working under Metropolitan Opera conductor, Joseph Colaneri.

Since 2006, Ms. Kim has been a member of the faculty at Purchase College where she enjoys teaching and is a coach and mentor to many music students.

Jacob Gerace, COMPOSER

Jacob Gerace is a New York City-based composer, performer, instructor, and scholar. He
holds a degree from Concordia University Ann Arbor in piano performance and is currently
studying studio composition at SUNY Purchase.
In May of 2025, the Purchase Symphony Orchestra will be performing Contemplating
Significance, Gerace’s orchestral debut. In 2024, Gerace composed for The Rhythm
Method in collaboration with ICEBERG Institute. He composed the score and sound design
for the short film, It was Real, I was There.
He has performed as a piano soloist since 2009 and has accompanied musicians of other
instruments, as well as been in bands and ensembles since 2014. Performances include
prestigious venues such as Hill Auditorium at University of Michigan and Rosch Recital Hall
at SUNY Fredonia.

Jagger Clark, COMPOSER

Jagger Clark is a film and media composer based in New York. His work can be heard
in films such as Emma Keating’s The Ooze, or Victor Barssotti’s Bruises. His music has
been performed in concert by the Purchase Symphony Orchestra and will be featured in
his upcoming animated short, Lost Star. Jagger also has and continues to direct,
produce, write, and score for his own digital story series, The Fallen King, which is a
fantasy narrative encompassing a world he has created, which can be viewed on his
YouTube and Instagram.

Jagger holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Studio Composition from the SUNY
Purchase Conservatory of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious Outstanding
Graduate Award for Music and Technology. During his studies, he has spearheaded
multiple large-scale projects, including forming his symphony orchestra.
He studied composition and production with award-winning composer Haralabos (Harry)
Stafylakis and audio engineering with Grammy-winning producers like Silas Brown.

Sophia Orrico -  Violetta Valéry

Ms. Orrico, soprano, is currently pursuing her Performance Certificate in the Purchase
Conservatory of Music’s Opera Program. Roles that Ms. Orrico has performed at her time at
Purchase include: Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Ophelia in Hamlet, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Die Königin der Nacht in Die
Zauberflöte, La Fèe in Cendrillon, and Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro. She was awarded as a
finalist in the Carolyn Bailey Argento Vocal Competition and will continue her operatic pursuits next fall at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music for her Masters in Music. Ms. Orrico is currently a student of Bonnie Hamilton.

James Hernandez, Alfredo Germont

James Hernandez is a Junior in the Conservatory of Music Opera Performance/Vocal Studies program at Purchase College. He holds an Associate of Science degree in Music from Suffolk County Community College. This is his second year at Purchase College. During this time James has appeared as the Vater in Hänsel und Gretel, Horatio in Hamlet, Melchior in Amahl and the Night visitors and Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea. At Purchase College’s Italian and German opera scenes he appeared as Pizarro (Fidelio), Papageno (Zauberflöte). James is a student of Jacque Trussel.

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