Lexington Symphony
Encyclopedia
Founded as the Lexington Sinfonietta in 1995 by conductor Hisao Watanabe, the Lexington Symphony is a group of musicians from the Lexington, MA area.
The Lexington Symphony performs a subscription series of Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts each year in Lexington, including an April event linked to the town's historic heritage and Patriots' Day
celebration.
The Lexington Symphony frequently features musicians from the local area in its performances, such as Lexington residents and teachers Magdalena Richter, violinist, Sarah Takagi, pianist, Epp Sonin, soprano, Paul Carlson, pianist, and Thomas Stumpf
, pianist, as well as high school students, including participants in Project STEP.
Other recent soloists include Irina Muresanu, Janna Baty, Gail Williams, Gale Fuller, Stefan Jackiw
, and Jobey Wilson, Roger Tapping (formerly of the Takács Quartet
), and Stephanie Chase
. Scheduled soloists include David Deveau
and guest conductor Bruce Hangen. In 2010, Lexington Symphony collaborated with the Nashua Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for a performance of Symphony No.9 (Mahler).
The Lexington Symphony is a partner in Music Matters, a program organized by the Massachusetts Teacher’s Association and WCRB
, which brings Lexington Symphony musicians to elementary schools throughout the Commonwealth. Members of the orchestra visit classes, demonstrate their instruments, and have the kids try it themselves.
In addition, smaller ensembles from the orchestra perform community outreach performances throughout the year as the Lexington Symphony Chamber Players. Local performances have taken place at the Lexington Historical Society's Munroe and Buckman Taverns, Depot Square Gallery, SAGE at Temple Isaiah, the Arts Walk and Shopper's Night, and Fiske Elementary School. Performance venues outside Lexington include MIT, Tufts and Brandeis. The Chamber Players have collaborated with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
, in presentation of a lecture on early American instruments by Darcy Kuronen, the MFA's Curator of Musical Instruments, at Lexington's National Heritage Museum.
Orchestra, and the Nashua Symphony Orchestra & Chorus in New Hampshire.
Recent guest engagements include the Portland Symphony Orchestra
, Plymouth Philharmonic, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra
, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife in Spain, and the Lithuanian National Orchestra. Mr. McPhee has also appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
, Buffalo Philharmonic, the Louisiana Philharmonic, The Hague Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony
, Orchestre Colonne (Paris), the National Philharmonic in London, the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
in Norway, among others. Mr. McPhee has conducted for many of the world's premier dance companies, including the New York City Ballet
, The Royal Ballet (England), Martha Graham Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada
, and the Australian Ballet. In addition, Mr. McPhee has also conducted opera, appearing with Opera Boston
, the American Opera Center in New York, and Boston University Opera.
Mr. McPhee is an Artistic Advisor for Young Audiences of Massachusetts and his work with Boston's WCRB-FM on "Kids' Classical Hour" resulted in a 1998 Gabriel Award.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. McPhee received his L.R.A.M. from the London Royal Academy of Music
and a B.M. and M.M. from the Juilliard School
. While at Juilliard, Mr. McPhee was the recipient of a Naumburg Scholarship in Conducting and English Horn. He has studied with Leonard Brain, David Diamond
, Thomas Stacy, Rudolf Kempe
, Sixten Ehrling
, and participated in master classes with Sir Georg Solti
and James Levine
at Juilliard.
The Lexington Symphony performs a subscription series of Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts each year in Lexington, including an April event linked to the town's historic heritage and Patriots' Day
Patriots' Day
Patriots' Day is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War...
celebration.
The Lexington Symphony frequently features musicians from the local area in its performances, such as Lexington residents and teachers Magdalena Richter, violinist, Sarah Takagi, pianist, Epp Sonin, soprano, Paul Carlson, pianist, and Thomas Stumpf
Thomas Stumpf
Thomas Stumpf is a classical pianist in the Boston area. He is also a conductor, composer, author, and teacher.-Biography:Thomas Stumpf received his degrees in piano performance from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He was awarded the...
, pianist, as well as high school students, including participants in Project STEP.
Other recent soloists include Irina Muresanu, Janna Baty, Gail Williams, Gale Fuller, Stefan Jackiw
Stefan Jackiw
-Biography:Stefan Jackiw was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Korean mother and a German father of Ukrainian origin, both physicists. His mother, So-Young Pi, teaches at Boston University, and his father, Roman Jackiw, at MIT. His surname, pronounced jack-eev, is of Ukrainian origin...
, and Jobey Wilson, Roger Tapping (formerly of the Takács Quartet
Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet is a string quartet, founded in Hungary, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, United States.- History :In 1975, four students at the Music Academy in Budapest, Gabor Takács-Nagy , Károly Schranz , Gabor Ormai , and András Fejér formed The Takács Quartet...
), and Stephanie Chase
Stephanie Chase
"One of the most respected classical violinists in the world," Stephanie Chase is an American concert violinist and educator.- Biography :...
. Scheduled soloists include David Deveau
David Deveau
David Deveau is an American classical pianist. Born in Concord, Massachusetts, he has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras, the San Francisco, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Minnesota, Houston, Miami, Pacific and Portland Symphony Orchestras, and many regional orchestras...
and guest conductor Bruce Hangen. In 2010, Lexington Symphony collaborated with the Nashua Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for a performance of Symphony No.9 (Mahler).
Community Outreach
In 2009, the orchestra launched an interactive program for children called “Orchestrating Kids Through Classics” with a performance in Cary Hall in Lexington which was attended by third grade classes in the Lexington Public Schools. In 2011, the program expanded beyond Lexington to performances for elementary school students in Framingham, MA.The Lexington Symphony is a partner in Music Matters, a program organized by the Massachusetts Teacher’s Association and WCRB
WCRB
WCRB is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts and based in the Brighton area of Boston, which serves the Greater Boston area. It broadcasts a classical music format; it existed as a commercial station from the early 1950s until December 2009, and as a listener-supported...
, which brings Lexington Symphony musicians to elementary schools throughout the Commonwealth. Members of the orchestra visit classes, demonstrate their instruments, and have the kids try it themselves.
In addition, smaller ensembles from the orchestra perform community outreach performances throughout the year as the Lexington Symphony Chamber Players. Local performances have taken place at the Lexington Historical Society's Munroe and Buckman Taverns, Depot Square Gallery, SAGE at Temple Isaiah, the Arts Walk and Shopper's Night, and Fiske Elementary School. Performance venues outside Lexington include MIT, Tufts and Brandeis. The Chamber Players have collaborated with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
, in presentation of a lecture on early American instruments by Darcy Kuronen, the MFA's Curator of Musical Instruments, at Lexington's National Heritage Museum.
Jonathan McPhee
Jonathan McPhee is the Music Director and conductor of the Lexington Symphony. Mr. McPhee is also Music Director of the Boston BalletBoston Ballet
Boston Ballet, founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams, was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. Boston Ballet’s national and international reputation developed under the leadership of Artistic Directors Violette Verdy , Bruce Marks , and Anna-Marie Holmes...
Orchestra, and the Nashua Symphony Orchestra & Chorus in New Hampshire.
Recent guest engagements include the Portland Symphony Orchestra
Portland Symphony Orchestra
The Portland Symphony Orchestra, established in 1923 in Portland, Maine, is a fully professional symphony that is recognized as being one of the top orchestras of its size in the country. The orchestra performs a wide variety of concerts, frequently featuring guest artists, at the Merrill...
, Plymouth Philharmonic, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra
Youngstown Symphony Orchestra
The Youngstown Symphony is a symphony orchestra based in Youngstown, Ohio. Now based in downtown Youngstown's Powers Auditorium, the symphony has been performing classical music for Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley since 1925. The symphony is conducted by Randall Craig Fleischer.- Performance...
, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife in Spain, and the Lithuanian National Orchestra. Mr. McPhee has also appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is a broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow, Scotland. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation , it is the oldest full-time professional orchestra in Scotland...
, Buffalo Philharmonic, the Louisiana Philharmonic, The Hague Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
, Orchestre Colonne (Paris), the National Philharmonic in London, the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
in Norway, among others. Mr. McPhee has conducted for many of the world's premier dance companies, including the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
, The Royal Ballet (England), Martha Graham Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, and the Australian Ballet. In addition, Mr. McPhee has also conducted opera, appearing with Opera Boston
Opera Boston
Opera Boston is an opera company in Boston, Massachusetts. It specializes in innovative repertoire and rarely heard works, along with opera education and outreach programs designed to bring opera education to children, in schools and after-school programs throughout the Boston area.Its home base is...
, the American Opera Center in New York, and Boston University Opera.
Mr. McPhee is an Artistic Advisor for Young Audiences of Massachusetts and his work with Boston's WCRB-FM on "Kids' Classical Hour" resulted in a 1998 Gabriel Award.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. McPhee received his L.R.A.M. from the London Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
and a B.M. and M.M. from the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. While at Juilliard, Mr. McPhee was the recipient of a Naumburg Scholarship in Conducting and English Horn. He has studied with Leonard Brain, David Diamond
David Diamond
David Diamond is the name of:* David Diamond , American composer* David Diamond * David Diamond , American screenwriter* David Diamond, frontman and songwriter with Canadian band The Kings...
, Thomas Stacy, Rudolf Kempe
Rudolf Kempe
Rudolf Kempe was a German conductor.- Biography :Kempe was born in Dresden, where from the age of fourteen he studied at the Dresden State Opera School. He played oboe in the opera orchestra of Dortmund and then in the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra, from 1929...
, Sixten Ehrling
Sixten Ehrling
Sixten Ehrling, , was a Swedish conductor who, during a long career, served as the music director of the Royal Swedish Opera and the principal conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, amongst others....
, and participated in master classes with Sir Georg Solti
Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti, KBE, was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. He was a major classical recording artist, holding the record for having received the most Grammy Awards, having personally won 31 as a conductor, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his...
and James Levine
James Levine
James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has...
at Juilliard.