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The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia presentsEight ImmortalsMay 15, 2022 | 4pm First Unitarian Universalist Church1000 Blanton Ave., Richmond, Virginiawith Njioma Grevious, violin Celia Hatton, violaDavid Lemelin, clarinet Kevin Newton, horn Thomas Schneider, bassoon Andrew Sommer, bassSuliman Tekalli, violinJames Wilson, cello

James Wilson Artistic DirectorGreetings,Even as the arts world continues to face many questions and unknowns, it’s wonderful to settle back and focus on a fresh concert season! At CMSCVA, we’ve doubled down on artistic content, centered our community as our source of inspiration, and are ready to present one of our most ambitious seasons yet. Here are some exciting highlights for 2021-22:TALENT: We will be bringing more than 30 gifted artists from around the country to entertain and move you with their musical storytelling.NEW ART: In an exceptional display of commitment to classical music, we have commissioned 6 new works of chamber music from an exciting roster of composers, all to be premiered over the season.VIRGINIA: We are focusing on our Richmond region as a source of inspiration and pride, from concert programming, to artists, to new commissions.OUR PICTURES: In a project inspired by the timeless suite “Pictures at an Exhibition,” we will kick off an ambitious multi-year project based on the abundance of art found in the Richmond region.With all of the excitement in the season, we hope you will find a place in CMSCVA for exciting and unique classical music in Richmond.Sincerely,

ProgramThe Eight Immortals and the Sea Shuying Li(b. 1989)Octet in F major, D.803Franz Schubert (1797-1828)Adagio — Allegro — Più allegroAdagioScherzo. Allegro vivaceVariations: Andante — Un poco più mosso — Più lentoMenuetto. AllegrettoAndante molto — Allegro — Andante molto — Allegro molto Short Intermission

Njioma Grevious, violinNjioma Grevious of Washington, DC, is an avid chamber, studio, and orchestral musician. She won a Keston-Max Fellowship to study and perform with the London Symphony Orchestra, and First Prize for Performance and Interpretation in the Prix Ravel chamber music competition in France. As a member of the Abeo Quartet, she won the Silver Medal in the 2019 Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition.Njioma is a Jupiter Symphony chamber player and has participate in numerous summer festivals including the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Montreal International String Quartet Academy, Meadowmount, Fontainebleau Schools and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Njioma has been a concertmaster with the Juilliard Wind Orchestra and has performed on tour in Germany, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Spain, Argentina as a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.For many years Njioma was a scholarship recipient through Boston’s Project STEP string training program for youth. She fondly remembers the special privilege of performing in a quartet for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at a prestigious White House State Dinner. She continues to shared her love of music as a Juilliard Gluck fellow, performing in a variety of hospital settings for veterans and others suffering physically and mentally. Njioma also loves teaching composition and collaboration to elementary and middle school students, most from underserved and underrepresented communities, through the Opportunity Music Project in NYC.Our Artistic CollaboratorsFor the full roster of season artists, please visit cmscva.org.

nationally with A Far Cry and internationally with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Hatton is an Honorary Ambassador for the New York in Chuncheon Festival in South Korea. Her world premieres include string quartets by Colin Matthews, Derek Bermel, and Felix Jarrar. Hatton was a member of the Zorá String Quartet and has performed with the Harlem String Quartet, Blair String Quartet, Manhattan Chamber Players, and North Country Chamber Players. Hatton can be heard on movie scores of Joker (2019), I Tonya, A Dog’s Purpose, Goldfinch, The Greatest Showman, and Tick, Tick...Boom. Hatton earned degrees from New England Conservatory with Kim Kashkashian and Manhattan School of Music with Karen Dreyfus.Celia Hatton, violaBased in New York City, violist Celia Hatton has performed throughout Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the US. She is Principal Viola of Sphinx Virtuosi and her solos as Principal of Experiential Orchestra can be heard on GRAMMY winning album “The Prison.” She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, toured David Lemelin, clarinetA native of Québec, Canada, David Lemelin is currently Principal Clarinetist with the Richmond Symphony. Before joining the RSO, David was 2nd/Eb clarinetist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and also previously served a 4-year fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach where he had the opportunity to work with a wide array of renowned musicians and conductors. In November 2011, David was a winner of the New World Symphony Concerto Competition and performed a concerto with the orchestra. In addition, he has played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and

and the Orchestre Symphonique de Sherbrooke.David received his Master of Music from DePaul University in Chicago and his Bachelor of Music from McGill University in Montreal, both in Clarinet Performance. His main teachers include Larry Combs, Robert Crowley, and Nathalie DeGrâce.Shuying Li, composerPraised by the Seattle Times as “a real talent” with “skillful orchestral writing, very colorful language and huge waves of sound,” Shuying Li is an award-winning composer who began her musical education in her native China. In her sophomore year at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, she won a scholarship to continue her undergraduate studiesat The Hartt School in Connecticut. She holds doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and is a research faculty member at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. A passionate education, Shuying has taught and directed the Composition/Theory Program at Gonzaga University. She will join the faculty at California State University, Sacramento in Fall 2022.Shuying Li’s compositions have been performed by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra (Finland), Cecilia Quartet (Canada), and the Ascanio Quartet (Italy), among others. Upcoming projects include performances by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Chelsea Symphony Orchestra, and Moscow Contemporary Ensemble (Russia); an opera commissioned by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with librettist Julian Crouch in development with the Houston Grand Opera supported by OPERA America.A believer that music has the innate power to promote cultural diversity by connecting people through universal values, Shuying founded the Four Corners Ensemble in 2017. As Artistic Director and Conductor of the ensemble, Shuying’s efforts have led to residencies and performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, the Polish Consulate General in New York City, OPERA America, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the University of Michigan.

Kevin Newton, hornKevin Newton is the newest member of the GRAMMY-nominated wind quintet, Imani Winds. A native of South Boston, Virginia, he is a horn player and educator based in Manhattan. His first music teacher, his mother, instilled in him a love of music-making’s collaborative spirit.As a chamber musician, he has performed with Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Metropolitan Horn Authority, Roomful of Teeth, and Tredici Bacci, among other ensembles. He has appeared professionally on the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, and National Sawdust. Mr. Newton formerly served as principal horn of the Waynesboro Symphony.An advocate for new music, Mr. Newton collaborated with composer Erin Busch to premiere a solo work as a part of the Contemporary Performance Institute at the Composers Conference in 2020. Mr. Newton enjoys a busy recording schedule and has recently recorded with Tredici Bacci, Metropolitan Horn Authority, Tex Crick, and Sami Stevens, as well as for commercial projects. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University. He holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a regular participant at Yellow Barn in Vermont.Mr. Newton joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2021. He is also on the horn faculty of Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege division and MSM Summer.

Thomas Schneider, bassoonTom Schneider joined the Richmond Symphony as Principal Bassoon in September of 2012. Before joining the RSO, Tom was a fellow for two years at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. Tom holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory and a Master of Music degree from the University of Maryland. His primary teachers are Sue Heineman, George Sakakeeny, Yoshi Ishikawa, and Debbie Torpe. Tom has appeared at many of the country’s top festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, National Orchestral Institute, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Sarasota Music Festival. In recent seasons Tom has performed as guest principal with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, guest associate principal with the Atlanta Symphony, and guest musician with Jackson Hole Chamber Music. Tom made his first solo appearance with the RSO in the fall of 2014 performing Peter Schickele’s Bassoon Concerto. Outside music, Tom loves to read, watch English Premier League soccer, take his dog Chowder on long walks, and climb the beautiful mountains in his native Colorado.Andrew Sommer, bassDouble Bassist Andrew Sommer is a native of the Atlanta area and principal bassist for the Richmond Symphony Orchestra since 2019. He has been a substitute for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.Mr. Sommer received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, and has been a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School, performing with the Aspen Chamber Symphony. He also

spent three summers as a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Verbier, Switzerland. In the summers of 2018 and 2019, he was a member of the chamber orchestra, Taiwan Connection. With this group, Mr. Sommer toured and performed in all the major cities in Taiwan, as well as recorded an album including Brahms Symphony no. 2.Mr. Sommer grew up in a musical family. His mom, Phyllis, is a singer and choral teacher, and his sister, Grace, is a cellist. His father was the great bassist and teacher Douglas Sommer, who was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for 25 years. Andrew credits his father, who sadly passed away in 2014, as his bass hero.In addition to his orchestral work, Mr. Sommer is equally at home playing jazz and other styles of music. He performed at the 2013 Grammys with the Grammy Jazz Combo alongside Latino superstar Juanes. Mr. Sommer’s jazz teachers and mentors include Joseph Patrick Moore, Sam Skelton, Kevin Bales, and John Patitucci. Mr. Sommer plays on his father’s bass, an Enrico Bajoni made in Italy circa 1875.Suliman Tekalli, violinAs the top prize winner of the 2015 Seoul International Music Competition and prize winner in the Sendai, Lipizer, and Szeryng International Violin Competition, Suliman Tekalli’s performing career has taken him throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia.An exponent of chamber music, Mr. Tekalli has made appearances at numerous festivals including Music@Menlo, Yellow Barn, and the Banff Centre, and has collaborated and performed with eminent musicians such as Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, and David Shifrin. He also perfroms as part of the Tekalli Duo with his sibling, pianist Jamila Tekalli with whom he had recorded an album entitled “Duality.”

Also a composer and arranger, Suliman Tekalli gave the world premiere of his composition “Mephistoccata” from his solo violin suite Fables at the Montreal International Music Competition in 2013, receiving the Maurice and Judith Kaplow Prize for Uncommon Creativity from the Cleveland Institute of Music in the same year. His arrangements of classical and contemporary repertoire have been performed by ensembles such as the International Sejong Soloists and Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect. Mr. Tekalli’s commitment towards spreading a love and appreciation for music has made him a passionate educator, performing for schools and community centers throughout the New York/New Jersey area, and giving master classes in this country as well as in South America at the Departamento de Artes Musicales in Buenos Aires, Argentina and La Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.James Wilson, celloFor more than thirty years, cellist James Wilson has nurtured and enjoyed an exciting and varied career as performer and educator. As recitalist and chamber musician, he has appeared in many of the world’s most illustrious performing spaces, including America’s Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Sydney Opera House, the Basilica of Notre-Dame in Montreal, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Musikverein in Vienna. He has performed at music festivals around the world such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the City of London Festival, the Deutches Mozartfest in Bavaria, the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland, the Mostly Mozart Festival in New York, and the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado.The multi-faceted Mr. Wilson is a Member and Artistic Director of the acclaimed Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and regularly serves as guest principal cellist of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. His performances have been broadcast on West German Radio and Bavarian Radio in Germany, CBC radio in Canada, BBC Radio in Britain, Finish Radio, and National Public Radio. He currently teaches cello and chamber music at Columbia University in New York, and at Sarah Lawrence College.

Notes on today's programThe Eight Immortals and the Sea, by Shuying LiThe Eight Immortals and the Sea draws inspiration from the Chinese Taoism mythology. The Eight Immortals are considered to be signs of prosperity and longevity, so they are popular themes in ancient and medieval art. Among the literature on the subject, one of the work made during the Ming Dynasty (c. 14th–15th centuries) is called The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea. It is about the Immortals on their way to attend the Conference of the Magical Peach when they encounter an ocean. Instead of relying on their clouds to get them across, Lü Dongbin suggested that they each should exercise their unique powers to get across. Derived from this, the Chinese proverb “The Eight Immortals cross the sea, each reveals its divine powers” indicates the situation that everybody shows off their skills and expertise to achieve a common goal. In the composition, the eight players who each musically represent one of the legendary Immortals depict a more abstract and loose-structured picture of the story. The music takes over its own logic beyond the inspiration and focuses on the collaborative and dramatic elements represented in the story. It also treats the “sea” as an equally important aspect to present the relationship between individual Immortals (each musician) and the Sea (composite sound world contributed by the entire ensemble).The Eight Immortals and the Sea was commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia in 2021, and receives its world premiere on today’s concert. Notes by Shuying LiOctet in F Major, D. 803, by Franz SchubertIf the world of chamber music had a capitol, it would definitely be Vienna. This is where the genres of the string quartet and the piano trio were invented, and where Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert

astounded musicians and listeners alike with their amazing, ground-breaking pieces for small ensembles.And if this capital city had a musical mayor, it would be Beethoven, who cast a long shadow over contemporary and future composers, and created some of Vienna’s most engaging earworms. Some of the most popular tunes of the time came from Beethoven’s Septet, which was performed all over the city in many different transcriptions. Festive and large-scale, the Septet combined strings with bassoon, horn and clarinet, the later given a prominent role in the ensemble. Combining dance movements, slow music, and variations, all bookended by virtuoso fast movements, the format of the septet was inspired by the “serenade,” a genre of music used for evening entertainment – the “pop” music of its time.The Octet was commissioned from Schubert by Count Ferdinand vonTroyer, chief steward to Emperor Leopold II’s youngest brother, the Archduke Rudolph. Troyer was a highly skilled amateur clarinetist who loved the Beethoven Septet. In essence, Schubert’s Octet is a companion piece to Beethoven. It prominently features the clarinet, and its various movements also mirror Beethoven’s scheme – Introduction/fast, slow, scherzo, variations, minuet, and introduction/fast.But if Schubert took his inspiration from Beethoven, he also expanded on it. Almost an hour in length, this piece is an entire musical evening in itself. By turns bubbly, military, serious, mysterious and raucous, the octet keeps the listener guessing as to what’s coming next. Jaunty rhythmic figures play a major role in creating the character of this

of this long work. They are most prominently used in the opening movement, and in the Adagio, which was written with the expressive and technical clarinet playing of Count von Troyer in mind. The horn, tested to the max in the opening movement, is silent for the first 40 bars here. Perhaps the Schubert anticipated that the horn player would need a rest after earlier technical demands. But towards the end of the Adagio the horn joins in a magical miniature trio with clarinet and bassoon, set within the larger ensemble structure.The two following movements take us from the rustic Scherzo to the musical world of a Viennese café in the delectable Theme and Variations. The main theme of the concluding Allegro is introduced by a few measures of dramatic seriousness, a bit of shock treatment amid all the fun. This quickly launches into a jolly, rhythmically tricky allegro. Before the movement ends, the introductory material returns: but its attempts to throw a wet blanket over the party is brief and unsuccessful.The Octet was written in a few weeks of February and March, 1824, and first performed in April in the home of a friend of Count von Troyer’s on one of Vienna’s most fashionable streets, the Graben. Remaining a private party piece for many years, the first public performance of the Octet did not take place until 1827, and the music was not published until a quarter-century after the composer’s death.Notes by James WilsonWe want to collaborate with you!Take our Spring 2022 Survey and be sure to include your name and contact info for a chance to win two tickets to a concert in our 2022-23 season.Click here to take the survey!

OfcersJennifer Cable, PresidentMary Boodell, Vice PresidentJames Wilson, TreasurerPhyllis McCafferty, SecretaryFlexible in personnel and repertoire, the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia strives to empower our audience, musicians, and organization to face the world with new perspectives through music, building a broad and active audience, and a more enlightened industry.We are dedicated to inspiring, entertaining, and moving our communities through a combination of unique venues, world-class musicians, thought-provoking content, and eclectic classical music. Engaging with contemporary culture and honoring the classical tradition, we strive to promote interest and diversity in the musical life of Richmond and beyond.We invite you to attend one or all our events, become a member of CMSCVA, or volunteer your time and talents. We are certain that you will enjoy the experience.About the Chamber Music Society of Central VirginiaArtistic Director The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia Board of Directors:Mary BoodellJennifer CableDiana DamschroderPeter GilbertPhyllis McCaffertyRobin JonesEllen SaylesJames WilsonJames WilsonP.O. Box 8526 Richmond, VA 23226-0526 (804) 304-6312 | cmscva@yahoo.com | www.cmscva.orgThe Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia is a nonstock, nonprofit 5019(c)(3) organization. Our 2021-22 season is made possible through donations from our patrons, and through a generous grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia would like to thank the following individuals and foundations who have made our programs possible. Starred names reflect gifts given to support our 2021-22 concert season, received after the start of the current fiscal year, July 1, 2021, until April 5th, 2022Donors (up to $99)Paula Harstad *Anne Gordon Harrison (in honor of PMcM) * Mary Heen Kathleen Hoppe *James Kidd *Denis and Carol Klisz Hortense LibertiJoan LosenPatricia Parks Sheryl Smith John Rupp *Misa and Robert Stuart * Richard and Ruth Szucs Rick and Laurie Williams * James Wilson*Ralph and Jocelyne Graner * Cynthia Greene * Kathleen Hoppe Mark Huebsch *Eric and Christina Jacobson Carlyle Robin Jones * Harry Kaplowitz *Michael KellyJoann King *Sandy and Heyn Kjerulf A.W. Lewis lll MD Suzanne Maerz *Marion NelsenJack and Tricia Pearsall * Mathis Kirby Powelson Jeffrey Riehl *Ellen Sayles Margaret Stokely *Robert and Mary Ellen Wadsworth* Anonymous Gift(2) Robert and Barbara Alexander David and Shin-Min Block Booktopics Eugenia H. Borum *Edward Cowardin Jr.* Laura Deluca David DeppPhyllis Entin *Christine Ertell *Richard Fine and Sara Ferguson* Martha Faulkner *Megan FriesMartin and Kathleen Gary Miriam GoldbergCynthia Greene Members {$100 - $249) Anonymous Gift (4) Barbara Charlotte Anderson * Rev. Dennis A. Andersen Charles and Jean Arrington * John B. H. CaldwellDebra Carlotti *Robert M. Clewell* Diana Damschroder *Martha B. Dorill Alan W. Dow ll *Marilyn Erickson *Barbara Felton *Ann Franke *Sharon Fuller *Martin Gary * (In memory of Kathleen Gary) * Beverly Geissler Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Goldman *

Elisabeth Wollan *Yellow Cello Music Charitable Fund *Sally R. Youngs *Eli ZallerNetwork for Good *Tricia and Jack Pearsall * Richard Fox and Owen Sharman Grace Suttle *Ernest and Perry Wilson *Brooks and Lauren Nelsen * Eileen Schulman *Peter Gilbert and Anne Reavey * Michael and Molly Wray *Elizabeth King *Patricia Kelly Kyle * (in memory of Robert Kyle)Ridgeway Foundation c/o Elizabeth Lowsley-Williams *Members Cont.George WatkinsMarsden Williams * Brian and Jane Wilson *Patrons ($250 - $499)Anonymous (2) *Rosa Bosher *Richard Fox *Harry KaplowitzGita and Davis Massey Artist Sponsors ($500 $999) Phoebe F. Antrim*Mary Boodell and Evan Davis *Lois M. Crabtree *Fran and John Freimarck *Phyllis McCafferty *Outreach Sponsors ($1000 - $2499) Coille Limited Partnership* Fiends of the Public LibraryGisela John (in honor of Hans Ullrich Scharnberg) Concert Sponsors ($2500 and up) Anonymous Gift (3) *Jennifer A. Cable *Special Thanks to:• Everyone at First Unitarian Universalist Church for their beautifulspace and welcoming spirit.• All of our donors, patrons, volunteers, and friends for their unendingsupport.• The gracious hosts for our artists who provide such a valuablecomponent of our musical productions. And special thanks to NinaConway for coordinating our housing.And a gift from:The Virginia A. Arnold Foundation of the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond

Coming Up at CMSCVAJune Festival - Free Live and Streamed EventsAnother in our series of live and streaming concerts focusing different aspects Richmond and Central Virginia, "Our Creativity" showcases the talents of our brightest artistic stars, writer Edgar Allen Poe and composer Undine Smith Moore. This concert also features the talents of Richmond musicians – pianist Ingrid Keller, flutist Mary Boodell, and CMSCVA Artistic Director James Wilson.The program includes Arthur Bergh's “The Raven” (a Melodrama for Piano and Narrator) and Undine Smith Moore's “Afro-American Suite” for flute, cello and piano.Our CreativityJune 4, 2022 | SaturdayRichmond Main Public Library2:00 pm - FreeGo from Spring to Fall in this musical tribute to the seasons. Pianist Ingrid Keller, flutist Mary Boodell, and cellist James Wilson perform four pieces from Tchaikovsky's charming suite "The Seasons," filmed in March, 2022 at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Goochland. Our SeasonsStreaming online starting June 1online at www.cmscva.org

Recorded live at Historic Mankin Mansion in October 2021, Grammy Award winning violinist Johnny Gandelsman performs a program of newly written music for solo violin focusing on the diverse and talented voices of American composers. The program features the world premiere of A través del manto luminoso, a work commissioned by CMSCVA from Puerto Rican-born composer Angélica Negrón. This Is America: Gandelsman And NegrónStreaming starting June 1online at www.cmscva.orgCMSCVA's June festival is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

P.O. Box 8526 Richmond, VA 23226-0526 (804) 304-6312 | cmscva@yahoo.comCMSCVA.ORG