Harrisburg Symphony: A Majestic World Premiere

• Cooper Nolan, tenor
• Andrew Gangestad, bass
• The Susquehanna Chorale
• Messiah University Concert Choir
• Messiah University Choral Arts Society

A world premiere from Grammy-nominated Jonathan Leshnoff. His new oratorio Saul—featuring soloists Cooper Nolan (tenor) and Andrew Gangestad (bass), with The Susquehanna Chorale and The Messiah University Concert Choir and Choral Arts Society—tells the dramatic and tragic story of Saul, the first ruler of Israel. The program opens with a gem of the classical repertoire, the ebullient eighth symphony of Beethoven.

Performances on Apr. 20 & 21.

About Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra

The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra can be traced back to the early 1930s when a group of dedicated and resourceful music lovers decided, against all odds, to form a symphony in the city of Harrisburg. The country was in the throes of the Great Depression, but the group forged ahead, giving their first concert at William Penn High School in Harrisburg on March 19, 1931. The conductor on that occasion was George King Raudenbush, who was to become the orchestra's first music director. By the end of 1931 the orchestra had moved its concerts to the newly-opened Forum Auditorium in the Education Building, part of the Capitol Complex, where it still performs to this day. The 1931-32 season included four concerts. The cost of a subscription: $2!

Slowly but surely, the institution took root, eventually taking its rightful place among the Capitol Region's cornerstone cultural institutions. Beginning with Maestro Raudenbush, who stayed until 1950, the Harrisburg Symphony has had six music directors. Succeeding Raudenbush in the 1950-51 season was Edwin McArthur, whose tenure lasted until 1974. He was followed by David Epstein (1974-1978), Larry Newland (1978-1994), Richard Westerfield (1995-1999), and Stuart Malina (2000-present). If the founders were alive today, they would see their humble creation transformed into a fully professional orchestra and a powerful and dynamic force that touches the lives of tens of thousands of people each year.

A typical season includes seven pairs of Masterworks concerts, five pairs of concerts on the Capital Blue Cross Pops Series, two Young Persons' Concerts for school age children, and free outdoor concerts in several communities over the July 4th weekend. In addition, the Symphony season includes a number of educational activities, including in-school performances and master classes featuring Harrisburg Symphony musicians.

Operating under the umbrella of the Harrisburg Symphony is the Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra, founded in 1953 and one of the oldest youth symphonies in the country. There are three ensembles in the program: the Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra for high school age musicians, the Junior Youth String Orchestra for middle school age musicians, and the Elementary String Orchestra for elementary musicians. All ensembles perform twice each year at the Forum and at Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. Gregory Woodbridge, Associate Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony, is Music Director of the Youth Symphony. Krista Kriel is conductor of the Junior Youth Strings, and Nelson Rodriguez-Parada is conductor of the Elementary String Orchestra.

The Harrisburg Symphony is governed by a 27-member Board of Directors. The current Board Chair is Patricia Ferris. The Symphony is enthusiastically supported in its fundraising efforts by the Harrisburg Symphony Society under the direction of its president, Debra Yates.

About Cooper Nolan, tenor

https://coopernolan.com/

About Andrew Gangestad, bass

Accomplished bass Andrew Gangestad has been applauded for his dark, rich sound and strong musicality by audiences throughout the world. Of his performance of Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, the Kansas City Star wrote, "Andrew Gangestad demonstrated a glorious bass voice;" and for his performance of Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Pacific, the Orange County Register wrote, "Andrew Gangestad portrays the long-suffering Leporello with aplomb, crisp in accent, dark of voice and understated in comedy."

In the 2018–19 season, Andrew returned to the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Les Pêcheurs de Perles, and made his Alabama Symphony debut as bass soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

In the 2017–18 season, Andrew performed Angelotti in Puccini's Tosca at Opera Omaha, Monterone in Verdi’s Rigoletto at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Lyric Opera of the North, and the bass soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Symphony Orchestra Augusta.

In previous seasons, Andrew returned to the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Les Pêcheurs de Perles, performed as Zaccaria in Verdi’s Nabucco at Opera Carolina, and appeared as the Captain in Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas in his début with Nashville Opera.

Andrew is widely known for his interpretation of Leporello in Don Giovanni, which he has performed with such companies as the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Sarasota Opera, Opera Pacific, and in his début with Arizona Opera. He also performed Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with several companies, including Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Omaha, Duluth Festival Opera, and Opera Cleveland.

Mr. Gangestad's international highlights include débuts as Ramfis in Aida with the Welsh National Opera, as well the Bregenz Festival in Austria, the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Macao International Music Festival, and Mephistopheles/Böser Geist/Pater Profundus in Schumann's Szenen aus Goethes Faust with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since his Metropolitan Opera début in Berg's Lulu, Mr. Gangestad has frequently returned there, having performed as Brander in La damnation de Faust, Tom in Un ballo in maschera, Colline in La bohème, Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, Lignière in the company première of Cyrano de Bergerac, Vaudemont in I vespri siciliani, Cappadocian in Salome, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Timur in Turandot, Frate in Don Carlo, Trojan bass in Idomeneo, M. Javelinot in Dialogues des Carmélites, and has been involved in productions of La Fanciulla del West, Les Troyens, Wozzeck and Un Ballo in Maschera. Also a company favorite with Seattle Opera, he has appeared there in such roles as Zuniga in Carmen, Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera, Alidoro in La Cenerentola, and Leporello in Don Giovanni.

Andrew's extensive list of concert engagements include Händel's Messiah with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Symphony, Mozart's Coronation Mass and Haydn's The Creation with the State College Chorale Society (Pennsylvania), Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Berkshire Choral Festival, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, Verdi's Requiem with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and Grand Rapids Symphony, soloist in Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher with Oregon Bach Festival under Marin Alsop, Tan Dun's Theatre Orchestral II: Re, and Mozart's Requiem with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Gangestad also performed several opera roles in concert, such as Brander in La damnation de Faust in his début with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Maestro James Levine in Boston and at Carnegie Hall, Méphistophélès in La damnation de Faust with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, The Monk in La Gioconda and as The Hermit in Der Freischütz with Opera Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall, Lodovico in excerpts from Otello for the 2006 Richard Tucker Gala, various Opera Gala Concerts with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, and in L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Minnesota Orchestra.

Additional engagements include performances as Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles with Pittsburgh Opera; Der Tod in Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Cincinnati Opera; Rodolfo in La sonnambula, and Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Michigan Opera Theatre; Ramfis in Aïda with Hawaii Opera Theater; Colline in La bohème with New York City Opera, Kentucky Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Pacific; Ferrando in Il trovatore with Minnesota Opera and Toledo Opera; the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Bellingham Music Festival; Commendatore in Don Giovanni in his début with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles, Banquo in Macbeth, and Candy in Of Mice and Men with Sarasota Opera; Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Sacramento Opera, and Lyric Opera of the North; Timur in Turandot with Kentucky Opera; and Ramfis in Aïda; and Angelotti in Tosca with the former Opera Pacific.

Andrew Gangestad is the first place winner of the 2005 Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Voice Competition and the recipient of the Robert Lauch Memorial Grant from the Wagner Society of New York.

About The Susquehanna Chorale

https://www.susquehannachorale.org/

About Messiah University Concert Choir

https://www.messiah.edu/homepage/720/choirs_and_vocal_ensembles

About Messiah University Choral Arts Society

The Messiah University Choral Arts Society, is our largest campus choir made up of students, faculty and staff from Messiah University and members of the greater Harrisburg community. Founded by Messiah music professor Earl "Prof" Miller in 1946, the ensemble was originally called the Alumni Oratorio Society. Later, the name was changed to the Grantham Oratorio Society to emphasize the community in which they participated. Earl Miller directed the choir for 22 years, followed by Messiah professors Ronald Sider, who led the group for 28 years, and Ronald Miller, the 1997 interim director. In 1998, the choir was renamed the Messiah College Choral Arts Society to reflect the group’s rich heritage with the college. Under Linda Tedford's 20-year tenure, Choral Arts Society began regular collaborations with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and the choir continues to perform majors works with orchestra each season. Recent seasons have included performances of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, Poulenc's Gloria, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Bach's Magnificat, and Haydn's St. Nicholas Mass.