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Currently serving his twelfth season as Music Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Andrew Sewell continues to inspire his audiences with energy, vitality and spirit. Of a recent Schubert 9th performance, the Wisconsin State Journal 77 Square critic wrote: “Music Director Andrew Sewell and the orchestra were expressively sure throughout, and the performance was intriguing and rich, giving great life to the curious, exploratory and yet masterful writing that Schubert put into the composition.” Andrew Sewell also served for ten seasons as Music Director of the Wichita Symphony concluding in 2010. Maestro Sewell is in demand as a guest conductor, having led orchestras in North America including the Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee, Columbus, Syracuse and Monterey Symphony Orchestras, as well as abroad with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony of Mexico, Kyushu Symphony (Japan), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony, and City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. A native of New Zealand, Maestro Sewell received his music training on the violin, piano and cornet, and began conducting at age 16. Six years later, he made his professional opera debut with the Mercury Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He was then awarded the Australian Guarantee Corporation’s Young Achiever’s Award allowing him to further his studies abroad. Sewell holds a Master of Music degree in Conducting from the University of Michigan. His previous appointments include Music Director and Conductor of the Wichita Symphony (Kansas), Mansfield Symphony (Ohio), Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony. Guest engagements of the 2009-10 season included a two week residency with the Monterey Symphony (CA), his debut at the Peninsula Music Festival (WI), four concerts with the Syracuse Symphony (NY) and his debut at the OK Mozart Festival (Bartlesville, OK). His guest-conducting engagements in 2010-11 included the Salem Chamber Orchestra (OR) and his debut with the Green Bay Symphony (WI). In 2011-12, he makes his debut with the Eugene Symphony, returns to the Green Bay Symphony, and will debut with the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestra as a music director finalist. New Zealand honored Sewell in 1997 as the first recipient of the Aotea Performing Arts Trust’s “Star” Award, for which he spent time conducting in Finland and England. Maestro Sewell resides in Madison with his wife, Mary and their son Alistair, the last of three children, still in high school. . . . . . .{ back to top }. . . . . .NewsMadison Concerts On The SquareThank you for joining us for our 25th celebratory season of Concerts on the Square! We had an extraordinary turnout this year and we hope you enjoyed each of the programs. We thank you for being a great audience and helping to continue this summertime tradition in Madison. Our indoor Masterworks series begins its 49th anniversary season this fall with performances comprised of internationally acclaimed artists and exceptional programs for each concert. The Family Concert Series, a series designed to share our love of music with people of all ages, includes the annual Halloween concert (costumes encouraged!) and the new Blue Jeans concert. And don’t miss the Holiday Pops concerts – bring the whole family to start off the holiday season right! We look forward to seeing you this season and remember to get close to the music! --Andrew Sewell, Music Director
. . . . . .{ back to top }. . . . . . Masterworks 2008 Preview. . . . . .{ back to top }. . . . . . PressReviews: Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra: Shall We Dance?LPost by Greg Hettmansberger Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Music Director Andrew Sewell gets a great deal of deserved credit for imaginative programming, but Friday night he took it one step further: he didn’t just play some off the beaten path repertoire, but invited another local group to join him and the orchestra on the Capitol Theater stage. As it turned out, the Madison Ballet was only the most obvious evidence of dancing. Sewell and his orchestra opened their first program of the new year with one of Respighi’s overlooked works, the “Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. III.” Best known for his large orchestral tone poems inspired by Rome (“Pines of Rome,” et al), Respighi, like many composers of the early 20th century, had a real passion for music of the Baroque era. Set for strings alone, the movements draw their source material from footnote names and anonymous sources alike. It had been more than two months since the WCO had given one of their “Masterworks” concerts, with the “Silver Screen Christmas” and “Messiah” taking up the holiday season, and they gave the impression that they had missed both the setting of the Capitol Theater stage and their musical camaraderie. “Suave” was the first word jotted in my notebook, as the “Italiana” first movement unfolded with delicate and lovingly phrased melodies, unfurled with tender tone. The ensuing “Arie di corte” was based on no fewer than six tunes, and ran a wide gamut of emotions, and Sewell coaxed equally energetic contributions in the final two movements. Despite the substantial bonus of the Madison Ballet, Sewell was not about to deprive his subscribers of a dazzling soloist, and Molly Barth left her University of Oregon base for a memorable dozen minutes of the Vivaldi Concerto for Flautino, RV 443. The piccolo as we know it was just evolving in the latter portion of Vivaldi’s life, but he would have undoubtedly been flattered by Barth’s mastery of the work. For those whose ears are only attuned to the piccolo’s stratospheric entrances in the “Storm” movement of Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony,” or the final strain of Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” Barth’s playing was surely a revelation. Aside from the incredibly agile work in the brisk outer movements, the central slow movement revealed a depth of expression rarely suspected in Vivaldi concertos. And true to the theme of the evening, Ms. Barth at times seemed to dance along with the music, a modern day pied piper of compelling execution. But the actual dancing was saved for the unusual second half, the first nine of the ten movements known as “L’eventail de Jeanne,” or “Jeanne’s Fan.” Jeanne Dubost was deeply involved in every aspect of the arts scene in 1920s Paris, and for a time ran a children’s ballet school. One day she separated the ten blades of her fan, giving one each to ten composer friends and asking for a short movement for a children’s ballet. Though premiered privately, the work was so successful that by 1929 the ballet was staged at the Paris Opera. For this performance, Madison Ballet director W. Earle Smith conceived the work as a framework for a day at a dance school. Dubbed “The Class,” the stage consisted of the orchestra set in the back half, with the rest surrounded by a warm-up bar across the middle half and two on the sides coming toward the audience. The troupe consisted of a dozen young dancers, nine women and three men. There was no story per se, understandable as each movement sprang from a different pen. The common thread is that the majority of French composers of the 1920s seemed to share a tongue-in cheek-attitude, especially men such as Milhaud, Poulenc and Ibert. Regardless of title (“Valse,” “Bourree,” “Polka,” etc.), any given movement was likely to be both more and less than what met the eye in the program. Smith’s choreography varied the combinations, with a number of solos, pas de deux and pas de trois, with the full ensemble engaged in the opening and closing movements. If the results left one with the feeling that the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts, the fault lies in the music and its disjointed structure itself. The music overall is not sufficiently compelling to stand alone without dancers, and Sewell and Smith deserve high marks for taking advantage of an opportunity give us the artistic road less traveled. Sewell even managed to stay that course with his choice of encore: Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.” When is the last time any of us heard that tune without the black and white visage of Alfred Hitchcock as backdrop — or for that matter, even heard the “entire” five-minute marvel of a miniature masterpiece? When it comes to WCO’s programming: “vive la difference!” Link to original post CONDUCTOR ANDREW SEWELL IMPRESSES PENINSULA MUSIC FESTIVALAugust, 2009 The Peninsula Music Festival gave us a program of baroque and classical period compositions under the direction of guest conductor Andrew Sewell. The program was called "From The Old Times." An obviously talented artist, Sewell hails from New Zealand and is currently music director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Wichita Symphony. His many accomplishments include directing orchestras of Toronto, Detroit and Milwaukee. Has has also led ensembles in Japan, Auckland and Mexico. The program was imaginative and engaging. The concert also gave members of the orchestra a chance to display their skills. The first half was given over to the works by J.S. Bach and his well-respected son, J.C. Bach. First, we heard J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, which features two solo violas. The J.C. Bach work was his "Sinfonia Concertante" for violin and cello. Sewell wrapped up the program with Mozart's 29th symphony. It is astonishing to realize that the composer was 18 years old when he wrote this work. It's beautiful, youthful, and elegant. The conductor's interpretation of this music was fresh and unaffected. I believe Sewell's direction was true to what the composer intended. First-class Performances at Monterey SymphonyBy Nathalile Plotkin The sixth concert of the Monterey Symphony season delighted a full house Monday evening with a brilliant program featuring Alexander Sitkovetsky as violin soloist and Andrew Sewell, a very adept guest conductor. Sewell, the conductor of the Wichita Symphony, took over the reins of a most enjoyable yet complex program as a substitute for the Italian conductor Giampaolo Bisanti, whose musical choices celebrated his cultural background by calling it " A Tribute to Italian and American Music." Sewell was a masterful yet understanding and sensitive leader who elicited finely honed performances from both the orchestra and the soloist. The program began with a sprightly and sparkling rendition of the delightful Overture to " Il Segreto di Susanna"by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari. Played lightly and bringing out the humor of this impish work, Sewell's clear decisive baton made the orchestra's response disciplined and clear. The Russian-born, British-educated violinist, who became a protege of Yehudi Menuhin, is definitely of world-class caliber, and the Peninsula audiences who heard him can consider themselves fortunate to have encountered this impressive musician. Paganini, in the "Violin Concerto in D Major," enriched and complicated the technical development of the instrument. He was a phenomenal performer and extended the range of the performer and the instrument, asking him to play elaborate single and double harmonics among other enhancements and in general, raised the bar for the agility and accuracy of the performer. Sitkovetsky calmly and magisterally navigated the virtuosic pitfalls of the bravura passage work demanded of his technical expertise, yet could easily alternate these bristling difficulties with tenderly singing, warm toned aria-like melodies with refined sensitivity. The first movement cadenza is a collection of almost every possible violinistic test of skill. There were flying scales and arpeggios, and a long list of hair-raising difficulties. The soloist covered them all accurately and without stress. The second movement featured more singing operatic melodies which had a pleading quality. Drama built, but lead to another touching episode. Dynamic contrasts and coloring were beautifully and passionately expressed. The delicately dancing third movement was playful yet virtuosic. The soloist was always in close rapport with the conductor and their excellence led to a cheering, stamping audience ovation, which was definitely well earned and deserved. The orchestra provided strong support and added much excitement to the interpretation. Sitkovetsky rewarded the audience with an encore, the "Sarabande," from the Bach Unaccompanied Partita No. 2. The other major work on the program was another definitely highly polished audience pleaser. The Tchaikowsky "Capriccio Italien" gave Sewell and the orchestra a chance to show their depth and versatility. A trumpet fanfare began the work like a bugle call and the symphony winds and brasses answered resonantly. Rich string tone followed and gradually the full orchestra entered the fray, complete with clashing cymbals to add to the spirited and brilliant performance. Sewell kept his forces under exact control and the net result was another standing ovation. There were two other works on the program. "Strut" by American composer Michael Daugherty was an opportunity for the orchestra strings to show what they could do on their own. They played with spirit and energy and concertmaster L.P. How delivered some very well-played solos. The little known 19th century Italian composer and pianist Giuseppe Martucci was represented by four of his short piano works arranged for orchestra. These are gentle works that still could show off the responsiveness of the orchestra, making these unfamiliar works a new listening experience for the audience. It might be more interesting to hear some of Martucci's orchestral compositions. This concert was indeed a memorable evening of first-class performances. { back to Press}. . . . . .Symphony continues its stellar run—on a Scandinavian noteThe Wichita Eagle During its last few concerts the Wichita Symphony Orchestra has conveyed a deep, rich tone across the ensemble. It has never sounded better. This sound and savvy was on terrific display Saturday night in Century II Concert Hall. Conductor Andrew Sewell led the orchestra through a program that was rich with sonic power and bluster, one whose Scandinavian-music theme included the Piano Concerto by Norway's Edvard Grieg and the Symphony No. 2 by Finland's Jean Sibelius. The Sibelius was most impressive. The sprawling piece -- bold and brassy -- offers both sweeping gestures and folksy interludes. The music somehow captures the epic grandeur of the North, and Sewell sculpted and paced the work to best capture its scale. The symphony's second movement was brooding and masculine; its third began in a rhythmic frenzy that was soothed by a lullaby introduced by oboist Andrea Banke. Sibelius is one of music's great symphonists, and his Second Symphony, from 1902, contains echoes of Tchaikovsky and Brahms back to Beethoven. But his music retains an unforgettable sound -- intense and liberating, with contrasts of warm and cold, darkest mystery and silvery light. Sewell introduced the concert with a short work for strings, "December," by American Michael Torke. A dancing snippet intensified through the orchestra, then subsided, then built again. It teased the ear, somewhere between minimalism and a fiddle tune. And the orchestra sounded terrific. { back to Press}. . . . . .Bravura Concert Closes WCO's Great SeasonThe Capital Times :: LIFESTYLE :: C3 First there was a pause, then applause. Lots of applause. Cheers followed, and the audience rose to its feet as pianist Philippe Entremont and conductor Andrew Sewell, hands clasped, bowed to bring the curtain down Friday on the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's inaugural season in the Capitol Theater. A mostly full house cheered Entremont's virtuoso performance of Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 58," but they might as well have been cheering for a season of superlative performances. Entremont's delivery was emotionally rich and technically perfect, his hands exhibiting a grace, speed and agility most pianists would find hard to match. His trills at the keyboard's high end were remarkably fluid, and there were moments when the French pianist drowned out the rest of the orchestra with the power of his sound, a fitting close to an impressive season. WCO, under Sewell's direction, delivered a finely honed performance of the Beethoven work, one worthy of an orchestra much larger and more seasoned. The composer, whose music served as a bridge between the Classical and Romantic periods, brought elements of both to the concerto, from the opening Allegro moderato to the bright, vivacious Rondo: Vivace that closes the 40-minute composition. Entremont's performance captured the musical evolution with vivid clarity, spurred by WCO's more than capable support. The original program had been altered, with Entremont himself substituting the Beethoven work for the originally scheduled piano concerto by Bach and Shostakovich. A confusing program distributed to patrons offered notes from the originally scheduled performance, raising the question of what a performer of Entremont's stature might have done with a more diverse program. Friday's final program was less diverse than most WCO concerts, something that has come both to characterize the orchestra and to invigorate its fans. But it did allow the guest artist to deliver a superb performance and Sewell to indulge his personal preference for showcasing composers from Great Britain. The evening's performance opened with Sir Edward Elgar's "Serenade for Strings, Op. 20." WCO's string section handled the three-movement work with the power and aplomb of a full orchestra. Much of the work of Elgar, known mostly for the graduation march "Pomp and Circumstance," is being joyfully rediscovered. "Serenade for Strings" was already one of his better known works, much of it having to do with the grace and emotion contained in its passages. WCO executed well, giving special emotive interpretation to the achingly lovely Larghetto that bridged the work. Sewell followed Elgar with "Serenade in G" by English composer E.J. Moeran, of which WCO performed all eight brief movements, rather than the more popular six. The composition contained bright orchestral colors and a variety of musical characters, from delicate string sections to bold brass passages. Such variations are in keeping with the stylistic elements Sewell brings to the WCO itself. As with Moeran's composition, those influences capture our imagination and keep us appreciating what the WCO brings long after the season has ended. Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra |
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