Table of Contents
- From the Corner Office. Article by Alan Jordan, President and CEO
- Board of Directors Annual Meeting
- From the Podium. Article by John Morris Russell, Music Director
- From the Board Room. Article by Mike Harter, Chairman, Board of Directors
- From the Other End of the Hall. Article by Steven Shaiman, Hilton Head International Piano Competition Director
- In memoriam
- FROM THE SOUNDWAVES STUDIO — SoundWavesHHI 2023-2024: A Banner Year. Article by Mario Incorvaia, Chief Operating Officer.
- Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra (HHSO) Racial Equality Statement
- Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors
- Upcoming Events
From the Corner Office
I write this article as I listen to multiple string quartets being rehearsed and coached (four at the same time, with two of them close enough to be quite audible!) at SoundWaves during our sixth annual Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute. Sixteen high school string players from across the country are here in Paradise for ten days, under the intensive yet caring tutelage of our esteemed faculty, preparing for performances at TidePointe, The Cypress, Library, Memory Matters, and elsewhere, and the final recitals this coming weekend. The music reminds me of working at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (also, a place I will refer to as Paradise), where you couldn’t help but feel blessed by the constant music being perfected by our next generation of classical musicians.
We are now less than two weeks from closing the books on our 2023-2024 fiscal year and, a little less concretely, our concert season. In some ways, the latter turnover feels less dramatic, as the seasons mesh together, from our SoundWaves finales in June to our Jazz In The Park Series of free concerts that are officially “next” season, but begin on June 25th. Make sure to come enjoy some free Jazz at Coligny in the coming weeks.
So, it is both a time of reflection and looking forward. The 2023-2024 Orchestra Series concluded in the grandest fashion possible, with, arguably, the greatest masterwork in the classical canon: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. While so moving and elating, it makes me wonder, “How the heck are we going to top that?!?” (I know we’ll find a way.) Kudos to John Morris Russell for his expert curation of an extraordinary season of musical experiences, to our fabulous HHSO orchestra musicians and chorus, and to our devoted staff who made everything work!
Allow me to offer some personal thank yous:
To our fully committed Board of Directors and its leadership team. In particular, I would like to recognize Mike Harter, who was Treasurer when I first arrived and, for reasons I cannot fully explain, was willing to serve as Chair and put up with me for the last three years. Mike has been my partner, confidant, counselor, and champion and I will miss his companionship. That said, I very much look forward to working with Mary Princing and the entire Board.
To our uniquely amazing League and its leadership. The League set a new record this season, providing $90,000 of cash support as well as volunteer time estimated at more than $90,000 in value. The HHSO is fortunate to have such a hard-working and enthusiastic group of volunteers whose dedication is evidenced by what it provides to keep the HHSO strong and sound. And, how are they going to top that?!? Again, I know they’ll find a way.
To our fantastic usher crew at both First Presbyterian Church and SoundWaves. Linda Schneider and her team go above and beyond to enhance the experience of Orchestra Series patrons, while our SoundWaves volunteers play double duty as both ushers and servers.
Onward…our staff is motivated during the Orchestra Series “off-season,” with mundane things like the annual audit, files updating and archiving, to renewing sponsorship and program advertiser relationships, to —more excitingly—processing subscriptions, renewing and new, and generous annual contributions. These financial commitments that you provide give the organization the assurance that we can move forward with our ambitious programs for the coming season in a fiscally responsible way. Thank you!
Of course, our staff is primarily motivated by the exciting and distinctive musical experiences that we will share with our audiences in the coming season. We truly look forward to a year of “MUSIC for EVERYONE!”
—Alan Jordan, President and CEO
Board of Directors Annual Meeting
At their May 30, 2024, meeting, the Board of Directors recognized retiring directors, Michael Harter, Eric Magnin, and Alice Walton; re-elected directors Rabbi Brad Bloom, Arthur Handman, Terry Orr, and Edward Simmons; elected Wayne Effron and Blake White to new terms as directors; and elected the following slate of officers for 2024-2025: Mary Princing, Chair; Terry Orr, Vice-Chair, Strategic Planning; Bob Cherichella, Vice-Chair, Resource Development; Arthur Handman, Treasurer; Carol Hack, Secretary; Alan Jordan, President and CEO. They also adopted a $2,592,401 operating budget with a small surplus. Thanks to Mike, Eric, and Alice for their service, and to the re-elected and newly elected directors and officers for their commitment.
FROM THE PODIUM
Greetings Everyone!
One of the delights of summer is performing outdoor concerts with the Cincinnati Pops throughout Southwestern Ohio, as well as special concerts with orchestras across the country. Everywhere I seem to go there are HHSO fans in the audience who make themselves known with their boisterous Lowcountry joie du vivre! In June, I conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of the music of James Bond (a program folks on HHI heard FIRST at “Symphony Under the Stars” a couple years back) and celebrated my tenth anniversary with the National Orchestral Institute and Festival. The program there included a brilliant production of “The Seven Deadly Sins” by Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht, performed by artists from the esteemed Wolf Trap Opera company in Washington DC. I’ve been nurturing this production for the last couple years for NOI+F, specifically to bring the entire production to The Lowcountry as part of subscription programs in February of 2025. It is quintessentially Weill/Brecht (the same team that composed “Three Penny Opera”)—filled with sultry tunes, sarcastic wit and a relevancy that belies its composition in 1933. It is called a “ballet chanté” with a mélange of song and dance to propel the story—there’s a bit of “cabaret” in the piece, but also flavors of Johann Strauss Jr., Stravinsky, Prokofiev, as well as barbershop and jazz. It is UNIQUE and very special; certainly, one of the highlights of next season, not only for the piece itself, but for the extraordinary world-class talent that we will be bringing to the Lowcountry to present it.
Another concert I am really excited about is the beloved Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” by Antonín Dvořák, which we are pairing with the Edward “Duke” Ellington ballet suite “The River”. Ellington studied composition with Will Marion Cook, who himself studied with Dvořák at the National Conservatory of Music in NYC, so there is a direct link between these two distinctly “American” works. Dvořák drew inspiration from the music of Black America, including ragtime and the spiritual, as Ellington was inspired by jazz, blues, and European symphonic traditions. They are BOTH magnificent, and in their own way SWING as only America knows how to do.
Although it’s been a couple months, I’m still on a bit of a high from our performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in April—both the exemplary virtuosity of our orchestra soloists and choruses, and the FEELING we all had, together, audience and performers alike, sharing a glorious moment of togetherness and joy. That’s the kind of emotion that music is able to engender among people, and the feeling we strive to create in each and every performance. As I spend the remainder of the summer preparing for our new season, from Carmina Burana to Judy Garland; Mendelssohn to La Mer, I am focused on ways we can create the kinds of events that delight the ears, what’s in between them, and the humanity we all share. THAT is music for EVERYONE.
Cheers.
—John Morris Russell, Music Director
FROM THE BOARD ROOM
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After seven years, I am saying “goodbye” to my and your Board of Directors. While serving on your behalf and having the privilege of being the Chair of the Board for the last three years, I have made many new friends, enjoyed some delightful music, attended some interesting board meetings, begun to learn the extended planning time it takes to develop a full season of nine major performances, enjoyed getting to know the Maestro, and joined you as we all enjoyed watching SoundWaves grow into an active entertainment venue. What you may not know is how I have watched and enjoyed your and my President and CEO grow and become comfortable in his chair as the leader of a wonderful orchestra, while thrashing through the trials of the pandemic, making SoundWaves a smoothly functioning venue, and guiding the staff and musicians into a close working relationship.
Not only the Board members, but each of the staff members as well as the musicians within the orchestra, know how the reputation of the HHSO has been increased by the efforts of all concerned—including you. Your purchase of season tickets, whether for three, six, or nine performances plus your sizable donations have assured the Symphony of stability and the opportunity to provide you and the other members of your family wonderful musical adventures not only in classical, but also modern music.
The delights of the Sunday night Coastal Home Supper Club, the International Piano Competition, the Chamber Music Institute, the free performances in Lowcountry Celebration Park during the summer, and the Gullah Cultural Series, combined with many other programs, are just some of the new and exciting ways to bring music onto the Island, lovely sounds to our ears, and joy to our hearts.
While I may have “retired,” I am not leaving the Symphony, nor my friends and acquaintances who are still actively involved. I will look forward to joining you and other members of our family of music lovers as we enjoy the next season of offerings. Bring others with you to our performances. Like me and you, I am sure they will quickly become regular attendees at the performances. Also, please remember that your donations are the key to long-term future enjoyment. Come with me and enjoy.
Thanks for letting me be part of YOUR HHSO.
—Mike Harter, Chairman, Board of Directors (2021-2024)
FROM THE OTHER END OF THE HALL
This is an extraordinary time of the year, when we have three different seasons on our radar screen! While we look back proudly at the successful 2023-24 season just completed, we also grow increasingly excited as we put the final pieces in place for the upcoming 2024-25 season (which includes the 2025 HHIPC for pianists 18-30!). In addition, we’re already looking ahead to planning for the 2025-26 season, which will feature our next Young Artists competition in March 2026!
But first things first, as we reflect on the remarkable season just completed. The centerpiece, of course, was our third triennial BravoPiano! Festival, which was entitled, “PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS…” to showcase the collaborative nature of the piano. All the specifics are included in my Spring 2024 Overtures article, so suffice it to say here that the fourteen stellar guest musicians we brought to Hilton Head (nine pianists, a bassist, and a string quartet) took our audiences on a miraculous musical journey over five nights. Plus, with music ranging from jazz to classical and from chamber music to concertos with orchestra, our festival genuinely offered something for everyone, as demonstrated by our significant crowds (featuring a healthy amount of first-time attendees mixed with longtime patrons).
Our season included numerous other memorable performances, including our three sold-out recitals at SoundWaves, featuring former HHIPC winners Chaeyoung Park in October, Zhu Wang in April, and past HHSO soloist Simon Mulligan, playing a December Holiday program of both classical and jazz. We also enjoyed the return of 2023 Young Artist winner Zhonghua Wei, who kicked off January 2024 with two mesmerizing performances of the Grieg Piano Concerto. In addition, our audiences were thrilled to welcome back 2022 Second Prize winner Illia Ovcharenko, who performed both Liszt Concerto No. 1 and No. 2 with the HHSO and Maestro JMR, plus we had an extra special treat—an intimate recital program by Illia for our fall Musical Feast gala fundraiser!
Looking ahead to the new season, our ‘Main Event’ happens from March 10-17 for the HHIPC 2025, when we will welcome twenty pianists here from all over the world to compete. I am happy to announce an increased total prize pool of $43,000, including $20,000 for the First Prize winner, plus a return concerto engagement with the HHSO, a solo concert (a.k.a., the Mona Huff Recital) in NYC at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, numerous other performance opportunities, and professional management services from “Yours Truly.” We have assembled an impressive jury of ten renowned piano professionals (three for the selection round and seven for the live rounds), and you can read more about them and the competition here: 2025 Highlights – Hilton Head International Piano Competition (hhipc.org).
Additionally, I am excited to announce that we are re-branding our recital series at SoundWaves, which is now called the BravoPiano! Recital Series, in order to perpetuate the positive buzz from our recent festival. Our 2024-25 series is bookended by two recent HHIPC alums, both of whom were awarded our Gorodnitzki Memorial Prize when they competed here and who have won numerous prizes at subsequent competitions. We open on Friday, October 25, 2024, with Anthony Ratinov (who recently won third prize at the Montreal International Piano Competition), and we close on Friday. April 11, 2025, with Anna Han (who was second prize winner at NYC’s 2023 Naumburg International Piano Competition). In between, we will continue our new tradition of presenting a Holiday Jazz piano program in December, so stay tuned for news soon announcing the artist and the date!
The final event I wish to mention is our annual Musical Feast benefit, which is Thursday, November 7, and this year’s event will take place at in the ballroom at the Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa (formerly the Marriott), and I am delighted that our featured guest soloist will be pianist George Li. Our longtime supporters may recall George’s 2010 recital here at age 14—which was the inspiration for our Young Artists competition launched in 2011—and also his 2014 performance of the Grieg Concerto with the HHSO and Maestro JMR! George’s international career is now thriving, including a recording contract with Warner Classics, and he’s eager to return to play for our gala evening!
I hope this, indeed, whets your appetite for the “musical tasting menu” we will enjoy starting this fall, and in the meantime, I wish you and your family a delicious summer!
—Steven Shaiman, Director, Hilton Head International Piano Competition and Education and Community Engagement
In memoriam
We are sad to report the recent passing of friends dear to the HHSO:
John Diamond, former HHSO Treasurer and longtime League member and Musicale host
Peggy Ashworth, a longtime International Piano Competition committee member and League member
Willis “Bud” Shay, a driving force behind the start of the International Piano Competition and HHSO Board Chair, 1988-1993
From the SoundWaves Studio
SoundWavesHHI 2023-2024: A Banner Year
Last fall here at SoundWaves, we began the season with an ambitious schedule, with openness to new possibilities, and striving to continue to advance the inspiring musical experience our guests enjoy each successive visit. Now, with tremendous gratitude to YOU, our enthusiastically dedicated concert patrons and supporters, this SoundWaves season exceeded all expectations—artistic and financial—by wide margins.
Through partnership with Savannah’s American Traditions Vocal Collective, we piloted Broadway Icons, our newest dinner and concert series. This three-event mini-series highlighted the greatest in American vocal music spanning Broadway and beyond, performed by ATC gold-medalists Erica Gabriel (2018), Alysha Umphress (2023), and Mikki Sodergren (2014), ATC’s Executive and Artistic Director.
Extending now to more than thirty consecutive sold-out performances, popular demand encouraged Coastal Home Supper Club to expand its schedule by adding repeat performances of select programs, continuing to present a wide musical spectrum from Broadway ballads to Sinatra, Fleetwood Mac to Disco Night, a throwback program revitalizing Gatsby-era showtunes, and more. Orchestrated by CHSC’s Gretchen Kristine Stelzer, the season featured original Supper Club inspiration Tony Starlight giving us his best Neil Diamond, local sensations Folderol, and Huxsie Scott, The Voice of Savannah.
One of our most celebrated partnerships is the Gullah Cultural Series, a community-wide initiative developed in collaboration with Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, and Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association. Directed by entertainer and pianist Lavon Stevens, GCS increased its program offerings by 50% from the previous year. The expansion afforded opportunity to commemorate Watch Night and Kwanzaa, to preview HHI’s February month-long Gullah Celebration and Mitchelville’s Juneteenth Celebration, to elevate multi-generational native island Gullah traditions and culture, and to feature prominent Gullah-Geechee community leaders, most optimistically highlighting our bright future by hearing from young entrepreneurs Sonya Grant, Jamal Edwards, Bridgette Frazier, Destyn Graves, Tendaji Bailey, Latrese Bush, and many others.
Capitalizing on a tantalizing opportunity to feature acclaimed violinist Tessa Lark during her return visit to perform Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with our very own JMR and HHSO in April, we experienced Tessa in her Kentucky Bluegrass roots stomping and singing to another sold-out house.
We shared in celebration of our Hilton Head International Piano Competition by hosting performances by 2019 First Prize Winner Chaeyoung Park, jazz sensation Simon Mulligan, and the long-awaited return of 2011 first prize winner Zhu Wang.
SoundWaves remains active in our community behind the scenes as well, continuing to serve to bring organizations together by hosting meetings of the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island Board, Sea Turtle Patrol, Greater Island Council Communications Committee, and HHI Arts and Culture Council. We also introduced a new partnership this year, displaying original work by Island Originals Market, a local collective of passionate artisans who show and sell their original artwork of jewelry, handcrafted coastal art, painted oyster shells, fabric arts, mixed-media, home décor, and sustainable fashion pieces, all in a pop-up format. We look forward to collaborating with them more in the future. We also tip our hats to the Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island and the Liberal Men of the Lowcountry, both organizations which organized outings for their members to have fellowship at one of our performances.
Finally, and with sincere gratitude, we extend a special sentiment of appreciation to event sponsors Karin and Lou Tosado, Coastal Home Furnishings, South Carolina Arts Commission, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, and The Beaufort Fund.
While this was an exciting and satisfying year indeed, again we could not have presented the varied scope of this season without your important support. It is with your continued patronage that we will build more exciting live musical experiences for your enjoyment. Join us again as we open our new season in September. Happy Summer.
As always, please remember when you are out on the Island, tell your friends: I’ll see you at SoundWaves!
—Mario Incorvaia, Chief Operating Officer
Upcoming Events
Fourth Annual Jazz In The Park Series
Every other Tuesday beginning at 7:30 pm at Lowcountry Celebration Park, HHI
FREE! Enjoy dinner and/or a drink beforehand at a Coligny Plaza restaurant or bring a picnic dinner, chairs or a blanket and enjoy some fantastic jazz in the cool evening air.
The Jazz In The Park Series is sponsored by:
with support from the Town of Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra (HHSO) Racial Equality Statement
The HHSO affirms that all races are equal. We intentionally and systematically support HHSO policies and practices in our organization that promote opportunities for full advancement of African-Americans and other marginalized groups that have been denied equal access and opportunity. Our local situation gives good historical example of the possibility for transformative change. That example is Mitchelville, one of our Lowcountry’s treasures. It was a bold and brave experiment of 1861, before the Emancipation Proclamation, in whichformerly enslaved people were granted land and provisions to build homes and to establish a working town that was self-governing. The HHSO recognizes that self-governance and mastery depend on equal opportunity. So, we seize the current adverse racial situation as our opportunity to become a positive change agent that will actively pursue diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all of our policies, programs, staff, committees, and Board.
The HHSO recognizes that racial inequity is systemic throughout our society. The HHSO therefore will examine its operations to address any racial inequality in our organization. We will work to eradicate any such adverse influence and to ensure that racial equality is integral to our mission and to implementation of our administrative and programming activities. We commit to all processes that will help us achieve our racial equity goal. We are committed to a racially inclusive approach in all that we do because we respect and value diverse racial heritages and know that hearing diverse voices will enrich what we have to offer.
Programs and Musicians: We shall schedule more performances of orchestral music by composers of color. We will be conscientious in recruitment, hiring, and advancement of musicians of color for all standard programs and competitions.
Staff: We will be deliberate in our effort to attract racially diverse staff in our recruitment and hiring activities and commit to providing equitable advancement opportunities for them.
Board of Directors: The HHSO Board pledges to seek increased representation of racially diverse directors and actively encourage opportunity for their Board leadership.
We respect diverse life experiences and work to ensure that all voices are heard and valued, and commit to creating a more comprehensive action plan that addresses diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for all marginalized groups.
Adopted August 12, 2020
2024-2025 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors
Officers
Mary Princing
Chairman
Terry Orr
Vice Chairman, Strategic Planning
Bob Cherichella
Vice Chairman, Resource Development
Arthur Handman
Treasurer
Carol Hack
Secretary
Alan Jordan
President and CEO
Members At Large
Rabbi Brad Bloom
Ingrid Boatright
Joan Dattelbaum
Wayne Effron
Jay Eliott
Gloria Holmes
Bret Jacobowitz
Blaine Lotz
Connie Rathman
Charles Sampson
Edward Simmons
Barbara Harris Sorkin
Blake White
Ex Officio
Terry Hicks (The League of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra President)
Mario Incorvaia (Chief Operating Officer)
Steven Shaiman (Director, HHIPC and Education and Community Engagement)
Staff
John Morris Russell, Music Director
Alan Jordan, President and CEO, ajordan@hhso.org
Jason Economides, Orchestra Librarian
Ross Gerhardstein, Technical Director
Judy Gimbel, Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute Director
Rafe Goldman, Production Manager
Susan Hartmann, Development Associate, shartmann@hhso.org
Mario Incorvaia, Chief Operating Officer, mario.incorvaia@hhso.org
Gayle Lang, HHSO Chorus Manager, diva.gkl7@gmail.com
Steven Shaiman, Director, Hilton Head International Piano Competition and Education and Community Engagement, sshaiman@hhso.org
Susan Strange, Finance Manager, sstrange@hhso.org
Jim Way, Administrative Manager, jway@hhso.org
Julie Williams, Special Projects Manager, jwilliams@hhso.org