CUSO From the Heart

The magnificent music of a symphony orchestra begins in the heart of each musician. CUSO musicians have built their lives around music and bring talent and technique to give a unique voice to their instruments. “From the Heart” invites you to join CUSO musicians as they share their love for music in a personal way with solo and ensemble performances from their homes.

MASSENET: MEDITATION FROM THAÏS
Maria Arrua, violin
Stephen Alltop, piano

Enjoy this beautiful work by Jules Massenet, performed by CUSO concertmaster Maria Arrua and CUSO Music Director Stephen Alltop.

GLINKA: NOCTURNE IN E-FLAT MAJOR
Molly Madden, harp

CUSO principal harpist Molly Madden performs Mikhail Glinka’s intricate and lyrical nocturne and shares her personal reflections about the music.

GABRIELI: CANZON DUODECIMI TONI
Stephen Alltop, organ
Jennifer Brown, trumpet
Robin Heltsley, trumpet
Marc Zyla, horn
Elliot Chasanov, trombone
Mark Moore, tuba

Enjoy this seminal work composed by Giovanni Gabrieli in 1597 and first performed in the magnificent Basilica San Marco in Venice, Italy.

SCHUMANN: ROMANCE IN F-SHARP MAJOR, OP. 28 NO. 2
Cara Chowning, piano

CUSO principal keyboardist Cara Chowning gives a beautifully intimate performance of one of Robert Schumann’s best-loved short works for piano, written as a musical love letter to his beloved wife, Clara.

JOHN DEE, OBOE

CUSO principal oboist John Dee speaks to our community with his sublime performances of two iconic works, Sinfonia from Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe, BWV 156 by J. S. Bach, and Ennio Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe from the 1986 film, “The Mission.”

RICARDO FLORES, PERCUSSION

CUSO principal percussionist Ricardo Flores shares his personal reflections on music and his 20 years with CUSO. Ricardo’s passionate performance of Latin beats on conga drums (tumbadora) is a spontaneous explosion of rhythm, improvised for CUSO Music Now.

ROBIN KEARTON, VIOLA AND VIOLIN

CUSO principal violist Robin Kearton invites us to the summer soundscape of her backyard for this charming performance and shares her thoughts on the many ways music shapes the human experience. Robin’s musical versatility is on display as she performs Prelude from Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 by J. S. Bach, and then is joined by her husband, guitarist Tom Faux, for the toe-tapping American fiddle tune, Ragtime Annie.

WIENIAWSKI: ÉTUDE-CAPRICE, OP. 18 NO. 4
Ion-Alexandru Malaimare, violin

CUSO associate concertmaster Ion-Alexandru Malaimare brings us a vibrant performance as he plays both parts of Henryk Wieniawski’s Étude-Caprice, Op. 18 No. 4, written for two violins.

MOZART: TWELVE VARIATIONS ON “AH, VOUS DIRAI-JE MAMAN”
Mary Leathers Chapman, flute

CUSO principal flutist Mary Leathers Chapman performs Charles DeLaney’s arrangement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Twelve Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman,” one of the world’s most famous melodies. The melody has origins as an “anonymous” pastoral song and dates back to 1740. The French folk song, “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman” (“Ah, Mother, if I could tell you”), with lyrics, was first published in 1774. You will recognize the melody by a different name!

WILLIAM MOERSCH, TIMPANI

CUSO principal timpanist William Moersch brings the timpani forward from the back of the stage to play a selection of excerpts from the most famous orchestral timpani pieces. See if you can guess each piece from hearing just the timpani part! Here is the Timpani Excerpts study guide.

TCHAIKOVSKY: VALSE SENTIMENTALE
Barbara Hedlund, cello
Sarah Schwartz, piano

CUSO principal cellist Barbara Hedlund has served the orchestra in many capacities over the years as librarian, CUSO Guild in-school concert coordinator, fundraiser, and orchestra representative. CUSO Music Now is pleased to feature Barbara in her favorite role of performer, as she plays a lovely work composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Valse Sentimentale, joined by pianist Sarah Schwartz.

BRUCH: KOL NIDREI
Aaron Jacobs, violin
Tatiana Shustova, piano

Max Bruch’s haunting Kol Nidrei draws on Jewish melodies, including the main liturgy recited on Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement. CUSO principal second violinist Aaron Jacobs and his wife, pianist Tatiana Shustova, present a captivating performance of this beautiful work. Their performance is introduced by longtime CUSO member Anne Heiles, who shares some history about Bruch’s composition.