Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra

09/07/2021

The Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra is back this fall with face-to-face rehearsals and performances in Steadman Theatre of the Butler Music Center on the campus of Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.

Our home concert will be Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 2:30 PM. We will be performing works by Telemann, Mendelssohn, Satie, Elgar, Faure, Schubert, and Kalinnikov.

Admission is free.

Check the university web site for COVID restrictions.

03/15/2020

OK - Orchestra by proxy. Some listening assignments, some performance excerpts to record and submit. And some reports to write about the listening assignments. We will carry on and look forward to the next semester.

I am truly sorry for the lost performance opportunities and the learning experiences that will be altered so much by the on-line format.

I look forward to working with as many of you as possible when we take the stage again. We will carry on. We will build the program. We will present concerts on and off campus. The face-to-face exchange of musical information. Ah - that's the dream to hold on to.

02/17/2020

Many thanks to so many people for coming back to MU for the concert today. Strings, woodwinds, brass - it was a nice ensemble and they did a nice job on some very difficult material. 250 years of Beethoven on stage in Steadman Theatre. The Leonore Overture No. 3 was well done and a good opening for the concert. Dr. Eun-Joo Kwak was scheduled to perform the Piano Concert No. 3 but was forced to cancel because of an injury. We will try to reschedule that concerto in the fall. The ensemble, with one rehearsal, then moved on to the Symphony No. 3 - Eroica. One scary moment in the Scherzo (isn't that Italian for scary?) but the rest was very nicely done. Several people commented on the extremely musical passages throughout the performance. My congratulations to the Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra and my sincere appreciation to all the members of today's ensemble for their hard work and contribution. I am honored and humbled by the dedication of these talented people and grateful I have been fortunate enough to work with each and every one.

02/14/2020

I regret to inform you that Dr. Kwak has an injury which will prevent her from playing the Piano Concerto No. 3 this coming Sunday. We will play that with the MUSO in the fall semester of next year.

The Mansfield University Alumni Concert this Sunday - Feburary 16, 2020 will open with the Leonore 3 Overture and close with the Symphony No. 3 (Eroica). That should be a pretty good program.

Rehearsal will begin at 10:30 AM Sunday with the Leonore 3 and then move on to the Symphony at 11:30 AM.

I'm looking forward to working with all the people who will be coming back for the performance and have hopes the weather will cooperate.

See you all soon.

J

02/10/2020

OK - one week to go until the Alumni Concert with the Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra. This year it's Beethoven3 - or Beethoven Cubed - or a third of Beethoven. The title isn't as important as the music and the musicians. Rehearsals are going well. Dr. Kwak is amazing and the ensemble is coming along nicely. Add a bunch of alumni from years past and we will have a great orchestra. I'm looking forward to working with so many valued graduates/colleagues. This is becoming one of my favorite concerts of the year. And the chance to conduct Beethoven with so many dear friends... one of my greatest joys

Rehearsal starts at 10:30 on Sunday, February 16, 2020 and we will begin with the piano concerto. The Leonore 3 will follow and we will end with rehearsal with the Eroica. Not a lot of time - so I'm hoping everyone will arrive with the parts well learned. There are a number of people slated to come back for the concert and we will double/triple up on some parts. Balance aside, I'm convinced this will be a great performance.

This is going to be fun!

01/16/2020

Alumni Concert
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Rehearsal at 10:30 am
Concert at 2:30 pm
Beethoven
Piano Concerto 3
Leonore 3
Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)

Email me at MU if you'd like to be involved. I'll send you scans of the parts so you can practice (we'll have originals at the performance site).

01/14/2020

The spring semester has started and I am again sending out a reminder/request for alums of the Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra. Our February 16th concert will be Beethoven Threes - Leonore 3 Overture, Piano Concerto 3 (with Dr. Eun-Joo Kwak, MU Piano Professor as soloist), and Symphony No. 3 (Eroica). We will rehearse at 10:30 AM - three hours - and stage the performance at 2:30 PM - all in Steadman Theatre.

This is an open invitation to all players who played with us before to come back and play with us again. Strings (of course), and woodwinds, and brass, and, OK... maybe not percussion - not a lot of parts in Beethoven. But I'd like to fill the stage with musicians.

Let me know if you are interested and I'll reserve a chair for you. I'll even put your name on it - as well as adding your name to the program.

Beethoven

February 16

Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra

Dr. Jeffrey R. Jacobsen, Conducting

Join us for all the fun.

12/03/2019

Today's rehearsal was the Leonore 3 Overture by Beethoven in preparation for the Alumni Concert on Sunday, February 16, 2020. This concert will also include the Eroica (Symphony No. 3) and the Piano Concerto No. 3 performed by Eun-Joo Kwak (MU Piano Professor). The rehearsal will be Sunday, February 16 at 10:30 AM with the concert beginning at 2:30 PM with the Leonore Overture No. 3; then the Piano Concerto; and finishing with the Symphony No. 3 (Eroica).

In the past I have invited all string player alumni of the MU Symphony Orchestra to join us on our Beethoven Celebration (Beethoven Cubed? this year). I would like to invite all MU Symphony Orchestra alums to join us in this year's performance. Hey, the more the merrier. We'll find room on stage and I don't care how many parts are doubled. Balance? That's a bank account thing.

Let's have fun playing Beethoven X 3.

Let me know if you want parts and I'll send you some PDF files (we will have originals for the concert). Or you can snag them on IMSLP.

I just need to know you are (absolutely, for sure) coming to the event. I'll make the same arrangements with our housing office and provide you with the contact information if you want to stay in the residence halls.

Sunday, February 16, 2020.

Do I need to mention the place?

Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra
Beethoven Festival 2020

11/06/2019

11/02/2019

Concert program for 17 November 2019
Steadman Theatre
2:30 PM

Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Jeffrey R. Jacobsen, Conductor

Franz Schubert
Overture in the Italian Style, D Major

Gabriel Fauré
Pélleas and Mélisande Suite, Op. 80
Prélude
Andantino quasi Allegretto
Sicilienne
Molto Adagio

Hector Berlioz
Marche Troyenne

Gabriel Fauré
Elegie for Cello and Orchestra
Tayana Woodton, Guest Artist

Victor Herbert
March of the Toys
“from Babes in Toyland”

09/20/2019

The Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert will be held on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 2:30 PM in Steadman Theatre of the Butler Music Center. On the program will be pieces by Berlioz (on the 150th year after his death), Grieg, and Bizet. Titles include the Hungarian March, March to the Scaffold, Peer Gynt Suite, and L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2. The concert is free and open to the public.

08/21/2019

The Mansfield University Symphony Orchestra will start up again with the beginning of the fall semester. Our first rehearsal will be Tuesday, August 27 at 4:00 PM in Steadman Theatre. This is an anniversary year for Hector Berlioz so our piece for PRISM and the first concert will be a series of Berlioz works including three movements from Les Troyans, Waverly Overture, Hungarian March, and March to the Scaffold from Symphonie Fantastique. All this will be the first weekend in October.

Our Winter Concert will feature our new cello instructor, Garet Holdren. We are delighted to have Garet as a member of our faculty and feel he will do a great job in teaching and building our cello studio. We are looking at a performance of works by Gerald Finzi. Great material.

Beethoven 3 is our concert in February with as many alumni of the MUSO as we can crowd on the stage. We have planned Leonore 3 to open, Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) to close, and Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring Eun-Joo Kwak, MU faculty, as the soloist.

Our final performance will be at the end of the spring semester and it is typically a surprise for me and the orchestra - but always delightful.

As always, the MUSO is looking for string players (violin, viola, cello, bass) with previous experience to join the ensemble. We rehearse on Tuesdays from 4:00 to 4:50 PM and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. Typically our "community" members attend the Wednesday rehearsal but are always welcome on Tuesdays. Drop me a note ([email protected]) If you are interested in auditioning for the ensemble.