The Sunflower Music Festival 2024
The 2024 Sunflower Music Festival celebrates the canon of western art music from the classical to the contemporary. Our project has won multiple endorsements and grants from the National Endowment of the Arts. Browse our programming below to see all Sunflower will be celebrating.
Friday, June 21
Orchestra
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
Opening Celebration - a Year of Firsts!
7:00pm Pre-concert series
Discussions, interviews and exposés to enrich your concert experience
Symphony No. 1 in E Flat Major, K. 16
Molto Allegro
Andante
Presto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756 – 1791)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in F Major, K. 37
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756 – 1791)
Cynthia Raim, piano
Symphony No. 1 in B Flat Major, Op. 38
Andante un poco maestoso
Larghetto
Scherzo (Molto vivace)
Allegro animato e grazioso
Robert Schumann
(1810 – 1856)
Saturday, June 22
Chamber Ensembles
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
Après un Rêve, Op. 7, No. 1
Gabriel Fauré
(1845-1924)
Sicilienne, Op. 78
Gabriel Fauré
(1845-1924)
Rita Costanzi, harp
Alex Klein, oboe
Aria in Classic Style
Marcel Grandjany
(1891-1975)
Rita Costanzi, harp
Eric Tanner, violin
Alexander Mandl, violin
Orlando Wells, viola
Claudio Jaffé, cello
Nick Tsolainos, bass
Andante and Variations for Two Pianos, Op. 46
Andante Expressivo
Un poco più animato
Piu animato
Piu lento
Animato
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856)
David Allen Wehr, piano I
Cynthia Raim, piano II
John Walz, cello I
Claudio Jaffé, cello II
James Thatcher, horn
String Octet in B-flat major, Op. Posthumous
Max Bruch
(1838-1920)
Ole Bohn, violin I
Eric Tanner, violin II
Alexander Mandl, violin III
Jesse Thompson, violin IV
Jonathan Moerschel, viola I
Orlando Wells, viola II
Jonathan Tortalano, cello I
Beideth Brinceño, cello II
Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session
Monday, June 24
Jazz Night
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
A Tribute to Black Female Composers with City Light Jazz Orchestra
Sponsored by Liz Stratton
Featuring David Basse, vocals, with the City Light Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Angela Ward, piano.
This year’s show takes listeners on a musical journey that includes compositions by trombonist, Melba Liston, as well as singers Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. Many Black women composers went unnoticed in their lifetime because of a male dominated and segregated world. Jazz Night again features vocalists, Angela Hagenbach and David Basse, performing music written by orchestra members and compositions that are by now a part of the fabric of the Great American Songbook.
City Light Jazz Orchestra
Angela Ward, piano
Tuesday, June 25
Chamber Ensembles
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
Aria for Flute, Oboe, Cello & Harp
Michael Cohen
(b. 1938)
Karen Bogardus, flute
Alex Klein, oboe
Claudio Jaffé, cello
Rita Costanzi, harp
Quintet for Piano & Winds in E-flat major, K. 452
Largo – Allegro moderato
Larghetto
Allegretto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756-91)
Cynthia Raim, piano
Alex Klein, oboe
Jonathan Gunn, clarinet
Stan Spinosa, horn
Jordan Brokken, bassoon
String Quintet in E-flat major
Andante con moto
Allegro
Andante con moto
Andante con moto – andante con moto
Max Bruch
(1838-1920)
Zhan Shu, violin I
Jeanyi Kim, violin II
Jonathan Moerschel, viola I
John Walz, cello
Nic Tsolainos, bass
Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session
Wednesday, June 26
Chamber Orchestra
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
Antony Walker, conductor/Narrator
Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80
Gabriel Fauré
(1845-1924)
Carnival of the Animals
Camille Saint-Saëns
(1835-1921)
Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
Hens and Roosters
Wild Donkeys (Swift Animals)
Tortoises
The Elephant
Kangaroos
Aquarium
Characters with Long Ears
Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods
Aviary
Pianists
Fossils
Pianists
The Swan
Finale
Symphony No. 104 in D major, “London”
Adagio: Allegro
Andante
Menuetto
Finale
Franz Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)
Thursday, June 27
Chamber Ensembles
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
7:00p pre-concert session: 'musically speaking' with alex klein, principal oboist
Discussions, interviews, and exposés to enrich your concert experience.
Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012
Prelude
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)
Transcribed by Alex Klein
Alex Klein, oboe
Wind Quintet, Op. 79
Allegro non troppo
Allegro vivace
Andante grazioso
Adagio-Allegro vivace
August Klughardt
(1847-1902)
Jennifer Gunn, flute
Jonathan Gunn, clarinet
Alex Klein, oboe
Jordan Brokken, bassoon
James Thatcher, horn
Sonata for Piano No. 6 in A major, Op. 82
Vivace
Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)
Transcribed by James Thatcher
Jennifer Gunn, flute
Jonathan Gunn, clarinet
Alex Klein, oboe
Jordan Brokken, bassoon
James Thatcher, horn
Piano Quintet in F minor
Molto moderato quasi lento – Allegro
Lento con molto sentimento
Allegro non troppo ma con fuoco
César Franck
(1822-1890)
David Allen Wehr, piano
Charles Stegeman, violin I
Rachel Stegeman, violin II
Basil Vendryes, viola
John Walz, cello
Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session
Thursday, June 27
Collegiate Piano Quintet Concert
3:00 p.m. | Grace Episcopal Cathedral
Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op 44
Allegro brillante
In modo d’una marcia – Un poco largamente
Scherzo: Molto vivace – Trio I – Trio II
Allegro ma non troppo
Robert Schumann
(1810-56)
Sora Hoppo, piano
Cody Conley, violin I
Steven Goldbach, violin II
Maxwell Herrmann, viola
Beideth Briceño, cello
Friday, June 28
Blanche Bryden Outreach Concert
1:00 p.m. | Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
Saturday, June 29
Blanche Bryden Student Ensembles
3:00 p.m. | White concert Hall
Saturday, June 29
Chamber Orchestra
7:30 p.m. | White Concert Hall
SPECIAL GUEST CONDUCTOR - ANTONY WALKER
Overture to Fidelio, Op. 72
Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Gabriel’s Oboe
Ennio Morricone
(1928-2020)
Alex Klein, oboe
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “Emperor”
Allegro
Adagio un poco mosso
Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
David Allen Wehr, piano
