Program

Family Holiday Pops!

Scroll down for contents including program listing, notes and musicians.

Presenting Sponsor

Based in Greenland, New Hampshire, Auger Building Company has been building and remodeling high-end custom homes and boutique commercial since 1984. Renowned for artisanship and mastery of complex projects, Auger Building Company is an award-winning team with projects featured in several national trade publications, including Remodeling Magazine where Ben Auger was selected as one of the country’s top 50 remodeling contractors. For Ben and his crew, every construction project is an opportunity to excel creatively and deliver exceptional and lasting value.

Sponsors

Message from the President

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra heads into our 26th season grateful to be part of the vibrant Seacoast community that supports the arts and culture organizations that bring us together. 

The PSO’s mission is to entertain, educate, and encourage the audiences of today and tomorrow. Each year, we have the opportunity to build on past successes and to explore new ways to connect people to great classical music. This year, we are particularly excited to perform the jointly commissioned commemorative work, At This Point, written by Gregory Brown in honor of Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary. This reflective piece delves into the full range of Portsmouth’s history. Like the city from which we draw our name, the PSO has evolved and grown over the years. As we embark on our next 25 years and beyond, it feels appropriate to begin on a retrospective note. 

Each season, the PSO relies on the contributions and investment of generous corporate sponsors, committed individual donors, community partners, and of course you, the audiences who purchase tickets and attend our performances. We are thankful for your collective support.

The PSO is fortunate to have a dedicated board of directors, an inspirational Music Director in John Page, and an array of talented musicians that bring our programs to life.  

If this is your first PSO concert, welcome! If you are an annual subscriber, thank you for your continued support. We’re happy to see you again.

On behalf of everyone at the PSO, we hope you enjoy the season that we have prepared for you. 

David Young
President of the Board of Directors

Message from the Music Director

Anchored by the commissioned work, At This Point by Gregory Brown, which celebrates Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary, the PSO’s 2023-2024 season is about reflection, exploration, and evolution. 

In November, we pair Brown’s new work with two pieces by composers from traditionally underrepresented groups. The March concert provides an international counterpoint by exploring different facets of French musical creativity. In June, we’ll perform Tchaikovsky’s beloved Symphony No. 5, a masterpiece the PSO has not performed in more than a decade. And of course, in between we’ll celebrate the holidays together at our just-for-fun Pops! performances.

In addition to our mainstage concerts, we hope you’ll join us at our Family Matinees chamber music series. These are a wonderful way to connect music lovers of all ages with the wide repertoire that chamber music offers. 

From a new work to an old favorite, this season promises to embody what all anniversaries are meant to do—allow for acknowledgment and appreciation of all that has come before and to renew our commitment to all that lies ahead.

We’re looking forward to making music together and are so happy you are here to share it with us.

John Page Signature

John Page
Music Director

Program Listing

Christmas Festival OvertureLeroy Anderson
Hanukkah Festival Overturearr. Lucas Richmond
Christmas at the Moviesarr. Bob Krogstad
Bugler’s HolidayLeroy Anderson
Unter Donner und Blitz, Op. 33Johann Strauss, arr. MSM Press

—Intermission—

Sunday, December 17
York High School Combined Honors Choirs
Rob Westerberg, Director 
Deborah Clough, accompanist
Silent NightFranz Gruber, arr. Malcolm Sargent
The Three DroversWilliam James
Sweet and LowAndy Brooke
Hallelujah Christ Is BornRosaphayne Powell
Wednesday, December 20
Portsmouth High School Choir
Nathan Wotton, Director 
Nicholas Pothier, accompanist
TāReKiTaReena Esmail
Under Winter Moon
with Gary Hodges, cello
Andy Beck
Aurora BorealisAmy Bernon
York High School Combined Honors Choirs, Rob Westerberg, Director
Portsmouth High School Choir, Nathan Wotton, Director
See, amid the winter’s snowJohn Goss, arr. Dan Forrest
Star CarolJohn Rutter
A Holly and A Jolly Sing-Along!James M. Stephenson

Musicians

  • Violin I

  • Nicole Wendl
    Concertmaster
  • Bennett Astrove
    Assoc. Concertmaster
  • Sargis Karapetyan
  • Aniko Geladze
  • Rachel Swanson
  • Lorna Ellis
  • Abigail Sykes
  • Paul Pinard
  • Diana Bourns
  • Caroline Drozdiak
  • Susan Holcomb
  • Megan Fedor
  • Violin II

  • Ashley Offret*
  • Susan Streiff**
  • Nicholas So
  • Kim Plummer
  • Jeffrey Sullivan
  • Kristin Sullivan
  • Jiuri Yu
  • May-Win Thein
  • Evelyn Laux
  • Ashley Freeman
  • Viola

  • Theresa Jaques*
  • Karen McConomy**
  • Wendy Keyes
  • Jan Heirtzler
  • Eric Salas
  • Mary Barba
  • Maggie Chutter
  • Thalia Dain
  • Craig Peverly
  • Michele Boulanger
  • Cello

  • Gary Hodges*
  • Larry Veal**
  • John Acosta
  • Melissa Ambrose
  • Fay Rubin
  • Lauren Wool
  • Zachary Larson
  • Chloe Jaarsma
  • Molly Goldstein
  • Jacob Copp
  • Double Bass

  • Robert Hoffman*
  • David Hirsch
  • Nate Therrien
  • Jason Noah Summerfield
  • Joe Annicchiarico
  • Flute

  • Aubrie Dionne*
  • Laurel Crawford
  • Erin Dubois
  • Piccolo

  • Erin Dubois
  • Oboe

  • Sarah Krebs*
  • Amanda Doiron
  •  
  • Clarinet

  • John Ferraro*
  • Santiago Baena Flórez
  • Bassoon

  • Melissa Grady*
  • Rick Shepard
  • Horn

  • Orlando Pandolfi*
  • Susan Williams*
  • Kathleen Keen
  • Abigail Levy
  • Trumpet

  • Adam Gallant*
  • Mark Zielinski
  • David Shepherd
  • Trombone

  • Brandon Newbould*
  • Ben Sink
  • Drew Coraccio
  • Tuba

  • Crystal Metric*
  • Timpani 

  • Steve Cirillo*
  • Percussion

  • Timur Rubinshteyn*
  • Alyssa Ostrowski
  • Jeff Sagurton
  • Frances Shannon
  • Harp

  • Sorana Scarlat
  • Keyboard

  • Seth Hurd
* Principal
** Assistant Principal

Perform with the PSO

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra seeks classical musicians in the community to audition for a place in the orchestra.

We invite all musicians, from professionals and educators to devoted amateurs and highly accomplished students to audition for a place in the orchestra.

York High School Combined Honors Choirs

The York High School Chamber Singers and Treble Choir are the two honors choir offerings at YHS. Both have performed as invited guests throughout Maine, including for the Maine Principals Association and the Maine Music Educators state Conference. Rob Westerberg is in his 37th year teaching music, the last 24 at York High School. He is past President of several state Music Associations, has guest conducted nearly 70 Honors Choirs throughout New England, and was the York County Teacher of the Year in 2020.

  • Soprano

  • Cailey Brillant
  • Layla Dean
  • Lily Donovan
  • Audrey Drennan
  • Eva Gallucci
  • Molly Hodgin
  • Shayla Howell
  • Audrey Johnston
  • Briegan Moulton
  • Gwendolyn Parisi
  • Tiffanie Pelletier
  • Ashley Pellett
  • Ava Peltz
  • Adison Regis
  • Gianna Richards
  • Carol-Jane Rubin
  • Annika Sovetsky
  • Tessa Spaulding
  • Olivia Sutton
  • Darla Waters
  • Alto

  • Lucia Belliveau-Azzarito
  • Paulina Bruskotter
  • Aspen Davis
  • Jacqueline Fulmer
  • Gabriella Galbadis
  • Camdyn Lambert
  • Emma Liria-Gsottschneider
  • Kiara Melo
  • Ella Moores
  • Lucy Patterson
  • Anabelle Sama
  • Yamilah Saravong
  • Grace Scapicchio
  • Clover Schramm-Downs
  • Blake Wilson
  • Lollie Young

 

 

  • Tenor

  • Gabriel Caraballo
  • Cooper Dodge
  • Callan Eves
  • Charles Nichols
  • Thomas Reagan
  • Benjamin Ring
  • Carter Short
  • James Stack
  • Cameron Swett
  • Bass

  • Jakob Bergeron
  • Trey Fogg
  • John Hopkins
  • Alexander Lizanecz
  • Stefan MacGovern
  • Landon Morrison
  • Kai Nelsen
  • James Nichols

 

Portsmouth High School Choir

The Portsmouth High School choir is a collaborative group of singers in grades 9-12. The group has performed in collaboration with a number of schools and participated in various festivals throughout the state including the Seacoast Choral Festival, NH Voices Project, UNH Choral Gala, and the Great East Music Festival. In the past, the PHS choir has received gold medals for their performances in adjudicated festivals and performances. As a group, we strive to make connections to music-making and to work hard through the rehearsal process. The PHS Choir will also be traveling to Italy in June 2025 to sing and perform as part of the American Celebration of Music Festival in Rome, Venice, and Florence.

Nathan Wotton directs the PHS Choir, as well as the Portsmouth Middle School Choirs and the Sandpipers Children’s Choir at PMAC. He received his Bachelors in Music Ed from the University of New Hampshire. Wotton works hard to create meaningful music-making opportunities for his students through collaboration and creativity.

  • Soprano

  • Maggie Alip
  • Gemma Bellio
  • Charlie Beam
  • Norah Blakey
  • Ellie Blanchard
  • Blythe Bland
  • Leah Bombard
  • Drea Brisco
  • Reagan Colby
  • Ella DeMark
  • Isabela Fothergill Price
  • Tessa Hawley
  • Jaylah Knapp
  • Charlotte McClain
  • Vee Miller
  • Margo Panek
  • Lauren Ramirez
  • Julia Syphers
  • Ginger Vinciguerra
  • Alto

  • Kiki Bennett
  • Sabina Bower 
  • Tessa Bresnahan
  • Tee Call
  • Katie Carroll
  • Maia Collins
  • Immy Crichton-Ingalls
  • Jayden Elliot
  • Noelle Gagnon
  • Hugh Gatchell
  • Lydia Gawron
  • Pearl Hoekstra-Toste
  • Marley Lake 
  • Addie Lane 
  • Eva Lyng
  • Mai McLaughlin
  • Keerthi Subramanian
  • Alex Zapata
  • Tenor

  • James Archambault
  • Ian Frampton-Smith
  • Kay Rapaport
  • Charlie Thomas
  • Skye Turrietta
  • Nik Uhlir
  • Antonnio Velez
  • Lex Wu
  • Bass

  • Rocky Capone
  • Ryan Charland
  • Jabari Davis
  • Chesney McManus
  • Jacob Ringuette
  • Caleb Van Epps 
  • Geno Vinciguerra
  • Soren Westerberg 

Donors

  • Martha Fuller Clark 
  • Josephine Lamprey
    (posthumously)
  • Clinton F. Miller
  •  
  •  
  • Donna Saunders & Michael Chubrich 
  • Jessica Hulseman
  • David & Sarah Young
  • Katherine Wells Wheeler
  • Lawrence & Linda Connell
  • Lodowick Crofoot
  • Lorraine T. Keazer
  • Michael Schwartz
    & Sharyn Potter
  • Mrs. Roger M. Doering
  • Robert & Cyndi Bear
  • The Allayne & Douglas Wick Foundation
  • Albert Lantinen
  • Andrew Park
  • Craig & Shirley Peverly
  • Ellen G Saas
  • Kate & David Murray
  • Lucinda Spaney
  • M. Chris Dwyer & Mike Hustable
  • Margot Doering
  • QHT Inc. 
  • Renaissance Charitable Foundation
  • Sherrill Nixon
  • Steve Cirillo
  • Anonymous
  • Barbara & Robert Schultz
  • Barbara Sweet
  • Bruce Valley
  • Catherine Anderson
  • Charles Doleac
  • David Tong
  • Diana Bourns
  • Fred & Barbara Engelbach
  • Jameson & Priscilla French
  • Jeff & Barbara Diefendorf
  • Judith Howard & David Meikle
  • Kathleen Tutone
  • Rachel & Nate Swanson
  • Thomas Harford
  • Andrew & Pamela Kulesza 
  • Ann H. Tarlton
  • Anonymous
  • Anthony Codding
  • Aubrie Dionne
  • Bess4sahara
  • Black Birch
  • Brian Fitzgerald
  • Bruce & Lori Myers 
  • Carol Miller
  • Caroline & Nathaneal Piper
  • Carolyn Vinica
  • Chris & Mimi Brett
  • Cynthia & Michael Harvell
  • David & Eleonore Sanderson
  • David & Marion Ellis
  • David A. Taylor
  • Don & Mary Jo Briselden
  • Edward & Janet Caylor
  • Elaine & Steven Molleur
  • Elissa Margolin
  • Emma Rous
  • Evelyn Laux
  • Frances Bechtold
  • Frank Manter
  • Fred Siegfried 
  • Gail Drobnyk
  • Gilbert Loughlin Family
  • Glenda & Ed Fischer
  • Gregory E. Griffith
  • Helen Gettelman
  • Ingrid Susan Ahlberg
  • Jacqueline Palmatier
  • James Rosenfield
  • Jan & David Heirtzler
  • Janet Bilodeau
  • Jeanne & Derek Stern
  • Jo Ann B. Price
  • Jo Ellen Thomas
  • John & Eimer Page
  • Kathryn Ellis
  • Keith Lauder
  • Kenneth Clark
  • Kenneth Fuld
  • La Belle Chocolat
  • Lynn & John Pincomb
  • Lynn DiElsi
  • Mara Witzling & Peter Cass
  • Mark & Mary Ann Janos
  • Marvin Fry
  • Mary Lou McElwain
  • Melissa Ambrose
  • Michael Thiel
  • Nancy Zadravec
  • Paul & Linda Hamlen
  • Peter Bowman
  • Philip Coco
  • Philip R. Hepburn
  • Richard Mechaber
  • Roy William Helsel
  • Seth A. Hurd
  • Stuart & Gisela Wemple
  • Susan Moniz
  • The Family of Lauren Wool
  • Virginia Macdonald
  • Wayne Shirley

Board of Directors

  • David Young, President
  • Kate Murray, Vice President
  • Jeffrey Gilbert, Treasurer
  • Fay Rubin, Secretary
  • Lawrence Connell
  • Beverly Giblin
  • Melissa Grady
  • Jan Heirtzler
  • Paul Lanzoni
  • James Mulhern 
  • David Murray
  • Craig Peverly
  • Eric Salas
  • Donna Saunders
  • Rachel Swanson

Staff & Volunteers

  • Caroline Amport Piper, Director of Communications
  • Aubrie Dionne, Director of Outreach
  • Erin Dubois, Operations Manager
  • Jan Heirtzler, Librarian
  • Craig Peverly, Equipment Manager
  • Adam Gallant, Musician Coordinator
  • Rachel Swanson, Graphic Design
 

Partners