Photo credit: Richard Brown for Annapolis Symphony Orchestra ©2025
Season 64 Guest Artist for Patron Manager - 6
Annapolis, MD — The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) presents one of its most ambitious and emotionally charged programs of the season, Darkness to Light, on November 7–8 at Maryland Hall. Conducted by Artistic Director José-Luis Novo, now in his 21st season with the ASO, the program unites two powerful works—Jean Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5—in a sweeping and emotional musical journey from deep sorrow to joyous inspiration. Featuring ASO Principal Horn Alex Kovling, Principal Trumpet Christopher Sala, Principal Harp Katherine Ventura, and Second Oboe/English Horn Rick Basehore, the two evening performances highlight the exceptional artistry within the ASO and mark the largest production of the orchestra’s 64th season, with more musicians on stage than any other concert this year.
“At the heart of the Annapolis Symphony are our musicians—their dedication, skill, and spirit,” said ASO Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach. “Darkness to Light celebrates them, inviting audiences to experience the orchestra not as an institution, but as a community of extraordinary artists.”
The Music: From Funeral March to Life-Affirming Inspiration
Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela opens the evening with its dark, dreamlike beauty. A piece in the Finnish composer’s Lemminkäinen Suite, this haunting tone poem draws from the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, depicting a mystical swan gliding through the black waters of the underworld. The swan’s song—voiced by the English horn—floats above an orchestra bathed in dusky strings and somber brass. ASO Second Oboe/English Horn Rick Basehore will perform the expansive English horn solo, evoking the eternal stillness of a realm between life and death. Sibelius’s musical imagery—ethereal, haunting, and deeply spiritual—sets the stage for the evening’s emotional transformation.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 is one of the most significant and autobiographical works in the symphonic canon. Composed between 1901 and 1902, it traces the composer’s personal journey through a major health scare, his marriage to Alma Schindler, and his creative and emotional development at the time. The symphony’s structure reflects this progression, moving from a somber “funeral march” and turbulent second movement (associated with his near-death experience) to the tender and passionate Adagietto (a love letter to Alma) and finally to a triumphant, exuberant finale. It charts a dramatic voyage from the opening Trauermarsch (Funeral March) movement to the exuberant, life-affirming finale. Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 requires a large orchestra to present its epic scale, complex counterpoint, and innovative use of instrumentation, and to bring to life Mahler’s vision of creating entire symphonic worlds that use the full range of orchestral color and sound to express vast emotional and dramatic narratives.
“Mahler’s Fifth is a work of immense scale and emotional depth, demanding an orchestra that can summon both power and refinement,” said Novo. “These performances will feature the largest number of musicians on stage all season, promising an experience both profound and unforgettable. From the searing trumpet fanfare that launches the symphony to the soaring voice of the principal horn in the Scherzo and the luminous harp in the Adagietto, each musician plays a vital role in Mahler’s extraordinary journey from darkness to light.”
The symphony’s Adagietto, scored for harp and strings, is perhaps Mahler’s most recognized work—performed at the funeral of Robert F. Kennedy, featured in Visconti’s Death in Venice, and used to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001.
“The fourth movement, the Adagietto, is perhaps Mahler’s most beloved work—conceived as a tender love letter to his wife, Alma. Its shimmering writing for harp and strings speaks with the intimacy of lovestruck inspiration, a language beyond words,” said Novo. “This is the perfect moment to introduce Katherine Ventura in her first season as ASO Principal Harp; the sensitivity and elegance of her playing bring a radiant new voice to our ensemble and to this exquisite love song. Together, we hope to share with our audiences a living testament to Mahler’s genius and the unparalleled beauty of this music.”
“Mahler is an expert when it comes to scoring for harp, and the Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony is a prime example,” said ASO’s Principal Harp Katherine Ventura. “It can be difficult to hear the harp’s mid and bass registers in a full orchestra, but Mahler ensures every note shines through. I may be biased, but I think you’ll love Mahler Five as much as I do!”
The symphony’s powerful emotional core also features a defining role for the horn and trumpet.
“Playing principal horn on Mahler’s Fifth Symphony is a benchmark moment in every hornist’s lifetime,” said Alex Kovling, ASO’s Principal Horn. “The ‘obligato horn’ part in the Scherzo could possibly be the most involved role ever given to the horn in a symphony. I’m excited to finally bring my own interpretation of this heroic work to our Annapolis community.”
Concert Details
Darkness to Light
José-Luis Novo, Conductor
November 7–8, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Maryland Hall, Annapolis
Program:
Jean Sibelius — The Swan of Tuonela
Gustav Mahler — Symphony No. 5
Pre-Concert Lecture: WBJC’s Jonathan Palevsky, free to ticket holders, 6:30 PM in Maryland Hall’s Main Auditorium.
Tickets: Start at $25; student tickets $10 (available by phone at 410-263-0907). Military, law enforcement, and first responder discounts available. Purchase only through annapolissymphony.org to avoid third-party scams.
About the Artists
- Alex Kovling (Principal Horn) joined the U.S. Navy Band in 2015 and was appointed ASO Principal Horn in 2020. He has performed with the National Symphony, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, and others.
- Christopher Sala (Principal Trumpet) serves as Principal Trumpet and Concert Band Unit Leader of the U.S. Navy Band, and has been a member of ASO since 2002. An award-winning soloist, he has performed internationally and with the Baltimore and Richmond Symphony Orchestras, among others.
- Katherine Ventura (Principal Harp) joins the ASO for her premier season after three seasons with the Kansas City Symphony. She has appeared with major orchestras across North America and Europe, including the Chicago, Pittsburgh, and National Symphony Orchestras.
- Rick Basehore (Second Oboe/English Horn), in his tenth season, is also a member of the Sarasota Opera and Allentown, Harrisburg, and Maryland Symphony Orchestras. He brings expressive artistry and decades of experience to his lyrical performances, featured here in Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela.
About the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra: The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is a nonprofit performing arts organization composed of 69 professional, union-represented musicians and led by Artistic Director José-Luis Novo. Now in its 64th season, the ASO is known for delivering extraordinary musical experiences through artistic excellence, innovative programming, and deep community engagement. The ASO’s upcoming 2025-26 Signature Series features Maestro José-Luis Novo conducting five Signature Series concerts at Maryland Hall in Annapolis, including two performed at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, with guest artists including Pablo Sainz-Villegas, guitarist; Christine Goerke, soprano; Olga Kern, pianist; and Pascal Rogé, pianist.
The Annapolis Symphony Academy (ASA) offers students ages preschool to high school the opportunity to study and perform alongside ASO musicians through a program of ensembles and private classes. The Academy’s Orion Youth Orchestra, directed by Maestro Novo, performs across the region and prepares students for success in music and beyond.
To learn more or support our mission, visit: www.AnnapolisSymphony.org
