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ELEGANT ARIAS

Sarah Lonsert, soprano
Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

August 21, 2021 | 7:00 PM
International Pentecostal Church

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WELCOME!

Hello everyone and thank you for joining us for Synesthesia Sinfonietta’s Elegant Arias concert program! As Interim-President of our organization, I am grateful to work with a board of incredible and passionate people. And as a musician, I am constantly impressed by the talent of this diverse group. It is surreal to see a group like this come together and create such an extraordinary experience for each other and audiences alike, and we look forward to sharing many more great music as we continue growing as an organization. Thank you again for coming to enjoy and celebrate the efforts of our musicians and members, and we hope you enjoy tonight’s performance!

Vanessa Maez

Interim-President

HOLY ROAST CAFE

The Holy Roast Cafe will be open for all patrons beginning at 5:30 PM prior to our performance.

Holy Roast Cafe accepts card and contactless payment 

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Image by Noah

PLEASE WEAR A FACE MASK

In response to Los Angeles County's recent reinstatement of masks, we will be asking all guests to remain masked when inside the venue throughout the duration of the performance.

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MISSION STATEMENT

SYNESTHESIA (N) - when the stimulation of one sense triggers an automatic experience in another sense.

At Synesthesia Sinfonietta, our purpose is to evoke in our audiences an experience of orchestral musical selections which goes beyond the mere enjoyment of sound production. By showcasing selections from the familiar to the lesser known, from the past to the relevant present in a thematic format, we invite listeners to find personal connections within the programming that takes them on journeys to imagined sights, smells, and feelings. Additionally, we seek to unite audiences within these multi-sensory experiences while working with up and coming musicians, composers, and artists in our unique programming approach.

PROGRAM

LA CLEMENZA DI TITO: PARTO, PARTO

Emliy Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

Jenna Tatiyatrairong, clarinet

W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

LA RONDINE: CHI IL BE SOGNO

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

MARRIAGE OF FIGARO: SULL'ARIA

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

W.A. Mozart (1756-1797)

DON PASQUALE: QUEL GUARDO IL CAVALIERE

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)

DON CARLO: O DON FATALE

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

INTERMEZZO FROM CAVALLERIA RUSTICATE

Maranda Li, assistant conductor

Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945)

COSI FAN TUTTE: PRENDERO QUEL BRUNETINO

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

INTERMISSION

DIE FLEDERMAUS: OVERTURE

Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)

Michael Huynh, associate conductor

PUISQU’ICI-BAS TOUTE AME

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Emliy Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

DIE FLEDERMAUS: MEIN HERR MARQUIS

Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Michael Huynh, associate conductor

SYMPHONY NO. 2, MVT. IV: URLICHT

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

PIRATES OF PENZANCE: POOR WANDERING ONE

W. S. Gilbert (1835-1911) & Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

LITTLE WOMEN: THINGS CHANGE, JO

Mark Adamo (b. 1962)

arr. Mat Campbell

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

DIOS MÍO

Isaiah Castro (b. 1994)

Sarah Lonsert, soprano

Emily Weinberg, mezzo-soprano

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GUEST ARTISTS

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SARAH LONSERT

Soprano

Lyric Coloratura Soprano, Sarah Lonsert, began her singing career as a form of therapy for her High-functioning Autism.  Winner of the Vo-Cal Competition, 2nd at NATS, and semifinalist in the Classical Singer competition. She has sung with; Andrea Bocelli, The L.A. Symphony, and John Williams. Notable overseas performances; Rome, Paris, Eglise Notre-Dame des Blancs-Manteaux, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, The Glinka Cappella, and The Rock Church. Sarah’s scholastic achievements are graduating from California State University Fullerton with her BM in Vocal Performance and is currently working on her Master’s in Music at California State University Northridge. Sarah continues to study classical voice under Diane Ketchie. She currently performs in the LA Master Chorale under Maestro Grant Gershon and in the Pacific Chorale under Maestro Robert Istad.

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EMILY WEINBERG

Mezzo-soprano

Emily Weinberg began her vocal studies ten years ago with her current teacher, tenor, Daniel Hendrick. Over the last decade, Emily has used her time to expand her understanding of the musical world by earning her bachelors degree in vocal performance from California State University Fullerton where she continued her private vocal studies with mezzo soprano Janet Smith. During her time at CSUF, Emily was cast in lead roles such as Mrs. Peachum in Weil’s Threepenny Opera, Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, and L’enfant in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges. She also spent three years as a member of the CSUF University Singers under the baton of Dr. Robert Istad, a group with which she performed on two international tours; in the Baltics and Russia in 2017 and a second in Spain in 2019 as a featured soloist for David Lang’s The Little Match Girl Passion.


Since her graduation from CSUF, Emily has become a professional singer with the Pacific Chorale and many other institutions. Her upcoming performances include a featured solo with Opera Buffs, the role of Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen with Lyric Opera of Orange County, and the role of Ms. Todd in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief with the International Lyric Academy in Venice for the summer of 2022.

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HELP US GROW

Support Our Work

Synesthesia Sinfonietta is a community orchestra dedicated to providing our audience with a variety of quality programming. Our organization is thriving thanks to our generous benefactors, and we are highly grateful for the help we get in doing what we love the most. Interested in contributing a helping hand? The sky’s the limit when it comes to all the options.


Synesthesia Sinfonietta has obtained 501(C)3 status under the IRS, making all of our donations tax deductible! Get in touch today and see how you can help!

OUR CONDUCTORS

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ISAIAH CASTRO

Artistic and Music Director

Responsible for overseeing all programs and events, Isaiah Castro is an award-winning conductor, composer, and founding member of the Synesthesia Sinfonietta. Castro studied instrumental conducting and composition at California State University Fullerton’s School of Music. His love for music began at the age of 10 with piano and various brass instruments, later inspiring him to express interest in conducting and composing at the age of 12. His most recent accomplishments feature:

• Commissioned to compose original music for the San Jose Youth Symphony

• Received recognition through the American Harp Society for his work "Love Is" written for harp and choir.

• Scoring music for Embark Dance Theatre's first full-length production, "LOST/find.”

• Achieving status on the Grammy Awards ballot for his piece "Dios Mío", written for award-winning soprano, Sarah Lonsert.

• Writing arrangements for Pacific Symphony Orchestra's program "OC Can You Play?"


Concurrently, Castro enjoys collaborating with solo artists, and ensembles, creating new music one work at a time. He is in high demand by several organizations throughout California as both a composer and conductor. Not only is he artistic and music director of Synesthesia Sinfonietta, but he is also the conductor of Buddha's Light Youth Symphony Orchestra (BLYSO) at Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, CA and serves as the primary pianist and organist at International Pentecostal Church in Bellflower, CA. Presently, he rides in Chino, CA where he is dedicated to the development and success of the Synesthesia Sinfonietta.

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MICHAEL HUYNH

Associate Conductor

Responsible for overseeing chamber programs, Michael Huynh, conductor and clarinetist, is a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University where he studied orchestral conducting with Christopher Russell.

As a conductor, Huynh has an interest in the orchestral and operatic repertoire. In 2018, he was selected to appear at the College Orchestra Directors Association National Conference with Alan McMurray in a master class setting. Recent conducting engagements include assistant conducting Opera UCI’s 2019 production of Die Fledermaus, where he also served as the chorus master, leading the California Solisti in collaboration with  the Arts at St. Margaret’s, and performances with the Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California. Future engagements are scheduled in 2021 with his new appointment as Associate Conductor of Synesthesia Sinfonietta.

Huynh holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of California, Irvine and a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from Azusa Pacific University where he studied with Christopher Russell. He also holds professional affiliations with College Orchestra Directors Association and Mu Phi Epsilon Professional Music Fraternity.

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MARANDA LI

Assistant Conductor

Trained as a cellist, Maranda Li received her B.A. in Music from the University of California, Irvine, where she studied with Dr. Margaret Parkins. She has been deeply engaged with classical music from a young age and has performed both solo and in ensembles of varying size, but her first love is the Symphony Orchestra. 


From 2016-2019, Li lived in Amami, Japan where she served as conductor of the Amami Orchestra. There, she oversaw the development of the orchestra through its early formative period, prepared them for performances under guest conductors, created and taught classes for beginner string players, and frequently collaborated with local soloists as both a conductor and a cellist. She also expanded the scope of Amami Orchestra's educational outreach efforts through a series of side-by-side performances with local high school wind bands that continued even after her return to the US.


Li currently studies conducting with Dr. Stephen Tucker. When not on the podium or playing in the orchestra as a cellist, Li enjoys performing chamber music, teaching, and arranging. She concurrently holds a position as community program coordinator for OC Music & Dance, Orange County's premier non-profit music school, which is dedicated to making performing arts accessible to every child.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Guerry Collins and Rena Stone
Bret Iwan
Loretta Malaby
Mark and Noriko Malaby
Bill Rogers and Camille Dixon
Anonymous Supporters

OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

We thank our sponsors and partners for their contributions towards Synesthesia Sinfonietta.
Without them, our operations would not be possible!

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INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

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MARK L. MALABY, ART + ARCHITECTURE

SUPPORT US WHEN YOU SHOP THROUGH AMAZON SMILE

Do you shop on Amazon? What better way to support us than to do it while you shop! Simply go to Amazon Smile, choose "Synesthesia Sinfonietta" as your charity of choice, and a portion of all orders placed through Amazon Smile will go towards Synesthesia Sinfonietta.

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THE ENSEMBLE

concertmaster     *principal

VIOLIN

Aryan Blourchian

Chujian Li

Jonathan Nagano

Isaac Visoutsy*

VIOLA

Dana Apolonio
Kimberly Inglis
Lawson Madlener*

CELLO

Emily Balderrama*
Josie Boyer
Annabelle Carlson
Maranda Li
Shane Nagatani

BASS

Andrew De Stakelberg*
Miguel Martinez

PICCOLO

Luis Alvarado
Eyana Fomby

FLUTE

Luis Alvarado
Marlon Arriaza
Madeline Brydges*
Eyana Fomby

OBOE

Claire Hom
Rohan Ramanan*

ENGLISH HORN

Claire Hom

CLARINET

Carlos Herrera
David Sanchez
Jenna Tatiyatrairong*

BASS CLARINET

Carlos Herrera

BASSOON

Dan Abrams*
Alec Richard

HORN

Alexander Delperdang
Avery Jett
Jennifer Ornelas
Keith Pepper*

TRUMPET

Tatiana Giesler
Julie Morimoto
Andrew Owens*

TROMBONE

Nathan Fulmizi*
Max Mineer

BASS TROMBONE

Christopher Colocho

TUBA

Joseph Jackson

TIMPANI

Shota Hanai

PERCUSSION

Chris Amaro
Hiram Rivera*

HARP

Jessica Brizuela

PIANO, CELESTA, ORGAN

Marisa Lifquist

BEHIND THE SCENES

DEELISA HURTADO

Venue Coordinator

SULEEN MENCHACA

Audio Technician

KENZIE JONES

Recording Engineer

PRESCILA TRAN

Lighting Technician

SHBREENA WHITFIELD

Photography

RICKY HURTADO

Videography

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