David M. RubensteinChairman

Michael M. KaiserPresident

Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education

Christoph EschenbachMusic Director

General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of the NationalSymphony Orchestra Classical Season.

The National Symphony Orchestra performances of ThePresidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebrationare supported through the generosity of Constance Milstein deLa Haye St. Hilaire and Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St. Hilaire.

The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th AnniversaryCelebration is the 2011 Rubenstein Program and is madepossible through the generosity of David and Alice Rubenstein.

Additional support is provided by The Morris and GwendolynCafritz Foundation, Altria Group, Ambassador Elizabeth FrawleyBagley, and David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson.

This project is supported in part by an award from theNational Endowment for the Arts.

Gifts and grants to the National Symphony Orchestra EducationPrograms are provided by Sandra K. and Clement C. Alpert;The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc.; The Clark CharitableFoundation; Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; TheMax and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Charles EngelhardFoundation; MLKA Foundation, Inc.; National Trustees of theNational Symphony Orchestra; Park Foundation, Inc.; Mrs. IrenePollin; Mr. Albert H. Small; Washington Gas; the U.S. Departmentof Education; and the Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund.

Additional support for the Kennedy Center EducationDepartment is provided by the U.S. Department of Education,Verizon Foundation, Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton,the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris andGwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation,DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Fight for Children,The President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, NationalCommittee for the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Rose andDr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk.

Peter Lieberson’s Remembering JFK: An American Elegy is acommission of the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington,D.C., Christoph Eschenbach, Music Director, through a generousgift from the John and June Hechinger Commissioning Fundfor New Orchestral Works.

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, a program of theKennedy Center Education Department. ARTSEDGE is a part ofVerizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sitesfor K-12 teaching and learning.

For more about the performing arts and arts education, visitthe Kennedy Center’s Education Department online atwww.kennedy-center.org/education

The U.S. Department of Education supports approximately one-third ofthe budget for the Kennedy Center Education Department. The contentsof this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement bythe Federal Government.

© 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

featuring music by Peter Lieberson, Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin

NATIONALSYMPHONY

ORCHESTRAOPEN REHEARSAL WITH

CHR ISTOPH ESCHENBACH

CuesheetP

ER

FO

RM

AN

CE

GU

IDE

ATTENDING THEOPEN REHEARSALAttending an open rehearsal differs fromattending an actual concert, though yourrole as a quiet listener is the same. That’sbecause the orchestra is here to work—topractice and perfect their playing for thepublic performance. The conductor mightstop the orchestra and repeat passages orpieces, or the orchestra might not rehearsethe entire program. Afterward, conductorChristoph Eschenbach will join you for aQuestion and Answer session. Have yourquestions—such as about the NSO and hislife as a conductor and pianist—ready for him.

Meet ChristophEschenbach

He’s the newmusicdirector leading theNSO, and you can callhim “maestro.” That’sbecause he’s masteredconducting orchestrasand playing the piano

all over the world. He believes music is oneof the strongest forces known to man, andhe’s also committed to fostering youngmusicians.Washingtonianmagazine callshim “one of the most exciting classicalconductors of the day.”

About the NSOThe NSO numbers 100 musicians and isperforming its 80th season. It has performedat the Kennedy Center every year since thevenue opened in 1971, and in 1986 becameformally affiliated with the Kennedy Center.

Performances for Young Audiencesis made possible by

NSO_Cuesheet_Final:Layout 1 12/22/10 1:21 PM Page 4

Remembering JFK:An American Elegyby Peter LiebersonAWorld Premiere Composition

Commissioned by the NSO, award-winningAmerican composer Peter Lieberson hascreated a brand new work including bothmusic and spoken words. The performancebegins with Ted Sorensen Remembers JFK,a short film by Joseph Horowitz and PeterBogdanoff that includes news footage andan interview with President Kennedy’sfriend and speechwriter Ted Sorensen (whodied in 2010). Following the film, the musicfeatures a narrator reading excerpts fromseveral of Kennedy’s speeches.

Listen for…� the emotions the music conveys� some of Kennedy’s most memorablewords, including, “For those to whommuch is given, much is required”and “Asknot what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Fanfare for theInauguration ofJohn F. Kennedyby Leonard Bernstein (1918–90)

Many Americans were enthusiastic andhopeful about Kennedy’s inauguration,and you can hear that in this short fanfare(a brief and lively piece featuring brassinstruments). It was written by famedcomposer and Kennedy friend LeonardBernstein (pronounced BURN-stine) forthe post-concert inaugural gala.

Listen for…� the instrumentation (hint: it’s not justbrass)

� the contrasting soft and loud playing

Symphonic Dancesfrom West Side Storyby Leonard Bernstein

Around the time of Kennedy’s presidency,Americans were captivated byWest SideStory, a recasting of Romeo and Juliet asa musical set among rival Puerto Rican(“Sharks”) and white (“Jets”) gangs inNew York City. This tragic love storybetween Maria and Tony broke newground on Broadway with its extendeddance sequences and sophisticated lyricsand music. Symphonic Dances, Bernstein’sorchestral arrangement of some of thedancemusic, premiered in 1961 and includesthese dances that tell parts of the story:

Prologue, the gangs’ rivalry grows“Somewhere,” in a dream, the gangmembers become friends, and…Scherzo, escape the cityMambo, back to reality, gang memberscompetitively danceCha-Cha (“Maria”), Maria and Tony first seeeach otherMeeting Scene, the lovers exchangewords“Cool” Fugue, the Jets try to restraintheir angerRumble, a gang battle leads to tragedyFinale, recalling the hopes, now dashed,expressed in “Somewhere”

Listen for…� instruments that lend Latin sounds,including maracas, finger cymbals,and bongo drums

� the recurrent harsh or jarring tonesthat suggest tension and conflictbetween the two gangs

Piano Concerto in Fby George Gershwin(1898–1937)with special guest pianist Tzimon Barto

Recalling the original inaugural concertperformance of George Gershwin’sRhapsody in Blue, the program featuresanother of Gershwin’s orchestral pieceswith piano, the Piano Concerto in F, withvirtuoso pianist Tzimon Barto (TZEE-moneBAR-toh). Both compositions pleasedaudiences with their jazzy elements, andthe Piano Concerto is considered by manyto be Gershwin’s finest orchestral work.

Listen for…� the way the themes build and varyacross the piece’s three movements

� the bluesy elements in the secondmovement

COVER: PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND HISWIFE(FORE, IN SHADOW) AT A PRE-INAUGURAL CONCERT.PHOTO COURTESY OF TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES

LEFT: PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN VACHON FOR LOOKMAGAZINE,IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, LOOKMAGAZINE COLLECTION.

COMMEMORATING AN HISTORIC CONCERTOn January 19, 1961, snow fell all around the nation’s capital on the eve of John F. Kennedy’sinauguration. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedymade their way bymotorcade to the inaugural concert,performed by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The program included a speciallycommissioned overture, a choral work featuring writings of Thomas Jefferson, and GeorgeGershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with renowned pianist Earl Wild. Fifty years later, the NSOhas planned a special musical program* to reflect the original concert and Kennedy’s historicinauguration.*You may not hear all these pieces performed during the rehearsal; see page 4 for more aboutthe rehearsal.

ABOUT THE CONCERT PROGRAM

NSO_Cuesheet_Final:Layout 1 12/22/10 1:21 PM Page 2

Remembering JFK:An American Elegyby Peter LiebersonAWorld Premiere Composition

Commissioned by the NSO, award-winningAmerican composer Peter Lieberson hascreated a brand new work including bothmusic and spoken words. The performancebegins with Ted Sorensen Remembers JFK,a short film by Joseph Horowitz and PeterBogdanoff that includes news footage andan interview with President Kennedy’sfriend and speechwriter Ted Sorensen (whodied in 2010). Following the film, the musicfeatures a narrator reading excerpts fromseveral of Kennedy’s speeches.

Listen for…� the emotions the music conveys� some of Kennedy’s most memorablewords, including, “For those to whommuch is given, much is required”and “Asknot what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Fanfare for theInauguration ofJohn F. Kennedyby Leonard Bernstein (1918–90)

Many Americans were enthusiastic andhopeful about Kennedy’s inauguration,and you can hear that in this short fanfare(a brief and lively piece featuring brassinstruments). It was written by famedcomposer and Kennedy friend LeonardBernstein (pronounced BURN-stine) forthe post-concert inaugural gala.

Listen for…� the instrumentation (hint: it’s not justbrass)

� the contrasting soft and loud playing

Symphonic Dancesfrom West Side Storyby Leonard Bernstein

Around the time of Kennedy’s presidency,Americans were captivated byWest SideStory, a recasting of Romeo and Juliet asa musical set among rival Puerto Rican(“Sharks”) and white (“Jets”) gangs inNew York City. This tragic love storybetween Maria and Tony broke newground on Broadway with its extendeddance sequences and sophisticated lyricsand music. Symphonic Dances, Bernstein’sorchestral arrangement of some of thedancemusic, premiered in 1961 and includesthese dances that tell parts of the story:

Prologue, the gangs’ rivalry grows“Somewhere,” in a dream, the gangmembers become friends, and…Scherzo, escape the cityMambo, back to reality, gang memberscompetitively danceCha-Cha (“Maria”), Maria and Tony first seeeach otherMeeting Scene, the lovers exchangewords“Cool” Fugue, the Jets try to restraintheir angerRumble, a gang battle leads to tragedyFinale, recalling the hopes, now dashed,expressed in “Somewhere”

Listen for…� instruments that lend Latin sounds,including maracas, finger cymbals,and bongo drums

� the recurrent harsh or jarring tonesthat suggest tension and conflictbetween the two gangs

Piano Concerto in Fby George Gershwin(1898–1937)with special guest pianist Tzimon Barto

Recalling the original inaugural concertperformance of George Gershwin’sRhapsody in Blue, the program featuresanother of Gershwin’s orchestral pieceswith piano, the Piano Concerto in F, withvirtuoso pianist Tzimon Barto (TZEE-moneBAR-toh). Both compositions pleasedaudiences with their jazzy elements, andthe Piano Concerto is considered by manyto be Gershwin’s finest orchestral work.

Listen for…� the way the themes build and varyacross the piece’s three movements

� the bluesy elements in the secondmovement

COVER: PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND HISWIFE(FORE, IN SHADOW) AT A PRE-INAUGURAL CONCERT.PHOTO COURTESY OF TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES

LEFT: PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN VACHON FOR LOOKMAGAZINE,IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, LOOKMAGAZINE COLLECTION.

COMMEMORATING AN HISTORIC CONCERTOn January 19, 1961, snow fell all around the nation’s capital on the eve of John F. Kennedy’sinauguration. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedymade their way bymotorcade to the inaugural concert,performed by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The program included a speciallycommissioned overture, a choral work featuring writings of Thomas Jefferson, and GeorgeGershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with renowned pianist Earl Wild. Fifty years later, the NSOhas planned a special musical program* to reflect the original concert and Kennedy’s historicinauguration.*You may not hear all these pieces performed during the rehearsal; see page 4 for more aboutthe rehearsal.

ABOUT THE CONCERT PROGRAM

NSO_Cuesheet_Final:Layout 1 12/22/10 1:21 PM Page 2

David M. RubensteinChairman

Michael M. KaiserPresident

Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education

Christoph EschenbachMusic Director

General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of the NationalSymphony Orchestra Classical Season.

The National Symphony Orchestra performances of ThePresidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebrationare supported through the generosity of Constance Milstein deLa Haye St. Hilaire and Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St. Hilaire.

The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th AnniversaryCelebration is the 2011 Rubenstein Program and is madepossible through the generosity of David and Alice Rubenstein.

Additional support is provided by The Morris and GwendolynCafritz Foundation, Altria Group, Ambassador Elizabeth FrawleyBagley, and David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson.

This project is supported in part by an award from theNational Endowment for the Arts.

Gifts and grants to the National Symphony Orchestra EducationPrograms are provided by Sandra K. and Clement C. Alpert;The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc.; The Clark CharitableFoundation; Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; TheMax and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Charles EngelhardFoundation; MLKA Foundation, Inc.; National Trustees of theNational Symphony Orchestra; Park Foundation, Inc.; Mrs. IrenePollin; Mr. Albert H. Small; Washington Gas; the U.S. Departmentof Education; and the Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund.

Additional support for the Kennedy Center EducationDepartment is provided by the U.S. Department of Education,Verizon Foundation, Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton,the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris andGwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation,DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Fight for Children,The President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, NationalCommittee for the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Rose andDr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk.

Peter Lieberson’s Remembering JFK: An American Elegy is acommission of the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington,D.C., Christoph Eschenbach, Music Director, through a generousgift from the John and June Hechinger Commissioning Fundfor New Orchestral Works.

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, a program of theKennedy Center Education Department. ARTSEDGE is a part ofVerizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sitesfor K-12 teaching and learning.

For more about the performing arts and arts education, visitthe Kennedy Center’s Education Department online atwww.kennedy-center.org/education

The U.S. Department of Education supports approximately one-third ofthe budget for the Kennedy Center Education Department. The contentsof this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement bythe Federal Government.

© 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

featuring music by Peter Lieberson, Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin

NATIONALSYMPHONY

ORCHESTRAOPEN REHEARSAL WITH

CHR ISTOPH ESCHENBACH

CuesheetP

ER

FO

RM

AN

CE

GU

IDE

ATTENDING THEOPEN REHEARSALAttending an open rehearsal differs fromattending an actual concert, though yourrole as a quiet listener is the same. That’sbecause the orchestra is here to work—topractice and perfect their playing for thepublic performance. The conductor mightstop the orchestra and repeat passages orpieces, or the orchestra might not rehearsethe entire program. Afterward, conductorChristoph Eschenbach will join you for aQuestion and Answer session. Have yourquestions—such as about the NSO and hislife as a conductor and pianist—ready for him.

Meet ChristophEschenbach

He’s the newmusicdirector leading theNSO, and you can callhim “maestro.” That’sbecause he’s masteredconducting orchestrasand playing the piano

all over the world. He believes music is oneof the strongest forces known to man, andhe’s also committed to fostering youngmusicians.Washingtonianmagazine callshim “one of the most exciting classicalconductors of the day.”

About the NSOThe NSO numbers 100 musicians and isperforming its 80th season. It has performedat the Kennedy Center every year since thevenue opened in 1971, and in 1986 becameformally affiliated with the Kennedy Center.

Performances for Young Audiencesis made possible by

NSO_Cuesheet_Final:Layout 1 12/22/10 1:21 PM Page 4