Fantastic Forsberg

Sunday

May 18, 2007

4:00 P.M.

Wrapping up the second season is a program featuring and honoring Charles Forsberg for his 40 years as celebrated organist with Colonial Church of Edina.

A fitting conclusion to the Colonial Church Chamber Series for 2007-08 takes place on Sunday, May 18, with a program honoring Colonial Church organist Charles Forsberg for his 40 years of service.  With Forsberg at the organ and conductor Henry Charles Smith on the podium, the auditorium explodes into an organ, brass and choral spectacular!  The Minnesota Brass, comprised of Minnesota Orchestra players, and the Colonial Chorale add their sounds to this exciting tribute.  Since1972 Charles Forsberg has taught music theory and analysis at St. Olaf College, where he is Professor of Music.  In addition, his commissioned works have been performed by the Minnesota Orchestra.  Forsberg is also a member of the Minnesota Composers Forum and ASCAP.  He plans to continue his work as organist and keyboardist at Colonial Church of Edina and composing choral and instrumental works. 

Conductor Henry Charles Smith won a Grammy award with the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble for “Album of the Year, Classical” in 1969.  While associate and resident conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, he conducted over 1,000 concerts.  As principal trombonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, he played over 2,000 concerts with Eugene Ormandy and many other of the 20^th century’s greatest conductors.  As trombone and euphonium soloist, as chamber music player, and as writer and editor, his recordings and editions are internationally known.  His guest conducting includes the Detroit, Dallas, Kansas City and National Symphony Orchestras, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Indianapolis, San Antonio, Delaware, Oregon, North Carolina and Phoenix Symphonies. He has conducted the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmunton Symphony in Canada.

Smith has served on the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music, Indiana University, Temple University and the University of Texas at Austin.  He is now professor emeritus at Arizona State University.  He was music director of the South Dakota Symphony for 12 years and is now conductor emeritus.  Smith was conductor of the Mendelssohn Club Choir of Philadelphia and the Bach Society Chorus of Minnesota for six years each.

Sunday, May 18, 2008, 4 p.m.

Charles Forsberg, organ

The Minnesota Brass

Henry Charles Smith, conductor

Colonial Chorale

Timothy Sawyer, director

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV                       Entrance of the Nobles                       
STRAUSS                                Festive Intrada
BACH                                      Jesu, Come Let Us Praise Thee
                                              Canzon in Double Echo                            
FORSBERG                             Anthems
BRAHMS                                “O Welt, ich muss dich lassen”
FORSBERG                             Improvisations
FORSBERG                             Prayer of St. Francis                                     
MUSSORGSKY                       Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition              
FAURE                                “Pie Jesu” (delete by Faure)                                                           
BACH                                      “Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen,” from Christmas Oratorio
CARMICHAEL                       ‘Stardust”
                                                         Ellen Dinwiddie Smith, solo horn
WIDOR                                   Toccata  
TCHAIKOVSKY                       1812 Overture ~ Intro and Finale

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