About the Bryn Athyn Orchestra

In its 2015-2016 season, the Bryn Athyn Orchestra marked its 89th year of performing classical and popular music for the community in and around Bryn Athyn. From its beginning in 1926, and for its first ten years, the orchestra was just a loose coalition of musicians who performed under the direction of Frank Bostock. In 1936, the orchestra was integrated into a non-profit association. Through the years, nearly 250 musicians have played in the orchestra; one of the original members was Raymond Pitcairn.

The orchestra represents a meeting of the generations; for example, at its May 2002 mother's day concert, the oldest member was 86 years old, and the youngest 12. One member, Peter Gyllenhaal, began playing for the orchestra when he was in high school. Now in his 80's, Gyllenhaal has been with the orchestra more than 56 years.

In its early years, almost all of the orchestra members lived in Bryn Athyn. This is no longer the case. Today, more than half its members come from other areas; some are professionals enlisted to fill in needed positions. One such professional, Daniel Kujala, was hired to play the cello more than eight years ago. Kujala now conducts the orchestra. Prior to coming to Bryn Athyn, Kujala, a native of Chicago, served as principal cellist for the Cedar Rapids Symphony. Locally, Kujala performed as a soloist with the Ambler Symphony and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia. His first appearance as conductor for the orchestra was on Mothers Day 2002. "He's a strong conductor," says Bob Zecher, former president of the Bryn Athyn Orchestra association. "He knows what he wants and can communicate it to the musicians."

Today, the orchestra boasts of over 50 regular members, including students, and performs at the beautiful Mitchell Performing Arts Center in Bryn Athyn.

Adapted from Joe Harrington's article in the May 6, 2002 issue of "The Globe".

Bryn Athyn Orchestra Repertoire since 1998

Albinoni

Adagio for Organ and Strings in G minor

Bach

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
Concerto for Flute, Strings and Continuo in E minor
Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C minor

Bartok

Two Romanian Folk Dances

Beethoven

Symphony No. 3, No 6, No. 7, and No. 8; Coriolan Overture
Romanze in F. Major for Violin and Orchestra
Violin Concerto
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"

Berlioz

Les Francs-Juges Overture
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14
Rakokoczy March from the Damnation of Faust

Bernstein

Symphonic Suite from ÔOn the WaterfrontÕ
Bizet Symphony No. 1 in C

Brahms

Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, Op. 102
Symphony No. 1 and No 4
Tragic Overture
Violin Concerto in D
Academic Festival Overture

Cherubini

Symphony in D major

Copland

Quiet City
Fanfare for the Common Man

Debussy

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Fawn
La Mer

Dukas

The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Brass Fanfare from La Peri

Dvorak

Czech Suite, Op. 39
Slavonic Dance, Op. 46, No. 8
Symphony No. 8

Faure

Elegie for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 24

Finzi

Introit for Small Orchestra & Violin

Glinka

Ruslan and Ludmila Overture

Gluck

Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orpheus')

Gounod

Petite Symphony for Winds

Gordeli

Concerto for Flute and Orchestra

Haydn

Symphony No. 103 (Drumroll)
"London Symphony" (#4)
Cello Concerto in D
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Cello, Oboe and Bassoon

Hovhannes

Prayer of Saint Gregory

Hummel

Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra

Koussevitzky

Concerto for Contrabass in E minor, Op. 3

Mahler

Des Knaben Wunderhorn (songs)
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 1 (Titan)

Massenet

Le Roman D'Arlequin

Mendelssohn

Symphony No. 3 (Scottish)
Violin Concerto

Moussorgsky

Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel Orchestration)

Mozart

Overtures to Don Giovanni
The Marriage of Figaro
The Magic Flute
Symphony No. 35 ("Haffner")
Oboe Concerto in C Major, .314

Rachmaninoff

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (violin)

Ravel

Le Tombeau de Couperin

Pavane pour une Infante Defunte
Oiseaux Triste (from Miroirs)

Respighi

Ancient Airs and Dances

Rimsky-Korsakov

Scheherazade

Rosauro

Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra

Rossini

Overtures to Semiramide and William Tell

Saint-Saens

Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra in G minor, Op. 22
Symphony No. 3 in C minor (Organ)

Scarlatti-Tommasini Suite du Ballet

Schubert

Rosamunde Overture
Unfinished Symphony (#8)

Schumann

Symphony No. 3 in Eb Major, Op. 97 (Rhenish)
Piano Concerto in A minor

Sir Arthur Sullivan

Overture to Iolanthe (Orchestra members also accompanied the Performance)

Shostakovich

Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op 47

Strauss, J.

Tales From the Vienna Woods

Strauss, R.

Vier Letzte Lieder

Tchaikovsky

Symphony No. 5
Capriccio Italien

Wagner

Prelude and Liebestold from Tristan Und Isode

Vaughan Williams

Overture to "The Wasps"
Concerto in F Minor for Bass Tuba and Orchestra
Suite - "English Folk Songs"

Vivaldi

Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major, RV 537
Concerto for Two Violins and Cello in D minor

von Weber

Overture to Oberon

Yardumian

Armenian Suite

Professional Soloists

Paul Roby, violin (2 appearances), of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Lloyd Smith, cello and Nancy Bean, violin of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Elizabeth Pitcairn, violin
Sean Kennedy, marimba
Jacqueline Smith, soprano
Jay Krush, tuba, Temple Music Faculty
Rita Smith, oboe, Settlement Music School Faculty
Ruth Ideen, soprano
Diane Sarkisian, piano

Musical Productions

Rodgers and Hammerstein II

The King and I (Omni Productions)

Gilbert and Sullivan

Iolanthe (with B-Act Community Theater)

Prokofiev

Peter and the Wolf (with Dance Theater of Pennsylvania)

Tschaikowsky

The Nutcracker Suite Ballet (with Jessica Bostock Ballet)