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November 18, 2023 2:00PM - November 18, 2023 7:00PM
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker

Conductor Julian KuertiJulian Kuerti, Music Director

With a strong international reputation for his interpretations of both orchestral and operatic music, Canadian conductor Julian Kuerti combines a confident style, artistic integrity, and passion for collaboration bringing him to the forefront of the music scene. Kuerti has led major symphony orchestras and has appeared in renowned opera houses and concert halls on five continents, and enjoys close working relationships with many of the leading soloists and singers of today.

In 2018, Kuerti was named Music Director of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

 

 

 

Kaleena BurksKaleena Burks, Principal Dancer | Snow Queen & Sugar Plum Fairy

Kaleena Burks was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where she received training from Magda Auñon and Magaly Suarez. In 2005, she was awarded first place in the pre-professional division of the American Ballet Competition and has since been invited to perform in many galas, including the International Ballet Festival of Miami as well as the Moving Arts Dance Festival. Burks has danced with Cincinnati Ballet, Columbia Classical Ballet, and the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. She has been honored to dance the role of Sugar Plum Fairy at the Kennedy Center with Kansas City Ballet’s tour of The Nutcracker in 2017 and 2022.

 

 

 

Alladson BarretoAlladson Barreto, Principal Dancer | Snow King & Cavalier

Alladson Barreto was born in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. In 2015, he began his career in classical ballet at the Alberto Maranhão Theater Dance School (EDTAM) in Natal/RN. From 2019 to 2022, he was a member of the Ballet West II in the United States, dancing in shows including The Nutcracker, Chant du RossignolDraculaRomeo and JulietDon Quixote, Divertimento, and Sleeping Beauty.

During his classic lineup at The Rock School in Philadelphia between 2018 and 2019, he danced as a Youth America Grand Prix guest. In addition, he was instructed by Bo Spasso, Stephanie Spasso, Justin Allen, Telmo Moreira, Natalya Ziegler, and Jody Anderson through the merit scholarship. In October 2021 he began working with Ballerina Kathryn Morgan, in which they danced together leading the ballet of The Nutcracker.

 

 

Ednis GomezEdnis Gomez, Herr Stahlbaum & Arabian

Ednis Gomez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and began training Jazz, Contemporary, and Hip Hop at the age of 16. Three years later, he started classical ballet. At the age of 20, he won a scholarship to study Choreography and Interpretation for Dance at the King Juan Carlos University in Madrid, Spain, where he also finished his master's degree in Scenic Arts. In 2012, Ednis decided to move back to the Dominican where he started working as a company member at the Dominican National Ballet. In 2014, he became a company member of the Grand Rapids Ballet and finished his contract in 2022. Since then, Ednis has been a teacher in several dance schools and freelancing his talents with the dance community of Michigan.

 

 

 

Margaret HulingMargaret Huling, Frau Stalhbaum

Margaret Huling received her early dance training from Ballet Arts School of Dance and Ballet Arts Ensemble under her mother, Cathleen Huling. In 2004, Margaret graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Her professional dance background includes performing with Dayton Ballet and a decade of dance with Ballet Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa.

From 2011-18, Margaret was appointed Ballet Mistress for BQC under Artistic Director Courtney Lyon. She created original choreography for the company including her full-length ballet to Aaron Copland’s Rodeo, performed by BQC and Orchestra Iowa in 2017. Margaret returned to her hometown of Kalamazoo in 2018 and now serves her community as a Registered Nurse. She is honored to be a member of BAE’s board of directors and on stage once again in this magical production.

 

 

Michael LienwandMichael Lienwand, Dr. Drosselmeyer

Michael Lienwand has always combined his love for music and medicine. At UCLA, he sang in the concert choir and played keyboards in a rock band. At Johns Hopkins Medical School, he composed a wedding march for string quartet as a gift to his wife, Janis. After surgery residency in Los Angeles, critical care fellowship in Boston, and pediatric surgery fellowship in Philadelphia, he joined Bronson where he still can be found with a guitar on hospital rounds.

Michael is also proud of Crayons4Kids, his family’s nonprofit organization dedicated to brightening the lives of hospitalized children. He dedicates this performance to all his patients.  This is his ninth Nutcracker appearance and his fourth time as Drosselmeyer. He would like to thank Janis for putting up with all his shenanigans!

 

 

Seyong KimSeyong Kim, Nutcracker

Seyong Kim is originally from Seoul, South Korea, and is currently an assistant professor of dance at Western Michigan University. He holds a Master of Arts in Dance Education from New York University and an MA in Dance from Sung-Kyun-Kwan University in South Korea. He is a Certified Movement Analyst from Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies and a Registered Somatic Movement Educator at International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association. Seyong has taught for institutes including Rutgers University, Kent State University, The University of Georgia, and Ballet Arts Ensemble.

As a professional dancer, Seyong has danced with organizations including Metropolitan Opera Ballet at Lincoln Center, Albania Opera Ballet Theatre, Staten Island Ballet, and Baltimore Ballet. In addition, his choreographic works have been internationally invited at institutions including Landestheater Coburg Germany, Dance in ITALY Festival, Dzul International Dance Festival in Mexico, and Taiwan JueDai Taipei International Dance Festival.

 

Ballet Ensemble Director Betty KondoBetty Kondo, Interim Artistic Director for Ballet Arts Ensemble

Betty Kondo, originally from Bowie, Maryland, has been a professional dancer for over 15 years. She received her training at Maryland Youth Ballet and spent several summers participating in summer programs throughout the country. She began her professional career with Orlando Ballet and has since performed with many classical and contemporary ballet companies including Kansas City Ballet, Eugene Ballet, and Owen/Cox Dance Group. She has competed and won high medals in the American Dance Competition as well as the Helsinki International Ballet Competition. In addition to performing, she has over 10 years of experience teaching ballet, pointe, contemporary, conditioning, and choreography. She feels honored to return to Ballet Arts, serving the Ensemble Company as the Interim Artistic Director, and is excited to inspire the next generation of dancers to fall in love with ballet.

 

 

Kalamazoo Children's Chorus Director Taylor GudbrandsonTaylor Gudbrandson, Artist Director for Kalamazoo Children's Chorus

Taylor Gudbrandson is the past director of Choirs at Otsego Public Schools where she was recognized by her peers as Educator of the Year in 2019. Her public school choirs participated in the Michigan School Vocal Music choral and ensemble festivals with great success. She was also the director of the Bella Voce Choir of The Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus. A graduate of Central Michigan University, Gudbrandson studied vocal music education with a choral focus. She brings a well-rounded skill set being both a strong conductor and a passionate advocate for children’s choruses.

 

 

 

 

Ballet Arts EnsembleBallet Arts Ensemble

Currently the largest youth ballet company in the Kalamazoo area, Ballet Arts Ensemble (BAE) is a nonprofit organization established in 1982 by Jerre James and Bette Joachimi. The mission of BAE is to provide educational and performing opportunities for its members while perpetuating the art of dance with an emphasis in ballet.

Chosen in open auditions each May, a group of 14-20 dancers of middle through high school age are selected for membership in this exceptional dance group. Ensemble members must take two classical ballet classes a week in addition to the weekly 4-hour Ensemble class (with live accompaniment) and rehearsal block. They also benefit from outstanding instruction by a variety of guest artists and visiting teachers from such organizations as American Ballet Theatre, American Repertory Ballet, Ballet Quad Cities, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Boston Ballet, DanceWorks Chicago, Education for the Arts, Grand Rapids Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, Royal Ballet (London), Rutgers University, Tokyo Ballet, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, and Western Michigan University.

 

 

Kalamazoo Children's ChorusKalamazoo Children's Chorus

It started back in 1980, when local teacher Jeanne Frey, saw a need for choral education. She filled that need by giving Kalamazoo-area children an opportunity to explore and develop choral music when she formed the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus.

Each year about 150 children, ages eight to 18, learn and perform in an atmosphere of artistic excellence, and by so doing, enrich the artistic life of our community.

The Kalamazoo Children's Chorus is always looking for new ways to expose its singers to new music. In 2018, KCC was thrilled to participate and perform in a short film by Kyle Misak, The Acorn. They’ve sung with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, The Kalamazoo Singers, and the Kalamazoo Oratorio Society. They’ve opened at Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers, sung in several operas, and perform in The Nutcracker Ballet every two years with Ballet Arts Ensemble and the KSO. A 2013 performance of Carmina Burana with KSO was received with outstanding reviews for the Chorus!

Item details

Date

November 18, 2023 7:00PM

Location

Miller Auditorium

Name

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker

,
KSO Special Event

Description


Julian Kuerti, Conductor 

Kaleena Burks, Principal Dancer | Sugar Plum Fairy & Snow Queen

Alladson Barreto, Principal Dancer | Snow King & Cavalier

Ednis Gomez, Herr Stahlbaum & Arabian

Margaret Huling, Frau Stahlbaum

Michael Leinwand, Dr. Drosselmeyer

Seyong Kim, Nutcracker

In partnership with Ballet Arts Ensemble

Betty Kondo, Artistic Director for the Ballet Arts Ensemble

With the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus

Taylor Gudbrandson, Artistic Director of the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus

Kick off your holiday season with visions of sugar plum fairies and nutcracker princes! Together with the Ballet Arts Ensemble, the Symphony reimagines this magical Kalamazoo tradition.

This magical production is performed by a full orchestra in Miller Auditorium. With such a large ensemble, the orchestra will use the pit extension, bringing the audience and ensemble together for a Nutcracker unlike any other! Extravagant costumes and larger-than-life sets add to the magic of the stunning choreography performed by the Ballet Arts Ensemble and guest dancers.

PROGRAM

Piotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY   |   The Nutcracker

GET TICKETS FOR THIS IN-PERSON CONCERT

  • All ticket prices are subject to change.
  • $10 Student Tickets can be purchased with a valid student ID on the day of the performance at the venue's ticketing window, or purchased in person at the Epic Center's Community Box Office
    • Student Tickets are intended for students 18 years or older and can be purchased individually.
  • Under 18 Tickets can be purchased anytime for children who will be accompanied by a guardian. These can be purchased at any time along with an adult ticket.
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Tickets are not currently available for this concert.

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is performed in partnership with

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is Presented by

CWS Financial Advisors

 

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is Sponsored by

Willis Law          Denooyer

 

Media Sponsors for Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker are

WKZO      106.5 Jack FM

THANK YOU, SEASON SPONSORS 

Season presented by Zhang Financial
Season sponsored by Stryker and Greenleaf Trust

Zhang Financial and Stryker
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