This composition by David Serkin Ludwig was written as a tribute to the composer Samuel Barber, whom he greatly respected. Both Ludwig and Barber studied at the Curtis Institute of Music, and Ludwig took pride in having attended the same school as Barber.

The Beginning and Atmosphere of the Piece
The piece begins with an almost orchestral tuning, starting with an A note from the woodwinds followed by the strings, much like a tuning session. Knowing that the composition was written in admiration of Barber, it evokes the image of a composer creating something from nothing, as if adding color to a blank white canvas. The quiet of the darkened audience and the focus on the stage make the first note feel like the beginning of a new creation, symbolizing the spark of inspiration.

As the music progresses, there is a crescendo where chromatic intervals emerge, and the strings play in an irregular yet somehow rhythmic pattern, creating a sense of growing complexity.

Musical Development
Trumpets sound, and the viola and cello are divided into four parts, continuously playing eighth notes with different ties, which results in varied rhythmic stresses. The piece develops with irregularity within regularity, as if the instruments are mimicking each other in a conversational or imitative manner. This interplay between the parts creates a rich texture and an interesting dynamic throughout the piece.

Temporal Structure and Musical Flow
At the start, each instrument seems to showcase its individual characteristics, playing separately. However, as the piece unfolds, the sounds begin to blend and harmonize, suggesting a gradual coming together of the parts. At one point, a sound reminiscent of a UFO or a mechanical noise is heard, creating a sensational moment in the music. The piece concludes with a grand finish, as the brass, strings, and percussion come together in a powerful, unified sound.

Although this composition may be short in length, it provides a sufficient amount of time for the musicians to create a close relationship between the instruments and the music itself. The six-minute piece is compelling enough to capture the attention of the audience, drawing them into its evolving textures and contrasts. It is worth listening carefully to the composer’s intentions and experiencing how well they resonate with the audience.

To find a composition that imparts such a personal and emotional connection is a rare (some would say unheard of) find these days. Joan Tower’s A New Day speaks so poignantly that upon listening you feel as if she’s written this story from the first-person, or directed a movie solely shot from her point of view. As a member of the audience, embracing this world of senses offers us a brief window into Tower’s mind as a composer, wife, and human being. Dedicated to the renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein, this 2021 cello concerto was commissioned by the Colorado Music Festival, the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

A New Day tells the story of a difficult time in the composer’s life, one where her late, 95-year-old husband Jeff’s ailing health was constantly on her mind, inspiring her to pen this cello concerto in his honor. Tower has even mentioned that all of her composing following this was changed as a result, a testament to the raw integrity and honesty that we find in this piece. Although purposefully chosen for their ambiguity and ability to meld with each listener’s imagination, the titles for each movement are perfectly named markers for each day in Tower’s life, an ever-important reminder of the fragility, and therefore beauty, of the human spirit. 

“Daybreak” opens the piece, signaling the beginning of another grateful day in the couple’s life. “Working Out”, I was delighted to find, is in fact a humorous reference to both physical exercise and how she and Jeff had navigated their 48-year-long relationship. The most introspective music is found in “Mostly Alone”, reflecting the necessity of remaining solitary during her composing process. 

Tower often utilizes the instruments she writes for to their fullest abilities, and this cello concerto is a prime example throughout all its four movements. In the cadenza-like third chapter, though, we also get to hear the instrument’s likeness to the human voice on full display. The solo cello seemingly navigates the entirety of the instrument as well as the underlying complex emotions simultaneously. And finally, “Into The Night” highlights the anxiety that comes with the unknown. Because even though today was a gift, will Jeff still be alive tomorrow?

The second half of Tchaikovsky’s symphonic output shows the value of a vulnerable storyteller. There’s an essence that pervades these works from the very beginning, setting a particular mood that surrounds and defines each symphony. The feeling is conveyed with more than just a compositional device; the idea of an inevitable return to something seems to serve as the foundation for the worlds Tchaikovsky builds in his late symphonies, creating a sense of familiarity and transformation that lingers long after the music fades. 

The Fifth Symphony stands apart in character from its neighbors. Where the Fourth drives forward with its relentless, fateful fanfare theme, and the Sixth sinks into an overwhelming sense of resignation, the Fifth explores a transformation of fate that ultimately reaches triumph. Similar to how Tchaikovsky directly quotes the opening of his Fourth Symphony in its Finale, he begins the Finale of the Fifth Symphony with a restatement of its opening theme—now in a glorious maestoso orchestration, giving it a newfound sense of grandeur and resolve.

The piece begins with the theme introduced by the clarinets, which returns in various forms across each movement, creating a lingering sense of familiarity. A livelier melody takes shape transforming the solemn, march-like idea into an energetic Allegro. The slow second movement features one of Tchaikovsky’s greatest melodies, introduced by the horn, its warmth and lyricism twice interrupted by an impassioned outburst of the central theme. The third movement waltz contains all the charm and grace of his ballet scores, offering a moment of lightness before subtly hinting at the theme once more. The Finale transforms the once-dark fate theme into a triumphant, commanding major-key march, bringing the symphony to a powerful and cathartic conclusion.

Mr. Schwartzman’s credits as assistant conductor include recordings for Albany Records, Bridge Records, Naxos Records, Hyperion Records, and a Grammy-nominated world-premiere recording for Chandos Records. He had a twelve-year tenure as music director of the Blue Hill Troupe and has been assistant conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra since 2012. He has appeared as both assistant conductor and conductor at Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival at The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. He is currently resident conductor of The Orchestra Now (TŌN) and music director of the Bard College Community Orchestra. In addition to degrees in Piano Performance and Orchestral Conducting, he earned a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College.

Mr. Ramakrishnan has given solo recitals in New York, Boston, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., and has performed at Caramoor and Bargemusic; with the Chicago Chamber Musicians; and at the Aspen, Bard, Charlottesville, Four Seasons, Kingston, Lincolnshire (U.K.), Marlboro, Mehli Mehta (India), Oklahoma Mozart, Portland, Skaneateles, and Vail Music Festivals. He has toured with Musicians from Marlboro and has performed, as guest principal cellist, with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. As a guest member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, he has performed in New Delhi and Agra, India and in Cairo, Egypt. He has served on the faculties of the Kneisel Hall, Norfolk, and Taconic Chamber Music Festivals, as well as in the Music Performance Program of Columbia University.

Mr. Ramakrishnan was born in Athens, Ohio and grew up in East Patchogue, New York. His father is a molecular biologist and his mother is the children’s book author and illustrator Vera Rosenberry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Harvard University and a master’s degree in music from The Juilliard School. His principal teachers have been Fred Sherry, Andrés Díaz, and André Emelianoff. He lives in New York City with his wife, the violist Melissa Reardon, and their son. He plays a Neapolitan cello made by Vincenzo Jorio in 1837.

Mr. Ludwig has received commissions and notable performances from many of the most recognized artists and ensembles of our time, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, and Hawaii Symphony, as well as soloists and ensembles including Jonathan Biss, Jeremy Denk, Jennifer Koh, Jaime Laredo, David Shifrin, eighth blackbird, the Dover and Borromeo Quartets, Imani Winds, the PRISM Saxophone Quartet, and conductors Yannick Nezet Sequin, Manfred Honeck, Ken David Masur, Jaime Laredo, Ken Lam, Juanjo Mena, Tito Muñoz, and JoAnn Falletta.

In 2023 Mr. Ludwig was honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters as recipient of their annual award in music. In 2022 he was awarded the Stoeger Prize from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the largest of its kind for chamber music. He received the prestigious 2018 Pew Center for the Arts and Heritage Fellowship, as well as the First Music Award, and is a two-time recipient of the Independence Foundation Fellowship, a Theodore Presser Foundation Career Grant, and awards from New Music USA, the American Composers Forum, American Music Center, Detroit Chamber Winds, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 2021 Mr. Ludwig was named a Steinway Artist by Steinway and Sons. He served on the composition faculty of The Curtis Institute of Music for nearly two decades before being appointed dean and director of music of The Juilliard School in June 2021. He lives in New York City with his wife, acclaimed violinist Bella Hristova, and their four beloved cats.

In 2020 Chamber Music America honored Ms. Tower with its Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award and Musical America chose her to be its 2020 Composer of the Year. In 2019 the League of American Orchestras awarded her its highest honor, the Gold Baton. She is the first composer chosen for a Ford Made in America consortium commission of sixty-five orchestras. Leonard Slatkin and the Nashville Symphony recorded Made in America in 2006 along with Tambor and Concerto for Orchestra. In 2008 the album collected three Grammy awards: Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Best Classical Album, and Best Orchestral Performance. Nashville’s latest all-Tower recording includes Stroke, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

In 1990 Ms. Tower became the first woman to win the prestigious Grawemeyer Award for Silver Ladders, a piece she wrote for the St. Louis Symphony, where she was Composer-in-Residence from 1985–88. Other residencies with orchestras include a 10-year residency with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (1997–2007) and the Pittsburgh Symphony (2010–11). She was the Albany Symphony’s Mentor Composer partner in the 2013–14 season. She was cofounder and pianist for the Naumburg Award-winning Da Capo Chamber Players from 1970–85. She has received honorary doctorates from Smith College, the New England Conservatory, and Illinois State University. She is Asher Edelman Professor of Music at Bard College, where she has taught since 1972.

TŌN performs dozens of concerts a year at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Fisher Center at Bard. Specializing in both familiar and rarely heard repertoire, the orchestra has given numerous New York, U.S., and world premieres, and has performed the work of living composers, including Joan Tower, Jessie Montgomery, Jonny Greenwood, and Tania León. In 2023, TŌN appeared with Bradley Cooper in the Academy Award-nominated film Maestro, and was featured on the Grammy-winning Deutsche Grammophon soundtrack, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The orchestra has performed with many other distinguished guest conductors and soloists, including Leonard Slatkin, Gil Shaham, Neeme Järvi, Stephanie Blythe, Fabio Luisi, Vadim Repin, Joseph Young, Peter Serkin, Naomi Woo, Peter Moore, Tan Dun, and JoAnn Falletta. 

TŌN has released several albums on the Hyperion, Sorel Classics, and AVIE labels. 2024 saw the release of both The Lost Generation and Exodus, featuring several world-premiere recordings. Other highlights include rare recordings of Othmar Schoeck’s Lebendig begraben and Bristow’s Arcadian Symphony, and the soundtrack to the motion picture Forte. Recordings of TŌN’s live concerts from the Fisher Center can be heard regularly on Classical WMHT-FM and WWFM The Classical Network, and the orchestra has appeared over 100 times on Performance Today, broadcast nationwide.

Visit ton.bard.edu to find out more about TŌN’s academic program, concerts, musicians, albums, and broadcasts; sign up for the email list; and support the orchestra with a donation.

Chance McDermott Concertmaster
Lap Yin Lee
Haley Maurer Gillia
Samuel Frois
Hanyu Feng
Lana Auerbach
Zeyi Sun
Shengjia (Sherry) Zhang
Yi Ting Kuo TŌN ’24
Zhen Liu TŌN ’23

Yuchen Zhao Principal
Nayoung Kim
Enikő Samu
Jonathan Fenwick
Emerie Mon
Carlos Torres
Heather Lambert
Luca Sakon
Yaewon Choi not performing in this concert
Angeles Hoyos not performing in this concert
Seunghye Park not performing in this concert

Tania Ladino Ramirez Principal
Enoch Ng
Chia-Mei (Lily) Li
Samuel Omalyev
Michael Halbrook
Batmyagmar Erdenebat TŌN ’23

Dariimaa Batsaikhan Principal
Alfred Western
Jihyun Hwang
Shawn Thoma
Elvira Hoyos Malagon
Anita Balázs
Sam Boundy not performing in this concert

Yu-Cih Chang Principal
Holdan Arbey Silva Acosta
Shion Kim
Jud Mitchell
Jack Corcoran
Zacherie Small

Jordan Arbus Principal (Ludwig, Tower)
Olivia Chaikin Principal (Tchaikovsky)
Chase McClung Piccolo (Ludwig)

Yejin Kim Principal (Ludwig, Tower)
David Zoschnick Principal (Tchaikovsky)
Quinton Bodnár-Smith English Horn (Ludwig)

Dávid Kéringer Principal (Ludwig, Tower)
Colby Bond Principal (Tchaikovsky)
Zachary Gassenheimer

Miranda Macias Principal (Ludwig, Tower)
Kylie Bartlett Principal (Tchaikovsky)
Chaoyang Jing

Tori Boell Principal (Ludwig)
Ziming Zhu Principal (Tower)
Daniel Itzkowitz Principal (Tchaikovsky), Assistant (Ludwig)
Douglas Nunes
Felix Johnson ’23 APS ’25 Assistant (Tower, Tchaikovsky)

Forrest Albano Principal (Ludwig)
Giulia Rath Principal (Tower)
Jid-anan Netthai Principal (Tchaikovsky)

Zachary Johnson Principal
Riley Lyons IAP ’26
Samuel Boeger Bass Trombone

Tyler Woodbury

Pei Hsien (Ariel) Lu

Philip Drembus
Luca Esposito
Nick Goodson

Cheng Wei (Ashley) Lim not performing in this concert

Neilson Chen

Joseph J. Baxer and Barbara Bacewicz
Karl Moschner and Hannelore Wilfert
Michael L. Privitera
Emily Sachar

Michael E. Dorf and Sarah Connors
Carissa Escober Doran and Charles Doran
Gary M. Giardina

Helen V. Atlas
Randy C. Faerber ’73
Bernard and Lisa S. King-Smith
The Masurovsky Family Gifting Fund
The Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation
Christine T. Munson
Lawrence T. Nash, in memory of Naomi M. Nash

Curtis DeVito and Dennis Wedlick
Steven Holl and Dimitra Tsachrelia
Kassell Family Foundation of the Jewish Communal Fund
Edna and Gary Lachmund
Northwestern Mutual Foundation
Joseph and Barbara Schoenberg
Vivian J. Sukenik
Marc A. and Dana Lim vanderHeyden

Barbara J. Ewert
Dr. Sanford J. Friedman and Virginia Howsam
Jan M. Guifarro
Scott Huang
Susan and Roger Kennedy
Alison Lankenau
Sara T. Rabbino
Richard and Enid Rizzo
Bruce and Blanche Rubin
Denise S. Simon and Paulo Vieira da Cunha
Alice Stroup, in memory of Timothy Stroup
Tryon Family Foundation
David and Marcia Welles

Anonymous
William Bell
Michelle Clayman
Marc and Margaret Cohen, in honor of Colby Bond TŌN ’25
John Cubba and John Cirincion
Dvorak Giving Fund
Elizabeth Ely ’65
Peter and David Eng-Chernack
​​Maia Farish, in memory of Don Farish
Mildred Feinsilber
Michel Goldberg and Frances Spark
Brian J. Heck
Innovation4Media
Karen Kaczmar and George P. Jahn
Erica Kiesewetter
Laurie and Michael Pollock Fund of Fidelity Charitable
Tyler Lory, in memory of Michael Rauschenberg
Maury Newburger Foundation
Ken and Lindsay Morgan
Walter Mullin and Julian Kaplin
Barry Nalebuff and Helen Kauder
Andrea and James Nelkin
Arthur Reynolds
Lynda V. Schwab-Edmundson
Susan Seidel
Arlene and Gilbert Seligman
Jennifer Shykula ’96 and Thomas Ochs
Anne-Katrin Spiess
Joseph Sweeney
Judith R. Thoyer
Gene L. Vidal

Naja Armstrong
Arleen Auerbach
Robert and Cyndi Bear
Marvin F. Bielawski
Diane and Ronald Blum
Dora Jeanette Canaday
Nicole M. de Jesus ’94 and Brian P. Walker
Phyllis and Joe DiBianco
Hildegard F. Edling ’78 and Richard Edling
Peter C. Gay
William J. Harper
William Harrison
Elena R. and Fred Howard
Judith and Ron Goodman Charitable Trust of Fidelity
Susan B. and Peter J. LeVangia
Martha V. Lyon
Fulvia M. Masi, in memory of William Tanksley
Robert K. Montgomery
Helmut Norpoth
Jan and Jim Smyth
Daniel J. Thornton

Philip B. Ardell
Stephanie G. Beroes
Katherine B. Berry
Marge and Edward Blaine
Richard Brand
Roberta Brangam
Marie-Louise Brauch
Geri Brodsky
Kent Alan Brown
Milad Daniari TŌN ’18
Vincent M. Dicks
Craig Diehl and Michael Koelsch
Janet Feldman
Renate L. Friedrichsen
Helena and Christopher H. Gibbs
Jeffrey E. Glen and Rosita Abramson
Nathan A. Hamm
Lee Haring
Michaela Harnick
Stan Harrison
Stephen J. Hoffman
Thomas Hofmann
Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations
L&T Freudenheim Fund of Bernstein Philanthropic Impact Fund
Nancy S. Leonard and Lawrence Kramer
Jane W. Meisel
Warren R. Mikulka
Gary E. Morgan
Martin L. and Lucy Miller Murray
Stanley and Bette Nitzky
Ross and Marianne Parrino
Edith K. Payne
Denise T. Pitcher
Kelly A. Preyer and James Blakney
Thomas J. Shykula
Theodore J. Smith
Anne M. Sunners
Éric Trudel
Susan L. Waysdorf and Mary K. O’Melveney
Hugh Young
Drs. Julie and Sandy Zito

Patricia Ahearn
Frederick E. Allen and Erica De Mane
Matthew C. Bernstein
Lawrence D. Blau and Karen Johnsen
Joyce W. Brown
Renée Burgevin
Anusheh and Paul Byrne
Isabel R. Contento and Robert F. Clark
Richard Desir, in memory of Pierre Desir
Thomas J. De Stefano
Mary Lou Dillon
Malva Filer
​​Teresa Genin
Beverly Gillia, in honor of Haley Gillia TŌN ’26
Peter C. Goss
Tamara J. Gruszko
Nancy S. Hemmes
Suzanne Johnson
Steven Jonas
Robert Kappes
Barbara Komansky
Nancy Lupton
Nina Lynch
Phyllis Marsteller
Guenther May
Kenneth J. McCormick
Shirley A. Mueller and Paul Tepper
Anne I. Odwyer
Andrew Penkalo
Shirley G. Perle*
Michael P. Pillot
Cathy and Fred Reinis
Robert B. Renbeck
Rosina Romano
Arlene Romoff
Martin J. Rosenblum
Patricia Scharlin
Gerald Scorse
Shari Siegel
William M. Solis
Catherine Susser and Jacques Luiggi
The Talays
George A. Wachtel/Audience Research & Analysis
Michael S. Weinstock
Ian A. Zimmerman ’92

Anonymous
Michelle Ajami
Sol Bergelson
Elaine Berk
Harriet Bussel
Harriet D. Causbie
Marsha S. Clark
Courtney R. Conte
Karen M. Harvey
Maung S. Htoo, in memory of Anne Htoo
Tod Klebanoff
Brenda Klein
Pat Miller
Yuka Nishino
Sandra Novick
Brigitte Roepke
Caroline Ryan
Mary T. Sheerin
Gail Sherain
Anna Shuster
John Staugaitis
Lane Steinberg

Leon Botstein Music Director
James Bagwell Associate Conductor and Academic Director 
Jindong Cai Associate Conductor
Zachary Schwartzman Resident Conductor
Leonardo Pineda ’15 TŌN ’19 Interim Assistant Conductor
Erica Kiesewetter Director of Orchestral Studies
Keisuke Ikuma Director of Chamber Music
Sima Mitchell First Year Seminar Faculty

Kristin Roca Executive Director
Marielle Metivier Orchestra Manager
Petra Elek Capabianca ’16 APS ’20 TŌN ’24 Assistant Orchestra Manager
Viktor Tóth ’16 TŌN ’21 Special Events Coordinator and Eastern/Central European Music Curator
Matt Walley TŌN ’19 Program Coordinator, Admissions and Artist Relations
Sebastian Danila Music Preparer and Researcher
Benjamin Oatmen Librarian
Leonardo Pineda ’15 TŌN ’19 Director of Youth Educational Performance and South American Music Curator
Shawn Hutchison TŌN ’22 Recruitment and Alumni/ae Coordinator

Brian J. Heck Director of Marketing
Nicole M. de Jesús ’94 Director of Development
Pascal Nadon Public Relations

Stephen Dean Orchestra Production Manager
Grace Anne Orchestra Stage Manager
Liz Cohen Orchestra Stage Manager
Nora Rubenstone ’11 Associate Orchestra Production Manager

James C. Chambers ’81 Chair
Emily H. Fisher Vice Chair
Brandon Weber ’97 Vice Chair, Alumni/ae Trustee
Elizabeth Ely ’65 Secretary; Life Trustee
Stanley A. Reichel ’65 Treasurer; Life Trustee
Fiona Angelini
Roland J. Augustine
Leon Botstein President of the College, ex officio
Mark E. Brossman
Marcelle Clements ’69 Life Trustee
Asher B. Edelman ’61 Life Trustee
Kimberly Marteau Emerson
Barbara S. Grossman ’73 Alumni/ae Trustee
Andrew S. Gundlach
Glendean Hamilton ’09
The Rt. Rev. Matthew F. Heyd
Catharine Bond Hill
Matina S. Horner ex officio
Charles S. Johnson III ’70
Mark N. Kaplan Life Trustee
George A. Kellner
Fredric S. Maxik ’86
Jo Frances Meyer ex officio
Juliet Morrison ’03
James H. Ottaway Jr. Life Trustee
Hilary Pennington
Martin Peretz Life Trustee
Stewart Resnick Life Trustee
David E. Schwab II ’52 Life Trustee
Roger N. Scotland ’93 Alumni/ae Trustee
Annabelle Selldorf
Mostafiz ShahMohammed ’97
Jonathan Slone ’84
James A. von Klemperer
Susan Weber

Leon Botstein President
Coleen Murphy Alexander ’00 Vice President for Administration
Jonathan Becker Executive Vice President; Vice President for Academic Affairs; Director, Center for Civic Engagement
Erin Cannan Vice President for Civic Engagement
Deirdre d’Albertis Vice President; Dean of the College
Malia K. Du Mont ’95 Vice President for Strategy and Policy; Chief of Staff
Peter Gadsby Vice President for Enrollment Management; Registrar
Mark D. Halsey Vice President for Institutional Research and Assessment
Max Kenner ’01 Vice President; Executive Director, Bard Prison Initiative
Debra Pemstein Vice President for Development and Alumni/ae Affairs
Taun Toay ’05 Senior Vice President; Chief Financial Officer
Stephen Tremaine ’07 Vice President of Network Education
Dumaine Williams ’03 Vice President for Student Affairs; Dean of Early Colleges