Helios Overture, Op. 17 / 1903 / Carl Nielsen
Carl Nielsen’s Helios Overture, Op. 17, composed in 1903 during his stay in Greece, is a vivid musical depiction of the sun’s journey across the Aegean Sea. Titled after the Greek word for “sun,” Helios begins with a quiet, mysterious sunrise. The music swells as the sun rises higher, bursting into radiant brass and soaring strings to portray its full strength at midday. Gradually, the intensity subsides, ending with a peaceful sunset. Rich in orchestral color and dynamic contrast, Helios captures both the awe-inspiring beauty of nature and Nielsen’s unique Nordic voice.

Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat Major; III. Alla Polacca / 1811 / Carl Maria von Weber
The third movement of Carl Maria von Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat Major, marked Alla Polacca, is a lively and virtuosic finale in the style of a Polish dance. Composed in 1811 for clarinetist Heinrich Baermann, the concerto reflects Weber’s theatrical flair and deep understanding of the clarinet’s capabilities. The Polacca—a stately dance in triple meter—is infused here with playful character, syncopated rhythms, and sudden mood changes that give the music a sparkling, operatic personality. The soloist navigates dazzling leaps, rapid passagework, and expressive ornamentation, often evoking the elegance and humor of a comic opera aria. This colorful movement brings the concerto to a brilliant close, celebrating both the clarinet’s agility and Weber’s gift for blending virtuosic display with charm and character.

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35; III. Allegro assai vivace / 1945 / Erich Wolfgang Korngold
The third movement of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, is a spirited Rondo: Allegro assai vivace that bursts with cinematic flair and virtuosity. A leading composer of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Korngold drew directly from his film scores for this concerto, including the lively main theme of this finale, which comes from his 1937 score for The Prince and the Pauper. Infused with rhythmic vitality and playful exchanges between soloist and orchestra, the movement showcases both Korngold’s Romantic lyricism and his flair for theatrical drama. 

The Moldau / 1874 / Bedřich Smetana
Composed in 1874, The Moldau is the second and most famous of six symphonic poems in Bedřich Smetana’s cycle Má vlast (“My Homeland”). It musically traces the journey of the Vltava River from its source in the Bohemian forest through the Czech countryside and the city of Prague. The piece opens with flutes and clarinets suggesting two springs, which merge into the broad river, depicted by a flowing, lyrical main theme in the strings. Along its course, the music evokes a hunt in the woods, a village wedding, moonlit waters with dancing river nymphs, and the rapids of St. John before reaching the majestic city of Prague. Written while Smetana was completely deaf, The Moldau is both a vivid musical painting and a powerful expression of Czech national pride, celebrating the beauty and spirit of the composer’s homeland.

America the Beautiful / 1960 / Carmen Dragon
Carmen Dragon’s America the Beautiful transforms the beloved patriotic hymn into a lush, symphonic work. Originally a poem by Katharine Lee Bates (1893) and set to Samuel A. Ward’s 1882 melody, the song gained new life through Dragon’s cinematic style—he was an Academy Award-winning film composer and longtime conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra. His 1960 arrangement is noted for its sweeping dynamics and poignant harmonic color. This timeless setting captures both the majesty of the nation and the heartfelt ideals expressed in its iconic lyrics.

The U.S. Army Orchestra 

Violin 1 
SSG Charles Gleason, Columbus, OH 
SFC Patrick Lin, Fargo, ND 
SSG Jordan Hendy, Berkeley Heights, NJ  
SFC Sergey Prokofyev, Brooklyn, NY 
MSG Catherine Gerhiser, Savannah, GA 
MSG Rob Martin, Philadelphia, PA 

Violin 2 
SGM Matthew J. Evans, State College, PA 
SFC Judith Cho, Brooklyn, NY 
MSG Annette Barger, Atlanta, GA 
SFC Lisa Park, Lexington, MA 
CSM Marlisa Woods, Fairfax, VA 

Viola 
SSG Julia Clancy, Shoreham, NY 
SSG Rebecca Barnett, Baltimore, MD 
SSG Erica Schwartz, Albany, NY 
SSG Austin Simmons, Arlington, TX 

Cello
SFC Hrant Parsamian, Plovdiv, Bulgaria 
SSG James Hettinga, Elyria, OH 
SSG Aaron Ludwig, Saint Louis, MO 
MSG Benjamin Wensel, Rochester, NY 

Bass 
SSG Patrick Spallinger, Philadelphia, PA 
MSG Eric Seay, Oak Ridge, TN 

Flute
SFC Carol Joe Ingles, Los Angeles, CA 
SFC Jenna Taylor, Jupiter, FL 
SSG Jennifer Zhou, Columbus, OH 

Oboe 
SSG Audrey Yu, East Amherst, NY 
MSG Meredeth Rouse, Boston, MA 

Clarinet 
SSG Kenji Bellavigna, Corte Madera, CA 
SSG Ju Young Yi, Long Island, NY 
MSG Martin Gold, Sarasota, FL 

Bassoon 
SGM Dean Woods, Dalton, GA 
MSG Patrician Morgan, Glenn Dale, MD 
SSG Thomas Reynolds, Farmington Hills, MI 

Horn 
SFC Patrick Furlo, Clarkston, MI 
SSG Jacob Wiggins, Baton Rouge, LA 
SSG Miles Teague, Downers Grove, IL 
SSG Ben Ruiz, Flower Mound, TX 
SSG Matthew Meadows, Jasper, AL                          

Trumpet 
SGM Troy McKay, Richmond, MO 
MSG Erik J. Ramos, Saint John, IN 
MSG Drew Fremder, Cedarburg, WI 

Trombone 
MSG Samuel Woodhead, Northport, ME 
SFC Adam McColley, Tampa, FL 
SFC Kyle Gordon, Harlan, IA 

Tuba 
SSG Marc Placencia, Glendale, AZ 

Percussion 
SFC Jacob Harpster, Topeka, KS 
SFC Peter Soroka, Richmond, VA 
SSG Oni Lara, Edinburg, TX 

Timpani 
SSG Jonathan Milke, Wamego, KS 

Harp 
MSG Nadia Pessoa, Miami, FL 

Celeste
SFC Nicholas Starr, Arlington, VA 

Donovan Holt-Harrington
Donovan Holt-Harrington is an 18-year-old Senior at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Maryland. Music is his passion. He participates in musical groups including the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Maryland Sr. All-State Orchestra as the principal clarinetist and has even performed at Carnegie Hall with the High School Honors Performance Series. In addition, Donovan is the 2022 NAACP ACT-SO National Silver Medal Winner in the Instrumental - Classical category, the 2023 NAACP ACT-SO National Gold Medal Winner in the Instrumental - Contemporary category, and the 2024 National Gold Medal Winner in the Music Composition category.  He is a 2024-25 National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellow and was recently selected to perform with the NAfME All-Eastern Band.  Outside of music, Donovan is a Boy Scout and is an honor student in school with a 3.75 unweighted GPA and a 4.66 weighted GPA. He has also shown great passion for culture and language proficiency by passing the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish. 

Jacqi Fan
Violinist Jacqi Fan is a dedicated young artist currently studying at the Peabody Preparatory, where she has trained for over a decade under the guidance of Rebecca Henry. At the Prep, Jacqi is a five-year member of the Pre-Conservatory Violin Program and a distinguished winner of both the Honors and Shared Recital competitions, as well as a Peabody Achievement Award. She has also received accolades in several regional and international competitions, including the Goldie and Feder Memorial String Competition, the Jack Weaver Memorial Competition, and the International Best Bach Competition. Her artistry has been shaped by mentorship from celebrated violinists such as Stefan Jackiw, Jennifer Koh, and Herbert Greenberg. In addition to her studies at Peabody, Jacqi is an active member of the music community at Centennial High School, where she enjoys soloing and leading in both the pit and chamber orchestras. Most recently, Jacqi was accepted into the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, where she looks forward to further developing her musical voice and experience.

Violin 1
Jacqi Fan, Ellicott City, MD
Joshua Gwon, Fairfax, VA
Chloe Chung, Marriottsville, MD
David Wang, Gaithersburg, MD
Yuto Shimomura, Bethesda, MD

Violin 2
Kayla Kwon, Chantilly, VA
Whitney Bruch, Alexandria, VA
Daphne Wen, North Potomac, MD
Ethan Chung, Centreville, VA

Viola
Allison Kim, Fairfax, VA
Benjamin Whiting-Eisemann, Kensington, MD
Angelin Cho, Clarksburg, MD
Philip Weeks, Brambleton, VA
Madelyn Crawford, Huntingtown, MD
Ethan Park, North Potomac, MD

Cello
Elías Swift, Falls Church, VA
Christopher Chung, Marriottsville, MD
Aaron Hwang, Potomac, MD
Noah Barger, Springfield, VA
Marilyn Huang, Rockville, MD
Vincent Ji, Oakton, VA

Bass
Zachary Desmond, Ellicott City, MD

Flute
Hannah Choi, Ellicott City, MD
Noelle Hahn, Ellicott City, MD

Oboe
Lydia You, Clarksville, MD
Hiroki Matsui, Haymarket, VA

Clarinet
Donovan Holt- Harrington, Boyds, MD

Bassoon
Oscar José Machado Morón, Germantown, MD
Clare Colligan, Herndon, VA

Trumpet
Nathan Huang, Clarksville, MD