Endeavor Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra & Andrew Sewell

• Regina Harris Baiocchi (b. 1956): Muse for Orchestra:
• 1 Baiocchi: Muse for Orchestra 06:21
• Autumn Maria Reed (b. 1992): Mental Health Suite for Chamber Orchestra:
• 2 Reed: Mental Health Suite for Chamber Orchestra: I. The Origin Story 05:11
• 3 Reed: Mental Health Suite for Chamber Orchestra: II. The Persistent Past 04:09
• 4 Reed: Mental Health Suite for Chamber Orchestra: III. The Fearful Future 02:47
• 5 Reed: Mental Health Suite for Chamber Orchestra: IV. As If Nothing Happened 04:53
• Xavier Dubois Foley (b. 1994): Soul Bass:
• 6 Foley: Soul Bass: I. Prelude 09:57
• 7 Foley: Soul Bass: II. Chorus 05:24
• 8 Foley: Soul Bass: III. Fugue 05:13
• Eric Gould (b. 1957): An American City for Orchestra:
• 9 Gould: An American City for Orchestra: I. From Native Lands 04:30
• 10 Gould: An American City for Orchestra: II. Men and Machines 04:25
• 11 Gould: An American City for Orchestra: III. Legacy and Vision 04:37
• Omar Thomas (b. 1984): Of Our New Day Begun:
• 12 Thomas: Of Our New Day Begun 12:12
• Total Runtime 01:09:39

Info for Endeavor

Originality and inclusivity are front and center on ENDEAVOR, the third installment in the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s Musical Landscapes in Color project. Featuring works by diverse, living composers, the album makes a vibrant splash in the pool of contemporary repertoire.

Endeavor is a bold exploration of the relentless pursuit of excellence. From Regina Harris Baiocchi’s evocative Muse for Orchestra to the world premiere of Madison local Autumn Maria Reed’s Mental Health Suite, this program is a testament to resilience and creativity. Experience the cinematic sweep of Eric Gould’s An American City and the passionate tribute of Omar Thomas’ Of Our New Day Begun, which blends soulful tones with powerful rhythms. The performance culminates with the raw power of Xavier Foley’s Soul Bass concerto, as the composer himself joins the ensemble as a soloist.

This expressive, original, and forward-thinking album makes one thing clear: the future of classical music is now, and the bar has been raised.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
Andrew Sewell, conductor

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
was founded in 1960 by Gordon B. Wright as the Madison Summer Symphony Orchestra. The Summer Symphony’s repertoire consisted of great orchestral music from all ages. Our concerts were free to the public from the beginning. Upon leaving Wisconsin in 1969, Wright tapped David Lewis Crosby to lead the orchestra.

In 1974, the Madison Summer Symphony officially became the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra to reflect our expanded mission to serve communities across the state throughout the entire year. Continuing to grow, in 1980, we debuted our first season of indoor concerts, called the Artist Series, at the Madison Civic Center during its first year of operation. That series has evolved over time and today is the WCO’s Masterworks series, which has brought dozens of world-class guest performers to Wisconsin audiences.

In the winter of 1983, Madison businesswoman Pleasant Rowland saw the opportunity to improve access to the arts and create a sense of community while gathering on the beautiful Wisconsin State Capitol lawn. By the next summer, that idea evolved into our first season of Concerts on the Square. Like today, the series was completely free of charge for the entire community. It has grown into a gem of Madison, and annually over 200,000 patrons come together on Square for this six-concert series.

Following the unexpected passing of Maestro Crosby in 1998, Andrew Sewell was named Music Director in fall 2000. Under Maestro Sewell’s 20 years of leadership, the WCO’s ventures have grown to include the statewide Young Artist Concerto Competition, Messiah performances at Blackhawk Church, performances of The Nutcracker in collaboration with Madison Ballet, and our Side by Side project concerts with young musicians of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras.

The WCO has been a resident company of Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI since its opening in 2004. The Overture Center was made possible by the trailblazing philanthropy of Jerry Frautschi, who donated $205 million to initiate its creation. Since becoming one of the resident companies of Overture, the WCO has fully established itself as one of the premier chamber ensembles in the United States and brings the best of classical music to hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites each year.

Andrew Sewell
Maestro Sewell enters his twenty-fifth season as music director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and eighth season with the San Luis Obispo Symphony.His previous appointments include tenures with the Wichita, Toledo and Mansfield Symphonies.

Known for his innovative programming and knack for discovering new talent, Sewell is a highly skilled orchestra builder with a wide knowledge and range of repertoire. In demand as a guest conductor, he has led the Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee, Columbus, Syracuse, Illinois, Monterey, Gulf Coast, and Eugene Symphony Orchestras, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony, National Symphony of Mexico, Kyushu Symphony (Japan), City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, OK Mozart Festival, WI Peninsula Music Festival, and Masterworks Festivals in the US and London.

A native of New Zealand, Maestro Sewell received his music training on the violin, piano and cornet, and began conducting at age 16. Six years later, he made his professional opera debut with the Mercury Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Winning the Australian Guarantee Corporation’s Young Achiever’s Award allowed him to further his studies abroad. Sewell holds a Master of Music degree with Honors in Conducting from the University of Michigan.

Over the years Andrew has been credited with numerous awards for services to music including the 2017 Service to Music Award from the Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras, the 2013 Rabin Arts Youth Award for Individual Achievement by the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, the 2005 Best Individual Artist Award by Wichita Arts Council, and 2005 Musician of the Year by the Wisconsin State Journal, for services to music and the greater arts community.

While not conducting, Andrew enjoys cycling the backroads of Wisconsin and San Luis Obispo and visiting family in New Zealand. He and his wife, Mary, have three grown children and reside in Madison.

This album contains no booklet.