PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts
Madison Symphony at 100
Special | 1h 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
John DeMain leads a performance of classics celebrating Madison Symphony's 100 years.
The Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years with a concert of time-honored classics. Maestro John DeMain leads the MSO with Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy” featuring Julian Rhee on violin, Holst’s “The Planets,” and a rousing finale of "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9." Recorded June 14, 2026.
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PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts
Madison Symphony at 100
Special | 1h 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
The Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years with a concert of time-honored classics. Maestro John DeMain leads the MSO with Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy” featuring Julian Rhee on violin, Holst’s “The Planets,” and a rousing finale of "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9." Recorded June 14, 2026.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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- Announcer: The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.
[bright classical music] - Narrator: A centennial jubilee.
The Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years and honors Maestro John DeMain and his 32 seasons as music director.
A special performance of time-honored classics by George Gershwin, Pablo de Sarasate with Julian Rhee on violin, [bright violin music] Gustav Holst, [stately classical music] and a grand finale of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ - Narrator: It's Madison Symphony at 100.
- Announcer: Funding for this program is provided by Wooden Nickel Fund, Barbara Brand, Elizabeth Olson, the Stanley and Shirley Inhorn Fund, Jane Hamblen and Rob Lemanske, Terry Haller, Valerie and Andreas Kazamias, Judith and Nick Topitzes, the John W. and Lenore L. Landry Endowment, donors to the Focus Fund for the Arts and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
[ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [bright orchestral music] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [ An American in Paris by George Gershwin] [cheers and applause] - John DeMain: Big thrill for me is inviting Julian Rhee to be our guest artist.
Julian won his first competition with us when he was nine years old, and he showed up wearing these red-rimmed glasses.
- Julian Rhee: I've performed with Maestro DeMain now four times.
So, I did the Fall Youth Concerto Competition twice.
And then did the Bolz Young Artist Competition twice in high school.
[bright violin music] I'm a violinist and I'm mostly based in New York these days, but was born and raised in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and did all of my studies in Boston.
- He's having a major career and playing with all the big orchestras now, and he has a big fellowship at Lincoln Center with... He's a star.
- Julian: It's certainly heartwarming because my experiences with the Madison Symphony were incredibly formative.
To have those rehearsals, to then really perform for a huge and appreciative audience, those really stand out, at least for me in my memory.
The opportunities at that age are so, so huge in terms of actually being able to translate the work into performance capacity.
And I still reflect on those very, very often.
[bright violin music] - John: And he's gonna play the Sarasate version of the Carmen fantasy.
So, it's themes from the opera Carmen.
- Which is a kind of staple for violin virtuosity, beauty, warmth, and a lot of fun, really.
What's unique about Carmen Fantasy by Sarasate is there's a kind of freedom and individual virtuosity that comes with any violin showpiece, but then, because of its history and its context, you have-- you work in a certain framework that gives you actually more freedom, I think.
So, I felt very free and alive to be able to take risks and make choices because I actually have more to work with.
[ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [lively orchestral music] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [ Carmen Fantasy, Op.
25 by Pablo de Sarasate] [cheers and applause] - John: My goodness gracious.
Thank you all for being here.
I haven't looked up that high in a long time.
[applause] So, happy birthday to the Madison Symphony.
A joke I've been telling all year is that it's not my centennial.
[laughter] - Robert Reed: When someone turns 100 years old, that's huge.
It's been great that we have this orchestra to be the foundation of the arts scene here in Madison.
Our final concerts this weekend will be the ultimate, you know, celebration for the organization, as we will really involve every aspect of this community.
- Overture Center is our home where we play, and we should just invite people in, and then we bring together the community with all different kinds of music.
- ♪ Helena ♪ ♪ Tú qué estás bien buena ♪ - ♪ And all my friends will be screaming ♪ [lively steel drum music] - Robert: We're not thinking about the Madison Symphony.
We're thinking about the community and that we're part of the community.
And so, that we've built this whole festival.
- John: It's all about music, and for them to get to know us and for us to get to know them.
It's a joyful time for me because the orchestra's playing so well.
And I'm looking back on these 32 years.
And, of course, the shining moment was the Overture Center for the Arts.
Even though it's multipurpose, it's a real concert hall that has great acoustics overall and great acoustics for opera.
Oh, my goodness.
I mean, we have a home, so we're blessed during my time here.
And so, I feel very happy about all of that.
[ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [stately orchestral music] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [movement ends] [gentle orchestral music] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [movement ends] [bright orchestral music] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [ The Planets, Op.
32 by Gustav Holst] [cheers and applause] - I came here in 1994, and I was 18 years at Houston Grand Opera, and I was frustrated because I wanted to do more symphonic work.
Crescendo.
Ping, yah bop bop bop bah!
But I always loved orchestral conducting, and I thought I could be good at it.
My agent at the time told me that Roland Johnson, my predecessor, was retiring and that they were looking, and that it was a well-funded orchestra even at the time, you know, which was, of course, music to my ears.
So, Barbara and I came up here and found this house that we're sitting in right now 32 years ago.
And the journey began, and what a journey it was.
- Robert: We're celebrating 100 years.
And the amazing thing is, we've only had four music directors of the Madison Symphony in that 100 years.
I would say the orchestra became truly professional under John DeMain.
When he arrived, it was more of a community orchestra.
Not everybody was paid.
Now, when we have auditions for positions, people from all over the country are auditioning for the job.
[bright orchestral music] We had high expectations 'cause he came from the Houston Opera, so he had really strong vision of where the organization could go.
And so, he brought a lot of that with his Italian charm and charisma.
- So, my finale for this concert, of course, is the Beethoven Ninth.
I mean, it's a piece that I, as a conductor, absolutely adore.
It's a piece that has been so important because it talks about the brotherhood of mankind and has been associated with revolutions, with triumphs.
[bright orchestral music] I wanna close with that because it's truly a joyous celebration of our being here for 100 years.
And this festival weekend is about celebrating 100 years and launching the next 100 years.
[Symphony No.
9 in D Minor, Op.
125 by Ludwig van Beethoven] [triumphant orchestral music] [Symphony No.
9 in D Minor, Op.
125 by Ludwig van Beethoven] ♪ O Freunde ♪ ♪ Nicht diese Töne ♪ [stately orchestral music] ♪ Sondern lasst uns angenehmere anstimmen ♪ ♪ Und freudenvollere ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] ♪ Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen ♪ ♪ Eines Freundes Freund zu sein ♪ ♪ Wer ein holdes Weib errungen ♪ ♪ Mische seinen Jubel ein ♪ ♪ Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele ♪ ♪ Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund ♪ ♪ Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle ♪ ♪ Weinend sich aus diesem Bund ♪ ♪ Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele ♪ ♪ Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund ♪ ♪ Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle ♪ ♪ Weinend sich aus diesem Bund ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] ♪ Freude trinken alle Wesen ♪ ♪ An den Brüsten der Natur ♪ ♪ Alle Guten, alle Bösen ♪ ♪ Folgen ihrer Rosenspur ♪ ♪ Küsse gab sie uns und Reben ♪ ♪ Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod ♪ ♪ Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben ♪ ♪ Und der Cherub steht vor Gott ♪ ♪ Küsse gab sie uns und Reben ♪ ♪ Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod ♪ ♪ Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben ♪ ♪ Und der Cherub steht vor Gott ♪ ♪ Und der Cherub steht vor Gott ♪ ♪ Steht vor Gott ♪ ♪ Vor Gott ♪ ♪ Vor Gott ♪ [stately orchestral music] ♪ Froh ♪ ♪ Froh, wie seine Sonnen ♪ ♪ Seine Sonnen fliegen froh ♪ ♪ Wie seine Sonnen fliegen ♪ ♪ Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan ♪ ♪ Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn ♪ ♪ Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn ♪ ♪ Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen ♪ ♪ Wie ein Held zum Siegen ♪ ♪ Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn ♪ ♪ Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn ♪ ♪ Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen ♪ ♪ Wie ein Held zum Siegen ♪ ♪ Freudig, freudig ♪ ♪ Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] [Symphony No.
9 in D Minor, Op.
125 by Ludwig van Beethoven] ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] ♪ Seid umschlungen, Millionen ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen, Millionen ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Brüder ♪ ♪ Über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen ♪ ♪ Brüder ♪ ♪ Über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen ♪ [gentle orchestral music] ♪ Ihr stürzt nieder ♪ ♪ Millionen?
♪ ♪ Ahnest du den Schöpfer ♪ ♪ Welt?
♪ ♪ Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Über Sternen muss er wohnen ♪ [gentle orchestral music] ♪ Über Sternen ♪ ♪ Muss er wohnen ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Millionen ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Um schlungen Millionen ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Die ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Millionen ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Heligtum, Freude, Freude ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heligtum ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Freude, freude ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen ♪ ♪ Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heligtum ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heligtum ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Millionen ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heligtum ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Seid umschlangen ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Millionen ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heligtum ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] ♪ Ihr stürtzt nieder, Millionen?
♪ ♪ Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
♪ ♪ Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Brüder ♪ ♪ Brüder ♪ ♪ Über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen ♪ ♪ Ein lieber Vater wohnen ♪ ♪ Tochter, Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Freude, Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Freude, Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Freude, Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Tochter ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen, alle Menschen, alle Menschen ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen, alle Menschen, alle Menschen ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen, alle Menschen ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen ♪ ♪ Werden Brüder ♪ ♪ Wo dein ♪ ♪ Sanfter ♪ ♪ Flügel weilt ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] ♪ Seid umschlungen, Millionen ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Brüder ♪ ♪ Über'm Sternenzelt ♪ ♪ Muss ein lieber Vater, ein lieber Vater whonen ♪ ♪ Ein lieber Vater wohnen ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen ♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt, der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen, ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Der ganzen Welt ♪ ♪ Freude, Freude ♪ ♪ Schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Freude, schöner Götterfunken ♪ ♪ Götterfunken ♪ [triumphant orchestral music] [cheers and applause] [ Zigeunerweisen , Op.
20 by Pablo de Sarasate] - Announcer: Funding for Madison Symphony at 100 is provided by Wooden Nickel Fund, Barbara Brand, Elizabeth Olson, the Stanley and Shirley Inhorn Fund, Jane Hamblen and Rob Lemanske, Terry Haller, Valerie and Andreas Kazamias, Judith and Nick Topitzes, the John W. and Lenore L. Landry Endowment, donors to the Focus Fund for the Arts, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
Behind the Scenes: Madison Symphony at 100
Cue the lights. Madison Symphony's 100 year anniversary performance is coming soon. (15s)
Video has Closed Captions
Madison Symphony Orchestra performs Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter from "The Planets." (29m 19s)
Video has Closed Captions
Executive Director Robert Reed on what reaching 100 years means for the Madison Symphony. (3m 49s)
Preview - Madison Symphony at 100
John DeMain leads a performance of classics celebrating Madison Symphony's 100 years. (15s)
Video has Closed Captions
Guest violin soloist Julian Rhee performs with the orchestra in their centennial concert. (9m 24s)
Through the years with John DeMain
Video has Closed Captions
Maestro DeMain reflects on 32 years leading the Madison Symphony as he passes the baton. (5m 15s)
Wisconsin violinist Julian Rhee returns
Video has Closed Captions
Violinist Julian Rhee returns to the orchestra where he first played at age 11. (5m 31s)
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