75 Years: Sibelius & Mozart
75 years: Sibelius & Mozart
FEATURING DIANA SHAPIRO AND STANISLAVA VARSHAVSKI
7:30pm Saturday, Oct 4, 2025
Capitol Civic Centre
Enjoy Holy Family student recitals 1 hour before curtain
We share our 75th anniversary with Holy Family Conservatory of Music’s 100th! Mozart is about family and teamwork, and fittingly, we recognize the vital community the Conservatory has built with Concerto For Two Pianos, featuring pianists Diana Shapiro and HFCM instructor and Director of Music Education Stanislava Varshavski, two internationally regarded musicians we’re fortunate to have in our backyard because of the school. Saluting MSO’s first Music Director, Karl Miller, we begin a new tradition: Audience Choice. You vote for what we play! One of Maestro Miller’s favorite pieces was Jean Sibelius’ Second Symphony. The music is a “confession of the soul,” as deeply moving as it is brilliantly sounding.
Tickets to all 4 concerts
Mark Barkley Miller
The Aschenbrenner Foundation of Lakeshore Community Foundation
Tom & Virginia Bare Charitable Fund
Season Leader
Roy & Darlene Geigel Foundation
Season Benefactor
Dave Wage & Sandra Murzyn
Season Benefactor
Friends of Anne McCracken, In Memory
Season Sponsor
Susan & Alex Murtaugh
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
Season Media Underwriter
Season Media Underwriter
Hospitality Sponsor
In Memory of Herman Balaban
Concert Champion
Gary and Ann Gold
Concert Champion
Christine Kornely, Independent Stylist
Concert Champion
Jim & Barbee Lester
Concert Champion
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1770-1827)
Concerto for Two Pianos in E-flat Major, K.365 (25′)
- I. Allegro
- II. Andante
- III. Rondeau: Allegro
INTERMISSION (20′)
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Symphony no.2 in D major, op.43 (45′)
- I. Allegretto—Poco allegro—Tranquillo, ma poco a poco ravvivando il tempo all’allegro
- II. Tempo andante, ma rubato—Andante sostenuto
- III. Vivacissimo—Lento e suave—Largamente
- IV. Finale: Allegro moderato
The Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra led by Dylan Chmura-Moore
VIOLIN I
Carrie Kulas, Concertmaster
Jim VanLanen Jr.
Lori Bonin
Jaci Collins
Luis Fernandez
Kylie Bowman
Debbie Williamson
Tiffany Chang
Taylor Giorgio
Heidi Barker
Shoua Xiong
VIOLIN II
Joan Geraldson, Virginia Bare Memorial Principal Second
Violin Chair
Ryan Kraemer
Dan Ognavic
Randall Manning
Taylor Rudlaff
Ellie Rice
David Oldenburg
Lauren Oldenburg
VIOLA
Jane Bradshaw Finch, principal
Ann Stephan
Sarah Oftedahl
Julie Handwerker
Andy Bruzewicz
Amy Beekhuizen
Laura Vandenberg
Steve Schani
CELLO
Charles Stephan, Karen Steingraber Principal Cello Chair
Nic Cywinski
Michael Dewhirst
Wendy Scattergood
Nancy Kaphaem
Anne Keran
Steve Westergan
Simon Ulrich
DOUBLE BASS
Brian Kulas, principal
Shelby Baize
Ann Boeckman
Jessica Otte
Susan Sullivan
FLUTE
Kristen Fenske, Michelle Garnett Klaiber Principal Flute Chair
Cathy Burback
OBOE
Suzanne Geoffrey, Les J. Graebel Memorial & Emily and Mike Howe Family Principal Oboe Chair
Jennifer Bryan
CLARINET
Laura McLaughlin, Mark Klaiber Principal Clarinet Chair
Orlando Pimentel
BASSOON
Josh Fleming, David Satchell Memorial Principal Bassoon Chair
Susan Lawrence McCardell
HORN
Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, principal
Wanda Braden
Andrew Parks
Kelly Haselhuhn
TRUMPET
John Daniel, John & Laurale Stern Principal Trumpet Chair
Jessica Jensen
Bill Hampton
TROMBONE
Jonathan Winkle, principal
Rick Seybold
BASS TROMBONE
William Akers
TUBA
Mike Forbes
TIMPANI
John Aaholm, principal
About Diana Shapiro
Dr. Diana Shapiro currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she teaches applied and class piano, piano literature, and pedagogy. Accomplished soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Shapiro has performed solo and festival appearances across three continents.
Previously Shapiro held teaching positions at the Silver Lake College, Maranatha Baptist University, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. She received her DMA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Collins Distinguished Fellow. She also holds master and bachelor’s degrees from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and Graduate Performance Diploma from the Longy School of Music. Her teachers include Victor Rosenbaum, Martha Fischer, Dr. Jessica Johnson (pedagogy), Dr. Irina Berkovich and legendary Israeli piano duo, Eden-Tamir.
Together with fellow Guest Pianist Stanislava Varshavski, Dr. Shapiro has won national and international competitions. In the United States, the Shapiro-Varshavski duo has won the 2012 Astral Artists’ National Auditions, as well as a Career Grant from Salon de Virtuousi, to name a just a few of their many awards and honors.
Visit the duo’s website.
About Stanislava Varshavski
Stanislava Varshavski was born in Kharkov, Ukraine. A young piano prodigy, she had her orchestral debut at the age of eight. After receiving her initial musical training in Ukraine, Stanislava proceeded with her studies at the Jerusalem Rubin Academy in Israel. There, in 1998, she together with Diana Shapiro established the Varshavski-Shapiro Piano Duo. Within a few years the duo won first prizes at series of international competitions, leading to a set of appearances across three continents.
After studying under the legendary Israeli duo Tamir-Eden, and Prof. Victor Rosenbaum in Boston, in 2011 Ms. Varshavski received her DMA degree from UW-Madison, where she studied under Prof. Martha Fischer. In addition to her collaborations with leading instrumentalists, Dr. Varshavski also pursues an active piano education career. Currently she is a Piano Faculty member at the Silver Lake College and the Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College Chicago.
Visit the duo’s website.
Arrive early to cheer on the next generation of Manitowoc musicians, an hour before showtime!
Our musical partners at Holy Family Conservatory are celebrating 100 years of music education! Holy Family has educated over 13,000 music students of all ages since 1925.
One of tonight’s guest performers, Dr. Varshavski, is a piano instructor at the conservatory and has arranged for a selection of outstanding music students to perform in the Mertens Lounge before the concert.
“The fact that children can make beautiful music is less significant than the fact that music can make beautiful children.” — Cheryl Lavender
Tickets are sold by the Capitol Civic Centre Box Office, 913 S. 8th Street, Manitowoc WI, 920.683.2184. Click for online ticketing.
- Individual ticket prices are Tier 1-$43, Tier 2-$40, and Tier 3-$36 plus sales tax.
- Ages 35 and under may purchase Tier 2 or Tier 3 tickets for $18.96 plus sales tax.
- Children ages 11 & under are free.
Attend this concert as part of a season subscription. Please see our Season Ticket page for prices and to purchase, or visit the Capitol Civic Centre’s website.
This performance is not rated.
Join us following the concert for the Afterglow Party!
featuring complimentary snacks, special drinks at their cash bar, and liquor raffles.
Got Spotify?
Check out Dylan’s “What’s on Deck” playlist, updated with each concert to give you a taste of what we’ll play. A free Spotify account is needed.
This ad was sponsored by WOMT/Seehafer Broadcasting.