Gordon Symphony Orchestra and Third Annual Honors Orchestra
October 24, 2026
Dr. Gabe Southard, conductor
Egmont Overture, Op. 84, Ludwig van Beethoven
Honors Orchestra
Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Anton Arensky
Gordon Symphony Orchestra
INTERMISSION
Symphony No. 2, Op. 17 "Little Russian", Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Andante sostenuto–Allegro vivo
Andantino marziale, quasi moderato
Allegro molto vivace
Moderato assai*
Gordon Symphony Orchestra
*Members of the Honors Orchestra will join the GSO for movement lV.
Third Annual Honors Orchestra
Violin 1
David Zhang, Christian Heritage School
Cordelia Hartigan, Stoneham Central MS
Dash Reilly, Beverly HS
Tara Farrell, Windham HS
Madison Engel, Pentucket Regional MS
Jorge Darin, Pentucket Regional HS
Ayla Burow, Homeschool
Violin 2
Vedika Sharma, Pioneer Charter School of Science
Yifei Tang, Belmont HS
Luke Burdette, Trinity Christian School
Julia Danahy, Belmont HS
Lucia He, Belmont HS
Teddy Corpening, Hampton Academy
Xinyue He, Belmont HS
Viola
Julia Howarth, Windham HS
Grace Wang, Belmont HS
Lindsay Dunham*
Josephine Noonan*
Cello
Hannah Parke, Whitinsville Christian School
Sam Parr, Newburyport HS
Alex Chang, Windham HS
Clara Angis, Pentucket Regional HS
Jack Ellis, Wakefield Memorial HS
Mishika Sukhija, Windham HS
Bass
George Quigley, Belmont HS
Stanley Zhang, Melrose HS
Mackenzie Hagerty, Belmont HS
Gordon Symphony Orchestra
Violin 1
Aidan Montmeny, concertmaster
Sophia Hefner
Sawyer Everitt
Sofia Boltes
Meredith Cummings
Violin 2
Ana Larsen, section leader
Isa Poulterer
Brenna Lewis
Lucy Wagner
Noah Blaisdell
Viola
Lindsay Dunham, section leader
Josephine Noonan*
Cello
Anneliese Johnson, section leader
Morgan Moss
Simon Voyer
Henry Fischer
Bass
Sabine Barron*
Flute
Kaitlin Weidmann
Alyssa Littlejohn
Piccolo
Lily Heiser
Oboe
Reilly Miner
Sarah Southard*
Clarinet
Grace Zhang
Aubrie Connelly
Bassoon
Cheryl Billings*
Shant Arakelian*
Horn
Emily Lowery*
Paola Tabon*
Chris Reif*
Herb Schurgin*
Trumpet
Jack Greene*
Matt Lovell*
Trombone
Cassie Thomas
Mikayla Frank-Martin*
Diego Del Toro*
Tuba
Joanna Hersey*
Timpani
Daniel Baer
Percussion
Lindsey Atwell
Noah Lockwood
GSO TA
Sawyer Everitt
* - Guest Musician
About the Conductor
Dr. Robert "Gabe" Southard joined Gordon College in the Fall 2022 as Associate Teaching Professor of Music and conductor of the Gordon Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band. He was also named Music Director of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony (MetWinds) in the Fall of 2026.
Immediately prior to joining Gordon's music faculty, Dr. Southard was serving as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Hope College, MI. At Hope College, he was also the Head of the Winds and Brass area and Head of the Instrumental Music Education Area. Dr. Southard completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting at Michigan State University where he studied with Professor John Whitwell. Prior to this, Dr. Southard served as Wind Symphony conductor and Flute instructor at the University of Michigan-Flint. He also holds master and bachelor of music degrees from University of Wisconsin Madison and Ithaca College.
Dr. Southard is an active orchestrator. His largest project to date is an arrangement for wind ensemble of Rimsky-Korsakov's Symphony No. 2 "Antar," which is currently published through OHM Music. He has also started a line of flexible chamber arrangements aimed to help smaller schools perform great works even if they do not have the proper instrumentation. The first piece of this line, Mozart's Serenade in C minor, is published through JW Pepper.
As a flute player, Dr. Southard maintains an active performing schedule as principal flute of the Holland Symphony Orchestra, MI, and as a recitalist throughout the US. He has also performed with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Lucca Opera Orchestra, Italy, as well as a number of community orchestras. Dr. Southard was a semi-finalist in the National Flute Association's Piccolo Artist Competition and winner of the 2016 Convention Performers Competition where he performed two new works at the convention in San Diego. In 2020, Dr. Southard was named a Pearl Flute Artist, one of less than 70 flutists worldwide. In 2022, he released his first flute CD — Gold Mosaic: Music for Flute by Dana Wilson. It is currently available on all streaming sites.
Special Thanks!
Participating High Schools and Directors
Belmont High School – Margot Reavey
Christian Heritage School – Brett Flowers
Hampton Academy
Homeschool
Ipswich Schools – Michael Coelho
Melrose High School – Eric Duback
Pentucket Regional Middle and High Schools – Andrew Torossian
Pioneer Charter School of Science II
Trinity Christian School – Dr. Brian Dukeshier
Wakefield Memorial High School – Phil Cataldo
Whitinsville Christian School – Zachary Surapine
Windham Middle School – Becky Pierce
Private Teachers
Anne Bennett, cello
Kim Chung, violin
Nicky DeFrancesco, violin
Mary Gallant, violin
Cherry Kim, violin
Kristen Miller, cello
Carl Orvic, violin
Wendy Sharp, violin
Nicholas So, violin, cello
Jenny Sterling, violin
Lynea Zaborowski, cello
Wenfei Zhu, viola
Dean of the Adams School for Music and the Arts
Dr. Sarita Kwok
Sectional Coaches
Violin: Sophia Hefner, Ana Larsen, Aidan Montmeny, and Isa Poulterer
Viola: Lindsay Dunham and Josephine Noonan
Cello and Bass: Anneliese Johnson and Morgan Moss
Lunch and Dinner
Gordon College Dining Services
Livestream and Recording
Dave Jamrog
CTS Staff
Gordon College
Rachel Bovee, AdamsAdministrative Manager
Lucy Coburn, Music Design
Cordelia Schirer-Suter, Adams Director of Admissions
Joanie Wendt, Administrative Services
Sarah Zahorodni, Adams Operations Manager
Support Music at Gordon
Interested in the arts? Curious about the new Adams Center for Music currently under construction? Want to support exceptional music performances and education? Consider giving a gift to Friends of Music at Gordon College. Your contribution will help underwrite music events, support academic programs in music, provide scholarship finds for music students, sustain children’s music programs and keep Gordon’s facilities current with the best tools and technology for music instruction. Individual and corporate gifts welcome.
Please contact 978.867.4900 or visit www.gordon.edu/giving and designate your gifts for Friends of Music.