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Q & A with Joanna Patton

Q & A with Joanna Patton
By Bethany Tillerson (photo credit: © Andrew Fox)

CBSO season finale: Mahler.

On tonight’s ‘Monday Night at the Symphony’ we will feature the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra based in Symphony Hall in Birmingham, England. The orchestra was founded in 1920, and since then has been dedicated to performing the best music for Birmingham residents. From among its 75 members, Principal Second Clarinet Joanna Patton spoke about her 16 years in the orchestra, and what sets the CBSO apart from other orchestras in England.

  1. How much do you think a conductor contributes to the group environment as an orchestra?

PATTON: A great conductor is essentially a great storyteller but so are the individual musicians on the stage! Getting the balance right between allowing their musicians to all contribute individually, enjoying the spontaneity of a moment or phrase, and having a clear but fluid idea of how they want to tell their story is what makes the power of the collective. It takes an extraordinary conductor to understand that, to have total control, and to be totally flexible. It is an incredible thing when 100 individual musicians at a concert are connected by some kind of electrical current that unites us through the same goals: to create a performance that is powerful in some way, a performance that truly connects us to our audience.

  1. Do you have any fun stories about your time in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra?

PATTON: There are so many funny stories about life in an orchestra, but for some of them touring rules apply: what happens on tour stays on tour!!

One of my favourite moments was when our old second flute was retiring after an incredible 42 years in the orchestra. He decided to leave at the end of the season where we played a film music night to a full audience in Symphony Hall in Birmingham. It was an incredible atmosphere and the whole orchestra wanted to ensure Colin had the best possible send-off. As we began the encore–none other than John Williams’ Superman–Colin surprised us all by standing up during the pulsating rhythm of the opening few bars before ripping his shirt off to reveal a “Super Col” blue Superman T-shirt below, just at that Superman moment! How the rest of us carried on playing, I will never know. We were in tears of laughter! What an amazing way to retire!

  1. Is there a composer that you believe best suits your orchestra as a whole?

PATTON: The CBSO is super versatile. We play all types of music. We love a concert where we can dress up, perhaps for a Queen tribute concert or a Disco night. We were the first orchestra in the UK to really explore Bollywood music, which was also exciting. Ultimately though, I think the CBSO loves playing those big romantic works by Richard Strauss or symphonies by Shostakovich or Mahler. We’re at our best when the full forces of the orchestra deliver a truly committed, memorable, emotionally connective performance!

Join The Classical Station for Monday Night at the Symphony every week at 8 p.m. eastern. You can listen online at TheClassicalStation.org, on 89.7 FM, or on the App.

Now Playing

Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Composed by

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performed by

Couteau/Hermès Quartet

Label

La Dolce Volta

Catalog Number

61

Today's Playlist

1:59am Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

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2:21am Sonata No. 2 for Harp and Guitar

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2:38am Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 80

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Johnson/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Groves

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3:23am Intermezzo from Goyescas

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Enrique Granados (1867-1916)

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Harrell/Canino

3:29am Slovak Suite, Op. 32

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Czech Philharmonic/Vajnar

4:00am Prelude to Act 1 from Parsifal

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Chicago Symphony/Barenboim

4:14am Divertimento No. 7 in D, K. 205

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Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra/Koopman

4:34am Suite from The Invisible City of Kitezh

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Scottish National Orchestra/Jarvi

5:00am Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9 No. 2

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Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751)

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Camden/London Virtuosi/Georgiadis

5:14am November Woods

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Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

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Ulster Orchestra/Thomson

5:33am Concerto in B flat

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Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787)

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Choi/Ensemble Diderot/Pramsohler

5:48am Music selected by the announcer

6:01am Sonata for Harp, Op. 127

Composed by

Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000)

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Yolanda Kondonassis

6:14am Trio in C, RV 82

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Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

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Sollscher/Furi/Camerata Bern

6:24am Concerto No. 2 in F for Two Wind Ensembles and Strings

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George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

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English Concert/Pinnock

6:42am Three Ricercares

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Giulio Segni (1498-1561)

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Consort Veneto/Toffano

6:53am Festival March

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Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

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Prague Symphony/Belohlavek

7:00am Paris Quartet No. 4 in B minor, TWV 43:h2

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Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

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7:14am Concerto Grosso in C minor, Op. 6 No. 3

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Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)

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7:26am Impromptu No. 4 in C sharp minor, Op. 66 "Fantasie-Impromptu"

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

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Anatol Ugorski

7:32am Concerto for 2 Horns in F

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Frantisek Xaver Pokorny (1729-1794)

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7:48am Ballet Music from The Perfect Fool, Op. 39

Composed by

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

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8:00am Berlin Symphony in E minor, Wq. 178

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C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra/Haenchen

8:13am Accelerations

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Vienna Philharmonic/Maazel

8:23am Prelude to La traviata, Act I

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Royal Philharmonic/Serafin

8:30am April (The Snowdrop) from The Seasons

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Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

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Yefim Bronfman

8:34am Flute Concerto No. 3 in C

Composed by

Frederick the Great (1712-1786)

Performed by

Friedrich/C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra/Haenchen

8:50am Music selected by the announcer

9:01am Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Chung/Montreal Symphony Orchestra/Dutoit

9:37am Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 12

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Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

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Sviatoslav Richter

9:45am Rapsodie espagnole

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Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

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Detroit Symphony/Paray

10:01am Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80

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Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

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Emerson String Quartet

10:26am Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Op. 92

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Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

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Neave Trio

11:01am Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92

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Boston Symphony/Leinsdorf

11:45am Suite from Fair Maid of Perth

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Mexico City Philharmonic/Batiz

12:01pm Symphony No. 22 in D

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Bournemouth Sinfonietta/Farberman

12:21pm Piano Sonata No. 5 in G, K. 283

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

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Mao Fujita

12:35pm Double Concerto for Clarinet, Bassoon, Strings and Harp

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Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Performed by

Meyer/Sonstevold/New Stockholm Chamber Orchestra/Salonen

12:54pm Music selected by the announcer

1:01pm Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Perahia/Israel Philharmonic/Mehta

1:39pm Bavarian Dance, Op. 27 No. 3

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Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

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English String Orchestra/Boughton

1:45pm Oboe Concerto in A, BWV 1055

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Holliger/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields/Brown

2:01pm Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

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Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

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San Francisco Symphony/Tilson Thomas

2:59pm Concierto de Aranjuez

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Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999)

Performed by

P. Romero/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields/Marriner

3:24pm Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 46

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Max Bruch (1838-1920)

Performed by

Heifetz/New Symphony Orchestra of London/Sargent

3:51pm Overture from Suite in B flat, "The Nations"

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La Stravaganza

3:59pm Canzon septimi toni No. 2

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Empire Brass and Friends

4:03pm Flute Quartet No. 4 in A, K. 298

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4:15pm Overture to Fidelio

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Philharmonia Orchestra/Klemperer

4:23pm Lute Suite In E minor, BWV 996

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Yolanda Kondonassis

4:39pm Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

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Baxtresser/NY Philharmonic/Masur

4:52pm Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39

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Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Artur Rubinstein

5:00pm Oboe Concerto in C minor

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Domenico Cimarosa, arr. by Arthur Benjamin

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Holliger/I Musici

5:11pm Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers

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Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

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Philharmonia/Karajan

5:20pm Overture to The Sicilian Vespers

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Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Muti

5:31pm Waltz from Act I, Swan Lake, Op. 20

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Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Levine

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Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

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Marc-Andre Hamelin

5:55pm Entree d'Abaris

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Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

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Orchestra of the 18th Century/Bruggen

6:01pm Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21

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Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

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London Symphony/Abbado

6:14pm March from Second Suite in F, Op. 28 No. 2

Composed by

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Performed by

Cleveland Symphonic Winds/Fennell

6:19pm Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 in D

Composed by

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Performed by

Israel Philharmonic/Mehta

6:29pm Sonata in D minor for Violin and Continuo

Composed by

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

Performed by

Pine/Schrader/Rozendaal

6:36pm Die Schonbrunner

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Joseph Lanner (1801-1843)

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Vienna Philharmonic/Maazel

6:45pm Music selected by the announcer

7:01pm 4 Impromptus, D. 935

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Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Performed by

Grigory Sokolov

7:45pm The Oak

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Florence Price (1887-1953)

Performed by

Women's Philharmonic Orchestra of San Francisco/Hsu

8:00pm Homenajes

Composed by

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

Performed by

BBC Philharmonic/Mena

8:17pm Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77

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Performed by

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9:00pm Overture to Ruy Blas, Op. 95

Composed by

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Performed by

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Gardner

9:09pm Piano Concerto No. 4 in E flat

Composed by

John Field (1782–1837)

Performed by

Frith/Northern Sinfonia/Haslam

9:43pm The Lark Ascending

Composed by

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Performed by

Hoebig/Winnipeg Symphony/Tovey

10:00pm Flute Concerto in B flat

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Performed by

Nicolet/Netherlands Chamber Orchestra/Zinman

10:21pm Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Composed by

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Performed by

Bailey/San Francisco Ballet Orchestra/West

10:42pm Piano Sonata No. 10 in C, K. 330

Composed by

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Alicia de Larrocha

11:01pm String Quartet in B flat, Op. 76 No. 4 "Sunrise"

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Mosaic Quartet

11:25pm Concerto Grosso in D, Op. 1 No. 5

Composed by

Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764)

Performed by

Capella Istropolitana/Krecek

11:34pm Gaspard de la nuit

Composed by

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Performed by

Martha Argerich

11:53pm Music selected by the announcer