The Riverside Symphonia brings unexpected musical excellence to both sides of the Delaware

John-Michael Caprio’s vision became a reality in 1990 at St. John the Evangelist’s Roman Catholic Church in Lambertville, N.J. The late Caprio, who was the esteemed director of music for the Archdiocese of New York City and had led scores of performances at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, felt that the region on either side of the Delaware River as it flows past Bucks and Hunterdon counties needed a classical music ensemble that would complement the rich arts heritage of the New Hope and Lambertville areas.

And so it came to pass that the Riverside Symphonia, a professional orchestra, was formed and presented its first concert under Caprio’s direction at St. John’s in the fall of 1990. Caprio, who had a weekend home in New Hope, also was the music director at St. John’s. The time could not have been better to premier such an ambitious endeavor. St. John’s had just undergone a renovation and its organ never sounded better.

That first concert was held on Saturday evening, Oct. 6, and featured a program that included Mozart’s “Exsultate, Jubilate” in four movements, Gluck’s “Dance of the Blessed Spirits,” and Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” as part of a six-piece offering.

Ever since it sounded its first note, the Symphonia has played to sold-out concerts at St. John’s and other venues in the region. Its mission as a non-profit 501 (C) (3) corporation is straightforward: To provide first-class music at prices within reach of all. 

Caprio had laid the ground work for this unique ensemble of 45 musicians who come from Connecticut, New York, northern and central New Jersey, and Philadelphia to play for an audience influenced by the not-so-distant sounds of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Some of the ensemble teach; some are Broadway pit musicians; and some are professional musicians.

In 1995, Mariusz Smolij became the second conductor and music director of the Symphonia. Caprio’s health began to fail him, and he passed on in December of 1997.  

“John-Michael was able to create a very solid musical and organizational foundation for the future growth of the orchestra,” says Smolij, a native of Poland. He holds a doctorate of music from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, has conducted major orchestras around the world including those in Atlanta, New Jersey, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Rochester, Indianapolis; has served as resident conductor of the Houston Symphony; and continues to teach at professional conducting seminars in the United States and Poland among an amazing list of other international commitments to his music. “My experience as a former violinist, chamber and orchestral player helped me to ‘fine tune the orchestra,’ incorporate some new players, introduce new repertoire and bring the level of excitement and performance to a new level.”

“We are well known in the music world,” points out Brian Keyes, chair of the Symphonia’s board of directors. “Musicians know what’s going on here.”

“It starts with Mariusz,” says vice-chair Candace Phillips, commenting on the standard of excellence Smolij has brought to the Symphonia. “He is an old school professional who is very responsive and knows how to get there. The music director sets the standard.”

The 2007-‘08 season consists primarily of four concerts. This past October, the ensemble presented “Four Corners of Europe,” a program that featured music from Great Britain, Spain, and Prague. The annual Christmas concert held the first weekend in December featured soloists soprano Andrea Jones-Sojola and baritone Kenneth Overton, both of whom have competed in and have won a number of international voice competitions.

On March 29 in 2008, the Symphonia will perform with the Bucks County Choral Society in Doylestown and present Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis.” On April 18 and 19, the Symphonia will present an “Opera Spectacular” featuring members of the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts.

There is also a major non-concert event which is part of the organization’s outreach program. On Saturday, March 29, the Symphonia will host its “Caprio Young Artists Competition” at the First Presbyterian Church in Lambertville. Held every other year, the competition honors the memory of John-Michael Caprio and his dedication to developing young musical talent. 

But how does such a widely dispersed ensemble manage not only to enjoy success but also to appeal to such a demanding audience that has come to embrace them on both sides of the Delaware?

Ultimate responsibility rests with the Symphonia’s board of directors and its music committee. After its debut season, the Symphonia took off like Rimnsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” which, according to Brian Keyes, pleasantly surprised a number of people.

“We reached a high level so fast,” he says. This, he points out, was in view of the fact that John-Michael Caprio was a choral director who had little experience conducting an orchestra.

When Caprio fell upon ill health, the music committee conducted a one-year search for his successor. “The word got out,” says Keyes about the search. “The committee used 20 selection criteria established by the American Symphony Orchestra League in its search.”

The comprehensive search led to Maruisz Smolij, who at the time was assistant conductor of the New Jersey Symphony. Smolij has more than proven to be the right choice.

“He is invaluable,” says Candace Phillips. “He brings not just marketing or PR, his sense of artistic quality is high.”

“I have always put the bar high for myself and the people I work with,” says the soft-spoken Smolij with a noticeable Polish accent. “So the accomplishments are the result of the hard work of many people, setting the right goals and achieving them plus, remembering all the time that this is a never ending process.”

“I like to be challenged,” says Brian Kershner, bassoonist, who along with principle flute Jan Holms, have been with the Symphonia since its debut. Kershner teaches composition theory and the bassoon at Central Connecticut University in New Britain, and lives in Milford, Conn., which is a 2½ hour, 145-mile commute to Lambertville. When he started with the ensemble, he was teaching at Rutgers University and home was just outside Princeton, N.J.

“All conductors have to be taskmasters to get the job done,” he continues. “However, Mauriz is a very reasonable guy and a good friend.”

Lynn Cohen, the Symphonia’s principle oboe who lives in Chatam, N.J., is a freelance artist who is a regular chaired player in Broadway pit orchestras among other venues, and travels the 55 miles to Lambertville because, “I love it,” she says, contrasting her dedication to the Symphonia with her playing in shows that include “Mary Poppins,” “Les Miserables,” “Phantom of the Opera,” and “Miss Saigon.”

At the root of the mission for the Symphonoia is Somlij’s belief that there is a lot of what he refers to as unknown classical music that never or almost never gets performed. “Selecting such a repertoire presents its challenges both to the audience and the public,” he readily admits, “but how can you grow as a human being and as artists without such exposure and without taking such risks both as a listener and a performer.” 

Given the relatively short season of the Riverside Symphonia and its geographically diverse composition, its rehearsal time is as sacred as a Gregorian chant and as demanding as a Mozart symphony.

“They come expected to know the music,” says Candace Phillips of the preparation required of the Symphonia before rehearsals begin. “Sometimes there are two rehearsals a day. This is when Maruisz fine tunes his concept of a piece.”

Maestro Smolij conducts the Riverside Symphonia in St. John the Evangelist Church, without the finely tuned acoustics, staging, controlled lighting and comfortable seating found in famous concert halls. The hardwood pews of St. John’s do not come from the Pew Charitable Trust.

“One does not absolutely require perfect conditions to create a meaningful art,” he says of performing with an ensemble in a venue that is otherwise a church. “Little inconveniences can’t serve as excuses and may be actually a motivating factor.”

The Symphonia’s board as well as its musicians and audiences take pride and joy in a major feature of St. John’s: its unusual degree of intimacy. With seating for about 450, the church provides a closeness for performers and the audience not easily found in most performing arts venues.

“It creates a dialog,” says Brian Keyes, “and positive energy is developed.”

“The closeness of the audience and their warm involvement and response make up for controlled lighting and other gadgets,” adds Smolij.

From the orchestra’s side of the sanctuary, Jan Holms says, “St. John’s has great acoustics, and the closeness of the audience has given the orchestra a greater bond with the community.”

“It’s brightly lit and gives us the opportunity to see the audience,” says Cohen. “It’s wonderful to see familiar faces at our concerts.”

During an intermission, the audience is encouraged to come up and chat with the orchestra, an interlude that Cohen cherishes.

While standing ovations reverberate throughout the knave at St. John’s, success for the Symphonia doesn’t come easy. “It’s a struggle,” admits Brian Keyes. “We are very fortunate to be in a special area. However, if we sell out all our concerts, they pay only for one-third of our expenses.”

Without flinching, he adds, “It’s an enjoyable struggle.”

An essential part of that “enjoyable struggle” is forming collaborations with other performing arts organizations in the region.

“Instead of competing with each other,” continues Keyes, “we work for and with each other to share and build an audience.” He says it’s good business both for the organizations as well as area communities. In addition to the Bucks County Choral Society, the Symphonia works with the Philadelphia Vocal Academy of the Arts.

Artistic collaborations serve as a sort of intermezzo to audience building and gaining awareness. The rest of the Symphonia’s outreach program plays to audiences in the region’s schools and in retirement communities. Working with the Lambertville Area Education Foundation, the Delaware Township Community Education Foundation, the Jonathan D. Krist Foundation, the New Hope/Solebury School District, and the Alexandria Township Education Foundation, the Symphonia goes into area schools to provide children with workshops, master classes, music history lectures, performances by featured guest artists and discount ticket programs to encourage and help support school-based music programs.

With a grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica of Titusville, N.J., the organization also takes classical music into the lives of senior citizens living in retirement communities throughout the Delaware Valley. Not too long ago, Suzanne Sanson, who coordinates the Symphonia’s senior outreach program, arranged for an appearance of a number of the players at a geriatric center in Hamilton, N.J. “Most of the residents at this facility are on Medicaid,” explained Sanson. “As a result, they don’t get to go on many of the outings provided for other residents who can afford them. The activities director was truly thrilled to have us there and is hoping we will come back next year.”

As with most non-profits, the Riverside Symphonia relies on a corps of about 100 volunteers and a lineup of dedicated underwriters and sponsors to make the operation run as smoothly as possible. It is these people who serve as ushers, place posters and sandwich boards around the area, run special events like organizing fund raisers and the organization’s annual gala, “Cirque du Symphonia,” serve on the outreach committee and music committee, coordinate and handle after-concert receptions, hold a “Christmas in the Country Progressive Dinner,” and even organize a recital in a restored barn.

Nevertheless, the Symphonia’s board of directors has its eye on the future and, according to Keyes, “is in the process of taking a careful look at developing a strategic plan with an emphasis on the region.”

“Call it some fine-tuning,” he says confidently.

Call it further extending the vision of John-Michael Caprio to an ever expanding audience in the Delaware Valley, some of whom will undoubtedly, as Keyes has said, “... be blown away by these guys.”

For concert and recital information, call the Riverside Symphonia at 609-397-7300 or visit www.riversidesymphonia.org.