Greater Bridgeport Symphony’s Final Candidate Leads 12/14 Holiday Show, Daughter of Leonard Bernstein, Jamie Narrates + Signs Books!

The Greater Bridgeport Symphony (GBS) will finally conclude their search for their next Music Director with Rachel Waddell taking the podium for Countdown  1…Waddell!  on Saturday December 14 at The Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport, CT at 7:30 PM.

After an exhaustive search over two seasons, GBS is down to the wire as the competition to become the next Music Director ends.  Maestro Waddell will present a family-friendly “concert of storytelling,” highlighted by some of the greatest stories in music, including Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf narrated by special guest Jamie Bernstein, daughter of the late great Leonard Bernstein.  GBS is proud to feature photos of Mexican wolves during the narration, provided by Jack Bradley, a photographer for Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo.

Jamie Bernstein will give a talk before the concert about her book Famous Father Girl written about living with the great composer/conductor father.  Ms. Bernstein will autograph copies at the concert’s intermission for those bringing a copy of the book to the show.  Leonard Bernstein performed with GBS at The Klein in the 1970s.  Peter and the Wolf is a light-hearted tale of a boy who cleverly captures a wolf that has been threatening barnyard animals.  Each character, Peter, his grandfather, a cat, a duck, a bird, hunters and, of course, the dreaded wolf, all come to life as represented by their own themes, each played by a different instrument, a novel way of introducing children (and many adults) to the sounds of the strings, timpani, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet and horn. 

Other highlights of the evening will include Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.  Like Peter and The Wolf but on a grander scale, this is the story of a beautiful princess, trapped by a wicked sultan, who has her life spared each night by weaving a new tale to soothe her captor, all told though glorious orchestration.  Perhaps the most unusual offering of the evening is a Native American composition Chokfi ‘ by Jerod Tate, a musical tale, written for children, of a trickster rabbit set to music.   Finally, there’s a musical version of one of the most beloved holiday classics, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore’s immortal poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, set to sprightly music by tunesmith Bill Holcombe.  This tale will be narrated by a voice well-known to local audiences, Tony Wellman.  Each of these pieces is rich in orchestration and fun for all ages, presented in grand style by over 50 musicians.

Rachel Waddell follows conductors Eduardo Leandro (April 2024), Joshua Gersen (October 2024) and Leslie B. Dunner (November 2024) as the fourth candidate to succeed the popular Eric Jacobsen, who held the post for nine seasons.  “Each conductor has brought something different to the concert and to the community,” says GBS President Mark Halstead, “and they are certainly a fantastic four – GBS has a tough choice to make!”  Concertgoers and musicians alike are asked to fill out surveys after each performance to rate the strengths of each conductor; a decision will be made in January, and the choice of new Music Director will be announced in the spring.  The winning conductor will lead GBS at its final concert on May 10. 

Through breathtaking collaborations and an untiring dedication to education, mentorship, and community, Rachel Waddell inspires transformative experiences and ensembles. Waddell serves as the Director of Orchestras at Colorado State University. Her contributions to music education were recognized in 2024, when she was named a quarterfinalist for the 2025 Music Educator Award through the GRAMMYs. She frequently acts as a clinician and guest conductor and will guest conduct the Texas Music Educators Association All State Sinfonietta in 2025, along with the Pikes Peak Honors Orchestra in Colorado Springs. Previously she was the Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor with the Arthur Satz Department of Music at the University of Rochester in New York. She has conducted orchestras around the world including the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Rochester, Las Vegas, and Fort Wayne Philharmonics, the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and Cleveland’s Suburban Symphony.

Single tickets range from $18.00 to $72.00 and are on sale now at www.GBS.org/tickets or by calling (203) 576-0263.   A two-concert discounted subscription for the remaining two shows of the season are also available for 15% off by calling (203) 576-0263.  GBS offers further discounts for those who purchased full-price tickets for the October or November concerts to make their purchases into a subscription.  Kids under 19 are free (proof of age may be required) and accompanying adults receive 15% off.  Phone GBS for these special offers.

This concert is sponsored by GBS' longtime Chairman of the Board, Doris Harrington, and her husband Herbert, founder of Bridgeport's Rotair Aerospace Corporation.