Παρασκευή 26 Αυγούστου 2011

Astoria Gets Rocked! with Billy Chrissochos' Rock Group "Iskandar"


This past Tuesday August 23, 2011, Astoria's Athens Square Park was rocked, both literally and physically. First by a small earthquake aftershock and then by New York's own "Iskandar" Greek-American Rock Group. As part of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater NY and the Athens Square Park Committee's Summer Greek Night festivities- this Greek Rock night was a first. A record attendance crowd was wooed by the eclectic set played by Billy Chrissochos' new rock band. Participating was also Astoria Soundworks Studios who lend the PA equipment for the night and City Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. who joined the band for an awesome version of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On the Water”.

The set mixed classic Greek Rock favorites ranging from Vasilis Papakonstantinou’s “Hellas”  to Pix Lax, Xilina Spithia, to more recent fare such as C-Real to Classic Rock classics from Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Eric Clapton and Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet”. There were originals like the songs “Ela” and “Atakto Agori” which made quite an impression on the audience as well. Needless to say just hearing “Paranoid” or “Another Brick In the Wall” in an outdoor venue is a treat in its own!
Iskandar is an eclectic Rock band whose musical styling incorporates Hard Rock, Metal, Pop and the ethnic texture of Greek Rock into a fresh modern sound. Iskandar the Band takes the philosophy of Alexander the Great by fusing different styles of music, whether exotic, folk, Metal or pop with the Hellenic (Greek) spirit and passion.

Iskandar is Billy Chrissochos on guitars, TK on guitars, Chris Pollatos on bass, Frank J. Pace on drums and Elias Giosas on vocals. The group was joined by special guests Angelina Myers on vocals, Themi Kyriazis on guitar who is also the owner of Metronome Music School, and special guest rocker City Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. on bass.

Billy and Chris have played two Rock/Metal Nights in Athens Square before with their other melodic metal female fronted band Phoenix Reign. Joined by the “Greek Warriors”, the ancient Spartan re-enactors they choreographed  fighting sequences to the band’s 
epics such as “The Legend of Alexander” and “the Iliad” , as well as their hit song “Constantinople 1453-on the Eve of the Fall” (off the album Destination Unknown).
For more info or to book Iskandar (or Phoenix Reign) you can contact Billy Chrissochos  @ 1-917-617-0597 or email band@iskandars.com
www.blacktuesday1453.com –for Constantinople 1453 video
About Billy Chrissochos:
Billy was born in Astoria, NY. His family moved back to Greece when he was 10 months old and moved back to the states when he was 9.
Billy’s mother’s family is from historic Kalavrita while his dad is from Piraeus-His dad from the island of Aegina and his mom from Karpathos’ Mesohori.
He is an artist, film maker, musician and historian. He has been in bankin for 17 years (asst manager etc), and have degrees from Queens College in Political Science and History and a minor in Education.
When not rockin’ out or reading history books he enjoys watching large predatory fish on TV.

Πέμπτη 25 Αυγούστου 2011

“Drumroll, please!” Conductor Ainārs Rubiķis Just Announced Winner of The 2nd Annual Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award - Rubiķis makes his Hong Kong début on 17 September


[16 August 2011 – Hong Kong] Latvian conductor Ainārs Rubiķis, who is scheduled to make his Hong Kong début with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) on 17 September 2011 (Sat) in the Simply Classic: “Drumroll, please!” concert, was announced the proud winner of the Second Annual Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award on 11 August. Previous winner is German conductor David Afkham.
Adding this title to his already illustrious collection of awards including the First Prize of the Third International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition last year (Gustavo Dudamel a previous winner), the 33-year-old conductor was chosen from around 50 other candidates following a multi-stage judging process by a nine-member jury. Among the panel members were Maestro Franz Welser-Möst and pianist Mitsuko Uchida. “Ainārs Rubiķis has distinguished himself through his ability and his virtuosity.”, the jury stated.
The Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award was created last year to develop, in collaboration with the prestigious Ausstrian music and drama event, the careers of high gifted young conductors.
The Hong Kong audience will be able to witness this fast-rising conducting star in action for the first time in a highly imaginative programme combining Honegger’s Pacific 231, Haydn’s Symphony No.103 Drumroll and Dvořák’s Symphony No.7. Tickets are now available.
Free pre-concert talk will be held at 7:15pm, also at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. For details, please visit: www.hkpo.com
Ainārs Rubiķis, conductor
“By awarding Rubiķis first prize [The Third International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition], the Bamberg jury is sending a strong message to the music world. It was a vote for substance and truth above sensationalism.”
--- The Financial Times
Born in Latvia, conductor Ainārs Rubiķis attracted international attention the as winner of the Third International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in Bamberg in March 2010.
Between 2000 and 2005, Rubiķis was artistic director of the University of Latvia chamber choir, before working as assistant conductor and a member of the Latvian Radio Choir from 2006 to 2010. The scope of Rubiķis professional experience widened significantly two years ago when he began work as an assistant conductor at the Latvian National Opera.
His 2010/11 season has seen débuts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Duisburg and Budapest Philharmonic Orchestras, Estonian National Symphony, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Heidelberg Symphony and Orchestre du Pays de la Loire as well as return visits to Bamberg Symphony, Lockenhaus Festival with Gidon Kremer and with Kremerata Baltica and Latvian National Opera. In addition to Hong Kong, upcoming orchestral débuts include the Oslo and Brussels philharmonics and Bournemouth Symphony.
Programme
Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony inspired its composer to new hopes: “God grant that this Czech music will move the world,” he wrote, and so it did. As it happens, Dvořák was crazy about trains, so he might well have had a lot to talk about with Arthur Honegger had they ever met for, in Honegger’s Pacific 231, the sound, momentum and sheer thrill of a train journey are depicted.
Nothing beats a Haydn symphony for wit, elegance and power. Rising star of the conducting world, Rubiķis nominated the 103rd symphony to round out his début programme. It’s named after the drumroll which opens it – an announcement of great things to come.
SoundFest: Drumroll, please!
17 | 9| 2011
SATI 8 PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK $280 $200 $140 $100
Available at URBTIX from now
Artists 
Ainārs Rubiķis (HK Début)conductor

Click the thumbnail to download photos
      

Programme 
HONEGGER    Pacific 231
HAYDN       Symphony No.103 Drumroll
DVOŘÁKSymphony No.7


Ticketing Information
Credit Card Booking
(852) 2111 5999
Online Booking
www.urbtix.hk
For programme enquiry, please call HKPO at
(852) 2721 2030



HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Edo de Waart
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia’s leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong’s cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to collaborate on its stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of over 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances including its extensive education programme HSBC Insurance Creative Notes and free concerts such as the popular Swire Symphony under the Stars, and regular broadcasts and telecasts. Outside of Hong Kong, the HKPO has made a number of critically acclaimed tours in Asia and Europe.
The 2011/12 season will mark Maestro Edo de Waart’s eighth and final season with the HKPO. Apart from his own series of five special programmes which are summaries of his achievements with the Orchestra over the last seven years, ending with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the new season will also attract a stellar cast of great artists and guest conductors.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Lawrence Renes Replaces Maestro Edo de Waart in Season Opening Gala (2 & 3 September) and in Rachmaninov Gala: Rach 3 (9 & 10 September)


[11 August 2011 – Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) announces today that Dutch conductor Lawrence Renes will replace indisposed Maestro Edo de Waart in the Orchestra’s Bank of Communications brings to you: Season Opening Gala – Heaven and Earth on 2 & 3 September 2011 (Fri & Sat) as well as in the Rachmaninov Gala – Rach 3 on 9 & 10 September 2011 (Fri & Sat), sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle. The concerts will be held in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall at 8pm. Free pre-concert talks will be given on all nights at 7:15pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. For details, please visit www.hkpo.com
The repertoire and guest soloists for both programmes will remain unchanged
Scheduled to open his eighth and final season with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra as its Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Maestro de Waart has regrettably been obliged to withdraw from these opening concerts due to a minor but necessary surgery on 19 August.  He has been advised to take at least 3 weeks’ rest in order to recuperate fully.
“Maestro de Waart is very disappointed that he won’t be able to lead the orchestra in these two very important concerts that are dear to him, and he sends his apologies to his fans in Hong Kong”, said Michael MacLeod, Chief Executive. “However, I am pleased that Lawrence Renes, a protégé of de Waart and no stranger to the HKPO audience, is able to step in to bring his considerable charisma to these great works. Please help us give a warm welcome to Lawrence.” 
Lawrence Renes, conductor
“The Mahler…came off brilliantly…The Symphony, with its extraordinary ending, seemed freshly miraculous.” 
The Sunday Times, June 2011
Lawrence Renes came to worldwide attention in 1995 when he replaced Riccardo Chailly as conductor for a performance of Strauss's Ein Heldenleben and Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra with Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The performance was broadcast on Dutch TV and was the basis for a documentary on Renes entitled A Dream Début.
Between 2001 and 2006 Lawrence Renes held the post of Director of Opera at Bremen Theatre and General Music Director of the Bremer Philharmoniker where he concluded his tenure with performances of Strauss’s Metamorphosen and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. From 1998 to 2003 Mr Renes was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Gelders Orkest, Arnhem, with whom he built his reputation for authoritative performances of works by Mahler, Bruckner and Wagner.
In recent seasons Lawrence Renes has conducted many of Europe’s most prestigious orchestras including the Staatskapelle Dresden, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, BBC and Gothenburg Symphonies, La Monnaie in Brussels, MDR Leipzig, WDR Köln, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Oslo and Royal Stockholm Philharmonics. Later this season he makes his debut with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and at San Francisco Opera.
After studying violin at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, Lawrence Renes went on to study conducting at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, graduating with honours in 1993. Mr Renes was subsequently Edo de Waart's assistant at the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic where he was involved in the Netherlands Opera production of Werther, the Mahler celebration at the Concertgebouw, Schoenberg's Gürrelieder at the Holland Festival and a recording of the Mahler cycle.
Bank of Communications brings to you: 
Season Opening Gala – Heaven and Earth
2&3 | 9 | 2011
FRI & SAT 8 PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK$400 $300 $220 $140
Available at URBTIX from now
Artists 
Lawrence Renesconductor
Michelle DeYoungmezzo-soprano
Stuart Skeltontenor

Click the thumbnail to download photos
  


Programme
 
MOZART  Symphony No.41 Jupiter
MAHLER        The Song of the Earth


Rachmaninov Gala – Rach 3
9&10 | 9 | 2011
FRI & SAT 8 PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK$400 $300 $220 $140
Available at URBTIX from now
The opening performance is sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle
Click the thumbnail to download photos
    

An All-Rachmaninov Programme
Piano Concerto No.3  
Symphony No.2       

Ticketing Information
Credit Card Booking
(852) 2111 5999
Online Booking
www.urbtix.hk
For programme enquiry, please call HKPO at
(852) 2721 2030


HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Edo de Waart
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia’s leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong’s cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to collaborate on its stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of over 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances including its extensive education programme HSBC Insurance Creative Notes and free concerts such as the popular Swire Symphony under the Stars, and regular broadcasts and telecasts. Outside of Hong Kong, the HKPO has made a number of critically acclaimed tours in Asia and Europe.
The 2011/12 season will mark Maestro Edo de Waart’s eighth and final season with the HKPO. Apart from his own series of five special programmes which are summaries of his achievements with the Orchestra over the last seven years, ending with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the new season will also attract a stellar cast of great artists and guest conductors.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Τετάρτη 24 Αυγούστου 2011

Marin Alsop Leads the BSO in Season-Opening Program, Mahler's Second Symphony, "Resurrection," September 15-17


Concert also features Baltimore Choral Arts Society
Baltimore, Md. (August 3, 2011) - Led by Music Director Marin Alsop, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will open the 2011-2012 subscription season with Mahler's thunderous five-part masterpiece on Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 8 p.m. andFriday, September 16, 2011 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall andSaturday, September 17, 2011 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore. Mahler's Second Symphony is one of his most personal works, embodying the composer's belief in the beauty of the afterlife and resurrection. The performance will feature the BSO debut of soprano Layla Claire, alongside mezzo-soprano Susan Platts and The Baltimore Choral Arts Society, directed by Tom HallSee below for complete program details.
Throughout his lifetime, Mahler was plagued by tragedies-his parents' unhappy marriage and the death and illnesses among his 11 siblings. These heartbreaking experiences are woven into his second symphony, which exhibits his obsession with death and the afterlife. The symphony begins with a funeral march, which originally was a symphonic poem,Todtenfeier ("Funeral Rites"), celebrating the death of a hero. He later added four more movements, concluding with a portrayal of Judgment Day. The uplifting final movement culminates in a tremendous outpouring of voices celebrating hope and redemption.
Marin Alsop, conductorHailed as one of the world's leading conductors for her artistic vision and commitment to accessibility in classical music, Marin Alsop made history with her appointment as the 12th music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. With her inaugural concerts in September 2007, she became the first woman to head a major American orchestra. She also holds the title of conductor emeritus at the Bournemouth Symphony in the United Kingdom, where she served as the principal conductor from 2002-2008, and is music director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California.
In 2005, Ms. Alsop was named a MacArthur Fellow, the first conductor ever to receive this prestigious award. In 2007, she was honored with a European Women of Achievement Award, in 2008 she was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2009 Musical America named her "Conductor of the Year." In November 2010, she was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. In February 2011, Marin Alsop was named the music director of the Orquestra Sinfônica do estado de São Paulo (OSESP), or the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, effective for the 2012-13 season. Ms. Alsop was named to Guardian's Top 100 Women list in March 2011. This spring Marin Alsop was named an Artist in Residence at the Southbank Centre in London, England.
A regular guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ms. Alsop appears frequently as a guest conductor with the most distinguished orchestras around the world. In addition to her performance activities, she is also an active recording artist with award-winning cycles of Brahms, Barber and Dvořák.
Marin Alsop attended Yale University and received her master's degree from The Juilliard School. In 1989, her conducting career was launched when she won the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize at Tanglewood where she studied with Leonard Bernstein.
Layla Claire, sopranoSoprano Layla Claire's "penetrating purity" (The New York Times) combined with "emotive force and a poised sensitivity" (Palm Beach Daily News) has quickly made her a sought-after artist on the world's preeminent operatic, symphonic and recital stages. Of her February 2011 performances as Marenka in Smetana's The Bartered Bride under the baton of James Levine the Associated Press noted, "With big, expressive eyes, her long red hair commanding attention, she displayed an exciting, bright tone and shimmering piano notes… thrilling."
Praised for thoughtful characterizations and exquisite musicality, Layla Claire's interpretations of Mozart's heroines have garnered accolades throughout North America and Europe. She was hailed as "the quintessential Susanna" for her 2009 performances ofLe Nozze di Figaro at Palm Beach Opera and with James Levine and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra she performed the roles of Fiordiligi (2007) and Donna Anna (2009) to great acclaim. With the Curtis Opera Theatre she sang the roles of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro. In 2010 she appeared with the Académie d'Aix-en-Provence where she was awarded the Prix des amis d'Aix-en-Provence for best Mozart performance.
Following July 2011 performances of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Symphony No. 9 under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Festival de Lanaudière and four concerts as a featured artist in the Met's Summer Recital Series, Layla Claire can be heard at the Tanglewood and Manchester Music Festivals before beginning a robust fall schedule. In October, she makes her New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall, just one of many significant firsts in the 2011-12 season including debuts with the Dallas, Toronto, Baltimore and Kansas City Symphonies as well as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
In July 2010, Layla Claire made her Boston Symphony debut, on the opening night of the Tanglewood Music Festival conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, with Mahler's Symphony No. 2, a performance she reprised to begin the 2010-11 season with the Boston Symphony and James Levine. Chicago Classical Review noted, of her August 2010 performances of Dvořák's Requiem at The Grant Park Music Festival, "she possesses a rich, luminous instrument and her sensitive, expressive singing consistently illuminated the text, with supremely affecting vocalism." Layla made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Tebaldo in Nicholas Hytner's production of Verdi's Don Carlo conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and repeated the role under the baton of Fabio Luisi on the Met's tour of Japan in the spring of 2011. February 2011 marked her role debut as Michaela in Bizet's Carmen with The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nader Abbassi.
Susan Platts, mezzo-sopranoBritish-born Canadian mezzo-soprano Susan Platts brings a uniquely rich and wide-ranging voice to the concert and recital repertoire for alto and mezzo-soprano. In May of 2004, as part of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, world-renowned soprano Jessye Norman chose Ms. Platts from 26 candidates worldwide to be her protégée. Since then, she has had the honor of mentoring with Ms. Norman.
With the generous support of Rolex, Susan recently commissioned a new work for mezzo-soprano and orchestra from renowned Canadian composer Marjan Mozetich. Under the Watchful Sky comprises of three songs that use ancient Chinese texts from Shi Jing (The Book of Songs) that explore the universal passions and tribulations of human kind.
During past seasons, Ms. Platts has performed at Teatro alla Scala, Teatro di San Carlo, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, CBC Radio Orchestra, L'Orchestre de Paris, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, American Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony. She has collaborated with many conductors including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Roberto Abbado, Sir Andrew Davis, Christoph Eschenbach, Jane Glover, Jeffery Kahane, Kent Nagano, Peter Oundjian, Itzhak Perlman, Helmuth Rilling, Bramwell Tovey, Osmo Vänska, and Pinchas Zuckerman.
The Baltimore Choral Arts SocietyThe Baltimore Choral Arts Society, now in its 46th season, is one of Maryland's premier cultural institutions. The Symphonic Chorus, Full Chorus, Orchestra, and Chamber Chorus perform throughout the mid-Atlantic region, as well as in Washington, D.C., New York, and in Europe.

For the past 15 years, WMAR Television, the ABC network affiliate in Maryland, has featured Choral Arts in an hour-long special, 'Christmas with Choral Arts," which won an Emmy Award in 2006. Mr. Hall and the chorus were also featured in a PBS documentary called "Jews and Christians: A Journey of Faith," broadcast nationwide, and on National Public Radio in 2001. On local radio, Mr. Hall is the host of "Choral Arts Classics," a monthly program on WYPR that features the Choral Arts Chorus and Orchestra, and he is the Culture Editor on WYPR's "Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast."
Choral Arts has appeared with the National Symphony, and has made regular appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  Acclaimed artists collaborating with Choral Arts have included Chanticleer, Dave Brubeck, the King's Singers, Peter Schickele, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Anonymous 4, and others. Tom Hall's innovative programs often feature both choral and orchestral music, stage and theater works.
Tom Hall, directorTom Hall is one of the most highly regarded performers in choral music today. Appointed Music Director in 1982, Mr. Hall has added more than 100 new works to the BCAS repertoire, and he has premiered works by contemporary composers including Peter Schickele, Libby Larsen, Robert Sirota, James Lee, III, Rosephanye Dunn Powell, and many other internationally acclaimed composers.
In addition to his position with BCAS, Mr. Hall is active as a guest conductor in the United States and in Europe including appearances with the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, the Berkshire Choral Festival, Musica Sacra in New York, and Britten Sinfonia in Canterbury, England. His 2005 concert with Orchestre de Chambre de Paris was broadcast on French television. Mr. Hall has prepared choruses for Leonard Bernstein, Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, and others, and he served for ten years as the Chorus Master of the Baltimore Opera Company.
COMPLETE PROGRAM DETAILSBSO Classical Concert: Mahler's ResurrectionThursday, September 15, 2011 at 8 p.m. - Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (JMSH)
Friday, September 16, 2011 at 8 p.m. -JMSH
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 8 p.m. - Music Center at Strathmore
Marin Alsop, conductor
Layla Claire, soprano
Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano
Baltimore Choral Arts Society
   Tom Hall, director
Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection"
Single tickets go on sale on August 8th and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.

CONDUCTOR LEONARD SLATKIN LEADS THE LA PHIL IN TWO CONCERTS AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL


Photo: Leonard Slatkin conducts the Academy Festival Orchestra during a rehearsal at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times


Pianists André Watts (Tuesday) and Olga Kern Perform (Thursday) Perform as Soloists
TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011, AT 8 PM - THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, AT 8 PM
The August 23 Concert is Generously Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, Preferred Financial Services Company of the Hollywood Bowl; August 23 Media Sponsor: KUSC
WHAT:
Former Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl Leonard Slatkin returns for a pair of programs, Tuesday, August 23, at 8 pm, and Thursday, August 25, at 8 pm. In Tuesday’s program, Slatkin leads the orchestra in a double dose of Liszt and Ravel, and is joined by pianist André Watts, making a welcome return in a performance of Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto. Slatkin continues his week at the Bowl with pianist Olga Kern, in her long-awaited second appearance at the Bowl, performing Rachmaninoff’sRhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Thursday’s program also includes Carter’s Holiday Overture and Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.
Internationally-acclaimed American conductor Leonard Slatkin began his appointment as Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in September of 2008. He was named Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL), France, beginning with the 2011/12 season. In addition, Slatkin continues to serve as Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, a post that began in the fall of 2008. Following a 17-year tenure as Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, he became Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. in 1996. Other positions in the U.S. have included Principal Guest Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, where he founded their “Sommerfest;” first Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra’s summer series at the Blossom Music Festival, a post he held for nine years; Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl for three seasons; and additional positions with the New Orleans Philharmonic and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People's Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. Only two weeks later, Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, thus launching his career in storybook fashion. More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today's most celebrated and beloved superstars, is a perennial favorite with orchestras throughout the U.S., and is also a regular guest at the major summer music festivals including Ravinia, the Hollywood Bowl, Saratoga, Tanglewood and the Mann Music Center. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame during Opening Night, June of 2006 and will perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall in March 2012.
Olga Kern is now recognized as one of her generation’s great pianists; her career began one decade ago with her award-winning gold-medal performance at the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001. Her second triumph came in New York City on May 4, 2004, with a highly acclaimed New York City recital debut at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall. In an unprecedented turn of events, Olga gave a second recital eight days later in Isaac Stern Auditorium at the invitation of Carnegie Hall. She made her Hollywood Bowl debut in August of 2005. Of her, Slatkin states, “She plays with power and assurance, superb technique and musicality, individual flair and passion.”
WHEN/WHO:

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011, AT 8 PM
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
LEONARD SLATKIN, conductor
ANDRÉ WATTS, piano

LISZT Les Préludes
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2
RAVEL Mother Goose Suite
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2


THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011, AT 8 PM 
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
LEONARD SLATKIN, conductor
OLGA KERN, piano

CARTER Holiday Overture
RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniBRAHMS Symphony No. 4
WHERE:
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

LEGENDARY COMPOSER/CONDUCTOR JOHN WILLIAMS RETURNS TO THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL FOR TWO EVENINGS OF MOVIE MUSIC


Special Guest James Taylor to Narrate The Reivers Suite
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 AND 27, 2011, AT 8:30 PM
August 26 Media Sponsor: KFI AM 640; The August 27 Concert is Generously Sponsored by the Sunset Marquis Hotel and Villas; August 27 Media Sponsor: KCET
WHAT:
Five-time Academy Award-winner and renowned composer John Williams returns for his annual weekend at the Hollywood Bowl to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in John Williams: Maestro of the Movies, Friday and Saturday, August 26 and 27, at 8:30 p.m. The concerts feature incredible film music, including The Reivers Suite, narrated by special guest, James Taylor.
In the world of film music, there is no more recognized voice than the incomparable John Williams. In the three decades since his Bowl debut, he has written countless beloved film scores including some of Hollywood’s most recognized and memorable themes.
Five-time Grammy-winner James Taylor last appeared at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010 with Carole King as part of their Troubadour Reunion Tour. Taylor also narrated Aaron Copland’s popular “Lincoln Portrait” at the Bowl in 2002.
WHO:
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
JOHN WILLIAMS, conductor
JAMES TAYLOR, special guest narrator
WHEN:
Friday, August 26, 2011, at 8:30 PM
Saturday, August 27, 2011, at 8:30 PM
WHERE:
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

NJSO: Third Annual William and Judith Scheide Concert—Exploring Mendelssohn and the Gutenberg Bible


Mark Laycock conducting the NJSO

NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS THIRD ANNUAL WILLIAM AND JUDITH SCHEIDE CONCERT: ‘EXPLORING MENDELSSOHN AND THE GUTENBERG BIBLE’ PROGRAM FEATURES FESTGESANG, ‘LOBGESANG’ SYMPHONY NO. 2 AND A IDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM OVERTURE THU., JULY 21 IN PRINCETON NEWARK, NJ (JULY 7, 2011)—The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents the Third Annual William and Judith Scheide Concert—Exploring Mendelssohn and the Gutenberg Bible—at the Richardson Auditorium in Princeton on Thursday, July 21, at 8 p.m. The all-Mendelssohn program features the composer’s Festgesang (“Festive Hymn”) and Symphony No. 2, “Lobgesang” (“Hymn of Praise”), both written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the movable-type printing press. Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture opens the program with a lighthearted imagination of Shakespeare’s comedy—one of the countless literary works that owes its popularity to the printing capabilities made possible by Gutenberg’s invention.
In an extension of the NJSO and Opera New Jersey’s multiyear partnership, the Opera New Jersey Chorus joins the NJSO on stage for Festgesang and “Lobgesang.” Sopranos Maria D’Amato and Sarah Asmar and tenor Joshua Kohl perform; Mark Laycock conducts.
William and Judith Scheide, Princeton-area philanthropists and devoted patrons of the arts, present the one-night-only concert event. William Scheide owns a rare Gutenberg Bible, inspiring the program’s unique theme.
TICKETS
All tickets for the performance are $20 and are available for purchase online at www.njsymphony.org or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).
THE ARTISTS
Conductor Mark Laycock’s orchestral and opera appearances include engagements in London, Paris, Vienna, Moscow, Kiev, Montréal, Mexico City, Seoul, Taipei and Lisbon, among others. He appears regularly with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra and Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, in addition to leading concerts with other orchestras throughout Europe. He has appeared on numerous occasions in the United States with the Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Opera New Jersey.
Laycock began conducting at the age of 16, advancing his studies at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, and he studied as a violist with the Curtis String Quartet in Philadelphia. He was a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and a winner of the Leopold Stokowski Memorial Conducting Competition; he made his conducting debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at 21. Further distinctions include becoming the first non-Russian ever invited to appear at the Moscow Autumn Festival, leading the inaugural concert at the new Cairo Opera House and conducting the sold-out first concert of classical music ever made open to the public in Amman, Jordan, chronicled in an Emmy Award-winning documentary produced by NJN public television. His Mexico City debut resulted in immediate invitation to return to teach a weeklong master class to
Mexico’s regional conductors.
Laycock is a published composer and has conducted more than 1,900 works. When he was Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, he transformed that ensemble from a small chamber orchestra into a full and critically acclaimed professional symphony orchestra that garnered Citations of Excellence for two consecutive years from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for “exhibiting the highest standards of artistic excellence.” Laycock was Music Director of Orchestra London Canada and was Associate Conductor of the NJSO from 2000–03. He and his family live in Berlin.
Soprano Maria D’Amato returns to the Sarasota Opera in 2012 as Desdemona in Otello, following her success in 2011’s La bohème as Mimi and 2010’s The Magic Flute as Pamina.
She has appeared as Mimi in La bohème with Dicapo Opera, as Nannetta in Falstaff and Poppea and Drusilla in The Coronation of Poppea with Opera North and as Despina in Così fan tutte and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program. Her concert engagements have included performances of Mozart’s Requiem with Seattle Symphony, Carmina Burana with the North Arkansas Symphony as well as Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor in Cincinnati. In previous seasons as a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, she sang Thibault in the 2009 production of Don Carlos and Berta in the 2008 production of The Barber of Seville.
She is a winner of the Helen Jepson Dellera Award from Sarasota Opera’s Bradenton Opera Guild and grants from the Guilin Gary and Lycia Albanese-Puccini Foundations. She has appeared in concert at Alice Tully Hall and Rose Hall in New York.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has praised Sarah Asmar’s “crystalline soprano,” while The Daily Record says, “she is headed for the leading opera houses.” This season, she appeared with Sarasota Opera in Don Giovanni  garnering critical praise, and covered roles in La bohème and I Lombardi. In addition, she appeared as soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the New Haven Symphony for a second year. She returns to both ensembles next season.
She has appeared with Ohio Light Opera in Die Fledermaus, White Horse Inn, the world premiere of A Friend of Napoleon, H.M.S. Pinafore, Pride and Prejudice, The Pirates of Penzance, The Student Prince and The Firefly. She has appeared with Connecticut Concert Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Skylark Opera and Opera North, among others; she has been a member of Sarasota Opera’s Studio Artist Program. She has appeared with the Cathedral of St. Joseph’s Schola Cantorum, Farmington Valley Chorale and Orchestra and Opera Providence’s Opera in the Park. She won Connecticut Concert Opera’s inaugural “American Opera Idol.” She has appeared with the Boston Orpheus Ensemble, Boston University Symphony Orchestra and Newburyport Choral Society; she appeared in Opera Boston’s production of Alceste.
She was a New England Regional Finalist in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In 2006, she garnered First Prize and the Roger Wertenberger Audience Choice Award in the Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition. The Boston Herald has called Joshua Kohl a “tenor to watch.” This season, he appeared in La Traviata with Tulsa Opera, Don Giovanni with Sarasota Opera and West Side Story Suite in concert with the Lexington Philharmonic.
Upcoming seasons include engagements with Nashville Opera, among others.
He has performed with the Dallas Opera in Madama Butterfly, Sarasota Opera in The Magic Flute, Lake George Opera in Carmen, Commonwealth Opera in Così fan tutte and Utah Opera in Macbeth. While serving as a Resident Artist with Minnesota Opera, he appeared in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath. He has been Artist-inResidence with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and has performed with the Pittsburgh, Utah, Virginia, Yale, Boston Lyric and Ohio Light Operas; Opera North and Atlanta Lyric Theatre, among others.
He has performed with composer Richard Wargo in “From the Bards of Ireland” and has appeared with the New Haven Symphony, Yale Camerata, Yale Symphony Orchestra and Connecticut Master Chorale. He appears as the title character in Albany Records’ recently released album “The Birdseller.” He was a National Semi-Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2007.
THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is comprised of some of the country’s finest musicians. The Orchestra is proud to have Jacques Lacombe as its Music Director and Neeme Järvi as its Conductor Laureate. Artistic excellence, innovative programming and community engagement are hallmarks of its mission. To best serve the people of New Jersey, the orchestra brings its programs to seven outstanding venues throughout the state. Education and community engagement programs enrich the listening experience for children and adults alike. Select performances of the NJSO are broadcast regionally and throughout North America. United is the official airline of the NJSO.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra continues its major fundraising initiative—the NJSO Comprehensive Campaign. To date, more than $29 million towards a three-year $32 million goal has been raised in support of the Orchestra. For information about contributing to this historic campaign, contact Thomas Daubert, Director of Development, at 973.624.3713, ext. 269.
For more information about the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, visit www.njsymphony.org or e-mail
information@njsymphony.org. Tickets are available for purchase by phone 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or on the Orchestra’s website.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s programs are made possible in part by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, along with many other foundations, corporations and individual donors.

Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Announces a New Season Full of Romance


The MSO has announced its 2011-2012 season series “Music is Magic”, which showcases great music and several world-renowned soloists - some making a return appearance with the MSO and others for their premiere engagement with the orchestra - for you to enjoy, to be inspired and energized by, and to enrich your lives.

The season series opens on October 8 in Ocean View, DE, with a program Maestro Julien Benichou has titled "FALL in Love”. It promises to be an evening full of the romance of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The program will showcase the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster and acclaimed violinist, Jonathan Carney, in his third appearance with the MSO. He will perform Bruch’s romantic Concerto for Violin No. 2 Op. 44. The program will also feature Edna Huang, the MSO’s Principal Clarinet, who will play Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet Op. 26. The concert concludes with Brahms’ magnificent Symphony No. 3 in F Major Op. 90. 

On December 3, the MSO will usher in the holiday season with its ever-popular concert, “Holiday Joy”. This concert brings a great audience every year and includes both classical music and traditional seasonal favorites. The orchestra will be joined this season by the Morgan State University Opera Workshop. These young singers will bring their own brand of energy and joy to the program.

On March 24, the spring concert, “Great Sax”, will feature guest conductor, Maestro Osvaldo Ferreira, the Principal Conductor of the Orquestra Sinfonica do Parana in Brazil. He will present Glazunov’s Concerto for Saxophone in Eb Major Op. 109 and Milhaud’s Scaramouche performed by internationally recognized Gary Louie on alto saxophone. He promises to amaze us all with his virtuosity. As in previous years, this concert will also feature a performance by the winner of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra’s annual Concerto Competition. Continuing MSO’s presentation of the cycle of Beethoven’s symphonies, the concert concludes with Beethoven’s grand Symphony No 8 in F Major Op 93. 

The season finale on April 28 includes a great treat for all – the return of Stefan Jackiw, world- acclaimed violinist, performing Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy in Eb Major Op. 46. Jackiw brought the house down this past season with his flawless technique and exquisite musicality. Also on the program is the wonderful overture from Verdi’s La Forza del Destino. The season series concludes with Dvorak’s passionate Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88. 

Concerts are performed at Mariner’s Bethel Church in Ocean View, DE, at Rt. 26 and Central Avenue on Saturday evenings at 7:30PM, with a pre-concert talk at 6:30PM, except for the holiday concert. 

Season subscriptions for all four concerts are available for $119, a savings of over $25 for the individual concerts. Individual tickets may also be purchased. Please visit www.middatlanticsymphony.org to print the ticket order form or call 1-888-846-8600 to order tickets, as well as for information about the MSO, other venues and dates of concerts. 

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, a non-profit organization, is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts – an organization that believes a great nation deserves great art; The Maryland State Arts Council – an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive; the Sussex County Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation, the Carl M. Freeman Foundation and the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, as well as donations from individuals and corporations. 

THE JOSHUA M. FREEMAN FOUNDATION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Julien Benichou, Conducting
Presents
THE LABOR DAY FINALE 
With the Morgan State University Opera Workshop
Vincent Stringer, Artistic Director
And the Morgan State University Choir
Eric Conway, Director 
On the Freeman Stage at Bayside, in Selbyville, DE
A Free Admission Concert
WITH GREAT FIREWORKS!!! 
Saturday September 3, 2011 at 7 PM
(Rain date, Sunday September 4, 2011 at 7 PM)


Δευτέρα 22 Αυγούστου 2011

Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris at the Canadian Opera Company


SEPT. 22 TO OCT. 15, 2011


With Iphigenia in Tauris, Gluck had the greatest triumph of his long career, composing ascore of refined, classical beauty that lays bare the searing emotions of this Greek tragedy. Facing imminent death at the hand of her own father, Iphigenia is rescued by the goddess Diana and transported to the island of Tauris. She is made a priestess and must sacrifice any stranger who appears on the island. In a tragic twist of fate, one of those victims is her long-lost brother, Orestes.

CAST 

Iphigenia:  Susan Graham
                  Katherine Whyte (Oct. 15)
Orestes: Russell Braun
Pylades: Joseph Kaiser
Thoas: Mark S. Doss
Diana: Lauren Segal 
1st Priestess: Jacqueline Woodley
2nd Priestess: Mireille Asselin
A Greek Woman: Ambur Braid
A Scythian Man: Philippe Sly
Old Servant: Robert Pomakov

CREATIVE TEAM


Conductor: Pablo Heras-Casado
Director: Robert Carsen
Associate Director: Jean-Michel Criqui
Set and Costume Designer: Tobias Hoheisel
Lighting Designers: Robert Carsen & Peter Van Praet
Choreographer: Philippe Giraudeau
Chorus Master: Sandra Horst 


SEPT. 22 TO OCT. 15, 2011


On stage at the Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W., Toronto. Performance time is approximately two hours, 10 minutes with one intermission. Sung in French with EnglishSURTITLES™.

Co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Susan Graham as Iphigénie in the Lyric Opera of Chicago production of Iphigénie en Tauride. Photo: Robert Kusel © 2006