Concert: March 2009 Archives

Pacific Chorale to Present Bach's St. John Passion

Concert on April 11^th - Holy Saturday - to Feature the John Alexander Singers, Musica Angelica and Pacific Chorale at the Orange County Performing Arts Center

Pacific Chorale's 2008-2009 concert season concludes April 11^th at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts with Johann Sebastian Bach's St. John Passion. The concert, sponsored in part by Phillip N. and Mary A. Lyons, will feature Pacific Chorale's 24-voice professional chamber choir, the John Alexander Singers, and period instrument ensemble Musica Angelica, echoing the performing forces of Bach's day. Members of the larger Pacific Chorale ensemble will take the role of the congregation in this Holy Saturday presentation. Featured soloists include tenor Aaron Sheehan as the Evangelist, and baritones Hugh Davies and Ralph Cato as Jesus and Pilate, respectively. One hour prior to the performance, Dr. Robert M. Istad, Director of Choral Studies at Cal State Fullerton and Assistant Conductor of Pacific Chorale, will provide insights into Bach's work and its performance in an onstage concert preview.

Pacific Chorale is one of America's great choirs, delighting national and international audiences with exceptional choral performances since 1968. Internationally recognized for exceptional artistic expression, stimulating Americanfocused programming, and influential education programs, Pacific Chorale is a touchstone in its field. Pacific Chorale presents a significant performance season of its own at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and is sought regularly to perform with the nation's leading symphonies. Under the inspired guidance of Artistic Director John Alexander, Pacific Chorale has infused an Old World art form with California's hallmark innovation and cultural independence.

Read more about this at the Pacific Chorale website:   www.pacificchorale.org

Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony Announce 2009-10 Season

Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) today announced details of the San Francisco Symphony's (SFS) 2009-10 season, including the Orchestra's Centennial Initiatives – a multi-year expansion of its commissioning activities, an ambitious composer and artist residency project, and special programs, concerts and events designed to draw new audiences to orchestral music in Davies Symphony Hall and beyond, as the Orchestra prepares to mark its 100^th season in 2011-12.

Highlights include:

• Orchestra's 98^th Season Features Expanded Commissioning Activities and Ambitious Composer and Artist Residency Project as Part of SFS' Multi-Year Centennial Initiatives;
• New Project San Francisco Artist and Composer Residencies Feature Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Composer George Benjamin;
• Season Includes Six SFS Commissions by Peter Lieberson, Osvaldo Golijov, John Adams, Rufus Wainwright, Victor Kissine, and Thomas Larcher;
• Orchestra to Perform Three World Premieres, One U.S. Premiere and 20 SFS Premieres;
• Pianist Emanuel Ax Performs Three World Premieres with Yo-Yo Ma and Dawn Upshaw;
• Michael Tilson Thomas' Fifteenth Anniversary Season Opens September 9 in a Gala Concert with Lang Lang and Concludes with Berlioz's Large Scale Choral Masterpiece Roméo et Juliette;
• MTT Leads the Orchestra in a Three-Week Mahler Festival with Concerts Recorded and Filmed for SFS Media and Keeping Score;
• Keeping Score - Broadcasts Slated for Fall 2009 on PBS, with Episodes on Berlioz, Shostakovich and Ives;
• SFS Media to Release Orchestra's Recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 8, Symphony of a Thousand;
• SFS and Musicians Ratify New Four-Year Contract Extending Beyond 2011-12 Centennial Season; ;
• New Media Agreement Expands Orchestra's Ability to Reach New Audiences in Innovative Ways;
• National Tour Includes Performances of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Resurrection at Carnegie Hall;
• Distinguished Roster of Artists and Conductors Includes the SFS Debuts of Vasily Petrenko, Rufus Wainwright, Christine Schäfer, and David Fray, and the Return of Itzhak Perlman, Lang Lang, Marc-André Hamelin, Yefim Bronfman, Yuja Wang, Christian Tetzlaff, Susan Graham, and Thomas Hampson;
• Great Performers Series and Special Concerts Feature Visits by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel, Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle, Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig with Riccardo Chailly, and the Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev.

Read more about this at the San Francisco Symphony website:

   www.sfsymphony.org

Chicago Philharmonic to Celebrate Mendelssohn's 200^th Birthday with Special Concert

Chicago, IL - Join the world-renowned Chicago Philharmonic for an enchanting evening celebrating the 200^th birthday of German composer Felix Mendelssohn. Titled "Mendelssohn's 200^th Birthday," the concert begins at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 at Pick-Staiger Hall on the campus of Northwestern University. This is the third concert in the Chicago Philharmonic's 2008-2009 season.

The concert begins with the powerful music of Bohemian Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu, the Quartet for Clarinet, Horn, Cello and Side Drum (1924), H. 139. Following that will be Franz Schubert's popular favorite the Trout Quintet in A Major, D. 677. This graceful and lively piece will be performed with a violin, viola, cello double bass and piano. The centerpiece of the evening will be Felix Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings in E-flat major. This was a piece Mendelssohn composed at the very young age of 16 and it is one that truly demonstrates his brilliance. It will be presented by a carefully chosen ensemble comprised of four violins, two violas and two cellos.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer such an exciting evening honoring Mendelssohn's 200^th birthday. He was a remarkable composer and the Octet is a real testament to his giftedness. We hope that people will take time out of their busy schedules to experience the magic of this performance," said artistic director James Berkenstock.

Read more about this at the Chicago Philharmonic website:

   http://www.chicagophilharmonic.org/