February 18, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 18, 2014
Contact: Rachel Dellinger
KSO Director of Communications
Direct: 865-521-2317
Cell: 865-660-3037
[email protected]
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Lucas Richman have announced the 2014-2015 Classical Season. 2014-15 marks the KSO’s 79th season and the Orchestra’s final year with Maestro Richman.
All eight Masterworks programs will be held at the Tennessee Theatre on Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Maestro Lucas Richman will conduct four of the eight programs, and guest conductors and artists are noted below. All five Chamber Classics concerts will take place on Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m. at the Bijou Theatre.
Subscriptions to both series are now on sale by contacting the KSO box office; single tickets will go on sale in August 2014. New this season: subscriptions to the Masterworks Series start at just $94 and Chamber Series subscriptions start at just $59.50!
2014-2015 Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Season
Subscriptions to the 2014-2015 Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series start at just $94 and are on sale to the general public beginning Monday, February 17. Subscriptions can be purchased through the KSO Box Office by calling 865-291-3310. All eight Masterworks programs will be held at the Tennessee Theatre on Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Maestro Lucas Richman, unless otherwise noted.
Opening Night: BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1
SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 2014
7:30 P.M.
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
The KSO will open its 79th season with Torke’s Bright Blue Music, followed by Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis, which was inspired by the score for a ballet based on the music of Carl Maria von Weber. The concert, conducted by Maestro Lucas Richman, concludes with Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring guest pianist Jon Kimura Parker, a renowned pianist who has performed with orchestras across the world. Mr. Parker has recorded music of Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Chopin and PDQ Bach for Telarc, Mozart for CBC, and Stravinsky under his own label. He won the Gold Medal at the 1984 Leeds International Piano Competition.
SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE
OCTOBER 16 & 17, 2014
7:30 P.M.
Sameer Patel, guest conductor
October’s Masterworks concert will open with Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, followed by Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. This symphonic poem is most recognized from the 1940’s Walt Disney film Fantasia. Concluding the program will be Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz, with the Orchestra conducted by Sameer Patel, Associate Conductor of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Prior to joining the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Mr. Patel served as the Zander Conducting Fellow at the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2010-2011 season, where he assisted conductor Benjamin Zander in Boston, Venezuela, and throughout Europe. Mr. Patel was one of six featured conductors in the League of American Orchestras’ 2013 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview, showcasing emerging conductors in action.
ALPINE SYMPHONY
NOVEMBER 13 & 14, 2014
7:30 PM
November’s concert opens with the Overture to Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, followed by selected arias by Mozart and Verdi. Conducted by Lucas Richman, this performance concludes with the KSO premiere of Strauss’ monumental Alpine Symphony.
TCHAIKOVSKY SYMPHONY NO. 4
JANUARY 22 & 23, 2015
7:30 PM
Lawrence Loh, guest conductor
Julie Albers, cello
The first concert of the New Year will be conducted by Lawrence Loh with special guest artist Julie Albers, cello. This concert opens with Berlioz’ Roman Carnival Overture, followed by Shostakovich’s Concerto for Cello & Orchestra No. 1, Op. 107. The program concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.
Guest conductor Lawrence Loh is currently Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Cellist Julie Albers began playing cello at age four and decided during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and was awarded the Grand Prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians in Douai, France.
DVOŘÁK STABAT MATER
FEBRUARY 20 & 21, 2014
7:30 PM
Knoxville Choral Society
In February, the Knoxville Choral Society returns to join the orchestra for a powerful performance of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, conducted by Lucas Richman. This piece is a religious cantata scored for soloists, choir and orchestra based on the text of the Stabat Mater.
MOZART & MENDELSSOHN
MARCH 19 & 20, 2015
7:30 PM
James Feddeck, guest conductor
Conrad Tao, piano
In March, the KSO welcomes guest conductor James Feddeck for Mozart & Mendelssohn. This concert begins with Rossini’s William Tell Overture, followed by Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 featuring guest artist Conrad Tao. The concert concludes with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, known as the Scottish Symphony.
Maestro James Feddeck recently concluded his tenure as Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. He was previously the Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Conrad Tao has appeared worldwide as a pianist, composer, and violinist. Born in Urbana, Illinois, he gave his first piano recital at age 4, and four years later made his concerto debut performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 414. Conrad currently attends the Columbia University/Juilliard School joint degree program studying piano and composition.
BEETHOVEN’S “PASTORALE”
APRIL 16 & 17, 2015
7:30 PM
Vladimir Kulenovic, guest conductor
Antti Siirala, piano
In April the KSO welcomes guest conductor Vladimir Kulenovic and pianist Antti Siirala. The concert begins with Smetana’s Overture to The Bartered Bride, followed by Rachmaninoff’s First Piano Concerto. The concert will conclude with Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, “Pastorale.”
Maestro Vladimir Kulenovic is currently Associate Conductor of the Utah Symphony and Resident Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic. Kulenovic has also served as Principal Conductor of the Kyoto International Music Festival in Japan. Vladimir Kulenovic was awarded the Alfred B. Whitney Award for highest scholastic achievement at the Boston Conservatory, where he graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian, earning a Bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a Master’s degree in conducting. Mr. Kulenovic was one of six featured conductors in the League of American Orchestras’ 2013 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview, showcasing emerging conductors in action.
World-renowned Finnish pianist Antti Siirala took First Prize at three international piano competitions, including the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition (2003). An enthusiastic recitalist, Antti Siirala was recently selected as one of four pianists to perform on the piano recital series of the Berlin Philharmonic.
LUCAS RICHMAN’S FINALE
MAY 14 & 15, 2015
7:30 PM
Lucas Richman, conductor
Gabriel Lefkowitz, violin
The KSO’s 79th season ending also concludes the tenure of beloved music director, Maestro Lucas Richman. This uplifting concert celebrates the Maestro’s twelfth and final season with the KSO. Musical selections include Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, featuring KSO Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz. The concert concludes with Mahler’s Tenth Symphony: Adagio and Ravel’s La Valse.
2014-2015 KSO Chamber Classics Season
Subscriptions to the 2013-2014 Chamber Classics series are available beginning Monday, February 17. Subscriptions start at just $59.50 and can be purchased through the KSO Box Office by calling 865-291-3310. All five Chamber Classics concerts will take place on Sunday afternoons at 2:30 PM at the Bijou Theatre.
BEETHOVEN & BOCCHERINI
SEPTEMBER 28, 2014
2:30 PM
James Fellenbaum, conductor
Wesley Baldwin, cello
Led by Resident Conductor James Fellenbaum, the Chamber Orchestra will perform Beethoven’s Corolian Overture, Boccherini’s Cello Concerto in B-flat major, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. The Orchestra will be joined by cellist Wesley Baldwin, a tenured Professor of Cello at the University of Tennessee, and conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Baldwin founded and directs the Tennessee Cello Workshop, an annual three-day gathering of roughly 100 cellists of all ages. He also performs throughout the United States and Europe as soloist and chamber musician.
PRINCIPAL QUARTET
November 2, 2014
2:30 PM
The KSO Principal Quartet will perform the following musical selections: Amaya’s Angelica, Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Op. 110 and Beethoven’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. Principal Quartet members include: Gordon Tsai, violin; Edward Pulgar, violin; Kathryn Gawne, viola; and Andy Bryenton, cello.
ORCHESTRA SOLOISTS
JANUARY 11, 2015
2:30 PM
Lucas Richman, conductor
Phillip Chase Hawkins, trumpet
Aaron Apaza, bassoon
Maestro Lucas Richman conducts the Chamber Orchestra with featured performances by new KSO principal musicians Phillip Chase Hawkins, trumpet and Aaron Apaza, bassoon. This concert opens with the Trumpet Concerto in D Major by J. Stamitz/Holzbogen, continues with Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto, and concludes with Strauss’ Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.
Phillip Chase Hawkins, KSO Principal Trumpet, is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music.
This is Aaron Apaza’s first season as KSO Principal Bassoon; he was previously Acting Assistant Principal bassoon with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Aaron studied bassoon at the Curtis Institute of Music and at Yale University’s School of Music.
APPALACHIAN SPRING
MARCH 1, 2015
2:30 PM
James Fellenbaum, conductor
GO! Contemporary Dance Works
Conducted by Maestro James Fellenbaum, the Chamber Orchestra will be joined by special guests from GO! Contemporary Dance Works for this special Appalachian Spring concert. Musical selections include Grieg’s Holberg Suite, Honneger’s Pastorale d’Ete, Webern’s Langsamer Satz and Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite.
LUCAS RICHMAN’S CHAMBER FINALE
MAY 3, 2014
2:30 PM
Maestro Lucas Richman conducts the Chamber Classics season conclusion with music including Schumann’s Symphony No. 5 (Symphony for Strings), Strauss’ Serenade, and Brahms’ Serenade No. 1, Op. 11, D Major. This will be Maestro Richman’s final Chamber concert with the KSO.
About the KSO and Lucas Richman
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra has contributed to the cultural life in East Tennessee since 1935. The KSO is part of the Knoxville Symphony Society which includes the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Pops Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, five orchestras of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Association and several smaller performing ensembles. Under the leadership of Lucas Richman, the orchestra consists of more than 80 professional musicians and performs more than 250 programs throughout East Tennessee each season. Performing in traditional venues such as the Tennessee Theatre, Bijou Theatre and the Civic Auditorium, and in non-traditional places like hospitals, school classrooms, nursing homes, city parks and churches, the KSO reaches more than 200,000 people throughout the region each year.
LUCAS RICHMAN has served as Music Director for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra since 2003 and as Music Director and Conductor for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra since 2010. Mr. Richman received a GRAMMY Award (2011) in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album for having conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Christopher Tin’s classical/world fusion album, Calling All Dawns.
He has appeared as guest conductor with more than 100 orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic, the SWR Radio Orchestra of Kaiserslautern (Germany) and the Zagreb Philharmonic (Croatia). An accomplished composer, Mr. Richman has had his music performed by over 200 orchestras in the last fifteen years.
Mr. Richman has collaborated with numerous film composers as their conductor, recording scores for such films as the Academy Award-nominated The Village (with violinist, Hilary Hahn), As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Se7en, Breakdown, The Manchurian Candidate and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. Most recently, John Williams personally invited Mr. Richman to serve as the conductor for the three-month national summer tour of Star Wars in Concert.
For more information about the KSO’s 2013-2014 season, log on to www.knoxvillesymphony.com. Subscriptions to both series are on sale to the general public beginning Monday, February 18 and may be purchased through the KSO Box Office by calling (865) 291-3310 or in person at the Emporium Building, 100 S. Gay. St.
