HSO Plays Back-Up for a Night of the “Piano Man’s” Greatest Hits
HARTFORD, May 28, 2009 – Michael Cavanaugh, star of the Tony-Award winning Broadway show Movin’ Out! will join the Hartford Symphony Orchestra at the Talcott Mountain Music Festival for one special night of Billy Joel’s greatest hits on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows. Led by Hartt School Wind Ensemble Director Glen Adsit, the HSO will play with Michael Cavanaugh and his band as they perform some of Rock and Roll’s greatest hits, including Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind, Only the Good Die Young, and Uptown Girl, as well as Jerry Lee Lewis’ Great Balls of Fire, Elton John’s Crocodile Rock, The Who’s Pinball Wizard, and many more!
Michael Cavanaugh captured the New York City spotlight as the star vocalist and pianist in the hit Broadway Musical Movin’ Out! Hand-picked by Billy Joel for the show’s starring role, Mr. Cavanaugh won the hearts of audiences and critics night after night during his three years and over 1,200 performances as the show’s captivating ‘Piano Man.’ Mr. Cavanaugh received rave reviews and accolades while starring in Movin’ Out!, including both Tony and Grammy award nominations.
Shortly after his tremendous success in Movin’ Out!, Michael began touring across the country performing before hundreds of thousands of fans at events of all kinds. Mr. Cavanaugh’s recent appearances include performances at the U.S. Open, The Indy 500, and at numerous corporate, private, and special events for organizations such as Microsoft, G.E., the PGA, and many more. In May 2009, Mr. Cavanaugh played to sold out crowds at his debut with the Boston Symphony Pops. In October 2008, he signed with Warner/ADA to distribute his first CD titled “In Color.” To see videos of Michael Cavanaugh performing, please visit the video page on his website.
The Hartford Symphony’s night with Michael Cavanaugh at the Talcott Mountain Music Festival will be a chance to celebrate the greatest legends of Rock n’ Roll with one of the world’s most exciting and talented performers. Mr. Cavanaugh’s performance style and musical expertise have secured his place as the leading interpreter of classic rock and popular songs written during the last 60 years. Mr. Cavanaugh’s live performances include his wildly popular new arrangements of countless Rock n’ Roll hits, including crowd favorites from Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, The Who, Elton John, and, of course, Billy Joel.
Says guest conductor Glen Adsit, “Michael Cavanaugh is truly a remarkable talent and his show with the Hartford Symphony is bound to be one of the highlights of the summer.”
Glen Adsit is the associate director of the Instrumental Studies Division and the Director of Bands at The Hartt School, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Contemporary Players Ensemble, teaches undergraduate conducting, and guides all aspects of the graduate wind conducting degrees. His professional conducting includes many concerts with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and a series of educational concerts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to his professional orchestral experience, he also conducted the University of Michigan All-State Intermediate Orchestra for seven years at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Ticket Prices: Individual Concerts: Adult Lawn Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Tickets for Kids 12 & under: $5. Single Table Seats (per seat): $40 in advance, $45 at the gate. Full Table (8 seats): $320 in advance, $360 at the gate.
Grass Passes: (10 lawn tickets to be used in any combination for any of the five concerts) Adult Grass Passes: $200. Grass Passes for Kids 12 and under: $50. New this year – Special Family Package: 12 lawn tickets – 6 kids and 6 adults: $150.
Series Subscriptions: Five-Concert subscriptions for single table seats: $190 per seat (save $10 off individual concert price). Five-Concert subscriptions for full eight-seat tables: $1,420 per table (save $180 off individual concert price).
Prices include a $2 per adult ticket and 50¢ per child ticket facility fee paid to the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows.
Gates open at 6:00 p.m. for all Talcott Mountain Music Festival concerts. Concerts are held rain or shine. The festival site is located on Iron Horse Boulevard, parallel to Hopmeadow Street (Rt. 10/202), in downtown Simsbury. The Hartford Symphony Education Tent, open to all ticket holders, is open from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 pm. Children can enjoy free activities such as face-painting, crafts, games and the “Instrument Zoo.”
Tickets for the Talcott Mountain Music Festival are available (before June 1st) in person at Hartford Symphony Orchestra Ticket Services, 99 Pratt Street, Suite 500 in Hartford, Monday through Friday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Patrons wishing to purchase tickets in person after June 1st can do so at the remote box office on the Talcott Mountain Music Festival site in Simsbury. Tickets also can be purchased by calling (860) 244-2999, or online 24/7 at www.talcottmountain.org.
The 2009 Talcott Mountain Music Festival is presented by Chubb, with additional support from The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc; The Hilton; The Town of Simsbury; Falcetti Music; Paine’s, Inc; Piano and Organ Warehouse; Walker System Support; Bloomfield Public Schools; Crowne Plaza Hartford Downtown; Ensign Bickford Industries; HB Group, Inc.; Landmark Partners; LES Investment Partners; Seabury at Home; Show Lighting; Simscroft Echo Farms, Inc; Avon Old Farms Hotel; Bank of America; CIGNA; The Drake Hill Mall Merchants Association; Federman, Lally, & Remis; Harvey & Lewis Opticians; MetroBis; Simsbury Bank; Simsbury Inn; Trumpf, Inc.; and Viking Fuel Oil. The 2009 Talcott Mountain Music Festival media partners are WCCC-AM (Beethoven Radio) & WCCC-FM (The Rock); WDRC-AM & WDRC-FM; WHCN-FM (The River); and WRCH-FM, WTIC-AM, and WTIC-FM. Sponsors listed as of May 19, 2009.
EDITORS: To request an interview with Michael Cavanaugh or Glen Adsit, please contact Katie Bonner at (860) 246-8742 ext. 317 or at kbonner@hartfordsymphony.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Interviews will be arranged on a first-come, first-served basis. Please update calendar listings to reflect performance schedule and admission information above. All programs, performers, and prices are subject to change.