SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
- Edward Cumming’s Grand Finale & The Inaugural Concert of the HSO’s New Music Director
- Romanticism Prevails in Masterworks Series with Performances of Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Sibelius, Beethoven & Rimsky-Korsakov
- POPS! Series Dazzles with Sights and Sounds of Vegas, Big Band, A Richard Rodgers Revue, Nat King Cole & a Holiday POPS! Spectacular
- Hallelujah! HSO & The Hartford Chorale Bring Handel’s Messiah to the Belding Theater
- HSO Premieres Gryc’s Harmonia Mundi Violin Concerto & Montague’s Requiem
HARTFORD, February 5, 2010– Hartford Symphony Orchestra Music Director Edward Cumming and Executive Director Kristen Phillips proudly announce the Hartford Symphony’s 2010-2011 Masterworks Series of nine concerts and POPS! Series of six concerts that will be performed at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford between October 2010 and June 2011.
The 2010-2011 Season reflects upon many of Music Director Edward Cumming’s favorite performances with the Hartford Symphony. Says Cumming of his programming choices, “In addition to revisiting the music of Sibelius (Symphony no. 1), Tchaikovsky (Symphony no. 4), Haydn (“Surprise” Symphony), and yet another wonderful new solo work by Stephen Gryc (A Violin Concerto written for Leonid Sigal), I am delighted to be performing major works throughout the season with The Hartford Chorale including Handel’s Messiah, Montague’s Requiem (a U.S premiere), and Berlioz’s Te Deum.”
“Our upcoming Masterworks series will be one extraordinary season. It’s a rare opportunity to find a Music Director’s finale, new Music Director’s inaugural concert, and world and U.S. premieres alongside the monumental masterworks in one season. And yet, this is the experience that the Hartford Symphony Orchestra is offering our community,” says Kristen Phillips, the HSO’s Executive Director. “Our POPS! series builds on this theme by not only celebrating Maestro Cumming’s triumphant final year, but also bringing talented guest conductors with a wide variety of programs that will be the hottest ticket in town. There’s never been a better time for our community to experience the truly transformative and uplifting powers of the live concert hall experience.”
2010-2011 MASTERWORKS SERIES
Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Edward Cumming, Music Director
BEETHOVEN’S EMPEROR!
Thursday, October 14, 2010 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 15, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 16, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 17, 2010 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Kevin Rhodes, guest conductor and music director candidate
Jeffrey Biegel, piano
Brahms Academic Festival Overture
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
SCHEHERAZADE!
Thursday, November 4, 2010 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 5, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 6, 2010│ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 7, 2010 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Marcelo Lehninger, guest conductor and music director candidate
Christina Pier, mezzo-soprano
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet
Ravel Shéhérazade
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
TCHAIKOVSKY’S PASSIONATE PIANO CONCERTO
Thursday, December 2, 2010 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 3, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 4, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 5, 2010 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Carolyn Kuan, guest conductor and music director candidate
Alexander Beyer, piano
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Remainder of the program to be selected by Maestra Kuan
MENDELSSOHN VIOLIN CONCERTO
Thursday, January 6, 2011 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 7, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 8, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 9, 2011 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Sirena Huang, violin
Bartók Divertimento for Strings
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
Haydn Symphony No. 94, “Surprise”
VALENTINE’S ROMANCE!
Thursday, February 10, 2011 │7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 11, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 12, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 13, 2011 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Wendy Warner, cello
Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Elgar Cello Concerto
Sibelius Symphony No. 1
MUSIC DIRECTOR INAUGURAL
Thursday, March 17, 2011 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 18, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 19, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 20, 2011 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Works to be selected by the Music Director-Designate
BEETHOVEN & BRAHMS
Thursday, April 14, 2011 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 15, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 17, 2011 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Matei Varga, piano
Hindemith Konzertmusik for Strings and Brass
Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY’S FOURTH
Thursday, May 19, 2011 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22, 2011 │ 3:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Leonid Sigal, violin
Debussy Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune
Gryc Harmonia Mundi (World Premiere)
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
EDWARD CUMMING’S FINALE
Saturday, June 4, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
The Hartford Chorale
Richard Coffey, music director
Connecticut Children’s Chorus
Stuart Younse, director
Montague Requiem: The trumpets sounded calling them to the other side (U.S. Premiere)
Berlioz Te Deum
SPECIAL PROGRAM:
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Friday, December 10, 2010 │8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 11, 2010 │8:00 p.m.
The Belding Theater │The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
The Hartford Chorale
Richard Coffey, music director
2010-2011 POPS! SERIES
Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Edward Cumming, Music Director
POPS! GOES VEGAS
Saturday, November 13, 2010 │ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Steven Reineke, guest conductor
HOLIDAY POPS! SPECTACULAR
Saturday, December 18, 2010 │ 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
The Hartford Chorale
Richard Coffey, music director
Connecticut Children’s Chorus
Stuart Younse, director
IRISH POPS! featuring ROBERT WHITE
Saturday, March 5, 2011 │ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Robert White, tenor
A Tribute to NAT KING COLE
Saturday, March 26, 2011│ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Jeff Tyzik, guest conductor
Keith David, vocalist
RICHARD RODGERS REVUE featuring the THE HARTT SCHOOL
Saturday, May 14, 2011│ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Edward Cumming, conductor
Singer and Actors from The Hartt School’s Theatre Department
SWING, SWING, SWING!
Saturday, June 11, 2011│ 8:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Victor Vanacore, guest conductor
EDWARD CUMMING’S GRAND FINALE
The 2010-2011 Season marks the final year of Music Director Edward Cumming’s nine year tenure with the HSO. During his tenure, Cumming has introduced several initiatives to embrace the musical traditions of Hartford’s diverse populations and attract new audiences to classical music. To celebrate Maestro Cumming’s triumphant tenure, the HSO will present one epic performance of Berlioz’s mammoth masterpiece – Te Deum – featuring chorus, organ, and more in Mortensen Hall on June 4, 2011.
Edward Cumming says, “Given my great fondness for Richard Coffey’s splendid singers in The Hartford Chorale, and for the music of Stephen Montague (whose music I’ve done more than any other living composer), it seems particularly fitting to be concluding the season – and my tenure – with these two great works for chorus and orchestra.”
MUSIC DIRECTOR CANDIDATES
The Hartford Symphony’s search for a new music director, which brought four candidates to Hartford in the 2009-2010 season, will feature the final three conductors in the fall of 2010. Kevin Rhodes, the current Music Director of the Springfield Symphony, will join the HSO in October for a program of Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto, and Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 5. Currently the associate conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra, chief conductor of the Dell’Arte Sinfonieta, and former cover conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra’s subscription concerts, Marcelo Lehninger will lead the HSO in Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, and Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov’s versions of Scheherazade in November. In December, former Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra Carolyn Kuan will lead the HSO in Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, among other works.
The Hartford Symphony will announce the new Music Director by January 2011. The chosen conductor will conduct a concert in March 2011 and assume his or her new post starting in the 2011-2012 season.
ROMANTICISM PREVAILS
The luscious music of the Romantic Era abounds in 2010-2011 Masterworks Series; audiences will experience an array of passionate performances by both the HSO and guest artists. Highlights include:
- Guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel in a performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto (October 14-17, 2010)
- Rimsky-Korsakov’s spectacular showpiece, Scheherazade (November 4-7, 2010)
- Tchaikovsky’s Passionate Piano Concerto No. 1 as played by the 2009 Young Artists Competition winner, Alexander Beyer (December 2-5, 2010)
- A Valentine’s Romance of heartwarming classics, including Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Sibelius’ First Symphony (February 10-13, 2011)
- Brahms’ powerful First Piano Concerto (April 14-17, 2011)
- Tchaikovsky’s heart-rending Fourth Symphony and Debussy’s enchanting Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune (May 19-22, 2011)
The 2010-2011 Masterworks Series also features a new Thursday night start time of 7:30 p.m.
POPS! SERIES DAZZLES
The hottest show in town – the Hartford Symphony POPS! – will bring the palpable excitement of a live symphony orchestra and the biggest names in the music industry together for six sizzling nights at The Bushnell:
- POPS! Goes Vegas November 13, 2010, complete with visits from Sinatra, Liberace, and Elvis
- Edward Cumming conducts his farewell Holiday POPS! Spectacular December 18, 2010
- Be there for the wearin’ of the green on March 5, 2011 with America’s Irish tenor, Robert White at Irish POPS!
- Jeff Tyzik leads an “unforgettable” Tribute to Nat King Cole on March 26, 2011
- The energetic young students of Hartford’s own Hartt School sing a night of Broadway showstoppers at a Richard Rodgers Revue May 14, 2011
- Led by Victor Vanacore, the biggest Big Band hits will put audiences “In the Mood” at Swing, Swing, Swing! on June 11, 2011
RISING STARS and LEGENDARY ENTERTAINERS
In keeping with the HSO’s rich legacy of knock-out guest artists, the Hartford Symphony’s 2010-2011 Season features soloists that are both household names as well as up-and-coming talent. This season’s all-star line-up includes: Pianist Jeffrey Biegel in a performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto October 14-17, 2010; Three young music director candidates- Kevin Rhodes, Marcelo Lehinger, and Carolyn Kuan; Mezzo-soprano Christina Pier sings Ravel’s Shéhérazade November 4-7, 2010; The winner of the HSO’s 2009 Young Artists Competition, Fairfield, CT high school student Alexander Beyer, playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 December 2-5, 2010; Fifteen year old Sirena Huang, winner of the 2009 Tchaikovsky competition who last performed with the HSO in April 2009, in a performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto January 6-9, 2011; Cellist Wendy Warner in a performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto February 10-13, 2011; Irish Tenor Robert White in “Irish POPS!” March 5, 2011; Guest POPS! conductor Jeff Tyzik and vocalist Keith David in a “Tribute to Nat King Cole” March 26, 2011; Pianist Matei Varga playing Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 April 14-17, 2011; the fresh young voices of The Hartt School in a “Richard Rodgers Revue” May 14, 2011; HSO Concertmaster Leonid Sigal in a world premiere performance of Gryc’s new violin concerto May 19-22, 2011; and Seasoned POPS! conductor Victor Vanacore leading a night of Big Band hits June 11, 2011.
MESSIAH RETURNS TO THE HSO
For the first time since 2007, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and The Hartford Chorale will perform Handel’s great oratorio, The Messiah, on December 10 and 11, 2010 in The Belding Theater. Joined by The Hartford Chorale and guest soloists (to be announced), these two monumental concerts by the HSO will feature the beloved solo and choral movements that characterize the holiday season. Highlights will include He Shall Feed His Flock, Comfort Ye, For Unto Us a Child is Born, and (of course!) the Hallelujah Chorus.
PREMIERES
Adding to the excitement of the 2010-2011 season are two works that have never been heard by Hartford audiences before. On May 19-22, 2011, HSO Concertmaster (first violin) Leonid Sigal will play the world premiere of Stephen Gryc’s Harmonia Mundi: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. The HSO premiered Dr. Gryc’s Trombone Concerto, “Passaggi” in 2007 with New York Philharmonic Principal Trombonist Joseph Alessi. Dr. Gryc’s instrumental expertise has brought him commissions from a diverse group of the world’s leading soloists including oboist Bert Lucarelli, flutist John Wion, and trumpeter Philip Smith. Among his many awards are the 1986 Rudolf Nissim Prize for orchestral music and the James and Frances Bent Award for Artistic Achievement from the University of Hartford. He holds the position of Professor of Music Composition and Theory at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford, and lives in Avon, CT.
As part of his grand finale, Edward Cumming has programmed the United States premiere of Steven Montague’s Requiem: The trumpets sounded calling them to the other side. Montague’s music has been performed at numerous international festivals, including the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Warsaw Autumn festival, the Paris Festival d’Automne and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. During Maestro Cumming’s tenure with the HSO, the orchestra has performed three works by Montague: Behold a Pale Horse in April 2008, At the White Edge of Phrygia in June 2005, and “Piano Concerto” in February 2003.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Nine-Concert Subscriptions to the 2010-2011 Masterworks Series range in price from $243 to $520; subscribers get all nine concerts for the price of eight. Current subscribers to the Masterworks Series can renew their subscriptions from February 8 – April 2, 2010, after which seats will be released for sale to the general public. Single tickets for the 2010-2011 Masterworks Series will go on sale in August. Tickets to The Messiah December 10 & 11, 2010 can be added onto Masterworks subscriptions, with single tickets going on sale in August. Seating to Edward Cumming’s Finale is available first-come, first-serve.
Six-Concert Subscriptions to the 2010-2011 POPS! Series range in price from $150 to $310; subscribers get all six concerts for the price of five. Current subscribers to the POPS! Series can renew their subscriptions from February 15 – April 17, 2010, after which seats will be released for sale to the general public. Single tickets for the 2010-2011 POPS! Series will go on sale in August.
Subscriptions and tickets are available in person Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Hartford Symphony Orchestra Ticket Services, 99 Pratt Street, Suite 500 in Hartford, or by calling (860) 244-2999. Single tickets are available online 24/7 at www.hartfordsymphony.org.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra participates in the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s Let*s GO Arts! program that offers 2-for-1 tickets to selected arts and entertainment events, and discounts at restaurants and clubs. Let*s GO Arts! members can receive 2-for-1 full price tickets to selected HSO Masterworks and POPS! concerts.
Marking its 67th season in 2010-2011, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra is Connecticut’s premier musical organization. The Hartford Symphony is the second largest orchestra in New England and is widely recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras. Dedicated to the performance of live symphonic music and the presentation of quality education and community programs, each season the Hartford Symphony plays to audiences numbering approximately 125,000 and reaches thousands statewide through its broadcast concerts on WNPR Connecticut Public Radio. Supported by more than 4,500 subscribers and 2,000 donors, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s extensive array of Musical Pathways educational activities serves more than 64,000 individuals in Hartford and surrounding communities annually. For more information about the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, please visit www.hartfordsymphony.org.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra receives major support from the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Sponsors listed as of February 8, 2010.