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| Carolyn Kuan. Photo: Jane Shauck |
HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2015-2016 SEASON
MASTERWORKS SERIES
MASTERWORKS SERIES
NEW WORLD VISIONS
October 1-4, 2015
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Caroline Goulding violin
Caroline Goulding violin
Adams Shaker Loops
Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, From the New World
The season opener features composers who were inspired by diverse musical traditions and genres to create visionary new works. John Adams’ score for string ensemble was named for both the sound of the strings “shaking” as they oscillate between notes, and the imagery of Shakers dancing to energetic music as they worship. Bruch’s most famous composition remains one of the most frequently performed of all violin concerti. The “New World” – Dvořák’s most popular symphony (and the recording Neil Armstrong took along for the first moon landing) – was influenced by the melodies of Beethoven and Schubert, as well as the rhythms of African-American spirituals. Sponsored by the Saunders Fund for Innovative Programming and MetLife Foundation.
BOLD BEETHOVEN
November 5-7, 2015
William Eddins conductor and piano
Beethoven
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op.93
Back by popular demand, guest conductor William (Bill) Eddins returns to conduct the HSO in an all-Beethoven program. The overture, inspired by von Collin’s play Coriolan and Shakespeare’s tragedy Coriolanus, contrasts a warrior’s bold resolve as he is about to invade Rome with the tender pleadings of his mother to desist. Beethoven’s third piano concerto pays homage to Mozart’s 24th in its melodies, rhythmic gestures and phrasings. His eighth symphony is light and humorous, contradictory (and perhaps conciliatory) to the composer’s circumstances during the summer of 1812, when he ended a romantic relationship in a famous letter written to his “Immortal Beloved.” Sponsored by Cly-Del Manufacturing.
JOYFUL VOICES
with The Hartford Chorale
December 3-6, 2015
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Hartford Chorale
Richard Coffey, music director
Higdon Blue Cathedral
Fauré Requiem in D minor, Op. 48
Handel Excerpts from Messiah
Let joyous music warm your heart and lift your holiday spirit, as the masterful musicians of the HSO are joined by the magnificent voices of The Hartford Chorale. 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Higdon describes the muse for her composition as being “blue like the sky, where all possibilities soar…and a cathedral, a place of thought, growth and spiritual expression.” Created almost certainly as a musical tribute to his father, Fauré’s Requiem is noted for its calm, serene and peaceful outlook. Handel’s oratorio Messiah is the most powerful telling of the Passion story – a soaring celebration of salvation and rebirth!
BATTLE OF THE BATONS
January 21-24, 2016
Three finalists will conduct the HSO as part of the selection process for the new Assistant Conductor position!
Edward Rozie double bass; Robert McEwan vibraphone; Leonid Sigal violin
Bottesini Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor, 2nd & 3rd Movements
Sejourne Concerto for Vibraphone and Strings, 1st Movement
Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor, Op. 28
Mozart Overture to Die Zauberflöte. K. 620 (The Magic Flute)
Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun)
Borodin Polovtsian Dances
Here’s your opportunity to hear, see and play your part! After the performance, you’ll have the opportunity to voice your choice for Associate Conductor, a new position that will assist Music Director Carolyn Kuan to extend the HSO’s community and educational outreach. During the first part of the program, each candidate will conduct an orchestral show piece, featuring HSO principal musicians. Each candidate will then conduct the full HSO in a tour-de-force, showcasing the orchestra’s might and delicacy under his or her leadership.
LOVE NOTES
February 11-14, 2016
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Wagner Tristan und Isolde, Prelude & Liebestod
Bach Concerto for Violin & Oboe in C minor
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, "Quasi una fantasia" (“Moonlight Sonata”) Additional orchestral works to be announced
Musical love tales and beautiful choreography take center stage in this program that will include Pas de Deux selections with featured dancers. Wagner's transcendent opera will have you spellbound. Reminiscent of many couples in love, Bach relished the challenge of writing for two dissimilar instruments, emphasizing their qualities in common and making harmony of their differences. Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” was likened to the romantic effect of the moon shining upon Switzerland’s picturesque Lake Lucerne. Bring your loved one – and share your own love notes – for a special Valentines’ night out! The Alexander Campbell McNally Memorial Concert
RUSSIAN MASTERS
March 10-13, 2016
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Simone Porter violin
Simone Porter violin
Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op.100
Carolyn Kuan and the HSO interpret the red-hot and icy-cool works of two iconic Russian masters! Inspired by his conducting studies of Haydn and Mozart, Prokofiev’s first symphony is known as the “Classical” and remains one of his most popular and beloved works. Written while in a Soviet safe haven during World War II, Prokofiev described his fifth symphony as “a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit.” One of the best-known violin concerti in the repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s is widely considered as one of the most technically difficult works for the instrument. The Koski Memorial Concert
ORPHEUS & EURYDICE: TRANSFORMED
April 7-10, 2016
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Gluck Orpheo ed Euridice (Orpheus & Eurydice)
The HSO transforms Gluck’s most famous opera with a dramatic concert staging of sumptuous sights and sounds. Orpheus & Eurydice is the exhilarating account of the mythical Greek hero’s descent into the underworld to rescue his true love. Its exceptional libretto and music – evocative choral passages, imaginative ballets, dramatic duets, and the hero’s famous lament – convey a timeless message of love’s power to triumph over all.
ROMANTIC RACHMANINOFF
May 12-15, 2016
Anne Manson conductor
Alex Slobodyanik piano
Alex Slobodyanik piano
Rachmaninoff
Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor
Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
Wrote Sergei Rachmaninoff, “I try to make my music speak simply and directly, that which is in my heart.” The public was already familiar with Rachmaninoff’s second and third piano concertos before he revised his first, begun at age 18. Using an acquired knowledge of harmony, orchestration, piano technique and musical form, he transformed it into a spirited work that maintains its youthful freshness. Rachmaninoff’s second symphony combines the intense emotions of opera with the luscious sounds of a full symphony orchestra. Although written more than 100 years ago, its sweeping melodies still speak to the hearts of audiences today (pop singer Eric Carmen even borrowed the melody for his hit, “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again!”).
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS: WORLD WINDS
June 9-12, 2016
Carolyn Kuan conductor
Kayhan Kalhor kamancheh
David Krakauer klezmer clarinet
Christina Pato Galician bagpipe
Michael Ward-Bergeman accordion
Gershwin An American in Paris
Golijov Rose of the Winds
Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Our season finale is a “world-wind” tour of exotic international sights and sounds featuring our woodwind section! Symphonic Dances was Rachmaninoff's last completed composition and is a stunning virtuoso showpiece for orchestra, combining energetic rhythmic sections with lush harmonies. George Gershwin’s jazz-influenced symphonic poem evokes the energy he witnessed in Paris during the 1920s, and remains one of his best-known and most beloved compositions. Osvaldo Golijov's Rose of the Winds is a “bold yet seamless melding of musical resonances from Christian, Arabic and Jewish traditions, with ear-catching instrumental sounds and colors representing numerous points of the compass,” said theChicago Tribune.
POPS! SERIES
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME WITH SHEENA EASTON
October 24, 2015 at 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
The name is Bond…James Bond. Dashing and debonair, his movie themes evoke international intrigue, glamour and suspense. Two-time Grammy®Award-winner Sheena Easton, the featured singer on the James Bond soundtrack For Your Eyes Only, will enchant, entice and seduce you into the world of Goldfinger, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker, plus “spy” songs from Mission Impossible, Get Smart, Austin Powers, and more. So, how do you like your martini?
HOLIDAY CIRQUE SPECTACULAR
Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 3pm and 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
Hartford’s holiday concert classic just keeps getting more “Cirque-tacular!” Bring the entire family to enjoy your favorite seasonal music, as Carolyn Kuan conducts the HSO, while Cirque de la Symphonie performs on and above the stage. Breathtaking aerialists, mind-boggling contortionists, and jaw-dropping jugglers will have you awestruck. Experience the magic of this ultimate holiday extravaganza!
HSO & GOODSPEED CELEBRATE THE BEST OF BROADWAY
Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
Come on along and listen to the lullabies of Broadway! Connecticut’s own Goodspeed Musicals is known the world over as the home of the American musical. Join the HSO, Goodspeed Resident Music Director and Conductor Michael O’Flaherty, and special guests as they celebrate 70 years of Tony® Award-winning music. This one-night-only, blockbuster performance will spotlight the best of Broadway through the years.
THE MUSIC OF THE EAGLESSaturday, March 19, 2016 at 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
With their ground-breaking sound, The Eagles flew up the charts with five number one singles, six number one albums, five American Music Awards®and six Grammys®, and created a legacy of timeless music. Popular guest conductor Brent Havens returns with a full rock band to join the orchestra and “Take it to the Limit” – capturing The Eagles’ impeccable riffs and timeless vocal harmonies on the classic hits, including “Heartache Tonight,” “Desperado,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Hotel California.”
Mortensen Hall
With their ground-breaking sound, The Eagles flew up the charts with five number one singles, six number one albums, five American Music Awards®and six Grammys®, and created a legacy of timeless music. Popular guest conductor Brent Havens returns with a full rock band to join the orchestra and “Take it to the Limit” – capturing The Eagles’ impeccable riffs and timeless vocal harmonies on the classic hits, including “Heartache Tonight,” “Desperado,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Hotel California.”
JAKE SHIMABUKURO’S UKE NATION
Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
In his young career, ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro has already redefined an under-the-radar instrument, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone, won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder, Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed TV audiences on Kimmel and Conan, earned comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, and even played for the Queen of England! “Uke” can’t miss this chance to catch Jake live, backed by the big-band rhythms of the HSO conducted by Carolyn Kuan!
PLAYING WITH FOOD 4
Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 7:30pm
Mortensen Hall
Mortensen Hall
The HSO’s rave-reviewed, foodie fan-favorite event returns for a fourth season! Take a mix of great music, add some fabulous food, and blend! Special guest chefs representing a variety of global cuisines will share entertaining stories and demonstrate the cooking techniques behind their unique dishes, while Carolyn Kuan and the orchestra perform a delectable menu of music that inspires culinary creativity. Watch the whisks and the baton fly, as we whet your appetite for food tastings at intermission and after the show. Then…enjoy…mangia…bon appétit!
Ticket Information: Single tickets for all 2015-2016 Hartford Symphony Orchestra concerts go on sale August 24. Flex passes are on sale beginning August 10. For information on subscriptions, please call 860-987-5900. More information about subscribing is available atwww.hartfordsymphony.org.
Ticket Information: To purchase single tickets, please call (860) 987-5900 or visit www.hartfordsymphony.org. For subscriptions and additional information, please call 860-987-5900.
· Subscriptions to the 2014-2015 Masterworks Series begin at $309; single tickets to Masterworks Series concerts begin at $33.
· Subscriptions to the 2015-2016 POPS! Series begin at $122; single tickets to POPS! Series concerts begin at $19.
· A limited number of $25 tickets are available for patrons age 40 and under at the Masterworks and Pops! Series’ Saturday performances.
· Student tickets are to all concerts are $10.
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