Contact: Allison Griffin
Public Relations Associate
503-416-6347
February 2, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … The Oregon Symphony and Music Director Carlos Kalmar announce their 2007-2008 Classical season, showcasing some of the most awe-inspiring and memorable works in the symphonic repertoire.
“From the special gala opening concert to the monumental finale, this season will give our audiences a unique, rewarding and deeply personal experience,” said Kalmar.
The season will kick off on September 29-October 1, 2007 with a blockbuster opening featuring returning soloist Horacio Gutiérrez performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The program will also include Dvořák’s Symphonic Variations and Strauss’ cinematic epic Also sprach Zarathustra. Among other audience favorites included in the season are Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 and Orff’s Carmina Burana.
On November 3-5, Laureate Music Director James DePreist will reunite with
world-renowned violinist and Portland favorite Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
for a program featuring the romanticism of Bruch’s Violin Concerto
and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. In addition, Oregon Symphony
Resident Conductor Gregory Vajda will take the podium for two classical
concerts this season.
This season the Symphony is premiering 13 works on the classical subscription series. The new works include Dvořák’s Symphonic Variations, Haydn’s Symphony No. 93, Berio’s Folk Songs, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 6, Elgar’s In the South, Bartók’s The Miraculous Mandarin (complete ballet), MacMillan’s The Confessions of Isobel Gowdie, Mendelssohn’s Incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Adams’ Chamber Symphony, Barber’s Souvenirs, J.C. Bach’s Symphony, Op. 18, No.1 (for 2 orchestras), Martinu’s The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca, and Messiaen’s The Ascension.
More highlights for the season include Haydn’s Cello Concerto, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, Schumann’s Symphony No. 4, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion & Celeste and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto.
Hannu Lintu will be returning to Portland for a third time, conducting Sibelius’ Symphony No. 6, and rising star Juanjo Mena will be making his first appearance with the Symphony. Mena made his North American debut at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2004 and was such a success he was immediately reengaged for the following year.
Ralph Kirshbaum, “one of the outstanding cellists of his generation" (The New York Times), will return to Portland performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto on November 17-19, 2007. He has appeared frequently as guest soloist with some of the finest orchestras in the United States, including the symphonies of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and Los Angeles.
Rising talent Elina Vähälä will also be making her first appearance with the symphony as solo violinist on Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons December 1-3, 2007.
Recipient of the 2006 Gilmore Artist Award, Ingrid Fliter is only the fifth pianist ever to have received the award. She will be featured on Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on January 12-14, 2008. According to the Washington Post, Fliter exudes “assured and discriminating musical intelligence yoked to a stage personality of unusual warmth and charm.”
Returning soloist Kirill Gerstein, who played to sold-out audiences last year, will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on February 2-4. Already recognized for his masterful technique, Gerstein taught himself to play jazz by listening to his parents’ record collection, and several years later, independently switched to classical piano, joining Berklee College of Music in Boston at the age of 14, the youngest college student in the school’s history.
Kalmar will also be introducing Portland audiences to soloists with whom he has previously worked. Juilliard graduate Sharon Kam will be featured on Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto April 12-14, 2008 and acclaimed Brazilian pianist Arnaldo Cohen will perform Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on February 16-18, 2008.
Guest conductor Pietari Inkinen will collaborate once again with Pekka Kuusisto, who “may be the best thing to happen to classical music in years” according to The Guardian. Inkinen and Kuusisto will make their Symphony debut with Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto on March 8-10.
On September 22, 2007, legendary classical pianist Van Cliburn will perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, the piece for which he was awarded the first International Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto Competition in Russia in 1958.
The Oregon Symphony’s Gospel Christmas performance will return for
its ninth year of expressive, soul-stirring Christmas music in gospel style
on December 7-9, 2007.
The performance will feature the soulful harmonies and contemporary rhythms
of the Northwest Gospel Choir under the leadership of conductor Charles
Floyd.
Yuletide Spectacular, a Portland holiday tradition for the entire family, will return to the stage once again on December 15, 2007. The performance features a festive theatrical line-up, including a retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” combined with show-stopping musical and dance numbers.
After a successful inaugural season, Inside the Score will take audience members behind-the-scenes of a classical masterpiece through dialogue and musical examples from the orchestra. The series will open on October 21, 2007 featuring Dvořák’s much beloved New World Symphony conducted by Music Director Carlos Kalmar.
Resident Conductor Gregory Vajda will conduct the three remaining programs which include an exploration of the Classical Symphony featuring Haydn’s Symphony No. 97 paired with Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
Inside the Score is a four-concert series with performances on Sundays at 2 p.m.
As a result of patron feedback, the Symphony is returning to a 14-concert schedule in place of the 17-concert Classical concert schedule. The more user-friendly module provides better spacing for concerts and less confusion for patrons. Due to the programming change, the “Sunday Encore” series subscription package will no longer be available. Performance times are Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and Mondays at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, located in downtown Portland at the corner of S.W. Main and Broadway.
The Classical series is the Symphony’s flagship series and presents the finest symphonic music available to its audiences. It features a mix of classical music that includes famous masterpieces and lesser-known works performed by world-class guest artists. Classical subscriptions are available in packages of 14 concerts or seven concerts on Saturday, Sunday or Monday night.
Classical concerts regularly provide additional opportunities for listeners to learn more about the music and the orchestra. Free to ticket holders, Music Director Carlos Kalmar is joined by professional musicians, professors of music and other recognized experts for “Concert Conversations” one hour before each Classical series concert. On Thursdays preceding Classical concerts, a preview can be heard on KBPS All Classical 89.9’s “Northwest Previews” program at 7 p.m. Additional information on each program including guest artists and program notes is also available at www.OrSymphony.org.
Classical Series Subscriptions can be purchased in packages of 14 concerts, which range in price from $210 to $1,120 for adults and $196 to $280 for students and seniors (Upper Balcony and Orchestra Section D). Classical Series Subscriptions for a seven concert package range in price from $133 to $602 for adults and $126 to $147 for students and seniors (Upper Balcony and Orchestra Section D). In addition, the Symphony’s flexible ticket exchange program allows subscribers to exchange their tickets for other performances.
Inside the Score Subscriptions are a four-concert package which range in price from $58 to $184 for adults and $58 for students and seniors (excluding Dress Circle).
Subscriptions may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office in downtown Portland at 923 S.W. Washington from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Subscription orders also may be placed online at www.orsymphony.org. Classical subscribers receive full subscription benefits, including flexible ticket exchange and advance purchase for special event concerts at a 10 percent discount. Single tickets for Classical and other Symphony concerts will be available to the general public at 9 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 2007.
Season programming for the Pops Series and Kids Series will be announced later this month.
Lufthansa is the exclusive airline sponsor for the Symphony’s Classical series. Media support for the Classical series is provided by The Oregonian.