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Season 2015-2016 27 Season 2015-2016 Thursday, October 29, at 8:00 The Philadelphia Orchestra Friday, October 30, at 2:00 Saturday, October 31, at 8:00 Marin Alsop Conductor Jon Kimura Parker Piano Debussy/orch. Sachs Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (orchestrated for the Society for Private Musical Performances in Vienna under the auspices of Arnold Schoenberg) Gershwin/orch. Grofé Rhapsody in Blue (original jazz band version) Intermission Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 I. Moderato—Allegro non troppo II. Allegretto III. Largo IV. Allegro non troppo This program runs approximately 1 hour, 50 minutes. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM. Visit WRTI.org to listen live or for more details. 228 Story Title The Philadelphia Orchestra Jessica Griffin The Philadelphia Orchestra Orchestra also reaches Carnegie Hall and the is one of the preeminent thousands of listeners on the Kennedy Center while also orchestras in the world, radio with weekly Sunday enjoying summer residencies renowned for its distinctive afternoon broadcasts on in Saratoga Springs, New sound, desired for its WRTI-FM. York, and Vail, Colorado. keen ability to capture the Philadelphia is home and The Philadelphia Orchestra hearts and imaginations the Orchestra nurtures an of audiences, and admired serves as a catalyst for important relationship with for a legacy of imagination cultural activity across patrons who support the and innovation on and off Philadelphia’s many main season at the Kimmel the concert stage. The communities, as it builds an Orchestra is transforming its Center, and also with those offstage presence as strong rich tradition of achievement, who enjoy the Orchestra’s as its onstage one. The sustaining the highest area performances at the Orchestra’s award-winning level of artistic quality, but Mann Center, Penn’s Landing, Collaborative Learning also challenging—and and other cultural, civic, initiatives engage over exceeding—that level by and learning venues. The 50,000 students, families, creating powerful musical Orchestra maintains a strong and community members experiences for audiences at commitment to collaborations through programs such as home and around the world. with cultural and community PlayINs, side-by-sides, PopUp organizations on a regional concerts, free Neighborhood Music Director Yannick and national level. Concerts, School Concerts, Nézet-Séguin’s highly collaborative style, deeply- Through concerts, tours, and residency work in rooted musical curiosity, residencies, presentations, Philadelphia and abroad. and boundless enthusiasm, and recordings, the Orchestra The Orchestra’s musicians, paired with a fresh approach is a global ambassador for in their own dedicated to orchestral programming, Philadelphia and for the roles as teachers, coaches, have been heralded by United States. Having been and mentors, serve a key critics and audiences alike the first American orchestra role in growing young since his inaugural season in to perform in China, in 1973 musician talent and a love 2012. Under his leadership at the request of President of classical music, nurturing the Orchestra returned to Nixon, The Philadelphia and celebrating the wealth recording, with two celebrated Orchestra today boasts a new of musicianship in the CDs on the prestigious partnership with the National Philadelphia region. For Deutsche Grammophon Centre for the Performing more information on The label, continuing its history Arts in Beijing. The ensemble Philadelphia Orchestra, of recording success. The annually performs at please visit www.philorch.org. 6 Music Director Chris Lee Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is an inspired leader of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and he has renewed his commitment to the ensemble through the 2021-22 season. His highly collaborative style, deeply rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called him “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton, “the ensemble, famous for its glowing strings and homogenous richness, has never sounded better.” Highlights of his fourth season include a year-long exploration of works that exemplify the famous Philadelphia Sound, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 and other pieces premiered by the Orchestra; a Music of Vienna Festival; and the continuation of a commissioning project for principal players. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most thrilling talents of his generation. He has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2008 and artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain since 2000. He also continues to enjoy a close relationship with the London Philharmonic, of which he was principal guest conductor. He has made wildly successful appearances with the world’s most revered ensembles, and he has conducted critically acclaimed performances at many of the leading opera houses. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Deutsche Grammophon (DG) enjoy a long-term collaboration. Under his leadership The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to recording with two CDs on that label; the second, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with pianist Daniil Trifonov, was released in August 2015. He continues fruitful recording relationships with the Rotterdam Philharmonic on DG, EMI Classics, and BIS Records; the London Philharmonic and Choir for the LPO label; and the Orchestre Métropolitain for ATMA Classique. A native of Montreal, Yannick studied at that city’s Conservatory of Music and continued lessons with renowned conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and with Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College. Among Yannick’s honors are appointments as Companion of the Order of Canada and Officer of the National Order of Quebec, a Royal Philharmonic Society Award, Canada’s National Arts Centre Award, the Prix Denise-Pelletier, and honorary doctorates from the University of Quebec, the Curtis Institute of Music, and Westminster Choir College. To read Yannick’s full bio, please visit www.philorch.org/conductor. 29 Conductor Adriane White Conductor Marin Alsop is recognized for her innovative approach to programming and for her deep commitment to education and audience development. Her outstanding success as music director of the Baltimore Symphony since 2007 has resulted in two extensions of her tenure, now confirmed until 2021. As part of her artistic leadership in Baltimore she has created bold initiatives such as “OrchKids,” which provides music education, instruments, meals, and mentorship to the city’s neediest young people. Ms. Alsop is also music director of the São Paulo Symphony and California’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music; conductor emeritus of the Bournemouth Symphony; music director laureate of the Colorado Symphony; and artist-in-residence at the Southbank Centre in London. She guest conducts the great orchestras of the world and made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 1990 at the Academy of Music. In addition to these current performances, highlights of Ms. Alsop’s 2015-16 season include her subscription debut with the Chicago Symphony and a return to the Eugene Symphony for its 50th anniversary season. In March 2016 she celebrates Carnegie Hall’s 125th anniversary conducting Bernstein’s West Side Story at the Knockdown Center, a restored factory in Queens, New York. She also begins her position as director of the Graduate Conducting Program at the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute. Ms. Alsop is the recipient of numerous awards and is the only conductor to receive the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. Her extensive discography on Naxos includes a notable set of Brahms symphonies with the London Philharmonic, Brahms’s A German Requiem with the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and Symphony, and a highly praised Dvořák series with the Baltimore Symphony. Born in New York City, Ms. Alsop attended Yale University and received her master’s degree from the Juilliard School. Her conducting career launched in 1989 when she was a prize-winner at the Leopold Stokowski International Conducting Competition. In the same year she also became the first woman to be awarded the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize from the Tanglewood Music Center, where she was a pupil of Leonard Bernstein. 30 Soloist Tara McMullen Tara Pianist Jon Kimura Parker made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 1997 at the Academy of Music and most recently performed with the ensemble in 2008 at the Mann Center. He has appeared as guest soloist with the Philadelphians and Wolfgang Sawallisch at Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Royal Philharmonic and André Previn, and shared the stage with Jessye Norman at Berlin’s Philharmonie. Conductors he has recently worked with include Teddy Abrams, Pablo Heras-Casado, Claus Peter Flor, Hans Graf, Matthew Halls, Jeffrey Kahane, Peter Oundjian, Larry Rachleff, Bramwell Tovey, Xu Zhong, and Pinchas Zukerman. A true Canadian ambassador of music, Mr. Parker has given command performances for Queen Elizabeth II, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the prime ministers of Canada and Japan. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian honor. Mr. Parker performs regularly with the Miró Quartet and is a founding member of the Montrose Trio, with violinist Martin Beaver and cellist Clive Greensmith. He also recently debuted—in a quintet with legendary Police drummer Stewart Copeland—his new project, Off
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