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Stravinsky and Prokofiev

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27 Season 2017-2018 Thursday, March 22, at 7:30 The Philadelphia Orchestra Friday, March 23, at 2:00 Saturday, March 24, Lahav Shani at 8:00 Conductor David Bilger Trumpet C. Lindberg Akbank Bunka, for trumpet and chamber orchestra I. Akolebank II. Japabunka III. Turkjazz First Philadelphia Orchestra performances Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird (1919 version) I. Introduction—The Firebird and its Dance II. The Princesses’ Round Dance III. Infernal Dance of King Kastcheï— IV. Berceuse— V. Finale Intermission ProkofievSymphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100 I. Andante II. Allegro marcato III. Adagio IV. Allegro giocoso This program runs approximately 1 hour, 55 minutes. The March 22 concert is sponsored by American Airlines. The March 22 concert is also sponsored by Joseph Neubauer and Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer. The March 23 concert is sponsored by Gail Ehrlich in memory of Dr. George E. Ehrlich. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM, and are repeated on Monday evenings at 7 PM on WRTI HD 2. Visit www.wrti.org to listen live or for more details. 28 29 The Philadelphia Orchestra Jessica Griffin The Philadelphia Orchestra Philadelphia is home and impact through Research. is one of the preeminent the Orchestra continues The Orchestra’s award- orchestras in the world, to discover new and winning Collaborative renowned for its distinctive inventive ways to nurture Learning programs engage sound, desired for its its relationship with its over 50,000 students, keen ability to capture the loyal patrons at its home families, and community hearts and imaginations of in the Kimmel Center, members through programs audiences, and admired for and also with those who such as PlayINs, side-by- a legacy of imagination and enjoy the Orchestra’s area sides, PopUP concerts, innovation on and off the performances at the Mann free Neighborhood concert stage. The Orchestra Center, Penn’s Landing, Concerts, School Concerts, is inspiring the future and and other cultural, civic, and residency work in transforming its rich tradition and learning venues. The Philadelphia and abroad. of achievement, sustaining Orchestra maintains a strong Through concerts, tours, the highest level of artistic commitment to collaborations residencies, presentations, quality, but also challenging— with cultural and community and recordings, The and exceeding—that level, organizations on a regional Philadelphia Orchestra is and national level, all of which by creating powerful musical a global ambassador for create greater access and experiences for audiences at Philadelphia and for the engagement with classical home and around the world. US. Having been the first music as an art form. American orchestra to Music Director Yannick The Philadelphia Orchestra perform in China, in 1973 Nézet-Séguin’s connection serves as a catalyst for at the request of President to the Orchestra’s musicians cultural activity across Nixon, the ensemble today has been praised by Philadelphia’s many boasts new five-year both concertgoers and communities, building an partnerships with Beijing’s critics since his inaugural offstage presence as strong National Centre for the season in 2012. Under his as its onstage one. With Performing Arts and the leadership the Orchestra Nézet-Séguin, a dedicated Shanghai Media Group. In returned to recording, body of musicians, and one 2018 the Orchestra travels with three celebrated of the nation’s richest arts to Europe and Israel. The CDs on the prestigious ecosystems, the Orchestra Orchestra annually performs Deutsche Grammophon has launched its HEAR at Carnegie Hall while also label, continuing its history initiative, a portfolio of enjoying summer residencies of recording success. The integrated initiatives that in Saratoga Springs, NY, and Orchestra also reaches promotes Health, champions Vail, CO. For more information thousands of listeners on the music Education, eliminates on The Philadelphia radio with weekly broadcasts barriers to Accessing the Orchestra, please visit on WRTI-FM and SiriusXM. orchestra, and maximizes www.philorch.org. 30 Conductor Marco Borggreve Israeli conductor Lahav Shani makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut with these performances. His conducting career was launched when he won first prize at the 2013 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg. Since then he has established himself as one of the most talked-about young conducting talents, making a huge impression with his astonishing maturity and natural, instinctive musicality. He will become chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic in September 2018, taking over from Yannick Nézet-Séguin and becoming the youngest chief conductor in the orchestra’s history, and in the 2020-21 season he will succeed Zubin Mehta as music director of the Israel Philharmonic. This season he became principal guest conductor of the Vienna Symphony, following a number of appearances with the ensemble since his debut in May 2015, including a major European tour in January 2016. Mr. Shani’s recent and upcoming highlights as a guest conductor include the Bavarian Radio, Berlin Radio, Bamberg, London, and Boston symphonies; the Royal Concertgebouw, Tonhalle, Philharmonia, and Budapest Festival orchestras; the Dresden Staatskapelle; the Orchestre de Paris; and the Royal Stockholm and Radio France philharmonics. He made his debut with the Berlin Staatskapelle in 2014 and has since returned regularly to conduct at the Berlin Staatsoper and for symphonic concerts. In December 2015 he stepped in, on short notice, to make his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic in the Musikverein, where he led Bach’s Concerto in D minor from the keyboard and conducted Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. In October 2013 he was invited to open the Israel Philharmonic’s season. An immediate re-invitation followed for the next two seasons and in December 2016 he conducted the final concert of the orchestra’s 80th birthday celebrations. His close relationship with the Israel Philharmonic started in 2007 when he performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto under the baton of Mr. Mehta. Mr. Shani was born in Tel Aviv in 1989 and started his piano studies at the age of six. He completed his studies in conducting and piano at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler Berlin. As a student he was mentored by Daniel Barenboim. 31 Soloist Jessica Griffin David Bilger (Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest Chair) has held the position of principal trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 1995. Prior to joining the Orchestra, he held the same position with the Dallas Symphony. As a soloist he has appeared with The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Oakland Symphony, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York. His solo appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra include Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto, the United States premiere of Herbert Willi’s Eirene, the Tomasi Trumpet Concerto at Carnegie Hall and on tour in North and South America, Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto, Copland’s Quiet City, and Bloch’s Proclamation. He has performed recitals in New York, Washington DC, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and other major American cities. Mr. Bilger has appeared with the National Brass Ensemble and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, with which he recorded Bach’s Second Brandenburg Concerto. Other chamber music appearances include Chamber Music Northwest, the New York Trumpet Ensemble, Saint Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, as well as guest appearances with the Canadian Brass and the Empire Brass. He also released a recording of new electro-acoustic music for trumpet and synthesizers with composer Meg Bowles. Mr. Bilger is currently on the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music and Temple University, and he has formerly been affiliated with the University of Georgia, Swarthmore College, Catholic University, Rice University, and the University of North Texas. In the fall of 2018, he will join the adjunct faculty of Northwestern University. He has performed master classes at dozens of institutions, including the Juilliard School of Music, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Peabody Conservatory. He has also taught at the Hamamatsu International Festival and Academy, the Pacific Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, and at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Mr. Bilger holds a Master of Music degree from Juilliard and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois. He performs on instruments made for him by Yamaha. 32 Framing the Program A range of traditions that inspired Christian Lindberg’s Parallel Events eclectic, virtuosic Akbank Bunka is partly reflected in the title, 1910 Music which is a combination of Turkish and Japanese: Akbank Stravinsky Elgar is the name of a Turkish bank and bunka means culture in The Firebird Violin Concerto Japanese. The jazz-inflected trumpet concerto with chamber Literature orchestra features Principal Trumpet David Bilger. Forster Howard’s End Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird proved to be the young Russian Art composer’s breakout success in 1910. The impresario Modigliani Sergei Diaghilev commissioned the work for his Ballets The Cellist Russes in Paris and its immediate popularity led to two History more revolutionary ballets: Petrushka in 1911 and The Rite of Japan annexes Spring in 1913. All three have found an even more welcome Korea place in the concert hall as dazzling orchestral showpieces.
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