2019/20 SEASON Welcome to our 53rd season! I often say that we strive to provide a platform for artists to do their best, most expressive work. And in 2019/20, they’ll do precisely that: their imagination and moxie burst forth from each page in this brochure. Some—like the String Queens, our Mars Arts D.C. Ensemble-in-Residence—reside right here in our community. Others bring inspiration from beyond the reach of our imaginations: NASA-sourced sounds and visuals shape Terry Riley’s epic Sun Rings for Kronos Quartet; and To Shiver the Sky, Christopher Tin’s majestic exploration of space—in oratorio form—features the powerhouse combination of the United States Air Force Band and Choral Arts in a free world premiere in our debut presentation at The Anthem. The power of the arts to connect people across geography and cultures is on full display this season. Four continents are represented, including orchestras from Budapest, Taipei, Melbourne, London, and Philadelphia. Intimate programs will feature Amjad Ali Khan, Kinan Azmeh’s CityBand, and the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble. In our jazz programming, cultural exchange comes by way of Danilo Pérez and his Global Messengers, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Chilean-born saxophonist Melissa Aldana. The SHIFT Festival returns to shine a spotlight on the collaborative spirit and ingenuity of American orchestras, along with inspired choices of partners such as the Classical Theatre of Harlem, members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and Knoxville’s poet laureate! Our resident Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel Choirs hold forth with featured performances and also host the Kingdom Choir from the U.K. And we embrace the powerful intersection of art and social change in several events, including a performance by street- dance innovators Lil Buck and Jon Boogz. And, of course, we join in the worldwide celebration of QUICK Beethoven 250th birthday, with immersive performances by friends who have made Beethoven’s music a touchstone of START their life’s work: Emanuel Ax, Midori, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Igor Levit. Our classical offerings also include the eagerly awaited return of pianist Daniil Trifonov and a cornerstone of our own programming, the Subscription Plans....................... 4 career-launching Hayes Piano Series. “Friends” donor program Please consider this brochure but one portal to explore! Visit our website and follow us on social media to learn more about (Enjoy seating priority & more!) ............ 5 our education and community events. And please tell students Season Themes & Highlights .............. 6 about our $10 Gateway Student Ticket Program (see page 36). I look forward to enjoying the new season alongside you! Season Listings ......................... 8 Venue information ........ Inside Back Cover Season Calendar ....... Fold-Out Back Cover Jenny Bilfield, President & CEO 2 | WashingtonPerformingArts.org Contents BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING AND DONATING . 4 APRIL 2019/20 SEASON THEMES AND HIGHLIGHTS.........6 Jenny Lin, piano (Apr 5) ..........................26 Argus Quartet (Apr 14) ...........................27 OCTOBER The Philadelphia Orchestra (Apr 15)................28 Pink Martini (Oct 13)..............................8 Chineke! Orchestra (Apr 21) ......................29 Melbourne Symphony (Oct 16)......................9 Zakir Hussain Trio (Apr 24) .......................29 Drew Petersen, piano (Oct 19)......................9 The String Queens (Apr 25) .......................30 Spektral Quartet (Oct 29) .........................10 Chick Corea Trilogy (Oct 30).......................11 MAY Lil Buck & Jon Boogz (May 1) .....................30 NOVEMBER The Kingdom Choir (May 3) .......................31 Taipei Symphony Orchestra (Nov 15) ...............12 Emanuel Ax, piano (May 6)........................32 Amjad Ali Khan (Nov 16)..........................12 Terry Riley & Gyan Riley (May 9) ...................32 Zoltán Fejérvári, piano (Nov 17)....................13 Beatrice Rana, piano (May 12).....................33 DECEMBER Igor Levit, piano (May 15) .........................33 Damien Sneed: Joy to the World (Dec 7).............14 Danilo Pérez’s Global Messengers (May 16) . .34 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (May 21)...........34 JANUARY The United States Air Force Band: To Shiver the Sky Kian Soltani, cello & Julio Elizalde, piano (Jan 22) . 14 (May 30) .....................................35 Midori, violin & Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano (Jan 25) ..15 JUNE Living the Dream…Singing the Dream (Jan 26) .......16 Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs (Jun 7) . .35 FEBRUARY Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin & Lambert Orkis, piano Education & Community Programs ................36 (Feb 1) .......................................16 Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs. .........37 Kinan Azmeh’s CityBand (Feb 8) ...................17 Mars Arts D.C...................................37 Melissa Aldana (Feb 15) ..........................18 2019/20 Season Venues .............Inside Back Cover Paul Lewis & Steven Osborne, pianos (Feb 18) .......18 Fold-Out Season Calendar........ Fold-Out Back Cover All programs and artists subject to change Budapest Festival Orchestra (Feb 21)...............19 Michael Barenboim & West-Eastern Divan Ensemble (Feb 27) ......................................20 Matthew Whitaker (Feb 29) .......................20 MARCH Daniil Trifonov, piano (Mar 4)......................21 Seong-Jin Cho, piano (Mar 8) .....................22 Kronos Quartet (Mar 13) .........................22 Murray Perahia, piano (Mar 20)....................23 Veronica Swift (Mar 21) ..........................23 SHIFT Festival: Jacksonville Symphony (Mar 24) . .25 SHIFT Festival: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Mar 25)......................................25 SHIFT Festival: Knoxville Symphony (Mar 27) ........25 SHIFT Festival: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Mar 28)......................................25 202.785.9727 | 3 Subscribe Today! Great seats. The best prices. Unlimited options. Choose 1 of 2 formats: 1) Custom Subscription Series The choice is yours! Select at least 3 performances—or 5 or more for greater savings—and receive these benefits: • Preferred Seating – Get the best available seats before tickets go on sale to the general public. • Valuable Savings – Save up to 10%* when you choose three (3) or more concerts. Save up to 15%* when you choose five (5) or more events. • Exchange Privileges – Plans change? Exchange your tickets for another performance this season. (Some restrictions apply.) • Advance Sale Days – Order additional single tickets before they go on sale to the public. 2) Legacy Subscription Series We continue to offer two single-venue series that are cornerstones of our programming and our legacy: the Orchestra Series at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall and our showcase of emerging artists, the Hayes Piano Series at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Choose one or both of these pre-packaged series and enjoy these benefits: • Same seats for every performance in your series** • Save of up to 20%* off single ticket prices • Option: Add on more performances at a 15% discount*—the choice is yours • Exchange Privileges and Advance Sales Days (same as under “Custom Series,” above) Please note: At present, tickets to 2019/20 events are only available via subscription. Single tickets will go on sale in late summer (date TBA). * Some seating sections or performances are excluded from discounts. **Legacy Subscription Series discounts and guaranteed same seats are available for a limited time only. Your order must be received by May 31, 2019. Orders received after this date will be seated in the same seats as availability permits. How to order: WashingtonPerformingArts.org (202) 785-9727 Midori (page 15) 4 | WashingtonPerformingArts.org Want advance seating priority? Become a Friend. Subscribers are seated by group within a series of advance sales periods in late April and early May (see below). Within each period, seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis by date and time of order. Act early and become a Friend or renew your support to gain access to better seats for your events. For even better seating, increase your giving level for access to an earlier advance sales period. How to become a Friend: Add a gift of $75+ to your subscription order today! Advance Period 1† Advance Period 2† Advance Period 3† Public Sale Single Tickets (May 2-5) (May 6-9) (May 10-13) (begins May 14) (late summer) Eligible Buyers $2,500+ Renewing $500-$2,499 $75-$499 Subscribers General Public Chairman’s Circle Legacy Series Friends Friends (no Friend Subscribers contribution) Ticket Fees No fee $10 per order No fee No fee $10 per order 14% of ticket (waived for Friends) (waived for order subtotal Friends) Ticket Exchange FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE No Exchanges Privileges †Orders received outside of advance sales period will be seated first-come, first-served by order date and time WHY BECOME A FRIEND? Friends enjoy amazing benefits and access throughout the season! Benefits include: • Advance seating priority (see above) • Behind-the-scenes events with main stage artists • Listening parties with experts and enthusiasts • Open rehearsals, competitions, and additional opportunities to see the art in action • Guest Passes for free performance tickets • and more! Visit WashingtonPerformingArts.org/support for complete Friends benefits. Thank you for your support! Jazz master Wynton Marsalis (page 34) greets Washington Performing