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News > The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra Announces its 40th Anniversary Season
The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra Announces its 40th Anniversary Season March 21, 2008 To celebrate the 40th season of the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, it is looking to the future. The orchestra is bringing five candidates to conduct five concerts, as an audition for the top artistic position with the performing arts group. “The candidates, all thinking about the future of the Reno Philharmonic, are bringing to the stage a bit of what makes them the best person to take that job,” said Tim Young, executive director of the Reno Philharmonic. Mr. Young , along with members of the music director search committee, met with all of the conductor candidates at various concerts and rehearsals in early 2008, and worked with all of them to build the programs that make up the 40th Anniversary season. “All the candidates are passionate about the music, eager to see Reno, and perform with the orchestra,” Mr. Young stated. “The audiences will be delighted by these audition performances.” The season opens with conductor Jeffrey Grogan. Mr. Grogan is currently the Education Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. “Jeffrey has a reputation of being a champion of music education programs,” Tim Young said after meeting Mr. Grogan in a concert rehearsal in San Antonio. “He has an interesting background that began in marching band and then to orchestral music,” Mr. Young added. Jeffrey Grogan will be leading the orchestra with pianist Andrew von Oeyon. Mr. von Oeyon performed with the Reno Phil in 2007 and was immediately asked to return. He will be performing Beethoven’s popular “Emperor” piano concerto. Since his debut at age 17 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mr. von Oeyen has already established himself as one of the most captivating pianists of his generation. A recent graduate of The Juilliard School, Mr. von Oeyen’s performances have been broadcast on National Public Radio and he has been a featured guest on NPR’s “Performance Today.” Mr. Grogan also chose for the concert on September 7th and 9th, 2008, a unique piece by Frank Tichelli entitled Postcard. Mr. Tichelli is a well-known band and orchestra composer, second only to John Phillip Sousa. Jean Sibelius’ intense and patriotic 2nd symphony rounds out the program. Rebecca Miller conducts the second concert in the series. Ms. Miller, a northern Californian, comes to Reno by way of Houston and New Orleans. She is currently the Resident Conductor of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and has recently completed tenure as the American Conducting Fellow of The Houston Symphony. “She is passionate about classical music and keeping it relevant in modern times,” said CJ Walters, UNR administrator and musician, after observing Ms. Miller in concert with the Louisiana Phil. Ms. Miller will be performing with violinist Maia Cabeza. At age 14, Miss Cabeza has already started her career with the Detroit Symphony and has performed with the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra in two gala concerts at Carnegie Hall. She was awarded a scholarship through the prestigious Davidson Institute of Talent Development in 2004. She will be performing Alexander Glazunov’s romantic Concerto for Violin, op. 82, A-minor. Also on the program is Pierre Jalbert’s modern and accessible Chamber Symphony. Jalbert, a graduate of the California Symphony’s Composer in Residence program, is an award-winning composer. Beethoven’s famous Symphony No.3, known as the "Eroica" symphony competes the diverse program. The concert is on October 19th and 21st, 2008. The November concert brings Christopher Confessore to town. Mr. Confessore is the current Resident Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. “When we visited Florida to hear him conduct, the musicians made it clear how much they enjoyed working with him,” Pete Adlish, member of the search committee, confirmed about the candidate. The concert on November 16th and 18th will also feature prominent cellist Julie Albers. Born to a musical family, Ms. Albers began violin studies at the age of two with her mother, switching to cello at four. She moved to Cleveland during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Ms. Albers soon was awarded the Grand Prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians, and as a result toured France as asoloist. She will be performing Camille Saint-Saëns’ Concerto for Violin and Cello No. 1. Also, on the program is Michael Torke’s rhythmic and effervescent An Italian Straw Hat from his ballet of the same name. The orchestra will be performing Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, which is a set of a theme and its 14 variations. It is Elgar's best-known large-scale composition, for both the music itself and the enigmas behind it. The first concert of 2009 will bring “Generation Y” conductor, Sarah Hatsuko Hicks to center stage of the Pioneer Center. Ms. Hicks is currently the Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra and has recently completed tenure as associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony. “Sarah prides herself on not only well being versed on classical music, but bringing the music to new audiences in unusual venues,” says Pete Adlish, who visited Sarah in Minnesota for a concert. Ms. Hicks has held classical concerts in a bar, where she hoped to break down barriers to the music. She will share the spotlight with piano superstar, Frederick Moyer. During his 25-year career, Frederick Moyer has established a vital musical profession that has taken him to forty-one countries. He has appeared as piano soloist with world renowned orchestras and has over 22 recordings covering works by over 30 composers reflecting his affinity for a wide variety of styles. Being a true Renaissance man/musician, he has also written many software programs to aid with practicing, analyzing, recording and performing music. Currently he is working on a recording of piano concerti where the orchestra is created with a computer using "sampling" techniques. He will be performing Schumann’s Concerto for Piano. The concert, on January 11th and 13th, will also showcase the unique John Corigliano’s Gazebo Dances. Mr. Corigliano is best known for his score of the movie The Red Violin. The orchestra will perform a suite from Stravinsky’s most famous The Firebird ballet, and the little known Tchaikovsky piece, Pax de deux “Bluebird,” which is from his ballet, Sleeping Beauty, and arranged by Stravinsky. The final candidate, Laura Jackson, will be joining the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra in February. Ms. Jackson has recently completed an appointment as the Asst. Conductor and American Conducting Fellow of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and is a finalist in Berkeley Symphony (Berkeley, CA) Music Director Search. “Her conducting style is extremely expressive. She works well with musicians and brings out the best in them,” say Phillip Ruder, member of the search committee who watched Ms. Jackson with a small orchestra in Casper, Wyoming. Joining Ms. Jackson on February 8th and 10th, will be violinist Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio. Ms. Sant’Ambrogio joined the the Argenta Trio in the fall of 2007 as she began her new position as Assistant Professor of Violin & Viola and Director of the Orchestral Career Studies graduate program at the University of Nevada, Reno. Founder and Artistic Director of Cactus Pear Music Festival, Ms. Sant’Ambrogio was the Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony and former First Assistant Principal Second Violin of The Cleveland Orchestra. She is currently working on two new CD projects to be released in November of 2009. She will be performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Also on the program is Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta, which is an homage to the composer’s homeland of Hungary. Tchaikovsky’s sweet, and at times bittersweet, Symphony No. 4 completes the program. The final program set for March 29th and 31st will feature the Reno Philharmonic Chorus, prepared by RPO Choral Director, Jennifer Tiblem Lempke. At this concert, the music director chosen to lead the orchestra will be announced. The winning candidate will be the Reno Philharmonic Association’s fourth music director. Gregory Stone created the Reno Philharmonic and led the organization from 1969 to 1978. Ron Daniels, a Phil administrator, took over lead artistic role from 1978 to 1996. The last search process brought Music Director Barry Jekowsky out of a field of four final candidates in 1997. Mr. Jekowsky will be stepping down as director in May 2008, after 10 seasons with the Reno Phil. The schedule is as follows: Jeffrey Grogan Conducts September 7 & 9, 2008 Frank Ticheli — Postcard Ludwig van Beethoven —Concerto for Piano No. 5, op.73, E-Flat-major, “Emperor” featuring Andrew Von Oeyen, Piano Jean Sibelius — Symphony No. 2, op. 43, D-major Rebecca Miller Conducts October 19 & 21, 2008 Rebecca Miller, Guest Conductor MD Candidate Pierre Jalbert — Chamber Symphony Alexander Glazunov —Concerto for Violin, op. 82, A-minor featuring Maia Cabeza, Violin Ludwig van Beethoven — Symphony No.3, op. 55, E-Flat-major "Eroica" Christopher Confessore Conducts November 16 & 18, 2008 Michael Torke — An Italian Straw Hat Suite Camille Saint-Saëns —Concerto for Violin and Cello No. 1, op. 33, A-minor featuring Julie Albers, Cello Edward Elgar — Enigma Variations Sarah Hatsuko Hicks Conducts January 11 & 13, 2009 Sarah Hatsuko Hicks, Guest Conductor MD Candidate John Corigliano — Gazebo Dances Robert Schumann — Concerto for Piano, op. 54, A-minor featuring Frederick Moyer, Piano Piotr Tchaikovsky/ arr. Stravinsky — Pax de deux “Bluebird” from Sleeping Beauty Igor Stravinsky — The Firebird Suite: 1945 Laura Jackson Conducts February 8 & 10, 2009 Zoltan Kodaly — Dances of Galanta Felix Mendelssohn — Concerto for Violin, op. 64, E-minor featuring Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, Violin Piotr Tchaikovsky — Symphony No. 4, op. 36, F-minor Music Director Announced! March 29 & 31, 2009 Guest Conductor and Program TBD Guest Artist: Reno Philharmonic Chorus All performances take place in the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. New subscriptions are on sale now. Prices start at $135 for the series of six concerts with discounts available to seniors. A subscription half off introductory deal will be offered by the RPA during the month of July. Students can come for “rush” seating for $8.00 a ticket, one half-hour before performance, and must bring valid student ID, if over 16. For more information or tickets log onto www.renophil.com, or call the RPA business office (775) 323-6393. -30- |
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