OSO presents Colours of Russia
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is bringing four-time award winning Minsoo Sohn back to the stages of the Okanagan for three performances of “Colours of Russia” this weekend.
“Colours of Russia” opens in Kelowna on Friday, March 10, with performances in Penticton on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cleland Theatre and Vernon on Sunday.
Tickets are $56.25 for adults; $49 for seniors and $26.75 for youth; the OSO also offers the front three rows of seating for $25 in all three theatres. Tickets are available for the Penticton show through the Shatford Centre or by phone 888974-9170.
“We welcome the Honens Laureate, Korean Pianist Minsoo back. He brought the house down on his last visit and returns to show off his incredible musicianship,” said OSO music director Rosemary Thomson.
“Everyone who experienced his extraordinary performance when he was last here will remember his poetic vision and virtuosity. He will bring Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme Paganini to life. To make the evening even more memorable, the orchestra will play Mussorgysky’s epic composition Pictures at an Exhibition. Although the piece was originally composed for piano, Ravel created this version for orchestra, making the colours of the piece even more vibrant.”
Born in Korea, Sohn began piano studies at age three. He moved to Boston to study with Russell Sherman and Wha Kyung Byun at New England Conservatory where he recieved his artist diploma in 2004.
He is currently on the faculty of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich..
The pianist has been described by the Boston Globe as “an artist, a man who will create a life in music, find listeners, and reward them.”
Known as a performer with poetic vision and musical intelligence, Sohn continues to garner praise from critics and audiences alike for his masterful virtuosity and deep musicianship.
The latest accolade, published in The New York Times, called his Honens-label recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations a “beautifully articulated, radiant interpretation” and named it one of the top classical recordings of 2011.”
Sohn has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Israel at important venues including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall and Gardner Museum, Calgary’s Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arrata Opera Centre and Rozsa Centre, Banff Centre’s Rolston Recital Hall, Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, Chicago’s Cultural Center, Cleveland’s Severance Hall, San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre, Spain’s Palacio Festivalle de Cantabria, Israel’s Tel Aviv Museum of Art and Mann Auditorium, Brussel’s Palais des Beaux Art and Theatre Royal de la Monnaie, and Munich’s Gasteig.
He has also appeared at New Hampshire’s Monadnock Festival, Spain’s Santander Festival, Israel’s Eilat Festival, Canada’s Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Colors of Music festival, Tuckamore Festival and Gilmore Rising Stars Series.
“Minsoo is brilliant, his reviews express how audiences leave in awe over his performance,” said Thomson. “Mission City Record expresses it well with their comment Sohn is a perfect example of the synergistic miracle that can happen between composers and performers — how minds can meet at impossible distances of time and space, and create together.”
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is the third largest professional symphony orchestra in British Columbia; entertaining residents of the Okanagan Valley and visitors from around the globe with symphonic music since 1960.
To learn more about the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra: www.okanagansymphony.com or follow the OSO on Facebook.