Albany orchestra announces 2018-19 season
ALBANY, N.Y. » The Albany Symphony recently unveiled its 2018-19 season.
The announcement follows Water Music NY, the orchestra’s seven-day tour of the Erie Canal, and its upcoming debut at the Kennedy Center in April. “We are so excited to present a new season of innovative programs and continue our commitment to the community through our hands-on education programs,” Music Director David Alan Miller said.
Highlights of the season include five world premiere performances including works by Viet Cuong, Water Music NY composers Benjamin Wallace and Annika Socolofsky, “Sleeping Giant” composer Rob Honstein and composer Michael Torke. The Albany Symphony will also perform and record works by David Del Tredici, John Corigliano and the late Steven Stucky.
Miller said symphony’s Armistice Day Centennial concert in November is particularly meaningful. “Benjamin Britten’s incredibly moving War Requiem, which we perform to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, is one of the greatest choral masterpieces of the 20th century. We are delighted to collaborate with Albany Pro Musica in a work that requires adult chorus, children’s chorus, two orchestras and vocal soloists. It is a profound and ultimately life-affirming reflection on the horrors of war,” Miller saod. “The War Requiem uses traditional Latin text from the Mass of the Dead interspersed with war poems written during WWI by Lieutenant Wilfred Owen, who was a casualty of the Great War. We will perform this monumental work at Proctors in Schenectady, which allows us accommodate the forces required for the War Requiem and will allow for additional programming focused around World War I.”
A 100th birthday memorial concert in December will honor Dr. Heinrich Medicus, a long-time supporter and friend of the organization, and his love of Bruckner and chocolate.
The American Music Festival in June features adventurous concerts, reading sessions, and new music happenings in a variety of Troy venues including EMPAC at RPI. The festival will feature two seminal American works: John Corigliano’s “Piano Concerto” and David Del Tredici’s “PopPourri.” Both works will be recorded for commercial release.
The 2018-2019 season runs from October through June. Concerts will be held at the Palace Theatre, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Proctors and EMPAC. Patrons can purchase a season subscription online, by phone or visiting the box office.
The following is the 201819 season:
• Opening night, “Ride of The Valkryies,” Oct. 13, Palace Theater Albany. Viet Cuong, world premiere; Brahms, Violin Concerto in D Major; Stefan Jackiw, Violin. Selections from Grand Opera, including “The Ride of the Valkyries,” “Carmen Suite,” and “Forza del Destino.”
• “Armistice Centennial,” Britten’s war requiem . Nov. 10, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady. With Albany Pro Musica.
• Classics from Vienna: Heinrich Medicus 100th Birthday Memorial Concert. Dec. 15 and 16, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. J. Strauss, Jr. “Wine, Women and Song Waltzes,” “Champagne Polka”; J. Strauss, Jr. “Die Fledermaus Overture”; Benjamin Wallace, “Chocolate Waltzes” (world premiere); Bruckner, “Symphony No. 6.”
• Beethoven Seventh, Jan. 4 and 5, 2019, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Steven Stucky, Chamber Concerto; Michael Torke, Violin Concerto; Tessa Lark, violin. “Beethoven, Symphony No. 7.”
• Valentines Weekend: Romantic Chopin, Feb. 9 and 10, 2019, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Annika Socolofsky, world premiere, Chopin, Piano Concerto No. 2; Orion Weiss, piano, Schumann, Symphony No. 2
• Bolero!, March 9, 2019, Palace Theatre, Albany. Hindemith, Mathis der Maler; Honstein, Percussion Concerto (world premiere); Colin Currie, soloist; Gould, Fall River Legend; Ravel, Bolero.
• Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, April 6 and 7, 2019, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. Lawrence Loh, guest conductor; Rossini, Overture to “La Scala di Seta”; Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto; Chee Yun, violin; Polina Nazaykinskaya, new work; Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 “Italian.”
• American Music Festival, June 1, 2019, EMPAC, Troy. John Corigliano, Piano Concerto; Philip Fisher, Piano; David Del Tredici, “Pop-Pourri.”
Tickets for all Albany Symphony performances can be purchased by calling (518) 694-3300, online at www.albanysymphony. com, or by visiting the Albany Symphony Box Office at 19 Clinton Ave., Albany, NY 12207. Special rates are available to groups of ten or more.