My friend and colleague Christopher Zimmerman, newly appointed music director of the Fairfax Symphony and my colleague for the last five years on the faculty of the Rose City Conductor’s Workshop has weighed in with some interesting repertoire lists and thoughts about programming. First things first- a Repertoire Report in standard format, listing Chris’s 2009 repertoire by composer in alphabetical order-
1- Beethoven—Symphony no.2
2- Beethoven- Piano Concerto no. 4
3- Beethoven—Symphony no.4
4- Berg—Violin Concerto
5- Bernstein—Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
6- Bodorova—Concerto “dei fiori” for violin and orchestra (Chee-Yun, soloist)
7- William Bolcom—Symphony no.6
8- Carl—Symphony no.4 (WORLD PREMIERE)
9- Debussy (arr. Schoenberg) Prelude a l’apres midi d’un faune
10- Dvorak-Cello Concerto (Yanghee Lee, soloist)
11- Elgar—Intro. and Allegro for Strings
12- Falla—3 Cornered Hat, Suites 1 and 2
13- Gershwin–Cuban Overture
14- Gershwin—Rhapsody in Blue (Chu-Fang Huang)
15- Ginastera—Estancia
16- Grondahl—Trombone Concerto
17- Gryc—Trombone Concerto “Passaggi” (Joel Alessi, soloist)
18- Haydn–Symphony no.39
19- Haydn- Symphony no. 99
20- Korngold-Violin Concerto (Sam Martin, soloist)
21- Mozart- Gran Partita
22- Mozart—Symphony no.39
23- Part—“Fratres”
24- Purcell—Chacony
25- Ravel—Alborado del Grazioso
26- Ravel—Piano Concerto in G (Chu Fang Huang)
27- Shostakovich–Symphony no.10
28- J.Strauss—Overture to “die Fledermaus”
29- Stravinsky—“Dumbarton Oaks”
30- Stravinsky—Rite of Spring
31- Tchaikovsky—Symphony no.5
32- Verdi- excerpts from Aida
33- Webern—Passacaglia (Leonard Sigal, soloist)
Thrity-three pieces and there is an imposing range of material here- Rite of Spring, Shosty 10 and some interesting new pieces by Bolcome, Carl and Bodorova.
Chris has been combining positions as MD at Fairfax (he’s currently in the midst of his first season) and director of orchestras at Hartt. At Hartt, he needs to make sure the students are learning the repertoire they need to know for their careers to come, at Fairfax, there is a delicate balance between artistic and pragmatic issues to be struck. Chris writes-
As new music director of the FSO (Va.) I am trying to walk that line of giving the audience and orchestra a newish, more diverse and balanced diet from what they have had in the last 3 decades–to intrigue, interest, try to pull new people in but not, of course, alienate. Also to give any particular program a real cohesion (not always possible as you know when there are changes that HAVE to be made to the “beautifully crafted” program at the last minute…). I have noticed that the season diets of most orchestras of similar size to the FSO are, to my mind, surprisingly repetitive and unimaginative (even those of big orchestras too); sort of a handful of the same old pieces stuck together without any evident rhyme or reason–or at least a rhyme or reason which will stir barely more than a couple of braincells. In addition, and despite the fact that the current size of the FSO masterworks hardly lends itself to exploring the length and breadth of the repertoire, I have incorporated some sort of “spotlight” idea to be developed over a three year period–it could be a composer or a topic. For the first three years we are looking at Sibelius in some depth (“depth” meaning a little more exposure than any other one composer); the next three years, if I am around, will probably feature a topic or issue, rather than a specific composer.
I have had to change some of my plans too, in order to not commit suicide immediately. Next year one of the programs was going to be the following, which excites me on many levels (as you, who know my hidden secrets well, will hardly be surprised!):
Bach–Brandenburg no.5
Schnittke–Concerto grosso no.2 for solo violin and cello and orchestra
Shostakovich–Symphony no.15
Lots of stuff here to chew on emotionally, intellectually, viscerally!
Anyway, I found out that the date of this program is our debut in a beautiful brand new hall (just built with splendid acoustics; a fairly intimate space not too deep with three balconies and lots of boxes a la European Opera House). It will also be the launch of our first double next year and a bid for using this hall as our “second” hall for our doubles. It is not far from our main stage in Fairfax but more in the sticks and basically home to a coupe of rich retirement communities.. which is of course potential for a new audience with some spondoolies. But….aah, the program……..EXIT brilliant program and ENTER:
Bernstein–Candide Overture
Walton–Violin Concerto
Dvorak–New World
Cop out perhaps? (except there is the US/Anglo combo. which informed my opening concert with the FSO last September). No, I hope not: the Bach/Schnitt/Shost is merely shelved.
I guess my point is that it is best to gain the current audience’s trust before leaping into the lions den–just get one’s toes nibbled and licked by a few kitty-kats first. So I am not in the least miffed by the program change. But of course one must make a dent and I have tried a bit for the next two years. Below I attach this season’s Masterworks and next (subject to change). For 2011-2012 I have in mind a return of the Bach/Schnitt/Shost and hopefully the following in some shape or form:
Bartok–Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Strauss–Metamorphosen
Sibelius–Tapiola, Symphony no.7
Puccini-Tosca (first concert opera of the FSO)
Nielsen–Symphony no.5
Cheers,
Chris
The 2009-10 FSO season looks like this-
FSO SEASON PROGRAM 2009-2010
Masterwork 1: Sept. 12, 2009
Bernstein—Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Elgar—Intro. and Allegro for Strings
Stravinsky—Rite of Spring
Masterwork 2: Oct. 3, 2009 (Quader conducting)
Mendelssohn—Overture to “The Fair Melusine”
Mozart—Clarinet Concerto (Jon Manasse)
Beethoven—Symphony no.4
Masterwork 3: Nov. 21, 2009
Falla—3 Cornered Hat, Suites 1 and 2
Gershwin—Rhapsody in Blue (Chu-Fang Huang)
Ravel—Piano Concerto in G (Chu Fang Huang)
Ginastera—Estancia
Masterwork 4: Jan. 23, 2010
Haydn—Symphony no. 92 “Oxford”
Barber—Violin Concerto (Augustin Hadelich)
Sibelius—Symphony no.1
Masterwork 5: March 13, 2010
Borodin—In the Steppes of Central Asia
Avner Dorman—Piano Concerto (Alon Goldstein)
Sibelius—The Lemminkainen Legends
Masterwork 6: May 1, 2010 (Quader conducting)
Jennifer Higdon—Blue Cathedral
Elgar—Cello Concerto (Julie Albers, cello)
Mozart—Symphony no. 38 “Prague”
Barber—Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
While the 2009-10 Hartt series looks like this-
Hartt Symphony Calendar Season 2009-2010
Hartt Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Zimmerman, Music Director
Friday, October 2, 2009
Millard Auditorium, 7.30 pm, West Hartford, CT.
Ravel—Alborado del Grazioso
Gryc—Trombone Concerto “Passaggi” (Joel Alessi, soloist)
Tchaikovsky—Symphony no.5
Friday, November 6, 2009
Millard Auditorium, 7.30 pm, West Hartford, CT.
Purcell–Chacony
Berg—Violin Concerto
Webern—Passacaglia (Leonard Sigal, soloist)
Mozart—Symphony no.39
Friday, December 11, 2009
Lincoln Theater, 7.30 pm, West Hartford, CT.
J.Strauss—Overture to “die Fledermaus”
Beethoven—Symphony no.2
William Bolcom—Symphony no.6
Friday, March 26, 2010
Millard Auditorium, 7.30 pm, West Hartford, CT.
Stravinsky—Suites 1 and 2 for Orchestra
Haydn—Symphony TBA
Brahms—Symphony no.1
Sunday, May 2, 2010
St.Joseph’s Cathedral, Hartford, CT.
Britten—War Requiem
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