A long-awaited news release from the SPCO -- hopefully we can look for the same type of release from the Minnesota Orchestra sometime soon:
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra concerts resume under the baton of Artistic Partner Thomas Zehetmair
Cellist Steven Isserlis performs Schumann’s Cello Concerto
Saint Paul, MN, May 6, 2013 – The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra will resume its 2012-13 season on May 9-11 at several of its Neighborhood venues. Artistic Partner Thomas Zehetmair will conduct these return concerts, which feature cellist Steven Isserlis performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto. The program also includes Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, Schoenberg’s Ten Early Waltzes, and closes with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major.
Concerts take place May 9 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, May 10 at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, and May 11 at Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ in Saint Paul. An additional performance has been added on May 10 at 10:30am at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie to help accommodate as many audience members as possible before the season ends in June.
The Musicians of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra ratified a new contract on April 29, 2013, bringing to a close 16 months of negotiations and a lockout that began on October 21, 2012.
Concert information
Featured Artists:
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Zehetmair, conductor
Steven Isserlis, cello
Program:
Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
Schumann: Concerto in A Minor for Cello and Orchestra
Schoenberg: Ten Early Waltzes for String Orchestra
Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543
Dates and location:
Thursday, May 9, 2013, 7:30pm
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Apple Valley
Friday, May 10, 2013, 10:30am
Friday, May 10, 2013, 8:00pm
Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie
Saturday, May 11, 2013, 8:00pm
Saint Paul’s UCC, Saint Paul
Tickets:
$10, $25, kids $5
Call 651.291.1144, visit www.thespco.org or stop by the ticket office at Third Floor, The Historic Hamm Building, 408 Saint Peter St., Saint Paul, MN.
Thomas Zehetmair
With a worldwide reputation as violinist, chamber musician, and conductor, Thomas Zehetmair is one of today’s most outstanding artistic personalities. His international conducting career currently includes three named positions: Artistic Partner of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Music Director of the Northern Sinfonia in England, and Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, now re-named the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. With the two latter ensembles Zehetmair has toured in Europe and Asia. In addition, as guest conductor, Zehetmair works regularly with orchestras such as the Hungarian National Orchestra, Bamberger Symphoniker, National Philharmonic Orchestra Warsaw, Hallé Orchestra Manchester, Camerata Salzburg, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In the 2011–12 season Zehetmair debuted as conductor at the Salzburger Festspiele, where he also performed with the Zehetmair Quartet, the renowned string quartet that he founded in 1994. In recent seasons he has performed with the Symphony Orchestra of the Bayerische Rundfunk, Orchestre National de Lyon, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and Radio Symphony Orchestra Helsinki, and has toured Spain with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris. In addition to performances as principal violin with the Zehetmair Quartet, he appears frequently in concert with his duo partner, the violist Ruth Killius. As violin soloist he has appeared at the most renowned European music centers, such as the Royal Festival Hall London, Konzerthaus Vienna, and the Philharmonie Munich. Thomas Zehetmair holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar.
Steven Isserlis
Acclaimed worldwide for his technique and musicianship, British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. Highlights of recent seasons have included concerto performances with the Berlin Philharmonic (Alan Gilbert, conductor), Philharmonia Orchestra (Vladimir Ashkenazy), and the Orchestre de Paris (Paavo Järvi). Additional appearances have included a European tour with the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées and Philippe Herreweghe, an all-Haydn project with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and recitals at London’s Wigmore Hall with Thomas Adès and Olli Mustonen. An avid chamber musician, Isserlis has performed in concerts at the Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall, BBC Proms, and the Aldeburgh Festival with partners who included Joshua Bell, Anthony Marwood, and Denes Várjon. Solo recitals have taken Isserlis to distinguished concert halls throughout the world. In honor of the bi-centennial celebration of Robert Schumann’s birth he performed many tribute concerts, including a specially devised program series at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. Isserlis has played with many of the foremost period instrument orchestras, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (Simon Rattle conducting), the Philharmonia Baroque (Nicholas McGegan), and on tour with the Academy of Ancient Music (Richard Egarr). He is also a keen exponent of contemporary music and has worked on new commissions with many composers, such as John Tavener, Wolfgang Rihm, and Thomas Adès. His extensive discography includes many award-winning CDs. The recipient of many honors, Steven Isserlis was awarded a CBE in 1998 in recognition of his services to music, and in 2000 he received the Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau. He plays the Marquis de Corberon (Nelsova) Stradivarius of 1726, kindly loaned to him by the Royal Academy of Music.
ABOUT THE SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, now in its 54th season, is widely regarded as one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world. In collaboration with five artistic partners – Roberto Abbado, Edo de Waart, Dawn Upshaw, Christian Zacharias and Thomas Zehetmair – the 34 virtuoso musicians present more than 130 concerts and educational programs each year, and are regularly heard on public radio’s Performance Today which reaches 1.3 million listeners each week on 256 stations, and SymphonyCast reaching 335,000 listeners each week on 126 stations nationwide. The SPCO has released 67 recordings, commissioned 131 new works, and performed the world premiere of 49 additional compositions. The SPCO has earned the distinction of 16 ASCAP awards for adventurous programming. Renowned for its artistic excellence and remarkable versatility of musical styles, the SPCO tours nationally and internationally, including performances in premier venues in Europe, Asia and South America. Launched in 1995, the SPCO’s award-winning CONNECT education program reaches nearly 6,000 students and teachers annually in 16 Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools. For more information, visit www.thespco.org.
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