Scheherazade

On Thursday night, NYRO begins rehearsals for our December concert.  The program will be Samuel Barber's Music For A Scene from Shelley, Schumann's Cello Concerto with Eric Jacobsen as soloist, and my all-time, top of the list favorite piece of classical music, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.

I fell in love with Scheherazade early in high school.  I'd heard excerpts from it on the radio but it wasn't until I bought a cassette recording of the piece that I was able to listen to the entire work from beginning to end.  I adored the structure of the work, the way Rimsky-Korsakov used music to tell stories from the Arabian Nights.  And the orchestration is amazing.  Scheherazade was the first orchestral score that I bought, and I spent hours looking through it and conducting from it in front of the stereo in my bedroom.

I've been waiting for twenty years to play this piece.  I missed it by one season when I played with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.  I graduated from high school in 1992 and went to college at Georgetown, and the JSO performed it in the spring of 1993.  I came home for the concert, and while I enjoyed hearing my colleagues play, I dearly wanted to be on the stage with them.  A few years later, I was out of college and living in Washington, DC when I heard that the Georgetown University Orchestra planned to play Scheherazade.  I contacted the music director and she welcomed me back to the group.  But after a couple of rehearsals we'd only played part of the fourth movement and it was clear we weren't going to pull off the entire work.  So I pulled out.  Thus ended my brief orchestral comeback of 1999.

To say that I'm excited about playing Scheherazade would be a bit of an understatement.  I'm positively giddy.  But I've looked at the music and realized why I never looked at the viola part before.  It's almost all filler.  Rimsky-Korsakov was a master of orchestration, and the viola part fills in the harmony and only occasionally plays something resembling the melody.  It's not going to be a "fun" part to play.  But I'm still looking forward to taking the piece apart and putting it back together again in rehearsals.  I just hope I don't get sick of it by December 18.

I was in Pittsburgh over Labor Day weekend on a semi-secret mission.  We ate ribs, toured the Warhol Museum, avoided a Bret Michaels concert, had some delicious Indian food in Oakland, and walked all over the city.  I flew JetBlue again and this time there were no incidents whatsoever.  Both flights were as unremarkable as possible, which is just what I want out of a trip.

I'm still thinking about the NYRO preview and other ways I can promote the orchestra's upcoming season.  Rehearsals begin Thursday night and I can't wait to get back to playing every week.

It took 15 years, but I'm finally a regular

Since NYRO moved to our new home at the Church of St. Mary The Virgin on 46th Street, we've enjoyed weekly post-rehearsal libations at St. Andrews, the Scottish bar across the street from the church.  We usually drink at the upstairs bar because it's quieter and there's more room for a dozen or so people with musical instrument cases.  I've developed a taste for Scotch, particularly Laphroaig.  Each week I usually have a glass or two of Laphroaig with a glass of water on the side.

Also, because I'm an Internet geek, I've been on Foursquare since February and the "mayor" of St. Andrew's since early March.  One evening, we shared this information with our bartender, Donald, and he was not impressed by my status.  And my friends in the orchestra have enjoyed ribbing me about this dubious distinction.  To add insult to injury, I've always wanted to walk into a bar and say "I'll have the usual" and have a drink ready for me.  So a few weeks ago I got to the bar and asked Donald "if I ordered 'the usual,' would you know what that was?"  He said no, and my friends laughed.  And I felt shame. 

But everything changed last night.  When I walked up to the bar Donald was waiting for me with a Laphroaig and water.  I don't think that's ever happened to me before, not even back in the day when James was tending bar at Chadwick's in Georgetown and my friends and I drank there nearly every weekend.  I can't recall him pouring me a Sierra Nevada as I walked in the door.  At last, in the waning days of the NYRO season, I've been recognized.

So here's to you, Donald.  Thank you for making me feel like a big shot for one night.  It's too bad next week is our last rehearsal of the season and our Thursday night drinking sessions will take the summer off.  I will have to go back there a few times over the summer and try to maintain my office and its privileges.

NYRO's season finale: Kodaly, Strauss, and Debussy

The New York Repertory Orchestra's final concert of the year, on Saturday, May 22, 2010, features music that is exuberant, moving, dramatic, soulful, and absolutely gorgeous! Music by Zoltán Kodály, Richard Strauss, and Claude Debussy is on the program for a great finish to our best and biggest season ever!

Also, internationally acclaimed soprano Jennifer Grimaldi joins us, making her NYRO debut!

The program begins in fine style, with the virtuoso musicians of NYRO showing their stuff in Zoltán Kodály's extroverted Concerto for Orchestra. Then, star soprano Jennifer Grimaldi joins us as soloist in Richard Strauss' exquisite Four Last Songs.

The program (and season) ends with the riotous sounds of Claude Debussy's groundbreaking score,La Mer.

• Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010
• Time: 8:00 pm
• Place: Church of St. Mary the Virgin (145 West 46th Street)
• Admission: FREE

Go to www.nyro.org for more information!

Here's the full program:

• Kodály: Concerto for Orchestra
• Strauss: Four Last Songs - Jennifer Grimaldi, soprano
• Debussy: La Mer (The Sea)
• 
  

David Leibowitz, Conductor

----More about our Guest Artist----Internationally acclaimed soprano Jennifer Grimaldi has been hailed as "a compelling and commanding singing actress with a silvery timbre that sparkles and shines" (Danbury Times News) and is a promising young talent on the opera, concert, and recital stage.

Ms. Grimaldi recently made her European solo debut with the Charlemagne Orchestra (Belgium) as featured soloist in Mendelssohn's Elijah. She has sung leading roles with many opera companies, including the Utah Festival Opera, Sarasota Opera, Brevard Music Festival, Intermezzo Opera Festival, and Raylynmor Opera, among others.

In 2011, Ms. Grimaldi will be a featured soloist in Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with the Mineria Orchestra (Mexico City) under the direction of Maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto. Other recent orchestral solo engagements include performances with the Queens Symphonic Orchestra, New Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, and the Third Street Music Settlement Orchestra. 

The Pittsburgh Symphony comes to New York

Tuesday evening was "NYRO Goes to Carnegie Hall" as a small group of us ventured north of our usual Times Square neighborhood to the city's most famous concert venue for a performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony and Anne-Sophie Mutter.  I hadn't seen the Pittsburgh Symphony in about eight years so it was a treat for me to have my "hometown" orchestra here in my adopted hometown.  And I was glad to see familiar faces like Andres Cardenes (concertmaster), Anne Martindale Williams (principal cellist) and Randolph Kelly (principal violist) in the orchestra.  For a few moments the experience took me back to my childhood, when my mother took me and my brother to concerts at Heinz Hall and I would be fascinated by everything: the musicians, the conductor, the program, and the sheer size of the hall.  Carnegie Hall is no less impressive, though I forgot how steep the upper balcony is.

The first work on the program was Johannes Brahms' dazzling Violin Concerto, with Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist.  I've been a fan of Ms. Mutter's work for many years.  I could listen to her play all day long.  She attacked the double-stops with a vengeance and handled the lighter melodic sections delicately and with ease.  I thought the orchestra balanced well against the solo violin, as music director Manfred Honeck kept his players in check and allowed Ms. Mutter's virtuosity to show.  The third movement was especially spirited, and Honeck practically danced on the podium.

After intermission the concert resumed with Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1.  Frequent readers know that I love Mahler almost above all other composers, and that his Symphony No. 1 is one of my all-time favorite works.  As fond as I am of the Pittsburgh Symphony, I couldn't help but measure their performance of the symphony against my favorite: Alan Gilbert's performance with the New York Philharmonic last May.  At first I was slightly disappointed as some of the strings seemed unable to find the right harmonic for the ethereal opening of the piece.  Honeck took some liberties with the tempos, which my friends found excessive but I didn't mind as much.  It was a crisp performance but not as energetic as I would have liked.  I didn't think the musicians or the audience got into the music until the climax of the first movement, which gave me chills despite my earlier misgivings.  As the concert went on the orchestra improved.  The brass, especially the horns, were outstanding.  But the brass and winds also overpowered the strings in a few places, upsetting the delicate balance Mahler indicates in his score.  The finale was appropriately bombastic and I couldn't help grinning when the horns stood up near the end (always my favorite part of any performance).  The audience erupted with applause and Honeck and the orchestra took several curtain calls.  They played Josef Strauss' "Die Libelle": Polka Mazur, Op. 204 for an encore.  At the time we couldn't hear Honeck when he announced the name of the piece so we had to play "name that tune" until my friend Susanna tipped me to the title this afternoon.

Based on last night's concert I think the Pittsburgh Symphony is in good hands with Honeck at the helm.  I'll have to try to hear them again the next time I'm in Pittsburgh.  I love the New York Philharmonic but I'll always have affection for the group that defined orchestral music for my childhood.

This is the birthday that was

How I planned to spend my 36th birthday:

After the NYRO concert on Saturday night, have a quick drink at the bar, then run home to get about five hours sleep. Wake up at 5 AM, go to the airport, fly to Pittsburgh, go to the Steelers-Packers game. Eat at Primanti Brothers, drive back to the airport, sleep at the hotel, and fly back to New York on Monday morning.

What really happened:

Saturday's blizzard didn't seem so bad in the afternoon. Holly and I continued to plan our trip all day, working out minor details over IM. I got ready for the concert and was on my way out the door when Jess told me that she'd heard that someone's flight out of JFK on Sunday had already been canceled. I checked JetBlue's website and our flight out had been canceled too. It wasn't even 6 PM on Saturday and the trip was off. I resolved to go and play a great concert and worry about the game later.

The concert was fantastic. Getting the chance to play Saint-Saens' "Organ" Symphony was a thrill I had waited twenty years to experience. When the organ thundered that massive C major chord to start the finale, I had a huge smile on my face. The floor of St. Mary's shook with the force of the organ and the power of the brass behind me. Between them, I could have played "Yankee Doodle" and no one would have heard me. After the concert, we had a few drinks with my friends from the orchestra and discussed our plan for Sunday. While I was disappointed that we weren't going to make it to Pittsburgh for the game, I was happy to be able to sleep in on Sunday and relax on my birthday. And that's basically what happened. It was a leisurely morning, with birthday cake and omelets for breakfast. I went for a walk in the afternoon and saw families frolicking and sledding in the snow in Prospect Park. Then I went to James and Jess's apartment to watch the Steelers-Packers game and have dinner.

The game was not on in New York, so I listened to the first half online and then found a few underground sites where I could watch the FOX feed from overseas. And I was able to see the last few minutes of the game on their TV, when Mike Wallace caught a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger with no time left on the clock. The booth review kept me from my customary touchdown dance, but I whooped and waved my Terrible Towel when the extra point won the game. I was happy the Steelers won, but I felt bad for the Packers and for Holly. However, I have every confidence we'll be watching the Pack in the playoffs in January, while the Steelers are at home wondering how their season got away from them.

So I never made it to Pittsburgh, and I have an expensive but worthless piece of unused card stock as a permanent reminder of a game I never attended. But I had a fantastic day here in New York anyway. It was a great way to start my 37th year on this planet.

My big date for charity

Last night was the big “date” at the New York Philharmonic that came out of last month's NYRO benefit gala. The winner of the date was Jorge, a member of NYRO's trumpet section. Our evening began with dinner at The City Grill on the Upper West Side. Jorge and I shared some sparkling conversation and at times he took my advertised role as “bon vivant,” with better stories than mine.

The Philharmonic's program consisted of Arthur Honegger's Symphony No. 2 for strings with solo trumpet ad libitum (performed by the Philharmonic's principal trumpet, Philip Smith) and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, “Eroica,” with Riccardo Muti at the podium. The Honegger symphony was well-played but not really my kind of classical music, though we both enjoyed Mr. Smith's solo near the end of the work. After intermission Muti led the Philharmonic in a spirited reading of the “Eroica.” The audience had barely stopped applauding his return to the stage when the orchestra struck the two opening E-flat chords that begin the symphony. I've seen Muti conduct the Philharmonic before, but I hadn't noticed how he would stop conducting entirely for several measures and let the orchestra play on before his right hand lifted the baton again. At least that's how it appeared to me sitting several hundred feet away in the second tier. For all I know, Muti's face told the orchestra everything they needed to know during those measures. Muti also appeared slightly annoyed by all the coughing and rustling from the audience between movements, twice lifting his baton to start the movement and then lowering it, before raising it a second time and beginning. As much as I love the string section, there were a few spots where they covered up the winds. I wanted to shout at them to get out of the way. The highlight for me was the excellent work of the Philharmonic's French horn section. The horn calls in the third and fourth movements, especially the coda, were lively and rousing. During the curtain calls, Muti recognized the orchestra's solo performers as usual, but when he came back out and asked the orchestra to stand, they refused and applauded him for at least thirty seconds before finally standing. The Philharmonic's ovation reminded me of this concert review in the Washington Post by Anne Midgette, which pointed out that Muti was a candidate for the orchestra's music directorship several years ago (a job that went to Alan Gilbert). It's clear that the orchestra likes working with Muti, and as Midgette pointed out, this concert was an example of what might have been had Muti taken the Philharmonic's position.

After the concert Jorge and I went to the green room, hoping to meet Philip Smith. Mr. Smith is something of an old family friend, as his father and my grandfather were colleagues many years ago and Mr. Smith worked with my grandfather at a band camp a long time ago. After a few minutes' wait, Mr. Smith came out to say hello. I was excited to meet someone from the orchestra whose work I've enjoyed for so many years. But Jorge was thrilled. It was like he met one of his idols. I took a photo of Jorge and Mr. Smith, and Jorge said several times that his wife (also a trumpeter) would be jealous. We also got to meet the Philharmonic's associate principal trumpet, Matthew Muckey. Jorge and I ended the evening with a couple of beers at a local watering hole before going our separate ways. It was as good a date as I've ever put together.

Back at the (imaginary) podium

NYRO held its annual benefit gala a few weeks ago. This was the 2nd year for the event and I've been involved in the planning both times. In addition, this year I was also a featured attraction. I was going to donate a pair of New York Philharmonic tickets to the raffle when one of my friends suggested that I include myself in the deal. The idea turned into "win a date with Phil" and I became an auction item. After some heated bidding, one of the trumpeters won. His wife, also a trumpeter, was cool with the idea of her husband and I spending an evening on the town.

We also held a silent auction for other items, both goods and services. Near the end of the night as the silent auction wrapped up, I noticed that no one had bid on our music director's donation of a conducting lesson. Maybe it was the alcohol or the cash burning a hole in my pocket, but I couldn't let that item go without someone bidding on it. I was prepared to fight for it, but no one else made a bid so I won.

I have some experience as a conductor. My parents showed me the basic beat patterns when I was a kid. I spent many hours in my room in front of my stereo conducting an imaginary orchestra from the score and a recording. In college I led the orchestra in a humorous rendition of Rossini's Overture to "The Barber of Seville" with a plastic chicken as a baton, and later became something of a de facto assistant conductor. In my last concert before graduation, I conducted the orchestra in Sibelius' "Finlandia." And I was a music director for two rock musicals where a conductor wasn't really necessary. But that has been the extent of my conducting career. I haven't thought much about conducting since college. The realities of life crept into the space that dream used to occupy. I'm excited about this lesson because it will let me live in that dream's space for just a short time. And it's going to be a challenge: I've been asked to prepare a couple of pieces. This thing is for real. If I actually get to conduct the orchestra, I'm going to be more nervous than I've been in years.

NYRO concert this saturday: Berlioz, Pizzetti and Liadov

I almost forgot to post the concert notice. I realize it's only 57 hours away, but I'm getting the word out anyway. I'm really excited about playing Berlioz's Harold in Italy. It was one of the first CDs I bought, after I'd been hearing parts of it on the radio for years. John Dexter played Martinu's Rhapsody-Concerto with NYRO two years ago, and it's great to have him back for this concert.

Dear Friends of NYRO,

Spring is here -- and to welcome the new season, our April 4th concert will have you basking in the warmth of the Mediterranean sun. We'll travel to Italy and Greece (with a side trip up to Russia for a bit of meteorological contrast) with music by Anatoly Liadov, Ildebrando Pizzetti, and Hector Berlioz. Add our fantastic soloist, violist John Dexter, and a very special night is in store for everyone!

I look forward to seeing you!

Best regards,
David Leibowitz, Music Director

April 4, 2009 - Berlioz in Italy

What better way to celebrate the beginning of spring than with a musical journey to sunny Italy? Violist John Dexter returns to the NYRO stage as soloist in Hector Berlioz' epic symphony-concerto "Harold in Italy!" Also on hand - charming musical rarities by Anatoly Liadov and Ildebrando Pizzetti. Date: Saturday, April 4, 2009 Time: 8:00pm Place: Good Shepherd-Faith Church (152 West 66th Street) Admission: FREE Here's the full program: Liadov: Eight Russian Folk Songs Pizzetti: Three Symphonic Preludes on Oedipus Rex Berlioz: "Harold in Italy" - John Dexter, viola About the program: Anatoly Liadov's Eight Russian Folk Songs are charming musical miniatures that evoke the deep mystery and beauty of the Russian musical spirit. In turns festive, rustic, and serene, these short character sketches are a pure delight! Performed only once before in the United States since its creation, Ildebrando Pizzetti created three haunting tone poems based on the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. These Three Symphonic Preludes beautifully capture the brooding sense of tragedy inherent in the drama. You won't want to miss hearing this wonderful work. Epic in scope, sunny in disposition, and dramatic in narrative Harold in Italy by French composer Hector Berlioz is one of the gems of the orchestral repertoire. Based on Lord Byron's "Childe Harold," the music traces our hero as he travels through the Abruzzi mountains, passing pilgrims, meeting shepherds, and, finally, being pursued by a band of cutthroat brigands! It's an exciting musical adventure! About our soloist: Back on the NYRO stage by popular demand, virtuoso violist John Dexter is a mainstay of New York's musical scene. An accomplished soloist, Mr. Dexter premiered and recorded, to great critical acclaim, Anthony Newman's virtuosic Viola Concerto. Mr. Dexter is a member of the American Symphony Orchestra and the American Composers Orchestra, and he has also performed with the New York City Opera, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Joffrey Ballet, and Hong Kong Philharmonic. As a chamber musician, Mr. Dexter is the violist in the award-winning Manhattan String Quartet and, since joining the MSQ in 1980, has made over twenty critically-acclaimed recordings of the string quartet repertoire.

Another Mahler success for NYRO

I should have turned down that second glass of wine at dinner on Saturday evening. Kate and I met her parents, my mother, and my mother's friend Dave for dinner before the concert. The first meeting of the parents went extremely well, and I was having a good time so I had that extra wine. I thought I would be OK since I had plenty of water and ate a healthy amount of pasta and bread. But when I left the restaurant to get to the church for the concert, I realized I was just a little bit drunk. I hoped the slight inebriation would make me more relaxed for the concert, and for the most part it did. I played my part for the Britten violin concerto as well as I had in rehearsal and most importantly, I didn't play in the rests. By the intermission, I felt like I had sobered up, which left me nervous for the Mahler symphony in the second half.

Our performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 1 was as lyrical and bombastic as I had hoped it would be. From where I sat the piece sounded incredible, though my friends told me that the sound was muddled in the back of the church. We knew that would happen, given the cathedral-like architecture of the church. Still, it was exciting to see the winds with their bells up in the second movement, and I risked a quick glance at the horns when they stood up in the final moments of the symphony. I think we captured a little of the magic we had two years ago when we played Mahler's 3rd Symphony in another majestic Manhattan church. I hope we have another Mahler symphony on a future NYRO program. I vote for Symphony No. 5.

During this concert, I realized that while I enjoy playing Mahler, I would rather listen to it than perform it. Mahler's music is not the most difficult I've ever encountered, but it requires a level of concentration that I'm not used to in performance. By the time I play a symphony in concert, I've practiced and rehearsed it enough that I can play some of it on a form of "auto-pilot." My mind wanders a bit even though my fingers, eyes, and ears are fully engaged in the performance. Maybe I'm not the violist I used to be, but even though I know Mahler's 1st Symphony intimately, on Saturday night I found that when my mind wandered I stopped counting or had to scramble to get ready for my next entrance instead of being prepared. I had to concentrate more on what I was doing than with nearly everything else I've played recently. It was a useful lesson for me to learn that I should avoid those lapses in concentration and focus on the performance. I'm up there playing because I enjoy it, but also because I want to give the best performance possible so that my friends and family enjoy the music as well.

Now NYRO takes a short break, but we'll be back in January preparing for our next concert on February 14. I know that's Valentine's Day, but what's more romantic than an evening of classical music?

Mahler makes me giddy

Last night was the first rehearsal for NYRO's December concert, where we're playing Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto and Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1. Regular readers of this space will recall that I am a huge Mahler fan, so I am understandably excited to be performing one of my favorite works. We played Mahler's 3rd Symphony two years ago, and that concert is on a short list of my all-time greatest performances. I have high hopes that this year's gala concert will be an even greater success. For my part, I was grinning like an idiot throughout most of the sight-reading last night, despite missing notes and entrances. I'll have to channel that enthusiasm into my practicing, of which I have a great deal to do. Mahler's music isn't easy to play.

For those in the New York area who may be interested in attending the concert, it will be on Saturday, December 13. Watch this space for more information as the concert date approaches.

NYRO's final concert of the 2007-08 season

Dear Friends of the New York Repertory Orchestra:

As our last concert of the season swiftly approaches, mark your calendars for our final musical extravaganza of 2007-2008! We have a great program planned, full of favorites and rarities – please come and enjoy it with us. Here is the information:

• Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
• Time: 8:00pm
• Place: Good Shepherd-Faith Church (152 West 66th Street)
• Admission: FREE
  

Program:

• Vincent D'Indy: Suite from "Karadec"
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor – Anna Polonsky, piano
• Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World"
  

A few notes on the music we'll be playing:

The opening work on the program will be the delightful Suite from "Karadec" by French composer Vincent D'Indy. Originally written as incidental music to a play based on Breton legends, these enchanting and tender pieces end in a boisterous Breton wedding celebration.

By turns stormy, introspective, and joyful, the Piano Concerto in D minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the composer's most celebrated works. Greatly admired by both Beethoven and Brahms, this concerto has also been a favorite with audiences since its first performance. Almost operatic in its dramatic and emotional content, the concerto beautifully illuminates the expressive intensity that lay just below the graceful and elegant surface of this great composer. With pianist Anna Polonsky making her NYRO debut as soloist, this will be a performance to treasure. (Read more about our soloist below.)

The main work on the program will be the monumental Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World," by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. One of the great masterpieces of the orchestral literature, Dvorak's "New World" symphony is steeped in the composer's musical experiences and explorations from his time spent in America. A favorite of audiences and musicians the world over, this great work will be a fitting conclusion to our wonderful season.

A word about our soloist:

Pianist Anna Polonsky is widely in demand as a soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared as soloist with the Moscow Virtuosi, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and many others. Ms. Polonsky has collaborated with the Guarneri, Orion, and Audubon Quartets, and with such musicians as Mitsuko Uchida, David Shifrin, Richard Goode, Ida and Ani Kavafian, Cho-Liang Lin, Arnold Steinhardt, Anton Kuerti, Gary Hoffman, and Fred Sherry. She is regularly invited to perform chamber music at festivals such as Marlboro, Chamber Music Northwest, Seattle, Moab, Santa Fe, Bridgehampton, Bard, and Caramoor, as well as at Bargemusic in New York City. Ms. Polonsky has given concerts in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Alice Tully Hall, Zankel Hall, Merkin Hall, the 92nd St. Y, and has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. A frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, she was an artist member of CMS Two during 2002-2004. In 2006 she took a part in the European Broadcasting Union's project to record and broadcast all of Mozart's keyboard sonatas, and in the spring of 2007 she performed a Carnegie Hall solo recital, inaugurating the Emerson Quartet's Perspectives Series.

All in all, a great way to end our season on the highest note possible – great music, great performers, and great fun – I hope we'll see you there!

Best regards,
David Leibowitz, Music Director
New York Repertory Orchestra
www.nyro.org

NYRO's next concert: March 29, featuring Stravinsky, Strauss, and the Dvorak Cello Concerto

For those of you who aren't on my e-mail list, here is the concert announcement from NYRO's music director about our next concert in two weeks. It's going to be a hell of a show.


Dear Friends of the New York Repertory Orchestra:

Spring is in the air and our March 29th concert is fast approaching – and you’re invited!

Once again, we have a great program planned and hope you can enjoy it with us. Here is all the information:

Date: Saturday, March 29, 2008

• Time: 8:00pm
• Place: Good Shepherd-Faith Church (152 West 66th Street)
• Admission: FREE
  

Program:

• Igor Stravinsky: Octet for Wind Instruments
• Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
• Antonin Dvorak: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra – Eric Jacobsen, cello
  

A few notes on the music we’ll be playing:

In “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” German composer Richard Strauss depicts, with great good humor, the jokes and tricks of the legendary prankster, Till Eulenspiegel. Written for a dazzlingly virtuosic (and huge!) orchestra, Strauss uses all his considerable skills to bring to life Till’s madcap adventures in a delightful musical romp that is be sure to bring a laugh and a smile to all.

The main work on the program will be the glorious Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. This concerto is one of the most popular works for solo cello and orchestra, and the touchstone to which all other solo cello works are compared. A monument to the composer’s incredible gift of haunting melody and rich harmony, the concerto is more than a showpiece for the solo cello – the depth of emotion and range of expression combine to make this, in actuality, a magnificent symphony for cello and orchestra. And taking on the virtuosic solo cello part will be the spectacularly talented cellist Eric Jacobsen. I know that this will one of the high points of this or any season. You won’t want to miss it. (Read more about Mr. Jacobsen below!)

The opening work on the program will be the delightful Octet for Wind Instruments by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. This sprightly work is full of charm, wit, and sly humor and is a most appropriate companion to “Till Eulenspiegel” Also, it gives us a chance to showcase our wonderful NYRO woodwind and brass players.

A word about our soloist:
In the fall of 2003, cellist Eric Jacobsen appeared with Renee Fleming at the opening of Zankel Hall, at Carnegie Hall and on the Late Show with David Letterman. He has worked with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project and traveled to Japan where the ensemble had residencies in the National Museums in Nara and Fukuoka. Mr. Jacobsen has collaborated at The Tenri Cultural Institute and The Angel Orensanz Foundation in performances with musicians from Armenia and Iran. Mr. Jacobsen is a regular presenter and performer at Brooklyn’s Bargemusic and he has recently been appointed curator and musical director of the 92nd street Y’s Makor Center Classical Café. Also, Mr. Jacobsen has appeared as soloist with the Chamber Soloists of Austin in Texas , the Riverside Orchestra, the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, the Greenwich Village Orchestra, and the Lake George Chamber Orchestra and he has been heard on NPR programs ‘Sound Check’ and ‘Performance Today.’ This is his first appearance with NYRO.

So...we anticipate another great evening of music with New York’s finest all-volunteer, community-based orchestra – the New York Repertory Orchestra. I look forward to seeing you on March 29th.

Best regards,
David Leibowitz, Music Director
New York Repertory Orchestra
www.nyro.org

------------------------------------------------------

PS - Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our Season Finale on May 17, 2008

Program:

• Vincent d’Indy: “Karadek” Suite
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor – Anna Polonsky, piano
• Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor “From the New World”

NYRO's next concert: Britten, Prokofiev, and Beethoven

The next NYRO concert is on February 10, at the orchestra's usual performance space in the Good Shepherd-Faith Church on West 66th St. Here's the message from our music director about the program. If you haven't gotten an e-mail from me about the concert, consider this your notice/invitation/summons to appear and applaud.

Dear Friends of the New York Repertory Orchestra,

Happy New Year and welcome to the second half of our 2006-2007 season!

NYRO gratefully thanks all of you who made our First Annual Benefit Concert in December such a great success, both musically and financially. Our performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 was a landmark for NYRO and we were thrilled to see so many of you in the audience. We are hoping to post the recording of the concert on our web site (in mp3 files) very soon. We’ll keep you posted.

AND...You are cordially invited to our first concert of 2007!

We are continuing our wonderful season of great music, fantastic soloists, and the exciting music-making of the New York Repertory Orchestra - New York's leading all-volunteer, community-based orchestra! We look forward to seeing you at our next concert. Here are the details:

When: Saturday, February 10, 2007 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Good Shepherd-Faith Church @ 152 West 66th St. (between B'way & Amsterdam)
Admission: FREE

Program

• Britten: Four Sea Interludes from “Peter Grimes”
• Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor – Rachel Lee, violin
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F Major
  

Here's some info about the program:

• Making her debut with NYRO, violinist Rachel Lee joins us in Serge Prokofiev’s haunting Violin Concerto No. 2. Full of lyrical melodies, sparkling orchestral colors, and exciting virtuosic writing, this concerto has been a favorite of audiences since its premiere. (See below for more information about our wonderful soloist.)
  

• The major work on the program will be the Symphony No. 8 in F Major by Ludwig van Beethoven. Often (undeservedly) overshadowed by his Seventh and Ninth Symphonies, but no less a work of Beethoven’s mature genius, his Eighth Symphony is full of optimism, humor, and enthusiastic good spirits. Sunlight radiates from every measure of this wonderful piece.
  

• The concert begins with the evocative Four Sea Interludes from British composer Benjamin Britten’s ground-breaking opera “Peter Grimes.” With an elegant economy of means, Britten poignantly evokes the secluded fishing village in which the drama unfolds. From the rising sun, to distant church bells, to a raging storm, the composer uses the orchestra to create vivid sound pictures.
  

• Violinist Rachel Lee is regarded as one of the most prodigious and promising talents on the concert stage. In January 2006 she made a successful debut with the Seattle Symphony, of which the Seattle Times wrote: “[she gave] a performance that was polished and technically assured, with a pure, strong tone and supple phrasing”. Rachel also recently made her European concerto debut with the Berlin Staatskapelle to overwhelming enthusiasm. She will make her Chicago Symphony solo debut in February of 2007.
  

So...it should be a wonderful concert and we hope to see you there on February 10.