Joshua Bell
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra wants to take you places.
It's program for 2010-2011 is called a "Season of Discovery" with concerts devoted to various countries and cultures.
The season's classical travelog is also festooned with crowd pleasers, including an appearance by in-demand violinist Joshua Bell and performances of popular works including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Copland's Suite from "Appalachian Spring" and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade."
Joshua Bell
Karen Busler
And for a boost of prestige the MSO will perform the world premiere of a commissioned work by Osvaldo Golijov, a luminary among contemporary composers.
The new season is also significant in that it's the first under the leadership of recently appointed music director Mei-Ann Chen. Although much of the season had been determined before her appointment last month, Chen provided some finishing touches and is expected to add more flourishes as the season progresses.
Programming Beethoven's Ninth was an easy decision for Chen. Two years ago, when she first led the MSO, she conducted Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 Overture from "Fidelio." "Right after that piece, the energy I felt and how the musicians responded was incredible; the chemistry worked."
So Beethoven's Ninth logically followed as a way to conclude the next season "because of its universality and because we're doing a season of discovery," Chen said.
Ryan Fleur, MSO's president and CEO, said the upcoming season will "identify the orchestra's artistic strengths, provide opportunities for artistic growth and also open doors for partnerships."
The Golijov commission will boost the profile of the MSO. "We're giving a world premiere and also it's open to other orchestras," Fleur says. "It's been booked by the orchestras in Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, St. Louis and Baltimore, but it will be played here first. This brings the whole process to another level of legitimacy."
Luminaries will flock to Memphis for the performance, Fleur says: the composer, leaders of other orchestras, publishers. "And it's written in honor of Henry Fogel, an influential and much admired orchestra administrator and former head of the League of American Orchestras."
The MSO is keeping its favorites as well: the Elvis Birthday Concert, Home for the Holidays, international chamber music offerings, and pops concerts that include a salute to George Gershwin and Jim Witter's tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel.
Among the guest artists is MSO flutist Karen Busler who will perform Jonathan Dove's "Magic Flute Dances" next March.
MEMPHIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2010-2011 SEASON
Here's next season's schedule arranged by series. Ticket prices vary -- contact the MSO Web site at memphissymphony.org or call 537-2525.
First Tennessee Masterworks and Sundays at the Symphony in Germantown
Saturdays at 8 p.m. at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre.
"Russian Masters"; Sept. 18 and 19, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor, Markus Groh, piano -- Shostakovich: Festive Overture; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor; Rimsky-Korsakov: "Scheherazade".
"Hope in America"; Oct. 16 and 17, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor, Jessica Rivera, soprano -- Copland: "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Tower: "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman"; Barber: "Knoxville: Summer of 1915"; Golijov: world premiere commission; Copland: Suite from "Appalachian Spring".
"Fiesta!"; Nov. 20 and 21, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor -- Chabrier: "España"; Ravel: "Alborada del gracioso"; Falla: Suite No. 2 from "The Three Cornered Hat"; Ginastera: Ballet Suite from "Estancia"; Lopez: "Fiesta!"
"Italian Inspirations"; Jan. 15 and 16, 2011
Daniel Hege, guest conductor, Alban Gerhardt, cello -- Rossini: Overture to "Italian in Algiers"; Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A major, "Italian"; Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme; Tchaikovsky: "Capriccio Italien."
"Infernal Dance"; Feb. 19 and 20, 2011
Eckart Preu, guest conductor, Orion Weiss, piano -- Offenbach: Overture to "Orpheus in the Underworld"; Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor; Del Aguila: "Conga Line in Hell"; Stravinsky: "Firebird Suite" (1919).
"Vive la France!"; March 12 and 13, 2011
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor, Karen Busler, flute, Women of the Memphis Symphony Chorus -- Debussy: Nocturnes; Dove: "Magic Flute Dances"; Berlioz: "Symphonie Fantastique".
"Ode to Joy"; April 30, 2011
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor, Memphis Symphony Chorus, University of Memphis Concert Singers -- Brahms: "Alto Rhapsody"; Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor; "Choral".
Special events
"Joshua Bell Plays Tchaikovsky"; May 12, 2011
Available only to subscribers at this time. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets: $30, $45, $60, $80.
"Bach at Idlewild"; Oct. 3, 2010
Idlewild Presbyterian Church. Tickets: $10
"Handel's 'Messiah' "; Dec. 10, 2010
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets: $15-$25.
Pops series
All performances at 8 p.m. at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts
"Disco Days and Boogie Nights"; Oct. 23, 2010
Steven Reineke, guest conductor
"Home for the Holidays"; Dec. 4, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor, Ashley Brown, soprano, Memphis Symphony Chorus, University of Memphis Concert Singers
"Valentine's Day Pops: In the Mood"; Feb. 12, 2011
Lawrence Golan, guest conductor/violin
"Music of the Piano Men"; March 5, 2011
Jim Witter, piano and vocals, Jim Witter Band
"Salute to Gershwin"; April 9, 2011
Terri Dale Hansen, soprano; Norm Lewis, baritone; Joseph Joubert, piano.
Chamber series
Performances 8 p.m. at Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary's School
"Russian Folklore"; Sept. 10, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
"From the UK to the USA"; Oct. 29, 2010
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
"Italian Masters"; Jan. 21, 2011
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
"French Favorites"; March 18, 2011
Andrew Grams, guest conductor
Elvis birthday concert
Jan. 8, 2011, at the Cannon Center. Steven Reineke, guest conductor, Terry Mike Jeffrey & Band. Tickets: $28-$150.
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