Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Releases CONCERTOS FOR ORCHESTRA

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announces the November 17 release of its latest recording Concertos for Orchestra, the second under Music Director Louis Langrée. The recording features the world premieres of three concertos for orchestra commissioned by the CSO: Zhou Tian's Concerto for Orchestra, Thierry Escaich's Psalmos and Sebastian Currier's FLEX.

"We commissioned these concertos for orchestra not only because these full-scale pieces can demonstrate the virtuosity of the Orchestra and its players, but also because they allow for a rich variety of orchestral colors," said Mr. Langrée. "There is room for solos as well as dialogue between individuals and groups. The specific style and sound of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra emerges from this rich genre."

Concertos for Orchestra was recorded live at Music Hall during the world premiere performances of the works in November 2015 and May 2016. Each work showcases the virtuosity, style and sound of the CSO, furthering a genre championed by the likes of Béla Bartók and Witold Lutos?awski.

Since its founding in 1895, the CSO has remained committed to commissioning and premiering new works, several of which have become mainstays of the orchestral repertoire. "The CSO's mission statement is to seek and share inspiration. This is exactly what we are doing with this important recording project," said Mr. Langrée.

Concertos for Orchestra was produced by Elaine Martone of Sonarc Music Recording and engineered by Chelsea Crutcher of Cincinnati Public Radio. Production assistance was provided by CSO Associate Conductor Keitaro Harada and Assistant Conductor Gene Chang.

The commissioned works of Zhou Tian's Concerto for Orchestra, Thierry Escaich's Psalmos and Sebastian Currier's FLEX were made possible by a generous gift from Ann and Harry Santen. The recording of Zhou Tian's Concerto for Orchestra was made possible by a generous gift from Mace Justice. The recording of Sebastian Currier's FLEX and Thierry Escaich's Psalmos was made possible by a generous gift from Tom and Dee Stegman.

The recording is available for pre-sale on Amazon and iTunes now. It will be available at the CSO's gift shop and in selected retail stores beginning November 17. For more details on the album and to view the liner notes, visit cincinnatisymphony.org.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which also performs as the Cincinnati Pops, is one of America's finest and most versatile ensembles. With a determination for greatness and a rich tradition that dates back over 120 years, the internationally acclaimed CSO attracts the best musicians, artists and conductors from around the world to Cincinnati. With new commissions and groundbreaking initiatives like LUMENOCITY®, One City, One Symphony®, and the MusicNOW Festival collaboration, the Orchestra is committed to being a place of experimentation. As Cincinnati's ambassador, the Orchestra has toured extensively, sold millions of recordings, and reaches millions more annually through radio and television broadcasts. As Cincinnati's own, the Orchestra's impact extends far beyond concerts at Music Hall to the schools, places of worship, and neighborhood centers of a vastly diverse community. The Orchestra also elevates Cincinnati's vibrant cultural scene by serving as the official orchestra for the Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati World Piano Competition.

To learn more about the CSO, please visit cincinnatisymphony.org.

Louis Langrée, Music Director

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Director Louis Langrée is one of the most sought-after conductors in the world today. Under his musical leadership, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has undertaken a multitude of innovative artistic projects garnering praise from audiences and critics alike. The French conductor also serves as Music Director of Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, a position he has held since 2002.

Mr. Langrée has conducted the Berlin, London and Vienna Philharmonics, as well as period-instrument ensembles such as the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Orchestre des Champs-Elysées. He has a long-term relationship with the Metropolitan Opera and the Vienna State Opera, and has conducted at the Munich State Opera and Milan's La Scala.

Festival appearances have included the Vienna Festival, Mozartwoche Salzburg, BBC Proms, Glyndebourne Festival, and Aix-en-Provence Festival. Deeply committed to music of our time, Mr. Langrée has conducted world premieres by such composers as Magnus Lindberg, Manfred Trojahn, Daníel Bjarnason, and Caroline Shaw.

Mr. Langrée's first commercial recording with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra featured Copland's A Lincoln Portrait (narrated by Dr. Maya Angelou) and world premieres by Nico Muhly and David Lang. Mr. Langrée's recordings have received several awards from Gramophone and Midem Classical. La Traviata, recorded at the Aix-en-Provence Festival with the London Symphony Orchestra for Virgin Classics, was released on DVD and awarded a Diapason d'Or. Louis Langrée is a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

Zhou Tian, composer

Zhou Tian was born in Hangzhou, China, on December 22, 1981 and currently serves on the faculty of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Described as "absolutely beautiful" and "utterly satisfying" (Fanfare), the works of Chinese-born American composer Zhou Tian have been commissioned and/or performed by major orchestras in the United States and abroad, including the Cincinnati Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and by leading soloists and ensembles such as pianist Yuja Wang, violist Roberto Díaz, guitarist Jason Vieaux, violinist Caroline Goulding, flutist Jeffrey Khaner, the Eroica Trio, the Arditti and Dover string quartets, the Empire Brass, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. His newest work, Concerto for Orchestra, ("stunning...tonal and engaging" -Cincinnati Enquirer), commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony, premiered in the orchestra's 2015-16 season finale, conducted by music director Louis Langrée.

He studied composition with Jennifer Higdon, Christopher Rouse, Stephen Hartke, Richard Danielpour, and Donald Crockett. He taught at Colgate University from 2011-16, and was recently appointed associate professor of composition at Michigan State University College of Music. Visit ZhouTianMusic.com for more.

Thierry Escaich, composer

Thierry Escaich was born in Nogent-sur-Marne, France on May 8, 1965. A virtuoso organist, he serves at the historic church of St. Étienne- du-Mont in Paris, where one of his predecessors was Maurice Duruflé. He is also an award-winning composer of more than a hundred works that have been performed internationally. The composer calls Psalmos a sinfonia concertante for orchestra. Composer, organist and improviser Thierry Escaich is a unique figure in contemporary music and one of the most important French composers of his generation.

The three elements of Escaich's artistry are inseparable, allowing him to express himself as a performer, creator and collaborator in a wide range of settings. Escaich has composed in many genres and forms, always exploring new sound horizons. His catalogue numbers around 100 works which, with their lyrical, rich harmonies and rhythmic energy, have attracted a wide audience. Drawing from the French line of composition of Ravel, Messiaen and Dutilleux, and imbued with references from contemporary, folk and spiritual music, the distinctive sound-world of Escaich's music is anchored by an obsessive rhythmic drive and an overarching sense of architecture.

Visit escaich.org for more information.

Sebastian Currier, composer

Sebastian Currier was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, on March 16, 1959, and grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. He currently serves as Artist-in- Residence at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Sebastian Currier is the recipient of the prestigious Grawemeyer Award. Heralded as "music with a distinctive voice" by The New York Times and as "lyrical, colorful, firmly rooted in tradition, but absolutely new" by the Washington Post, his music has been performed at major venues worldwide by acclaimed artists and orchestras, including Anne-Sophie Mutter, the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the Kronos Quartet.

He has received many prestigious awards including the Berlin Prize, Rome Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and an Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and has held residencies at the MacDowell and Yaddo colonies.

He received a DMA from the Juilliard School and from 1999-2007 taught at Columbia University.

Visit sebastiancurrier.com for more information.