Richmond Symphony Announces Complete Schedule for 2016-17 Season

February 16, 2016 - Richmond, Virginia Music Director Steven Smith and Executive Director David Fisk announced the 2016-17 season of the Richmond Symphony (RSO). The season features great works of music that tell stories about the world in which we live and fantastic guest artists that represent the best in world-class soloists. As a special collaboration with the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center, the Symphony will open its season with the legendary Itzhak Perlman - an artist that transcends music of all genres and people of all backgrounds.

The season will again be led by the artistic team of Steven Smith, holder of the Lewis T. Booker Music Director Chair; Chia-Hsuan Lin, the new Jack and Mary Ann Frable Associate Conductor Chair; and Dr. Erin R. Freeman, Director of the Richmond Symphony Chorus and James Erb Choral Chair.

"Our lives, our history, our world are composed of stories. Myths, legends, fables come to us, often told from generation to generation. They teach us about our world and each other from an early age. Music plays a large role in this, since so many moments of life have musical associations. In all of its many forms, music communicates directly to our emotions, and in some cases, actually depicts the action too, doubling the power and impact of the story, deepening its personal relevance" said Music Director Steven Smith.

This season, the Symphony has commissioned eight artists to help tell this story. Each artist was given a piece from the Symphony's Altria Masterworks Series and asked to create art that expressed their interpretations of the piece. The artwork will be featured in Symphony advertising and performances throughout the season. Participating artists are: Alex Beck, Chris Milk Hulburt, Bizhan Khodabandeh, Georgiy Kuznetsov, Kate Magee, Duncan Robertson, Tim Skirven and Justin Tran.

To ensure that the Symphony is accessible to people of all ages, this season tickets to Altria Masterworks and Dominion Casual Friday performances are free to anyone under the age of 18.

Some highlights of the season include:

• ? An opening night concert featuring world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 7:30pm and in partnership with the Weinstein Jewish Community Center. (SPECIAL DATE AND TIME)

• ? An Altria Masterworks season that includes Strauss's Don Juan; Schumann's Piano Concerto with pianist Anton Nel; Berlioz Romeo and Juliet; Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Rémi Geniet and guest conductor and former Richmond Symphony Music Director Jacques Houtmann; a new work by composer Dan Visconti called Living Language, featuring guitarist Jason Vieaux; award-winning violinist Jinjoo Cho performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto; Schubert's Unfinished Symphony; and Elgar's Cello Concerto with cellist Gary Hoffman.

• ? A Symphony Pops season that includes a special concert at the Altria Theater paying tribute to the late, great Whitney Houston; a tribute to the incomparable movie music of John Williams; the amazing Ann Hampton Callaway performing the hits of Barbra Streisand; and our annual holiday favorite - Let It Snow! - conducted for the first time by new Jack and Mary Ann Frable Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin.

• ? A Union Bank & Trust LolliPops season that begins with magician Lyn Dillies and Magic at the Symphony; the second year of a new annual family tradition with the movie The Snowman; a concert of the best loved Disney music; and the return of Really Inventive Stuff's Sara Valentine for A Child's Guide to the Orchestra.

• ? The Dominion Casual Fridays Series will feature hour-long concerts starting at 6:30pm in the Carpenter Theatre that introduce great works from the orchestral repertoire in a casual format. After each performance, audiences are invited to join Symphony musicians and staff in the speakeasy at Vagabond Restaurant.

? After a season of sold-out performances, the Symphony will continue its partnership with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery for the one-hour, Thursday evening Rush Hour concerts.

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