Trumpeter Alison Balsom Withdraws from Handel and Haydn Performances Due to Illness

With great regret, British trumpeter Alison Balsom has informed the Handel and Haydn Society that she will not be able to perform in this weekend's concerts due to illness. Balsom had been originally scheduled to perform the Haydn Trumpet Concerto. In Balsom's place, conductor Richard Egarr will lead the Period Instrument Orchestra in Beethoven's Coriolan Overture. The rest of the program, which includes symphonies by Haydn, Beethoven, and W.F.E. Bach, will remain unchanged.

"Even without Alison, our audiences will be amazed by the high energy and sparkle of this program and, in particular, the incredible versatility of its conductor, Richard Egarr," said H&H Executive Director Marie-Hélène Bernard.

A frequent and popular guest of H&H, Richard Egarr most recently led the Period Instrument Orchestra in performances of Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in March 2013. He is also an award-winning keyboardist, performing repertoire ranging from 15th-century organ music to Berg and Maxwell Davies on modern piano. His 2008 recording of the Handel Organ Concertos, Op. 4, earned Egarr a number of critical plaudits, including "the Bernstein of early music" from NPR. Egarr is the current music director of the Academy of Ancient Music.

The concert will take place Friday January 24 at 8pm and Sunday January 26 at 3pm at Symphony Hall. The Period Instrument Orchestra will be conducted by Richard Egarr. The concert will feature Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, Haydn's Symphony No. 104 in D Major, Bach's Symphony in G Major, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major.

Tickets start at $20 and are available through Handel and Haydn Society (H&H) Box Office, by phone at 617 266 3605, online at handelandhaydn.org, or in person at the Handel and Haydn Society offices, Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (M-F, 10am-6pm). Student rush is available starting 90 minutes before the performance: $15 cash only with valid ID, best available seats subject to availability. Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount.

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