Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Begins Season With Special Guest, Today

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra opens the 2016-17 season with an exciting performance by special guest pianist, Jon Kimura Parker. On Saturday, September 10th at 8:00pm in Hill Auditorium, the orchestra will dazzle patrons with selected works of Shostakovich, Brahms, and Strauss.

Conductor and Music Director Arie Lipsky will begin his 17th year with the symphony by leading orchestra in the opening night's performances of Festive Overture, Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83, and Der Rosenkavalier Suite.

Known for his passionate artistry and engaging stage presence, pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed as guest soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch in Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Andre Previn, and shared the stage with Jessye Norman at Berlin's Philharmonie. A true Canadian ambassador of music, Mr. Parker has given command performances for Queen Elizabeth II, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan. He is an Officer of The Orderof Canada, his country's highest civilian honor. An unusually versatile artist, Mr. Parker has also jammed with Audra McDonald, Bobby McFerrin, and Doc Severinsen, and this season performed tangos on two pianos with Pablo Ziegler.

Mr. Parker studied with Edward Parker and Keiko Parker privately, Lee Kum-Sing at the Vancouver Academy of Music and the University of British Columbia, Robin Wood at the Victoria Conservatory, Marek Jablonski at the Banff Centre, and Adele Marcus at The Juilliard School. He won the Gold Medal at the 1984 Leeds International Piano Competition. He has been acclaimed by the New York Times as "...an insightful and energetic soloist...the audience roared in approval."

The Symphony's opening night with Jon Kimura Parker is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the following University of Michigan Centers of Excellence: the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, the Kellogg Eye Center, the Transplant Center, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Join the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra for an exciting night at the Hill Auditorium on Saturday, September 10th at 8:00pm. Tickets are available online at a2so.com, by emailing tickets@a2so.com, or by calling (734) 994-4801. Single tickets range from $15 to $65, Student, Senior, and Group discounts are available.

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