The Columbus Symphony to Feature Vivaldi, Pachelbel & More In Best Of Baroque 10/22

Jean-Marie Zeitouni, the Columbus Symphony's newly appointed music director, returns to the podium to conduct "Best of the Baroque" program at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.) on Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23, at 8pm daily. Baroque, an ornate and elaborate style of European classical music, was favored from approximately 1600 to 1750. The evening's program will feature works from some of the era's most celebrated composers-Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Oboes, Bassoon, Two Horns, and Violin, Pachelbel's Canon, Handel's Music for Royal Fireworks, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, and Stravinsky's Suite from Pulcinella.

Orchestral soloists for the Vivaldi piece include Stephen Secan, oboe; Robert Royse, oboe; Betsy Sturdevant, bassoon; Gene Stardley, French horn; David Urschel, French horn; and Charles Wetherbee, violin.

Tickets are $20.50-$66.50 for adults and $11.50-$34.50 for children, and can be purchased at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 228-8600 or (800) 745-3000. The Ohio Theatre Ticket Office will also be open two hours prior to each performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 may purchase $5 High Five tickets while available. The 2010-11 Classical Series is made possible through the generous support of series sponsor Battelle.

About Jean-Marie
Jean-Marie has emerged as one of Canada's brightest young conductors with an eloquent yet fiery style, in repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music. On October 5, 2010, he was installed as the Columbus Symphony's music director, and will lead the artistic direction of the organization for the next four years.

A graduate of the Montreal Conservatory, Jean-Marie earned three master's degrees in conducting, percussion, and theory. He made his US orchestra debut with the Oregon Symphony in the spring of 2005, and has since conducted and often made repeat appearances with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Quebec City, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg Symphonies in Canada, and the Houston, Oregon, Honolulu, Columbus, Huntsville, San Antonio, and Omaha Symphonies in the US. Very active as an opera conductor, Jean-Marie led numerous productions with the Cincinnati Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opéra de Montreal, l'Opéra de Quebec, Glimmerglass Opera, Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, l'Opéra de Marseille, and at the Banff Centre Festival.

Jean-Marie's association with Les Violons du Roy, a celebrated chamber orchestra based in Québec City, goes back 10 years, first as conductor-in-residence, then as associate conductor, and since 2008, as principal guest conductor. In 2006, he recorded his first CD with Les Violons du Roy entitled Piazzolla which received a 2007 JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year in the category Solo or Chamber Ensemble. They have also recorded two subsequent CDs-Bartok (2008) and Britten (2010).

About Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Born in Venice and nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest"), Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist. He is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe. Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral works and over 40 operas. His best known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons.

About Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
A German Baroque composer, organist, and teacher, Pachelbel brought the south German organ tradition to its pinnacle. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue make him one of the most important composers of the era. Pachelbel's music enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime. Today, he is best known for the only canon he ever wrote, Canon in D. Other well-known works include the Chaconne in F minor, the Toccata in E minor for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of keyboard variations.

About George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Handel, a German-British Baroque composer, is famous for his operas, oratorios, and concertos. Born in Germany, he received critical musical training in Italy before settling in London and becoming a naturalized British subject. His works include Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. The latter is a wind band suite composed in 1749 under contract of George II for the fireworks in London's Green Park on April 27, 1749. 12,000 people were in attendance. Handel's music was well-known to many composers, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

About Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
A German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist, Bach's ecclesiastical and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments brought the Baroque period to its peak. Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command, and artistic beauty, Bach's works include the Brandenburg concertos, a collection of six instrumental works presented to the margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721. They are widely regarded as some of the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era.

About Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Stravinsky was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor widely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. He was commissioned to create a ballet based on the music and synopsis of an 18th-century play, and in 1920, debuted Pulcinella in Paris after rewriting the older music, staying true to its themes and textures while interjecting modern techniques. The Pulcinella Suite is taken from the ballet and consists of eight movements.

CALENDAR LISTING
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents BEST OF THE BAROQUE
Friday & Saturday, October 22 & 23, 8 pm daily
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, the Columbus Symphony's newly appointed music director, returns to the podium to conduct "Best of the Baroque" program. Baroque, an ornate and elaborate style of European classical music, was favored from approximately 1600 to 1750. The evening's program will feature works from some of the era's most celebrated composers-Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Oboes, Bassoon, Two Horns, and Violin, Pachelbel's Canon, Handel's Music for Royal Fireworks, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, and Stravinsky's Suite from Pulcinella. Tickets are $20.50-$66.50 for adults and $11.50-$34.50 for children and can be purchased at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 228-8600 or (800) 745-3000.

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