Pacific Symphony Announces Joyce Yang in 'Rachmaninoff’s Mighty Third'

Pacific Symphony announces pianist Joyce Yang in a powerful finale of "Rachmaninoff's Mighty Third." 

The concert takes place Thursday-Saturday, March 1-3, at 8 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall; a preview talk with Alan Chapman begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25-110; for more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit  HYPERLINK www.PacificSymphony.org.

Described as "the last of the great Russian Romantic composers, Rachmaninoff is also arguably one of history's greatest pianists, and the thundering demands and technical fireworks of his Piano Concerto No. 3 were written to show off his talent. Yang not only meets these demands but artfully interprets the rich combination of power, poetry and speed required."

 "I have worked with Joyce before, and it was a great experience," says Maestro Stern. "She has complete command of the keyboard and a wonderfully natural way of singing through a phrase. The Rachmaninoff concerto is technically daunting, of course, and virtuoso skill is required to tame it, but this music is full of lyricism, and Joyce's pianism and artistry will serve this great music wonderfully well."

Opening the evening, the orchestra sweeps the audience into Rossini's decorative and surprising Overture to "Semiramide" before diving into the gripping drama of Bartók's Suite from "The Miraculous Mandarin," a story of three tramps who entice men into their lair and steal their money.

 "There could not be two more contrasting works of music in terms of their emotional content and dramatic impact," says Stern. "The Overture to 'Semiramide' is all bubbles and grace served with a light and elegant touch, while the Suite from 'The Miraculous Mandarin' is darkness, corruption and savagery. Partially for that reason, performing them together on one program is great fun. But above all, both works are singularly brilliant examples of the unique genius of Rossini and Bartók, and they both exploit all the virtuosity and color of the orchestra and for everyone on stage, that is thrilling."

Critically acclaimed as "the most gifted young pianist of her generation" with a "million-volt stage presence," pianist Yang captivates audiences around the globe with her stunning virtuosity combined with heartfelt lyricism and interpretive sensitivity. Born in Seoul, Korea, she has established herself as one of the leading artists of her generation through her innovative solo recitals and notable collaborations with the world's top orchestras. As the youngest contestant at the 12^th Van Cliburn International Competition in 2005, she swept two additional awards as an all-around winner, receiving the Steven De Groote Memorial Award for best performance of chamber music with the Takàcs Quartet and the Beverley Taylor Smith Award for best performance of a new work. Since her spectacular finish, Yang has flourished into an "astonishing artist" (Neue Zürcher Zeitung), and she is continually re-engaged by orchestras across the U.S. and abroad.  

Stern is in his seventh season as music director of the Kansas City Symphony, hailed for its remarkable artistic growth and development since his tenure began. The Symphony and Stern concluded their first year together by making a recording for the Naxos label which was released in 2007. Two additional CDs, "Britten's Orchestra" and "The Tempest," were recently released to critical acclaim on the Reference Recordings label. Stern is also the founding artistic director and principal conductor of The IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, Tenn., beginning its second decade this season. Other positions include a tenure as the chief conductor of Germany's Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra (the first American chief conductor in the orchestra's history) and as permanent guest conductor of the Orchestre National de Lyon in France, and a stint as the principal guest conductor of the Orchestre National de Lille, France.

The Thursday, March 1, concert is sponsored by Symphony 100. Pacific Symphony's Classical series performances are made possible by the Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation, with additional support from American Airlines, The Westin South Coast Plaza, KUSC and PBS SoCal.

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