Anchorage Symphony Orchestra Season Finale Will Feature Yulia Gorenman

One might think it difficult for a performing arts group to have many new experiences after performing 77 seasons - not so for the exuberant Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, who have celebrated a season of firsts - their first season in 3 years with a full, in-person audience; the first season with new Music Director Elizabeth Schulze, and the first season with Ludek Wojtkowski as their new Concertmaster.

There were many firsts in the music itself as the Anchorage Symphony played ten works the orchestra had never performed before and performed three world premieres of pieces composed by ASO musicians. In addition, community favorite events returned like the Champagne Pops Gala, Neighborhood and Family Concerts and a filled Atwood Hall of 4th, 5th and 6th graders who played recorders right along with the ASO to works like Beethoven's Ode to Joy during a school-time education concert.

Now they are ready to close this special season with passion and gusto! Getting this festive and high-spirited evening started is Anna Clyne's Masquerade, a thrilling work that will surely get hearts racing. Described as a "composer of uncommon gifts" in a New York Times profile and as "fearless" by NPR, GRAMMY-nominated Anna Clyne is one of the most in-demand composers today.

A master of crafting exciting and dynamic orchestral works, her Masquerade is no exception. Inspired by mask-makers and acrobats in eighteenth-century England, this work takes the audience on a journey of suspense and drama, with plenty of moments of beauty and quiet reflection along the way. A work that is both highly accessible and deeply challenging, Masquerade is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who hear it.
Thunderous and triumphant chords announce the beginning of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Over 80 years after its triumphant premiere, pianist Van Cliburn performed this expressive and romantic concerto at the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958. The recording of this performance became the first piece of classical music to sell a million records. It has continued to penetrate popular culture, appearing in The Simpsons, Mad Men, and films like Stephen King's Misery.

From its soulful melodies to the edge-of-your-seat finale, bringing to life Tchaikovsky's beautiful interplay between the orchestra and piano is the acclaimed "pianist without fear," Yulia Gorenman. Praised by the New York Times for her "superb technique and musicality," Gorenman first achieved international acclaim as a prizewinner of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium in 1995. Since then, she has performed as a soloist, in chamber groups, and orchestral concerts throughout the United States and Europe. Her performances have earned her consistent praise for her artistic fire, fluid and unpretentious technique, and lyrical honesty.

Born in Odesa (Ukraine) and raised in Kazakhstan, Gorenman is a piano and Musician in Residence professor at the American University in Washington, DC., and also serves as an Advisor to the Board of Governors for Washington, D.C's. chapter of the Recording Academy (GRAMMY). Gorenman has made numerous appearances in Sitka with the Sitka Music Festival. This is her first time traveling a bit further and performing in Anchorage.
Closing the ASO's Season Finale with gusto is Respighi's tone poem, Pines of Rome. Second in a series known as the Roman Trilogy, this monumental work is one of Respighi's most popular pieces. This tour-de-force for the orchestra has influenced filmmakers and musicians alike. For example, you can watch humpback whales dance to it in Disney's Fantasia 2000 and hear it at the beginning of the 1983 song, City of Love, by the band Yes.
When asked about their Finale, ASO Music Director Elizabeth Schulze commented, "My first season as Music Director of this wonderful orchestra began with discovering a New World and concludes with one of the most glorious evocations of the past ever written for orchestra. In a way, The Pines of Rome reflects the many highlights of the season, both epic and intimate. It also offers an opportunity to hear the orchestra at its most thrilling best after a season of tremendous adventure and growth."

Anchorage Symphony's Season Finale, Saturday, April 15, 2023, (7:30pm) in the Atwood Concert Hall, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Infrared headphones for the hearing impaired are available concert night from the House Manager on the Orchestra Level. Tickets: Adult, $52-$27; Youth, $24.75-$12.50; Senior, $46.50-$24.50; Streaming Only $42.25 (prices include all surcharges and fees). Military, student and group discounts available. To purchase tickets, go to www.centertix.com or call 263-ARTS (2787), toll free at 1-877-ARTS- TIX.

 

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