Joe Hisaishi To Premiere Concerto For Orchestra With National Symphony Orchestra
The Boosey & Hawkes commission heads to Kennedy Center before touring Toronto, New York, and beyond
Acclaimed composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi will lead the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra with the National Symphony Orchestra May 14–16 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The new work, written in five movements and running approximately 45 minutes, marks Hisaishi’s first composition under contract with Boosey & Hawkes. The piece follows a tradition associated with composers including Béla Bartók, Witold Lutosławski, and Zoltán Kodály, placing the orchestra at the center of the musical expression.
The program will also include Steve Reich’s Three Movements and selections from Hisaishi’s score for The Boy and the Heron.
Following its Washington premiere, the Concerto for Orchestra will receive additional performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall, Colorado Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Hisaishi will also present the work in Europe as part of his World Dream Tour, with performances by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris.
The work is co-commissioned by an international consortium that includes the National Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Performance Information
Performances will take place Thursday, May 14; Friday, May 15; and Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
About Joe Hisaishi
Joe Hisaishi is a composer, conductor, and pianist known for his work in both concert music and film. He has collaborated extensively with filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and has composed scores for films including Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Hisaishi has conducted major orchestras worldwide and currently holds positions with the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Paris Philharmonie.
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