RCO To Perform WIth NY Philharmonic 4/29, Honor Henry Hudson Quadricentennial
By: Gabrielle Sierra Apr. 10, 2009
The 13-piece Brass Ensemble of Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) - named the world's greatest orchestra in the December issue of Gramophone - will perform alongside the Brass and Percussion of the New York Philharmonic on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in commemoration of the Henry Hudson Quadricentennial and NY400.
The brass extravaganza will begin at 8:15 pm in the acoustically resplendent nave of the Riverside Church in New York. The concert will be broadcast live on WQXR 96.3 FM and streamed live at www.wqxr.com.
The concert will feature music by Giovanni Gabrieli, Johan de Meij, Johannes Brahms, Richard Peaslee and Sir William Walton, among others. The two ensembles will perform some works antiphonally, some together, some separate. Among the highlights of the evening will be:
• the world premiere of Benjamin C.S. Boyle's Hudson Sinfonia, commissioned by the American Friends of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for the occasion; Dr. Boyle, 29, was selected as Young Concert Artists Composer-in-Residence for the years 2005-2007 and holds YCA's William B. Butz Composer Chair.
• a tribute, by the trumpeters of both orchestras, to William Vacchiano, the great longtime principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic (and Juilliard professor for 67 years), who died in 2005 at the age of 93.
Unreserved seats will be offered to the general public the night of the concert on a pay-what-you-want basis (suggested contribution: $20). Doors open at 7 pm.
Reserved seats are available in advance online until April 21, 2009 at www.RCOfriendsUSA.org. Tickets for a pre-concert benefit reception and dinner, the concert and a post-concert dessert with the artists range from $400 to $1,000. Tickets are also being offered for reserved seats and just the post-concert reception, at $100
($40 tax-deductible).
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