CSO, with Guest Artist Wu, Performs PIPA CONCERTO NO. 2 Tonight

By: Jan. 24, 2015
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CANTON, OHIO (January 8, 2015) - The Canton Symphony Orchestra is honored to be the first orchestra in Ohio to perform China native Zhao Jiping's Pipa Concerto No. 2. Guest artist, Wu Man will perform the solo pipa. The concert, part of the CSO's MasterWorks Series, is tonight, January 24 at 8:00pm at Umstattd Performing Arts Hall (2323 17th Street NW, Canton).

Zhao Jiping's Pipa Concerto No. 2 was commissioned in 2013 by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and co-commissioned by the Canton Symphony Orchestra for Wu Man. "I see the piece not so much as a Western traditional concerto, but more an exploration of poetic expression of thoughts and emotions, able to stimulate many levels of the audience's imagination," Zhao Jiping states. The program for the concert, titled "East Meets West", also includes Edvard Grieg's Holberg Suite and Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 4.

The pipa is a traditional Chinese stringed instrument that dates back to the Qin and Han Dynasties (200BC - 220AD) and is one of the most popular Chinese instruments . Wu Man entered the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing at the age of 13 and was the first to receive a master's degree in pipa. She moved to the United States in 1990 and was selected as a Bunting Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard University. In 1999 Wu Man was selected by Yo-Yo Ma as the winner of the City of Toronto Glenn Gould Protégé Prize in music and communication. She is also the first artist from China to have performed at the White House. She was named Musical America's 2013 Instrumentalist of the Year, the first traditional musician ever to receive this prestigious award.

Tickets for the concert range from $25-$45. There are senior, student and group discounts available. Dress is casual and the concert is appropriate for ages 8 and older. Tickets are available at www.cantonsymphony.org, by calling (330) 452-2094, at the Zimmermann Symphony Center - 2331 17th Street NW in Canton - weekdays from 9am-5pm or at the Umstattd Performing Arts Hall box office beginning one hour before the performance.

Young People's Concert
In addition to the MasterWorks concert, Wu Man will be featured on the CSO's Young People's Concert. Two performances of the concert, aimed at students in grades 4-6, are available on January 22 at 9:30am and 10:30am at Umstattd Performing Arts Hall and will be conducted by Gerhardt Zimmermann, Music Director for the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

"Incorporating the World Music component into the students' curriculum is such a dynamic opportunity for them," states Lisa Boyer, CSO Director of Education and Community Engagement. "Having someone as talented and engaging as Wu Man performing for them live is an experience they cannot get anywhere else."

For the first time, the orchestra is offering a live webcast of the concert for schools who are unable to attend the concert in person. The webcast is presented in cooperation with the Stark/Portage Area Computer Consortium and Canton City Schools Television. For more information about the webcast, contact Lisa Boyer - lboyer@cantonsymphony.org or 330-452-3434 ext. 604.

Founded in 1937, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is a fully professional ensemble and organization dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, the orchestra performs classical, pops, holiday, and educational programs. Most performances are in Umstattd Performing Arts Hall, 2323 17th Street NW, Canton, Ohio (at McKinley High School across from C.T. Branin Natatorium). Parking at McKinley High School is free. For more information, please visit www.CantonSymphony.org.



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