Guest Conductor Andrey Boreyko to Lead Utah Symphony in Rare Russian Works, 4/25-26

Guest Conductor Andrey Boreyko returns to Abravanel Hall and the Utah Symphony for a stirring performance of two Russian works on April 25 and 26. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's evocative and balletic 3rd Orchestral Suite was originally intended as a symphony, but he was also very pleased with it as a suite. In a letter, he said, "Never have I had such a triumph. Such are the best moments in an artist's life."

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's uplifting Russian Easter Overture celebrated the musical history of Russian Orthodoxy. Rimsky-Korsakov's own words from his autobiography on the topic are especially descriptive: "The legendary and heathen side of the holiday, the transition from the gloomy and mysterious evening of Passion Saturday to the unbridled pagan-religious merrymaking on Easter Sunday morning is what I was eager to reproduce in my Overture."

These performances represent a rare opportunity for Salt Lake audiences to hear these two compositions, as they are not often performed by the Utah Symphony. Both were last conducted under Joseph Silverstein: Tchaikovsky's Suite No. 3 was last performed in 1992, and the orchestra last played Russian Easter Overture in 1996.

Also appearing in this program is Olivier Messiaen's gorgeous meditation on the ascension of Christ. Each of the four sections of L'Ascension is connected to specific scriptural quotations, and there are hints of the block-like juxtaposition of instrumental groupings that became Messiaen's signature mode of realization. L'Ascension is the most often performed of his early period pieces; however, this marks the first time that it will be performed by the Utah Symphony.

Single tickets for the performance start at $18 and can be purchased by phone at (801) 355-2787, in person at the Abravanel Hall ticket office (123 W. South Temple) or online by visiting www.utahsymphony.org. Season subscribers can purchase discounted tickets by contacting (801) 533-6683. Those desiring group discounts should call (801) 869-9046. All ticket prices are subject to change and availability, and will increase $5 when purchased on the day of the performance.

GUEST ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Andrey Boreyko, Conductor

Andrey Boreyko holds the position of Music Director of the Orchestre National de Belgique and the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker. With the Orchestre National de Belgique, he ended the 2012/13 season with a highly successful concert in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with Nikolai Lugansky. This season sees the orchestra touring Germany with Boris Berezovsky, performing a Dvo?ák Festival in May 2014 and returning to the Concertgebouw. In North America, Andrey Boreyko is also Music Director Designate of Naples Philharmonic (his first concert with them in November 2013 was a gala concert featuring Sarah Chang). He additionally holds the position of Principal Guest Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi.

As a guest conductor, Andrey Boreyko has worked with major orchestras around the world, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Münchner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Dresden, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Wiener Symphoniker, Filharmonica della Scala, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, London Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony and Royal Concertgebouw. In North America, he has conducted the Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Dallas and Montreal symphony orchestras.

Mr. Boreyko has previously held positions including Chief Conductor of the Jenaer Philharmonie (he is now Honorary Conductor) and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Berner Symphonieorchester, the Hamburger Symphoniker and the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, He was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony and Music Director of the Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mr. Boreyko was born in St. Petersburg where, at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, he studied conducting and composition (with Elisabeta Kudriavtseva and Alexander Dmitriev), graduating summa cum laude. Whilst with the Jenaer Philharmonie, Mr. Boreyko received awards for the most innovative concert programming in three consecutive seasons from the German Music Critics Association (Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband) - the first in the history of the prize.

PROGRAM

Utah Symphony Presents

Tchaikovsky's Suite No. 3

Abravanel Hall, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah

Friday, April 25, 2014 | 8 PM / Saturday, April 26, 2014 | 8 PM

Andrey Boreyko, Conductor

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Overture, op. 36

Olivier Messiaen L'ascension

I. Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père

II. Alleluias sereins d'une âme qui désire le ciel

III. Alleluia sur la trompette, alleluia sur la cymbale

IV. Prière du Christ montant vers son Père

INTERMISSION

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 in G Major, op. 55

I. Elegy

II. Melancholic Waltz

III. Scherzo

IV. Theme and Variations

About the Utah Symphony: Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony is dedicated to providing Utah residents and visitors with great performances which engage, educate and enrich lives. Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the orchestra's parent organization, reaches 450,000 residents in Utah and the Intermountain region, with educational outreach programs serving more than 155,000 students annually. The orchestra presents more than 70 performances each season in Abravanel Hall, participates in the Utah Opera's four annual productions at the Capitol Theatre, in addition to numerous community concerts throughout Utah and the annual outdoor summer series - the Deer Valley Music Festival -in Park City, Utah. With its many subscription, education, and outreach concerts and tours the Utah Symphony is one of the most engaged full-time orchestras in the nation. For more information visit www.utahsymphony.org.

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