Rochester Philharmonic Announces 2021-22 Season

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) today unveiled its 2021-22 Season. The 21-22 Philharmonics season is the first under the baton of Maestro Andreas Delfs as Music Director and is one of the most diverse in the history of the nearly 100-year-old orchestra. The season features two world premieres, by Jessie Montgomery and Roberto Sierra, and works by living composers presented throughout the season alongside eclectic and beloved selections from the classical repertoire.

An overview of RPO's Pops season and a chronological listing of all concerts follow below.

The 2021-22 Philharmonics Series at Rochester's Kodak Hall features beloved classics as well as exciting contemporary music by some of today's leading composers, with an emphasis on bringing new and diverse perspectives and voices to the concert hall. "As we approach the orchestra's next century," said Music Director Andreas Delfs, "we embark on a journey that will include new and diverse voices in our music to reflect the rich cultural tapestry of our community."

The RPO is proud to present the world premiere of Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra's Violin Concerto. For more than three decades, Sierra's works have been commissioned and performed by leading orchestras and ensembles around the US and Europe. The orchestra performs the world premiere of a Piano Concerto by Jessie Montgomery, whose music weaves classical music together with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, language, and social justice.

The season opens with a program including Jennifer Higdon's Pulitzer-Prize winning Violin Concerto. In November, the orchestra performs the breathtaking soundscape Onward by Brian Nabors, a Birmingham, Alabama native whose music often draws on Jazz Funk, R&B, and Gospel music. In January, guest conductor David Danzmayr conducts Icarus by Lera Auerbach, a renaissance artist recognized not only as a composer, but also a concert pianist, conductor, writer and visual artist. In March, the orchestra performs two pieces by American composers that relate to a sense of place: Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout by Gabriela Lena Frank, whose music often draws on her multicultural background, especially her mother's Peruvian heritage; and Sarah Kirkland Snider's Something for the Dark, commissioned by the Detroit Symphony and inspired by the Detroit poet Philip Levine.

The season is also full of beloved classics such as Brahms Symphony No. 1, Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World," Beethoven's Symphonies No. 1 and No. 7 and "Emperor" concerto; Saint-Saëns' "Organ" symphony; Schubert's Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished"; and Mahler's spectacular "Resurrection" symphony. The RPO's annual opera presentation this season will be a semi-staged production of Humperdinck's family classic Hansel and Gretel, sung in English.

Some of the world's most renowned artists - many of them making their RPO debuts - perform with the orchestra this season, including: pianists Olga Kern, Jorge Osorio, Natasha Paremski and Awadagin Pratt; violinists Benjamin Beilman, William Hagen and Alexandra Soumm; cellist Claudio Bohórquez; vocal soloists Nicole Cabell and Michelle DeYoung; guitarist Jiji Kim; and conductors David Danzmayr, Lina González-Granados, Christoph König, Ken-David Masur and Joseph Young.

This past season, unfortunately, all live performances had to be cancelled due to COVID. Despite the disruption, the orchestra continued to create and share beautiful music through livestreamed concerts that have reached viewers in all fifty states and three countries. This popular streaming series will continue through May 2021, even after live performances return. "The orchestra is very much looking forward to returning to Kodak Hall this fall," said Maestro Delfs, "and our medical advisors are optimistic that live performances will resume in 2021. As always, our first priority is to keep our orchestra members, staff and audience safe, so we are also preparing alternative programs to keep the music alive, whatever circumstances we face this fall." The RPO will provide updates on program changes and streaming plans closer to the start of the season.

The success of this past season's series of streaming concerts inspired the RPO to introduce a five-concert streaming package of selected Philharmonics and Pops concerts for 21-22. "We want to make sure that the RPO is accessible to everyone by bringing the RPO directly into their homes," commented President and CEO Curt Long. "This series of five concerts is a blend of Philharmonic and Pops concerts and is a perfect way to introduce your family to the work of the RPO from the comfort of your home. It's also a great way for those who live in other parts of the country and world to connect with the work of this storied orchestra and get acquainted with our new Music Director, Maestro Andreas Delfs."

Since the 2020-2021 Season, M & T Bank has sponsored the Philharmonic and Pops Series, and continues its commitment as a Co-Sponsor for the 2021-22 Season. They are joined by Co-Sponsor Rochester Regional Health, now in its fourth year as a season sponsor.

The 2021-22 Pops Series, sponsored by Wegmans and Canandaigua National Bank and Trust, features fantastic songs and songwriting, including the music of Motown with The Kings Of Soul, a concert devoted to the best of Broadway, and a 90th Birthday celebration of the great John Williams. Several hugely anticipated programs that had to be cancelled in 20-21 have been rescheduled for 21-22: Legends: The Paul Simon Songbook (September 17 & 18, 2021) and Revolution: Music of the Beatles (April 22 & 23, 2022), both arranged by Jeff Tyzik; and the music of two of the largest movie franchises in history with Jurassic Park in Concert (January 21 & 22, 2022) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (May 27 & 28, 2022).

Guest artists include Broadway veterans Darren Lorenzo and Chester Gregory; American Idol finalist Michael Lynche; and conductors William Waldrop and Enrico Yanez-Lopez. Maestro Andreas Delfs steps in to conduct a Pops concert this year with Tony nominee and platinum-selling songwriter, Ann Hampton Callaway.

Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik celebrates his 28th season with the orchestra. "I'm really excited about this season," said Tyzik. "The opportunity to collaborate with Andreas Delfs to create the perfect season for Rochester has been fantastic, and to work with the exceptional musicians of this orchestra at this time is just inspiring."

Ringing in the holidays with the RPO has become a tradition with the ever-popular production of The Nutcracker, with the Rochester City Ballet, and the traditional Gala Holiday Pops.

A four-concert Sunday Matinee Series will take place at Nazareth College's Beston Hall at the Glazer Music Performance Center next season. Family favorites are the anchor of the OrKIDStra Season performed at Hochstein School of Music and Dance. Programming for both of these series will be announced at a later date.

Subscriptions for the full 2021-2022 Season are on sale now. The Philharmonic Series and Pops Series may be purchased separately. Subscribing is easy, flexible and affordable. Subscribers enjoy the best seats at the best prices, plus a host of exclusive benefits like ticket exchange privileges, priority advance booking and discounts, money-saving coupons to area restaurants, and more. For more information on subscribing to the RPO's 2021-22 visit www.RPO.org or call 585.454.2100. Tickets to all individual shows will go on sale to the general public on July 30, 2021. For information on the 2021-22 Season, visit www.RPO.org. All concerts, artists, and schedules are subject to change.