Rochester Philharmonic Announces 2022-23 Season

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) announced its 2022-23 season, with Maestro Andreas Delfs in his second season as Music Director of the orchestra. Maestro Delfs continues to bring excitement and a new spirit of rebirth to the RPO with creative programming and an inclusive leadership style. This season, the orchestra presents a thoughtful and challenging mix of classic treasures, contemporary surprises, important premieres and passionate musical storytelling with world-renowned guest artists. The season features a world premiere by Derrick Skye and an RPO co-commission by James Lee III, as well as music by Jennifer Higdon, Wynton Marsalis and Roberto Sierra. A chronological list of concerts follows below.

A video conversation with Maestro Delfs and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, which introduced the season to subscribers yesterday, is available here.

"Music offers intangible but irreplaceable community connections - a kind of 'social glue' that can bind us together," says Maestro Delfs. "During the 2022-23 season and beyond, the RPO is determined to create even closer community connections through diverse, accessible, exciting, and engaging programming."

World Premiere by Derrick Skye, November 17 & 19

In November, the RPO presents a concert that opens with a world-premiere by Derrick Skye, commissioned by the RPO as a companion piece to the monumental Brahms Requiem, which is performed in the second half of the concert. Skye's new work explores themes of mentorship and love for those around you. Skye is a Los Angeles-based composer and musician who often integrates music practices from different cultural traditions around the world into his work, including those in his own ancestry: Ghanaian, Nigerian, British, Irish, and Native American. The concert concludes with Brahms' Requiem, written while Brahms was grieving the death of his own mother and intended to comfort the living in the face of mortality. Baritone Christopher Maltman makes his RPO debut and is joined by soprano Jasmine Habersham, who appeared in the 2021 RPO opera concert Hansel and Gretel.

A Celebrations of Black Composers

RPO Co-Commission by James Lee III, February 9 & 11

In February, the RPO presents a special concert to celebrate of the rich history of Black Rochesterians. The concert features James Lee III's "Freedom's Genuine Dawn" (an RPO co-commission) and William Grant Still's Afro-American Symphony, which was premiered in Rochester by the RPO in 1931. Also on the program are An American Fanfare by Adolphus Hailstork, who was born in Rochester; the orchestral song cycle Songs of Harriet Tubman by Nkeiru Okoye; and Duke Ellington's The River Suite. Internationally acclaimed Rochester-based soprano Kearstin Piper Brown and dancer, educator, activist, and director of dance at RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf Thomas Warfield join the RPO for this program.

Guest Artists & Conductors

Conducted by Maestro Delfs unless otherwise indicated.

• RPO's all-Beethoven opening night features violin superstar Gil Shaham performing Beethoven's only violin concerto. (Sep 8 & 10)
  
• Taiwanese-American conductor Mei-Ann Chen recently became the first female Asian conductor named to the role of Chief Conductor of an Austrian orchestra (at Recreation-Grosses Orchester Graz). With the RPO, she conducts Jennifer Higdon's blue cathedral and Louise Farrenc's Symphony No. 3; she is joined by pianist Inon Barnatan for Chopin's Concerto No. 1. (Oct 6 & 8)
  
• Percussionist Colin Currie is featured in the Rochester premiere of Christopher Rouse's Der gerettete Alberich, an informal musical sequel to Richard Wagner's Ring cycle. (Oct 20 & 22)

• Conductor Vinay Parameswaran was recently named associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. He is joined by violinist Tai Murray for Wynton Marsalis' jazz-inflected Violin Concerto, which is paired with the lush-but rarely performed-Symphony No. 5 by Sibelius. (Nov 3 & 5)
  
• Swiss conductor Mario Venzago, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Bern Symphony Orchestra, makes his RPO debut for an evening of masterpieces, including his own arrangement of Schubert's Seventh Symphony. Pianist Jonathan Biss performs Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25. (Mar 2 & 4)
  
• British pianist Stephen Hough performs Brahms' Piano Concerto No.1. (Mar 16 & 18)
  
• Zlatomir Fung is the youngest musician ever to win First Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition Cello Division, and he joins the orchestra for Lalo's Cello Concerto. (Apr 13 & 15)
  
• Conductor Laureate of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic, Lan Shui makes his RPO debut with violinist Stefan Jackiw on Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, along with music by Dvořák and Barber. (May 4 & 6)
  
• The RPO's Annual opera concert this season is Verdi's Rigoletto, featuring three singers making their RPO debuts: baritone Lester Lynch, soprano Raven McMillon and tenor Matthew White. (May 18 & 20)
  
• Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski joins Maestro Delfs and the RPO for the season's closing concert, performing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 1, which is followed by Mahler's "Titan" symphony. (Jun 1 & 3)

The RPO Pops Series

Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik will celebrate his 29th RPO season with a Pops series that offers something for everyone, starting with HEARTLAND: The Stories of Country Music with vocalist Rick Brantley in September, right through DANCING IN THE STREET: Music of Motown in May. Other Pops highlights include the return of Troupe Vertigo performing its dare-devil circus feats right over the orchestra to Jeff Tyzik's original music, Decades: Back to the 80s (think Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Huey Lewis & The News, etc.), and The Envelope Please, featuring Grammy, Tony, and Academy Award winning songs. Guest artists include world-renowned double bassist and jazz vocalist Nicki Parrott, the soulful Shayna Steele, Broadway vocalists Doug LaBrecque and Lisa Vroman, and trumpeter Byron Stripling. Harry Potter fans will no doubt rejoice at Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert in October.

Holiday Shows

Holiday shows next season will include audience favorites The Nutcracker with Rochester City Ballet, as well as Gala Holiday Pops with Jeff Tyzik and vocalist Shayna Steele. RPO Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman (The Christopher Seaman Chair, supported by Barbara and Patrick Fulford and the Conductor Laureate Society) will lead Handel's Messiah, and a collaboration with the Strong Museum will result in a brand-new, family-friendly Holiday Event.