LV Philharmonic to Present MUSICIANS' CHOICE Concert This January

The Las Vegas Philharmonic performs its Musicians' Choice concert on Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 7:30 PM in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts featuring the orchestra's principal musicians, Kimberly Glennie, Stephen Caplan and Andrew Smith as soloists. Music Director Donato Cabrera will host his pre-concert conversation at 6:30 PM in Reynolds Hall for patrons interested in learning more about the music in the evening program.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic begins its concert with Claude Debussy's Danses sacrée et profane (Sacred and Profane Dance) featuring principal harpist Kimberly Glennie. The piece was commissioned in 1904 by the Parisian instrument maker Pleyel & Wolff to showcase a new chromatic harp they had designed. Debussy's two movement work exudes colorful textures indicative of French Impressionism.

Glennie has been principal harpist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic since its inception in 1998. Her career has taken her on and off the Strip, performing with artists as diverse as Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Celine Dion, Cher, Martina McBride and Faith Hill. She has recorded soundtracks for movies and television, and has performed for Presidents and royalty. She is also currently the harp faculty at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN), and Nevada School of the Arts (NSA).

Next, the orchestra performs Ralph Vaughan Williams's Oboe Concerto featuring principal oboist Stephen Caplan. The concerto was composed in an "English Pastoral" style representative of the British countryside and its people. The music is warm and wistful, showcasing the oboe's lyricism.

In addition to performing as principal oboist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Caplan has performed in orchestras for numerous "superstars" on the Strip. In the summer, Caplan performs and teaches at the Renova Music Festival in western Pennsylvania and the Orfeo Music Festival in the Italian Alps. He is the only performing artist to receive the Nevada Arts Council's prestigious Artist Fellowship Award three times. Caplan is a Professor of Music at UNLV and author of two books for oboe players, Oboemotions: What Every Oboe Player Needs to Know about the Body, and The Breathing Book for Oboe.

Next, the Philharmonic performs Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Cello Concerto in A Major featuring principal cellist Andrew Smith. The son of Johann Sebastian Bach, CPE enjoyed a long and influential music career in his own right. Composed in 1753, the cello concerto demonstrates the light eloquence of the early Classical style of music, characterized by simplified melodies with accompaniment and varying dynamics and phrasing.

Smith has been principal cellist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic since 2008. He is an Associate Professor of Music at UNLV, where he performs regularly as a member of The Cerberus Trio. He is also a member of the Camerata Dei ensemble of The Festival Internacional de Deiá in Mallorca, Spain and a founding member of The Adriatic Chamber Music Festival in southern Italy. Smith has won several awards and prizes, including first prize in the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation competition in Santa Barbara, and an Esperia Foundation grant to study with the eminent Hungarian cellist Csaba Oncay at the Liszt Academy in Budapest.

The Philharmonic concludes its performance with Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, the 16th century Renaissance composer. The piece is based on the third of nine tunes for the Anglican Church's Book of Psalms. The hauntingly moving work features an all strings ensemble.

Single tickets include five price levels in Reynolds Hall: PT Box = $109, A Seating = $105, B Seating = $70, C Seating = $50 and D Seating = $30. Tickets can be purchased online through lvphil.org or The Smith Center Box Office at 702.749.2000.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic will offer a shuttle bus service to the 7:30 PM concert from the Anthem Center at Independence Center in Henderson and the Starbright Theater in Summerlin. A roundtrip bus ticket costs $20 per concert and can be purchased in conjunction with the patron's concert tickets through the box office or online.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic, led by Music Director, Donato Cabrera, established its presence in Southern Nevada in 1998. The mission of the organization is to perform music that enriches and educates, helping to build a vibrant, culturally rich community. The resident symphony orchestra of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the Las Vegas Philharmonic brings a valued and vibrant cultural dimension to the city, providing more than 23,000 children this year with vital access to a music education program and showcasing local talents alongside stellar nationally and internationally known guest artists on the magnificent Reynolds Hall stage. At the orchestra's core are 76 contracted professional musicians, many of whom are esteemed educators who also perform in other professional productions in Las Vegas, bringing depth and variety to the organization.

As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Philharmonic's community, education and artistic programs are made possible by the generous donations and support of individuals and corporations. To join us in our mission or learn more, visit lvphil.org or call 702.258.5438.