Al Viola News

Today Toronto Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Oundjian announced the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's 2011.2012 concert season, which is also the orchestra's 90th consecutive season of performances. The TSO's 90th season programmes include: three extended residencies with pianist Lang Lang, conductor/violinist Itzhak Perlman, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma; Mahler's Symphony No. 8 'Symphony of a Thousand' with an all-Canadian cast of soloists led by TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian; season opening performances of Walton's Music for the film Henry V with Christopher Plummer; a 90th Season free concert presented by Luminato; and première performances of four TSO commissions including an orchestral interpretation of Roch Carrier's classic story, The Hockey Sweater. Many of the world's finest guest artists share a long history with the TSO and perform with the orchestra in concerts throughout the 90th season, including pianist Emanuel Ax, pianist Yefim Bronfman, Canadian violinist James Ehnes, conductor/pianist Leon Fleisher, Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin, and Canadian pianist Louis Lortie. Twenty-eight solo artists make their TSO débuts in the 2011.2012 season, including saxophonist Branford Marsalis, conductor John Storgaards, trumpeter Alison Balsom, and Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki.

The first Esprit Orchestra concert of 2011 features a wide variety of works, from a small gem to the humorous, to the broad and expansive. The first half of the concert features works all under 10 minutes each: José Evangelista's Symphonie minute; György Ligeti's Lux aeterna, sung by the Elmer Iseler Singers (this work is famous from the Kubrick film '2001: A Space Odyssey';) and Canadian composer Douglas Schmidt's Discouraged Passion, a humorous tale of a guy who's scared of his girlfriend's mother.

The first Esprit Orchestra concert of 2011 features a wide variety of works, from a small gem to the humorous, to the broad and expansive.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford. Hartt offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre.

The Hartt School welcomes world renowned artists who are sharing their talents with Hartt students and the community.

Musicians from the New York Philharmonic will perform chamber works by Mozart, Ravel, and Brahms at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. They will be joined by guest pianist Yefim Bronfman.

The New York Philharmonic announces details about recordings being released from January-March 2010 as part of the Alan Gilbert: The Inaugural Season iTunes Pass - the new digital music series available exclusively from the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com and nyphil.org/itunes). Eight new releases comprising 21 works will become available over the three months.

Christoph von Dohnanyi will conduct the New York Philharmonic in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, performed by Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps; and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, Thursday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 12, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Christoph von Dohnanyi will conduct the New York Philharmonic in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, performed by Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps; and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, Thursday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 12, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Musicians from the New York Philharmonic will perform chamber works by Mozart, Ravel, and Brahms at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. They will be joined by guest pianist Yefim Bronfman.

Christoph von Dohnanyi will conduct the New York Philharmonic in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, performed by Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps; and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, Thursday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 12, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Today the New York Philharmonic launches its 168th season and the tenure of Alan Gilbert as its new Music Director. The new era began with a crowd assembled at Avery Fisher Hall to attend the Free Dress Rehearsal, led by Mr. Gilbert and featuring opera star Renée Fleming, in preparation for the evening's Gala Opening Night Concert.

The New York Philharmonic?s final Very Young People?s Concerts of the season will introduce children ages 3 to 6 to ?Treble and Bass,? a program created to show how high and low sounds make music fun, Sunday, June 14, 2009, at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m., and Monday, June 15, at 10:30 a.m., at Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street. The program will feature pieces by Dvo?ák, Bartók, and Smetana, along with hands-on music-making with musicians from the orchestra.

The Hartt School proudly announces the appointment of Rita Porfiris as Assistant Professor of Viola. She will assume her new post in September. Born in New York, Porfiris received both her BM and MM in Viola Performance from The Juilliard School.

Epic Theatre Ensemble's production of A More Perfect Union, Vern Thiessen's serious comedy about two Supreme Court law clerks, will host post-show panels featuring real-life former Supreme Court clerks.

Children ages three to five will be introduced to Forte and Piano? in a program created to show how dynamics make music fun, at the New York Philharmonic's Very Young People's Concerts, Sunday, May 10, 2009, at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m., and Monday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m., at Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street. The program will feature pieces by Antonín Dvo?ák, along with hands-on music-making with musicians from the Orchestra.

The New York Philharmonic?s final Very Young People?s Concerts of the season will introduce children ages 3 to 6 to ?Treble and Bass,? a program created to show how high and low sounds make music fun, Sunday, June 14, 2009, at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m., and Monday, June 15, at 10:30 a.m., at Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street. The program will feature pieces by Dvo?ák, Bartók, and Smetana, along with hands-on music-making with musicians from the orchestra.

Patrons of the third annual Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival will be in for a treat when they have the opportunity to enjoy coffee with veteran stage and screen stars Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson!

Patrons of the third annual Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival will be in for a treat when they have the opportunity to enjoy coffee with veteran stage and screen stars Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson!