Inon Barnatan News

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a dynamic hub for the lively arts and vital community resource, presents a dozen classical, jazz and contemporary music programs featuring some of the era's most compelling musical artists during the 2018/2019 season. World premieres, programs with thought-provoking social commentary and timeless iconic works are among the offerings.

In a move to attract new audiences to live orchestral music, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra has expanded its concert offerings to include Saturday night (8 pm) performances at Richardson Auditorium.

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS), today announced it has received the largest individual gift in its 48-year history from Ann S. Bowers of Palo Alto, California. Given specifically to secure the future of the vibrant CMS Two residency program which is dedicated to developing the next generation of outstanding young musicians, the five-million dollar gift enables broader and deeper experiences for every artist in the program. In recognition of her gift, CMS Two will be renamed The Bowers Program, beginning with the 2018-2019 season, which opens October 16.

 Carnegie Hall's 2018-2019 season is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to exciting new projects and outstanding concerts! Highlights below include Carnegie Hall's Opening Night Gala with the San Francisco Symphony led by Michael Tilson Thomas as he embarks on his season-long Perspectives series; the launch of pianist Yuja Wang's Perspectives series; concerts curated and performed by Chris Thile, holder of the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair; the debut of Decoda, featuring alumni of Ensemble Connect; concerts celebrating the 50th anniversary of the New York String Orchestra and the 90th birthday of pianist Leon Fleisher; and, coming in spring 2019: a citywide festival-Migrations: The Making of America.

On Saturday, September 29 at 8 pm and Sunday, September 30 at 4 pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) opens its six-concert Classical Series with a celebration of one of America's most revered composers and conductors, Leonard Bernstein. The concert features brilliant violinist Daniel Rowland performing the West Side Story Suite (arranged by William Brohn) for violin and orchestra, and stunning soprano Meghan Picerno singing "Glitter and be Gay" from Candide.

In April 2018, the New World Symphony joined The Sphinx Organization and the League of American Orchestras in announcing their new partnership, the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS), which is a field-wide initiative with the long-term goal of increasing diversity in American orchestras. Supported by a four-year, $1.8 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Alliance offers a holistic and personalized array of support to Black and Latinx musicians to develop their audition skills, increase their participation in auditions, and ultimately, increase their representation in orchestras.

Single tickets are on sale now for the 2018-19 Harris Theater Presents season, a roster that includes music and dance artists of the highest caliber dedicated to preserving artistic lineage, reimagining classical works, and embarking on innovative, multi-disciplinary collaborations.

The Steinway & Sons grand piano that has long been used by artists during Spoleto Festival USA has gained a second life: The South Carolina Governor's School Foundation purchased the instrument for use by students and visiting artists of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, South Carolina. The piano was delivered to the school earlier this week. Students will have access to it at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, and the piano will find its permanent home in the Music Department's forthcoming 10,000-square-foot building that is currently under construction on campus and set to open in 2019.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2018/2019 season, delivering ten months of groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music and theater from locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists and companies. The season begins September 21, 2018, marking the third year of programming under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Crewes and Managing Director Rachel Fine and the sixth for the institution. Michael Nemeroff, Chairman of the Board of The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, begins the second year of his term.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2018/2019 season, delivering ten months of groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music and theater from locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists and companies. The season begins September 21, 2018, marking the third year of programming under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Crewes and Managing Director Rachel Fine and the sixth for the institution. Michael Nemeroff, Chairman of the Board of The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, begins the second year of his term. 

The Shanghai Orchestra Academy and Residency Partnership continues this summer with activities on two continents. The New York Philharmonic travels to Shanghai for its fourth annual residency, July 1-7, 2018, with concerts conducted by Music Director Designate Jaap van Zweden and Bramwell Tovey. This follows students from the Shanghai Orchestra Academy traveling to New York City for a week-long immersion in the life of an orchestral musician, June 9-16, 2018, as part of the New York Philharmonic Global Academy Fellowship Program. Starr International Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor of the Shanghai Orchestra Academy and Residency Partnership.

Ten pianists have been chosen to advance to the Semifinals of Canada's Honens International Piano Competition. The pianists (aged 21 to 29) come from nine countries: Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Hong Kong, Italy, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States. Only one pianist will be named Honens Prize Laureate and win the world's largest award of its kind—$100,000 (CAD) and an Artist Development Program valued at a half million dollars. The Semifinals and Finals of the Honens International Piano Competition take place during the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition & Festival in Calgary, August 30 to September 8, 2018.

The Celebrity Series of Boston announced its 2018-2019 season today, marking 80 years of bringing the world's greatest performing artists to Boston. In total, the 2018-2019 season will include 50 music, dance, and entertainment mainstage engagements, including a new artistic initiative to present three dance ensembles in their Boston debuts with live music at NEC's Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre. The season will open on September 23 with Jazz Along the Charles, A Walkable Concert along the Charles River Esplanade featuring 25 jazz ensembles along a 2-mile loop. Neighborhood Arts will feature more than 150 workshops, classes, and concerts in schools and community venues performances across Boston.

Geoff Nuttall, Spoleto Festival USA's Charles E. and Andrea L. Volpe Director for Chamber Music, today announced details of the Festival's 2018 Bank of America Chamber Music series, which comprises 11 programs—33 total concerts—throughout the Festival season (May 25 - June 10). A backbone of the Festival since 1977, the series presents performances twice daily at Charleston's historic Dock Street Theatre, and its diverse repertoire reflects Mr. Nuttall's eclectic tastes and passion for music within and beyond the traditional canon.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) announces its 2018-2019 season, featuring more concerts than ever before including a six-concert subscription series with new Saturday evening performance options and music ranging from classical Beethoven and Brahms concertos to a celebration of Leonard Bernstein favorites, works by Paganini, Jana?ek, and Stravinsky, and a Dvo?ak symphony. There is a recent piece by Missy Mazzoli and a new work by Derek Bermel, co-commissioned by the PSO. Superstar violinist Rachel Barton Pine, pianists Inon Barnatan and Dominic Cheli, soprano Meghan Picerno, and guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger grace the PSO stage. Audience favorites Daniel Rowland and flutist Chelsea Knox make highly anticipated return appearances, and an afternoon of music by Falla is accompanied by flamenco dancing. Presiding over all is conductor and Music Director Rossen Milanov, whose 10-year anniversary celebration with the PSO gets underway in early 2019.

The Minnesota Orchestra announced plans today for Sommerfest 2018, unveiling a series of “Music for Mandela” concerts and events, in connection with a worldwide celebration of the late Nobel Peace Prize-winning South African leader and human rights advocate Nelson Mandela on the centenary of his birth.

Damian Woetzel continues his innovative interdisciplinary series uniting artists from across fields in a special one-night only performance, March 7 in the Terrace Theater. Part of the inaugural DIRECT CURRENT, the Kennedy Center's two-week celebration of contemporary culture, this installment of the multi-genre series will present recently commissioned works, including a world premiere, and Washington, D.C. premieres by some of today's most creative and groundbreaking voices in dance and music.

The New York Philharmonic will return to Bravo! Vail in Colorado for the Orchestra's 16th annual summer residency there, performing six orchestral concerts July 20-27, 2018.

Fifty concert pianists from 22 countries have been chosen to perform in the Quarterfinals of Canada's 2018 Honens International Piano Competition. The Screening Jury evaluated more than 100 candidate applications based on proposed Competition programming, experience relative to age, and letters of reference.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts today announced its 53rd season of Great Performers, dedicated to presenting many of the world's most accomplished and inspirational artists in the concert halls and performance venues across the institution's storied campus. This coming season brings distinguished soloists, orchestras, chamber ensembles, and conductors from across the globe, showcasing them at the height of their artistry.