anne martindale Williams, cello
Anne’scellowasmadebyDavidTecchlerinRomein1701. SheboughtitinChicagoandhasowneditforabout35years.
ConCertmaster
noah Bendix-Balgley, violin
January 30–February 1
March 6–8
March 20 & 22
Cynthia Koledo dealmeida, oboe
March 20 & 22
June 12-14
the Revolutionary December 5–7
the hero February 20 & 22 the Immortal June 5–7
Join Maestro honeck and your Pittsburgh symphony Orchestra for three weekends devoted to Beethoven’s life and works. the performances will feature some of Beethoven’s most-loved symphonies, the first movement of his string Quartet Opus 18 no. 4, which has been arranged for string orchestra by Maestro honeck, his piano concerto no. 1 and his only violin concerto, Opus 61. All three weekends of BeethovenFest are sure to be high points of the season.
the MusIc OF cOMPOseR OF the yeAR
september 19–21
January 23 & 25
March 27–29
May 15–17
nanCy goeres, bassoon
May 29 & 31
randolph e. Kelly, viola
March 6–8
lorna mcghee, flute
October 24 & 26
March 20 & 22
John moore, double bass
March 20 & 22
david premo, cello
March 20 & 22
Jennifer ross, violin
March 20 & 22
Jeffrey turner, double bass
March 20 & 22
anne martindale Williams, cello
March 20 & 22
May 15–17
pittsBurgh symphony orChestra horn seCtion
March 27–29
September 19 - 21 two trips
manfred Honeck, conductor Valentina Lisitsa, piano
bates: rusty air in carolina (Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere) rachmaninoff: rhapsodyona theme ofPaganini, opus 43 berlioz: symphoniefantastique, opus 14
What a trip! Journey through the opioid hallucinations of the lovesick hector berlioz in his visionary symphonie fantastique years ahead of its time, the work tells of the hero’s unrequited love, murder of his beloved, execution by a guillotine and witches dancing in a rat-infested hell. composed in 1830, it instantly became the paradigm for 19th and 20th century program music. also, youtube phenom Valentina lisitsa returns to display her formidable virtuosity in rachmaninoff’s rhapsodyona theme ofPaganini the program opens with another kind of trip, back to the boyhood summers of young american composer mason bates. rusty air in carolina evokes the bluesy, shimmering summer evenings of his youth.
Mason Bates is one of the young lions aMong today’s tunesMiths
- charleston city PaPer
OctOber 10 - 12 a night in spain
rafael Frühbeck de burgos, conductor pablo Sáinz Villegas, guitar (Debut)
mendelssohn: incidental music to a midsummer night’sDream, opus 61 rodrigo: concierto de aranjuez for guitar and orchestra Falla: suites no. 1 and no. 2 from the three-cornered hat
the great spanish maestro rafael Frühbeck de burgos brings the music of his country, featuring the beloved guitar concerto of Joaquin rodrigo. the soloist, making his Pittsburgh debut, is the charismatic young Pablo sáinz Villegas, recently discovered by maestro Frühbeck and described by some critics as the successor to andrés segovia. manuel De Falla’s suites from the threecornered hat offer spanish dances ranging from joyful and seductive to comic and stormy. the program opens with music from Felix mendelssohn’s a midsummer night’sDream, full of familiar and favorite tunes.
the audience lived unforgettaBle MoMents with his [sáinz villegas] extraordinary interpretation. it will Be told that we have watched the guitar Master of the future. a star.
- hÜrriyet Daily neWs
OctOber 24 & 26
Yan pascal tortelier, conductor Lorna mcGhee, flute
Grieg: excerpts from Peer gynt, opus 46 and opus 55 Nielsen: concerto for Flute and orchestra borodin: in the steppesof central asia Scriabin: symphony no. 4 the Poem of ecstasy, opus 54
one of our favorite guest conductors, yan Pascal tortelier, returns for another season. this time he brings with him excerpts of grieg’s popular Peer gynt, which tells the story of a norwegian peasant struggling to make sense of human destiny and shows the lives he affects along his journey. to follow is a performance of nielsen’s Flute concerto, last performed by the Pittsburgh symphony in 1987, with the orchestra’s principal flute, lorna mcghee, as soloist. the concert continues with borodin’s symphonic poem in the steppesof central asia depicting the footsteps of a horse- and camel-drawn carriage in the immense desert land of central asia. alexander scriabin was an eccentric with a most unusual view of the world and his role in it. he believed that the human soul could be freed from the material world by constant creative activity, ultimately reaching what he called “divine play.” this struggle is vividly described in his symphony no. 4, with its convincing subtitle, as the work explores the pleasure and unrestrained ecstasy of creative action.
OctOber 31 - NOVember 2
Juraj Valcu ˇha, conductor Nicola benedetti, violin mendelssohn choir of pittsburgh betsy burleigh, director
rachmaninoff: the isle of the Dead, opus 29 Szymanowski: concerto no. 1 for Violin and orchestra, opus 35 (Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere) ravel: Daphniset chloé(complete)
an ideal way to mark the all hallows eve and all saints Day weekend, the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra welcomes back slovakian conductor Juraj Valcuˇha with sergei rachmaninoff’s the isle of the Dead, inspired by arnold böcklin’s painting of the same name. haunted by its image of a solitary oarsman propelling a small boat with a coffin toward an island tomb, rachmaninoff immediately wrote down this dark, brooding tone poem. scottish violinist nicola benedetti, whose recent recording of szymanowski’s concerto no. 1 for Violin and orchestra has been highly praised, will perform that concerto for the first time in Pittsburgh. the mendelssohn choir of Pittsburgh then brings to life ravel’s Daphniset chloé, one of the composer’s most passionate pieces, filled with extraordinarily lush harmonies, and featuring one of the most radiant musical depictions of sunrise ever penned.
soloist nicola Benedetti Brought dazzling technique and a Big personality to the piece.
- the Dallas morning neWs
NOVember 28 & 30
manfred Honeck, conductor
Aleksey Igudesman, violin (Debut)
Hyung-ki Joo, piano (Debut)
often compared to luminaries such as Victor borge and Dudley moore, these two classical musicians have taken the world by storm with their unique and hilarious sketches in theatrical shows. having worked with some of the most prestigious classical musicians and orchestras in the industry, which lead to rave reviews from the new york times, VanityFair and many others, this comical duo will join your Pittsburgh symphony orchestra and music Director manfred honeck for a whirlwind of humor and virtuosity. this is a fabulous opportunity to see this pair in action and should not be missed!
when they get together, [they] produce the craziest, Most hysterically funny Music ever. their huMor is at tiMes reMiniscent of the Best of victor Borge, the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, and Jerry lewis.
- Vanity Fair
December 5 - 7
manfred Honeck, conductor
beethoven: symphony no. 5 in c minor, opus 67
beethoven: symphony no. 7 in a major, opus 92
Join maestro honeck and your Pittsburgh symphony orchestra for the first of three weekends devoted to beethoven’s life and works. this concert features two of beethoven’s most-loved symphonies. the profoundly philosophical Fifth is one of the most well-known musical testaments in the repertoire, and the joyful, highly-charged seventh bursts with optimism despite the composer’s total deafness.
JANuArY 23 & 25
James Gaffigan, conductor (Debut) Gabriela montero, piano
bates: White lies for lomax (Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere) ravel: concerto in g major for Piano and orchestra Wagner: “good Friday spell” from Parsifal mendelssohn: symphony no. 5 in D major, opus 107, “reformation”
young american conductor James gaffigan takes the podium at heinz hall for his Pittsburgh symphony orchestra debut. gaffigan will conduct Wagner’s poignant good Friday spell” from Wagner’s final and revelatory masterpiece Parsifal it describes the innocent main character in his attempt to redeem himself of sin and strive for salvation. this powerful work is followed appropriately by mendelssohn’s stirring symphony no. 5, entitled “reformation” with its own religious connotations, confessing faith in the lutheran church. before this, however, we have something completely different: gabriela montero will dazzle us in ravel’s Piano concerto in g major, which is soaked in jazz elements throughout a romantic concerto structure. but don’t rush off too quickly when the concerto ends, as montero treats us further with her signature encore improvisations!
JANuArY 30 - FebruArY 1 a night in russia
Krzysztof urban´ski, conductor (Debut) Noah bendix-balgley, violin
prokofiev: russian overture, opus 72 (Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere) Khachaturian: concerto for Violin and orchestra mussorgsky/ravel: Pictures at an exhibition
krzysztof urban´ski, now in his third season as music director of the indianapolis symphony orchestra, conducts the Pittsburgh premiere of Prokofiev’s russian overture aram khachaturian was about to become a father when he wrote his Violin concerto, “my imagination seemed to fly; themes came to me in such abundance that i had a hard time putting them into order.” the result is a vastly entertaining work full of exotic harmonies and dance rhythms. concertmaster noah bendix-balgley is the soloist. mussorgsky composed Pictures at an exhibition for solo piano; ravel’s stunning orchestration turned it into one of the cornerstones of the orchestral repertoire.
FebruArY 20 & 22
manfred Honeck, conductor Lars Vogt, piano
beethoven/ Arr. Honeck: Quartet, opus 18 no. 4 for string orchestra, 1st movement (Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere) beethoven: concerto no. 1 in c major for Piano and orchestra, opus 15 beethoven: symphony no. 3 in e-Flat major, opus 55, “eroica”
one year after mozart died, the 22-year-old beethoven moved to Vienna to study with haydn. he had hoped to study with mozart, but instead was told that he would “receive mozart’s spirit through haydn’s hands.” in his early Vienna years, he “channeled” mozart by studying his music intensively and composing in mozartean style. in the first half of this all-beethoven program, we will hear how he assumed the role of mozart’s heir in works like his early string quartets and piano concertos. after the emotional struggle of coming to grips with the onset of his hearing loss, his style changed dramatically. the real beethoven burst forth explosively in the third symphony, subtitled “eroica.” this is the music of beethoven’s “heroic” middle period. you will hear the transition from acolyte to revolutionary in the second of three beethoven programs this season.
FebruArY 27 - mArcH 1 tchaikovsky and Prokofiev
manfred Honeck, conductor
tchaikovsky: suite from swan lake, opus 20a
prokofiev: suite from romeo and Juliet, opus 64
two of the most popular ballet scores are distilled into symphonic suites by manfred honeck and your Pittsburgh symphony. today we take tchaikovsky’s swan lake for granted as a commercial success, but tchaikovsky died believing it to be a failure. Presented later as a memorial tribute to the composer, it finally took wing and is now instantly recognizable to music and dance lovers everywhere. Prokofiev’s romeo and Juliet is the musical equal of shakespeare’s literary masterpiece. it is musical storytelling at its dazzling best.
mArcH 6 - 8
manfred Honeck, conductor Noah bendix-balgley, violin randolph e. Kelly, viola
mozart: sinfonia concertante in e-flat major for Violin, Viola and orchestra, k.320d [364] rautavaara: cantus arcticus, opus 61 (Pittsburgh symphony orchestra Premiere) Stravinsky: suite from the Firebird (1919 revision)
in the land of the midnight sun, Finnish composer einojuhani rautavaara recorded the songs of arctic birds, which became the soloists in his fascinating concerto for birds and orchestra, cantus arcticus it is a strikingly original work that transports the listener to a place few humans ever visit. a bird of a different feather, the Firebird ballet was composed in 1910 by the completely unknown igor stravinsky. it was such a tremendous success that the composer instantly became an international sensation. like many of the greatest ballet scores, it is now more frequently performed as a concert work than it is staged as a ballet. but first, our talented concertmaster and principal violist will join forces in a beautiful collaboration of two solo instruments for mozart’s elegant sinfonia concertante.
mArcH 20 & 22 bach’s coffeehouse
Jeannette Sorrell, conductor /harpsichordist pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Soloists
bach: sinfonia from cantata bWV 42 bach: suite no. 2 in b minor for orchestra, bWV 1067 Vivaldi: concerto for two cellos in g minor, P.411 (rV531) W.F. bach: Fantasia for solo harpsichord in D minor
bach: Finale from sonata nach Violin sonata in D minor, bWV 964
telemann: grillen symphony (Pittsburgh symphony orchestra Premiere) bach: concerto in c minor for oboe, Violin, and string orchestra, bWV 1060 Vivaldi/
Arr. Sorrell: la Follia concerto for 2 Violins (Pittsburgh symphony orchestra Premiere)
J.s bach liked to let his hair down at Zimmermann’s coffeehouse in leipzig, where he performed his own music as well as works by his most admired colleagues, telemann and Vivaldi. the Pittsburgh symphony under guest conductor/harpsichordist Jeannette sorrell takes on the role of the leipzig collegium musicum, bach’s lively coffeehouse orchestra. sorrell made her Pittsburgh debut in 2013 with bach’s six brandenburg concertos, and was a big hit with the players and the audience. her entertaining program will include the music of bach and one of his sons, plus telemann’s amusing grillen (Whimsical) symphony and Vivaldi’s wild and crazy la Follia (madness)
mArcH 27 - 29
Andrés Orozco-estrada, conductor (Debut) pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Horn Section
bates: the rise of exotic computing Schumann: konzertstück in F for Four horns and orchestra, opus 86 brahms: symphony no. 1 in c minor, opus 68
colombian-born conductor andrés orozco-estrada makes his Pittsburgh symphony orchestra debut in this program featuring the “rock stars of the Pittsburgh symphony,” the members of the orchestra’s sensational horn section. orozco-estrada is enjoying a meteoric rise, having recently been appointed to two significant music director posts, the houston symphony (where he follows stokowski and Previn) and the Frankfurt radio symphony orchestra. the Pittsburgh symphony horn section, led by William caballero, will perform as soloists in robert schumann’s “concert Piece” (konzertstück), a tour de force for four French horns and the orchestra. then, orozco-estrada conducts the First symphony of Johannes brahms, a towering masterpiece composed over a span of 20 years in the shadow of beethoven.
AprIL 10 - 12
manfred Honeck, conductor
Hélène Grimaud, piano
Schumann: concerto in a minor for Piano and orchestra, opus 54 bruckner: symphony no. 7 in e major
With playing touted as “superb, tightly controlled and forcefully articulated” by the los angeles times, pianist hélène grimaud returns to heinz hall with schumann’s striking concerto in a minor for Piano and orchestra. bruckner’s symphony no. 7, his best-known work, is marked by one of the most emotionally lamentative adagio movements he ever composed. in it, he mourns the death of his idol, richard Wagner, specifically with gorgeous writing for a quartet of Wagner tubas, an instrument invented by the late german composer.
the unfazed griMaud gave a perforMance of wonderfully controlled fire and fury.
- the inDePenDent(uk)
AprIL 17 - 19
manfred Honeck, conductor rainer Honeck, violin (Debut)
Dvor ˇák/Arr. Honeck/Ille: rusalka suite britten: concerto for Violin and orchestra, opus 15 tchaikovsky: symphony no. 6 in b minor, opus 74, “Pathétique”
benjamin britten’s Violin concerto has been mysteriously overlooked in this country since it was composed in 1939. upon hearing it for the first time, audiences invariably are stunned by its emotional impact. it was written for the composer’s friend, spanish violinist antonio brosa, and expresses profound tragedy over the loss of so many in the spanish civil War. the spanish influence is easily heard in the themes and rhythms. the soloist will be rainer honeck, concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra and brother of manfred honeck. the concert opens with the maestro’s latest arrangement of an operatic score into a concert piece: a suite from Dvorˇák’s rusalka, best known for its beautiful “song to the moon.” the concert ends with tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” symphony, the composer’s powerful farewell to life.
mAY 8 - 10
Disney FANtASIA: live in concert
Join us for a spectacular evening of color, magic, innocence, drama, creativity and, of course, mickey mouse! the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra will delight you with a live performance accompanying scenes from Walt Disney’s original Fantasia (1940) and Disney Fantasia 2000 With excerpts from beethoven’s symphony no. 5 and 6, tchaikovsky’s nutcracker suite, Debussy’s clair de lune, and stravinsky’s the Firebird suite, you will be thrilled by the combination of these favorite works with this sweet and wonderfully bright animation movie. the music of Ponchielli, Dukas and elgar will also have their moment in this captivating performance. this is certainly an evening showing the art of music and film coming together in miraculous collaboration!
mAY 15 - 17
the sound of a modern symphony
michael Francis, conductor
Anne martindale Williams, cello
Jamie barton, mezzo-soprano (Debut)
bates: alternative energy
(Pittsburgh symphony orchestraPremiere)
Heggie: the Work at hand: symphonic songs for cello & mezzo-soprano
(Pittsburgh symphony orchestra co-commission) bartók: concerto for orchestra
When the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra offered to commission a new concerto for Principal cello, anne martindale Williams, she requested something unusual: a concerto for cello, voice and orchestra to be written by american Jake heggie, composer of the operas Dead manWalking and mobyDick the text is a poem by laura morefield, written during her struggle with cancer, which eventually claimed her life. it is a poignant reflection on the unknown that lies ahead. mezzo-soprano Jamie barton, who won the 2013 bbc cardiff singer of the World competition, will make her Pittsburgh symphony debut. the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra with its coat of many colors, and under the baton of michael Francis, will then strut its stuff with a performance of bartók’s concerto for orchestra showcasing the expressive power and versatility of a modern orchestra, presenting each section of the orchestra as a collective of virtuosic concerto soloists.
mAY 29 & 31
Juanjo mena, conductor
Nancy Goeres, bassoon
Debussy: “ibéria”, no. 2 from images Ludwig: PicturesfromtheFloatingWorld, for bassoon and orchestra
Ginastera: Panambí: suite from the ballet Ginastera: Four Dances from estancia Falla: interlude and Dance from the opera la Vida breve
elevate your senses with ludwig’s Pictures from the FloatingWorld in its first Pittsburgh performance featuring our gifted Principal bassoon, nancy goeres. Debussy’s languid impressionistic style will be heard in the opening work,“ibéria”, no. 2 from images ludwig similarly attempts to describe the feeling of “gliding on time in a world of fleet impressions” through his work for bassoon and orchestra. but just as you think you could float above the clouds, spanish conductor Juanjo mena brings you back to the hot-tempered world of dances from his home country of argentina in a rhythmic and passionate performance of ginastera’s Panambí and estancia ballet suites, and De Falla’s energetic interlude and Dance from his opera la Vida breve
JuNe 5 - 7
manfred Honeck, conductor
christian tetzlaff, violin
Simona Saturova, soprano
Jennifer Johnson cano, mezzo-soprano (Debut) Liang Li, bass tbD, tenor
mendelssohn choir of pittsburgh betsy burleigh, director
beethoven: concerto in D major for Violin and orchestra, opus 61 beethoven: symphony no. 9 in D minor, opus 125, “choral”
beethoven’s only concerto for the violin stands alone. noble and majestic, it is one of the happiest works he ever wrote. it has been said that beethoven had difficulty writing melodies, but this concerto defies such thinking; it is replete with beautiful melodies, each as serene and good-humored as the next. the summing up of his creative life, beethoven again broke new ground by the inclusion of words and voices in a heretofore instrumental form, the symphony. the voices sing of harmony among all peoples of the world in the odetoJoy
[tetzlaff] lets the Music live, Breathe and sing with a directness few can equal today.
- the guarDian
JuNe 12 - 14
manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim bronfman, piano
cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida, oboe
Fletcher: concerto for oboe and orchestra (Pittsburgh symphony orchestra commission/WorldPremiere) Liszt: concerto no. 2 in a major for Piano and orchestra
mahler: symphony no. 1 in D major
a long-time favorite of Pittsburgh audiences, grammy award-winning pianist yefim bronfman will help us close the season with his brilliant performance of liszt’s demanding Piano concerto no. 2. the program opens with the third in alan Fletcher’s series of concertos for the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra’s woodwind principals, which will be performed by Principal oboe cynthia koledo Dealmeida. mahler’s symphony no. 1 begins almost inaudibly, as if the music is far away. by the end, it has become a story of victory through a tremendous struggle, a finale with a blaze of glory.
no Matter what [BronfMan] plays, it’s always aBout the Music and how he can Best do Justice to the score and realize the coMposer’s intentions.
- los angeles times
