RPO 24-25 Philharmonics Season

ANDREAS DELFS

NAZARETH UNIVERSITY, BESTON HALL AT GLAZER MUSIC PERFORMANCE CENTER

SUNDAYS AT 2 PM

Spend Sundays with Music Director Andreas Delfs as he conducts all four Sunday Matinee at Naz series concerts. Immerse yourself in the timeless brilliance of Johann Sebastian Bach. Each performance highlights a selected Bach suite while woodwind and brass musicians from your RPO serve as guest artists on complementary classical music.

NEW THIS YEAR!

Due to growing popularity and high ticket demand, our Sunday Matinees at Naz will now feature reserved seating and will no longer be general admission. Subscriptions will be available starting Monday, March 25 for current Sunday Matinee at Naz subscribers and available to the general public starting Monday, April 22. See the attached zone seating and pricing charts for more details or call our Patron Services Center at 585-454-2100.

Sunday 24/25 mAtinees aT nAZ

GET ALL 4 CONCERTS STARTING AT JUST $159!

SEPTEMBER 15

BACH & BEETHOVEN

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Anna Steltenpohl, cor anglais

BACH Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068

WILLIAM ALWYN Autumn Legend

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D Major

SPONSORED BY LYDIA PALMER, FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE | ALLIANCE ADVISORY GROUP

DECEMBER 15

BACH & SCHUBERT

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Michael Stevens, horn

BACH Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066

ARTHUR BUTTERWORTH Romanza

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 6 in C Major

MARCH 16

BACH & MENDELSSOHN

Andreas Delfs, conductor

David Bruestle, trombone

BACH Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067

LARS-ERIK LARSSON Concertino

MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 1 in C Minor

MAY 25

BACH & DEBUSSY

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Kamalia Freyling, clarinet

BACH Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D Major, BWV 1069

DEBUSSY Première Rhapsodie

BERWALD Symphony No. 3 in C Major “Singuliere”

Music Director

NEW

Look for this icon next to Sunday afternoon Philharmonics Series concerts!

Building on the exciting momentum of our breathtaking 100th anniversary year, we have once again created a Philharmonics season that will showcase the artistic prowess of this Great American Orchestra! It is our continuing mission to perform your favorite music with the utmost skill and passion, introduce new compositions that will enrich your concert experience, and collaborate with some of the world’s finest artists in performances that will move, inspire, and entertain.

Several of my personal favorite symphonies including Beethoven No. 6, Brahms No. 4, Tchaikovsky No. 5, and Sibelius No. 7 will form the backbone of our 2024/2025 season and produce the unforgettable musical experiences you have come to expect from your RPO. We will make spectacular tone poems sparkle with “Also sprach Zarathustra,” “La Mer,” and “Sheherazade”; present titanic piano concertos by Beethoven, Liszt, and Rachmaninov, and beloved violin concertos by Bruch, Prokofiev, and Bernstein; introduce world-premiere compositions by James Lee III and Roberto Sierra; and bring some of today’s greatest performers, led by piano superstar Emanuel Ax, to the stage at Kodak Hall. Add to that Mozart’s Requiem, Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” and Gershwin’s “American in Paris” and I trust you will agree that our 101st season will only continue the thrilling upward momentum of your favorite orchestra!

Our heartfelt commitment to commissioning new composers and their works as well as our dedication to programs designed to introduce new music lovers to our world of sound will be evident in every single concert this season. It was so encouraging to see countless new faces, young and old, in the audiences throughout our centennial season. Our goal is simple: to bring the best to the most. Please join us in a superlative symphonic season that will unleash the full range of your emotions, lift your spirit to new heights, and remind you of the unlimited potential of the human mind.

ANDREAS DELFS, MUSIC DIRECTOR

YOU ASK, WE LISTEN.

As your Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the start of its second century, we are committed to not only bringing you the very best in creative, classical programming, thought-provoking collaborations and commissions, and world-class guest artists, but also to providing exceptional concert experiences for our loyal patrons and fellow music lovers.

Now, for the first time in 100 years, you’ll be able to experience part of our 24/25 Philharmonics Series season in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre on Sunday afternoons! Our traditional full-season, Thursday night Philharmonics Series A subscription will now feature 7 Thursday night concerts at our normal start time of 7:30 PM and 7 Sunday afternoon matinees, starting at 2 PM. Our full-season, Saturday night Philharmonics Series A subscription schedule remains unchanged, with 14 Saturday performances starting at 8 PM.

We’re also pleased to announce our 24/25 Sunday Matinee Series at Nazareth University will feature reserved seating and no longer be first-come-first-served, general admission seating!

See inside for more details on these exciting new changes to our 24/25 season and how you can subscribe today. Visit us at RPO.ORG or call our Patron Services Center at 585-454-2100 with any questions. Welcome to the second century of your RPO!

ALEX CASSETTI

Music

Director ANDREAS DELFS

Be there as your Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra begins its second century with a spectacular 24/25 Season!

Music Director Andreas Delfs again displays his mastery of the classical repertoire with blockbuster programming that includes Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony, Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Stravinsky’s The Firebird! Also gracing the stage with your RPO in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre this season are world-renowned guest artists and soloists Emanuel Ax, Zlatomir Fung, Time for Three, duo-pianists The Naughtons, and Rochester favorite Natatsha Paremski, as well as world premiere RPO Voices of Today commissions from James Lee III and Roberto Sierra—exclusively for our 101st season!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 | 2 PM

SEASON OPENER!

TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIFTH

Andreas Delfs, conductor | Time for Three

KEVIN PUTS Contact, Triple Concerto for Two Violins, Bass and Orchestra

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

The timeless and beautiful melodies of Tchaikovsky have captivated for over a century. Now, Music Director Andreas Delfs and your Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra begin the 24/25 season with Tchaikovsky’s passionate Fifth Symphony. Plus, Grammy-and Emmy-award winning ensemble Time for Three sing and play in Kevin Puts’ specially composed triple concerto, Contact.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 | 8 PM

BEETHOVEN’S PASTORAL

Andreas Delfs, conductor | Natasha Paremski, piano

MISSY MAZZOLI Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)

SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 2

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”

This is Beethoven at peace, amid his cherished nature. Every measure of the poetic “Pastoral” symphony animates his impressions of country life. Also, Natasha Paremski performs Shostakovich’s tender Second Piano Concerto. “She came, played and conquered,” declared Chicago Classical Review, “Paremski attacked the fusillade of octaves with virtuosic élan.” The concert fittingly begins with a sunrise—Missy Mazzoli’s widely acclaimed Sinfonia.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 | 8 PM

FOUNTAINS OF ROME

JoAnn Falletta, conductor | Nikki Chooi, violin

BUTTERWORTH The Banks of Green Willow

BEHZAD RANJBARAN Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

RESPIGHI Fountains of Rome

DEBUSSY La Mer

Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta returns with orchestral blockbusters! Respighi’s Fountains of Rome thrills. The waves of La Mer suggest more than the tumult of the sea. George Butterworth’s Green Willow poignantly reminds us of great promise unfulfilled, after the composer perished in battle at just age 31. And Behzad Ranjbaran’s hypnotic Concerto for Violin and Orchestra echoes his native Persia.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 | 8 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 | 2 PM

ZARATHUSTRA!

Andreas Delfs, conductor | The Naughtons, pianists

VERDI Overture to La forza del destino

JAMES LEE III Sensational Dynamism: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (RPO Voices of Today Commission)

POULENC Concerto for Two Pianos

R. STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra

The iconic opening of Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra featured in director Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi film classic 2001: A Space Odyssey will thunder throughout Eastman Theatre. The Naughtons captivate as they play Poulenc’s beguiling Concerto for Two Pianos. And expect plenty from the latest by James Lee III. The Washington Post calls the composer’s work, “bright, pure music.”

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 | 2 PM

PETER & THE WOLF

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Juliana Athayde, violin The Caroline W. Gannett & Clayla Ward Chair

Thomas Warfield, narrator

BRITTEN The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2

LIEBERMANN Frankenstein Waltzes

PROKOFIEV Peter and the Wolf

It’s always an extra-special evening when the RPO’s beloved concertmaster, Julianna Athayde, performs as soloist. Hear her virtuosity in Prokofiev’s tender Second Violin Concerto. Also, diabolic dances from Lowell Liebermann’s ballet Frankenstein. Plus, two works for children of all ages: Benjamin Britten introduced generations of listeners to classical music with his Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, spotlighting each section before bringing them together in a shimmering climax. And Thomas Warfield, RIT’s Director of Dance, enchants with his telling of Peter and the Wolf.

SMILLIEPHOTO.COM

SEASON philharmonics philharmonics philharmonics philharmonics philharmonics philharmonics

Thomas Warfield

NOV 23 & 24

timothy chooi

JAN 11 & 12

vinay parameswaran

JAN 23 & 25

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12 | 2 PM

BRUCH’S ROMANTIC VIOLIN CONCERTO

Maximiano Valdes, conductor | Timothy Chooi, violin

GINASTERA Pampeana No. 3

BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 6

Young violin sensation Timothy Chooi plays Bruch’s romantic First Violin Concerto. “A miracle,” raved La Presse of Montreal. Guest conductor Maximiano Valdes begins the evening with Alberto Ginastera’s hypnotic Pampeana, a montage of dazzling Argentinian folk rhythms. To close, Shostakovich’s stirring Sixth Symphony from 1939, which prophesizes a world on the brink.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 | 8 PM

ELGAR’S ENIGMA

Vinay Parameswaran, conductor | Stewart Goodyear, piano

ANNA CLYNE This Midnight Hour

LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1

ELGAR Enigma Variations

Proclaimed "a phenomenon" by the Los Angeles Times and "one of the best pianists of his generation" by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear performs Liszt’s blistering First Piano Concerto. Guest Conductor Vinay Parameswaran leads your RPO in Elgar’s great and noble Enigma Variations, a Victorian Facebook of family and friends. And Anna Clyne was moved by French and Spanish poetry to compose her vivid musical reverie, This Midnight Hour.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 | 8 PM

RAVISHING RACHMANINOV

Lidiya Yankovskaya, conductor | Joyce Yang, piano

CLARICE ASSAD Nhanderú

DE FALLA Nights in the Gardens of Spain

RACHMANINOV Symphonic Dances

Guest Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya leads the luxuriant Symphonic Dances of Rachmaninov. (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra made the first recording of this 1940 masterpiece under Erich Leinsdorf.) Pianist Joyce Yang plays de Falla’s fragrant Nights in the Gardens of Spain. “Vivid and beautiful playing,” proclaims The New York Times. The concert begins with Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad, her lyrical yet primal Nhanderú.

FEB 6 & 8

emanuel Ax

MAR 1 & 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 1 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 | 2 PM NEW

zlatomir fung

APR

EMANUEL AX PLAYS BEETHOVEN

Peter Oundjian, conductor | Emanuel Ax, piano

CARLOS SIMON Fate Now Conquers

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade

The Washington Post describes the artistry of Emanuel Ax as “thoughtful, lyrical, lustrous.” Emanuel Ax performs Beethoven’s magnificent Third Piano Concerto. “He has long been, and continues to be, one of the finest American pianists,” says The New York Times.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, MARCH 22 | 8 PM

MOZART & BRAHMS

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Juliana Athayde, concertmaster, The Caroline W. Gannett & Clayla Ward Chair

Ahrim Kim, principal cello, The Clara and Edwin Strasenburgh Chair

Erik Behr, principal oboe, The Dr. Jacques M. Lipson Chair

Matthew McDonald, principal bassoon, The Ron and Donna Fielding Chair

MOZART Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”

ROBERTO SIERRA Sinfonía Concertante for Oboe, Bassoon, Violin, Cello, and Orchestra (RPO Voices of Today Commission)

BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

Music Director Andreas Delfs leads the buoyant, joyous “Haffner,” the first of Mozart’s miraculous final set of symphonies. The great strength and nobility of Brahms’ Fourth and final Symphony places it among his most profound achievements. And soloists from your Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra take center stage for the newly composed Sinfonia Concertante by esteemed composer and Cornell professor, Roberto Sierra.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 12 | 8 PM

DVOŘÁK IN LOVE

Andreas Delfs, conductor | Zlatomir Fung, cello

JANÁČEK Lachian Dance No. 1

DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto

RAUTAVAARA Cantus Arcticus

SIBELIUS Symphony No. 7

Rising cello superstar Zlatomir Fung performs Dvořák’s elegy for a long-lost love, the impassioned Cello Concerto. “Jaw-dropping brilliance,” reports the Dallas Morning News of Zlatomir Fung. Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus layers the recorded cries for wild birds over mesmerizing waves of orchestral sound. As Janáček’s spirited Lachian Dance opens the program, Sibelius’ iridescent final work, the Seventh Symphony, brings it to a poignant close.

SEASON

SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 4 | 2 PM

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Andreas Delfs, conductor | Tessa Lark, violin

ADAMS Short Ride in a Fast Machine

BERNSTEIN Serenade (after Plato's Symposium)

COPLAND Appalachian Spring

GERSHWIN An American in Paris

Gershwin’s jazzy musical postcard highlights this program of American masters. Bernstein’s Serenade for violin sings of love, with each of the five movements of his violin concerto based on soliloquies by Greek philosophers. Tessa Lark’s “sound is bright, with clarity of note. A wonderful warmth,” says Gramophone. This allAmerican program also features Copland’s tender Appalachian Spring, the wild acceleration of John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and to close, Gershwin’s esteemed An American in Paris.

THURSDAY, MAY 8 | 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, MAY 10 | 8 PM

MOZART’S REQUIEM

Yaniv Dinur, conductor | Rochester Oratorio Society

HAYDN Symphony No. 49 “La Passione”

MOZART Requiem

The genius of Mozart revealed itself early, developed swiftly, and vanished all too soon. Mozart’s deeply affecting Requiem is, fittingly, his final musical testament— music he would never live to complete.

SATURDAY, MAY 31 | 8 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 1 | 2 PM

SEASON FINALE THE FIREBIRD!

Andreas Delfs, conductor | Simon Trpčeski, piano

JOHN MACKEY Redline Tango

RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 1

STRAVINSKY The Firebird

An enchanted tale that has delighted generations. The first masterpiece of a musical genius. Music Director Andreas Delfs brings the season to a roaring close with Stravinsky’s showpiece, The Firebird. Simon Trpčeski performs Rachmaninov’s rapturous First Piano Concerto. The Times of London was astonished: “Trpčeski looks set to dominate the piano world for a long time to come.” Right from the start, the rhythms of John Mackey’s Redline Tango seduce.

NEW SUNDAY AFTERNOON Philharmonics

Look for this icon next to Sunday afternoon Philharmonics Series concerts!

1

2 BEETHOVEN'S PASTORAL

4 ZARATHUSTRA!

5

REQUIEM

14 THE FIREBIRD!

SAT, SEPT 21 & SUN, SEPT 22

THU, OCT 10 & SAT, OCT 12

THU, OCT 24 & SAT, OCT 26

SAT, NOV 9 & SUN, NOV 10

SAT, NOV 23 & SUN, NOV 24

SAT, JAN 11 & SUN, JAN 12

THU, JAN 23 & SAT, JAN 25

THU, FEB 6 & SAT, FEB 8

SAT, MAR 1 & SUN, MAR 2

THU, MAR 20 & SAT, MAR 22

THU, APR 10 & SAT, APR 12

SAT, MAY 3 & SUN, MAY 4

THU, MAY 8 & SAT, MAY 10

SAT, MAY 31 & SUN, JUN 1

SUNDAY AFTERNOON Philharmonics Look for this icon next to Sunday afternoon Philharmonics Series concerts!

ADD ON TO YOUR SERIES: SINGLE TICKET ADD-ON PRICING

Enjoy more of the season by adding on additional performances BEFORE they go on sale to the general public

All subscribers save 10%!

Full series subscribers save 15%!

SUNDAY MATINEES AT NAZ

NEW THIS YEAR!

Due to growing popularity and high ticket demand, our Sunday Matinees at Naz will now feature reserved seating and will no longer be general admission. Subscriptions will be available starting Monday, March 25 for current Sunday Matinee at Naz subscribers and available to the general public starting Monday, April 22. See the attached zone seating and pricing charts for more details or call our Patron Services Center at 585-454-2100.

Subscriber rewards

Experience the quality, variety, and value that only an RPO subscription can provide. Buy more, save more, and enjoy more perks!

ALL SUBSCRIBERS

Save up to 27% OFF per concert within your subscription package, plus:

• FREE parking for Philharmonics Full Series A and Half Series B and C subscribers

• Preferred seats to all concerts—ahead of the general public!

• Free and easy exchanges* from one concert to another

• Presale access to newly announced concerts— before the general public

• Up to 15% discount towards Add-On Concerts

*exclusions may apply

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES

Please be assured your RPO follows the latest guidelines from national and local officials as well as our medical advisors to ensure the safety and well-being of patrons, staff, musicians, volunteers, and guest artists. Additional information will be provided throughout the season as safety requirements develop.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

1. Complete Your Order Form

Fill out the enclosed order form with your desired package, day, price level, and number of seats. Please include your complete contact information. And don’t forget to add on performances!

2. Place Your Order

RPO.ORG/RENEW

(24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

MAIL: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 255 East Avenue, Suite LL02, Rochester, NY 14604

Attention: Patron Services Center

PHONE: 585-454-2100

Please have your credit card and order form ready. Monday–Friday, 10 AM–5 PM

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

After you complete your subscription order, we will send you a confirmation via email. Please be sure to include or update your email address on your order form.

If you are requesting a change to your subscription, we will process the change once our renewal period is finished. If we can fulfill your request for a series or seating change, we will make the adjustments and you will be notified by e-mail. Upon receiving the e-mail, you may call in to discuss other seating options. We will make every effort to accommodate you. Requests for changes are honored according to the date orders are received and paid, with full series Philharmonics A and Pops X subscribers receiving priority.

If you add tickets to your package, we will assign those seats starting in June after all subscriber packages have been seated. Subscribers may request exchanges upon subscribing. Those requests will then be processed by our Patron Services team starting June 2024.

In early August, you will receive your season and add-on tickets.

Satisfaction guaranteed! Ticket refunds are available up to the first performance date in your package. Handling fees are non-refundable.

QUESTIONS? ?

We’re happy to help! Call the RPO Patron Services Center at 585-454-2100.

Our Patron Services Center is located at 255 East Avenue, in the rear of the Farash Building. Free parking is available for your convenience.