Program Notes: Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

PROGRAM PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Overture 1812 (Ouverture solennelle), Op. 49 (Performed in segments) PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy

Sunday, March 18 | 2:00PM

TCHAIKOVSKY DECONSTRUCTED: THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE FAMOUS 1812 OVERTURE A Family Series Concert conductor Sameer Patel Justin Lang as Edwin Actors from San Diego Junior Theatre (see page 27 for full credits)

Performance at the Jacobs Music Center's Copley Symphony Hall

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PROGRAM NOTES | TCHAIKOVSKY DECONSTRUCTED – MARCH 18

ABOUT THE ARTISTS Internationally recognized for his versatile musicianship and passionate communication, SAMEER PATEL is one of America's most exciting young conductors. A recipient of 2016 and 2017 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Awards, Mr. Patel is currently in his third season as the Associate Conductor of the San Diego Symphony. He is also the Associate Conductor of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, whose distinguished musicians come from many of North America’s finest orchestras.

Mr. Patel’s work as a conductor has taken him across North America, South America, and Europe. In the 2017-18 season, Sameer makes his highly anticipated subscription debut conducting two programs with the San Diego Symphony. He also leads operatic works with the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, conducts modern masterpieces of the 20th and 21st centuries with the La Jolla Symphony and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, shares the podium with legendary film composer John Williams, and closes Symphony New Hampshire's season with Beethoven's Symphony no. 9. Devoted to the music of living composers, in the current season Mr. Patel also conducts works

by Ellen Reid, Hannah Lash, Gabriela Lena Frank, Derrick Spiva Jr., Adam Schoenberg, George Walker and Mason Bates. Additional recent guest conducting engagements include appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Fresno Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Reading Symphony Orchestra, Leipziger Sinfonieorchester, Orchestra Giovanile Italiana, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 2013 Mr. Patel was one of only six conductors selected by the League of American Orchestras for the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, an event that showcases emerging conductors to industry professionals and which led to subsequent, multiple engagements with that orchestra. Prior to joining the San Diego Symphony, Mr. Patel held conducting positions with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta and the Boston Philharmonic.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Mr. Patel furthered his training with some of the greatest conductors of our time, including Gianandrea Noseda, Daniele Gatti, the late Kurt Masur, Bernard Haitink, David Zinman and Neeme and Paavo Järvi. Mr. Patel is an enthusiastic advocate for music education and enjoys teaching and learning from the many students he works with at summer music festivals, school music programs, and youth orchestras across the country.

Born and raised in Michigan, Sameer Patel is proud to make his home in San Diego with his wife, Shannon, and their infant son, Devan. n

JUSTIN LANG as EDWIN (in his own words): I am thrilled to be working with San Diego Junior Theatre and the San Diego Symphony on this wonderful collaboration! I have worked as an actor professionally for the past ten years with; Poor Players, Moxie Theatre, Ion Theatre, Diversionary, Intrepid Theatre, New Village Arts, New Fortune Theatre, North Coast Rep, Sierra Rep and Playwrights Project. I am currently teaching Shakespeare and will be directing Romeo & Juliet with SDJT this summer. I am grateful to San Diego Junior Theatre for the continued opportunities to educate, inspire and be inspired by the youth in our community. n

In the summer of 2016, Sameer was selected out of a field of more than 120 conductors to study at the renowned Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy with Daniele Gatti, Chief Conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Immediately following his participation in the masterclass, Mr. Patel was selected by Maestro Gatti for further concerts in Europe, and he immediately returned to Italy to lead two acclaimed programs with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo. He was also a Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholar, an honor given to him by former New York Philharmonic Music Director Kurt Masur. As part of this award, Mr. Patel traveled to Europe to study with and assist Maestro Masur with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra S AN D I EG O SYM PHONY ORCHES TRA 2017-18 SE ASON M A R C H 20 18

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