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St. Louis Symphony
ANNOUNCES 2010-2011 SEASON

St. Louis (January 28, 2010)—The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) today announced its 2010-11 Season: the orchestra’s 131st since its founding in 1880, and the sixth under Music Director David Robertson. The 2010-11 Wells Fargo Advisors Orchestral Series runs from September 18, 2010 through May 8, 2011.

“This is a strong season in terms of attracting a wide range of audiences,” said Robertson, “as we continue to work to attract people from all walks of life so that they may see and hear the amazing things the SLSO is doing at Powell Hall.” In speaking of a season-long Russian Festival scheduled for 2010-11, Robertson began by talking about the most familiar Russian composer: “The most Russian, and the most universal, composer is Tchaikovsky, whose music appeals to people around the globe, whose combined sophistication and rootedness in the Russian soil creates such a recognizable musical gift.

“People tend to look for standard works—signposts,” Robertson continued. “But we wanted to put a number of works together that would flesh out the context in which those works belong: to not just play Tchaikovsky, but to find similarities in the works of Kalinnikov and Scriabin, or how Russian music lends itself to choral writing with Alexander Nevsky.”

SLSO President and Executive Director Fred Bronstein said of the new season: “In spring of 2008, the SLSO launched Building our Business,a key element of our newly formed strategic vision and plan that has at its core major initiatives to build and expand audiences through reinvigoration, diversification and expansion of programming and a commitment to building the brand of the SLSO. This season represents the second complete season under this plan, which we expect will build on key successes delivered in this current season. The breadth and depth of the offerings go to the core of our vision to make Powell Hall the place to be for all kinds of music.” 

Highlights of the 2010-11 Season include:

• Russian Festival throughout the season, featuring masterworks by Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and more
• to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gustav Mahler’s death, the SLSO performs two of his monumental symphonies
• in conjunction with the citywide American Arts Experience-St. Louis, David Robertson conducts Copland, Ives, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Orli Shaham
• Gala Event with soprano Renée Fleming
• the SLSO continues its tradition of presenting Adventurous and New Music throughout the 2010-11 Season
• SLSO Presents continues to make Powell Hall the place to be for a variety of musical experiences, including Broadway star Bernadette Peters, The Music of ABBA, jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, and Hitchcock’s Psycho for Halloween
• Carnegie Hall concert with violinist Leila Josefowicz performing the New York premiere of Thomas Adès’ Concentric Paths.

RUSSIAN FESTIVAL

Starting with Opening Weekend, September 18-19, 2010, the SLSO presents a season-long Russian Festival. The Opening Weekend concert features Kalinnikov’s Symphony No. 1, Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kijé Symphonic Suite and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto performed by Joshua Bell. David Robertson conducts the kickoff to the Russian Festival and the SLSO season.  

Russian Festival highlights include:

• Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 conducted by Louis Langrée (September 24-25, 2010)
• Shostakovich Symphony Nos. 9 & 10 conducted by David Robertson (October 15-16, 2010 & April 15-17, 2011)
• Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade conducted by David Robertson (November 12-13, 2010)
• Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky conducted by David Robertson (November 19-20, 2010)
• Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 conducted by Leonard Slatkin on Thanksgiving Weekend (November 26-28, 2010)
• Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition conducted by David Robertson (January 14-16, 2011)
• Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 performed by Kirill Gerstein, the recent Gilmore Award winner, in his SLSO debut (January 28-30, 2011)
• Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique” conducted by David Robertson (February 25-27, 2011)
• Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 performed by Simone Lamsma in her SLSO debut, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, Jaap van Zweden conducting (March 11-12, 2011)
• Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2 performed by Yefim Bronfman and Stephen Hough (April 15-17, 2011 & April 29-30, 2011)

MAHLER CENTENNIAL

In 2011 music lovers around the world will honor and pay homage to the composer Gustav Mahler on the 100th anniversary of his death. The SLSO will perform two magnificent Mahler symphonies in the 2010-11 Season:

• Mahler’s Symphony No. 6, “Tragic,” conducted by Semyon Bychkov, who makes his SLSO debut (February 4-5, 2011)
• Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus under the direction of Amy Kaiser, David Robertson conducting (April 8-10, 2011)

AMERICAN ARTS EXPERIENCE-ST. LOUIS

In conjunction with American Arts Experience-St. Louis, a citywide festival celebrating American art and artists, October 1-17, 2010, the SLSO features a weekend of American masterworks. David Robertson conducts concerts featuring Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite, Ives’ Symphony No. 2, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with Orli Shaham at the keyboard. The performance of the beloved Appalachian Spring will include projected illustrations by Brian Floca, from a new book about the legendary choreographer and dancer Martha Graham, Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring, by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan (October 1 & 3, 2010).

GALA EVENT WITH RENÉE FLEMING

Last season the SLSO held its first Gala event in 10 years and met with phenomenal success. On October 2, 2010, the SLSO welcomes renowned international opera star Renée Fleming to the Powell Hall stage in her debut performance with the orchestra. David Robertson conducts this stellar concert, which is followed by dining and dancing at a venue to be announced at a later date. Former SLSO Board Chairman Virginia V. Weldon, M.D., is this season’s Gala Chairman.

ADVENTUROUS AND NEW MUSIC

The SLSO has a long tradition of presenting the works of contemporary composers. David Robertson leads the orchestra for three contemporary violin concertos, a World Premiere, and a work by the late György Ligeti:

• Thomas Adès’ Concentric Paths performed by Leila Josefowicz, with David Robertson conducting (November 12-13, 2010)
• Peter Eötvös’ Seven, a violin concerto written in memory of the Columbiaastronauts, performed by Akiko Suwanai in her SLSO debut, David Robertson conducting (January 21-22, 2011)
• Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing, performed by violinist Anthony Marwood in his SLSO debut, conducted by David Robertson (February 25-27, 2011)
• the World Premiere of a work by Christopher Rouse, conducted by David Robertson May 5-8, 2011)
• Ligeti’s Concert Românesc conducted by David Robertson (January 14-16, 2011)

Other featured works by contemporary and groundbreaking composers include:

• Schnittke’s Moz-Art à la Haydn conducted by Louis Langrée (September 24-25, 2010)
• Steven Mackey’s Turn the Key conducted by Gilbert Varga (October 8-10, 2010)
• Arvo Pärt’s Fratres for Strings and Percussion conducted by Leonard Slatkin (November 26-28, 2010)
• Ligeti’s Atmosphères conducted by Carlos Kalmar (March 18-19, 2011)

SLSO PRESENTS

SLSO Presents, a series of popularly oriented concerts, began in the 2008-09 Season as part of the audience development initiatives of the Building Our Business plan. A number of SLSO Presents concerts have been added recently to the current 2009-10 Season. These include:

• Bowfire, an ensemble of violin virtuosos performing a variety of musical genres, for St. Patrick’s Day (March 17, 2010)
• Ozomatli, an LA-based ensemble of self-described “culture mashers” who take audiences around the world, performing with the SLSO (May 14, 2010)
• Liza Minnelli, the legendary star of stage and screen performs with the SLSO (June 5, 2010)
• An Afternoon with Richard Hayman, the beloved former Pops Conductor of the SLSO returns to help celebrate his 90th birthday (June 27, 2010)

In the 2010-11 Season SLSO Presents broadens to attract a wide range of audiences to Powell Hall. Highlights include:

• Broadway and film star Bernadette Peters performs with the SLSO (May 13, 2011)
• The Music of ABBA, “Dancing Queen” and so much more with the SLSO (September 11, 2010)
• Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, the SLSO performs Bernard Herrmann’s influential score live with the film, Ward Stare conducts (October 29-30, 2010)
• Michael W. Smith, the singer/songwriter appears with a special holiday show with the SLSO (December 11, 2010)
• Chaplin’s City Lights, a cinematic masterpiece, with the SLSO playing Chaplin’s own score live, David Robertson conducts (December 29-30, 2010)
• The extraordinary trumpet player Chris Botti, one of jazz music’s most popular instrumentalists, performs with the SLSO (February 19, 2011)

CARNEGIE HALL TOUR

The SLSO is one of the few American orchestras invited to perform at New York City’s prestigious Carnegie Hall on an annual basis. This season, along with the New York premiere of Thomas Adès’ Concentric Paths, with violinist Leila Josefowicz, David Robertson conducts Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” (March 5, 2011)

PULITZER FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS CONCERTS

The partnership between two of St. Louis’ premiere arts organizations continues in Season 2010-11. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts again serves as a sublime concert space, as well as a source of inspiration, for a series of chamber concerts featuring repertoire that offers a musical dialogue with the current exhibition. Architect Tadao Ando’s stunning revelation of concrete, light and space makes these forays into modern and postmodern musical territory that much more exciting. Programs to be announced.

CONDUCTOR AND ARTIST DEBUTS

• Conductors

Semyon Bychkov (January 28-30, 2011 & February 4-5, 2011)
Louis Langrée (September 24-25, 2010)
Hannu Lintu (November 5-7, 2010)

• Piano

Arnaldo Cohen (March 18-19, 2011)
Kirill Gerstein (January 28-30, 2011)
Olga Kern (November 26-28, 2010)

• Violin

Simone Lamsma (March 11-13, 2011)
Anthony Marwood (February 25-27, 2011)
Akiko Suwanai (January 21-22, 2011)

• Trumpet

Gabriele Cassone (March 25-26, 2011)

• Vocalists

Karina Gauvin, soprano (February 11-12, 2011)
Andrew Kennedy, tenor (October 15-16, 2011)

RETURNING GUEST CONDUCTORS

• Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (December 3-4, 2010)
• Carlos Kalmar (March 18-19, 2011)
• Bernard Labadie (February 11-12, 2011)
• Nicholas McGegan (October 22-23, 2010 & March 25-26, 2011)
• Leonard Slatkin (November 26-28, 2010)
• Ward Stare* (April 29-30, 2011)
• Jaap van Zweden (March 11-13, 2011)
• Gilbert Varga (October 8-10, 2010)

*SLSO Resident Conductor

RETURNING GUEST ARTISTS

• Piano

Emanuel Ax (November 5-7, 2010)
Yefim Bronfman (April 15-17, 2011)
Stephen Hough (April 29-30, 2011)
Orli Shaham (October 1 & 3, 2010)
André Watts (October 8-10, 2010)

• Violin

Joshua Bell (September 18-19, 2010)
David Halen* (January 14-16, 2011)
Leila Josefowicz (November 12-13, 2010)
Anne Akiko Meyers (September 24-25, 2010)

• Cello

Daniel Lee* (February 11-12, 2011)

• Double Bass

Erik Harris* (March 25-26, 2011)

• Clarinet

Scott Andrews* (October 15-16, 2010)

• Horn
• Roger Kaza* (October 15-16, 2010)
• Vocalist

Christine Brewer, soprano (April 8-10, 2011)
*SLSO musician

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

The St. Louis Symphony is an integral part of the community, sharing the gift of music with tens of thousands of people in schools, churches, parks, community organizations and other venues throughout the region.

In just the last 13 years, the Orchestra's broad-based efforts have grown to include:

• Programs, festivals and showcases each year at more than 100 schools in 12 area school districts
• Kinder Konzerts, Young People’s Concerts, and Young Adult's Concerts for more than 40,000 students annually
• The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, which includes talented young musicians from more than three dozen area schools
• Performances in 40 African-American churches through the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON® Program
• Over 250 free performances at community organizations, schools, churches, parks and other locations throughout the year.

Marc Thayer, the Vice President for Education and Community Partnerships, said there were a number of exciting new programs planned for the 2010-11 Season. "The most exciting news is that David Robertson will conduct Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite in the fall Kinder Konzerts. This will coincide with a new book coming out in the fall by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, with illustrations by Brian Floca: Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring.

“Also in the fall,” Thayer continued, “the Young Children’s and Young Adult’s Concerts will include Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and music from Bernstein’s West Side Story. Spring Kinder Konzerts will present Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with actors portraying the characters, and the Young People’s and Young Adult’s Concerts will feature Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. SLSO Resident Conductor Ward Stare will be conducting all of the Education Concerts, other than the Appalachian Spring program.”
To learn more about the Education and Community Partnership Program of the SLSO visit www.slso.org/cp or call 314-286-4432.