Concerts in October welcomes the return of conductor Jun Märkl and Nicholas McGegan, and feature SLSO musicians as soloists and St. Louis Symphony chorus

October 19-21 program under direction of Jun Märkl opens with Beethoven's Triple Concerto, featuring SLSO musicians Celeste Golden Boyer on violin and Melissa Brooks on cello, and guest pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe; concludes with highlights from Wagner's Ring Cycle

Haydn's The Creation, on October 27-28, is led by Nicholas McGegan, with debuts of vocalists Yulia Van Doren, Robin Tritschler, and Douglas Williams

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(October 2, 2018, St. Louis, MO) – Epic works by Beethoven, Berlioz, and Rimsky-Korsakov highlight the late October concerts by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, which continues its 139th season, titled "From Our Family to Yours."

Friday, October 19, Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21
Elizabeth Joy RoeGerman conductor Jun Märkl returns to lead the SLSO in a greatest hits tour of The Ring: An Orchestral Journey, featuring "Ride of the Valkyries." Märkl, a veteran SLSO guest conductor, compiled highlights from Richard Wagner's four Ring Cycle operas, distilling 17 hours of music down to an exciting 45-minute piece.

Preceding The Ring, pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe, pictured left, makes her second appearance with the SLSO in Beethoven's Triple Concerto, which also features SLSO Second Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden Boyer and Associate Principal Cello Melissa Brooks. Golden Boyer and Brooks are two of seven SLSO musicians featured as soloists during the 2018/2019 season.

Friday, October 19, 2018 8:00pm
Saturday, October 20, 2018 8:00pm
Sunday, October 21, 2018 3:00pm
Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO

Jun Märkl, conductor
Elizabeth Joy Roe, piano
Celeste Golden Boyer, violin
Melissa Brooks, cello

BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
WAGNER The Ring: An Orchestral Journey

Attend the free Pre-Concert Conversation at 7:00pm Friday and Saturday, and 2:00pm Sunday in the auditorium. This weekend, the conversations are hosted by pianist Peter Henderson.

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio on Saturday, October 20, at 8:00pm for the live broadcast of the performance. Listen on air (90.7 FM KWMU) or online (http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php).

Saturday, October 27, and Sunday, October 28
Nicholas McGeganThree vocal soloists debut with the SLSO in a performance of Haydn's masterpiece, The Creation. Led by frequent SLSO collaborator Nicholas McGegan, pictured left, and featuring the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, The Creation depicts the origin of Earth as described in the biblical Book of Genesis in a series of recitations, arias, and full choral moments.

Soloists Yulia Van Doren (soprano), Robin Tritschler (tenor), and Douglas Williams (bass-baritone) portray Archangels Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael in an English version of this famous German oratorio. All three make their debuts with the SLSO and are three of 17 artists new to the SLSO family in the 18/19 season.

The performance of The Creation is one of six that will feature the St. Louis Symphony Chorus in the 18/19 season. Future performances include Handel's Messiah (December 7-9, 2018), Brahms' German Requiem (March 9-10, 2019), and Bernstein's Symphony No. 3, "Kaddish" (April 27-28, 2019).

Saturday, October 27, 2018 8:00pm
Sunday, October 28, 2018 3:00pm
Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO

Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Yulia Van Doren, soprano
Robin Tritschler, tenor
Douglas Williams, bass-baritone
St. Louis Symphony Chorus
Amy Kaiser, director

HAYDN The Creation

Audiences can attend the free Pre-Concert Conversation at 7:00pm Saturday and 2:00pm Sunday in the auditorium. This weekend, the conversations are hosted by St. Louis Symphony Chorus director Amy Kaiser and conductor Nicholas McGegan.
Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio on Saturday, October 27, at 8:00pm for the live broadcast of the performance. Listen on air (90.7 FM KWMU) or online (http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php).

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at www.slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.

The 18/19 SLSO Classical Season is presented by World Wide Technology and the Steward Family Foundation and runs through May 12, 2019.

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 139th year with the 2018/2019 season. Widely considered one of the world's finest, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.

In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting free education programs and performances throughout the region each year. It presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with this season marking the 42nd year of their partnership.

The Grammy Award–winning SLSO's impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.

Today, the SLSO builds on the institution's current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. Denève, who has been a frequent guest conductor with the orchestra since 2003, begins his tenure as Music Director with the 19/20 season, following this season as Music Director Designate. For more information, visit slso.org.

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