“From the New World” Concerts this Fri. 10/20, Sat. 10/21, and Sun. 10/22
Madison, Wis. October 1, 2017 — The Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO), with Music Director John DeMain conducting, proudly presents its second season concert featuring music “From the New World.”
“From the New World” on October 20, 21, and 22 features the return of beloved pianist Olga Kern in her refreshing take on an American classic — Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto — for her fourth appearance with the MSO. This piece is accompanied by Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and finally Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 “New World Symphony,” inspired by the prairies of America.
The concerts are Fri., Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 21, at 8:00 p.m., and Sun., Oct. 22, at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall, 201 State Street.
Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite was originally written as a suite of “Five Children’s Pieces for Piano Four Hands” and was later orchestrated and expanded into a ballet in 1911. The piece is comprised of 11 sections, many of which are based on five fairy tales of Charles Perrault, most specifically those of his Contes de ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose Tales).
The Piano Concerto was written in Samuel Barber’s mature years, characterized by a gain in depth of expression and technical mastery from his earlier lyrical style due to expanded resources at Barber’s disposal. The piece was met with great critical acclaim and led to Barber winning his second Pulitzer Prize in 1963 and a Music Critics Circle Award in 1964.
Russian-American Pianist Olga Kern is recognized as one of her generation’s great pianists. She jumpstarted her U.S. career with her historic Gold Medal win at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas as the first woman to do so in more than 30 years. First prize winner of the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition at 17, Ms. Kern is a laureate of many international competitions. In 2016, she served as jury chairman of both the Seventh Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition and first Olga Kern International Piano Competition, where she also holds the title of Artistic Director. Ms. Kern has performed in famed concert halls throughout the world including Carnegie Hall, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and the Chatelet in Paris. She has appeared with the Madison Symphony Orchestra three times in 2009, 2010 and 2014.
Composed in 1895 while Dvorák was living in New York City, his Symphony No. 9 (often referred to as the “New World Symphony”) is said to have been inspired by the American “wide open spaces” of the prairies that he visited during a trip to Iowa in the summer of 1893. The “New World Symphony” is considered to be one of the most popular symphonies ever written, and was even brought to the moon
with Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
ABOUT THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 92nd season in 2017–2018 and its 24th season under the leadership of Music Director John DeMain. The MSO has grown to be one of America’s leading regional orchestras, providing Madison and south central Wisconsin with cultural and educational opportunities to interact with great masterworks and top-tier guest artists from around the world. Discover more.
Contact: Peter Rodgers, Director of Marketing
Phone: (608) 260-8680 x226
Mobile: (415) 713-0235
Email: prodgers@madisonsymphony.org
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