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Radiance
Venue: Overture Hall
Friday, Nov. 21, 2025
Free Prelude Discussion: 6:30 p.m.
Concert: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025
Free Prelude Discussion: 6:30 p.m.
Concert: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025
Free Prelude Discussion: 1:30 p.m.
Concert: 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$110
Single tickets on sale Aug. 23rd
Rainbow Body, a luminous work by American composer Christopher Theofanidis weaves ancient and modern worlds together to take us on a spellbinding journey. Inspired by the chant Ave Maria by medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen, the piece reimagines her melodies in lush, cinematic orchestration. Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 is a showcase of elegance and virtuosity brought to life with wit and charm by internationally acclaimed Alban Gerhardt who makes his fifth appearance with us. He is beloved by our musicians and audiences. Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition orchestrated by Ravel is a feast for the senses painting vivid musical portraits. Each movement captures a visual scene, from the playful “Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks” to the majestic “Great Gate of Kiev.” With its dazzling colors and bold drama this music will take you on an unforgettable exploration of sound and imagination.
Robert Moody, Guest Conductor
Alban Gerhardt, Cello
music
Christopher Theofanidis, Rainbow Body
Joseph Hadyn, Cello Concerto in D Major, Hob.VIIb:2
Intermission
Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Maurice Ravel, Pictures at an Exhibition
Enhance Your Concert Experience
Prelude Discussion
Enjoy a 30-minute conversation starting one hour before each concert in Overture Hall. Free to ticketholders.
Take Note: Drinks Allowed in Overture Hall
Please take note that drinks are allowed inside Overture Hall during all Madison Symphony Orchestra concerts. You may pre-order food and drink to be picked up in the lobby, or order at bars and concession stands located around the Overture Hall lobby before each concert and during intermission. Please enjoy food in the lobby and unwrap any candy or cough drops before the performance begins. Thank you!
“A magician of cantabile playing and a master of the virtuosic panache — one of the best cellists alive.” — Tagesspiegel
“…Moody and the symphony were all focused, creating a truly thrilling performance …”— Winston Salem Journal
“His face and body movements playing with the MSO … clearly how much he loves music, making music, and working with others to make music!” — MSO Subscriber
“Gerhardt’s technique is always absolutely at the service of the music.” – The Strad
“Alban Gerhardt was wonderful. His work is compelling, strong and memorable.” – MSO Subscriber
Meet the Artists
Major Sponsors
Skofronick Family Charitable Trust
Additional Sponsors
Scott and Janet Cabot, in honor of Ann Bowen
David Lauth and Lindsey Thomas
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts
Bassam Shakhashiri
Endowment support for the music library collection is the gift of John & Carolyn Peterson.
Internationally acclaimed conductor Robert Moody is well known as guest conductor to the world’s greatest orchestras, including Chicago Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic, Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Austria), and many major orchestras around the world.
Moody, recently named Music Director for the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra (MD) is also music director for Memphis Symphony Orchestra (TN) and Arizona Musicfest, as well as Principal Conductor for Lakeland Opera (FL).
Prior to these positions he was music director for both the Portland Symphony Orchestra (Maine) and Winston-Salem Symphony (NC), and on conducting staffs for Phoenix Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, Brevard Music Center, and the Interschool Orchestras of New York City.
Current and upcoming highlights include return engagements with the three top orchestras in South Africa, debuts with Shenzhen and Wuxi Symphonies (China) as well as Kansas City Symphony/Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Buffalo Philharmonic, Tulsa Philharmonic, and debuts with top orchestras in Finland and Romania. He collaborates often with opera superstar Renée Fleming, and will also lead concerts with Time For Three, Timothy Chooi, Rodney Gilfry, Charlie Albright, Mason Bates, and Bryan Cheng.
Moody’s work can be heard on multiple commercial recordings, including Stephenson’s “Concerto for Hope” with legendary trumpet player Ryan Anthony and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Maestro Moody holds degrees from Furman University (SC) and the Eastman School of Music (NY). He is a runner, swimmer, history buff, “Jeopardy!” addict, and snow-skier.
Alban Gerhardt has gained recognition as one of the world’s most versatile cellists, highly regarded for his technical mastery, profound musicality, and insatiable artistic curiosity. Notable orchestral collaborators include Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, all the British and German radio orchestras, Berliner Philharmoniker, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre National de France, Orquesta Nacional de España as well as The Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia, Chicago symphony orchestras and New York Philharmonic, under conductors such as Christoph von Dohnányi, Kurt Masur, Klaus Mäkelä, Christian Thielemann, Simone Young, Susanna Mälkki, Vladimir Jurowski and Andris Nelsons.
Gerhardt’s wide repertoire includes all core concertos, as well as being the go-to soloist for contemporary composers.
The upcoming season sees Alban Gerhardt collaborating with Boston Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Munich Philharmonic, the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and Warsaw Philharmonic amongst others.
A keen chamber musician, Gerhardt regularly performs with pianists Steven Osborne and Alexei Volodin, the Alliage Saxophone Quintet and new collaboration partner, accordionist Ksenija Sidorova. The upcoming season brings Gerhardt to the Santa Catalina Festival, on tour around the UK with Steven Osborne, to Seoul Philharmonic, Shanghai Concert Hall and to and to New York’s 92nd Y for all Bachsuites in a solo recital.
Gerhardt will also appear as Artistic Curator of the Schumann Festival in Dusseldorf in June during the 2024/25 season.
Having recorded extensively for Hyperion, Gerhardt’s album of the complete Bach suites was one of The Sunday Times’s top 100 recordings of 2019. His album of Shostakovich cello concertos with the WDR Sinfonieorchester and Jukka-Pekka Saraste was awarded an ICMA in 2021. Gerhardt has won several awards, and his recording of Unsuk Chin’s cello concerto, released by Deutsche Grammophon, won a BBC Music Magazine Award and was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award in 2015.
The 2023/24 season saw Gerhardt appearing as Artist in Focus at Aldeburgh Festival in June and as Duisburger Philharmoniker’s Artist in Residence for the season. Highlights in the 2023/24 season included Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Alsop, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln/Mälkki, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Manze, and Sydney Symphony Orchestra/Inkinen.
Gerhardt is passionate about outreach, and shares his experience and gift with audiences in schools, hospitals and young offender institutions.
Alban Gerhardt plays a Matteo Gofriller cello dating from 1710.