On Jan. 8, the Detroit Symphony explores the potential symphonic grandeur of Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer with an orchestration of those celebrated tracks. With Steve Hackman at the podium, that imaginative genre crossover is paired with the acknowledged grandeur of Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. https://www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/24-25-winter/brahms-x-radiohead
As part of its Nordic Soundscapes Festival, the Minnesota Orchestra will play works by Iceland’s Daníel Bjarnason and Denmark’s Bent Sørensen, alongside an overture from the last century by Sweden’s Elfrida Andrée and Finlandia by Jean Sibelius. Principal clarinet Gabriel Campos Zamora will solo in Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concert; Thomas Søndergård conducts. (Jan. 10-11) https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/tickets/calendar/classical/nordic-landscapes-and-portraits/
Hanzhi Wang will be the soloist for the world premiere of Nina Shekhar’s Accordion Concerto with the St. Louis Symphony Jan. 10. Daniela Candillari conducts this program, which opens with the overture to Samuel Barber’s The School for Scandal and closes with Dvořák’s New World Symphony No. 9. https://shop.slso.org/8092
A new work by Marina López, commissioned by the League of American Orchestras, will receive its world premiere on Jan. 10-11 with the Grand Rapids Symphony under the direction of Lidiya Yankovskaya. Saxophonist Timothy McAllister will play Corigliano’s Triathlon, a work he originally premiered. Also on this all-American program are Copland’s Quiet City and Bernstein’s […]
As part of its Fanfare for Uncommon Women series, the Detroit Symphony will present Camille Pépin’s Les Eaux célestes, a work inspired by an ancient legend and summoning cosmic sounds. Two Russian masterpieces complete the Jan. 16-18 program conducted by Daniele Rustioni: Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto (with Francesca Dego) and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. https://www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/24-25-winter/the-rite-of-spring
Jun Märkl will make his first official appearance as the music director of the Indianapolis Symphony on Jan. 17-18. The program includes two crowd-pleasers: Johann Strauss II’s Emperor Waltz and Beethoven’s Symphony Nov. 7. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/event/beethovens-7th/
On Jan. 24-25 the Cincinnati Symphony will play a new CSO commission by Jimmy López Bellido. The work was inspired by guest conductor Christian Reif’s boundless love for his son Lukas and deep affection for Michael Ende’s beloved novel The Neverending Story. CSO principal cello Ilya Finkelshteyn will take the solo in Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 […]
Two orchestral works by Black composers will be the focus of the Arkansas Symphony’s Jan. 25-26 program, conducted by Joseph Young. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor opens the program, while William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony (from 1934) closes it. Between those two works, pianist Zee Zee will solo in Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1. […]
The Harrisburg Symphony will present a “Shostakovich Celebration” Jan. 25-26. Music director Stuart Malina will conduct the composer’s Festive Overture as well as his Symphony No. 7, Leningrad. https://harrisburg-symphony-orchestra.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0S6T0000170vYgUAI
The Kansas City Symphony presents the world premiere of a new work by (and featuring) pianist Conrad Tao, who will also play Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto. The Jan. 25-26 program, conducted by Matthias Pintscher, concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. https://tickets.kcsymphony.org/22168
Viktor Ullmann’s rarely performed opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis is a powerful allegory exploring the themes of power, mortality, and the human spirit. Teddy Abrams conducts the Louisville Orchestra in a concert performance of the work on Jan. 25. https://louisvilleorchestra.org/concert/teddy-conducts-der-kaiser-von-atlantis/
