recording is available
Click the title of each piece to watch the video recording of the performance
上海音乐厅-音乐午茶
Monday, July 31, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Shanghai Concert Hall
523 Yan An Dong Lu, Shanghai, China
Zexun Shen, Cello
Jing'er Xu, Piano
Program
勃拉姆斯 e小调第一钢琴与大提琴奏鸣曲，作品号38
Brahms，Sonata for Piano and Cello No.1 in e Minor, Op.38
I. Allegro non troppo
II. Allegretto quasi Menuetto
III. Allegro
贝多芬 D大调第五大提琴与钢琴奏鸣曲，作品号102 之2
Beethoven, Sonata for Cello and Piano No.5 in D Major, Op.102, No.2
I. Allegro con brio
II. Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto
III. Allegro
Summer Stars Classical Music Series - Soloisti Ensemble
Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Ocean Grove Auditorium
54 Pitman Avenue, New Jersey
Summer Spectacular with Fireworks: RPO at Geneseo
Friday, July 7, 2017 at 8:30 pm
Saratoga Field at SUNY Geneseo
Ward Stare, conductor
Program
SMITH Star Spangled Banner
WILLIAMS Liberty Fanfare
TYZIK Armed Forces Salute
COHAN Star Spangled Spectacular (100th anniversary of World War I)
BIZET Carmen excerpts (Aragonaise, Habanera, Danse Boheme) (17-18 preview)
DVORAK Slavonic Dance Op. 46, No. 8 (17-18 preview)
HOLST Jupiter from The Planets (17-18 preview)
TCHAIKOVSKY Waltz from Swan Lake (17-18 preview)
WILLIAMS Adventures on Earth (17-18 preview)
WILLIAMS Harry’s Wondrous World (17-18 preview)
BADELT Pirates of the Caribbean (summer 2017 movie release)
TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture
SOUSA Stars & Stripes Forever
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_1890/?cal=0
Concert by the Shore: RPO at Ontario Beach
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Ontario Beach
Ward Stare, conductor
Program
SMITH Star Spangled Banner
WILLIAMS Liberty Fanfare
TYZIK Armed Forces Salute
COHAN Star Spangled Spectacular (100th anniversary of World War I)
BIZET Carmen excerpts (Aragonaise, Habanera, Danse Boheme) (17-18 preview)
DVORAK Slavonic Dance Op. 46, No. 8 (17-18 preview)
HOLST Jupiter from The Planets (17-18 preview)
TCHAIKOVSKY Waltz from Swan Lake (17-18 preview)
WILLIAMS Adventures on Earth (17-18 preview)
WILLIAMSHarry’s Wondrous World (17-18 preview)
BADELT Pirates of the Caribbean (summer 2017 movie release)
TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture (letter M to end)
SOUSA Stars & Stripes Forever
Join Ward Stare and the RPO on the shores of Ontario Beach Park for this free pops and patriotic concert in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_1902/?cal=0
Independence Day Concert at Main Street Bridge
Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at 9:00 pm
Main Street Bridge
Rochester, New York
Ward Stare, conductor
Program
SMITH Star Spangled Banner
WILLIAMS Liberty Fanfare
SOUSA Liberty Bell March
TYZIK Armed Forces Salute
COHAN Star Spangled Spectacular (100th anniversary of World War I)
WILLIAMS The Patriot
WILLIAMS Harry’s Wondrous World (17-18 preview)
WARD America the Beautiful Ringwald God Bless America
TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture (letter M to end)
SOUSA Stars & Stripes Forever
A Rochester tradition! Celebrate Independence Day with the RPO's annual concert in downtown Rochester. Music Director Ward Stare leads a program of patriotic favorites, followed by the City's spectacular fireworks display.
For more information, visit the City of Rochester web site.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_1888/?cal=0
Soloisti Ensemble at Riverside Church Theater
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Riverside Church
490 Riverside Drive, New York
Bach & Stravinsky
Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Performance Hall at Hochstein
50 Plymouth Avenue North, Rochester, New York
Michael Butterman, conductor The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair
Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Program
STRAVINSKY Dumbarton Oaks Concerto
J.S. BACH Keyboard Concerto in D minor
J.S. BACH Keyboard Concerto in F minor
STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite
A pianist of "arresting freshness" (TIME Magazine), international star Simone Dinnerstein joins the RPO for two of Bach's most inventive concertos. Plus, Michael Butterman leads a suite from Stravinsky's neoclassical ballet score, Pulcinella.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2154
Women Rock with RPO
Friday, June 2, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 3, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Katrina Dideriksen, Cassidy Catanzaro, and Shayna Steele, vocals
Celebrate the women who changed rock and roll forever with this brand new show from Jeff Tyzik. The music of Carole King, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Pat Benatar, Heart, Carly Simon, and others is brought to life by the RPO and a cast of singers, with video footage of each iconic artist projected on the big screen.
Featuring songs “I Feel The Earth Move,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Freeway of Love,” “Proud Mary,” “Piece Of My Heart,” “Dancing In The Street,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “These Dreams,” and “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2144
Puccini's La Boheme in Concert
Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Ward Stare, conductor
Grant Preisser, stage director
Madrigalia, Cary Ratcliff, director
Bach Children's Chorus, Karla Krogstad, director
CAST
Harold Meers as Rodolfo
Inna Dukach as Mimi
Alexander Elliott as Marcello
Jacqueline Echols as Musetta
Geoffrey Hahn as Schaunard
Andre Courville as Colline
Mitchell Hutchings as Alcindoro / Benoit
““For the grand season finale, Ward Stare and the RPO present a complete performance, in concert, of Puccini’s great opera. Fall in love with the spellbinding tale of poet Rodolfo and seamstress Mimi, set amidst the backdrop of Paris’ bohemian Latin Quarter. Filled with justly-famous arias, La Bohème is guaranteed to provide an unparalleled evening of musical magic.””
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2135/Puccini%27s_La_Boheme_in_Concert/
Hsin-Chiao Liao, Piano
Zexun's 2nd DMA Recital at Stony Brook
Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Staller Center of Stony Brook University
3304 Staller Center, Stony Brook, New York
Zexun Shen, Cello
Hsin-Chiao Liao, Piano
Program
Bach, Suite for Unaccompanied Cello No.3 in C Major, BWV 1009
Prélude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Bourrée
Gigue
Huang Ruo, Four Fragments for Cello Solo (2006)
~ Intermission ~
Dvořák, Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104, B.191
Allegro
Adagio, ma non troppo
Finale: Allegro moderato – Andante – Allegro vivo
Recital with Pianist, Qing Zhao
Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Jed Leshowitz Recital Hall at John J. Cali School of Music
1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey
Zexun Shen, Cello
Qing Zhao, Piano
Program
Rameau, Pièces de clavecin en concerts
Beethoven, Piano Sonata No.13 in E-flat Major, Op.27, No.1
~ Intermission ~
Chopin, Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20
Prokofiev, Sonaa for Cello and Piano in C Major, Op.119
The Rape of Lucretia
Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Staller Center of Stony Brook University
3304 Staller Center, Stony Brook, New York
Stony Brook Opera and members of the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra present Benjamin Britten’s opera, The Rape of Lucretia, on Saturday, April 22, at 8 pm at Staller Center. An encore performance will be held on Sunday, April 23, at 3 pm.
The cast of this fully staged theatrical production features graduate students in voice from Stony Brook’s College of Arts and Sciences Department of Music, many of whom have already established professional singing careers. Soprano Ju Hyeon Han performs the role of the Female Chorus, in what will be the first time in the U.S. that a blind singer will perform a leading role in a university or conservatory opera production. This particular character, as well the Male Chorus character, stands outside the action, sometimes narrating, sometimes commenting, and occasionally even trying to intervene.
“We are pleased to be able to offer a full production of The Rape of Lucretia — complete with sets, costumes and theatrical lighting — after two years of semi-staged concert performances,” said David Lawton, professor of music and artistic director of Stony Brook Opera. “The first of Benjamin Britten’s many operas that he designated as a chamber opera, The Rape of Lucretia was scored for a cast of eight singers and an orchestra of 13 players. Far from considering the small number of players as a limitation, Britten succeeded in creating orchestral textures of extraordinary variety and transparency.”
Timothy Long, associate professor of music and vocal coach, will conduct the production. Ted Altschuler, who directed numerous productions at New York City opera, makes his Stony Brook Opera debut as stage director. The production team also includes Reid Thompson as set designer, Caitlin Rapoport as lighting designer, and Beth Goldenberg as costume designer, all making their Stony Brook opera debuts.
The cast also includes mezzo soprano Kristin Starkey as Lucretia; soprano Janani Sridhar as Lucia; and Stony Brook alumna, mezzo soprano Christine Free as Bianca. Male cast members include tenor Jeremy Little as Male Chorus; baritone David Davani as Tarquinius; bass Alexander Hahn as Collatinus; and baritone Zen Kuriyama as Junius.
Source:: http://www.stonybrook.edu/happenings/arts/the-rape-of-lucretia-2017/
Stony Brook Orchestra Concert
Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 8:00 am
Staller Center of Stony Brook University
3304 Staller Center, Stony Brook, New York
Program
Brahms, Academic Festival Overture
Bruch, Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra
Schumann, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (“Rhenish”).
Featuring Brendan Shea, violin soloist, winner of the 2016 Concerto Competition. Conducted by Glen Cortese. Free pre-concert lecture with Michael Hershkowitz at 7 pm in the Recital Hall.
Source:: http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/music/performances/ensembles/sbso.shtml
New York Tutti Ensemble
Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 6:00pm
Metropolitan Koryo UMC
East 62nd Street, New York
Program
Elgar, Serenade for String in E minor, Op.20
Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33
~ Intermission ~
Mozart, Sympohony No.40 in G minor, KV.550
Stare Conducts Brahms First Symphony
Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 4, 2017 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Ward Stare, conductor
Ingrid Fliter, piano
Program
BRAHMS/BRIGHT SHENG Intermezzo Op. 118, No.2 “Black Swan”
CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1
It was a creation nearly 20 years in the making, but when Brahms unleashed his symphonic powers at long last, it was with a mighty roar that both invoked the past and heralded the future. Chopin is synonymous with piano fireworks, and his second concerto is in good hands with Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter, a noted Chopin interpreter.
Music of Mozart
Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 11:00 am
Performance Hall at Hochstein
50 Plymouth Avenue North, Rochester, New York
Michael Butterman, conductor The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair
Juliana Athayde, violin The Caroline W. Gannett & Clayla Ward Chair
Melissa Matson, viola The William L. Gamble Chair
Program
THOMAS ADES Three Studies from Couperin
MOZART Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola
MOZART Symphony No. 39
Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante and Symphony No. 39 are made possible by The Mozart Performance Fund: Sarah D. Atkinson, M.D. and Steven Hess
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/s_1/s_280/p_2151/Music_of_Mozart/
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II
Friday, January 20, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
George Daugherty, guest conductor
Celebrate the world’s most “Wascally Wabbit” and pals as Bugs Bunny hops into the concert hall! Classic Looney Tunesfavorites like The Rabbit of Seville and What’s Opera, Doc? are projected on the big screen, paired with their original live scores inspired by the master composers—just as you remember them! Plus scores of new additions since this concert's last RPO performances in 2011, including Pepe Le Pew, Show Biz Bugs, Robin Hood Daffy, the East Coast concert premiere of Long-Haired Hare, and two brand new Warner Bros. 3D animated shorts: Rabid Rider and Coyote Fall.
Created by GEORGE DAUGHERTY & DAVID KA LIK WONG
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s16)
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2140/Bugs_Bunny_at_the_Symphony_II/
Ehnes Plays Beethoven
Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Ward Stare, conductor
James Ehnes, violin
Program
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
RAVEL Valses nobles et sentimentales
STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
Admired for artistry that’s “effusively lyrical and hair-raisingly virtuosic” (The Guardian), Grammy-winning violinist James Ehnes is the perfect match for Beethoven’s sublime concerto, one of the most popular in the classical canon. Strauss’ nod to old-world Viennese waltz and Ravel’s waltz nouveau round out an evening of musical elegance.
Amy Grant with RPO
Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Amy Grant, vocalist
David Hamilton, guest conductor
The six-time Grammy Award winner with over 30 million albums sold worldwide graces the Eastman Theatre stage for the first time, performing #1 hits like "Baby Baby," "Better than A Hallelujah," "House of Love," "Every Heartbeat," and "Emmanuel" with the RPO.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: Film with Orchestra
Friday, January 6, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, New York
Vinay Parameswaran, guest conductor
The film that gave the world one of its greatest movie heroes, Indiana Jones, is back and better than ever before! Relive the magic on the big screen at Eastman Theatre with John Williams’ epic score performed live by the RPO!
Raiders of the Lost Ark licensed by Lucasfilm Ltd and Paramount Pictures. Motion Picture, Artwork, Photos © 1981 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2158
Zexun's 1st Recital at Stony Brook
Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Staller Center of Arts at Stony Brook University
3304 Staller Center, Stony Brook, New York
Zexun Shen, Cello
Matthieu Cognet, Piano
Program
Bach, Cello Suite No.6 in D Major, BWV 1012
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I & II
Gigue
Weinberg, Selections from 24 Preludes for Unaccompanied Cello, op. 100 (1968)
Prelude No. 1
Prelude No. 3
Prelude No. 5
Prelude No. 6
Prelude No. 13
Prelude No. 22
~ Intermission ~
Schumann, Adagio and Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Prokofiev, Cello Sonata in C Major. Op.119
I. Andante grave
II. Moderato
III. Allegro, ma non troppo
Mannes in Unison at Merkin Hall
Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street, New York
Program
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996)
from 24 Preludes for Unaccompanied Cello, op. 100 (1968)
Prelude No. 1
Prelude No. 3
Prelude No. 5
Prelude No. 6
Prelude No. 13
Prelude No. 22
Zexun Shen, Cello
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok, op. 127 (1967)
Adriana Velinova, Soprano
Guillaume Molko, Violin
Samuel DeCaprio, Cello
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
~ INTERMISSION ~
Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006)
Trio for Clarinet, Piano, and Violin (1949)
Espressivo
Dolce
Energico
Lucie Robert, violin
Charles Neidich, clarinet
Vladimir Feltsman, piano
Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)
Piano Trio (1985;1992)
Moderato
Adagio
Miranda Cuckson, violin
Jeffrey Zeigler, cello
Vladimir Feltsman, piano
Mannes in Unison at Merkin Hall
Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street, New York
Program
Alexander Skryabin (1872-1915)
Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, op. 30 (1903)
Andante
Prestissimo volando
Deux Danses, op. 73 (1914)
Guirlandes
Flammes sombres
Vers la flamme, poéme, op. 72 (1914)
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
Alexander Mosolov (1900-1973)
Two Nocturnes, op. 15 (1926)
Elegiaco, poco stentato
Adagio
Vladimir Feltsman, piano
Legenda, Op. 5 (1924)
Zexun Shen, Cello
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
~ INTERMISSION ~
Nikolai Roslavets (1881-1944)
Five Preludes (1919-22)
Andante affetuoso
Allegretto con moto
Lento
Lento
Lento, rubato
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
Tanez belych dew (Dance of White Maidens) for cello and piano (1912)
Zexun Shen, Cello
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
Sergei Protopopov (1893-1954)
Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 5 (1924)
Vladimir Feltsman, Piano
Higdon, Copland & Barber
Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester
Program
BARBER: 'Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance', Opus 23a
HIGDON: Percusion Concerto
COPLAND: Symphony No. 3
Higdon composed her Grammy-winning percussion concerto specifically for Colin Currie: who better to bring it to life than “the world’s finest percussionist” (The Spectator) himself? The concert fittingly concludes with what many have deemed the Great American Symphony, a masterwork in every sense of the word that includes the iconic Fanfare for the Common Man and culminates in a blaze of radiant glory.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2125/?cal=1
American Music: Stage and Screen
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 8:00 pm
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester
Program
WILLIAMS: For New York - "To Lenny! To Lenny!"
GERSHWIN: "I Got Rhythm", Variations for Piano and Orchestra
BERNSTEIN: Symphonic Suite from 'On the Waterfront' IVES: 'The Unanswered Question'
Music of John Adams—arguably America’s greatest living composer—summons the chaotic origins of mankind’s most destructive creation. It’s paired with a suite from Bernstein’s gritty and iconic film score for On the Waterfront. This program also highlights the cosmic soundscape of a true American maverick, Charles Ives.
Source:: http://www.rpo.org/p_2124/?cal=0
ZABUR
Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 2:00 pm
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Program
BENJAMIN BRITTEN Les Illuminations
MOHAMMED FAIROUZ Zabur
ARTISTS:
Indianapolis Symphonic Choir
Indianapolis Children’s Choir
Mimesis Ensemble
Thomas Cooley, Tenor
Michael Kelly, Baritone
Eric Stark, Conductor
Michael Davis, Chorusmaster
ORCHESTRA:
ABOUT ZABUR
Notes by Mohammed Fairouz (2015)
The premise for my latest oratorio, Zabur, is really very simple. A young poet, blogger and writer named Dawoūd (David) is stuck in a shelter with a group of men, women and children and also with his companion Jibreel (Gabriel) while the din of artillery surrounds them and their city. As a way of focusing his mind away from the unbearable sounds and endless grief Dawoūd takes to his writing. With parts of the city on generator power Dawoūd writes by candlelight but also has no way of sharing his writing with the world. The usual avenue of just publishing his words online is not available. The terror of daily life has become mundane. Dawoūd can only write music and poetry now: “songs of sorrow and sadness but also of praise and wonder”. The music and poetry cut to the core. They capture so immediately and acutely what the journalistic need to chronicle every last detail cannot seem to capture.
Not able to publish his creations online, Dawoūd is inspired to share them with the men, women and children of the shelter by his companion and muse Jibreel. Their voices rise in song.
Starting with this premise, Najla Saïd was able to construct a moving libretto that resurrects the legendary Middle Eastern figures of David and Gabriel into the contemporary Middle East. She humanizes Dawoūd and his psalms of sorrow, praise and wonder. The psalms are no longer relics but living human documents.
Zabur is the Arabic word for the Psalms and by setting the texts in Arabic we chose to return the Psalms to one of the original ancient languages of the Middle East.
Zabur is also a sort of war requiem. documents the tragedy of war and how war touches all human beings and, most notably, the children. The oratorio begins with a flash forward of the terrible outcry in the last moments of the people in the shelter as they meet a violent fate. But by the time that this premonition returns as the actual moment of destruction in Part II, they’ve been working and creating for some time so that when the bombs finally come and destroy the shelter, all the pages of their collective labor are left and a full final hymn has been created. Zabur ends with them all “rising up” to sing their last song together and Dawoūd’s eternal, resonating final lines. These lines allow the people to move beyond their confused, disastrous present and touch something timeless and eternal:
“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
your years go on through all generations.
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.
The children of your servants will live in your presence;
their descendants will be established before you.”