October 12, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 12, 2015
For more information, contact:
Rachel Dellinger, KSO Director of Communications
Direct: 865-521-2317 Cell: 865-660-3037
[email protected]
In two weeks, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will continue its Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series with Maestro Marcelo Lehninger, KSO Music Director Candidate, as he conducts the Orchestra in Respighi’s Pines of Rome. The concert will take place on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre. These performances are sponsored by UT Federal Credit Union and Harper Auto Square.
Throughout the KSO’s 2015-16 season, six candidates will audition for the position of the next KSO Music Director. Each candidate will conduct a pair of Masterworks concerts, held monthly at the Tennessee Theatre. Read more about the KSO Music Director Search here.
Maestro Marcelo Lehninger
The flourishing musical selections on this program include Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1, two preludes by French composer Claude Debussy, and Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a symphonic poem written by the Italian composer in 1924. Pines of Rome consists of four movements, each depicting pine trees located in different areas in the city of Rome at different times of the day. Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz will be featured on Ravel’s Tzigane, a piece for violin and orchestra which imitates the romantic style of violin showmanship.
“I recently fell in love with Shostakovich’s 1st Symphony while assisting Maestro Mariss Jansons during the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s European tour,” said Maestro Marcelo Lehninger. “I found it fascinating that Shostakovich composed it at such young age (he was 19 years old). I also like to break the formal “overture+concerto+symphony” program format sometimes, and thought the Shostakovich Symphony would be great on the first half. For the second half of the program, we are featuring your wonderful concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz as soloist, and I wanted to program pieces that are more entertaining, ending the program with Pines of Rome, which is a great, beautiful and inspiring piece, that ends the program in a very uplifting way.”
Brazilian-born conductor Maestro Marcelo Lehninger recently concluded his tenure as associate conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and in 2014 won the League of American Orchestras’ prestigious Helen M. Thompson Award for his work as music director of the New West Symphony in Los Angeles. His late substitution with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for an ailing Pierre Boulez and appearance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, generated critical acclaim.
Violinist Gabriel Lefkowitz, currently in his fifth year as KSO Concertmaster, will be the featured soloist on several KSO concerts this season. In addition to many violin and conducting engagements, Gabriel also composes scores for films and video games. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University where he graduated magna cum laude and a Masters in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School where he studied with Joel Smirnoff and Masao Kawasaki.
Patrons can attend pre-concert chats at 6:30 p.m. in the concert hall before each performance. Guest performers will offer their personal perspective and audience members will have a chance for Q&A with the artists. This is a unique get-to-know-you opportunity!
Tickets may be purchased by calling 865-291-3310 or visiting our website. Single tickets range from $15.00 – $85.00. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets at a discounted rate by calling 865-521-2337.
About the KSO
Established in 1935, the KSO has contributed to the cultural life in East Tennessee continuously for 80 years, providing excellence in musical and educational programs. The Orchestra consists of 80 professional musicians and performs 250 programs throughout the region each season, reaching audiences of more than 200,000 people. The KSO performs in traditional venues such as the Tennessee Theatre, Bijou Theatre and the Civic Auditorium as well as non-traditional places like hospitals, schools, city parks and churches. The KSO is currently undergoing the search for a new Music Director, to be announced in 2016. For more information please visit www.knoxvillesymphony.com.
