UK Symphony Orchestra Enjoying its 91st Season
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 1, 2009) − With two successful local public concerts and one outreach event in Ashland already behind them, the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of John Nardolillo, has an ambitious schedule for its 2009-2010 season and a concert featuring the UK School of Music Concerto Competition winners just around the corner on Dec. 3.
UK Symphony Orchestra's season of concerts at the Singletary Center for the Arts opened in September with a concert featuring acclaimed soprano Cynthia Lawrence, the new Endowed Chair of Music at the UK School of Music, and a concert with world-renowned fiddler Mark O'Connor in October. Additionally, the orchestra traveled with O'Connor to Ashland, Ky., for a well-received concert at the Paramount Arts Center.
Next up for the orchestra is a concert featuring Gustav Mahler's Symphony #1, "Titan," and the UK School of Music's Concerto Competition winners, Tamara Bustamante and Michael Lawton. Pianist Bustamante will play a piece by Franz Liszt with the orchestra. Lawton, a clarinet player, will perform with the orchestra a piece by Claude Debussy. In addition, the concert will also feature an original piece written for the UK Symphony Orchestra by UK graduate fellow, Lorne Dechtenberg. This concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held Dec. 3.
One major highlight still to come will be the orchestra's performance with celebrated violinist Sarah Chang in February 2009, for a concert that is also part of the Singletary Signature Series. This concert, featuring Max Bruch's Concerto No. 1 and Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," will be Feb. 20. Tickets for this concert range from $25 to $32. To see video of Chang performing, check out the musician's Web site at http://sarahchang.com/video.
The orchestra's final performance at Singletary Center for the 2009-2010 season is part of the UK School of Music Annual Scholarship Benefit Concert. The concert of Hector Berlioz's "The Requiem" ("Grande Messe des Morts") showcases the talents of not only the orchestra, but also the UK Choirs. This concert will be held April 23. Tickets range from $5 to $20.
Additionally, fans can hear the UK Symphony Orchestra as they accompany UK Opera Theatre in their productions or at concerts scheduled at other state venues. The orchestra will join UK Opera Theatre for "Die Fledermaus," by Johann Strauss, March 11-13, at the Lexington Opera House. Other opportunities to hear the acclaimed UK Symphony Orchestra include concerts in Maysville, on March 26, and another at Keeneland's spring meet, on April 9.
Since Nardolillo took the conductor's podium of the UK Symphony Orchestra, it has enjoyed great success racking up recording credits, performing on prestigious stages at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and sharing the stage with such acclaimed international artists as Arlo Guthrie, Lynn Harrell and Gil Shaham. Among its recording credits are: "In Times Like These," recorded live with Guthrie in March 2006 at the Singletary Center for the Arts; the premiere cast recording of Thomas Pasatieri's "The Hotel Casablanca" with UK Opera Theatre; "Music of the Horse," a collection of equestrian-inspired music sponsored by UK School of Music and the Keeneland Foundation; and most recently a critically acclaimed recording of composer George Frederick McKay's "Epoch: An American Dance Symphony" with UK Women's Choir.
For more information on UK Symphony Orchestra's 2009-2010 season, visit the orchestra's Web site at http://www.uky.edu/FineArts/Music/ensembles/orchestra/.