Itzhak Perlman Joins UK Orchestra at Singletary
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 4, 2011) — As the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra begins to wrap up a season that included the opening ceremonies of the World Equestrian Games and sharing the stage with celebrated composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch and folk icon Arlo Guthrie, the student musicians will share the stage yet again with another music luminary.
World-famous violinist Itzhak Perlman will join the university's orchestra, conducted by John Nardolillo, in a sold out performance this Saturday, March 5, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.
The program for the evening's concert will include Ludwig van Beethoven's overture to the "Creatures of Prometheus," Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, and Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2.
Watch the video below to see UK students and faculty talk about the opportunity to play with the music legend.
To view a transcript of the video, click the attachment below the photo viewer. Video by Kody Kiser and Amy Jones/UK Public Relations.
Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. In 2009, Perlman was honored to take part in the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. President Reagan awarded him a Medal of Liberty in 1986, and President Clinton presented him the National Medal of Arts in December 2000. In 2003, he was a Kennedy Center Honoree. In 2007, he performed at the state dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip hosted by President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush at the White House.
Last fall, Perlman travelled to Chile and Brazil for both orchestral and recital performances, and to six cities in Japan and South Korea with pianist Rohan De Silva. That same fall he joined the New York Philharmonic for their opening subscription week under Music Director Alan Gilbert. Other highlights include performances with the Toronto Symphony at Carnegie Hall, and with the Chicago Symphony to benefit the Rotary Foundation's End Polio Now campaign. Perlman also appears several times a year with students and alumni from the Perlman Music Program in New York, Washington, D.C., and Princeton.
Perlman performs as a conductor with leading orchestras; this season marks his third as artistic director of the Westchester Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, he previously was a music advisor of the St. Louis Symphony from 2002 to 2004, and principal guest conductor of the Detroit Symphony from 2001 to 2005.
A classical icon, Perlman devotes considerable time to education, both in his participation each summer in the Perlman Music Program and his teaching at the Juilliard School, where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair. He is the recipient of four Emmy Awards and 15 Grammy awards. Perlman was awarded an honorary doctorate and a centennial medal on the occasion of Juilliard's 100th commencement ceremony in 2005.
Since John Nardolillo took the conductor's podium of the UK Symphony Orchestra, it has enjoyed great success racking up recording credits and sharing the stage with such acclaimed international artists as Lynn Harrell, Gil Shaham, Mark O'Connor, Sarah Chang and Marvin Hamlisch. The orchestra will perform with the Boston Pops in October 2011.
UK Symphony Orchestra's recording credits include: 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 more recently a critically acclaimed recording of composer George Frederick McKay's "Epoch: An American Dance Symphony" with the UK Women's Choir. UK Symphony Orchestra is one of a very select group of university orchestras under contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical recording label. The UK Symphony Orchestra is housed at UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-1754 ext. 229, Whitney.Hale@uky.edu