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Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs all-Rachmaninoff program Feb. 25

February 03, 2020 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs all-Rachmaninoff program Feb. 25

By Zachary C. Person
Source: Marlan Carlson

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs an all-Rachmaninoff program at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

The concert features two works by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff: “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” Op. 43 for piano and orchestra featuring student soloist Christopher Yoon, and the Symphony No. 1 in D-minor, Op. 13.

The “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” Op. 43, composed in the summer of 1934, is one of only six works Rachmaninoff composed after fleeing Russia in 1917 as a result of the revolution in February of that year. At the time of its composition, Rachmaninoff had largely abandoned writing music in order to pursue his career as a virtuoso piano soloist in order to provide support and stability to his family after losing nearly everything as a result of their self-imposed exile from Russia.

His Op. 43 derives its main theme from the 24th and final caprice for solo violin by Niccolo Paganini. Over a span of 24 minutes, Rachmaninoff spins Paganini’s famous theme through 24 increasingly virtuosic variations in a variety of keys and tempi.

Rachmaninoff wrote his first symphony in 1895 at the youthful age of 22, a few short years after graduating from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. Despite his youth, Rachmaninoff was already one of the most respected musicians in Russia; his first piano concerto had already received its premiere while he was still a student, and Rachmaninoff had received a prestigious gold medal in composition upon graduation from the conservatory. The premiere of the symphony in 1897 was an unmitigated disaster; when Rachmaninoff later fled to the west, he left the score for his first symphony behind, and only acknowledge its existence by naming his next symphony as his second. Op. 43 remained unperformed and almost entirely unknown for decades, though following its American premiere in 1948 by the Philadelphia Orchestra it has since established itself as a work of importance worthy of inclusion in the standard symphonic repertory.

Tickets are $22 to $32 in advance or $25 to $35 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.cosusymphony.org. Up to three K-8 students accompanied by a ticketed adult, and all high school and college students with ID, may be given free general admission tickets at the door starting one hour prior to the concert, subject to availability.

Corvallis Arts for All discounts apply with a valid SNAP card and are available one hour prior to performance. For accommodations relating to a disability please call 541-286-5580, preferably one week in advance.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes the fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.

On-campus TV and radio studios: Oregon State University is equipped with on-campus television and radio studios that can be used by journalists. Live or live-to-tape broadcast television studio interviews can be conducted using Vyvx. Oregon State staff can also gather b-roll and coordinate live-to-tape interviews on locations throughout campus. For radio, Oregon State’s ISDN phone line provides a broadcast-quality audio feed.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

November 05, 2019 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release: November 5, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs works by Antonín Dvořák, Zoltán Kodály and Dmitri Shostakovich at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

Antonín Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture” Op. 92 opens the program. The rousing nine-minute work from 1891 forms the second in Dvořák’s trilogy of concert overtures inspired by the composer’s impressions of life, love and nature which embody the human experience.

Zoltán Kodály’s "Dance of Galanta," a four-part whirlwind of folk melodies and gypsy tunes, follows. Like his contemporary Béla Bartók, Kodály spent his lifetime collecting folk music melodies in the remote areas of Hungary, Transylvania and other areas of Eastern Europe. "This passion for the unblemished and authentic musical expressions of mostly illiterate people with no formal musical education eventually manifested itself in many of their compositions," says Maestro Carlson. "And like the food of this area, the music of these composers is both exhilarating and sensorially intoxicating."

The Tenth Symphony in E minor, Op. 93 by Dmitri Shostakovich closes the program. Shostakovich began composing the four-movement symphony shortly after the death of Josef Stalin in 1953, and the symphony forms a musical portrait of both Stalin as a person and Shostakovich’s experience of living under the Stalinist regime.

The symphony was premiered in 1953 by the Leningrad Philharmonic under the direction of Yevgeny Mravinsky to huge success, though the overall pessimistic tone of the work quickly attracted public scrutiny from the Soviet Composer’s Union as being an "optimistic tragedy” and “non-realistic.” Despite the criticism, Shostakovich, who was well accustomed to politically motivated ridicule of his works - and very adept at publicly apologizing for their content - did not offer to rewrite the symphony. His Op. 93 stands today as a mid-century masterwork and an astute if somewhat less than overt political statement summing up in a mere 53 minutes Shostakovich’s experiences during decades of Stalinism.

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Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” Oct. 20

October 03, 2019 in Piano, Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 3, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” Oct. 20

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents the third annual “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” on Sunday, October 19 from 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

The free, family-friendly event is dedicated to bringing together classical and folk traditions of Latin America. This year’s theme is “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), and attendees are invited and encourage to dress in traditional clothing.

Pianists William Villaverde and Fabiana Claure are the featured performers. The husband-wife duo, who are from Cuba and Bolivia respectively, present “A Piano Journey Through Latin America” featuring works such as Bolivian “Cuecas”, Brazilian tangos, classical and jazz-inspired Cuban music, and a four-hand piano arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s “Tango Suite.”

Local youth musicians Amaia Arismendi (piano), Isaac Heredia (piano), Kai Frueh (piano), Ben Frueh (violin), Elsa Moreno (voice) and Jesus Moreno (guitar) will also present a performance during the festival.

The complete festival schedule of events includes:

· 2:00-5:00 p.m. – Corvallis Arts Center Activities (Dia de los Muertos) (Giustina Gallery)

· 2:00-2:30 p.m. – Dancing Workshop (Giustina Gallery)

· 2:30-3:15 p.m. – Local young musicians perform (Austin Auditorium)

· 4:00-5:00 p.m. – Claure and Villaverde piano duo performs (Austin Auditorium)

· 5:00-5:30 p.m. – Pan dulce and champurrado refreshments (Giustina Gallery)

“Noche de Latinoamericana” is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. To request accommodations relating to a disability please call (541) 758-0036, preferably at least one week in advance.

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About Corvallis-OSU Piano International: Corvallis-OSU Piano International furthers the appreciation and celebration of piano music and performance in our community by providing high-quality performances, outreach opportunities and educational programs. COPI presents the Steinway Piano Series, an annual concert series featuring world-class performers. Children’s concerts, master classes, lectures and a jazz series also serve as part of a mission to bring people together in a culture of piano through performance, education and advocacy.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society hosts Portland Youth Philharmonic Oct. 27

October 01, 2019 in Orchestra

Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society hosts Portland Youth Philharmonic Oct. 27

Story by: Zachary Person
Source: Josh Espinoza

CORVALIS, Ore. – The Portland Youth Philharmonic hosted by the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society performs at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, October 27 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street.

Portland Youth Philharmonic music director David Hattner leads the orchestra in three works: George Gershwin’s jazz-inspired Piano Concerto in F (1925) featuring 14-year-old Joshua Ji, winter of the 2019 Portland Piano International / SOLO Piano Competition; Amy Beach’s “Gaelic Symphony” (1894); and “Batuque” (1941) by Brazilian composer Oscar Lorenzo Fernández.

Following the immense success of his “Rhapsody in Blue” in 1924, George Gershwin (1898-1937) received a commission from Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony that resulted in his popular three movement piano concerto. Unlike any composer before or since, Gershwin transcended the boundaries between jazz and classical music with his catalog of jazzy, blues-inflected works.

The “Gaelic Symphony” by Amy Beach (1867-1944) was the first symphony composed and published by an American woman. Despite her lack of European musical training, Beach was a highly regarded composer during the late-19thand early-20th centuries. In addition to her well-known compositions, Beach was an acclaimed piano soloist (frequently performing her own music) and also served as president of the board at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music.

Brazilian composer Oscar Lorenzo Fernández (1897-1948) was primarily known for his three-act opera “Malazarte.” “Batuque,” the third movement from a popular suite for orchestra extracted from the opera, is based on an Afro-Brazilian folk dance brilliantly adapted for symphony orchestra.

Tickets $5, all seating general admission. Advance tickets available at cosusymphony.org or at the box office beginning one hour prior to the performance. Accommodations relating to a disability may be made by calling 541-286-5580, preferably at least one week in advance.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony opens season with Mozart, Bruckner October 6

September 19, 2019 in Orchestra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Symphony opens season with Mozart, Bruckner October 6

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Marlan Carlson opens the 2019-2020 season at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 6 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

The program include three works from the classical and romantic eras: W.A. Mozart’s Overture to “Don Giovanni” K.527 and Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds K.297b, and Anton Bruckner’s “Te Deum” for orchestra, choir and vocal soloists.

Mozart’s popular Overture to “Don Giovanni” K.527 opens the program. “The ominous chords at the very beginning,” says Maestro Carlson “show that though this dramma giocoso may include many humorous moments, it is not going to end well for Signor Giovanni. The Overture to Mozart’s masterpiece captures the essence of the opera from the very first note.”

The Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds K.297b by Mozart follows. The 28-minute work in three movements features OSU music faculty members Carol Robe (clarinet), Ann Kosanovic-Brown (bassoon), Lawrence Johnson (horn), and retired faculty member Fred Korman (oboe) as soloists.

Anton Bruckner’s “Te Deum” in C Major, WAB 45, conducted by OSU director of choral studies Dr. Steven Zielke, comprises the second half of the concert. The performance features guest choirs from Corvallis High School, Crescent Valley High School, South Albany High School and West Albany High School. Current OSU music students Grace Dawald, Naomi Bennett, Jacob Hungerford and Tyson Zagelow perform as soloists.

The five-movement, 25-minute work was one of Bruckner’s few successes during his lifetime. Originally sketched in 1881, “Te Deum” is one of only two mature sacred works by the deeply religious composer. Unlike his symphonies, this work was an immediate success and received tens of performances during the final decade of his life. Curiously to the modern audience to whom Bruckner’s music has become a staple of the repertoire, the 50 gulden that Bruckner earned from the publication of “Te Deum” was the only money he earned as a composer.

The Corvallis-OSU Symphony season continues on Sunday, November 24 with works by Shostakovich and Kodály.

Tickets $22-32 advance, $25-35 door. Advance tickets available online at www.cosusymphony.org. Up to three K-8 students accompanied by a ticketed adult, and all high school and college students with ID, may be given free general admission tickets at the door starting one hour prior to the concert, subject to availability. CAFA discounts apply with valid SNAP card, available one hour prior to performance at the LaSells Stewart Center. For accommodations relating to a disability please call 541-286-5580, preferably one week in advance.

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Steinway Piano Series presents virtuoso pianist Yeol Eum Son April 14

March 22, 2019 in Chamber Music, Piano

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 22 March 2019

Steinway Piano Series presents virtuoso pianist Yeol Eum Son April 14

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Pianist Yeol Eum Son performs at Oregon State University as part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

Corvallis-OSU Piano International will also host a masterclass and opportunity to meet Son from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 in Community Hall room 303, 1650 SW Pioneer Place.

Son is a prizewinner at the Tchaikovsky and Van Cliburn international piano competitions. She is known for thrilling performances of a wide range of concert repertoire, and is an in-demand performer worldwide. Notable solo engagements have included performances with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Dresden Philharmonic; Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; the Orchestre Philharmonique du Radio France, and many others. Son has performed solo recitals at many of the most important concert venues in the world, including Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall in London, Berlin’s Philharmonie and the Seoul Arts Centre in her native South Korea.

Her Corvallis recital program includes two popular sets of romantic-era preludes: Frederic Chopin’s Op. 28 and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Op. 32.

Chopin’s Op. 28 is a cycle of 24 preludes for solo piano, one each in all 24 major and minor keys. The set of short pieces - none is longer than 90 measures - vary widely in musical content, and are not related thematically as a set. The preludes were composed from 1835-1839. Though Chopin, an acclaimed virtuoso pianist, never performed Op. 28 in its entirety at a single performance, his 24 preludes have since become a cornerstone of the solo piano repertoire.

Rachmaninoff’s Op. 32 is a set of 13 preludes for solo piano written in 1910. Op. 32 was written as a complement to the 11 preludes previously composed by Rachmaninoff, and completed his set of 24 preludes for piano in all major and minor keys.

Tickets $25 in advance, $28 door. Advance tickets are available online at corvallispiano.org or locally at Grass Roots Books & Music. Youth ages 8-18 and all college students with valid ID admitted free. CAFA discounts apply, valid for purchase of up to two $5 tickets at The LaSells Stewart Center starting one hour prior to the concert with SNAP card. Accommodations relating to a disability may be made by calling 541-758-0036, preferably at least one week in advance.

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Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring Feb. 24

February 07, 2019 in Orchestra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7 February 2019

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring Feb. 24

By Zachary C. Person, 541-737-4671, zachary.person@oregonstate.edu

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Marlan Carlson presents “Stars of the Orchestra” at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 24 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

Student soloists from OSU who were selected at a competitive audition in October, 2018 are featured in in the opening half:

· Hailey Cervantes: “Con Forza” from Concerto for Percussion by Joseph Schwantner

· Christopher Yoon: “Adagio-Moderato” from Concerto for Cello by Edward Elgar

· Adrian Galash and Ralph Musni: “Allegro” from Concerto for Two Clarinets by Franz Krommer

· Bettine Rehr-Zimmerman: Selections from “Carmen Fantasy” for violin and orchestra by Pablo de Sarasate

· Eric Russell: “Allegro” from Concerto for Horn by Gordon Jacob

· Andrew Yoon: “Rhapsody in Blue” for piano by George Gershwin

Oboists Robert Koll, Stephanie Brannan and Janie Anderson, and horn players Eric Russell and Luke Schroeder will also be featured in the first movement of J.S. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 1,” conducted by OSU music education student Rolly Toribio.

Igor Stravinsky’s landmark “Rite of Spring” is the major work on the program. The ballet score induced a riot at its inaugural performance at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in 1913, shocking the audience with a highly complex rhythmic scheme and an audacious approach to tonality. The entire ensemble is showcased in the “Rite of Spring” through Stravinsky’s virtuosic solo writing, brilliant passagework and genius command of orchestration and thematic development.

In the words of Maestro Marlan Carlson, “this is a concert I’ve been dreaming about for years - a concert featuring many of our outstanding student instrumentalists as soloists combined with the 20th century’s all-time star composition for orchestra, the ‘Rite of Spring’ by Igor Stravinsky. No other work composed in the last 120 years can touch the Rite of Spring (1913) in terms of its creative brilliance and its impact on the course of music history. I’ve known this piece for many decades, performed it many times, and in fact had the opportunity to play it as acting principal viola in the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Bernstein.”

Reserved seating $22, $27, $32. Advance tickets available online at www.cosusymphony.org. Up to three K-8 students accompanied by a ticketed adult, and all high school and college students with ID, may be given free general admission tickets at the door starting one hour prior to the concert, subject to availability. CAFA discounts apply with valid SNAP card, available one hour prior to performance at the LaSells Stewart Center. For accommodations relating to a disability please call 541-286-5580, preferably one week in advance.

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Pianist Alpin Hong presents ‘Masters of Metamorphosis’ lecture-concert March 1

February 01, 2019 in Piano, Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pianist Alpin Hong presents ‘Masters of Metamorphosis’ lecture-concert March 1

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Pianist Alpin Hong presents “Masters of Metamorphosis” as part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International Insights at the Piano series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 1 at First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St, Corvallis.

The program features several theme and variation sets, including “Desperate Measures” by Robert Muczynski and Modest Mussorgsky’s well-known “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

Hong is a sought-after musician known for his powerful performances and engaging style. Equally at home in a variety of contexts, he has performed in recital at New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, as soloist with symphony orchestras throughout the country, and has collaborated with rock bands in an effort to redefine the modern classical concert experience.

He brings a rare combination of world-class piano technique, an audience-engaging presence, and a background in extreme sports, martial arts and video games to the concert stage. In addition to his concert activities, Hong has presented a TEDx talk titled “Transform Yourself Into a Performer” and is regularly featured as a keynote speaker for philanthropic and educational events across the United States.

Hong will also perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” on Saturday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m. at the Corvallis-Benton County Library as part of the “People and Pianos Day” hosted by Corvallis-OSU Piano International. The event is free and open to the public.

Tickets $10 in advance, $15 door. Advance tickets are available online at corvallispiano.org or locally at Grass Roots Books & Music. Youth ages 8-18 and all college students with valid ID admitted free. CAFA discounts apply, valid for purchase of up to two $5 tickets at The LaSells Stewart Center starting one hour prior to the concert with SNAP card. Accommodations relating to a disability may be made by calling 541-758-0036, preferably at least one week in advance.

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COPI Steinway Piano Series presents MacArthur Foundation ‘Genius Grant’ recipient Jeremy Denk Jan. 13

December 18, 2018 in Chamber Music, Piano

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 18 December 2018

COPI Steinway Piano Series presents MacArthur Foundation ‘Genius Grant’ recipient Jeremy Denk Jan. 13

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Pianist Jeremy Denk performs at Oregon State University as part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 13 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

Denk is one of the foremost American pianists on today’s concert scene. He was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (a.k.a. the “Genius Grant”) in 2013, an Avery Fisher Career Prize in 2014 and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016. He is a graduate of Oberlin College, Indiana University and the Juilliard School.

During recent concert seasons Denk has performed as a soloist across North America with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra. International solo engagements have included soloist engagements with the Helsinki Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the City of Birmingham Symphony and many others.

Ludwig v. Beethoven’s “Five Variations on ‘Rule Brittania’ in D Major” opens the concert. Though well known today, the “Rule Brittania” theme was much more obscure in the early 19th century. Beethoven’s curiosity about British culture also spurred the composition of his earlier “Variations on God Save the King” for piano and “Wellington’s Victory, Op. 91” for orchestra a decade later.

“I Still Play” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams follows. The inclusion of the five-minute piece is a clever nod towards Denk’s now-famous recording of J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” on Nonesuch Records. The work was written in celebration of Nonesuch president Bob Hurwitz upon his retirement. Hurwitz is a trained pianist who “still plays” and Adams set a series of short variations on a harmonic progression that acknowledges both Hurwitz’s love of the “Goldberg Variations” and the triumph of Denk’s recording under his watch at Nonesuch.

Two more variation-oriented works follow: Georges Bizet’s “Variations chromatiques” and Felix Mendelssohn’s “Variations sérieuses,” Op. 54. Both works were inspired by Beethoven: Bizet’s variations are a homage to his love of Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C minor; the Mendelssohn was composed as part of a campaign raising funds for a commission of a statue honoring Beethoven in his hometown of Bonn, Germany.

Franz Liszt’s transcription of Beethoven’s “An die ferne Geliebte (To the distant beloved)” and Ralph Schumann’s “Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17” close the program. The Schumann is based on a theme from “An die ferne Geliebte” and like Mendelssohn’s Op. 54 was composed as part of the campaign raising funds for the statue honoring Beethoven.

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Corvallis-OSU Symphony, violin soloist Jessica Lambert celebrate Bernstein Centenary Nov. 18

November 02, 2018 in Orchestra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2 November 2018

Corvallis-OSU Symphony, violin soloist Jessica Lambert celebrate Bernstein Centenary Nov. 18

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Marlan Carlson presents its season opening concert “Bernstein 100” at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 18.

The concert will be held in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

Arthur Honegger’s programmatic “Pacific 231” (1923) opens the program. The widely performed work vividly evokes a steam locomotive gathering terrifying speed and wildly racing down the tracks before the relentless machine finally grinds to a noisy, exhausted halt.

Violinist Jessica Lambert, concertmaster of orchestra since 2007, joins as soloist for Leonard Bernstein’s infrequently performed “Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium).” While not strictly programmatic, the 1954 composition is based on Bernstein’s interpretation of Plato’s famed dialogue “The Symposium.” Bernstein explained that “the music, like the dialogue, is a series of related statements in praise of love, and generally follows the Platonic form through the succession of speakers at the banquet.” Each of the five movements draws its focus from characters in the dialogue: I. Phaedrus; Pausanias; II. Aristophanes; III. Eryximachus; IV. Agathon; V. Socrates.

Lambert is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Zvi Zeitlin and members of the Cleveland String Quartet. She is artistic director of the Oregon State University Chamber Music Workshop and maintains a large private studio in Corvallis. Previous professional engagements include the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, the El Paso Symphony and the El Paso Pro Musica.

Carl Nielsen’s Fifth Symphony, Op. 50 (1922) comprises the entire second half of the program. Unusually, the symphony eschews the traditional symphonic form and is written in only two lengthy and highly contrasting movements. The inclusion of Nielsen’s work celebrates Leonard Bernstein’s conducting legacy and influence on modern concert programming. Bernstein was long a champion of works by Carl Nielsen, Jean Sibelius and other (at the time) ‘neglected’ composers including Gustav Mahler, and his profound impact as an interpreter and conductor of works by lesser-known composers forms one of the most important and lasting parts of his tremendous legacy.

The Corvallis-OSU Symphony will continue its exploration of Leonard Bernstein’s legacy throughout the remainder of the 2018-2019 season. On November 30, the orchestra will be joined by the OSU Chamber Choir for a performance of Bernstein’s charming “Chichester Psalms.” In February, Maestro Carlson will lead the ensemble in a performance of Igor Stravinsky’s savage “Rite of Spring” and in May, the orchestra will perform Gustav Mahler’s heart wrenching ninth and final symphony. The Stravinsky and Mahler works were at the core of Bernstein’s conducting repertoire and his interpretation and approach of both masterpieces have long stood the test of time.

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COPI Steinway Piano Series presents Lukáš Vondráček Nov. 4 at Stewart Center

October 15, 2018 in Piano, Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 15 October 2018

COPI Steinway Piano Series presents Lukáš Vondráček Nov. 4 at Stewart Center

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Pianist Lukáš Vondráček performs at Oregon State University as part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 4 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis.

Following his first place prize at the 2016 International Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition, the Czech-born Vondráček has emerged as one of the most sought after performers of his generation. During the 2018-2019 season, notable solo engagements include the Pittsburgh Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony, and the Orquestra Sinfônica de São Paulo. Recital dates include the Vancouver Chopin Society, Deutschlandfunk Cologne, the Flagey in Brussels, and many others.

Past seasons have seen him perform as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the national orchestra of Belgium. Solo recitals have included dates at the most important venues in the world, including Wigmore Hall in London, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Other international awards include the top prizes at the Hilton Head, San Marino and Unisa International Piano Competitions, and the Raymond E. Buck Jury Discretionary Award at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 2009.

Vondráček’s program includes works by three Czech composers: Vítêzslav Novák’s “Memories, Op. 6”; Josef Suk’s “Love Song, Op. 7, No. 1”; and four selections from Bedřich Smetana’s second book of Czech dances. Two works by the German romantic composer Robert Schumann, “Arabesque in C Major, Op. 18” and “Carnaval, Op. 9,” close the recital.

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