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SanDiegoSymphony

ABOUT THE CONCERT

Steve Hackman, conductor
Brooke Simpson, vocals
Rich Saunders, vocals
Khalil Overton, vocals
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Brahms X Radiohead is an epic symphonic synthesis of Radiohead’s album OK Computer and the First Symphony of Johannes Brahms, composed for full symphony orchestra and three solo vocalists. The piece offers a reimagined experience of each work by seeing it through the lens of the other, exploring the explosive tension and deep pathos they have in common. Brahms’ 19th-century orchestral sound palette is used throughout, but woven in, superimposed and inserted are the melodies and music of Radiohead. At times one hears the themes and lyrics of Radiohead suspended over Brahms’ symphony; at times the orchestra plays the music of Radiohead but filtered through the counterpoint and harmonies of Brahms. Every combination of synthesis is explored in conductor Steve Hackman’s recomposition, as the music moves from one to the other so seamlessly that many times the audience is left wondering which is which, and how the combination was even possible.

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ABOUT THE CONCERT

Matthias Pintscher, conductor
Alexi Kenney, violin
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

RAVEL: Suite (5 pièces enfantines) from Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose)
BARTÓK: Violin Concerto No. 2
RACHMANINOFF: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

Three 20th century masterpieces!

After he emigrated from Revolutionary Russia in 1918, Rachmaninoff, as one of the world’s most sought-after pianists, had little time for composing and completed only six pieces in a quarter of a century of exile. But that music is among his most beautiful and concentrated, and none more so than his elegiac final work, his Symphonic Dances, written when World War II was already underway, and the composer and his wife were living in New York City. Rachmaninoff, already sick with the lung cancer that was to kill him, spent time in a country retreat on Long Island, where the quiet and peacefulness inspired music combining intense nostalgia for an old world gone with the tremendous rhythmic energy and optimism that he so loved about America.

Conductor Matthias Pintscher begins the concert with the beautiful glittering colors of Ravel’s Mother Goose, originally conceived as a charming piano duet for adults and children to play together, and then later transformed into an orchestral ballet. Alexi Kenney makes his Symphony debut with his “soulful and stirring” (The Pittsburgh Post Gazette) interpretation of Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2, a work written in the composer’s very last years in Europe before, despairing of the triumph of fascism and violence on all sides, he and his second wife emigrated to the USA. Conceived on a symphonic scale, this music speaks of the darkness and tragedy of the time, but it is also saturated with Bartók’s lifelong love and deep knowledge of the folk music of Eastern Europe from which he drew not only musical ideas but a deep and optimistic belief in the power of ordinary people to survive suffering and oppression.

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Michael Feinstein in “Because of You”

ABOUT THE CONCERT

“My Tribute to Tony Bennett featuring the CARNEGIE HALL BIG BAND!”

Michael Feinstein brings to life Big Band Celebrations and the Tony Bennett legacy. Supported by the Carnegie Hall Big Band, Feinstein pays a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Tony Bennett, bringing his iconic songs to life in a symphony of sound.

The performance will feature hits such as “Because of You”, “Rags to Riches”, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, “The Best is Yet to Come”, “I Get a Kick Out of You”, “Stranger in Paradise” and many more. Feinstein’s dynamic interpretations, coupled with the grandeur of the big band, will create an unforgettable night that honors the legacy of Tony Bennett in all its glory.

Michael Feinstein’s close friendship with Tony Bennett adds a profound layer to this tribute, as their camaraderie brings authenticity and depth to each note performed. Not only does Feinstein’s masterful interpretation of Bennett’s timeless repertoire pay homage to an era of classic songwriting, but it also preserves the rich cultural heritage that these songs represent.

The show also brings to bear the history of Carnegie Hall, which has been connected to the big band for decades. Icons from across the 20th and 21st centuries have graced the stage of Carnegie Hall, from Benny Goodman to Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong to Ella Fitzgerald and from Frank Sinatra to, of course, Tony Bennett. The music-making of Feinstein and the Carnegie Hall Big Band continue this tradition, as this program brings the Hall’s history to life onstage.

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Symphony Kids: Meet the Winds

ABOUT THE CONCERT

They huff, they puff, and they blow all their air to make a sound! From birdsongs, to sneaky cats – you and your kiddos will experience the unique sounds that the flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and French horn make together.

Your family’s musical exploration starts here! San Diego Symphony musicians share their favorite sing-a-longs, rhymes, dances, and musical games in a series that introduces your youngest listeners to the instruments of the orchestra. 

Designed for families with children ages 0 – 5, these interactive, fun, and sensory-friendly concerts are 30 minutes.

Arrive early for pre-concert activities in the Jacobs Music Center lobby for fun crafts and musical exploration, free with ticket purchase. 

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Vänskä Conducts Sibelius and Beethoven

ABOUT THE CONCERT

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Paavali Jumppanen, piano
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

SIBELIUS: Tapiola, Op. 112
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op.73, Emperor
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82

Jean Sibelius once said of a summer sailing trip in the Baltic Sea: “If only foreigners could see the granite rocks emerging from the water here, they would understand why I write for orchestra as I do!”

Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä is a leading authority on the music of Jean Sibelius, having recorded all seven of the composer’s symphonies. On this program, he leads the Symphony first in Sibelius’ dark and brooding tone poem Tapiola. One of this composer’s final works before he ceased writing in the late 1920s, this music evoking Tapio, the forest spirit from ancient pre-Christian Finnish mythology, was written to a commission from the New York Philharmonic. Sibelius’s much loved Fifth Symphony was also inspired by the natural landscape of his home country, and especially by his intense response to the beautiful flight of whooper swans, returning in the spring to breed on the lakes and waters of Finland. Rounding out the program is Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto performed by Finnish pianist and Beethoven expert Paavali Jumppanen, praised for the “overflowing energy of his musicianship” by The New York Times.

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