In the company of genius
Star-BulletinThe Honolulu Symphony begins a four-week, four-concert festival this weekend at the Blaisdell Concert Hall celebrating "The Genius of Beethoven."
The concerts feature the return engagement of pianist Gustavo Romero, world-renowned violinist Joseph Silverstein, Honolulu Symphony Concert Master Iggy Jang, and a rare United States appearance by pianist John O'Connor.
The series starts tomorrow and Saturday with Romero, who played a sold-out engagement with the symphony last fall, highlighted by Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto, also known as the theme from the film "Shine."
Guest conductor Will Kesling, director of the Northern Utah Choral Society, will conduct Romero and the orchestra, as well as choruses from the Kaysville/Fruit Heights Community College, Leeward Community College, Salt Lake Community College and Treasure Valley Community College, in a program featuring the "Choral Fantasy" for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 80.
One of Beethoven's few sacred compositions, "Mass in C," Op. 86, as well as Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 98, complete the program.
The second concert in the series, April 26 and 28, features guest conductor and violinist Joseph Silverstein, former Concert Master of the Boston Symphony and outgoing Music Director of the Utah Symphony in Salt Lake City. Silverstein will both conduct and perform the Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, as well as conduct Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastorale."
The two works are from Beethoven's "Middle Period," acclaimed as the composer's most prolific, and inc ludes the majority of his most famous works. "Pastorale" draws its inspirational musical themes from summer sojourns in the country.
That piece will be followed by Beethoven's only violin concerto, the benchmark for which all other violin concertos have been measured.
The solo debut of symphony concert master Ignace "Iggy" Jang takes center stage May 3 and 5, when maestro Samuel Wong conducts "Beethoven and Strauss." The concert includes Beethoven's Romance, Strauss' "Metamorphosen," Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, and "Eroica."
Completing the series May 10 and 12, pianist John O'Connor performs Beethoven's "Emperor." Conductor Wong conducts the finale, featuring two of Beethoven's most popular compositions, "Egmont Overture," Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73, and Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67.
Genius of Beethoven
Honolulu Symphony presents a four-concert series:
Debut concert: Tomorrow and Saturday, pianist Gustavo Romero
