| Tickets | Support | Education & Community | Get Involved | About Us | Press | E-Updates |
In The News
RICHMOND SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES 2010-11 SEASON
4/1/2010
RICHMOND SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES
2010-11 SEASON
-Music Director Steven Smith’s Inaugural Season
- 40th Anniversary of the Richmond Symphony Chorus
- Altria Masterworks bookended by two popular Beethoven compositions: his Ninth Symphony in
September and Missa Solemnis in May
- Cirque de la Symphonie as part of Genworth Financial Symphony Pops Series
- Sophomore season of LolliPops Family Series
- International classical music superstar Evelyn Glennie in April
- Online subscription option now available
Richmond, VA – April 1, 2010 - The Richmond Symphony announced this week its 2010-11, 53rd Season. Coming off of its celebratory homecoming season downtown at the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage, this season the Symphony welcomes the arrival of its new Music Director, Steven Smith, who was appointed in early March. The Symphony also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Richmond Symphony Chorus, founded by James Erb. Offerings in 2010-11 all take place in the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage and include the organization’s signature Altria Masterworks Series, the entertaining Genworth Financial Symphony POPS, the educational and family-friendly LolliPops series, the annual presentation of Messiah and this year’s one-night only special ticketed event with Evelyn Glennie.
Request a 2010-2011 season brochure through the Symphony Patron Services Hotline at (804) 788-1212. Subscriptions available to the public on May 3. NEW THIS YEAR: Subscribe online at www.richmondsymhony.com. Single tickets will go on sale August 30, 2010.
High resolution photos for the 2010-11 season can be obtained by visiting the media room at http://www.richmondsymphony.com/media_room.asp.
RICHMOND SYMPHONY 2009-10 SEASON
ALTRIA MASTERWORKS
Altria Masterworks, celebrated as the series for the “classical music explorer,” will fill the Carpenter Theatre again with repertoire both renowned and newly-commissioned, with recently-appointed Music Director Steven Smith conducting six of the eight programs. Highlights include the season premiere featuring Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and a new composition by Richmond native Mason Bates. Richmond Symphony musicians Neal Cary, cello, and Karen Johnson, violin, are each featured on Masterworks concerts in November and April respectively, and the piano concerto continues as a Carpenter Theatre mainstay with pianist Dmitri Shteinberg performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in October and Awadagin Pratt performing Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in February. The Masterworks season closes with Erin R. Freeman conducting the orchestra and chorus in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis—the first work ever performed by the Richmond Symphony Chorus in 1971 under founder James Erb.
Carpenter Theatre
Saturday evenings at 8 pm
Sunday matinees at 3 pm
Season Premiere!
2010-11 Rennolds Memorial Concert
Beethoven’s Ninth
Sept 25 & 26
Steven Smith, Conductor
Mary Dunleavy, Soprano
Christin Marie Hill, Mezzo-Soprano
Tracey Welborn, Tenor
Kevin Deas, Bass
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Mason Bates Fanfare Commission
Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music
Mason Bates Ode
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Sponsored by Covington International Travel
Rachmaninoff & Stravinsky
Oct 16 & 17
Steven Smith, Conductor
Dmitri Shteinberg, Piano
2010-11 Florence Robertson Givens Guest Artist
Dukas La Péri: Fanfare
Debussy/Ravel Sarabande
Debussy/Ravel Danse
Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Jefferson, In His Own Words
Nov 13 & 14
Steven Smith, Conductor
Neal Cary, Cello
Thomas P. Bryan, Jr. Soloist
Copland Fanfare for the Common Man
Judith Shatin Jefferson, In His Own Words
Made possible through the John Powell Fund
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 2
Dvořák Symphony No. 6
An Evening at the Opera
Jan 15 & 16
Steven Smith, Conductor
Kelly Nassief, Soprano
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Ravel Schéhérazade
Opera Choruses, Favorite Arias and Orchestral Moments
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Feb 5 & 6
Victor Yampolsky, Guest Conductor
Adawagin Pratt, Piano
Weber Euryanthe Overture
Schumann Symphony No. 1 “Spring”
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6
Mar 5 & 6
Steven Smith, Conductor
Tom Hooten, Trumpet
Roumain Sphinx Commission (Commissioned by Richmond
Symphony as part of the Sphinx Commissioning
Consortium)
Tomasi Trumpet Concerto
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 Pathétique
Johnson Plays Bartók
Apr 30 & May 1
Steven Smith, Conductor
Karen Johnson, Violin
Barber School for Scandal
Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2
Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
May 21 & 22
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Lori Hultgren, Soprano
Marietta Simpson, Mezzo Soprano
John McVeigh, Tenor
Michael Dean, Bass
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Beethoven Missa Solemnis
GENWORTH FINANCIAL SYMPHONY POPS SERIES
Ideal for the adventurous music and entertainment lover, the Genworth Financial Symphony Pops series offers the highly-anticipated production of Cirque de la Symphonie in October, Richmond’s popular holiday tradition Let it Snow! in December, timeless grooves in The Contours 50 Years of Motown in January, and memorable themes from classic spy films in The Music of James Bond.
Carpenter Theatre
Saturday evenings at 8 pm
(additional matinee performance of Let It Snow is offered on December 5 at
3 pm)
Cirque de la Symphonie
Oct 9
Steven Smith, Conductor
Treat your ears and eyes to an astonishing evening of entertainment as the magic of cirque meets the masterful music of the Richmond Symphony. This highly-anticipated production features cirque aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen performing live to the orchestra.
Let it Snow!
Dec 4 (8pm) & Dec 5 (3pm)
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Richmond’s holiday tradition is back like never before! Celebrate the season with great holiday music alongside friends and loved ones.
The Contours 50 Years of Motown
Jan 22
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
The Contours perform with the Richmond Symphony under the leadership of original member Sylvester Potts. Their hit “Do You Love Me” was featured in the film “Dirty Dancing.” Packing with dazzling choreography, impeccable harmonies and timeless Motown grooves, it’ll be an evening to remember.
The Music of James Bond
Mar 12
Carl Davis, Conductor
You’ll be both shaken and stirred by the powerful theme songs from classic James Bond films like Goldfinger, Casino Royale, Dr. No and others.
LolliPops
Perfect for children and families, Richmond Symphony’s popular new LolliPops Series is back for a second season in the Carpenter Theatre. A fun introduction to the orchestra, each Saturday morning concert also includes a Pre-Concert festival featuring an instrument petting zoo and musical activities.
Carpenter Theatre
Saturdays at 11am
Pre-Concert Festival in Rhythm Hall at 10am
Phantoms of the Orchestra with Magic Circle Mime Company
Oct 30
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Magic Circle Mime Company
Every Halloween the “phantoms of the orchestra” return to haunt the concert hall. The maestro must use the power of the baton to lead this ghoulish orchestra. Halloween fun!
Green Eggs and Ham
Feb 19
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Michael Boudewyns, Actor
Do YOU like Green Eggs and Ham? This fully orchestrated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s beloved children’s classic, cleverly composed by Robert Kapilow and featuring the unstoppable Sam-I-Am, is a feast for the ears!
Carnival of the Animals
May 7
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Meet some of the wonderful members of the animal kingdom in Saint-Saëns’ famous Carnival of the Animals. Each musical instrument captures the essence of a particular creature—will you recognize them all? This beloved work is an all-time favorite for introducing children to the orchestra.
SPECIALS
Handel’s Messiah
Dec 3 at 8 pm
Carpenter Theatre
Erin R. Freeman, Conductor
Katherine Jolly, Soprano
Rebecca Ringle, Mezzo-Soprano
Will Ferguson, Tenor
Jason Hardy, Baritone
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Richmond’s most anticipated performance of the Messiah returns to the Carpenter Theatre.
Evelyn Glennie
Apr 2 at 8pm
Carpenter Theatre
Steven Smith, Conductor
Classical music superstar Evelyn Glennie is the first and only full-time professional percussion soloist. She performs with the Richmond Symphony in a thrilling concert using an array of unique instruments unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard before. Be there for an out-of-this-world concert experience!
SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS include:
• Season Discount
• Guaranteed Seating
• Ticket Exchange
• Advance ticket opportunities
• Priority for Specials before they go on sale to the general public
• Priority Seating for the next season
To subscribe or renew a subscription, please call the Symphony Patron Services Hotline at (804) 788-1212. Visit www.richmondsymphony.com for general information about the Symphony.
Conductor Bios
Steven Smith, Music Director
This season Steven Smith begins his first season as Music Director of the Richmond Symphony. He continues as Music Director of the Santa Fe Symphony & Chorus and as Music Director of the Grammy Award-winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony.
From 1997 to 2003, Steven Smith served as the Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra where he appeared on the subscription series at Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center. With a strong commitment to arts education, he assisted in the planning and conducting of the Cleveland Orchestra's educational and family concerts and hosted the orchestra’s annual broadcast videoconference which won an Emmy Award in 2001. For five seasons he also served as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra which perfomed by invitation at Carnegie Hall in 2001. During 2002-05, he was associate professor at Oberlin Conservatory, where he led both orchestral and opera performances.
Steven Smith has appeared as guest conductor with orchestras such as San Francisco, Milwaukee, Houston, Detroit, Puerto Rico Symphony and the Aspen Music Festival. Abroad he has performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, New Zealand’s Auckland Philharmonia, Taiwan's National Symphony Orchestra and Mexico's Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa. In addition, he has conducted numerous opera and orchestral performances at Indiana University and Brevard Music Center.
Steven Smith is an ASCAP award-winning composer, with commissions from the Cleveland Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, Eugene Youth Symphony and solo artists. He was named Ohio Composer of the Year for 2008.
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Steven Smith earned masters degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is the recipient of the CIM Alumni Association 1999 Alumni Achievement Award and the Geraldine C. and Emory M. Ford Foundation’s Conductor Career Development Grant.
Erin R. Freeman, Associate Conductor
Equally at home in the orchestral, choral and opera worlds, Erin Freeman is the Associate Conductor of the Richmond Symphony. Her responsibilities include conducting the new family-focused LolliPops Series, leading several of the Genworth Financial Symphony Pops Concerts, and artistic direction for the Symphony’s education initiatives including its four youth orchestras. In addition, she is the James Erb Choral Chair as Director of the 120-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus.
An enthusiastic champion of music education for all ages Dr. Freeman has served as Director of Orchestras at the critically acclaimed Baltimore School for the Arts, conductor for the National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University, lecturer for the National Philharmonic and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Richmond Philharmonic, Resident Conductor at Peabody Conservatory, and Music Director of Collegium Vocale, a competitively auditioned choral ensemble located at Emory University in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Guest conducting engagements include the Savannah Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, and Virginia All-State Orchestra.
At the age of seventeen, Dr. Freeman was accepted as the youngest member of the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, under the direction of the late Robert Shaw, and continued that association singing with the Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus and the Robert Shaw Memorial Singers. With a voice that the Boston Globe called “Virginal of timbre, pure of pitch,” Dr. Freeman has performed as concert soloist under the batons of Mr. Shaw, James Conlon, and Ann Howard Jones, and on the opera stage as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Mlle. Silberklang in The Impresario and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas.
Winner of numerous awards, including the Peabody’s Baltimore Music Club Prize in Performance and the Women’s Philharmonic Conducting Scholarship, Dr. Freeman received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University, a Masters degree in Conducting from the Boston University School for the Arts, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting with Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar at the Peabody Conservatory. Previously, she studied and performed in master classes with Robert Shaw, Helmut Rilling, Robert Spano, Jonathan Carney and Murry Sidlin.
The press has described her conducting style as “Dynamic but Grounded” and “Sensitive,” while audiences have deemed her “inspiring,” “animated,” “entertaining,” and “thoroughly charming.”
Erin Freeman lives with her husband Drew in the Forest Hill area of Richmond, where they enjoy trail running and biking. She holds a black belt in taekwondo, is an avid amateur cook, and loves fiction.
About the Richmond Symphony
Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The organization includes an orchestra of over 70 professional musicians, the 120 voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and over 200 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Each season over 250,000 members of the community enjoy presentations of concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs. A nonprofit corporation, the Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
######