Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Louis Langrée, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
Music Hall
7:30 P.M. Thursday, May 7
8:00 P.M. Saturday, May 9
Tickets start at $12 in advance
More information and tickets available by calling: (513) 381-3300 or visiting www.cincinnatisymphony.org
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) welcomes back classical music superstar Joshua Bell for its Thursday, May 7 and Saturday May 9 concerts at historic Music Hall. Renowned around the world and a CSO audience favorite, Mr. Bell has established a prolific and popular career, recording more than 40 CD releases since his first at age 18, twice performing on the Grammy Awards telecast, and becoming one of the first classical artists to have a music video on VH1.
Often referred to as the “poet of the violin,” violinist Joshua Bell has become a fixture in the classical music world, seeking to expand violin repertoire by premiering new works while also being embraced by the wider public through television appearances including The Tonight Show, Dancing with the Stars and Sesame Street and appearances in publications including GQ, Vogue, and Reader’s Digest. Mr. Bell serves on the artist committee of the Kennedy Center and the Board of Directors of the New York Philharmonic, in addition to recently being named the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Mr. Bell will perform two works with the CSO, including one of the violinist’s favorites, Tchaikovsky’s achingly beautiful Méditation from Souvenir d’un lieu cher (“Memory of a Dear Place”). Mr. Bell will also perform Glazunov’s soulful Violin Concerto, a piece representative of the composer’s technical brilliance while also filled with expressive longing and plaintive romanticism.
The program also includes Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, subtitled The Year 1905, referring to the events of the Russian Revolution, as the themes of the piece come directly from the revolutionary songs cherished by the people of Russia. Under the direction of Music Director Louis Langrée, the CSO will perform this work that deals at once with historic and contemporary themes of revolution.
All ticketholders are invited to attend Classical Conversations, beginning one hour prior to the Saturday, May 9 concert in the Music Hall auditorium. Get inside the hearts and minds of the composers and guest artists with these informative discussions. CSO Music Director Louis Langrée and Assistant Conductor William White will lead this week’s conversation. Ticketholders for the Thursday, May 7 concert are invited to enjoy a complimentary light dinner buffet at 6:15 P.M. in the Ballroom.
Tickets for this concert start at just $12 and are available by calling the CSO Box Office at (513) 381-3300 or visiting www.cincinnatisymphony.org.
The CSO is grateful to Masterworks Series Sponsor US Bank and Concert Sponsor Ohio National Financial Services. The ArtsWave partner for this performance is Cincinnati Bell.
