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Princeton Symphony Orchestra to Feature Pianist Orli Shaham on All-Mozart Program

Performances will take place on February 8 and 9 with Mozart conductor Gérard Korsten.

By: Jan. 14, 2025
Princeton Symphony Orchestra to Feature Pianist Orli Shaham on All-Mozart Program  Image
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Pianist Orli Shaham brings artistic prowess and a deep understanding of Mozart to performances with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) on February 8 at 8pm and February 9 at 4pm.

The all-Mozart program features Ballet Music from Idomeneo (excerpts), the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 with Ms. Shaham as soloist, and Mozart's Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 453. Gérard Korsten, conductor and Mozart specialist, lends formidable experience to his collaborative interpretations of the great composer's works in his debut performance with the PSO. The concerts take place at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.

Locals may recall Ms. Shaham from her Baby Got Bach program for children which made its Princeton debut in 2016 with Sō Percussion. She also recorded a piano concerto, Stumble to Grace, by Princeton-based composer Steve Mackey.

Executive Director Marc Uys recently said of Ms. Shaham, “I'm thrilled to welcome Orli Shaham back to Princeton. She is a superb and multi-talented artist. I admire her dedication to the music she performs and her desire to make classical music accessible to younger audiences through live presentations and broadcast media.” Of his fellow South African Korsten, he adds, “He is an expert conductor, particularly of Mozart. I'm so pleased we are able to bring these two devotees of Mozart together. I can't wait to hear the result of their collaboration!”

A consummate musician recognized for her grace, subtlety, and brilliance, the pianist Orli Shaham has performed with many of the major orchestras around the world, and has appeared in recital internationally, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. In 2024, Orli Shaham released the final volumes of the complete piano sonatas by Mozart to high critical acclaim, with the entire collection available as a limited-edition box set. Her discography includes over a dozen titles on Deutsche Gramophone, Sony, Canary Classics and other labels. Orli Shaham is on the piano and chamber music faculty at The Juilliard School. She is Artistic Director of Pacific Symphony's chamber series Café Ludwig in California, and is a Co-Host and Creative for the national radio program From the Top.

Gérard Korsten's interpretations of the classical repertoire have established him as one of the most distinguished conductors of his generation. He appears as guest conductor with orchestras such as the Adelaide Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Orchestre National de Lyon, Scottish, and Swedish Chamber Orchestras, as well as the SWR Sinfonieorchester Freiburg. He has conducted over 100 orchestras in 24 countries. In the 2024-25 season Gérard Korsten will debut with Princeton Symphony Orchestra. He returns to Hessisches Staatsorchester Wiesbaden, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra in Hungary, and Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg in Austria. He is Conductor Laureate of Austria's Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg Bregenz, after his term as principal conductor lasting 13 years. Gérard Korsten has also served as principal conductor of the London Mozart Players and was music director of the Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari in Sardinia.

The concert features a robust program consisting of three gems from Mozart's catalog of works. The excerpts from his Ballet Music from Idomeneo are representative of the ballet's uninhibited, irrepressible dance music. The composer's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 is the first of just two concertos written in a minor key. It's first movement is heard in the popular 1984 film Amadeus. Composed in 1988, his noble Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 453 was among his final masterworks completed prior to his death in 1791.

Sunday's concert includes a 3pm pre-concert talk discussing the works to be performed. The talk is free to ticket holders with general seating in Richardson Auditorium.

In advance of the concerts, the Princeton Garden Theatre will present the newly restored theatrical release of Amadeus in partnership with the PSO on Thursday, February 6 at 7pm. There will be a small ensemble performance immediately prior to the screening.

Single tickets for All Mozart with Orli Shaham and other Classical Series concerts start at $40. Youths 5-17 receive a 50% discount with an adult purchase. Cost-saving Pick 3+ ticket packages are also available. For tickets and information, visit princetonsymphony.org.




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