Handel And Haydn Society's Emi Ferguson Performs First Solo With Mozart First Concerto

The Handel and Haydn Society's principal flutist, Emi Ferguson, will make her solo debut with H+H in Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major. The performance will be part of a pair of H+H concerts March 17 + 19, 2023 at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall. The concerts will show the brilliance of the classical period with works from Mozart + Mendelssohn. David Stern, founder of Opera Fuoco in France, will conduct.

The performances will begin with the H+H premiere of 18th century French composer Pierre-Montan Berton's Nouvelle Chaconne in E Minor. Then, H+H principal flutist Emi Ferguson will perform Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major on a traverso flute, the instrument for which this work was written.

As a native of Brookline, Massachusetts, Emi Ferguson grew up performing in the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and listening to the Handel and Haydn Society. Named the H+H Principal Flutist in 2018, Emi stretches the boundaries of the modern-day musician as a flutist, singer, and composer, performing with groups including Ruckus, the American Modern Opera Company, New York New Music Ensemble, the Manhattan Chamber Players, and with period ensembles including Tafelmusik, Les Arts Florissants, the American Classical Orchestra, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, and Juilliard415. She has spoken and performed at several TEDx events and has been featured as an ambassador for classical music on media outlets including The Discovery Channel, Vox's "Netflix: Explained" series, Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and various TouchPress apps. Her debut album, Amour Cruel, described as "baroque pop" by the Washington Post, features Emi as a singer, flutist, composer, and arranger, and spent four weeks on the Classical, Classical Crossover, and World Music Billboard Charts.

"We are really excited to see Emi Ferguson light up the stage with this glorious work from Mozart. The gaiety, humor, and sparkle of Mozart's first flute concerto will come to life via the brilliance of the traverso flute," said David Snead, Philip and Marjorie Gerdine President and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. "Many in our audience will have never heard this piece performed on period instruments, transporting the audience back to Paris in the late 18th century when Mozart first composed the work."

Finally, the orchestra will perform Mendelssohn's glorious "Reformation" symphony, a work that H+H has only performed once, 155 years ago. A musical expression of Mendelssohn's devout faith celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Reformation, the entire work builds to the dramatic final movement which is based on Martin Luther's chorale "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott."

David Stern is an American conductor, a creator of inspiring original projects, director and founder of the ensemble Opera Fuoco. The son of famed violinist Isaac Stern, David has led recent performances with the Royal Danish Opera Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Basel and the Lübeck Philharmonic Orchestra.

The 2022-23 Season

Mozart + Mendelssohn March 17 + 19 NEC's Jordan Hall

Bach Easter Oratorio March 31 + April 2 Symphony Hall

Crossing the Deep June 1 + 4 JFK Presidential Library and Museum

The Handel and Haydn Society recently announced the 2023-24 season, the 209th in the organization's history and the first full season for Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen.

The 2023-24 Season

Israel in Egypt October 6 + 8 Symphony Hall

Luks Leads Beethoven October 27 + 29 Symphony Hall

Handel's Messiah November 24 + 25 + 26 Symphony Hall

Baroque Christmas December 14 + 17 NEC's Jordan Hall

The British Masters February 2 + 4 NEC's Jordan Hall

Harry, Haydn + Mozart February 23 + 25 Symphony Hall

Beethoven 9 March 15 + 16 Symphony Hall

Bach + Telemann March 22 + 24 NEC's Jordan Hall

Bach B Minor Mass April 5 + 7 Symphony Hall

Brahms Requiem April 19 + 21 Symphony Hall

Brandenburg Concertos May 2 + 3 + 4 Sanders Theatre
NEC's Jordan Hall

Subscription packages are available and may be purchased by calling 617-262-1815 or visiting handelandhaydn.org.

Boston's Grammy-winning Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 208 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H's Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H's numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. H+H has released 16 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.

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