Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to Open 2014-15 Season in September

Music Director Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will open the 2014-15 season on September 25, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. Additional performances will take place September 27, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. and September 28, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. These concerts will mark the beginning of the Orchestra's 70th season and the 14th year of artistic partnership between Mr. Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles.

The program will include Mozart's Symphony No. 35, "Haffner," and Strauss' Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel. Pianist Jeremy Denk will join the Orchestra for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20. Additional concert details are available at aso.org.

Throughout the 2014-15 season, the Atlanta Symphony will perform three world premieres, including two new works by Atlanta School of Composers members Christopher Theofanidis and Michael Gandolfi. The third world premiere will be by Jonathan Leshnoff.

Jonathan Leshnoff's new work, Symphony No. 2, "Innerspace," is an ASO commission and will be premiered November 13 and 15, 2014. Christopher Theofanidis' new work, Creation/Creator, will be premiered April 23 and 25, 2015. The world premiere of Mr. Theofanidis' piece will mark the culmination of a unique partnership between the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Emory University and the Georgia Humanities Council. Interweaving text and ideas from philosophy, science, religion, poetry and literature, Mr. Theofandis says the work will provide a "profoundly deeper understanding of the relationship between these two subjects and will remove a limiting sense of a passive relationship between 'God' and humanity." Michael Gandolfi's new work, Sinfonia Concertante, will be premiered April 30 and May 2, 2015, and has been commissioned to honor Robert Spano's parents. The work will feature four ASO musicians: Principal Oboe Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, Principal Bassoon Keith Buncke, Principal Clarinet Laura Ardan and Principal Horn Brice Andrus.

The 2014-15 season will also bring four ASO musicians to center stage to perform concertos with the Orchestra. Principal Percussionist Thomas Sherwood and Percussionist Charles Settle will perform Avner Dorman's Spices, Perfumes, Toxins! in October; Principal Clarinet Laura Ardan will perform the Copland Clarinet Concerto in November; and Concertmaster David Coucheron will play Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in February.

Additionally, in Fall 2014, the Orchestra will release its fifth recording on its own record label, ASO Media. The all-Vaughan Williams release will feature Mr. Spano leading the Orchestra in The Lark Ascending, with ASO Concertmaster David Coucheron as soloist, as well as Dona nobis pacem, featuring soprano Jessica Rivera, baritone Brett Polegato and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. The composer's Fourth Symphony will also be included on the album.

Also during the 2014-15 season, the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO) will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The Youth Orchestra will be led by new ASYO Music Director Joseph Young, who also serves as the ASO's Assistant Conductor.

All single tickets for the 2014-2015 season are on sale now and available online at atlantasymphony.org or by calling 404.733.5000. Tickets may also be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office, located in the Woodruff Arts Center at 15th and Peachtree Streets. Box office hours are Monday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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