Las Vegas Philharmonic Reveals New Season, Kicking Off in September

The Las Vegas Philharmonic and Music Director Donato Cabrera today announced details of the orchestra's 2015-16 season that will see it perform more concerts than ever at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts from September 2015 through June 2016. The orchestra's 17th season will be the first full season with Cabrera at the helm and he will conduct 15 concerts in the center's 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall. Cabrera was appointed Music Director of the orchestra in 2014 and will conduct this weekend's Symphonic Spectacular on Saturday, March 28 at 7:30pm.

The 2015-16 concert season, which begins on Saturday, September 12, heralds a bold new direction for the orchestra, a resident company of The Smith Center. The total number of concerts performed will increase from 11 to 19 with the addition of five weekend matinees that will mark the first time the orchestra has performed its programs over two days. In addition, Las Vegas Philharmonic musicians will showcase their talents in a new "Spotlight Series" of three concerts to be held on Tuesday nights in the Troesh Studio Theater located in The Smith Center's Boman Pavilion. (Full concert calendar & details follow.) Principal musicians from the orchestra will be joined by guests for three programs focusing on the chamber music of Baroque, Classical, and Romantic composers.

Las Vegas Philharmonic musicians are also showcased in the main concert series held in Reynolds Hall, signaling a deepening partnership between the musicians and Cabrera who, as their artistic leader and conductor, selected the music and guest artists for the new season. Concertmaster De Ann Letourneau will perform as the soloist in Brahms's demanding Violin Concerto in March 2016 and principal clarinet Corey Tiffin will be showcased in Leonard Bernstein's rollicking Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs in April 2016. On November 21, 2015, the concert will open with the world premiere of Desert Flight by principal trombone and acclaimed Las Vegas composer and arranger Nathan Tanouye.

"Over the past year, I have enjoyed getting to know our musicians and in constructing this season's program, my intention is to celebrate their amazing artistry," shares Donato Cabrera, music director. "The repertoire is an exhilarating mingling of works that will showcase remarkable soloists and composers while highlighting the depth and prowess of Las Vegas' hometown orchestra. Many of the pieces I've chosen for 2015-16 season are masterpieces that have never been performed by the Las Vegas Philharmonic and will demonstrate this orchestra's musical eloquence while taking us all on a magnificent journey."

In addition to featuring symphonic works by Beethoven, Brahms, Gershwin, Mozart, Rachmaninoff and Sibelius, the 2015-16 season includes music by acclaimed American composers Mason Bates, Philip Glass, D. J. Sparr and Dan Visconti, demonstrating Cabrera's commitment to programming music by living composers.

The 2015-16 series will also showcase the following guest soloists: Andrew Armstrong (piano), Martina Filjak (piano), Oliver Herbert (cello), Alexi Kenney (violin) and Andrew Tyson (piano). The season will conclude on June 4 with a special performance featuring acclaimed Broadway star Alexandra Silber.

The expanded season will include three performances of the orchestra's popular holiday program on December 5 and 6. In addition to featuring the Las Vegas Master Singers, this year's concerts include a special screening of the film The Snowman based on the popular children's book with the orchestra performing the score live on stage.

Outside of the classical music realm, popular ensemble Pink Martini will make its Reynolds Hall debut with a concert on February 6 featuring the Las Vegas Philharmonic performing with the band.

An enthusiastic and effective communicator about the music he performs, Cabrera will host pre-concert conversations for Saturday performances that will start at the earlier time 6:30pm and 1:00pm for matinees in Reynolds Hall. These events are free to all ticket holders.

Future goals for the Las Vegas Philharmonic include expanding its Youth Concert Series that in January 2015 brought 16,000 school children to the center over five days to attend ten free concerts. The orchestra also plans to continue its collaboration with artistic partners such as providing musicians for Nevada Ballet Theatre performances. In 2014 the orchestra successfully partnered with the Life is Beautiful festival and Cirque du Soleil for a special Beatles tribute performed at the festival to an audience of 12,000.

"As we prepare for our 17th season and fourth season as a resident company in The Smith Center, we continue to seek out ways that we can add to the vibrant cultural life of Las Vegas," says Las Vegas Philharmonic President & CEO, Jeri Crawford. "Donato's first season with us was exhilarating and with an exciting expanded concert season planned for 2015-16, we look forward to welcoming newcomers to the concert hall as well as receiving those whose support has remained firm as we have grown. Viva symphonic music in Las Vegas!"

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