Riverside Symphony Opens Its 32nd Season at Alice Tully Hall with Soprano, Heather Buck Tonight!

Music Director George Rothman will lead Riverside Symphony in the opening concert of the orchestra's 32nd season on Saturday evening, November 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. The program will feature soprano Heather Buck performing two song sets orchestrated from their original voice and piano versions. The first, the U.S. premiere of Heinz Holliger's Sechs Lieder, based on texts by the early 20th-century German poet Christian Morgenstern, was orchestrated by the composer in 2003. It is one of his earlier works, dating to 1957, replete with lush Romantic, Berg-like underpinnings. The second, a selection of three widely beloved Franz Schubert songs, posthumously orchestrated by such eminent musicians as Andrew Luck and Max Reger, comprise the historical antecedent for this practice. Ms. Buck will sing Im Abendrot, orchestrated by Max Reger, Was ist Sylvia, orchestrated by Andrew Luck, and Gretchen am Spinnrade, orchestrated by Max Reger. Framing the program will be works by two composers widely celebrated for their lyrical gifts: Fauré's Masques et bergamasques and Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony.

This concert is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Additional support has been provided by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.

Acclaimed soprano Heather Buck has established herself internationally as a consummate singing actress. She performed as Lulu Baines in "Elmer Gantry" with Florentine Opera, which was recorded for the Naxos label (released in 2011), received two Grammy awards, and was voted No. 1 by Opera News "Best of the Year." Heather Buck's 2012-2013 engagements include a return to Virginia Opera and Opera Naradowa (Warsaw, Poland). Recent engagements include a return to the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for its production of NIXON IN CHINA and a solo appearance with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall performing Fanny Mendelssohn's Musik für die Toten der Cholera-Epidemie and Louis Spohr's Die letzten Dinge. On the concert stage she has performed Andre Previn's Vocalise for soprano, solo cello and orchestra at New York's Le Poisson Rouge in celebration of the composer's 80th Birthday and as soloist in Mahler's Symphony No. 2 in Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Other successes include her English National Opera debut singing the Queen of the Night in THE MAGIC FLUTE and her returns to Opera Birmingham as Rosina in IL Barbiere di Siviglia and to Arizona Opera as Queen of the Night. Ms. Buck holds a Master of Music degree from Yale, where she studied with Doris Yarick-Cross. She received her B.A. in music from Tufts University and a B.F.A. in studio art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

George Rothman, Riverside Symphony's music director and conductor since its incep­tion, has led orchestras throughout the United States, in South America, Asia and Europe. He has been active as pianist and lecturer in a wide variety of musical settings, including appearances with leading American composers in workshops and seminars. Mr. Rothman served as Music Director of the Grand Junction (Colorado) Symphony in 1986-1987, Director of Music Performance at Columbia University and conductor of its orchestra from 1988-2000 and Music Director of the Yale Symphony Orchestra from 2004-2005. He is currently Music Director and Conductor of Brooklyn College's Conservatory Orchestra and Associate Professor of Music. A native New Yorker, Mr. Rothman received his undergraduate training at the Manhattan School of Music and his Masters degree from Queens College, where he also served as Associate Lecturer and Conductor. In 1979, Mr. Rothman was awarded a scholarship to study conducting at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa.

Riverside Symphony, now in its 32nd season, was co-founded in 1981 by George Rothman and Anthony Korf. Its founding focus on discovery- discovery of young artists, unfamiliar works by the great masters and important new pieces by living composers from around the world-informs all of its programming choices. Critically acclaimed for its vibrant performances of music from all periods, the orchestra counts this city's finest instrumentalists among its membership. Riverside Symphony's CDs include a recent release by Bridge Records of music by artistic director Anthony Korf. Forthcoming is a release devoted to major works by the French master Marius Constant. The orchestra's six previous CDs have brought international acclaim, including a 2000 Grammy nomination and Editor's Pick from Britain's Gramophone and The New York Times.

Single Tickets for the concert are $55, $40 & $24 and Students ½ price at box office (day of concert only). For tickets call Riverside Symphony at 212-864-4197 or visit www.riversidesymphony.org.

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