Sarasota Orchestra Rings in the New Year with Bright Stars in January 2024 Concerts

Sarasota Orchestra launches a fresh calendar year with star-studded performances featuring pianist Sir Stephen Hough, marimba player Ji Su Jung, and an A-list cast of Broadway's best. The Great Escapes series continues with an homage to some of music's great arrangers, while the Chamber Soirées series highlights Schumann's beloved Piano Quartet. 

Sarasota Orchestra's first concert of the New Year is crowned by Sir Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, a love letter to the composer's dearest friends and family. World-renowned pianist Sir Stephen Hough brings his prodigious gifts to Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, portions of which have been borrowed for film and television scores for decades. Conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya kicks off the program with Clarice Assad's Bonecos de Olinda, which captures the energy of Carnival partygoers.

Miguel Harth-Bedoya is Conductor Laureate of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Sir Stephen Hough was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2001.

 

When/Where:

Friday, January 5, 7:30pm | Neel PAC

Saturday, January 6, 7:30pm | Van Wezel

Sunday, January 7, 2:30pm | Van Wezel

How:  Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Great Escapes: By Special Arrangement

While it is common to celebrate a composer, arrangers could be considered the overlooked heroes of the musical world. A great arrangement can put a new shine on an old favorite, uncover details in a familiar tune, give a solo piano piece a huge orchestral voice, and so much more. In this concert, arrangements take center stage. Conductor Christopher Confessore, Principal Pops Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, leads the concert.

When:

Wednesday, January 10, 5:30pm

Thursday, January 11, 7:30pm

Friday, January 12, 5:30pm

Saturday, January 13, 7:30pm

Sunday, January 14, 4:00pm

Where: Holley Hall

How:  Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Pops: Broadway Showstoppers

Sarasota Orchestra presents timeless musical theatre favorites with Broadway's own stars. Vocalists Ali Ewoldt (‌Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera), Teri Hansen (The Sound of Music, Show Boat), and Sean MacLaughlin (The Phantom of the Opera, The Woman in White) join forces for an evening of the best of Broadway, performing popular favorites from Mamma Mia!, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Wicked, Rent, and many more.

Conductor Evan Roider serves as Music Director/Conductor for the National Tour of Wicked, having recently toured with Les Misérables and Cats.

When:

Friday, January 19, 7:30pm

Saturday, January 20, 2:30pm and 7:30pm

Where: Van Wezel

How:  Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Chamber Soirée: String and Piano Quartets

Spend a Sunday afternoon with the majestic sounds of music for strings and piano with two of Sarasota Orchestra's resident chamber ensembles. In 1933, Florence Price became the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra. Her String Quartet has elements inspired by folk music, spirituals, and the blues. Robert Schumann had his wife, Clara, in mind when he composed his glorious Piano Quartet in 1842. She gave the premiere of the highly Romantic work, which continues to thrill modern audiences.

When: Sunday, January 21, 4:00pm

Where: Holley Hall

How:  Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Masterworks: Titans

Three musical works of genius compose this unforgettable program led by Giancarlo Guerrero, which opens with Mozart's Overture to The Marriage of Figaro. Mahler's Symphony No. 1 is one of classical music's most powerful symphonic experiences. Dramatic, folklike, and rollicking, the “Titan” blazes all the way through to its breathtaking close. GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts drew on the ingenuity of Mozart when crafting his impressive Marimba Concerto. The marimba, rarely seen as a solo instrument with orchestra, and Ji Su Jung's riveting performance style create a fascinating combination.

Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero is Music Director of the Nashville Symphony. Born in South Korea, Ji Su Jung began studying marimba at age three, a rarity among percussionists.

When:

Friday, January 26, 7:30pm

Saturday, January 27, 7:30pm

Sunday, January 28, 2:30pm

Where: Van Wezel

How:  Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Sarasota Orchestra is celebrating 75 years of performances that move, delight, and inspire music-lovers across the region and visitors from around the world. Each year, the 76-member Orchestra performs more than 100 classical, pops, chamber music, and community outreach concerts. Sarasota Orchestra's mission also extends to music education, including its acclaimed Sarasota Youth Orchestra programs and the world-renowned Sarasota Music Festival. For further information, please visit www.SarasotaOrchestra.org.

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