Arizona Musicfest 2015 Invites Public to Orchestra Dress Rehearsals This Month

As the first two Festival Orchestra concerts of Arizona Musicfest's 2015 season have sold out well in advance of their performance dates, Arizona Musicfest has opened its dress rehearsals for the performances of Scheherazade and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto on February 24 at 10:30 am, and Beethoven, Bach and The Blue Danube on February 26 at 1:00 pm.

Tickets to the dress rehearsal performances are $10 each and available for purchase at the door one hour prior to curtain. Seating is based on first come first served until capacity is met. Cash only.

The Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Robert Moody, features musicians from the nation's top orchestras. This year's Festival Orchestra includes players from Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the National Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony and many other leading orchestras of America.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE:

Scheherazade and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto

Arizona Musicfest Orchestra

Conducted by Robert Moody

Featuring Ricardo Morales, clarinet

Tuesday, February 24 at 10:30 am

Festival Orchestra Week opens with a dazzling program. Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade is a technicolor tour-de- force of intense orchestral colors and a captivating story inspired by The Arabian Nights. The solo violin of Frank Huang, Concertmaster of the Houston Symphony and Arizona Musicfest Orchestra, is the voice of Scheherazade as she enchants the Sultan.

Mozart's Clarinet Concerto is a work of absolute genius that exquisitely displays the tone, range and agility of the clarinet, especially in the hands of featured soloist Ricardo Morales. "Hearing the amazing Ricardo Morales play ... was riveting!" proclaimed The New York Times whose critics regard him as a star of the clarinet world. Morales is former Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera, and currently Principal Clarinet of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Arizona Musicfest Orchestra.

The concert opens with Fanfare Ritmico. This work by GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Higdon is a rich tapestry of sound.

Venue: Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 85255

Dress Rehearsal Tickets: $10 Walk-up cash sales only. Doors open at 9:30 am.

Beethoven, Bach & The Blue Danube

Arizona Musicfest Orchestra

Conducted by Robert Moody

Featuring Orion Weiss, piano

Thursday, February 26 at 1:00 pm

Beethoven's majestic, sublime and much loved Emperor Piano Concerto will be performed by one of the season's most sought-after soloists, Orion Weiss. His deeply felt and exceptionally crafted performances go far beyond his technical mastery and have won him worldwide acclaim.

The extravagant orchestral transcription of Bach's Prelude & Fugue in E-flat Major is richly and imaginatively scored, eliminating the organ in exchange for enormous orchestral color. In just 22 minutes, Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier Suite captures the many moods of the three-hour opera with all its tender moments and gorgeous music.

One of the most popular works in classical music, Johann Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz is universally adored for its familiar signature melody.

Venue: Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 85255

Dress Rehearsal Tickets: $10 Walk-up cash sales only. Doors open at 12:00 pm

Arizona Musicfest concerts continue throughout March 5th, visit www.azmusicfest.org for complete schedule. Single tickets and bundles for Arizona Musicfest concerts are on sale at www.azmusicfest.org or by calling 480-840-0457.

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