Cellist Pablo Ferrández To Play Dvořák Concerto With Princeton Symphony Orchestra

On Saturday, March 5 at 8pm and Sunday, March 6 at 4pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) welcomes Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández back to Princeton for a performance of Antonín Dvořák's iconic Cello Concerto in B Minor. Edward T.

Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the program, which includes contemporary composer James Lee III's recent work Amer'ican, and Igor Stravinsky's beloved Firebird Suite (1919). Performances take place at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, on the campus of Princeton University.

Maestro Milanov says, "I am so looking forward to welcoming audiences back to our acoustically spectacular musical home-Richardson Auditorium-and to share the stage with the brilliant musician and our friend, the cellist Pablo Ferrández in Dvořák's beloved concerto."

Prizewinner at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition and Sony Classical exclusive artist, Pablo Ferrández announces himself as a musician of stature. A captivating performer, "Ferrández has the lot: technique, mettle, spirit, authority as a soloist, expressivity and charm" (El Pais). In March 2021, he released his debut album under Sony Classical, "Reflections," which explores his musical roots and the unexpected similarities between Russian and Spanish music at the beginning of the 20th century. The album has been highly acclaimed by critics, and earned him the Opus Klassik Award 2021 in the category of "Young Artist of the Year." Recent highlights include debuts at the Hollywood Bowl with Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, with Bayersichen Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra under Daniele Gatti, performances of the Brahms Double Concerto and Beethoven Triple Concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter, and appearances with the London Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, and Orchestre National de France, among others.

Composer James Lee III, born 1975 in St. Joseph, Michigan, cites as his major composition teachers Michael Daugherty, William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, Betsy Jolas, Susan Botti, Erik Santos, and James Aikman. His orchestral works have been commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestras of Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Omaha, Pasadena, Memphis, Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Akron, and have been conducted by such artists as Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, Juanjo Mena, David Lockington, Thomas Wilkins, and others. Dr. Lee is also a winner of a Charles Ives Scholarship and the Wladimir Lakond Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

James Lee III's Amer'ican offers an alternative perspective on Dvořák's "New World" Symphony. A passionate staple of the cello repertoire, Dvořák's Concerto is a showcase piece for the virtuosic artist. Stravinsky extracted his Firebird Suite from his original score for The Firebird, a ballet commissioned by impresario and Ballets Russes founder Sergei Diaghilev.

Both concerts take place at the orchestra's home venue of Richardson Auditorium, on the campus of Princeton University. All attendees are required to wear masks at all times while inside the building, be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and must have received boosters, if eligible.

Tickets for the March 5 and 6 performances at Richardson Auditorium start at $20, youth (ages 5-17) are half price, and may be ordered through the Princeton Symphony Orchestra website at princetonsymphony.org or by calling 609-497-0020.

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