Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Announces Digital 'Summer With The Symphony' Series For 2020

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra kicks off a digital "Summer with the Symphony" season on Monday, July 6, presenting six weeks of musical offerings throughout its digital platforms, all available free to the public.

"There's nothing more important than the health and safety of our community, so while we continue to confront this pandemic together and our home stage is closed, we will bring the concert hall to you," said Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. "We're thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with the Allegheny County Parks and to have many of the musicians back together for the broadcast of a concert just recorded at Hartwood Acres. When you add an exploration of the magic of encores, concerts with two piano masters, the fun of Christmas in July, the joy of musical storytelling and an exclusive Q&A session with our new Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling, this summer series is one not to be missed."

This weekend, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concludes "Extraordinary Measures," an online initiative, available free to the public, that began in March as a way for the orchestra to continue to provide music to the community online during the COVID-19 public health crisis. The initiative includes a Friday night concert series hosted by Music Director Manfred Honeck; educational resources through Make Time for Music with Fiddlesticks! (for children ages 3-8 and their families) and Practice! Practice Practice! (tips and techniques from the PSO for middle and high school instrumental students; and "Bright Spots" (regularly posted morning videos with music and insight, self-produced by the PSO musicians and special guests). The educational resources and the nearly 60 "Bright Spots" will continue to be available on the orchestra's web site.

Lineup

WEEKS OF JULY 6-17: SUMMER CLASSICAL

An Encore a Day - July 6-9 and July 13-16, 2020

Kicking off the Summer with the Symphony programming is a delightful mini-series of musical "bonbons": "An Encore a Day." Over these two weeks, tune in for encore gems from recent Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra tour performances across the great stages of the world. Uncover their secrets: how they're chosen and when they're played. Each encore will also include a special introduction by a PSO Musician who will share just what makes these musical works so enchanting.

Friday Night Concerts: Piano Masters
Friday, July 10, 2020: Yuja Wang, piano
Friday, July 17, 2020: Daniil Trifonov, piano

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Friday evening web broadcasts continue with a special two week pairing of "Piano Masters" featuring two of the most dynamic and outstanding artists performing today, pianists Yuja Wang and Daniil Trifonov. Yuja Wang joins Manfred Honeck and the PSO in a dazzling performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 from the 2013 George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, Romania, and Daniil Trifonov shares his unbelievable artistry in a spectacular performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 from Berlin, Germany in May 2016.

Friday Night Concerts: Piano Masters
July 10, 2020 8:00 p.m. EDT
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yuja Wang, piano
Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 23
Recorded live at the George Enescu Festival, Bucharest, Romania, 2013

Friday Night Concerts: Piano Masters
July 17, 2020 8:00 p.m. EDT
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Daniil Trifonov, piano
Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 in C minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 18
Recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonie, 2016

"A Celebration of Summer"

For the first time since early March, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert for the public, with 24 musicians gathering for a concert that was recorded in June at Hartwood Acres as part of the Allegheny County Parks Summer Concert Series. Scheduled for July 12, 2020, this concert continues the orchestra's long-standing tradition of performing free to the public at the County Parks during the summer season.

Allegheny County has announced a nine-concert series of local artists that it will televise every Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. on Pittsburgh's CW network from July 5 through September 6. Full concerts will also be posted on the County Parks Facebook page and County YouTube channel at 8:00 p.m. every Sunday from July 5 to September 6, 2020. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will be the second ensemble to perform in the series, appearing on July 12. In addition to the broadcast on the CW and the posts on the County's social media, "A Celebration of Summer" will also be posted on the orchestra's web page and social media channels.

"A Celebration of Summer" features 24 musicians from the string and percussion sections of the orchestra who will perform nine works from nine different composers. The concert will open with the lively Praeludium from Edvard Grieg's Holberg Suite and close with the rousing Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa. Additional works are: a movement of a string quartet by George Walker, the first African American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music; an inventive take on Strauss by Daryl Runswick, a modern English composer and arranger; the brilliant final movement of the famous "American" String Quartet by Antonín Dvořák, written during a visit to Iowa; a virtuosic Duo Sonata by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, known for his talents in fencing as well as music; selections from Vivaldi's Concert for Four Violins; a moving version of Amazing Grace arranged by Aaron White, Pittsburgh Symphony bassist; and the magical closing movement of Mendelssohn's String Octet.

Sunday, July 12, 2020 at 7:00 pm (EDT)
The CW Pittsburgh channel
Channel locator

Sunday, July 12, 2020, after 8:00 pm (EDT)
Allegheny County Facebook
Allegheny County Youtube channel
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra web site
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Facebook
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Youtube channel

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra would like to thank Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C, for its sponsorship of the Hartwood Acres concert.

WEEK OF JULY 20: CHRISTMAS IN JULY

The symphony is getting into the holiday spirit a bit early with some fun activities for the entire family! Santa kicks off the week with a special message for us all. And, it's not the holidays without some sweet treats. The musicians and PSO staff share a special symphony holiday cookie book that is full of personal favorites that are guaranteed to satisfy your holiday appetite. Then, test out your gingerbread building skills with an online competition.

WEEK OF JULY 26: MUSICAL STORYTELLING

The Pittsburgh Symphony is partnering with the Allegheny Country Library Association for a Virtual Summer Reading Program. Offered free of charge to families across the County, "Musical Storytelling" will explore how music can tell a story, as well as support the emotions and characters in stories. Join in the fun with lots of stories, music including the favorite Camille Saint-Saën's Carnival of the Animals with poetry by Jack Prelutsky, a composition lesson from Lucas Richman, a special appearance by Fiddlesticks and more.

WEEK OF AUGUST 3: LET'S MEET BYRON

The symphony is taking an entire week to get to know the new Principal Pops Conductor, Byron Stripling! He sat down with us to answer a few questions about his history, conducting style and a few fun facts. They end the week with a special online panel discussion with Byron. If you didn't know Byron before, they guarantee that you'll know him after!

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