Christian Knapp Conducts North Carolina Symphony in FIREBIRD, 2/9-11

Celebrated conductor Christian Knapp will lead the North Carolina Symphony's concert program "Firebird" in Southern Pines and Raleigh, Feb. 9-11, the Symphony announced today. The previously scheduled conductor, Joana Carneiro, canceled her appearance on the advice of her doctors after injuring her shoulder earlier this week. 

Joining Knapp on stage is soloist Johannes Moser on cello. The program remains the same: the orchestra will perform the 1945 version of Stravinsky's legendary Firebird Suite, alongside stirring wartime music by English composers Benjamin Britten and Edward Elgar.

The performances take place at Lee Auditorium at Southern Pines's Pinecrest High School on Thursday, Feb. 9 and Meymandi Concert Hall, in downtown Raleigh's Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10-11. All three concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. 

One of today's foremost young conductors, Christian Knapp is known for his dynamic stage presence and energy on the podium. He has performed in festivals and concerts throughout the world, conducting the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Western Australia Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Civic Orchestra, among many others. 

Knapp served as associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2006, leading a number of high-profile concerts in its main series. He was a prizewinner in the Third International Prokofiev Conducting Competition in 1999. That same year he was also awarded the prestigious Woodhouse Junior Fellowship in Conducting from the Royal College of Music in London. 

For tickets, visit the North Carolina Symphony website at www.ncsymphony.org or call North Carolina Symphony Audience Services at 919.733.2750 or toll free 877.627.6724. Meymandi Concert Hall is located in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., in Raleigh. Lee Auditorium is located at Pinecrest High School, 100 Pinecrest School Road, in Southern Pines.