Music Director Thierry Fischer opens Utah Symphony's 2016-17 Season

The Utah Symphony's 2016-17 season begins this September with two Beethoven Piano Concerti in two weekends featuring award-winning pianists Jonathan Biss and Emanuel Ax. Music Director Thierry Fischer conducts the Utah Symphony in both performances in Abravanel Hall as part of the 2016-17 O.C. Tanner Company Masterworks Series. Tickets start at $21 and can be purchased at www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

Following up last season's Beethoven symphony cycle in which the Utah Symphony performed all nine Beethoven symphonies, this season the Utah Symphony will perform all five of Beethoven's piano concerti. The cycle, which begins with these two weekends of performances, features acclaimed pianists Jonathan Biss (No. 1), Emanuel Ax (No. 5), Jeffrey Kahane (No. 2), and Yefim Bronfman (Nos. 3 & 4).

On September 9 and 10, piano great Jonathan Biss will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in the opening concert of the symphony's 77th season. The program opens with Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks and closes with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5. The performance will be led by Music DirectorThierry Fischer and begins the Beethoven piano concerto cycle, one of three composer cycles the symphony will present this season.

"We spend so much time searching for completely new experiences in art that we often forget how much there is still left to discover in our traditional masterpieces," said Music Director Thierry Fischer. "Commissioning is a very important part of the Utah Symphony's mission, I've said this many times, but we also love to develop an active connection to the music of our history. To find something special and fresh in each performance of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky is not only our privilege, it is our duty."

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 was written in Vienna from 1796--1797. Although this was Beethoven's first published piano concerto, he had previously composed two other piano concerti-one of which was published in 1801 as Piano Concerto No. 2. In this piece, Beethoven creates a sense of anticipation and musical tension through dynamics. The orchestra moves from a soft, yet energetic opening in the first two movements to a boisterous and powerful fortissimo in the final movement.

American pianist Jonathan Biss studied at Indiana University with Evelyne Brancart and at the Curtis Institute of Music with Leon Fleisher. In 2002, he became the first American to be selected as a BBC New Generation Artist. Mr. Biss has received many other awards, including the Gilmore Young Artist Award (2002), Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award (2003), and Leonard Bernstein Award (2005).

The Utah Symphony's Beethoven piano concerto cycle will continue on September 16 and 17 with the return of seven-time GRAMMY award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax performing Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor," under the baton of Music Director Thierry Fischer. The orchestra will also perform Beethoven's Overture toFidelio and conclude the program with Brahms' Symphony No. 1, thereby also beginning the orchestra's Brahms symphony cycle.

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor," was written between 1809 and 1811. The nickname "Emperor" was coined by Johann Baptist Cramer. It is speculated that Beethoven would not have been pleased with the moniker since he withdrew the dedication of his third symphony (which was originally to be dedicated to Napoleon) after Bonaparte declared himself emperor in 1804. Nevertheless, the concerto's heroic themes and regal scale certainly fit the appellation. Beethoven never performed the piece himself, possibly due to his progressing deafness at the time.

Born in Lvov, Poland, Emanuel Ax studied with Mieczyslaw Munz at the Juilliard School of Music. He holds honorary doctorates of music from Yale University and Columbia University. In 1974, Mr. Ax won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv. He has since received many other honors, including the Young Concert Artists Michaels Award (1975), the Avery Fisher Prize (1979), and seven GRAMMY awards.

Mr. Ax's Utah Symphony debut was in February 1978, under Maestro Maurice Abravanel. He also performed with the orchestra under former Music Directors Joseph Silverstein and Keith Lockhart. The Utah Symphony is pleased to welcome back Mr. Ax after an absence of 17 seasons for his first performance with the Utah Symphony under Music Director Thierry Fischer's baton.

Swiss conductor Thierry Fischer has served as Music Director of the Utah Symphony since 2009. Mr. Fischer's vibrancy, commitment and energy have attracted leading musicians to join the orchestra and acclaimed soloists to perform as guest artists. He has refreshed the programming, drawn consistently full houses, and galvanized community support. He appears frequently as a guest conductor with many distinguished orchestras.

Tickets, priced from $21-$79, are available for purchase through utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

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