Ma, Perlman, et al. Featured in Toronto Symphony Orchestra's 90th Season

Today Toronto Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Oundjian announced the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's 2011.2012 concert season, which is also the orchestra's 90th consecutive season of performances.  The TSO's 90th season programmes include: three extended residencies with pianist Lang Lang, conductor/violinist Itzhak Perlman, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma; Mahler's Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand" with an all-Canadian cast of soloists led by TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian; season opening performances of Walton's Music for the film Henry V with
Christopher Plummer; a 90th Season free concert presented by Luminato; and première performances of four TSO commissions including an orchestral interpretation of Roch Carrier's classic story, The Hockey Sweater. Many of the world's finest guest artists share a long history with the TSO and perform with the orchestra in concerts throughout the 90th season, including pianist Emanuel Ax, pianist Yefim Bronfman, Canadian violinist James Ehnes, conductor/pianist Leon Fleisher, Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin, and Canadian pianist Louis Lortie. Twenty-eight solo artists make their TSO débuts in the 2011.2012 season, including saxophonist Branford Marsalis, conductor John Storgaards, trumpeter Alison Balsom, and Canadian pianist
Jan Lisiecki.

 "With the help of our longstanding friends, we have pulled out all the stops for our 90th season," said TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian. "We celebrate this milestone in a bold way, welcoming the world's finest artists in unprecedented programming, every week of this incredible season."
 
90th season residencies- The Toronto Symphony Orchestra hosts three internationally-acclaimed artists for visits that extend beyond their concert performances. Pianist Lang Lang, conductor/violinist Itzhak Perlman, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma join the TSO in three residencies which are unique to Toronto. Each of these artists represents a different era of TSO history.
 
A Visit with Lang LangIn his longest North American residency to date, pianist Lang Lang performs all five Beethoven piano concerti and participates in the TSO's renowned education outreach programmes (Nov 9 - 19, 2011). Lang Lang will be the featured soloist in three TSO Student Concerts which will fill Roy Thomson Hall with audiences of local students. The celebrated pianist enhances his visit with the TSO in his "101 Pianists" workshop where 100 young pianists of various ages and skill levels share the stage with Lang Lang to simultaneously perform Schubert's Marche Militaire.
 
A Visit with Itzhak Perlman-TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian, a trained violinist who previously was the first violinist of the renowned Tokyo String Quartet, welcomes his former mentor and long-time collaborator conductor/violinist Itzhak Perlman to Toronto for a residency (Apr 25 - 28, 2012). In a one-night-only concert, Peter Oundjian makes a rare appearance playing violin alongside Mr. Perlman as soloists in J. S. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins, and Itzhak Perlman conducts the TSO in Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 (Apr 28, 2012). Mr. Perlman, in his 41st year of TSO collaborations, also performs Beethoven's Violin Concerto (Apr 25 & 26, 2012), and off-stage, works with Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra musicians and other local music students.
 
A Visit with Yo-Yo MaThroughout 2011.2012, cellist Yo-Yo Ma will use Skype to connect with Toronto middle-school students and their teachers in a musical exploration of his Music Garden along Toronto's waterfront. This learning will culminate in a special tour of the music garden, led by Mr. Ma. In May 2012, Yo-Yo Ma joins TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian and the orchestra to perform Elgar's Cello Concerto, the same piece with which he made his TSO début in 1979 and also introduces Toronto audiences to a new work, Dmitry Yanov-Yanovsky's Night Music: Voice in the Leaves in its Canadian première (May 30 & 31, 2012).
 
TSO commissions- The TSO continues its tradition of orchestral commissions and première performances with four TSO 90th season commission premières.
 
The Hockey SweaterFounding TSO Music Director Luigi von Kunits pioneered TSO concerts for young people early in the orchestra's history. The orchestra commemorates its 90th season performing for young audiences with a commission from Canadian composer Abigail Richardson which brings Roch Carrier's classic story The Hockey Sweater to life. In the public première at the TSO's Young People's Concert Series, images from the book are displayed on screen as Roch Carrier narrates and hockey legend Ken Dryden joins the TSO as host (May 12, 2012).
 
New Creations FestivalNotable Hungarian composer Peter Eötvös is Peter Oundjian's featured composer in the TSO's eighth annual New Creations Festival
(Mar 1 - 7, 2012). On March 7, 2012, TSO Principal Cellist Joseph Johnson is soloist as the TSO performs the North American première of Peter Eötvös's Cello Concerto Grosso (a co-commission with Berlin Philharmonic, Tonhalle Zürich, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra). In the first programme of the 2012 New Creations Festival, TSO Music Director
Peter Oundjian conducts the TSO and the Kronos Quartet in the world première of a TSO commission from Canadian composer Derek Charke, his Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra (Mar 3, 2012).
 
Opening Night-In recognition of the TSO's shared history with the Toronto Children's Chorus, the TSO opens the 2011.2012 season by performing the world première of Behold the Night for Children's Chorus and Orchestra commissioned from Canadian composer Larysa Kuzmenko (Sept 22 & 24, 2011). The 90th season opening night programme culminates with a grand performance of Walton's Music for the film Henry V featuring the joint choruses of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Toronto Children's Chorus, and legendary Canadian actor Christopher Plummer as narrator.                                            
 
Bold concerts Big Number. Bold Season. The TSO presents large-scale works throughout its 90th season.
 
Mahler 8TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian leads the TSO in the awe-inspiring spectacle, Mahler Symphony No. 8, "Symphony of a Thousand" (Jun 13 & 14, 2011). Joining the TSO are the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Amadeus Choir, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Toronto Children's Chorus, and an all-Canadian cast of soloists including superstars Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano and Richard Margison, tenor.
 
Mozart@256-The Mozart Festival, an annual audience favourite, presents in the 2011.2012 season some the composer's larger works, with TSO Music Director  Peter Oundjian conducting Mozart's Requiem (Jan 18 - 22, 2012) and pianist  Leon Fleisher leading and performing with his wife  Katherine Jacobson Fleisher and former student, Canadian pianist  Stewart Goodyear in Mozart's Concerto for Three Pianos and Orchestra.  Young people can also enjoy the magic of Mozart as 2009 Malko International Competition for Young Conductors recipient Joshua Weilerstein conducts Mozart's Magnificent Voyage with Classical Kids Live! in the TSO's  Young People's Concert Series (Jan 14, 2011).
 
90th season free concertLuminato presents the TSO in a free concert performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture that honours the 90th season of the orchestra and the
bi centennial of the war of 1812 (Jun 17, 2011).
 
TSO Music Directors Signature SeriesFormer TSO Music Directors return to the TSO stage to conduct masterwork symphonies of great composers in the Music Directors Signature Series. The TSO welcomes previous TSO Music Directors Sir Andrew Davis (Beethoven Eroica, Oct 12 & 13, 2011); Günther Herbig (Beethoven Emperor Concerto, Feb 2 & 4, 2012); Jukka-Pekka Saraste (Brahms Symphony No. 3, Mar 29 & 30, 2012); and current Music Director Peter Oundjian (Shostakovich Symphony No. 11, Jun 6 & 7, 2012).
 
Renowned guest artists- Renowned Canadian guest artists join the TSO in the 2011.2012 season:
Louis Lortie (Oct 12 & 13, 2011); James Ehnes (Dec 8 & 10, 2011);  Karina Gauvin (Feb 22 & 23, 2012); and Sondra Radvanovsky (Apr 11 & 14, 2012). Acclaimed international guest artists make their return to the TSO stage: pianist Emanuel Ax (Sept 29, Oct 1 & Oct 2, 2011); pianist Yefim Bronfman (Apr 4 & 5, 2012); pianist Evgeny Kissin (May 17 & 19, 2012). Exciting solo artists make their TSO débuts: saxophonist Branford Marsalis (Nov 23 & 24, 2011), conductor John Storgaards (Feb 16 & 18, 2012), trumpeter  Alison Balsom (Jun 19, 20 & 24, 2012) and rising star Canadian pianist  Jan Lisiecki (Jan 18, 19 & 22, 2012).
 
TSO Musicians ShineThe talented musicians of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra are featured as soloists throughout the TSO 90th season: Principal Flute Nora Shulman  (Oct 15 & 16, 2011); Principal Oboe Sarah Jeffrey (Oct 15 & 16, 2011); English Horn Cary Ebli (Nov 26 & 27, 2011); Principal Trumpet Andrew McCandless (Jan 25 & 28, 2012); PrincipAl Viola Teng Li
(Mar 3, 2012); Principal Cello Joseph Johnson (Mar 7, 2012); and  Principal Clarinet Joaquin Valdepeñas (May 9 & 10, 2012).

Holiday at the TSO
For the 79th consecutive year, the TSO celebrates the holiday season by performing Handel's Messiah with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. In the 2011.2012 season, Nicholas Kramer conducts and performs harpsichord in Toronto's favourite Messiah (Dec 14 & 16-19, 2011). The count-down to Christmas begins with Young People's Concert Series concert, the Twelve Days of Christmas (Dec 11, 2011), and with the bright golden tones of the  Canadian Brass in the TSO's Christmas Pops concerts (Dec 20 & 21, 2011). Oz with OrchestraJust in time for Halloween, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra brings the classic film The Wizard of Oz to life in a special performance where audience-members are encouraged to come in costume (Oct 29, 2011), and another designed just for kids (Oct 30, 2011).
 
City of Toronto Archives TSO exhibitThe City of Toronto Archives pays tribute to the TSO's 90-year history with an exhibit of the orchestra's artifacts and photos. An Exhibition of TSO history will be on display at the City of Toronto Archives opening in November 2011.
 
The TSO is pleased to announce BMO Financial Group as the 90th Season Sponsor. "We are proud to sponsor this milestone season and look forward to the fantastic music ahead," said Luke Seabrook, Executive Managing Director & Head of Financial Products Group at BMO Financial.
 
TSO 90th Season Sponsor is BMO Financial Group.
 
Lang Lang Residency is presented by CIBC. Touring Support provided by Tippet-Richardson Limited.
 
About the TSO:  Founded in 1922, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is one of Canada's major cultural institutions. Under the leadership of Music Director Peter Oundjian, the TSO is committed to innovative programming and showcases a roster of distinguished guest artists and conductors. In addition to performances, the TSO serves the community with one of the largest musical education outreach programmes in Canada, connecting students throughout Ontario with curriculum-based programming. tso.ca

 

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