THE ORCHESTRA NOW STARTS THE NEW YEAR WITH FOUR CONCERTS: FEBRUARY 3 – FEBRUARY 18, 2018
Two Programs at the Fisher Center’s Sosnoff Theater at Bard College featuring Gershwin’s American in Paris and Mahler’s 7th Symphony
The Orchestra Now (TŌN) will give two programs as part of its residence at Bard College. Associate conductor James Bagwell will lead the Orchestra in Gershwin’s American in Paris together with works by Jennifer Higdon and Schumann on February 3 – 4.The full program is as follows:
Gershwin’s An American in Paris
Sat. Feb 3, 2018 at 8 pm
Sun. Feb 4, 2018 at 2 pm
James Bagwell, conductor
Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral
Gershwin: An American in Paris
Schumann: Symphony No. 2
Conductor James Bagwell and The Orchestra Now — Photo by Jito Lee
Then on February 17 – 18, Leon Botstein takes the podium for the tonal complexity of Mahler’s Seventh Symphony; Elias Rodriguez, winner of TŌN’s 2017 Concerto Competition, will be the soloist in Weber’s romantic Clarinet Concerto No. 1. The full concert includes:
Mahler’s Seventh Symphony
Sat. Feb 17, 2018 at 8 pm
Sun. Feb 18, 2018 at 2 pm
Leon Botstein, conductor
Elias Rodriguez, clarinet
Weber: Clarinet Concerto No. 1
Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Tickets, starting at $25, may be purchased by calling the box office at 845.758.7900, in person at the Fisher Center box office, or by visiting the website at fishercenter.bard.edu.
TON’s performances at Fisher Center can be heard on the radio program, WMHT Live! on February 16, March 18, April 8, and May 20. Live stream online or tune in to WMHT-FM 89.1/88.7, serving Eastern New York and Western New England.
Leon Botstein conducts The Orchestra Now at the Fisher Center at Bard College. Photo by Matt Dine
The Orchestra Now
The Orchestra Now (TŌN) is a group of some 80 vibrant young musicians from more than 12 different countries around the globe, whose goal is to make orchestral music relevant to 21st-century audiences. They are lifting the curtain on the musicians’ experience by sharing their unique personal insights in a welcoming environment. Hand-picked from hundreds of applicants from the world’s leading conservatories — including The Juilliard School, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and the Curtis Institute of Music — the members of TŌN are not only rousing audiences with their critically acclaimed performances, but also enlightening curious minds by presenting on-stage introductions and demonstrations at concerts, offering program notes written from the musicians’ perspective, and connecting with patrons through one-on-one discussions during intermissions.
Conductor, educator, and music historian Leon Botstein founded TŌN in 2015 as a master’s degree program at Bard College, where he also serves as president. The Orchestra is in residence at Bard’s Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, offering multiple concerts there each season as well as participating in the annual Bard Music Festival. The Orchestra also performs numerous concert series at major venues in New York, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as a schedule of free performances across New York City boroughs. TŌN has collaborated with many distinguished conductors, including Fabio Luisi, Neeme Järvi, Gerard Schwarz, and JoAnn Falletta.
For upcoming activities and more detailed information about the musicians, visit theorchestranow.org.
Leon Botstein, photo by Ric Kallaher
Leon Botstein
Leon Botstein brings a renowned career as both a conductor and educator to his role as music director of The Orchestra Now. He has been music director of the American Symphony Orchestra since 1992, artistic co-director of Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival since their creation, and president of Bard College since 1975. He was the music director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra from 2003 – 2011, and is now conductor laureate. In 2018, he will assume artistic directorship of the Grafenegg Academy in Austria. Mr. Botstein is also a frequent guest conductor with orchestras around the globe, has made numerous recordings, and is a prolific author and music historian. He is the editor of the prestigious The Musical Quarterly, and has received many honors for his contributions to music. More info online at LeonBotstein.com.
Featured Image: Leon Botstein conducting The Orchestra Now
Photo by Matt Dine