Contact: Allison Griffin
Public Relations Associate
503-416-6347
February 21, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Oregon Symphony Laureate Music Director James DePreist will return to the podium for “Sweeping Excitement,” featuring Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, on March 10 at 7:30 p.m., March 11 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 at 8 p.m. in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
Chosen by Leonard Bernstein in 1965 to become assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, DePreist has appeared with every major North American orchestra. In 2005, President George W. Bush presented him with the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence. He is the permanent conductor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and director of conducting and orchestral studies at the Juilliard School.
Soloist Denis Matsuev will be featured in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Winner of the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Matsuev has quickly established himself as one of the most sought after pianists in his generation. Born into a family of musicians in the city of Irkutsk, Siberia in 1975, he began taking piano lessons at the age of four, and made his debut with a Haydn piano concerto when he was nine. In 1991, at the age of 16, Matsuev moved to Moscow to train at the Moscow Central Specialized Music School. He went on to graduate from the Moscow Conservatory.
One of the most popular piano concertos in the symphonic repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 was initially deemed a “strange, wild, ultra-modern Russian Concerto” by critics. Indeed, the writing for the soloist is quite difficult, as Tchaikovsky was not a pianist and did not have an understanding of the instrument. Van Cliburn won the First International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 with this piece, much to the astonishment of people worldwide, as he was an American competing in Moscow at the height of the Cold War.
The Symphony will also perform Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. His last composition, the work demonstrates the composer's preoccupation with death in his later years. The piece features all the hallmarks of his signature style: sweeping romantic melodies, fiery passion and tender intimate moments. It also features several liturgical chants from the Russian Orthodox church.
Included in the program is the Symphony premiere of Khachaturian’s Lezghinka from Gayane. Said the composer, “I consider the ballet a great art. For in the ballet it is possible to express all the diversity of man’s life and wealth of emotions.” The broad themes include the resistance of the people against a common enemy and victory over oppression. Like all Soviet composers, he had to walk the fine line between his own artistic inclinations and the specific aesthetic dictates of the Soviet government.
Tickets are $20 to $88 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office, located at 923 S.W. Washington. Ticket office hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (503) 224-4400. Discounted tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the group sales hotline at (503) 416-6380. Support for the concert is provided by the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. Media support is provided by The Oregonian and KINK fm.
Images and guest artist bios are available at www.orsymphony.org/media.