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1 N E W S R E L E A S E Contacts: Mike Hogue x26 mhogue@chamberorchestra.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2018 The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia (COP) Season Opening concert, AFRICA begins Migrations season. Music Director Dirk Brossé leads the Chamber Orchestra in works of Schubert, Arriaga, and Fela Sowande in the intimate Perelman Theater of The Kimmel Center World-renowned composer and Kora soloist Tunde Jegede performs his Cycle of Reckoning A founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia (COP) announces the opening of their 2018/2019 season Migrations with their season opening concert, AFRICA. The Chamber Orchestra s Migrations season takes audiences on a journey through many regions from which Philadelphia residents and their ancestors originated. AFRICA features music of two major African composers: Nigerian Fela Sowande, whose beautiful and graceful melodies, many derived from sources from his native land, are the core of his African Suite; and Tunde Jegede, born in London of a Nigerian father, who traveled to The Gambia to study the griot tradition of native music and storytelling, which dates back to the 13 th century. Tunde Jegede s early life in London was replete with multicultural influences. His Nigerian father and English mother were artists; they recognized Jegede s musical inclination, and he began cello study at seven. He then heard the kora virtuoso Bouly Cissoko, and took lessons from him; and also began studying with the griot master Amadu Bansang Jobarteh. At the age of eleven, Jegede traveled to The Gambia to continue his studies. During his time there, he continued his study of the kora, the 21-stringed instrument that emits an unforgettable sound and is capable of polyphonic melodies and polyrhythms. Jegede is now acknowledged as the world master of the instrument. As composer and performer, Jegede has used many different musical influences such as classical, opera, pop, R and B, reggae, hip hop, jazz, and of course African music. Jegede s works include a percussion concerto for Evelyn Glennie, compositions for the Royal Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony, the Brodsky Quartet and more. He is founder of the African Classical Music Ensemble. Cycle of Reckoning is described by Jegede as a culmination of all the diverse influences that shaped my early musical development as a composer, including classical melodies, jazz, African and Indian classical music. Jegede had just read Alex Haley's Roots, and was moved to write a piece which began to address this story. It seemed to be one that both the perpetrators and victims had amnesia of, and one that I felt was crucial to my understanding of an African consciousness in the 20th/21st century I recognized the need

2 to build a new mythology to transcend the challenges that have been inflicted on African people of the diaspora. Before the performance of Cycle of Reckoning Mr. Jegede will demonstrate the kora to the audience, displaying its fascinating construction and abilities. Fela Sowande, the son of an Anglican minister in Lagos, studied church music as well as organ and piano in Nigeria, until, at the age of 19, he moved to London. There he made a name for himself as a jazz musician, founding a band, playing with Fats Waller, and performing as soloist for an early London performance of Rhapsody in Blue. He found a post as organist for the BBC, playing a wide variety of music. Eventually, he returned to Nigeria and became head of the music section of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, where his programming explored (among other things) traditional Yoruba music, mythology and culture. After teaching African studies in Nigeria and America, Sowande passed away in The African Suite was composed in 1944, and frames traditional African folksongs in a more European idiom, while retaining their characteristic rhythms and pentatonic melodies. The melodies are accompanied by a variety of sounds that call to mind nature, African plucked instruments, lullabies, nostalgia, and lively dance episodes. The finale became well-known to Canadian audiences as the theme for a popular program, Gilmour s Albums. The concert will open with two European works: Schubert s delightful Overture in the Italian Style, and the Symphony in D by Spanish composer Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga. Arriaga, who died at the age of 19, was thought by many to be the next Mozart. The brilliant and inventive Symphony, written a year before his death, displays the talent that might have flourished had he lived. The concert is led by the Chamber Orchestra s Music Director, Sir Dirk Brossé. Brossé s acclaim as conductor and composer has taken him all over Europe and to China, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and of course the United States. His compositions have been performed in over 40 countries, and he has written soundtracks for film and television, receiving an Emmy nomination for his score for the BBC/HBO series Parade s End, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch. He has made more than 90 recordings. He has received many honors, and in 2013 he was elevated to Belgium s heredity nobility Season ### AFRICA: Schubert, Arriaga & Jegede Sunday, October 7, :30 PM Monday, October 8, :30 PM Dirk Brossé, Conductor Tunde Jegede, Kora

3 Schubert Overture in the Italian Style, D. 590 Arriaga Symphony in D Fela Sowande African Suite for String Orchestra Tunde Jegede Interlude: Solo Kora Jegede Cycle of Reckoning for Kora and Chamber Orchestra* *U.S. Premiere ASIA: Mozart, Dvořák & Harrison Sunday, December 9, :30 PM Monday, December 10, :30 PM Dirk Brossé, Conductor Wu Man, Pipa Mozart Divertimento, K. 138 Dvořák Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 Dirk Brossé/Traditional Mu yang Gu-niang Wu Man Interlude: Solo Pipa Lou Harrison Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra EUROPE: Bach, Vivaldi & Corelli Sunday, February 24, :30 PM Monday, February 25, :30 PM Caterina Lichtenberg, Mandolin Riccardo Broschi Overture to La Merope J.S. Bach Air on the G string Caterina Lichtenberg Interlude: Solo Mandolin Domenico Gaudioso Concerto for Mandonlin Caldara Sinfonie a Quattro Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin Corelli Suite for String Orchesrtra THE AMERICAS: de Falla, Villa-Lobos & Clearfield Sunday, March 31, :30 PM Monday, April 1, :30 PM Dirk Brossé, Conductor

4 Jordan Dodson, Guitar Astral Spotlight Artist Manuel de Falla El Amor Brujo Suite Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar Chabrier Habanera Steven Gerber Homage to Dvořák, from Spirituals for String Orchestra Jordon Dodson Interlude: Solo Guitar Andrea Clearfield Steven R. Gerber Composer in Residence New Work for Electric Guitar and Chamber Orchestra* *World Premiere MIDDLE EAST: Mozart, Saint-Saëns & Shaheen Sunday, May 19, :30 PM Monday, May 20, :30 PM Dirk Brossé, Conductor Simon Shaheen, Oud François-Adrien Boieldieu Overture to Le Calife de Bagdad Mozart Symphony No. 36 Linz K. 425 Saint-Saëns Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah new arrangement by Andrea Clearfield, Steven R. Gerber Composer in Residence Simon Shaheen Interlude: solo oud Shaheen Concerto for Oud and Chamber Orchestra Philadelphia Premiere Artists, Dates, and Programs subject to change Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now. Single tickets range from $28 - $98. For tickets and more information visit chamberorchestra.org or call The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia A founding resident company of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is a 33-member professional ensemble led by Music Director Dirk Brossé. The Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1964 by Marc Mostovoy, has a well-established reputation for distinguished performances of repertoire from the Baroque period through the twenty-first century. The Chamber Orchestra's development was motivated in part by the desire to provide performance opportunities to young professional musicians emerging from leading conservatories and other regional training programs, but also by a desire to make a substantial contribution to the city and the region's cultural life. In addition to presenting its own productions, the Chamber Orchestra started to develop an entrepreneurial business model by seeking other performance opportunities among the region's presenter/producer community, thereby providing supplementary employment for its members. The

5 ensemble also championed new music, with a focus on local composers. In total, the organization has commissioned and premiered over seventy new works. In 1994, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, a concert pianist and conducting graduate from the Curtis Institute of Music, joined the Chamber Orchestra as Assistant Conductor. In 1998, he was named Principal Conductor and, ultimately, Music Director in A conductor and composer of international acclaim, Maestro Dirk Brossé now enters his ninth season as Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. In the season, the Orchestra will perform five programs from October through May in the Kimmel Center s intimate, 600-seat Perelman Theater. Over the course of the ensemble s rich and diverse history, COP has performed with such internationally acclaimed guest artists as Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mstislav Rostropovich, Isaac Stern, Rudolph Serkin, the Eroica Trio, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Romero Guitar Quartet, Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, Ben Folds, Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Sylvia McNair, Steven Isserlis, Joseph Silverstein, Ransom Wilson, Gerard Schwarz, Jahja Ling, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, among others. The ensemble travels regularly, having toured the United States, Europe, and Israel. Dirk Brossé, Music Director Sir Dirk Brossé, born in Ghent, Belgium in 1960, is a multi-faceted composer and an internationally acclaimed conductor. He is currently Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Music Director of the Film Festival Ghent, and Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Star Wars In Concert World Tour. Brossé began his music studies at the Music Conservatories of Ghent. He subsequently specialized in conducting, which he studied in Maastricht, Vienna and Cologne. He is currently Professor of Composition and Conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Ghent. Dirk Brossé has conducted every leading Belgian orchestra, among them, the Brussels Philharmonic, the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Flemish Opera and the National Orchestra of Belgium. Outside his native Belgium, he has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, l'orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Shanghai, the Vancouver Opera, the KBS Symphony Orchestra of South Korea, l' Orchestra de l'opéra de Lyon, the World Symphony Orchestra (Japan), the Ulster Symphony Orchestra of Northern Ireland, the Liverpool Philharmonic, the RTE Orchestra Dublin, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Porto Philharmonic, the Queensland Philharmonic, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Camerata St. Petersburg, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Noord Nederlands Orkest, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Orchestras of Venezuela and Ecuador. Dirk Brossé is a versatile and prolific composer. He has written over 400 works, including concerti, oratorios, lieder, chamber music and symphonic works that have been performed all over the world and have been recorded in more than 40 countries. Among his most performed works are La Soledad de América Latina, written in collaboration with the Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Artesia, a universal symphony for orchestra and ethnic instruments, the ethno-classical symphony The Birth of Music; the oratorio Juanelo; the lieder cycles Landuyt Cycle and La vida es un Sueño, the War Concerto for clarinet and orchestra; and the violin concertos Black, White & Between, Sophia and Echoes of Silent Voices. He has also composed extensively for cinema, television and stage. Brossé sfilm soundtracks include Boerenpsalm, Daens (Academy Award Nominee, 1993), Koko Flanel, Back to Utopia, Licht, Stijn Coninx's de Kavijaks, Marian Handwerker's Marie, Martin Koolhoven's Knetter, Roland Joffé s The Lovers, Jaques Feyder's 1925 silent film Visages d'enfants, and Knielen op een bed violen (Golden Calf Nominee, 2016). His

6 score for the BBC/HBO series Parade's End starring Benedict Cumberbatch was nominated for an Emmy Award. He wrote the scores for the musicals Sacco & Vanzetti, Ben X, The Prince of Africa, Tintin The Temple of the Sun (based on Hergé's world-famous cartoon character Tintin), Rembrandt the Musical, the musical, Pauline & Paulette and Musical Daens each time in close collaboration with stage director Frank Van Laecke. In 2007, Dirk Brossé made his debut in the Royal Albert Hall, conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in A Night of Music from the Movies, featuring the music of Patrick Doyle, with guest appearances by renowned actors Emma Thompson, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Kenneth Branagh. In 2010, at the request of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, he wrote The Hallow-e'en Dances. This Halloween-inspired work was especially written for traditional Chinese instruments. He recently composed Haiku Cycle 1, for Jessye Norman and based on Haiku by Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Union. In 2016, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York, conducting his violin concerto Black, White & In Between with the Chamber Orchestra of New York. Dirk Brossé has made more than 80 CD recordings and has conducted in numerous world-famous concert halls, such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican Centre, the Royal Albert Hall in London, Opera La Monnaie in Brussels, the Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Seoul Arts Center, the Tokyo Forum, and the Concert Hall Shanghai. He has collaborated with world-class artists such as José Van Dam, Philip Webb, Barbara Hendricks, Claron McFadden, Julia Migenes, Derek Lee Ragin, Sabine Meyer, Julian Lloyd Webber, Daniel Blumenthal, and Salvatore Accardo. On a broader musical platform, he has performed with John Williams, Toots Thielemans, Hans Zimmer, Elmer Bernstein, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Randy Crawford, Lisa Gerrard, Mel Brooks, Maurane, Sinead O' Connor, Viktor Lazlo, Maurice Jarre, and Youssou N'Dour. Dirk Brossé has been awarded the title Cultural Ambassador of Flanders, the Flemish Parliament s Gold Medal for Merit, the Achille Van Acker Prize, the Joseph Plateau Honorary Award, and the Global Thinkers Forum Award for Excellence in Cultural Creativity. In 2010, Dirk Brossé was made an honorary citizen of Destelbergen. In 2013, he was elevated to Belgium s hereditary nobility, with the personal title of Sir. In late 2010, EMI Classics released the 6 CD Box-Set Dirk Brossé, A Portrait in Music. The documentary Brossé, a destiny in Music by Jacques Servaes received international acclaim. Since 2016, Dirk Brossé is a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. dirkbrosse.be # # #

7 SPECIAL EVENTS Young Friend s Season Opening Celebration Experience a night at one of Philadelphia's many picturesque outside spaces, The Philadelphia Horticultural Society's Pop Up Beer Garden, while enjoying LIVE music by Astral Spotlight Artist, Jordan Dodson. Meet Jordan, enjoy drinks, and hear world class music without leaving Center City. Friday, September 28, PM - 7PM PHS Pop-Up Garden South Street 1436 South St Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This event is open to the public. Information for the Chamber Orchestra's 40 Under 40 Membership Information can be found here: Brunch with Brossé Comcast Circle at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Dirk Brossé, Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia Discover how Music Director Brossé brings music from the page to the stage in a roundtable discussion. Examine the musical selections featured in upcoming programs with the Maestro before Sunday s performance in a conversation over brunch. This intimate endeavor takes place in the Comcast Circle at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts prior to select Sunday performances conducted by Maestro Brossé. Cost is $40 per person, which includes brunch and your very own copy of the score. Space is limited. Call x28, or go to chamberorchestra.org. AFRICA: Jegede, Schubert & Arriaga Sunday, October 7, :30 PM THE AMERICAS: DeFalla, Dvořák & Chabrier Sunday, March 31, :30 PM Classical Conversations Sunday Post-Concert Q&A Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts Immediately following every Sunday series concert COP Music Director Dirk Brossé and guest artists host an informal and informative conversation and Q&A session in the Perelman Theater following all Sunday matinée performances. Admission is included in Sunday s ticket. AFRICA: Jegede, Schubert & Arriaga Sunday, October 7, 2018 Post-Concert Featuring: Dirk Brossé, Tunde Jegede ASIA: Harrison, Mozart & Dvořák Sunday, December 9, 2018 Post-Concert Featuring: Dirk Brossé, Wu Man EUROPE: Handel, Vivaldi & Bach Sunday, February 24, 2019 Post-Concert

8 Featuring: Caterina Lichtenberg THE AMERICAS: DeFalla, Dvořák & Chabrier Sunday, March 31, 2019 Post-Concert Featuring: Dirk Brossé, Conductor, Jordan Dodson, Guitar (Astral Spotlight Artist), Andrea Clearfield, Steven R. Gerber Composer-in-Residence. MIDDLE EAST: Shaheen, Mozart & Saint-Saëns Sunday, May 19, 2019 Post-Concert Featuring: Dirk Brossé, Simon Shaheen

9 Concerts & Cocktails Monday Post-Concert Cocktail Hour The PECO Bar at the Kimmel Center's Commonwealth Plaza Immediately following every Monday series concert This post-concert celebration, featuring cocktails crafted by Garces Group, offers patrons the opportunity to meet-and-greet with COP soloists, guest conductors, composers, and musicians. Admission is included with the purchase of the concert ticket. AFRICA: Jegede, Schubert & Arriaga Monday, October 8, 2018 Post-Concert ASIA: Harrison, Mozart & Dvořák Monday, December 10, 2018 Post-Concert EUROPE: Handel, Vivaldi & Bach Monday, February 25, 2019 Post-Concert THE AMERICAS: DeFalla, Dvořák & Chabrier Monday, April 1, 2019 Post-Concert MIDDLE EAST: Shaheen, Mozart & Saint-Saëns Monday, May 20, 2019 Post-Concert Classical Jukebox Wednesday, January 23, :00 PM The Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square A Fund-raising Concert for The Chamber Orchestra Members of The Chamber Orchestra and special guests perform delightful chamber music. Many items on the program are sponsored by Chamber Orchestra donors. The evening includes a silent auction and reception. Admission is $25. For reservations, and for information about sponsorship, call x 28. Intersect with Andrew Lipke Wednesday, December 5, :30 PM The Locks at Manayunk Wednesday, February 20, :30 PM Annenberg Center Composer, arranger, producer, performer, and educator Andrew Lipke explores the music and influences that have shaped the Chamber Orchestra s Migrations season in two fascinating sessions. Audiences at Intersect events are encouraged to challenge their conceptions of where one genre of music ends and another begins, while enjoying an unprecedented collaborative performance in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. In juxtaposing seemingly polar styles, Intersect illuminates the intrinsic universality of musical expression. Joining Lipke will be members of The Chamber Orchestra and Composer in Residence Andrea Clearfield. Admission is $25. Call x 28 for more information.

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11 Thank you to our 2018/2019 Season Partners Media Sponsor The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is proud to be sponsored by the Philadelphia area s leading provider of classical music, WRTI. Throughout the season, WRTI will broadcast Live from exclusive COP events. Season Partnerships Tune in all season long as WRTI and COP team up to bring you exciting highlights of the Migrations Season. Experience live interviews, on air performances, and monthly broadcasts featuring the prominent voices of WRTI. More Information: wrti.org The Chamber Orchestra is excited to partner with Global Philadelphia. In a season dedicated to world traditions, Global Philadelphia and COP will highlight the many rich and diverse cultures that create the fabric of the Philadelphia landscape. The Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization composed of over 200 organizations, institutions, universities, and other international stakeholders in Greater Philadelphia. Its mission is to assist and encourage greater interaction among the many organizations and people who are engaged in international activity within the Greater Philadelphia region; promote the development of an international consciousness within the region; and enhance the region s global profile. Together with the City of Philadelphia, it founded the Philadelphia World Heritage City Project in The Project is committed to Encouraging greater interaction among the many organizations who are engaged in international activity Stimulating the City s economy, international trade and tourism Maximizing global educational opportunities among our schoolchildren Preserving our historical and cultural heritage Promoting the development of an international consciousness within the region while enhancing the City s global profile Further information can be obtained from Zabeth Teelucksingh, Executive Director, at zabeth.teelucksingh@globalphiladelphia.orgor by calling The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is proud to enter its second year partnership with Astral Artists, one of Philadelphia s leading artist management organizations dedicated to fostering rising-stars

12 in music. In the Migrations season COP will feature Jordan Dodson, Guitar. More Information: astralartists.org. The American Composers Forum Philadelphia Chapter, the Chamber Orchestra, and the Steven R. Gerber Trust are excited to continue our Steven R. Gerber Composer Residency for the season. More Information: acfphiladelphia.org.