PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY S SEASON FINALE FEATURES BEETHOVEN S NINTH SYMPHONY & WEST COAST PREMIERE OF MARK- ANTHONY TURNAGE S FRIEZE

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chantel Chen Uchida (949) , ext. 231 Marie Songco-Torres (949) , ext. 230 PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY S SEASON FINALE FEATURES BEETHOVEN S NINTH SYMPHONY & WEST COAST PREMIERE OF MARK- ANTHONY TURNAGE S FRIEZE IRVINE, CA The Philharmonic Society of Orange County is pleased to present the final concert in its season, featuring a program of Beethoven s iconic Ninth Symphony and the West Coast premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage s Frieze on Thursday, May 15, 2014, 8pm, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. A cast of more than 300 artists will appear onstage comprised of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Chapman Orchestra, choirs from Chapman University and the University of California, Irvine, pianist Marc Yu and four vocal soloists. This concert is part of the Society s Beethoven: The Late Great celebration, sponsored by The Segerstrom Foundation, with additional support from Joann Leatherby and Dr. Greg Bates, Drs. Adeline and Robert Mah, and an anonymous patron. This performance also marks the last concert of Philharmonic Society President and Artistic Director Dean Corey s 21-year tenure. Beethoven: The Late Great is a musical exploration curated by Dean Corey into the final transcendence of one of the greatest composers of all time. After watching the play 33 Variations, which recounts the story of a terminally ill musicologist racing against her own mortality while she tries to figure out why Beethoven wrote 33 variations of Anton Diabelli s waltz when he was only commissioned to write one, Mr. Corey was inspired to curate a number of Beethoven performances from his late period for the Philharmonic Society so audiences could explore this curious time in the Page 1 of 6

2 composer s life. Over the past few seasons, the Society has presented all of Beethoven s late works. This season s Beethoven: The Late Great celebration featured community-wide events showcasing Beethoven and his inspirational genius through film screenings of a new documentary by filmmaker Kerry Candaele, Following the Ninth, an Ode to Joy art and sound installation by the artist Trimpin, the publication of Dean Corey s book Beethoven: The Late Great Thirty-Three Personal Variations, an exhibit of rare Beethoven artifacts at the Bowers Museum, and an exhibit on Charles M. Schulz Peanuts comic strip featuring the character Schroeder and his muse Beethoven. The Segerstrom Foundation provided a generous challenge grant to support the multi-year Beethoven: The Late Great celebration. Beethoven & Schroeder Exhibit Charles Schulz, the famous creator of Peanuts, included excerpts from Beethoven compositions in many of his cartoon strips, which featured a serious young pianist named Schroeder whose love from the composer and his music was all-consuming. Schulz was careful to accurately portray Beethoven s music and key parts of his life in the strips, and included subtle themes that would be particularly meaningful to Beethoven fans. This exhibit is drawn from a larger joint exhibition by the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University and the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. Accompanying the exhibit will be a Yamaha Disklavier, a piano famously known for its self-playing ability, which will provide patrons with an up-close mini performance of Beethoven s challenging Hammerklavier Sonata featured in the strips. Part of the Society s ongoing Beethoven: The Late Great celebration, Beethoven & Schroeder is a traveling exhibit and is available for viewing at the following Philharmonic Society concerts: Pinchas Zukerman & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Jan. 22, 2014, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall); Mandelring Quartet (Feb. 23, 2014, Irvine Barclay Theatre); Scharoun Ensemble Berlin (Mar. 21, 2014, Irvine Barclay Theatre); and Beethoven: The Late Great The Finale (May 15, 2014, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall). The Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra has given world-class pre-professional musical education to young musicians for more than four decades, introducing classical music to more than 500,000 students through its youth education programs and performances. Under Musical Director Daniel Alfred Wachs, the OCYSO was awarded the American Prize in Orchestral Performance Youth Orchestra Division in Performances in Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Page 2 of 6

3 Kong, the People s Republic of China, Japan and at the United Nations and Carnegie Hall have been lauded by critics and audiences alike. Conductor Daniel Alfred Wachs began his studies with the late Enrique Barenboim in Tel Aviv before pursuing studies at the Zürich Academy and graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School. Wachs emerged on the international scene following his debut with the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg in November 2010, leading a world premiere by Toshio Hosokawa at the Grosses Festspielhaus. The Austrian press praised: Engaging, rhythmically inspired, precise in its execution, the Mambo was equal to a performance by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra! Wachs has served as cover conductor for the Houston Symphony and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and has guest conducted the Pacific Symphony, the Auckland Philharmonia, the National Symphony Orchestra (as part of the National Conducting Institute), the Sarasota Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the Monterey Symphony, the Spartanburg Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. Wachs has also served as assistant conductor at the Cincinnati Opera and for the French premiere of Bernstein s Candide at the Théâtre du Châtelet, a co-production with La Scala and the English National Opera, directed by Robert Carsen. Pianist Marc Yu, the youngest recipient of the prestigious Davidson Fellowship, made his orchestral debut at age six, playing a piano concerto and a cello concerto on the same evening. Since then, he has appeared as a soloist with symphony orchestras around the world, as well as appearances with his childhood idol Lang Lang. His first appearance with Lang Lang took place in June 2007 in Las Vegas. Since then, they have performed to sold-out crowds at the BBC Proms, in London's Royal Albert Hall, and in New York s Carnegie Hall. Beyond his early success on the concert stage, Marc Yu has made for himself a second career as well, leading his generation in speaking out for cultural and planetary concerns. After being presented to Vice Premier of China, Wang Qi-Shan, Marc addressed an assemblage that included Condoleezza Rice, Henry Paulson and other members of the U.S. Cabinet at the 2008 Bi-Annual U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue. His speech was a plea for urgency in the matter of global warming. Marc was honored with the Most Innovative Person Award at the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship held in Dubai in He is currently a piano student of Robert Ward in Los Angeles, California. Page 3 of 6

4 Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, is located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA Ticket prices for Beethoven: The Late Great The Finale start at $25 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) , online at and at the Center box office at (714) A limited number of box seats are also available for purchase. Call for pricing and availability. About the Philharmonic Society: Founded in 1954, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County is Orange County s oldest and most recognized music organization, presenting the world s most acclaimed symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, performing organizations and artists. A catalyst for cultural and educational development throughout its region, the Philharmonic Society is a key resident company in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Page 4 of 6

5 FO R CALEN DAR EDITO RS CONTACT: Chantel Chen Uchida (949) , ext. 231 chantel@philharmonicsociety.org Marie Songco-Torres (949) , ext. 230 marie@philharmonicsociety.org WHAT: BEETHOVEN: THE LATE GREAT THE FINALE Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra Daniel Alfred Wachs, conductor The Chapman Orchestra Choirs from Chapman University and UCI Marc Yu, piano Jessica Rivera, soprano Renee Tatum, mezzo-soprano Nicholas Phan, tenor Craig Colclough, bass WHEN: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 8pm PROGRAM: Pre-concert conversation with Dean Corey and John Koshak, 7pm TURNAGE: Frieze (U.S. West Coast premiere) BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1 (first movement) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 WHERE: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall Segerstrom Center for the Arts 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA TICKETS: Ticket prices start at $25. Limited number of box seats available for purchase. Call for pricing and availability. Available at the Philharmonic Society box office (949) , or online at Tickets are also available at the Center s box office at (714) Page 5 of 6

6 INFORMATION: Call (949) or visit Page 6 of 6