FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE: October 6, 2010 BSO.ORG LAUNCHES 2010-11 CLASSICAL COMPANION SERIES ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, WITH TWO SPECIAL EDITIONS FOCUSING ON JOHN HARBISON AND THE BSO S COMPLETE CYCLE OF HIS SYMPHONIES HARBISON CLASSICAL COMPANION PROGRAMS INCLUDES BSO S FIRST-EVER LIVE STREAMING EVENT ON BSO.ORG AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN HARBISON FROM THE SYMPHONY HALL STAGE, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, AT 11 A.M. THREE ADDITIONAL CLASSICAL COMPANION PROGRAMS IN 2010-11 SEASON TO FOCUS ON GUSTAV MAHLER, ROBERT SCHUMANN, AND MUSIC INFLUENCED BY THE WRITINGS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE On Thursday, October 7, bso.org will launch the 2010-11 online Classical Companion series with the first of two special editions focusing on the symphonies of John Harbison, in conjunction with the start of the Boston Symphony Orchestra s two-year cycle of the composer s symphonies this fall (details in listing at end of release) at www.bso.org/classicalcompanion. Classical Companion, the Boston Symphony Orchestra s popular interactive online education program, has had approximately 1.5 million visitors to date. The October 7, first edition of the John Harbison Classical Companion--a biographical video of the composer and an audio analysis of his Symphony No. 3--is being presented in connection with the BSO s performances of Symphony No. 3, October 14-16. The second edition of the John Harbison Classical Companion will feature a conversation with Mr. Harbison streamed live at bso.org, on Friday, November 19, at 11 a.m., marking the first time the Boston Symphony has streamed an event live over the internet. Symphony fans will be able to watch the event and pose questions to Mr. Harbison through the Boston Symphony s free online Media Center at bso.org. BSO Assistant Artistic Administrator Benjamin Schwartz will serve as moderator of the conversation, to be held on the stage of Symphony Hall in anticipation of the BSO s performances of Symphony No. 1, November 26-30, and Symphony No. 2, December 2-4. After the one-hour conversation streams online, it will be accessible as a video via the BSO Media Center and the BSO itunes App. BSO S TWO-YEAR CYCLE OF SYMPHONIES BY JOHN HARBISON Composer John Harbison ranks among America's most distinguished artistic figures. His First and Fifth Symphonies were commissioned by the BSO and he has received numerous prestigious awards including the MacArthur Foundation's "genius" grant and the Pulitzer Prize. The Boston Symphony and Maestro James Levine have planned a Harbison symphony cycle to span two seasons, beginning with Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in 2010-11, and next season including the world premiere of the Symphony No. 6, recently commissioned by the BSO. The new Classical Companion, created especially for this cycle, offers BSO fans an enriching and rare perspective on the eminent composer s long-standing collaboration with the orchestra.
THREE ADDITIONAL CLASSICAL COMPANION PROGRAMS FOR 2010-11 SEASON Three additional Classical Companion programs to be featured throughout the BSO s 2010-11 season will focus on: Gustav Mahler, in conjunction with performances of Symphony No. 2 on October 7, 8, 9, and 12, Symphony No. 5 on October 14, 15, and 16; and Symphony No. 9 on February 23, 24, 25, 26 and March 1, marking the 150 th anniversary of Mahler s birth in 2010 and the centennial of his death in 2011 (last year s Classical Companion on Gustav Mahler is currently available; audio analysis of pieces being performed this year will be added throughout the season); Robert Schumann, in conjunction with an All- Schumann program on November 18 and 20 and performances of Symphony No. 1 on November 26, 27, and 30, and Symphony No. 2 on December 2, 3, and 4, marking the 200 th anniversary of Schumann s birth; and music influenced by the writings of William Shakespeare, in conjunction with performances of three works inspired by The Tempest by Sibelius, Thomas Adès, and Tchaikovsky on March 25 and 26, and Berlioz s Romeo and Juliet on May 5, 6, and 7. TICKET INFORMATION Tickets for the regular-season Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts range in price from $29 to $118: Tuesday and Thursday evenings are priced from $29 to $108, Friday afternoons are priced from $29 to $103, and Friday and Saturday evenings are priced from $31 to $118. Open rehearsal tickets are priced at $20. Tickets may be purchased by phone through SymphonyCharge (617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200), online through the BSO s website (www.bso.org), or in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office (301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston). There is a $5.50 service fee for all tickets purchased online or by phone through SymphonyCharge. American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club, and Discover, and cash (in person only) are all accepted at the Symphony Hall Box Office. SPONSORSHIPS UBS will continue its partnership with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as its exclusive season sponsor, building on the mutually successful partnership that began in 2003. EMC Corporation is the supporting partner of the 2010-11 BSO season. The Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston, together with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, is the Official Hotel of the BSO. Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation is the Official Chauffeured Transportation Provider of the BSO. The Evening Open Rehearsal series is supported by Harvard University Extension School and Harvard Summer School. BSO.ORG The Boston Symphony Orchestra s extensive website, www.bso.org, is the largest and most-visited orchestral website in the country, receiving more than 7.3 million visitors annually and generating over $60 million in revenue since its launch in 1996. BSO Concert Preview Podcasts, focusing on each of the programs of the BSO s 2010-2011 season, are available through www.bso.org, Facebook, and itunes, and the BSO Video Podcasts are available through www.bso.org, itunes, Facebook, and YouTube. # # # PRESS CONTACTS: Bernadette Horgan, Director of Public Relations ( bhorgan@bso.org) 617-638-9285 Kathleen Drohan, Associate Director of Public Relations (kdrohan@bso.org) 617-638-9286
LISTING OF BSO PROGRAMS FEATURED ON 2010-11 CLASSICAL COMPANION SEASON AT BSO.ORG TO FOLLOW BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PROGRAM LISTING The Symphonies of John Harbison in 2010-11 Thursday, October 14, 8 p.m. Friday, October 15, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 16, 8 p.m. HARBISON Symphony No. 3 MAHLER Symphony No. 5 *** Friday, November 26, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, November 27, 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 30, 8 p.m. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3, Rhenish HARBISON Symphony No. 1 WAGNER Prelude and Love-death from Tristan und Isolde
Thursday, December 2, 10:30 a.m. (Open Rehearsal) Thursday, December 2, 8 p.m. Friday, December 3, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4, 8 p.m. Nikolaj Znaider, violin HARBISON Symphony No. 2 MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3 in G, K.216 SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2 The Symphonies of Gustav Mahler in 2010-11
Thursday, October 7, 10:30 a.m. (Open Rehearsal) Thursday, October 7, 8 p.m. Friday, October 8, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 9, 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 12, 8 p.m. Layla Claire, soprano Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver, conductor MAHLER Symphony No. 2, Resurrection Thursday, October 14, 8 p.m. Friday, October 15, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 16, 8 p.m. HARBISON Symphony No. 3 MAHLER Symphony No. 5 Wednesday, February 23, 7:30 p.m. (Open Rehearsal) Thursday, February 24, 8 p.m. Friday, February 25, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 26, 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, 8 p.m. MAHLER Symphony No. 9 Music Inspired by the Writings of William Shakespeare in 2010-11 Friday, March 25, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 26, 8 p.m. Thomas Adès, conductor Anthony Marwood, violin Hila Plitmann, soprano Kate Royal, soprano Toby Spence, tenor Christopher Maltman, baritone TCHAIKOVSKY The Tempest ADÈS Violin Concerto, Concentric Paths SIBELIUS Prelude and Suite No. 1 from The Tempest ADÈS Scenes from The Tempest Wednesday, May 4, 7:30 p.m. (Open Rehearsal) Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m. Friday, May 6, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 8 p.m. Charles Dutoit, conductor Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, tenor Laurent Naouri, baritone
Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver, conductor BERLIOZ Roméo et Juliette Performances of works by Robert Schumann Thursday, November 18, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 20, 8 p.m. Kurt Masur, conductor Nelson Freire, piano ALL-SCHUMANN PROGRAM Symphony No. 1, Spring Piano Concerto Symphony No. 4 Friday, November 26, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, November 27, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, November 30, 8 p.m. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3, Rhenish HARBISON Symphony No. 1 WAGNER Prelude and Love-death from Tristan und Isolde Thursday, December 2, 10:30 a.m. (Open Rehearsal) Thursday, December 2, 8 p.m. Friday, December 3, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4, 8 p.m. Nikolaj Znaider, violin HARBISON Symphony No. 2 MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3 in G, K.216 SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2