Vancouver Symphony Presents Kyoko Takezawa

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents world-renowned violinist Kyoko Takezawa with Music Director of the Bergen Philharmonic Andrew Litton on February 28 and March 2, 8pm, at the Orpheum Theatre. Kyoko Takezawa will perform Elgar’s epic Violin Concerto in B minor while Andrew Litton will lead the orchestra in Walton’s Crown Imperial and Rachmaninoff’s rare gem Symphony No. 3 in A minor.

“Kyoko Takezawa is an operatic diva of the violin…” - The Star Ledger

“[Andrew Litton is]…a leading conductor of his generation.” - Gramophone

Kyoko Takezawa began her training in Japan as part of the Suzuki Method Association and later moved to the United States to continue her studies at the Julliard School under Dorothy DeLay. Ms. Takezawa graduated from Julliard in 1989 and went on to win the gold medal in the International Violin Competition in Indianapolis. Ms. Takezawa is always a favourite of Vancouver audiences.

Andrew Litton’s love of conducting began when he was ten years old, after attending a (Leonard Bernstein) New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concert. Litton studied music and conducting at both The Fieldston School and Julliard. He served as the Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 1988 to 1994; Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2006; and Music Director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway since 2003.

A celebrated conductor, Litton was awarded Yale University’s Sanford Medal in 2003, the BBC Critics Award in 2005, and the Elgar Medal in 2007. He was recently praised for his collaboration with the Bergen International Festival, the National Theatre in Bergen and Grieg Hall, Opera Vest, and Den Nye Opera’s in their joint production of Carmen.

Edward Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B minor has been described by David Dubal, author of The Essential Canon of Classical Music, as “the greatest English contribution to the treasury of Romantic violin concertos”. It was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1909, when Elgar was at the height of his fame. He dedicated the piece to Austrian virtuoso Fritz Kreisler who was the soloist at its first performance. -- www.vancouversymphony.ca