Stephen Hough Joins Minnesota Orchestra

That set of concerts opens with Nielsen’s tone poem Pan and Syrinx and concludes with the Tenth Symphony of contemporary Finnish composer Kalevi Aho.

In the second week of concerts, held from June 4 to 7, Hough performs Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto, a rarely-heard gem, as well as Mendelssohn’s First Piano Concerto, which is not part of the recording project. The program also features Mussorgsky’s colorful Pictures at an Exhibition as well as the world premiere of In autumn woods a traveler, a work by Michael Gatonska, a two-time participant in the Orchestra’s Composer Institute. Hough will return to Orchestra Hall during the 2009-10 season to record Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto and Concert Fantasia, completing the four-part cycle, which will be released by Hyperion Records.

The first program is performed at Orchestra Hall on Thursday, May 28, at 11 a.m.; Friday, May 29, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m., with ticket prices ranging from $21 to $83. The second program is performed at the same venue on Thursday, June 4, at 11 a.m.; Friday, June 5, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 7, at 2 p.m., with ticket prices ranging from $21 to $83.

Stephen Hough, piano

Stephen Hough approaches the piano literature with both intellectual rigor and virtuosic technique. He appears regularly with major American and European orchestras and plays recitals in leading venues around the world. He last appeared with this Orchestra in 2002, when he played Chopin’s First Piano Concerto.

This season Hough performs with ensembles including the Boston and Chicago Symphonies and gives recitals at Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Festival Hall. He also tours with the Irish Chamber Orchestra as pianist, conductor and composer. His Cello Concerto was premiered in 2007 by Steven Isserlis and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, with Hough conducting.

In 2001 he was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship—the “genius grant.” At the 2008 Classic FM Gramophone Awards his recording of Saint-Saens’ complete piano-orchestra works received the Golden Disc award for being voted the most popular recording of the past 30 years. -- www.minnesotaorchestra.org