Schumann, Chopin, Sibelius With Fort Worth Symphony

Experience the power and passion of a live symphonic concert with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra March 16-18 at Bass Performance Hall. The curtain rises with Schumann's powerful Overture to Manfred, Op. 115, based on Byron's drama of the same name.

A winner of the Avery Fisher Career Grant while still at Juilliard, stunning 24-year-old pianist Orion Weiss will leave the audience in awe as he performs Chopin's romantic Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21. The concert concludes with Sibelius' emotionally powerful Second Symphony. Michael Stern, music director of the Kansas City Orchestra, joins the FWSO as guest conductor.

The concerts begin at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Learn more about the music by joining Principal Keyboardist Shields-Collins Bray for Symphonic Insights, one hour before each concert in the audience chamber.

Pianist Orion Weiss has already established himself as an extraordinary young talent who exhibits great maturity and depth bolstered by remarkable technical skills. In 2005 he won the Juilliard William Petschek Award and made his New York recital debut at Alice Tully Hall. He was awarded a 2002 Avery Fisher Career Grant. He recently made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl (with pianist Shai Wosner). Weiss has also performed with the symphony orchestras of Phoenix, Rochester, Memphis, Annapolis, Louisville, Omaha, Baltimore, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Phoenix, Santa Rosa, Knoxville, Canton, Colorado Springs and Charleston as well as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra. A native of Lyndhurst, Ohio, he attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and recently graduated from the Juilliard School. In 2004 he was featured in Musical America and Symphony Magazine as part of the next generation of great artists in classical music.

Michael Stern is the music director of the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra and the founding music director of the IRIS Chamber Orchestra, with a special emphasis on American contemporary music. Stern is a regular visitor to the Aspen Music Festival and School where he has served on the faculty of the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. From 1986-91 he was the assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. In 1986 he made his New York Philharmonic debut at Avery Fisher Hall, invited by Leonard Bernstein. Worldwide guest-conducting engagements have included the major orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Mr. Stern was the first American to become the chief conductor of Germany's Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra and for four years was the permanent guest conductor of France's Orchestre National de Lyon.

These concerts are made possible, in part, by the generous support of American Airlines. Promotional support is provided by the Star-Telegram and WRR Classical 101.1 FM. Tickets are $15-$76. -- www.fwsymphony.org