In a program highlighting Debussy's La Mer, Simon Trpceski will be the featured soloist, performing Prokofiev's Piano Concert No. 3 in C major. lIan Volkov will make his Seattle Symphony Orchestra conducting debut, directing additional pieces including Stravinsky's Feu d'artifice and Messiaen's L'Ascension. Performances will take place on Thursday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, April 15, at 2 p.m.
Simon Trpceski has generated huge buzz among audiences and critics, prompting The Times to call him, "the real deal. A pianistic talent in a thousand."Â The young pianist has already performed with the world's major orchestras, including the London, New Japan, New York and Royal Liverpool philharmonics; Bergen, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Sendai and Stockholm philharmonic orchestras; Philharmonia and Swedish Chamber orchestras; City of Birmingham, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, St. Louis and Sydney symphony orchestras; Baltimore, Colorado, Seattle and Singapore symphonies; and Orchestre National de Lille. Other recent and future engagements include debuts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Kammerphilharmonie, Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR, DSO Berlin and NDR Hamburg. Trpceski's awards include prizes in international piano competitions in the UK (London International Piano Competition 2000), Czech Republic and Italy. He was also awarded the Young Artist Award by the Royal Philharmonic Society (2003).
Born in the Republic of Macedonia in 1979, Trpceski graduated from the University of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Skopje, where he studied with Professor Boris Romanov. From 2001 to 2003 he was a member of the BBC New Generation Scheme. He made his U.S. debut with Seattle Symphony in 2002.
Of Ilan Volkov, critics say, "He is amazing to watch, the results are out of this world"Â (The Herald, Glasgow). Volkov has been Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBCSSO) since 2003, when he became the youngest person to hold such a position with a BBC orchestra. His interpretations of the Classical and Romantic repertoire have been praised for their lucidity of texture and structure, rhythmic vitality and depth of insight. He is also a passionate advocate of contemporary composers, and plays an important role in the orchestra's continuing commitment to new music. In addition to conducting more than 25 concerts each season with the BBCSSO, and taking the orchestra to important UK festivals, Volkov makes frequent guest appearances with other orchestras throughout the world. His operatic experience includes Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin with the San Francisco Opera (2004) and Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at Glyndebourne Festival Opera with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (2006).
Born in Israel in 1976, Volkov was appointed Young Conductor in Association to the Newcastle-based Northern Sinfonia at age 19. In 1997, he became Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and, two years later, was invited by Seiji Ozawa to join the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Conductor. Volkov is one of the guiding forces behind Levontin 7, a performance venue in Tel Aviv that brings together differing musical genres.
As its title suggests, Igor Stravinsky's Feu d'artifice is a brilliant orchestral showpiece. From its atmospheric opening, the music builds to a dazzling display of sonic pyrotechnics.
The most brilliant and successful of Sergey Prokofiev's five piano concertos, the Piano Concerto No. 3 unfolds in a classic three-movement form, but fills that design with novel sonorities, steely rhythms and virtuoso piano passages.
An early piece by the 20th century's foremost composer of religiously inspired music, Messiaen's L'Ascension offers four "orchestral meditations"Â on Christ's ascension into heaven.
Debussy's outstanding orchestral work, La Mer ("The Sea"Â), is considered by many the greatest musical seascape ever composed. -- www.seattlesymphony.org
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