Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary Season

His final concert as Music Director will be a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand.”

Artistic Highlights Include:

* Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand” – featuring the MSO Chorus, the Milwaukee Children’s Choir, and an expanded orchestra.

* Andreas Delfs conducting all four Brahms symphonies.

* The inaugural performance on the MSO’s newly purchased Steinway piano, featuring Andre Watts performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor.”

* Music Director Designate Edo de Waart conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “New World.”

* Vocalist Renee Fleming and violinist Itzhak Perlman perform for Special Event Galas.

* Andreas Delfs conducting Roberto Sierra’s Missa Latina.

* Frank Almond performing the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in C minor.

* Five MSO musicians to be featured during the season: Frank Almond, William Barnewitz, Joseph Johnson, Todd Levy, and Theodore Soluri.

Sample Guest Conductors of the 2008/09 Season

Gilbert Varga returns to the MSO January 16-17, 2009, to conduct Haydn’s Symphony No. 73 “La Chase,” R. Strauss’ Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration), Mozart’s Horn Concerti No. 1, K. 386b, and 3, K. 447, and Ravel’s Ma Mere l’Oye and La Valse. The son of the celebrated Hungarian violinist, Tibor Varga, Varga studied under three very different and distinctive maestros: Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Charles Bruck. Renowned for his exemplary baton technique, Varga has held positions with and guest conducted many of the major orchestras throughout the world. Since 1997 Varga has been Music Director of The Basque National Orchestra, during which time he has conducted them on tours across the UK, Germany and Spain. In 2007/08, Varga’s tenth season, he conducted them on a tour of South America.

Vasily Petrenko returns to the MSO January 23-24, 2009 to conduct Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred. Petrenko was born in 1976 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and started his music education at the St. Petersburg Capella Boys Music School - the oldest music school in Russia. He then studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire and has also participated in master classes with such major figures as Ilya Musin, Mariss Jansons, Yuri Temirkanov and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Petrenko has experienced success conducting major orchestras throughout the world. Currently, he is the Principal Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – the youngest conductor to ever hold the post.

Kristjan Jarvi joins the MSO February 6- 8, 2009, to conduct Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Ellington’s Harlem. Estonian-born Jarvi has forged a special connection with audiences around the globe. Renowned as one of the best communicators on the international stage, he has been hailed by the New York Times as “a kinetic force on the podium, like Leonard Bernstein reborn.” In his capacity as Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Tonkunstler Orchestra, Vienna, and New York's celebrated Absolute Ensemble, Mr. Jarvi is well-known for his musical insight into repertoire ranging from the classical period to the 21st century. Jarvi's flair for imaginative programming is reflected in his recent appointment as Artistic Adviser to the KammerorchesterBasel. An accomplished pianist, Kristjan Jarvi studied piano at the Manhattan School of Music with Nina Svetlanova followed by conducting studies at the University of Michigan with Kenneth Kiesler. He began his career assisting Esa-
Pekka Salonen at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with whom he made his debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 1999 and went on to become Chief Conductor of the Norrlands Opera and Symphony Orchestra, Sweden (2000-2004).

Lawrence Renes joins the MSO December 31, 2008, and January 2-3, 2009, conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Ode to Joy.” Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto, K. 191 (to be performed January 2-3 only). Through his work with many of the world’s finest orchestras Renes has established a reputation for innovative programming and dynamic performance. In recent seasons, Lawrence Renes has conducted many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. A protege of MSO Music Director Designate Edo de Waart, Renes made a guest conducting appearance at the Hong Kong Philharmonic during the 2007/08 season.

Guest Artists of the 2008/09 Season

Violinist Itzhak Perlman joins the MSO September 18, 2008, to perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Born in Israel in 1945, Perlman completed his initial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. He came to New York and soon was propelled into the international arena with an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. Following his studies at The Juilliard School with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay, Perlman won the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1964. Since then, Perlman has appeared with every major orchestra and in recitals and festivals throughout the world.

Pianist Andre Watts returns to the MSO September 26-28, 2008, to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor.” It will be the inaugural performance on the MSO’s new Steinway Model-D concert grand piano. Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People’s concert, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. More than 40 years later, Watts remains one of today’s most celebrated and beloved superstars. His performances each year with the world’s great orchestras and conductors and his sold out recitals and appearances at the most prestigious international festivals bring him to every corner of the globe.

Violinist Stefan Jackiw debuts with the MSO October 17-18, 2008, performing Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D major. Jackiw is recognized as one of the most significant artists of his generation. He has performed with some of the most prestigious orchestras in Europe and America, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Born to physicist parents in 1985, Jackiw began playing violin at the age of 4. His teachers have included Zinaida Gilels, Michele Auclair, and Donald Wilerstein. Jackiw holds a B.A. from Harvard University, as well as an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory.

Soprano Heidi Stober debuts with the MSO November 7-8, 2008, performing the solo soprano part in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Stober is gaining recognition for her exciting presence on the operatic stage. She has received praise for her performances with companies including The Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera. Stober is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and Lawrence University.

Pianist Sa Chen debuts with the MSO November 7-8, 2008, performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Sa Chen was born in Chongqing, China. She began her musical studies at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and then at the Shezhen School of Arts. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Performance from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Sa Chen has been delighting audiences in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States. Her first major performance was in 1996, when at the age of 16, she was seen live on BBC Television competing in the final of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony.

Pianist Horacio Gutierrez returns to the MSO November 14-15, 2008, to perform Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Born in Havana, Cuba, Gutierrez appeared at the age of 11 as a guest soloist with the Havana Symphony. He became an American citizen in 1967, and he is a graduate of The Juilliard School. Gutierrez is consistently praised by critics and audiences alike for the poetic insight and technical mastery he brings to a diverse repertoire. In past seasons, Gutierrez has given recitals at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Berlin’s Philharmonie, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival, and New York’s Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, as well as in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Cleveland.

Pianist Louis Lortie joins the MSO January 23-24, 2009, to perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. A Canadian pianist, Lortie has been praised for the fresh perspective and individuality he brings to a deliberately broad spectrum of the keyboard canon. He studied in Montreal with Yvonne Hubert (a pupil of French pianist, Alfred Cortot), in Vienna with the Beethoven specialist, Dieter Weber, and subsequently with Schnabel disciple Leon Fleisher, among others. Lortie has performed the complete works of Ravel in London and Montreal for the BBC and CBC, and is also known for his interpretation of Chopin. Also celebrated for his interpretation of works by Beethoven, Lortie has performed the complete Beethoven sonatas in London’s Wigmore Hall, Toronto’s Ford Center, Berlin Philharmonie, and the Sala Grande el Conservatorio Guiseppe Verdi in Milan.

Pianist Stewart Goodyear performs with the MSO February 6-8, 2009, performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Known for imagination, a graceful, elegant style, and exquisite technique, Goodyear is an accomplished young artist whose career spans many genres – concerto soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, and composer. He has performed with many of the major orchestras of the world – including five separate appearances to date with the Philadelphia Orchestra, in addition to performances with the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Montreal Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra.

Pianist Garrick Ohlsson returns to the MSO March 6-7, 2009, performing Dvorak’s Piano Concerto. Since his triumph as winner of the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition, Ohlsson has established himself worldwide as a musician of magisterial interpretive and technical prowess. A student of the last Claudio Arrrau, Ohlsson has come to be noted for his masterly performances of works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, as well as the Romantic repertoire. He attended both the Westchester Conservatory of Music and The Juilliard School. He has performed symphony orchestras around the world including the London Philharmonic, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Violinist Vivian Hagner debuts with the MSO April 3-4, 2009, performing Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2. A Munich-born violinist, Hagner has won exception praise for her highly intelligent musicality and passionate artistry. Since making her international debut at the age of 12, and a year later participating in the legendary “joint concert” of the Israel and Berlin Philharmonics (conducted by Zubin Mehta in Tel Aviv), Hagner has acquired a depth and maturity in her playing that is reflected in her serene stage presence. She has appeared with the world’s great orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Czech Philharmonic, the Bavarian State Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Recently she performed the Brahms Double Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma and Canada’s national Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with Pinchas Zukerman and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Pianist Ingrid Fliter debuts with the MSO April 24-26, 2009, performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor. Argentinian pianist Ingrid Fliter began her piano studies in Argentina with Elizabeth Westerkamp. In 1992, she moved to Europe, where she continued her studies with Vitalj Margulis at the Musikhochschule fur Musik in Friedburg and subsequently with Carlo Bruno in Rome at the Academy of “Incotri col Maestro” in Imola under the leadership of Franco Scala and Boris Petrushansky. Fliter has performed with orchestras world-wide including engagements with the Berlin Symphony, Netherlands philharmonic, Hungarian National Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra of Milan and the National Philharmonic Orchestras of Buenos Aires. Fliter made her United States debut as the featured soloist on a tour with the Warsaw Philharmonic under the baton of Kazimierz Kord in 2002.

Soprano Renee Fleming returns to the MSO April 30, 2009, performing R. Strauss’ Four Last Songs. A Grammy Award-winning solo artist, Fleming has a devoted international following wherever she appears, whether on the operatic stage, in concert or recital, on television, radio, or on disc. Fleming’s break came in 1988, when she was invited to sing the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro at the Houston Grand Opera; the following year she made debuts with the New York City Opera and Covent Garden, and 1991 saw her Metropolitan Opera debut. From that moment on, Fleming has been in-demand in the great opera houses and concert venues around the globe.

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet returns to the MSO May 29-30, 2009, performing Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 5, “The Egyptian.” Thibaudet continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his compelling performances and poetic interpretations. An exciting and versatile musician respected for his mastery of color, nuance, and rhythmic intricacies, he has performed with the world’s major orchestras. In 2005, he was featured on the Academy Award-nominated soundtrack to the major motion picture Pride and Prejudice, on which he was featured with the English Chamber Orchestra. Of French and German heritage, Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven. At age 12, Thibaudet entered the Paris Conservatory, where he studied with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel. -- www.mso.org