Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Maestro musings: Singing out the '08-'09 season and looking forward to next season

Younger than springtime, are you
Softer than starlight, are you,
Warmer than winds of June,
Are the gentle lips you gave me

South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein





"O Passionate Voice," the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra's 2008-2009 Season Grand Finale concert on May 2 features three soul-stirring, transcendent and unforgettably melodic masterpieces: Symphonic Suite from South Pacific; Wagner's Tannhauser Overture; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony #5. This irresistibly "singable" program is the climactic conclusion to our popular Inspired by the Voice season.

South Pacific's heart-warming music could just as easily been included on next season's program, Inspired by Nature. This celebration of nature and it's intrinsic connection to music includes an all-Beethoven concert, Carmina Burana, and Vivaldi's Four Seasons.



In our 2009-2010 Inspired by Nature season you will hear some of our favorite guest artists who are returning by popular demand. Tenor Ta'u Pupu'a will be singing Mahler's Songs of the Earth and Carlos Rodriguez will dazzle you with Gershwin's toe-tapping Piano Concerto. The ASO also welcomes Washington National Opera's Elizabeth Bishop, violinist Leonid Sushansky, flutist Josue Casillas, and the husband-wife violin duo MarcOlivia,

I am also very excited to announce a dynamic new ASO series that will begin next season. Our popular Sunday afternoon concerts will include interactive demonstrations given by the musicians as well as exciting visuals and inter-arts collaborations. The style of these concerts will be more relaxed but the music-making will be as red-hot as ever.



Our natural world certainly continues to inspire contemporary composers like myself. My Haiku Suite: Three Nature Poems for Sakuhachi and Orchestra will premiere on March 14, 2010 in our “Songs of the Earth” Sunday concert. I wrote it after journeying through Asia and having been inspired by the overwhelming beauty of the countryside, mountains and seas.

See you at the concert!

Kim Allen Kluge
Music Director, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra