David Cassidy on the Web
Omaha symphony: New season, new stars
March 21, 2010
By John Pitcher
World-Herald Staff Writer
www.omaha.com
Three symphonic warhorses, two famous soloists and a partridge from an old TV show will be among the highlights of the Omaha Symphony's 2010-11 season.
The orchestra's newly announced lineup will also feature an expanded "Symphony Rocks" series and four special concerts that will include performances by, among others, country quartet the Oak Ridge Boys and Irish fiddler player Eileen Ivers.
The centerpiece of music director Thomas Wilkins' Masterworks series will be a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, the famed "Choral" Symphony (March 4 and 6, 2011).
"A performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is always a memorable occasion," said Wilkins. "I'm thrilled because it will be my first time conducting it with this orchestra."
Wilkins will lead the symphony in two other orchestral blockbusters:
Stravinsky's "The Firebird Suite" (Oct. 22, 23) and Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" (Nov. 12, 13).
One of the classical music world's best-known soloists, violinist Midori Goto, will open the symphony's Masterworks series with a performance of Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D major (Sept. 24, 25). Another leading soloist, clarinetist Ricardo Morales, who is principal clarinetist for the Philadelphia Orchestra, will play Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto (Oct. 22-23).
"Ricardo is the leading interpreter of that concerto," Wilkins said.
Ernest Richardson, the symphony's resident conductor, plumbed the archives of old sitcoms to find one of the stars for his Pops series.
David Cassidy (Feb. 11-13), who played Keith Partridge in the 1970s TV show "The Partridge Family" and released a couple of solo albums, will sing some of his nostalgic hits.
Other high-profile pops performers will include Michael Cavanaugh (Oct. 8-10) singing the music of Elton John, and R&B singer Patti Austin (March 11-13).
In addition to his usual conducting duties, Richardson will be busy next season as an arranger and composer. He will arrange many of the numbers in the symphony's popular Christmas show (Dec. 17-19).
The orchestra will also present the premiere of Richardson's "Three Scenes for Chamber Orchestra (May 28, 2011) as part of the orchestra's Chamber series.
"It was exciting to write this piece, since I know the orchestra and the abilities of its players so well," Richardson said.
The orchestra's "Symphony Rocks" series has been one of the ensemble's biggest success stories the concerts routinely sell out.
So next season the orchestra will expand from three to four shows, with the Music of Michael Jackson (Oct. 30), the Music of Simon and Garfunkel (Jan. 15), the Music of the Eagles (April 16) and the Music of Paul McCartney (May 21).
The orchestra's special concerts will offer something for the ears Ivers (March 17) and the Oak Ridge Boys (May 20). They will also provide visual stimulation, with the orchestra accompanying the dance troupe Diavolo (Oct. 29) and the documentary "Blue Planet" (April 1), which repeats April 2 as part of the orchestra's "Sights and Sounds" series.
