Join the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for an exciting performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique as well as Mason Bates’ “Philharmonia fantastique.” Both of these high-energy and dramatic works will have you on the edge of your seat!
Join the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for an exciting performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique as well as Mason Bates’ “Philharmonia fantastique.” Both of these high-energy and dramatic works will have you on the edge of your seat!
Will we watch the full Star Wars: Return of the Jedi movie?
Yes! The entire movie will be shown on a large screen above the orchestra.
Is it with dialogue?
Yes! All of the dialogue is from the original film, and the orchestra will perform the score (background music) of the movie.
Will there be an intermission?
Yes! During intermission, you can grab a drink and use the restroom.
How will the ASO match the movie playing above them?
Music Director Geoff Robson will conduct the orchestra throughout the full movie. Geoff will have a click track in his ear that is synched with the film and a special version of the film on a laptop in front of him to follow the cues precisely. This is the same setup used for past film concerts, and Geoff is an expert at it!
Will we watch the full Star Wars: Return of the Jedi movie?
Yes! The entire movie will be shown on a large screen above the orchestra.
Is it with dialogue?
Yes! All of the dialogue is from the original film, and the orchestra will perform the score (background music) of the movie.
Will there be an intermission?
Yes! During intermission, you can grab a drink and use the restroom.
How will the ASO match the movie playing above them?
Music Director Geoff Robson will conduct the orchestra throughout the full movie. Geoff will have a click track in his ear that is synched with the film and a special version of the film on a laptop in front of him to follow the cues precisely. This is the same setup used for past film concerts, and Geoff is an expert at it!
Will we watch the full Star Wars: Return of the Jedi movie?
Yes! The entire movie will be shown on a large screen above the orchestra.
Is it with dialogue?
Yes! All of the dialogue is from the original film, and the orchestra will perform the score (background music) of the movie.
Will there be an intermission?
Yes! During intermission, you can grab a drink and use the restroom.
How will the ASO match the movie playing above them?
Music Director Geoff Robson will conduct the orchestra throughout the full movie. Geoff will have a click track in his ear that is synched with the film and a special version of the film on a laptop in front of him to follow the cues precisely. This is the same setup used for past film concerts, and Geoff is an expert at it!
Tarot takes center stage in a one-of-a-kind evening that blends live music, mysticism, and storytelling into an experience you won’t want to miss. Surrounded by the velvet curtains in the Crosstown Arts Green Room, ARCANA, a solo horn concert, unfolds as a ritualized communal tarot reading and a whimsical lecture on the history and meaning of the cards. French horn player Leander Star leads the night, featuring cartomancy by Leander and works for solo horn by Gilson Santos, Nate Kessler, Sofia Coman, Trygve Madsen, Charlie Aveon, Alice Gomez, Daniel Grabois, Rian Edwards, Shanyse Strickland, Tommi Hyytinen, and Leander Star. Wondering what to expect? Let the cards reveal it to you!
Experience the power and passion of Brahms’ long-awaited First Symphony—an epic work years in the making. Music Director Robert Moody explores how Brahms wrestled with Beethoven’s legacy to create a bold, heartfelt masterpiece that stands tall in its own right.
The Orchestra Unplugged is a partnership between the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Orpheum Theatre Group.
Kicking off an early spring break, I’m joining the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for their performance of Holst’s “The Planets.” More details at https://memphissymphony.org/calendar
We’ll be visiting the Memphis, TN Crosstown Green Room again, performing on the Mississippi Art Museum’s “Music in the City” series in Jackson, MS, as well as visiting Louisiana State University and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. For more details, check www.thecityoftomorrow.org.
The City of Tomorrow will be in residency at the newly relocated VCFA, now at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. There, we will work with students on new works for wind quintet, a world-class faculty, and perform a few works of our own. More info will be available soon at thecityoftomorrow.org
As someone who grew up in a ballet dancing household, Swan Lake holds a special place in my heart. The music is one of Tchaikovsky's most beautiful scores - with lots of juicy horn parts! The story is tragic and romantic. If you're in the Portland Oregon area, don't miss it!
Coming in to Oregon with a titan blast! I’ll be joining the horn section of the Oregon Symphony for Mahler’s epic First Symphony. More about the concert:
Mahler’s First Symphony charts a journey in which the composer crosses tranquil meadows, witnesses a funeral march, and triumphs over self-doubt. Plus, violinist Benjamin Beilman brings his talent to showstopping miniatures by Ravel and Saint-Saëns.
Program:
Gabriel Kahane: Judith (World premiere and Oregon Symphony commission)
Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
Ravel: Tzigane
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Artists
David Danzmayr, Conductor
Benjamin Beilman, Violin
Iris' own Michael Stern conducts an unforgettable concert celebrating American musical heritage, featuring a newly commissioned saxophone concerto by famed jazz composer Billy Childs performed by guest artist Steven Banks.
April 29, 2023
7:30 pm
The Germantown Performing Arts Center
Our plucky tuben ensemble will perform Thick Line by Alex Temple at the Northwestern University New Music Conference (NUNC!) on Sunday, April 23 at 2 pm in the McClintock Choral and Recital Room found on first floor of the RCMA on the Northwestern University campus. Come say hello!
I always feel lucky when I get to go back and teach at YMA, the residential music camp in Salem Oregon! This camp accepts students from beginner though high school and my students are all awesome! My faculty colleagues are truly inspiring and the camp provides leadership training as well as an incredibly nurturing environment. The best place on earth!
Elise and I will be performing a recital on the Music in the City Series at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, MS.
Stay tuned for more information!
Two heavy hitters in the classical music realm join Iris Orchestra in March. Israeli pianists Inon Barnatan and Alon Goldstein have each performed with Iris in seasons past: this commemorative concert doubles the impact by bringing both as they band together to perform Mozart’s delightful Concerto for Two Pianos in E-flat Major. The piece will be preceded by a work commissioned in memory of Peter Formanek, a passionate supporter of Iris whose passing in 2020 marks a deep loss. In this new, post-COVID world, the program will appropriately conclude with a work that was one of Peter’s favorites: Dvořák’s New World Symphony.
“Love comes in many forms. It’s not always sweet. It can be demanding, consuming, and even a bit… bloodthirsty. Get ready as OBT takes a uniquely Portland approach to the month of love with the premiere of Ben Stevenson’s deliciously spine-chilling Dracula, based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic novel of the same. Dissatisfied with his bevy of undead brides, Count Dracula fixates on Svetlana, a young girl on the cusp of engagement, to satiate his thirst for fresh blood. Abducted by Dracula’s faithful henchman Renfield, Svetlana is dragged away to the Count’s castle from where she may never escape but for the heroism of her true love, Frederick. A haunting score by Franz Liszt – performed live by the OBT Orchestra! – sets the tone for this immersive fairy tale, with awe-inspiring theatrics, vampire brides, stunning sets, and exquisite dancing. Don’t miss this Broadway spectacle that will spook and delight young and old alike, and remind us all of the power of true love.”
My quintet will be visiting Memphis and the Midsouth for exciting concerts and school visits. So far, dates include:
Feb 10 - Crosstown Concourse, Memphis TN
Feb 11 - University of Mississippi, Nutt Auditorium 7:30
More details to come. Stay tuned! https://www.thecityoftomorrow.org
The University Wind Quintet plays a concert of mixed chamber music, including the vibrant “De Memorias” by Tania León, Poulenc’s Sextet for piano and winds, as well as works for smaller configurations, including the Midsouth premiere of David Byrd Marrow’s “Meditations Volume 1” for solo horn.
Christmas trees grow, toys come alive, and teens in rat costumes jump all over the place. This year, OBT has expanded the number of performances with live music! Information here: https://www.obt.org/nutcracker-2021/ (The days with the candy cane symbol are with live orchestra!)
Led by the intrepid Robert Fant at the University of Memphis (and assisted by yours truly!) Delta Horn Club is a gathering of anywhere from 25 to 60 of Memphis’ horn players for horn choir, masterclasses, guest lectures and performances, and anything else we can come up with. This year, we are hosting a “Horns Aplenty” fundraiser performance of all your favorite Christmas tunes. All are welcome to participate or watch the fun! https://www.deltahornclub.org
Led by the intrepid Robert Fant at the University of Memphis (and assisted by yours truly!) Delta Horn Club is a gathering of anywhere from 25 to 60 of Memphis’ horn players for horn choir, masterclasses, guest lectures and performances, and anything else we can come up with. All are welcome, from beginners up to seasoned symphony vets. We have a soft spot for cheesy movie music arrangements but we’ll basically read anything at least once. Meets in Harris Hall or the CFA rehearsal room at the University of Memphis. https://www.deltahornclub.org
I always feel lucky when I get to go back and teach at YMA, the residential music camp in Salem Oregon! This camp accepts students from beginner though high school and my students are all awesome! My faculty colleagues are truly inspiring and the camp provides leadership training as well as an incredibly nurturing environment. The best place on earth!
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 7:30 pm | Cannon Center
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 2:30 pm | The Grove at GPAC
Robert Moody, conductor | Gabriel Martins, cello
The Spring Season concludes with Gershwin’s impressionistic rhapsody An American in Paris and the Memphis debut of 2020 Sphinx Competition winner, Gabriel Martins. The Sphinx Organization is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts.
GANDOLFI Imaginary Numbers
ELGAR Cello Concerto
CARDONA-OSPINA Las venas del océano ***World Premiere***
GERSHWINAn American in Paris
Mahler, Brass & Percussion
Saturday, April 24, 2021
7:30 P.M.
Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, VBC
700 Monroe St SW, Huntsville, AL 35801
BartókMusic for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
MahlerAdagietto from Symphony No. 5
HindemithKonzertmusik for Brass and Strings
I’ll be participating in two events for the Northwest Horn Symposium; a chat with the Lawrence Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet and a solo performance in the NW Horn Feature Recital. Registration for the symposium is free and open to anyone!
https://www.northwesthornsymposium2021.com/schedule
This very fun concert will show the audience just how music went from single monastic tones in the 9th Century to the explosion of musical styles we now celebrate in the 21st. The concert begins with medieval Gregorian Chant (including a “nudge nudge wink wink” nod to Monty Python!) and ends with music of Composer/D.J. Mason Bates and Frank Zappa!
Conrad Tao: “Spoonfuls” (Iris Orchestra commissioned work celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the City of Memphis)Haydn: Symphony No. 101Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1
Iris looks to the past, present, and future in this can’t-miss program. Conrad Tao, a composer and pianist currently taking the classical world by storm, will exercise both talents on this program as the soloist in Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 and the composer of an Iris-commissioned piece exploring Memphis’ unique musical heritage in honor of our city’s bicentennial. In his Memphis-inspired composition, the chords of Charlie Patton’s “A Spoonful Blues” are refracted and fall through trapdoors. Regarding the piece, Tao states, “I love how, in the song’s 1929 recording, the meter seems stable at first but gets pulled apart as the song progresses, moving beyond a single time signature and into a more elusive, groovy rhythmic space. It is this space — both grounded and intuitively free — I aim to explore.” Balancing something old with something new, we’ll also present Haydn’s “Clock” Symphony, another year-one piece for Iris. Iris has a history of presenting the rising young stars of today. What better time to deliver on that legacy than in our 20th season!
7:30 PM
at GPAC
I’ll be joining the Memphis Symphony as we rock out Elvis’ birthday at the Graceland Soundstage, right across the street from the Graceland home. Tickets will sell out, so get them early!
