Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WHO: Anne Akiko Meyers with The Austin Symphony Orchestra
WHEN: September 9 & 10, 2005 - 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Bass Concert Hall
TICKETS:$19 - $42
CONTACT: Don Hill, Director of Public Relations - 476-6064 x 213

INTERNATIONALLY ACLAIMED VIOLINIST OPENS ASO 95TH SEASON

Season Sponsor: JPMorgan Chase
Concert Sponsor: Welss Fargo
Media Sponsors: Time Warner Cable/News 8 Austin, Austin American-Statesman and KVET 98.1 FM

Austin audiences are invited to “Experience the Excellence” of the Austin Symphony’s 2005-2006 season when the ASO opens its 95th concert season on September 9 & 10. Maestro Peter Bay joins the ASO in welcoming violinist Anne Akiko Meyers to Bass Concert Hall for the opening concert of the new season. Wells Fargo proudly sponsors this concert.

PROGRAM
Berlioz - Le Corsaire Overture
Chausson - Poème, Op. 25
Ravel - Tzigane
Theofanidis - Rainbow Body
Bernstein - On the Waterfront

After a summer of presenting fun-filled community concerts in Zilker and Wooldridge Square Parks, the Austin Symphony raises the curtain on an exciting season of classical, pops and family programs. The evening opens with Hector Berlioz’s concert overture Le Corsaire (The Pirate). The work was written during a physician-ordered respite at a sanitorium in Nice, France. The sea air must have been a magic tonic for Berlioz, as this overture is quite possibly his most vigorous and frenetic. Never has a swash been buckled so excitingly! Maestro Bay then welcomes Ms. Meyers to center stage for a pair of beautiful, virtuosic masterpieces.

An international artist renowned for her impassioned music making, technical brilliance and compelling stage presence, Anne Akiko Meyers is one of the most sought after violinists performing today. She has forged a successful career in both the performance and recording arenas, appearing with the world’s pre-eminent conductors and leading symphony orchestras. Her insightful interpretations of both traditional and contemporary repertoire attract worldwide critical acclaim. Ms. Meyers will be performing two works of separate French masters, Ernest Chausson’s Počme, Op. 25 and Tzigane of Maurice Ravel.

The second half of the concert opens with the Austin premiere of Rainbow Body, a work by Dallas, Texan Christopher Theofanidis. Rainbow Body is based on a chant by medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen, “Ave Maria, O auctrix vite” (Hail Mary, source of life). The concert concludes with Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront. Initially declining for artistic reasons the offer to score the film, Bernstein changed his mind after seeing a rough cut of Marlon Brando’s compelling performance. Director Elia Kazan wanted to use music sparingly in the film, so when it was used, it was done so with maximum impact on the moviegoer. Bernstein composed only 35 minutes of music for the film. Bernstein’s lone foray into film music garnered him an Academy Award nomination. The Symphonic Suite was extracted from the score by Bernstein himself, stating he wanted “to salvage some of the music that would otherwise have been left on the floor of the dubbing room.”

Concert goers can enjoy “Concert Conversations” with Stephen Aechternacht at 7:10 p.m.in the concert hall. These discussions provide an in-depth look at the composers and works being performed, including commentary on the social climate in which they were composed.

Performances for Anne Akiko Meyers with the Austin Symphony are September 9 & 10, 8:00 p.m. at Bass Concert Hall. Tickets range from $19 to $42. Student rush tickets are also available 20 minutes prior to performance for $5 cash and current student ID. Charge tickets online at www.austinsymphony.org where you will find interactive seating maps, price options and a wealth of concert information. Tickets are also available at the Austin Symphony Box Office, 11th and Red River or call 476-6064 or 1-888-4-MAESTRO (toll-free).