Conductor’s Corner
The first program on September 26 has a great deal of variety for the audience, and is chock full of beautiful melodies. The writing in the Max Bruch Scottish Fantasy captures the essence of Scotland. You will notice that in Rachel’s performance she does some little Scottish turns. The Fidelio Overture, though it’s very short it’s very exciting. In the Mendelssohn Symphony you will undoubtedly recognize the chorale, A Mighty Fortress is Our God in the last movement. The first and last movements are longer, and the middle movements are shorter but with lovely melodies, especially the third movement. We have expanded the orchestra, which will contribute to an overall fuller sound. I hope the audience will enjoy this particular program, and invite you to join us for the rest of the season. The next concert, on November 14 will celebrate Schumann’s 200th birthday and will feature our principal cellist, Franklin Keel.
N.B. Maestro Portnoy, when he was in West Virginia, hosted a radio program called “Conductor’s Corner”, and we have appropriated that title for his column which will be a regular feature of our newsletter.
Letter from our President
Some of you may have heard that Rachel Barton Pine, the soloist for our September 26 concert, was recently booked to appear with the Asheville Symphony eight days prior to her concert with the Brevard Philharmonic. This presents a huge challenge for us, because we had counted on drawing people from Asheville to come hear Rachel perform with us. We therefore need to redouble our efforts in order to have a great house for Rachel when she plays at the Porter Center. Here are new and exciting details of her career, and I think you will agree this is an artist definitely not to be missed!!!
"An exciting, boundary-defying performer – Pine displays a power and confidence that puts her in the top echelon."
– The Washington Post
Highlights of her 2010-2011 season include performances with Netherland’s Radio Kamer Filharmonie at the Concertgebouw, Bournemouth Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, Turkey’s Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira, as well as appearances with the Stamford, Springfield, Lake Geneva, Asheville, Shreveport and Jacksonville Symphonies, the Illinois, Riverside and Brevard Philharmonics, and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
Last fall, Carl Fischer published The Rachel Barton Pine Collection, a collection of original compositions, arrangements, cadenzas and editions penned or arranged by Pine, which earned her the distinction of being the only living artist and first woman to join great musicians like Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz in Carl Fischer’s Masters Collection series. Pine is also Music Advisor and Editor of Maud Powell Favorites, the only published compilation of Maud Powell’s transcriptions, her cadenza for the Brahms Violin Concerto, and the music dedicated to, commissioned by, or closely associated with Powell.
Pine is President of the Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation, which assists young artists through various projects including the Instrument Loan Program, Grants for Education and Career, Global HeartStrings (supporting classical musicians in developing countries), and a curricular series developed in conjunction with the University of Michigan: The String Students’ Library of Music by Black Composers. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Music Institute of Chicago, which recently named the “Rachel Barton Pine Violin Chair” in her honor.
She was a torchbearer in the 1996 Olympic torch relay and appeared as soloist for the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Atlanta. She performed her own arrangement of the national anthem at 1995 and 1996 Chicago Bulls playoff games, and at the 1996 Democratic National Convention. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, appeared five times on NBC’s Today Show, and frequently has been a guest on nationally-syndicated radio shows including Performance Today, Saint Paul Sunday and From the Top. Recent cover stories include Strad, Strings and International Musician.
Please do everything you can to help us have a wonderful crowd for Rachel. I know everybody who comes will be extremely inspired and uplifted by her performance. She will also be appearing with Maestro Portnoy at the q & a following the concert.
Pre-Concert Events
Franklin Keel, our principal cellist and soloist in the Schumann Cello Concerto for the November 14 concert, will give you a preview of his artistry in the pre-concert event from 2-2:30pm on September 26 in Scott Commons. It’s not uncommon today to hear an entire unaccompanied Bach Suite, but Franklin has put a little different twist on it and will be performing all six Preludes from the Bach unaccompanied Violoncello Suites. Be sure to hear this unique event.
Tickets
A five-concert season ticket ($100) is still available, as is a three-concert season ticket at a cost of $65. Any three concerts of the season may be chosen for the three-concert season ticket, and we encourage those of you who winter elsewhere or don’t like to drive during the winter months to purchase the three-concert season ticket so that you can 1) save money over individual ticket prices and 2) be guaranteed the same seat for each concert. Please call the office at (828) 884-4221 if you would like the three pick.
The office at 351 South Caldwell Street, Brevard will be open for ticket sales from 10AM to 1PM on the following dates:
Sept. 15, 17, 22, and 24
