Fantastic Classics

Posted on by EPSO

EPSO Rings in the New Year with
“Fantastic Classics”
featuring Husband-and-Wife Team
Kurt Nikkanen, Violin & Maria Asteriadou, Piano

Artists presented in collaboration with El Paso Pro-Musica

Friday, January 19 & Saturday, January 20, 2024
7:30pm Plaza Theatre

 

El Paso, TX – Husband-and-wife duo, violinist Kurt Nikkanen and pianist Maria Asteriadou join the El Paso Symphony Orchestra led by Maestro Bohuslav Rattay on January 19 & 20, 2024, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre for the 18th annual collaboration with El Paso Pro-Musica.  The duo will perform Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Piano, Violin and Strings.  Heralded as “an artist with intense personality, virtuosic flair, unusual poise and intimate contact with style” by The New York Times, Greek pianist Maria Asteriadou is an acclaimed soloist performing with orchestra all over the world, a chamber musician and pedagogue. Together with her husband, violinist Kurt Nikkanen, she appears in recitals worldwide.  Nikkanen is an international soloist who performs with leading orchestras in the United States, Europe, Japan and the Far East.   Born in Hartford, Connecticut, he began his violin studies at age 3.  He made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 12 and two years later he was invited to perform the Paganini Concerto No. 1 with the New York Philharmonic for a Young People’s Concert. “I am eagerly looking forward to Mendelssohn’s rarely performed concerto for piano, violin and string orchestra. He never disappoints with his contrasting composing, moving from virtuosic passages onto beautiful and lyrical melodies.” says EPSO conductor Bohuslav Rattay.

The program opens with Beethoven’s Fidelio Overture and ends with the Debussy’s tone poem La Mer. Debussy had fond childhood memories of the sea, but when composing La Mer, he drew inspiration from art, preferring the seascapes in paintings and literature. Debussy creates a soundscape in three movements depicting the beauties of the sea, wind and waves. “La Mer is a triumphant feat by Debussy and a magnificent piece of music. Just beautiful!” says Rattay.

Tickets at ticketmaster.com, the Plaza Theatre Box Office or by phone (915) 532-3776.
Prices are $49, $44, $37, $23 and $17 plus fees.
Student tickets for $9 and $12 plus fees are available.

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra is presented with the support of the Museums and Cultural Affairs, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. This evening’s program is sponsored by PNC Bank.

LEARN MORE:   Join us prior to each performance at Opening Notes with Nathan Black, 6:30pm in the Philanthropy Theatre, to get insights on the program, composers and artist.

RECAP:

Opening Notes: Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20, 2024, 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre (Free)
Concerts: Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20, 2024, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre

“Fantastic Classics”
El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor
Kurt Nikkanen, Violin & Maria Asteriadou, Piano
Beethoven Fidelio Overture, op. 72c
Mendelssohn Concerto for Piano, Violin & Strings
Debussy La Mer

Tickets: $49, $44, $37, $23, $17 and $9 and $12 for students plus applicable fees. Tickets may be purchased at epso.org, ticketmaster.com, Plaza Theatre box office or by calling the EPSO office at (915) 532-3776.

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Two Big 6s

February 16 & 17, 2024
THE TWO BIG 6S

El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor

Beethoven Symphony No. 6
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6

It’s a clash of the Classical Titans! Join us for this powerhouse, two-symphony program featuring the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.

Learn more about the composers and pieces with Program Notes by Nathan Black

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Heroic Beginnings

September 22 & 23, 2023
HEROIC BEGINNINGS

El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor
DZMITRY ULASIUK, Piano

Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagñol, op. 34
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21, K.467, C major
Shostakovich Symphony 10, op.93, E minor

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Call (915) 532-3776

CLICK HERE TO BUY SINGLE TICKETS 

When in Rome

WHEN IN ROME

April 22 & 23, 2022, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre

El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor

NATASHA PAREMSKI, Piano
Rachmaninoff Concerto for Piano No. 3
Respighi Pines of Rome

“Fiery & Widely Dynamic,” London Classical Source

Watch Natasha performing Rachmaninoff

Buy Ticket

OPENING NOTES

Join us 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre prior to each classical concert for OPENING NOTES and get insights on the evening’s program.

April 2022 Program Notes

Beethoven & Shostakovich “The Fifth”

Beethoven & Shostakovich
February 18 & 19, 2022, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre

El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay,  Conductor
Beethoven Symphony No. 5, op.67, C minor
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, op. 47, D minor

This programming replaces the originally programmed Ode to Joy.  Due to Covid, the Ode to Joy could not be performed. For further information call (915) 532-3776.

Celebrating Beethoven’s 250th Birthday!

Buy Tickets

OPENING NOTES

Join us at 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre prior to each classical concert for OPENING NOTES and get insights on the evening’s program.

MUSE Summer Music Program

Posted on by EPSO

EPSYO/EPSO present
“MUSE” Summer Music Program
Music ▪ Unique Experiences ▪ Social Connection ▪ Education
 July 13-17, 2020  ̶  9:30am-5:00pm daily
(All classes and activities will be held virtually using Zoom)
 
El Paso, Tex – The El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra and El Paso Symphony Orchestra are pleased to present “MUSE” a week-long virtual summer music program taught by the principal players and musicians of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra family to include EPSO Concertmaster Shannon Fitzhenry; Amalia Zeitlin, Principal 2nd Violin;  Ian Narlock, EPSO Principal Bass; Cara Luffey, EPSO Principal Bassoon; Richard Lambrecht, EPSO Principal Horn; Leo Valenzuela, EPSO Principal Percussion;  Joy Zalkind, EPSO 2nd Flute plus 9 other professional musicians.
 
The camp is open to everyone, recommended ages 10 and up.  Cost is $40 for the week-long camp and is free of charge to members of the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra and Orquesta Nueva Escuela Mexico (ONEM Cd. Juarez.)
 
Students will improve their musicianship; gain improvisation, recording, and active listening skills; while building social connections with fellow students in virtual group sessions, classes, faculty recitals and masterclasses.  The camp runs from Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 17 9:00am to 5:00pm from the comfort of home.
 
To register or for more information about MUSE visit: https://www.epsyo.org/applyformuse/
 
MUSE students will learn the following and much more!

  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Leadership skills
  • Develop musical and social maturity
  • Confidence in performing
  • Commitment and dedication to continue practicing every day
  • Self-discipline, concentration, and good time management
  • Openness to feedback
  • Adaptability

Please call (915) 525-8978 or email saraipg@epsyos.org for any questions or concerns. The El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra is a division of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. MUSE is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

A Grammy Performance

Posted on by EPSO

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra (EPSO) led by conductor Bohuslav Rattay will ring in the New Year with Grammy award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey in concerts fittingly titled A Grammy Performance.  Zuill Bailey, sponsored by Mrs. Robert M. Graham, Sr., and EPSO will take the Plaza Theatre stage on January 17 and 18, 2020, 7:30pm. These concerts celebrate the 15th annual collaboration between the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and El Paso Pro-Musica, whose joint mission is to present world-renowned artists to perform on multiple stages throughout El Paso, reaching a broader audience.

The concerts first half feature two of the pinnacles of the romantic classical repertoire: Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations.  The concerts open with Bailey and EPSO performing Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto which is one of the best-loved of 19th-century concertos.  Next is Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, which he wrote while going through a severe depression.  Learning to escape depression through his work, Tchaikovsky wrote the Rococo Variations for Cello and Orchestra, one of his most nostalgic affirmations of love to what he perceived as the virtuousness of the eighteenth century.

The second half of the performances highlight the orchestra in Dvořák Symphony No. 7, op. 70 in D minor.  Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1883 and is a departure from the composer’s usual musical style, which is known for its brightness and folk theme-filled melodies.  While still containing some Slavic elements, the Seventh Symphony is a little less bright and contains less folk material than his earlier works, with prevalent tragic and dark themes.

LEARN MORE:  Join EPSO and Dr. James Welsch, EPSO Assistant Conductor, prior to each performance at Opening Notes, 6:30pm in the Philanthropy Theatre, to get insights on the program, composers and artist.

ABOUT ZUILL BAILEY: Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winner, distinguished soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, Artistic Director and teacher.  His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today.  Recent highlights include appearances with orchestras such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Israel, San Francisco, Toronto, Nashville, North Carolina, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the Philharmonia (UK) with conductors Itzhak Perlman, Carlos Kalmar, Neeme Jarvi, Jun Markl, Stanislav Skrowaczewski, Alan Gilbert, Andrey Borekyo, Krzysztof Urbanski, Giancarlo Guerrero, Andrew Litton, Grant Llewellyn and James DePriest.  He was honored as the distinguished Alumnus of 2014 by Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute.

Zuill Bailey is an internationally renowned recording artist with over 20 titles. His extensive discography includes the Bach Cello Suites, the newly released Schumann, Haydn Cello Concertos and Britten Cello Symphony/Cello Sonata CD’s, all of which immediately soared to the Number One spot on the Classical Billboard Charts. The Grammy Award-winning Tales of Hemingway swept the board with three Grammy Awards including Best Solo Performance by Zuill Bailey.  Mr. Bailey performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello, formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet.  He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), guest Artistic Director of the Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

RECAP:
Opening Notes: Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18, 2020, 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre (Free)
Concerts: “A GRAMMY PERFORMANCE”

Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18, 2020, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre
El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor
Zuill Bailey, Cello
Saint-Saëns Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 1, op. 33 in A minor
Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, op. 33
Dvořák Symphony No. 7, op. 70 in D minor
Tickets: $46, $41, $35, $22, $16 and $9 and $12 for students plus applicable fees. Tickets may be purchase at epso.org, ticketmaster.com or by calling the EPSO office at (915) 532-3776.

 

The Planets

Posted on by EPSO

El Paso Symphony Orchestra Concerts
Celebrate the Celestial World

Friday, November 15, 2019 at 7:30pm
Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm
Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra
Holst The Planets (Mars, Jupiter, Uranus) with Film
John Williams Star Wars: The Force Awaken Suite

El Paso, TX — The El Paso Symphony Orchestra’s November concerts are out of this world! The Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm, will present three movements from Gustav Holst’s groundbreaking masterpiece, The Planets, accompanied by a spectacular film produced by Emmy-nominated astronomer and visual artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado, KV 265 Executive Director.

Since the landmark public debut of Holst’s masterpiece in 1919, humanity has learned much about our celestial neighborhood, mounting ambitious exploration projects including the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Voyager probes, and the Hubble Space Telescope.  On this weekend, science and music will beautifully combine in Holst’s magnificent score accompanied by a spectacular film featuring visuals from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as historical illustrations.

The film takes the audience in a journey through outer space examining Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, the Sun, and beyond. This Science & Symphony film, produced by Emmy-nominated astronomer and visual artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado, is renowned for its finely tuned choreography with the music, creating an overall stunning artistic experience. Dr. Salgado explains: “The film is not intended to be seen as a documentary but rather as an art piece that aims to inspire audiences and encourage them to learn more about our solar system and the Universe. It serves as a synthesis of what humans have achieved as solar system explorers.”

The November 15 and 16 concerts begin at 7:30pm at The Plaza Theatre and open with one of today’s most famous musical passages, Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra which was featured in the 1968 Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Listeners will hear the Wyler Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ become a part of the orchestra in this magnificent piece.  John Williams Star Wars: The Force Awakens Suite will round out the stellar program.

The November 15 & 16 EPSO concerts are generously sponsored by the Paul L. Foster Family Foundation.  Multi-Media underwritten by BBVA.

LEARN MORE:  Join EPSO prior to each performance at Opening Notes, 6:30pm in the Philanthropy Theatre, to get insights on the program, composers and artist.

ABOUT KV 265: KV 265 is a non-profit organization whose mission is the communication of science through the arts to communities in the United States and worldwide. It seeks to heighten appreciation and understanding of art, music, science, and technology, and to inspire further exploration of these disciplines among its audience members through multimedia concerts, lectures, and educational workshops. Four of KV 265 Science & Symphony films have been recognized by UNESCO for their value in education and public outreach. KV 265 has received two National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants to support its multimedia productions. For more information visit KV265.org.

ABOUT JOSÉ FRANCISCO SALGADO, PHD Astronomer and Visual Artist, Executive Director, KV 265: José Francisco Salgado is an Emmy-nominated astronomer (BS in Physics, Univ. of Puerto Rico; PhD in Astronomy, Univ. of Michigan), experimental photographer, visual artist, and public speaker who creates multimedia works that communicate science in engaging ways. As the Executive Director and co-founder of KV 265, a non-profit science and arts education organization, Dr. Salgado collaborates with orchestras, composers, and musicians to present films that provoke curiosity and a sense of wonder about the Earth and the Universe.

His Science & Symphony films have been presented in 200 concerts and have reached a combined audience of more than 400,000 people in concert halls, museums, and lecture halls spanning more in 15 countries. Orchestras that have presented these works include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, the San Francisco Symphony, New World Symphony, and the Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino. His first two films were named by the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO as Special Projects for the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). In 2012 his film Gustav Holst’s The Planets was chosen for Ravinia Festival’s One Score, One Chicago initiative. In 2014, his collaboration with composer Christopher Theofanidis, The Legend of the Northern Lights was premiered with Grant Park Orchestra to critical acclaim in front of 32,000 people. In 2016, his short film Carol of the Lights was commissioned by Keith Lockhart and Boston Pops and presented 33 times to almost 75,000 people.

As an experimental photographer, Salgado has visited more than 30 scientific sites in places including the South Pole, the Atacama desert, the French Pyrenees, and the South African Karoo and has contributed visuals to documentaries produced for the History, Discovery, BBC, and National Geographic channels. As a public speaker, he has given presentations about science and art in all seven continents, including a presentation at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

RECAP:
Opening Notes: Friday, November 15 & Saturday, November 16, 2019, 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre (Free)
Concerts: “The Planets”
El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor
Friday, November 15 & Saturday, November 16, 2019 7:30pm Plaza Theatre
El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra
Holst The Planets (Mars, Jupiter, Uranus) with film
John Williams Star Wars: The Force Awaken Suite
Tickets: $46, $41, $35, $22, $16 and $9 and $12 for students plus applicable fees. Tickets may be purchase at epso.org, ticketmaster.com or by calling the EPSO office at (915) 532-3776.

April Classical Concerts: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

GERSHWIN’S RHAPSODY IN BLUE
April 24 & 25, 2020, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre

The El Paso Symphony Orchestra (EPSO) has cancelled the April 24 and 25, 2020 Classical Concerts “Gershwin’s Rhapsody” due to the ‘stay home, work safe’ order issued by the City of El Paso to battle the spread of the coronavirus.  This order went into effect at 11:59pm on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, and is in place until further notice.

As you can imagine, the ramifications of having to cancel a concert are broad for the EPSO.   We are respectfully requesting that you consider donating the cost of your April  tickets to EPSO. In response to your donation, we will send you a tax deduction form and a voucher for tickets to our upcoming 90th anniversary season which you can use for any of our 2020-2021 classical concerts.  This will provide you with tickets to introduce EPSO to friends, family or colleagues!  The voucher will be good for the equivalent number of tickets you have for the April performance.

We are mindful that this is a very stressful and difficult time for everyone.  If this option does not work for you, please contact our office by April 24 at (915) 532-3776 or via email at info@epso.org.  If you choose the donation and voucher, you do not have to take any further action.  We will follow-up with a letter that will include your tax credit and vouchers for our 2020-2021 season.

The EPSO will continue to work tirelessly to provide enriching musical opportunities for our community.  We sincerely appreciate your support and thank you for your consideration.

 

Respectfully,

Ruth Ellen Jacobson

Executive Director

 

February Classical Concerts: Night at the Met: Opera’s Finest

Night at the Met: Opera’s Finest
February 21 & 22, 2020, 7:30pm Plaza Theatre

El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Bohuslav Rattay, Conductor
UTEP Union Chorale
Heather Dials, Soprano
Cherry Duke, Mezzo-soprano
Paul Groves, Tenor

Join us for a glorious night of operatic moments. The El Paso Symphony Orchestra led by Bohuslav Rattay, featuring the UTEP Choral Union, will transform the Plaza Theatre stage into a Night at The Met performing some of Opera’s most famous arias.

Strauss Die Fledermaus Overture
Bizet Habanera from Carmen
Verdi Brindisi from La Traviata
Strauss Sing to Love from Die Fledermaus
Puccini Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly
Puccini Nessun Dorma from Turandot
Verdi Witches’ Chorus from Macbeth
Bernstein Make Our Garden Grow from Candide
and many more favorites!

February 2020 Program Notes

Tickets $16, $22, $35, $41 & $46

Buy Tickets

OPENING NOTES

Join Dr.  James Welsch, EPSO Assistant Conductor, 6:30pm Philanthropy Theatre prior to each classical concert for insights on the evening’s program.