Download Springfield Symphony Orchestra Takes the Lead in Commissioning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield Symphony Orchestra Takes the Lead in Commissioning
Kenneth Fuchs Piano Concerto
World premiere with Maestro Kevin Rhodes and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Will
Highlight Their 2015-2016 Concert Season
March 3, 2016 SPRINGFIELD MA – The Springfield Symphony Orchestra, with its dynamic
and internationally respected Music Director Kevin Rhodes, will lead the way in an exciting,
new commissioning project featuring Kenneth Fuchs's Piano Concerto (“Spiritualist”), After
Three Paintings by Helen Frankenthaler, with guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel, on March 12,
2016. The three movement work will merge music and art, focusing on three paintings by
Helen Frankenthaler.
Composer Kenneth Fuchs shares his thoughts about his Piano Concerto ("Spiritualist"): "I
have done a number of works inspired by the paintings of the Abstract Expressionist artist,
Helen Frankenthaler. Helen and I became friends over the years and her artwork adorns
the covers of my five Naxos recordings. For several years, I have been captivated by the
idea of using three gorgeous Frankenthaler canvases as the basis for a musical journey. I
would dearly love to use them as the inspiration for a three-movement concerto. The titles
of the paintings (which will be the titles of the movements), are Spiritualist, Silent Wish, and
Natural Answer. They make for a beautiful progression visually, musically, and emotionally.
The work, lasting about 20 minutes, will be in my mature musical style, incorporating
hallmarks of the American symphonic school, rigorous counterpoint, and aspects of
minimalism."
Kenneth Fuchs has composed music for orchestra, band, chorus, and various chamber
ensembles. With Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, Fuchs created three
chamber musicals, The Great Nebula in Orion, A Betrothal, and Brontosaurus, which were
originally presented by Circle Repertory Company in New York City. His music has been
performed in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The London Symphony Orchestra, under
the baton of JoAnn Falletta, has recorded four discs of Fuchs’s music for Naxos American
Classics. The first, released in August 2005, was nominated for two GRAMMY® Awards
(“Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra” and “Producer of the Year,
Classical”). The second disc, which features music for horn, was released by Naxos in
January 2008. Following the release of this disc, MusicWeb International stated in February
2008, “Fuchs’s distinctive voice is evident from the outset, and his flair for orchestral
colours and sheer lyricism shine through.” The third disc, recorded in August 2011 at
London’s historic Abbey Road Studios, was released by Naxos in August 2012. Following
the release of this disc, BBC Music Magazine stated, “Kenneth Fuchs writes tonal orchestral
music of great imagination. He’s a master of orchestral writing.” The disc was included in
the 2012 GRAMMY Award nominations for the category “Producer of the Year, Classical.”
The fourth disc, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in August 2013, featuring baritone
Roderick Williams in a program of vocal music based on texts by Don DeLillo, John Updike,
and William Blake, will be released in August 2014.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is mid-way through their 72th Anniversary season,
with Kevin Rhodes serving as Music Director since 2001, and is nationally recognized as
one of the top orchestras of its budget size in the USA. The organization's primary goals are
to bring superb orchestral performances to the community, to bring individuals to
downtown Springfield, to support the educational and cultural life of Springfield residents,
to reflect the cultural diversity of Springfield through collaboration, and to introduce
children and adults of all ages to the exciting and vibrant world of music. Organizationally,
the Symphony has a strong commitment to educational activities. The symphony also
continues to develop connections with the African American and Hispanic communities
along with furthering relationships with fellow non-profits. They present programs of a
wide-range of musical styles, including regional and world premieres of new music by our
most respected composers. Symphonies such as the Springfield Symphony Orchestra are an
important part of the cultural energy of a city. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is
dedicated to enhancing life in the region for many years to come and expanding
collaborative efforts to reach all constituents throughout Western Massachusetts. Asked
about the upcoming world premiere, Maestro Rhodes offers, “"I am so happy to be able to
bring together my two good friends, composer Kenneth Fuchs and pianist Jeffrey Biegel for
the exciting occasion of the world premiere of Kenneth's first piano concerto!!"
Pianist and project coordinator Jeffrey Biegel shares the following: "Having enjoyed many
performances with Maestro Kevin Rhodes, in both standard newly composed works for
piano and orchestra, it brings personal pleasure to present the premiere of an exciting new
addition to the repertoire for piano and orchestra by my dear friend Kenneth Fuchs, whom
I have known since our early days at The Juilliard School. Since my relationship with the
Springfield Symphony Orchestra dates back to the 1990s, this World Premiere promises to
be a momentous occasion for everyone!"
Jeffrey Biegel has created a multi-faceted career as a pianist, recording artist, chamber
musician, composer and arranger. He has performed the World Premiere of Lucas
Richman's 'Piano Concerto: In Truth' with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; performed
Jake Runestad's Dreams of the Fallen with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and
Symphony Chorus of New Orleans at the National WWII Museum on Veterans Day 2013;
Richard Danielpour's Mirrors and, William Bolcom's Prometheus with the Pacific Symphony
Orchestra; Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Shadows with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra;
Lowell Liebermann's 'Concerto no. 3, Opus 95' with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra;
Charles Strouse's Concerto America with the Boston Pops; Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Millennium
Fantasy with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Dick Tunney's new concerto based
on music by the rock group sensation, "The Monkees" with Orchestra Kentucky in January
2015, honoring Peter Tork. His discography includes Lucas Richman's 'Piano Concerto: In
Truth' with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; William Bolcom's Prometheus with the
Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale; Steve Barta's 'Symphonic Arrangement' of Claude
Bolling's 'Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano' with legendary flutist, Hubert Laws; Neil Sedaka's
'Manhattan Intermezzo' featuring same work with Keith Emerson's 'Concerto no. 1' plus
Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' and Duke Ellington's 'New World A-Comin' with the Brown
University Orchestra for the Naxos label; Life According to Chopin on GPR Records,
distributed by Naxos; A Grand Romance (2013), A Steinway Christmas Album (2011) and
Bach On A Steinway (2010) for the Steinway & Sons label; Leroy Anderson's 'Concerto in C',
conducted by Leonard Slatkin with the BBC Concert Orchestra; Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's
Millennium Fantasy and Peanuts Gallery, and solo CD of Vivaldi's Four Seasons for Naxos;
Classical Carols for Koch and the Complete Sonatas for Piano by Mozart on E1. His chamber
music recordings include Kenneth Fuchs' Falling Trio based on the novel, Falling Man by
Don DeLillo for Naxos.
Until the age of three, Mr. Biegel could neither hear nor speak, until corrected by surgery.
The 'reverse Beethoven' phenomenon can explain Mr. Biegel's life in music, having heard
only vibrations in his formative years. He recently created the Dicterow-DeMaine-Biegel
piano trio, making their debut on the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth series in
January 2015.
Kevin Rhodes’ work extends from the top opera houses of Europe where he began his
professional career, to the podiums of the US orchestral world as well as the Far East.
Starting at the opera house of Basel, Switzerland where he led such repertoire as Die Frau
Ohne Schatten, Die Zauberflöte, Tosca, Rigoletto, The Miraculous Mandarin and Barber of
Seville, Rhodes went on to become the principal ballet conductor at the Vienna State Opera
leading hundreds of performances of the great classic ballets of Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev
among many others over the years with that great orchestra. Next season he celebrates a
20 year relationship with that house when he returns to lead a series of performances in
May and June. While living in Europe, he also joined the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in
Düsseldorf / Duisburg leading Salome, Der Rosenkavelier, Die Fledermaus, Il Trovatore,
Aida and many others in addition to guesting throughout the German speaking countries.
Rhodes returned to the US in 2001 to take the helm as Music Director with the Springfield
Symphony Orchestra in MA and the Traverse Symphony Orchestra in MI, leading both
ensembles to periods of incredible artistic and financial growth. While conducting both
orchestras in the standard repertoire and much of the less often played repertoire by the
standard composers, Rhodes has been a champion of the American school, bringing the so
called great American 3’s (Copland, Harris, and W. Schuman) to audiences as well as works
by Hovahness, Menin, Griffes, Hanson and Chadwick among others. He has also helped
bring many new works to life in the form of commissions and first performances by
composers such Bolcom, Zwilich, Liebermann, Sharpe, Assad and many others. Over the
years he has also conducted at La Scala in Milan, Teatro Royale in Madrid, The Dutch
National Ballet, The Houston Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony, The Queensland
Symphony in Australia, The Orchestra of the National Performing Arts Center in Beijing and
The Tokyo Philharmonic among many others. During the past decade he has formed a
particularly close relationship with the Paris Ballet leading that company in hundreds of
performances both at the Bastille Opera House and the Garnier in Paris as well as on tour
throughout the world. Since 2009, Maestro Rhodes has also served as the Principal
Conductor of the musician run cooperative ensemble The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of
Boston.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Regarding the Kenneth Fuchs Commissioning Project, Contact: Jeffrey Biegel, Project
Coordinator [email protected]
Regarding the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, contact: Ms. Ann Rasmussen, Director of
Marketing/Communications [email protected] (413) 733-0636 x15
Please also refer to the following websites:
Springfield Symphony Orchestra: http://www.springfieldsymphony.org/
Kenneth Fuchs: www.kennethfuchs.com
Kevin Rhodes: http://www.kevinrhodesconductor.com/
Jeffrey Biegel: www.jeffreybiegel.com