Directly from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Press Release:
May Concerts with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver, BC – The month of May sees the VSO performing fourteen concerts in three different venues, ranging from Pops to classics to new music to concerts for children and families. Performances occur at the Orpheum, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Orpheum Annex.
A return engagement with the world’s top-selling jazz instrumentalist, trumpeter Chris Botti, starts off the month, on May 2nd at the Orpheum. The first time Botti performed with the orchestra was the Spring of 2010, to a sold-out house and rave reviews. Now, Botti returns with a brand-new album titled Impressions to his credit. Playing with his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination, Botti is joined on this album by featured artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler, David Foster and Caroline Campbell in a celebration of romantic melodies from across the world. Chris Botti brings his unique, smooth jazz sound to the VSO, with a collection of outstanding arrangements for jazz trumpet and full orchestra.
May continues with an extraordinary classical concert featuring outstanding cellist Jan Vogler peforming the greatest of the cello concertos, the Dvorak Cello Concerto. Also on the program is the Brahms Symphony No. 2, all under the baton of conductor Christoph Konig making his VSO debut.
A Pacific Arbour Tea & Trumpets matinee concert is up next, featuring the music of Bach and Handel, and the talents of VSO flute players Christie Reside and Rosanne Wieringa; and of course, Bard on the Beach’s own Christopher Gaze hosting and narrating. Tea and cookies are served in the Orpheum lobby prior to the concert.
The 2011/12 London Drugs VSO Pops series concludes with two performances by trumpet great Allen Vizzutti. Internationally acclaimed as one of a handful of the greatest trumpet players in the world, Vizzutti and the orchestra perform an eclectic set of jazz, blues and light classics, with a dash of Astor Piazzolla for good measure. VSO Principal Pops Conductor Jezz Tyzik conducts. This same weekend, the VSO performs a Spectra Energy Kids‘ Koncerts program featuring renowned children’s entertainers Platypus Theatre and one of their best-loved shows, Emily Saves the Orchestra.
The following weekend, the VSO returns to the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and the Orpheum Annex. At the Chan Centre, pianist Jeffrey Kahane plays and conducts a program of Bach, Mozart and Respighi. At the Orpheum Annex, the orchestra and Assistant Conductor Pierre Simard explore new music, with compositions by Ana Sokolovic, Denys Bouliane, and Tristan Murail.
The busy month of May kicks into an even higher gear when superstar pianist Yevgeny Sudbin joins the orchestra for three performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24. This extraordinary concert also features Debussy’s La Mer and L’isle joyeuse. The VSO also celebrates the 40th anniversary of our association with Conductor Laureate Kazuyoshi Akiyama. Maestro Akiyama conducts this concert, and in his 40-year association with the VSO (twelve years as Music Director, from 1972 to 1984) he has conducted over six hundred performances, and can be heard on five acclaimed recordings.
The month comes to a close with Last Night of the Proms, under the baton of Maestro Tovey, and featuring the Vancouver Bach Choir and mezzo soprano Sarah Fryer.
CONCERT INFO
Specials
Chris Botti with the VSO
Wednesday, May 2, 8pm, Orpheum
Chris Botti, trumpet
Pierre Simard, conductor
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: $45 to 68 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Goldcorp Masterworks Gold
Saturday & Monday, May 5 & 7, 8pm, Orpheum
Christoph Konig, conductor
Jan Vogler, cello
Weber Die Freischutz: Overture
Dvorak Cello Concerto
Brahms Symphony No. 2
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets: $26.75 - $84 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Series Sponsor: Goldcorp Inc.
Radio Sponsor: CKNW
Pacific Arbour Tea & Trumpets: the Music of Bach and Handel
Thursday, May 10, 2pm, Orpheum
Pierre Simard, conductor
Christie Reside, flute
Rosanne Wieringa, flute
Christopher Gaze host
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: $38 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Series Sponsor: Pacific Arbour Retirement Communities
London Drugs VSO Pops: Allen Vizzutti with the VSO!
Friday & Saturday, May 11 & 12, 8pm, Orpheum
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Allen Vizzutti, trumpet
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: $26.75 - $84 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Series Sponsor: London Drugs
Radio Sponsor: QM/FM
Spectra Energy Kids’ Koncerts: Platypus Theatre, Emily Saves the Orchestra!
Sunday, May 13, 2pm, Orpheum
Pierre Simard conductor
Platypus Theatre
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: Adult- $27.75 Child- $19 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Kids’ Koncerts have been endowed by a generous gift from the William and Irene McEwen Fund
Series Co-Sponsor: Spectra Energy
Premier Education Partner: TELUS
Bach & Beyond at the Chan Centre
Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19, 8pm, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Jeffrey Kahane, piano/conductor
CPE Bach Sinfonia in E-flat Major
JS Bach Keyboard Concerto No. 1
Respighi Gli uccelli (The Birds)
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: $37.50- $66 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
The presentation of this series is made possible in part through the generous assistance of the Chan Centre for Performing Arts of the University of British Columbia.
Vancouver Sun Symphony at the Annex
Sentimental Geometry
Saturday, May 19, 8pm, Orpheum Annex
Pierre Simard, conductor
Ana Sokolovic Geometrie Sentimentales
Denys Bouliane De Fouet et du plaisir
Ana Sokolovic Ciaccona
Tristan Murail Le Lac
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: $29 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Series Sponsor: The Vancouver Sun
Financial support for the Roundhouse series provided by the SOCAN Foundation
Masterworks Diamond and Rogers Group Financial Symphony Sundays
Saturday & Monday, May 26 & 28, 8pm, Orpheum
Sunday, May 27, 2pm, Orpheum
Kazuyoshi Akiyama, conductor
Yevgeny Sudbin, piano
Mozart The Magic Flute: Overture
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24
Debussy La Mer
Debussy L’isle joyeuse
TICKET INFORMATION
May 26th & 28th Tickets: $26.75 - $84 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
May 27th Tickets: $21.50 - $59 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434
Symphony Sunday Series Sponsor: Rogers Group Financial
Concert Sponsor – May 28: HSBC
Specials
Last Night of the Proms
Wednesday, May 30, 8pm, Orpheum
Bramwell Tovey, conductor
Sarah Fryer, mezzo soprano
Vancouver Bach Choir
Walton Crown Imperial (Coronation March)
Parry arr. Jacob I Was Glad
Elgar Sea Pictures
Coates Dam Busters March
Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (Land of Hope and Glory)
Handel Zadok the Priest
Walton Henry V: excerpts
Arr. Sargent Rule Britannia
Parry/Elgar Jerusalem
Concert Sponsor: Canadian Western Bank