Yuja Wang. Photo by Ian Douglas.
Next Season Will Include World Premiere of Teddy Abrams’ tribute to Muhammad Ali.
By Annette Skaggs
Entire contents copyright © 2017 Annette Skaggs. All rights reserved.
It is one of my favorite times of the year: grass is beginning to show their verdant lushness, flowers are slowly arising from the slumber and organizations within the Louisville Arts scene announce their respective upcoming season’s goodness. Among those announcements would be the 2017-2018 Louisville Orchestra season. I would describe what Maestro Abrams and his merry band of talent have assembled for our musical pleasure as Ambitious and Tantalizing.
Within the Classics series we get to look forward to the Louisville Orchestra collaborating once again with local musician and rising star Jecorey “1200” Arthur for the World Premiere of The Greatest: Muhammad Ali as well as a revelatory evening delving into the theme “War and Peace”, featuring works by Ravel, Pärt and several others, including Sebastian Chang. As fantastic as the Classics series looks, I am going to admit that I may have squeaked a little when I saw what the Pops were bringing to the stage: The Music of Sgt. Pepper, The B-52’s, fiddle player extraordinaire, Kentucky’s own Michael Cleveland (who will also be part of the Classics series) and much, much more.
The entertainment value for this season is through the roof. I agree with what the good Maestro likes to say, “The Louisville Orchestra – The Most Interesting Orchestra on the Planet!”
2017-2018 CLASSICS Series
Teddy Abrams, Music Director
Saturdays at 8PM | Kentucky Center
CLASSICS 10 – MUSIC LOVER SERIES
YUJA WANG PLAYS RACHMANINOFF (A) | September 23, 2017
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Concerto for Piano + Orchestra No. 4
Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Yuja Wang, piano | Teddy Abrams, conductor
A towering work requiring Yuja Wang’s gigantic mastery of the piano and an outpouring of emotions from intimate to epic.
WHY BEETHOVEN? (B) | October 14, 2017
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Teddy Abrams, conductor
An All-Beethoven concert exploring the mind and heart of a composer whose influence still resounds today.
THE GREATEST: Muhammad Ali (A) | November 4, 2017
Jecorey Arthur
Teddy Abrams: The Greatest: Muhammad Ali [WORLD PREMIERE]
Jecorey Arthur, soloist | Teddy Abrams, conductor
A musical celebration and tribute to the extraordinary life + impact of a legendary athlete and humanitarian.
TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO (B) | January 13, 2018
Steven Mackey: Urban Ocean
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 (in one movement)
Pytor Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin + Orchestra
Gabriel Lefkowitz, violin | Jayce Ogren, conductor
WAR + PEACE (A) | February 3, 2018
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings
Maurice Ravel: La Valse
Sebastian Chang: New Work [WORLD PREMIERE]
Ralph Vaughn Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem, Mvt. 2 “Beat! Beat! Drums!”
Claudio Monteverdi: Madrigals of War and Love (selections)
Gustav Mahler: “Revelge” from Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Charles Ives: They Are There
Avo Pärt: Summa
Kurt Weill: The Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife (Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib)
Arnold Schoenberg: A Survivor from Warsaw
Sergei Prokofiev: Waltz from War + Peace
Teddy Abrams, conductor
THE PLANETS: An HD Odyssey (B) | February 24, 2018
Gustav Holst: The Planets
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
A breathtaking HD video presentation of images of space from NASA rovers and satellites with computer driven graphics that bring the awe-inspiring music a new, mind-boggling dimension.
KENTUCKY CLASSICS: Festival of American Music 1 (A) | March 24, 2018
Aaron Copland: Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo
Michael Cleveland, fiddle | I’m with Her, trio | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Celebrating Americana roots including music about Kentucky and featuring Kentucky-based composers and performers.
PLAY: Festival of American Music 2 (B) | April 7, 2018
Andrew Norman. photo by Alexander Gardner
Mason Bates: Anthology of Fantastic Zoology
Andrew Norman: Play
Teddy Abrams, conductor
Andrew Norman’s Play, the 2017 Grawemeyer competition winner, is being talked about as the most important new work of our time.
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO (A) | April 28, 2018
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto for Piano + Orchestra No. 4
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 3 (“Rhenish”)
Andrew Hsu, piano | Courtney Lewis, conductor
Two selections from the bedrock of the Romantic era of classical music.
THE RITE OF SPRING (B) | May 12, 2018
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Teddy Abrams, conductor
Ripping out all the stops for a powerful season finale!
2017-2018 LO POPS SERIES
Bob Bernhardt, Principal Pops Conductor
8PM | Kentucky Center
SGT. PEPPER at the LO POPS | September 16, 2017
CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR
Jim Owen, guitar | Tyson Kelly, guitar | David John, bass guitar | Chris Camilleri, drums | Bob Bernhardt, conductor
A groundbreaking album in 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band celebrates 50 years of musical influence. Classical Mystery Tour pays tribute to The Beatles and this legendary album.
THE B-52s at the LO POPS | October 21, 2017
Fred Schneider | Kate Pierson | Cindy Wilson |Bob Bernhardt, conductor
The B-52’s
The World’s Greatest Party Band! Rocking for nearly 40 years, The B-52s are a beloved and enduring band. From “Rock Lobster” and “Dance This Mess Around” to chart-topping hits like “Love Shack” and “Deadbeat Club,” The
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS | November 25, 2017
Lisa Vroman + Doug LaBrecque
Bob Bernhardt, conductor
Two thrilling talents from Broadway light the stage for the holidays! Celebrate with musical favorites of Christmas and the season.
MAMBO KINGS at the LO POPS | January 20, 2018
Richard Delaney, piano | Freddy Colon, drums | John Vivavattine, woodwinds | Hector Diaz, bass | Tony Padilla, congas | Bob Bernhardt, conductor
The electrifying Latin jazz combo, the Mambo Kings — known for their explosive blend of Afro Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation.
MICHAEL CLEVELAND + FLAMEKEEPER at the LO POPS | March 10, 2018
Teddy Abrams, conductor
One of the most important fiddle players of our time, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper make their debut with orchestra.
THE MUSIC OF PRINCE at the LO POPS | April 20, 2018
Marshall Charloff, soloist | Brent Havens, conductor
A night honoring The Purple One. We perform smash hits, including “Little Red Corvette,” “Purple Rain,” “Raspberry Beret,” and “When Doves Cry.”
2017-18 COFFEE SERIES
Teddy Abrams, Music Director | FRIDAYS at 11AM | Kentucky Center
WHY BEETHOVEN? | October 13, 2017
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Teddy Abrams, conductor
TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO | January 12, 2018
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 (in one movement)
Pytor Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin + Orchestra
Gabriel Lefkowtiz, violin | Jayce Ogren, conductor
WAR + PEACE | February 2, 2018
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings
Maurice Ravel: La Valse
Ralph Vaughn Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem
Teddy Abrams, conductor
THE PLANETS: An HD Odyssey | February 23, 2018
Gustav Holst: The Planets
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
PLAY | April 6, 2018
Mason Bates: Anthology of Fantastic Zoology
Andrew Norman: Play
Teddy Abrams, conductor
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO | April 27, 2018
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto for Piano + Orchestra No. 4
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 3 (“Rhenish”)
Andrew Hsu, piano | Courtney Lewis, conductor
THE RITE OF SPRING | May 11, 2018
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Teddy Abrams, conductor
Annette Skaggs is heavily involved as an Arts Advocate here in Louisville. She is a freelance professional opera singer who has performed throughout Europe and in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boulder, Little Rock, Peoria, Chicago, New York and of course Louisville. Aside from her singing career, she has been a production assistant for Kentucky Opera, New York City Opera, and Northwestern University. Her knowledge and expertise have developed over the course of 25+ years’ experience in the classical arts.
