Spokane Symphony Creates Musical Magic in the Fox

Nov 21, 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 464-7071

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPOKANE — The Spokane Symphony plays Magical Music for its first Classics Series concert in the fabulously restored Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox this Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. and again on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. under the direction of Music Director Eckart Preu. Pianist and former child prodigy Cecile Licad will perform with the symphony.

The move to the Martin Woldson Theater has been eagerly anticipated by the Spokane Symphony due to improvements in the theater's acoustical qualities. Rehearsals at the Fox held during November revealed that expectations have been met or exceeded. The hall resonates with a rich, full sound while allowing audience members to hear individual sections with a clarity rarely enjoyed. Members of the orchestra and the chorale have raved about the acoustics on the stage, many reporting they are able to hear the other parts of the music for the first time. Eckart Preu commented that just as a violinist dreams of playing on that perfect Stradivarius violin, so orchestras dream of playing in the perfect hall. We have found that hall This is our Stradivarius.

Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute is one of the most beloved works of music, having enjoyed an enduring popularity since its debut in 1791 Vienna. The Overture of this popular opera truly deserves to be the first music to be played in the symphony's new home. The music opens somberly with a rather eerie introduction before launching into a vivacious rhythmical fugue, and then returns dramatically to the introductory theme, setting the scene for the opera with restless harmony, frequent modulations and exhilarating counterpoint right to the dramatic conclusion.

Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 is truly one of the most beautiful of piano concertos, combining technically demanding piano arpeggios with poetry, nuance and depth of expression. The piano part, with its frequent decorative forays into the upper ranges of the instrument, is filled with delicate color that is easily lost in large hall, but is the perfect foil for the acoustics of the Fox auditorium. In addition, the Chopin's orchestral score provides both powerful tuttis and wonderful backgrounds for the piano. This requires a high level of expertise from the orchestra and the conductor, as well as the soloist. Fortunately, Eckart Preu and the Spokane Symphony are up to this level of accomplishment, as is the soloist, Cecile Licad.

The concert concludes with Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, the ballet score that completely revolutionized the world of music. The ballet's first performance in Paris literally caused a rite, due as much to its radical departure from the musical conventions of the day, as to its scandalous portrayal of pagans sacrificing a maiden to propitiate the gods of spring. Combining Russian folk tunes with jagged rhythms, wild and often dissonant harmonies and violent dynamics, Stravinsky blasted music from the predictable tones of the early twentieth century and opened up whole new realms of possibilities, giving birth to much of modern music in the process.

Filipino pianist Cecile Licad began her musical studies with her mother and made her debut as a soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Philippines at age seven. She is a dynamic blend of daring musical instincts and superb musical training, giving her the reputation as a musician's musician. Known for her extraordinary sensitivity to touch and color, she is the perfect soloist to trace the delicate nuances of Chopin's music. She has mastered a broad range of repertoire, from classical to the romantic to modern. Licad has performed with major orchestras around the world and made appearances at various music festivals and in chamber ensembles. She also was a soloist in the Steinway Piano Sesquicentennial Celebration at Carnegie Hall in June 2003.

Tickets are $17, $27, $35, and $39. Tickets are available in advance at the Spokane Symphony Ticket office at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox Box Office, 1001 W. Sprague, or by calling 509-624-1200. Tickets are also available at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT, or on line at spokanesymphony.org.

The Don Herak Family has underwritten this concert on behalf of Gonzaga University.

CALENDAR LISTING:
Musical Magic Classics Concert 3; Eckart Preu conducts the Spokane Symphony, Cecile Licad, piano; Dec. 1 at 8:00 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 3:00 p.m. in the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. Tickets are $17 to $39; Call the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office at (509) 624-1200; tickets are also available through all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT.