Casual Classics explores the music of Paris

Apr 19, 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 326-3136

Spokane Spokane Symphony's Casual Classics series, now on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, celebrates the city of Paris in an intimate setting. Morihiko Nakahara will conduct the orchestra and shares anecdotes about the music on Saturday, April 28, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 29, at 3 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater.

The French Connection explores the influence of Paris, one of the most important musical capitals in the world, on composers from various times and nationalities. Maurice Ravel composed Le Tombeau do Couperin as a tribute to the Baroque French keyboard suite, as epitomized by the work of Francois Couperin. Each of the movements six movements were dedicated to a friends of Ravel who had died in battle during the First World War. Originally written for piano, Ravel later orchestrated the piece, which has become one of his most popular works.

Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo wrote Concierto de Aranjuez while studying composition in Paris. The piece, written for guitar and orchestra, is an exquisite blend of musical influences of Rodrigo's French training and Spanish musical heritage. This concerto is marked by its unusual instrumentation, the pairing a solo guitar with a full orchestra. Yet Rodrigo manages to capture all the nuances of Spanish guitar while keeping the orchestra from overwhelming it.

Steven Novacek, the guitar soloist for the Rodrigo concerto, has garnered unanimous critical acclaim and an enthusiastic international following. Known for his expressive interpretations, superb tone quality and technical precision, Novacek demonstrates a performance versatility unique among guitarists. He has been awarded, in two successive seasons, the prestigious Solo Recitalist Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has appeared at numerous festivals and concert halls in North America and Europe, and made numerous recordings.
A member of the faculty of the University of Washington School of Music, he holds a B.M. degree from California State University at Northridge.

Joseph Saint-George, also known as Chevalier Saint-George and the Noir Mozart, was equally known as a virtuoso violinist, conductor and fencing master. One of the most important musical figures of the 18th century Paris, Saint-George was the first Europeans style musicians of African ancestry.

The final selection for the concert is Mozart's Paris Symphony (No. 31), the highly innovative symphony that he debuted in 1778 while visiting Paris. Audiences both then and now thrilled to Mozart's use of the large orchestra that was available to him in Paris.

This concert is underwritten by Sylvan Learning Center.

Tickets are $13, $19, $21, & $25; Call the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office at (509) 624-1200; tickets are also available, with service charges, through TicketsWest at 325-SEAT, 1-800-325-SEAT and at www.spokanesymphony.org.