N E W S   R E L E A S E

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          May 1, 2009 

Superstar Joshua Bell Performs with

The Phoenix Symphony 

Concert Features Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov

and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole 

 PHOENIX – Superstar performer Joshua Bell returns to The Phoenix Symphony for one night only, May 23, to perform Lalo’s dazzling Symphonie espagnole to an anticipated sold-out audience. Resident Conductor Lawrence Golan leads the Symphony in this special performance that includes Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 and Rimsky-Korsakov’s playful Capriccio espagnol. The Saturday evening concert, sponsored by SRP, begins at 8 p.m. at Symphony Hall. 

      Joshua Bell has captured the public’s imagination like no other classical violinist of his time. 2007 proved to be a seminal year highlighted by receiving the coveted Avery Fisher Prize, being the only U.S. musician named by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders and his appointment to the Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music faculty as a senior lecturer. In concerts and on recordings, his bold, charismatic artistry has brought a fresh voice to the most venerable masterpieces while also uncovering lesser known gems and new works, as with the recent release of The Red Violin Concerto by John Corigliano. An exclusive Sony Classical artist who has created a richly varied catalogue of recordings, Billboard named Romance of the Violin 2004 Classical CD of the Year, and Mr. Bell the Classical Artist of the Year. He came to national attention at the age of fourteen in a highly acclaimed orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Today, he is equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra leader performing across the globe with the finest orchestras and conductors. “Bell,” Gramophone stated simply, “is dazzling.”

      Tickets to see Joshua Bell perform with The Phoenix Symphony are $65 and $85 and can be purchased by calling the Phoenix Symphony Box Office at 602-495-1999 or by visiting www.phoenixsymphony.org. The Phoenix Symphony’s 2008-09 Classics Season comes to a rousing finale May 28 and 30 with “Legends and Heroes.”

      About Resident Conductor Lawrence Golan: Lawrence Golan joined the conducting staff of The Phoenix Symphony as Resident Conductor at the start of the 2006-07 season. In this role, he leads concerts in each of the symphony’s major series — including Classics, Pops, and Family presentations.  In conjunction with his role as Resident Conductor of The Phoenix Symphony, Mr. Golan leads the Phoenix Youth Symphony, helping to prepare these young musicians for future careers in music. He is also Music Director of Boulder Baroque and the Boulder Bach Festival in Colorado, and of the Portland Ballet Company in Maine. In addition, he continues his work as Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, where he teaches graduate conducting and leads the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre.

      About The Phoenix Symphony: The Phoenix Symphony has been proudly serving the citizens of the Phoenix metropolitan area and Arizona since 1947. What began as an occasional group of musicians performing a handful of concerts each year (in a city of fewer than 100,000 people) today serves more than 300,000 people annually, with 275 concerts and presentations throughout the greater Phoenix area and beyond. 

      Under the artistic leadership of Michael Christie as the Virginia G. Piper Music Director and administrative leadership of President Maryellen H. Gleason, the orchestra is overseen by the non-profit Phoenix Symphony Association under Board Chairman C.A. Howlett.

      The 76-member Phoenix Symphony presents an annual season from September through the beginning of June, featuring full-length classical and pops concerts at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix, as well as concerts in Scottsdale, Mesa, Prescott and throughout central Arizona. The Symphony performs for more than 50,000 students and children, helping to introduce music to new generations through a variety of education and youth-engagement programs.

Joshua Bell in Concert

Special Event Concert

May 23 – Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m.

Symphony Hall

The Phoenix Symphony

Lawrence Golan, conductor

Joshua Bell, violin

MOZART - Symphony No. 39

Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio espagnol

LALO - Symphonie espagnole

Legendary violinist Joshua Bell appears with The Phoenix

Symphony for one night only. “One of the most gifted violinists of

his generation,” (Washington Post), Bell will dazzle audiences with

his flawless technique and unquestioned musicality in Lalo’s fiery

Symphonie espagnole. Don’t miss this phenomenal superstar as he

performs live for this unforgettable concert.

Tickets: $65, $85

PHOENIX SYMPHONY BOX OFFICE: 602-495-1999 or www.phoenixsymphony.org