Sarah Hicks conducts the Phoenix Symphony
Sarah Hicks is about to guest-conduct the Phoenix Symphony in an opening-night performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. Leonard Bernstein’s “Overture to ‘Candide’ ” and a symphonic overview of “West Side Story” also are on the bill. That’s a major change of pace from how she spent the summer of 2011 — conducting the […]
Interview: Phoenix Symphony violinist Tessa Gotma
Tessa Gotman joined the Phoenix Symphony last year, returning to the Valley, where she earned her master’s degree in violin performance at Arizona State University. The first violinist for the Herberger String Quartet from 2008-10, she also served as concertmaster for the Scottsdale Arts Orchestra in its first season. Sarah Hicks conducts the Phoenix SymphonyWhen: 7:30 […]
Super Conductivity
Remember when late-night TV legend Johnny Carson took extended breaks from The Tonight Show, leaving a revolving cast of guest-hosts (Bob Newhart, David Letterman, Joan Rivers) to crack jokes in his stead? The 2012-2013 season at the Phoenix Symphony will be kind of like that. Officially, outgoing music director Michael Christie is still in charge, […]
Larry Fitzgerald of Cardinals will conduct the Phoenix Symphony
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will try on a different hat on Sept. 20 when he conducts the Phoenix Symphony, FoxSports.com reported on Thursday. Fitzgerald, an active member of the Phoenix community (he won the 14th annual Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award this year), is forging a reputation as one of the NFL’s most […]
Larry Fitzgerald to Conduct Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
Being arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL and earning the praise of esteemed colleagues is just not enough for Larry Fitzgerald. Sometimes you need a new challenge. And Fitzgerald will have just that when he conducts the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the national anthem on September 20. The Pro Bowl receiver is taking […]
Culture clash: Fitz to trade pads for baton
TEMPE, Ariz. — If the Cardinals are looking for a new marketing campaign, they might consider a spoof on the immensely popular Dos Equis campaign: “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” They could cast wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the lead role and call it: “The Most Interesting Man in the NFL.” You already […]
Larry Fitzgerald joins Phoenix Symphony (for one night)
The Phoenix Symphony will have a very special guest conductor on Opening Night for the National Anthem, kicking off the 2012-13 season with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald on the podium. The six-time Pro Bowl veteran will conduct the National Anthem on Thursday, Sept. 20, at Symphony Hall in Phoenix. Michael Bidwill, president of the Arizona […]
Arizona Cardinals Player Joins The Phoenix Symphony
EXTRA! EXTRA! Witness two worlds collide as The Phoenix Symphony season opener will have a very special guest joining them on Sept. 20 at Symphony Hall. The Arizona Cardinals star wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, will conduct the National Anthem in a once-in-a-lifetime performance showcasing the best of sports and music. You don’t want to miss […]
Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald to Join The Phoenix Symphony Season Opener in Guest Appearance
Media Contact: The Phoenix SymphonyKatie [email protected] Arizona CardinalsMark [email protected] Program includes Guest Conductor Sarah Hicks, and violinist Elena Urioste in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto PHOENIX – An Opening Night like you have never seen before. The Phoenix Symphony kicks off its 2012/13 season with special guest Larry Fitzgerald. The Arizona Cardinals star wide receiver will […]
Michael Christie: Music Director, The Phoenix Symphony
“What one word for you keep in mind when planning a season?” Surprises. With the coming season, Michael Christie concludes his tenure as music director of The Phoenix Symphony. What was once new – the brash young American bringing spanking new repertoire to the concert hall – will fade into the past, leaving behind […]
The 2012-13 Performance Season
The business of choosing a new music director for a symphony orchestra is tricky. The idea is to engage several guest conductors of various styles and backgrounds – older and younger ones, Europeans and Americans and Asians, men and women – and try them out on the orchestra, the board and audiences. Take a poll […]
Michael Christie’s final season at Phoenix Symphony
Michael Christie’s final season at Phoenix Symphony by Ed Masley – Aug. 24, 2012 12:02 PMThe Republic | azcentral.com Michael Christie’s final season brings an intriguing assortment of guest conductors to the Phoenix Symphony, representing “the next generation of up-and-coming American conductors,” as the symphony is billing them. Opening night finds Sarah Hicks, who’s toured […]
Fall arts 2012: 10 classical concerts you don’t want to miss
Here’s a look at 10 classical concerts you shouldn’t miss this season, from Michael Christie’s farewell to the Phoenix Symphony to a night of Nordic music by the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. Matt Haimovitz: Beyond Bach This Israeli-born cellist made his stage debut at 13 as a soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. At 17, he […]
Fall arts 2012: Guest conductors to lead Phoenix Symphony
Here’s a look at the guest conductors leading the Phoenix Symphony in Michael Christie’s final season Sarah Hicks Opening night brings guest conductor Sarah Hicks. The principal conductor for pops and presentations for the Minnesota Orchestra, Hicks has toured with Sting, Ben Folds and Smokey Robinson. She’ll conduct one of Symphony Magazine’s emerging artists to watch, […]
Explore The Planets with The Phoenix Symphony and ASU’s Kip Hodges
Join us at a private reception and lecture with Kip Hodges and Bruce Pulk followed by a musical voyage through the planets featuring 3D NASA images accompanied by Conductor Michael Christie and the talents of the female members of the Phoenix Symphony Chorus. The evening will begin with a private reception and a lively presentation […]
Phoenix Symphony’s interim chorus master appointed
The Phoenix Symphony Association appointed Dr. Thomas Bookhout as its interim chorus master. Bookhout’s appointment is for the 2012/13 season. In addition to the Phoenix Symphony Chorus, Bookhout is the director of performing arts at Scottsdale Christian Academy and the sanctuary choir director of Camelback Bible Church, which performed a featured concert this summer at […]
The Phoenix Symphony Launches Groundbreaking Education Initiative
Symphony will train teachers to integrate music with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math PHOENIX – Mind Over Music is a new initiative created by The Phoenix Symphony which trains teachers to integrate music into STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) concepts, the first symphony program of its kind in the nation. By learning through music, […]
September Event Calendar
September 2012 Event Calendar 602-495-1999 | phoenixsymphony.org | Tickets start at $18 Opening Night! Sarah Hicks Conducts Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Sarah Hicks, conductor | Elena Urioste, violin Bernstein: Overture to CandideBeethoven: Violin Concerto in D MajorBrahms: Hungarian Dances, Nos. 5 & 6Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story September 20, 2012 | 7:30 pm | […]
Young Professional Concert Series not your grandfathers symphony
Let’s face it— some of us are just classical music geeks at heart. We can rock out to Three Doors Down and have our fair share of Carrie Underwood faves, but when we’re alone in the car, in need of some down time, we tune in to classical music. The good news is, we’re not […]
Dr. Thomas Bookhout Appointed as The Phoenix Symphony’s Interim Chorus Master
Dr. Thomas Bookhout Appointed as
The Phoenix Symphony’s Interim Chorus Master
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Symphony Association appointed Dr. Thomas Bookhout as its interim Chorus Master. Dr. Bookhout’s appointment is for the 2012/13 season.
“We are very excited to have someone with Thomas’s diverse background leading our chorus this season. Our full-time professional volunteer choir, which donates more than 12,000 hours of service to the Symphony each year, will reach new heights of musical excellence under the direction of Dr. Bookhout” says Jim Ward, The Phoenix Symphony’s President and CEO.
Bookhout has vast experience in the choral art, including symphony, opera, university, community, school, and church choruses. In addition to The Phoenix Symphony Chorus, Bookhout is the Director of Performing Arts at Scottsdale Christian Academy and the Sanctuary Choir Director at Camelback Bible Church, which performed a featured concert this summer at the AZ conference of the American Choral Directors Association and toured Poland in 2010. He is on the executive board of the AZ American Choral Directors Association and is a member of numerous professional organizations.
Dr. Bookhout draws on his experience as a conductor, educator, and administrator to produce consistently excellent choral ensembles that perform an extremely wide range of repertoire. Before moving to Phoenix nine years ago, Dr. Bookhout also served as Music Director of the Taghkanic Chorale (succeeding two internationally-known conductors, Johannes Somary and Dennis Keene, in that position), Director of Choral Activities at the University of Charleston (WV), Director of the Women’s Chorus and Assistant Conductor of the Concert Choir for the Arizona State University, Director of Music at The Stony Brook School (Long Island, NY), and headmaster of a private school in upstate New York.
See Dr. Bookhout and The Phoenix Symphony Chorus this season in Carmina Burana, The Planets – An HD Odyssey, Liszt’s Dante Symphony, Holiday Pops, and Handel’s Messiah.
