The Phoenix Symphony announces their 2013/14 season, which promises to bring some of the biggest music and names of the orchestral world to Symphony Hall and beyond. This season marks The Phoenix Symphony’s 66th anniversary since its founding in 1947. The Phoenix Symphony also continues its search for a Music Director, bringing in the best and brightest of the orchestral world to Arizona.
“This is a season we are particularly proud to present to Arizona,” said Jim Ward, President & CEO of The Phoenix Symphony. “We have an outstanding roster of brilliant guest artists and conductors who are coming together to help us explore powerful musical experiences, making the Symphony the hottest ticket in town.”
The 2013/14 Season opens with Beethoven’s world-famous Ninth Symphony, which is part of the twelve-concert Classics Series. Other highlights include an expanded and exciting ten-concert Pops series, seven Coffee Classics performances, a five-concert Family Series and four Scottsdale concerts. The season will also feature a wide variety of elegant and unique salon-style fundraising events.
The Symphony’s US Airways Classics Series features a line-up of superstar repertoire and guest artists. Seven of the concerts in the Classics Series are also a part of the Coffee Classics Series, which features one hour of music selected from the weekend’s Classics program on Friday afternoons. Highlights include:
- A triumphant Opening Night featuring the return of Guest Conductor Andrew Grams as he leads The Phoenix Symphony and Chorus in Beethoven’s Symphony No.9
- Our very own internationally acclaimed Concertmaster, Steven Moeckel performs Shostakovich’s complex and beautiful Violin Concerto No. 1
- Virtuoso cellist, Daniel Müeller- Schott and Music Director Laureate Michael Christie perform Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme
- Verdi’s massive and theatrical Messa da Requiem featuring Music Director Laureate Michael Christie and The Phoenix Symphony Chorus
The APS Pops series brings back memories and creates new ones with a refreshing mix of popular entertainers and musical favorites. Highlights include:
- Symphony Idol as American Idol contestants LaKisha Jones, Haley Scarnoto and Matt Giraud perform favorites from Celine Dion, Journey, Evita and more
- Holiday Pops, a beloved holiday tradition and a much-loved part of the holiday music scene in the Valley. Be part of a magical evening of song, joy, laughter and warmth
- Platinum Award-winning singer-songwriter Anne Hampton Callaway celebrates the music of one of America’s most powerful and enduring stars, Barbra Streisand
- The Chairman of the Board: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra is an evening dedicated to Ol’ Blue Eyes
- Cirque de la Symphonie returns for an encore from their previous sold-out performances
Children and adults alike enjoy The Phoenix Symphony’s entertaining Family Concert Series which consists of five family themed concerts designed for children ages four to twelve. The Phoenix Symphony combines a love of reading with a passion for music in this series with concerts based on popular and entertaining children’s books. Families can come to Symphony Hall one hour early for pre-concert activities such as the popular instrument Petting Zoo, book readings, arts, crafts and activities. Highlights include:
- Halloween at Hogwarts brings the music from Harry Potter to life
- The Polar Express: the popular holiday book takes you on a musical journey to the North Pole
- Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage, a Classical Kids Live! concert that takes place at the historic Orpheum Theatre
- Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead: your little sleuth can help solve this musical mystery
The Phoenix Symphony continues the Scottsdale Series, held at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, with a season that consists of four great performances featuring world-class guest conductors and artists. Highlights include:
- Beethoven’s popular and dramatic Piano Concerto No. 4 with Guest Pianist Andrew Van Oeyen
- Ginastera’s rhythmic and mesmerizing Harp Concerto featuring Yolanda Kondonassis who offers a rare interpretation of this harp concerto
- The dynamic Ray Chen delights audiences with Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4
- Jennifer Frautschi delivers a rich and thunderous performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto No. 2.
