Pacific Symphony Series to Key on Modern U.S. Composers

The Pacific Symphony will focus on contemporary composers in the “Year of the American Composers Festival,” part of its 2002-03 classical music season.

The festival--which will be highlighted by a competition for new American music--will showcase the music of Pulitzer-winner William Bolcom.

Carl St.Clair will conduct the first West Coast performances of Bolcom’s “Songs of Innocence and of Experience”--settings of poems by William Blake that require more than 250 performers--on Feb. 5-6. Bolcom will be in residence at several Orange County universities or colleges.

Details about the residencies, the competition (which will involve the American Composers Forum based in St. Paul, Minn.) and other festival events will be announced.

Guest artists for the season will include violinist Sarah Chang and pianists Andre Watts, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Christopher O’Riley, Arnaldo Cohen, Jonathan Biss and Martin Kasik. Guest conductors will include Angel Gil-Ordonez and Jean-Jacques Kantorow.

The orchestra will continue its chamber music series, with three concerts in Founders Hall at the Performing Arts Center and two at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. It will again offer its 3 p.m. “Classical Connections” concerts, each lasting about 90 minutes, at the center.

There will be two non-subscription programs: Handel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 14 at the center and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” on Jan. 28 at the Barclay.

Additionally, the Santa Ana-based orchestra will begin a series of adult-education projects, consisting of pre- and post-concert discussions, rehearsal attendances and a new three-part “Thoroughly Modern Music” series exploring contemporary music.

Information: (714) 755-5799, or www.pacificsymphony.org.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

2002-03 Classics Season

Carl St.Clair will conduct all concerts, except as indicated. Concerts will begin at 8 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center, Costa Mesa. Concert previews start at 7 p.m.

* Oct. 2-3: Arnaldo Cohen, piano: Tobias Picker’s Three Love Sonnets (world premiere), Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Strauss’ “A Hero’s Life.”

* Oct. 16-17: Angel Gil-Ordonez, conductor; Ginesa Ortega, flamenco singer: Orgia from Turina’s “Danzas Fantasticas”; Gerhard’s Alegrias; works by Falla: Three Dances from “The Three-Cornered Hat,” Interlude and Dance from “La Vida Breve” (The Brief Life) and “El Amor Brujo” (Love, the Magician).

* Nov. 13-14: Andre Watts, piano: Brahms’ Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra; Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5.

* Dec. 4-5: Jean-Jacques Kantorow, conductor and violin: Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 and Overture to “Don Giovanni”; Bizet’s Symphony No.1.

* Jan. 8-9: Sarah Chang, violin: Haydn’s Symphony No. 88; Bruch’s Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra; Ravel’s “Tzigane” ( Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra); Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea).

* Feb. 5-6: Pacific Chorale; soloists to be announced: Bolcom’s “Songs of Innocence and of Experience.”

* March 12-13: Stanislav Ioudenitch, piano: American Composers Competition, to be announced; Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra.

* April 2-3, 2003: Stephen Kovacevich, piano: Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra (“Emperor”); Mahler’s Symphony No.4.

* May 7-8, 2003: Raymond Kobler, violin: Divertimento from Stravinsky’s “The Fairy’s Kiss”; Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra; Suite from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”

* June 4-5, 2003: Christopher O’Riley, piano: Prelude to Act III of Wagner’s “Lohengrin”; Chopin’s “Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante”; Daugherty’s “Ode to Liberace”; Brahms’ Symphony No.1.

Series tickets, on sale April11: $140 to $510. A five-concert series subscription (Concerts 1, 3, 6, 7, 9; or Concerts 2, 4, 5, 8, 10): $95 to $280. A “Pick 6” subscription (any six concerts): $114 to $234.

Classical Connections Series:

St.Clair will conduct concerts at 3 p.m. at the center.

* Oct. 5: Strauss’ “A Hero’s Life.”

* Nov. 16: Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1.

* March 15: To be announced. (Works by three finalists of the new American music composition contest.)

* May 10, 2003: Excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”

Series tickets: $112 to $200.

Chamber Music Season:

Three concerts at 2 p.m. in Founders Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center:

* Oct. 13: Debussy’s “Estampes”; Poulenc’s Sonata for Oboe and Piano; Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro for Harp, with Flute, Clarinet and Strings; Chausson’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Opus 21.

* Feb. 23: Mozart’s Trio in E-flat for Piano, Clarinet and Viola (“Kegelstatt”); Brahms’ Trio for Clarinet, Piano and Cello in A Minor; Schubert’s Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in B-flat.

* April 27, 2003: Stravinsky’s “L’histoire du Soldat”; Scriabin’s “Fragilite” for Piano, No. 1, Sonata for Piano, No. 7 and “Vers la Flamme”; Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence” for String Sextet.

Two concerts at 3 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine:

* Oct. 27: St.Clair, conductor; Jonathon Biss, piano: Ravel’s Concerto in G and Suite from “Mother Goose”; Mozart’s Symphony No. 40.

* March 23: St.Clair, conductor; Martin Kasik, piano: Strauss’ Serenade for Winds in E-flat Major; Mozart’s Concerto for Piano No. 20; Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B-flat.

Series tickets (all five concerts): $155 to $200. Tickets for the two concerts at the Irvine Barclay: $62 to $80.

Non-subscription concerts:

* Dec. 14, 3 p.m., Performing Arts Center: Handel’s “Messiah.”

* Jan. 28, 8 p.m., Irvine Barclay: Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”; works by Leonard Bernstein, William Bolcom and Derek Bermel.

Single tickets go on sale Aug. 26.