It’s hard to believe that September’s opening rehearsal marks the official start of my third season sharing beautiful symphonic music with you here in Brockton. The time has flown by, chock full of stunning performances of our best-loved symphonic repertoire by our own resident Brockton Symphony and our region’s most exciting guest artists. 2009-2010 promises to be our most electrifying season ever!
BrSO is in a stronger financial position than the fall of 2007 when I took the helm as Music Director despite the current economic crisis which has forced so many arts organizations to implement drastic cutbacks and shutdowns. Deepest thanks to our sponsors, to you, our loyal and ever-expanding audience, and to our dynamic Board of Directors led by Torben Hansen for steering our symphony’s financial ship through turbulent waters toward safe harbor in these challenging times. We’re thrilled to be able to share another fabulous season of Brockton Symphony concerts with our Greater Brockton family. Special thanks to HarborOne Credit Union for enabling us to carry on this great tradition through their continuing support as BrSO season sponsor.
Last spring, we began the daunting task of selecting repertoire and soloists who would fire your collective imagination, upholding the incredibly high performance standard you’ve come to expect. The instant the word fire crystallized in my mind, I knew I had the perfect theme for this season’s programs: FIRE AND ICE!
We open our sixty-second season with a gala Scandinavian celebration: Sibelius’ beloved Finlandia and monumental Symphony #2, and Grieg’s almighty Piano Concerto, a top favorite with audiences and musicians alike. Our soloist, Venezuelan virtuoso Krysthian Benitez, is already carving an international reputation on the competition circuit. He’s renowned for balancing his fiery South American temperament with icy technical discipline in masterful performances of the great piano literature.
This holiday season, perennial audience favorite, Assistant Conductor Emilian Badea welcomes back last year’s smash hit vocalist Francesca Simone (Miss Rhode Island) in our annual family Christmas celebration. We’re also pleased to announce the return of our Feinberg Youth Soloist Competition and Family Concert to this season’s lineup. Stay tuned to our website for further details.
May’s grand finale is a veritable smorgasbord of fiery treats, showcasing our principal players in Rimsky-Korsakow’s pyrotechnic tour de force, Capriccio Espagnol, excerpts from Stravinsky’s Firebird Ballet Suite, and a not-to-be-missed feature appearance by eleven-year old wunderkind, cellist Leland Ko. Actually, by the time Leland joins us in Spanish composer Edouard Lalo’s devilishly difficult Cello Concerto, Mr. Ko will be a grizzled veteran of twelve! Leland possesses absolute technical mastery and an incredibly mature approach to interpretation. Want to inspire your children to embrace the art and discipline of beautiful music? Young Mr. Ko is the quintessential role model for his peers. Bring your kids and have them meet this incredibly self-possessed, inspiring young man.
We thank you for your passionate support of Brockton Symphony and live concert music in the Greater Brockton region. Now, more than ever, we need your help! Please spread the word among your friends and family. Help us expand our audience and fill the concert hall with like-minded classical music lovers to ensure the next sixty years of fabulous music making by your very own “hometown band!”
The Brockton Symphony Orchestra is recognized as Brockton's leading performing arts institution, one of the leading community symphony orchestras in Massachusetts, and one of the best regional orchestras in the country.
