| Des Moines Symphony Announces 2008/09 Season |
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DES MOINES, IA- The Des Moines Symphony is excited to announce their 2008-2009 season titled "My Favorite Things." This season marks Maestro Joseph Giunta's 20th anniversary as music director and conductor of the Des Moines Symphony. To celebrate this achievement we have put together a season full of wonderful memories and dreams of the future for your enjoyment.
To start off this celebratory season the Des Moines Symphony will share the stage with Grammy award winning, cross-over artist Amy Grant for our Opening Night Gala Saturday, September 20th, 2008. The orchestra will give tribute to outstanding American music with Ive's Variations on America and music from one of the greatest American musicals, Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story. Amy Grant will end this night of inspiring music with a selection of soul-stirring American favorites.
The celebration continues for our October 25 and 26 concert, Music of the Maestro. This program features music of Maestro Giunta's past and future. The orchestra will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 1 which was Maestro Giunta's audition piece for our symphony. Also on the program is Wagner's Rienzi Overture which was on his first program book as music director of the Des Moines Symphony twenty years ago. Melding the past with the future the orchestra will present a world-premiere of our commissioned piece, Heartland Poem by James Poulson.
What's up Doc? November 15 and 16 the orchestra will take you back in time of the "wascally wabbit," you enjoyed as a kid as Warner Bros. Studios and the Des Moines Symphony present Bugs Bunny on Broadway. Watch the classic Warner Bros. Studios cartoons on screen with your family and friends as the orchestra plays the live orchestral soundtracks inspired by the music of Strauss, Wagner and Rossini. Pieces include The Rabbit of Seville and What's Opera, Doc?
Soar into 2009 with a unique performance you can only experience with the Des Moines Symphony. For one night only, Wednesday, December 31, Cirque de la Symphonie will take stage with contortionists, jugglers and aerial flyers as the orchestra plays great classical music for our New Year's Eve concert. Young pianist, Colton Peltier will share the stage will perform everyone's jazzy-favorite, Rhapsody in Blue. Our own Jonathan Sturm will entice you with another wonderful solo performance.
The new year unfolds as Maestro Giunta and the Des Moines Symphony unmask two pieces new to the orchestra on January 31 and February 1 for our third classical concert, Unmasked Melodies. The orchestra will perform the melodious and emotionally-charged Dvorak Symphony #6 and Mozart's Magic Flute Overture for the first time. Swiss pianist Andreas Haefliger will pour his "power, elegance and poetry" into Mozart's Piano Concerto #15.
Maestro Giunta and the Des Moines Symphony are ready to party on March 7 and 8 during Symphony-Palooza. The concert gets started with John Adam's outlandish party piece Lollapalooza. The jazzy, classically-infused trio, PROJECT, will perform their composition Random Roads Suite. This young trio consists of a beatbox flute, cello and bass. Their performance will blow you away. The party concludes with Beethoven's Symphony #7 leaving dancing in your seat.
One of classical music's most fascinating and gifted performers, Sarah Chang, will captivate you with her rendition of one of the most important violin works, Brahm's Violin Concerto. Winner of the Avery Fisher Award, Sarah's performance will strike a major chord. Maestro Giunta and the orchestra will take you on a journey down the Rhine River with music by Beethoven and Shuman, April 4 and 5 during our program, Captivating Chang.
As Maestro Giunta shares one last memory celebrating his 20th anniversary he is reunited with close friend, pianist Arnaldo Cohen. Cohen has long been charming audiences with his musical strength and skill. This Russian program includes Caprice Bohemian and Preludes by Rachmanioff. Russian Reunion, May 2 and 3 will close our season of celebration with Cohen performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1.
Subscriptions for the 2008/09 season are now on sale. To receive early bird prices orders must be submitted by May 12, 2008. Tickets for Opening Night Gala with Amy Grant or New Year's Eve Cirque de la Symphonie must be accompanied with a subscription or a group of 10 or more. Single tickets will be available August 4, 2008.
Five easy ways to order a subscription: Call 515.246.2300 Mail your order and payment to Des Moines Symphony, 221 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309 Fax to 515.246.2325 Drop off your order in person to the Civic Center Ticket Office (M-F, 10-6)
Group orders of 10 or more: If you have an interested group for any of our concerts please contact Christina Zink at 515.280.4011 |