Catherine Cho performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto on NACO concerts that include Schubert's Sixth Symphony and Alexina Louie's Shattered Night, Shivering Stars, on March 6-7
February 28, 2003 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The dazzling young American violinist Catherine
Cho will perform the Sibelius Violin Concerto on National Arts Centre
Orchestra concerts on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7 at 20:00
in the NAC's Southam Hall. Conductor William Eddins is on the
podium for these Bostonian Bravo Series concerts, which also feature
Schubert's remarkable Symphony No. 6 in C major, and Alexina
Louie's Shattered Night, Shivering Stars.
The National Arts Centre commissioned Alexina Louie to compose
Shattered Night, Shivering Stars in 1997, and subsequently
recorded it as part of a CBC Records CD devoted to the works of
Louie. Shattered Night, Shivering Stars received a Juno Award
in 2000. Last season, the NAC named Alexina Louie as one of its three
NAC Awards Composers as part of its New Music Programme. Her first
commission under this Programme is a work for chamber ensemble that
will premiere later this season.
Alexina Louie, who is nominated again for a Juno this year, will
give free Pre-Concert Talks both evenings (in English) entitled
"Music Where the Nights are Long" in which she will discuss her
composition as well as the Sibelius Violin Concerto. These take place
in the Salon at 19:00.
Sibelius's magnificent Violin Concerto is described by Robert
Markow, the NAC's programme annotator, as follows: "The solo
part is one of the most difficult in the entire repertoire. Virtuosic
passages abound, but they are welded to disciplined musical thought;
there is no empty display material here. The orchestral writing bears
much evidence of Sibelius' deep interest in this medium, and serves a
far greater purpose than a mere backdrop for the soloist. Dark,
somber colours predominate, as is this composers' tendency, lending
an air of passionate urgency to the music.
Violinist Catherine Cho, praised by The New York Times for
her "sublime tone", has appeared worldwide as soloist with many
orchestras and chamber ensembles as well as in recital. Her
repertoire ranges from the traditional works by Bach, Beethoven,
Mozart and Brahms to those of Bartók, Korngold and Berg, in
addition to the music of our time. Among her various awards and
achievements, she was a recipient of both the 1995 Avery Fisher
Career Grant and Korea's 1995 World Leaders of Tomorrow Award. She
was a top prize winner at the Hannover, Queen Elizabeth, and Montreal
International Violin Competitions and a 1988 Presidential Scholar in
the Arts.
Conductor William Eddins will close the programme with
Schubert's Symphony No. 6 in C major. Eddins is Resident
Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (the first in its
112-year history) and a frequent guest conductor of major orchestras
throughout the world. In September of 2002 he began his post as
Principal Guest Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of
Ireland. He was most recently seen at the NAC leading the Orchestra
for Pinchas Zukerman's electrifying performance of the
Bartók Viola Concerto.
Tickets for these Bostonian Bravo Series concerts on March 6 and 7
are on sale now at $26.50, $43.50 and $54.50, with box seats at
$68.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday
to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster
(with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed
through the NAC's website at www.nac-cna.ca.
Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on
sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid
student ID card.
