Hila Plitmann and David Del Tredici

There’s lots of good music coming up as we head into May, but I wanted to give you the early heads-up on two exciting performances from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: David Del Tredici’s Final Alice, with the remarkable soprano Hila Plitmann (May 6 and 8) and the Premiere of Joan Tower’s Stroke, a work commissioned by the PSO as part of Tower’s year-long residency with the orchestra (May 13 and 14).

The PSO has generously offered PNMNet fans a 20% discount for both concerts! To order your discounted tickets, visit culturaldistrict.org and use promo codes “Twisted” (Del Tredici’s Final Alice) and “21635″ (Tower’s Stroke), or call 412.392.4819.

The May 6-8 performances of Final Alice also feature a Pittsburgh-centric version of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. The traditional story—boy meets wolf, wolf eats boy, hunter kills wolf and rescues boy unscathed from wolf’s belly—has been rewritten by former Pittsburgh-Post Gazette columnist Peter Leo to reflect modern times in our city. Actor and tireless Pittsburgh advocate David Conrad will supply narration for Leo’s updated story.

These concerts will also include a bevy of innovative ancillary programs such as discussion with the artists, literature experts, and special art exhibits. You can find out more about these events after the jump.

The May 13 and 14 performances of Tower’s Stroke will also included world renowned pianist Hélène Grimaud performing Mozart’s piano concerto No. 23 K. 488, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major.

The PSO is showing a lot of initiative in trying to attract new audiences with their re-imagined Peter and the Wolf and Final Alice so kudos to the programming and marketing team for pushing the boundaries. Here’s a run-down of all all the events surrounding this program.

Concert Prelude with composer David del Tredici and Marah Gubar, Director of Children’s Literature
 program and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh; moderated by WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham Free and open to all ticket holders; on stage, one hour prior to the concert

Post-Concert Artist Chat with conductor Leonard Slatkin and Hila Plitmann (Friday only) On stage, immediately following the performance

In the lobby:
Termen-ology: Lecture-demonstration (Grand Tier level , 7:05 – 7:50 pm; repeated every 15 min.)
 Dr. Albert Glinsky, author of Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage

Theremin, the ‘grandfather’ of electronic instruments makes a guest appearance in David del Tredici’s Final Alice; come learn more about this bizarre instrument and try it out!


Live mural performance (Grand Lobby)
Come see illustrators create a live mural inspired by themes from Peter and the Wolf and Final Alice prior to the concert and during intermission. Stop by after the concert to see the final work!


Lighting and media design by a team led by Abigail Holmes, Lighting Design faculty at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama.

Board displays featuring the classic Sir John Tenniel illustrations for the ‘Alice’ books, Alice adaptations in popular culture and photography by Lewis Carroll, including the real-life ‘Alice’ Liddell

- Exhibition and silent auction of artwork by local illustrators on themes from Final Alice.

Sounds like a blast, and did I mention 20% off tix?

Heinz Hall
Tickets

Joan Tower’s year-long residency with the PSO will culminate in the premiere of Tower’s Stroke. The program also features Hélène Grimaud performing Mozart’s Piano Concert No. 23, K. 488 and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto Symphony No.2 in D Major.

Full details for the program, including a video interview with Joan Tower, are here.

Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Tickets

20-year old violin phenom Benjamin Beilman continues the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society’s Bellefield Recital Series with a concert that includes works by Joan Tower and Christopher Rogerson. Find out more about the program here.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Sonata in E major, BWV 1016

RICHARD STRAUSS
Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001

CHRISTOPHER ROGERSON
Lullaby: no bad dreams

JOAN TOWER
String Force

JENÖ HUBAY
Carmen – Fantasie Brillante, Op. 3, No. 3

STREET CLOSURES: Roberto Clemente Bridge (Sixth Street.): 5 a.m. – midnight.
Andy Warhol Bridge (Seventh Street): 9 a.m. – midnight.
Rolling closures (6 to 8 p.m.) from Ross Street to the corner of Stanwix and F…t. Duquesne Blvd.

The Rolling Closures should be the name of Pittsburgh’s next great Rock band. You heard it here first.

Sunday night, Alia Musica Pittsburgh performs at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium. Rumor has it there is a duo for two hi-hats on the program, so what more do I need to say?

“Rather than have their interpretations influenced by the literary content behind the music, they will be guided to associate colors and shapes with particular sonorities and will be encouraged to create designs or landscapes based upon their emotional reactions to the music. Musicians of the IonSound Project will present workshops in advance to discuss the music and to play excerpts from the pieces live in the classroom.  The resulting artwork will be projected during the performance of the corresponding compositions.”

Sounds cool to me. Check here for more details.

Heinz Hall

Tickets

Leonard Slatkin leads the PSO in Tower’s Concerto for Clarinet with Principal Clarinetist Michael Rusinek as soloist. The concert also includes Bernstein’s On the Waterfront and Copland’s Appalachian Spring.

Joan Tower, as the PSO’s 2010-2011 Composer of the Year, will have six of her works performed in subscription programs, including the world-premiere of an orchestral work commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a clarinet concerto with Principal Clarinet Michael Rusinek as soloist. As Composer of the Year, Tower also participates in masterclasses with local university composition students, coachings, lectures, and other audience outreach. These activities are designed to familiarize listeners with her and her work, creating a connection between living composers and our audiences. The 2010-2011 BNY Mellon Grand Classics Season is the tenth year of the PSO’s Composer of the Year program.

In addition to the world-premiere of Tower’s new work, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will perform the world-premiere of a new piece by Alan Fletcher. The composer’s Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra features Principal Bassoon Nancy Goeres as soloist.    In total, there are eleven works this season that will receive a first performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This includes concerts in November 2010, when Principal Guest Conductor Leonard Slatkin conducts the Orchestra in an all-American program comprised of music the PSO has never before performed. The program includes Tower’s Clarinet Concerto, Copland’s full ballet, Appalachian Spring and Bernstein’s Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront.

Looks like it’s gonna be a good season!