Detroit Symphony Orchestra Celebrates Leonard Slatkin’s 70th Birthday in Style with Star-Studded Evening of Eclectic Music at New York’s SubCulture Oct 29
They say that 70 is the new 50, and no one demonstrates this better than the celebrated conductor Leonard Slatkin. He reached the great milestone on September 1, and far from slowing down, as Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra he continues to drive the innovative changes that have helped rescue the organization from the brink of collapse, and to appear frequently abroad as Music Director of the Lyon National Orchestra. In his honor, his colleagues at the DSO have organized Leonard Slatkin@70, an evening of musical entertainment from his friends and close collaborators on October 29 at SubCulture, New York’s hippest cross-cultural venue. The event takes place in the same week the American maestro conducts three concerts with the New York Philharmonic (Oct 30 & 31; Nov 1), and it also salutes the October digital-only release of Slatkin@70: Greatest Hits on the Naxos label.
As Lawrence B. Johnson writes in the Slatkin@70 CD booklet: “As for achieving his own Op. 70, the maestro muses ‘I am officially an old man – venerable was actually used in an article. Perhaps it is indeed time to reflect on my musical life.’”
The celebration at SubCulture brings together a starry cast of DSO colleagues and friends − including some of the great artists who have worked with the orchestra − in an outpouring of affection for the conductor, who became the DSO’s Music Director in 2008. The range of styles they encompass pays tribute to Slatkin’s curiosity and love for all music, whether classical, jazz or contemporary. Jazz master Branford Marsalis, a regular at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, plays solo and then joins the orchestra’s General Manager and Artistic Administrator, Erik Rönmark, in Bach’s Double Concerto, arranged for two saxophones. Players from the orchestra form a quartet to perform Impressions by Jennifer Higdon, and David Del Tredici, whose opera Dum Dee Tweedle the DSO premiered in 2013 under Slatkin, presents a short composition of his own. Grammy Award-winning composer, pianist and former DSO Jazz Creative Director Chair Michel Camilo will also join the festivities. Pianist Joyce Yang, another familiar face at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, performs Ginastera’s Danzas Argentinas. Slatkin himself joins the music-making as a pianist: Joseph Kalichstein and Jeffrey Siegel each share the bench with him in two movements from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite for piano four hands, and he accompanies his brother, Fred Zlotkin, a cellist in the New York City Ballet Orchestra, in Ravel’s Pièce en forme de Habanera.
The evening is also a chance to celebrate the October 14 release of Slatkin at 70: Greatest Hits, a digital-only album of some of the conductor’s key recordings for the Naxos label. He has received seven Grammy Awards and more than 60 Grammy Award nominations for his wide-ranging discography of more than 100 recordings; the works run the gamut from classical to modern, and illustrate his particular affinity for American composers. Names like William Bolcom, John Williams, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, Leroy Anderson, and Cindy McTee (the conductor’s wife) are included in the commemorative Naxos release, representing Slatkin’s lifelong commitment to the music of American masters.
“I grew up hearing the music from this country, and it never left my being,” says Slatkin in the CD booklet essay. “There are not many of us left who knew so many of the great composers personally and it remains important for me to keep the heritage alive.”
The SubCulture evening promises to be an exuberant reflection of a fruitful and dynamic musical partnership with the DSO. Much of this mutual respect is due to Slatkin’s key role in the rebirth of the orchestra. The organization came near to disaster in October 2010 with a labor dispute, but its resolution in April 2011 and the innovative thinking it forced have brought the group into a brilliant new era. The orchestra’s survival story has become a model for music administrations around the world, and provides a powerful case study for successful organizational change and good management. The regeneration was partly accomplished through a shift in focus towards the local community, especially its youngest members. The orchestra has also pioneered free webcasts, which have been viewed by more than half a million people in over 100 countries, has accomplished a 24.7% increase in subscription sales over the last three years and a budget surplus after the 2013-14 season. For any orchestra these statistics are astonishing, let alone for one so recently saved from ruin. Sarasota’s Herald-Tribune wrote, “Rest assured, America. Motown still has its mojo despite nearly a decade of economic crisis. I’m not talking about the revival of the American auto industry. It’s the Detroit Symphony, still one of the world’s best orchestras.”
In addition to the celebration at SubCulture on October 29, Slatkin will also conduct three concerts with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall on October 30, 31 and November 1. He leads the orchestra in Copland’s El Salón México, Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit and Boléro, and the New York premiere of the Flute Concerto by Christopher Rouse, performed by Robert Langevin.
Further details about the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin can be found at their web site www.dso.org. Their SubCulture event, season engagements and track listing for Slatkin@70 are listed below. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes here.
DSO New York City event (Oct 29)
New York, NY
SubCulture (45 Bleecker Street)
Leonard Slatkin@70
A celebration at SubCulture featuring Michel Camilo, David Del Tredici, Joseph Kalichstein, Branford Marsalis, Erik Rönmark, Jeffrey Siegel, Joyce Yang & Fred Zlotkin
Slatkin@70 Naxos CD release party
Wednesday, October 29 (8 PM)
$35 general admission
http://subculturenewyork.com/event/leonard-slatkin-at-70/
GINASTERA: Danzas Argentinas for solo piano (Joyce Yang)
DAVID DEL TREDICI performing a short composition of his own
LISZT: Die Lorelei (Branford Marsalis & Joyce Yang)
BACH: Double Concerto arranged for 2 saxophones (Branford Marsalis & Erik Rönmark)
JENNIFER HIGDON: Quartet, “Impressions” (DSO string quartet)
RAVEL: Mother Goose Suite for four hands piano (Leonard Slatkin, Joseph Kalichstein & Jeffrey Siegel)
RAVEL: Pièce en forme de Habanera (Leonard Slatkin & Fred Zlotkin)
Michel Camilo playing a Slatkin favorite
Naxos Digital Release (Oct 14)
Slatkin@70
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
AARON COPLAND: El Salón México – Detroit Symphony Orchestra
CINDY McTEE: Circuits – Detroit Symphony Orchestra
MAURICE RAVEL: Alborada del gracioso – Lyon National Orchestra
CHARLES IVES: Lincoln, the Great Commoner – Nashville Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
LEROY ANDERSON: Phantom Regiment; Saraband; Typewriter – BBC Concert Orchestra
WILLIAM BOLCOM: Songs of Innocence and Experience – Joan Morris, mezzo-soprano; University of Michigan School of Music Symphony Orchestra; University Musical Society
JOHN WILLIAMS: Horn Concerto – Karl Pituch, horn; Detroit Symphony Orchestra
HECTOR BERLIOZ: Le carnaval romain – Lyon National Orchestra
DSO 2014-15 Classical Concerts & Webcasts from Detroit’s Orchestra Hall
Oct 10 – 12
WILLIAM BOLCOM: Circus Overture
RON NELSON: Sarabande for Katherine in April
BARBER: Violin Concerto
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Sarah Chang, violin
(Webcast: October 12 – 3 PM ET)
Oct 23 – 25
MICHAEL DAUGHERTY: Lost Vegas
COPLAND: Billy the Kid (Complete ballet)
RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No. 3
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
(Webcast: October 24 – 10:45 AM ET)
Oct 31; Nov 1 & 2
WAGNER: Overture to Rienzi
TOBIAS BROSTRÖM: Trumpet Concerto (U.S. Premiere)
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5
James Gaffigan, conductor
Hakan Hardenberger, trumpet
(Webcast: November 2 – 3 PM ET)
Nov 7 – 8
JANÁCEK, arr. MACKERRAS: Suite from The Cunning Little Vixen
DVORÁK: Piano Concerto
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 3
Jakub Hrusa, conductor
Stephen Hough, piano
(Webcast: November 8 – 8 PM ET)
Nov 20 – 22
IVES: The Yale-Princeton Football Game
LEONARD SLATKIN: Endgames (World Premiere)
CINDY McTEE: Trombone Concerto
BENJAMIN LEES: Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
GERSHWIN: An American in Paris
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Kenneth Thompkins, trombone
(Webcast: November 21 –10:45 AM ET)
Nov 28 – 30
BERNSTEIN: Three Dances from On the Town
JOHN CORIGLIANO: Violin Concerto, “The Red Violin”
COPLAND: Grohg (Complete Ballet)
GERSHWIN/BENNETT: Porgy and Bess (A Symphonic Picture)
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Elina Vähälä, violin
(Webcast: November 30 – 3 PM ET)
Dec 4 – 6
ALEXANDER RASKATOV: A White Night’s Dream
PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 3
MUSSORGSKY/RAVEL: Pictures at an Exhibition
Andrey Boreyko, conductor
Behzod Abduraimov, piano
(Webcast: December 5 – 10:45 AM ET)
Dec 12 -13
STENHAMMAR: Piano Concerto No. 1
BRAHMS: Tragic Overture
STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra
Neeme Järvi, conductor
Per Tengstrand, piano
(Webcast: December 13 – 8 PM ET)
Jan 22, 24 – 25
TOSHIO HOSOKAWA: Blossoming II
BARTÓK: Piano Concerto No. 3
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique
Jun Märkl, conductor
Beatrice Rana, piano
(Webcast: January 25 – 3 PM ET)
Jan 30 – 31
STRAUSS: Don Juan
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 1
STRAVINSKY: Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)
Robert Treviño, conductor
Yoonshin Song, violin
(Webcast: January 31 – 8 PM ET)
Feb 12 – 13
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: Marche Solennelle
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 2
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Olga Kern, piano
(Webcast: February 13 – 8 PM ET)
Feb 14 – 15
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: Marche Slave
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 1, “Winter Reveries”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Olga Kern, piano
(Webcast: February 15 – 3 PM ET)
Feb 20
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY: Suite from Swan Lake
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 3, “Polish”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
(Webcast: February 20 – 8 PM ET)
Feb 21 – 22
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: Overture to The Voyevoda
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 3, “Polish”
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Olga Kern, piano
(Webcast: February 22 – 3 PM ET)
Feb 26 – 27
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Julian Rachlin, violin
(Webcast: February 27 – 8 PM ET)
Feb 28; March 1
#TCHAIKFEST
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Narek Hakhnazaryan, cello
(Webcast: March 1 – 3 PM ET)
March 6 – 7
GEORGE WALKER: Violin Concerto
Additional programming TBD
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Gregory Walker, violin
Brazeal Dennard Chorale
(Webcast: March 7 – 8 PM ET)
March 27 – 29
LIGETI: Concert Romanesc
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 5, “Turkish”
WEBERN: Passacaglia
SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 4
Cristian Macelaru, conductor
Karen Gomyo, violin
(Webcast: March 29 – 3 PM ET)
April 16 – 18
RAVEL: Ouverture de féerie from Schéhérazade
GINASTERA: Piano Concerto No. 1
RAVEL: Two Hebraic Melodies
GINASTERA: Pampeana No. 1 for Violin and String Orchestra *
RAVEL: Schéhérazade
GINASTERA: Four Dances from Estancia
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, violin
Isabelle Druet, mezzo-soprano
Simon Mulligan, piano
(Webcast: April 17 – 10:45 AM ET)
April 24 – 25
MOZART: Overture to The Magic Flute
ANDRE PREVIN: Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra (World Premiere)
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4, “Romantic”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Jaime Laredo, violin
Sharon Robinson, cello
(Webcast: April 25 – 8 PM ET)
May 2 – 3
BRITTEN: “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter Grimes
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 9, “Jeunehomme”
ARVO PÄRT: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”
Joshua Weilerstein, conductor
Louis Schwizgebel, piano
(Webcast: May 3 – 3 PM ET)
May 8 – 9
SIBELIUS: Pohjola’s Daughter
AUGUSTA READ THOMAS: Cello Concerto No. 3, “Legend of the Phoenix”
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 5
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Lynn Harrell, cello
(Webcast: May 9 – 8 PM ET)
May 21 – 23
GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Concertino Cusqueño
WALTON: Violin Concerto
MAHLER: Symphony No. 1, “Titan”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Midori, violin
(Webcast: May 22 – 10:45 AM ET)
May 29, 31
PUCCINI: Tosca (Concert Version)
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Patricia Racette, soprano
James Valenti, tenor
Eric Owens, bass-baritone
Tyler Simpson, bass-baritone
Corey Crider, baritone
Christopher Bozeka, tenor
Joseph Barron, bass-baritone
Christopher Besch, bass-baritone
UMS Choral Union
Michigan State University Children’s Choir
(Webcast: May 31 – 3 PM ET)
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