Sarasota Concert Association presents
The Dresden Philharmonic
Conducted by Michael Sanderling
With Cellist Johannes Moser
March 1, 4 p.m. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
One of Germany’s oldest and most respected orchestras is joined by the virtuoso cellist Johannes Moser for a program that includes works by Tchaikovsky, John Williams and Beethoven. Praised for his rich, gorgeous tone and playing that can range from lovely and elegant, to vigorous with head-banging, rock star energy, Moser has been hailed as “one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists.”
(Sarasota, Florida) The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) continues its 70th season with a Sunday afternoon performance featuring the Dresden Philharmonic, conducted by Michael Sanderling, with guest cellist Johannes Moser. The program includes two masterworks for orchestra and cello, Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme,” and John Williams’ “Suite from Memoirs of a Geisha,” and concludes with Beethoven’s moving “Symphony No. 7.” The concert, part of SCA’s “Great Performers Series,” is at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, in Sarasota. Individual tickets are $45, $55, $65, and $75. Tickets and information for the Great Performers Series are available by calling 941-225-6500 or online at www.scasarasota.org.
Long a beacon of the cultural life of its home city of Dresden, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 1870 to bring a “new spirit” to the city’s music scene. By the 1930’s the orchestra had attained worldwide fame, and since then, has attracted such distinguished soloists as Julia Fischer, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and such notable conductors as Kurt Maser, André Previn and Sir Neville Marriner. In 1909, the orchestra became one of the first German orchestras to perform a concert tour in the U.S. Since then, the Orchestra’s touring schedule has taken it to the major music centers of Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Berlin-born Michael Sanderling turned to conducting after a successful career as a cellist, and assumed the role of principal conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic in 2011. Praised by critics for his impressive control of dynamics and rhythm, Sanderling continues to develop and refine the orchestra’s unique sound and augment its classical-romantic core repertoire with contemporary works, including commissioned pieces.
Praised for his rich, gorgeous tone and playing that can range from lovely and elegant, to vigorous with head-banging, rock star energy, German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser has been hailed by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists.” Moser has performed with leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Moser has performed with Joshua Bell, Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and James Ehnes. Moser won the prestigious 2014 Brahms Prize and has received two ECHO Klassik awards and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik for his recordings on Hänssler Classics.
“When a historic orchestra teams up with a young soloist to cover nearly 200 years of memorable music, the results are sure to be exhilarating. We think everyone in the family will be in for a real treat,” says Joy McIntyre, president of the Sarasota Concert Association.
The SCA’s 2015 Great Performers Series season continues on March 17, at 8 p.m., with the Takács Quartet, recognized as one of the worlds’ great ensembles, with guest pianist Joyce Yang. The 2015 season concludes on March 25, at 8 p.m., with the eminent pianist Murray Perahia. In the more than 40 years that he has been performing on the concert stage, Perahia has become one of the most sought-after and cherished pianists of our time.
All concerts are at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Individual tickets are $45, $55, $65, and $75. For tickets and information, call 941-225-6500 or visit www.scasarasota.org.
SCA also presents “Munchtime Musicales,” a series of free concerts featuring performances by high-caliber, area-based artists. The series is designed to offer a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, folk, and jazz, featuring both vocal and instrumental performers. The 2014-15 concert season continues with the Sarasota Mandolin Orchestra conducted by Paul Wolfe, co-founder of the Sarasota Music Festival (February 18, 2015); Studio Artists from the Sarasota Opera, Sarasota’s ambassadors of opera who bring this musical form to stages beyond the walls of the Sarasota Opera House (March 18, 2105); and the State College of Florida Chamber Choir, an 18-person vocal ensemble that performs repertoire spanning from Renaissance madrigals to contemporary jazz (April 8, 2015). All performances are at noon at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The series is free and open to the public. Seating is open; no reservations taken. For more information about Munchtime Musicales, call 941-351-7467 or visit www.scasarasota.org.
About the Sarasota Concert Association
The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) exists to foster the development of an appreciation for the musical arts by sponsoring professional presentations that are not otherwise available in the community, through a not-for-profit, organized-audience plan. SCA aims to set reasonable fees for all performances. The organization is not designed to make a profit but does intend to be self-supporting. It provides outreach to all members of the regional community by offering a series of free concerts, Munchtime Musicales, held every year. For more information about SCA, visit www.scasarasota.org.
