Sarasota Concert Association presents
The Russian National Orchestra
With Kirill Karabits, conductor, and violin soloist Stefan Jackiw
March 8 Ÿ 7:30 P.M. Ÿ Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
As one of the world’s top orchestras, this groundbreaking ensemble makes an appearance in Sarasota as part of its 25th-anniversary tour.
“The Russian National Orchestra’s performances [are] as close to perfect as one could hope for.”— Trinity Mirror, England
“Everything is exquisitely played by the Russian National Orchestra, whose refinement has opened a new chapter in Russian orchestral playing.”
— Gramophone
(Sarasota, Florida) The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) continues its 71st “Great Performers Series” season with the acclaimed Russian National Orchestra (RNO), under the baton of guest conductor Kirill Karabits, and featuring violinist Stefan Jackiw, Tuesday, March 8, 7:30 p.m., at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The program will include Alexander Borodin’s “In the Steppes of Central Asia,” Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, and the 1945 version of Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Tickets for the concert are $45, $65, $75 and $90. Tickets and information for the Great Performers Series are available by calling 941-225-6500 or online at www.scasarasota.org.
The 2015-16 season has been a banner one for the Russian National Orchestra. In December 2015, its recording of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 was awarded the prestigious 2015 Diapason d’Or and was also nominated for a 2016 Grammy award. Earlier, in November 2015, England’s Prince Michael of Kent recognized the orchestra and its remarkable 25-year history with a special grant program to support orchestra musicians. Founded in 1990 at the peak of glasnost, the RNO has been characterized as one of the most important cultural stories of our time. Under the guidance of its founder, pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev, the RNO quickly rose to world prominence for its artistry and path-breaking independence, with critics describing it as “a living symbol of the best in Russian art” (Miami Herald), and “as close to perfect as one could hope for” (Trinity Mirror). Maintaining an active international tour schedule, the orchestra appears throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, and is a frequent visitor to such major festivals as Edinburgh, Shanghai and the BBC Proms. It also presents its own RNO Grand Festival each September to open the Moscow season, and is the founding orchestra of Festival Napa Valley, held every July in California.
Described as “an energizing presence on the podium,” Ukranian conductor Kirill Karabits is entering the seventh year of his highly successful tenure as chief conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, where he has won acclaim for “the rich, dark ‘Russian’ sound and nimble virtuosity” that he’s coaxed out of the ensemble. Named the Royal Philharmonic Society’s 2013 Conductor of the Year, Karabits is also the artistic director of the I, CULTURE Orchestra and, next season, will assume the role of general music director and principal conductor of the Deutsches Nationaltheater and the Staatskapelle Weimar.
Violinist Stefan Jackiw is recognized as one of his generation’s most significant artists, captivating audiences with playing that is of “uncommon musical substance, striking for its intelligence and sensitivity” (Boston Globe). This season, Jackiw made his Carnegie Hall main stage debut with the Russian National Orchestra before embarking on RNO’s 25th anniversary U.S. tour. He also appeared in recital with pianist Jeremy Denk, for which The New York Times praised his balance of “fervor and elegance, his beautiful tone and earthy colorings.” In addition to appearing as a soloist with the Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco symphony orchestras, Jackiw probably made the biggest splash with his solo performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, seen live by more than 30 million viewers worldwide.
SCA’s 2016 Great Performers Series season concludes on March 14, at 7:30 p.m., with the return to Sarasota of the dynamic Russian pianist Olga Kern. Recognized as one of the great pianists, Kern is renowned for her vivid stage presence, passionately confident musicianship and extraordinary technique.
SCA also presents “Munchtime Musicales,” a series of free lunchtime concerts featuring performances by high-caliber, area-based artists, November 2015 through April 2016. The series is designed to offer a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, folk, and jazz, featuring both vocal and instrumental performers. The 2015-2016 Munchtime Musicales concert series continues with Studio Artists from the Sarasota Opera, Sarasota’s ambassadors of opera who bring opera to stages beyond the walls of the Opera House (March 16, 2106); and Belle Canto, Sarasota’s women’s choral ensemble (April 13, 2016). All Munchtime Musicales 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.
