On Feb. 18, 2001, then-music director Warren Cohen led the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra in a rare performance of Vitezslav Novák’s Moravian-Slovak Suite. Composed in 1903, it’s a sequence of tone pictures: “In the Church,”…
News
2014–15 Season Tickets on Sale Now
Music is truly the international language. In the 2014–15 season, the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra features music that spans 14 countries with guest artists from around the globe. Season tickets are on sale now—including a new two-concert mini-series in Green Valley.
First SASO CD Is Celebration of Tucson Composers
The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra has released its first CD—Celebration!—showcasing the diverse musical range of six Tucson composers.
Playing Beethoven’s Ninth, from the Inside
SASO violinist—and novelist, and mariachi musician—D.R. Ransdell reveals what it was like to struggle through, and ultimately succeed in, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra at her own blog.
Program Notes for Our May, 2014 Concerts
By Tim Secomb Dmitri Shostakovich wrote his Festive Overture in 1947 to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the Russian Revolution. First performed in 1954, it is unusual among Shostakovich’s works for its gaiety and lack…
Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra debuts chorus, closes season with a Beethoven first
The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra will debut its SASO Chorus this weekend in a season finale that people will likely still be talking about when the volunteer orchestra picks up next season.
SASO’s Season Finale Features Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
Contact Kevin Larkin at manager@sasomusic.org or (520) 308-6226 TUCSON, AZ – Music aficionados take note. There’s a mighty milestone ahead. The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra will present three performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Rodrigo’s…
SASO Plays the World’s Most Popular Guitar Concerto
By Punch Howarth Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra will be a respite between a hectic gallop in the Shostakovich Festive Overture and the overpoweringly dramatic Symphony No. 9 of Beethoven for the…
Beethoven’s Mighty Ninth to be Performed in May
Linus Lerner will conduct the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, SASO Chorus, and soloists in a season-closing presentation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in d minor, Op. 125, “The Choral.” This work is acknowledged to be the greatest symphony ever composed, and greatly influenced later composers of orchestra music, particularly Brahms and Mahler.
Contest-Winner Concerto
The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra has assembled another top-notch lineup for its April concert, with selections from Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Rimsky-Korsakov. It’s the kind of performances SASO has become known for since 1979.
New Soloist Mikhail Korzhev Joins SASO for Liszt’s First Piano Concerto April 5-6
Contact Kevin Larkin at manager@sasomusic.org or (520) 308-6226 TUCSON, AZ – The new soloist for Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is Russian-born Mikhail Korzhov, who performs with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra on April 5…
Video: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, second movement, with Edwin E. Soo Kim
It’s been a while since we posted the first movement, so without further delay, here’s the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, featuring Edwin E. Soo Kim, one of our most acclaimed guest soloists, with the…
Pianist, Violinist, Harpist Win SASO Youth Concerto Competition
Pianist Rebecca Shiao won the 2014 Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition and will perform the first movement of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra on April 5 and 6. The second place winner is violinist Carissa Powe, who won $500. She is home schooled and studies violin with Wynne Rife. Harpist Claire Thai won third and $25. Also home schooled, she studies with Christine Vivona.
Rebecca Shiao Will Perform Prokofiev with SASO
Rebecca Shiao is this year’s winner of the Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition and will play the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra on April 5 and 6. Ms. Shiao is a 17-year-old senior at Catalina Foothills High School and is a very talented student of Susan Chu.
2014 Youth Competition Winners
We’re delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition, held March 1–2: First Prize: Rebecca Shiao, pianoSecond Prize: Carissa Powe, violinThird Prize: Claire Thai, harp Rebecca has been invited to…
SASO Plays a Dazzling Liszt Concerto
Franz Liszt’s electrifying Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major will be performed by the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra conducted by Linus Lerner in its April concerts, with soloist Pervez Mody.
SASO Performs a Dazzling-Dramatic Concert in April
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol will open the April 5-6 spring concerts by the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra directed by Linus Lerner. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet will close the concert. Here’s a preview by Punch Howarth.
Program notes for concerts Feb. 15-16, 2014
Read about the background of works by Arturo Márquez, Ernest Bloch and Johannes Brahms in preparation for SASO’s February concerts.
SASO performs the mighty Brahms First February 15-16
Linus Lerner with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra will perform Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor this month. Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez, a Cuban-Mexican rhythmic romp, will open the concert. Following will be the dramatic cello exposition Schelomo.
Video: Tchaikovsky concerto with Edwin Kim, 1st movement
Here’s the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, featuring Edwin E. Soo Kim, one of our most acclaimed guest soloists, with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, recorded Nov. 10, 2013 at Tucson’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Video: Rutter’s Mass of the Children
Here’s the first movement of John Rutter’s Mass of the Children, which we performed in November.
Arts education program engages students and helps teachers
Posted in the Explorer News on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 12 p.m.
Two-thirds of public school teachers believe that the arts are getting crowded out of the school day, according to an arts education study from Americans for the Arts.
Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) has been working to infuse arts education in the community by delivering a practical and engaging program. Musical Gold in the Morning has expanded to additional schools this year and now includes a live performance series from the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra.
SASO Features Cellist Zoran Stilin & Brahms Symphony No. 1
Contact Kevin Larkin at manager@sasomusic.org or (520) 308-6226 TUCSON, AZ – Cellist Zoran Stilin will perform Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 15 and 16, performing on an award-winning cello…