CINCINNATI—One of the most exciting pianists of his generation, The New York Times declares Jean-Yves Thibaudet’s playing “extraordinary.” This remarkable artist returns to Music Hall for three special concerts on Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, January 18 at 11 p.m., and Saturday, January 19 at 8 p.m. with Paavo Järvi and the world-class Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Järvi conducts a stunning concert program, dubbed “The French Connection,” featuring the music of master composer, Maurice Ravel, and closing with Ravel’s wildly popular orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, chock full of brilliant musical color.
The concert opens with Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, an extremely challenging work which brings the composer’s rich, complex sound palette to a Baroque dance suite.
“The demands for the orchestra, especially the woodwinds – especially oboe… are just incredible,” said CSO Music Director Paavo Järvi. “It requires soloistic virtuosity, ease and brilliance – subtlety as well.”
Mr. Thibaudet will join Mr. Järvi and the CSO for Ravel’s difficult Piano Concerto for Left Hand in D Major, a work originally written for an acclaimed pianist who lost an arm in World War I.
“If you don’t look at the keyboard and simply listen to the Ravel Left Hand Piano Concerto, you think there are two or more hands playing because it is unplayably difficult… the mastery it requires is really amazing,” said Mr. Järvi. “We have one of the great French pianists and a good friend of our orchestra playing this concerto. When ever (Thibaudet) plays something, it’s an event.”
Thursday, January 17 is Wyoming Night at the CSO
The Cincinnati Symphony is inviting the Wyoming High School Philharmonia to perform before the CSO concert on Thursday, January 17. The string ensemble of 43 musicians will perform for approximately 20 minutes on the west stage of the Music Hall ballroom during the pre-concert dinner buffet at 6:15, and a piano trio will complement the pre-concert performance in the balcony well of the lobby until 7 p.m. The CSO concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Wyoming Night is a pilot program by the CSO to expand efforts in engaging younger audiences while providing them the opportunity to perform in an alternative venue and in front of a wider audience. This will also hopefully inspire these young musicians to continue their studies by bringing them into Music Hall and allowing them to experience live music performed by a professional symphony orchestra.
Saturday, January 19 is 5th Annual GLBT Night at the CSO
Saturday, January 19 is the 5th Annual GLBT Night at the CSO. This popular concert/reception event is part of the CSO’s effort to embrace all forms of diversity. The GLBT community and friends are invited, all for the special price of $40. The fun and fellowship begins with the CSO concert at 8 p.m. followed by a post-concert reception in Music Hall’s Corbett Tower featuring entertainment by pianist Patrick Hazelwood, the opportunity to mix and mingle with Paavo Järvi and guest pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, cash bar, complimentary appetizers and door prizes. Tickets are available to this special event by calling (513) 744-3590 or online at www.cincinnatisymphony.org, promo code 2499.
The CSO thanks Johnson Investment Counsel for its generous sponsorship of the January 17 concert and Ohio National Financial Services for its generous sponsorship of the January 18 and 19 concerts. The Kroger Co. is the Fine Arts Fund partner for this weekend’s concerts.
Audiences are invited to learn more about the music at Classical Conversations with WGUC Recording Engineer Chelsea VandeDrink and hosted by CSO Assistant Conductor Eric Dudley, one hour before the performances on January 18 and 19.
Before the concert on Thursday, January 17, ticket holders are invited to come and enjoy a complimentary buffet dinner in the Music Hall Ballroom. Dinner is served from 6:15 to 7:15.
Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet continues to bring joy to audiences around the globe with his elegant style, depth of color, and brilliant technique. His interpretations combine a masterful virtuosity with lyric and poetic expressiveness, with which he makes each composer’s work his own. Sought after by orchestras, conductors, festivals and fellow musicians alike for his versatility and artistic sensitivity, and equally prolific in the performance and recording arenas, he continues to be hailed by the press as “one of the best pianists in the world.”
Highlights of Mr. Thibaudet’s 2007-08 season in the US include three performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (October 8), National Symphony Orchestra (February 7), and the Takács Quartet (April 26). Additional orchestral appearances include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Internationally, the season takes Thibaudet to sixteen countries spanning five continents, with appearances including tours with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, as well as concerts with such world-renowned ensembles as London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, the NHK and Singapore Symphony Orchestras, the Oslo Philharmonic, Radio Philharmonic Holland, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra and the Valencia Orchestra.
A vivid recitalist, in 2007-08 Jean-Yves Thibaudet performs at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Carnegie’s Zankel Hall in New York and Chicago’s Symphony Hall. Additional recitals take him to Japan, Germany, Spain, and several US cities. Mr. Thibaudet’s season is rounded out by performances at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, which include the Tuscan Sun, Ravinia and Saratoga Festivals in summer 2007, the historic December Nights of Sviatoslav Richter Festival in Moscow, followed by January performances at the Cartagena Festival in Colombia and the New Zealand Festival in March. An active chamber musician, Jean-Yves Thibaudet collaborates regularly with other notable artists, and tours with Takács Quartet in April 2008.
Jean-Yves Thibaudet is an exclusive recording artist for Decca, which has released over 30 of his albums, earning the Schallplattenpreis, the Diapason d’Or, Choc de la Musique, a Gramophone Award, two Echo awards, and the Edison Prize. His latest recording, Saint-Saëns, Piano Concerti Nos. 2&5, with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, released in early fall 2007, follows the album, Aria—Opera Without Words, which was released in February 2007, inspired by the artist’s love and admiration for the human voice as “the best vehicle for expression in music.” The disc features transcriptions of opera arias by Saint-Saëns, R. Strauss, Gluck, Korngold, Bellini, J. Strauss II and Puccini; some of the transcriptions are by Mikhashoff, Sgambati and Brassin, others—Thibaudet’s own. Thibaudet was the soloist on the 2005 Oscar-nominated soundtrack of Universal Pictures’ Pride and Prejudice, and in 2005 released his recording of Strauss’s Burleske with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Among other recordings are Satie: The Complete Solo Piano Music, and the jazz albums Reflections on Duke: Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays the music of Duke Ellington and Conversations with Bill Evans, his tribute to two of jazz history’s greats.
Jean-Yves Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven. At twelve, he entered the Paris Conservatory to study with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel. At age fifteen, he won the Premier Prix de Conservatoire and three years later, won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York City. In 2001, the Republic of France awarded Thibaudet the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2002, he was awarded the Premio Pegasus from the Spoleto Festival in Italy, for his artistic achievements and his longstanding involvement with the festival. His most recent accolade is the 2007 Victoire d’Honneur, a lifetime career achievement award and the highest honor given by France’s Victoire de la Musique.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $12-$83.50 and are available by phone at (513) 381-3300, on the Internet at www.cincinnatisymphony.org, and in person at:
- CSO Box Office at Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- CSO Box Office at Music Hall 2 hours prior to the performance.
- Student Tickets for CSO and Pops concerts are $10 and are available the week of the concert in person at the CSO Sales Office, over the phone at 513-381-3300, or online at www.cincinnatisymphony.org (limit two tickets per valid student ID).
- Half-price ZIPTIX for “A” to “D” seating are available for CSO concerts only in person from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day of the concert at the Music Hall Box Office. For Friday morning concerts, ZIPTIX are available on Thursday, and for Sunday concerts they may be purchased on Saturday.
- Extreme Seats, orchestra sections one and four closest to the stage, are $12 and are available for CSO concerts only at the CSO Box Office or by phone.
- Senior Tickets for CSO evening concerts only are 50% off and are available the week of the concert in person at the CSO Sales Office, over the phone at (513) 381-3300, or online at www.cincinnatisymphony.org.
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