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RPO announces 2018/19 season

RPO/Twitter

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra announced its 2018/19 season at its fourth annual, free season preview concert Tuesday night in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. 

The event featured the entire orchestra onstage performing selected excerpts, with emcees Music Director Ward Stare and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik. 

“We have an incredible season planned – almost 70 performances in Kodak Hall that range from familiar masterpieces to world premieres. We’re hosting superstar guest artists, showing off our own amazing musicians, and adding even more accessible programming for the whole family,” said Stare, a Rochester native who began the Season Preview Concerts when he became the orchestra’s 12th and youngest music director in 2014. 

“I'm thrilled to be celebrating my 25th anniversary with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra next season. This milestone creates an extra level of excitement for me and I'm looking forward to sharing great musical moments with our audiences,” Tyzik told the crowd. “We’ll be premiering a new Tango concert and a special program about the musical relationship between Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Plus, my friend and Rochester music legend Don Potter will join us for our Gala Holiday Pops."

Tyzik announced that Broadway’s Hamilton star Leslie Odom, Jr. would join him and the orchestra on Friday, January 18, 2019 at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Other Specials include Distant Worlds: Music from Final FantasyTM (video game concert) on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at 8 p.m.; Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas – in Concert (film with concert) on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.; The Nutcracker with Rochester City Ballet on November 21-25; Ghostbusters – in Concert (film with concert) on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 7 p.m.; and a Michael Butterman Gala Celebration – celebrating his 18 seasons as an RPO staff conductor – on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 8 p.m., featuring the Frequent Flyer Cirque Troupe and much more. 

Next season’s classical Special Concert will feature France’s Jean-Yves Thibaudet, in an all-Gershwin concert conducted by Ward Stare. Jean-Yves Thibaudet on Wednesday, October 3 at 8 p.m. concert in Kodak Hall will feature Thibaudet playing Gershwin’s Concerto in F, as well as the orchestra performing the Overture to Girl Crazy, Suite from Porgy and Bess, and An American in Paris

The RPO’s 96th Philharmonics Series opens with Dvořák’s New World on Thursday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 25 at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, with Ward Stare conducting. Following Berlioz’s dashing Roman Carnival Overture, Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist Yefim Bronfman returns to perform Prokofiev’s virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 2. The program closes with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “New World Symphony,” inspired by the composer’s exposure to Native-American and African-American music.

You can get more information about concerts at www.rpo.org

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.