The Fort Collins Symphony (FCS)’s musical journey continues with its Masterworks 3 Concert, “London to Leningrad,” on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Collins’ Lincoln Center. Under the direction of Maestro Wes Kenney, the FCS will perform music composed by George Frideric Handel, Igor Stravinsky, and Dmitri Shostakovich. The FCS is proud to present the world-class Steinway pianist Hsing-ay Hsu as the Masterworks 3 guest artist.
The evening of musical travel begins with Handel’s lively Music for the Royal Fireworks, one of the composer’s most famous orchestral pieces. Commissioned by the British monarch George II, it was composed to mark the 1749 Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle and accompany the royal celebrations. Because this music was written to be played outside in London’s Green Park, the orchestra features mostly woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments as they are louder than strings. Likewise, Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments does not include strings. Featured pianist Hsing-ay Hsu tackles this tricky work that Stravinsky thought no one could play but himself. The evening concludes with Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s light-hearted, yet most difficult, Symphony No. 9.
Guest Artist: Since her stage debut at the age of four years, Chinese-American pianist Hsing-ay Hsu has been performing around the globe. American venues include Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Alice Tully Hall at NYC’s Lincoln Center. Recent highlights include the International Odyssiad Festival and the Gulangyu International Piano Festival. Her thoughtful and passionate interpretations have won her worldwide recognition, including the William Petschek Debut Award at Juilliard, William Kapell International Competition, Ima Hogg National First-Prize, Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, Gilmore Young Artist Award, and the United States Presidential Scholar of the Arts Award from President Clinton. Since putting down roots in Colorado a decade ago, Ms. Hsu has become a prominent cultural figure in the Denver-Boulder corridor. She is the Artistic Director for Pendulum New Music at CU-Boulder and has taught as visiting piano faculty for several universities including CU-Boulder, organizations including the Rocky Ridge Adult Seminars, International Keyboard Odyssiad Festival, and Friends of Chamber Music Denver. Her Conscious ListeningTM seminars bring dynamic teaching to festivals, private homes, music societies, and pre-concert talks for the CU Presents Artist Series. Her recordings are frequently broadcast on Colorado Public Radio.
The concert journey begins with the Friends of the Symphony’s Composer Talk by Dr. Dawn Grapes on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at noon at the Old Town Public Library. The following evening, on Thursday, January 31, 2019, families are invited to attend the Open Rehearsal from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center. Both events are free of charge and open to the public.
For additional details and information, please visit www.fcsymphony.org or call 970.482.4823. For tickets, call 970.221.6730 or LCtix.com. The Fort Collins Symphony 69th Season is sponsored by the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund and Dr. Peter Springberg. Masterworks 3 is sponsored by EKS&H, now part of Plante Moran, Kenneth & Myra Monfort Charitable Foundation, and Johnston-Hanson Foundation. Guest artist sponsor is Marilyn Cockburn. Additional concert sponsors are Jane Sullivan, Fish Restaurant, and Paul Wood Florist.
