Tucson Symphony tunes up for new season

Tucson Symphony Orchestra is known for appealing to lovers of many types of music. The approaching season follows the tradition. It features stars like folk/pop Art Garfunkel as well as the incomparable classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma — truly something for everyone.

The Classic Series opens Oct. 1 with pianist Alain Lef�vre, who will play the Ravel Piano Concerto in G. The concert concludes with the Tchaikovsky “1812 Overture.”

“Strauss, Liszt and Poetry” continues the series Oct. 29, when the orchestra will celebrate the 200th birthday of Robert Schumann as well as the 70th anniversary of the Tucson Boys Chorus on Nov. 19. Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 and Mozart’s “Jupiter” are on the program.

The concert Special with Yo-Yo Ma is scheduled for Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. It will include the Dvorak Cello Concerto as well as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

Garfunkel’s special will take place Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. George Hanson, TSO music director and conductor, will conduct both.

There will be Brahms in December and a program of “Nordic Favorites” in January showcasing Joyce Yang playing the popular Grieg Piano Concerto. In 2005, at age 19, Yang won the silver medal at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Fort Worth.

Tchaikovsky reigns in February with the Violin Concerto and the “Pathetique” symphony. Similarly, it’s Beethoven in March when the TSO Chorus and the Tucson Boys Chorus join the orchestra for the grand Symphony No. 9 and its “Ode to Joy.” Another “B” composer, Leonard Bernstein, will be represented along with Beethoven with his “Chichester Psalms” and a piece from “Candide.”

It’s American Romantic music in April with Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” Gershwin’s “Concerto in F,” a favorite of pianist Oscar Levant and Hanson’s “Romantic” symphony and a world premiere of Composers 11.

It all winds up with “Czech It Out!” in April with works by Smetana, Mozart and Dvorak; Aaron Boyd will be the violin soloist. Boyd was appointed concertmaster of TSO near the end of the 2008-09 season after a yearlong search.

Locally, TSO will bring a flute, viola and harp trio as well as a wind quintet to the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa on April 18. Again this year the orchestra will present a Recital Series of chamber groups at the Community Performing Arts Center in Green Valley in November, January, February and April.

Single tickets for the 2009-10 season are on sale. Complete information on subscriptions, tickets and performances is available at 520-882-8585 and www.tucsonsymphony.org. Concerts in Tucson are at Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, 260 S. Church Avenue.

Donald J. Behnke is a freelance arts writer for the Green Valley News. Contact him at Donald.behnke@yahoo.com.