News release from The Fort Wayne Philharmonic:
The Phil Rings in the New Year with “Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto”
Featuring 9th International Violin Competition of Indianapolis Prize Winner Yoo Jin Jang
Concert also Features Works by John Adams and Hector Berlioz
(December 21, 2015) – The Fort Wayne Philharmonic rings in the New Year with the fourth installment of its Madge Rothschild Foundation Masterworks Series, “Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto,” on Saturday, January 9, 7:30 p.m., at the Embassy Theatre.
Led by Music Director Andrew Constantine, the concert includes the “Love Scene” from Hector Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet, John Adams’ Doctor Atomic Symphony, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Op. 35.
Roméo et Juliette is actually a symphonie dramatique, a large-scale choral symphony by the famous French composer known for breaking new ground. First performed in November 1839, Roméo et Juliette is regarded as one of Berlioz’s finest works, and the composer’s most comprehensive and detailed programmatic piece. The “Love Scene” takes place in the drama when the two main characters passionately declare their love for each other. Berlioz perfectly captures the sensuous atmosphere of a warm summer night in Italy within in his masterful orchestration.
Next on the program is the Doctor Atomic Symphony composed by the preeminent American composer John Adams. A symphonic treatment from the opera of the same name, Adams flawlessly captures the frenetic energy surrounding J. Robert Oppenheimer during the month and hours leading up to the first test of the atomic bomb in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Although not a conventional suite of excerpts taken directly from the original work, Adams was able to draw upon its main themes and further develop them into three interconnected movements unconstrained by staged theatrical limitations.
Concluding the program is Tchaikovsky’s breathtaking Violin Concerto, Op. 35 performed by Yoo Jin Jang, prize winner of the 9th International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.
“I love playing the soaring, beautiful melodies in the Tchaikovsky violin concerto and I have so much fun performing the triumphant finale of the third movement! The concerto is not only thrilling and exciting, but also has so much underlying emotion that I hope to share with everyone in Fort Wayne,” Jang said.
The concerto came after Tchaikovsky’s disastrous marriage to Antonina Milyukova, an admirer relatively unknown to him. After eight months the composer escaped his circumstance, traveling to Clarens, Switzerland on Lake Geneva where he was visited by his former composition student, violinist Yosif Kotek. This provided Tchaikovsky with both the artistic inspiration and practical, technical advice needed to complete his violin concerto. In less than a month the work was nearly finished.
Violinist Yoo Jin Jang is a powerful young violinist who has been praised for her “fiery virtuosity” and sensitive interpretation. She has performed with top Korean orchestras such as the KBS Symphony Orchestra, and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra since the age of 9, and has appeared with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Bulgaria National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Sofia Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo.
Most recently, Jang was awarded Fifth Place and the special prize of “Best sonata other than Beethoven” at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, one of the most prestigious competitions of its kind in the United States. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Korean National University of Arts, where she studied under Nam Yun Kim, and a Master of Music and Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music.
All ticket holders are invited to enhance their concert experience with Musically Speaking, the pre-concert lecture series presented at 6:30 p.m. before every Masterworks performance. Lectures are free and held in the Gallery of the Grand Wayne Center.
Subscriptions are still available for purchase. Benefits include access to the best seats at the best prices; the ability to maintain the same seats every year; 10% savings on additional single ticket purchases; VIP access to special events; and the flexibility of free ticket exchanges.
Tickets for “Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto” start at just $17 and are conveniently available for purchase online at www.fwphil.org. Purchases can also be made in person at The Phil Box Office, located at 4901 Fuller Drive or over the phone by calling 260-481-0777. The Phil Box Office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or Saturday (Masterworks and Pops concert days only) from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Embassy Theatre during normal operating hours and two hours prior to each concert. Full program and series information are available at www.fwphil.org.
About the Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Fort Wayne Philharmonic Now performing its 72nd season, The Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s mission is to inspire and foster a lifelong love of classical music through performance and education. The Phil is led by Music Director Andrew Constantine and is a member of the League of American Orchestras, a funded member of Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, and the Indiana Arts Commission. For additional information visit www.fwphil.org.
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