2008-09 Season Comes to an End

- 2009-10 Season Begins

“The Post-Classical Ensemble may be the most thought-provoking music group in town . . . using its concerts as laboratories for musical thought experiments. Their performances can be demanding-- but they're invariably beautiful, and never dull.”

- Stephen Brookes, THE WASHINGTON POST

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“In a brief introduction, Joseph Horowitz, the artistic director of the Post-Classical Ensemble, said that crossing boundaries is what this group is about and may be a key to the future of classical music. This program showed exactly what he meant.”

- Joseph McLellan, THE WASHINGTON POST

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“A welcome, edgy addition to
the musical life of Washington.”

- Daniel Ginsberg, THE WASHINGTON POST

2008-2009 was our biggest season to date, with six events and a new Naxos DVD.

Our sold-out “Copland and the Cold War,” featuring participating Georgetown University students and faculty members, marked our fullest collaboration to date with our Educational Partner, Georgetown University. “The Mexican Odyssey” and “Iberian Inspirations” sustained our advocacy of Hispanic music and culture; we repeated the latter program in New York City. Our John Adams “Encounter” introduced two important works to DC – and two important American virtuosos to the music of John Adams. Our Strathmore “Carnival of the Creatures” was our first Young People’s Concert.

The Adams and Copland concerts generated our two best post-concert discussions – remarkable public dialogues on issues of music and culture, testifying to the wonderfully inquisitive audience we’ve managed to acquire.

The City – a classic 1939 documentary film with the Copland soundtrack recorded afresh, was named “DVD of the month” by the Chicago Tribune – and will shortly generate a national radio feature produced by WFMT Chicago.

Next season, we bring our “Beyond Flamenco” festival of 2006-2007 to the University of Chicago. In DC, our Georgetown partnership produces a Franz Liszt festival. At the Harman Center – our principal venue – we offer an “Encounter” with the world’s greatest bass trombonist, and a big Spring surprise TBA.

 

 

 

 

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ENCOUNTERS:
DAVID TAYLOR

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“Left every brass player in the packed house shaking his head in disbelief” – The Chicago Tribune about David Taylor

The Harman Center for the Arts, Sidney Harman Hall



This program is made possible in part with the support of Pro Helvetia

Oct. 1, 2009, 7:30pm
TICKETS: $45, $35, $25, $10 (Students)
David Taylor, bass trombone
Chris Pedro Trakas, baritone
Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor


Are you in the mood for something really edgy? Post-Classical Ensemble showcases one of the world’s great instrumentalists: the bass trombonist DAVID TAYLOR, whose flamboyant virtuosity and eruptive temperament astonishingly transfigure music of every stripe. With P-CE, Taylor performs a medley of harrowing late Schubert songs, plus a pair of jazzy and rambunctious Daniel Schnyder scores: subZERO Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra(DC premiere) and RoTor (world premiere).

Schubert/Mahler: Death and the Maiden (string orchestra)
Schubert: Doppelganger and other late songs
Stravinsky: Suite from A Soldier’s Tale
Daniel Schnyder: Works for bass trombone and orchestra

INTERPRETING LISZT

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A Post-Classical Ensemble Festival with Georgetown University, exploring new perspectives on Romantic art and the Romantic artistic personality.

All events at Georgetown University, Gaston Hall and The Davis Performing Arts Center

Tickets: $25, Students: $10
Mykola Suk, pianist
Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor

Feb. 12, 7:30pm: “Liszt and Italy,” a solo piano recital including poetry, visual art, and the Dante Sonata.

Feb. 13, 7:30pm: “Angels and Devils,” a P-CE concert including Totentanz, Pastorale from Christus, and rarely performed choral religious works.

Both days: “Interpreting Liszt,” a day-time conference including film, historic recordings, and much more. Free.

 

“an astonishing blend of muscular power, poetry and utter control – one of the more formidable talents to have appeared in this country in years”– American Record Guide about Mikola Suk.

 

Plans for the Spring 2010

Include the American stage premiere of El Corregidor y la Molinera (The Miller’s Wife and the Corregidor) -an early version of Manuel de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat (stay tuned for details on this major undertaking at the Harman, which includes a full production from Spain in celebration of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union).

 

Also in March 2010, we’ll bring our “BEYOND FLAMENCO” festival of 2006-2007 to the University of Chicago as a “Post-Classical Production.”

 

Presented by the University of Chicago and sponsored by the Sociedad Estatal de Conmemoraciones Culturales of the Spanish Ministry of Culture with additional support from WFMT radio.

 

Thursday, March 4
“Falla and the Music of Faith”
Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor. Pedro Carboné, piano. Antonio Muñoz-Molina, commentary

 

Friday, March 5
Pedro Carboné, piano Commentary by Pedro Carbone and Antonio Muñoz-Molina. Isaac Albeniz: Iberia (Books 1 to 4)

 

Saturday, March 6
University Symphony Orchestra. Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor. Pedro Carboné, piano. Works by Falla, Guridi and Turina

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