- Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu is soloist for concertos by George Enescu and Clara Schumann
- October 30 concert will be webcast for free at dso.org and on Facebook as part of DSO’s Live from Orchestra Hall series
- Tickets on sale now at dso.org
Detroit, (October 21, 2021) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will continue its PVS Classical Series October 29 through 31 with three concerts conducted by Eric Jacobson and featuring pianist Alexandra Dariescu. The program will include the world premiere of James Lee III’s Amer’ican, Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World,” Clara Schumann’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor, and the US premiere of George Enescu’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor—an unfinished work from 1897.
To protect the health and well-being of its patrons, musicians, and staff due to the ongoing pandemic, the DSO has implemented new safety policies including mask and COVID-19 vaccine or test requirements and contactless e-ticketing. Visit dso.org/safetyplan for more information.
On the first half of the program, Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu will perform the US premiere of the Maestoso movement of George Enescu’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor. Enescu is regarded amongst the most illustrious Romanian musicians, known for his artistry as a composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, and educator. Dariescu will also be the soloist for a rare performance of the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor by Clara Schumann, one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era and a gifted composer.
The program continues with the world premiere of Amer’ican by James Lee III, commissioned by the DSO. Amer'ican is, in the composer's words, a “21st century response to Dvořák's charge to American composers to incorporate the music of Native and Negro American music melodies,” which was initially made by Dvořák while writing his famous Ninth Symphony, "From the New World," which will conclude the concert.
The concerts will take place Friday, October 29 at 8 p.m., Saturday, October 30 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 31 at 3 p.m. at Orchestra Hall. The October 30 performance will also be webcast for free at dso.org and via Facebook Live as part of the DSO’s Live from Orchestra Hall series.
Tickets for these performances start at $15 and can be purchased at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note the Box Office is currently processing a large backlog of requests due to a technical issue and staffing shortage. The DSO appreciates its patrons’ patience as we work to process all requests.
The title sponsor of the DSO’s Classical Series is PVS Chemicals, Inc. DSO Live is presented by Ford Motor Company Fund and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Digital programming is produced from the Al Glancy Control Room.
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DVOŘÁK & LEE: NEW WORLDS
PVS Classical Series
Friday, October 29 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 30 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, October 31 at 3 p.m.
Orchestra Hall
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Alexandra Dariescu, piano
Dvořák's Ninth Symphony, "From the New World," blends the traditional folk sounds of the composer's Czech homeland with melodies discovered in African American and Native American music of the United States. A world premiere commission by James Lee III, Amer'ican is, in the composer's words, a "21st century response to Dvořák's charge to American composers to incorporate the music of Native and Negro American music melodies."
GEORGE ENESCU Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor (U.S. Premiere)
CLARA SCHUMANN Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 7
JAMES LEE III Amer’ican (World Premiere)
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, "From the New World"
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About Alexandra Dariescu
Pianist and creator of “The Nutcracker and I,” Alexandra Dariescu stands out as an original voice whose fundamental values are shining a light on gender equality in both her concerto and recital programs as well as championing lesser-known works, advocating for diversity and inclusion.
In 2017, Dariescu took the world by storm with her incredibly successful piano recital production “The Nutcracker and I,” an original ground-breaking multi-media performance for piano solo with dance and digital animation, which has since enjoyed international acclaim and has drawn thousands of young audiences into concert halls across Europe, Australia, China, the Emirates, and the US, realizing Dariescu’s vision of building bridges and making classical music more accessible to the wider public. In the 2020-21 season, Dariescu also premiered the revised pandemic-safe version, “The Nutcracker – reimagined” for solo piano, brass ensemble, narrator, and dance with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, making it one of the very few Nutcracker performances to happen in 2020.
The first ever female Romanian pianist to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Dariescu made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2012 and has since appeared in some of the most prestigious concert halls around the world. In demand as a soloist worldwide, Dariescu has performed to critical acclaim with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Oslo Philharmonic, European Union Youth Orchestra, Utah Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, and Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, among others.
Visit alexandradariescu.com for more.
About Eric Jacobson
Hailed by The New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” conductor and cellist Eric Jacobsen has built a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and collaborative programming. In July 2021, he assumed the post of Music Director of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, becoming the 12th music director in the orchestra’s 100-year history.
Jacobsen is Artistic Director and conductor of The Knights and serves as the Music Director for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. He founded the adventurous orchestra The Knights with his brother, violinist Colin Jacobsen, to foster the intimacy and camaraderie of chamber music on the orchestral stage. As conductor, Jacobsen has led the “consistently inventive, infectiously engaged indie ensemble” (The New York Times) at Central Park’s Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, (Le) Poisson Rouge, the 92nd Street Y, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center; at major summer festivals such as Tanglewood, Ravinia, and Ojai; and on tour nationally and internationally. Recent collaborators include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Gil Shaham; singers Dawn Upshaw, Susan Graham, and Nicholas Phan; and pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
In demand as a guest conductor, Jacobsen has led the symphony orchestras of Baltimore and Detroit, the New World Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck, and the Tonkunstler Orchestra, with whom Jacobsen appeared at Vienna’s legendary Musikverein.
Visit jacobseneric.com for more.
About the DSO
The most accessible orchestra on the planet, the acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. As a community-supported orchestra, generous giving by individuals and institutions at all levels drives the continued success and growth of the organization. In January 2020, Italian conductor Jader Bignamini was named the DSO’s next music director to commence with the 2020-2021 season. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while Oscar-nominated trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard holds the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair.
Making its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, the DSO offers a performance schedule that features Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. One of the world’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall celebrated its centennial in 2019-2020. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in eight metro area venues, as well as a robust schedule of eclectic multi-genre performances in its mid-size venue The Cube, constructed and curated with support from Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings.
A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts, which also reaches tens of thousands of children with the Classroom Edition expansion. With growing attendance and unwavering philanthropic support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to embrace and inspire individuals, families, and communities through unsurpassed musical experiences.