- Conductor Ben Glassberg makes his DSO debut on program that also includes music by Walton and Dvořák
- May 5 concert will be webcast for free at dso.org/live
Detroit, (April 16, 2019) – Conductor Ben Glassberg will make his Detroit debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and pianist Kirill Gerstein on a trio of concerts in Orchestra Hall.
The program includes Sir William Walton’s suite from the Laurence Olivier film Henry V, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Gerstein as featured soloist), and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8.
The concerts take place Friday, May 3 at 10:45 a.m., and Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, within Midtown Detroit’s Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center.
One hour prior to each performance, guests are invited to enjoy an informative onstage Concert Talk about the program. These lectures and discussions will be made available for later viewing on the DSO’s YouTube channel.
Watch Live around the world: the Sunday afternoon concert will be webcast for free at dso.org/live and via Facebook Live, as part of the DSO’s groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series. The series is presented by Ford Motor Company Fund and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Additionally, the Friday morning concert will be broadcast on the radio by WRCJ 90.9 FM and simulcast by a network of radio stations in west and northern Michigan. Visit dso.org/broadcasts for more information.
Thanks to a generous grant from the FCA Foundation, the charitable arm of North American automaker FCA US, the DSO welcomes military veterans, active military, and their families to access discounted tickets for the Friday, May 3 performance. See below for more information about the ticket discount. The FCA Foundation and the DSO thank our veterans and active military members for their service.
The DSO Classical Series is generously sponsored by PVS Chemicals, Inc.
About Ben Glassberg
Ben Glassberg was appointed Principal Conductor of the Glyndebourne Tour in 2018; his first production in the role begins in October 2019. Glassberg is a regular at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and is one of the youngest conductors to debut at the festival. In demand as an opera conductor, he has led acclaimed performances of Madama Butterfly, La Traviata: Behind the Curtain, and Hansel and Gretel.
On the concert stage, Glassberg has appeared with Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre Chambre de Paris, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and Musikalische Akademie Mannheim. Together with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Glassberg premiered Vikki Stone’s Concerto for Comedian and Orchestra, which he conducted at Latitude Festival, Glastonbury Festival, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Glassberg earned his music degree at Cambridge and studied with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music. He won the Grand Prix at the 55th Besançon Competition in 2017. In 2011, he founded the London Young Sinfonia, which aims to provide an informal but high quality orchestral playing opportunity for young musicians.
About Kirill Gerstein
Kirill Gerstein’s early training and experience in jazz has contributed an important element to his interpretive style, inspiring an energetic and expressive musical personality that distinguishes his playing.
Gerstein is the sixth recipient of the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award, presented every four years to an exceptional pianist who—regardless of age or nationality—possesses broad and profound musicianship and charisma and who desires and can sustain a career as a major international concert artist. Since receiving the award in 2010, Mr. Gerstein has shared his prize through the commissioning of boundary-crossing works by Timo Andres, Chick Corea, Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen, and Brad Mehldau, with additional commissions scheduled for future seasons.
Born in 1979 in Voronezh, Russia, Mr. Gerstein studied piano at a music school for gifted children. After coming to the attention of vibraphonist Gary Burton, who was performing at a music festival in Europe, Gerstein came to the United States at 14 to study jazz piano as the youngest student ever to attend Boston’s Berklee College of Music. After completing his studies in three years and following his second summer at the Boston University program at Tanglewood, Gerstein turned his focus to classical music and moved to New York City to attend the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Solomon Mikowsky.
Ticket Information
Tickets for Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 begin at $15 and can be purchased at dso.org, by calling (313) 576-5111, or in-person at the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center Box Office (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit).
Groups of 10 or more can save up to 30% on the price of a single ticket for most DSO concerts. For more information, contact Group Sales Manager Jim Sabatella at (313) 576-5130 or jsabatella@dso.org.
Veterans, active military, and their families may use the code HEROES1819 to unlock $10 tickets for the 10:45 a.m. concert on Friday, March 22. The code can be used at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at (313) 576-5111.
Performance Details
Friday, May 3 at 10:45 a.m.
Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m.
Orchestra Hall at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center
Ben Glassberg, conductor
Kirill Gerstein, piano
WALTON (Arr. Muir Mathieson): Suite from Henry V
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44 (Kirill Gerstein, piano)
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 8 in G minor, Op. 88
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 institution. Conductor Leonard Slatkin, who recently concluded an acclaimed decade-long tenure at the helm, now serves as the DSO’s Music Director Laureate, endowed by the Kresge Foundation. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while the outstanding 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 America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall will celebrate its centennial in 2019-2020. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in seven 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 radio broadcast and continues today with the free Live from Orchestra Hall webcast series, 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.