Pianists Orli Shaham and Jon Kimura Parker replace Jean-Yves Thibaudet in DSO's American Panorama festival concerts, February 14-17

- Mr. Thibaudet unable to appear due to illness

Detroit, (February 12, 2018) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) today announced that pianists Orli Shaham and Jon Kimura Parker will step in for Jean-Yves Thibaudet in two programs this week as part of the DSO’s three-week American Panorama winter music festival. Mr. Thibaudet is regrettably unable to travel to Detroit due to illness.

“It is with genuine sadness that I must cancel my appearances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this week,” said Mr. Thibaudet. “Due to a severe ear infection, I am unable to fly on my doctor’s orders. I was so looking forward to performing these beautiful programs with both the orchestra and my dear friend Leonard and hope to come to Detroit very soon.”

Ms. Shaham will be featured soloist on Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety, on the first program in two performances on Thursday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, February 15 at 10:45 a.m.

Mr. Parker will be featured soloist on Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F on the second program, which takes place Saturday, February 16 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 17 at 3 p.m.

Music Director Laureate Leonard Slatkin conducts. Programming for both concerts remains unchanged; see below for complete program details.

“We are very fortunate in securing the services of two wonderful pianists to replace the indisposed Jean-Yves Thibaudet,” said Mr. Slatkin. “Both Orli and Jackie will bring their individuality and musicianship to the works of Bernstein and Gershwin."

All performances take place at Orchestra Hall, within Midtown Detroit’s Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center.

The Friday morning and Sunday afternoon concerts 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.

American Panorama is sponsored by Varnum LLP. All Classical Series concerts are sponsored by PVS Chemicals, Inc. American Panorama is also made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Learn more about American Panorama at dso.org/festival.

About Orli Shaham

Orli Shaham has established an impressive international reputation as one of today’s most gifted pianists. Hailed by critics on four continents, Shaham is in demand for her prodigious skills and admired for her interpretations of both standard and modern repertoire.

Shaham has performed with major orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre National de France, among many others.

Shaham serves as Artistic Director of the Pacific Symphony’s chamber music series in Costa Mesa, California, a position she has held since 2007. She is a featured performer on each of the chamber recitals in the series. In addition, Shaham serves as the Artistic Director of the interactive children’s concert series Baby Got Bach, which she founded in 2010.

In Fall 2018, Shaham was guest host of NPR’s From the Top, a radio program featuring young classically-trained musicians, broadcast by hundreds of stations around the country. In Spring 2019, she will release a recording of Mozart’s piano concertos Nos. 17 and 24 with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and conductor David Robertson on the Canary Classics label.

About Jon Kimura Parker

Pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed as guest soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch in Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Andre Previn, and shared the stage with Jessye Norman at Berlin’s Philharmonie. A true Canadian ambassador of music, Parker has given command performances for Queen Elizabeth II, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan. He is an Officer of The Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian honor.

He performs as duo partner regularly with James Ehnes, Aloysia Friedmann, Lynn Harrell, Jamie Parker, Orli Shaham, and Cho-Liang Lin, with whom he has given world premieres of sonatas by Paul Schoenfield, John Harbison, and Steven Stucky. He also performs regularly with the Miró Quartet and is a founding member of the Montrose Trio with violinist Martin Beaver and cellist Clive Greensmith. An active media personality, Parker hosted the television series Whole Notes on Bravo and CBC Radio’s Up and Coming. His YouTube channel showcases the Concerto Chat video series, with illuminating discussions of the piano concerto repertoire.

Parker is currently Professor of piano at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and Artistic Advisor of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival. He studied with Edward Parker and Keiko Parker privately, Lee Kum-Sing at the Vancouver Academy of Music and the University of British Columbia, Robin Wood at the Victoria Conservatory, Marek Jablonski at the Banff Centre, and Adele Marcus at The Juilliard School. He currently lives in Texas with his wife, violinist Aloysia Friedmann, and their daughter Sophie.

Ticket Information

Tickets for all American Panorama concerts in Orchestra Hall begin at $15 and can be purchased at dso.org, by calling (313) 576-5111, or in person at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center (3711 Woodward Avenue, Detroit).

Visit dso.org/festival for ticket information about other festival events; prices vary, and some events are free of charge.

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.

Performance Details

Appalachian Spring
Thursday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 15 at 10:45 a.m.

Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Orli Shaham, piano

Cindy Mctee: Adagio for String Orchestra

Bernstein: Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety (Orli Shaham, piano)

Barber: Adagio for Strings

Copland: Suite from Appalachian Spring

Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess
Saturday, February 16 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, February 17 at 3 p.m.

Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Laquita Mitchell, soprano
Derrick Parker, bass-baritone
Wayne State Centennial Choir

Gershwin (Arr. Rob Mathes): Gershwiniana

Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F (Jon Kimura Parker, piano)

Gershwin: Porgy & Bess, A Concert of Songs (Laquita Mitchell, soprano; Derrick Parker, bass-baritone; Wayne State Centennial Choir)

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.