NEWS RELEASE
The Cleveland Orchestra presents "Composers Connect,"
a free evening on June 5 of contemporary music and celebration
Two performances and an interlude party will end the season at Severance Hall
International composers converge to create a dialogue about the creation and performance of contemporary music and the evolving role of new music for orchestras
CLEVELAND, May 3, 2010 – In an entirely new format, The Cleveland Orchestra will close the 2009-10 Severance Hall season with an evening of free performances celebrating works commissioned for the Orchestra in the past decade by four of the Orchestra’s Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellows on June 5. Two free, one-hour Cleveland Orchestra concerts will take place at 7:00 p.m. and at 9:00 p.m. During the interlude, there will be a party in the Grand Foyer and outside on the Terrace (weather permitting). Food and drinks will be available for purchase as the audience moves from the hall out through the Grand Foyer onto the terrace to hear an amplified performance of Andriessen’s Workers Union, a unique piece written in 1975 for “any loud-sounding group of instruments,” that has been recorded around the world, notably by the Bang on a Can All-Stars in 2001.
Composer Matthias Pintscher will lead both concerts, beginning with a program of Susan Botti’s Translucence and Johannes Maria Staud’s On Comparative Meteorology. A second concert will conclude the festivities with Marc-André Dalbavie’s Concertate il suono and Mr. Pintscher’s piece with lilies white. Mr. Pintscher will introduce the pieces from the stage and give the audience context for what they will be hearing.
The evening will begin with a dialogue at 6:00 p.m. on stage at Severance Hall with composers Susan Botti, a native of Cleveland who now teaches and composes in New York City, and Marc-André Dalbavie, who lives in the French Mediterranean town of St. Cyprien and works in Paris. Host Keith Fitch, the head of the composition department at the Cleveland Institute of Music, will invite the audience to participate in a conversation about creation, performance, and the role of new music for orchestras.
Entrance to the concerts and interlude party is free, but tickets are required and are available online or the Severance Hall Ticket Office.
The Composers and the Music
Susan Botti is currently a member of the composition faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and is the artist-in-residence for the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan. Her latest work, written for the Blakemore Trio, Gates of Silence, was premiered in February 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to Ms. Botti’s becoming the Lewis Fellow for 2003-05, the New York Times labeled her “a young composer grappling with real emotional and psychological issues in fresh and modern terms.” Her piece for The Cleveland Orchestra, Translucence, evolved from a May Swenson poem. Ms. Botti wrote, “The meaning of the word “translucence” – a passing of light – is expressed in different layers.” About the first part, she said that it is “a murmur that builds into a complex mix of voices.” She describes the end as “an earthly dance.”
Johannes Maria Staud’s On Comparative Meteorology was premiered by The Cleveland Orchestra last season in May 2009 with Franz Welser-Möst conducting. Mr. Staud was the Lewis Fellow from 2007 to 2009. Last year, he won the Paul Hindemith Prize of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. The Plain Dealer called the performance “a tantalizing premiere” and stated that “if Staud’s goal is to dissolve time, considered it achieved. Six blurry-edged movements for large orchestra flow along at a glacial, pulse-less pace, linking a series of spasmodic outbursts. Icy stillness predominates as mysterious effects slowly crystallize: bent pitches on the harp, faint warbling by the bass flute, a softly rattling wind-chime.”
Marc-André Dalbavie was the first Lewis Fellow, from 1998 to 2000. He has since served in residence with the Orchestre de Paris for four seasons, and at the Minnesota Orchestra. Mr. Dalbavie’s works have been commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the ‘Proms’ in London, the Berlin Philharmonic, and Carnegie Hall, among others. Concertate il suono, considered a spatial piece, with the use of musicians throughout the hall, was premiered by The Cleveland Orchestra in May 2000 with Pierre Boulez conducting. The Chicago Tribune called it “a new and important score” and Time Out Chicago wrote that “Concertate il suono refuses to be forgotten.” Mr. Dalbavie said the piece was “made for the acoustics of Severance Hall.” Describing the piece, the Chicago Tribune critic added, “Waves of rapid repeated notes sweep from the top of the gallery to the two balcony ensembles to the stage and back again, creating a quasi-electronic effect. Sonic “afterimages” merge with the original sound sources. A series of grand pauses signals consolidation and unification.”
Matthias Pintscher is in demand internationally as a conductor and composer. During the 2008-09 season, he made several significant debuts, including his New York debut in Carnegie Hall conducting the ACJW Ensemble; his debut in Australia, as artistic director and conductor of the Melbourne Symphony’s 2009 Metropolis Festival; his debut in Italy, conducting the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI; and as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic’s celebration of its former Music Director Claudio Abbado’s 75th Birthday, for which Mr. Pintscher also contributed a piece composed at Mr. Abbado’s request. In April 2010, Matthias Pintscher’s songs from Solomon’s garden, for baritone and chamber orchestra, was premiered by Thomas Hampson and members of the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Pintscher lives in New York City and Paris and teaches at New York University. He was a Lewis Fellow from 2000 to 2002.
Matthias Pintscher’s with lilies white was premiered by The Cleveland Orchestra under the baton of Christoph von Dohnányi in May 2002. The title comes from an English consort by William Byrd written in the 17th century, based on a poem by Edward Paston about the death of his son’s grandmother-in-law, and juxtaposes it with a funeral text for a victim of AIDS. Sopranos Susan Botti (the composer), Kathryn Brown, and Sarah Davis, and boy soprano Asher Wulfman will be soloists. The piece includes electric guitar, and seven percussionists will play dozens of percussion instruments, many of them set up in the hall amongst the audience.
About the Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow Program
The Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow program began in 1998. During a two-year relationship with the Orchestra, the Lewis Fellows compose a new piece for the Orchestra. Composers are in residence for two weeks each season, participating in rehearsals, masterclasses, and educational activities. Works by the composers are commissioned by The Cleveland Orchestra through the Young Composers Endowment Fund, which was established in 1997 by a $1 million gift from Jan R. and Daniel R. Lewis, who reside in Florida. Mr. Lewis is the Chair of the Musical Arts Association of Miami.
A new work by the sixth Lewis Fellow, Jörg Widmann, will be given its world premiere under Franz Welser-Möst’s direction during the 2010-11 season. Mr. Widmann’s piece Chor was performed by the Orchestra earlier this season, and the Cleveland Orchestra premiere of his piece Con brio will be performed in the 2010-11 season. Julian Anderson was the Lewis Fellow from 2005-2007. His commission for the Orchestra, Fantasias, premiered in 2009.
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This concert is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2009-10 season at Severance Hall is sponsored by UBS. Headquartered in Zurich and Basel, Switzerland, UBS is a global firm providing services to private, corporate and institutional clients. Its strategy is to focus on international wealth management and the Swiss banking business alongside its global expertise in investment banking and asset management. In Switzerland, UBS is the market leader in retail and commercial banking.
UBS is a significant supporter of orchestral music globally. In addition to its season sponsorship of The Cleveland Orchestra, the firm currently sponsors several other outstanding symphony orchestras, such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra. These partnerships reflect UBS’s dedication to supporting the communities where it operates, as well as a philosophy of working collaboratively with its clients to deliver the customized solutions that help them pursue their goals.
Biographical information on Matthias Pintscher follows. Biographical information on Susan Botti, Marc-André Dalbavie, and Johannes Maria Staud is available on request.
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Tickets: Free admission, but tickets are required. Order online and print at home.
Ticket Services
The Severance Hall Ticket Office is located in the Smith Lobby. The entrance and 15-minute Ticket Service parking are along East Boulevard.
Severance Hall Ticket Office Hours
M-F 9-6
Sat. 10-6
Closed Sundays and major holidays, except for those days with performances, when the Ticket Office opens three hours prior to the performance start time.
To charge tickets by telephone on American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard, and Visa, call Cleveland Orchestra Ticket Services at (216) 231-1111 (Cleveland) or 800-686-1141 during the regular ticket office hours listed above. Subscriptions and single tickets are also available through The Cleveland Orchestra’s website at clevelandorchestra.com. The website offers secure ticket transactions with any major credit card and provides complete concert listings.
FREE CONCERT PREVIEW
A Concert Preview will be given prior to the concert, beginning at 6:00 p.m. A discussion with composers Susan Botti and Marc-André Dalbavie about creation, performance, and the role of new music for orchestras will be led by Keith Fitch, head of the composition department at the Cleveland Institute of Music. This preview series is funded by a generous endowment gift from Dorothy Humel Hovorka.
PARKING
For evening concerts at Severance Hall, parking can be purchased for $10 per vehicle, when space permits, in the Campus Center Garage (the underground garage located directly behind Severance Hall). Pre-paid parking for the Campus Center Garage can be purchased in advance through the Ticket Office at the cost of $14 per concert (this includes City of Cleveland parking tax and handling fee). The pre-paid parking ensures patrons a parking space, but availability of these pre-paid parking passes is limited.
For further information, or to order pre-paid parking, patrons should call the Cleveland Orchestra Ticket Office during regular office hours at (216) 231-1111 or 800-686-1141. Pre-paid parking passes are also available online.
Calendar Listing
Composers Connect – a free Cleveland Orchestra celebration of contemporary music
Saturday, June 5, at 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Severance Hall
11001 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
MATTHIAS PINTSCHER, conductor
ASHER WULFMAN, boy soprano
SARAH DAVIS, soprano
KATHRYN BROWN, soprano
SUSAN BOTTI, soprano
6:00 p.m. Dialogue
Creation, performance, and the role of new music for orchestras
Keith Fitch, Susan Botti, and Marc-André Dalbavie
7:00 p.m. Concert
BOTTI Translucence
STAUD On Comparative Meteorology
One-Hour Interlude
ANDRIESSEN Workers Union
9:00 p.m. Concert
DALBAVIE Concertate il suono
PINTSCHER with lilies white
Tickets: Call (216) 231-1111 or 800-686-1141, or order online.
Season Sponsor: UBS
This concert is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Concert Preview, in Severance Hall beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Preview Speakers: Keith Fitch, head, composition department, Cleveland Institute of Music, will speak with Susan Botti and Marc-André Dalbavie
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Press Contacts: Jennifer Schlosser, (216) 231-7518; Email: jschlosser@clevelandorchestra.com
Ana Papakhian, Office: (216) 231-7476; Cell phone: (216) 370-2595; Email: anap@clevelandorchestra.com
Matthias Pintscher
Now in his mid-thirties, Matthias Pintscher may justly be called the most sought-after German composer of his generation. His music is championed by some of today’s finest performing artists, orchestras, and conductors. Mr. Pintscher sees the two main spheres of his music making – conducting and composing – as entirely complementary. As a composer, his intrinsic understanding of the score informs his extraordinary ability to communicate on the podium.
Matthias Pintscher was The Cleveland Orchestra’s second Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow, for the 2000-2001 and 2001-02 seasons. During this period, the Orchestra commissioned and performed the world premiere of Mr. Pintscher’s with lilies white (May 2002), and the United States premieres of his CHOC (Monumento IV) and en sourdine, music for violin and orchestra (both in May 2003), and of his Five Orchestral Pieces (September 2007). Mr. Pintscher made his Cleveland Orchestra debut conducting the performances of CHOC (Monumento IV). In his next and most recent appearances with the Orchestra, he led October 2006 concerts that included his Hérodiade-Fragmente. In November 2010, he will conduct the Orchestra in a program featuring his Reflections on Narcissus, for cello and orchestra.
During the 2009-10 season, Mr. Pintscher’s engagements include his Amsterdam debut with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in the Concertgebouw as well as his debut with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in Lucerne. Elsewhere, he conducts the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra and returns to the BBC Scottish Symphony. Last season, Mr. Pintscher made several significant debuts, including his New York debut in Carnegie Hall conducting the ACJW Ensemble; in Australia, as artistic director and conductor of the Melbourne Symphony’s 2009 Metropolis Festival; in Italy conducting the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI; and as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic’s celebration of its former Music Director Claudio Abbado’s 75th Birthday, to which he also contributed a piece composed at Mr. Abbado’s request. Other appearances included the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, concluding a season-long term as that orchestra’s artist-in-residence, and performances with the ensemble modern on tour in Prague and with the Klangforum Wien.
Mr. Pintscher began his musical training in conducting, studying with Peter Eötvös, but composing took a more prominent role in his life while he was in his early twenties. Soon after, he divided his life equally between the two disciplines of conducting and composing. Naturally noted for his interpretations of contemporary music, he developed an affinity for repertoire of the late 19th and the 20th centuries – for Bruckner, the French romantic masters, Berlioz, Ravel, Debussy, and for the Second Viennese School.
He works regularly with contemporary music ensembles including Ensemble Modern, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Contrechamps (Geneva), Ensemble Intercontemporain, Avanti (Helsinki), remix (Porto), and the Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic. He was artist-in-residence for the Scharaun Ensemble’s 2009 Festival in Zermatt, Switzerland.
In Germany, where Mr. Pintscher is best known, his past engagements have included concerts with the Staatskapelle Berlin, DSO Berlin (where he will return in the 2010-11 season), RSO Berlin, NDR Hamburg, MDR Leipzig, RSO Saarbrücken, and the Museumsorchester Frankfurt, among others. Elsewhere in Europe, he has conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de France, Orchestre National de Strasbourg, Orchestre National de Belgique, the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Danish Radio Orchestra.
Matthias Pintscher’s compositions are noted for the delicate sound-world they inhabit, the intricacy of their construction, and their precision of expression. Among his most celebrated achievements are his first opera, Thomas Chatterton, commissioned by Dresden Opera; Fünf Orchesterstücke; his first Violin Concerto, en sourdine, written for Frank Peter Zimmermann, which has received more than 40 performances since its premiere in 2003; his second opera, l’espace dernier, premiered at the Paris National Opera (Bastille) in 2004; and his cello concerto for Truls Mørk, Reflections on Narcissus, which was premiered in Paris in 2006 with Christoph Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris. That year also included the premiere of a piece for flutist Emmanuel Pahud and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, performed at the Lucerne Festival, where Mr. Pintscher was artist-in-residence in 2006. His music is frequently performed by orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, NDR Hamburg, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia London, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre de Paris.
Matthias Pintscher makes his home in New York and Paris. His works are published exclusively by Bärenreiter-Verlag. Matthias Pintscher works and records with Kairos, EMI, ECM, Teldec, Wergo, and winter & winter.
