The Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra launches its 51st Anniversary Season on Saturday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Dock Mennonite Academy’s Souderton campus (the Early Childhood to Grade 8 campus). As one of the region’s only professional orchestras in southeastern Pennsylvania, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra opens Season 51 with Beethoven’s masterful Triple Concerto and continues with Tchaikovsky’s epic Symphony No. 4. Other performances include Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, music from Bizet’s Carmen, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and works by Liszt. Celebrated soloists will appear this Season, including Violinist Stephen Cepeda, the noted Trio Casals, and the legendary Pianist Claire Huangci (who lives in Germany and was originally from Lansdale, PA).
For over 50 years, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra has been bringing moving performances of symphonic music and featuring internationally renowned soloists. The highly praised TRIO CASALS joins the SPSO for a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Featuring Romanian cellist Ovidiu Marinescu and Russian violinist Alexandr Kislitsyn, and Russian pianist Anna Kislitsyna, the Trio Casals has delighted audiences with spectacular virtuosity, engaging enthusiasm, and exquisite musical elegance since making a highly acclaimed debut at the 1996 the Pablo Casals Festival in Puerto Rico. As one of the most recorded ensembles in the world today, the Trio Casals recently released their album MOTO ETERNO and the highly acclaimed album A GRAND JOURNEY. In addition to their recordings, the Trio Casals regularly appears in concert at Carnegie Hall as well as performances at the Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Holywell Room in Oxford, England, Academy of Music in Philadelphia, and has toured China and Romania.
Opening Night begins with Beethoven’s elegant and witty Triple Concerto. When Beethoven wrote to his publisher that he was working on “something really new” he may not have realized just how nearly unique his concerto for three soloists would prove to be. Other than the Baroque tradition of writing smaller works for the combination of violin and either the viola or cello, there was no precedent for writing a full-length concerto for more than two solo instruments. Beethoven’s main motivation for writing a concerto for violin, cello, and piano seems to have been to give his student, Rudolph, Archduke of Austria, an opportunity to perform. The Triple Concerto remains one of the great works in all of music and an audience favorite.
The performance continues with Tchaikovsky’s fiery Fourth Symphony. The urgent account of destiny and a creative outburst is a triumph over fate – where he proclaimed we should “rejoice in the happiness of others, and you can still live!” From richness of lush string melodies, emotionally lyricism, and explosive brass, the Symphony No. 4 remains one of the most exciting works of all time.
Performances are held at the performing arts center at Dock Mennonite Academy (Early Childhood to Grade 8 Campus) at 420 Godshall Road, Souderton. The Souderton campus of Dock Mennonite Academy is less than 10 minutes away (about 5 miles) from the center of Lansdale, and the concert venue is a fully accessible performing arts center with no partial view seating, wonderful acoustics, and a great concert experience.
Season Tickets for all concerts are available at spsorchestra.org.
For more information about SPSO, please follow us on Facebook or visit spsorchestra.org. Members of the Board of Directors, Staff, Maestro Scott, or guest artists are available for interviews about the upcoming season or the move to Dock Mennonite Academy by contacting us at 267.217.2273.
Beethoven & Tchaikovsky Saturday, 24 September 2022, 7:30 p.m.
Season 51 opens with Beethoven’s masterful Triple Concerto and continues with Tchaikovsky’s powerful Fourth Symphony and the triumph over fate – where he proclaimed we should “rejoice in the happiness of others, and you can still live!” * * * * * *
Violinist Stephen Cepeda Plays Scottish Fantasy Saturday, 5 November 2022, 7:30 p.m.
Acclaimed Violinist Stephen Cepeda’s virtuosity soars in Max Bruch’s quest for an idyllic dream of Scotland, and SPSO performs Dvořák’s life-affirming and joyous Symphony No. 8. * * * * * *
Carmen & Symphonie Fantastique Saturday, 14 January 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Experience music from the messy love triangle between a handsome soldier, sexy bullfighter, and the free-spirited gypsy seductress who is driven by her heart’s desires – Carmen. Then journey from the ecstatic highs of romantic obsession and unrequited love to the deepest lows of betrayal in Berlioz’s bombastic Symphonie Fantastique. * * * * * *
Rachmaninoff & The Return of Pianist Claire Huangci Saturday, 1 April 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Liszt takes on the journey of life, love, and destiny in his lush Les Préludes before we indulge in his light-hearted and famous Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. World-renowned pianist, recording artist, and Lansdale native, Claire Huangci returns to perform Rachmaninoff’s breathtakingly beautiful Third Piano Concerto.
All performances are at the concert hall at Dock Mennonite Academy
(Early Childhood to Grade 8 Campus)
420 Godshall Road Souderton, PA
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