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Lancaster Symphony Orchestra Unveils a 2009-2010 “Only in Lancaster” Season of Beloved Music, Favorite Composers and Rising New Talent.


LANCASTER, PA -- Stephen Gunzenhauser, music director of the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, is promising to treat his 2009-2010 audiences to an “Only in Lancaster” season sure to lift their spirits and comfort their souls. Across 25 programs the Symphony’s season will showcase beloved music of the Masters and exciting emerging soloists from around the world.

“Only in Lancaster does the symphonic season debut two young artists who captured gold medals at the Regusa Ibla International Music Competition,” noted Maestro Gunzenhauser. “Russian pianist Gayane Gasparyan is performing in February. And Spanish violinist Leticia Munoz Moreno, who made Carnegie Hall debut in December 2008, will be coming to Lancaster in April.”

Both rising stars, discovered by Maestro Gunzenhauser when he judged the prestigious competition in Italy in July, will be featured soloists in the 2009-2010 Lancaster Symphony Orchestra season.

Anchoring the Symphony’s season will be a six-concert Classic Series at the Fulton Opera House. A highlight of the 2009-2010 Classic concert season will be a February 19-21 concert weekend featuring Maestro Gunzenhauser and the entire Orchestra garbed in late 18th century, Viennese finery to perform four concerts of “Authentic Mozart.”

The popular “New Year’s Eve Celebration” will again be held at American Music Theatre.

The opening concert of the 2009-2010 season will spotlight “A Dynamic Duo Perform Brahms, Plus a Surprise Symphony” on October 9, 10 and 11, 2009. The duo of virtuosi — internationally renowned violinist, Igor Yuzefovich, and acclaimed Polish cellist Dariusz Skoraczewski — will perform Brahm’s Double Concerto. This blockbuster program will bring together the Titans of the symphonic repertoire, Brahms and Haydn. Haydn’s lovely Symphony No. 94 “Surprise” will be joined by Schubert’s enchanting Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished.”

Central Pennsylvania audiences will experience a “Choral Fantasy” November 13, 14 and 15, 2009, when the Symphony is joined by the Lancaster Symphony Chorus. Always one of the most favorite programs of the season, the Orchestra and acclaimed Russian pianist Pavel Nersessian will perform Beethoven’s joyous and uplifting Choral Fantasy.

That same concert weekend the Lancaster Symphony Chamber Chorus will make its Fulton debut performing Bach’s moving Motet No. 3 “Jesu, Meine Freude.” The repertoire will also include Vaughan Williams’ powerful, melodic psalm tune, Fantastia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.

William B. Wright, PhD, professor of choral music at Franklin & Marshall College, will be
returning for his second year as the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra chorusmaster. The Chorus will again be comprised of the region’s premier vocalists and top choral students from Millersville University and Franklin & Marshall and Elizabethtown colleges.

Families will capture the holiday spirit December 18 and 20, 2009, as the “Sounds of the Season” concert weekend returns to Franklin & Marshall College.  The Lancaster Symphony brass and chamber strings will join the Lancaster Symphony Chorus will two concerts of carols, unforgettable music, sing-alongs and more.  Making the weekend even more family-friendly will be special ticket pricing for children 16 and under.

The region’s favorite way to begin its New Year’s Eve celebration will feature an evening of “Dancin’ & Romancin’,” champagne and noisemakers December 31, 2009, at the American Music Theatre. Together with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Broadway singer-dancers Joan Hess and Kirby Ward will have revelers Singing in the Rain and dancing in the aisles to Gershwin, Berlin and other favorites of the Great White Way.

The first program of the New Year on January 15, 16 and 17, 2010, “Agony and Ecstasy: Khachaturian and Tchaikovsky,” will showcase Macedonian-born, violin virtuoso Robert Bokor performing Aram Khachaturian’s amazing Violin Concerto. Complementing the Eastern rhythms of that work will be the toe-tapping rhythms and vivid orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

Also a part of the January 15-17 program will be American composer Peter Boyer’s New Beginnings, an blazing work “that could have come from the pen of Aaron Copeland” (The Providence Journal).

Dvořák once declared “Mozart is sweet sunshine,” and on February 19, 20 and 21, 2010, the Symphony will light up the Fulton as it transports its audiences across the seas to an Austrian nobleman’s parlor. In full Viennese regalia, music lovers will be immersed in an “Authentic Mozart” experience and treated to three of the Master’s works. In addition to Overture to the Opera “Don Giovanni” and Symphony No. 38 “Prague,” the awarding winning, international pianist Gayane Gasparyan will make her American debut with the Symphony, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21.

April 9, 10 and 11, 2010 the Symphony will perform “Masterworks of Shostakovich & Lalo.” The concert weekend will spotlight Shostakovich’s joyous yet intrinsically musical Symphony No. 9, as well as Lalo’s familiar and colorful “Symphonie espagnole.” Rising young Spanish violinist Leticia Munoz Moreno will be the featured guest soloist in Lalo’s tribute to Spain’s legendary violinist, Pablo de Sarasate.

The April 9-11 program will also include Beethoven’s dramatic “Leonore” Overture No. 3.

The closing performance of the 2009-2010 Classic Concert Series on May 14, 15 and 16, 2010, will feature the Symphony performing a weekend of “Rhapsody & the New World.” Rachmaninoff’s well-known Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a hallmark of the Romantic period, will showcase the “brilliant technique, intense focus and passionate reverence” (The Austin Chronicle) of acclaimed guest pianist Anton Nel.

But there’s more in store for concertgoers to the May 14-16 concert weekend. The performances will also feature one of the greatest works of the 19th century, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” and Wagner’s grand anthem to power and joy, Overture to the Opera “Rienzi.”

The Symphony’s Classic Concert Series concerts will be performed at the historic Fulton Opera House at 12 North Prince Street in Downtown Lancaster. Ample parking is available adjacent to the Fulton and at the Prince Street garage.

Friday’s opening night performances begin at 8 pm. All Saturday concerts commence at 3 pm and 8 pm. Sunday night concerts will be performed at 7:30 pm.

Free “Meet the Music” pre-concert talks are held an hour before each performance at the Fulton. A “Meet the Musicians” reception will follow every Friday night concert in the Fulton lobby. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served, and a cash bar will be open.

The Symphony’s New Year’s Eve Celebration will open at 7 pm at American Music Theatre. The theatre is located on Lincoln Highway East/Route 30 in Lancaster, across from Rockvale Square.

Subscriptions to the 2009-2010 Classic Concert Series are on sale now by calling the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra at (717) 291-4420. Subscription prices range from $99 to $288, a savings of as much as 20 percent over single ticket prices. Classic Concert Series subscribers receive other benefits, including 10 percent discounts on dining at many area restaurants before and after concerts, free ticket exchanges and 20 percent off the purchase of additional Symphony single tickets.

Discounted subscriber tickets for the “New Year’s Eve Celebration” are also on sale. “New Year’s Eve Celebration” tickets are $64 for subscribers, a savings of $5 over general admission tickets.

Underwriting the Lancaster Symphony’s 2009-2010 season will be season sponsors Willow Valley Retirement Communities and Willow Valley Associates. Classic Concert Series sponsors are Clermont Wealth Strategies at Fulton Bank, Electron Energy Corp., Elizabethtown College, Franklin & Marshall College, Millersville University, PNC Bank and TriStarr Staffing. Open Rehearsal sponsor is Highmark Blue Shield, and Sound Discovery sponsor is Lancaster General Health. First Look Hospitality sponsor is Carr’s Restaurant, Encore Hospitality sponsor is FENZ Restaurant. Education sponsor is the Women’s Symphony Association. Ticket sponsor Wiley’s Pharmacy will also be
helping support the season.

Season travel sponsor will be Travel Time Travel Agency. Season media sponsor will be WITF FM 89.5.

The 2009-2010 “Only in Lancaster” season marks Maestro Stephen Gunzenhauser’s 29th year as the creative leader of the Symphony. He took the Symphony’s baton in 1980. The Grammy-nominated musician also led the Delaware Symphony for 23 years.

In 2004, he served as artistic advisor and principal conductor for the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra. He maintains a regular guest-conducting schedule in Bogota and with symphony orchestras all over the world. In addition to judging the Ragusa Ibla competition in Italy in 2008, he also judged the fourth annual Piano Competition in Kazakhstan.

The prolific conductor has made 66 recordings and sold over 2 million CDs.

Opening its 62nd season, the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra has evolved from a community orchestra into an organization of professional musicians serving 52,000 music enthusiasts with 24 yearly subscription concerts, the New Year’s Eve gala celebration and a free, outdoor community patriotic concert.

The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra is a 75-member, professional orchestra that was
founded in 1947 by Frederick S. Klein and John H. Peifer, Jr. from Franklin & Marshall College.

The orchestra is a non-profit organization, governed by a board of 30 community volunteers and managed by a professional staff under the direction of president and chief executive officer M. Scott Robinson. Ticket sales revenues and donations from hundreds of corporate and private benefactors underwrite the Symphony’s invaluable contribution to the quality of life in south central Pennsylvania.