Schedule for Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra 2022

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Composer: Antonin Dvorak
Composer: Astor Piazzolla
Composer: George Gershwin
Composer: Leonard Bernstein
Piano: Gabriela Imreh
Conductor: Daniel Spalding

Orchestra: Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra

PERFORMERS:
The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra
Soloist: Gabriela Imreh (piano)
Artistic Director and Conductor: Daniel Spalding

PROGRAMME:
Johann Sebastian Bach – Leopold Stokowski
Aria in G Major for Strings
Prelude in E Major

George Gershwin
Clara’s Lullaby from the opera Porgy and Bess

Astor Piazzolla
The tango Adiуs Nonino for piano and strings

Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic dances from the musical West Side Story
Suite from the musical West Side Story (arrangement for piano and strings by Daniel Spalding)

Vittorio Giannini
Concerto grosso for Strings

Antonin Dvorak
String Quartet No 12 in F Major The American, Op. 96 (arranged for strings by Daniel Spalding)

Aaron Copland
Hoe-Down from music for the ballet Rodeo

The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is a vibrant, distinguished ensemble with a long established international reputation for excellence. Praised for its “innovative programming” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the orchestra’s electric performances are often described by the press with comments such as “captivating” (London’s Observer), “dazzling” (Palm Beach Daily News), “exciting” (San Francisco Examiner), “breath-taking” (Bermuda Royal Gazette) and “magnificent” (San Bernardino County Sun). Composed of some of the Philadelphia region’s foremost musicians, the group was founded in 1991 by music director and conductor Daniel Spalding. Under his baton, the orchestra has performed numerous concerts at Center City in Philadelphia, as well as in unusual venues throughout the region designed to reach new audiences. The orchestra’s vast repertoire encompasses Baroque to modern music. Programmes often include new discoveries of lesser known works, world premieres and arrangements written especially for the Philadelphia Virtuosi, as well as standard repertoire, sometimes performed with creative visual effects such as special lighting or stage movement. Since 1996, the Philadelphia Virtuosi has been in constant demand outside its home city and is often on the road. The orchestra has performed at New York’s Lincoln Center, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Columbia University’s Miller Theater, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Colorado’s Vilar Performing Arts Center, the Bermuda Festival, and on three extensive tours to South America. During the past few seasons, the orchestra travelled many thousands of miles with performances in California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, New York and many states in between. In 2010 they made their debut in Mexico and their European debut at the prestigious Nomus International Festival in Serbia. In November 2014 the orchestra will make a grand tour of Russia with visits to St Petersburg, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall and five other major Russian cities.
The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is also known for its impressive series of recordings on the Connoisseur Society label and on Naxos. Pianoforte (UK) described their debut CD, which was a Grammy finalist, as “a real success... a delight, full of fresh ideas... highly polished,” and the American Record Guide called it “powerful... highly entertaining and exciting.” Their recording of the music of American composer George Antheil for the Naxos American Classics Series (including the enigmatic Ballet Mйcanique) was “Editor’s Choice” for Gramophone, chosen as “CD of the week” by BBC Radio 3 and London’s Observer, and as one of the top 10 classical CD’s of 2001 by the Chicago Tribune. It was also a best-selling album in the UK and one of Naxos’ best-selling CDs in the USA. Their CD of American composer Howard Hanson, also for Naxos, received the Third Annual Writers’ Choice Award for Best CD in 2006 from Positive Feedback Online, and a second CD of the music of George Antheil for New World Records also received tremendous reviews from the world press. PVCO’s most recent recording features world premieres of several works by American composer Jeffrey Jacob on New Ariel Records.