February 1, 2022

Well, this is disappointing. As I mentioned in my previous post, my next engagement was to be with the incomparable Emanuel Ax as part of the Pennington Great Performers in Concert Series with the Baton Rouge Symphony. We were scheduled to be the “Grand Re-Opening” of Baton Rouge’s River Center Theater after it has been closed for renovation.
 
News flash: it’s not done yet.  The contractor's blame supply chain issues. Just for the record, the BRSO and everyone else who used the facility vacated the place nearly four years ago in the spring of 2018, a full year and a half before Covid became an issue, so I think there may be factors other than Covid and supply chain that are weighing on this. Honestly, for reasons I won’t go into here, I can’t say I’m surprised. 
 
The concert has been postponed until September. Maybe the hall will be finished by then, or not. 
 
On a positive note, I am very much looking forward to the next Lansing  Symphony concert with another great pianist, Conrad Tao. Conrad is playing Mozart K. 491 (c minor) with us. This one is a bit off the beaten Mozart Concerto path (he did write 27 of them), but wow, is it special. It is unique among the Mozart concertos for its harmonic richness, intricate orchestral writing, and overall expressive depth. It is a joy to study, as I feel like I am really exploring new territory and discovering new facets of Mozart. I have not conducted it before, and I actually won’t conduct it at the concert either!  Conrad will conduct from the keyboard, but since I will prepare the orchestra prior to his arrival, I am deep in study.
 
Also on the program is Haydn’s brilliant Symphony 90 (I could spend every day with Haydn and not tire of it), and Poulenc’s Suite Francaise featuring the fabulous and virtuoso winds and keyboardist of the LSO. It will be a wonderful evening of classical and neo-classical wit, elegance, grace and a bit of drama mixed in for good measure.
 
In the meantime, I am working on programming two chamber music concerts for the LSO made up of music of our time. The works are  primarily from composers with a Michigan connection. These programs will be performed in a very “alternative” and super-cool venue in a part of Lansing called REO Town.  The concerts will be early March and early April….more to come on that. It’s going to be very exciting!
 
NEXT UP
 
Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Conrad Tao, piano
Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
East Lansing, Michigan
March 19, 2022
7:30 p.m.
 
POULENC        Suite Francaise
HAYDN            Symphony No. 90
MOZART          Piano Concerto in C minor, K. 491
 
#lansingsymphony #conradtao #robintheater