June at the RPO and Summer Season Announced

For Immediate Release: May 12, 2015
Media Contacts:   Sally Cohen, 585-749-1795, sally@sallycohenpr.com
RPO Info:  rpo.org, facebook.com/RochesterPhilharmonic, twitter.com/RochesterPhil, rochesterphilharmonic.blogspot.com

 

JUNE’S CARMINA BURANA CLOSES 2014/15 SEASON
Then, Ward Stare & your RPO make summer sizzle with ten July concerts
Plus: new Around the Town concerts celebrate African-American & Latino cultures

Rochester, NY – The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) will close its 2014/15 season, sponsored by Dawn & Jacques Lipson, with Carmina Burana on Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 6 at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Guest conductor Gregory Vajda will lead the orchestra, the Rochester Oratorio Society (Eric Townell, director), Bach Children’s Chorus (Karla Krogstad, director) and vocal soloists Leslie Ann Bradley (soprano), Anthony Webb (tenor) and Anton Belov (baritone) in Carl Orff’s  remarkable 1936 masterpiece, Carmina Burana, featuring the breathtaking “O Fortuna.” This epic season finale will also include contemporary American composer Roberto Sierra’s Fandangos and Alberto Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia. Tickets start at $23, and may be purchased in person at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (433 East Main Street) and at all Wegmans That’s T.H.E. Ticket! locations, by phone at (585) 454-2100, or online at rpo.org.

Two more Around the Town concerts, which are free and open to the community, have been added to the RPO’s June schedule:  Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Edgerton Recreation Center (41 Backus St., 14608); and Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. at the Thomas P. Ryan Recreation Center (530 Webster Ave., 14609).  Conducted by Paul Shewan, the program will feature music celebrating African-American and Latino cultures. Both concerts will include students in the ROCmusic program, directed by Alexander Pena, as well as baritone Jeffrey McGhee.

The RPO’s 2015 Summer Season, presented by The Elaine P. and Richard U. Wilson Foundation, will sizzle with ten concerts conducted by Music Director Ward Stare, starting with Patriotic Salute with Ward Stare & the RPO at CMAC (Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, 3355 Marvin Sands Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424) on Friday, July 3 at 8 p.m.  A stunning fireworks display will follow the program of patriotic favorites, including Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Sponsored by Constellation Brands, tickets are $10-$39, with kids 18 and under free (excludes table seating; limit two free kids’ tickets for each adult ticket purchased). Tickets may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

Next up is the City of Rochester’s annual, free Independence Day Concert on Saturday, July 4 at 9 p.m. on the Main Street Bridge. Maestro Stare will conduct a program of patriotic favorites followed by the always “ah”-inspiring downtown fireworks display.

On Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m., Ward Stare will conduct Concerts by the Shore: RPO at Ontario Beach, a free concert sponsored by Monroe County, featuring a program of light classics and popular Broadway and film music.

The following evening, Thursday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m., Stare conducts the 21st annual RPO at Temple B’rith Kodesh concert. Led by Stare and presented by and at Temple B’rith Kodesh (2131 Elmwood Avenue), the fundraiser will feature rising Pittsford Mendon High School senior and pianist Vivian Yu, the Rochester Philharmonic League’s 2015 Young Artist Auditions’ Special Award Winner. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door, or $50 for reserved seating; available by emailing info@tbk.org or calling 585-244-7060, ext. 227.

Another annual tradition, sponsored by the Chanler Family and the Gertrude Chanler RPO Fund at the Rochester Area Community Foundation, follows on Friday, July 10 at 8:30 p.m.  RPO at Geneseo: Summer Spectacular with Fireworks takes place at SUNY Geneseo on Saratoga Field with post-concert fireworks (rain location: Wadsworth Auditorium). Ward Stare conducts. Advance tickets are $10 for adults/$5 for kids and students, and are available at: rpo.org or 585-454-2100, Geneseo United Methodist Church, Central Presbyterian Church, David Mann’s Jewelers, Noreen’s Hallmark Gift Shop, and John W. Chanler Agency (Livonia and Geneseo). Tickets at the door will be $12/$6.

A special 2015 summer celebration, RPO at Penfield Country Club (1784 Jackson Rd., 14526), takes place on Sunday, July 12 at 7 p.m. The ticketed event will feature a dinner and outdoor concert conducted by Maestro Stare, with more information to be announced shortly.

Let’s Play Ball! RPO at Frontier Field on Friday, July 17 at 6:05 p.m. (game) and 8:30 p.m. (concert). Not only will Ward Stare conduct the post-concert game, but he’ll throw out the first pitch! Fireworks follow the Monroe County-sponsored concert, and admission is free with game ticket. For tickets, visit redwingsbaseball.com or call 585-423-WING (9464).

The Fulton Chain of Lakes Performing Arts Council once again presents An Evening with the Symphony under the tent at beautiful Arrowhead Park in Inlet, NY on Friday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. Ward Stare conducts. Tickets are $30/$15 for children under 16, with lawn seating for $10 (weather permitting, bring chairs). Find ticket and other information at http://inletny.com/wp/?page_id=4950, or at the Inlet Information Office (160 State Route 28 at Arrowhead Park, 315-357-5501, info@InletNY.com).

A couple of free concerts round out the RPO’s 2015 Summer Season with Ward Stare: the Town of Perinton presents RPO in Perinton on Saturday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Patricia S. Knapp Amphitheater in Center Park (1100 Ayrault Road, 14450); and RPO at Nazareth College on Sunday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Callahan Theatre at Nazareth College Arts Center (4245 East Avenue, 14618) Tickets, required for the free Nazareth concert, will be available beginning May 18 by phone only: 585-454-2100.

The RPO offers three additional events beyond its Summer Season:

• On Sunday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m., Young Artists in Concert – A Celebration of Winners will feature the Rochester Philharmonic League’s Young Artist Auditions’ award and scholarship winners in a free, public recital at Kilbourn Hall. Please note that this performance does not feature the RPO.
• The Final Concerto Round of the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition will take place Saturday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Neil Varon conducts five finalists, each playing one movement of a piano concerto with the RPO.  Presented through the generosity of Deborah Ronnen and Sherman Levey, general admission tickets will go on sale June 1 at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (585-454-2100).
• Enjoy a day out with the Rochester Philharmonic League for its 16th annual trip to the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY on Sunday, August 2. Take in a matinee performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and enjoy dinner at the Brewster Inn on Cazenvoia Lake. Round-trip transportation on a deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach is provided. Tickets are $223 per person with deposit of $100 due by May 12 and final payment of $123 due June 12. Contact Blanche Weltman at (585) 442-2431 or s_bweltman@yahoo.com. Please note that this performance does not feature the RPO.

RPO 2015 Summer Calendar:  *Denotes Music Director Ward Stare conducting

Thurs., June 4 at 7:30 PM & Sat., June 6 at 8 PM, Season closer: Carmina Burana, Kodak Hall

Fri., June 5 at 7:30 PM, Around the Town concert, Edgerton Recreation Center, free

Sun., June 7 at 3 PM, Around the Town concert, Ryan Recreation Center, free

Fri., July 3 at 8 PM:  Patriotic Salute with Ward Stare & the RPO, CMAC*

Sat., July 4 at 9 PM:  Independence Day Concert, Main St. Bridge, free*

Wed., July 8 at 7:30 PM:  Concert by the Shore, Ontario Beach Park, free*

Thurs., July 9 at 7:30 PM:  RPO at Temple B’rith Kodesh*

Fri., July 10 at 8:30 PM:  RPO at Geneseo: Summer Spectacular with Fireworks, SUNY Geneseo*

Sun., July 12 at 7 PM: RPO at Penfield Country Club*

Sun., July 12 at 7:30 PM: Young Artists in Concert – A Celebration of Winners

Fri., July 17 at 6:05 PM: Play Ball! RPO at Frontier Field, free with game ticket*

Sat., July 18 at 7:30 PM: Final Concerto Round of the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition, Kodak Hall

Fri., July 24 at 7:30 PM: An Evening with the Symphony, Inlet, NY*

Sat., July 25 at 7:30 PM:  RPO in Perinton, Patricia S. Knapp Amphitheatre, free*

Sun., July 26 at 7:30 PM:  RPO at Nazareth College, Nazareth College Arts Center, free*

Sun., Aug. 2: Glimmerglass Festival, Cooperstown, NY

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra has been committed to enriching and inspiring our community through the art of music since its founding in 1922. The RPO presents approximately 150 concerts and broadcasts a year, serving up to 170,000 people through ticketed events, education and community engagement activities, and concerts in schools and community centers throughout the region. Recently appointed 12th Music Director Ward Stare joins the ranks of former notable RPO music directors, including Eugene Goossens, José Iturbi, Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman and Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman. Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik has earned a national reputation for excellence in pops programming during his 20-year tenure with the RPO. With Michael Butterman as Principal Conductor for Education and Community Engagement (The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair)—the first position of its kind in the country—the RPO reaches more than 12,000 children through its specific programs for school-aged children.

Media please note:  High-resolution images the summer concerts are available, and 2014/15 Philharmonics images may be downloaded at:  https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8FkJzlaIpThcVY4TS1ScWhlcDQ&usp=sharing. Interviews and photo and footage opportunities can also be arranged.

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