The Louisville Orchestra continues to chart an adventurous course across varied musical terrain, led by Music Director Teddy Abrams. After last Friday night's concert at Kentucky Center, attendees joined a party in the lobby to see the unveiling of a new logo and to learn the details of the 2015-2016 season.
The logo's striking new design by Louisville-based firm Bandy Carroll & Hellige features Abrams' name prominently, an expression of just how much the organization looks to its energetic director to set the tone for a revitalized presence in the community. “It truly is a new day for the Louisville Orchestra and we wanted our brand to reflect this spirit,” said Andrew Kipe, executive director of the Louisville Orchestra.
This season has already shown the orchestra's willingness to engage and develop its audience with innovative programs and a tendency to go big with ambitious productions like October's monumental "Carmina Burana" and the world premiere of a new symphony just last week. The 2015-2016 season shows that Abrams is not afraid to push the boundaries with an eclectic mix of the classic and the edgy, weaving together local musicians and guest performers, dancers and rock bands, comedians and Broadway stars.
In case I wasn't clear about the going big part, next season will kick off with Leonard Bernstein's "Mass," a ridiculously huge work that Bernstein created for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center in 1971. It calls for a big orchestra, a chorus (or two...or three), a rock band, a marching band and dancers. How it will all come together and who will be on the stage should provide a little extra intrigue and excitement for a season packed with diversity. One of the other programs I'm excited about is a collaboration with the Louisville Ballet. The orchestra will switch between the stage and pit for a performance of Stravinsky's ballet "Petrouchka." Another thing I'm a sucker for is the harpsichord, and it looks like Abrams will be playing one in an all-German program that includes J.S. Bach. For the old-school, there is Beethoven's "Eroica," a Rachmaninoff piano concerto, and Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony.
For pop fans, there is an equally intriguing mix of artists who will share the stage with the orchestra and Conductor Bob Bernhardt: "Family Guy" creator and funnyman Seth MacFarlane ("Ted" fans, unite!), Broadway star Ann Hampton Calloway singing Barbara Streisand hits, contemporary mini-orchestra Pink Martini and more.
In addition to the Classics and Pops programs, there will be holiday and family concerts, the Music Without Borders neighborhood concerts, and the L.O. WOW! events. As part of its outreach the Orchestra's MakingMUSIC educational concerts are announced to teachers directly.
Plan ahead and subscribe
The Louisville Orchestra is now accepting new and renewing season ticket subscriptions by calling (502) 589-8681 or by visiting LouisvilleOrchestra.org. Tickets to individual events will be available in August 2015. Packages: CLASSICS SERIES includes 10 evening performances in Whitney Hall at Kentucky Center with the entire selection of full orchestra concerts from $625 to $205 for one seat to all 10 concerts. MINI CLASSICS A and MINI CLASSICS B each include 5 evening performances for a subscription to selected concerts, ranging from $335 to $120. COFFEE CONCERT SERIES includes 7 classics concerts performed in the morning at Whitney Hall Fridays at 10:30 am. Subscriptions range from $208 to $113.
The 2015-2016 Schedule
Opening Night
Saturday, September 26, 2015 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series & Mini A)
Jubilant Sykes, soloist | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Bernstein: MASS
Four Last Songs
Friday, October 9, 2015 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series & Mini B)
Soloist TBD | Jorge Mester, conductor
R. Strauss: Four Last Songs; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
Eroica
Friday, October 23, 2015 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday October 24, 2015 | 8 p.m. (Classics and Mini A)
Teddy Abrams, conductor
Abrams: Composition for Community Collaborators (World Premiere) with guests from Louisville music scene; Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”)
Musical Offering
Friday, November 6, 2015 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, November 7, 2015 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini B)
Teddy Abrams, conductor
R. Strauss: Don Juan; Wagner: Overture to Tannhauser; C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia in B minor #5, WQ182; J.S. Bach (arr. Webern): Musical Offering; Hindemith: “Ragtime” from 1922; Mozart: Symphony TBD
Rachmaninoff’s Second
Friday, January 8, 2016 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, January 9, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini A)
William Wolfram, piano | Jorge Mester, conductor
Martinu: Symphony No. 6; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Brahms & Rachmaninoff
Friday, January 29, 2016 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, January 30, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini B)
Augustin Hadelich, violin | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances; A new commission by students from the Curtis Institute of Music
PETRUSHKA – An Orchestra & Ballet Collaboration
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini B)
Louisville Ballet | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Abrams: Fanfare (World Premiere); Philip Glass: Violin Concerto; Stravinsky: Petrushka
Festival of American Music I
Friday, March 25, 2016 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, March 26, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini A)
Teddy Abrams, conductor and clarinet soloist
Ives: Thanksgiving and Forefather’s Day; Copland: Clarinet Concerto; John Adams: Harmonielehre; Mason Bates: Mothership
Festival of American Music II
Friday, April 8, 2016 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, April 9, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini B)
Chase Morrin, piano | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Morrin: Piano Concerto (World Premiere); Copland: Symphony No. 3
Béla Fleck
Friday, April 29, 2016 | 10:30 a.m. (Coffee Concert Series)
Saturday, April 30, 2016 | 8 p.m. (Classics Series and Mini A)
Béla Fleck, banjo | Teddy Abrams, conductor
Mancini: Theme from Peter Gunn; Fleck: The Imposter; Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
POPS (all shows at 8 p.m.)
Seth MacFarlane at the LO - Saturday, October 10, 2015
Nightmare on Main Street: Halloween at the LO Pops - Friday, October 30, 2015
The Music of Led Zeppelin - Saturday, November 14, 2015
Streisand Songbook with Ann Hampton Callaway, vocalist - Saturday, January 16, 2016
Pink Martini - Saturday, March 19, 2016
Broadway ROCKS! - Friday, April 22, 2016, 8 p.m.
