A ‘concerto for birds and orchestra’, Rautavaara’s ‘Cantus Arcticus’ blends recorded birdsong from the Arctic Circle with hauntingly beautiful orchestral music. This is followed by Lutosławski’s compelling and atmospheric Fourth Symphony which packs a dazzling variety of sounds into a brief but eventful two movements. Folk-inspired ‘Suita Rustica’ by Kaprálová draws on traditional Moravian melodies to create a colourful and energetic tribute to her Czech heritage. The evening ends with Martinů’s big-hearted Fourth Symphony, written in America in 1945, an optimistic work brimming with lyrical melodies.

FSO - Martinů, Lutosławski, Rautavaara, Kaprálová

Smith Square Hall

Winter Concert November 2024

Kensington Symphony Orchestra begins its 2024/25 season at Sinfonia Smith Square on Monday 14th October, when conductor Russell Keable leads the group in a performance of Richard Strauss’s tone poem Ein Heldenleben, or A Hero’s Life (1898).

Barber, Kaprálová, Strauss

### Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben - Kensington Symphony Orchestra

**Date:** Monday, 14 October 2024  
**Time:** 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** St John’s Smith Square

The Kensington Symphony Orchestra (KSO) is set to open its 2024/25 season with a captivating performance at St John’s Smith Square. Under the baton of conductor Russell Keable, the orchestra will present a rich and varied program featuring works by Richard Strauss, Samuel Barber, and Vítězslava Kaprálová.

**Programme:**
- **Barber:** Overture to The School for Scandal
- **Kaprálová:** Suita Rustica
- **Strauss:** Ein Heldenleben

**Highlights:**

- **Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben:** This tone poem, also known as "A Hero’s Life," was composed in 1898 and is designed to illustrate the ideal of great and manly heroism. The piece includes an effusive violin solo depicting Strauss's wife Pauline and features caricatures of his adversaries in the music press. The six-section work contains over 30 quotations from Strauss's earlier compositions, including "Also sprach Zarathustra," "Till Eulenspiegel," "Don Quixote," and "Death and Transfiguration."

- **Samuel Barber’s Overture to The School for Scandal:** Composed in 1931, this was Barber’s first work for full orchestra. Written during a holiday in Italy, it reflects the spirit of Sheridan’s 18th-century comedy of manners with its energetic and fast-paced orchestral brilliance.

- **Vítězslava Kaprálová’s Suita Rustica:** Written in 1938, this three-movement work is both lyrical and exuberant, bearing the influence of Stravinsky’s "Petrushka." Kaprálová, a student of Bohuslav Martinů, composed this piece two years before her untimely death at the age of 25.

Join the Kensington Symphony Orchestra for an evening of exceptional music, showcasing the talents of one of the finest non-professional orchestras in the UK.

Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben

St. John's Smith Square

Kick off the Bohemian Rhapsody Festival with this intimate chamber music performance highlighting lively works by Czech composers. Featuring members of the Houston Symphony in small ensembles, this concert allows for a unique, up-close experience to the musicians and the music. Concerts take place in a casual setting on the newly expanded Janice H. Barrow Piano Tier at Jones Hall. Enjoy cocktail hour at the Round Bar before your concert.

EPSG:4326

Bohemian Rhapsody Festival: Bohemian Rhapsodies

Jones Hall

For their second consecutive night at the Proms, Jakub Hrůša and the Czech Philharmonic bring to life the blazing fanfares, raw outcries and hushed humility of Leoš Janáček’s unparalleled Glagolitic Mass. Inspiration for the work struck the composer in a misty wood. ‘Its moist scent was the incense,’ he wrote. ‘I felt a cathedral grow out of the giant expanse of woods ... Now I hear the voice of each arch-priest in the tenor solo, a maiden angel in the soprano – and in the choir I hear our people.’

Prom 50: Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass

Royal Albert Hall

Join us for an enchanting evening of piano music as Emma Truong, a talented Bachelor of Music student under the tutelage of Sylvia Wang, takes the stage at the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall. This recital, scheduled for Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 6:00pm CDT, promises to be a memorable showcase of Emma's virtuosity and passion for music.

The program for the evening includes a selection of pieces that span a range of emotions and styles, highlighting the depth and versatility of the piano repertoire. Audiences will be treated to Claude Debussy's "Étude No. 8 Pour les agréments" and "La cathédrale engloutie" from Préludes, Book I, showcasing Debussy's impressionistic touch. The recital will also feature Franz Liszt's introspective "Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude" from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, and Olivier Messiaen's evocative "Première communion de la Vierge" and "Alouette calandrelle" from his respective works, offering a glimpse into Messiaen's unique musical language.

Further enriching the program, Emma will perform Amy Beach's "Hermit Thrush," Op. 92, and Florence Price's "Clouds," pieces that reflect the composers' deep connection with nature and the American musical landscape. The recital will also include "mountain and bird" by Leo Discenza and Vítězslava Kaprálová's "Dubnová preludia (April Preludes), Op. 13," adding a contemporary and international flavor to the evening.

This event is free and open to the public, with no tickets required. It will also be available via live stream for those who cannot attend in person. The Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, located at 70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL, offers a stunning setting for this recital, with its state-of-the-art acoustics and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the artistry of Emma Truong and the beauty of piano music in one of the most acoustically and aesthetically pleasing venues in the region.

Emma Truong, piano

Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with the Aurora Symphony Orchestra at their enchanting "Christmas Time Around the World" concert. This heartwarming event is set to take place on December 16, 2023, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, promising an evening filled with festive music and international holiday traditions. Held at the Overland High School Auditorium located at 12400 E Jewell Ave, Aurora, CO, this concert is a perfect outing for the whole family.

Under the baton of Artistic Director Jeremy Cuebas, the orchestra will perform a diverse program that includes beloved classics and contemporary pieces, such as "Carol of the Bells," "Around the World at Christmas Time," and John Williams' "Harry’s Wondrous World" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The repertoire also features unique compositions like "Umoja, Anthem of Unity" by Valerie Coleman and "Fiesta de Navidad" by Dan Goeller, showcasing the rich tapestry of holiday celebrations around the globe.

Before the concert, attendees will have the opportunity to join Maestro Cuebas for a free 20-minute pre-concert lecture, providing insights into the evening's music and the traditions it represents. This engaging introduction is a fantastic way to enhance your concert experience.

Ticket prices are accommodating for all, with adult general admission at $20, seniors and military at $10, and students 18 & under granted free admission. This event not only offers a chance to revel in the spirit of the holidays but also supports the Aurora Symphony Orchestra, a cherished community institution dedicated to bringing high-quality musical experiences to the region.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore the world through music and celebrate the season with the Aurora Symphony Orchestra. For tickets and more information, visit the event's website.

Christmas Time Around the World

Overland High School

Young American violinist Randall Goosby is the talk of the classical music world. His sensitive soul and stage charm are irresistible. He makes his SLSO debut with Korngold’s Violin Concerto, a work that sings with the beauty of the master film composer’s scores. Christian Reif, another rising star, makes his SLSO debut conducting two pieces with turbulently rousing folk music at their core: Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, and Kaprálová’s Rustic Suite. 

Korngold and Dvořák

Touhill Performing Arts Center

Join AYS for the beginning of the 2023-24 season on Sunday, September 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall! This incredible program features virtuosic pianist and AYS 2023 Concerto Competition winner, Rosalind Wan Wong, who will perform Vítězslava Kaprálová’s Piano Concerto in D Minor, the triumphant composition she performed for the competition. The program also includes Arnold Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1 and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor.

Opening Night Concert

University of California, Los Angeles

An evening of memoir and music comes together in this concert curated and narrated by Patricia Hampl.  She revisits her lifelong passion for Czech music with works  by Dvorak, Janacek, and others, performed by pianist and accordionist Dan Chouinard and Prague-based soprano Ema Katrovas, for an event in the West 7th neighborhood where Patricia was born.

Spotlight On: Patricia Hampl – “Writing My Way into Music”

Summit Brewing Company

The Slavic Department and the Program in Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies present a one hour recital with pianist Francine Kay featuring works by Dvořák, Suk, Kaprálová, Silvestrov and Chopin. Admission is free, but the audience is requested to donate to humanitarian relief for Ukraine.

Music From Eastern Europe

Taplin Auditorium

If you enjoy Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony (No. 9), you’re going to love the one that he wrote back home in the heart of Bohemia. Hymn tunes, birdsong and folk dances; village bands, summer sunsets and blazing triumph – they’re all here, in what might be the single happiest symphony by any great composer (and, definitely, one of the most tuneful).

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Korngold’s Violin Concerto

Cadogan Hall 

If you enjoy Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony (No.9), you’re going to love his Eighth, which he wrote back home in the heart of Bohemia. Hymn tunes, birdsong and folk dances; village bands, summer sunsets and blazing triumph – they’re all here, in what might be the single happiest symphony by any great composer (and definitely one of the most tuneful). For guest conductor Eduardo Strausser, it’s a natural way to end a concert that positively glows with Central European sunshine. The award-winning violinist Liya Petrova steps into the limelight in Korngold’s soaring Violin Concerto – written in Hollywood by a composer with his heart in Vienna. And there’s a chance to discover a real neglected gem: the folk-inspired Suita Rustica by Vítězslava Kaprálová, who lit up Czech music between the wars.

Vítězslava Kaprálová

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 3, 2025

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Korngold’s Violin Concerto · Cadogan Hall

Apr 9, 2025

Korngold’s Violin Concerto · Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Past events

Nov 16, 2024

FSO - Martinů, Lutosławski, Rautavaara, Kaprálová · Sinfonia Smith Square

Nov 16, 2024

Winter Concert November 2024 · Fulham Symphony Orchestra

About

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