Composer

Gabriel Fauré, who was sent to train as a church organist at only 9 years old, must have provided music for countless funerals. But he said he composed this Requiem “for pleasure.” This would be a Requiem to bring comfort to those who mourn, a series of heavenly tableaux rather than fire and brimstone, and one of his most beloved works. Tōru Takemitsu’s Requiem for String Orchestra expresses a more intense vein of grief. And finally, a riddle — Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations.

EPSG:4326

Fauré Requiem

Benaroya Hall

Musica Nova

University of Rochester

Saint-Saëns wrote his Second Piano Concerto in three weeks, leaving very little time to prepare for its premiere. With its dazzling stylistic changes, it has grown to become the most popular of the composer’s piano concertos.

Saint-Saëns’ Second Piano Concerto

The Bridgewater Hall

### Joie de Vivre - Auckland Philharmonia

**Date and Time:** Thursday, 12 September 2024, 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

#### Event Overview:
Join the Auckland Philharmonia for an enchanting evening of music titled "Joie de Vivre." This concert promises a delightful blend of French and Japanese compositions, showcasing the profound influence of French music on Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu.

#### Program:
- **Ravel:** *Le Tombeau de Couperin*  
  A timeless homage to Ravel's Baroque predecessor, filled with subtle melancholy beneath its serene exterior.
  
- **Saint-Saëns:** *Piano Concerto No.2*  
  A showcase of dazzling virtuosity, performed by the brilliant Swiss pianist Louis Schwizgebel.
  
- **Takemitsu:** *Three Film Scores for Strings*  
  Music by Kurosawa’s favorite composer, known for its visionary and powerful qualities.
  
- **Poulenc:** *Sinfonietta*  
  A witty and charming piece, interspersed with moments of wistful reflection.

#### Featured Artists:
- **Conductor:** Nodoka Okisawa  
  Renowned for her expertise in this repertoire, Okisawa will lead the Auckland Philharmonia through this captivating program.
  
- **Piano:** Louis Schwizgebel  
  The sparkling Swiss pianist known for his astonishing virtuosity.

#### Additional Information:
- **Pre-concert Talks:**  
  Enhance your concert experience by attending the pre-concert talk at 6:45 PM in the Concert Chamber. Gain fascinating insights into the composers, music, and musicians from knowledgeable guest speakers.
  
- **Ticket Information:**  
  Save at least 10% off public ticket prices when you book four tickets to one or more concerts with Auckland Philharmonia. Tickets are available through Auckland Philharmonia and Ticketmaster.

#### Support:
This concert is supported by the Notes Fund, with special thanks to Gene Dillman.

#### Directions & Parking:
For your convenience, detailed directions and parking information are available. 

#### Subscribe:
Stay updated with the latest news, events, and offers from Auckland Philharmonia by subscribing to their newsletter.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience an evening of exquisite music with the Auckland Philharmonia. Book your tickets now and immerse yourself in the "Joie de Vivre."

Joie de Vivre

Auckland Town Hall

Berlioz paints a portrait of obsessive love with opium-fueled visions of cinematic realism, featuring haunting ballroom waltzes, a march to the guillotine, and maniacal witches’ dances. Opening the program, Debussy’s tone poem heaves with hazy sensuality, and violinist Carolin Widmann explores nature and love in works by Takemitsu and Chausson.

Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Martin Helmchen, “who brings both freshness and expressive depth to everything he plays” (Chicago Classical Review), takes on Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto, a work of youthful bravura and pensive elegance. To open the program, Kazuki Yamada conducts Takemitsu’s shimmering How slow the Wind and Franck’s D Minor Symphony, featuring a mix of soaring lyricism and brooding intensity.

Helmchen Plays Beethoven

Symphony Center

River Rhapsodies VI

Clinton School of Public Service

We cover a wide range of new and older music. The two wind quintets almost stand as exemplary of two generations of
Danish music: the elegant, neoclassical and impressionistic style of Jersild and a straightforward and raw, modernist simplicity of Abrahamsen.

Mozart's Spring

Southern Danish Conservatory of Music

Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony crowns an evening of music that speaks directly to the world around us, in the first London appearance by conductor Kahchun Wong.

Wong conducts Shostakovich

Barbican Centre

Curtis Institute of Music students perform over 100 free recitals during the school year, held on most Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. Admission requires advance registration and is complimentary.

Tchaikovsky, Bach, and Takemitsu

Curtis Institute of Music Lenfest Hall

Trio Ondine

Los Angeles Harbor College

Pacific Unitarian Church

We mark the anniversary of our first-ever concert with a celebration of the eclectic, provocative, surprising and beautiful music we have commissioned and performed throughout our history. Performing a mix of new commissions and classic chamber repertoire written specially for the ensemble over the years, we will be joined by special guests for a festive evening of new music. 

Decades

Southbank Centre

Elegant flutist Brandon Patrick George, a “knockout musician with a gorgeous sound” (Philadelphia Inquirer) is joined by harpist Parker Ramsay, hailed as “remarkably special” (Gramophone) with an artistry that is “marked by a keen musical intelligence” (Wall Street Journal) for an unforgettable duo recital. Together they perform a lyrical program spanning centuries and continents.

Brandon Patrick George, flute (Baltimore Debut) Parker Ramsay, harp (Baltimore Debut)

University of Maryland

Music Director Juraj Valčuha leads Brahms’s extraordinary A German Requiem. Written during a time of personal grief for Brahms, the Requiem offers music of time-altering beauty as a balm of comfort, peace, and uplifting hope to those experiencing grief and loss. The concerts open with Tōru Takemitsu’s emotionally powerful Requiem for strings.

Takemitsu + Brahms’s Requiem

Jones Hall

Mai Matsumoto, Violin

The Juilliard School

Seiko Matsuzaki presents a solo piano concert.

Seiko Matsuzaki Piano Recital

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Join us for an unforgettable musical journey under the baton of the renowned Greek conductor Constantinos Carydis with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. This exceptional concert series will take place at the Munich Gasteig HP8, Isarphilharmonie, with performances scheduled for Thursday, 30th November 2023, and Friday, 1st December 2023, both starting at 8:00 pm. Attendees are invited to an introductory session at 6:45 pm before each concert.

The program promises an exploration of musical landscapes, featuring works that celebrate the beauty and poetry of rural life and the majesty of Rome. The evening will commence with Nikos Skalkottas' "Four Images," taking you through the picturesque scenes of Greece with harvest, sowing, grape harvest, and wine pressing. Following this, Joseph Canteloube's "Chants d’Auvergne for soprano and orchestra" will enchant you with the folk songs of the French Auvergne region, beautifully arranged to highlight their natural poetry.

After an interval, the concert will continue with Ottorino Respighi's "Fontane di Roma" and "Pini di Roma," two pieces that celebrate the legendary beauty of Rome through opulent instrumental color. Tōru Takemitsu's "Air for flute solo" will also be featured, adding a contemporary touch to the evening.

The talented Louise Alder will grace the stage as soprano, alongside Henrik Wiese on flute, showcasing their exceptional skills and contributing to the evening's magic. This concert series not only promises a night of exquisite music but also offers a glimpse into the rehearsals and preparations, with open galleries featuring the performers and the conductor, Constantinos Carydis.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the sublime beauty of these musical masterpieces performed by one of the world's leading orchestras. Tickets are available online, and further details can be found on the event calendar. Join us for a celebration of music that transcends time and place, under the guidance of Constantinos Carydis and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

Constantinos Carydis

Isarphilharmonie

In a concert filled with thrillingly contrasting landscapes, Geoffrey Paterson makes his eagerly awaited return to Ensemble 10:10 bringing three classic pieces from three giants of the recent past – Takemitsu, Birtwistle and Ligeti (whose 100th anniversary we celebrate this year). Tansy Davies and a new work from Royal Philharmonic Society prize-winner Michael Betteridge bring us up to the minute

Ensemble 10:10

Yoko Ono Lennon Centre

October 2023 Concert

Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew

Devyn Sowry (B.M. '24) presents a flute recital.

Student Recital: Devyn Sowry, Flute

Bart Feller, Flute

NoonArts & Lectures presents Black Cedar, a duo of wood flutist Kris Palmer and acoustic guitarist Steven Lin, which will present music from a range of traditions including German baroque, Serbian folk and Indian classical as well as works inspired by Japanese Haiku poetry. 

Black Cedar presented by NoonArts & Lectures

First Unitarian Church of San José

Recital: Percussion Ensemble

Aspen Meadows Resort

Denève leads the Orchestra in an evening full of celebratory and popular tunes, from Viennese waltzes to Bernstein’s Mambo, featuring repertoire by Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Piazzola, and more.  

The Philadelphia Orchestra's distinctive sound returns to Bravo! Vail for its annual residency in July. The Fabulous Philadelphians are admired for a legacy of innovation and known for their keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences.

A Night in Vienna

Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

The BBC Philharmonic return, conducted by Joshua Weilerstein, beginning with Beethoven’s Overture for Egmont, encapsulating the story of the Dutch Count who defied a Spanish attack, securing freedom for his country. We then take a visit to Spain courtesy of Ravel in the frenzied dance rhythms of his Alborada del Gracioso. Our whirlwind tour then calls in on Japan in Takemitsu’s Towards the Sea II before returning again to Europe for Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, before our final piece by the African-American composer William Dawson where we return to ideas of freedom and salvation in the opening movement of his Negro Folk Symphony.

Manchester Classical - Freedom and Salvation

Dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador, Tan Dun, has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene with a repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical music, multimedia performance, and Eastern and Western traditions. His compositions often feature water as a musical instrument.

Water Spirits

Bard College

Joshua Arkangel (M.M. '23) presents a contemporary classical music recital.

Student Recital: Joshua Arkangel, Contemporary Classical Music

Brittany Young (M.M. '23) presents a violin recital.

Student Recital: Brittany Young, Violin

“In our March concert, it’s all about paper. To be precise: Music and paper. Cellulite paper, plastic paper, canvas. Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu wrote many works, amongst them music to 90 films.
His “3 film scores” resemble three pristine Japanese haikus. Poetry in sound. Romantic. Melancholic. Visual. A Valse. A funeral procession. Another Valse.

Sight and Sound

Civic Center Music Hall

Don’t miss two debuts and music new to Orchestra Hall in this soul-stirring mid-February concert. French pianist Alexandre Kantorow, 2019 winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, makes his first appearance on the Orchestra Hall stage, performing Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto. Japanese conductor Kazuki Yamada makes his debut leading the Orchestra in Tōru Takemitsu’s breathtaking piece, How Slow the Wind, also receiving its first performance here, before taking the Orchestra and audience on an all-time favorite of classical music, through Dvořák’s New World Symphony.

Dvořák's New World Symphony

Orchestra Hall

The 8-voice, all-male, a cappella ensemble Cantus is known for its trademark warmth and blend, innovative programming and riveting performances.

Cantus

Seventh-day Adventist Church

The title of this cello and piano duo programme has a distinctly nocturnal ambience in which sit larger pieces by Debussy and Britten.

Laura van der Heijden cello; Jâms Coleman piano

Wigmore Hall

Space travel meets Art in a program which is interpreted in live painting by artist Adrian Arias*.

A Dark Matter

Berkeley Hillside Club

Noe Valley Ministry

Sunday Matinee

Odense Concert Hall

The selections on this program are by composers who conscientiously worked to break the mold of the orchestral forms of their time: Debussy rendezvoused with poets and artists who influenced the young composer to somehow bring impressionism into music. For Takemitsu, Western music was itself an escape from post-war occupied Japan and he experimented with it. Shostakovich, in over 15 symphonies, sought to imbibe each with the most intense feelings of their time, from revolution to despair and resilience.

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

University of California, Davis

The thread of romance intricately connects each of the works on these captivating performances. Canadian composer Kevin Lau’s Kimiko’s Pearl takes inspiration from a powerful ballet about hope, resilience, and transformation. The romantic eloquence of Saint-Saëns’s First Cello Concerto weaves a narrative of passion and virtuosity, and Ravel’s balletic Daphnis et Chloé portrays the timeless Ancient Greek love story between a shepherd and a nymph.

Romantic Treasures

David Pecaut Square

Some music just captures a certain mood. Debussy basks in silvery moonlight and conjures a melody to haunt your dreams. Rachmaninov loses himself in a painting and takes a surprisingly passionate journey into darkness. Guest conductor Nodoka Okisawa savours both tonight in a concert which just brims with atmosphere, whether it’s the delicacy of Tōru Takemitsu’s How Slow the Wind or Helen Grime’s musical skyscape for Håkan Hardenberger. The world’s greatest classical trumpeter? We think so – but hearing is believing…

Tōru Takemitsu

Composer

Events

Upcoming events

21 - 23 Nov, 2024

Fauré Requiem · Seattle Symphony

Dec 2, 2024

Laura van der Heijden cello; Jâms Coleman piano · Wigmore Hall

25 - 26 Jan, 2025

A Dark Matter · Left Coast Chamber Ensemble

Feb 23, 2025

Sunday Matinee · Odense Symphony Orchestra

Mar 14, 2025

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra · Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

Past events

21 - 23 Nov, 2024

Fauré Requiem · Seattle Symphony

Nov 20, 2024

Musica Nova · Eastman School of Music

About

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