The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra Opens with a bang!

On Monday, October 6, 2014, The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra will open its 50th anniversary season with Fireworks! at the National Arts Centre Southam Hall. The celebratory evening will open with Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky’s .  In 1908, Stravinsky composed the Scherzoto celebrate the marriage of his mentor Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s daughter Nadezhda.  Stravinsky sent the score to his mentor though sadly, Rimsky had died just after the wedding and did not receive the package.  At just four minutes, this short piece is the perfect start to our 50th anniversary season. The second piece that will be presented is Michael Daugherty’s, which premiered on May 3, 2003 in Detroit.  The piece was commissioned by the Detroit symphony Orchestra when the Grammy winner was composer in residence.   It is inspired by artist Diego Rivera’s murals.  The piece will be presented by OSO conductor David Currie and will feature Juno winning violinist, Alexandre Da Costa. Next, the OSO will be presenting by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky.  Mussorgsky was proud of his effort, his menor Miliy Balakirev was critical of it, thus it was not performed in the composer’s lifetime. However, in 1886, Rimsky-Korsakov, on reviewed the manuscript after Mussorgsky’s death in 1881. He re-orchestrated, re-arranged, and re-harmonized the score into the piece that swept it into the canon of orchestral favourites. We now have access to Mussorgsky’s original score and that is the version that will be performed on October 6th. Finally we will close our opening evening with Stravinsky’s., based on a Russian fairy tale was Stravinsky’s first major score commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev in 1909. The ballet’s première was given in Paris in 1910 after which Stravinsky became an international figure. It is all brilliantly evocative: the glowing colours of the orchestration, the harmonic and rhythmic vitality, the melodic line, all contribute to enchant the listener with the magic of .About the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra is the National Capital Region’s largest orchestra, and the only full-size symphony orchestra in the region able to present major works of the late 19th and 20th centuries. The OSO presents five concerts each year at the National Arts Centre, under Music Director and Conductor David Currie. Concert programs reflect the orchestra’s commitment to the promotion of Canadian talent through continuing employment of local and regional musicians, the engagement of Canadian soloists and regular inclusion of Canadian works.  This year the Ottawa Symphony is celebrating its 50th anniversary season.Backstage Tour The OSO invites you to take a short backstage tour guided by one of the orchestra’s musicians. Tours are limited to 12 audience members on a first-come, first- serve basis. Meet at the OSO table in the foyer by 6:50 p.m. Tours begin at 7:00 p.m. and are 15 minutes in duration.Pre-Concert Chat What better way to appreciate and enjoy the concert you are about to hear than with some insight about the composers and their music? Join us for a pre-concert chat with Christopher Moore, Assistant Professor at the School of Music, University of Ottawa, in the mezzanine at 7:15 p.m.Concert InformationStravinsky  Daugherty  , Concerto for ViolinMussorgsky  Stravinsky  Suite (1919)Concert Sponsor Marina Kun & The Kun Shoulder Rest Inc.Ticket Information Tickets are available from the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Prices range from $26 to $71 for regular tickets, from $22 to $65 for seniors, and from $14 to $29.50 for students. For more information, and for further details about ticket purchases, visit www.ottawasymphony.comMedia Inquiries Christine Séguin Marketing Coordinator marketing@ottawasymphony.com Office: 613-231-7802 ext. 202 | Cell: 613-890-4931