Austin Symphony: Rach Fest I
$29-$120
Sergei Rachmaninoff — Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 1
Sergei Rachmaninoff — Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
Feel the raw emotion and artistic evolution in Rachmaninoff's journey through time. Be mesmerized by the hauntingly beautiful Piano Concerto No. 1, a composition that emerged from the depths of Rachmaninoff's youth, evolving into a true testament of his matured style almost three decades later.
Prepare to be moved by the profound intensity of Piano Concerto No. 3, a true trial of pianistic virtuosity that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The evening will begin with Rachmaninoff's Vocalise.
About Rach Fest
Step into a world of musical enchantment as we proudly present Rach Fest, an extraordinary symphonic extravaganza that will leave you spellbound. Prepare to be captivated over two unforgettable nights as we celebrate the timeless genius of Sergei Rachmaninoff, brought to life by the unparalleled artistry of the 2001 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist and piano virtuoso, Olga Kern.
Witness a breathtaking musical odyssey as Olga Kern takes center stage, gracing us with her astounding talent, as she masterfully performs all four of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos plus his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
(Please note: Friday & Saturday concerts feature different repertoire.)
About Austin Symphony
Founded in 1911, the Austin Symphony Orchestra is Austin’s oldest performing arts group. The ASO offers a complete season of musical and educational programming.
Masterworks Series concerts include eight concert pairs running monthly September through May in the state-of-the-art Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts. Our season also includes the Sarah & Ernest Butler Pops Series, which features 4 concerts running October through June Pops also at the Long Center.
Programming for the entire family includes the Halloween Children’s Concert and the Sounds of the Season, as well as the popular James C. Armstrong Youth Educations Programs, which include ASO Tuneful Tales, Young People’s Concerts, High School Concert Tour, and a variety of other school programs.
https://austinsymphony.org/About Olga Kern, piano
Pianist Olga Kern is one of her generation’s great artists. With her vivid stage presence, passionately confident musicianship, and extraordinary technique, the striking pianist continues to captivate fans and critics alike.
Olga Kern was born into a family of musicians with direct links to Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, and began studying piano at the age of five. She jumpstarted her US career with her historic Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas as the first woman to do so in more than 30 years.
Ms. Kern’s discography includes Harmonia Mundi recordings of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Christopher Seaman (2003), her Grammy-nominated recording of Rachmaninoff’s Corelli Variations and other transcriptions (2004), a recital disk with works by Rachmaninoff and Balakirev (2005), Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Warsaw Philharmonic and Antoni Wit (2006), Brahms Variations (2007), and a 2010 release of Chopin Piano Sonatas No. 2 and 3 (2010).
Most recently, SONY released their recording of Ms. Kern performing the Rachmaninoff Sonata for Cello and Piano with cellist Sol Gabetta. She was also featured in the award-winning documentary about the 2001 Cliburn Competition, "Playing on the Edge." In 2012, Olga and her brother, conductor and composer Vladimir Kern, co-founded the Aspiration Foundation, whose objective is to provide financial and artistic assistance to musicians throughout the world.
In 2017, Ms. Kern was gratified to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining other honorees including Rosa Parks, Buzz Aldrin, Coretta Scott King, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. This commendation recognizes Americans who “embody the spirit of America in their salute to tolerance, brotherhood, diversity, and patriotism.”
https://olgakern.com/About Peter Bay, conductor
Peter Bay became Music Director and Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 1998. He is also Conductor of the Bravo! Big Sky Classical Festival Orchestra (MT) and Arizona Philharmonic.
Maestro Bay has appeared with more than 80 different orchestras, including the National, Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, New Jersey, North Carolina, San Antonio, Tucson, West Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii, Sarasota, Fort Worth, Bochum (Germany), Carinthian (Austria), Lithuanian National, and Ecuador National Symphonies, the Minnesota and Algarve (Portugal) Orchestras, the Louisiana, Buffalo, Arizona, Rhode Island and Boca del Rio (Mexico) Philharmonics, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eastman (Postcard from Morocco) and Aspen (The Ballad of Baby Doe) Opera Theaters, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center. Summer music festival appearances have included Aspen and Music in the Mountains (CO), Grant Park and Ravinia (IL), Round Top (TX), OK Mozart (OK) and Skaneateles (NY). In June 2018, he led performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass as part of the Bernstein100Austin celebration.
Peter is the primary conductor for Ballet Austin. For Austin Opera, he has conducted "A Streetcar Named Desire," "La Traviata," "Turandot," "The Marriage of Figaro," and "La bohème."
Other positions held by Bay have included Music Director of the Erie Philharmonic, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival (CO), Britt Festival Orchestra (OR), Hot Springs Music Festival (AR), and posts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Richmond Symphony. From 1980 to 1990 he served on the conducting staff of the Aspen Music Festival where he led concerts with four of its orchestras. Bay and the ASO with pianist Anton Nel released a critically acclaimed Bridge CD of Edward Burlingame Hill’s music. With the Richmond Symphony he recorded the US premiere of Britten’s "The Sword in the Stone" for Opus One Records, and with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Voices, featuring the percussion ensemble NEXUS. He is conductor for Christopher Cross’ "Secret Ladder" album and Hanan Townshend’s soundtrack to the 2016 movie "The Vessel."
In 1994, he was one of two conductors selected to participate in the Leonard Bernstein American Conductors Program. He was the first prize winner of the 1980 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductors Competition and a prize winner of the 1987 Leopold Stokowski Competition sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra. In July 2012 he appeared in Solo Symphony, a choreographic work created for him by Allison Orr of Forklift Danceworks. He was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in May 2016.
https://www.peterbayconductor.com/