The first concerts of the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra’s 2017-18 season explore the music of Missy Mazzoli — as well as Mozart and Sibelius — at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 and 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bainbridge Performing Arts.
Mazzoli was inspired to write “River Rouge Transfiguration” after visiting the city of Detroit in 2010 and learning about the River Rouge Plant.
“This is music about the transformation of grit and noise into something massive, resonant and unexpected,” Mazzoli wrote about the piece. “The ‘grit’ is again and again folded into string and brass chorales that collide with each other, collapse, and rise over and over again.”
Oksana Ejokina (piano) will then join the orchestra for a performance of Mozart’s brilliant “Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor.”
On the second half of the program the orchestra enters the sonic world of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. “En saga” is one of his earliest tone poems and exhibits many hallmarks of his writing style, including growling brass and scurrying strings.
The finale of Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 2” promises to bring the program to a majestic and exhilarating end.
Music director Wesley Schulz conducts the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra this season for the last time in November, after leading the orchestra for six seasons.
Schulz will debut this fall with the Venice Symphony Orchestra in Florida, and the North Carolina Symphony, as well as make return visits to the Austin, Seattle and Auburn Symphonies. Schulz is a graduate of Ball State University and the University of Texas at Austin.
A special preconcert chat is offered at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. Tickets, $21 for adults, and $18 for seniors, students, military, and teachers, may be purchased online at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org, by phone at 206-842-8569 or in person at BPA (200 Madison Ave. North).
Each youth receives free admission when accompanied by a paying adult thanks to the BSO’s “Youth in Music Initiative,” funded by Wicklund Dental.
BPA box office hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and one hour prior to each performance.
