Orpheus Chamber Orchestra does Carnegie Hall

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra opens its 41st season at Carnegie Hall with their first of four concerts tracing the evolution of the concerto over four centuries and the composer/performers who created them. Featuring the New York premiere of composer/pianist Brad Mehldau’s Variations for Piano and Orchestra on a Melancholy Theme for piano and chamber orchestra, the program also includes Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, Eroica. The opening performance took place at Stern Auditorium’s Perelman Stage in Carnegie Hall on October 9. The next show is on Saturday, December 7, 2013. Tickets are available  at www.carnegiehall.org. Orpheus is honored to have the support of Berjé, Inc. as the Opening Night Sponsor.

                  The program focuses on composers whose careers began as performers. Beethoven, Brahms, and Mehldau made their names as pianists before revealing their talents for composition. After establishing a reputation as one of America’s leading jazz pianists, Brad Mehldau is now in demand for both his compositions and improvisational performances, and has toured and recorded extensively since the early 1990s as a collaborator, soloist, and as part of the Brad Mehldau Trio, which he formed in 1994. He performs repertoire from original compositions to jazz standards and arrangements of contemporary songs. Variations for Piano and Orchestra on a Melancholy Theme presents a new, fully orchestrated, arrangement by Mr. Mehldau that features extensive instrumental dialogue and improvisation in the styles of Mozart, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff.  Orpheus and Mr. Mehldau have performed the concerto in Europe including the cities of Berlin, Dusseldorf, Moscow, Munich, and Vienna. Mr. Mehldau, who draws inspiration from classical works in his jazz compositions and performances, says his Variations for Piano and Orchestra on a Melancholy Theme sounds “as if Brahms woke up one day and had the blues.”

                 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has over its 41-year history revolutionized how audiences think about classical music and orchestral leadership. By abandoning traditional hierarchies, Orpheus conforms to a democratic model holding rehearsals that encourage artistic discussion, rotating seating assignments for each piece, and performing works from the classical to contemporary without a conductor. The orchestra has recorded over 70 albums including the Grammy Award-winning Shadow Dances: Stravinsky Miniatures, and to date has commissioned and premiered more than 40 original works. In addition to its annual concert series at Carnegie Hall, Orpheus has established an international reputation with tours to Europe, Asia, and South America. The ensemble has trademarked its signature mode of operation with the Orpheus Institute, founded in 2003 to educate the next generation of musical entrepreneurs with residencies at the University of Maryland, University of Connecticut, Dartmouth College, and the Interlochen Arts Academy.

                 Orpheus’ educational outreach Access Orpheus program provides free learning opportunities for thousands of New York City public school students each year. Schools in each of the five boroughs receive free classroom visits from Orpheus musicians, as well as free tickets and educational material for each of Orpheus’ concerts. Students are also invited to attend Orpheus’ open forum rehearsals. For more information, visit www.orpheusnyc.com.

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