May 18-19
REBIRTH
Sunday | 5.19.19 | 2:00 PM
Dmitri Shostakovich premiered his Symphony No. 5 in 1937 in Leningrad. The work, particularly the fourth movement utilizes musical material from his own song, Vozrozhdenije, composed just before the symphony, which sets a poem by Alexander Pushkin commonly known as "Rebirth." The denunciation of his work by the Soviet government is well documented, however, what is to follow is mired in controversy. Shostakovich called his Fifth Symphony, "a Soviet artist's creative response to just criticism," and he was heralded as a prodigal son to the Soviet regime. This was later refuted by his family and contemporaries and, later in his life, he was again denounced by Stalin's regime. His relationship with his government may never be clear but his music lives on in a world unto itself, to be interpreted by those who follow.
Also on this concert are the Dvořák Violin Concerto featuring Bryn Digney on Saturday's concert and the Ewazen Rhapsody for Bass Trombone with Owen Caprell on Sunday's matinee concert.
Both concerts open with Courtney Bryan's Sanctum.
Concerts will be held at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street
Tickets for reserved unassigned seating in a premium area are on sale at Eventbrite!
Tickets also available at the door for a suggested donation of $20.
Program
Featured Artists
Owen Caprell
Bass Trombone
Sunday, 5.19
Eric Ewazen: Rhapsody for Bass Trombone and String Orchestra
New York City based bass trombonist, Owen Caprell, enjoys a far reaching musical career. Versed in a wide range of styles, you can find Owen in chamber ensembles, orchestras, big bands, new music ensembles, and pit orchestras. During the day you might hear him inspiring up-and-coming musicians in class room and private lesson settings. Locally, Owen regularly performs with the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra and The Chelsea Symphony. Both ensembles are based locally in Manhattan, and strive to bring world …
New York City-based violinist Bryn Digney maintains a dynamic career as a freelance performer and educator. As a soloist, Bryn has appeared with the Chelsea Symphony and presented recitals at the National Opera Center. Also a passionate orchestral musician, she performs regularly with ensembles including the Chelsea Symphony, Opera Italiana, Protestra, and the Handel Festival Orchestra. Bryn has served as Instructor of Violin, Viola, and Chamber Music at New York University; previously, she taught at the Cambridge Center for Adult …
Conductor
Reuben Blundell has been a Chelsea Symphony conductor/violinist since 2012, enjoying collaborations with musicians, soloists, composers and other conductors. Conducting Aaron Dai’s The Night Before Christmas, first with B. D. Wong then Annie Golden narrating, he initiated, conducted and edited (in Premiere Pro) the orchestra’s 2020 remote performance, narrated by John Lithgow.
Blundell is Music Director of the Riverside Orchestra on the Upper West Side, rehearsing Mondays and performing five concerts each season. He also directs another outstanding community …
Active as a conductor, violinist, violist, pianist, and educator, Nell Flanders brings her dynamic musicality to performances in a wide variety of genres, from orchestral classics to contemporary music, tango, blues, and period instrument baroque. Ms. Flanders is currently the Director of Orchestral Activities at Idaho State University, where she leads the Idaho State-Civic Symphony and the ISU University Chamber Orchestra. From 2018-2021 she held the position of Georg and Joyce Albers-Schonberg Assistant Conductor with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, conducting …