Cello concerti are trending for 2013. The New Year brings four new additions to the repertoire from a variety of composers.
Cellist Inbal Segev. Photo by ME Reps. On January 24, Nico Muhly will hear the US premiere of his Cello Concerto by Zuill Bailey, the Indianapolis Symphony and Jun Märkl conducting. Of his writing process, the composer states, “I wanted to write something formally traditional (fast-slow-fast) but with steadily developing content. The first movement is angular, the second supple, and the third motoric; there is constant progression and no looking back.” The piece was previously performed by the Britten Sinfonia to rave reviews. The Anchorage Symphony will be the first in a consortium also including the Youngstown Symphony and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic to feature cellist Inbal Segev in a new concerto by composer Avner Dorman. Dorman’s lush concerto blends rock, jazz and middle-eastern music with his well-honed skills in orchestral writing. Randall Craig Fleischer will lead the world premiere on February 23.
Augusta Read Thomas adds another masterwork to her catalogue in her Cello Concerto No. 3, Legend of the Phoenix. Written for Lynn Harrell and the Boston Symphony with Christoph Eschenbach on the podium, Thomas’ concerto takes the hope of the phoenix legend to heart, as she crafted a piece that is optimistic, colourful and bright. The work is 26 minutes in duration and will premiere from March 14-16 in Boston.
Meanwhile Eric Whitacre’s concerto for cello and string orchestra, The River Cam, receives its US premiere on December 19 at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago.
Looking forward to April, dynamo soloist Joshua Roman will unveil a new concerto by Aaron Jay Kernis. Timothy Russell will lead the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in the world premiere. Stay tuned for more details.
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