READING >> The Reading Symphony Orchestra presents an evening of all-Gershwin works, entitled Glorious Gershwin, on Saturday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center.
Acclaimed British pianist Simon Mulligan joins the orchestra, led by Maestro Andrew Constantine, for Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, and bass-baritone and leading interpreter of the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Kevin Deas, is featured in selections from the beloved American opera. Also on the program is An American in Paris, Gershwin’s first all-orchestral work.
Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Santander Center Box Office, through Ticketmaster, by calling the RSO office at 610-373-7557 or emailing tickets@readingsymphony.org.
The all-Gershwin program includes An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, Simon Mulligan, Piano Selections from Porgy and Bess, Kevin Deas, bass-baritone.
Concert Sponsors are Ginger and Marlin Miller and The Gertrude Sternbergh Fund of the Reading Musical Foundation.
For more information, visit www.readingsymphony.org or call 610-373-7557.
About the Artists:
* Kevin Deas has gained international renown as one of America’s leading bass-baritones. He is perhaps most acclaimed for his signature portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having performed it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, and the symphonies of Atlanta, Baltimore, Calgary, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Hartford, Houston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Montreal, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Utah, and Vancouver, and at the Ravinia, Vail and Saratoga festivals. Kevin’s recent engagements have included Handel’s Messiah with the Houston Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and National Cathedral; Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Colorado Symphony, Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Richmond Symphony; Verdi’s Requiem with the Virginia Symphony; Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with the Buffalo Philharmonic; and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the Jacksonville Symphony. Highlights of Kevin’s 2017-18 season include a return to Boston Baroque in Mozart’s Requiem, a debut with the Duisburger Philharmoniker in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and his continued appointment of Artist-in-residence with the PostClassical Ensemble in Washington, DC. A strong proponent of contemporary music, Kevin Deas was heard at Italy’s Spoleto Festival in a new production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors in honor of the composer’s eighty-fifth birthday, which was recorded for worldwide release.
* British pianist Simon Mulligan is, according to The Times of London “the most abundantly gifted of pianists.” In addition to his extensive discography and vast repertoire, Mulligan’s solo work gains praise from critics and audiences alike, and his collaborations have included performances and recordings with Yehudi Menuhin, Joshua Bell, Leonard Slatkin and Sting. He has performed all over the world, most notably at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Wigmore Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London, and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, as well as private performances for Her Majesty the Queen and President Barack Obama. Mulligan’s keen interest in film composition led to a long association with composer Michael Kamen, culminating in his performance on the soundtrack to Spielberg’s Band of Brothers. He has led his own jazz quartet since he was thirteen, which has performed in major international festivals. Mulligan’s eclectic work has led to profiles in Downbeat, JazzTimes, BBC Music, and Gramophone magazines, among others. Simon is a recipient of the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music.
* Andrew Constantine was appointed Music Director of the Reading Symphony Orchestra in April 2007 following a two year search involving nearly three hundred conductors and was named Music Director of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in in July 2009. Previously, Constantine served as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for three years following an appointment by Yuri Temirkanov in 2004. Constantine works regularly with nearly all of the top British orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic and the Philharmonia Orchestra as well as having strong relationships with a number of European and Scandinavian orchestras including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. In the United States, Constantine has developed a reputation for imaginative and compelling programming as well as a profound commitment to music education. In 2003, he was awarded the degree of Honorary Doctor of Music by the University of Leicester for his “contribution to music” and was also awarded a highly prestigious British NESTA Fellowship.
