August 2022 Artist Updates
James Gaffigan, conductor: From July 23 to August 23, James Gaffigan leads the Santa Fe Opera in a production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. According to a raving review in The New York Times, Gaffigan “sparked up a feisty intensity, pushing the drama hard but not harshly. His take was muscular and swift.” Next month, Gaffigan conducts Wynton Marsalis’ All Rise at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on September 8 and Bernstein’s MASS at the concluding event of the Kennedy Center’s 50th Anniversary season from September 15 to 17 with the National Symphony Orchestra and Will Liverman as the Celebrant.
Itzhak Perlman, violin: Itzhak Perlman performs the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto at the Ravinia Festival on August 18 before returning to Tanglewood for the first time in eleven years to perform Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dima Slobodeniouk conducting, on August 21. On September 13, Perlman returns to the Hollywood Bowl to play/conduct the LA Phil in a program of Bach and Tchaikovsky.
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor: Cristian Măcelaru just finished his sixth season as Music Director of the Cabrillo Music Festival this month and makes his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at Tanglewood on August 13 in a program featuring Anna Clyne, Elgar, Debussy and Enescu with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.
Gemma New, conductor: From August 4 to 14, Gemma New and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra kick off their Winter Festival in programs featuring Hilary Hahn and Paul Lewis, marking New’s first performances with the NZSO since she was appointed as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. From August 18 to 21, New makes her Sydney Symphony Orchestra debut on two programs of Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Maria Grenfell, Nico Muhly and Max Richter featuring Ray Chen as soloist.
Valerie Coleman, flutist & composer: The National Flute Association has commissioned Jennifer Higdon to compose a flute concerto, All the Light That We Can Hear, for Valerie Coleman to be premiered on August 13 with the Chicago Philharmonic led by Leonard Slatkin in celebration of the NFA’s 50th Anniversary. Later, Coleman will embark on a seven-city European tour with the Philadelphia Orchestra including to Hamburg, Lucerne, Paris and London where her piece This Is Not a Small Voice (commissioned by the orchestra) will be performed by soprano Angel Blue and Yannick Nézet-Séguin from August 25 to September 9.
Christian Reif, conductor: Christian Reif leads his second season as Music Director of Minnesota’s Lakes Area Music Festival in six programs this summer. Concert programsfeature Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, newly commissioned work by Elizabeth Ogonek (co-commissioned with the Boston Symphony Orchestra), a world premiere by Isaac Santos, and a fully staged production of Strauss’ Ariadne Auf Naxos. Performances take place August 6, 7, 12, 14, 17, 20 and 21. Live webcasts of select performances can be found on the festival’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
Randall Goosby, violin: On August 11, Randall Goosby makes his Philadelphia Orchestradebut with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center performing Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 before continuing on to make his Amsterdam Concertgebouw debut with Elim Chan and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra in the Violin Concerto in G by Chevalier de Saint-Georges on August 17. Goosby ends the month with a debut at the Lucerne Festival on August 23, performing a recital of Dvořák, William Grant Still and Grieg with pianist Anna Han.
Jerod Tate, composer: PR client Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate released a new album, Winter Moons, on Azica Records on August 5. Winter Moons is a ballet in four movements based upon American Indian legends from the Northern Plains and Rocky Mountains, performed with a live storyteller to guide the audience.
Josh Modney, violinist & composer: On August 5, PR client Josh Modney released Near to Each, his debut full-length album as a composer and bandleader, on Carrier Records. The release features nine of his compositions, which blend improvised and precisely notated music.
Samantha Hankey, mezzo-soprano: PR Client Samantha Hankey’s dual roles as Ruggiero in Glyndebourne Festival’s production of Alcina, where she was praised for her “exquisite feeling and a certain splendour” (The Arts Desk), and as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier at the Bayerische Staatsoper, have received rave reviews.
Samantha Hankey, mezzo-soprano: PR Client Samantha Hankey’s dual roles as Ruggiero in Glyndebourne Festival’s production of Alcina, where she was praised for her “exquisite feeling and a certain splendour” (The Arts Desk), and as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier at the Bayerische Staatsoper, have received rave reviews.
Karen Slack, soprano: This past weekend, PR client Karen Slack performed in Terence Blanchard’s opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones alongside baritone Will Liverman and the Turtle Island Quartet at SF Jazz. Karen originated the role of Billie at Opera Theater of St. Louis.
