SFSYO and Christian Reif announce European tour
Christian Reif with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (Photo credit: Stefan Cohen)
For Immediate Release:
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES 2019 EUROPEAN TOUR, WITH PERFORMANCES AT THE BERLIN PHILHARMONIE; HAMBURG ELBPHILHAMONIE; VIENNA MUSIKVEREIN; AND IN BUDAPEST, COPENHAGEN, AND ODENSE, JUNE 23–JULY 4, 2019
Tour repertoire including Mahler Symphony No. 1 and Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is featured in two concerts at Davies Symphony Hall—May 19 and a June 16 “Bon Voyage” concert
SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2019 — The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO), led by Wattis Foundation Music Director Christian Reif, embarks on its 11th international tour this summer with concerts in Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. The 17-day tour includes six concerts: at the Odense Koncerthus in Odense, Denmark; the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark; the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany; the Berliner Philharmonie in Berlin, Germany; the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria; and the Margaret Island Open-Air Stage in Budapest, Hungary.
Tour repertoire includes Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, and Prelude No. 1 from German composer Detlev Glanert’s Three American Preludes. Violinist Nicola Benedetti is soloist in concerts in Odense, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna and Budapest, and Karen Gomyo is soloist in San Francisco (June 16) and Copenhagen.
“The young musicians of this Orchestra are boldly exploring and expanding their awareness of the world, and these are themes which Mahler also captured in his first Symphony. It’s truly exhilarating to hear them pour their enthusiasm and curiosity into this masterpiece,” comments Christian Reif. He explains further, “Both Nicola Benedetti and Karen Gomyo are deeply committed to youth education and to passing on the love for music to new generations. Exploring Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto with the Youth Orchestra and these fine soloists is an ideal combination.”
The SFSYO, composed of highly gifted young people ranging from age 12 to 21, is a hallmark of the San Francisco Symphony’s commitment to Bay Area youth and music education. The tuition-free SFSYO tours internationally every three to four years. Because the average tenure of a Youth Orchestra musician is three to four years, this allows most members to experience the process of touring, ensemble building, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of making music in some of the world’s most venerable concert halls. A scholarship fund ensures that every student is able to participate.
The SFSYO embarked on its first European tour in 1986, where it was awarded the world’s highest honor for a youth ensemble, the City of Vienna Prize, at the 15th International Youth and Music Festival. The orchestra made a tour of Asia in 1989 and has since made a total of nine European tours with performances at some of the most prestigious venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and Prague’s Smetana Hall. The SFSYO’s tour in 2012 won them the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming of American music on foreign tours. Their performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 at the Berlin Philharmonie was recorded live and released in 2013 on SFSMedia, their sixth recording.
SFSYO Music Director Christian Reif remarks: “Performing in these important venues and visiting these wonderful cities together creates experiences for the young musicians and myself that we will cherish all our lives. For most of them, this is their first trip to Europe, and I know that it will be life changing to walk the streets and breathe the air in places that were important in the lives of legendary composers themselves.” He continues: “Showing the musicians of the Youth Orchestra my favorite spots and exploring the history and culture of these countries will be a culmination of our three years working together. I can’t wait to make music with the SFSYO and to share their excellence with the European audiences!”
In advance of the tour, the SFSYO performs two concerts at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall led by Christian Reif. The Sunday, May 19 concert features music by Youth Orchestra alumnus Nathaniel Stookey, who was first commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony at age 17. The SFSYO performs Stookey’s Mahlerwerk, a kaleidoscopic exploration of Mahler’s music that pieces together fragments from each of the composer’s nine symphonies. Mahlerwerk precedes the SFSYO’s performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 on the May 19 concert, which opens with Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave Overture.
On the eve of their 11th international tour, the SFSYO performs a “Bon Voyage” concert on Sunday, June 16 at Davies Symphony Hall, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Karen Gomyo. The program also includes Detlev Glanert’s American Prelude No. 1, selections from Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, and other repertoire.
Read more about the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, download photos, and watch informational videos at sfsymphony.org/youthorchestra
Calendar editors, please note:
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 2 pm
Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco
Christian Reif conductor
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
MENDELSSOHN
Fingal’s Cave Overture
Nathaniel STOOKEY
Mahlerwerk
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D major
Tickets: $55 reserved seating, $20 general admission.
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA / BON VOYAGE
Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 8 pm
Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco
Christian Reif conductor
Karen Gomyo violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Selections from Symphony No. 1 in D major
Tickets: $55 reserved seating, $20 general admission.
2019 EUROPEAN TOUR
ODENSE, DENMARK
Sunday, June 23, 2019 at 3 pm
Odense Koncerthus – Carl Nielsen Hall
Odense, Denmark
Christian Reif conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
Tickets: Free Admission
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Monday, June 24, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Tivoli Concert Hall
Copenhagen, Denmark
Christian Reif conductor
Karen Gomyo violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
Tickets: 50 DKK at the entrance to the concert hall, free admission for Tivoli Card Holders
HAMBURG, GERMANY
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 8 pm
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg, Germany
Christian Reif conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
Tickets: Sold Out, remaining tickets occasionally available at venue 90 minutes before start
BERLIN, GERMANY
Saturday, June 29 at 8 pm
Berliner Philharmonie
Berlin, Germany
Christian Reif conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major Tickets: €11.35–33.90
VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Tuesday, July 2 at 3:30 pm
Musikverein – Goldener Saal
Vienna, Austria
Christian Reif conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
Tickets: €10–20
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Thursday, July 4 at 8 pm
Margaret Island Open-Air Stage
Budapest, Hungary
Christian Reif conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Detlev GLANERT
Prelude No. 1, from Three American Preludes
TCHAIKOVSKY
Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35
MAHLER
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
Tickets: 3900–8500 Ft
Contact:
Public Relations
San Francisco Symphony
(415) 503-5474
publicrelations@sfsymphony.org
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