NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ New York Philharmonic PR) -
Music Director Lorin Maazel will lead New York Philharmonic Asia 2008, a five-city, 11-concert tour from February 11 through 24, 2008. The Orchestra will travel to Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hong Kong; and Beijing and Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Asia 2008 marks the Philharmonic's first-ever visit to Shanghai and its first tour with Credit Suisse, Global Sponsor of the New York Philharmonic.
The concerts in Taiwan are presented by Kuang Hong Arts Management. The concerts in Hong Kong are presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival. The concerts in Shanghai are presented by the Shanghai Grand Theatre. The concerts in Beijing are presented by the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the China Performing Arts Agency.
Mr. Maazel will conduct the Orchestra in works by Barber, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Rossini, and Tchaikovsky. Soloists include Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, Principal Horn Philip Myers, and guest cellist Alisa Weilerstein. New York Philharmonic Associate Conductor Xian Zhang will share the podium with Mr. Maazel on February 18 in Hong Kong, leading the Overture to Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and R. Strauss's Oboe Concerto with Philharmonic Principal Oboe Liang Wang as soloist. Ms. Zhang will also host and conduct a New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Center on February 17. (See attached concert schedule for details.)
On Monday, February 11, 2008 the Philharmonic will launch a Virtual Tour, accessible from the Orchestra's Website at nyphil.org/asia2008, which will provide details on New York Philharmonic Asia 2008 including an online photo album that will be updated throughout the tour.
Since its first visit to Asia in 1961 with Leonard Bernstein, the Orchestra has returned 12 times. Asia 2008 will be the Philharmonic's most extensive visit to this area of the continent. The Philharmonic most recently visited this region in 2002, when then-Music Director Kurt Masur led performances in Taipei, and Lorin Maazel � in his first season as Music Director � led concerts in Beijing and Hong Kong.
'I am delighted to be returning to Asia with the Philharmonic. It is always a great honor to present this Orchestra to audiences around the world,' said New York Philharmonic Music Director Lorin Maazel. 'Cellist Alisa Weilerstein will be performing with us on this tour as will New York Philharmonic first chair players Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, Principal Horn Philip Meyers, Principal Oboe Liang Wang, and Associate Conductor Xian Zhang. We are certain the virtuosity and musicianship of soloists and orchestra will enchant the concertgoers attending our concerts.'
'The Philharmonic is thrilled to be embarking on our premiere international tour in partnership with Credit Suisse, our first-ever and exclusive Global Sponsor,' said New York Philharmonic Chairman Paul B. Guenther. 'This unprecedented relationship, unique in the performing arts world, will enable the Philharmonic to enhance our historic role as a cultural ambassador, bringing great performances to audiences throughout the world. We salute their innovative vision, and are honored to have our name, reputation and commitment to excellence presented equally with Credit Suisse.'
'The Philharmonic has a significant record of touring Asia, but this will be our most substantial tour of the region in our history,' said New York Philharmonic President and Executive Director Zarin Mehta. 'As we return to the People's Republic of China we are delighted to be making our long-overdue Shanghai debut. We look forward to further deepening our ties with China � and the substantial and growing contribution by China and Chinese musicians to classical music � including those that are a part of the fabric of our own global Orchestra.'
'Credit Suisse is thrilled to be the global sponsor of the New York Philharmonic, and we can think of no better way to kick off our sponsorship than with this exciting tour of Asia,' said Paul Calello, CEO of Credit Suisse's Investment Bank. 'We are proud of our association with the orchestra and the characteristics of excellence and innovation that it represents.'
About the New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States and one of the oldest in the world. Lorin Maazel became Music Director in 2002, succeeding Kurt Masur in a distinguished line of 20th-century musical giants that has included Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, and Boulez; Mahler, Walter, and Toscanini. Since the Orchestra was founded in 1842 it has championed the new music of its time, commissioning or premiering many important works, from Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, From the New World (1893) and Gershwin's An American in Paris (1928) to John Adams's Pulitzer Prize-winning On the Transmigration of Souls (2002, the CD of which received three Grammy Awards), and Esa-Pekka Salonen's Piano Concerto (2007).
The Philharmonic has long played a leading role in American musical life, and over the last century has become renowned around the globe, having appeared in 420 cities in 58 countries on five continents, in capitals such as London and Paris, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, and Hong Kong and Tokyo. Long a media pioneer, the Philharmonic began radio broadcasts in 1922, and is currently represented by The New York Philharmonic This Week; the program is syndicated nationally 52 weeks per year, streamed on the Orchestra's Website, nyphil.org, and carried on XM Satellite Radio. In addition, the Orchestra's concerts are now broadcast throughout Europe on BBC Radio 3. On television, in the 1950s and '60s the Philharmonic inspired a generation of music lovers through Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts, telecast on CBS; its presence on television has continued with annual appearances on PBS's Live from Lincoln Center which began with that series' inaugural episode in 1976. In 2003 it made television history as the first Orchestra ever to perform live on the Grammy Awards telecast, one of the most-watched television events worldwide.
The New York Philharmonic may be the most recorded orchestra in history, with more than 1,500 authorized releases to its credit starting with its first pressing in 1917. The Internet has expanded the Orchestra's reach, and in 2006 the Philharmonic became the first major American orchestra to offer downloadable concerts, recorded live, which are available on the DG Concerts label, exclusively on iTunes.
On June 4, 2007, the New York Philharmonic proudly announced a new partnership with Credit Suisse, its first-ever and exclusive Global Sponsor.
The partnership with this internationally touring orchestra will further enhance the global brand presence of Credit Suisse and is the Bank's first signature cultural sponsorship in the United States. The Credit Suisse global partnership creates an unprecedented level of corporate support for the New York Philharmonic. The music of the New York Philharmonic is increasingly accessible beyond the boundaries of its home, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, through regular national and international broadcasts, including Internet streaming, recordings and downloadable concerts, and frequent residencies and international concert tours. This new and unique worldwide relationship recognizes the international nature of both institutions.
About Credit Suisse
As one of the world's leading banks, Credit Suisse provides its clients with investment banking, private banking and asset management services worldwide. Credit Suisse offers advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients globally, as well as retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is active in over 50 countries and employs approximately 45,000 people. Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group, is a leading global financial services company headquartered in Zurich. Credit Suisse Group's registered shares (CSGN) are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.
Credit Suisse and the Arts
Extraordinary and lasting values develop over time, which is why Credit Suisse adopts a long-term approach in its partnerships. Classical music is one of Credit Suisse's key themes in sponsoring cultural engagements worldwide. The Bank's current global sponsorship portfolio includes engagements such as Salzburg Festival, Bolshoi Theatre, Lucerne Festival and Shanghai Museum.
Artists
Lorin Maazel, who has led more than 150 orchestras in more than 5,000 opera and concert performances, became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2002. His appointment came 60 years after his debut with the Orchestra at Lewisohn Stadium, then the Orchestra's summer venue. As Music Director he has conducted seven World Premiere�New York Philharmonic Commissions, including the Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy Award-winning On the Transmigration of Souls by John Adams; Stephen Hartke's Symphony No. 3; and Melinda Wagner's Trombone Concerto. He has led cycles of works by Brahms and Beethoven, and in the fall of 2007 led a Philharmonic festival devoted to Tchaikovsky. He also conducted the Orchestra's inaugural performances in the DG Concerts series � a groundbreaking initiative to offer downloadable New York Philharmonic concerts exclusively on iTunes.
Mr. Maazel has taken the Orchestra on numerous international tours, including the May 2007 Tour of Europe; the November 2006 visit to Japan and Korea; the Philharmonic Tour of Italy in June 2006, sponsored by Generali; and the two-part 75th Anniversary European Tour to thirteen cities in five countries in autumn 2005. Previously, he conducted the Philharmonic on tours to Asia, three southern U.S. states, the American Midwest, and in residencies in Cagliari, Sardinia, and the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado.
In addition to the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Maazel is music director of two recently created musical organizations: the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain, and Italy's Symphonica Toscanini, an orchestra of top young professional players, based in Rome. A frequent conductor on the world's operatic stages, he will return to The Metropolitan Opera in January 2008 for the first time in 45 years to conduct Wagner's Die Walkure.
Prior to his tenure as New York Philharmonic Music Director, Mr. Maazel led more than 100 performances of the Orchestra as a guest conductor. He served as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1993�2002), and has held positions as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1988�96); general manager and chief conductor of the Vienna Staatsoper (1982�84); music director of The Cleveland Orchestra (1972�82); and artistic director and chief conductor of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1965�71). He is an Honorary Member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and an Honorary Member of the Vienna Philharmonic.
Xian Zhang is the New York Philharmonic's Associate Conductor, The Arturo Toscanini Chair, a post she has held since 2005, after serving as Assistant Conductor for one year. Since making her Philharmonic debut conducting a Young People's Concert on February 7, 2004, Ms. Zhang has led numerous concerts with the Orchestra, including three Annual Free Memorial Day Concerts at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine; a series of New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks; and performances during two of the Orchestra's residencies at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.
Xian Zhang's upcoming North American guest-conducting appearances include the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, National, and Toronto symphony orchestras; and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, with whom she appears in Carnegie Hall with pianist Helene Grimaud. Following a successful debut in May 2005, Ms. Zhang now works with the London Symphony Orchestra each season; other appearances in the United Kingdom have included the City of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming European engagements include the orchestras of Bamberg and Berlin, Germany; Basel, Switzerland; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; and Vienna Symphony Orchestra at the Bregenz Festival. With the Dresden Staatskapelle she will lead a special New Year's concert. This season she will make her debut with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo.
An enthusiastic opera conductor, Xian Zhang made her English National Opera conducting debut with Puccini's La boheme in the spring of 2007. She has previously conducted La boheme with the Valencia and Cincinnati Operas. Future plans include performances of Puccini's Tosca with Frankfurt Opera in September 2008, and a return to English National Opera in 2009�10. Born in Dandong, China, Ms. Zhang made her professional conducting debut at the age of 20 leading Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Central Opera House in Beijing. She trained at Beijing's Central Conservatory, earning both her bachelor and master of music degrees, and served one year on its conducting faculty before moving to the United States in 1998. Ms. Zhang served as assistant professor of conducting and music director of the concert orchestra at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and music director of the Lucca Festival Orchestra at the Opera Theatre of Lucca in 2000.
New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow has established himself worldwide as one of the most prominent American concert artists of his generation. His extraordinary musical gifts became apparent when, at age 11, he made his solo debut in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where his father, Harold Dicterow, served as principal of the second violin section for 52 years). In the following years, he became one of the most sought-after young artists, appearing as soloist from coast to coast. Mr. Dicterow, who has won numerous awards and competitions, is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Ivan Galamian. In 1967, at the age of 18, he performed as soloist with the New York Philharmonic under Andre Kostelanetz in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. In 1980 he joined the Orchestra as Concertmaster, and has since performed as soloist every year. Prior to joining the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Dicterow served as Associate Concertmaster and Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mr. Dicterow has performed with the New York Philharmonic both on tour and in New York. During the Orchestra's 1998 Asian Tour, he was soloist in the Barber Violin Concerto in Manila, Korea, and in Beijing, China, where he performed in The Great Hall of the People to an audience of more than 10,000 people. In the 2006�07 season he played the Brahms Double Concerto with Philharmonic Principal Cello Carter Brey in New York and on the Orchestra's 2007 European Tour. Mr. Dicterow, who frequently appears as a guest soloist with other orchestras, has made numerous recordings. His most recent CD is a solo recital for Cala Records entitled New York Legends, featuring John Corigliano's Sonata for Violin and Piano, Korngold's Much Ado About Nothing, the premiere recording of Leonard Bernstein's Sonata for Violin and Piano, and Martine's Three Madrigals for violin and viola, in collaboration with violist Karen Dreyfus and pianist Gerald Robbins. His recording of Bernstein's Serenade, on Volume 2 of the New York Philharmonic Special Editions' American Celebration set, is available on the Orchestra's Website, nyphil.org. Mr. Dicterow can also be heard in the violin solos of the film scores for The Turning Point, The Untouchables, Altered States, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Interview with the Vampire, among others.
Philip Myers joined the New York Philharmonic as Principal French Horn in January 1980. A frequent soloist with the Philharmonic, he made his solo debut during his first month with the Orchestra in the premiere of William Schuman's Three Colloquies for French Horn and Orchestra. He has appeared as a Philharmonic soloist on numerous occasions, most recently in February 2007 in Schumann's Conzertstuck for Four Horns led by Lorin Maazel. He performed Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4, conducted by Roberto Minczuk, in November 2003; Schumann's Conzertstuck for Four Horns with Kurt Masur in May 2001; and Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings led by Andre Previn in October 2001. He will perform Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 2 with the Orchestra on January 3 and 4, 2008, led by Mr. Maazel.
Mr. Myers began his orchestral career in 1971 with a three-year term as principal horn of the Atlantic Symphony in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was third horn with the Pittsburgh Symphony from 1974 until 1977. As principal horn of the Minnesota Orchestra for a season and a half, he made a solo debut with that ensemble in 1979, performing Richard Strauss's Horn Concerto No. 1, Neville Marriner conducting. A native of Elkhart, Indiana, Mr. Myers holds two degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He plays Engelbert Schmid French horns.
Liang Wang joined the New York Philharmonic in September 2006 as Principal Oboe. Previously, he was principal oboe of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (2005�06), and principal oboe of the Santa Fe Opera in the 2004�05 season. Born in Qingdao, China, in 1980, Mr. Wang began oboe studies with his uncle at the age of seven. In 1993 he enrolled at the Beijing Central Conservatory, studying with Professor Zhu Dun, and two years later became a full-scholarship student at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. During his time there he was the Jack Smith Award Winner at the Pasadena Instrumental Competition, a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Fellowship, and a winner at the Spotlight Competition of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mr. Wang completed his bachelor's degree in 2003 at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. While at Curtis, he was a fellowship recipient at both the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Music Academy of the West, where he was a Career Grant recipient. Mr. Wang was the second-prize winner at the 2003 Fernard Gillet International Oboe Competition and a prizewinner at the 2002 Tilden Prize Competition.
Since graduating from Curtis, Mr. Wang has served as principal oboe with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, and associate principal oboe of the San Francisco Symphony; he was also a guest principal oboist with the Chicago and San Francisco symphony orchestras. He has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in Richard Strauss's Oboe Concerto, and in Santa Fe, performing oboe concertos by Marcello and Vivaldi.
The 25-year old American cellist Alisa Weilerstein has performed with the nation's top orchestras, given recitals in music capitals throughout the United States and Europe, and regularly participates in prestigious international festivals. In the U.S. she performed with the Baltimore, San Francisco, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and National symphony orchestras, and the Cleveland, Minnesota, and Philadelphia orchestras. In Europe she appeared with the Barcelona and Bournemouth Symphonies, Orchestre National de France, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Zurich's Tonhalle Orchestra, among others.
During the 2007�08 season Ms. Weilerstein performs with the Detroit Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Toronto Symphony orchestras; and the San Diego and San Francisco Symphonies, among others. She will also give several recitals throughout the U.S., including on the Celebrity Series in Boston. Abroad, she performs with the NDR Hamburg, and gives recitals in Bergamo and Milan, Italy. Ms. Weilerstein made her New York Philharmonic subscription debut in January 2007, with Zubin Mehta conducting, and made her debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra under Christoph Eschenbach.
Ms. Weilerstein is the recipient of the 2006 Leonard Bernstein Award, which she received at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. In 2000 she received an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and was selected for two prestigious young artists programs in 2000�01 � the ECHO (European Concert Hall Organization) 'Rising Stars' recital series and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Chamber Music Society Two. Ms. Weilerstein released a recording on EMI Classics's 'Debut' series in 2000. She is a graduate of the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. In May 2004, she graduated from Columbia University in New York with a degree in Russian History. She last appeared with the New York Philharmonic in July 2007, during the Orchestra's summer residency at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.
The New York Philharmonic appears on this tour by arrangement with Amethyst Performing Arts International, LLC, of the United States, and NeoStone Performing Arts International of Hong Kong.
Additional New York Philharmonic contact:
Melissa A. E. Sanders
+1 / (212) 875-5718, [email protected]
