Eric Garcia, now in his second season as assistant conductor of the Seattle Symphony, leads Orchestra Seattle at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 5.
This program of masterpieces by Russian composers opens with the Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich and closes with Igor Stravinsky’s colorful suite from his first great ballet, The Firebird. In between, baritone Charles Robert Stephens sings the solo part in the rarely heard vocal version of Sergei Prokofiev’s suite from Lt. Kijé, his very first film score, and the Seattle Chamber Singers join the orchestra for the rapturous Polovtsian Dances from Alexander Borodin’s opera Prince Igor.
This special concert takes place in Meany Hall on the University of Washington campus, where parking on Sunday afternoons is free in the Central Plaza Garage (enter on 15th Ave. NE at NE 41st St.) Advance tickets are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com or by phone at 1-800-838-3006. General Admission tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors; $10 for students; and youth ages 7-17 are FREE. Visit the website at www.osscs.org.
Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers (OSSCS) consists of a 60-member semi-professional orchestra and a 45-voice chorus. Membership in both groups is by audition and includes professional musicians, music teachers, and highly skilled amateurs who came together to work under the direction of George Shangrow. During its 40-year history, OSSCS has made an extensive tour of the orchestral and choral literature and has sought to promote new music by Northwest composers using the finest local instrumental and vocal soloists. The ensembles have attained special recognition for their interpretations of the music of Handel and Bach and have introduced rarely heard choral masterpieces to Seattle audiences such as Handel's Israel in Egypt, Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers, and Haydn’s The Seasons. Praised by critics for their vibrant sound and spirited, disciplined singing, the Seattle Chamber Singers also delight in performing classics such as Handel’sMessiah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Brahms’ German Requiem. In the wake of George Shangrow’s unexpected and tragic death on July 31, 2010, OSSCS enters their 42nd season with a sensitive eye toward keeping George Shangrow’s musical spirit alive and vibrant.
