Press Release: 2005-03-09
Press Release: 2005-03-09April 9th at 8pm marks the final concert of the Lexington Sinfonietta's 10th anniversary season, with a special gala celebration of British and American music in anticipation of Patriots' Day. The concert will be held at Cary Memorial Hall. Opening guests will include Lexington Minute Men, members of the William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps and the Lexington High School Madrigal Singers. A pre-concert talk by Jonathan McPhee will take place in the hall at 7pm.
Each April before Patriots' Day, the Lexington Sinfonietta will presents its signature event, a concert which includes community members and promotes British and American music to demonstrate the Sinfonietta's commitment to building community while honoring Lexington's historic heritage. The April 9th concert will be the first such annual event.
This event promises to combine Americana, pageantry and a rare opportunity to hear outstanding works composed by one Englishman and three New Englanders: English Dances, Set 1, by Sir Malcolm Arnold, who won an Oscar for his film score to "Bridge on the River Kwai"; the Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor by America's first significant female composer, Amy Beach; "Night Music for Flute and Strings" by the Unitarian church musician Arthur Foote (who, with Beach, was a member of the so-called "Second New England School" of composers); and "Fancy Free" by the inimitable Leonard Bernstein.
Local pianist Paul Carlson will perform the Amy Beach Piano Concerto, a lush piece in the romantic style. Amy Beach was a child prodigy who made her concert debut on the piano with the Boston Symphony in 1885 at the age of 16. When she married two years later, she followed her husband's wishes and the social expectations of the time and minimized her public concert appearances, turning to composition instead. Her Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor was premiered by the Boston Symphony in 1899, with "Mrs. H.H. Beach," as she signed all her works, at the keyboard.
Arthur Foote, composer of "Night Music," wrote that the object of the artist in composition should be to "tell us in music...the truths of life and the beauty and sublimity of life." "Night Music," with its exotic flair, remains one of his best-loved works. Danielle Boudrot, Lexington resident, will be the featured flautist.
Both Sir Malcolm Arnold, now 84 years old, and Leonard Bernstein, who died in 1990, wrote music that combined elements of popular and classical forms, and their works will provide entertaining bookends to the program. Bernstein's "Fancy Free" was written as a ballet score in collaboration with Jerome Robbins and later inspired the musical "On the Town."
The Lexington Sinfonietta is a group of dedicated musicians committed to spreading appreciation of classical music and building community through quality live performances. New Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Jonathan McPhee, is one of the leading musical figures in New England. As Music Director for the Boston Ballet, he has received critical acclaim for his work with the Company and Orchestra, which is the second largest musical organization in Boston. He also conducts the Longwood Symphony, based in Boston, and Symphony by the Sea in Marblehead.
Advance tickets for Lexington Sinfonietta performances can be purchased on-line at www.lexingtonsinfonietta.org, at Wales Copy Center (1792 Mass Ave, Lexington Center), or by calling (781) 863-9581. Ticket prices are $25/$20; students $12/$10. The April 9th performance takes place at Cary Memorial Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave. Parking available behind the hall and in Lexington Center municipal lots.
Lexington Sinfonietta, Cary Memorial Hall: April 9th, 8pm, final gala concert of 10th anniversary season featuring English and American music in celebration of Patriots' Week, with opening guests Lexington Minute Men, William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps and the Lexington High School Madrigal Singers. Local soloists include Paul Carlson performing the Amy Beach Piano Concerto and Danielle Boudrot, flute, performing "Night Music" by Arthur Foote, with additional works by Malcolm Arnold and Leonard Bernstein. Pre-concert talk with conductor Jonathan McPhee, 7pm. Tickets $25/$20 (students $12/$10). To order, visit www.lexingtonsinfonietta.org, call (781) 863-9581 or visit Wales Copy Center (1792 Mass. Ave., Lexington Center).
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