JoAnn Falletta talks about Schubert’s Death and the Maiden and audience reaction in Nova Scotia JoAnn Falletta talks with Caitlin Hanson in Halifax, Nova Scotia about performing Andy Stein’s orchestration of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden, the importance of creating and programming new music, and how she hopes audience members will feel after attending a concert. Watch The Full Interview JoAnn’s Recordings of Hagen Shining Brow, Strauss Orchestral Works, and Schubert Death and the Maiden in Top 10 Lists for 2009 Three recordings by JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic, Daren Hagen’s Shining Brow, Strauss Orchestral Works and Schubert Death and the Maiden have received top 10 nods in the national media for 2009. Chicago Tribune Music Critic John Von Rhein picked the Hagen disc as one of his top 10 for the year, commenting: “Muldoon’s poetic text merges with the grateful vocal and choral lines of Hagen’s eclectic score to produce a compelling piece of music theater. It comes off most effectively in this concert recording.” Naxos lists the Strauss disc in its Top Staff Picks for 2009, with National Sales Manager Sean Hickey saying “JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic are in fine form in this glorious recording of Strauss works. This may be their best recording yet.” He also listed the Hagen disc as a notable disc for 2009. The Schubert recording, produced by Blanton Alspaugh, who is nominated for a 2010 Grammy for his body of works including this disc, is listed in the top 10 of the year by NPR station WOSU in Columbus, praising Falletta, the BPO and Naxos for “consistently releas[ing] under-recorded works or interesting interpretations of well-known music.” More Info And Also JoAnn Falletta In Conversation with John Clare of KPAC, Texas Public Radio JoAnn Falletta sat down and spoke with John Clare of KPAC of Texas Public Radio about education, music, the Grammy Awards, and new music. Filmed on location in Round Top, Texas on June 20th, 2009. Find out more at classicallyhip.blogspot.com JoAnn Falletta featured on CBC Radio’s flagship national arts and culture show Q, with JoAnn Falltta speaks with Jian Ghomeshi of CBC’s national arts and culture show Q about the glass ceiling for women in the world of conducting. Virginia Symphony to honor JoAnn’s 20th Anniversary in 2010-2011 The Virginia Symphony’s The orchestra also will perform the world premiere of a work by composer Lowell Liebermann and play classical favorites by Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Prokofiev. “I can hardly believe it’s been 20 years,” says Falletta. “I feel almost as if I have ‘grown up musically’ with this incredible orchestra, and I am deeply grateful to them and to our wonderful community.” ’During our time together, we have shared some astonishing landmarks such as our very successful Carnegie Hall debut, our thrilling concert with the VSO Chorus at the Kennedy Center and our performances with Yo-Yo Ma and Sir James Galway.” The season will open September More Info Falletta to Lead Seminar for Women Conductors at League of American Orchestras’ JoAnn will be a guest faculty member at the League of American Orchestras’ 2009 National Conference to be held in Chicago from June 9 to 12, where she will lead the Seminar for Women Conductors on June 10. The seminar will examine issues particular to women in the areas of artistic expression and artistic leadership. JoAnn is a contributor to the pre-conference blog, which can be followed at blog.americanorchestras.org More Info JoAnn Falletta and The Buffalo Philharmonic on National Public Radio’s From the Top, 
Tune in to National Public Radio April 13 - 27 to hear JoAnn Falletta
and The Buffalo Philharmonic team up with NPR’s hit show From the Top
hosted by Christopher O’Riley to showcase some of America’s brightest
young musicians. Featured artists include 16 year old Chaconne
Klaverenga playing Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Guitars and Orchestra with
JoAnn Falletta, 18 year old violist Matthew Vera performing Mozart with
concertmaster Michael Ludwig and William Hagen, a 16 year old violinist
performing Mendelssohn. Also on the program is Buffalo’s St. Paul’s
Episcopal Cathedral Choir, host O’Riley performing Ravel’s Piano
Concerto and From the Top producer Tom Vignieri’s orchestral
composition, An American Hym.This is the Buffalo Philharmonic’s second appearance on From the Top, and is one of only two major US orchestras ever to be featured on the show. Says JoAnn Falletta, “We are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful program. In these troubled economic times, it’s important to recognize the great young talent that we have and the vital role that music and the arts play in honoring our past, celebrating our present and dreaming our future. The very best of who we are is inherent in performances like these”. To find the day and time of this BPO broadcast of From the Top, check your local listings for the weeks of April 13 to 27 or visit: www.fromthetop.org/Programs/RadioStations.cfm Mayor Brown Honors JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for Winning Two BPO Receives Key to the City and Executive Chambers Proclamation BUFFALO — Mayor Byron W. Brown today presented members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with a key to the city and an Executive Chambers proclamation in honor of their recent Grammy Award wins.
The Philharmonic’s recording of Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan, composed by John Corigliano’s won Grammys in the categories of Best Classical Vocal Performance and Best Classical Contemporary Composition. The BPO’s 2007 release of Respighi: Church Windows was also nominated for Best Engineered Album, Classical. “We are honored that Mayor Brown would recognize the BPO in this special way. Our recordings are one important way we serve as ambassadors for Buffalo and Western New York,” said JoAnn Falletta, Music Director for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. “We are exporting our culture to the rest of the country and world and the fact we have been awarded the industry’s highest honor is also a tribute to this wonderful community that supports us year in and year out.” The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1935. Since 1940, the Orchestra’s permanent home has been Kleinhans Music Hall, a National Historic site with an international reputation as one of the finest concert halls in the United States. Honorary Degrees from Manhattan School of Music and JoAnn received an Honorary Degree of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music at its 2009 commencement ceremony held on Friday, May 15 at The Riverside Church in New York City. At a ceremony on February 4, 2009, JoAnn was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music Degree and was the key note speaker at Buffalo’s D’Youville College. Falletta has previously received honorary degrees from several national and international colleges and universities, including Virginia Wesleyan (2008), The New School in New York City (2007), The College of William and Mary in Virginia (2007), Marian College (1988), Old Dominion University (1994), Canisius College (2000), Christopher Newport University (2000), and Niagara University (2001). Says Falletta: “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from Manhattan School of Music and D’Youville College, and am especially grateful for their support of the arts and for the exceptional work these institutions are doing with their students and in their communities.” More Info: Manhattan School of Music D’Youville College JoAnn Hosts Nationally Televised PBS Special on Bernstein JoAnn Falletta is the host of the nationally televised PBS special The Berlin Celebration Concert, commemorating Leonard Bernstein’s historic performance marking the fall of the Berlin Wall. Performed on Christmas Day 1989 in the former East Berlin, the concert unites an international cast of celebrated musicians and vocalists for a moving performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The Berlin Celebration Concert will be broadcast from August through December 2008 on PBS stations nationwide. Copies of the program produced by American Public Television will be available as membership gifts as part of PBS’s annual pledge campaign. The program will be aired from August through December 2008. (Check your local listings to find the day and time of a broadcast.) Says Falletta, “One of the greatest privileges during my seven years of study at Juilliard was the opportunity to work with the incomparable Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein was a legend even during his lifetime. He was a profound influence on me. I still remember his surprisingly untraditional teaching methods and his gift at making an entrance. I’m very proud to be a part of this program, which is a great tribute to Leonard Bernstein, and to the privilege of freedom that the fall of the Berlin Wall represented.” More Info WNED-FM Broadcasting “The JoAnn Falletta Story” WNED-FM, the National Public Broadcasting affiliate in Buffalo, New York, is airing “The JoAnn Falletta Story”, a two-hour music and biography radio special recognizing and celebrating JoAnn’s 10th Anniversary as Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The special premiered September 24 and will be rebroadcast Friday, Sept. 26 at 10 am and Sunday, September 28 at 6 pm. “There are a lot of musical icons, but JoAnn Falletta clearly is ours,” said Gabe DiMaio, Classical 94.5/WNED Program Director. “This is a personal story about JoAnn Falletta’s journey that goes behind the podium.” The special follows JoAnn’s musical journey from her childhood in Queens, when she was first introduced to classical music through the guitar, to today, and includes interviews woven around pieces of music that have significance in her life. For more information and to listen to the broadcast, visit: More Info Falletta Featured in Fanfare Magazine In May, 2008, on the heals of a prolific recording period for Falletta, Jerry Dubins of Fanfare Magazine sat down with JoAnn to recap her thoughts on a wide variety of topics, from the importance of recording and performing the works of neglected composers and advocating for new works to the evolving status of women in leadership, whether on the podium or in politics, as well as how she juggles her busy schedule and the importance of classical guitar in her life. The article also includes reviews of 5 of her most recent discs, including Brahms, Bruch, Respighi, Schoenfield and Borrowed Treasures. More Info JoAnn discusses Dohnányi and the joys of discovering rarely performed gems on WRTI In May 2008, JoAnn visited the studios of WRTI in Philadelphia to talk to radio host Jill Pasternak. Listen to Jill’s interview with JoAnn, and the radio broadcast premiere of Ernst von Dohnányi’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in C minor with Michael Ludwig, violin soloist and former associate concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Maestra Falletta conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Falletta discusses many of the facets that make this concerto for violin and orchestra unique—including the fact that it does not use a violin section at all. Instead, it highlights the viola section and the rest of the full orchestra. Hear the first recording by a major symphony orchestra of this rarely heard concerto by Dohnányi. More Info JoAnn Falletta and the BPO Perform and Record the Lost Works of Marcel Tyberg JoAnn Falletta, who has established a reputation for conducting artistically important but seldom-heard works, is embarking on a multi-year project of performing and recording the lost works of Marcel Tyberg, the brilliant Italian composer and Holocaust victim. Falletta and the BPO presented the American premiere of Tyberg’s Symphony Following the composer’s death at Auschwitz, his original scores were transferred to the care of Dr. Enrico Mihich, who currently practices in Buffalo at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In 2005, Dr. Mihich related the Tyberg story to Maestro Falletta, who reviewed the manuscripts and initiated BPO support to bring the music to life. The project is further supported by the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies, sponsoring live performances and CD recordings of Tyberg’s music. More Info President briefly conducts orchestra at Jamestown By WARREN FISKE, The Virginian-Pilot © May 14, 2007
 Watch the VideoJAMESTOWN - He’s the president, he can do what he wants. On Sunday, George Bush wanted to conduct a Midway through a rousing rendition of ”The Stars and Stripes Forever,” Bush took the baton from JoAnn Falletta, musical director of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. While the Anniversary Park crowd of several thousand roared, the president led the musicians for two minutes without a hitch. Bush pointed to all sections of the orchestra, which included young musicians from around the country. He implored crescendos. His grin burst with pleasure. ”It was a complete surprise,” Falletta said later. ”I think it was a surprise to him, too. ”I wish you could have seen the expressions of everyone in the symphony, especially some of the young people. ”As soon as the music ended, they were all on their cell phones telling their parents they had been conducted by the president of the United States.” Falletta said the commander in chief had a good ear. ”He was very musical,” she said. ”He was cueing the brass; he was cueing the percussion. He kept the tempo going.” The president’s spontaneous moments follow another recent episode in which he stole the spotlight from artists. In late April, when African dancers and drum players entertained on the White House lawn in an event tied to Malaria Awareness Day, Bush joined the dancers and even played the drums. On Sunday, the president offered himself as maestro after delivering a ”From these humble beginnings, the pillars of a free society began to take hold,” Bush said. ”Private property rights encouraged ownership and free enterprise. The rule of law helped secure the rights of individuals. The creation of America’s first representative assembly ensured the consent of the people and gave Virginians a voice in their government.” Although Bush made a only fleeting mention of Iraq, he linked the hardships the settlers encountered establishing democracy in America to the difficulties the United States has faced spreading democracy to other nations. ”As we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown to honor the beginnings of our democracy, it is a chance to renew our commitment to help others around the world realize the great blessings of liberty,” he said. ”America is proud to promote the expansion of democracy, and we must continue to stand with all those struggling to claim their freedom. ”The advance of freedom is the great story of our time, and new chapters are being written every day, from Georgia and Ukraine, to Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon, to Afghanistan and Iraq. ”From our own history, we know the path to democracy is long, and it’s hard. There are many challenges, and there are setbacks along the way. Yet we can have confidence in the outcome because we’ve seen freedom’s power to transform societies before.” The president was accompanied by first lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, now chancellor of the College of William and Mary. Bush began his speech with a light-hearted homage to Mother’s Day. ”This state is known as the Mother of Presidents, which reminds me: I need to call my mother today,” he said. ”And if you haven’t called your mother,” he told the crowd, ”you better start dialing here after this ceremony.” After the speech, Bush shook hands with a variety of politicians and Jamestown commemoration organizers who commanded stage seats behind the presidential podium. Then he walked over to the symphony, composed of young and old musicians from every state and anchored by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. ”He didn’t say anything,” Falletta said. ”He gave me a wink and made a little gesture like he wanted the baton. It was an unbelievable experience.” Amid yet another crescendo, Bush handed back the baton, kissed Falletta on the head and was gone. JoAnn Falletta Recordings Nominated for Three Grammys December 8, 2008: Two Naxos recordings by acclaimed conductor JoAnn Falletta have received a total of three Grammy Nominations for the 2009 Grammy Awards. Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan (Hila Plitmann, soprano, JoAnn Falletta; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) (2008, Naxos 8.559331) is nominated for Best Classical Vocal Performance and for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Falletta’s recording with the Buffalo Philharmonic of Respighi: Church Windows, Brazilian Impressions, Rossiniana (2007, Naxos 8.557711) received a nomination for Best Engineered Album, Classical for work by recording engineer John Newton. Ms. Falletta received her first Grammy nomination in 2006 in the category of Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra for her recording of Eventide, Concerto for English Horn, by Kenneth Fuchs, performed by Thomas Stacy and the London Symphony Orchestra. Eventide is included in Kenneth Fuchs: An American Place, issued on the Naxos American Classics label (2005, Naxos 8.559224). Says JoAnn, who has been hailed by the ASCAP foundation as a leading force for the music of our time and was recently appointed to serve on the National Council of the Arts, It is such an honor for me and the Buffalo Philharmonic to have the opportunity to collaborate with artists like John Corigliano and Hila Plitmann and to work with John Newton and all the wonderful producers and engineers at Naxos. Everyday I am thankful to lead the incredible musicians of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and I feel that everyone involved in both of these recordings should be very proud. The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 8, 2009 and will be broadcast live on CBS. JoAnn currently serves as Music Director of both the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony, and guest conducts many of the world’s great symphony orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony. For more information on the Grammy Awards, visit www.grammy.com Corigliano’s Tambourine Man receives world première recording with Buffalo Philharmonic March 19, 2007 On March 5 and 6, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra recorded two works of American composer John Corigliano, Three Hallucinations and Mr. Tambourine Man. JoAnn Falletta, Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and conductor of the recording, says: “John Corigliano had braved the winter in Buffalo to rehearse, perform and record his works, and having him with us was an extraordinary experience. He was very much involved with the music-making, fine-tuning, polishing, and praising. Three Hallucinations is a kind of psychedelic journey through dreams and nightmares, engendering a palette of orchestral timbres that is absolutely unique. In Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven poems of Bob Dylan John documented the experience of the 1960s in the United States in music that is at once terrifying and comforting, powerful and lyrical. The sincerity of his reaction to Dylan’s words is deeply moving. We feel honored to have recorded the world première CD of Mr. Tambourine Man for Naxos, together with John’s unforgettable Three Hallucinations. Hila Plitman was the soprano and Tim Handley was once again our superb engineer.” The recording sessions took place at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, USA. More Info Falletta Receives 10th ASCAP Award May 22, 2008 in NYC JoAnn Falletta will be an honoree at the 9th Annual ASCAP Concert Music Awards in New York City on May 22, 2008. Citing her “career-long advocacy for American composers”, and calling her a “leading force for the music of our time”, the ASCAP award is being given in recognition of her work as a “conductor, communicator, recording artist, audience builder, champion of American composers and distinguished musical citizen”. Awards will also be presented to Pulitzer-prize winning composers John Corigliano and David Lang, and composer, arranger and Chanticleer Music Director, Joseph Jennings, and to recipients of the 2008 ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. This will mark Ms. Falletta’s 10th ASCAP award. In 2007, Maestro Falletta led The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to receive its first ASCAP award, when it was honored for Programming of Contemporary Music from ASCAP and the League of American Orchestras ( formerly, ASOL) at the ASOL National Conference in Pittsburgh. More Info Falletta Mentors Women Conductors for the League of American Orchestras During 2008, JoAnn Falletta hosts a Women Music Directors’ Mentoring Circle for the League of American Orchestras. This series of focused, mentor-led discussions build on the legacy of the Women’s Philharmonic, which was led by Maestro Falletta, to provide training and opportunities for women musicians, composers, and conductors. “I am looking forward to hosting the Women Music Directors’ Mentoring Circle”, said conductor JoAnn Falletta. “Together we will be able to address the issues facing women conductors who hold the position of Music Director with professional orchestras. By sharing our experiences and aspirations we will ensure the extraordinary talent that is available to America’s orchestras is nurtured and more widely recognized.” Participants must hold the position of music director with a professional orchestra. For more information: americanorchestras.org/learning_and_leadership/women_conductors.html More Info JoAnn Falletta Receives Honorary Degree from Virginia Weselyan College At its commencement ceremonies on May 17, 2008, Virginia Wesleyan College awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree to JoAnn Falletta in recognition of her “achievements and service to improve mankind” as conductor of the Virginia Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. Falletta has previously received honorary degrees from several national and international colleges and universities, including The New School in New York City (2007), The College of William and Mary in Virginia (2007), Marian College (1988), Old Dominion University (1994), Canisius College (2000), Christopher Newport University (2000), and Niagara University (2001). Says Falletta: “I have deep respect for Virginia Wesleyan College and for each of the fine colleges and universities from which I have received honorary degrees in the past, and am very grateful for their support of the arts and for their recognition of my work through these degrees.” More Info JoAnn Falletta’s Premiere Recording with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra features Michael Ludwig Performing the Violin Concertos of Dohnányi JoAnn Falletta’s most recent release on the Naxos label, the Violin Concertos of Erno Dohnányi, featuring the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and soloist Michael Ludwig, has been hailed as “bristl[ing] with brilliance”. Says Falletta: “I am astonished that these Romantic gems are so little known and played. Both Dohnányi Violin Concertos contain all the ingredients of a blockbuster concerto—passion, drama, soaring melodies, virtuosic writing for the soloist, passage after passage of breathtaking beauty, lush orchestration, propulsion and drive. Having such an extraordinary advocate as violinist Michael Ludwig, these concertos may find their way onto concert stages all over the world. Michael plays them with the intensity, technique and glorious tone of the masters of the golden age of the violin, and makes a truly compelling case for the Dohnányi concertos.” This disc marks JoAnn Falletta’s eighth contribution to the highly acclaimed Naxos label, and her second this year to the Naxos Classical label. More Info Four New Discs Featuring JoAnn Falletta in Works By Respighi, Brahms, Bruch and Schoenfield Acclaimed conductor JoAnn Falletta, who is currently the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony, is in the midst of a prolific recording period. This season, she conducts the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Virginia Symphony and the Prague Philharmonia in four new recordings of orchestral works by Resphighi, Brahms, Bruch and Schoenfield. Upcoming Naxos releases by Ms. Falletta include a world premiere recording of the orchestral music of Kenneth Fuchs with the London Symphony, her first recording with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra featuring the violin concertos of Dohnanyi, and two world premiere recordings with the Buffalo Philharmonic including John Corigliano’s Mr. Tambourine Man and “new” works by Schubert, featuring the completion of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. JoAnn Falletta leading the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in rarely-heard works by 20th-century Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, including Vetrate di chiesa, P 150 (Church Windows), Impressioni brasiliane (Brazilian Impressions), and Rossiniana. Falletta, who has recorded works of Aaron Copland, Kenneth Fuchs, Charles Griffes, John Corigliano and Frederick Converse for Naxos as part of a continuing program of recordings of American music, is now bringing her talents to bear upon this, the first in a series of 20th century Italian music from Naxos, to include both new recordings and Marco Polo reissues. Andrew Russo joins the Prague Philharmonia under JoAnn Falletta for this Black Box release of Schoenfield’s piano concerto Four Parables. Described in Audiophile Audition as “a sort of Gershwin Concerto in F for the new millennium..[that] keeps an irrepressible spirit connected with both the Roaring 20s and today’s Generation X.” JoAnn Falletta leads the Virginia Symphony Orchestra with soloist Michael Ludwig in Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra and Massenet’s Meditation from Thais, on the Hamptons Road Classics label. Hailed by Strad Magazine for his “effortless, envy-provoking Pianist Norman Krieger “takes a full-bodied approach to this marvelous, romantic Brahms concerto—captured in a live recording in Virginia, Falletta’s other home—and tops it off with a warm studio recording of the Capriccio Op. 116 in D Minor, the Intermezzo Op. 116 in A minor and the Fourth Ballade. This is a lovely, passionate, straightforward recording.” Buffalo News More Info JoAnn Falletta leads the London Symphony Orchestra in Second Naxos Recording of New Works by Kenneth Fuchs Recording follows up on 2006 Grammy-Nominated Naxos CD, An American Place (Fuchs, Naxos American Classics) Few artists are as important to the fabric of their communities as JoAnn Falletta. Acclaimed by The New York Times as “one of the finest conductors of her generation”, she serves as the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Falletta is an ardent champion of music of our time, having introduced over 400 works by American composers, including nearly 100 world premieres. For the Naxos American Classics Series, she has recorded works by Aaron Copland, Kenneth Fuchs, Charles Griffes, John Corigliano, Romeo Cascarino and Frederick Converse. This marks JoAnn Falletta’s sixth contribution to the highly acclaimed series and her second disc dedicated to the works of Kenneth Fuchs. “I find Ken’s music extremely colorful, communicative and lyrical” says Falletta. “I have been very impressed at how much the musicians of both the London Symphony and the Virginia Symphony enjoyed playing his work, and how warmly the audiences have responded.” The recordings represent the culmination of over 20 years of friendship that began when Fuchs and Falletta were colleagues at The Juilliard School in New York City. Maestro Falletta’s 2007/08 season with the Buffalo Philharmonic is a prolific recording period, with the Orchestra recording four CDs and releasing two new discs on the Naxos label, including a world premiere recording of John Corigliano’s Mr. Tambourine Man, based on the poems of Bob Dylan, and the international release of a disc of the works of Ottorino Respighi. The Respighi, which was hailed for its “brilliant performances” and as “one of the BPO’s finest hours since its wonderful previous Griffes disc on Naxos,” is the first in a series of 20th century Italian music from Naxos. Falletta, who has established a reputation for conducting artistically important, but seldom-heard works is embarking on a multi-year recording project of the lost works of Marcel Tyberg, the brilliant Italian composer and Holocaust victim. The first release in this series will be Tyberg’s Symphony No. 3. Other works to be recorded this season include discs of the music of Franz Schubert and Richard Strauss, both for Naxos. More Info JoAnn Falletta to Make British Conducting Debut with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic October 27th and 28th Two New CD Releases by Falletta, and a Recording Session with the London Symphony Also Scheduled for the Fall Acclaimed American conductor JoAnn Falletta will make her British debut conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on October 27 and 28, 2006 at 7:30pm. Both concerts will feature trumpet soloist Alison Balsom, who will perform the Haydn Trumpet Concerto on Friday at King George’s Hall in Blackburn, and the world premiere of Joby Talbot’s Trumpet Concerto in the Saturday concert at Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool. The concerts will also include John Adams’ exhilarating work A Short Ride in a Fast Machine and will end with Berlioz’s dazzling Symphonie Fantastique. The Saturday concert is part of the Listen Up Festival of Orchestras 2006, presented by BBC Radio 3, the Association of British Orchestras, and Making Music, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Tickets are available for the October 28 concert at www.liverpoolphil.com and at www.kinggeorgeshall.com for the concert on the 27th. JoAnn Falletta is known worldwide as one of the finest conductors of her generation, and is hailed as “one of the brightest stars of symphonic music”. Currently the music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony, and Artistic Advisor to the Honolulu Symphony, she has been invited to conduct many of the world’s great symphony orchestras. In addition to her debut with the RLPO, this season Falletta is making her first appearance with the Orchestre National De Lyon, the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Lisbon, Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal in Germany, the Rotterdam Philharmonic and the Shanghai Philharmonic, with debuts in 2007 with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National De Lyon, the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie and the National Orchestra of Belgium. This summer, she made acclaimed debuts with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and the Jerusalem Symphony. Highlights of her recent North American guest conducting appearances include the orchestras of Philadelphia, Montreal, San Francisco, Toronto, Detroit and St. Louis, and the National Symphony. Maestro Falletta is a prolific recording artist. Her growing discography, which will soon include over 40 titles, consists of recordings with the London Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Virginia Symphony, the English Chamber Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony, the Long Beach Symphony, the Czech National Symphony and the Women’s Philharmonic. This October will see the international release of two new recordings on the Naxos label, including a BPO CD of Prairie Music devoted to the music of Aaron Copland, and a world premiere recording of the orchestral music of Romeo Cascarino with the Philadelphia Philharmonic. Her upcoming releases for this season also include a world premiere recording of the orchestral music of Kenneth Fuchs with the London Symphony to be released on the Naxos label, following up on her 2005 recording of Fuchs’ music with the LSO, for which Falletta received her first Grammy nomination. Her 2004 recording of Griffes Orchestral Music, on the Naxos label with the Buffalo Philharmonic, was selected as an Editor’s Choice Recording by Gramophone. More info Aaron Copland CD with the BPO Naxos announced the international release of a new Aaron Copland collection CD by the Buffalo Philharmonic, under the direction of JoAnn Falletta. The disc is devoted to works inspired by the spacious landscape of the American prairie, including The Red Pony Suite, Rodeo, Prairie Journal, and Letter from Home. The disc honors the Buffalo historic landmark Darwin D. Martin House, one of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s premier prairie houses. “From the brash ‘Circus Music’ to the gentle ‘Granfather’s Story’ (both from The Red Pony), the disc presents a dream of America as expressed by Copland and by the prairie-style architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. It can make us think deeply, as both theses artists wanted us to, about our place in the world”, says the Buffalo News, which called the disc “sparkl[ling] with life and wit”. More info Exclusive Tour of Spain and Portugal with JoAnn Falletta, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and AAA of Western New York are collaborating on an exclusive tour of Spain and Portugal with JoAnn Falletta, culminating with JoAnn Falletta conducting the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra on February 29 and March 1, 2008. Michael Ludwig, Clement and Karen Arrison Concertmaster Chair of the BPO will be the featured soloist. For more information about how you can be a member of this tour, please call AAA Tour Consultant Karen Weiss at 716-873-0111 x223. Brochure Buffalo Philharmonic Announces “This season, the Buffalo Philharmonic is embarking on a journey that explores the spirit of Romanticism with all its multifaceted splendor”, says Music Director JoAnn Falletta. The season, which will feature works of Romantic masters including Shostakovich, Rossini, Schumann and Schubert, culminating in a two week Beethoven festival, will also be a prolific recording period for the Orchestra. The Orchestra will record four CDs and release two new discs on the Naxos label, including a world premiere recording of John Corigliano’s Mr. Tambourine Man, based on the poems of Bob Dylan, and the international release of a disc of the works of Ottorino Respighi. The BPO is embarking on a multi-year recording project of the lost works of Marcel Tyberg, the brilliant Italian composer and Holocaust victim. The first release in this series will be Tyberg’s Symphony No. 3. Other works to be recorded this season include discs of the music of Franz Schubert and Richard Strauss, both on the Naxos label, and a Classical Christmas release on the Orchestra’s Beau Fleuve label. Continuing to raise the BPO’s national and international prominence, Ms. Falletta will once again lead the orchestra in a number of concerts to be broadcast nationally on NPR’s Performance Today, From the Top and SymphonyCast, and international broadcasts through the European Broadcasting Union. Click here for more information, including Falletta’s thoughts on Buffalo, and news about BPO’s recording projects and CDs to be released and recorded this year. Virginia Symphony Orchestra Announces 
Music Director JoAnn Falletta and The Virginia Symphony Orchestra
announced highlights of the VSO’s 2007-2008 season. Continuing their
commitment to reach new audiences, the VSO will inaugurate a series of
concerts in two new venues this season: the Sandler Center in Virginia
Beach and the Center for Cultural Arts in Suffolk, in addition to the
VSO’s existing series at Chrysler Hall, Ferguson Center for the Arts,
Regent University and St. Bede in Williamsburg. In anticipation of the
season, Maestro Falletta notes, “The Virginia Symphony will present its
most romantic season to date in 2007-2008 with a vibrant tapestry of
works by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Brahms, Beethoven and other
composers who explore the full gamut of the emotional and dramatic
possibilities for orchestra.” Guest artists for the season include
Joshua Bell, Sir James Galway, Christopher O’Riley, Nicola Benedetti and
the Eroica Trio, among others. For the first time in her tenure, Maestro
Falletta will appear as guest soloist with the Orchestra, performing
Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto in D Major. The season will see the release
of two new recordings by the VSO; the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 with
Norman Krieger and a disc featuring violin soloist Michael Ludwig
performing Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy and Massenet’s Meditation.More info Norfolk to announce five more Legends of Music today By MALCOLM VENABLE, The Virginian-Pilot © March 20, 2007
The musicians—Clarence Clemons, General Norman Johnson, Pat Curtis, JoAnn Falletta and the late Phelps Brothers—will be honored with medallions embedded in the sidewalk in the 300 block of Granby Street. The induction ceremony will be April 18, with a free concert afterward at the Roper Performing Arts Center at Tidewater Community College. Honorees this year span a few different genres of music. Clemons’ oeuvre includes pop, rock, blues and soul; he’s perhaps best known as the charismatic, larger-than-life saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Clemons was born in Norfolk. Pianist and Norfolk native Pat Curtis taught Bruce Hornsby how to play. The General Norman Johnson, born in Norfolk’s Huntersville, gained fame as the leader of the group The Showmen. He’s considered a beach music icon; he’s the bard behind “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” and the song “Patches”, which became a hit for Clarence Carter. JoAnn Falletta serves as music director of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Music critics regard her as one of the finest conductors in the country, if not the world, and city officials said she is being inducted because of her effect on the appreciation of classical music in Hampton Roads and Virginia. Falletta is also a recording artist; her discography includes more than 40 titles. She was nominated for a Grammy in 2006. “I can scarcely believe it,” Falletta said Friday. “I’m kind of amazed. It’s a great honor. This is a city I have loved since the day that I moved here 16 years ago, so to have a little permanent piece like that is a thrill for me.” She said she’ll likely celebrate the entire week of the induction ceremony and said she’ll play some “interesting” and fun classical guitar selections at the April 18 concert. The Phelps Brothers—Norman, Willie and Earl—started singing in South Norfolk as teens. They eventually landed in Hollywood, appearing in a series of films for Paramount Pictures as singing cowboys in the late 1930s. Norman Phelps wrote the song “Back in the Saddle Again”, and although he did not receive royalties from the song, it became one of Gene Autry’s biggest hits. These musicians follow notables including Hornsby, Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey, who have had plaques installed on Granby Street since the Walk of Fame was created by the City Council in 2002 to honor musicians with local ties. After the induction ceremony, scheduled to begin at 3pm, Clemons, Johnson, Falletta and Curtis will perform at the free concert, which starts at 7pm Norman Phelps’ daughter Bonnie and her husband, Ed, will represent the Phelps Brothers. BPO and Music Director JoAnn Falletta Honored by Their Peers for Adventurous Programming The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director JoAnn Falletta received a prestigious award for adventurous programming at the American Symphony Orchestra League’s (ASOL) National Conference in Pittsburgh on June 11. The BPO received the Second Place Award for Programming of Contemporary Music, offered by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the ASOL. It was the first time the BPO has been the recipient of this prestigious award. JoAnn Falletta Nominated for Grammy JoAnn Falletta has received a Grammy Nomination in the category of Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra. The nomination, which she shares with English Horn soloist, Thomas Stacy, is for their recording of Eventide, Concerto for English Horn, Harp, Percussion, and String Orchestra, by Kenneth Fuchs, performed by Thomas Stacy and the London Symphony Orchestra. Eventide is included in Kenneth Fuchs: An American Place, issued on the Naxos American Classics label (2005, Naxos 8.559224). Says JoAnn, “It is such an honor for me to have the opportunity to collaborate with an artist like Tom Stacy on the extraordinary music of Ken Fuchs. The entire recording process with the incredible musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra and producer Michael Fine was a wonderful experience, and I feel that everyone involved in this recording should be very proud.” Michael Fine, who produced the Fuchs disc and JoAnn’s other recently released Naxos recording with the LSO, Ranjbaran: Persian Triology, was also nominated for the Classical Producer of the Year Grammy for his work on the Fuchs and Persian Trilogy CDs.
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