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Louisville Orchestra announced new season

Louisville, KY (June 29, 2012)… The anticipated return of the Louisville Orchestra arrives September 8 as the entire orchestra family appears together on stage for its “Fanfara” season-opening gala concert! Music Director Jorge Mester and The Louisville Orchestra are proud to announce the Orchestra’s 2012-13 Season – its 75th Anniversary Season - to include all the series Orchestra fans have come to love. Subscription prices vary by series and are now available by calling (502) 587-8681 or by visiting LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

Carefully crafted by Maestros Mester and Bernhardt, the Louisville Orchestra’s 75th season will reignite Louisville’s love of live orchestral music with a little something for everyone. Conductor Jorge Mester says, “We have all worked very hard to bring the wonderful Louisville Orchestra and our musicians back to the stage to regale all music lovers with great programs and inspiring concerts.”

The season launches at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 8th at Whitney Hall with a very special FANFARA designed to celebrate the endeavors of the entire orchestra family. The Orchestra’s classics and pops will be combined in one musical extravaganza replete with Mester and Bernhardt as well as guest artists, pianist Jeremy Denk (first half) and Las Vegas entertainer Steve Lippia (second half). Bob Bernhardt says “I'm honored to be sharing the stage with Jorge and our musicians at FANFARA, and to follow their classical set with some of the best pops charts from the Great American Songbook, music of Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rodgers and Hammerstein and more. It’s going to be a thrill!”

Tickets to this very extraordinary event are available now to subscribers and are included in all “Classics” subscription packages. The general public will be able to purchase tickets for Fanfara on August 13.

The New York Times hails pianist Jeremy Denk and his performances as “bracing, effortlessly virtuosic, and utterly joyous.” Denk is one of the fastest rising stars in all of classical music and he makes his Louisville Orchestra return appearance in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25. At intermission, the audience will raise a glass to honor Bob Bernhardt and his 30 years with the Louisville Orchestra in a very special reception in the lobby. Guests will return to their seats for a toe-tapping second half featuring entertainer, Steve Lippia with Bob and the band in a Pops tribute to the great American songbook. Bernhard raves about Lippia’s show saying “with Steve, it's all about the melody and the musicianship. His charts are lush and fantastic, making the Louisville Orchestra a true partner in presenting some of the most justifiably popular music of our time. Whether he's singing the hits of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole or Bobby Darin, it'll be a perfect way to end a special evening celebrating our orchestra.”

“Fanfara”

Sponsored by David and Betty Jones

Saturday | September 8, 2012 | 8:30 pm

Whitney Hall

Jorge Mester, conductor

Bob Bernhardt, conductor

Jeremy Denk, piano

Steve Lippia, vocalist

CLASSICS & COFFEE SERIES

The Orchestra’s evening “Classics” and matinee “Coffee” concerts are the core of each season. The 75th Birthday season features time honored favorites, such as Rimsky–Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and concertos of Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky, Camille Saint-Saëns, Franz Liszt and Samuel Barber, among others. This season also offers numerous works never before performed by the Orchestra. Mester notes, “We always try to incorporate works which have never been performed by this Orchestra as a means of expanding our repertoire.” Australian guest conductor Sarah Ioannides conducts a program featuring guitarist Sharon Isbin, as example. In that program, Louisville audiences will be introduced to From Afar: Fantasy for Guitar and Orchestra by Pulitzer Prize- winning American composer, Joseph Schwantner. Other first performances include works by Philip Glass, Edward Elgar, Benjamin Britten, Osvaldo Golijov, Richard Strauss, Peter Schickele, and Ottorino Respighi.

A special feature this season will be a week-long festival entitled, “Music Unwound” the week of March 25, 2013. Curated by music scholar and author, Joseph Horowitz, Music Unwound is an adventurous collaboration among five American orchestras to bring humanities content into the concert hall. Louisville is honored to be a part of a multi-year grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in presenting “Copland in Mexico” in March. Programming will include collaborative presentations including photography exhibitions, films, lectures, portrayals and multi-media projections involving the University of Louisville, Louisville Visual Arts Association and Speed Art Museum. The Orchestra’s concerts that week will conclude with a live presentation of a 1936 black and white film entitled, “Redes” (The Wave) scored by composer Silvestre Revueltas and with cinematography of the seminal American photographer Paul Strand, both of whom were associates and major influences on the works of Aaron Copland. Other guests will appear from Mexico City and Los Angeles as part of the week’s activities. Jorge Mester reflects, “The Copland project is especially meaningful for me. Copland originally visited Mexico to absorb its art and culture. Out of this experience resulted in his popular El Salón México. Later on a subsequent visit to Mexico, I had the pleasure spending time with him and even taking him to the movies.”

“We have invited exciting and talented guests for our new season,” continues Mester. “Violinist Adele Anthony, pianist Christopher Taylor, tenor Michael Colvin and guest conductors Andrew Grams and Ryan McAdams, as examples; this will be a most memorable season of music making! We are also putting the spotlight on some of the Orchestra’s personnel including principal clarinetist Andrea Levine and principal horn, Jon Gustley.” Mester says proudly, “I wanted to make sure the audience experiences the quality of their musicians, and what better way to do that than to give them opportunities to shine as soloists?”

With a variety of subscription options designed to meet all schedules and budgets, the Classics and Coffee series offers music for everyone. The public can choose from 6 to 10 concert-packages and evening or matinee performances for the perfect package to suit their schedule. Subscription packages start at $89 and are available by calling (502) 587-8681 or online at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

Hilliard Lyons Classics

Treyton Oak Towers Coffee Concerts

Friday | October 5, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Brown Theatre

Jorge Mester, conductor

Peter McCaffrey, cello

Smetana Three Dances from The Bartered Bride

Saint-Saëns Concerto for Cello No. 1

Dvorák Symphony No. 7

Friday | October 12, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Sarah Ioannides, conductor

Sharon Isbin, guitar

Elgar In the South

Schwantner From Afar: Fantasy for Guitar and Orchestra

Sibelius Symphony No. 1

Thursday | November 15, 2012 | 10:30 am

Friday | November 16, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Brown Theatre

Jorge Mester, conductor

Michael Colvin, tenor

Jon Gustley, horn

Glass Symphony No. 3

Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings

Bizet Symphony No. 1

Friday | January 11, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Ryan McAdams, conductor

Andrea Levine, clarinet

Golijov Sidereus

Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1

Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

Thursday | January 31, 2013 | 10:30 am

Saturday | February 2, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Andrew Grams, conductor

Adele Anthony, violin

Verdi Overture to La forza del destino

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major

R. Strauss Aus Italien

Thursday | February 21, 2013 | 10:30 am

Friday | February 22, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Jorge Mester, conductor

Christopher Taylor, piano

Schickele Concerto for Chamber Orchestra

Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

Thursday | March 14, 2013 | 10:30 am

Friday | March 15, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Jorge Mester, conductor

Chu-Fang Huang, piano

Respighi Rossiniana

R. Strauss Burleske

Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (“Organ Symphony”)

MUSIC UNWOUND: Copland in Mexico

a multi-media presentation presented with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Thursday | March 28, 2013 | 10:30 am

Friday | March 29, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Jorge Mester, conductor

Joseph Horowitz, host

featuring narration, portrayals and projections

Copland Rodeo

Copland Billy the Kid

Copland El Salón México

Revueltas Redes (The Wave) - film with orchestra

Thursday | April 25, 2013 | 10:30 am

Friday | April 26, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Jorge Mester, conductor

Paul Huang, voilin

Hindemith Mathis der Maler

Barber Concerto for Violin

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

All programs, artists, dates and times subject to change
High resolution images of Classics artists available here http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/media/images/

Louisville Orchestra POPS

Presented by LG&E and KU, and Tafel Motors

The Louisville Orchestra's Pops Series just gets better with every year! Every Pops concert for the 75th season will be in the newly restored Whitney Hall, providing the best acoustics and an ideal environment for our most popular series.

Bernhardt designed the entire series and says, “The Pops series this year is packed with energy, style and glorious music! Since I first worked with Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell in Houston, I've been looking forward to inviting him to join us at Whitney Hall. Stokes is a true Broadway Star, capital S, with an easy-going charisma and spectacular baritone voice.” He continues, “Last year was the 125th Anniversary of the Boston Pops, and this season marks the 20th Anniversary of my first performance with them at Boston Symphony Hall. The brilliant pianist, Michael Chertock and I will be presenting a tribute to the Boston Pops Tradition, from Arthur Fiedler to John Williams. It will be a blast, and the Louisville Orchestra will be front-and-center for the entire show! The entire season will showcase the Orchestra like never before!” Subscriptions are available starting at $137 by calling (502) 587-8681 or online at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

October 13, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Star of Broadway, television and film, Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell will charm Louisville audiences in an elegant and riveting program of the great hits of Broadway and beyond.

November 3, 2012 |8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Spectrum: Motown Hits

Voted "Best of Las Vegas" in 2005 and again in 2006, Spectrum has developed the reputation of one of Motown's greatest tribute groups, covering the music of The Platters, Temptations, to Boyz 2 Men!

January 12, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Music City Hit-Makers: Nashville's Best

A trio of hit-makers for the mega-stars perform with the Louisville Orchestra and a six-piece band! It's a night of number-ones from the creators themselves, including "Jesus Take the Wheel" (Grammy - Best Country Song) and "Wasted" recorded by Carrie Underwood, "American Honey" recorded by Lady Antebellum, "Out Last Night" (Kenny Chesney), "It's America" (Rodney Atkins), "Blessed" (Martina McBride), and more.

January 26, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Tribute to the Boston Pops with pianist Michael Chertock

Fresh from his return engagement at The Boston Pops, Bob Bernhardt is joined by Pops pianist, Michael Chertock in a nostalgic tribute to the great American pops orchestra in a wonderful evening of sound and song!

March 16, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Blood, Sweat & Tears

The ‘70s was the era of rock, blues, pop music, and horn arrangements, and few bands could touch BS&T! "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Spinning Wheel," "And When I Die," and "Got To Get You Into My Life" are just some of their amazing hits that Pops audiences will relive, live with the biggest band in all of Louisville!

April 27, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

The Music of the Who

Back by popular demand, the Orchestra’s “Music of…” series continues! You’ll feel as though you’ve seen and heard Roger, Pete, John and Keith at their prime. Prepare yourself for the show of a lifetime; every one of the LO’s “Music of” programs has been standing room only and the talk of the town.

All programs, artists, dates and times subject to change
High resolution images of Pops artists available here http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/media/images/

Strings Attached

Presented by BB&T

Saturday, March 30, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

The Indigo Girls

The Indigo Girls earned hundreds of weeks on the top of the charts with hits such as “Closer to Fine,” “Galileo,” and “Least Complicated.” They’re bringing their unique brand of artistry and tight-knit harmonies to the Louisville Orchestra with a full symphonic backing band in our Strings Attached Series! Buy your tickets early; this will prove to be a sold-out show! Tickets will be available starting in October.

Other Strings Attached series events to be announced.

All programs, artists, dates and times subject to change
High resolution images of Strings Attached artists available here http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/media/images/

NightLites

The Orchestra's trademark NightLites programs provide a ninety-minute affair with no intermission, perfect for first time listeners or a short event following a day at the office. NightLites events are presented in Louisville and Southern Indiana. Subscriptions are $74 or $59, and are available by calling (502) 587-8681 or online at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

Thursday, November 8, 2012 | 6:30 pm | Brown Theater

Friday, November 9, 2012 | 7:30 pm | Ogle Center (IUS)

Black Tie and Bluegrass

Featuring Fletcher Bright and the Dismembered Tennesseans, this special event will include a live Bluegrass band with orchestral flair! You'll enjoy "Ashoken Farewell," "Southern Flavor," and of course, the "Tennessee Waltz" and more!

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 6:30 pm | Brown Theater

Friday, January 25, 2013 | 7:30 pm | Ogle Center (IUS)

Classics Goes to the Movies

NightLites audiences know how much Bob Bernhardt loves the music of Hollywood. You'll be led on a grand tour of some of the greats in this whirlwind showcase of cinematic favorites!

Thursday, April 4, 2013 | 6:30 pm | Brown Theater

Friday, April 5, 2013 | 7:30 pm | Ogle Center (IUS)

NightLites Insights

As a special treat, Bob will present “NightLites Insights” to close the series – a live “tour” through Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony (No. 6) as only Bob and the musicians of the LO can present!

L.O. WOW!

Presented by Brown-Forman Corporation

The L.O. WOW! series features three dynamite presentations to captivate your senses! The series opens with Disney in Concert with music from the movies that will transport young and young-at heart. The ever popular, Video Games Live returns the energy and excitement of a rock concert mixed with the power and emotion of a symphony orchestra combined together by the technology, interactivity, stunning visuals and fun that only video games can provide. The series closes with Blue Planet Live! which explores wonders of our underwater world, displayed on a giant screen while a full orchestra performs the dazzling Emmy Award®-winning score. Single Tickets for the L.O. WOW! Series will be available in September.

Saturday, November 10, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Disney In Concert!

Featuring music, film clips and artist renderings, this concert showcases a variety of musical scores from popular Disney movies including Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Pirates of the Caribbean!

Saturday, November 24, 2012 | 8:00 pm

Louisville Palace

Video Games Live!

Video Games Live returns following two sold-out shows in recent years... This immersive concert features music from the biggest video games of all time brought to you in full symphonic sound!

Saturday, March 9, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Whitney Hall

Blue Planet Live!

A unique show, this theatrical presentation is of the most remarkable film sequences from the celebrated BBC/Discovery television series, The Blue Planet. Prepared to be wowed!

All programs, artists, dates and times subject to change
High resolution images of L.O. WOW programs available here http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/media/images/

orKIDStra

Presented by Yum! Brands and Commonwealth Bank & Trust

The Louisville Orchestra’s very special family programs aimed to entertain and educate kids of all ages. FREE pre-concert activities begin at 10 am in the lobby before each event. orKIDStra subscriptions are $38 and are available by calling (502) 587-8681 or online at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

Saturday, October 20, 2012 | 11:00 am

Brown Theatre

Halloween Spooktacular

An orKIDStra favorite! Kids are invited to wear their Halloween Costumes and parade across the stage at the Brown Theatre!

Saturday, January 19, 2013 | 11:00 am

Brown Theatre

Family Concert

A family-friendly program will delight children and parents alike!

Saturday, March 2, 2013 | 11:00 am

Brown Theatre

Take Me Out To the Ball Game

Come sing-a-long with the Louisville Orchestra as we salute America’s past time with hits including “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Casey at the Bat.”