Aural Histories: Orchestra Concert

Cristi M?celaru and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra kick off the Festival’s 56th season with a musical journey rich in storytelling and cultural histories. A fascinating expedition starts with Chinese-American composer Huang Ruo, whose vibrant and inventive musical voice draws equal inspiration from Chinese folk, Western avant-garde, rock, and jazz. His critically acclaimed Folksongs for Orchestra incorporates four well-known traditional Chinese songs. Huang Ruo writes, “Folk songs reflect the life and culture of a civilization. The goal [of this piece] is not only to preserve and renew the original folk songs, but to also transform them into new pieces of art that contain organic originality.” Receiving its US premiere tonight is award-winning Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri’s Dear Life. Based on a semi-autobiographical short story by Nobel Prize-winner Alice Munro, and adapted by Merlyn Simonds, it is a reflection on memory, childhood, and the formative stages of life. The work features a recorded narration by legendary actor Martha Henry, and soprano Mary Mackenzie–­a passionate performer of contemporary vocal music, described by the Boston Globe as “sensational.” Macedonian folk music is the starting point for composer Pande Shahov’s new Piano Concerto No. 2, a world premiere Festival commission written for and featuring celebrated pianist (and fellow Macedonian) Simon Trp?eski. Making his Festival debut tonight, Trp?eski has been hailed by the London Times for his “electrifying virtuosity” and the Evening Standard for his “wonderfully original insight.” Opening night concludes with the US premiere of Grana by Romanian composer Dan Dediu. Inspired by Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel García Marquez’s novel, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Grana springs from a simple idea–multiple interpretations of a single event. The piece’s four movements tell four stories of the same event, each from a different perspective.

MEETUP! The 2018 season begins with an outdoor Pre-Concert Talk with Cristi M?celaru led by pianist, writer and KALW radio producer Sarah Cahill. A special ticketed dinner is prepared by Feast for a King and served alfresco at the Civic Auditorium, reservations required.

Opening Night Schedule:
6:30pm Dinner (tickets required, order through SantaCruzTickets.com)
7:00pm Talk (free, table seating is reserved for dinner ticket holders)
8:00pm Aural Histories Concert