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Welcome to our thirteenth season of world-class presentations!
On our two Music Series, a special homecoming concert opens the season: Athens' own Georgia Guitar Quartet, now accomplished professionals enjoying nationwide successes. Our own great orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, will again visit us twice. Music Director Robert Spano makes the first appearance this season in October in an all-Tchaikovsky program with Georgia native violinist Robert McDuffie. In March, enjoy exciting young guest conductor Nicola Luisotti and pianist Horacio Guiterrez performing Prokofiev's fiery Third Piano Concerto. The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra brings us an evening of Russian music in January, including pianist Finghin Collins performing Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto. In an unparalleled evening of the finest Baroque classics, the Academy of Ancient Music performs all six of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Vocal fans of all ages will enjoy two special events: the Male Choir of St. Petersburg, a group with basso profundos (very low bass voices) so notable that they have an international fan club, and the ever-popular Vienna Choir Boys. A solo piano performance by Claude Frank highlights the fall, and two superb smaller ensembles complete the season in the spring. Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is joined by the Assad Brothers guitar duo for a thrilling evening of Gypsy tunes and more, and last in the calendar, but most certainly not least, harpsichord master Sir Trevor Pinnock and Principal Flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Emmanuel Pahud, present a duo recital of Baroque masterpieces to bring the season to a rousing conclusion. The Dance Festival continues to spotlight the finest dancers, although in a new setting this season. With the Fine Arts Theatre closed for renovations, all of the dance season will take place in Hodgson Hall. The season opens with a return of Ballet Flamenco José Porcel. A vibrant modern troupe, the Seán Curran Company visits in January, and one of the great full-length story ballets, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, is presented by the Russian National Ballet. This year's Showtime Series opens with a perennial audience favorite, the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Player's production of The Pirates of Penzance. Irish fiddler Eileen Ivers brings her blue violin to Hodgson Hall for an Irish Christmas program, and a trio of California-based musicians featuring guitarist Eric Hansen visits in February. The Showtime Series closes with a salute to the Broadway hits of Andrew Lloyd Webber. You'll also enjoy a variety of world and American music, dance, and drama on the Traditions Series. The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa brings the exotic melodies of the Dark Continent to athens. In a program truly appropriate in this time of war, the vocal group Cantus presents a program that recreates the soldiers' spontaneous singing during WWI's Christmas Truce of 1914. Another timeless and topical presentation is brought to us by the L.A. Theatre Works, with their radio play on The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial. A visit by Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile on mandolin caps the series in March. Four award-winning young artists will appear on the Ramsey Concert Hall Series, offering solo recitals on violin, marimba, piano, and soprano voice. Violinist Mayuko Kamio is a marvelous young talent, and pianist Louis Schwizgebel-Wang was one of two first-prize winners in last year's Young Concert Artists auditions in New York. Our vocal recitalist, soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird, is a graduate of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and a former student employee of the Office of Performing Arts. Anne-Carolyn has gone on to international success and appears regularly with the Metropolitan Opera. The winner of the second University of Georgia Performing Arts Center prize, marimbist Pius Cheung will astound you with his arrangements of classical keyboard music for his instrument. Please come and join your friends at the Performing Arts Center for these extraordinary performances. Timothy A. Bartholow
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