- This event has passed.
Knox-Galesburg Symphony April Concert
April 28, 2018 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
The Knox-Galesburg Symphony season closer: “ON OUR WAY” Saturday, April 28, at 7:30 PM the Knox Galesburg Symphony presents its final masterworks concert of the season at The Orpheum Theatre. “On Our Way” will also be Bruce Polay’s final concert at the theatre. After serving the KGS for thirty-five years, Bruce is on his way into retirement. The theme of this final concert looks ahead to the future of the Knox Galesburg Symphony as they move into the next generation and the final round of their search for a new Music Director.
The orchestra will perform Enchanted Lake by Anatoly Liadov, Rachmaninov’s stirring Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor with pianist Clipper Erickson, and close the season with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. These works were all chosen by Bruce to represent the theme of this concert. In the words of French writer Victor Hugo “music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”
This concert will open with “Enchanted Lake,” a quiet, mysterious work which brings to mind an inner world of deep imagination and insight. Of this work, the composer states “How picturesque it is, how clear, the multitude of stars hovering over the mysteries of the deep.” Such a mysterious entrance into a world of imagination sets the stage for Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in c minor. While this concerto might not seem as mysterious as “Enchanted Lake,” it is the product of mystery. Rachmaninov completed this piece after undergoing hypnosis and overcoming a depression. With this concerto, Rachmaninov had not only overcome writer’s block, but he had found a new voice as a composer- one with a perfect knack for unforgettable tunes, dazzling pianistic effects, an effortless flow of ideas, and a very suave sense of style. Clipper Erickson will be playing this work and showcasing his “dazzling pianistic effects.” According to the
Washington Post, “like a true heroic pianist, Erickson approached Liszt with power, precision and Romantic abandon … a take-no-prisoners rendition.”
After intermission, the orchestra returns with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major, his most bucolic and idyllic work – it is in effect his Pastoral. Like the subsequent New World Symphony, it was written in the seclusion of the countryside. This work was organized in a new fashion for Dvořák. Far from the pressures of urban life, he said of this composition, “melodies simply pour out of me.” This symphony ends the concert with an adventurous spirit of triumph and good nature.
Although you can reserve your seats online, you may still want to arrive early to visit with friends and other subscribers as they prepare to wish Bruce a happy retirement. Stick around after the performance for a special celebration of Bruce and his time with the orchestra. Join others in raising a glass to thank Maestro for all that he’s done for the orchestra and our community. Subscriptions will go on sale soon for the 2018-2019 season, “The Search.” Next season’s Masterworks concerts will each be conducted by one of our music director finalists. The audience will have opportunities to meet the candidates and provide feedback after each performance. You won’t want to miss the excitement as we select our next conductor!
The Knox-Galesburg Symphony thanks its many generous patrons and Blick Art Materials, this season’s underwriter, for making these performances possible. Tickets, starting at just $12, are available online at www.knoxgalesburgsymphony.org, at the Orpheum box office, and by calling the KGS at (309) 341-7268.
