National Philharmonic Announces Fall Season Lineup

The National Philharmonic announced its 2015-2016 season lineup beginning in mid-September with a mix of American 20th-century masterpieces along with featured soloists and choral pieces, according to a news release.

In its 12th year of residency at the Music Center at Strathmore, the Philharmonic will continue its commitment to education and outreach by offering free concerts to every second-grader in Montgomery County Public Schools, free pre-concert lectures, master classes with renowned guest soloists and high quality summer string and choral programs.

The Philharmonic’s success over the past 31 years is largely credited to its critically acclaimed performances filled with great, time-tested music and its family friendly approach. All young people age 7 to 17 attend National Philharmonic concerts free of charge through its “All Kids, All Free, All The Time” program.

Repeat Sunday matinee performances of the Philharmonic’s most popular programs will be offered again this year. In addition, concertgoers can attend National Philharmonic’s pre-concert lectures on featured composers and music 75 minutes before performances.

Highlights of the upcoming season include:

• Season kickoff concert featuring 20th-century masterpieces: Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Gershwin’s American in Paris and Concerto in F, with pianist Thomas Pandolfi, a leading interpreter of the works of Gershwin.
• Tenor Issachah Savage, who this year made his Metropolitan Opera debut, sings the title role in the powerful concert opera Rienzi by Wagner.
• Pianist Brian Ganz, who is halfway through his journey to perform all of Chopin’s works, will be joined by Polish soprano Iwona Sobtka in an evening dedicated to the rarely performed songs of Chopin.
• Award-winning violinist Chee-Yun returns to Strathmore to play Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4.
• Zuill Bailey performs two Vivaldi cello concertos and Gregor Piatigorsky’s brilliant Variations on a Paganini Theme.
• National Philharmonic concertmaster Colin Sorgi performs Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 2.
• Pianist Brian Ganz plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor.
• A performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria with soprano Julie Keim, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór and the National Philharmonic Chorale.
• Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique Symphony
• Brahms’ Nänie and Gesang der Parzen
• Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with soprano Danielle Talamantes.
• National Philharmonic’s annual holiday performances of Handel’s Messiah.

Photo courtesy of The National Philharmonic.