Richmond Symphony

The Nutcracker
2018-12-21 19:00, 2018-12-22 14:00, 2018-12-22 19:00, 2018-12-23 13:00, 2018-12-23 16:30 (America/New_York) | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
A timeless family classic, The Nutcracker, returns in December to enchant audiences with all of its splendor and beauty. Join Clara as she revels in the joy of Christmas Eve, bravely witnesses a battle beneath the branches of a mystical Christmas tree, and journeys through a winter white forest to the delectable Kingdom of Sweets. As the beloved characters of this dazzling production come to life to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score, children and adults alike will be swept away by the magic of the holidays.

Beethoven's Emperor & Mahler 5
2019-01-12 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Join the Richmond Symphony and guest artist Orion Weiss on piano, for a breathtaking evening of musical excellence. This Altria Masterworks concert features Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 Opus 73 “Emperor,” as well as the epic masterpiece that is Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor.
Beethoven wrote this concerto while Vienna was under siege by Napoleon’s armies. “What a disturbing, wild life all around me,” Beethoven wrote to his publisher, “nothing but drums, cannons, men, misery of all sorts.” The piece has a wide dynamic range that opens with a striking first movement, settles into a serene hymn-like adagio, and moves through to a triumphant rondo finale.
When Gustav Mahler conducted the first performance of his Fifth Symphony in 1904, it was described as “the giant symphony,” due to the immense demands placed on the orchestra. The first movement is a sort of funeral march. It begins with a single trumpet announcing the main theme. The entire orchestra eventually takes up this theme, building to a powerful climax before yielding to a more lyrical, plaintive melody. Eventually, the lighthearted waltz crashes its way back in and struggles with the darker theme, prevailing triumphantly at the end. The piece moves from sorrow to joy through epic swells of orchestral participation.
Orion Weiss is one of the most sought-after soloists in his generation of young American musicians.His deeply felt and exceptionally crafted performances go far beyond his technical mastery and have won him worldwide acclaim.
Learn more about Orion Weiss, Piano.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes

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Concert Sponsor
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Beethoven's Emperor & Mahler 5
2019-01-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Due to expected inclement weather and for the overall safety of our patrons, musicians, and event staff, the Richmond Symphony is cancelling its Altria Masterworks Beethoven Emperor & Mahler 5 Concert on SUNDAY, January 13th at 3:00pm. We will be reaching out to ticket-holders via e-mail or phone to discuss alternative ticketing options.
Our Altria Masterworks Concert on Saturday, January 12th at 8:00pm will continue as scheduled. Click the Buy Tickets link above to purchase tickets for Saturday’s performance.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Patron Services via phone at 804-788-1212 x2 or e-mail at patronservices@richmondsymphony.com.

We thank you for your patronage, support, and understanding.

Join the Richmond Symphony and guest artist Orion Weiss on piano, for a breathtaking evening of musical excellence. This Altria Masterworks concert features Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 Opus 73 “Emperor,” as well as the epic masterpiece that is Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor.
Beethoven wrote this concerto while Vienna was under siege by Napoleon’s armies. “What a disturbing, wild life all around me,” Beethoven wrote to his publisher, “nothing but drums, cannons, men, misery of all sorts.” The piece has a wide dynamic range that opens with a striking first movement, settles into a serene hymn-like adagio, and moves through to a triumphant rondo finale.
When Gustav Mahler conducted the first performance of his Fifth Symphony in 1904, it was described as “the giant symphony,” due to the immense demands placed on the orchestra. The first movement is a sort of funeral march. It begins with a single trumpet announcing the main theme. The entire orchestra eventually takes up this theme, building to a powerful climax before yielding to a more lyrical, plaintive melody. Eventually, the lighthearted waltz crashes its way back in and struggles with the darker theme, prevailing triumphantly at the end. The piece moves from sorrow to joy through epic swells of orchestral participation.
Orion Weiss is one of the most sought-after soloists in his generation of young American musicians.His deeply felt and exceptionally crafted performances go far beyond his technical mastery and have won him worldwide acclaim.
Learn more about Orion Weiss, Piano.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes

Series Sponsor
Concert Sponsor
Media Sponsor

Youth Orchestra Program Winter Concert
2019-01-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
The Richmond Symphony’s flagship educational program, founded in 1962, consists of four youth orchestras and a wind ensemble providing beginning to advanced musical training. As the premier orchestral training program of central Virginia, students participate in weekly rehearsals, coaching and masterclasses by Richmond Symphony musicians, chamber music performances, mentoring and other musical and social activities.
Concert is free and open to the public.
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String Sinfonietta
Christie-Jo Adams, conductor
SOON HEE NEWBOLD – Honor and Glory
KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ, ROBERT LOPEZ – Let it Go
Rhea Prakash, Madisyn Willis, Isaac Wilson, soloists
RICHARD MEYER – Terra Nova
Camerata Strings
Rebecca Jilcott, conductor
WARREN BENSON – Theme and Excursions
ELENA ROUSSANOVA LUCAS – Contemplation
SOON HEE NEWBOLD – Iditarod
Wind Ensemble
Chris Moseley, conductor
JOHN KINYON – Flurry for Winds and Percussion
JOHN MOSS – British Master’s Suite
MARK WILLIAMS – Grant County Celebration
Youth Concert Orchestra
Sandy Goldie, conductor
ROBERT W. SMITH – The Tempest
HAYDN – Symphony No. 104 “London”
I.
ALBINONI – Adagio in G minor
Hyla Stuntz, violin
SOON HEE NEWBOLD – Warrior Legacy

A Lemony Snicket Mystery
2019-01-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
If you have ever heard an orchestra play, then you know that musicians are most certainly guilty of something. Where exactly were the violins on the night in question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too much? In this perplexing mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has an alibi, and nearly everyone is a musical instrument.
Help the Inspector solve the crime as he interrogates all the unusual suspects with great music from the Orchestra. Hear for yourself exactly what took place on that fateful, “well-orchestrated” performance of The Composer is Dead by Nathaniel Stookey with text by Lemony Snicket.
Join us for a free pre-concert festival at 10am in Rhythm Hall, featuring our Instrument Petting Zoo. Enjoy interactive activities for the whole family that will enhance your concert experience.

Learn more about Chia-Hsuan Lin, Conductor.
Learn more about Romain-Olivier Gray, Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Student Concerto Competition Winner

Series Sponsor
Pre-Concert Festival Sponsor
Pre-Concert Festival Partner

Tucker-Boatwright Festival, Southeast Asian Connections
2019-01-23 19:30 - 22:00 | Camp Concert Hall, Booker Hall of Music, 38 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA, 23226, United States
The evening’s performance features Debussy’s Pagodes and La boite a joujoux with a traditional Balinese shadow play, Evan Ziporyn’s Ngaben for Balinese gamelan and orchestra, Dewa Alit’s Open My Door, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 25, and the world premiere of Sumarsam’s reconstruction of the Javanese music Debussy heard at the 1889 Paris Exposition.
This event is part of the Tucker-Boatwright Festival of Literature and the Arts. Learn More.

Adult
$36
UR Student
Free

Senior (62+):
$32
UR Employee
Free

Child (0-12)
$18
Group (20+)
$32

Rush Hour 2
2019-01-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Richmond, 2408-2410 Ownby Lane, Richmond, VA, 23220, United States
We’re teaming up with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery again this season to continue the popular Thursday night Rush Hour concerts! Grab your favorite craft beer, hit the food trucks and enjoy a laid back concert at 6:30PM in Hardywood’s tasting room.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.

What to expect:
Hardywood’s newly renovated tasting room, now has even more space to fill with Symphony notes and audience seats for the 2018/19 Season!
Seating — The cover charge grants you access to Hardywood’s space. There are several chairs and plenty of standing room available in the barrel room where the orchestra sets up. If being seated is a high priority for you, please arrive early to secure a seat (doors open at 5pm). There is additional seating in the adjacent rooms; the doors between the spaces are left open to allow the music to be heard throughout the space and the sound is reinforced with speakers.
Food — Thursday is Food Truck night at Hardywood. The number of food trucks varies from one to eight, depending on the season. Please note we can’t guarantee vegan/vegetarian or GF/DF options. You always have the option to bring in food from outside restaurants or from home to suit your needs.
Atmosphere – Please note that you are enjoying the orchestra in a bar atmosphere. Feel free to move in and out of the space, eat and drink, or snap a photo (NO FLASH OR CLICK PLEASE). Like any bar, there will be conversation as well. If you are looking for a more traditional concert experience, we encourage you to check out the Classics section of our website or our Symphony in 60 series.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS™
2019-01-26 19:30 - 22:30, 2019-01-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Altria Theater, 6 North Laurel Street, Richmond , VA, 23220, United States
Audiences will be able to relive the magical adventure of Harry Potter’s second year at school like never before. This concert features Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in high-definition while the Richmond Symphony performs John Williams’ otherworldly score. Experience the wonder of talking spiders, scolding letters, and giant snakes all over again!

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING`S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s18)

Metro Collection 2
2019-01-27 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Enjoy classical music in an intimate setting. Metro concerts feature smaller scale works from the classical repertoire and newer pieces by contemporary composers. Richmond Symphony musicians are often featured soloists.
The Symphony No. 25 in G Minor is only one of two symphonies that Mozart wrote in a minor key, out of the nearly one hundred he composed. Mozart experimented with using the Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) musical trend in a symphony setting. The trend was a reaction to the cool rationalism of the Enlightenment and gave free expression to extreme emotion. The piece is saturated with stormy emotion, interspersed with lighter themes throughout the movements; contrast is a hallmark of Sturm und Drang.
Debussy’s La boîte à joujoux (The Toy Box) is based off a children’s book by the same title. Writing the first two scenes came easily for Debussy by extracting secrets from his daughter’s old dolls, but he confessed the third scene was causing him some trouble: “The soul of a doll is more mysterious than even [poet and playwright] Maeterlinck imagines; it doesn’t easily tolerate the kind of humbug so many human souls put up with.”
Fanny Mendelssohn’s only known purely orchestral work is Overture in C. It begins with a quiet serenity that eventually bursts into an ebullience that can only be associated with the Mendelssohn name. The standard of the times, her family and brother, famed composer Felix Mendelssohn, discouraged Fanny’s compositional aspirations. With the support of her husband, a painter, she began to publish her works. Just a year later, she died from a stroke, leaving over 500 compositions unpublished.
A gamelan is an Indonesian orchestra made up of gongs and keyed metal instruments resembling our marimbas and xylophones. Born to a family of artists in Pengosekan village in Bali, Dewa Ketut Alit was immersed in Balinese gamelan from early childhood. He is generally acknowledged as the leading composer of his generation in Bali. He says this of his piece Open My Door: “I want to push open a door, entering new spaces. I’m on the road looking for the relationship between gamelan music and western music.”
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes

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Concert Sponsor

Cirque de la Symphonie
2019-02-02 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Cirque de la Symphonie continues to amaze and delight audiences by bringing its unique magic to the concert hall. Hear the Orchestra perform its own acrobatics as its joined by aerial flyers acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen, lead by Guest Conductor Benjamin Rous. This show is not to be missed!

Media Sponsor

Dvořák & American Masterpieces
2019-02-09 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Discover the power of live music with our Altria Masterworks series. This concert proudly features American masterpieces alongside Dvořák’s Concerto for Violin in A Minor, Op.53, performed by Concertmaster Daisuke Yamamoto. With Guest Conductor George Manahan, the Richmond Symphony looks forward to presenting an inspiring evening of music.

Learn more about George Manahan, Guest Conductor.
Learn more about Daisuke Yamamoto, Concertmaster.
Program Notes

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Dvorak & American Masterpieces
2019-02-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States

Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Side-By-Side with the Richmond Symphony
2019-02-10 19:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
RSYO performs masterworks of the orchestral repertoire, as students hold themselves to a high level of discipline, preparation and musicianship. Nearly all members of RSYO study with private instructors and all are leaders in their school programs. RSYO student members will play side-by-side with Richmond Symphony musicians in this valuable learning experience.

Concert is free and open to the public.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Learn more about Abigail Leidy, 2019 Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition Winner, Cello.

Cinderella
2019-02-14 19:00 | VA
Dreams magically transform into reality with one enchanted night at a ball, where a girl with a kind and gentle spirit finds her happily ever after. Cinderella, her Fairy Godmother, stepsisters, and the Prince will grace the Carpenter Theatre stage over Valentine’s Day weekend. Filled with gusty humor and lyrical romance, Malcolm Burn’s Cinderella offers a unique telling of a centuries-old story that still touches our hearts today.

Cinderella
2019-02-15 19:00, 2019-02-16 14:00, 2019-02-16 19:00, 2019-02-17 13:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States

For the Love of Music Gala 2019: Honoring Music Director Steven Smith
2019-02-16 18:30 - 22:00 | Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W Broad St, Richmond , VA, 23220, United States
Join us for a Legacy of Music Gala Event, For the Love of Music: Honoring Music Director Steven Smith
Event details:
6:30 pm | Cocktails & Silent Auction
7:30 pm | Dinner, Remarks & Live Auction
9:00 pm | Post-Dinner Entertainment
Tickets are no longer on sale but you can still bid our silent auction items, even if you aren’t able to attend the event!

Thank you to our generous sponsors:
PRESENTING SPONSOR:

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

GOLD SPONSORS:

SILVER SPONSORS:

BRONZE SPONSORS:

IN KIND SPONSORS:

HONORARY HOSTS:
Meta & John Braymer
Betty Neal & Ronald Crutcher
Cheryl & Stephen Goddard
Nancy & Bob Hill
Mary & Ted Linhart
Tara & Chris Matthews
Caroline & Joe Murillo
Ruth & Richard Szucs
Marcia & Harry Thalhimer
Anne Kenny-Urban & Bill Urban
Ludi & Butch Webber

Tucker-Boatwright Festival, "South Asian Connections"
2019-02-22 19:30 - 22:00 | Camp Concert Hall, Booker Hall of Music, 38 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA, 23226, United States
This evening’s performance features Reena Esmail’s Avartan and a new piece for an Indian singer and orchestra; Shirish Korde’s Lalit for cello, tabla, and chamber orchestra; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6.
This event is part of the Tucker-Boatwright Festival of Literature and the Arts. Learn more.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Composer.

Adult
$36
UR Student
Free

Senior (62+):
$32
UR Employee
Free

Child (0-12)
$18
Group (20+)
$32

Beethoven in Brandermill
2019-02-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Brandermill Church, 4500 Millridge Parkway, Midlothian, VA, 23112, United States
“How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass and around rocks. No one can love the country as much as I do. For surely woods, trees, and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear.” Beethoven spent his summers in the country and it was there he did his most productive work. Beethoven composed most of his Symphony No. 6, what he himself called his Pastoral symphony, in the “delicious wooded environs of Heiligenstadt.”
Mozart wrote the Overture to “Don Giovanni,” K. 527, the night the opera’s final dress rehearsal had been performed. As his wife told him stories to keep him awake and entertained, the composer dozed off, eventually falling into a deep sleep. Upon waking, Mozart wrote and completed the Overture within two hours. Mozart’s biographer Ernest Newman insists that the story is true. Composition for Mozart “meant developing the work in his head; he found the business of writing it out rather tiresome, and he would often postpone it as long as he could. . . . the Overture to Don Giovanni had been worked out in his head long before . . . all he had to do on that historic night was to put the notes on paper.”
The Symphony will also perform Avartan by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Conductor.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes
This concert will be held at: The Brandermill Church, 4500 Millridge Parkway, Midlothian, VA 23112

Sponsored by Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation

Metro Collection 3
2019-02-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Enjoy classical music in an intimate setting. Metro concerts feature smaller scale works from the classical repertoire and newer pieces by contemporary composers. Richmond Symphony musicians are often featured soloists.
Mozart wrote the Overture to “Don Giovanni,” K. 527, the night the opera’s final dress rehearsal had been performed. As his wife told him stories to keep him awake and entertained, the composer dozed off, eventually falling into a deep sleep. Upon waking, Mozart wrote and completed the Overture within two hours. Mozart’s biographer Ernest Newman insists that the story is true. Composition for Mozart “meant developing the work in his head; he found the business of writing it out rather tiresome, and he would often postpone it as long as he could. . . . the Overture to Don Giovanni had been worked out in his head long before . . . all he had to do on that historic night was to put the notes on paper.”
“How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass and around rocks. No one can love the country as much as I do. For surely woods, trees, and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear.” Beethoven spent his summers in the country and it was there he did his most productive work. Beethoven composed most of his Symphony No. 6, what he himself called his Pastoral symphony, in the “delicious wooded environs of Heiligenstadt.”

Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Composer.
Program Notes

Series Sponsor

Discovery Concert: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant
2019-02-28 10:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
For very young listeners, this 40-minute concert serves as an introduction to the orchestra and families of instruments. We will welcome Michael Boudewyns from Really Inventive Stuff back to the stage as he shares The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, beautifully set to the music of Francis Poulenc.
Learn more about Michael Boudewyns.
**Inclement weather date for Feb. 28th performance: April 9 at 11:30am

Series Sponsor
Pre-Concert Festival Sponsor
Instrument Petting Zoo Sponsor

Discovery Concert: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant
2019-03-01 09:45 - 10:45 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
For very young listeners, this 40-minute concert serves as an introduction to the orchestra and families of instruments. We welcome Michael Boudewyns from Really Inventive Stuff back to the stage as she shares The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, beautifully set to the music of Francis Poulenc.
Learn more about Michael Boudewyns.
**Inclement weather date for March 1 performance: April 10 at 9:45am and 11:30am

Series Sponsor
Pre-Concert Festival Sponsor

Instrument Petting Zoo Sponsor

Discovery Concert: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant
2019-03-01 11:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
For very young listeners, this 40-minute concert serves as an introduction to the orchestra and families of instruments. We will welcome Michael Boudewyns from Really Inventive Stuff back to the stage as he shares The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, beautifully set to the music of Francis Poulenc.
Learn more about Michael Boudewyns.
**Inclement weather date for March 1st performance: April 10th at 9:45am and 11:30am

Series Sponsor
Pre-Concert Festival Sponsor

Instrument Petting Zoo Sponsor
