Tucson: SASO Concerts Feature Guest Artists Tao and Cong Fan

 

From: prwords@q.com [mailto:prwords@q.com]
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 1:39 PM
Subject: SASO Concerts Feature Guest Artists Tao and Cong Fan

 

SOUTHERN ARIZONA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Contact: Tim Secomb at 626-4513 or secomb@u.arizona.edu

 

Chinese Guest Artists Join with Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra

For Rare Performance of the Yellow River Piano Concerto Feb. 11 & 12

 

TUCSON, AZ – Tao Fan, who holds the rank of National First Conductor in the People's Republic of China, will guest conduct the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring his sister – pianist Cong Fan – on Feb. 11 and 12.

 

She will perform the Yellow River Piano Concerto, considered the most famous Chinese piano concerto. This piece, which she has recorded, is one of her specialties. The concerto evolved from an eight-movement cantata composed by Xian Xinghai in 1939. It was much revised and modified before this version, a synthesis of Western and Chinese styles, was completed by Yin Chenzong and Chu Wanghua in 1969.

 

In addition to the piano concerto, SASO will perform Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D Major and the Yao Dance Overture by Liu and Mao.

 

Cong (pronounced T'song) began playing the violin in China at age six, then switched to piano two years later. She studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and made her orchestra debut at age 16 with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. She went on to graduate from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where she received her bachelor's degree in piano performance.

 

She came to the United States on scholarship to Temple University, where she completed her doctorate in piano. In a Temple University news release about her pending Carnegie Hall debut, she said that her father, a professional wrestler, loved music and told her that hard work and practice were the keys to success. He would attend her piano lessons and take notes on what her teachers said so he could continue to tutor her at home.

Her brother Tao Fan graduated in 1995 at the top of his class at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, winning several awards and scholarships. He was appointed resident conductor of the National Film and Radio Philharmonic in Beijing. He came to the United States for doctoral studies at Florida State University, where he first met Linus Lerner, SASO's music director. He first guest conducted SASO last season.

Tao Fan was a prize winner in the 2000 International Sibelius Conducting Competition in Finland. In 2003 he debuted at Carnegie Hall, conducting a program of contemporary music. In 2006, China's Ministry of Culture chose him to conduct an orchestra drawn from the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, opening the ASEAN conference in Cambodia. He led the National Film and Radio Philharmonic on a month-long tour of Eastern Europe and recently conducted the China Philharmonic at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. He conducts about 100 concerts a year.

SASO will perform this program on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the SaddleBrooke Desert View Performing Arts Center, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive, and again on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 7575 N. Paseo del Norte.

 

Order SaddleBrooke tickets online at http://tickets.saddlebrooketwo.com or call 825-2818. They are $21 in advance or $23 at the door. Order the St. Andrew's tickets online at www.sasomusic.org or call 308-6226. They are $20 in advance or at the door. Ticket fee is waived for anyone age 17 and under.

 

The SASO season continues with two more concerts:

 

Ø  On April 14 and 15 whimsy is in the air with Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals and a multi-media show. The program also features the innovative HarpFusion ensemble, along with music of Copland, Handel, Sibelius and a performance by the winner of SASO's annual youth concerto competition.

 

Ø  The season concludes May 19 and 20 with a rare concerto for two double basses by Bottesini, performed by Waldir Bertipaglia and Catalin Rotaru. The program opens with Isaac's Patriotic Overture and ends with Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D minor.

 

Founded in 1979, SASO is a vital community resource that unites performers and audiences through a passion for music. The orchestra presents world premieres, seldom-performed treasures and classical favorites. The orchestra has toured in China, giving six performances in five cities, including Beijing. For more information, visit www.sasomusic.org or call 308-6226.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

TucsonStage.com - home of Chuck Graham's "Let the Show Begin"

Visit the website for TTA Listserv subscription information