The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra will close its 2023-24 season with two special concerts—renowned double bassists Susan Hagan and David Heyes will present a recital with soprano Sarah Poole, April 25, at Wellesley Village Church; and the WSO will present “Painted Sound,” showcasing music inspired by Japanese woodprints and paintings, May 5 at MassBay Community College
EVENT: internationally acclaimed double bassists Susan Hagen and David Heyes
DATE: Thursday, April 25
TIME: 7:30pm
LOCATION: Wellesley Village Church, 2 Central St.
TICKETS: Get tickets online or at the door.
EVENT: WSO Season Finale, “Painted Sound”
DATE: Sunday, May 5
TIME: 3pm
LOCATION: MassBay Community College, 50 Oakland St., Wellesley
TICKETS: Get tickets online or at the door.
Susan Hagen and David Heyes will fully explore the possibilities of the double bass as part of their Koussevitzky Connections recital series. This program will feature music old and new, including “Your Beautiful Mind,” a compostion by David Heyes for two double basses and soprano.
The May 5 season finale will celebrate the WSO’s 75th anniversary, showcasing music inspired by wood prints and paintings. The concert will feature xylophone soloist Casey Voss, and two blockbuster works.
Alan Hovhaness’ Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints was written for xylophone and orchestra. The Fantasy is varied and colorful, drawing upon techniques borrowed from Japanese music while incorporating the composer’s Armenian influences.
Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition depicts an exhibition of works by architect and painter Viktor Hartmann with each movement of the suite based on an individual work. Written for piano, this work has become a staple of piano and orchestra repertoire and frequently adapted by musicians of many genres—from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, to the synthesized version by Tomita, and many others. The WSO will perform the orchestration by Maurice Ravel.
Inspired by the altarpiece of the Church of St. Anthony at Isenheim, Paul Hindemith created the opera Mathis Der Maler (Matthias the Painter) in the early 1930s. The opera portrays Matthias’s struggle for artistic freedom of expression in the repressive climate of his day, mirroring Hindemith’s own struggle as the Nazis attained power and repressed dissent. Hindemith wasn’t able to perform the opera but did create this symphony, which became his most famous work, and one of the most impressive orchestral showpieces ever.
To enhance your enjoyment of this marvelous composition that was inspired by Matthais Grünewald’s incredible 12-panel Isenheim Altarpiece, the WSO invited Frederick Ilchman, Chair of European Art at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, to help audiences understand the connections between Grünewald’s exquisitely detailed paintings and Hindemith’s evocative music.
The WSO ticketing system operates on a “pay what you can” basis, and parking is both plentiful and free. Please attend a reception after the concert.
Tickets are available on line (www.wellesleysymphony.org) or at the door.
To make sure everybody in our community can access this concert, we are offering a pay-what-you-can-system. You select the price you would like to pay for your tickets. We recommend $30 per ticket.
The MassBay auditorium is at 50 Oakland Street, Wellesley Hills, just off Rt 9, two miles west of Rt 95.
Our staff and volunteers can help you purchase tickets, check in, and show you to your seat when you arrive at MassBay. The Wellesley Symphony and MassBay Community College have lifted COVID-19 vaccination and masking requirements as of June 2023.
We are excited to have you join us as we explore the wonderful world of classical music together!
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