Joshua Bell to open Colorado Symphony 2011/12 Masterworks

July 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Superstar violinist Joshua Bell joins conductor Peter Oundjian and the Colorado Symphony on Sunday, September 18 for a spectacular evening celebrating the opening of the Colorado Symphony's 2011/12 Masterworks Series. This one-night-only concert event spotlights a unique program, personally selected by Bell and featuring several of the repertoire's most beloved works for the violin. While the full program will not be revealed until closer to the concert date, Bell has already shared that he will perform the first movement of Bruch's highly popular Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor. Currently, tickets for Joshua Bell with the Colorado Symphony are only available to Colorado Symphony season subscribers. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on August 1 and start from $29.

Bell, who has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty, came to national attention at age 14 in his debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Today, he is equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestra leader and composer who performs his own cadenzas to several of the major concerto repertoire. Bell is the newly-named music director of the famed English chamber orchestra, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; the first person to hold the title since Sir Neville Marriner, who founded the Orchestra in 1958. He has recorded more than 36 CDs garnering Mercury, Grammy®, Gramophone and Echo Klassik Awards, including the Academy Award-winning soundtrack to The Red Violin.

Bell performs on the famed 1713 Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius violin and uses a late 18th century French bow by Francois Tourte. Stolen twice in its 298-year history, The Gibson was only recovered from the second theft in 1985. Bell acquired it in 2001 for a price tag of close to $4 million, saving it from becoming a museum piece.

The Colorado Symphony's one-night-only concert with Joshua Bell opens the magnificent 2011/12 Colorado Symphony Masterworks Series, featuring a breathtaking array of thrilling programs, beautiful masterpieces, choral wonders and innovative programming twists. In 2011/12, the Colorado Symphony continues its search for a new music director and welcomes celebrated guest conductors from around the world, including Britain's Matthew Halls, Estonia's Olari Elts, Finland's Pietari Inkinen, Austria's Christian Arming, Germany's Claus Peter Flor and Spain's Jesús López-Cobos, as well as acclaimed American conductors Scott Yoo, Andrew Litton and Mei-Ann Chen. To learn more about this concert and the Colorado Symphony 2011/12 Masterworks Series, visit

www.coloradosymphony.org.
http://www.coloradosymphony.org/



Tickets: Tickets go on sale to the general public August 1 and currently start at $29. Tickets are sold at the Colorado Symphony Box Office at

www.coloradosymphony.org
http://www.coloradosymphony.org/

, by calling (303) 623-7876 or (877) 292-7979, or in-person in the lobby of Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Hours are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Artists:                

Colorado Symphony 2011/12 Masterworks Opening Night
Peter Oundjian, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin

Performance:  
7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 18, 2011

Program:            
BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor (First Movement), Op. 26
Additional selections to be announced.

Location:            
Boettcher Concert Hall

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The state’s only full-time professional orchestra, the Colorado Symphony embraces a tradition of musical excellence by presenting a diverse array of symphonic performances throughout the year. The Colorado Symphony presents outstanding education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the exciting new Inside the Score series that has attracted a historic level of first-time concertgoers. By presenting music that is both timeless and inspiring, while taking risks with new musical collaborations and interactive concerts, the Colorado Symphony is attracting more diverse and younger audiences than ever before. The increasing popularity of Colorado Symphony concerts as well as a strong fund-raising base not only re-affirms the artistic excellence of the orchestra, but also reflects the deep-rooted enthusiasm for symphonic music felt by so many individuals across the region. For more information about the Colorado Symphony, visit www.coloradosymphony.org.