NYRO Presents Met Opera Flutist Stefán Höskuldsson in Liebermann Flute Concerto - March 29 - FREE!

NEW YORK - March 1, 2014 - PRLog -- On March 29, The New York Repertory Orchestra will present two amazing soloists playing works by New York composers: one is a modern classic, the other is the world premiere of an important new piece. All that, plus one of the world's most-loved orchestral masterpieces!

First, it's the world premiere of the Michael Shapiro's kaleidoscopic piano concerto, Archangel. Written for the amazing talents of piano soloist Jose Ramos Santana, NYRO is thrilled to present this important new work.

Then, Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson, Metropolitan Opera Principal Flute, returns to the NYRO stage with the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra by Lowell Liebermann. This beautiful work provides the soloist and orchestra many opportunities for virtuosic display as well as ravishing lyricism.

Completing the program, we present the dark and passionate Symphony No. 7 by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. Arguably the greatest of his symphonic output (if perhaps overshadowed by his more popular "New World Symphony"), the Seventh is Dvorak at his audience-pleasing best!

* Date: Saturday, March 29, 2014
* Time: 8:00 pm
* Admission: FREE*
* Place: Church of St. Mary the Virgin (145 West 46th Street)

The full program:
* Michael Shapiro: Archangel (World Premiere)
* Lowell Liebermann: Flute Concerto
* Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 7


Jose Ramos Santana, piano
Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, flute
David Leibowitz, conductor

*a $10 donation is suggested, but never required

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For complete info: http://www.nyro.org
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MORE ABOUT OUR SOLOISTS:

Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson, a native of Iceland, is principal flutist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and is quickly being recognized as one of the leading soloist in the country. Before winning the principal position in 2008, Stefan served as second flutist with the orchestra for four years.

Under the direction of James Levine, Mr. Hoskuldsson regularly performs at Carnegie Hall and Zankel Hall with the MET Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble. He has performed under the batons of Valerie Gergiev, Daniel Barenboim, Seiji Ozawa, Essa Pekka Salonen, Ricardo Muti and has collaborated with such artists as Alfred Brendel, Yifim Brofman, Gil Shiham and Diana Damrau. Stefan can be heard and seen on live HD broadcasts with the Metropolitan Opera.  One of these recordings include the 2008 performance of Lucia di Lammermoor where he collaborated with Anna Netrebko in the famous flute and soprano cadenza from the mad scene.

As an active soloist Stefan performed the Lowell Liebermann Flute Concerto with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in 2006. He will return in August 2011 to perform Mozart Flute Concerto in D major in the newly inaugurated Symphony Hall “Harpa” in Reykjavik.  Other Concerto engagements include a performance of the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York in October 2011. Stefan will also perform the Nielsen flute concerto and the Bach b-minor Suite with the New York Repertory Orchestra in February 2012.

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Jose Ramos Santana, a native of Puerto Rico, Jose Ramos Santana is one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation. He performs a wide and diverse repertoire while being an acknowledged master of Spanish Music.

A top prize winner of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, Mr. Ramos Santana has appeared as a guest soloist with such major orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, Detroit Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, 92nd Street Y Orchestra, The New York Virtuosi, Casals Festival Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony, and the orchestras of New Mexico, Sioux City, Utah, Syracuse among many others. Additional solo performances include the Moscow Philharmonic Latin-American tour, Orchestra of L'Hermitage of Saint Petersburg, Russia, and has collaborated with distinguished musicians and conductors such as Krzsztoff Penderecki, John Adams, Dennis Russell Davies, Jerzy Semkow, Dimitri Kitaenko, Joseph Silverstein, cellist Arto Noras, violinist Gregory Zhislin, and pianist Vladimir Viardo.

Jose Ramos Santana's recently released world premiere recording of "Glosas" by Roberto Sierra with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, has been described by the Hong Kong Hi Fi Review magazine as "Jose Ramos Santana who established his career as an interpreter of Spanish Music is indeed extraordinary in his performance, which excites our desire to repeat this auditory experience". Other works included in this CD are Ravel's Piano Concerto in G and Saint- Saens Piano Concerto in g minor op. 22, on the Fleur de Son Label.

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MORE ABOUT MUSIC DIRECTOR DAVID LEIBOWITZ:

Conductor David Leibowitz has garnered international acclaim for his work on the concert, opera, and ballet stage and is celebrated for his innovative programming and exciting performances.

Mr. Leibowitz is the Music Director and founder of the award-winning New York Repertory Orchestra. In addition to world and local premieres, some recent highlights of his tenure have been a fully staged production of Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio and a landmark performance of Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 3. As an avid fan and champion of today’s music, he has commissioned, worked with, and performed premieres by some of the most important composers of our time.

Mr. Leibowitz is the conductor of the New York Opera Exchange, and from 2003-2013, held the post of Principal Conductor with the Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently on the conducting faculty of the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute and the International Opera Institute at the Maud Powell Music Festival. For many years, Mr. Leibowitz was on the conducting staff of the Rome Festival Opera (Italy), leading opera, ballet, and concert performances, and was the Orchestra Director of the Siena (Italy) Summer Music Festival. Last season, he led the Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Orchestra and Chorus in a critically acclaimed performance of the Mozart Requiem.

Throughout the United States and Europe, he has directed such ensembles as the Pleven Philharmonic (Bulgaria), the Orchester Pro Arte (Vienna), Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Festival Orchestra (Princeton, NJ), and the University of Wyoming (Laramie) Symphony Orchestra. In the New York City area, he has conducted the Astoria Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Greenwich Village Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, Centre Symphony Orchestra, New York Festival Singers, Litha Orchestra, and Music at St. Paul’s (Columbia University).

In 2011, Mr. Leibowitz was an award-winner of the American Prize in Orchestral Conducting and Orchestral Programming and in 2005 he was given the “Gift to the City” award from the Omega Ensemble of New York for his ongoing contributions to the musical life of New York City.

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For complete info: http://www.nyro.org
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