Program is complete, even though the inspiration is interrupted

By Peter Alexander

“Inspiration, Interrupted,” the 2016–17 season of the Boulder Symphony, will feature two world premieres, several local artists as soloists, a competition winner, and the orchestra’s annual concert performance of a familiar opera to cap it all off. The season will presented under music director Devin Patrick Hughes,

The programming for 2016–17 represents a continuation of a pattern the Boulder Symphony has established, based on their goal of “making symphonic music more accessible and relevant to people of all ages.” Ways to achieve that goal have included featuring young soloists, presenting music by emerging young composers, and scheduling family events such the Annual Halloween Kids’ Extravaganza, scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29.

Another expression of that goal will continue, with all performances free to students from kindergarten through high school (K–12).

The season title, “Inspiration, Interrupted,” only seems to apply literally to one work on the season, Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony, scheduled for the Oct. 27 concert. The program is titled “Beethoven’s Shadow,” referring to the way that Beethoven’s legacy dominated the musical world for generations after his death.

But the thrust of the season is broader than just pieces that were interrupted and never finished. The orchestra’s news release states that each concert will explore “the incredible and challenging process composers encounter when creating magnificent works.”

Each concert has a symphony that is likely the representative of the season topic. In addition to Schubert in October, those will be Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on the program titled “Fate Knocks, Symphony Rocks” (Sept. 17); Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony for “Prague, I Love You” (Nov. 19); Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony for “Clash of Titans” (Feb. 24, 2017); and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique for “Day of Reckoning” (April 8).

The young violinist Phoenix Avalon returns for his fourth consecutive year, to play the Bach Double Violin Concerto with the Boulder Symphony’s concertmaster, Keynes Chen. Other soloists during the year will include several members of the orchestra; CU faculty member Paul Erhard, double bass; and the winner of the International Keyboard Odyssiad & Festival, to be held in Fort Collins in July.

The 2016–17 season will be the third in which the Boulder Symphony will present a concert performance of an opera. Following performances of Carmen and La Bohème in the past two years, they will present Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro May 13, 2017.

Season tickets for 2016–17 are now on sale here. The full season is listed below.

Boulder Symphony
Devin Patrick Hughes, Music Director
2016–17 Season: “Inspiration, Interrupted”

“Fate Knocks, Symphony Rocks”
7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor
Piano Competition Winner

“Beethoven’s Shadow”
7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22
Schubert: Symphony No 8 in B minor (“Unfinished”)
Brahms: Double Concerto in A minor for violin and cello
Sarah Off, violin, and Matthew D’Ordine, cello

Annual Halloween Kids’ Extravaganza: “Steal This Concert”
1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29
Musical Borrowing and Imitation

“Prague, I Love You”
7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19
Mozart: Symphony No. 38 in D major, K 504 (“Prague”)
Douglas: Songs and Dances
Ingrid Anderson, oboe
J.S. Bach: Double Violin Concerto in D minor, S 1043
Phoenix Avalon and Keynes Chen, violin

“Clash of Titans”
7 p.m. Saturday, Feb . 24
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor (“Scottish)
Nino Rota: Divertimento
Paul Erhard, double bass
Sebastian Laskowski: World Premiere

“Day of Reckoning”
7 p.m. Saturday, April 7
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Franz Liszt: Totentanz (Dance of death)
Cody Garrison, piano
Elizabeth Anne Comninellis: World Premiere

7 p.m. Saturday, May 13
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro

All concerts at First Presbyterian Church, 1820 15th St., Boulder

2016–17 season tickets now available HERE.