Contact: James Barthen. Vice President of Public Affairs
Phone: 412.392.4835 | email: jbarthen@pittsburghsymphony.org
Contact: Nicole Philipp, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: nphillipp@pittsburghsymphony.org
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Due to illness, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Principal Guest Conductor Leonard Slatkin has withdrawn from the Canady Symphony Series at West Virginia University concert on Tuesday, Nov. 10 in Morgantown.
While conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic on Sunday, Nov. 1, Slatkin experienced chest discomfort and was taken to the hospital following the concert. He is in good spirits and his prognosis is excellent.
Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh will now lead the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring the popular Romeo and Juliet Overture-fantasy by Tchaikovsky, as well as Dvoř�k’s Symphony No. 8 and Victor Herbert’s most notable work – his Concerto No. 2 for Cello and Orchestra. PSO cellist Adam Liu is the featured soloist.
The series is the cornerstone of a partnership between the WVU College of
Creative Arts and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and is made possible, in part, through the generosity of title sponsors Dr. William and Loulie Canady, of Morgantown, in memory of their daughter Valerie Canady, a Morgantown native and WVU graduate, who died in the crash of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.
The PSO would like to recognize and thank BB&T for its 2009-2010 series sponsorship of these performances.
Tickets ($14 – $40) to this event can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412-392-4900, or by visiting the PSO online at www.pittsburghsymphony.org.
Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Lawrence Loh is one of the most exciting young talents on the classical music scene today. He was brought to national attention in February 2004 when he substituted last-minute for an ailing Charles Dutoit with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conducting Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Loh received enthusiastic acclaim from orchestra players, audience members and critics, alike. This season, he additionally takes on the position of Co-Principal Conductor of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Adam Liu joined the PSO as Assistant Principal Cello in 2003. Prior to this appointment Liu held the position of Associate Principal Cello with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit for six seasons, including the entire 1999-2000 season as acting Principal Cello. He participated in many international tours and is featured on CD recordings with Montreal. Liu has been featured soloist with many fine orchestras world-wide, including the symphonies of Montreal, Victoria, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, San Antonio, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been a vital part of the City of Pittsburgh’s heritage for more than 100 years. With its noble history of the finest conductors and musicians and its strong commitment to artistic quality and excellence, audiences around the world have claimed the PSO as their orchestra of choice. In September 2008, the PSO welcomed its ninth Music Director Manfred Honeck. Beginning in the early 1900s with frequent performances in Canada, the PSO confirmed its ranking as a world-class orchestra, earning critical acclaim for each tour abroad. Its 34 international tours include 18 European tours, eight trips to the Far East and two to South America. In January 2004, the PSO became the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, as part of the Pontiff’s Silver Jubilee celebration.
Editors Please Note:
Tuesday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m.
West Virginia Unversity
Lyell B. Clay Concert Theater
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LAWRENCE LOH, conductor
ADAM LIU, cello
SMITH The Star-Spangled Banner
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Overture-fantasy
HERBERT Concerto No. 2 for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 30
DVO�K Symphony No. 8 in G major, Opus 88