The Philadelphia Orchestra has a few new things this season. A new Music Director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin and a newly commissioned work that will premier to audiences Thursday October 25. The French Canadian born Yannick (everyone refers to him by his first name) has a taste for the passionate and dramatic, having conducted operas such as Carmen at The Metropolitan Opera. He seems to choose moving works that are also fresh and relevant. Exactly what the Philadelphia Orchestra needs to reassert its status as a modern cultural icon.

The October 25-27 bill of ‘Bell, Bernstein, and Brahms’ are only part of the ticket. The Bernstein and Brahms refer to some of the pieces to be performed that evening. The Bell is violinist Josh Bell, who first debuted at The Philadelphia Orchestra nearly 30 years ago, when he was 15. At the age of 12 “I turned a corner”, Bell says of playing violin, “This will be my life.” Bloomington, Indiana is where Bell says he “took it to the next level” when he studied under Josef Gingold. An experience Bell says he still feels was extremely fortunate, ultimately taking him to a Ricardo Muti led Philadelphia Orchestra in 1982, which he directly attributes to starting his career.

Another career seeing new heights at the Philadelphia Orchestra performance on October 25-27 will be Gabriela Lena Frank, composer of Concertino Cusqueño, which will start the show and have its world premiere. Frank, the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant, says she draws inspiration from her multi-cultural heritage as well as from composers like Bela Bartok, Chow Wen Chung, and her one time teacher William Bolcom. “To me these gentlemen are the very definition of ‘cultural witnesses,’” Frank explains, “as they illuminate new connections between seemingly disparate idioms of every hue imaginable.”

Bell, Bernstein, and Brahms

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor

Joshua Bell Violin

October 25 at 8:00 PM – Thursday evening – Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

October 26 at 2:00 PM – Friday afternoon – Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

October 27 at 8:00 PM – Saturday evening – Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Gabriela Lena Frank            Concertino Cusqueño – Philadelphia Orchestra Commission – World premiere

Bernstein                                  Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium) for Solo Violin,     Strings, Harp, and Percussion

Brahms                                     Symphony No. 4

Aja Beech

Follow @ajabeech